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    Rikyu

    3.3 (34 reviews)

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    RIKYU ATMOSPHERE

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    Danielle C.

    Oh it seems this trend of new cute Japanese themed cafes is a thing now in the Bay Area! We tried Rikyu recently and I was shocked that they had wagyu sando that were $30 and $40. Like how. Who is paying for this. I like wagyu too but $30 to $40 for A SANDWICH with nothing else (no other sides) seems criminal. I may try it once because I'm really curious but paying that much for a lunch sandwich does not seem like a good use of money! I decided to try the Yuzu chicken sando for $15 and thought it was decent. The chicken is not super oily. The yuzu flavor is fairly strong if you like that flavor. The bread thank goodness is not Brioche which I often see for fried chicken sandwiches (that bread is insanely buttery). For this sando you can get either yuzu mayo or yuzu chili sauce. I like mayo a lot on chicken sandwiches so I opted for that. My first half had a good mayo spread but the second half had like no mayo. I got the hojicha latte and honestly it was one of the worst ones I've ever had in my life. There was very little to no hojicha flavor and also zero sweetness whatsoever. It tasted like I was drinking milk. I'm definitely not trying this one again. It was also like $7.

    Iced hojicha latte with vanilla cold foam and iced banana bread latte with banana cold foam
    Kyla J.

    The Peninsula definitely needs more dedicated matcha spots, so Rikyu is a welcome addition to Downtown Palo Alto. The storefront is cute and aesthetic, with a few tables out front that make for a nice place to sit and enjoy your drink. Since it's located in a busy area of downtown, I can imagine it gets pretty packed throughout the day, but we came right when they opened around 8 AM and there was no line. I ordered the iced Banana Bread Matcha with banana cold foam, and my husband got the iced Hojicha Latte. We also got the Ebi Katsu Sando and Chicken Katsu Sando. One thing I really appreciate is the variety of matcha options available. The matcha comes unsweetened, which lets you customize it to your liking. I also loved that they offer three different drink sizes. Most matcha cafes only offer a standard size, so having options is a nice touch and something I wish more places would do. The Banana Bread Matcha was interesting, but it did not fully come together for me. The banana bread puree did not mix well into the drink, so I found myself tasting the matcha and banana separately rather than as one cohesive flavor. The puree also settled at the bottom pretty quickly, requiring a lot of stirring throughout. The banana cold foam is an additional charge, but I think it is almost necessary. It added some richness and sweetness that the drink otherwise lacked, as the overall flavor profile felt a little flat without it. The Hojicha Latte, on the other hand, was excellent. It had a rich roasted flavor and was probably our favorite drink of the two. I would definitely order it again. The sandos were also a highlight. Both the Ebi Katsu and Chicken Katsu were freshly made, crispy, and satisfying. The bread was soft, the fillings were generous, and they made for a great breakfast alongside the drinks. It is nice to see a matcha-focused cafe offering substantial food options rather than just pastries. One thing to keep in mind is that the bill adds up quickly. Between two drinks, the cold foam add-ons, and two sandos, we spent about $68 including tip. The quality was there, but it is definitely easy for the total to climb once you start adding extras. Overall, Rikyu is a great addition to the Palo Alto coffee and matcha scene. The drinks are thoughtfully crafted, the food is delicious, and the space is inviting. While I would love to see some improvements to how the specialty matcha flavors are incorporated, I am excited to come back and work my way through more of the menu.

    Menu
    Sisi C.

    Been wanting to try this new spot and ended up coming twice in one day: 10am to pick up a matcha (no line), then during lunch time to try their sandwich (very long line). If you come, would recommend ordering online to skip the line. What I got: - Banana Bread Matcha (4/5): I thought this would be like a regular banana matcha but it actually does have a more unique banana bread flavor. Not too sweet, which I like, but the banana layer at the bottom is hard to fully mix in so it's likely you'll be drinking clumps of sauce with your matcha if you don't mix well - Yuzu Chicken Sando (2/5): The chicken was quite juicy, but other than that nothing special. Definitely not worth the $17 price tag. Another note is that the workers here work extremely slow. I understand the shop is new so they're are still learning. But watching them look around or slowly bag my sandwich while a long line was waiting to order made me kind of antsy haha.. Overall, I wouldn't be completely opposed to coming back and trying out some other drinks, since they have some unique flavors, but so far I wouldn't say their quality or flavor or service lives up to the hype.

    Banana Bread Matcha, Strawberry Matcha, Yuzu Chicken Katsu Sandwich
    Stephanie T.

    Came during their soft opening, so I want to give them some grace... but the other reviews were not lying. :( Starting off with the positives, they did a great job with the interior. There's not a ton of seating like other cafes in the area, but it's aesthetic and clean. Service was friendly, but you can tell that the staff was still learning their flow. The Yuzu Chicken Sandwich was the highlight of our visit (fyi, it's on the sweeter side and is very saucy). Definitely enjoy it fresh! As for the drinks, they were not great. We ordered the Iced Banana Bread Matcha and Iced Strawberry Matcha with oat milk and let's just say we had a hard time finishing them (we got smalls). They were watery, the purées were not mixing well with the latte, and while the dried fruit on top was a nice touch, I would completely remove it. It was SO sour and it gets soggy and clumps together after some time (they use larger chunks). If you're deciding between the two, I would say go for the Strawberry Matcha. Also if you have a dairy allergy, my jaw dropped when I saw that oat milk was an extra $1.50. On the bright side, I think their matcha is hand whisked, so if that's important to you, this might be worth a try. Total: ~$38

    Ebi [Shrimp] Katsu Sando ($16) - GET THIS!
    Cherylynn N.

    3.5 STARS Matcha fatigue. As much as I love matcha and hōjicha, I'm phuckin' tired of all the new matcha shops popping up and paying $10+ for watery green or mud milk. I'm sure many of you are too! But with my toxic trait, I want to try it anyways cuz you never know. Not only is Rikyu Japanese-owned, the owner has two fine dining omakase restos: Hiroshi and Daiji Yacht Club (omakase on a yacht). Seems promising, yea? I visited during their soft opening on a weekday and they were severely understaffed. With about 7 people in front of me in line, it took close to 30 minutes to order and 40 minutes to receive my order. Not sure how they're going to handle the weekend crowds when they grand open Tomorrow, 5/30/26. Current Hours: 8 am - 3 pm. M E N U The menu has typos, wasn't clear, and lacked price transparency. Drinks come in three sizes but only the prices for the small size are listed. - Drinks: Matcha, hōjicha, and coffee: $5.50-$10+. Alt milks: +$1.50 (price not listed), cold foams: +$2 (price not listed), and syrups: ? (price not listed). Matcha + hōjicha are hand-whisked to order. Culinary grade matcha is used for their drinks but ceremonial grade is available for $21...yes, twenty-one dollars - is THIS rage bait?! - Food: Sandos ($15-$39), Chirashi ($19), and Desserts ($7-$8) (Note: Chirashi is filled with broccoli and cauliflower.) D R I N K S // 2 Stars * Iced Banana Bread Matcha Latte (S-$7.50) - Fixed sweetness (sweetness is from the fruit purée, they do not add additional sugar). I heard this runs sweet but my matcha was watery and bitter, and there was nothing to cut through it as the bananas tasted unripen. Also, it didn't look like the ones on socials and other pics. There's no banana foam and banana bread/banana chips...are these add-ons? If so, this needs to be specified. * Iced Hōjicha Latte (S-$6.50) - Sub oat milk ($1.50) - Unsweetened Tasted like straight oat milk, lacking roasty notes. Ended up tossing it. F O O D * Ebi Katsu Sando ($16) // 4.5 Stars Props to the solo chef in the back because this was BOMB! The panko-crusted shrimp patty was delicately crunchy with a satisfyingly tender, bouncy texture. They didn't over-process the shrimp so you still get fresh, sweet chunks in every bite. Paired with a creamy, tangy yuzu mayo, crisp cabbage slaw, and a pillowy soft brioche bun, it came together perfectly - delicious without feeling heavy. S E R V I C E The poor cashier was doing the work of 3+ staff - taking orders, expo, and delivering orders to customers who kept following up. It was claustrophobic inside with no room to wait and you cannot hear your name being called outside. Hope they activate Toast POS notifications. A M B I A N C E Sleek, minimalist with seven two-tops indoors and two tables outdoors. Free WiFi. Restroom available. Overall, great ebi sando and not so great lattes. With the stiff competition in PA and in Silicon Valley, they need to improve their matcha and hōjicha lattes. Giving them grace for the soft opening, 3.5 stars rounded up.

    Hojicha & Blueberry Matcha Lattes
    Alaine M.

    Came here around 12:35 pm on a Tuesday, wasn't really packed at all. PARKING: kind of hard to find parking if it's pretty busy but for a weekday on a mid day it was kind of tough to find parking anywhere. PLACE: pretty small and you can just order through the cashier, you can pick up at the counter and sometimes the worker will bring you the drinks if you are already sitting down. FOOD AND DRINK: Blueberry matcha (hot) - really good, hints of blueberry, probably would have been better iced but it was cold outside. Hojicha Latte - super good, no flavor and honestly really good blend. Ebi Katsu Sando - super good, the vegetables, buns, and the ebi was super fresh, tasted just how the McDonald's one in Japan is but better and I love the one in Japan, so nostalgic. A5 Wagyu Burg - So good, tastes very fresh and honestly the meat tasted great and was well cooked and seasoned. OVERALL: so good, highly recommend if you want to try a new cafe out with food!

    Banana bread matcha, hojicha latte
    Pauline T.

    I've been eagerly waiting for this cafe to open ever since I saw the announcement from Chef Daiji so I immediately made my way over once I saw that they were having their pre-soft opening today! Upon entering, the cafe is super cute with a trendy, minimal, and clean aesthetic. There are a few seats inside with charging ports so I'm looking forward to coming back to study here. I ordered the hojicha latte with whole milk and agave sweetener and the ebi shrimp sando. The employees were really friendly and service was very fast. The hojicha latte was smooth and the flavor was as expected. I do wish that the flavor were a bit stronger but overall, the hojicha latte was solid. The sando was definitely the star though! The shrimp patty was crispy and succulent and had chunks of shrimp throughout which added to the texture. The slaw and dressing was tangy and sweet and helped to cut through fried shrimp patty. The bread felt similar to a hawaiian style bun - super soft and fluffy and soaked up all the sauce without compromising structural integrity. Ever since trying an ebi katsu sando from one of my favorite cafes in LA, I've been searching for a good option here in the Bay Area, and I think this one may be even better. Overall, I'm so glad that Rikyu is now open. I'm excited to come back to try the matcha and the other sandos! :)

    Medium matcha latte (light agave light ice)
    Yumei H.

    Our group stopped by on a Saturday afternoon and encountered a short line. I ordered first, but the cashier didn't ask for my size preference, so I assumed I was getting a small. I ended up receiving a medium instead. I chose light agave for the matcha latte, but unfortunately, it was still overwhelmingly sweet and masked the matcha flavor, so it was not my favorite matcha. On the other hand, the ebi sando was amazing! The coleslaw had the perfect amount of citrus to balance out the rich shrimp patty.

    Anthony G.

    It was a calm Wednesday afternoon. My partner and I heard about this new matcha cafe and had to give it a try. Though this cafe is tucked away in a small space, it has a nice green, minimalist aesthetic. We excitedly ordered the Ebi Katsu Sando, the Banana Bread Matcha Latte and the Strawberry Matcha Latte with Strawberry Foam added on top. First off, the ebi katsu sando(added yuzu aioli) was so good. Great flavor and textures. However, the drinks did not live up to the hype. The flavor was solid, but not as much depth as I expected. When I hear banana bread, I'm thinking of a ripe banana caramel flavor with some cinnamon and some nuttiness. However, this was just a banana matcha with cinnamon on top. The strawberry also had a nice flavor but both drinks were just watery. They lacked a rich mouthfeel. Overall, I would not get drinks here again, but I would totally come back for a sando.

    Courtney L.

    I heard about this spot through a friend and had to check it out! We came around 3 pm on a Wednesday and it was not busy. There is no parking lot, it is street parking only. We ordered the banana bread matcha and yuzu chicken sando. The banana bread matcha is so good and tastes exactly like banana bread! It is not too sweet and the banana flavor is not artificial at all. They give you the option to choose your sweetener flavor, milk, and ice level. I also got the yuzu chicken sando with chili sauce and it was savory with a bit of sweetness. The bun was soft and not too much, and the chicken was crispy. The sando was so good and filling. I would come here again!

    Maribel L.

    From the moment you walk in, the attention to detail is evident. The thoughtfully designed space, complete with a hand-picked marble counter, creates a warm and elevated atmosphere that reflects the care put into every aspect of the café. We ordered the banana bread matcha latte and a houjicha latte with oat milk, and it was immediately apparent that they use high-quality tea. Both the matcha and houjicha had rich, complex flavors with none of the bitterness or burnt notes that lower-quality powders often have. I especially appreciated that the lattes are served unsweetened. It allows the natural character of the tea to shine through, and the subtle sweetness and aroma of both the matcha and houjicha were more than enough on their own. The banana bread flavor in the matcha latte was perfectly balanced--not overpowering or artificial--and complemented the tea beautifully. We also tried the ebi sando and A5 Wagyu-burg sando, both crafted with the same attention to detail and high-quality ingredients. Knowing that Chef Daiji also owns a high-end omakase restaurant and an omakase-on-a-yacht experience, it's easy to see how that level of culinary expertise carries over into every bite.

    Ajay K.

    Avoided the matcha based on the other reviews on this page and got the hojicha with blueberry foam and the ebi (shrimp) katsu sando. The sando was delicious with a crunchy shrimp punch. The yuzu mayo wasn't perfectly with it. The hojicha was also awesome although the blueberry foam could have been more flavorful. Will try the matcha next time based on this generally positive experience

    matcha latte, whole milk, vanilla syrup
    Angel L.

    Got the regular matcha latte with whole milk and vanilla syrup. There was visible clumping in the matcha (picture), and the drink had no matcha taste; the vanilla actually tasted stronger than the tea. The seating area is super cute, love the wooden furniture and plants! Service was super fast.

    Chirashi

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    $1.50 extra for oat milk just to have a watered down matcha drink. don't support businesses like this.

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    Ask the Community - Rikyu

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    Rikyu - cafes - Updated June 2026

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