Izakaya Mai

I'm Japanese and I recently visited Izakaya Mai and was thoroughly impressed with their hospitality. The atmosphere was cozy and welcoming! The menu had a great variety of dishes, from classic sushi rolls to Donburis. I tried the Hokke-no-Hiraki, Champon, and Unatama-don etc. They were melt-in-your-mouth delicious! The beer glasses were cold when the beer was served. The chief's service was top notch and very attentive and he was always paying attention to customers. Overall, I would highly recommend Izakaya Mai to anyone looking for a fantastic Japanese dining experience. The food, drinks, and service all exceeded my expectations and I can't wait to go back! They open until late night!

We was looking for late night dinner spot and found this place. Surprisingly, food were very delicious! We had tofu, sushi, squid and noodle. They even offered to split into two bowls for us to share. Hubby asked for extra ginger, they gave him one big dish for free. Good music too. Owner is very friendly. Will visit again.

Our go-to place for sashimi. Always fresh and delicious. Excellent smoked fish, seaweed salad, and tofu tapas. We order the Combo B and enjoy every bite, every time.

The food is incredible, staff is always super sweet, and the atmosphere is so cute. It also doesn't hurt that it's the only place open late on a Sunday night in San Mateo.

Can you tell I love sashimi? Been coming to this place with my family for years, and I’ll continue to call this place a second home. The vibe is reminiscent of a Tokyo Izakaya, and the food is incredibly diverse and fresh. The chirashi deluxe has always been my favorite (clearly), but they do an amazing Champon Noodle, great value bentos, rice bowls, and appetizers. The owner is incredibly kind and welcoming. An amazing all-rounder restaurant perfect for dinners of all kinds. *Each photo of chirashi is from a different visit!

I pop in once in a while, and I always like to switch up my order. I've tried their Izakaya Original Champon, their Japanese Katsu Curry Rice, and, of course, they have a huge menu of sushi rolls—I've honestly enjoyed everything so far. The staff is usually pretty attentive, which is definitely a nice bonus.

It's like a dive bar & a Japanese spot had a kid. The service is amazing, no frills type of joint. Food was amazing, can't go wrong with anything you order here. Got the chicken teriyaki as a app (even though I don't like thigh meat, this was delicious), lion king is my favorite roll here and don't skip the Yaki Udon.

First time coming, loved the food! ♡♡ good customer service. Planning to come again.

The food is delicious. The edamame is great, which is not always the case in other restaurants. Order it unsalted. I don’t mind salt, but the default level of salt on them is too much for me. Other than that it’s a great restaurant. (Although there is a Mini with the Union Jack design on the wall that is driving on the wrong side of the road.)

My partner and I was hungry on a Friday night and came upon Izakaya Mai when we were walking in San Mateo downtown. The place looked like there were alot of people and we gave it a try. We ordered the okonomiyaki, the katsu curry over rice with soup and salad, and the fire special roll. The okonomiyaki came out first and it was really big. There was ramen and bonito flakes on top of it, the inside of the pancake has seafood, octopus, vegetables, all drizzled in mayo and bbq sauce. It was very hot, fresh and savory. We loved every bite of it. The katsu curry over rice was delectable, the curry had a hint of sweetness but it was very rich. The katsu was crunchy and so good over the rice. The fire roll was big, and nicely presented. The two of us couldn’t finish the things we ordered and had to bring food home. The vibes of the place was superb. It’s a great place for friends, families, and dates to meet up at. There are items that aren’t too expensive and very good for the price. The staff are really friendly as well.

The service here is wonderful. They are always so kind and pleasant , and attentive to everyone, regardless of age, demographic, or group size, or time of night, business level Their drinks are delicious Food is delicious and fresh My favorites are the jalapeno with spicy tuna, and chicken curry Great for a meal before or after a movie

Great and really fast service. The food is really good. The sushi rolls are delicious. The Gyoza wasn’t that impressive but everything else was great. The atmosphere outside, especially at night, is really nice. They do last call at 10:15 but they remain open till 11.

Cute and cozy Japanese restaurant with a train running around on the ceiling! The food was amazing and the price was fair. Highly recommend the miso cod which was juicy and tender and everything I wanted! The chicken and egg don was great too but a little dry for my taste. Can’t wait to try more dishes here! But remember to make a reservation before coming. It can get crowded!

Sergio C Rodriguez

I pop in once in a while, and I always like to switch up my order. I've tried their Izakaya Original Champon, their Japanese Katsu Curry Rice, and, of course, they have a huge menu of sushi rolls—I've honestly enjoyed everything so far. The staff is usually pretty attentive, which is definitely a nice bonus.

Zohaib Patoli

It's like a dive bar & a Japanese spot had a kid. The service is amazing, no frills type of joint. Food was amazing, can't go wrong with anything you order here. Got the chicken teriyaki as a app (even though I don't like thigh meat, this was delicious), lion king is my favorite roll here and don't skip the Yaki Udon.

Danielle Roberts

First time coming, loved the food! ♡♡ good customer service. Planning to come again.

RC

The food is delicious. The edamame is great, which is not always the case in other restaurants. Order it unsalted. I don’t mind salt, but the default level of salt on them is too much for me. Other than that it’s a great restaurant. (Although there is a Mini with the Union Jack design on the wall that is driving on the wrong side of the road.)

Lo

My partner and I was hungry on a Friday night and came upon Izakaya Mai when we were walking in San Mateo downtown. The place looked like there were alot of people and we gave it a try. We ordered the okonomiyaki, the katsu curry over rice with soup and salad, and the fire special roll. The okonomiyaki came out first and it was really big. There was ramen and bonito flakes on top of it, the inside of the pancake has seafood, octopus, vegetables, all drizzled in mayo and bbq sauce. It was very hot, fresh and savory. We loved every bite of it. The katsu curry over rice was delectable, the curry had a hint of sweetness but it was very rich. The katsu was crunchy and so good over the rice. The fire roll was big, and nicely presented. The two of us couldn’t finish the things we ordered and had to bring food home. The vibes of the place was superb. It’s a great place for friends, families, and dates to meet up at. There are items that aren’t too expensive and very good for the price. The staff are really friendly as well.

Shilpi Dey

The service here is wonderful. They are always so kind and pleasant , and attentive to everyone, regardless of age, demographic, or group size, or time of night, business level Their drinks are delicious Food is delicious and fresh My favorites are the jalapeno with spicy tuna, and chicken curry Great for a meal before or after a movie

Jehad Affoneh

Great and really fast service. The food is really good. The sushi rolls are delicious. The Gyoza wasn’t that impressive but everything else was great. The atmosphere outside, especially at night, is really nice. They do last call at 10:15 but they remain open till 11.

Xiao Wu

Cute and cozy Japanese restaurant with a train running around on the ceiling! The food was amazing and the price was fair. Highly recommend the miso cod which was juicy and tender and everything I wanted! The chicken and egg don was great too but a little dry for my taste. Can’t wait to try more dishes here! But remember to make a reservation before coming. It can get crowded!

Kelly Huang

We was looking for late night dinner spot and found this place. Surprisingly, food were very delicious! We had tofu, sushi, squid and noodle. They even offered to split into two bowls for us to share. Hubby asked for extra ginger, they gave him one big dish for free. Good music too. Owner is very friendly. Will visit again.

Ashley Munteanu

Our go-to place for sashimi. Always fresh and delicious. Excellent smoked fish, seaweed salad, and tofu tapas. We order the Combo B and enjoy every bite, every time.

Always a good time there. The new look is fresh. Food is still delish and service is great.

+2

Nice Japanese izakaya in downtown San Mateo. The line is always long for good reason. Everything we’ve had here is good, except maybe the agedashi mochi. You can call in to make reservations for a larger group, so make sure you do so, and you might even land one of their fancy tables where you take off your shoes and slide in!

Our waitress seated us quickly and once we ordered our food started to come out pretty quick

+1

Excellent Izakaya, stands out even in San Mateo. Sashimi and Nigiri were prefect, Ika Natto was beyond excellent, good selection of sake and shochu, and broad menu fitting of a proper Izakaya. Will be coming back here as often as my schedule allows.

it's quite expensive at nearly $20 for a bowl of ramen, but they sure do pack everything in there. The broth is amazing and their seafood texture is very nice. dark atmosphere and good place to go with friends

Great San mateo treasure. This was our 'late' spot back before pandemic, and we were glad to see it still going strong. Good drinks, solid food (amazing chicken karage) accompanied by great atmosphere makes a great night.

Cozy spot to chat with friends and have affordable drinks and a variety of Japanese food. Sushi pieces are generous and service is warm and courteous. Really enjoyed the eggplant and chicken katsu. It’s easy to over order!

Good place to get authentic Japanese cuisine. The menu is wide and varied. The place has a distinct ethnic outlook. I wanted to get the okanomiyaki and the curry. Both were good. Parking maybe a challenge to find as it is a busy street. Overall a good place to get the bites.

This is more like a food review. I've had this place multiple times and often find the food very alright, like a good 6 or 7 out of 10, but I don't have the tempura, not because it's not good, but the last two times, I've gotten a wire or a staple in my tempura, which I can see as a health hazard. Udon is Good, but get chicken instead of Beef. Potstickers are alright. Tempura is fine besides the wire. Takoyaki (Octopus Balls) are good, but the squid is often chewy. The Tonkatsu, I've heard from a family member, is good, but it is inconsistent. Yeah that's all.

Reliable sushi place in San Mateo that stays open late. The place was full at 9:45 on Wednesday night but i didn't have to wait for a small table. No frills service but decent sushi at decent prices with no fuss.

Longstanding Izakaya restaurant located in downtown San Mateo. Surprisingly large menu of grill meats, fried tapas, curry rice bowls, nigiri, and lots of sushi rolls. Good casual place to hang out with friends. Fast and efficient service. Parking takes some time to find, but several parking lots within a 5 minute walk.

Had dinner at Izakaya Mai and really enjoyed it! It’s a cozy, casual spot with a huge menu and a casual vibe. Service was friendly and efficient.

I would give this place a 3.5 - it was pretty good food/not bad but nothing special and execution could be better. We ordered a bunch of food. Miso fish was probably the best dish. The croquettes were pretty good. The agedashi tofu was okay, chicken karage was just okay.

If you want better sushi, there are better places. If you want better ramen, there’s better too. But this restaurant has GOOD food after the GREAT restaurants are closed. Would go again, but not my top choice. Great alcohol choices tho. Highly recommend the eggplant dishes. Follow me for more fire reviews.

Nice little Japanese restaurants located in the downtown dog San Mateo. A lot of food varieties and many different kinds of sake to choose from. The taste is quite good and the price is reasonable.

Wei-Ai Tai

Longstanding Izakaya restaurant located in downtown San Mateo. Surprisingly large menu of grill meats, fried tapas, curry rice bowls, nigiri, and lots of sushi rolls. Good casual place to hang out with friends. Fast and efficient service. Parking takes some time to find, but several parking lots within a 5 minute walk.

David Huey

Had dinner at Izakaya Mai and really enjoyed it! It’s a cozy, casual spot with a huge menu and a casual vibe. Service was friendly and efficient.

A Kim

I would give this place a 3.5 - it was pretty good food/not bad but nothing special and execution could be better. We ordered a bunch of food. Miso fish was probably the best dish. The croquettes were pretty good. The agedashi tofu was okay, chicken karage was just okay.

Noam Siegel

If you want better sushi, there are better places. If you want better ramen, there’s better too. But this restaurant has GOOD food after the GREAT restaurants are closed. Would go again, but not my top choice. Great alcohol choices tho. Highly recommend the eggplant dishes. Follow me for more fire reviews.

Ro Lo

Nice little Japanese restaurants located in the downtown dog San Mateo. A lot of food varieties and many different kinds of sake to choose from. The taste is quite good and the price is reasonable.

They have a big menu, lots of options, sushi rolls were tasty and the curry rice was good, classic taste. Solid options for drinks, their house hot sake was very good, would recommend.

Prithviraj Deshmukh

They have a big menu, lots of options, sushi rolls were tasty and the curry rice was good, classic taste. Solid options for drinks, their house hot sake was very good, would recommend.

The udon is good but don't bother getting the beef udon. There is barely any beef in the beef udon; you get three tiny pieces of beef. The pork curry is not bad but it needs more curry. I really like the pickled veggie that came with it.

I ordered the chicken katsu curry, it is a bit watery and weirdly has steamed chicken pieces in the curry (other than the cutlet). The taste is okayish. The staff is good and they have both indoors and outdoors seating! I haven't tried other items on the menu but not very satisfied with the katsu curry.

Summary: food ok. Service needs work. Wouldn't visit again. Had the katsu curry. Taste was good, but breading quality of the tonkatsu could use a LOT of work. Super thin meat, breading that was completely separate from the meat, and a relatively small portion. Also had takoyaki— came out about when I was finished with the curry. Taste was ok, nothing special. Waitress wasn't rude, but gave a strong feeling of not really caring at all. Would be the number reason I am not planning on visiting again.

Food acceptable. Beef tongue was overcooked like crazy to the point of being crunchy from the char. Hamachi kama was perfectly cooked though. Service could be better. My water cup along with my friends were clearly empty and they never offered to refill at all. I tipped them fairly at 15% as my dinner service did not deserve the standard 18% their receipt asks for. Will probably not return again.

Good not great Japanese food. We liked the Crazy Monkey roll, which was pretty big and came cut in 8 pieces. The chicken katsu curry was solid too, as was the buta nasu, though that had a lot more onion in it than I was expecting. It was packed on a Thursday night with beer towers flowing. Servers were really busy.

My favorite dish was the eel donburi, big portion of eel with a nice grill and not too much sauce. The agedashi tofu was also good The curry was too light in flavor and the chicken katsu wasn’t very flavorful either. The sushi was just ok as well.

Tom Li

Food acceptable. Beef tongue was overcooked like crazy to the point of being crunchy from the char. Hamachi kama was perfectly cooked though. Service could be better. My water cup along with my friends were clearly empty and they never offered to refill at all. I tipped them fairly at 15% as my dinner service did not deserve the standard 18% their receipt asks for. Will probably not return again.

Jason Xiahou

Good not great Japanese food. We liked the Crazy Monkey roll, which was pretty big and came cut in 8 pieces. The chicken katsu curry was solid too, as was the buta nasu, though that had a lot more onion in it than I was expecting. It was packed on a Thursday night with beer towers flowing. Servers were really busy.

Wilson Tsang

My favorite dish was the eel donburi, big portion of eel with a nice grill and not too much sauce. The agedashi tofu was also good The curry was too light in flavor and the chicken katsu wasn’t very flavorful either. The sushi was just ok as well.

I think I may be the only person that doesn't agree with alot of the posts here. This place seems like a restaurant for value eaters and not for foodies. Izakaya Mai misses the mark on the details. For example, the rice that was used on the sushi and rolls were overcooked and creamy. Not much care and pride was put into plating. Seemed like the kind of food you would make at home. A big no-go for me .

+1

This place has good potential! But I feel like they need more servers. I went to take out some family visiting and we had to ask for cups 3 times for water. The food was such a long wait that we just had to cancel for the rest and got our check. I honestly felt bad for the servers as we only saw 2. It seemed like they kinda prioritized the bigger groups upstairs more. There was people waiting for a table and left cus they never got seated. I get that they are busy but have more workers for your costumers

Daffy

This place has good potential! But I feel like they need more servers. I went to take out some family visiting and we had to ask for cups 3 times for water. The food was such a long wait that we just had to cancel for the rest and got our check. I honestly felt bad for the servers as we only saw 2. It seemed like they kinda prioritized the bigger groups upstairs more. There was people waiting for a table and left cus they never got seated. I get that they are busy but have more workers for your costumers

I had the miso buta don (pork over rice) and my friend had chicken katsu curry rice. When we ate the food, it was ok (except my pork didn’t taste that fresh) and we were too hungry to complain. But after a few hours both of us had stomach aches and did not feel well at all... No more details necessary.

The okonomiyaki was truly not cooked through. It was tasted awful. I wouldn’t recommend this place.

The first time I dined here, my miso soup and app salad arrived after the entrees, and the server awkwardly reached over the wall next to me to put my glass of water and app plates on the table. One of the servers did apologize that the apps were late, but removing them from my bill would've been a better apology. Today, after working a later shift I was hungry and decided to try this restaurant again. I arrived Saturday night before 11:20 PM. I was greeted and seated, and when the server asked what I would like to order I said I'd like the miso soup and salad, and was interested in a hot sake, and the server rudely interrupted and said "What do you want for food. You need to order like right now. The kitchen closes in like 5 minutes." Umm, hello? One, I just ordered. I intended to also order some baked sushi, but I literally just ordered some food. Two, I said "Ya know, never mind" and walked out. "I'm sorry to inconvenience you" is what I said. I think this might be the only restaurant I've ever sat down at and then walked out of. I would've asked for the server's name but that would've taken more of my time. I will take my business elsewhere, thank you very much!