Hotaru Japanese Restaurant

I've been coming to Hotaru for about two decades now and as far as I can tell, nothing about this spot has changed. The restaurant looks and feels the same as it did in 2004 and the food hasn't dropped in quality and the servings are a good size.I'm a big fan of their bento boxes, chicken teriyaki, chicken karaage, tempura and chicken katsu. Pros: Consistent and delicious food and good size portionsCons: Parking in downtown SM can be a B, but with so many great restaurants in one area, what can you do

Been here twice for lunch now. The first time my friend and I got bento boxes. Everything was just okay. Didn't like that the lunch options were preset. Prefer when a restaurant allows you to pick one thing out of each column for some flexibility. Second time we got sushi rolls. Much better than the bento boxes. However it's about $20 for a specialty roll and their fish quality does not validate that price. Place is small and gets full. When it's full it's super noisy. Service is minimal. The last time I was there no one checked on us. When I finally got someone's attention I asked for something but it was never brought. Not a bad place is friends take you here but not somewhere I would choose to go myself.

I gave this a 5 star rating because bang for your buck is terrific. Five of us went to Hotaru for lunch today Our bill w/o tip was $116. My husband and I have gone to other Japanese restaurants for lunch with check totals being a minimum of $60. One may think that maybe portion size was small because of such a reasonable price. Nope. Generous serving size. The quality was very good as well. Service - excellent. Highly recommend.

There's a reason this family-owned restaurant has been around as long as it has -- for decades, it's delivered quick, solid Japanese food at an unbeatable price! I am a huge fan of the combo deals so that I can have noodles and hand rolls. On cold days, I pair my hand rolls with hot udon; on warm days I get the cold soba. There are also other combos, like chirashi and hot bento options, too. They also have lot of a la carte options, including some less common dishes (like natto!). The restaurant itself is small, so on busy nights it could be hard to get a table, especially if you have a large group.

Local spot that I love. This place holds a special place in my heart. The service is always quick and the food is always fresh and delicious. The inside is simple. This is the place I get the same meal every time. Call me old school but it brings me joy where a place remembers me.

Staff/Service - Friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable.Decor/Interior - Typical looking Japanese restaurant like others in the area.Menu - One of the most extensive I have seen of late.Portions - Generous. The mixed tempura appetizer was a surprise.Quality - Good. No complaints.Edamame - Complimentary!

I think they have a pretty good lunch specials that give you a lot of food and a nice variety. The lunch specials are on the more expensive side, in my opinion. I had the udon special that's $19. However, the food a good and they give you more than enough. My friend got a regular lunch dish. They were given enough food for 2 meals. I think Hotaru is a great lunch spot that has a large menu selection. I enjoyed my meal here and will be coming back to try other items.

Excellent curry rice dishes. Curry was flavorful and had chunks of beef. Pork katsu was crispy outside and tender and juicy inside. Nice green salad that came with meal. Really liked the bowl of edamame provided upon arrival. Great potato and beef croquettes too.

This is my go to spot when I'm hungry for Japanese food. It's been at this location for sometime now. Although you can go to other spots in San Mateo, this place is authentic. I've been coming here since the early 90s and it's still consistently good. My favorite is the curry katsu over rice. They use a beef curry which you don't find anywhere else that I know. There's even pieces of beef stew in the curry which is an added treat. Their katsu donbori is delicious and warms the stomach on a cold winter night. The portion side is big enough to fill you up. On occasions, we would order the udon and rolls which are tasty. You really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Seating in this place can get crowded fast since it's not that big. Most of the week, there not much of a wait. However, the weekends can get busy, but the wait isn't too long. They have a good variety of Japanese alcohol if you drink. One added bonus is that this place opens on most holidays when other places are closed.

My favorite cute little Japanese restaurant in the Bay Area. I've been coming here since I was a child and the food has always stayed consistent though out the years. Everything is priced reasonably and the quality is always there. The service is quick and efficient. Definitely recommend trying the lunch specials!