The beef curry rice is really good! 👍

Stopped by for a quick lunch and ordered the chicken katsu. Gotta say, I was impressed! My food was ready in just 10 minutes - perfect for a busy day. The chicken katsu hit all the right notes. Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and came with a tasty sauce. Portion size was spot-on too. I noticed the place is on the smaller side, but it has a cozy vibe. Didn't matter much to me though, since I got takeout. Still, it looked like a nice spot to sit and enjoy a meal if you have the time. The quick service and quality food definitely won me over. I'll be back to try more from their menu. If you're in the area and craving some solid Japanese-style comfort food, give this place a shot!

13$ got me all this!! And it was deliciously cooked! I'll definitely be back again & would recommend to everyone!

Spicy chicken was good, the garlic soy sauce and hot sauce gave the rice good flavor. Will come back.

Click the picture (it's a video)

Amazing food. The whole room perks up every time a sizzling plate comes out of the kitchen bc of how delicious it smells and sounds. Definitely worth the visit. We got the curry beef cheese, golden eel, popcorn chicken, and boba. All of which we'd get again.

Delish! Lots to select from menu. Small seating, but cozy and quaint. Service excellent (family owned and the owner was also wait staff). Food is wonderful. I will definitely come back because there are many other entrees I'd like to try😋.

Small place with good food. Service was as good as the food was.

This is a very nice place with plenty of parking spaces and clean restaurants. I really like salmon rice and bbqmix, as well as great milkshakes and strawberry matcha latte. I will bring more friends back

Tiny tasty hidden treasure. For serving Polynesian food and Hawaii grill, and all though there's so much to choose from that is all so yummy, I sometimes crave juicy fatty Kahlua pork with sticky rice with macaroni salad. Hoping the s is a pate that will soon be offered in the menu. Good addition to our village and the neighborhood.

lynda freeman

The popcorn chicken is to die for. Put some spice on it and it's beyond yummy. You have to come and eat here. Its clean, can't say it's always quiet because student come here because the food is just addicting and I can't blame them. But service is fast and friendly and it's clean. I love this place. Seriously, give it a try. Keep in mind they do pre-tax you about a dollar but it's well deserved.

Gerald Zellner

Burning hot cast iron with good food on top. Beef udon. First time here and first time eating this dish.

Geo W

I really enjoyed my meal here! I was surprised since it's a bit out of the way, and I don't come to this area a lot, but I decided to try it. I had a sizzling beef plate, and it was delicious. It was thinly cut beef that was raw, and the sizzling plate cooked it while it was at my table. It was the perfect portion, not too much, and not too little. Plus, they had my favorite, Takoyaki. The Takoyaki was a lot better than what I've had at other places. They also have a wide selection of boba tea and drinks. The prices were decent as well. Definitely will be back for more again.

Bunny M

Very cute restaurant with a super fast service. Come here on a Saturday lunchtime and got seated right away. The owner is very nice, we ordered the honey walnut shrimp, popcorn chicken, crab cheese Rangoon, Curry beef rice, Beef rice, seafood rice, and I will say their appetizer taste much better than the entrees. The waiter caramel Sue four times to add water for us. super friendly

Becca Gomez Farrell

We tried Tao's Fresh tonight, which offers Hawaiian BBQ and ... sizzle plates! Got the latter with beef and salmon, which also comes with a raw egg. Cook it all to the doneness you like and make a fried rice dish. We liked it, and I enjoyed my Hawaiian barbecue combo plate *and* that they made it easy to ask for two scoops of mac instead of two scoops of rice. 😀 Always more mac for me, please!

Dianna T

Cozy and clean place. We ordered takoyaki, curry beef&cheese w/ rice sizzling plate and beef & salmon w/ rice sizzling plate. We had to flip the beef and salmon until cooked on the hot sizzling plate then eat! Good experience! Good portion size for us. Will visit again. Owners are nice, please keep up with the good quality foods.

Lynn Mymala

This review is long overdue, but this is my and my husband's FAVORITE local spot for sizzling plate. Even though we no longer live near the area, when we're visiting family/friends and running errands around the area, we like stopping by to eat at Tao's Fresh. My husband usually orders the #1 beef & rice sizzling plate and I usually get the #4 beef & rice w/ kimchi sizzling plate. It's nice to see elderly people come here with their friends or family. As one of the reviews mentioned, this restaurant is cozy and clean. Tao's Fresh has a small space, but I've never had to wait too long to get seated. Service has room for improvement (staff didn't check on us or fill our water too often), but that's not we come here. We come here for the food! I'm happy that Tao's Fresh has been in the San Lorenzo community for some time now, and hope they'll be here for many more years to come.

Jing Wang

One of our family's favorites in the Bay Area. The meat Tao's uses is so fresh! There is a good variety of dishes to choose from, and every dish is sooooo yummy. The price is also quite affordable. We like the decoration of the restaurant as well - simple yet modern, neat and clean.

Lucy Yang

Went on a Friday evening and had a some great food! I got the kimchee beef and BF got curry cheese beef. Both came out on sizzling plates with a little collar, so that The sauce won't splatter. The beef is very good quality and cooks just right on the plate, getting a little browned but not tough. We also ordered the seasoned calamari, and got the meatiest squid ever. Way beyond my expectations for a snack/appetizer food.

ed Tallman

Stopped in for a quick bite for lunch. What a great idea and surprise. Had beef w/rice and an egg. Figure strat something simple. And was great . Love the way they serve the food. Hot sizzling plate mix together qas fun and delicious. Taking the guys back for lunch tomorrow. And the family soon. 👍👍 Will get better pics was hungry and started eating.

Enrique lou

Amazing food. Definitely coming back here again if I'm around the are

Kristin Strange

We had to try out the sizzling plate and it didn’t disappoint. Service was fast, restaurant was clean and food was very good. I wish we lived closer.

Amazing food. Definitely coming back here again if I'm around the are

Stopped in for a quick bite for lunch. What a great idea and surprise. Had beef w/rice and an egg. Figure strat something simple. And was great . Love the way they serve the food. Hot sizzling plate mix together qas fun and delicious. Taking the guys back for lunch tomorrow. And the family soon. 👍👍 Will get better pics was hungry and started eating.

Went on a Friday evening and had a some great food! I got the kimchee beef and BF got curry cheese beef. Both came out on sizzling plates with a little collar, so that The sauce won't splatter. The beef is very good quality and cooks just right on the plate, getting a little browned but not tough. We also ordered the seasoned calamari, and got the meatiest squid ever. Way beyond my expectations for a snack/appetizer food.

One of our family's favorites in the Bay Area. The meat Tao's uses is so fresh! There is a good variety of dishes to choose from, and every dish is sooooo yummy. The price is also quite affordable. We like the decoration of the restaurant as well - simple yet modern, neat and clean.

Cozy and clean place. We ordered takoyaki, curry beef&cheese w/ rice sizzling plate and beef & salmon w/ rice sizzling plate. We had to flip the beef and salmon until cooked on the hot sizzling plate then eat! Good experience! Good portion size for us. Will visit again. Owners are nice, please keep up with the good quality foods.

+3

This review is long overdue, but this is my and my husband's FAVORITE local spot for sizzling plate. Even though we no longer live near the area, when we're visiting family/friends and running errands around the area, we like stopping by to eat at Tao's Fresh. My husband usually orders the #1 beef & rice sizzling plate and I usually get the #4 beef & rice w/ kimchi sizzling plate. It's nice to see elderly people come here with their friends or family. As one of the reviews mentioned, this restaurant is cozy and clean. Tao's Fresh has a small space, but I've never had to wait too long to get seated. Service has room for improvement (staff didn't check on us or fill our water too often), but that's not we come here. We come here for the food! I'm happy that Tao's Fresh has been in the San Lorenzo community for some time now, and hope they'll be here for many more years to come.

We tried Tao's Fresh tonight, which offers Hawaiian BBQ and ... sizzle plates! Got the latter with beef and salmon, which also comes with a raw egg. Cook it all to the doneness you like and make a fried rice dish. We liked it, and I enjoyed my Hawaiian barbecue combo plate *and* that they made it easy to ask for two scoops of mac instead of two scoops of rice. 😀 Always more mac for me, please!

Very cute restaurant with a super fast service. Come here on a Saturday lunchtime and got seated right away. The owner is very nice, we ordered the honey walnut shrimp, popcorn chicken, crab cheese Rangoon, Curry beef rice, Beef rice, seafood rice, and I will say their appetizer taste much better than the entrees. The waiter caramel Sue four times to add water for us. super friendly

+3

I really enjoyed my meal here! I was surprised since it's a bit out of the way, and I don't come to this area a lot, but I decided to try it. I had a sizzling beef plate, and it was delicious. It was thinly cut beef that was raw, and the sizzling plate cooked it while it was at my table. It was the perfect portion, not too much, and not too little. Plus, they had my favorite, Takoyaki. The Takoyaki was a lot better than what I've had at other places. They also have a wide selection of boba tea and drinks. The prices were decent as well. Definitely will be back for more again.

+4

The popcorn chicken is to die for. Put some spice on it and it's beyond yummy. You have to come and eat here. Its clean, can't say it's always quiet because student come here because the food is just addicting and I can't blame them. But service is fast and friendly and it's clean. I love this place. Seriously, give it a try. Keep in mind they do pre-tax you about a dollar but it's well deserved.

Burning hot cast iron with good food on top. Beef udon. First time here and first time eating this dish.

I overall really like this food place because the food is honestly always fresh, the drinks are delish, and its not really over priced. Some people may say the food's expensive but honestly in this economy it's pretty common to see foods $8 or more. Drinks range up from $5-8 or $9 depending on how many toppings. The workers are very nice and patient, I overall really enjoyed my experience because it was really comfortable and the atmosphere was calm, the food again was amazing! Highly recommended!

Similar to Sizzling Plate chain, but the food here has much more flavor. Personal favorites are the curry cheese plates. Also does a pretty good fruit smoothie.

chloe

I overall really like this food place because the food is honestly always fresh, the drinks are delish, and its not really over priced. Some people may say the food's expensive but honestly in this economy it's pretty common to see foods $8 or more. Drinks range up from $5-8 or $9 depending on how many toppings. The workers are very nice and patient, I overall really enjoyed my experience because it was really comfortable and the atmosphere was calm, the food again was amazing! Highly recommended!

Ben Adler

Similar to Sizzling Plate chain, but the food here has much more flavor. Personal favorites are the curry cheese plates. Also does a pretty good fruit smoothie.

Bill Turner

What an incredible dining experience! The service was attentive and efficient, with the staff making sure we had everything we needed without hovering. The food was absolutely delicious; we tried the Kung Pao chicken and the Mongolian beef, both of which were full of flavor. The beef was tender, and the sauce was rich and savory. The ambiance was peaceful and cozy, with traditional Chinese lanterns and wooden accents that made the restaurant feel both elegant and welcoming. I’ll definitely be coming back for more!

Ordered the kimchi beef with rice for takeout for about $13; portion size wasn’t as good as expected nor was the price (which increased about $4-5 over the past few years). However, the flavor was very nice and made up for its small size. Would recommend visiting not during after school hours.

The salad was crisp and I like to dressing delicious crab Puffs very meaty & yummy, atmosphere inside awesome he got a 4 because the sweet and sour sauce was runny/thin

Small place, the hot plate grilled beef cheese thingy was okayyy. The hawaiian bbq chicken plate was much more enjoyable. Popcorn chicken was decent

Food is sizzling hot, taste is good. A bit pricey for me. Small cozy place with simple and clean decor. Staff was friendly and helpful. I stop today for calamari and a bobba drink for around $18 🥴

Leonard Suguitan (Len)

We were looking for a quick meal before going on a party bus, and found this place on our Google search. Located in a small strip mall, tucked away in the corner. I'm glad we chose this place, because the food was fulfilling! The dishes came out hot & they were prepared fresh. I had the chicken katsu plate, which is my usual go-to at a Hawaiian-style eatery. I was served a large portion of katsu pver rice, with mac salad on the side. The chicken was hot & crispy, and the katsu sauce had great flavor. The good hit the spot 👌 If you're looking for a casual place with good rice plates, then this is the place. The seating area is limited, so you may find yourself waiting a lil bit on a Friday or Saturday night. My sisters ordered some dessert shakes, and they looked good as well. I didn't try it, but they said they'd order it again. They also had a mixed BBQ plate over rice, which was huge! Definitely a dish you can share with one other person, unless you haven't eaten all day. Great place to try.

Lon.food.travel

Pepper lunch is supposedly Japanese, but seeing kimchi and soju on the menu made me think this was a Korean place. That’s okay, as long as the food is good, I don’t care what kind of place it is. Met up with a friend here to catch up and try something new. I am not familiar with San Lorenzo, but this part of town seems okay. A plaza with plenty of parking so I was relieved that I didn’t have to look for street parking. When I got to the restaurant, I was even more confused. It’s selling milk tea. Then I heard the server speaking in Mandarin. Okay, maybe this place is owned by Chinese. Oh well, perhaps this place has an identity crisis. Lol. I ordered curry beef rice with cheese. It came out sizzling and I had to quickly cook and move the beef slices before they were overcooked. I throughly enjoyed the beef slices. I wish they added more cheese so that the plate was more gooey. Perhaps I was spoiled and ruined by Daeho’s gooey and cheesy Kalbijim, but I digress. This place did a decent job of making pepper lunch dishes. I would go back and maybe next time I would even order their milk tea.

Pepper lunch is supposedly Japanese, but seeing kimchi and soju on the menu made me think this was a Korean place. That’s okay, as long as the food is good, I don’t care what kind of place it is. Met up with a friend here to catch up and try something new. I am not familiar with San Lorenzo, but this part of town seems okay. A plaza with plenty of parking so I was relieved that I didn’t have to look for street parking. When I got to the restaurant, I was even more confused. It’s selling milk tea. Then I heard the server speaking in Mandarin. Okay, maybe this place is owned by Chinese. Oh well, perhaps this place has an identity crisis. Lol. I ordered curry beef rice with cheese. It came out sizzling and I had to quickly cook and move the beef slices before they were overcooked. I throughly enjoyed the beef slices. I wish they added more cheese so that the plate was more gooey. Perhaps I was spoiled and ruined by Daeho’s gooey and cheesy Kalbijim, but I digress. This place did a decent job of making pepper lunch dishes. I would go back and maybe next time I would even order their milk tea.

We were looking for a quick meal before going on a party bus, and found this place on our Google search. Located in a small strip mall, tucked away in the corner. I'm glad we chose this place, because the food was fulfilling! The dishes came out hot & they were prepared fresh. I had the chicken katsu plate, which is my usual go-to at a Hawaiian-style eatery. I was served a large portion of katsu pver rice, with mac salad on the side. The chicken was hot & crispy, and the katsu sauce had great flavor. The good hit the spot 👌 If you're looking for a casual place with good rice plates, then this is the place. The seating area is limited, so you may find yourself waiting a lil bit on a Friday or Saturday night. My sisters ordered some dessert shakes, and they looked good as well. I didn't try it, but they said they'd order it again. They also had a mixed BBQ plate over rice, which was huge! Definitely a dish you can share with one other person, unless you haven't eaten all day. Great place to try.

Really nice place with really amazing food. But the lady demands tips after paying, tips are optional not required.

Not gourmet, but a good eat. Its a corner Chinese food shop, what more can you expect. Better than Panda Express, Jasmines around the bend. But not the decor like wash up PF changs. Bottom line;; reasonable price for the portion you get and good.

I understand the price going up, but if the price going up, the food should be the same quality, this is how we got. That totally half less than before. And I also found some popcorn chicken on the bottom.

Disappointed with Recent Popcorn Chicken Order I’ve been a regular customer, and I’ve always enjoyed the popcorn chicken here. However, my recent experience was disappointing. Unlike my previous orders, this time there was no basil in the popcorn chicken, and the overall quality fell short. It seems like they might be cutting corners. I hope the establishment can maintain the standard I’ve come to expect in the future. I visited earlier today, and while I can’t recall the exact time

Food was alright, stomach hurts a little bit so it’s no big deal lol

Janelle Toledo

I had very high expectations for this place due to the reviews. The prices were pretty steep as well. I went in with my niece to dine in. She got the chicken and beef teriyaki plate($16)and I got the golden eel with rice sizzling plate($18).With a side of broccoli. Also got the fried calamari. We got our plates and presentation was nice. But the portions were disappointing. My plate was mainly rice and egg. The pieces of eel were REALLY small. At $18 It was honestly NOT worth it. My niece said her plate was ok but she would have much rather gotten it from a Hawaiian BBQ place. It wasn't bad, I could tell the food was fresh I just wish the quantity of *meat given would've equated to the price. The best and my favorite out of everything we ordered was actually the calamari. It was so tasty. Fresh, tasty, crunchy and chewy just like i like it! I would honestly return just for that lol. The total for the 2 plates calamari and side of broccoli came out to a steep $65 with no drinks ordered. Tip not included

Gerald Soo

Food is ok. The atmosphere and food is geared towards a much younger than myself crowd.

Food is ok. The atmosphere and food is geared towards a much younger than myself crowd.

I had very high expectations for this place due to the reviews. The prices were pretty steep as well. I went in with my niece to dine in. She got the chicken and beef teriyaki plate($16)and I got the golden eel with rice sizzling plate($18).With a side of broccoli. Also got the fried calamari. We got our plates and presentation was nice. But the portions were disappointing. My plate was mainly rice and egg. The pieces of eel were REALLY small. At $18 It was honestly NOT worth it. My niece said her plate was ok but she would have much rather gotten it from a Hawaiian BBQ place. It wasn't bad, I could tell the food was fresh I just wish the quantity of *meat given would've equated to the price. The best and my favorite out of everything we ordered was actually the calamari. It was so tasty. Fresh, tasty, crunchy and chewy just like i like it! I would honestly return just for that lol. The total for the 2 plates calamari and side of broccoli came out to a steep $65 with no drinks ordered. Tip not included

Came here with my girlfriend and decided to try it since we’ve been missing I Heart Pepper Lunch after it closed. If you’re craving that sizzling plate experience, this is definitely a solid substitute. The food comes out hot and still cooking on the plate, which is always a win. Flavor was good, meat was tasty, and everything mixed together really well. I even ordered extra meat and it was still so good I felt like I could’ve eaten another one. So yeah… that says something. Only thing I’d say is the portions could be a little bigger, especially for the price. If they bumped that up just a bit, it would hit even harder. The place itself is small but cute. Nothing fancy, just a chill spot to grab a sizzling meal. Overall, good food and I’d come back when I’m in the mood for something hot and satisfying.

My brother and I stopped by Tao Fresh in San Lorenzo yesterday after a hike, and it turned out to be a really nice experience. The place wasn’t too busy, which made for a relaxed atmosphere, and everything was clean and well-kept. The food was pretty good, a bit on the mild side flavor-wise, but they have sauces available at the table so you can spice it up just how you like it. The sizzling plate was fun to watch and had a decent flavor, and the drinks weren’t overly sweet, which I really appreciated. I also enjoyed the tea, perfectly bitter and refreshing after a long day outdoors. Overall, it’s a solid spot for a casual meal with friendly vibes. I’d definitely go back after another hike!

Miss Mai T

My brother and I stopped by Tao Fresh in San Lorenzo yesterday after a hike, and it turned out to be a really nice experience. The place wasn’t too busy, which made for a relaxed atmosphere, and everything was clean and well-kept. The food was pretty good, a bit on the mild side flavor-wise, but they have sauces available at the table so you can spice it up just how you like it. The sizzling plate was fun to watch and had a decent flavor, and the drinks weren’t overly sweet, which I really appreciated. I also enjoyed the tea, perfectly bitter and refreshing after a long day outdoors. Overall, it’s a solid spot for a casual meal with friendly vibes. I’d definitely go back after another hike!

I’ve been going to this place fairly regularly recently and every time I go I notice that the cashier, who I think also owns the store, gives me and my friend specifically bad service. I’m black and my friend is a black muslim who wears the hijab and whenever we come in, she refuses to even make eye contact with us; especially my friend. At first we thought it was innocent until we examined how she behaved when we were with other friends or when other, non black, and non muslim customers go up to her and found it to be drastically different. She discriminates against us specifically and some other friends with similar backgrounds have shared similar stories. I highly suggest you guys don’t go here and the food is not even good enough to keep coming back. I once found a strand of hair that I knew wasn’t mine and I think it was intentionally put there. Go to Share Tea, Tea4, I Tea, Teaspoon, Once tea, Hay Tea, Happy Lemon, or anywhere else instead!

I found maggots in my drink, place is dirty customer service is terrible, and the cashier constantly gives my friend who is a black hijabi dirty looks when she is with her group of friends. Would not recommend go anywhere but here please. the place smells