Highly recommend rintaro and would say overall it is NOT overrated! Food: Negima (fave) - Chicken + onion skewer grilled to perfection. Juicy, smoky, and full of flavor. The sauce was delicious and the char on the chicken was so good. Tsukune - Had a slight lemongrass flavor and felt like a Japanese-style kebab. Tasty, but not as memorable as the Negima. Kurobuta Tonkatsu - Fresh pork, but a bit heavy for me. Good, just not my fave. Gindara no Sunomono (fave) - Absolutely perfect. The cod was tender and paired beautifully with the pickled cucumbers. No notes, just get it. San Ten Mori (fave) - Super fresh and flavorful fish. The tuna was decent, but every other piece was unreal! Kake Udon - The homemade noodles were fine, but nothing special to me (I'm sorry!). The broth was the real standout -- loved the umami flavor. Japanese cheesecake: I was hoping it would be lighter but it was dense. Really liked the sauce and mangos with it tho! Drinks: Yuzu Cocktail - So refreshing and bright. Paired perfectly with all the seafood. I'd honestly come back just for this. Strawberry Milk - Sweet and good strawberry flavor, but better as a dessert than with dinner. Overall: Service was amazing -- everyone was super thoughtful and kind, and they made our anniversary feel special. We loved sitting at the counter and watching the chefs do their thing. Such a fun experience overall! read more

See all

We ordered the tasting menu with a few off menu yakitori skewers and the carbonara udon. Portion of the tasting menu was big, everything on the menu was impressive. I especially enjoyed the yakitori skewers, the texture of the meat and the seasoning were both authentically done. They made the udon in-house, probably the best udon you can get in bay area. Casual vibes and great service, suitable for both big and small group gathering. read more

See all

I finally had the opportunity to try this restaurant out! Make sure to make a reservation if you plan to dine here, especially on a weekend, because more than likely they won't accept walk-ins due to limited space. My friends and I went here to have a little Friendsgiving dinner. When you walk in, you'll see the patio, where it has some seating, and then going down more will be the inside of the restaurant, with booth seating and counter seating. Don't worry, if you sit at the patio, there are heaters to keep you warm on a cold da/night. You can choose what items you want, OR if you don't want to do that, they do have a set menu option where it has the selections laid out for you. We ordered from each section, minus the cold dishes. The yakitori were very delicious! The one I may skip, however, would be the chicken knee. It was way too hard and crunchy, it did hurt my molars when I bite. Other than that, sashimi was buttery and melt in your mouth, and the carbonara udon was the star!! The green onions and ginger elevated the dish exponentially, so highly recommend that! And lastly, the hojicha panna cotta finished off the entire meal and it was so smooth, not too sweet, a perfect sweet treat. Definitely recommend coming here!! read more

See all

Came here on a double date and had a lot of fun trying different dishes! We made a reservation in advance for 7:30 on a weekday, which was very much needed since it was packed inside. The ambiance is very cute and great for catching up with friends. We ordered a bunch of different items a la carte (although they do also have a set menu). My favorites were the yosedofu (silken tofu that was perfectly chilled and creamy), the yakitori (especially the chicken oyster one mmmm so tender), and the katsu which was so so crispy. I also found the hojicha panna cotta pretty delightful as a light dessert. The kake udon and sashimi were good as well though less memorable. Overall, we spent exactly $50 per person after tax and tip and I felt pretty satisfied after the meal. Would love to come back and try more things! read more

See all

Delicious! I thought the set menu was a good sampler of everything. But for next time, I'll know better of what to pick & choose. - Sashimi plate was pretty average - would skip on this next time - Miso black cod was total yums! - would get again - Oden tasted like pure comfort - would get again - Katsu was meh, imo. The cheese made it taste off to me - skip - Yakitori tsukune was also comfort - would get again - Kake udon with its hand-made udon noodles was good, but broth had subdued flavoring - pretty neutral about this one. - Mabodofu don - skip, my hubs makes better mabo, sorry - Hojicha panna cotta - a perfect dessert to end the meal Enjoyed the meal. Can't wait to come back again and try their other offerings! read more

See all

Our first time trying Rintaro. The dishes were all amazing. Surprisingly, our favorite was the potato and squash cutlets followed by the chicken thigh skewers and tofu. We finished off with panna cotta which was great as well. Found the chicken wings and pork cutlets to be average. Overall 8.5/10 read more

See all

Went here for a birthday dinner. Loved the vibe walking in and the natural wood structures throughout the space. We sat at the bar too so we could see the behind the scenes but if I went again I'd opt for the booth seating. We got the tasting menus for food and sake. The service was great overall, but when it came to the sake tasting it was a little disappointing. They forgot that I was a part of the sake tasting after during the 3rd round and didn't give me a cup. So we flagged that and the server looked hella sus at us and had to chat with someone for a hot minute to give me a cup and continue the tasting, so that felt a little weird. I also didn't receive an explanation of what sake we were tasting multiple times but my partner did, so that was also weird. Despite the service, the sake itself was good but compared to other tastings I've experienced I don't think this one was as worth it. Focusing on the food, the tasting was great! The cooked fish and nigiri tasted fresh and was wonderful. I really enjoyed the rice based dishes and I love udon and fish balls. The skewers were tender, juicy, and full of flavor. We also got the pudding/panna cota dish with the hojicha syrup which was so good. Overall, aside from the weird service I encountered it was a good experience and I'd still recommend trying Rintaro. The food course tasting is great and I'd recommend it for first timers so you can figure out what you like but honestly you can't go wrong if you choose to go through with ordering the full sized dishes. read more

See all

i've been to rintaro before, a couple years ago, and really enjoyed the experience; so i went for my birthday this year! to be honest, i was a bit let down. the hostess checking us in wished me a happy birthday, but that was all. staff was friendly but not really at the level of attentiveness that i'd expect from a restaurant at this price point? the food was solid, but not spectacular. the san ten mori (sashimi dish) WAS fantastic, definitely the best dish of the night. the fish was excellent quality and very fresh. everything else was good. there was a special chef from japan cooking unagi for two nights only, so we had to get some. it was just okay and barely warm when served. the mushroom skewers were tasty but not as juicy as i've had before? tonkastu was also not as juicy or tender as others i've had before. the maguro no yukke was slightly better than the rest-- rintaro's fish in general is fantastic quality. the nori comes in a little box with some coals underneath to lightly toast it, which i thought was a fantastic detail. it is a beautiful restaurant and i would go again for their sashimi, but i probably will try a different restaurant for my next birthday :,) read more

See all

Food was good however as individual of a different race of my colleagues that I was getting dinner my service was very different by one of the individuals in the restaurant. On three separate occasions, I did not receive water when my cup was empty but my colleagues did by this individual when the individual already refilled their cup. I refilled my own water. Then again when I told this individual thank you for their assistance- no response practically ignored me but when my colleagues thank you individual was very vocal about their appreciation. Good food but service very off putting would not go back read more

I don't like going to San Francisco but since my son wanted to treat his dad to a good dinner and made reservation here we are. It is a happening place as they were fully booked and had to turn away many walk-ins. Strawberry milk was tasty but I think I can make it myself in the future. The food overall was good with the black cod as my favorite, second was the very tender beef tendon. The grilled skewers were decent but nothing to rave about. The sashimi was fresh and thick and tolerated by even for a non sashimi person like me. The katsu... the pieces I tried were 1/3 fat... tender but fatty. The carb dishes... maybe I was full with the pork fat already, I could pass. The dessert- the panna cotta was definitely much better than the cheese cake. The cheese cake was okay but the sauce was overpowering the cake and the mango slices. The overall atmosphere was hip and I can see it was popular and packed with younger generation. The service was good. Like I said I don't like going to San Francisco but if my family wants to come back I would entertain the idea...but definitely give it a try if you have not been here. read more

See all

I wanted to like this place so bad!!! It's honestly just ok!!! I came here for a birthday dinner and it was enough people that they had us order the set menu - fine. After add-ons and drinks the bill came out to around $200pp?? Truly nothing was memorable :/ Also if you're a large party they sit you in a back room that's kind of stuffed with storage items which totally ruins the vibe. read more

Make sure to make a reservation!! We were kindly offered indoor seating when we originally booked the patio, which was a plus! Teba no karaage: I enjoyed the crispy coating and the large pieces of wings. It came out piping hot, just a warning! The meat was tender and flavor was there but it was really salty. We felt like we needed rice to balance out the salt. Shiitake satsumaage: This oden was pretty tasty. It was a tasty and soft fish cake stuffed in a shiitake mushroom. The broth had a great umami flavor and delicious, but also too salty. The horseradish on the side was a nice touch for an extra kick. Kuronuta tonkatsu: The tonkatsu was beautifully cooked in a light crispy layer. There was a good ratio between the pork and fatty parts. I liked the large pile of shredded cabbage on the side as a palate cleanser. Yakitori sasami: These chicken skewers were our least favorite of the meal. The chicken itself was really salty and the ume-mayo made it even saltier. The chicken was fairly moist otherwise. Kama Tama udon: The udon carbonara was a nice touch to our meal. The udon tasted fresh and had the perfect bounce to them. The raw egg made the dish extra creamy and enjoyable along with the savory katsuobushi. Hojicha panna cotta: My favorite!!! It was not too sweet and super smooth. The hojicha flavor of the syrup and panna cotta was not overbearing. It had a nice texture and cool temperature to end our meal. Much recommended! The place itself gave a warm and welcoming ambiance. The servers were attentive and kind! read more

Came here recently for a birthday dinner and loved everything about Rintaro! Service was excellent and our waitress was very attentive. We opted for the mid-summer tasting menu ($90 per person) which featured a tomato appetizer, San ten Mori sashimi, yakitori tsukune, oden, chiizu tori katsu, options between the udon or mabodofu don, and a hojicha panna cotta. We were celebrating a birthday and they gifted us a small fruit plate as well. Our favorite dish of the night was definitely the yakitori tsukune! The texture and seasoning were perfect. We also loved the tomato dish and udon. The interior was cute with booths for larger 4+ groups and smaller tables and the outside had a well-lit set up with heat lamps and string lights. I'd love to come back to sit outside for a meal on a warm day. Rintaro is definitely a new favorite of mine, and I can't wait to come back to try more yakitori and their house specials! read more

See all

This restaurant is probably one of my favorite places to eat in SF. The vibe here is just immaculate. The service is amazing. The food is just impeccable. I highly recommend this place for date nights or dinner with friends . Tbh, I have tried almost everything on the menu and I have no complaints so far! read more

See all

Made reservations on a Thursday at 5:15pm because it was either that or 9:30pm lol. We got counter seats which was really lovely seeing the hustling and bustling of the kitchen staff and servers. The owner came around and explained to us how to choose items from the menu, basically if not getting the set menu, he suggested 6-7 dishes per two people, one dish from each section. We decided to order for drinks a dry asahi and the yuzu chu-mai cocktail, tonkatsu, one order of chicken oyster Yakitori, yosedofu, Kanpachi no sashimi and the kake udon. Everything was top notch h. Ingredients appeared to be high quality and fresh, the flavors were delicious and customer service is great. Everyone was very attentive and willing to answer any questions. The space is very clean, they provide you with hot hand towels to clean your hands, they pass by every so often to wipe off your table and you can tell everyone is very skilled. Definitely going back to try different items. read more

See all

My husband took me to Rintaro for my birthday, and it ended up being such a fun dining experience. We were seated at the bar right in front of the charcoal grill, which meant we had a perfect view of the open kitchen and all the action happening behind the scenes. Watching the skewers being grilled over the charcoal while the kitchen moved in sync added a really special element to the evening. The service was excellent throughout the night. Attentive, warm, and helpful in guiding us through the menu. Since it was our first time dining here, we decided to go with the late winter set menu so we could try a little bit of everything. Everything included in the set is pictured, along with the additional chicken thigh + onion skewer we added on. Overall, the food was very good, but a few items stood out more than others. Between the skewers, I personally preferred the chicken thigh over the minced chicken. For my fellow Filipinos out there -- the minced chicken skewer reminded me a lot of bola-bola, which just isn't my personal preference. If I came back, I'd probably skip that one and go straight for the chicken thigh again. The sashimi was excellent. The freshness and quality of the fish were immediately apparent, and honestly I wish I had a whole plate to myself. It came with two types of wasabi -- one was meant specifically for the fattier cuts of fish. The server explained what it was mixed with, but I can't quite remember the details now... all I know is that it had such a unique flavor that I ended up putting it on everything. While the meal itself was great, like many other reviews mention, the absolute star of the night was the panna cotta. It was beautifully balanced with hojicha and matcha and not overly sweet. It was the perfect way to end the meal without feeling heavy. I'd definitely come back to explore more of the menu and without question, to order that panna cotta again. read more

See all

Yosedofu - Excellent texture, very flavorful and refreshing soy bean flavor. Suggest using few drops of sauce, cause it's very concentrate. San Ten Mori - very fresh. The fresh wasabi was awesome. Blue fin tuna was excellent. The halibut was so sweet. Amazing. Chicken thigh yakitori - Very interesting marinate. Strong flavor taste like mosquito spray. Minced chicken meat - Very fluffy, soft and tender. Best yakitori here. Chicken tender grill - This one is ok. Much lighter flavor. Grilled mushroom - The sauce is flavorful. Good. Kurobata Tonkatsu - That's the surprised dish of the night. Very tender, juicy and flavorful. Must Tomorokoshi Satsumaage - Very good dashi. Flavorful. Fish ball has nice texture Kama Tama udon - interesting flavor. It's like a dry udon with some sauce. Tomorokoshi udon - The corn fritter was very good. The udon texture was also very Al dente. Excellent. Service was very good. Courteous and professional. read more

Rintaro - Yosedofu - Izakaya Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

It was challenging to get a reservation at Rintaro before 7pm, but I finally managed to get one at 5pm about one month in advance. Got very lucky with parking across the street. There were about 12 people waiting out front just before they opened for dinner. Evidently half the people were lining up without a reservation, no idea how long it took before they were seated. The space is beautiful. Gorgeous woodworking crafted all throughout the restaurant from the bar, booths, rafter beams, etc. There's also a really nice patio decked out with plants. Ordering was a relatively lengthy process for four well-traveled foodies. We ordered some sashimi, an assortment of chicken skewers, a large fried fish, and some salad. I scoured the menu for a highball but they only had wine, beer and shochu drinks. I settled on Asahi, the only beer on draft. Was disappointed by the lack of highballs, Japanese whiskey, and extremely limited beer selection. They had bottled Hitachino Red Rice Ale but I prefer the Hefeweizen-esque White Nest Ale to pair with meals. First dishes to come out was the sashimi. The soy sauce was nicely aged and dense. The wasabi freshly grated. The saba (mackerel) was fresh but remarkably plain, with little to no vinegaring, which is a flavor I normally associate with saba. The hamachi was similar. Then came out the duck salad, which came with a heap of mizuna and thinly sliced stone fruit. The duck had a nice smokiness to it. Decent but simple dish. The gyoza was served with a crunchy layer on top of the dumplings. They were a bit plain and the wrappers lacked thin delicacy of a similar but better version at Ramen Nagi. I was a fan of the Yakitori skewers. The Momo with sansho pepper sauce tingled for quite awhile. It was bursting with flavor and the chicken thigh meet cooked to perfection. The Bonjiri had a bit of the crispiness you get from kawa aka chicken skin but a fatty taste within. The highlight of the meal for me was the Kama Tama Udon. An egg yolk on top of a small mound of fresh udon noodles with a willowy pile of freshly shaved katsuobushi. It had a buttery bonito flavor and the udon noodles had a perfect texture and chewiness. We also ordered a large fried fish that was described by the waiter as totally consumable, bones and all. I found that some of the bones were not as fried and broken down as expected. So I removed some of them to avoid the misfortune of getting fish bones stuck in my throat. The Hojicha Panna Cotta was smooth but a bit plain and the Hojicha syrup was very subtle and didn't carry much Hojicha flavor. All told, Rintaro had some great Yakitori and a couple of standout dishes such as the Kama Tama Udon. There wasn't much about the dishes that stood out to me in comparison to Izakayas I've been to in Tokyo or even Yakitori Kokko in San Mateo. It was solid but not mindblowing. The lack of highballs, Japanese whiskey and beer selections was disappointing. I will return eventually to try other items on the menu but Rintaro would probably rank in the middle of the pack for dinner recommendations in SF. read more

See all

What an amazing place for a beautiful meal. Service is friendly and helpful without being over bearing, and the menu is designed really well. We really enjoyed everything we tried. Sashimi - this fish is so good. Not even a hint of fishy-ness and texture is beautiful. Served with real wasabi which is so much less harsh than the usual dyed horseradish you get. Duck salad - unique and delicious! Loved the unusual greens and duck was cooked perfectly. Combination of flavors is amazing. Hamachi Kama - a classic done well. Lots of meat and nicely seasoned. Yakitori - chicken is juicy and comes with seasoning powder Carbonara - this was a highlight! Udon texture is so nice and chewy, and the rich, buttery sauce with the bonito flakes is perfection. Highly recommend! read more

Rintaro - Carbonara - Izakaya Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Visited twice and it was an amazing experience both times. Counter seating is fun and worth doing if you're by yourself or with a friend. You get to watch the chefs grilling yakitori and slicing the sashimi right in front of you. Out of all the skewers, the mushrooms are elite and on a different level from the chicken. Still recommend trying as many as you can because they're all good, but my rec would be mushrooms and chicken oysters. Service can be a bit disorganized, I guess I would expect more from a place like this. But it doesn't detract too much from everything overall. read more

See all

My husband and I went to Rintaro for our anniversary dinner. We had a reservation for 5:30 pm and got seated at 5:25 pm. The place is small, but very authentic and reminded us of Japan. We each had the Summer set menu with the sake pairing, and an extra order of yakitori chicken skin. Everything tasted sooo delicious. Our servers were very friendly and knowledgeable, and did a nice job describing each course. My favorites were the cheesy chicken katsu and the hojicha panna cotta (I loved the cute little container the hojicha syrup came in!). 10/10. I definitely want to come back and try more things. I'm not surprised Rintaro is a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant. Everything was tasty! read more

See all

Note: My rating is highly influenced by the fact that Rintaro is just expensive for what you get. The food itself, if it was half the price, would be great. My boyfriend and I got the set menu. The server told us we would likely leave feeling pretty full even though the set menu isn't full portions of the dishes if we were to order them a la carte. Overall my favorites were the fresh sashimi, oden, and the hojicha panna cotta. It's obvious the quality of the ingredients is good, but the flavor of the dishes are what you would expect and could honestly probably get for much cheaper at a less trendy but authentic Japanese place. We also added the chicken negima on top of the set menu, and while tasty it's not out of this world. The sashimi add-on was worth it for $15 pp since you get a bit of scallop and uni. The hojicha panna cotta was legitimately quite tasty and I could not stop raving about it. The other disappointing parts of the experience were that it took at least 10 minutes of waiting in line before we were checked in for our reservation. It was a chilly night so standing there waiting for the hostess was not a great first experience. Similarly, my boyfriend found a bone in a piece of sashimi and then a piece of wax paper or something in the udon soup. This to me signals a lack of quality control or care in preparation of the dishes. Arguably the whole point of sashimi is to be able to fully enjoy the fish without worrying about being stabbed by a bone. When we told the server, they comped us a dessert and some tea which was nice, but obviously would have rather just had a smooth meal. Overall, I can't say I really recommend Rintaro if you want a meal you will feel like you got good value and quality out of. If I came back, I'd order a la carte and focus on the yakitori primarily. read more

I've been coming to Rintaro for years and have always appreciated its unique atmosphere and traditional Japanese cuisine. The quality of the food is still good, and the restaurant remains a beautiful and inviting place to dine. That said, my recent visits haven't felt quite as special as they did in the past. The service and overall experience seem less polished than what I remember from earlier years. While it's still a good restaurant and worth visiting, it no longer delivers the exceptional experience that made it one of my favorite spots in San Francisco. I hope they can bring back the consistency and attention to detail that made Rintaro truly outstanding. read more

If you don't know what to get I highly recommend getting the tasting menu. Amazing options and flavors The sashimi is delicious (as someone who isn't crazy about fish I love everything they serve) The Katsu with cheese They also have gluten-free options We did a sake pairing with our meal and it was the perfect cherry on top. Our waiter was knowledgeable about the sake, along with the dishes. The whole restaurant is a vibe. I love the outdoor patio when the weather is nice. Otherwise the booths inside or chefs counter are great options. You really can't go wrong with this place! Perfect for date night or GNO read more

See all

Came here to celebrate my wife's birthday as my daughter in-law had made the reservation for our family. This was my first time dining here and learned that this is a very popular place for Izakaya dining and they were right. Service 5/5: Besides the stellar service standards by our server and server assistants every dish that we received came with a detailed background of each ingredient and in some cases the origin of where it came from. Food 5/5: my least favorite of everything we ordered was the chicken skewers with the Japanese mayo as a garnish. Everything else was over the top Cleanliness 5/5: as a party of 5 we were seated in the back dining area and our table was clean and the storage area under the bench seating was very clean. The 2 gender neutral restrooms were also clean between the hours of 6-8 pm. Noise level is very loud so leave your hearing aids at home! In summary, I would come back again read more

See all

We visited Rintaro during the SF blackout and was happy so see the restaurant wasn't affected. We had a lot of trouble getting there on time but was so grateful the staff gave us a table on a busy Saturday. We ordered a la carte to try specific things since we had been eating all day. My favorite was the duck breast with chrsyanthemum greens, minced chicken yakitori, Hojicha Panna Cotta. Especially the Hojicha panna cotta. I wish I could recreate that at home. The staff is very friendly and it's a great date night restaurant. read more

See all

This was a fun omakase experience for us. It was very interesting to see all the creativity in the dishes the chefs chose. We loved getting a little bit of everything and the ambiance only added to it all. Staff was very pleasant and very efficient. read more

See all

Second time coming here and can't wait to come back!! Ambiance: very quaint and cute indoor/outdoor setup. Have only been outdoor so can't comment much on the inside. But even though the outside Food: always amazing with options for warm dishes, yakitori, noodles, rice. I usually just ask the waiter for their recommendations and usually am not disappointed read more

04.27.2026. My brother's birthday dinner. Spring set menu. 90pp. Haru No Shira-ae (sugar snap pea, aspargus, cauliflower with tofu and sesame sauce). This was a little meh. Very refreshing but a little weird. San ten mori (sashimi plate). This was soooo good. the pickled wasabi and pairings with the wasabi/pickles were so appropriate and made the fish shine. Hitokuchi Oden. omg I love the daikon. soooo flavorful and soft. The fishcakes were okay. But overall the soup was sooo nice. Yakitori Tsukune (minced chicken skewer). I also really liked this. The chicken was nicely flavored and had the grilled charcoal flavor. Chiizu tori katsu (cheese chicken katsu). Sakana furai (basically yellowtail amberjack katsu). both of these were nicely fried. The chicken was a little one note for my liking but was good with the katsu sauce. I really liked the fish tho. Esp with the tartar sauce. Chikara udon (udon + grilled mochi + nori). I really liked the udon and nori. I think I just don't like mochi in savory foods. I've seen mochi grilled with soy sauce and nori but I think this mochi lacked flavor. It really would have benefited from the soy sauce. So this fell a little flat for me. But the udon was nice and soft and perfect texture. Hojicha Panna Cotta. My fav of the night. Green tea panna cotta with hojicha syrup and almond cookie. the panna cotta was so smooth with the roasty hojicha flavor. I loved the syrup too. It had the perfect balance of sweet and smooth and then crunchy from the cookie. I'd come back for this. Overall, a good meal, not sure if I'd do the tasting menu again but there were definitely standouts. For service, they really took care of us. There was a special happy birthday menu for my brother and they put a candle for his dessert. They were also attentive to allergies, which as a peanut allergy girly, I really appreciate. read more

See all

Because of all the positive attention on this place - numerous awards, a constant appearance on food critics' best of lists - I was really excited to score what is a pretty difficult reservation. Service for me was fine but unspectacular, and the timing of the meal was haphazard, with dishes arriving when they were ready, rather than with any plan at all. I went with a mix of options, and nothing blew me away (although the chicken yakitori tsukune was a standout). It's a good restaurant masquerading as a great restaurant, and in a city with so many options, one visit is enough for me. One major plus: the restaurant really is beautiful, and the vibe is great. If only my experience matched it. read more

See all

Super yummy food! As a pescatarian, I get nervous if there's no substitutions for a set menu, but they were very accommodating. The set menu left me stuffed, with my favorite bites being the miso black cod and the sashimi with a dab of yuzu paste. The panna cotta was also delicious and had a strong hojicha flavor! read more

See all

Reservations tend to be super hard to get for this place so I was really looking forward to it when I got a dinner res on a week night. My fiancé and I ordered the summer set menu ($85 pp) and the highlights were the udon and dessert. I would go back again just to order those two things a la carte. The udon was flavorful and had a good & chewy texture while the hojicha panna cotta was really well balanced. We sat on the patio which was really nice and I enjoyed the open space. Since the price point is quite high, I would consider this place for a special occasion. Def worth visiting at least once! read more

Rintaro - hojicha panna cotta - Izakaya Near Me - San Francisco, California

I was excited to try this place - and there were some amazing aspects and some that were not so good! Cute space that was packed and had a good vibe! We had some amazing dishes and some I could have done without. Let's begin with service as that was a huge let down! Our waiter was a flat out jerk! Not pleasant, sloppy attention, we were out of water for the second half of the meal and my husband had to flag him down for a second drink but the most annoying part was the condescending correction of the pronunciation of certain dishes! If he was such a linguistic genius my guess is he would not still be waiting at a restaurant as his age! We also asked for a recommendation on the number of dishes based on his knowledge of their size - and felt he over recommended which given the automatic tip - was in his favor! Could have done with 2/3 less dishes. The cadence was also very off - some dishes took forever and others were brought out on top of each other - by the end it just dragged on too long! My cocktail was okay - didn't care for ice cubes in what was supposed to be a take on a French 75. It was okay, not particularly flavorful. The sashimi was superb. Some of the best I had ever had, the tuna in particular was exceptional. We also had a silken tofu dish that was delicious. The Karie No Karrage - a whole fried sole with edible bones was also fantastic. We got the Oden bowl with a taste of all their Oden dishes and left half of that! It was basically a bowl of mush and each piece was barely distinguishable from the next. The Daikon was the best part. The rest lacked flavor or texture for me. We had a crab cake dish - my husband liked that, I liked the salad that accompanied it. They were tasty but a tad too heavy for my liking. Might be great for some but for me, in a city full of culinary gems - it's a one and done for me! Too many misses and poor service! When you include a 20% tip - unfortunately you up the odds for shoddy service read more

See all

I had a few items -- but we didn't take all the pictures! Rintaro easily ventures in to 4.2/4.3/5 territory. I used to work nearby so I came with friends, colleagues and it was always a delightful experience. From the simple but delicious skewers to the dessert.. highly recommend read more

Rintaro - Izakaya Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Finally tried Izakaya Rintaro! Week night dinner at the counter for two. We treated ourselves to the early winter set menu and a bottle of sake which paired nicely with our savory dishes. I left very full, yet not heavy. Staff were attentive the whole time, and I noticed the management runs a tight ship here, all the staff know the menu well along with the drink menu as well. This set menu was $90pp, definitely not a modest dinner. Let me break it down: - first course was the miso cod w/ sunomono. Light and refreshing. I liked the crispy cod skin. Good start but honestly forgettable. - Sashimi was next. Delicious delicious, and the accoutrements were artfully paired. They had fresh grated wasabi, pickled topping, and shiso, and recommended each for the three fish. My favorite was the bluefin tuna. Melt in your mouth quality. - hitokuchi oden was next. Oden is light and warm especially for a cold night so I appreciated it. They have handmade fishcakes which were alright, and my favorite was the daikon anyways. My friend was not a big fan of this one. - yakitori was prepared by the cook right in front of us at the counter so it came out super hot and fresh. It's more of a chicken sausage because they minced the chicken. Solid, can taste the charcoal flavors. - chicken katsu was delicious! Huge portion, I was pleasantly surprised they gave us all that katsu. There's surprise melted cheese inside too, and I thought it added another layer of flavor and texture. Crust was nicely crispy. Did not feel too greasy, the slaw definitely helped. - kake udon was our choice of main. The noodles has a great bite and even though I was already feeling full, I devoured this dish. The onsen egg here was stunningly prepared. Perfect, jammy consistency yet soft and delicate in texture. I'm still pondering how they made that. - dessert was the hojicha panna cotta and wow they did not disappoint. I loved the light hojicha flavors cutting through. The smooth panna cotta texture is so easy to eat, especially to top off a set meal. They also gave us some french pear jellies and meyer lemon jellies. These were nice and tart. My friend was obsessed with the french pear jellies. I was wowed by three of the courses. Enjoyed two others. And could have passed on two. read more

See all

Love this izakaya place! This is actually my second time here and I still thoroughly enjoyed it. Reservations are a must here. Ambiance was great and service was great as well. As for food, I particularly love their oden!!! Their dashi broth is perfect in my opinion. Yakitori is great too, very smokey charcoal flavor, which I love. The highlight for the night was definitely the iwashi no nanbanzuke, which are fried sardines. They were soooo good. Definitely come check this place out! read more

See all

We came to Rintaro for my birthday dinner. The food is good, very flavorful and rich dishes. We got the miso cod, chicken thigh and onion skewer, minced chicken skewer, beef tendon oden, gyoza, tonkatsu and tuna rice bowl. The miso cod, beef tendon and tuna rice bowl were my favorite dishes. The miso cod was so flavorful and perfectly flakey paired with the cucumbers. The beef tendon was so soft and perfect texture with the broth. Also extra surprised because it came with two skewers! The tuna rice bowl was also really yummy with the garlic sauce and still warm roasted seaweed to make your own hand rolls. The one thing about the bowl is that the tuna was cut in very different sizes? Some pieces were big and the rest was small. The chicken skewers were good too but nothing super special. The gyoza was my least favorite dishes because the skirt was not crispy at all, the gyoza wrapper was thick and the meat inside was flavorless. The gyoza was also kinda lukewarm by the time it got to us along with the tonkatsu. The meat to breading had big gaps and the pork was really dense and tight. I think there is some improvement to be made with the speed and service, I felt like it was inconsistent throughout the night. The service was really good in the beginning, everyone was super attentive with drinks and water, saying happy birthday to me. The first dish came (miso cod) and then we waited like 25 mins until the next dish came. Whereas the couple next to us ordered the set menu maybe 10 mins after we ordered and were already on their second to last course?? I was so confused! (Also the guy knew all the staff so maybe he got special treatment?) Service picked up towards the end and all the dishes came out around the same time except for the tuna rice bowl. Overall, good food (sort of pricey), cute restaurant but service can be inconsistent. read more

See all

My wife and I made a reservation at Rintaro for her birthday celebration. We live outside the city and drove in; street parking nearby is a little challenging, but we found a spot two blocks away, and there are several nearby lots if it comes to that. We were a little early and it was a rainy winter day, so we ducked in next door at Pink Onion, the other excellent restaurant on the block, for a pregame glass of wine. We arrived at Rintaro a few minutes before our reservation time. We waited in the courtyard out front, which was nicely heated; a few people were seated outside for dinner and seemed comfortable. As you might imagine, Rintaro does emit some decently strong grilled meat aromas, so the courtyard might be a nice option if you're really sensitive to that sort of thing. We were seated in the back room, which has five or six tables, along with a noodle station where we watched an employee prepare some udon noodles. Our waitress seated us, wished my wife happy birthday, and then took our order. There were two choices involved in the tasting menu: there was a katsu choice of chicken+cheese vs. shrimp (we did one of each) and there was an option to get a sashimi upgrade which included a couple extra cuts (we declined, only because we weren't that hungry). It couldn't have been more than five minutes later that the food barrage started. Sashimi plate: Tuna, trout, and striped bass. All were excellent, and I particularly enjoyed the mild and tender striped bass, which I thought best showed off the quality, freshness, and preparation of the fish. What also sets the sashimi plate apart is the condiments: a little dab of flavor-packed yuzu kosho and another little dab of grated real wasabi which, if you've never had it, is a completely different experience from the ubiquitous wasabi-from-a-tube you'll find in less upscale sushi joints. Crab with pickled cucumbers and crab miso: Delicious, despite a tiny bit of stray shell. The miso got a little lost with everything else going on, but the whole thing was very tasty: it was a generous pile of crab atop an equally generous pile of cucumbers. Simmered daikon and fish cakes: Delicate soups like this are a testament to careful preparation. There are two things in particular I loved about this dish: the daikon was translucent but somehow still perfectly textured, and the lingcod fish cake was the texture of a souffled omelet (lest you were concerned, these fish cakes have nothing in common with the rubbery fish cakes you get with cheap ramen). This was a perfect homey comfort dish on a rainy winter evening. We both drank the broth at the end in one go. Charcoal-grilled yakitori chicken: This was my wife's favorite. Yakitori is kind of Rintaro's thing. They are also very serious about getting it to you right away, still shaking. It's served with a sweet sake/soy sauce glaze that you mix with an egg at the table, and a little spicy shichimi togarashi powder if you so choose. It delivers on its promise: grilled flavor with a luxurious texture that you would never believe was possible given the cooking method. Eat it quickly, not that you'll be tempted to do otherwise. Katsu: I got chicken & cheese, and my wife got shrimp. I liked the cheese, and thought the flavor was a necessary break from what would have otherwise just been two chicken dishes in a row. That said, I thought it was a little heavy. I much preferred my wife's shrimp katsu, which she was excited to share (she's a gem!). I also thought the shrimp went nicely with the mountain of unremarkable cabbage salad. The best part about the katsu is the panko breading they use to coat it. I don't know what kind of magic is happening there, but it somehow maintains a solid crunch factor without taking over the dish. Udon: This was our least favorite dish: it was much too salty, the duck was overcooked, and we didn't think the noodles were anything to go out of our way for. However, the dish was slightly redeemed by some excellent charred maitake mushrooms. Hojicha Panna Cotta: wow this is good. We have hojicha tea probably twice a week at home, so it's a flavor we know and love. One thing I enjoyed about this dish is that the hojicha flavor in the panna cotta itself is fairly light, but there's a syrup that goes with it that is also hojicha-flavored and really punches everything up when you pour it over the top! It's served with a cute little almond wafer, and they gave us a super fragrant orange jelly on the side. It was a beautiful way to end the meal. At $90 for a tasting menu, Rintaro is fairly priced. If I had one complaint, it is that the pacing of the tasting menu was aggressively fast. New dishes would arrive well before we had finished the prior one. I understand the need to turn tables over, but good hospitality needs to allow for time to digest. Next time we go, we'll likely order a la carte to avoid this issue. Overall though, the service was great, and the food was fantastic. We'll be back! read more

See all

Rintaro is an extremely authentic Japanese experience (though with small influence from new American methods) with high quality dishes. If you like traditional Japanese food, you would enjoy the flavors a lot, though they are a bit muted compared to other high end restaurants. The presentation of the food is beautiful and ingredients seem fresh. The loss of a star is just that it's so expensive for what you get. Clearly that's not a problem for the restaurant since it's impossible to get a reservation at a reasonable hour, but their $25 average for small plate means you will have to spend $150 a person to be full. While their food is good, I'm not sure it's significantly better than other options (see echigo home cook) to warrant the price. read more

See all

Lined up early to snag a seat without a reservation and was fortunate enough to get in this time. The space is unique and I thought the counter would have been a great spot to watch all the action. I ended up in the back room on my own for a bit, so it's more quiet here. Servers are on it! They checked regularly on things and were very helpful with the menu. Food is very good, though I think the tofu may not be for me. Subtle flavors and a texture I wasn't too accustomed to. My favorites were the skewers and I probably could have munched on this all night. read more

See all