To be entirely transparent, I never got to try Japanese-style cheesecakes when I was in in Japan, so I can't speak to how authentic Uncle Tetsu's truly is. However, I cannot understate how much I wish I had during my last trip to Japan. Not just so that I'd know what the real deal tastes like, but because it's just another item on my list of things I missed out on trying! Oh how I wish I Yelp had made its way into Japan back then...my time there would've been so different! Given all of that, I was stoked when I heard that Uncle Tetsu was finally making its way to the Bay Area. Even more so, I was super stoked that they were opening in such a convenient location - the newly revamped food court/pavilion inside Hillsdale. Can't argue with not having to drive all of the way down to the South Bay or having to fight for parking in the city somewhere! While I couldn't see what other varieties they had to offer, it didn't really matter since I already knew I was getting their ORIGINAL JAPANESE CHEESECAKE ($11). Now, when people say these things are "jiggly", they truly mean it. Before I even took it out of the box, my cheesecake was already shaking it like a polaroid picture. Biting into it, I liked how fluffy and airy the texture was, but it just tasted like a cheese-flavored cake to me. Not bad by any means; I think I'm just too used to the rich decadence of "traditional" cheesecakes. Considering how unique these cakes are (there aren't exactly a ton of places in the Bay Area that offer it, as far as I know of), Uncle Tetsu is definitely worth a visit, especially if you've never experienced Japanese-style cheesecakes before. For me, I thought it was more good than great, but it's more just a matter of taste. Plus, I might be able to appreciate it more when (not if) I get this again since I'll know what to expect. I definitely want to try some of their other flavors as well, like their coffee and green tea matcha! Until I do though, THREE AND A HALF STARS rounded down for now. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Original Japanese Cheesecake - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Uncle Tetsu at Hillsdale Mall in San Mateo is located in the food court serving fluffy Japanese cheesecake! SERVICE : The workers here were very friendly. However they were a little confusing since they didnt know the times the cheesecake would finish. LINE, WAIT TIME : When I went we only had to wait about 10 minutes but I heard that sometimes the wait time could be very long. Hit or miss! PRICE : I think for $11 the price is very affordable. Definitely would buy again. CHEESECAKE : Cheesecake was super yummy and fluffy. Good to bring to parties or to give as a small gift to families! I brought it to a family party and everyone loved it! I give Uncle Tetsu at Hillsdale Mall in San Mateo a 5 out of 5 stars. The japanese cheesecake is super yummy and fluffy. read more

Uncle Tetsu - ORIGINAL JAPANESE CHEESECAKE ($11) - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

For my grandma's 100th birthday, we were gifted 2 cheesecakes from here. I had tried Uncle Tetsu's before from Montreal. The ones grandma got were original and strawberry. The strawberry had an artificial color to it but it was very cute looking. i love the rounded cute appearance of the cheesecake. I'm not a huge fan of regular American cheesecake because of how heavy and dense it is. Uncle Tetsu's fluffy Japanese-style cheesecake is definitely a great alternative. It still has that cream cheese flavor but the texture is less dense. It reminds me a bit of Sara Lee's pound cake. They were really smart about their branding! Having the word Uncle in the name makes you feel like you're accessing some secret family recipe and makes the shop feel homey. The little cartoon stamped on the cake is also super cute. It is easily transportable and makes for a great gift. I refrigerated mine but I think it can sit in room temperature for a long period of time. I also love that this location sells milk tea. Tea and cheesecake definitely make a nice pairing. They also sell madeleines, biscotti and cookies. I'd love if they made a matcha flavored cheesecake! read more

Uncle Tetsu - Strawberry - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

I had this in Tokyo years ago and remembered a cheesecake that was really light and fluffy with a stamp on it, saw this at the mall and ordered it thinking it may be somehow inspired by the place in Japan and found out through googling at home it's the same franchise! So cool this is in the Bay Area now and not exclusive to Japan. It's not too sweet and more like an Asian wedding sponge cake or souffle than an American cheesecake, i got the plain since that was what I had in Japan but wish I tried one of their flavored ones. I really liked the Hokkaido cheese tarts, they looked like Chinese Dan Ta but taste tart and sweet, I liked this and got the plain, ube, and matcha flavors. In the 2nd floor food court at Hillsdale mall. On the right side kind of near the back. The packaging was very neat and well done though once opened it was hard to figure out how to get it closed again. read more

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Got both original cheese tarts and cheese cakes Cheese cake was around $9, and cheese tarts were $16 for 4. I would definitely buy it again. The cheese tarts cheese filling is so light and airy. Not extreme sweet, so yummy! The cheese cake is so good! Very moist and light, not too sweet. Highly recommend! read more

Uncle Tetsu - Original cheese tarts - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Got the cheese tarts. They were good! The staff was also friendly and answered any questions I had. :) read more

Uncle Tetsu - Cheese tarts: taro, regular, green tea, chocolate - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

No line at noonish. I had heard there were long lines so I had to try this place ! I tried the samples at the counter before purchasing. I purchased their original cake. It probably serves 4-5 people a small slice. But I think honestly two people can devour it quite easily because the dessert is so airy and light. The texture of the cake is more like a cross between a pound cake and sponge cake. Its a lot less sweet than an angel food cake and seems more eggy. It's fluffy and light. The essence of cheese is very subtle. When I served it at home I drizzled some honey a friend harvested from his hives in the yard and it was spectacular. Next time i would likely add some mandarin oranges or pineapple on the side. For 12 dollars it's expensive but it's good. It's not the best dessert I've ever had but it's good and unique in the way it represents. read more

Jiggly, fluffy Japanese cheesecakes! ...And they're only $11 each! I was so upset that I didn't have time to try Uncle Tetsu on a recent trip to Japan. Imagine my surprise (and happiness) when I was able to find it in San Mateo! It's in the middle of the Hillsdale mall food court and there was NO LINE on a Sunday afternoon. This place offers four flavors: chocolate, coffee, strawberry, and original. If you're indecisive like me, you can ask to sample any of them. I ended up going with the original because the other flavors tasted a bit artificial to me. The cheesecake itself was amazingly soft and light, with a hint of an egg flavor. It's hard to describe but the airy dessert starts off like cake but then melts into a cheesecake-like mousse in your mouth. It's so delicious. However, I was kind of disappointed that my cake was cold. It seems that this store makes big batches of the cheesecakes and then set them aside in boxes. They're left there until a customer buys them. Since there weren't a lot of people buying the cakes in the afternoon, the cheesecakes got cold. I ended up taking the rest of my cake home to lightly microwave with a damp paper towel but I wonder if the employees will warm your cake for you upon request - it'll be something I will ask for next time! read more

Uncle Tetsu - Original cheesecake - the perfect gift! - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Since my girlfriend really enjoys Japanese cheesecake, I found out Uncle Tetsu was in the Bay Area from a friend. I've never had it before, but my girlfriend thoroughly enjoyed the Japanese cheesecake she had in NY. Located in the Hillsdale mall food court, it is one of the closest stores to the entrance/escalator. Not too familiar with the mall, but if you're going for the cheesecake, try to park in the garage closest to it! No line when we went on Black Friday afternoon. They had a few samples to try out. Original and Strawberry tasted really good. The matcha flavor was really bad. It tasted like tea powder and a real griney aftertaste. We ended up getting an original cheesecake for ~$11. For my first time, it was quite good. I thought it was going to be warm, but it was room temp/cold-ish. It was quite light and really enjoyable. I would have liked to try a warm one, as I've been told NY has warm/hot ones to eat. Would come again! Pretty far drive for me, but was great to try. Stay away from the Matcha!!! read more

It's been such a very long time that I haven't been to the Hillsdale Shopping Mall Food Court!!! The Hillsdale Shopping Mall Food Court has changed a lot!!! As I was walking through the newly remodeled food court on my Spring Break vacation of March 2019... There was a lot of new places to eat at the food court like MIDICI THE NEAPOLITAN PIZZA COMPANY, BLUE WHALE POKE BAR & GRILL, KURO - OBI RAMEN, SHARETEA, TACOS EL GRULLENSE... All those places were not there when the last time, I was there... Out of all of them new eateries there was the one place which caught my attention was the Uncle Tetsu this place reminds of Little Swan Bakery of the San Francisco Chinatown Area!!! As I went to this Uncle Tetsu Bakery for the 1st time... As I was browsing around at them yummy Japanese Style Cheesecake there was the one thing that I wanted to buy which was the Japanese Style Chocolate Cheesecake in which I did!!! After buying it for the 1st time, the Cashier Girl behind the register was very nice to give me a sample of the Chocolate Cheesecake which tasted really good!!! When the next time I go back to this Uncle Tetsu Bakery... I definitely would wanna try another Japanese Style Cheesecake Flavor!!! And it's not that expensive just take a look at my picture shot of my receipt which was back on 3/27/19... If your here at the Hillsdale Shopping Mall Food Court and looking around for a yummy small sized Cheesecake go to Uncle Tetsu it's really good!!! read more

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WHEN: Saturday @ 3pm best Japanese cheesecakes ever. I may be biased if you don't like Japanese desert. You can never go wrong with this delicate cake. There's barely anyone in line. I got my cake almost immediately and very fresh out of the oven cakes. WHAT I ORDERED Original Ube You can never go wrong with these 2 flavors. It's soft, it's not very cheesy n it's just the perfect small cakes for dessert. I eat it within a week, the quality is very good as long as you store it in the fridge. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

This is really a perfect cheesecake. It's light, fluffy (almost like a soufflé texture), moist, less sweet and really melts in your mouth. Very different from a typical cheesecake - I definitely recommend trying (it's also lesser on the calories). These are also priced really well (~$12). I'm a regular here and I've tried all their flavors but the original one remains my favorite. The burnt basque is also pretty good, however a slightly more of a thick cheesy oozy texture. Some of the reviews say it's a long wait but I've never had to wait more than 10-15 mins in the queue (off peak hours ~2 pm or after or ~8 pm or after). Giving it a 4/5 since once in a while it not as fresh as I'd want but majority of the times it's super enjoyable. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Original Cheesecake - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

There are 4 flavors, original, chocolate, strawberry and coffee now. They served sample with all flavors when we were there and it was helpful for us to make our choices. We tried all flavors and we prefer the original the most. Their cake's texture was soft and not dry with light cheese taste. I personally recommend to freeze the cake and it would be more creamy. read more

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FOOD: 4 SERVICE: 4 AMBIANCE: 3 VALUE: 4 I am not normally a cheesecake eater. But, I do like the fluffy cheesecake like the famous one in San Francisco and Japanese cheesecake. So, after hearing about Uncle Tetsu from Yelp, I had to give it a try. We have been there twice now, and both times we have bought 2 cheesecakes and drinks. The first time, there was a short line and the second time no line (we were there at 11AM, opening time). For $11 you can select from four flavors: original, coffee, strawberry and chocolate. Each cheesecake is about 10" round and it's good for about six servings each. The cheesecake is light, akin to a dense bread, and not too cheesy in taste. The strawberry flavored one was very subtle in taste and if it wasn't slightly red in color, I wouldn't be able to taste the difference. Their cheesecakes are a very good choice for a light dessert after any meal or for a quick snack. They also serve a small selections of drinks. You must try the Matcha with Cheese Foam. The Matcha is a high grade real Matcha and the Cheese Foam is like a heavy cheese cream floating on top. A great value at under $5. Can't miss place whenever you are in Hillsdale mall and you want a break from shopping! read more

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I've been wanting to come here for months but it was so hard to make the trip out here. I was able to come here yesterday night around 8:20 and snagged 2 of the last 6 cheesecakes they had for sale. I couldn't wait to get home and try the jiggly deliciousness I have seen everywhere on social media. By the time I got home they were still warm so I had a slice right away. The cheesecake is very soft, light, and not too sweet at all. The texture is a good mix between souffle and cheesecake. It is crustless and really really too easy to eat. You can easily eat an entire cheesecake by yourself and not feel sick . I was hoping to try a coffee or chocolate flavor but they were sold out. I highly suggest you to buy 2 when you come, because you will want to eat more than 1 slice for sure, and they keep well for 3 days. Enjoy!! read more

Uncle Tetsu - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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So fluffy and delicious! I've had Uncle Tetsu bookmarked for a long time, and I finally tried it several weeks ago. I did stop by Uncle Tetsu before to get a cheesecake for my best friend last year, but I didn't get to try it back then. So one day funny enough after leaving my bestie's place, I picked up a couple of cheesecakes on my way home. I pre-ordered an original one and a burnt basque oreo one online a few days prior. It was easy as there was no one around because it was already 6pm at that time when I stopped to pick up the cakes. What's weird was that I ran into my ex during my stop there. We originally were going to get some cheesecake while we were there when we were dating, but because of the long line, he said that he would get it for me at another time when there was a shorter line. Goes to show that I can get my own damn cheesecake on my own without waiting around for a man to do it for me. :) The original one is lightly sweet and so fluffy. Perfect basically! It reminds me of Zanze's in SF which sadly closed down. Gah, I miss their cheesecakes. Then the burnt basque oreo was not as fluffy; more dense, but the flavors were very interesting. I've never had burnt basque style of cake before, and I enjoyed that burnt type of flavor that it adds. I already love oreos so of course I loved this. I would definitely get some more cheesecakes again from Uncle Tetsu in the near future whenever I head out that way. :) read more

Uncle Tetsu has been around for over 35 years! I had my first Uncle Tetsu experience in Socal years ago. I remember not really caring for it as much but ran across this location recently. Had to give it another whirl and try it again. I ordered the original and really enjoyed it this time. They really expanded their flavors ranging from oreo to ube and also the addition of a burnt basque cheesecake which I'd like to try sometime. Japanese cheesecake is way different from American cheesecake if you've never had it. It's fluffy, not as sweet, more like a sponge cake. I wish I had known about their biscottis! I'd love to come back and try those also. A solid 4 stars. read more

I was at hillsdale on a weekday and decided to grab an Uncle Tetsu cheesecake because there was no line. I've heard of people waiting in crazy lines on the weekends so I wanted to take advantage! There is only one flavor and one size of the cheesecake for $11. The texture when it's room temp is like half Asian sponge cake, half cheesecake! It's super fluffy and light.. I could probably eat half to myself if I wanted to, hehe. One cheesecake is good for 4-6 people, but any more than that and you will need two cheesecakes! They keep well in the fridge for about 3 days. They also have drinks that you can order. We ordered a matcha drink with cheese foam, but wasn't sure if we were supposed to sip it (like Happy Lemon salted cheese) or stir it. We ended up sipping it until it mixed itself, and it tasted better mixed, lol! read more

Uncle Tetsu - So fluffy - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

I saw Uncle Tetsu at Hillsdale giant food court. Initially I thought it was a sushi restaurant but upon getting closer to the counter, I saw Uncle Tetsu sold Japanese cheesecakes. There wasn't much of a line so I bought two cheesecakes - one regular and one mocha. The mocha one was good. Lightly sweetened and you can taste the coffee. For those of you who enjoy American cheesecakes, you may think Uncle Tetsu's isn't legit but this reminds me of Baked Cheesetart For $12, the price was good too. Side note, Panda Express has some financial stake with this business because all the job applicants were directed to the Panda parent company. Employees were friendly. They even gave me a punchcard. Buy 10 get one free. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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SO and I were walking around Hillsdale Mall when we stumbled into Uncle Tetsu. Took me a while to figure out where I'd heard the name from - Japanese Cheesecake! We ordered a strawberry cheesecake to eat at home. And sadly, we instead got a coffee cheesecake despite the box having a strawberry sticker. Hence the 3 stars. The cheesecake was not what I expected as I've never had Japanese Cheesecake before. It was reminiscent of sponge/angel cake. It was moist and the sweetness level was just right. If you're looking for a dessert that's sweet this is not for you. Maybe I'll update my post once we try out the place again. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Coffee Cheesecake - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

I've been wanting to try their cheesecakes for a while now, but never made it to the Uncle Tetsu in Arcadia. However, when I went shopping at Hillsdale Mall, I saw that there was a location in the food court! It actually just opened during that time, so there was a looooong line. They specialize in Japanese cheesecakes, but have a few other desserts and drinks as well. We decided to try the original cheesecake and matcha tea with cheese foam. We paid for the tea first while waiting for the cheesecake to be ready. There was actually a limit of how many you can get, but we only wanted one. The employees were very organized and stamped each cheesecake before boxing them up. The matcha tea wasn't very memorable, but I liked the cheesecake! These cheesecakes are not like your traditional ones, but more sponge-like and less sweet. I like that they jiggle and you can easily finish a whole one since it's so delicious and not so dense. Now I'm wondering how the matcha version tastes like! read more

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If you are craving for desserts but don't want all the sweets, Uncle Tetsu is it. I like sweets, but not the typical sweets, Uncle Tetsu is well known for their Japanese cheesecakes, jiggly soft puffy light cheesecakes.. absolutely yummy. We had the original, ube, and matcha. The original is the best and each has its own distinction identity not too overpowering. Its almost like a lighter version of soufflé. I can eat the whole cheesecake without guilt. They only have one size and its perfect when you want something sweet and light. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Their selection - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Always good cheesecake. Nowadays usually no line. Pickup one almost every time around Hillsdale mall. My favorite is black sesame cheesecake but it is seasonal and not available last few months. Dropped by last week and got the seasonal special - pumpkin cheesecake. Pumpkin flavor not too strong good if you like pumpkin. Get it while it lasts. Looking forward for next seasonal special! read more

Uncle Tetsu - Pumpkin cheesecake - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

The first Uncle Tetsu in NorCal and they decide to put it in a shopping center...interesting but I'm not complaining! This location is at the Hillsdale Shopping Center. Since I was in the area before dinner, I decided to swing by and finally see what the hype is about! I was able to sample a couple flavors before I decided to go with the Original Japanese Cheesecake (~$11). The cheesecake isn't personal size (which I wish they'd start making), but easily shareable among 4-8 people, in my opinion. It's super light, fluffy, and goes well with any hot beverage on the side. The thing with this cheesecake is it tastes so much better refrigerated. It was a good try for me and although I was a fan, their lack of different sizes makes it hard me to come by for a quick snack. Nonetheless, it makes for a great, light dessert and I recommend swinging by to try it out. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Original Japanese Cheesecake (~$11). - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

I love Japanese souffle cheesecakes! It's an interesting texture; it's a bit creamy but very cake like too. You could probably eat half without realizing! It's light, yet the flavor is strong. The Hillsdale location has been expanding their menu and now have multiple flavors (for some time now). I've tried original, strawberry, and coffee- (still need to get chocolate)! Strawberry may be my favorite flavor because it's so fragrant and cute, but original is a close second and one I really enjoy too. I didn't really like their coffee flavor, it was not super appetizing and I am a coffee fan. If you want flavors besides original, they only make a certain amount of them a day so be sure to go early or hope they still have some when you go! I've tried some of their drinks too and they taste pretty good! The green milk tea is so fragrant! It's a favorite for sure. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Fresh cheesecakes~ - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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My first visit didn't leave me wanting to come back. I went during non peak hours and luckily didn't have to wait in any line. I got the sea salt green tea and matcha cheese foam drinks, and an original cheesecake. You can't customize your drinks as they're all made ahead of time. My cheesecake was also overcooked during my first visit - It had a dark brown top and it wasn't jiggly as what I've seen from videos. I've been back a few other times, being in the area. Again, lucky that I never had to wait in long lines. They have different seasonal flavors at time and I appreciate how they use different stamps during holidays like lunar new year and Valentine's Day. The cheesecakes during my other visits have been great. I've found my favorite uncle and I'm looking forward to visiting him again. read more

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So I finally get to meet Uncle Tetsu! After all the hype! I heard about the long lines and wait as soon as it opened and got turned off. Figured I would wait until the madness died down a bit, or pick a random weeknight to check it out. Lo and behold, that day came last Thursday evening. I was in the area for an errand and decided to check out the new food court. And well I also wanted dinner. So I turn the corner and spot that infamous cheesecake! At first I thought it was closed because no one and I mean no one was in line. But then I spotted a staffer tidying up and thought, hell ya, I'm going! Cheesecakes come in one size and one flavor only! And they will cost you $11! At least they are served fresh and warm and with the cutest packaging! Staff was pleasant and friendly and she said even though they only had a few boxes in front on display, there were plenty more in the back. I think you have a limit on the number you can buy, but I'm not 100 percent sure. I will say that the cake is fluffy and light with a cheesecake essence. It doesn't have that dense ness of a regular cheesecake. And this is so damn addicting. I've shared with my mom and best friend, and literally binge ate it. Like almost the entire cake in one sitting! Oh so dangerous! I enjoy the cake but not sure I'll wait in line for hours on end for it. So, just go during off hours and non-weekends to secure your fluffy cheesecakey goodness! Yay for Uncle Tet read more

Uncle Tetsu - Cheesecake. While only one is on display, there are plenty more in the back! - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Really nice soft fluffy Japanese cheesecake. Not too sweet and it's always freshly made. While it's not quite the same as the authentic ones from Japan but it's good enough. There are a handful of flavors you can select from and the best is the original flavor. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Looks like this place has picked up and wait time definitely got longer there was not much of a wait 2 years ago when they just opened. We were and still glad that folks has finally got a taste the Japanese version of cheese which is way better imho, could be biased for been enjoying Japanese cheesecake for many many years but it is something I still think all people need to eat. On the other hand they now have more things on their menu as well! If you are feeling adventurous: matcha, ube, or oreo burnt basque are soooooooo addicting. Their drinks are not too bad, butterfly tea and sea salt green tea are our usual drinks. First timers: This is not ur typical American cheesecake where it is dense, like most Japanese cheesecake, uncle tetsu offers a very light, soft and cotton texture. It is also less sweet! So if that is something you're looking for, look no further. U can't go wrong witht the original or chocolate ones. Pls be aware wait times can be couple of hours or more. Plus They do not taKe phone orders and this hasn't changed since they open, one still has to go in line to place an order. Also they are limiting 2 orders per person and the parties has to be present. So prepare to wait and lucky us now that they remodeled this mall, so there's more things to look at while you wait. read more

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I am not sure what the hype about Uncle Tetsu is about, but somehow this place attracts an insane line. Luckily, I stopped by after work to grab one fluffy Japanese cheesecake ($11.99) and there was only 2 people in front of me. I was in and out within 5 minutes tops. The word cheesecake might not be the best word to describe this cake. It's much more similar to a spongecake with a very subtle cheese flavor. What I do enjoy is that it's not overpowering, so perfect for those who aren't huge fans of sweets. The cake is good, but nothing I'd go crazy over. It did make for a great gift and treat as I went over to my friend's family dinner though. It's also nicely boxed with a cute and sturdy bag, so plus for great presentation! read more

Uncle Tetsu - Original Japanese cheesecake. - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Uncle Tetsu is famous for their cheesecakes, but y'all are sleeping on their Hokkaido cheese tarts! We tried the original, ube (my favorite), matcha (pleasantly strong but not too bitter), and chocolate. The fillings were rich, but not too sweet (that's when you KNOW it's good), and the pie crust was perfectly buttery. A bit pricey at 4 tarts for $16, but it's a great treat once in a while. It's best enjoyed with an Americano in my opinion! read more

Uncle Tetsu - Plain, ube, chocolate, and matcha Hokkaido cheese tarts - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Fluffy, lightweight, and creamy... Did you hear that? My tummy just made a grumbling noise as I thought of the cheesecake. After hearing a bunch of hype about this so-called Japanese cheesecake, I decided to give it a try & I'm so happy that I did. The cheesecake is already boxed up by the time you get to the register but do not be fooled - they're still fresh! My guess is that they do this to push people out fast because I heard the line gets long. Thankfully, I haven't experienced a huge line because I've been coming at weird hours like after dinner or before closing. The cheesecake itself is smaller than what I had anticipated from the Yelp photos but it's still a decent size, most likely enough to share with 2-3 people. The cheesecake is dangerous because you can literally finish it in one sitting; it's so addicting and delicious. If you're expecting traditional cheesecake with an emphasis on the "cake," this isn't it. But if you're looking for something on the airy, spongy side then this is definitely the one. read more

Uncle Tetsu - Cheesecake! - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Really liked their small crunchy/delicate tart-style cheese cakes! They are perfect size to try several flavors at once. Not too sweet and amazingly delicious when just from oven! Would be cool Uncle Tetsu had also drinks options. For now the best combo is his cheese cakes + coffee at Philz Coffee read more

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Glad we have an Uncle Tetsu up in Norcal now !! Located in the food court area of the Hillsdale Shopping Center in San Mateo. Don't be deterred away if you see a long line because it moves fast! 2 Japanese Cheesecakes per person. If you have friends or family in line with you, that increases the amount of cheesecakes you can buy at a time. (i.e if you were standing in line by yourself, only 2 cheesecakes, but if you and a friend were standing together, maximum 4 cheesecakes!) I wanted to try Uncle Tetsu's in hope of finding an equivalent to the delicious, fluffy, jiggly, and not-too-sweet RIKURO'S JAPANESE CHEESECAKE in Japan !! .... However, unfortunately I was disappointed :( You'll like Uncle Tetsu's Japanese cheesecake if you're into the cream-cheesy taste of cheesecakes. Imagine melting cream cheese and that's what I mean by too much of a cream-cheesy flavor. It's forsure soft and fun to eat since it's smooth in your mouth, however, the cream-cheese smell and taste is pretty potent imo. Like other reviews have stated, I can't eat too much of it without getting overwhelmed. HOWEVER, I got one for my friend and she really liked it since she's a fan of that more cream-cheesy strong flavor! Don't get me wrong, the flavor's still light and pleasant, but just a bit too much for me. Balance out the flavor by sipping on some tea :) Speaking of tea! I also got the matcha drink w/ cheese foam, 75% sweet. It was quite good ! REALLY beautiful matcha color = great matcha taste. 75% was still a little too sweet for me, but mixing the cheese foam balanced out the sweetness. If I were to come back, I'd probably get 50%. The cheese foam tastes and smells pretty similar to how the cheesecake tastes, go figure. For comparison, I do like Happy Lemon's cheese foam more since it tastes a tad sweeter and not as cream-cheesy flavor imo. Anyway! I'd say this place is totally worth it to try. If you're a fan of Japanese cheesecake or any cheesecake, I'd say you'd enjoy this to some degree :) Each cheesecake is $11 and the matcha cheese foam drink is $4 on their display board, but I was charged $3.50 (ho ho ho!) Enjoy! read more

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As part of my adventure into this side of the Bay Area, Uncle Tetsu was my second stop on this chilllly Saturday morning. Brunch at Morning Wood and then on my way down to Hillsdale Mall for some cheesecake. Ever finding out that they opened a Uncle Tetsu IN THE MALL, I have avoided coming because of the holidays, the parking, the people, the wait, I just found it to be ridiculous that people are in line for 2 hours for 2 cakes. Luckily, getting there on a Saturday at 10:30am will work in your favor because like tips and reviews have mentioned, they do open a little before 11am. It's in the food court section of the mall so make your way there. People stand around but you might as well stand and just hold your place. About 20 people were there including myself before they opened. Open kitchen concept and you can watch the staff mix, prep, and bake your cheesecake right in front of you. During the holiday, I suppose it's only 2 cakes per person SO BRING SOMEBODY ELSE to make this line worth it. I heard that it's 3 cakes during regular seasons- but correct me if I'm wrong. Line moved super quickly and got my 2 original cheesecakes (11) and an order of their matcha tea with cheese foam (4). Let me just tell you, that their matcha tea with cheese foam WAS OFF THE CHAIN DELICIOUS AND MIND BLOWING. I'm not even a fan of cheese foam, so this was new to my taste buds and just a burst of flavor with a good amount of sweet. The matcha they used tasted like quality and goes down so smooth. Definitely something to try. The main item menu here is the cheesecake- so fluffy and light and just sink your teeth into it (or gums if you have no teeth like my grandpa). It's not your typical american cheesecake and just had this perfect tang to it. It wasn't too sweet and so hard to describe the flavor BUT IT WAS GOOD. Take my word for it. For the 20 minutes that I waited, totally worth it. the 2 hours? I don't think it's THAT good, but certainly something to try. read more

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I never thought I would pop my cherry with an older "uncle". Well, at least not in my early 20s, errr 30s. But, here I am lusting over every ounce of jiggle like a dude's head in between Sensual Jane's... Nevermind. This isn't the Red Shoe Diaries and don't google "Sensual Jane" at work. Hi Dad! If you're reading this, dont worry, I'm talking about Uncle Tetsu's Japanese Cheesecake (owned by Panda Express). It has FINALLY arrived to NorCal today at Hillsdale Mall's new Dining Terrace. After hearing and reading all the rants and raves about this wildly popular Japanese cheesecake, I finally got to pop my cherry with Uncle Tetsu. Cheesecakes are only sold whole and in one size: 6 inch for $11 which can feed about 4 people or 1 hangry person. Only one flavor: original. They also sell teas which were pre-made so there were no sweetness adjustments (it was too sweet for me). Uncle Tetsu's [lightly] jiggly cheesecake are moist and pillowy soft with a kiss of sweetness: https://bit.ly/2Abrknh. Think, if a French soufflé made sweet love with an American cheesecake and they had a baby. But, it's more eggy than cheesy in flavor like a chiffon cake. Deliciously satisfying when eaten fresh out of the oven...warm. The kind manager (?) told me they keep for several days in room temperature. You can freeze the cheesecake but it will change the texture. To warm it up, you can pop slice into the microwave for several seconds. Zanze's (SF) still makes my favorite cheesecake but I like Uncle Tetsu's as a healthier option since it's lighter and less sweet. According to their website for the Canada locations, during peak hours, they limit cheesecakes to 1 per a customer. And, if you're preggo, your future baby doesn't count as a "customer". Just when I thought I could finally use my food baby to my advantage! P.S. - Don't worry, there's a 3 cheesecake per a customer limit at their Hillsdale location. P.P.S. - 4 stars for the cheesecake but bumping it to 5 stars for the friendly and kind staff. read more

My favorite to go japanese cake and cheesecakes. The fluffy texture of the cake literally makes you forget that you are eating a whole cake and the next second half of it is gone. The small cheesecakes are flavorful and fun to eat. I would recommend the original flavors as its so simple but packs a punch. The other flavors for me are too overwhelming as its too good. read more

Uncle Tetsu - ube - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Omg I came across these biscotti's and omg they are so good. Great to dip in coffee or eat by itself. I want more but I don't live nearby. These are oreo, ube and lemon read more

Uncle Tetsu - I came across these biscotti's - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Ordered two mini cheese tarts. I think they're probably selling them straight out the oven out of convenience, which doesn't work when they provide it in a paper to go bag and then end up with a pile of melted goo. The tarts didn't set and I was left trying to eat remnants of a cheesecake sloughed off a pie crust. read more

OMG!!! I have booked marked the one in LA for the longest time. When I visited Hong Kong recently, I was surprised to know there were 2 locations in Hong Kong, so I tried the one there and OMG I love it. I was super excited to find out there Uncle Tetsu in San Mateo. I have to stop by since I was just happen to have lunch with my friends in San Mateo. We were all excited to try this and found out there was 2.5 hours of wait after we ordered. whoa! what?? ok nevermind. we left all disappointed because we don't have 2.5 hours to wait. My brother work in San Carlos and he told me he always drives passed Hillsdale mall on his way home. I told him if he ever get chance he can stop by and get some. He wants to try it too since I have been talking about it. My lovely brother decided to stop by to get us a box of the goodies one day and OMG it was heavenly. This cake is not your typical cheesecake that's dense and loaded with cream cheese. It's more like an Asian sponge cake with a slightly cheesy and milky like. It is super fluffy and soft. it melted in your mouth as soon as you take a bite of it. Love the fact is not so sweet. I can literally eat the whole box by myself if I am not careful enough. talking about it makes me want another box. I was told they only have one flavor: original. hopefully once they settle, they will have more other flavor and I can't wait to try more. Stay tunes! read more

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