Kobeya

Tonkatsu curry was excellent. Togo only, I’d suggest calling ahead because the wait can be long

Amazing value and food. It's just one guy working since they don't have sit down.i am impressed by the flavours and the food quality. 26 dollars for basically food enough to feed two adults and one kid. Their fried chicken karrage is amazing moist soft subtle. It's not too salty and when you hit with the lemon and mayo. Mama Mia. I've tried several dishes at this establishment multiple times. No complaints. It's a home style experience. I haven't eaten the sushi but I'm not a sushi guy.

On the cheaper side for food, and it's amazing. Haven't tried their ramen but tonkatsu curry is great. Takoyaki is more on the soft side, and karaage isn't crispy— but good. It's a different style— liking it would be preference.

This place has super fast service, it's cheap, and it was really yummy! The wait staff are really nice as well :) thank you for a nice evening!

Incredibly friendly and helpful staff - I got the chicken katsu and the spicy tuna roll and both were delicious!!! The food does take time to prepare but it comes out so fresh and I would prefer a wait to microwaved food like you get at other places that have your order ready in 10 minutes! Not to mention there's free tea and water and the prices were super reasonable (which seems to be really difficult to find in this area)

Quick and simple Japanese food prepared in the traditional way for an amazing price.

Cozy and casual Japanese spot. Great vibes with the Japanese posters and anime theme music playing. The food is outstanding for such an unassuming spot. Everything is super fresh. We ordered the edamame, a spider roll, chicken karaage, and a tempura bento box. The Tempura in particular has the perfect light batter and I appreciated all the small side dishes that came with the bento. We'll definitely be back to try the Japanese curry and ramen.

Katsu and curry were really good, but $3.50 for a soft boiled egg was not a good value. The egg was very small. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to take a picture because it was takeout. Parking in downtown San Mateo is challenging. The Japanese Back to the Future decorations are interesting to look at while you wait. Limited table seating after you order at the counter.

Came here on a Saturday around 3PM to get the Katsu Bento. Delicious and service was great. The waitress got me a hot tea and I had a peaceful time for my meal. I love the Katsu bento has some veggies and the fried side dishes was so good. Very fulfilling :-) The parking was a bit hard to find, I park a block down the street and was surprised that there aren’t many parking around.. I would suggest to come 10 mins early to look for parking.

Great food, very reasonably priced. I tried the Katsu curry and Tempura appetizer. I was blown away by the quality! This place got a new owner couple years ago and it really turned around the food quality.

With so many restaurants on W 25th, I wasn’t sure where to go. I’m glad I picked this place. First of all, I accidentally entered right after they closed but they still let me order carryout, which I really appreciate. Then the meal was delicious. Perfect size portion for lunch, delicious pork belly, great flavors in the broth. I definitely recommend this place.

Kobeya is a no frills, down to earth, amazing Japanese food spot. My favorite is the beef katsu curry. I would highly recommend checking it out.

Fantastic affordable curry! 😍 satisfying meal!! wish the curry had carrots and some potatoes. I prefer this to usagi at San mateo downtown, which is almost twice the price and not much better.

Vegetable tempuras were crispy & fresh. Pickled radish looks colorful & just right. Crispy side salad had nice home dressing taste. It's a casual dining where you place an order & get a number for someone to bring the food to your table. Love their California roll too! Gonna come back for more to try other menu items.

To go / Pickup : 🐓x 🍛x🍱 Contact less payment is available. Exact/ close amount Cash is probably better for small businesses. To go place for authentic Japanese bento box 🍱 Great price per value. The portion is just right . It’s impressive with the assortment of sides in the bento and they are all delicious. I really like how it’s not overly salty. I dunno how Takeshi (owner) makes his macaroni — it’s so delicious 🤤 Highly recommend this place 👍🏻

Neal

Cozy and casual Japanese spot. Great vibes with the Japanese posters and anime theme music playing. The food is outstanding for such an unassuming spot. Everything is super fresh. We ordered the edamame, a spider roll, chicken karaage, and a tempura bento box. The Tempura in particular has the perfect light batter and I appreciated all the small side dishes that came with the bento. We'll definitely be back to try the Japanese curry and ramen.

BHF

Katsu and curry were really good, but $3.50 for a soft boiled egg was not a good value. The egg was very small. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to take a picture because it was takeout. Parking in downtown San Mateo is challenging. The Japanese Back to the Future decorations are interesting to look at while you wait. Limited table seating after you order at the counter.

jonathan and karen

Came here on a Saturday around 3PM to get the Katsu Bento. Delicious and service was great. The waitress got me a hot tea and I had a peaceful time for my meal. I love the Katsu bento has some veggies and the fried side dishes was so good. Very fulfilling :-) The parking was a bit hard to find, I park a block down the street and was surprised that there aren’t many parking around.. I would suggest to come 10 mins early to look for parking.

David Noh

Great food, very reasonably priced. I tried the Katsu curry and Tempura appetizer. I was blown away by the quality! This place got a new owner couple years ago and it really turned around the food quality.

Sam

With so many restaurants on W 25th, I wasn’t sure where to go. I’m glad I picked this place. First of all, I accidentally entered right after they closed but they still let me order carryout, which I really appreciate. Then the meal was delicious. Perfect size portion for lunch, delicious pork belly, great flavors in the broth. I definitely recommend this place.

Daniel Kim

Kobeya is a no frills, down to earth, amazing Japanese food spot. My favorite is the beef katsu curry. I would highly recommend checking it out.

Musho Pea

Fantastic affordable curry! 😍 satisfying meal!! wish the curry had carrots and some potatoes. I prefer this to usagi at San mateo downtown, which is almost twice the price and not much better.

Peter Park

Vegetable tempuras were crispy & fresh. Pickled radish looks colorful & just right. Crispy side salad had nice home dressing taste. It's a casual dining where you place an order & get a number for someone to bring the food to your table. Love their California roll too! Gonna come back for more to try other menu items.

Cfutly

To go / Pickup : 🐓x 🍛x🍱 Contact less payment is available. Exact/ close amount Cash is probably better for small businesses. To go place for authentic Japanese bento box 🍱 Great price per value. The portion is just right . It’s impressive with the assortment of sides in the bento and they are all delicious. I really like how it’s not overly salty. I dunno how Takeshi (owner) makes his macaroni — it’s so delicious 🤤 Highly recommend this place 👍🏻

Hans Goertz

Simple but good, efficient and decent price

I got the tonkatsu curry rice plate. Very well priced for what you get. The place is nice, clean and simple. The katsu is freshly fried. You can definitely tell that the curry is made from scratch. It's light but not watered down. It's flavorful but not overwhelming. I think this is the first time I finished all the curry before the rice or the katsu. Is this is the best curry I've ever had? Not sure, my memory does not go that far back. I can say that this is the best curry I've had in the Bay so far. Give it a try, I highly recommend it. Don't come in expecting something super rich and strong. This dish is beautifully simple, just perfectly ordinary in a comforting way.

Lovely place, been going here for years. Their food is fantastic and not too expensive. The folks working are always friendly

The food was great. It was delicious and the portions though smaller was just enough for lunch. I would visit this place again. I ordered the nandan (I think) chicken and it was unique and very good.

Very nice and quiet relaxed place. Came here right before they closed and service was quick and excellent. Highly recommended.

Decent food options and quality. Curry and Ramen set were good and prices pretty reasonable. Would come back again.

The atmosphere is nothing special but fine for a casual meal. But the food is good and very reasonably priced. The service was great -- friendly and quick. Perfect spot for a casual lunch with a friend or two.

B K

Casual spot with very well balanced bentos

blendtonic

I got the tonkatsu curry rice plate. Very well priced for what you get. The place is nice, clean and simple. The katsu is freshly fried. You can definitely tell that the curry is made from scratch. It's light but not watered down. It's flavorful but not overwhelming. I think this is the first time I finished all the curry before the rice or the katsu. Is this is the best curry I've ever had? Not sure, my memory does not go that far back. I can say that this is the best curry I've had in the Bay so far. Give it a try, I highly recommend it. Don't come in expecting something super rich and strong. This dish is beautifully simple, just perfectly ordinary in a comforting way.

Diva Ward

The food was great. It was delicious and the portions though smaller was just enough for lunch. I would visit this place again. I ordered the nandan (I think) chicken and it was unique and very good.

A Y

Decent food options and quality. Curry and Ramen set were good and prices pretty reasonable. Would come back again.

Kenneth Preston

The atmosphere is nothing special but fine for a casual meal. But the food is good and very reasonably priced. The service was great -- friendly and quick. Perfect spot for a casual lunch with a friend or two.

Overall it's a cute and cozy place for a quick bite. It would be a five star place if the portion is slightly bigger and more options are added to the menu. For example, extra spicy or hot/boiled vegetable in the curry.

Legit Japanese quick-diner style. They have changes hands a fair amount in the past and fortunately the current Japanese family running the spot seems to have staying power. Great prices for the quality, excellent variety, and quite tasty.

I really like this place and have been coming here for many years. Good food nice little spot to eat. Since the new owners they raised their prices a little to high I think... it used to be half the price for the same food so that is why we don’t go there very much anymore. But still it’s a good place and my kids like it too!

Simple tasty and cheap! Curry is a japanese comfort food, and it's tasty over rice or katsu. The katsu by itself is great too and the little sides are nice. It's really inexpensive and everyone is nice. Knocked off a star because it can get busy and the tables are a little sticky.

Small kitchen serving simple sushi rolls & Japanese curry. This was one of hideaway spots that my coworker & i used to go to for lunch. Decent menu with fair priced items.

Tasty standard Japanese fare, made to order, on the cheap (my bento box with tea was less than $10) Chill small place, aabout 12 tables. Servers let you eat peacefully and don't hover, though quickly respond to requests. Free parking along 25th.

Hole-in-the-wall restaurant with 4 tables. Very tasty and moderate sized portions - just enough. Friendly and casual staff (usually 1 or 2.) Quiet and warm feeling lunch retreat with a hip japanese vibe.

Good Japanese food, nominal prices and decent service. The California rolls are yummy, same goes with their potato croquettes and katsu chicken with curry and rice. Definitely a hidden gem in San Mateo

Authentic Japanese restaurant operated by Japanese people, unlike one across street. Ordered beef katsu which is not to be confused with menchi katsu (ground beef) and was fresh but a bit tough. No waiters so you have to wait.

A tiny casual Japanese eatery, very cozy, but don't expect quality service. They are known for curry plates, and I can say that their chicken katsu, ebi (shrimp) katsu and pork katsu are all very tasty. The curry plates are very filling and good priced for value. Their sushi rolls are nothing special, though.

Ifthikar Talha

Good Japanese food, nominal prices and decent service. The California rolls are yummy, same goes with their potato croquettes and katsu chicken with curry and rice. Definitely a hidden gem in San Mateo

Philip Kim

Authentic Japanese restaurant operated by Japanese people, unlike one across street. Ordered beef katsu which is not to be confused with menchi katsu (ground beef) and was fresh but a bit tough. No waiters so you have to wait.

Queenanie Nguyen

A tiny casual Japanese eatery, very cozy, but don't expect quality service. They are known for curry plates, and I can say that their chicken katsu, ebi (shrimp) katsu and pork katsu are all very tasty. The curry plates are very filling and good priced for value. Their sushi rolls are nothing special, though.

Cute little place on a single street with lots of fantastic little stores/restaurants, Kobeya offers 7 versions of their "Kobeya curry", including tonkatsu curry, chicken katsu curry, gyoza curry, vegetarian, and even a curry-only option in a bowl without rice. The curry was OK; not too salty, but not very flavorful either. I had the chicken katsu, and the katsu was crisped well. They also have several options of simple sushi rolls for those not in the mood for curry, and a vegetarian menu too. However, don't expect any fancy rolls, bento boxes, udon, etc.; this place has a relatively simple menu. The prices are also low; $5-8 for most of their entrees. The eating area in the restaurant is small and bare/simple in its decor, but clean and bright. The plates and plastic cups were also very simple, akin to what is typically seen in a cafeteria. The service on a Saturday afternoon was not great -- we had to refill our own water, and napkins were not given to us (I felt this is a notable mis-step given that curry can get a little messy and stain-y). Food: 3/5 Service: 2/5 Ambience: 4/5 Verdict: A cute place if you're looking for simple, straightforward Japanese curry that won't break the bank. Could work on service and making the curry taste a bit more memorable.

The service has decreased. We waited long time to get our bill (yes the bill) and some customers left before even ordering. The food is still good even it seemed to be smaller portions. Hope they can fix all that.

food? i didn't even get to eat here. so I'll give 5 star. service unknown also 5 star. atmosphere 3 this place is small. line? we waited no line no problem no host. very under staff only one person run the whole business seems like. saw him serve food looks delicious. but we left. no seat. this place looks like a coffee shop the serve bento box. few people hang out. im willing to give it a second shot as soon as they have enough staff.

UPDATED REVIEW: Taking my review down a few notches. They served me noodles that were different than those pictured on the menu. I asked the manager (?) why I didn't get these noodles (but other patrons in the restaurant did). She initially refused to give us the pictured noodles saying that I didn't ask specifically for these noodles when ordering. I am not sure why I need to ensure that I ask for every item that they picture in their menu. She finally relented. ORIGINAL REVIEW: Good food at a good value. Dining room is OK. Parking on 25th can be a bit challenging but not too bad.

Pretty mediocre Japanese. Ordered a bento and cutlet/curry and neither were great. I think the current rating of 4.3 is due to convenience, not quality of food. You can do much better for yourself ranging a little farther.

I came here for Lunch a few times, I remember being a better place. I was there with my Daughters by 6 pm. There was a waitress there her friendliness was like a 2 from 1 to 5 . The Menu on the wall wasn't easy to read so I went outside to grab 3 paper menus. The waitress wasn't very good explaining the Menu. We didn't like the Curry the Plate we liked the most was the Chicken Katsu (breaded cutlet chicken) Clean bathroom and a very friendly Bus boy. Too bad I had to be honest here with a local place, but this was my experience.

Luis Del Aguila

I came here for Lunch a few times, I remember being a better place. I was there with my Daughters by 6 pm. There was a waitress there her friendliness was like a 2 from 1 to 5 . The Menu on the wall wasn't easy to read so I went outside to grab 3 paper menus. The waitress wasn't very good explaining the Menu. We didn't like the Curry the Plate we liked the most was the Chicken Katsu (breaded cutlet chicken) Clean bathroom and a very friendly Bus boy. Too bad I had to be honest here with a local place, but this was my experience.

Nice place and chicken curry, but we paid before we sat down and I did not tip since I didn’t receive any food or service yet. The lady at the front asked if I was going to give tip and suggested if I wanted takeout instead of eating in which confused me, but I realized that she was pushing for tips, which left an awkward air after purchasing the food. Tips are always an optional offering from the customer. As a business owner, if you ask or push for tip, you are essentially shaming and bribing the customer into giving you tip in exchange for the service. No customer wants to be treated like this. If you want tips next time, give the check AFTER people are sat down and served food like any other sit down place, or just make prices higher. Other than that, the chicken katsu curry was pretty good! The chicken was very crispy and the curry had a nice umami that was a bit less strong than other curries I’ve tried which was nice.

Tom Xie

Nice place and chicken curry, but we paid before we sat down and I did not tip since I didn’t receive any food or service yet. The lady at the front asked if I was going to give tip and suggested if I wanted takeout instead of eating in which confused me, but I realized that she was pushing for tips, which left an awkward air after purchasing the food. Tips are always an optional offering from the customer. As a business owner, if you ask or push for tip, you are essentially shaming and bribing the customer into giving you tip in exchange for the service. No customer wants to be treated like this. If you want tips next time, give the check AFTER people are sat down and served food like any other sit down place, or just make prices higher. Other than that, the chicken katsu curry was pretty good! The chicken was very crispy and the curry had a nice umami that was a bit less strong than other curries I’ve tried which was nice.

Tha severs are bad . The Food it's cold. No silverware. They took to much time to made a order and the food cames cold. I'll be never back in the place.

I came with my daughter to eat here since she loves Katsu chicken. I ordered to go since we also have a baby and if she started crying we could leave. I didn’t receive forks or napkins in my bag and only received two small packets of sauce. When we got our food I asked for forks and the lady did not want to give them to me since we ordered to go.. there was plenty of room for us to sit and eat at and we had paid for our food even tipped them. She said we couldn’t eat there and kicked us out. The food is ok but the service it terrible and would not recommend it at all.