Mokutanya

Mokutanya has an equally impressive interior as it does quality of food. My girlfriend and I ordered the duck breast skewer, grilled beef skewer with soy-​apple, and two bowls of Black Garlic Ramen. The broth in the ramen is probably the best I’ve had, and the noodles are medium portion but great quality and very filling. Definitely would recommend the duck breast skewer. And a beer to wash it all down. All in all, maybe the best ramen I’ve had

This is a nice place with pretty good service for an Asian restaurant. I love how the seating arrangement is set up and it has a very romantic atmosphere. It will cost you ~$ 4 – 5 per skewer, which has 3 small pieces of meat. I went with some friends and thought the bill was ridiculously high for how much food we got — it’s very easy to get carried away with the skewers since one is definitely not enough.
We ordered a combination of skewers — wagyu beef, spicy way beef, bacon wrapped enoki, pork belly, pork cheek, lamb, chicken skin — and also ordered a few bowls of ramen to share. The skewers are flavorful but the portions are small like I mentioned before. The ramen wasn’t that great — not much flavor.
This is a nice place to check out; however, I think the food is way overpriced and would probably not come back.

Really nice, cute, modern yet cozy place. Very friendly and fast service, not too noisy, even if it was packed. I would recommend to make a reservation during the dinner time, so you don’t have to wait in line. Food is good, spicy beef ramen is really well done: rich broth, a lot of flavor. Ramen was almost a perfect combination of all ingredients: broth, spice, meat, noodles.
Skewers are ok, wagyu beef was really good and juicy, pork belly, chicken skin were ok
Will definitely go second time to check out their exotic meats nights! :))

Izakaya!
Atmosphere is nice. You’re greeted by a dimly lit room with clear glass walls and tables sitting low to the ground. The air smells of meat skewered and the wall shelves are decorated with sake bottles. You’re asked to take off your shoes. It’s an interesting experience.
Food wise, it’s not terrible, but it is lacking. Unfortunately, I’ve been to better Izakayas (ippuku in Berkeley anyone?) but this place is a decent albeit expensive place to lounge, talk, and drink :)
Cons
— Ramen. Broth was meh and noodle volume left much to be desired
— Bacon-​wrapped anything skewer
— Beef tataki. I knew that the low price point was too good to be true.
— Servers take off their shoes every time they get near you. It’s a bit of a time waster
— It will be frustrating for anyone with an appetite. Each skewer has maybe 3″ by ½”-1″ of meat at best
Pros:
— Wagyu skewers.
— pork belly skewers (probably the favorite)
— chicken skewers (juicy!)
— servers are nice
Tips:
— order a bowl of rice or you won’t get full
— Yuzu alcohol: D

Wow!
This place is cool. Like the true essence of that word. It’s dark and dungeon-​y without being too creepy (though it looks like something out of a Saw movie) and one of the few places that makes you take your shoes off to do Japanese style dining with a sunken table.
Came here for the first time with friends and we were all thoroughly impressed. Our server was this beautiful lady who was nice and sweet as she explained the whole menu and helped us order on the sheet they had laid out. The food came relatively quick despite us ordering a crap ton of food.
The seafood was great and the salmon skewers were so tasty and done just right and not chewy or hard but soft and juicy. The squid was phenomenal and chewy but not rubbery and their spicy mayonnaise complements the crunchy panko elegantly. The waygu beef is to die for, it was perfectly fatty and had the essence of umami. I nearly cried when I ate it. Like a beautiful concerto played in my mouth while a single hummingbird perched on top of my finger and laid golden eggs.
The okra was also surprisingly tasty and I don’t even like it usually since it tastes like snot but their snot was top notch and delicious.
We seriously had so many orders so I can’t keep track of them all but the black garlic ramen was spicy and super tasty. The broth made me sweat like I was in a Russian sweat house but totally worth it.
Overall the service was impeccable and superb. The décor is something to write home about. However the bill was something to cry about. Not the most budget friendly meal so I won’t come by regularly but it is a nice place to take friends.
I wouldn’t suggest taking a date here, gives of the scary serial killer vibe.
Amazing food though!

I work in San Bruno and had previously thought that I had just about exhausted all lunch time options in the area. I had always steered clear of the Broadway area in Burlingame because it just seems so run down. But after seeing Mokutanya on Unilocal I was intrigued. So I gave it a shot.
The parking lot is relatively small, but you can grab a parking spot on the street or in a lot for $ 1/​hr. Upon arriving I was met with a very pleasant and friendly greeting. My coworker and I were taken to our table (which is a sunken area and you have to take your shoes off, didn’t know this but make it interesting). Our server came by quickly with menus and offered to give us a few mins. We were in a bit of a hurry so we ordered when she came back and also paid before the food arrived. They were happy to accommodate this request and were honestly the NICEST group of servers I’ve had in a long time. The recommended Spicy Beef Ramen was really great and the overall experience was great! Would definitely recommend.
(P.S. — They are open until 2AM daily!)

I love this place… we got the spicy wagyu beef, bacon wrapped quail eggs, croquette, chicken karaage, and black garlic miso ramen.
I think everything on the menu is good… the must try is the spicy wagyu beef if your not a family on the spicy they do have non spicy wagyu beef. The must get is black garlic miso ramen it’s 17 bucks but so worth it.
We always come here because they open late and the service is great.
Check in to get a free drink or appetizers. don’t worry about it saying March they accept it.

I came here on a thursday afternoon, and it was not so busy. I like the decorations, and the modern take on tatami rooms. The dishes here can range from $ 4 – 20.
Spicy Beef Ramen was amazing. The broth was perfect for me with just the right spiciness. It is going to be hard for me to go back to normal beef ramen after having ramen with wagyu slices in it.
Unagi, duck breast, pork belly, wagyu, and spicy beef yakitori were all grilled perfectly, each one very moist, and tender. Spicy beef need more heat though. Kangaroo yakitori was interesting– not as gamey as i thought, and it tasted kind of like grilled pork chops. My favorite is the Wagyu Beef marinated it some kind of apple sauce? It was one of special ones on the menu, definitely a must!
Crème Brulee– vanila bean flavored, it was too runny. Might have been under cooked
Service here was friendly, and attentive. Food came at a timely manner. Parking can be limited, but plenty of street parking around the area. I imagine you would need reservation for dinner. Come on Wednesday or thursday if you want to try peacock, iguana, alligator, swan or kangaroo meat, but they don’t have exotic meats available all the time, so I would call ahead to see whats available.

Gentlemen, if you’re trying to impress a girl. This is the place. YOU’RE WELCOME:).
My review is long overdue as I have stumbled upon this place last year during finals season January 2015. It was the only place open at 11pm to satisfy the hunger after many hours of hard core studying (boy, do I not miss that)
.:Atmosphere/​Service/​Parking:.
Mokutanya is a yakitori charcoal grill & ramen restaurant. The interior speaks for itself. Dimly lit room with big glass dividers to separate each table and consists of candle at each table. You must remove your shoes before sitting. The tables you can sit with your legs crossed or you can put it down under the table as it has two levels. Parking does suck since it is so tiny, but usually I dont have trouble when I go there since it’s late when I go and the bank is closed so we can use their parking space. Mokutanya is located in the very end corner of the plaza so look out for chevron and first republic bank and you will be at the right place. The front girls are all mostly bubbly and friendly. Love the service here.
.:Food:.
+Yakitori (ranges from $ 3-​$ 4.50) one order comes with one skewer
Kamo $ 4.00: Duck breast. probably my favorite one as it is deliciously moist and flavorful
Spicy Beef $ 4.50: Marinated wagyu beef. Not too spicy and gives a good kick to super tender meat.
Wagyu Beef $ 5.00: Pretty tender meat and flavorful but would go with the spicy one for the extra kick.
Momo $ 3.00: Chicken thigh, it was pretty good, but I feel like it needed more flavors even though it was moist.
Teba $ 4.00: chicken wing. Surprisingly good. Very flavorful and moist,
Chicken Thigh Topped with yuzu glaze $ 4.00: it was ok? I didnt quite like the glaze personally
Butabara $ 3.50: pork belly. oddly enjoyed this, maybe because I like fatty things. But it had good seasoning as well and it wasnt too dry.
+Tonkotsu Ramen $ 10.00: Pork​bone broth with bean sprouts, sliced pork, Shiitake mushroom. The broth was pretty tasty, but wish that the pork bone taste was more prominent as the flavors were not quite bold. Was able to have a good portion shared among 3 people.
+Chicken Karaage $ 11.00: japanese style of fried chicken. LOVED the dish as simple as it may be since the inside was kept super moist despite being deep fried with the potato starch. The dip was very good too, but be sure to ask for extra as it may not be enough. It has a kick of spice to it.
+Oysters $ 1: Happy hour Monday and Tuesdays. Pretty fresh oysters.
+Peach Soju $ 14.00: Pretttttyyy good. And I dont like alcohol taste so it masks pretty well.
After each meal, expect to spend about $ 70 – 80 per person to feel full. So don’t bring her here if your date is a bottomless pit like me: p Otherwise, great ambiance and pretty good food. Just pricey, so if she’s just a first date, maybe save for anniversary instead?
NOTES: they also have exotic meat nights on Wednesday and Thursday for choices like peacock, kangaroo, crocodile, buffalo, etc. So if youre feeling adventurous… DO IT.

Decent food at slightly more expensive prices. The ambience is dark and more for young people. The reason I say that is because they have these below-​floor-​level seating which makes it hard for inflexible people to sit down. I think they might have one or two normal tables for elderly or inflexible groups.
The reason I am only giving 4 stars is because the value for money is not there, and I also found an ant on my napkin while eating. Unfortunately the nice tables are bumpy and extremely difficult to clean (along with the entire setup). So the restaurant sacrifices functionality for aesthetics and that can cause problems. I’m not sure if the beef is actually wagyu, but it’s definitely not as good as Kusakabe’s wagyu (ok fine the michelin star restaurant charges $ 12 per sushi, while this restaurant is at $ 5 per skewer). The ramen is also decent, with a slightly undercooked egg (usually it should be just runny and not fully liquid yolk). To top off ok-​food there’s great service and they actually came by to check the tea pot was full without being asked.

I love the service we get here. Plus, the izakaya is so delicious. We get the chicken karaage, chicken skin, spicy beef, tataki, potato croquette and my favorite, cold ramen.
I love the ambiance. Great place for dinner!

I’m revisiting this review to make it longer since my last review didn’t include any specific food recommendations.
Pros
–Chic interior
–Friendly staff
–Delicious food
–Short wait time
Cons
–Small portions
Both times I’ve come here I have had the edamame, which is really good.
The Black Garlic Ramen is delicious.
My favorite skewers are the chicken balls and the wagyu beef.

HANDS DOWN THE BEST RAMEN I’VE HAD!
I am just going to start my review off with that.
They strictly only take reservations. Just FYI.
We were on a time crunch & when they said that we would only have 30 minutes to eat, we were fine with that. The girl at the front desk (I didn’t get her name, darn!) was super accommodating and helped out with getting our drinks started since both them & we were on a time crunch.
I absolutely love the atmosphere & ambiance of this place.
The set up is super cute & the first time I’ve been to a restaurant like this.
Each booth is separated by a glass partition. Super chic!
You have to remove your shoes before going to your booth. They have a section where you put your shoes, it is in sight so you can see your shoes for all you people with expensive shoes. Just sayin’
The booth has a different style seating. It has a sitting on the floor style but there is a hole at the bottom of the center of the booth so that you can put your feet there to be more comfortable.
I ordered hot tea & it turned out to be Brown Rice Hot Tea according to my best friend. It was yummy!
They didn’t have a vegetarian option for Ramen, so I just got the Spicy Beef Ramen without the Beef. lol.
The food took a little longer than we’d like considering they told us that we only have 30 mins. dine in. But once it came, OMG, so yummy! THE BEST! It was the right amount of spicy & so delicious!
We had to ask for our bill since we were on a time crunch as well.
All in all, I would for sure come back & possibly have my birthday dinner here :)

My friends and I went to Mokutanya since Kokko didn’t take reservations until later that night. Anyway we showed up here without a reservations, but they were still able to to accomodate our party with a short fifteen minute wait!
This place is known for their exotic meats yakitori, but they only do it on some days, so we didn’t get to try any of them!
WE ORDERED
_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​
— Pork Belly
— Bacon Enoki
— Chicken Skin (MY FAVORITE!!!)
— Beef Tongue (Had better elsewhere…)
— Wagyu (Deliciousssss!)
— Chicken Hearts
— Cold Noodles (yummyyyy…)
Overall, what we ordered were good (but only two skewers I really enjoyed. the wagyu and chicken skin), but we all agreed Kokko was better! Mokutanya was also on the pricey side… But I’ll definitely give this play another try on the day (s) they serve the exotic meats! Service is awesome as well! We couldn’t decide on what shochu to order and I initially requested for Green Tea! Our server was nice enough to give us samples of it first, and we ended up not liking it at all! It tasted like cough medicine to me, So we ordered a different flavor instead!
*Review will be updated*

Superb dining experience! I love the intimate interior design and overall essence of Mokutanya. Each table is walled off by glass so your party gets some personal space and volume is controlled within your own cube. Dark candlelit space adds a modern touch. Seating is traditional Japanese with shoes taken off + tables at floor level. How fun!
+Long hours of operation
+Welcoming and attentive service
+High quality food, so delushious.
+Clean restrooms
***Happy hour OYSTERS Monday and Tuesday 6pm-​2am***
What I recommend: (aka everything we ordered)
*Takowasa– raw octopus in wasabi (fresh wasabi sauce goes great over raw oysters!) so divine!
*Raw Oysters– Skookum and Fanny Boy
*Cold Ramen– I know; this doesn’t sound appetizing in 40 degree weather but the restaurant was fairly warm inside. Sprinkled with seaweed and tobiko caviar (aka fish eggs/​masago), ponzu-​like sauce tossed ramen was REFRESHING! Imagine having it in the summer heat.
*Karaage– Color looks on the burnt side but it was perfect! Spicy mayo-​mustard-​like dipping sauce enhanced the texture of the fried chicken even more. Yums I want more.
*YAKITORI in order of my liking:
Wagyu beef
Shishito peppers
Cow tongue
Black cod
Bacon wrapped enoki
Pork cheek
Pork
Chicken gizzard

My first ever restaurant that I’ve been to that has the tradition of shoes off during meal time. Definitely wasn’t really a fan of that since I’m kinda germaphobic, but oh well.
Actually, I take that back. I’ve been to one other Japanese place in San Bruno/​Millbrae that also had the shoes off ordeal.
I called before heading there with my boyfriend to see how long of a wait would be. The girl on the phone was definitely very cheery and informed us that there was no wait. Cool. The restaurant is pretty modern looking & dark. I guess it can be like mysterious or romantic. Haha.
We both got the Tonkotsu Ramen, Chicken Karaage, Grilled Oysters, Wagyu skewer, and sausage skewer. Everything was pretty good. I don’t like bean sprouts which was in the ramens. There’s no place that compares to Ramen Dojo. haha but it’s cool to try new places.
Service was attentive and friendly. Although, they did forget our order of Croquette and still try to charge us, but they removed it from the check after we notified them about it.
On Weds & Thurs, they have exotic meats like Iguana, Alligators, Kangaroo, and etc. If you’re adventurous, then this would be perfect. Haha 3.5 stars.

YAKITORI IS REALLY YUMMY-​TORI
This review is overdue. This place is really a hidden gem tucked in a corner. Pretty awesome place.
It’s recommended to get reservations, however walk-​ins are welcomed. It was only the two of us so getting a seat on a walk-​in wasn’t too much trouble. The place is really dark so the pictures didn’t turn out to be what I wanted. The tables are low but don’t be fooled, you don’t have to sit cross legged on the floor, under the table is deep enough to sit normal. But you do have to take off the shoes so clean socks are necessary! Came here to celebrate me finishing up my JavaScript class at Stanford University and getting an A– in the class. What a great way to celebrate… WITH DELICIOUS FOOD.
FANNYBAY OYSTERS
TOFU
CORN
WAGYU BEEF
KUROBUTA SAUSAGE
BACON WRAPPED ENOKI
and my favorite… TONKATSU RAMEN (it was rich and flavorful)
Will I be back? Oh yes, you don’t have to ask me twice.
JABA APPROVED. Until the next review.

Fast forward 6 months since my original review, Mokutanya is now my favorite restaurant in the Bay! What qualities make it a personal favorite? Let me break it into categories:
Atmosphere — I think I heard about this from the Food Channel; dim lighting makes a restaurant fancier and more intimate right? No, maybe I made that up. Jokes aside, Mokutanya does a great job pairing the music with the aesthetic appeal of the restaurant. In particular, I’m a huge fan of the mellow music they play during the day (and the high energy music they play at night while I drink)
Food — This one’s easy, yakitori is my favorite food because the quality is simply amazing. Also, if it’s something you’re interested in, they also serve exotic meats Wed — Thurs (I think I touched upon this on my old review). If this is your first time, you have to try the chicken meatballs & the kurobuta sausages; of course, these are just my favorites and you can’t go wrong with the other skewers on the menu
Deals — $ 1 Oysters 6pm — 2am? Uh, yes please! Personally, I really like the Fanny Bay oysters, but girls typically like the other choice (sorry, I don’t remember what this is, I believe it starts with an ‘S’).
Free bottle of sake if you stop by 10pm-​2am w/​a party of 4? How the heck can you deny that?
Service — I saved the best for last. I always tell my friends that the service a restaurant provides can make or break the experience for me (but we all have those hole-​in-​the-​wall exceptions). Let me tell you, the servers/​hostesses here are on another level. How often does someone remember your name despite having a handful of weeks in between each visit? Never, that’s how often. Some people really take these things for granted, so I definitely commend the girls here for going above and beyond what is expected of them.
Honorable mentions: If you get Priscilla, Lindsey, or Elsa as a server then you’re in good hands. You go Glen Coco

This was a very unique dining experience for me.
The atmosphere is very intimate and romantic. They play all my favorite r&b songs here… yay to that because I love places with good music! Be aware that you will be asked to take off your shoes before you get seated to your table… so wash your feet before you come and make sure you have a nice pedicure if you’re barefoot. If you haven’t done the following, I highly suggest you come in with some socks that are fresh out the laundry. I’m kidding… kinda, but not really.
The waiters here are pretty friendly and are always checking up on you. I love when I get seated in the little glass boxes, it’s more private! When you get seated, there’s a hole underneath your table where you can put your feet. You get pillows to sit on if the floor’s a little too uncomfortable for you.
The food here is a bit pricey. The ramen is about $ 16 – 17, depending on what you order. I’d rather go to Ramen Parlor or cook my own. Their yakitori (basically skewered meat) is pretty good and allows you to try many different things since there are about 3 pieces on each tiny skewer. This is where I tried oysters for the first time. For all you oyster lovers (not me), Monday & Tuesdays, they’ve got oysters for $ 1. On other days, they offer exotic meat and trust me, it’s exotic — kangaroo, alligator, swan, peacock, iguana… cmon, those are like zoo animals and pets. why would you eat them? :(Well, that’s there for all you adventurous people out there, but it’s definitely not for me!
The food for me would definitely be a 3.5÷5. But the ambiance and just the whole experience gives this place a bump up to a 4! :)
Free edamame with check-​in!

Been here 3 times, 2 within a week, and I loved it each time!!!
WHY: The atmosphere is intimate and unique, giving you a traditional Japanese experience of removing your shoes before entering your dining table. There is a variety of yakitori dishes that are all delicious, some even amazing. Plus, the service is excellent.
FAVORITES: Wagyu beef, pork cheek, pork belly, black miso cod (but everything is really good!!!)
HH:
Mon/​Tues: $ 1 oysters 6pm-​Closing
Wed/​Thurs: Exotic meats (including ox, boar, kangaroo, etc)
4+ people after 10pm: free bottle of sake!
WARNING: Each skewer is about $ 3 – 5 and only 3 pieces, so it may add up and be a bit pricey, and you may still be hungry.
OVERALL: Japanese is my favorite cuisine, and I highly recommend this place!