“ Thoroughly enjoyed the experience at Rintaro. We opted for the tasting menu and sat in the courtyard, which had a serene, warm vibe to it. The sashimi was high quality and the Dungeness crab in the croquette plentiful. This version of the miso black cod is perhaps my favorite in the city. The udon was exceptional, preferred over other other udon-specialized restaurants that we've been to. The chicken yakitori was packed with flavor, which a rich egg yolk infused sauce that created a wonderful pairing. The housemade tofu in the mabodofu was great and the fish cake and radish in the dashi was delicate. My hojicha panna cotta is now one of my favorite desserts -- and I'm not usually a fan of panna cotta. Wonderful experience and will be back! ”

“ A unique dining experience, the restaurant was nicely decorated and there was no rush through service to eat fast and get out. The two of us chose the Set menu. Overall, I ate mostly everything. There were a few dishes that I did not, mostly texture and flavors that weren't my favorite. ”

“ I'm actually amazed I haven't written more about Rintaro! This is our favorite restaurant in the Bay Area and has been our go-to for many of our special moments - our first Valentine's Day, anniversaries, and even our recent engagement! Initially, we were just blown away by the food. From the sashimi and oden to their yakitori and udon - we've never had a dish here that wasn't incredible. This time, we tried their limited time short rib curry and the cod. The cod was incredible, perfectly marinated and full of flavor in every bite. And it was ridiculous how soft and tender the short rib was! And of course, we ended with the hojicha panna cotta (because trust me - it's so good we get one each). Special mention also to the staff :). We really love how warm and friendly everyone we've met has been, and we also love that they all seem to be friends too! Highly recommend Rintaro! It holds a special place for us and we definitely think you'll love it too! ”

“ This review is a long time coming! I came here with some friends for a friend's birthday, and we were seated in the outdoor patio. Despite being close to the street, the wall of the restaurant blocked out much of the noise, making us feel like we had been transported to another world. The music was light and lively so conversation remained easy to hear. The decor is just beautiful -- from the patio to the interior architecture to even the bathroom, this place is really special. We shared many dishes together. Apologies if some of these dishes are outdated because this was a while ago. We got the Chicken Thigh Yakitori, the Yakitori Tsukune with Raw Egg, the Yosedofu, the Kake Udon, the Salmon and Tuna Don, the Kanpachi Kama, the Tomato No Sunomono, the Iwashi No Nanbanzuke, the Oden No Moriawase, and the Kurobuta Katsu. I also got a Yuzu Chu-hai. All of them were phenomenal, but my personal favorite was the Tofu Purses in the Oden No Moriawase -- they were so unique and beautifully plated, and I loved the mochi centers. The attention to detail for each and every one of these dishes is incredible and clearly full of care. All of these dishes I would happily recommend, as they were all standouts in their own right. The staff were all so kind and helpful with recommendations. We had such a lovely time, and I'm so glad to have been able to try this place. The higher price point is for sure worth it here, so if you're trying to find a place for a special occasion, I can't recommend here enough. Will definitely be back! ”

“ Have always been excited to try the $85 set menu and it did not disappoint. Making a reservation was definitely a good move because we were able to get seated right away, while others who arrived at the same time had to wait a bit. We decided to upgrade the sashimi, which I was a bit skeptical of at first, but the fish quality was actually so fresh and easily worth it. The miso cod was flavorful but not overly rich, and I liked the bounce on the udon noodles. The hojicha panna cotta has great depth of flavor and is just as silky as everybody says it is. There were some items that didn't stand out as much, such as the tsukune and tofu don, but I'm sure that's a given with most tasting menus. All in all, I felt that the set menu was very worth the money and felt very cohesive. We left stuffed! The staff were really attentive and always checked on us to clean our table, refill our water, and see our progress with the food so that they could bring the next dish right away. My friend and I appreciated the warm lighting and cozy izakaya atmosphere, along with how you could see into the open kitchen. I'm excited to try some of their regular menu items next time. ”

“ Hate to say it, but the hojicha panna cotta lives up to the hype. If you only get one thing on the menu, get this. The panna cotta is light yet the hojicha flavor is rich, and it pairs perfectly with the cracker on the side!! In terms of food, some were hots some were misses. My favorites were: the miso cod (yes, it's served cold, but the cod is cooked really well. buttery soft without being overly fatty), tsukune skewer (so juicy, melts in your mouth), oden (the broth really cures you!), and the oyster chicken (really juicy). What I would not get again: the sashimi dishes (the tuna was not really fresh), kake udon (broth is flavorful but udon is a bit underwhelming), inner thigh yakitori (over shined by the oyster chicken and tsukune). Great ambiance inside, but service in the beginning was a bit slow (getting seated, taking our order). ”

“ Decided against the tasting menu on the second visit. We chose from each category except for the stew section. Professional service, beautifully presented food, and the quality of the sashimi- amazing. Our large party was seated in the back which has a small restaurant feel and is less noisy than the front. I know they provide blankets to sit in the front area, but the back room is nicer and quieter. ”

“ My writing on Yelp is not as good as the food at Rintaro. I would need to be a Nobel Laureate in quality to surpass the standard set by the restaurant. I can say, however, that to post about this establishment creates that same dilemma which arises again and again. If you like a place and you tell people, essentially the whole world via social media, you risk it being overrun. But I suppose it is too late. The word is out. My nephew from St. Louis was visiting. He is a relation by marriage, my age. We wanted to show him the best of San Francisco. This would qualify, easily. The food was extraordinary, There were no exceptions. I cannot recall all that we had, with a party of four (another cousin joined the nephew, my wife, and me). It included some of the grilled items, I believe king trumpet mushrooms and chicken; the salad with Mizuna and turnip and squid; the kabocha; and the sashimi plate; also the kake udon. The setting was great. The service was fantastic. There were some noisy children. I try not to be a curmudgeon, and we all once were kids (though not all of us had parents with the means, nor the desire, to take us out for fine dining, and I grew up without either -- my parents had no money for frivolity, and, if they had, they would not have spent it in this manner). Speaking of finances, I should say that the best aspect of Rintaro is it is not one of those establishments accessible only to tech bros and others with high net worth. To be sure, it is a San Francisco business; you cannot be impoverished and get a seat. But on the scale relative to its peers operating at this level, it is a bargain. I want it to remain special, but I would bet even if I attempted to become a regular, each occasion would still be an event, a memorable meal. ”

“ SF Izakaya Nestled in the Mission, Rintaro is a California inspired Japanese izakaya that's been a hit since opening I'd been meaning to try the spot for a few years and finally was able to snag the still popular reservations that open ~21 days out The spacious space is bustling with every table filled and an atmosphere that feels warm and inviting Craft cocktails and a focused but varied menu ensure that every meal will be delicious and memorable Our favorites for the night were the gyusuji (slow simmered beef tendons in oden broth), tsukune with raw egg, the chilled udon with duck and dipping broth, and the mapotofu don...also the amazing hojicha dessert Lovely meal and stoked to finally check Rintaro off my hit list Yosedofu $15 / San Ten Mori $45 ~ blue fin, hamachi, halibut sashimi / Oden Gyusuji $14 ~ long simmered tendon with oden broth, Furofuki daikon $8, Rintaro Hanpen $14 / Yakitori Sasami $10 / Yakitori tsukune $12 + raw egg $3 / Kurobata tonkatsu $25 / Kamojiro Udon $25 ~ Chilled dipping udon with duck / Mabodofu Don $17 / Hojicha Panna Cotta $12 / Yonashi Budo Zero ~ poached Bartlett pear in grape jelly $18 Rintaro (San Francisco, CA) Dining is indoor only and reservations are recommended on Resy. Credit cards accepted. ”