Wakuriya

It's difficult to book an appointment but it's understandable because they are a Michelin star restaurant. I had a great experience here. Their dishes have quite creative decorations and equally unique flavors.

We finally were able to reserve a spot for dinner! It's a very small place with 12 diners per night. The chef makes all the item by himself while his wife serves it- they are both from Japan and very nice and humble people.
I recommend the sake pairing. Food is fresh and beautifully prepared, most of the fish is from Japan or Alaska.

I feel sad writing this because I really had such high expectations. I've been dying to go here for years but the near impossible way you have to make reservations prevented me from trying it. My angel of a husband finally got a reservation after calling numerous times. Finally get to eat and I was so underwhelmed by the food. It was probably the worst Michelin experience I've had. It was too much of the same boring flavors. The trout sashimi was absolutely amazing but other dishes left me wanting more.

Food was outstanding. Incredibly creative dishes with a classic, traditional Japanese flair. The server was top notch, giving a nice presentation for every dish that was served. Save some room for the dessert as it was exquisite!
Yes, the reservation process is a bit of a hassle, but I didn't think it was nearly as bad as everyone writes about. Just call at midnight one month in advance and keep dialing if the line is busy.

Came by for dinner the other night and it was a world class experience. Wakuriya is a Japanese kaiseki restaurant with a Michelin 1 star located inside a casual strip mall in San Mateo, next to the freeway. Parking is plentiful in the private lot or on the residential street. There is a Tesla charger in the parking lot.

Reservations start 30 days in advance with a first come first served message left on their answering machine at 12 am. An executive assistant, butler and/or concierge would be perfect for handling reservations for executives. Received a call from Mayoumi 30 days in advance during the late afternoon confirming my particulars including credit card information, dining preference along with food allergies.

The dining room can seat ~16 people and features counter or table dining. The counter offers an open view of the kitchen with a request not to take photos of people inside the kitchen. The loo is high end with an option for Japanese or Charmin toilet paper along with a request to sit on their toilet.

Despite the rather casual outside, the interior was intimate and high end with a few notable IKEA furnishing inside the kitchen, including their ALEX drawer set along with drawer liner.

Meal started off with the Japanese tai snapper served with a salad. This was a light and refreshing way to start off the meal.

Moved on to the appetizer course which consisted of trout with caviar, crab and salmon sushi along with duck breast with Italian black truffle. Each of the tiny morsels were well thought out although I found the duck breast over cooked..bummer.

The sashimi course featured some type of sauce which was somewhat different than Japanese kaiseki's were they would serve this with fresh wasabi.

The miso gratin may have been the weakest part of the meal featuring an overcooked lobster tail although the cauliflower and mushrooms were tasty.

The sorbet was a light and refreshing palate cleanser.

The main course featuring domestic wagyu beef, and egg and turnip was a pretty filing course although I felt that a Japanese wagyu would have been an even better option.

The last savory course was a somen noodle soup with scallop and shrimp, including the head. This was a light and filing way to finish off the savory dishes.

Meal ended off with a fuji apple with tofu-caramel sauce along with some baked cookies.

Service throughout the meal was very attentive by the owner Mayoumi. Diners were mostly Chinese with the Mandarin ones being the only ones speaking in outdoor voices...

~$210/head after tax and gratuity for a 3 hour kaiseki dinner.

The restaurant located in a plaza with cvs and Safeway in it. Lots of parking , at least when we got there Saturday 6pm. Definitely convenient location , there is clear sign outdoor and looks very cozy inside. There are only four tables inside( probably it answers why it is hard to score a reservation.)
Inside, the decoration is cozy and light dimmed inside. Feels romantic and warm. We got seated near the front door, and the considerate waitress explained the heater behind me which definitely helps during the windy night. I only saw two waitress and one chef. Everything is very well managed.
Attached the menu for my night, also we ordered couple sake flights-- one classic and one fruity, both are great, and went well with our dishes and the night. There are in house welcome fruit sake, hmmm .... So good.
I like every dish the chef produced, each dish with its unique taste and special bowl/ plate. It is not just food, it is an art piece.
This is a great place to celebrate a special occasion or spend some quality time with someone special. But not for little kids or loud kids.


Definitely this is a place worth coming once , twice and more ( if wallet is full :) !

What an amazing meal! Went here with the wifey for an early Valentine's. From the outside, it doesn't feel like you're stepping into a Michelin Star restaurant. It's located in a shopping plaza with a CVS and Safeway. But really who cares it's the food that counts... and Wakuriya delivered an exceptional meal. My wife and I agreed - this is the first Michelin Star restaurant where we walked away thinking, we should come back again when they have updated their menu. I attached the menu and a photo of each dish so won't cover them one by one, but will call out the highlights for me.
* Japanese tai snapper sashimi salad with aosa seaweed gelée. The fish was so fresh and delicious. The seaweed gelée was such a nice accompaniment.
* Today's sashimi, which was mackerel. Again, so fresh and delicious.
* Sake-kasu miso gratin (lobster). The poached lobster was perfectly cooked and the miso gratin gave it a warm savory flavor.
* Nyumen, Japanese "somen" noodles in warm dashi soup, Hokkaido hotate scallop, New Caledonian blue shrimp. The scallop and shrimp in here were just extraordinary. Maybe the best scallop I have ever had.
* Fuji apple with tofu-caramel sauce. Dessert! Not typically my favorite course actually. This was such an interesting and atypical dessert for me though. The apple and tofu mixed surprisingly really really well.

Service was exceptional as well. I forgot to get her name but she was so welcoming and friendly. You can also see the chef preparing the dishes. The atmosphere feels cozy like you're at a friend's house but your friend happens to be an amazing chef with unbelievable ingredients.

Highly recommend! Looking forward to going again!!

Michelin star worthy for sure. Every dish was scrumptious. Well worth the visit and planning ahead for the reservation.

All I can say is. Go and you'll be happy you did. I'm so happy my wife can get the reservation for our family meal of 5. I wish I can get the reservations there every month even though it's a hour trip from East Bay. Worth every penny.

Excellent Restaurant and a must try for an authentic Japanese Kaiseki meal.

Wakuriya is authentic and true to the Japanese culture in every way, from the excellent food, dishes, serving style, and even the (painful) reservation making process... lol. But it's totally worth it once you come... you will be immersed and transformed to a Kaiseki Restaurant, where each dish is a type of art form that balances the taste, texture, appearance, and colors of the food. Only fresh, seasonal, and mostly local ingredients are used and are prepared in ways that aim to enhance their flavor.

After winning a reservation here, we came enthusiastically and Wakuriya delivered AN EXCELLENT MEAL again! Very Happy!