Lakuni

I was excited when I walked by this place on the way to another restaurant. I have been looking for a Japanese owned whole in the wall, so we took a detour and ate at this place.
BIG mistake! The service was horrendous! As a fluent Japanese speaker, I’m used to getting extra good service because I’m fairly unique, American born but could speak perfect Japanese. When we walked in they didn’t say hello, they were rude about giving us water (they only brought 1 glass for 2 of us), and finally they didn’t even say good bye or thank you on the way out. This place was hands down the worst place I’ve eaten in terms of service/​food. Though I hate bad service, I can let it go a tad bit if the food was good.
The food: my chicken wings were practically charcoal. It was bad! My friend wasn’t impressed with his various skewers (chicken skin, heart and liver), the gyoza was fine but pricy, the yaki onigiri was inconsistent (mine was fine, his was burnt). Oh, and if you are hungry, you’ll regret it, the food takes forever… and the restaurant wasn’t even busy (9 people).
But my biggest qualm was the feeling of not being welcomed. I hated the experience and will never go back! I do hate bashing mom n pop establishments but I was so upset I pulled up my cell phone and started typing away. I had to cheer myself up by walking over to Cream for an ice cream sandwich… yum! My friend went to T-​pump for a boba drink.

Wow. Walking into this mom’n pop Izakaya joint makes you look back and wonder if you’ve somehow been transported to a Kyoto sidestreet alleyway. The food is prepared right before your eyes and comes out fresh and hot. The gruff patriarch who prepares it speaks little English and says hardly a word while he works. Though some patrons have found this offputting, I thought it just enhanced the ambience. Prices are quite reasonable, and the fact that it’s right next to the railway only enhanced my sense of being in Japan!

Like many other reviews have said, I don’t even know where to start. I am still in shock. I never wrote any bad reviews on Unilocal,but I feel it’s necessary to tell people what they are getting into before they decide to come to this place.
To be fair, food was def decent, very authentic Japanese home cooking. We ordered udon, tuna rice bowl and some skewers, I especially liked the udon, very light and flavorful.
Then, the service. Even though I am a huge fan of authentic Japanese food, I am just in disbelief that ZERO amount of service was provided in this place. Not only that, the male owner seemed pissed the whole time, which made the vibe so uncomfortable. When we came at 6pm on Friday, no one was there. We sat down, waiting for some hot tea. It never came. We had to ask for it. The one hour we spent here, we never got greeted by a single smile. The only time he/​she talked to us was when they took orders and handed our credit card back to us. No single word other than that. Anyways, my husband and I felt really uncomfortable the whole time, almost like we did something wrong and they were pissed at us. Friday dinner was supposed to a cheerful event to kick off the long weekend, however it was absolutely unpleasant no matter how good the food is.
Won’t come back for sure.

The expectation is that you drink alcohol with the meal. It’s not a venue where you order food alone, as most are designed to compliment the taste of beer.
We went in without ordering beer and asked for water which the owner/​server frowned upon. In an ultimate douche move, he poured water on my phone.
Yeah. It happened. Screw this guy and this guy and this place.

OOOO KKKKK… where do I start…
I can’t lie… the food here is pretty darn good. Everything on the menu is pretty tasty and they have dishes that are prepared in a way like you just can’t find at other restaurants. As good as the food is, however, it is just completely outshined (or would it be undershined? de-​shined? reverse-​shined?) by the ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE SERVICE!
Let me be clear… I’m not talking about like… poor service… Or slow service… Or service could be a bit better… I’m talking about the owner here is a straight up A-​Hole.
I mean seriously… first time we came here, he was pretty rude. Literally didn’t go one ounce out of his way to make us even feel welcome… or to even show a bit of respect to us as paying customers. Food was good… so we were like… ehhh… let’s just give it one more shot. We even leave a good tip!
Went back a second time… same story. Unfortunately… we are food whores, so we were like… ehhh… OOOONNNEEE more shot. And of course, we were stupid enough to leave another good tip (of course, not because I’m a nice and generous guy… just because I figured I might come back and I don’t want dude hockin’ loogies in my food).
Last time we went back… the restaurant was a little full, but there was definitely still space at the counter for us:
1) So, we go inside. Stand there right by the door, which is the waiting area.
2) The owner looks at us. Doesn’t say a word. We’re just assuming we just have to wait for him to setup.
3) We stand there waiting for like 10 minutes.
4) After 10 minutes… This friggin A-​Hole finally looks at us, then looks at the empty spaces, then looks back at us… and then waves us away! \
Obviously… we were like:
1) Uh… that’s a real swell way to tell us that there’s no more space.
2) There’s seriously space right there at the counter.
3) You total douchebag! You couldn’t have told us 10 minutes ago while we were standing here that you didn’t have space!!!
Yes… we are food whores. But, even our food whore selves cannot tolerate this kind of mistreatment! Be gone with you, Lakuni!
Unfortunately… this review really just tells the same story of so many other peoples’ experiences here. Unfortunately… you there reading this will follow my path, and just ignore this bad review. And unfortunately… you too will get s#!tted on by the owner here. At least, order the rice porridge… and don’t leave a tip.

This type of place is right up my alley. It’s a small, intimate, Mom & Pop hole in the wall. We came around 7pm on a Friday night and there were only two other people there. We ordered ramen, stir-​fried pork and udon noodles, chicken skewers, and a tofu stew.
I loved watching each of the dishes being prepared as if it were going on in my own kitchen. The owners weren’t especially friendly but they weren’t unfriendly either. They were polite, quick, and quiet. This type of service doesn’t bother me at all. Since the husband and wife team are the only ones in the kitchen, the process can be slow, but take your time and enjoy the company.
I liked each dish and I wish I knew Japanese so I could order off the chalk board. I’ll have to just wing it next time, but I’ll definitely be back.

The husband and I have visited this establishment at least 3 times in the last half a year.
Pros: The food is solid. We particularly enjoy their baked oysters, liver skewer over a charcoal grill, and their chicken, egg, and rice soup.
Cons: The service will be slow. This restaurant is run by a husband and wife team and food will dribble out — slowly. Also, unless you are Japanese, prepared to be pretty much ignored by the chef unless he’s taking your order. Of the three times we’ve visited, the only time he actually engaged us was to take our order, and say thank you after handing me back my credit card.
Tip: Because this is an izakaya joint (which the primary purposes is for drinking, not eating), you’ll get a much friendlier reception if you order alcohol first before even looking at the menu. We were pretty much berated by the chef that his establishment is mainly for drinking, and not for eating (because we accidentally forgot to include our alcohol order before we started ordering food). Lesson learned — next time, order the booze first before opening up his menu.
I would go back, for the food. I suppose a little verbal abuse builds character.

It’s the holidays and I really don’t want to give one or two stars but this is where it stands. Let’s start off with the food. Is the food good? Eh, not really. The skewers, which I’m a big fan of wasn’t really that great. Some were just burnt, didn’t have a lot of great flavor and were not as good as izakaya ginji or kokko. The chazuke was okay as was the onigiri. The saba was decent and the best dish we ordered was the tempura fish cake. Why did I give this place two stars?
From the moment I walked in (my friend came in after and there was no one there), the two people working there (I think they’re the owners) never said a word to us. They gave me the menu and tea never came till we ordered and food came. They never smiled at us, when we asked for tea, they basically ignored us and when we asked for an extra bowl (for the chasuke), we had to ask several times and yet they didn’t give us a spoon for the bowl. They just dropped off the food on the side and that was it. Now I wouldn’t be as mad if I didn’t see what was happening next to us. There were a couple of Japanese men there and they were friendly, smiling and nicely placing the food in front of them. I don’t know if the owners don’t speak English or what it was (I doubt they don’t speak English because they understood our orders). Anyway it was extremely bizarre. I wanted to order more food but it felt as if they didn’t want us there so I don’t think I’ll be coming back.

Came here for dinner last night and this place was pretty dead. We were the first ones to walk in… and 2 couples walked in after us.
The service here was pretty slow… maybe because I family owned and run (husband and wife). Wife barely talked and the husband wasn’t all the friendly. If you are hungry and expect to get your food fast, this isn’t the place to go. We had to wait a while in between dishes.
Items we ordered:
Yakitori — Chicken, Chicken hearts, shitake mushrooms, and Japanese Peppers… everything was okay. The shitake mushrooms were pretty dry. Peppers didn’t have much taste. My friend had the chicken hearts and he said it was okay. Chicken was the tastiest one out of all the ones we ordered.
Yaki-​Onigiri (Fried Rice Balls) — This is at least better than the ones I have at the last ramen place I’ve ate at. Still it was just okay. If you eat it with the pickles they added, it gave it a little more flavor. We dipped ours into our spicy nabe sauce.
Baked Oysters — I would stay this is the best dish of the night. Pretty tasty, but very fattening! The oysters were loaded with mayo.
Kimchi Spicy Hot Pot — this is like a thicker version of the korean Tofu Soup. Tasted okay and a little on the spicier side. I think the Korean Tofu soup tasted better than this.
After we got our last dish, I was looking around and the male owner started coughing. He was coughing all over the preparation counter (with all the veggies exposed) and the stove area. He didn’t even bother to turn around and cover his mouth.
Don’t think I will be coming back to this place again… not too sanitary and the food was just mediocre.

I was really excited to try this place as I love izakaya. Unfortunately, as other Unilocalers have mentioned. unless you are Japanese and can speak it, you pretty much get treated like a nobody. We walked in around 6:30pm on a Saturday and were rudely greeted at the door. Once the guy figured out we were not Japanese he sat us down, threw 2 menus at us, and just stood there and watched his TV. I definitely have to say that this was one of my most awkward and uncomfortable dining experiences yet — the owners didn’t make an effort to make conversation, ask if we needed anything, etc etc.
It’s sad, because the food was decent but I probably won’t ever come back again unless the owners magically learn how to accept that there are valuable customers out there aside from Japanese customers…

I love izakaya.
I love small mom and pop store.
But why only 3 stars?
Because yakitori wise, Sumika in los alto is still more supreme, heck, even Kokko which is like a block away is better. Noted, I have been here 3 times and have tried all of their skewers except some veggie ones.
The biggest difference is that Lakuni doesn’t use charcoal to grill it. you gotta have that charcoal and wood smell to it man, I see them putting on a stir fried pan and then move it to a gas grill.
I’ve also tried the oyster (too saucy), hamachi kama (was it? or maybe grill mackerel), tacowasa, they were just standard.
On top of that, ²⁄₃ times i’ve been there, they were out of kawa!
But I really enjoyed the small atmosphere where you order some, get your food one by one, drink some, order some more, drink some more, and just spend a good 2~ 3 hrs with friends.
Price was decent, plum wine was good, no draft beer though: (will be back if im in the area and don’t feel like to wait elsewhere.

AMAZING.
^one word to describe my whole experience. The only reason I docked off a star is because of the slow service but the food makes up for it!
DO NOT go here if you’re starving and you want food right away because you get a dish one by one. It’s owned by an old Japanese couple, and they’re the only workers so they do everything themselves; reason for slow service.
The food is exceptional. There are many other local restaurants that serve yakitori but Lakuni’s yakitori was outstanding. They don’t have a very wide variety like other restaurants but the seasoning is perfect and not too salty. I ordered the negima, gizzards, chicken skin, and shiitake, which were all so good. I really recommend the gizzards, and chicken skin; my two favorite ones!
I also tried the nabeyaki udon, and it was very good. I believe they make their own noodles there, which is why the noodles taste so good and it didn’t have that gross frozen taste. The baked oysters were very good as well. I could tell that they were not kept frozen, and you could taste the freshness. I normally hate all that mayo cheese stuff a lot of buffets put on their seafood but it was so good here! I really like how they put some tobiko on top as well.
One other flaw, but not too big of a deal, was that you don’t get served any water or tea until you ask for it. As I said before, service isn’t the best but the food is!

Went there last night w. several friends and it was just right!
I like the air as it seemed to say «sit, relax, and feel like home.» They may not serve you as a regular restaurant but you totally can tell why. This izakaya is run by a couple and they are always busy. They do their best to provide you a nice meal and a comfortable environment for you to relax quietly or for you to hangout with friends. We stayed for 3+ hours and they were totally fine w. this. Love it
We ordered several portions of grills. I like the chicken liver in particular. The Japanese mushroom is nice too! Also, I had a tuna over rice w. seaweed and sesame; it smelled so good and tasted even better.

This is one of the most legit izakayas I’ve been to in the States. I really felt like I walked into a mom-​and-​pop shop in Japan, and the food did not disappoint me! I ordered diced tuna with tororo, salmon ochazuke, unagi don, grilled eggplant, and a few more. All of them really hit the spot. The price was SO good too. With at least 6 dishes and 2 bottles of cold sake, the total came out to like $ 70.
We went on a Monday night, and it was completely empty. The service was fast, and friendly. I really couldn’t ask for more.

Off the beaten path.
Wifey and I are frequent visitors to Downtown San Mateo with its many restaurants it has to offer that are comparable to Downtown San Francisco without the hassles of parking and traffic.
I can make a list of all the restaurants that we’ve frequented in Downtown San Mateo so I was somewhat surprised when I found out about this place. Unlike the other restaurants that are on the main strip, this one is somewhat secluded.
I was a bit weary at first since there were no costumers and it looked uninviting from the outside. But I trust Unilocal and we were there pretty early at around 5 PM. It’s a small place (pretty cramp) but it quickly charmed me by the décor and ambiance. It’s also a plus that they were authentic Japanese, not Korean-​Japanese or Chinese-​Japanese pretending to be Japanese.
We quickly started a conversation with my limited Japanese and began to feel at ease and comfortable. I started with a chilled, unfiltered sake served correctly and it hit the spot. Then little by little, the place began to fill up and things were definitely starting to heat up. Now I wished we had gotten there earlier so all the attention went to us instead of everyone else. I know what you’re thinking, I’m a selfish bastard. Hey, at least for a moment we were the only costumers there and felt very special.
So we ordered the Grilled Chicken, Grilled Chicken Skin, Grilled Chicken Hearts, Grilled Chicken Gizzards, Grilled Mackerel (Saba), Pork Intestines and Fish Egg Roe Omelet (Egg on Egg).
Yes, we were in Yakitori Territory.
The chicken skin (I know… bad for me but let me indulge in a little bit of guilty pleasure) was crispy, salty and tasty. The hearts and gizzards were similarly good and satisfying. The saba was absolutely delicious and it’s not as fatty and heavy like they do in other places. But the «Come to Papi» moment was with the omelet. It looks so simple and unassuming, but the moment when my lips felt contact with the omelet was like kissing a million dollar caviar. The fluffy texture of the egg with a nice crust of exterior stuffed with the roe inside was a perfect combination like Heaven and Earth.
Everything tasted so delicious and I even enjoyed the company of other customers after a few more sakes. Well… a few libations generally has that effect on people.
We left feeling satisfied and we will definitely venture more towards off the beaten path the next time we are in San Mateo.

«Damn young’uns let me eat in peace!»
I feel like I’m in a distant relative’s house for a day. My Japanese uncle and aunt happen to own a restaurant and happen to cook when they aren’t watching TV. I’m not sure if I could talk with them directly, but I respect them for giving me really good food.
My terrible retention in Japanese got me to order some of the daily specials (written only in Japanese). The presentation of food here is impeccable. Traditional Japanese food from TV and food magazines actually do appear at Lakuni. When you eat, there is that flavor that reminds me of home cooking. Something old school because the same couple made it this way for decades. If you order nothing else get the goddamn chicken wings. Made to order, crispy, and flavorful.
You are not here for the warm and friendly service. If you want more seating (party bigger than 2) and a rowdier vibe, go to another izakaya. If you just want some damn good food and sake to help it go down go to Lakuni.

A tiny place run by a Japanese couple (who don’t seem to speak much English). No tables, only 12 seats at the bar. Nothing fancy. They also don’t have the best service for non-​Japanese, and we had to wait for almost an hour to be seated. Not the most pleasant way to kill a precious Friday night.
But the food… It made me overlook all the unpleasant experience and wanted to give the chef a big hug after.
We ordered yakitori (skewers), Aji fry, baked oysters, seafood kimchi pot, chawanmushi (japanese style steam egg), and chirashi don. Everything was fresh, delicious and well executed. I’m not a big fan of fried fish but the one here was actually my favorite of the meal. It’s crispy and golden on the outside, but not greasy at all. It goes perfectly with Sapporo.
Another highlight was the chawanmushi. Chawanmushi is one of those dishes that looks so simple but extremely hard to make it right. They nailed it here. The texture was perfectly smooth, the flavor was rich but not salty, and the presentation was lovely.
The kimchi pot was a nice surprise. I’m a huge fan of kimchi stew and pretty much if it’s on the menu (whenever/​wherever), I’d order it. But from my colorful history with kimchi stew I learnt to set my expectations low, because 9 out of 10 times it turns out disappointing, especially when it’s not served at an authentic Korean place. The kimchi pot here wasn’t half bad. It was served with a raw egg on top (just the way I like it), had a rich texture and nice kimchi flavor. It’s a bit too spicy, but that can be solve with a bowl of rice. Not bad for a non-​korean place.
I feel that the chef really puts his heart in the food he makes, from preparation to presentation. That wins a solid 4 star from me.
That being said, if you walk in the place and it’s full, walk away. People are mostly drinking and chilling here and the food is served very slowly, waiting for seats in this situation is just a bad idea.

If you want a quick meal — not the place.
If you want to order food, but not beer or sake — not the place.
If you want friendly service — not the place.
If you want to spend very little money — not the place.
Yes, this as mom and pop as it gets because the two people working there are the owners. They are not that friendly. The chef will break a smile IF you order some expensive sake. Once you get past all of that and pay the ‘cover’ (alcohol), then you may have a good time, but again, you may be sitting there for awhile to wait for your food.

Funny. A coworker asked me today if I’ve been here. I said yes. Then she asked me what I ate. I’m like, «Oh, check my Unilocal.» Awkward moment. I hadn’t written a review yet. DOH!
Well it had been more than a few weeks since I had been here so my recollection was pretty fuzzy. But then it made me super want to come back. So I came back here last night for dinner.
If you like innards, then you’ll enjoy the pork stomach. It’s in a really rich sauce base. Goes great with rice. I could just eat that + rice. Or… my other favorite of the night was the Buta Kimuchee. Stir fried pork with kimchee. Also awesome with rice. There’s a lot of black pepper in it to break up some of the sour from the kimchee.
We got some grilled chicken bits on sticks which are fairly reasonably priced, but there is only one skewer per order.
There isn’t much seating — everybody sits at the bar. So get comfy ‘cuz you’ll probably have neighbors with whom you’ll be rubbing elbows. But I think that all adds to the charm of this place. Generally speaking this place is pretty quiet. If you come later in the night (after 8) you’ll probably get seated without any issues.

Lakuni is one of our few favorite dinner venues in downtown San Mateo.
It’s a total hole-​in-​the-​wall that we love to go — just me and my husband — to sit down comfortably at the counter, chit chat with the chef and his wife, make friends with some other customers sharing the counter, pour ourselves some good sake, order a few dishes off the wall… followed by a few more… and more, and really take the time to enjoy each sip and bite. It’s our type of izakaya.
Here, you don’t want to rush. The chef and his wife take time to prepare each dish with care and precision. We typically go for hot appetizers, including yakitori and agemono, and MAYBE some sushi and/​or sashimi, being mindful that this isn’t a sushi bar. If in doubt, ask the chef what’s «in» that day.
The restaurant has been around for decades, seems like, and we’re glad they are still going strong. We still can’t call ourselves their «regulars», but that will change hopefully soon.
SUM: Home away from home