Ghost kitchen concept with a super accommodating and friendly owner. Got the salmon trio box, bara Chirashi, and bluefin tuna box. I ordered kind of late but was willing to drive to San Mateo and her and I were able to work out a timing to pick upEverything was amazing and such good value. Ju-I is super generous with her uni and roe. The rice is flavored very well and doesn’t even need additional soy sauce in its cute pipette.The chirashi box didn’t look exactly like the pictures but makes sense when it’s so fresh. We are girls, who don’t like eating too much rice, but we consumed ALL the rice in the chirashi box.Will definitely get the salmon and tuna boxes again!
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi
Tamy Tsujimoto
High quality
Food: 5
Sophia D.
My fiancé surprised me with this for Valentine's day and I couldn't be happier! He ordered the omakase box & the tuna box and both were impeccable. The flavors were so unique, the fish was so fresh, and the presentation!! Literally gorgeous. Pick Up: They have pickup locations in San Francisco, San Mateo, and Hayward. The SF location is in the Sunset district! They were on time & super easy to find. Pickup was seamless :) Tuna Box: There were so many new flavor combinations in this box that I haven't tried before and that work so well. For example, truffle and parmesan on tuna!? Both parm & tuna have such strong flavors and I was worried it wouldn't mesh well together but it was so delicious. One of my favorite pieces! One of the pieces had this pate on it, it was perfectly salty and creamy. The otoro piece - SO BUTTERY. Literally tastes like the quality of tuna I had in Japan. Omakase Box: I loved the variety in this box!! It was my first time having raw mini octopus and it had the perfect chew to it. I loved the uni w/ ikura piece, the uni was so fresh and creamy and the ikura burst with flavor. Both boxes come with freshly grated wasabi and a cute soy sauce bottle. The pieces honestly didn't even need soy sauce because they had so much flavor. We'll definitely order from here again!
Chris W.
Cute packaging, very good quality fish, beautiful presentation. Omakase box comes with 10 nigiris for $75, which is a pretty solid deal. Pick up from a ghost kitchen - parking might be challenging, but they had it ready during the pick up window. One feedback I would give is the rice separated a lot from the fish, couldn't tell if it was supposed to be sushi rice or brown rice or some other rice with some sauce - it was grainier and harder than the typical omakase nigiri rice, and honestly the temp of the rice was quite cool even 1 hour after pick up. Nevertheless, really enjoyed the meal and might try something else next time.
Eva B.
Absolutely love more! It is mild but each powerful has its own unique mention. There is no need to add soy sauce and the fish itself is enough. The ratio of rice to fish is well balanced and the raw fish melts in the mouth. I couldn't find a place to meet but still really enjoyed it! 100% experienceable.
S C.
The 3 stars is for the system but food is 5 stars. Such a pain ordering online without getting confirmation. I ordered online and they said they will send me another email to confirm the order. I was confused because i was ordering for a dinner party, so if I didn't get confirmation then i need to plan getting other food. I tried calling them through instagram didn't work, DM them didn't reply until many hours later and they canceled the order saying they are too full. Thankfully i had enough time to get something else at a different restaurant. Anyway who does business without a phone nowadays? Then i gave another chance another time to order and pick up was very weird too, no one is in the front to talk to us. I was confused if that was the right place or not. Anyway, weird system you need to change and improve. BUT THE SUSHI WAS SUPER DELICIOUS AND PRETTY
Trina P.
Food: This omakase box was a dream! The uni was creamy and fresh. The sweet shrimp was my favorite. This box was $75. You must pre order ahead via the link. Service: Pick up was seamless. Before you arrive, Backhouse will send straight forward instructions on pick up. I believe the man running the pick up table was not a direct employee of Backhouse but the overall food mall. He was kind and very quick to grab additional soy sauce and napkins upon request. Ambiance: The pick up was in a "food mall." It is really moreso of a ghost kitchen. I would not consider this a food hall or mall. There are no seats to stay and eat on site. It is very rustic and you would not expect the food quality from the look of the building.
Lindsay K.
This is not your ordinary sushi takeout. The quality of fish is INSANELY GOOD. I admit to being a slight snob when it comes to sushi and don't mind paying a premium price to quality stuff. This place right here is IT. Their takeout/pickup order method was confusing at first but figured it out. They have tons of time slots if you order ahead, and usually I like to customize my platter. My most favorite sushi is their marinated ikura hand cut rolls! I had zero issues emailing with Jui (the chef) and customizing what I want. My recent big order was for xmas eve and it was around $300 for 50 pieces of sushi (think about how much you'll spend at a restaurant, it's worth it), also ordered 2 big platters for my birthday and they were a huge hit. The only thing I have to say is I wish they labeled their nigiris :/ So happy to have this place near where I live!
Robert C.
Came for the pop up dinner and it was a real treat! A small and personal space that feels immaculate and curated. A personal experience -- two hours that was engagingly interactive and fun The fish was amazing! Some unique takes to make each piece of fish interesting-little touches of flair that keep the omakase experience fresh, fun, and light. I liked this much more than the more traditional sterile style. Fish assortments included tunas and salmon, but then progressed into more diverse selection of oily fish, lean fish, seasonal fish, and decadent wagyu/caviar/truffle. Side-by-side presentations of aged Santa Barbara uni against Hokkaido uni. So we can finally settle the debate :)
Brandi T.
Came across Backhouse San Mateo's IG a few months ago and finally treated myself to their salmon trio and bluefin box. The ordering process was seamless and I was able to pay using Apple Pay. Ju-I sent emails regarding the pickup process and it went smoothly. Now for the omakase sets... you can see how much time and effort went into the presentation. The salmon trio box is king salmon with different toppings with a side of uni, ikura and pickles. I enjoyed the flavors of each piece with their respective toppings. The pieces with truffle were my favorite. The bluefin tuna box has 10 pieces of nigiri, 5 of which were o-toro (aka fatty and buttery) and I believe the other 5 were chu-toro. It also came with 2 pieces of toro taku maki topped with ikura. My favorite pieces were the chu-toro topped with uni. It was SO SO buttery and it melted in my mouth. Overall I enjoyed both boxes and felt like it was better than some restaurants that do omakase. If I'm craving omakase and feel like dining at home, I would definitely order from this place again. Thank you Ju-I for this unique, smooth omakase experience.
I came across Backhouse on Yelp. Called them and ask them questions, text them....No No NO answer. What kind of business is that? Sorry, if you don't tell us how to order the your food, I really don't have time to read all your reviews to find out how to order.
MJ L.
It's Saturday Oct-28-2023. I just arrived at the San Mateo Food Hall and Backhouse is not listed on the kiosk, not even as a Closed restaurant. Well, I figured this whole trip was an experiment for us... we're trying Umami Express instead. This food hall is weird tho, not even having an area where you can sit and eat.
S Duan
Absolutely love the flavor! It is mild but each piece is has its unique flavor. No need to add soy sauce and the fish itself is sufficient. The rice-fish ratio is well balanced and the raw fish just melts in mouth.I wasn’t able to find a nearby place to sit down but still really enjoyed it in my car! 100% worth the experience.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alex P.
The food here was pretty fresh. I felt the prices were a bit on the high side for a place you can't even sit down at. I went there thinking there would be seats but it was a pick up ghost kitchen. Maybe I should have looked at reviews first on the seating and the price. Overall not bad to take out food and go home to eat.
Priscilla L.
I came across Backhouse on Instagram and was immediately impressed by their presentation. I decided to order on the $75 omakase set which comes with 10 pieces of fresh sushi. After filling out the form online, I was able to make the payment through Venmo.I reached out to Backhouse on Instagram regarding a pick-up date. Ju-I was extremely accommodating and understanding with my hectic work schedule where I had to reschedule a couple times due to my work.The Omakase was mind-blowing. You can totally tell Ju-I pays attention to the smallest detail with these boxes. I enjoyed every bit and pieces of it and wished I had ordered another set. The sashimi melted in my mouth and just thinking about it makes my mouth water. Lol Backhouse & Ju-I, I will continue to order because I had such a wonderful experience throughout. Thank you, thank you, thank you! :)
Ghost kitchen concept with a super accommodating and friendly owner. Got the salmon trio box, bara Chirashi, and bluefin tuna box. I ordered kind of late but was willing to drive to San Mateo and her and I were able to work out a timing to pick upEverything was amazing and such good value. Ju-I is super generous with her uni and roe. The rice is flavored very well and doesn’t even need additional soy sauce in its cute pipette.The chirashi box didn’t look exactly like the pictures but makes sense when it’s so fresh. We are girls, who don’t like eating too much rice, but we consumed ALL the rice in the chirashi box.Will definitely get the salmon and tuna boxes again!
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sushi
High quality
Food: 5
My fiancé surprised me with this for Valentine's day and I couldn't be happier! He ordered the omakase box & the tuna box and both were impeccable. The flavors were so unique, the fish was so fresh, and the presentation!! Literally gorgeous. Pick Up: They have pickup locations in San Francisco, San Mateo, and Hayward. The SF location is in the Sunset district! They were on time & super easy to find. Pickup was seamless :) Tuna Box: There were so many new flavor combinations in this box that I haven't tried before and that work so well. For example, truffle and parmesan on tuna!? Both parm & tuna have such strong flavors and I was worried it wouldn't mesh well together but it was so delicious. One of my favorite pieces! One of the pieces had this pate on it, it was perfectly salty and creamy. The otoro piece - SO BUTTERY. Literally tastes like the quality of tuna I had in Japan. Omakase Box: I loved the variety in this box!! It was my first time having raw mini octopus and it had the perfect chew to it. I loved the uni w/ ikura piece, the uni was so fresh and creamy and the ikura burst with flavor. Both boxes come with freshly grated wasabi and a cute soy sauce bottle. The pieces honestly didn't even need soy sauce because they had so much flavor. We'll definitely order from here again!
Cute packaging, very good quality fish, beautiful presentation. Omakase box comes with 10 nigiris for $75, which is a pretty solid deal. Pick up from a ghost kitchen - parking might be challenging, but they had it ready during the pick up window. One feedback I would give is the rice separated a lot from the fish, couldn't tell if it was supposed to be sushi rice or brown rice or some other rice with some sauce - it was grainier and harder than the typical omakase nigiri rice, and honestly the temp of the rice was quite cool even 1 hour after pick up. Nevertheless, really enjoyed the meal and might try something else next time.
Absolutely love more! It is mild but each powerful has its own unique mention. There is no need to add soy sauce and the fish itself is enough. The ratio of rice to fish is well balanced and the raw fish melts in the mouth. I couldn't find a place to meet but still really enjoyed it! 100% experienceable.
The 3 stars is for the system but food is 5 stars. Such a pain ordering online without getting confirmation. I ordered online and they said they will send me another email to confirm the order. I was confused because i was ordering for a dinner party, so if I didn't get confirmation then i need to plan getting other food. I tried calling them through instagram didn't work, DM them didn't reply until many hours later and they canceled the order saying they are too full. Thankfully i had enough time to get something else at a different restaurant. Anyway who does business without a phone nowadays? Then i gave another chance another time to order and pick up was very weird too, no one is in the front to talk to us. I was confused if that was the right place or not. Anyway, weird system you need to change and improve. BUT THE SUSHI WAS SUPER DELICIOUS AND PRETTY
Food: This omakase box was a dream! The uni was creamy and fresh. The sweet shrimp was my favorite. This box was $75. You must pre order ahead via the link. Service: Pick up was seamless. Before you arrive, Backhouse will send straight forward instructions on pick up. I believe the man running the pick up table was not a direct employee of Backhouse but the overall food mall. He was kind and very quick to grab additional soy sauce and napkins upon request. Ambiance: The pick up was in a "food mall." It is really moreso of a ghost kitchen. I would not consider this a food hall or mall. There are no seats to stay and eat on site. It is very rustic and you would not expect the food quality from the look of the building.
This is not your ordinary sushi takeout. The quality of fish is INSANELY GOOD. I admit to being a slight snob when it comes to sushi and don't mind paying a premium price to quality stuff. This place right here is IT. Their takeout/pickup order method was confusing at first but figured it out. They have tons of time slots if you order ahead, and usually I like to customize my platter. My most favorite sushi is their marinated ikura hand cut rolls! I had zero issues emailing with Jui (the chef) and customizing what I want. My recent big order was for xmas eve and it was around $300 for 50 pieces of sushi (think about how much you'll spend at a restaurant, it's worth it), also ordered 2 big platters for my birthday and they were a huge hit. The only thing I have to say is I wish they labeled their nigiris :/ So happy to have this place near where I live!
Came for the pop up dinner and it was a real treat! A small and personal space that feels immaculate and curated. A personal experience -- two hours that was engagingly interactive and fun The fish was amazing! Some unique takes to make each piece of fish interesting-little touches of flair that keep the omakase experience fresh, fun, and light. I liked this much more than the more traditional sterile style. Fish assortments included tunas and salmon, but then progressed into more diverse selection of oily fish, lean fish, seasonal fish, and decadent wagyu/caviar/truffle. Side-by-side presentations of aged Santa Barbara uni against Hokkaido uni. So we can finally settle the debate :)
Came across Backhouse San Mateo's IG a few months ago and finally treated myself to their salmon trio and bluefin box. The ordering process was seamless and I was able to pay using Apple Pay. Ju-I sent emails regarding the pickup process and it went smoothly. Now for the omakase sets... you can see how much time and effort went into the presentation. The salmon trio box is king salmon with different toppings with a side of uni, ikura and pickles. I enjoyed the flavors of each piece with their respective toppings. The pieces with truffle were my favorite. The bluefin tuna box has 10 pieces of nigiri, 5 of which were o-toro (aka fatty and buttery) and I believe the other 5 were chu-toro. It also came with 2 pieces of toro taku maki topped with ikura. My favorite pieces were the chu-toro topped with uni. It was SO SO buttery and it melted in my mouth. Overall I enjoyed both boxes and felt like it was better than some restaurants that do omakase. If I'm craving omakase and feel like dining at home, I would definitely order from this place again. Thank you Ju-I for this unique, smooth omakase experience.
Restaurantji Recommends
I came across Backhouse on Yelp. Called them and ask them questions, text them....No No NO answer. What kind of business is that? Sorry, if you don't tell us how to order the your food, I really don't have time to read all your reviews to find out how to order.
It's Saturday Oct-28-2023. I just arrived at the San Mateo Food Hall and Backhouse is not listed on the kiosk, not even as a Closed restaurant. Well, I figured this whole trip was an experiment for us... we're trying Umami Express instead. This food hall is weird tho, not even having an area where you can sit and eat.
Absolutely love the flavor! It is mild but each piece is has its unique flavor. No need to add soy sauce and the fish itself is sufficient. The rice-fish ratio is well balanced and the raw fish just melts in mouth.I wasn’t able to find a nearby place to sit down but still really enjoyed it in my car! 100% worth the experience.
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food here was pretty fresh. I felt the prices were a bit on the high side for a place you can't even sit down at. I went there thinking there would be seats but it was a pick up ghost kitchen. Maybe I should have looked at reviews first on the seating and the price. Overall not bad to take out food and go home to eat.
I came across Backhouse on Instagram and was immediately impressed by their presentation. I decided to order on the $75 omakase set which comes with 10 pieces of fresh sushi. After filling out the form online, I was able to make the payment through Venmo.I reached out to Backhouse on Instagram regarding a pick-up date. Ju-I was extremely accommodating and understanding with my hectic work schedule where I had to reschedule a couple times due to my work.The Omakase was mind-blowing. You can totally tell Ju-I pays attention to the smallest detail with these boxes. I enjoyed every bit and pieces of it and wished I had ordered another set. The sashimi melted in my mouth and just thinking about it makes my mouth water. Lol Backhouse & Ju-I, I will continue to order because I had such a wonderful experience throughout. Thank you, thank you, thank you! :)