Rintaro — Restaurant in San Francisco

EXPERIENCE We made reservations for a Wednesday evening at 5:30pm which ran smoothly. The waiters were swift and incredibly hospitable. The interior design of the place was quaint and pleasant, not overly fancy. 4/5

FOOD Kanpachi // In terms of savory dishes this was my favorite in terms of flavor, but also it’s quite low effort in terms of recipe development (technique is another story ofc). The yuzu kosho was the perfect acidic, zingy addition to a simple dish. Although my favorite, the price point was ridiculous- yellowtail cannot possibly be that expensive to source and slice at $26 as an app (see pic for size). 3/5

Yosedofu // Disregarding its steep price ($15) it was just okay, almost disappointing. We were shocked that the tofu was house-made as it tasted nothing short of regular $2 silken tofu at the store except maybe more stale. The sauce and toppings were simple and not price justifiable (grated ginger, shoyu, katsuobushi, scallions). 1/5

Yakitori // We got the tsukune and momo sansho which were satisfying but not remarkable. The flavor combinations were good though, the shoyu with egg yolk ($3 addition!) was good and the sansho seasoning on the side was mild. 3/5

Hanpen // This was shy of satisfactory. The size of the hanpen was small and almost flavorless- I don’t think it soaked up the dashi that much. The texture was pleasant though as it was soft and very slightly chewy, and the dashi was delicious on its own, complex and flavorful yet light. 2/5

Chizu Tori Katsu // The whole time we ate this dish we were regretting ordering it (it was on the set menu and was recommended). The cabbage salad has perfectly sliced but it was incredibly under-dressed with just a thin slather of sesame dressing on top. Only 25% of the cabbage was properly dressed and the rest was air and water with obstacles. The katsu was awful- the cheese added bitterness to the katsu which wasn’t really complemented by anything else. Texturally the cheese also wasn’t viscous enough and immediately spilled out like a bursted XLB, even when the katsu had rested for quite a bit. 1/5

Hojicha Panna Cotta // We both destroyed it- served cold, it was creamy and light yet somehow deeply roasted at the same time. It also wasn’t too sweet and it tasted amazing even without the syrup (the syrup also deserves its own praise though, infused just right with hojicha). The almond cookies were forgettable but the rest of the dessert made up for it. The price is pushing it but it truly is amazing. 5/5

OTHER It almost seemed like they were overstaffed (might be because it was a Wednesday) as we noticed a lot of waiters standing around and waiting (not waiting tables waiting), which was interesting. Not mentioned: We ordered 2 drinks, the yuzu and ume cocktails. They were refreshing and delicious but not remarkable for their prices ($14 for a 2-ingredient cocktail is a bit much). Our expectations were quite high coming here due to all the raves and awards and the fact that they have their own cookbook. Unfortunately we were overall disappointed as our bill came out to be shy of $100 per person, and none of the dishes (except maybe the dessert) were mind blowing. Overpriced and overhyped but good. Nice spot to go once in a lifetime but never again unless you want an amazing panna cotta for $12. You could make a lot of the dishes at home, and possibly better,...

It was challenging to get a reservation at Rintaro before 7pm, but I finally managed to get one at 5pm about one month in advance. Got very lucky with parking across the street. There were about 12 people waiting out front just before they opened for dinner. Evidently half the people were lining up without a reservation, no idea how long it took before they were seated.

The space is beautiful. Gorgeous woodworking crafted all throughout the restaurant from the bar, booths, rafter beams, etc. There’s also a really nice patio decked out with plants.

Ordering was a relatively lengthy process for four well-traveled foodies. We ordered some sashimi, an assortment of chicken skewers, a large fried fish, and some salad. I scoured the menu for a highball but they only had wine, beer and shochu drinks. I settled on Asahi, the only beer on draft. Was disappointed by the lack of highballs, Japanese whiskey, and extremely limited beer selection. They had bottled Hitachino Red Rice Ale but I prefer the Hefeweizen-esque White Nest Ale to pair with meals.

First dishes to come out was the sashimi. The soy sauce was nicely aged and dense. The wasabi freshly grated. The saba (mackerel) was fresh but remarkably plain, with no vinegaring, which is a flavor I normally associate with saba. The hamachi was similar.

Then came out the duck salad, which came with a heap of mizuna and thinly sliced stone fruit. The duck had a nice smokiness to it. Decent but simple dish. The gyoza was served with a crunchy layer on top of the dumplings. They were a bit plain and the wrappers lacked thin delicacy of a similar but better version at Ramen Nagi.

I was a fan of the Yakitori skewers. The Momo with sansho pepper sauce tingled for quite awhile. It was bursting with flavor and the chicken thigh meet cooked to perfection. The Bonjiri had a bit of the crispiness you get from kawa aka chicken skin but a fatty taste within.

The highlight of the meal for me was the Kama Tama Udon. An egg yolk on top of a small mound of fresh udon noodles with a willowy pile of freshly shaved katsuobushi. It had a buttery bonito flavor and the udon noodles had a perfect texture and chewiness.

We also ordered a large fried fish that was described by the waiter as totally consumable, bones and all. I found that some of the bones were not as fried and broken down as expected. So I removed some of them to avoid the misfortune of getting fish bones stuck in my throat.

The Hojicha Panna Cotta was smooth but a bit plain and the Hojicha syrup was very subtle and didn’t carry much Hojicha flavor.

All told, Rintaro had some great Yakitori and a couple of standout dishes such as the Kama Tama Udon. There wasn’t much about the dishes that stood out to me in comparison to Izakayas I’ve been to in Tokyo or even Yakitori Kokko in San Mateo. It was solid but not mindblowing. The lack of highballs, Japanese whiskey and beer selections was disappointing. I will return eventually to try other items on the menu but Rintaro would probably rank in the middle of the pack for dinner...

Rintaro was the most disappointing dining experience I’ve ever had. Spending $300 for two people, including a mandatory 20% service charge, was simply not worth it.

We chose the fixed menu, and nearly every dish was bland and underwhelming.

Miso Cod: The texture and taste were decent but far from impressive — underseasoned and served in a portion so small it felt more like a garnish. It came with two snap peas, sliced down the middle, dotted with a strange, flavorless tofu sauce. The only standout on the plate was a small serving of thinly sliced cucumbers in vinegar — refreshing and balanced.

Sashimi (Moriawase Upgrade): Upgrading was a mistake. The slices were thin, small, and lacked flavor. The only one we enjoyed was the fatty tuna, which melted in the mouth. The rest were forgettable.

Yakitori Tsukune: The glaze was overly sweet, and the inside had an odd, unpleasant texture — mushy and borderline raw, almost reminiscent of vomit. The egg sauce was decent, but it didn’t save the dish.

Hitokuchi Oden: Easily one of our least favorite courses. The broth was somehow both bland and overly salty. The fishcakes were okay on their own but didn’t pair well with the broth. To make things worse, it came with a mustard-like sauce on the side that clashed completely with the dish. We couldn’t finish it.

Amberjack Katsu: This was the one highlight of the meal. Well-seasoned, crispy panko coating, and delicious house-made sauces. Unfortunately, it was a bit too oily — but still the best item we had.

Kake Udon: The noodles were undercooked, unevenly cut, and the broth was mediocre at best.

Mabo Dofu Don: The menu listed minced pork, but we only received mushrooms and tofu. The sauce was decent, but overall the dish felt lazy — something I could’ve made better at home.

Panna Cotta: The texture was spot on with a subtle hojicha flavor. However, it was served with the world’s thinnest almond cookie that added nothing to the dish and a sad, tiny cube of strawberry jelly that tasted like store-bought boxed Jell-O.

Service: Not terrible, but certainly lacking for what’s supposed to be a fine dining experience. We were checked on twice the entire night, while the table next to us was approached at least five to ten times. The staff seemed disinterested, and overall service felt cold and disconnected.

We were there to celebrate my boyfriend’s birthday, and the “special” touch was disappointing — just a regular menu with “Happy Birthday” stamped on the front and a single candle placed in an empty bowl. No dessert, no personal touch — just a candle.

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Overall: Rintaro was a letdown across the board — bland food, uneven service, and a steep price tag. The only thing memorable about this meal was how uninspired everything felt. I can’t recommend it and would...