Rin-Tei
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Every time I visit this restaurant, the service from the staff is consistently excellent. I always order the same Vietnamese beef pho. The noodles are delicious, the broth is rich yet not greasy, and the beef slices are incredibly tender and smooth. It is almost impossible to find any flaws. If I had to point out one area that could be improved, it would probably be the choice of beef chunks. They are still very tender, but the texture feels just a little dry at times. Even so, this small issue does not take away from the overall experience. Overall, I highly recommend this modern pho restaurant. They also offer many other dishes with great value for the price. Strongly recommended to everyone. 每次去拜訪這家餐廳，服務員的服務都非常得好，我始終點一樣的越南牛肉粉，好吃的麵條，濃郁的湯頭也不油膩，加上超滑嫩的牛肉片，無可挑剔。硬要說一個能改進的地方，唯一美中不足的部分應該就是牛肉塊的部位挑選，感覺也是非常嫩，但是口感始終有一點柴。但是瑕不掩瑜，整體來講，我非常推薦這一家好吃的現代河粉店，裡面還有非常多性價比非常不錯的餐點，強力推薦給各位。
My friends and I dined at Rin-Tei on a Sunday afternoon and the restaurant was empty when we stopped by. You're handed menus at the table, but you actually need to order with the host at the front (and you pay for your meal upfront as well). I really didn't feel comfortable with the tipping situation. The receipt you sign has pre-calculated checkbox options for a 18%, 20% or 22% tip, but you're tipping for service and food you haven't received yet. Don't even think about not leaving a tip, because the host is staring you down as you make your selection. The prices here are definitely on the high side, with main dishes coming in around $25. I ordered the keema curry and felt like it was very unremarkable; there was nothing particularly special about the dish. There's ground pork mixed in with the curry, but it ate very one-note, lacking layers upon layers of flavor. With some boxed Japanese curries, you get hit with a strong curry flavor right of of the gate, quickly followed by a nice subtle sweetness, and then rounded out with a hint of spiciness at the end. That flavor complexity was not here. For the chicken croquette appetizer we ordered, the inside of the croquette had the consistency of a crab cake, and the outside had a very light coating. The croquette was fine, but I would've liked it to be more crunchy, and the inside needed a touch more salt. Overall, I felt like the value simply wasn't here for the quality or quantity of food received. Not sure if I would stop by again.
This is such a cute and unique place! Came here on a Friday at 7pm for 4 people and waited like 20 minutes. It's a smaller dining space that's why. The outside has a cute little garden walkway. We got the soy milk pho - such an interesting dish that I was dying to try! It was actually really good since the broth was light. The pho was a little sweet from the soy milk. The original pho broth flavor is subtle. The noodles were cooked perfectly chewy and I lovedddd!!! The wagyu skillet was tender and juicy! My friend and I both thought the meat tasted like al pastor for some reason lol. Not a bad thing.
Cute little diner with pretty aesthetics! The prices are a little on the high side but the quality of the cod and beef pho were wonderful! I only had a few bites of the curry but that was very tasty too. The cod was about $28 for three pieces, but the cod was very flaky and well seasoned. Of note it does NOT come with rice. The beef pho was good and the slices of beef that came with it a very tender and break apart easily. The broth is light and clean! Service was quick and attentive, our food came out super quickly too.
I'll begin with the pros by saying the staff were SUPER friendly and kind, and you can tell they take a lot of pride in the business. The dishes are unique and I was excited to try the creamy soy milk pho ($25) since I've never heard of anything like it, but the flavor profile was a little bland and it just tasted like a creamy chicken broth with rice noodles. The wagyu loin ($39) was tender, but it was just a tad salty for my liking. The salmon tartare ($23) would've paired a lot better with some kind of wonton chip rather than the thin tortilla chips, so that was also just okay. The prices are too steep for what it is.
Got two different soy milk pho broths. Both had creamy savory soy milk broth. The noodles were cooked very well - I get anxiety thinking about how rice noodles usually get soggier towards the end, but these remained firm and chewy through the meal. The waitress was also super friendly. I was a little sad that I mixed the mentai throughout the broth as instructed but the broth was pretty hot and cooked the mentai through, so I felt like it lost a little of that mentai flavor. If I got this again I would wait for the broth to cool a bit first. Overall it was a light, clean meal in a bright and clean environment, and was so peaceful on a rainy day.
Modern and calming ambiance overall. Their dishes are very unique and exceptional. Soy milk pho was one of a kind, very clean but savory taste with soft chicken and refreshing yuzu. The broth tastes very healthy so we finished almost to the last drop. Sizzling wagyu was a great visual with charred grilled enoki and yuzu/lemon juice. The meat itself wasn't too greasy, and overall clean taste. We wanted to try out one more menu (yes, I'm in my last trimester and I eat a lot) so got the Japanese curry. This was more like home made comfort food. The frozen dessert with peach and milk was interesting, milky creamy gelatinous but frozen so it was a great refreshing end of our meal. Definitely will come back to try their karayake with draft beer/sake when I can!
Another episode of ladies who lunch with my friend Shanna and baby Ava. Enjoyed our calamari appetizer, although the calamari was more chewy than tender, and our basil tofu and keema tofu entrees. Will have to come back for their signature dishes, like the soy milk pho. Decor is minimal and stunning, perfect for a date night, and the service is unmatched. Many small batch food stuffs also available for purchase.
Didn't have 1 bad item. Both the service and food were phenomenal. The ambiance is clean with a few tables and bar type seating. Our party came right at opening to ensure a table! Soy Milk pho - 5/5, love the mushrooms and texture of the noodles. They've got a little thickness to them. The flavor of the broth was so goood Green curry - 4/5, good flavor, simple dish, if I could change something the consistency is very watery/runny. I wish there was more texture or thickness but other than that the flavor was very well rounded Papaya salad - 4/5, can't go wrong! The beef jerky on top was interesting but I wouldn't call it anything out of this world The consensus at the table is that the roast beef carpaccio was a must get! Highly recommend! It comes with fresh wasabi if ur into that.
We tried this place on a Saturday night and it was packed. Thankfully we had reservations. It's well lit and cozy inside. For parking, there's street parking on El Camino or the parking garage across El Camino at the corner of 2nd Street in San Mateo. We decided to try several dishes and they accomodated our request to have small bowls. The vietnamese Papaya Salad is made of green papaya and has very small pieces of beef jerky. I personally liked the Calamari that was served on a bed of shredded red cabbage. What made it even more delicious was the cilantro sauce on the side. The Garlic Shrimp was also tasty. The shrimp is tossed in this garlic butter sauce. We were glad we shared the Creamy Soy Milk Pho with Mushrooms and Chicken. It's a huge serving of this rich chicken broth based soy milk soup sauteed in butter. The rice noodles was firm to the bite. The Japanese-Inspired Beef Stew with White Miso is this rich beef round dish said to be braised for 48 hours and infused with white miso. It's served with steamed rice and pickled tomatoes. A sizzling plate with Wagyu Beef is this very savory melt in your mouth dish which is my favorite.
What an incredible space and concept! Super minimalistic, very attentive service and great food. The soy milk pho was very light and had a mild flavor, could not taste the yuzu much. The chicken and rice and the appetizers were got were amazing! Walked in for week day lunch date and no wait.
Came here for the soy milk mushroom chicken pho and had a feeling (mix of anticipation and faith that good cooking actually does exist) that it is going to be good. I parked in the meter spot just in front, which was free on a Sunday. We were the only customers until half hour after opening. We were seated and asked to order and pay in the front at the beginning of the meal. I am happy to report that the mushroom chicken pho was indeed very good. The broth composed of soy milk, cow's milk and chicken broth and it was just short of creamy which means it wasn't too heavy. Each ingredient was managed so well and packed with flavor from the chicken to beech/mixed mushrooms. I read a review that said the chicken is dry and mine was firm but still tender enough. The noodles were pho noodles and firm but not el dente (that's a positive imo). My sister's tantan noodles had firmer and chewier noodles. At $25 on average per bowl of noodles, it is pricey for noodles but it was excellent and I left so full that I almost couldn't finish everything. I heard the staff say the beef pho is also very popular so I am interested to return to try it.
1 year ago
The service and food is great. Specially the orange spring rolls. It's a nice, summery, refreshing appetizer. The Keema rice was delicious as well read more
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Rin T.
Hi Karan,…
8 months ago
Nice food! Nice environment for get together to chat and talk! I think kids friendly as well! read more
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Rin T.
Hi Emma,…
9 months ago
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Rin T.
Hello,…
6 months ago
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Rin T.
Hi Terry,…
1 year ago
Came for lunch. Ordered the papaya salad with beef jerky, vegetable roll with peanut sauce and the salmon lunch special with green beans and rice. The papaya salad was very refreshing and not too sour like many places are. The peanut sauce was delicious with the vegetable rolls. But we were not impressed by the salmon. It tasted a little too fishy and not much flavor. We were promptly seated by a very friendly server. She explained to us that ordering was at the counter once we decide what we wanted. We came right out opened so it was empty but soon filled up with a lot of corporate people. It's a cozy place with simple but nice decor that is reflected in their food. A good place to come for a quick date or with friends. Although would not recommend for kids as the menu doesn't have choices for them. read more
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Rin T.
Hello Munsia,…
Creamy Soy Milk Pho with Mushrooms and Chicken - Filling, unique, delicious. The soy milk gave a creaminess to the broth that added flavor without being heavy or overwhelming. The noodles had a bouncy bite that went well with the depth of the soup as well as the tender bites of chicken ad mushroom. Every element had great flavor and complimented well. Definitely a bigger entree than expected so come hungry if you want this one. Shaking Beef - My partner ordered this one and loved the seasoning on the beef and the acidity of the veggies. Great portion and ever bite enjoyable. Service and Ambiance - Newer place with crisp decor and lots of seating but mainly good for small parties. Service was good at the start, seated right away and they let us know about the drink specials that were off menu. End of the night was a bit slow to get the check and we had to ask twice for a to-go box. Otherwise, good service during the meal and filled waters without asking. read more
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Rin T.
Hi Mary,…
3 months ago
Such amazing pho soup broths. Service very nice and answered our questions. Comfortable atmosphere. read more
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Rin T.
Hi Ron,…
7 months ago
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Rin T.
Hi Rohan,…
9 months ago
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Rin T.
Hi Catherine,…
8 months ago
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Rin T.
Hi papamama,…
1 year ago
First time here and I am definitely coming back. It's nice and clean inside, the waitress is super friendly, it's like an open kitchen but no food smell when you're inside. We ordered the papaya salad, caramari, green curry and the soymilk tan tan pho. We like all of them, looking forward to coming back trying other food too. Highly recommend! read more
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Rin T.
Hi Delphine,…
1 year ago
Trying this out for the first time and we got seated right away. The restaurant was clean and cozy. Waitress was very friendly. It's very cool to see fusion style dishes. We had the Thai fried chicken, soymilk pho with clams and the soymilk tan tan. Everything was delicious! read more
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Rin T.
Hi Mara,…
2 years ago
Very cute inside, although space is limited. Also very limited metered street parking out in front! I ordered the creamy sesame tan-tan pho, which was such an interesting fusion delicious. It was delicious, although I wish they had put more toppings in it, the bowl felt a little empty considering that it was $23. Overall, a very unique menu. Would come back to try their other items. read more
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Rin T.
Hi Katherine,…
5 months ago
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Rin T.
Hi Ellvy,…
Came back to Rin-Tei for dinner for 4 on a Sunday. It's so nice to be able to call and make a reservation. And we easily got street parking right around the corner. For 4 hungry folks, we split the croquette and snap pea appetizers, tantan noodles, clay pot cod, kra pao beef and Japanese roast pork. After our server recommended the number of dishes for our group size, it worked out perfectly. Our favorites were the tantan noodles (just wish there was meat/protein), pork and the clay pot cod. The staff really go above and beyond and make the meal special - they pay attention and really welcome you. For 4 people for two appetizers, four entrees and drinks, the total (incl. tip) came out to 206$ or 51/person. read more
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Rin T.
Hi Sammi,…
1 month ago
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Rin T.
Hi Jonathan,…
9 months ago
The food was delicious. Hubby had the keema curry. He said it was delicious and authentic. I ordered the veggie spring rolls. The presentation was beautiful to the eyes and scrumptious. I'm looking forward to trying more things next time. read more
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Rin T.
Hello Kristine,…
6 months ago
Both food quality and service is superb! Great decor. Definitely recommend and will come again read more
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Rin T.
Hi Ray,…
11 months ago
10/10 for Beef Carpaccio and Creamy Soy Pho! Will be back again to try more dishes! Ambiance also nice i like the lighting and decoration 100/10 service everybody so helpful read more
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Rin T.
Hi Chonthicha,…
1 year ago
Do you like Japanese food? Do you like Thai food? Well this is THE SPOT for you to come. It is Japanese inspired Thai cuisine and it tastes so much like the Thai food I grew up eating in Tokyo. Full of flavor, you won't go wrong with anything you order. I really love their tantan pho and their krapow. But honestly, every time I come here, I order something new and it's always the bomb. read more
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Rin T.
Hi R,…
7 months ago
....looking for late night Pho Place, etc? This is it. Good service, good food! Definitely will be back for more read more
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Rin T.
Hi Joy,…
1 year ago
Came here on a Saturday for lunch and grabbed the last table right before noon. For lunch you order and pay first with the staff at the front. The chicken croquette was not what I expected; more meat and not much cream or potatoes. We decided to add the fried chicken and that was much tastier. The mentaiko pho was absolutely amazing, especially the noodle. The chew on it was so al dente and addictive. I think next time I will mix some of the mentaiko dry with the noodle instead of dissolving it into the soup because I couldn't really taste too much of it, though the soup was really tasty. My friend's green curry was also delicious. I'd say skip the croquettes but everything else that we had were amazing. read more
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Rin T.
Hi Stephanie,…
10 months ago
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Rin T.
Hi Michelle,…
Went here with my sister's family the other night and I wasn't expecting much, but DAMN this place is fire. Everything was really good. Fried Tofu light but super crispy outside and velvety inside with a light sweet sauce. The fried basil with the tofu was super yum 8.7/10. Thai fried chicken very crunchy and juicy, but not greasy 8/10. Papaya salad was yummy with a hint of spice 7.8/10. The rolls were good, but the peanut sauce it came with was excellent 8.2/10. All the soup rice noodles were great with perfectly cooked noodles. I had the curry cream noodle and it was so flavorful 10/10. Service is good and the decor super cute bistro vibes. read more
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Rin T.
Hi Dalan,…
Service was superb and similar to that of a fine dining restaurant. Interior is very modern and very comfortable atmosphere. We ordered the Rin Tei Plate which included several appetizers. Highly recommend this plate if you can't decide which appetizer to try. If fresh was a flavor, I would say that the calamari and chicken tasted extremely fresh and was fried to perfection. I also had the creamy soy milk pho with mentai. I love the idea and innovation. Broth was creamy as advertised. The noodle they use is not the pho noodle you would get at Vietnamese restaurants but rather a thicker rice noodle which was a tad chewier and harder than preferred. read more
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Rin T.
Hi Jodie,…
8 months ago
Nice little Asian fusion spot with friendly and attentive staff. The food was okay overall -- some dishes stood out more than others. The highlight for me was definitely the beef carpaccio, which was tender and flavorful, and the mushroom noodles, which had a great umami taste. Everything else was decent but not super memorable. Still, a pleasant dining experience thanks to the great service! read more
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Rin T.
Hi Amy,…
8 months ago
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Rin T.
Hi Xiaoxue,…
2 years ago
Nice service and ambiance with parking spaces near the neighborhood. Visited on a weekday to try and overall food was tasty . rin- tei plate ( appetizer sampler 3.5/5 - both fried chicken and calamari are the best, papaya salad and spring roll just need more fresh herbs- ) Beef pho - nice broth and amount of meat. Best of all I didn't get thirsty afterward like other places that uses lots of MSG . 3.5/5 Would definitely come back to try the noodles with soy milk and curry that's also popular . read more
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Rin T.
Hi Melissa,…
1 year ago
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Rin T.
Hi Ariel,…
8 months ago
The soy milk pho is really good! Service is pretty nice too, the waitress here is really friendly and sweet, good place for date! read more
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Rin T.
Hi Jinxu,…
1 year ago
Cute cozy restaurant. I love the art on the walls. Food was yummy! Appetizer- rin tei plate. It's a sampler platter. (calamari, chicken, papaya salad, and fresh spring roll) Entree- Tom yum soup no noodles and basil tofu. Service was excellent. read more
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Rin T.
Hi Renae,…
1 year ago
Very unique fusion meals! The soups we got were very flavorful. The broth is rich and creamy. The service was very nice and helpful. The ambiance is chill and you can come here with friends, family, or on a date! We would come back! read more
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Rin T.
Hello S G,…
1 year ago
First time! Super cozy ambience and very warm service. I ordered the beef pho and my mom ordered the chicken and rice. Very generous portions (we took both home!) The beef broth was delicious and not overly salted, perfect for a cold day. The rice noodles are a bit thicker and the waitress said they are cooked "al dente" style so the texture is more chewy than what you might expect from a bowl of pho. She mentioned they do this so that the noodles will slowly continue to cook as you eat it. It seems like they would be open to cooking the noodles longer if requested as she kindly checked in and wanted to make sure I was ok with the texture. The miso ginger sauce is rich and tasty and pairs well with the check. Overall I enjoyed my pho more because of the delicious, hot broth! I would come back to try their creamy soy milk pho as well which looks very unique! read more
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Rin T.
Hi Aileen,…
9 months ago
I like this place. I went with my family and friends back and forth for dinner and lunch within two three days. They have different menu for different and lunch. We really like the octopus Aglio E Olio at the dinner menu. I also tried the Cream Sesames "Tan Tan " Poh is very yummy. read more
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Rin T.
Hello Weijing,…
1 month ago
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Rin T.
Hi Oriana,…
1 month ago
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Rin T.
Hi Cameron,…
8 months ago
Tastes really nice. A must try in San Mateo. Very different from the traditional pho, but the creamy taste is impressive. read more
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Rin T.
Hi Howard,…
8 months ago
Business owner information
Rin T.
Hi Amar,…
More info about Rin-Tei
104 S El Camino Real
San Mateo, CA 94401
Directions
(650) 558-8239
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http://www.rin-tei.com
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Ask the Community - Rin-Tei
Are there gluten free dishes?
Where do customers park?
City of San Mateo has a parking garage (2nd and El Camino) right across the street
How can I make a reservation?
Give them a call to make a reservation! +1 (650) 558-8239
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
79 reviews that are not currently recommended
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Rin-Tei - asianfusion - Updated July 2026
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