Open List Home >> San Mateo, CA >> Restaurants & Food >> Restaurants >> Izakaya Mai Japanese Restaurant
The Best Pizza West of New York - Ralph Barbieri, KNBR
5.0 of 5 stars.
San Mateo downtown has so many great spots for Japanese food, but this place is one of my favorites. I recently stumbled upon this place on my way to the movies. There's always a line out the door....
yelp.com - user review - 10/15/2009
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Gone downhill. Fish was NOT fresh. Service was pretty much non existent. Took them 10 minutes to get water/menu to us. The wait was ridiculous. I understand its popularity, but at least sort out the...
yelp.com - user review - 10/15/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Champon noodles ftw! Even though I thought it was slightly undercooked, I still thought this was a legit bowl of noodles. Add a good amount of Japanese chili powder (it's not spicy) and maybe a pinch...
yelp.com - user review - 10/14/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
You know, you can't give the owner any more credit, because this places ROCKS! Very small, cute, and quaint place. It was an exciting dinner experience for a party of 2 children and three of us...
yelp.com - user review - 10/12/2009
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2.0 of 5 stars.
Maybe it's because I love izakaya, and I've had a lot of it, but two visits to Izakaya Mai and I'm still not enamored. I scoured the menu searching for my favorite tako wasabi, something I think is...
yelp.com - user review - 10/10/2009
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Agedashi mochi is the best here, mmmmmm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yelp.com - user review - 10/08/2009
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2.0 of 5 stars.
I find everyone else really loves this place so perhaps its something wrong with my taste for izakaya restaurants ... but I've had plenty of delicious food at other similar places so I'm not sure what...
yelp.com - user review - 10/08/2009
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2.0 of 5 stars.
The only highlight of this place is that it's unfortunately one of the few Izakaya establishments in the area. The food that we ordered at the time was unfortunately consistently... so-so. That's...
yelp.com - user review - 10/07/2009
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5.0 of 5 stars.
After a long hiatus I finally mustered up the brain energy to write this despite needing to do hw and grad apps :X -lucky parking spot-Nagasaki Champon-Sushi rolls galore-japanese style seating for...
yelp.com - user review - 10/04/2009
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Next to Kisaku, this is my absolute favorite Japanese restaurant! True izakaya style. Small dishes of all kinds. My favorites include the Yaki Onigiri and Salmon Ikura-Don. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that i...
yelp.com - user review - 10/02/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
after a failed attempt to eat at a place down the street, izakaya mai showed up on the radar. im glad it did. the champon? good lord, that was the perfect dish for a windy cold night. perfect. what...
yelp.com - user review - 10/01/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
following recommendation from the greatest champion chanpon eater...a trek and difficult parking in evening hours of downtown San mateo....izakaya mai the mission and target...small, cramp and...
yelp.com - user review - 09/30/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I'm not to sure if this place is a good 'retaurant' but it is a good place to just hang out and drink and eat a whole bunch of little plates of food and sashimi. I went here on a Tuesday night with a...
yelp.com - user review - 09/26/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
who knew there was a late-night japanese place (heck, any place) in san mateo? (well, i sure didn't, but then again, i've only ever been to SM a couple times before). (vy n. knew!)a quaint little...
yelp.com - user review - 09/25/2009
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1.0 of 5 stars.
I can't believe they didn't give us a table. They asked us to sit in the bar because it's a Friday night and it's busy. I looked around and the restaurant is only half filled. We sat down on the bar...
yelp.com - user review - 09/25/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
(from July of 2008)This time we decided to try Izakaya Mai's. I liked the sound of the place (Izakayas are drinking bars in Japan, where it literally means a place to sit and drink). After the twenty...
yelp.com - user review - 09/22/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I came here with a friend for dinner and was in a mood for sushi. I ordered a bowl of miso soup, 3 pieces of scallop (the special), 2 fresh sake, and the Lion King Roll. The fish was really fresh and...
yelp.com - user review - 09/21/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
This goes out to the moron who says he didn't think it tasted homemade. JAPANESE HOMEMADE! Of course it doesn't taste homemade if your home wasn't Japan. Duh! And, on another note, regarding that same...
yelp.com - user review - 09/20/2009
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2.0 of 5 stars.
this place is always packed during weekend nitesno frills, food was ok, thought it would be better due the amount of folks waiting outside, tried standard california roll, unagi roll, few appetizers,...
yelp.com - user review - 09/15/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Very cozy Japanese tapas place. They sell everything from dons, udons, rolls, sashimi, ...
yelp.com - user review - 09/04/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Cozy & warm japanese-bar with close-set wooden benches/tables & little niches to huddle in. The environment is best during peak hours with its buzz of conversation, Japanese TV in the background, a...
yelp.com - user review - 09/03/2009
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Impeccable. I'm impressed from the service to all the small dishes they serve. The minute we walked in and mentioned our reservation, they greeted us with a big smile and had our table ready within...
yelp.com - user review - 08/31/2009
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5.0 of 5 stars.
This is my favorite Japanese restaurant in San Mateo. The place is a little cramped and sometimes the service is just a tad slow but it's worth it. Their sashimi always tastes fresh and their spicy...
yelp.com - user review - 08/30/2009
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I thought this place was cute. Glad they open late because my friends and i met halfway. They came from SJ and i came down from SF. It was just one of those random nights to just meet up to have...
yelp.com - user review - 08/28/2009
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2.0 of 5 stars.
cute, quaint placejust don't order the salmon ikura don. i had the mini last night and it was blehh. i thought it was going to come with salmon sashimi like the server told me, but it was slices of...
yelp.com - user review - 08/27/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Our new go to place for japanese in san mateo (shhh, don't tell hotaru.... we still love you!) Can't describe it, but the flavors are just a bit more distinct. Usually get the 2 choice bento. Tempura...
yelp.com - user review - 08/26/2009
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5.0 of 5 stars.
I was looking for an Izakaya to hold my bachelor party in. I've lived in Japan before and so I was trying to find a more traditional Izakaya where my buddies and I could just hang and drink for a few...
yelp.com - user review - 08/24/2009
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3.0 of 5 stars.
TODDLER COMFORT LEVEL - With airplanes hanging from the ceiling, an elevated train, and an army of dolls there is a lot of kid eye-candy. The only reason for the three stars is the darkness, but...
yelp.com - user review - 08/22/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I love this place!I have been here three times. I cannot believe it took me this long to discover this place! Izakaya Mai has great takoyaki balls, crab salad and many great choices!I went there...
yelp.com - user review - 08/20/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Stopped here for lunch on a weekday and it was a light crowd inside. There was a limited menu for lunch and I picked their spicy cod roe chanpon. That was a great decision, the noodles were cooked...
yelp.com - user review - 08/12/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
My favorite place for some late night sushi...I usually only order to go and stick with sushi, so I can't vouch for their other dishes. Always ready to take my order, even if i'm not, and I've never...
yelp.com - user review - 08/12/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I love Izakaya Mai. Especially when I miss dinner and finally have time to eat at late night, always Izakaya Mai is the place to go because they are open till Midnight!! On those days I'm usually...
yelp.com - user review - 08/09/2009
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Love the expansive menu and the late hours. I live just 3 miles North so it's really convenient for that late hour cravings. I especially love the YAKI ONIGIRI ( grilled rice balls), SAKE SHIOYAKI...
yelp.com - user review - 08/07/2009
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5.0 of 5 stars.
I think its about time to write an update because I LOVE Izakaya Mai!! This is currently my favorite Japanese restaurant. My buddies and I currently come here at least once a month. This time around I...
yelp.com - user review - 08/05/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I'm ashamed to admit that this is my first time to izakaya in the Bay. If there is a large Japanese population here, I've had a really hard time finding it. Nonetheless, Izakaya Mai was a great place...
yelp.com - user review - 07/26/2009
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5.0 of 5 stars.
The didn't have any regular booths available, so we got to sit inside this private area where you have to take off your shoes. FUN! (except for the part where your feet/legs start to fall asleep)Love...
yelp.com - user review - 07/23/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
The food is really great here. I always get the rice bowl with salmon and fish eggs. The grilled octopus is also really good. I would give the food a 6 stars if I can. However, the service is not...
yelp.com - user review - 07/21/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Cute little place to have a light dinner with some good SAKE selection!!
yelp.com - user review - 07/17/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
It's really a 3.5 stars. Rounded it up.Been here a couple times. Love the izakaya style menu at night, and the big selection of sake. The "tapas" are mostly very good, with a couple exceptions here...
yelp.com - user review - 07/17/2009
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3.0 of 5 stars.
My, my, mai (ouch, sorry, bad pun), this was a bit of a letdown.There's a lot of high marks on Yelp for Izakaya Mai, but I either ordered the wrong things, or they were having an off night, or...
yelp.com - user review - 07/17/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Three doods, two pitchers of beer, *EDIT* three 1.8 liter bottles of Kurosawa sake, not two, and a bajillion little dishes. That was us one crazy Tuesday night! My friend flew in from JFK so we...
yelp.com - user review - 07/16/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
When you don't wanna wait in a line over at Sam's, just walk two blocks over and come to this place. It's very good.The chanpon is amazing. They have many a sake to choose from. Fresh fish is...
yelp.com - user review - 07/09/2009
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Going to an izakaya and critiquing it's sushi is like going to a seafood joint and critiquing a hamburger order.Ate dinner here on Fri June 26. There was some wine-fest street festival going on and...
yelp.com - user review - 07/05/2009
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3.0 of 5 stars.
This place really deserves 3.5 stars by me. I've been here a few times with co-workers. I like there Chanpon, nice flavor to the broth, lots of seafood, and a good chewy texture for the noodles. I've...
yelp.com - user review - 07/03/2009
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I was expecting a lot more from this place based on reviews and people's comments that people are directed here by Sushi Sam when it's too full, but I can't quite help but think this place is not...
yelp.com - user review - 07/02/2009
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I am a Japanese Food Fan. I keep hearing all my friends were talking about this restaurant. Izakaya known as drinking place in Japan which provides lots of small and authentic dishes. Here is my...
yelp.com - user review - 06/17/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Traditional authentic quality japanese cuisine... yes prepared and served by japanese people! Yes that is hard to believe in the Bay Area. For that we over-look the prices. I love all the...
yelp.com - user review - 06/11/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
You will pass by this place and not give it a second glance. It will be a mistake.This little restaurant has Kirin on tap and amazing small Japanese dishes. If you like Japanese tapas you will eat...
yelp.com - user review - 06/10/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
We must have gotten lucky because we came here for dinner on a Saturday night during peak dinner hours and were able to get seated immediately. The sashimi was really fresh, and the atmosphere is so...
yelp.com - user review - 06/10/2009
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2.0 of 5 stars.
I don't really understand why people would wait 30 minutes to eat at this restaurant, when there must be way better Japanese food around.I'm not from San Mateo, but seeing how there was a crowd and...
yelp.com - user review - 05/31/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Don't be fooled by the outside, this place serves up some really fresh and delicious sashimi. Try the $50 platter for your typical variety of hamachi, salmon, tuna, and 3 other sashimis I was not...
yelp.com - user review - 05/29/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Since Santa Ramen closed early, I randomly stumbled upon this place for a late dinner and my instincts were once again confirmed - yelp never disappoints. =)It's an itty bitty lil place, but provided...
yelp.com - user review - 05/11/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
My husband's family are from Japan originally. They came to town for a visit and really loved the food here. They test Japanese restaurants by the Miso soup first and foremost - If the miso is good...
yelp.com - user review - 05/11/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
this is the place to go if you like it raw. while there's no shortage of sushi restaurants in downtown san mateo, it is rare to find a sushi restaurant with high quality fresh fish AND an abundance of...
yelp.com - user review - 05/09/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Nice authentic Japanese Sushi joint, gotta try the Chanpon, it's very good, the soup base is very flavorful, reasonable prices, gonna come back soon to try out the rest of the wonderful dishes...
yelp.com - user review - 04/30/2009
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3.0 of 5 stars.
The Chanpon is good all the time but this place doesn't seem to be as clean as I thought. They used to bring the food to you with a tray. But now, they asked the bus boy to bring it with his hands. It...
yelp.com - user review - 04/29/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I am completely taken by the interior AND simple exterior of this place because it really feels authentic! Not that I would know what authentic was if it punched me in the face seeing as my only visit...
yelp.com - user review - 04/29/2009
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3.0 of 5 stars.
3.5 stars.We dropped into Izakaya Mai tonight in hopes of replacing our favorite but far away sushi. Well, almost everything we had was very good. The maguro in the Tekka Don was fresh and the rice...
yelp.com - user review - 04/26/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Tried this place last night and it's definitely 4 stars "Yay! I'm a fan" worthy. Let's start, as usual, with commentary on the food. We ordered two bowls of chan pon, pork sausage, yaki onigiri,...
yelp.com - user review - 04/25/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I finally tried this place, it took awhile since I usually go to so many sushi restaurants in San Mateo. It was great and very reasonable. The Shrimp Tempura roll was only $5.50 and it came with...
yelp.com - user review - 04/24/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Big big fan of Izakaya May. In term of izakaya style, I am sure Gochi (Cupertino) and Tanto (Sunnyvale) are pretty up there on the top. But what unique about Izakaya Mai is the home-y environment....
yelp.com - user review - 04/24/2009
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I heard about this place on some bay area restaurant review show, and then followed up by reading yelp reviews. So I went here for dinner tonight with boyfriend. We called about 45 minutes ahead of...
yelp.com - user review - 04/18/2009
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5.0 of 5 stars.
I love going here! I usually end up eating too much and drinking more :)We usually drive up from Santa Clara to go hang out and have a good time with our friends who are in the San Mateo area. I think...
yelp.com - user review - 04/17/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
We've been to Izakaya Mai several times and it's one of our favorite Japanese restaurants in San Mateo. They've got a whole section of small dishes that are like tapas so that several items can be...
yelp.com - user review - 04/15/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I've been curious about the champon that I finally had the chance to come back and try champon for the first time. I got the champon-California roll special. Yummy broth, chewy noodles, and filled...
yelp.com - user review - 04/15/2009
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Opens til midnight. Awesome sake selection. Cool ass owner/sushi chef. Oh and wait for it... TAKO-YAKI. Find another place that serves it or serves it better and let me know. Otherwise everyone should...
yelp.com - user review - 04/14/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
The food was good. They even have hokke. The crab, tako, tofu....everything was very good. Would definitely come here again.
yelp.com - user review - 04/11/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Love the champon here! Tasty broth, chewy noodles, and topped with pork, fishcake, squid, baby clams, and cabbage. The perfect warmth for a cold, rainy day. I work up a sweat each time I come here to...
yelp.com - user review - 04/10/2009
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2.0 of 5 stars.
I dont know why I come back here. They charge me $100 for just me. why? I think I am going somewhere else. The guy or owner at the bar never says anything. I am done coming here
yelp.com - user review - 04/02/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
This place is awesome. The norm is that when you go to any Japanese restaurant that serves past 10PM you are usually getting a lesser quality of food. Not the case with Izakaya Mai and you will see...
yelp.com - user review - 03/30/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
The service is quick, the atmosphere is so Japan, and the owners are welcoming. Reasonable price and good small dishes. (I wasn't impressed with their sushi though...)
yelp.com - user review - 03/30/2009
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5.0 of 5 stars.
went here tonight after movies. i order the rainbow roll and 2 apps large asahi. my friend order the dinner combo and another roll. total was 54 8 tip, not bad for all the stuff we ordered. i...
yelp.com - user review - 03/29/2009
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Damn!!!!! That was the BEST izakaya food i've had since I moved back to the States from Japan a couple years ago! It made me miss the three years I lived in Japan and made my wifey nostalgic for the...
yelp.com - user review - 03/28/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
After picking up my lady from work we decided to go to Burlingame to eat dinner. We had a craving for japanese and we didnt really want any teriyaki chicken stuff, so while walking around we saw this...
yelp.com - user review - 03/28/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Pretty darn good. The chef is cool too but he is a bumpkin and doesn't get the double meanings of jokes, so he seems to only understand words in one way. So if you're at the counter only use...
yelp.com - user review - 03/27/2009
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3.0 of 5 stars.
The food is good but the place is too small. Always crowded and feel like you are too close to other people around you.
yelp.com - user review - 03/25/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I love the look and feel of this cozy little restaurant. My friends and I sat in a small booth. It's a good place for an intimate little gathering of people. It wasn't loud, so no yelling was...
yelp.com - user review - 03/22/2009
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5.0 of 5 stars.
I had just finished studying when my friend messages me asking if i'd like to go to dinner. Thinking it's been a while since i got my nose out of my book and socialized i readily agreed. My friends...
yelp.com - user review - 03/20/2009
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5.0 of 5 stars.
As good as it gets...in San Mateo. The one time I attempted to come here the wait was an hour. Now I know what I've been missing - the overlooked Japanese restaurant amongst a dozen or so within a...
yelp.com - user review - 03/19/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
If you are looking for a low key locale with a good and consistent bowl of chanpon, then this is the place....Or, your favorite bottle of (insert brand here) beer-u in your hand and your favorite...
yelp.com - user review - 03/19/2009
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5.0 of 5 stars.
This place is awesome.. in so many ways... there are many awesome reviews and pictures already for this place, so I'll defer to them...on second thought.. I gotta say this place is Yaki.... ...YAKI...
yelp.com - user review - 03/12/2009
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5.0 of 5 stars.
I've been going to this little gem for years.. Its clean, comfy and friendly atmosphere is a great place to have dinner and drinks after work. They have really great food and a wide selection of sake....
yelp.com - user review - 03/11/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
yummy yum yum and kudoes on that train, it really kept my niece entertained throughout the entire dinner so we were able to eat. the food was delicious and the service was great. i have never had my...
yelp.com - user review - 03/09/2009
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1.0 of 5 stars.
I hate to do this to a little mom and pop, but they did something that really bugs me!! I often eat alone at lunch time. I usually go in on the late side with something to read so I can sit and...
yelp.com - user review - 03/07/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
We came here after going to GGBC one night. Surprised that it was still open because it was around 11pm. We felt really comfortable and at home in Izakaya Mai. They have the specials posted on the...
yelp.com - user review - 03/02/2009
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Best Japanese in San Mateo... and that says a lot since we're also big fans of Sushi Sam's and Hotaru. Izakaya Mai is a quaint little restaurant with nice ambiance and friendly, prompt service. The...
yelp.com - user review - 03/02/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
i love their champon. went there on a cold friday for lunch. for 8.95, you get a huge bowl filled with noodles, seafood, and meat. the restaurant is small and cozy but the service is excellent. i...
yelp.com - user review - 03/02/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I usually visit here once-twice a month as their tapas-style dishes are delectable! The restaurant is close to where I live, so, I usually walk over and sit at the sushi counter and order my food...
yelp.com - user review - 02/27/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Mmm... nice little (yah, tinytiny) cozy Japanese restaurant filled with Japanese people! A good sign! Though it's tiny, they take reservations!Located near/next door to Sweet Breams, this place is...
yelp.com - user review - 02/24/2009
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5.0 of 5 stars.
My friend keep asking me to try this place...today, i finally had a chance!!!!so happy!!! this is the real japanese restaurant. i hate those japanese american style "japanese food".....this is wut i...
yelp.com - user review - 02/22/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
It was our first time eating here and I was very impressed. First off, the service was great! it was a busy night and there was a wait. But the host/waiter/staff (same person) kept coming back to let...
yelp.com - user review - 02/14/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I've been to Izakaya Mai since they first opened I don't know how many years ago. My family loves it here, but you have to know what's good to order first!Personally their sushi rolls aren't that...
yelp.com - user review - 02/12/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
This place looks like many of the teeny tiny restaurants that you see on the food network that feature food in Japan. It's a small, cramped space with tiny tables and chairs. We had reservations but...
yelp.com - user review - 02/08/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
A flicker of images from IM:-Pictures of customers on their Bday's or at least there was a Bday banner.-Stuffed Hello Kitty and Tweety Bird.-Charming menu misspellings. ie: Gril, Boild, Jumb Gyoza...
yelp.com - user review - 02/04/2009
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5.0 of 5 stars.
had their chanpon last night. omg, HEAVENLY. noodles were cooked in the broth perfectly!! al dente, broth wasn't overly heavy and greasy tasting, GENEROUS amounts of squid, clams, fish cake, cabbage,...
yelp.com - user review - 01/29/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I love Izakaya Mai! Go for the small plates. My favorite is the miso eggplant. That is the best. Everything else we've tried was good. It's a great place to try different dishes because they have a...
yelp.com - user review - 01/23/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Almost authentic Japanese Izakaya Experience. Moderately Priced.
yelp.com - user review - 01/21/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I really like this place a lot it reminds me of restaurants in japan and the sumo hahah its like a japanese sports bar. The service is okay, but the food is really good and i like that they offer...
yelp.com - user review - 01/16/2009
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Izakaya seems to be my flavor of the month. This place was loud, packed and casual...all positive signs of an Izakaya restaurant I wanna be apart of. The menu is extensive but lacks a lot of...
yelp.com - user review - 01/14/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Came here with some yelpy friends (James G. and the fam) a couple weeks back, after a failed attempt to try Santa Ramen. Boohooo... I know you feel my pain, well, I got over it and so we came here...
yelp.com - user review - 01/11/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
i came with my dad and brother on a thursday night and it was pretty busy. i think the waitstaff was getting a little stressed because this one guy kept wiping his forehead worriedly when he was...
yelp.com - user review - 01/10/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
This is a great place to go for Japanese food and given all the myriad of options in San Mateo, that's saying something. The staff is friendly and quick to serve and the food is good. I typically do...
yelp.com - user review - 01/09/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I am sushi lover..First time experience was good. Waiter were courteous, good service. Great sushi, fresh sashimi. Their dish size is fairly medium to small, but If you like more varieties, this is...
yelp.com - user review - 01/09/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Came here only once, but I was impressed.Usually, most Japanese restaurants try to let the sushi be it's shining star, but this place thrived in the comfort food.I cannot recall everything we ordered,...
yelp.com - user review - 01/01/2009
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I love coming here with my boyfriend and old co-workers! I used to work right around the corner from Izakaya, so we used to stop by practically once a week! I love the sushi rolls! My absolute favs...
yelp.com - user review - 12/29/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Probably my favorite japanese restaurant around, after spending a good amount of time in japan and expanding my palette, you realize that everything they make is really good. literally everything....
yelp.com - user review - 12/25/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Love that Izakaya is open late, still serving fantastic food at decent prices. This past week has been freezing cold in the bay area. The boy and I were met with blaring heat as we walked into...
yelp.com - user review - 12/24/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
What a great little gem in downtown San Mateo with Japanese restaurants on every corner! While you may have to wait on the weekends, this place is quirky and makes you feel like you are in Japan at a...
yelp.com - user review - 12/23/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Had dinner here with a few friends on a Wednesday night. Place had some good business around 8ish. I loved how their menu had pictures of all dishes.It was nice they had a choice of regular size or...
yelp.com - user review - 12/22/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I've been to Izakaya Mai once before but this past week found myself there two nights in a row (it's a complicated story and I'll share it in my Sweet Breams review). While my first visit to Izakaya...
yelp.com - user review - 12/21/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Its an authentic Izakaya with authentic Izakaya food that is supposed to go well and complement your choice of alcohol. So it's mostly salty fare. Thanks Izakaya Mai for giving me a warm full belly...
yelp.com - user review - 12/13/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Had dinner here last week for the first time. And boy, did it feel like I was having dinner in a sauna. My friends and I had to shed an article of clothing every 15 minutes or show so we could...
yelp.com - user review - 12/10/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
This place is FAB-U-LOUS! Little tiny Japanese izakaya that serves great food at an affordable price.Been coming here for years. Love the wide menu that they have. No matter what I feel like that day...
yelp.com - user review - 12/09/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
I came here earlier this week for lunch when my co-workers told me the champon here is really good. I gotta say, it was not a disappointment. I think at one point, I looked down at the bowl and it...
yelp.com - user review - 12/05/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
I am officially addicted to Chanpon.
yelp.com - user review - 12/03/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
2.5 i guess? but i've only had the sushi here, so that is all i can rate on. the rest of the japanese food looked good. but don't bother getting nigiri here.why would anyone put omakase on their menu...
yelp.com - user review - 12/01/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Things that were good: maguro poki salad, grilled mackerel, short rib steak (tasted like Korean short ribs but with a bit more of some type of Japanese seasoning), service, authentic Asian type of...
yelp.com - user review - 11/28/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Great food, servers are nice but took off a star because they can be REALLY hard to flag down. Once my poor pregnant friend was craving another serving of their fried salmon rice cakes (can't remember...
yelp.com - user review - 11/25/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
I would give it 2 1/2 stars actually...Food is okay...at most better than most Japanese food in the Bay Area. All the haoli's rave about the chanpon, but its nothing special. I guess they're not...
yelp.com - user review - 11/24/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Ordered the 2 item bento for lunch: Chicken Teriyaki and Tempura with California Roll instead of rice. The bento box also came with a soup and salad.- Chicken was dark meat, which was both tasty and...
yelp.com - user review - 11/21/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
This is a great place for happy hour drinks - tapas like small plates (yes, Izakaya). Beyond the food, the atmosphere is very friendly - it feels like a neighborhood bar in Tokyo - lots of pictures of...
yelp.com - user review - 11/20/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
this is one of the few japanese places i will eat regularly at in san mateo. it's casual and has character, the service is reliable, and the food is quality. izakaya mai rules sushi sam's.
yelp.com - user review - 11/18/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Ahhhhh comfort food :)I went on Saturday evening just as they opened at 6:00pm. The place was packed by 6:30pm. It's a cute small place. Lots of items to select from - food and sake! Items I...
yelp.com - user review - 11/18/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
My favorite Japanese spot in San Mateo, even beat out Sushi Sam's. Few of reasons for that: 1.) Affordable2.) Large selection of small plates and sake3.) Cozy atmosphereTry the spicy crab salad (made...
yelp.com - user review - 11/13/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Became a regular at this place when living and working in San Mateo. I love all things about it - the pictures posted all over the walls, the model boats and trains and airplanes in the ceiling, the...
yelp.com - user review - 11/10/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
ventured into san mateo on a saturday night with A to get some japanese food and it's goooood it is a small restaurant and obv. is full on a saturday night. But I'm glad the wait wasn't that long and...
yelp.com - user review - 11/07/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
What's better than a Japanese place that's open until midnight in downtown San Mateo? Nothing! I absolutely love the fact that they're open until 12a, which means you're not being shot daggers from...
yelp.com - user review - 10/27/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Thank you for being open late Izakaya Mai. I worked a 14 hour day only eating a burger on the run all day. Eating chanpon and sushi at 10pm made my week. Izakaya Mai is my savior.
yelp.com - user review - 10/18/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Sunday night...a group of eight...in San Mateo...collectively hungry for Japanese food. GOOD Japanese food, that is. Our first choice, Oidon, was closed, but luckily Izakaya Mai offered us a large...
yelp.com - user review - 10/18/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
always crowded; very authentic Japanese;love the fish liver;
yelp.com - user review - 10/15/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Tiny, mom and pop Japanese restaurant dishing out a pretty good selection of traditional items. The sashimi is quite fresh and abundant. However I found the cooked items to be a little bland and under...
yelp.com - user review - 10/14/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Good selection, there were a few of things that I don't typically see in the average northern California sushi restaurant. The service was good, the waiter was really attentive. Food came out in a...
yelp.com - user review - 10/08/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
A great place to have sushi or champon with friends. I have fantastic memories from this restaurant but the food isn't really one of them. It's good enough to keep me comfortable and returning, but...
yelp.com - user review - 10/04/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I am a sucker for the San Mateo Roll. I have it every time. My wife likes the crab salad. The place is cozy and the folks are always pleasant.
yelp.com - user review - 10/04/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I love izakayas...or any restaurants where the emphasis on drinking is just as much as the eating. The food at Izakaya Mai was pretty good; but again (if you read my Sai's review), its not any better...
yelp.com - user review - 10/03/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Great service and great food. Me and my gf walked in after a bad experience at another restaurant. We liked the atmosphere and it seemed more personal than your standard sushi joint. I guess it's...
yelp.com - user review - 09/29/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
YUM! Just got back from Izakaya Mai. I have had a sushi craving all day and didn't get around to heading out for dinner until past 9:00pm. That dramatically limited the number of places to go, so I...
yelp.com - user review - 09/28/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Cozy! A gf and I walked in here on Wednesday at 9pm and it was still hoppin...you can just feel the energetic vibe - my friend said its like the Japanese bars you find in Japan...This place def feel...
yelp.com - user review - 09/25/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Had dinner at Izakaya Mai last night. Thanks yelpers for the recommendation. This is a great place for little Japanese dishes. Food was great, excellent flavors and I loved the small portions. You...
yelp.com - user review - 09/22/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
i feel like i'm in a toy store when i eat here. it's cozy and there is a variety of delicious food. the spicy tuna salad is good and they have potato salad which i believe is homemade. a fun place...
yelp.com - user review - 09/22/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
This is my favorite Japanese place in San Mateo.EVERYTHING is very fresh, delicious and completely authentic down to the japanese waitstaff. I recommend ordering sushi and sashimi. The dishes are...
yelp.com - user review - 09/20/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
This place is now my absolute favorite Japanese restaurant. The service is much better than when I first started going here and made my first review, simply because they have more people to help you....
yelp.com - user review - 09/20/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I went here on a Thursday night on a whim with my friend. We declined to sit at the sushi bar (although perhaps we should've) and ended up waiting several minutes for a table. Fine, the restaurant is...
yelp.com - user review - 09/19/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
3 stars for the food, 4 for the ambiance. It feels cozy and like a slice of Japan. Very quirky and has a great train that runs along the top of the restaurant which kept our three year old niece...
yelp.com - user review - 09/19/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Ruben is right. Chanpon Ramen is fantastic. The service is quick and friendly. There was no wait at lunch time. Prices are reasonable, about $12/person.
yelp.com - user review - 09/17/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
maybe i was having an off night but it was only my second time here, so i feel bad if i give them just 2 stars. the first time i went there the food was pretty good. maybe this time i didnt' order...
yelp.com - user review - 09/08/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Living in the bay area, I'm always in search for genuine, quality Japanese food. Lately, I have escaped to San Mateo in search of something outside of the normal SF city life. To which I found Izakaya...
yelp.com - user review - 09/03/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I love their TV commercials.They serve pretty good Sushi and their non-Sushi items are not bad either.The owner is a friendly guy and it's always fun to sit there at the counter and have a chat with...
yelp.com - user review - 09/01/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Been eating at Izakaya Mai for months now ever since a friend brought me there. Love the fact that the owner is always there behind the sushi bar greeting his customers. This place is very popular....
yelp.com - user review - 08/24/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
The first impression is very family-like. The servers are super helpful and friendly. You can tell that they know what they're doing and they're very precise when they take down your order. The food...
yelp.com - user review - 08/22/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
My girlfriend and I wanted to try Sweet Breams for dessert, but we couldn't figure out what to eat for dinner. So we decided to park and walk around the vicinity of Sweet Breams in hopes of an idea of...
yelp.com - user review - 08/19/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Came here for dinner. Place has lots of chochkas, very Japanese style, flavor.Place is actually run by Japanese people. rare! HEY! I can walk into a JAPANESE RESTAURANT and SPEAK JAPANESE and not get...
yelp.com - user review - 08/18/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Delicious sushi in a fun atmosphere. Seems to me like this place is great for parties of 4 or 6 who want to toss back some sake and have a really great roll. My wife and I have been here more often...
yelp.com - user review - 08/17/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
In my opinion, the perfect chirashi would contain the following ingredients:*multiple slices of sake, hamachi, saba, hotate, maguro, unagi, amaebi, tamago, white tuna*ikura (salmon roe)*slices of...
yelp.com - user review - 08/10/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I'll change my review when I come back for dinner. Otherwise, lunch at this place is americanized poo poo. Sorry, had to say it.
yelp.com - user review - 08/06/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
The fish is usually fresh there (which is always a plus). The atmosphere is definitely "home" like... though there are weird decoration bits like hanging model airplanes, a train that runs above your...
yelp.com - user review - 08/04/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
After seeing the commercials for this restaurant on KTSF-26 I had pretty high expectations. The owner seemed friendly and smiley, posing with his daughter.When I got there the atmosphere was nice,...
yelp.com - user review - 07/29/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Hubby's been wanting to check this place out and I thought okay, let's check out the hype...Service...not that great. Decor...interesting.Went in, seemed busy. Put our name in the book and waited....
yelp.com - user review - 07/28/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Chanpon, where have you been all my life? I don't understand how I'd never had this before. It's not ramen, it's not udon. I liked the chewy noodles, the squid, the clams, the flavorful but light...
yelp.com - user review - 07/24/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I love the chanpon here! Kimchee Udon isn't that great... i would stick to the chanpon. Food is great, but not know for their sushi. The service here really sucked when I was there. 2 out of the 3 of...
yelp.com - user review - 07/21/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Last ate here: 2008-07-03I have only recently started exploring for good ramen and I love the Champon ramen here! Yummy in my tummy!I also like the poki salad and curry. The sushi is okay. The decor...
yelp.com - user review - 07/20/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
I love eating izakaya, you can try a lot of different dishes since they're small plates.I swear for two people, we order almost 11 plates and 2 large sake for about $165, which isn't bad at all,...
yelp.com - user review - 07/14/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Finally made it in on a too-hot-for-soup-noodles kind of night. Tried the cold ramen and OMG, I think I have something new to crave. I also had the maguro tataki - it was tasty, but at $10.25,...
yelp.com - user review - 07/09/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
If you're looking for authentic and good japanese food, this is the place to be. They serve small plates (Japanese Tapas) and good traditional japanese dishes you would not find at any other japanese...
yelp.com - user review - 07/02/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Izakayas are small plate dining bars, something you might be tempted to describe as Japanese tapas. Izakaya Mai has set menu stuff, small plate and sushi plate service. Set/combo menu probably offers...
yelp.com - user review - 06/29/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
pretty god damn magical. Like their magic pi water. no wonder this place is always full.
yelp.com - user review - 06/20/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Three of us came on a Friday night and after a short wait were seated at one of the few tables in this little hole-in-a-wall. The service is a little lacking, as others have mentioned, they seem to...
yelp.com - user review - 06/10/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
I love food. Man, I love it. But I don't go around calling myself a "foodie" because that's some ill-conceived bougie word for people who want to be all esoteric about food. And I want to say to...
yelp.com - user review - 06/06/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Believe or not, this place offers THE best sashimi. Try salmon sashimi or hamachi sashimi for lunch. You can thank me later.
yelp.com - user review - 06/05/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Yum yum yum!It's great to have a quality Izakaya style restaurant walking distance from home. I'm hooked. We go there at least one per month.The food is consistently terrific. My favorites include the...
yelp.com - user review - 05/25/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
I have been wanting to try this place forever! I must say, I was a little worried it wouldn't be as good as I hoped.There was no let-down here, it was fan-freaking-tastic!Loved almost everything, and...
yelp.com - user review - 05/21/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
i love this place. i was reading other reviews and it seems like others are expecting way to much. i mean when you look inside its a total mom and pop shop, but the style is like a twist on comfort...
yelp.com - user review - 05/20/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
This is my Comfort-food-after-a-long-late-flight-through-SFO place. My husband brought me here after arriving in SFO late at night. We usually have a hard time finding good food pass 10pm so It's...
yelp.com - user review - 05/20/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
I had really high hopes for this restaurant, from reading all these reviews on yelp. Our service was actually pretty good, which got them one star. The food was really something else though. The fish...
yelp.com - user review - 05/05/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Previous Yelpers has commented, intimate, cozy really has a Japanese feel to it (ditto that). We went there for early dinner Friday in April. We order various sushi rolls, Onion Salad with Bonito...
yelp.com - user review - 05/04/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
I don't get the hype. Women supposedly have more taste buds than men, but extra buds don't help when the food is blah blah blah. A couple good things that others may have tried, but nothing I'd go...
yelp.com - user review - 04/22/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
If you're easily disgusted, don't watch TV while eating dinner here! They have satellite Japanese TV playing near the back area and sometimes the health related educational shows are appetite killers....
yelp.com - user review - 04/22/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Food is okay, nothing memorable but not bad and not too pricey. I would go back but I wouldn't go out of my way to go there.
yelp.com - user review - 04/20/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Let's say you had a real bad day at work (whether it was disasterous no thanks to superiors, managers, coworkers, general people issues, or something dirty skanky stinken rotten to the core about the...
yelp.com - user review - 04/15/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
a small place but always crowded. There sushi is ok. nothing impressive. Service is nice but when they got busy...you know... it's understandable. Went to there last Friday night, my friend...
yelp.com - user review - 04/15/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
We were there on a sat night, it was crowded, however, our wait was roughly 20 minutes, not too bad. We ordered the grilled fish, pork and eggplant, some sushi and rolls. The grill dishes are good,...
yelp.com - user review - 04/13/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
the search for the most authentic izakaya is OVER. goodbye gochi! goodbye hoshi! izakaya mai leaves you far behind in the dust of its train set that runs around the ceiling of the joint. walking...
yelp.com - user review - 04/13/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
the tuna melts in your mouth, the place is run like a family affair, and it reminds me of being in japan (as long as you bypass the american rolls with crazy names).
yelp.com - user review - 04/12/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Maybe I am a regular here, so I have no complaint about their service, and the chef always greets me prompt whenever I enter.I really think Sushi here are just for fun, as it is really hard to compete...
yelp.com - user review - 04/12/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
Our first two choices in dinner spots seemed to fall through, so we ended up here. Unfortunately, the service was not good and the food was decent, nothing special. I don't plan to come back here,...
yelp.com - user review - 04/11/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Very GOOD and Fresh sushi! Although, sometimes the service and the food can be really slow.The rolls are very yummy. Always Fresh. I like their 'mini' version of the menu, so I get to try several...
yelp.com - user review - 04/11/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
One of the best sushi places! I always order this ramen noodle called "Chanpon" and it's about ten bucks and it makes me very full. Sometimes I don't even finish it. It has veggies and seafood in it....
yelp.com - user review - 04/08/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
a nice place for staying late and drink some sake~~ eat some food or teriyaki~~ good!
yelp.com - user review - 04/06/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
This is probably one of the more authetic Japanese places I've been to. If you've been to Japan you'll know what I mean.Service was extremely attentive and majority of the people there spoke...
yelp.com - user review - 03/31/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
My 100th review!You see... I've been a loyal patron of Sushi Sam's for as long as I've lived in San Mateo. For 10 years I've been able to look past the unimaginative menu items, sticky tables, poor...
yelp.com - user review - 03/31/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Varietyy of authentic japanese food. My friend and I were the only caucasians in the room. Not a CA roll in sight. I went specifically for the grilled tongue, which in my opinion was too smoky...
yelp.com - user review - 03/26/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Of the 6 of 7 Japanese/Sushi restaurants that I've tried in Downtown San Mateo, Izakaya Mai is undoubtedly the best. Lots of menu options, quality fish, and genuinely friendly service (the sushi chef...
yelp.com - user review - 03/25/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
My favorite Japanese restuarant is Izakaya Mai. It is a traditional restuarant. If you've been to or lived in Japan you would love this place. If you know what a real mom and pop restuarant even looks...
yelp.com - user review - 03/21/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Service is good, people are friendly. The place is kinda small so I don't think it's good for big groups although this is like Japanese version of tapas so it's good for a group to order lots of lots...
yelp.com - user review - 03/11/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Update!Adding 1 star based on my most recent visit. The cooked food was very good. I recommend the champon, beef tongue, and fish cake. And best yet, they have a great sake selection that is NOT...
yelp.com - user review - 03/08/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
For a place called Izakaya, I came in here to try the small plates only to order sushi instead. I loved the sushi here and that's walking in with no expectations. I was pleasantly surprised. The...
yelp.com - user review - 03/08/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
The small plates were delicious. Some of the rolls were delicious and there were many rolls you don't see everywhere (those were the delicious ones too!). I didn't get to try all that looked really...
yelp.com - user review - 03/07/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
When I lived in SM, my gf and I used to come here all the time. She's japanese, so the quaint and cozy settings reminded her of her time in Japan. The food is good (I love the yakisoba) and the...
yelp.com - user review - 02/29/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Izakaya Mai feels like they took a small chunk of land from Tokyo and plopped it down in San Mateo. One truly feels as though this place was uprooted from Japan. From the handmade decor and sushi...
yelp.com - user review - 02/22/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
just got back from lunch. it was fine, but i'd still rather go to other sushi places in san mateo. the bento box i got for lunch had large portions of well cooked (and fresh raw) food, and was...
yelp.com - user review - 02/19/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I love Japanese izakaya and Mai had everything I look for in them. Lively & homey atmosphere, variety of tasty small dishes to go well with Kirin or sake without huge hit on my pocket. Some of the...
yelp.com - user review - 02/10/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
Yes, I know this place is for izakaya. But Sam's around the block was packed and I had a craving to satisfy. Unfortunately...Definitely do not come here for the sushi. The toro and hamachi were OK,...
yelp.com - user review - 02/09/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I come here on a regular basis as I live close by and happen to be a night owl. There aren't too many places to pick from in the late nights in the 'burbs.One of the things I like are the small plate...
yelp.com - user review - 02/07/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Opens super late (midnight or even 1am) even on a weeknight. I liked the Agedashi Tofu and the mini-Vegetable Tempura Don. Perfect spot to grab a bite after catching a film.
yelp.com - user review - 01/19/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I wanted to rate this place 5 stars but for one reason, I have to remove the one star because we smell food after our great dinner.... we smelled it more when we entered my car :-( ...but the food was...
yelp.com - user review - 01/06/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
This place rocks! I love the pork kim chi, but you can only order the hot one at dinner time. My husband and I discovered it about a year ago, and since then, it's been our favorite Japanese spot.
yelp.com - user review - 01/05/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Busy Menu! Distracting wall of fame...I've only eaten here twice and have not been wowed or impressed. I ate here last week after attempting to eat at the NEW location of Santa Ramen (see:...
yelp.com - user review - 01/03/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Champon!!! Its one of the best. Its seafood soup base makes me wanted to drink all the soup. The noodle is great too. I also really like its ankimo and its uni sushi. Its sushi rolls are not bad...
yelp.com - user review - 12/27/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
this place is like a japanese version of animal house. i suppose i should call it animaru haussu. all of us were throwing down pitchers of kirin (on draft), otokoyama, flinging ohashi slips at other...
yelp.com - user review - 12/27/2007
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5.0 of 5 stars.
If everything you eat at a place is great, does it automatically deserve 5 stars?You bet your A-dollar sign-dollar sign.And add a few more dollar signs to that. Yeah, it got up there, but there were 6...
yelp.com - user review - 12/18/2007
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5.0 of 5 stars.
This place rocks. We stopped in on our way to a party in the Peninsula (take note, my friends who say I never leave the Mission) after reading all the rave reviews on Yelp. The staff was duly...
yelp.com - user review - 12/17/2007
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If you're looking for a great place to drink some sake and have some Japanese Bar food this is it! Izakaya is small dishes built to be had with beer and/or sake. They do have sushi and the ramen is also pretty...
citysearch.com - user review - 12/12/2007
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2.0 of 5 stars.
maybe i need to come in to this place with the attitude of a businessman- drink, drink, eat, drink, drink, eat. but man, this place...they seated us near the bathroom, took 10 minutes to take out...
yelp.com - user review - 12/11/2007
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5.0 of 5 stars.
This is one of my favorite japanese places. For one thing, they are open late...till 12am! If you come here you must have the "Chanpon." This ramen noodle soup bowl is a good sized portion for one...
yelp.com - user review - 11/21/2007
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5.0 of 5 stars.
San Mateo have some of the best Japanese restaurants in the Bay Area and it's all within 4-5 blocks. I've eaten here probably about 50 times and it's good every time. The udon is great and the toro...
yelp.com - user review - 11/21/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Izakaya Mai is another of the several authentic Japanese restaurants in San Mateo. On this Friday night, the smallish restaurant was packed, including the counter seats. The food was quite good; the...
yelp.com - user review - 11/14/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
After a terrible lunch at Clement Okazuya, I met up with a few friends down in San Mateo for some Japanese at Izakaya Mai. My faith in good Japanese food has been restored.The service was friendly...
yelp.com - user review - 11/10/2007
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5.0 of 5 stars.
I noticed this place for the first time in early October, right when I got back home from my vacation to Japan. It, of course, intrigued me instantly. \My birthday was a couple of weeks ago, and...
yelp.com - user review - 11/05/2007
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Hubby's Review:My new favourite Japanese restaurant! Yes, I've made that declaration and I stand firm by it...for now. Wifey and I went here on Friday and we loved it. I had the grilled hamachi...
yelp.com - user review - 10/27/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
i love the salad here. our first time at this lil japanese spot and i'm hooked already. we had the bento box combo, the tempura, and sushi. must come back here again. there are endless choices of...
yelp.com - user review - 08/31/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Great varieties of food and sake. I discovered nasu dengaku (grilled miso eggplant) here for the first time(Kabuto in SF also offers this). Ever since, I've spent some sleepless nights craving this...
yelp.com - user review - 08/30/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Found this place by chance - was looking to go elsewhere but the line was too long so we decided to check out somewhere else. After seeing they serve champon, we decided to try this place out.It's...
yelp.com - user review - 08/23/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I had the udon - it was aight. I wish it had a little more goodies to pair up with the noodles. It wasn't cool that my roomie's ramen arrived way after my udon dish - no apologies offered. I will...
yelp.com - user review - 08/22/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I love the LARGE selection of different type of Japanese goodies on the menu. There are appetizers, main entrees, noodles, grilled selection and SUSHI. In fact, there is such a myriad of dishes to...
yelp.com - user review - 08/11/2007
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5.0 of 5 stars.
i love this place for late night sushi runs. the staff is always nice and welcoming..and their selection is pretty good. they have sushi specials as well. inside is very cozy though. although i...
yelp.com - user review - 08/04/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Cute place. I like the electric train that runs along the ceiling. Food isn't bad but a little limited for vegans/vegetarians. I really liked the agedashi tofu. I was told that it's like what's...
yelp.com - user review - 07/18/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
one of those japanese eateries that serves small plates that complements their exceptional selections of sake and beer with groups of friends/co-workers/family.similar with most restaurants/joints,...
yelp.com - user review - 07/18/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I really liked this place. It's not Kappo Honda in S. California, but nonetheless, it's tasty, has good beers and sake, and much closer to where I live. I've only been once so far and it's been a...
yelp.com - user review - 07/15/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
i was excited to try this place when a friend raved about how great the food & service was. i guess you shouldn't walk into a place with high expectations because you usually end up getting...
yelp.com - user review - 07/11/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
3.5 I'd say. I enjoyed: kushu yakitori oyako donburihamachi kama (although it was a little on the dry side)seaweed salad (it's hard to go wrong with that)The miso eggplant was supppper oily though....
yelp.com - user review - 07/08/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I second the "love at first sight" comment made by the previous reviewer. Right after I sat down I discovered that I was surrounded by cuteness!! Up in front of me is a toy train that goes round and...
yelp.com - user review - 07/03/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Update: Okay, so I know this review is already RIDICULOUSLY long, but I just want to give my props to Izakaya Mai for a lovely lovely pork Champon! I HAD to go back and try because of Toro E.'s high...
yelp.com - user review - 07/02/2007
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5.0 of 5 stars.
The food here was great... they said they're more specialized in their smaller dishes or dinner dishes, and the waitress warned me if we ordered sushi it might take 30 minutes. Well it DIDn't take 30...
yelp.com - user review - 06/29/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
3 stars for lunch / 4 stars for dinner.The difference is the ambiance. For some reason the times that i've been here for dinner, the place has been packed. And that is what you want in an izakaya.Food...
yelp.com - user review - 06/26/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Arigato Izakaya Mai!Delicious! Very friendly sushi bar/restaurant. Sushi came quickly and were presented very pretty. We were constantly being asked if we wanted more tea, etc.
yelp.com - user review - 06/21/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I'm a big fan of a couple of these izakayas in the south bay (Gochi and Tanto) so I was a bit bummed by how this place looked, very casual with the light wood furniture, it's not quite the refined...
yelp.com - user review - 05/31/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Summary: Damn, the Chanpon, is the chanpwn! Best Japanese soup noodles ever.It was a Sunday night, it was late around 10:30pm. Needed some food and didn't want no fast food or MSG-filled late night...
yelp.com - user review - 05/28/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Has a couple of tapas dishes and some sushi. It was pretty good. Got there right as it opened for dinner (6pm) and it was empty. At first I wondered if I was in the right place, since I decided to...
yelp.com - user review - 05/22/2007
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Izakaya Mai has THE BEST Chanpon ramen. Yes, even better than the Santa Ramen! It's Chanpon ramen has a very tasty seafood broth without MSG and no grease; It comes with a lot of vegetables, and a...
yelp.com - user review - 05/20/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
An izakaya is a Japanese pub where they serve lots of different kinds of foods that go with their ample alcoholic beverage selection. The general attributes are that it is casual, inexpensive and has...
yelp.com - user review - 05/18/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
i came here for dinner last night, and i liked it! it wasn't crowded as some yelpers say, but i guess it was a wed night at 7 pm. when we walked in, the place was pretty much empty, but as we were...
yelp.com - user review - 05/17/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Another one of my lunch usuals...I like their chicken udon and salmon onigiri. Most of their menu can be ordered in regular sized portions or in mini sized portions which are nice when you're not too...
yelp.com - user review - 05/14/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
What a find... my friends suggested it for dinner after getting into SFO late on a Saturday night.Got there around 21:30... It was perfect. Small, hole in the wall atmosphere, with a train running on...
yelp.com - user review - 05/07/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I wasn't particularly wow'd by this place. I felt like the service was a little too slow and prices were a bit high. I ordered three dishes and felt like I didn't have enough to eat. Each portion was...
yelp.com - user review - 04/24/2007
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1.0 of 5 stars.
Not going back, period! So my mom dragged us here once when Himawari (ramen noodle place nearby) was packed and the wait was unbearable, but boy it was a mistake. The service was pretty slow, and the...
yelp.com - user review - 04/21/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Heard lots about this place but only recently visited for the first time and it was definitely one of those places where you sit, have some beer, and eat for a while. That said, service was rather...
yelp.com - user review - 04/19/2007
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1.0 of 5 stars.
I need to go back again to make sure I'm not doing this place injustice since everyone's been giving it great reviews.And this time I shall try that champon that everyone is raving about. I had $25...
yelp.com - user review - 04/18/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
*Update 2: Did you know you could buy a bottle of sake and they'll store the unfinished bottle for you? Good idea, except when they can't find my bottle! They lose a star.*Update 1: The remodeled...
yelp.com - user review - 03/27/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Found this place while wandering around the neighborhood looking for lunch. Sushi Sam's was closed for some odd reason, so I decided to give this place a blind try. I was a lil caught off guard when...
yelp.com - user review - 03/27/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
3 stars food2 stars service (it was busy so our food took a looong time. The waiter was great though and kept filling our water and tea and apologizing repeatedly for the long wait...5 stars to...
yelp.com - user review - 03/23/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Chanpon was good. place was kinda empty... I tried nato bean here, and wow...I can eat a lot of things (i.e. stinky tofu) but nato reached my breaking point!
yelp.com - user review - 03/22/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Best champon ever! I service is a tad slow but it's only because there are only a few people running the place. The food here is so awesome. It's supposed to be a Japanese bar type of restaurant so...
yelp.com - user review - 03/14/2007
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5.0 of 5 stars.
My boyfriend and I have become regulars at this lively joint. The staff are friendly and it is open late! I love their Maguro Yamakake, a dish that reminds me of my childhood and which cannot be...
yelp.com - user review - 03/13/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
The other reviews on Izakaya Mai get it right. This restaurant reminded me of Japanese bars from the last time I visited Tokyo. Fun atmosphere, and popular with Japanese people (which, if you're...
yelp.com - user review - 02/24/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
A Canadian friend and I went strictly for the Izakaya menu and one plate of Sashimi. It's a pretty good place for it's size but I don't think it's the caliber of Tanto, Yume-Ya, Gochi, and Saizo to...
yelp.com - user review - 02/18/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Just been there twice so far, both lunch time. So I can't be fair in rating it yet, but I'd still like to take a stab at it. The lunch menu definitely can't be compared to the extensive dinner and...
yelp.com - user review - 02/18/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
This place is solid for San Mateo, but I'd still prefer the other izakayas in the Bay Area like Gochi, Tanto, and Oidon. The signature dish is the chanpon ramen. Their sashimi is fresh, but may be...
yelp.com - user review - 02/18/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
The reviews saved me... I ordered the champon and it was great. The noodles were chewy and the broth was nice... I have to wake up early to go biking so no late night for me, but the saba shio yaki...
yelp.com - user review - 02/17/2007
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5.0 of 5 stars.
I L.O.V.E. this place!Ok, this is the first place I ever tried Spicy Tuna and it's delicious here!! Of course I've been to your usual Sushi House in alameda and that place sucks, not to mention...
yelp.com - user review - 02/14/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
a good place to go with a buddy for snacking and boozing.Like cozy place in downtown San Mateo. Not your usual japanese restaurant. They have a ton of small items on the menu and i suggest everyone...
yelp.com - user review - 02/06/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Halfway through the meal, my baby started screaming at the top of her lungs so I had to make a quick escape. Having said that, the meal I had here was decent. I had the chirashi which passed the...
yelp.com - user review - 02/03/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Open til midnight - can you believe it!? This is the SECOND place I've come across, in the peninsula, open til midnight (minus fast food joints)! That's inspiration for a new list... (forthcoming)....
yelp.com - user review - 02/02/2007
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Between Mai and Oidon (in the same neighborhood), I like Oidon better. Mai is too busy and rowdy. How am I to relax and drink sake while a wall full of photos and bright colors stare back at me....
yelp.com - user review - 01/30/2007
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5.0 of 5 stars.
5 of us dropped in without reservations and with a short wait, we were seated in a booth. The wait staff were all very nice and friendly. We order the Champon as well as a couple of Bento Box...
yelp.com - user review - 01/27/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Izakaya Mai is a really cute little place in downtown San Mateo. There are simply so many places in SM that I completely missed when I lived there, and this is one of the better ones.The place is a...
yelp.com - user review - 01/27/2007
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Izakaya Mai wa daisuki da ze!So good, authentic izakaya. If you go in asking for sushi, you're in the wrong place -- yes, they have it, but that's not what izakaya's are about.One of the few places...
yelp.com - user review - 01/16/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
the champon really hit the spot on this particularly cold evening! although the environment is a bit odd, i found it's toy store-esque feel bit endearing at the same time, and the service was very...
yelp.com - user review - 01/14/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
It always feels so packed in here but we got a booth, so that was great for conversation. Nice service. As usual, I develop food envy eyeing someone else's dishes and end up ordering something that...
yelp.com - user review - 01/13/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
My hubby and I hit this joint when we are in Mateo, craving comfort food. I LOVE their Kimchee Ramen and their sashimi....yummm....so fresh, I can almost taste the hamachi melting in my mouth! They...
yelp.com - user review - 01/08/2007
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5.0 of 5 stars.
I love this place. Their sushi is made so well and their sashimi is always fresh. And I love the homey feeling you get from this place. It reminds me of being in a real japanese restaurant back in...
yelp.com - user review - 01/01/2007
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I really like the selection of dishes at Izakaya Mai. It's great for sharing with a bunch of friends and you get to try so many different things! My favorite is the champon, which has a smooth broth...
yelp.com - user review - 12/31/2006
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Order the champon! Apparently that is what this place is known for. I mistakenly ordered the spicy cod with roe version when I don't even like roe ;) but it still had lots of other goodies in the...
yelp.com - user review - 11/13/2006
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4.0 of 5 stars.
This is a very cozy joint conveniently located in San Mateo. Want a better variety than your basic rolls/udon/ramen? Hit up the izakaya. Came here last night with my parents and the service was a...
yelp.com - user review - 10/12/2006
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4.0 of 5 stars.
A great drinking place with outstanding food. Any bar that keeps a bottle for me with my name on it, is a place I can love. Settle in to the food and the vibe, pour a few rounds, and you can really...
yelp.com - user review - 10/12/2006
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4.0 of 5 stars.
The staff was very accomodating to our party of ten last night, and definitely kept the beers and sake ($10 for a big bottle, and it was goooood) coming. We ordered small plates and sushi rolls...
yelp.com - user review - 09/17/2006
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1.0 of 5 stars.
I can't believe me and my bf went all the way to San Mateo for this. I was so excited b/c I love izakaya. I was more than disappointed and can't believe I fell for it. Traditional izakaya should...
yelp.com - user review - 09/09/2006
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5.0 of 5 stars.
This place has quickly become a weekly staple for me and my bunny. I never heard of champon before but now I'm hooked. I'm also crazy about all of those little grilled items from whole fish, chicken...
yelp.com - user review - 07/07/2006
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Very good for more "comfort" oriented Japanese food and sushi. They have a wide variety of donburi, and I really like getting ochazuke - I haven't really seen that on the menus at other places in San...
yelp.com - user review - 06/29/2006
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5.0 of 5 stars.
awesome. get the chanpon ramen. totally rivals santa ramen. the only thing about this place is though... that there is like only one lady working the tables. so the service can get slow at times
yelp.com - user review - 06/27/2006
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I *loved* Tombo, a now defunct hand-pulled hole-in-the-wall udon house, so you can imagine my distressssss when it closed. I mourned, I grieved, but as with most things, o young one, you learn to...
yelp.com - user review - 06/23/2006
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Their Champon noodles just *might* rival Santa Ramen in both taste and texture. Dare I utter such bold words among these Yelping lovers of food? Go ahead and DOUBLE dare me. I found this hidden gem...
yelp.com - user review - 04/05/2006
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Izakaya --- best described as a Japanese tapas pub that stressed out businessmen hangout after work drinking beer and smoking like there is no tomorrow, then goes home and tells the wife they were...
yelp.com - user review - 04/03/2006
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Four stars for the best champon ramen noodles around! Champon is a type of noodle dish originating from Nagasaki, made by frying pork, seafood and vegetables in a wok, and boiling the noodles in the...
yelp.com - user review - 03/13/2006
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I'm sorry that my tardy brother, did not enjoy this place. I hyped it up to him and unfortunately he joins us the day they have a new waitress (referred to as 'the biach' in his review). Izakaya Mai...
yelp.com - user review - 03/01/2006
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3.0 of 5 stars.
4/28/06 Gave Iz Mai another chance. Sang "We shall Overcome" and I've triumphed over hate for this place. Actually thanks to Curry Udon and fair service. Tried to pay the bill with Yen and made...
yelp.com - user review - 02/28/2006
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1.0 of 5 stars.
On my first visit, the restaurant was not full when we arrived, so we were seated right away, but the server managed to neglect my party of 2 and did not stop to take our order until some of the...
yelp.com - user review - 02/26/2006
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4.0 of 5 stars.
For dirt cheap you get a 3 item bento box, soup, salad, 3 piece Cali roll and tea. If I'm hungry and want Japanese for lunch, this is where I go.
yelp.com - user review - 01/12/2006
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Great Japanese place! Very relaxed and the food is excellent. A great place to hang out with friends. Have a few drinks, appetizers and a main course. The Katsu Curry is one of the best that I've...
yelp.com - user review - 11/07/2005
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Tombo udon are outstanding. Arguably, the best in the Bay area. Their homemade udon noodles are slightly smaller than the udon found elsewhere. But the amazing broth is the star here. Sushi is OK. Interior is...
citysearch.com - user review - 02/07/2004
Full Review »
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