Mokutanya

Interesting concept of a late night semi-private izakaya with cool music, subdued ambiance and Japanese feel. Conveniently located not too far from SFO, if you have a late flight or need a food fix after landing this place will hit the spot. The parking lot can be a bit challenging if it is full however. Highly suggest wearing socks with your shoes when you come here since you will need to take off your shoes. Kind of like being at the airport LOL. Slippers are not provided and something about being barefoot while in a restaurant kinda gives me the ick.The food is what you would find at an izakaya in Japan. I got to have my shishamo (grilled pregnant smelt - tastes better than it sounds) which I hadn't had since leaving Japan. There are various skewered meats as well. Service was good, water got refilled although the plates could have been taken away sooner IMO. Definitely a date night spot -- appreciated the music here, it's like they highjacked my playlist. Would come back to try out more of their items!

The skewers all had nice flavors. The wagyu beef and regular beef were some of my favorites. The spicy skewer definitely had a kick! I would get the scallops on their special menu again. The scallion chicken was also pretty good.The staff were all very friendly. We were really lucky to have gotten a table for 2 for a 7PM dinner on Valentine's Day without a reservation. The floor seating at the restaurant was quite unique! Great place for dates and hangouts with friends!

I was at Mokutanya on Friday at 9PM with a party of 9 and they were able to seat us quickly in a beautiful room. The dining experience is definitely super cool. Every little nook has glass windows in between so you feel like you can have conversations without the next table hearing you. You have to take your shoes off before sitting down, giving you a real Japanese experience.Food is great and comes out quickly. Each bite is spectacular and I had to stop myself from ordering seconds. The only thing stopping me was that each item is a little bit pricey but for the quality of the food, I'll definitely be coming back as soon as I can.

This place sets a chill vibe. Dim lights and low tables. Service was pretty quick and food was great. Skewers only has 2-3 pieces of meat so the bill can add up pretty quickly. But overall good place to eat.

First class Japanese grill.This was a fun and delicious experience. Take my shoes off and sit floor level. Everything was delicious, smokey charcoal aroma, well seasoned tender meats, and flavorful dipping sauces. The service was outstanding and attentive. The place is dim, romantic, and great for special occasions. Protip: I'm used to getting 2 skewers per order, but this spot is just one. It's not cheap, but it's great food.

Never had I had a dining experience like this and I'll definitely be coming back! I fell in love in the ambiance and how guests take off their shoes and sit in sunken booths separated by glass borders. With the dim lighting, the space feels intimate dining with others yet still private with the space and window encasings between each pod. Not to mention, the playlist slaps - we had to ask our server for the playlist cuz everyone around the table was shazam-ing throughout the meal haha. We spent about $60/person which was a bit of a splurge; though we all left more than satisfied. We got a variety of kushiyaki, tapas, and dessert (of course).Our must gets:- chicken karaage- fries w/ kewpie mayo, tonkatsu sauce, bonito flakes, green scallions, seaweed sprinkles- wagyu beef w/ salt + pepper (kushiyaki)- unagi (kushiyaki)- pork belly (kushiyaki)- bacon asparagus (kushiyaki)- raspberry mascarpone cake- creme bruleeWe were very impressed and surprised with how good the dessert is! Definitely grab dessert if you have a sweet tooth after dining, you won't regret it.Our servers and host were attentive. Definitely recommend this place for a date night or a night out with friends. We will definitely be back!

Was looking for a late night spot for small bites/lighter food, and saw this place bookmarked on my Yelp. At 11 PM on a Wednesday night, usually the only things open are fast food or convenience/grocery stores, so to find a legit, full blown restaurant that was open and serving until last call at 1:15 PM was already an amazing plus! Parking was easy because it was so late at night, but maybe 1/3 of the spots in the parking lot at the plaza are reserved for other businesses. Something to note. Got seating within 5-10 minutes even without a reservation, and honestly loved the idea of sitting on the floor with no shoes. There were glass partitions between the tables, but everything about this place was elegant, cozy, and thought out. It was a bit dark, though, and I think it'd be cool if they provided a little table light that would provide extra lighting if needed. Of the 6 skewers ordered, I loved the chicken yuzu one the most (surprising because chicken is my least favorite), but the flavors of all the skewers and the timing of when it came was all perfect.The ramen was not memorable at all. The noodles seem like they came straight from a package--no real texture or anything special about them--the broth was so mild and flavorless. Maybe like a really diluted soy sauce. I only ever order Shoyu ramen, but to have such a flavorless broth was a first. They have unique meat choices, like fox and bobcat................... Which I did not try! Overall, this place is one of the better skewer places I've had!

Mokutanya is a unique izakaya experience when you remove your shoes in a traditional Japanese setting mixed with modern design aesthetics. You can easily taste the smoke imparted to each piece of grilled meat thanks to the binchotan coals they use here. We tried nearly everything they had to offer, chicken skin, gizzard, heart, thigh, seafood, and even the ramen. All of it was delicious and no meat was overcooked! My only advice is to wear clothes that you don't mind getting a bit smokey :)

Took my husband here for his birthday and I have nothing but great things to say about this place, from the service, to the food, to the ambiance, everything was amazing. Don't let the parking lot fool you, this place is a gem. My husband's birthday fell on a Monday this year, made a reservation for 2. Monday was perfect since he LOVES oysters and they have dollar oysters on Monday's. This was our first time here so we pretty much let our server order for us. We got the oysters, several different skewers and the fries W/ kewpie mayo, tonkatsu sauce, bonito flakes, green scallions & seaweed pickles. Although I love those kinda fries, at other places I'm kinda over it after a few bites. My husband and I finished every last fry. Amazing. For the skewers my husbands favorite was the wagyu salt and pepper, and mine was definitely the bacon mochi. I could've eaten a dozen of those. Soooo gooood. My husband had some ramen too, can't remember which one but he loved it. The restaurant was dimly lit, you take off your shoes and get cozy. Service was prompt and friendly. 10/10 recommend. Will absolutely be back to try more dishes. They have exotic meat night as well, I believe Thursday? Would love to come back for that. The one and only con is parking. I came early and was lucky to get a spot right in front but the parking lot is tiny with several different businesses so keep that in mind, but absolutely come check them out!

Yelp Review for Mokutanya (3/5 Stars)Mokutanya has a stylish, modern vibe with dim lighting and glass walls that give it an intimate feel. The service was solid--our server kept refilling our water without us asking--but the food service was painfully slow. We sat down at 6:30 and didn't leave until 9:30, waiting nearly two hours just for a zucchini skewer.The food itself was great, though. The wagyu skewer was delicious, and the spicy pork belly skewer had a perfect amount of heat and flavor. If the kitchen were quicker, this place could easily be rated higher. If you don't mind waiting a long time for your food, Mokutanya is still worth a visit for the tasty skewers, but the slow service drags down the experience.