Good solid place when you’re in the mood for Taiwanese street food. Very fast turnaround time if you order ahead, but finding parking may be a challenge on the busy 3rd Avenue in downtown San Mateo. Used to be Shihlin Taiwan Street Snacks, but now after new name it no longer has any of the oyster-based menu items.

Everything we got was pretty on point for Taiwanese comfort/night market food. Easy to order online and pick up in store. They had great ventilation inside with the back and front door open and several staff 😷 which is good for reducing spread of everything (yes, even in 2025, it’s not over y’all). One thing to note— “Taiwanese tempura” is nothing like Japanese tempura. It refers to a kind of fish cake. We got them with plum seasoning which was too sweet and not right for this snack— go for something savory.

Wanted to try something new and checked out this restaurant for northern Chinese cuisine. We got the scallion pancake with beef, jianbing with fried dough, and mayonnaise shrimp. The scallion pancake with beef was really good with the sauce and the cucumbers, the mayo shrimp had too much flour but the pieces of shrimp were very large, the jianbing was good but the fried dough was so large that it filled us up fast. The staff was super nice, the portions were very big but the flavors could be better.

Authentic and delicious food! The owners are also extremely nice and friendly, highly recommend.

Disappointed at this place, ordered food, unable to eat it due to the extreme amount of salt, DoorDash wouldn’t refund me, my husband let the restaurant know and they said to deal with DoorDash…well this goes straight to the garbage can!!!! So so disappointed!!!!

It's difficult to find a really good Chinese restaurant. We decided to try this one out and it didn't make the mark. First, it looks beat up. The interior is dark, the menus books are worn and dirty and it all looks sad. But that didn't mean the food wouldn't be good. However, it did not measure up. We got Salt and Pepper Pork Chops and Beef Chow Fun. The portions were large. The meat in the Chow Fun was was chewy and the noodles lacked flavor. The chops had an okay flavor but they were all kinds of sizes, some with sharp bone pieces and there were little pieces of breading with no meat inside. The meal was filling but disappointing.

I’d say this place might be decent if you want family take out of crazy Chinese food. I’m sure it can be very filling. I had missed the lunch special and just wanted a plate to feed my son and I. I mentioned I just wanted orange chicken and chow mein, and they said they could do it no problem. Come to find out my small takeout plate cost $18. Not worth it.

Did not taste right and portion is very small

Small place, food was good. Price is fair. We had pork belly noddle soup, loved it. Combination noodle soup, beef wraps. All very good. Will go back again..

I was excited to try Zen Noodle Bar because the menu has lots of classic Szechuan dishes. I had the Spicy Beef Noodle Soup and Beef Wrap. Both dishes were overly sweet and had the same foul taste of cheap vegetable oil. The Spicy Beef Noodle Soup didn't have any Szechuan peppercorn numbing spice, or really any spiciness at all. The service was good, so I do appreciate that!

‼️Keep in mind that your experience may differ from mine, as I arrived during opening (11:30am Sunday). I would reccomend going upon opening (11:30am early lunch or 5:00pm early dinner) Immediately greeted and was seated upon entering. The dining area was very clean. The raw ingredients section was very orderly. Food came out quick, sub 10 minutes. Broth was very delicious (bone broth, spiciest option) and not overly-salty like Tang Bar or YGF. The beef and lamb wasn't overcooked, either, so they maintained their tenderness. The huge game changer, for me, was the self-service sauce bar. Similar to an AYCE hotpot establishment, ZLM has a whole array of Chinese sauces and aromatics to choose from. Two small details that really sold me was that they provided nice quality chopsticks and offered self service water jugs. $34 for 2 people 4.5/5 service 5/5 food 4/5 atmosphere 4/5 cost 4.375/5 overall experience

Total Score: 6.94 Bathroom: N/A Didn’t use bathroom Customer Service: 4.25/5 Very nice. Refilled waters, and also saw there was some food chunk in my drink and offered to replace my water. 🥺 Ambiance: 3.5/5 Clean and bright, but normal decor Food: 4/5 Good selection of food, and good flavors after it was cooked. Nothing to complain about. Also free sauce bar!! Wow: 0/1 Normal malatang restaurant Total Score = (CS + 2*AM + 5*FOOD + WOW)/0.9

Food here is absolutely delicious. Fresh fish flavor, good sour flavorful broths, they even offer some meat based dishes for people that aren't interested in having a fish only dinner. We came pretty hungry so 4 of us were able to tackle 2 large fish dishes and 1 beef tender spicy mix (small). Easy to order via QR code on the table, large easy to navigate menus. Tons of side dishes/mix-ins included for free and includes free rice bowls as well. Prices were extremely reasonable considering the amount of food. The interior is a bit cafeteria style like but I personally didn't have an issue with that. It is a little cramped and the restaurant fills up with a line during the peak periods. They did however have just enough seating from people coming and going and they let us stay for quite some time without rushing us to leave.

Not impressed. Food: 1. We ordered green pepper fish and tomato fish. Flavor is good. Green pepper is pleasantly mouth mumming. The tomato fish is a bit bland but I guess it is good for kids. But the portion size is underwhelming. Well you got a big bowl but it is shallow and not much fish inside. Even one fish dish comes with 4 “free” additional veggies/starch, each of them has petty amount. You just cannot justify that with a 30 dollar before tips and tax price tag. Unless you each a lot of rice (it is free), really really a lot. Maybe 10 bowls of rice each person. Environment: Not good at all. Shallow hallway, smells from the kitchen sink, slippery floor. Just like a “fly eatery” back in China. Service: It is ok. Nothing to complain about but nothing done for you. Never check on you. Go to the front desk and ask for things! Given the value of it, we have lots of alternatives and should not come back again.

I recently tried a few dishes at this restaurant, and I was truly impressed! First, the **Beef with Broccoli**—the beef was tender and juicy, paired with fresh, crisp broccoli. The flavors were perfectly balanced, not too salty or bland, just right! Next, the **Xiaolongbao (soup dumplings)** were amazing—thin wrappers filled with flavorful meat and a burst of savory soup with every bite. Absolutely a must-try! Lastly, the **Scallion Oil Noodles** were simple yet delicious—the noodles had a great texture, and the fragrant scallion oil was so satisfying. Every dish felt carefully crafted, and I can’t wait to come back! Highly recommend this place!

Really enjoyed the wonton noodle soup here—the soup was tasty, lots of veggies, and the wontons were pretty good too. Also tried their green beans; they had a nice spicy kick. Prices were okay, definitely would come again when craving something comforting and a bit spicy.

The food are fresh and amazing!! My wife from Taiwan loves it. She finally found a Chinese restaurant in the US that impressed her. The taste and quality are that of premium more expensive restaurants. Props to the cook. We couldn't wait to eat it while charging our vehicle nearby.

Fast, fair prices, classic, simple Chinese food. The use of corn starch was a little heavy but not out of line. the lunch specials are a single entree and rice so we got a side dish of steamed vegetables. The salt and pepper pork was battered and this is not how I’m used to it but it tasted great. I’m not sure this dish would be as good as take out but as dine in and hot and crispy I really liked it. $30 for two for lunch.

Hot Wok is a tiny, non-descript restaurant off the grid in a commercial-office neighborhood. It doesn’t look like much inside or out, but the service is good, the food good to fantastic, the prices reasonable and the food is serviced quickly and hot. They process a lot of take out orders for the lunch crowd when I visited. The only downside; the dining area could use some updating….it is a bit dingy. Also, it is difficult to find street parking at lunchtime although the walk is not as far as it seems.

Such a lovely hidden place! Portions are huge, prices are affordable, staff is so friendly!!! Looked like all the dishes, whether rice or noodle dishes, can be made vegetarian. My friend and I had lunch specials - combo of a soup (for us it was sweet and sour) and your choice of protein with rice or salad. The sweet and sour soup was made with eggs so the lady kindly offered me to make a veggie soup for me, can you imagine?! So sweet! My tofu dish she said is vegan, no fish sauce or anything like that! If you’re in the area I strongly suggest you stop by!

Came here with a group and we had no wait on Tuesday at 2 pm. Good: - This place has so much variety - I loved the pumpkin dessert, and the fried tomato and egg with rise, the duck soup was hearty too - Peanut noodles were a standout dish - Portion sizes were good and this place was great value for the price - Bright natural lighting and homey ambiance Bad: - Wish I could have tried more of the dishes before we got full! Overall this place was amazing! I'd come again

Love this place! I’ve been coming here regularly and it never disappoints. The flavors are spot on—just like what you’d get in a small shop in China. The pork dumplings and noodle soup are my go-to, and the chili oil is amazing. Super affordable, fast service, and always consistent. It’s one of those rare spots where you feel like you’re getting real homemade food. Highly recommend if you're in San Mateo and want something satisfying and authentic.

Have been coming to this mom and pops restaurant for over 2 decades. Food is authentic and always made fresh to order. Friendly atmosphere and have never had a bad experience with any of their employees. It can be busy during lunch hours for the steam table, but that just speaks volumes about the quality and flavors you can find here.

Toa Yuen, located in the Laurelwood shopping Center off Hillsdale Blvd, offers a buffet lunch daily. Good food, reasonable prices, friendly staff. It’s my go-to place for a good Chinese meal.