Izakaya Rintaro

Love:
— Lovely setting — both inside and outside
— Chicken oyster skewer
— Knee cap skewer
— Fried chicken wings
— Liberty duck skewer
Like:
— Hand pulled udon
OK:
— Tofu hotpot
— Whole rock cod braised in ginger soy sauce

My friend is friend of owner so they recommend me to visit. Today was my birthday. I was very upset. I took reservation but waited for 30 mins to be ready. The table they reserved for us was counter. I was assuming to have regular table because this was first time to visit. When I explained the situation to waitress, she said I should have wrote table preference in note section of online reservation system. Again, this was first time and did not know. Instead of apologizing, they are telling me what I should have done. Unprofessional attitude. I do not recommend if you are looking for great services. Food was great but they need to train hostess and waitress how to speak to customers.

Very cool ambiance. Good staff. Fun to sit at bar and watch the chefs at work. The Udon soup was delicious as was the Gyozo. Would definitely come back.

I was sad when Chez Spencer closed their door but Izakaya Rintaro is a nice addition to the neighborhood.
Ambiance is warm and inviting but I highly recommend making reservations since seating is rather limited inside. We came on a Saturday night and it was fairly easy to make reservations just hours ahead of time.
Food wise — everything was tasty and nicely plated but don’t be like me and order w/​your eyes. Like any other Izakaya restaurants, prices adds up quick since you tend to think that you won’t get full off of «small» dishes but surprisingly, although portion looks small, you get full pretty easily.
My favorite of the night was their karaage, very moist and tender and the large was a great size to share. Unfortunately, we were too full to try any of their desserts but we will definitely be back soon!

Loved everything about this spot. Ambiance was Japanese Noah’s Ark and the food was warm comfort.
Highly recommend the chicken thigh skewer above all others. Tofu in broth was subtle and smooth. Standout was the cheese panko chicken. Not a super strong flavor profile, but just fluffy, juicy wonderment. Accompanied by cabbage and radish salad that really put this dish over the top.
Udon was sub-​par and not flavorful enough, especially when compared to the other dishes.
Had dessert: Panna Cotta with green tea and almond cookie. Slurped it up. Nuff said. Yum yum.

Great ambiance, service, and food! The interior is very warm and welcoming, but at the same time looks pretty sleek. There is a bar where people can sit facing the chefs as well as booths. There’s an outdoors courtyard with lights strung across which is pretty and contrasts with the slightly ghetto surroundings haha.
We sat at the bar so we were able to watch one of the chefs prepare dishes. The chef gave us a complimentary sashimi (the one that we didn’t order) which was very much appreciated! When he gave us our dishes, he also told us which dip/​sauce was which.
We tried the silken tofu, both types of sashimi that they offered that day, the salmon roe rice, chicken karaage, liberty duck skewer, another chicken/​onion skewer, and the green tea panna cotta. Honestly, everything tasted amazing, but the standout dishes to me were the silken tofu and the green tea panna cotta. The silken tofu tasted very refreshing and you add sauce to your tasting. I also really enjoyed eating the green tea panna cotta — the sauce that they give you is honey like but not too sweet. Since it’s on the side, you can also add however much you want for those who don’t like their desserts too sweet! The green tea flavouring was delicious. Definitely will get that dessert again on my next visit.
We also had the sake flight. The waitress told us the order in which we were to drink it, and I really enjoyed the first one. It had some floral overtones and was really smooth. The other two were also quite smooth but definitely didn’t have the floral tones like the first one did.
This is a very nice place kind of hidden in a more ghetto area of SF, but definitely worth checking out.

With their popularity as high as ever, izakayas of nearly every ilk are spread across the Bay Area. There are the traditional (Izakaya Mai), the newer generation (Izakaya Sozai), and the posers (the now-​defunct Izakaya Ju-​Ku). As for Izakaya Rintaro? More of the trendier, hipster-​ish variety, but no less delicious. Even if they are a little pricier than most izakayas I’ve been to…
Although their location leaves a bit to be desired (the block isn’t sketchy, but it’s pretty dark/​dead), the restaurant itself is a real gem — a well-​lit, open patio that gives way to a dark, cozy restaurant space. While sitting outside would’ve bee fine, I was stoked that we snagged the last two seats at the counter/​bar (there are some tables/​booths inside as well).
As for the menu, it changes fairly regularly, though there are a handful of staples (like the Teba No Karaage) that consistently appear. The range of offerings is similar to that of other izakayas, but the ingredients/​products used are of better quality than most. More importantly, everything tasted great!
– INGEN NO KURUMI AE — Dirty Girl French Beans with Rich Walnutty Sauce…$ 8 (small)
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For what it’s worth — I thought this was «good but not great», yet this was one of my friend’s favorites. The taste of it wasn’t bad at all, I just wasn’t super high on the nuttiness of the sauce. While it added a sort of creaminess, it also felt like it was covering up the beans.
– LIBERTY DUCK SKEWER…$ 8
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Tasty, but definitely pricey. Although the coloring was a little dark, the meat was juicy (the bit of fat and skin on it helped) and full of that luscious, duck flavor. The only thing missing? More of the crisped up duck skin. A great skewer choice, otherwise.
– CHICKEN BREAST + WASABI SKEWER…$ 7
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The least interesting part of our meal, though it wasn’t bad. The breast was decently moist, and I liked the kick from the wasabi. However, it’s very basic — lightly seasoned chicken and wasabi. Given that, despite the dish’s lack of flaws, $ 7 is a bit hefty for just two skewers.
– GINDARA SUNOMONO — Cucumber and Miso-​cured Bolinas Black Cod in Sweet Vinegar with New Ginger…$ 13
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Black cod is one of my favorite foods and this one was done really well. The fish had that wonderful silkiness to it and tasted so good. What’s more, the cucumbers and vinegar added a sweet acidity that complemented the fish quite nicely. I just wish we had a bigger piece!
– TEBA NO KARAAGE — Japanese Fried Chicken Wings with Smokey Tare, Sanshio Pepper and Curly Cress…$ 9 (small)
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The one dish we knew we had to get and it didn’t disappoint… mostly. The wings (piping hot and moist) were coated with a light batter that had a terrific crispiness to it. However, while the overall taste was great, it could have used more of the sauce to enhance the sweet/​salty contrast.
– TEUCHI UDON — Hand-​Rolled Udon with Two Fishes Broth, Scallions and Nori (with Hot Spring Egg added)…$ 9 (+$ 2)
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Simple, but really good. The noodles had the perfect bite to them and, while not necessary, the egg added a wonderful richness. Still, the broth was the star — a lot of delicious, subtle flavors yet not a lot of fishiness. The best udon I’ve had in SF, though I wouldn’t have objected to some tempura.
– HOJICHA PANNA COTTA — Japanese Roasted Green Tea Panna Cotta with Hojicha Syrup and Sesame Almond Cookies…$ 9
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What a way to end our meal! As with several of our dishes, the flavors were delicate, but no less robust. The panna cotta had a strong taste of green tea and the syrup added the perfect amount of sweetness. Plus, I loved the taste and crunchiness of the cookie. GET THIS.
While I can see why some would say Izakaya Rintaro’s prices are a bit high, only the skewers felt «pricey» to me, as the rest felt somewhat justified. If you’re still concerned though, I might suggest avoiding the skewers and sticking with their specialty dishes. And the dessert. Whatever you do, get the dessert! That alone would be reason enough for me to come back.

I feel like I’ve been starting every review lately with «FINALLY got to try…» but my recent visit to Rintaro was one of my most anticipated meals of the year. If you haven’t heard of it or paid a visit, you must, especially if you love Japanese food as much as I do. Rintaro now takes the crown for me for best Japanese restaurant in the city.
Firstly, I highly recommend making a reservation through Resy (go to their site and you’ll see how). They do require a card, and a hefty $ 25 if you cancel after a certain time before your reservation, but hey — I can appreciate — if you’re not committed and considerate, they probably don’t want your business: P. In terms of seating options, I also recommend the Chef’s counter so that you can watch the cooking and prep. This is always my favorite seat in any restaurant, although, if you’re coming with more than 2 people, the tables are a better (and still great) option.
The food is high quality and delicious. We ordered a bit from every part of the menu — some chicken meatball yakitori, the large cod (not as large as you’d think, it was easily demolished between two people), halibut sashimi, steelhead roe don buri, and the fried chicken wings. What I loved about the food was that as soon as I would claim «THIS» was my favorite dish, the next would come and I would be equally (and happily) torn about it being my new favorite. A tip — if you’re sharing any of the don buri’s, ask for another small bowl. One of my pet peeves is eating rice from a plate. Our server made great recommendations, and I am already excited about my next visit so I can try more (silken tofu!).
And the ambiance… perfection. If you’ve been to Japan, you’ll know and can related to what I’m talking about. It’s the kind of place you’ll probably pass 10 times and not know it exists but serendipitous-​ly, I passed by it on my way home from Rainbow one day and decided to explore.
Oh, try the fermented plum sparkling wine drink — it’s super sweet (get as dessert), but they age those suckers for 8 months! O. O

Great ambiance, delicious food!
Had a few of the skewers — all were perfectly cooked and completely delicious. The beef curry was also great, down to the rice that came with it.
My favorite though, was the chicken katsu with the cowgirl creamery cheese. Truly excellent!

The skewers were decent. The fried yam made me really queasy! Blech. The udon was really great though. It also felt overpriced in that I paid $ 30 for these little tapas.

Great meal in a gorgeous space with a nice vibe.
The service really stood out from the moment we arrived. I was ten minutes early on a Saturday. In my experience this usually implies I will wait until at least 7:15 to be seated. But the hostess kept me posted on the status of the existing diners and we were seated before five past. The servers were attentive and helpful without being intrusive throughout the evening. Even the chefs we were lucky enough to have a front and center view of from the counter were happy to answer our many questions and offer advice on how to choose from the many great menu options.
The food is available izakaya style and intended for sharing so you are able to enjoy a variety even if there are just two of you. Every dish we had was great. Definitely try at least a couple of skewers. I wish we could have had more but will just have to be back. The shoulder was really outstanding.
Do be aware it’s helpful to have a sense of how to use chopsticks. I assume they will provide a fork if you need to ask, but this type of food is worth learning to use chopsticks for if you don’t already know.
I had the sake flight and highly recommend that as well. Each was delicious but very different. It was a nice way to experience the breadth of the beverage without having to think very hard about my choice. I just wish they had an Omakase menu option so I could have done the same with the food!
Finally, the space is incredible. The architecture is worth taking in and appreciating before you get too absorbed in the food. I also appreciated how lively but casual it was.
My kind of place. I’ll be back.

What a delightful surprise. Stumbled in here after a yoga class last night, most likely drawn in the the exclusive, intimate feel from the exterior and the welcoming strings of light hanging above the outdoor patio. As a walk-​in single diner, I was happy to be seated right away (even at 7pm) at the counter overlooking the open kitchen. Even without the food, it was entertaining enough just to sit there and watch the chefs work — grilling meat skewers over the yakitori flames, breading and dousing whole fishes at the fry station, preparing majestic mounds of duck salad, etc. Additionally, as noted by other Unilocalers, all of the design in the restaurant is very visually appealing and modern smart, staying true to its Japanese theme from everything from the wall fixtures to the wooden archway over the bar to the lovely ceramic wares and dishes.
Okay, now onto the food — I had the:
Hitokuchi Oden — delicious fried fish cakes (ling cod & other) with daikon and egg in dashi broth
Yakitori (skewers) of breast & Ume (plum) jam — served with lemons ~ very plump & juicy meat
Natto donburi — traditional Japanese fermented soybeans (stinky! Try it if you dare: P) over sticky rice with nori papers and with ume and wasabi mustard on the side
amazing finish with roasted green tea panna cotta (hojicha) served with green tea syrup and two thin almond rice cookies
Also, service was plentiful and extremely friendly. I can’t wait to come back — this is definitely in my top five favorite restaurants in SF!

So won’t lie, definitely came to this place because it was rated as one of the top 10 new restaurants of the year. Did it live up to the hype??? A resounding yes.
Food was awesome, with some of the standouts being the spot prawn sashimi, chicken «oyster» skewers, karagge chicken wings, the whole fried fish, and the house made tofu. Their green tea was also super legit. The ok list included the tartare, some cold veggie dish with a miso-​yuzu mix, and the fish cakes. Dessert was some awesome tea crème brûlée that will never be matched again in my life! Service was solid, as they kept refilling our tea on the cold night, but I have to admit having five people shoved into a booth for four was a let down. Do try this place if you’re in the area or hankering for some delicious izakaya style food, but make reservations and be ready to be squeezed into a small space!

Ok I hate to say it, this is my favorite spot for Japanese food in SF right now. And there’s a lot of other folks who agree because it’s now gotten harder to get a table here!
If you want sushi, ramen, or teriyaki chicken, this isn’t the place for you. But if you want an interesting experience with delicately prepared flavorful Japanese food, this is heaven.
My favorite is the curry but I might be alone on that because it isn’t on the menu all the time. It’s just a really robust flavor and they serve it with a raita. I originally thought, how strange, but now I’m in love. I order two bowls when I come. No sharing. When it’s on the menu I’m there. When it’s not on the menu… well, I still am there.
Tamago sounds like it’s oh just some ho hum egg. Well sure you can think that because that’s what I thought, but no. It’s silky and rich but yet light. I don’t know what they do but it’s great. But honestly, it’s the neatest thing watching them cook it. You should sit at the counter and watch him make it.
Other notables. Hmmm.
Yakitori sticks — okra and duck are my fav. but other ones I think are good: chicken oysters, meatballs, thigh and onion. They do all sorts of parts of the chicken. But the duck… they serve it with yuzukosho. I went out and bought a bottle of that stuff (spicy yuzu paste). So good.
Tonkatsu — man they make it good. They do it layered style. The tonkatsu sauce is a little dark, but it’ll work.
Chicken and cheese katsu — not as good for me, but mostly cuz i like my katsu without cheese!
Wings — they are enjoyable. Small portion but it’s good. It’s not out of the world wings but it’s good (and I don’t like wings, so that does mean something)
Fried shrimp croquette — I don’t like shrimp but have been told it’s quite good.
Fish — I don’t like fish but i have gone with many folks who say the fish is out of this world. it’s simple preparation but get the whole fish apparently. And it looks like they cook it in a little toaster. But whatever they do, it’s supposedly really good. Even I’m tempted to try it sometimes, but then i remember I don’t care for fish.
Udon — they seem to really like making the udon but honestly it’s good. Just good. Soup is great, flavor is awesome, noodles are nice but for me, Udon is udon is udon. Their zaru (cold) udon was really good though. I felt that the freshness of the noodles came out more there than in the hot udon.
Matsutake rice bowl — so simple. Sounds so boring. But it was delicate and flavorful all at the same time. I could have eaten the whole thing by myself.
Mochi dessert — they run out but the one time I caught it in time it was great. It was a mochi ice cream dessert and looked nothing like I thought — it was a flat layer of mochi and a cube sized ice cream. Really good.
Or you could head a few doors down to Nihon Whiskey lounge for liquid dessert.
Reservations online — they added a credit card for reservations now. I think the counter is first come first served. Best spots in the house because you get to see how things are made!
All major credit cards are cool. Bathroom in the back. Parking blows. Über. Or you can park towards Best Buy on Harrison sometimes.

Ok, so this might have been the priciest meal I had in San Francisco. It was damned tasty, but I’m not sure if it was as good value for money as I’d like.
We did try a plethora of different things including the chicken wings (SO GOOD), the dirty girl wax beans (good, but over creamy for me), udon (not bad), the omelette (slightly overcooked for my taste), silken tofu (I only had a bite but it was very smooth), chicken meatball skewer (YUM), chicken liver skewer (glad I tried it), shiitake mushroom skewer (good but I wanted more shiitakes!), sweet peppers (meh, they tasted like peppers), chicken thigh skewer (tasty, tasty thighs) and likely a few other things I don’t remember.
The cocktail was good, but not mindblowing — certainly enjoyable though. I loved the experience of the izakaya style, getting to try so many different dishes is always fun, but I find they add up very quickly and I’m not usually as full as I’d like from how much I’ve spent.

Oh was I supposed to grab a protein shake after bootcamp? Too bad. See #HiromiN taught me «recreational goals get recreational gains», so I went #killbillstatus and refueled with fish heads instead, beezys.
You can have deece food here IF you’re not too hangry to wait. (My one-​person meal ran just under 2 ½ hours, after which I wasn’t full. *see below*) Bring #cardsagainsthumanity and go a few rounds with your friends; it’ll help pass the time.
(^_​^) Ika (Squid) Tomato Mayo $ 10 (
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I’ve been in a torrid affair with early girl tomatoes since forever.
(^_​^) Liver $ 6 (
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Smooth criminal.
(^_​^) Dashimaki Tamago (Omelette) $ 9 (
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Surprising subtle flavor. #twss Not «just» eggs.
(^_​^) Okashira No Shioyaki (Salmon Head) $ 9 (
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Fun dinner piece.
(^_​^) Heart $ 6 (
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I heart hearts.
(^_​^) Gizzard $ 6 (
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Not rubbery.
(^_​^) Sokosuica (Watermelon) Granita $ 7 (
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By the grill for hours; I needed to chill out.
(^_​^) Thigh + Scallion $ 7 (
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Tender thighs get the guys. And girls.
(^_​^) Straws $ 0 (
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Paper red x white striped. #hyeah
(-_​^) Liberty Duck $ 8 (
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Standard duck.
Why not more stars? Because I’m not the world’s biggest fan of sporadic 20 – 30 min waits between courses. I’ve been to izakayas of comparable quality that were just as packed and had just as many (or fewer) kitchen staff but churned out the dishes. I’d intended to try a few more items but decided to stop ordering since I started at opening time, dined for nearly 2 ½ hours, and didn’t feel like staying till /​past closing.
P. S. Please bring boiled peanuts back to the menu.

Now… where do I start.
I made a reservation 3 weeks in advance, to make sure we got a nice spot.
We got a «table» at the bar (which is OK if you just walk-​in into a restaurant, but not for a 3 week in advance reservation!!)
We ordered 2 drinks (the pomegranate, and the tea based) Pomegranate: OK, nothing special. Tea based: I couldn’t finish it, what am I saying? I couldn’t even start it!
Then for food we ordered 1 snack (eggplant), 2 skewers, the damsaki tamago and one of the udon to share.
I must say the food was again OK, nothing special. It took us 1.5 hours to get all our order! Even the eggplant (which was supposed to be a snack took about 25 minutes to come out)
I understand that they cook everything from fresh (I could see that from my seat), but 1.5 hours!?! Really? 4 small orders?
Service wasn’t great either, she never came back to see how were doing.
The ambiance is great, and if you go there in a group of 4 you get a Japanese box, which is pretty cool.
I just came back from a trip in Japan, and food over there is delicious, so maybe my expectations were set too high for a Japanese restaurant.

I came here for the first time tonight and started in their old-​style Peko-​Peko pop up. We had a beer, chicken meat balls, and salmon wrapped in a Persimmon (?) leaf. All that was great — and a good start to our meal. The courtyard was small and cute, and suitable for this type of event and good for those waiting for a table inside.
The inside of the restaurant is beautiful — simple in some ways, but lots of details in others. My friend and I sat at the bar, and we had fun eating and watching everyone in the kitchen cooking.
Here’s what we had:
— Kumkuat Champagne cocktail
— Sake flight
— Maguro
— Small Dashi Maki Tamago (exceptionally good — one of my favorites. Somehow they made a normal almost-​always overlooked item into a hit)
— Yakitori items: Chicken gizzard, liver, kneecap, thigh meat
— Teuchi Udon (another favorite — the udon must be house-​made. I definitely will come back to order this)
— Hojicha Panna Cotta (again, I loved this dish. It has such a nice green tea flavor in both the panna cotta and the syrup that you pour over it. The panna cotta also had a great texture, and this dish is not overly sweet)
Overall this meal for the two of us set us back $ 120 before tip AND excluding what we ate in the courtyard. The bill would have been much higher if I brought my husband. It’s not a big meal, but if you want some good izakaya food that is good across the board, make this a special treat. OR you can grab and drink and snack here, rather than a meal, to bring down the cost — but it’s definitely worth a stop.

Food: ⁴⁄₅
Service: ⁴⁄₅
Ambiance: 4.5÷5
Value: 2.5÷5
This place is where Chez Spencer used to be. I like that the venue is not very loud and with the booths, you feel like there’s plenty of privacy. We actually chose to sit at the bar so we can watch the cooks do their magic.
All the grilled skewers here are chicken (but strangely, no chicken skin). We ordered the gizzard, the thigh with scallion, the oysters and meatballs. The skewers were anywhere from $ 6 to $ 8 per pair. The gizzards were my favorite and the hubby loved the oysters. Overall, the meat is tender and flavorful.
We also got the fried chicken stuffed with cheese, the pork shumai, and the egg omelette. The chicken katsu was crispy and not greasy tasting. I felt like the cheese was unnecessary because it’s a very mild cheese so I couldn’t really taste it that much. The egg was great, simple and full of umami. The standout was the shumai — I love the young ginger and the pork was so tender and studded with just the right amount of fat. I think that’s a must order.
The place is pretty pricey and they don’t offer any option for «fillers» such as any starch aside from porridge. Definitely not a place to go if you’re really hungry. The quality of the food is good, but still, the ingredient is pretty pedestrian to warrant this type of prices.

Dinner at Izakaya Rintaro turned out to be one of the more exciting meals I’ve had in a while, even though I hadn’t heard much about the place, walked in on a whim, and wasn’t expecting much.
The entrance, an opening in a wooden fence on a dark street behind Rainbow Grocery, is easy to miss. You walk through a little courtyard reminiscent of a Zen temple to enter a dining room decorated with beautiful floor-​to-​ceiling woodwork. The arches made me feel like I was walking in a forest.
The dishes were beautifully assembled. (My cell phone camera could not do them justice in the dim lighting.) Everything was pricey but not overpriced, IMO. However, since neither the menu nor portions are very big, filling up here could be difficult if you’re very hungry.
The chef was working the deep fryer in front of us, and he was very friendly. He gave us some wasabi flowers to taste when we asked about the fresh wasabi on the counter.
I think the menu changes daily, but here’s what we had:
* Kanpachi namero (chopped yellowtail, ginger, lime, sesame oil, white Saikyo miso) — $ 12.50
Topped with ikura and served with a little dollop of super tasty Japanese pickles and 2 pieces of nori for wrapping. This dish was perfect.
* Na no hana no shira-​ae (rapini + scarlet turnip with tofu + walnut dressing) — $ 9.25
A very refreshing salad.
* Yakitori: thigh + scallion, chewy rib, tender + wasabi — $ 7 for each set of 2 skewers
I wasn’t sure whether the yakitori would be worth it when I saw the prices, but it was. The meat was perfectly cooked, and the seasoning was spot on. The chewy rib was indeed very chewy. The thigh + scallion looked burnt but was in fact perfectly grilled. The meat on the tender + wasabi skewers had the texture and appearance of a wet hand towel, which I found interesting. The freshly grated wasabi was amazing.
* Dashimaki tamago — $ 9.25
One of my favorites. Wonderfully fluffy. Served with grated daikon. We were seated at the bar, which offered us a great view of the food preparation. We marveled at how the cook made this dish, pouring a thin layer of egg + dashi mixture into a pan and then flicking his wrist so that the egg rolled gently onto itself as it cooked. He repeated this with 4 layers of egg for each dish.
* Curry kabocha croquettes — $ 10.50
Another one of my favorites. The filling was creamy and rich, without losing the flavor or texture of squash. The breading was an art form. Served with shredded cabbage + sliced radish.
* Keihan (rice in chicken broth with ribbons of poached chicken breast, egg, + shiso) — $ 9.25
A light finish to the meal. I thought this was less interesting than the other dishes, but it was still good.
I only have two small complaints: (1) Either the stool I sat on or the ground under it was uneven. The fabric felt slippery, and the legs wobbled. I got used to it after a few minutes though. (2) My tea was not refilled promptly. I originally asked for water, but our server upsold me on the soba tea ($ 2.50). It was served in a standard-​sized Japanese tea cup, which is not very big. It was only refilled twice during the entire meal, and I had to ask twice before the 2^nd refill arrived. As a result, I spent most of the meal in a state of thirst.