Open late for tasty eats!…read more A group of friends and I ate here past 9pm on a Saturday to celebrate another friend's dance performance. So their group of about 30 took over almost the whole place while 5 of us joined in at another table. We made it in time for late night happy hour 9pm-11pm! It was about a 30 min wait for the table. HH: *6pc half and half fried chicken x2 (soy garlic & sweet n spicy) *Corn cheese *Mandu *Calamari rings *Lychee Soju Regular menu: *Army stew *Grilled Beef Ssam *Deep fried chicken skin We were so hungry after watching the performance, can't even imagine how the performers felt! The stew came out first. My spice tolerance must've gone up. It was medium spicy and had lots of stuff in it like hot dog, spam, cabbage, zucchini, rice cakes, ramen, mushrooms, etc. Grilled beef ssam had lots of meat and was plated nicely. The platter was heated on the hot plate so we cooked the beef more. Chicken wings were great! Loved the soy garlic. Mandu was so good! Dumplings are my favorite and these were so crispy. Calamari wasn't bad; they looked like onion rings with the fried batter. Corn cheese was cheesy haha. Fried chicken skin arrived last. Fun times clinking shot glasses full of soju. The group we dined with were so loud but it was all in good fun. Chingu is a great late night spot to chill with friends. Wait staff was prompt and accommodating. Food didn't take too long to arrive. They bring out each dish as soon as it's cooked. Make note the restroom doesn't lock so if the door is slid closed, it's occupied. They have a sign on the door. Street parking and there should be some lots and garages nearby.

Small table for two. We ordered 3 dishes and they barely fit on our table. The food is just…read moreaverage. We added cheese to our tteokbokki, and I would say the spice level is at a medium. This was the most solid dish at this restaurant imo. Korean fried chicken was slightly crispy but mostly saucy. The soy wings were better than the sweet and spicy ones. The beef ssam... I honestly don't know what's going on with that dish, but the flavors didn't really impress. The beef is TOUGH. If only it were tender. Every bite I had to chew the hell out of it. Also, we ordered a bowl of rice and the rice was hard as if it had been sitting in that bowl for over a day.

I came here at 4:45pm on a Friday because I was worried about a wait, but to my delight there was…read moreno wait haha and many empty tables. The inside was surprisingly spacious and did not seem like tables were crammed close to each other. My friend and I ordered the Daeho Kalbijjim (not spicy) and added mozzarella cheese for topping. The rice and banchan came out first (both were delicious), and the food came out shortly after where they torched the cheese in front of us. Loved the portion size of the dish! I was worried if we did not get spice it wouldn't be flavorful, but the dish was great!! There's more than enough food for two people and we ended up with leftovers. I'd love to come back with a larger group to try other items on the menu!

This is easily one of our absolute favorite places to go when we don't feel like cooking dinner…read more While we've noticed that their galbi jjim has declined over the years--becoming noticeably sweeter--their soups have kept us coming back. These days, we go for the seolleongtang. Our top picks are the combination seolleongtang and the yukgaejang (spicy brisket soup). The combination soup is rich, hearty, and feels like drinking pure liquid collagen. If you're craving something with a kick, the spicy brisket soup offers a much deeper, more savory, and flavorful spice profile.

Everything about our experience at this restaurant was amazing!!! From the service to the food,…read moreeverything was amazing!! Specifically appreciated the attention from Andrew and our server Seymus! Definitely recommend to anyone visiting Bay Area

We came here to celebrate my birthday, and from the moment we walked in, we were greeted so warmly…read more My son especially loved the beef tongue and said, "It was so delicious--it's a must-try!" My favorite was the pork collar. It was flavorful and very tender. Our server, Fiona, was amazing! She was incredibly interactive, funny, and made us feel so welcome throughout our meal. The atmosphere was nice, relaxing, and comfortable, with very few interruptions while we enjoyed our food. Everything we ordered was delicious, and Fiona really went above and beyond to make sure we had a great time. One of the biggest pros was how attentive and engaging Fiona was. She was also fantastic at cooking and made the experience even more enjoyable. The only con was that it got a little noisy at times, but honestly, that didn't take away from how awesome our overall experience was. I really hope Fiona gets to see this review!

I've been here twice now, once for the Galbitang and once for the Galbi Jjim. The Galbitang was SO…read moregood! The soup was really refreshing, comforting, and flavorful. I would definitely come back just for the Galbitang. The Galbi Jjim was also delicious, although it wasn't my personal favorite compared to other restaurants. We ordered Level 2 Spicy, but it wasn't quite as spicy as we expected. The beef was very tender, and the sauce worked really well with everything. There were potatoes, radish, glass noodles, and kabocha mixed in, and all the flavors and textures came together nicely. Service was also really good and efficient. Everyone was super friendly and attentive. Overall, definitely a place I'd come back to, especially for the Galbitang!

Been here a few times with my wife and some friends or family. Each time we tend to get similar…read moreitems because they're that good, and the portions are massive so it's best shared. We love getting the galbijjim here because the cheese and glass noodles are sooo addictive. The beef is super tender and packed with flavor! A side of wild rice and some banchan are essential. I'd say it's comparable to Daeho, which always has a line. The inside is very modern and updated. The staff make you feel very welcomed and are on top of acknowledging people when thy first come in. The galbitang was very simple and light, perfect with a little salt and pepper!

The 18 dollar Pho is the best I've had. The soup is so fantastic…read more Everything else is wonderful.

The beef pho was delicious. And huge portion for $18 well well worth the price. Customer service…read morewas very professional. And food came out fast.

I've been wanting to try OLHSO Truck since it opened and finally had my chance during a catered…read moreevent. The concept of having Korean food cooked in a robotic food truck is interesting to me. Since the food was catered, unfortunately I was unable to see the robots cooking in action, but fortunately was able to taste the final products. I was able to try the Wagyu galbi (short ribs), dak galbi (marinated chicken), Seoul food bowl (stir-fried pork belly and shrimp), and japchae, served with their corn salad, kimchi, and white rice. The Wagyu galbi was very flavorful with a good amount of vegetables; though I enjoyed the inclusion of lotus root, the veggies seemed like borderline filler to skimp out on meat. The dak galbi was also flavorful though spicy, and again the inclusion of rice cakes seemed like filler. The pork belly and shrimp were delicious, and I liked that the pieces of pork belly I had didn't have an overpowering amount of fat. The japchae was pretty standard and was nice to balance out the meat. I enjoyed the corn salad because it added a creamy component to my meal. The kimchi got lost in the mixture of food in my bowl and the rice was cooked perfectly by the robot. Overall, I enjoyed the food prepared by OLHSO Truck. Unfortunately, since the food was catered and already prepared when I arrived, I cannot comment on the service or wait times provided by the staff. I would consider ordering food from the truck if I am craving Korean fusion type of food and am too lazy to dine in at a local Korean restaurant. If the food from the truck is a good representation of the restaurant in downtown San Mateo, I am more inclined to try the restaurant for a nice sit down dining experience.

Have been looking forward to trying the OLHSO Truck out. Unfortunately, after downloading the app…read moreand signing up, the checkout failed at 11:14am stating that the order failed and they are closed for business. It also said to check their Instagram for their schedule. Checked the Insta and the pinned post says it would be open for business today, Aug 8, from 11am - 2pm for zip codes 94403-94404 (which we live in). Tried again at 11:40am in case they're just behind schedule but still didn't work. Too bad as we have dined several times at their restaurant and love their food and service there. Hope they get their schedules worked out soon! Would not recommend depending on this as your lunch.

I've come here twice now and I didn't realize I never left a review the first time I came! So now I…read morefeel I have even more to say how you much gotta come to Kajiken! Both times I've come I hadn't had to wait very long and our second time was with a large group including kids. Our server was great in helping us preorder before we could get seated and we only waited 15 minutes. We all ordered the same things: half of us ordered the original aburasoba and the other half ordered the homura aburasoba and the food came out quickly. They kindly gave us little bowls for the kiddos and forks and all the kids loved the noodles and the adults shared a large pitcher of beer. All in all, best aburasoba and one of my favorite spots in San Mateo!

Overall: 4.1/5 [dine in]…read more There was a line on Friday night but it moved fast. The seating inside is pretty tight so your table is basically an inch from the next one, almost like a communal dining experience. Nikumori Aburasoba ($18.50): Spicy pork, pork slices, green onion, and ajitama. The spicy ground pork was delicious and they were generous with the thin pork slices, though those weren't as good as the ground pork. The ajitama was perfectly jammy. The aburasoba flavors were okay but less flavorful than mazesoba, which I now know I prefer. Wagyu Roast Beef Aburasoba ($25.50) + Chashu ($1.75) + Spicy Minced Pork ($3.95) + Ajitama ($2.50): Wagyu roast beef, crispy onions, green onions, butter onion sauce, yogurt sauce, and raw egg yolk. The chashu was average but the wagyu roast beef was thin and incredibly tender. The yogurt sauce and raw egg yolk made this one pretty creamy which I actually liked more than the Nikumori. Ume ($1.50): Did not like this at all. Hard pass.

Solid place for a casual bite and hang out. It's been a while since I had Bonchon and we waited…read moreuntil Happy Hour on a Sunday during Boba Day to order. Thankfully it wasn't super busy and we ordered a variety of food thanks to the Happy Hour menu. Food came out quickly and was fresh and more than we anticipated. The staff checked in on us many times which was nice of them. The onion rings were really crispy and the bulgogi fries were indulgent. Personally I like the chicken wings more than the chicken strips which were huge but drier due to it being chicken breast. The Soy Garlic wings were a tad too salty for me.

Good Korean chicken. The fried rice is really tasty. Lots of options. There is not a lot of…read moreseating, but they do a mean take away, too. The service is quick and very helpful they answered all our questions!

Best tofu soup that I've had in the Peninsula! Big chunks of meat, well seasoned kimchi, and really…read moredelicious broth. The kalbi, however, was just so-so. The interior is basic but homey. Overall, a solid meal. Just be prepared for a little bit of a wait. 5 stars for Korean food in the Bay Area.

The sides are super delicious and bountiful and everyone gets a small fried fish…read more I got the soft tofu soup with beef mild and it was disappointing. Not much flavor to the dish. The prices are also on the pricier side as well. Everyone was super friendly though at the restaurant and attentive.

I've been to SomiSomi countless times, and it never disappoints--especially during hot weather…read more It's one of my go-to dessert spots whenever I'm craving something cold and refreshing. This time, I tried the Milk soft serve with strawberry topping. It was creamy, smooth, and refreshing. The biggest hit, though, was with my 3-year-old, who absolutely loved it! Watching him enjoy every bite made the visit even better.

Was in the mood to have some Taiyaki, so I came to Somisomi in San Mateo. I believe they are a…read morechain. Since I really enjoyed the one in Cupertino, I had expected to receive the same quality from this establishment. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. The service was good, the floor and tables were neat and clean. What was disappointing was the lack of filling in the Taiyaki's. Usually, one bite into the pastry and you'll taste the filling. I had to eat half the pastry before I got to any filling. Just a mouth full of mocha. I guess not all franchise locations are the same.