Kuma | Nori Shokudo

Although I have read many bad reviews, I still want to give it a try. This restaurant has only 10 small tables and accepts reservations but is limited to 90 minutes. We came at 5 pm , very the door , each time when someone open the door or stand there it bother me. Every dish was beautifully presented, but every dish was very salty, even the Ikura was soaked in soy sauce. Only like the black cod is not that salty and soft . Pork chops is over cooked , Mushroom is salty but rich lemon flavor….why . Because it was very salty, I drank water and tea until I was full. I couldn’t feel the taste of the food at all. Usually Izakaya ‘s food is little bit salty because it’s good for drinking, but no table ordered alcohol tonight，chefs Chefs should improve their adaptability. We paid $85 per person / 6 peoples

We've eaten at Morning Wood multiple times, including when it was located in San Bruno and San Mateo, so we were excited to try out their new concept, Kuma Nori. We got a table on the first Friday the week they opened and had such a great meal. Every dish was delicious, from the scotch egg with the most delicious mashed potatoes with oxtail sauce, to melt in your mouth scallops, to the rice with butter, chili, and sous vide egg. Service was great, the wait staff was obviously experienced and very friendly. No hiccups for opening week. We'll definitely be back.

Was a fan of their brunch place (Morning Wood). We were 5th on the waiting list and were promptly seated upon opening. The bad reviews about long waits are ridiculous, the place is small, has 10 tables, either arrive early or wait a very long time. Ordered ebi kakiage, "almost famous" fried chicken, seared 'shrooms, dengaku (eggplant). Loved every dish, especially the mushrooms and eggplant. Looking forward to a return trip.

We were so disappointed after visiting this new neighborhood restaurant. Do not get the katsu don by all means! We received 2 giant piece of pure FAT out of the 4 pieces of meat. The entire dish was so greasy, breading was falling off, meat was tender but flavorless. We told the waiter that we did not like the fat, and waiter told us that authentic Japanese katsu are made with fat and it’s normal to see this in Japan. 🤨 I did enjoy the crab pasta tho, which is why leaving this a 3 star.

I was skeptical to come here seeing the polarizing reviews about this place, but I decided to give it a shot anyway. It did not disappoint. We got the katsudon, crab pasta, kaisendon, and the stupid tuna roll. It's difficult to overstate the sheer portion sizes of the dishes here. The pork katsudon is massive, easily triple that of a regular one you get elsewhere. It was fatty, somewhat juicy, and very much in line with what I expected for a katsudon, contrary to the other reviews, and I very much enjoyed it. The kaisendon was loaded with seafood, and again, massive, easily a two person meal. This was my favorite dish, and I recommend it if you like raw seafood. Everything tasted fresh, and I was really impressed. The crab pasta was heavy and loaded with butter; it's delicious, but it's so overwhelmingly rich and you leave feeling like you ate a block of butter. It's just okay for me. The stupid tuna roll was the least likeable dish for me. It was somewhat bland, nothing went well together, and I just couldn't pinpoint what I didnt like about it, but I wouldn't recommend it. All in all, the food was great, the service was good, and I do recommend this place. Looking at all the reviews here, I imagine your mile may vary with your experience, but mine was an overall positive one.

I had high expectations when I saw pictures of the food online but was so disappointed. I don’t see how this place is worth any wait but gladly we didn’t wait at all on a Tuesday evening. We ordered the Kuma Katsudon and the crab Pasta. The Kuma Katsudon tastes so bad that 80% of it is fat and tastes like Chinese preserved meat, very salty. The crab pasta is better, more flavorful, but still a bit salty. The Japanese soda is very good tho, I had the watermelon one. They charge a flat 18% service fee so it adds up to $100+ for two people.

We came here out of curiosity because of the polarized reviews. It turned out the polarization is a no surprise. The food is actually ok. We ordered garlic scallop, katsu, mushroom, ontama rice and the beer. Every dish is on the sweet side. Each of them tasted ok by itself, but together they were way too sweet. The katsu udon is the worst. It was made of greasy fatty belly, it was a nightmare especially with other sweet dishes. We took one bite and gave it up. The only thing I am satisfied with is the beer.

I had high hopes for Kuma Nori, but my experience fell short. The katsudon was disappointingly dry, lacking tonkatsu sauce over the rice bowl. The dashi tomagoyaki had an odd dry tofu texture. Waiting 2 hours for this average meal was definitely not worth it. Despite the culinary letdown, I must commend Kuma Nori for their attentive service. The staff was efficient and courteous, but unfortunately, the positive service experience couldn't fully compensate for the underwhelming food.

Delayed review :/ unfortunate the shop closed. 4 of us came by for a Wednesday dinner around 7:30PM. We ordered: -kuma katsudon $38, thick pieces of pork, rice was good, a bit on the drier/tougher side -gyukatsunori $48, really rich flavors, cooked well -almost famous fried chicken $23, best value, extremely crispy, definitely must order -garlic uni pasta $43, personally not my fav, noodles were very ordinary -seasonal beer $12 -hot tea $4 ea Staff was friendly. They do an auto 18% tip. Flavors are very rich...so be aware! Easy parking in the plaza.

Chad and Monica Kaneshiro, the talent and the owners of this beautifully done Japanese fusion restaurant. Both trained chefs, both incredibly talented. So thankful I had the opportunity to experience their craft before they moved onto putting their talents and time into their other restaurants/businesses. Thank you both for the memorable meal I experienced with friends about a week ago! Heard how popular this restaurant was, we made sure to make reservations for almost opening time. Finding the restaurant was a little difficult as the frontage is alittle unassuming, so much so that I drove by it two times! The second time I spotted my friends outside the front of restaurant. Walked in to find a space intimate and cozy and almost completely filled! Same as when we left, the tables all turned for a second seating with two gals waiting outside for a next open table! Service spot on. We felt very pampered. Servers were young yet very polite and efficient. Heck, everyone is young to me. Hah. Still, they were impressive. And the food? Wow the food. Between the three of us we ordered 3 mains and 1 small plate/appetizer: The Stupid tuna (deconstructed sushi) roll was so impressive to look at. Didn't know where to begin. Once we did we couldn't stop. Blue Fin Ahi was super fresh and delicious. Topped with Hokkaido uni and generously served with refreshing ikura! The Kuma Katsudon was served on a generous bed of seasoned rice and egg. The katsu was mouth watering tender yet had to be the thickest cut of kurubuta pork ribeye katsu I had ever seen! Delicious and would order again and again. The Mentaiko pasta was my choice and was looking forward to this dish the most. Presentation stunning in everyday, especially with that soft shell crab tempura sitting on top of it beckoning everyone to taste! Best mentaiko pasta I've ever had. And to round off our meal we ordered the potakoyaki. If potato croquette and takoyaki got married and had a child... this would be it! Wish I had met you sooner. We were so fortunate when Chef Monica recognized us as customers from their other eatery and sent over, compliments on the house, their: "Ebi kakiage" appetizer: a giant basket of jumbo and crisp shrimp and vegetable tempura. Soooo good! And even tho I don't eat fried food much, there was NO survivor on this dish! And, "Almost Famous" fried chicken: which surprisingly had familiar flavors. Marinated fried chicken battered and fried and dusted with a salt and vinegar... a favorite take on Hawaii cuisine. Served Generously w/chili sauce and an elevated macaroni salad. It's taken me this long to write the review as I have been trying to wrap my head around all the goodness we experienced this night. Would have loved to come back one more time before they closed their doors but few days later I got contagiously ill. Will be looking forward to seeing and hearing more about Monica and Chad Kaneshiro's other ventures... possibly in Hawaii too? One can only hope. Wishing you a great rest and much success in future projects. This was a most memorable experience for me!

When I saw Kuma Nori announce that they were taking reservations and not requiring a deposit down, I made our dinner reservations for a Saturday dinner in June. I enjoyed Morning Wood, so I couldn't wait to try their dinner iteration of their Asian fusion cuisine, but wasn't going to wait in line for a table. The check in process was a bit confusing as I guess some patrons were either walk ins or had reservations and checked in well in advance of opening. Opening was 5pm, and we arrived about 7-10 minutes prior. We finally checked in, and got one of the last tables. I've been here previously when it was a ramen shop. The space is small and not well ventilated so I smelled like heavy cooking when I left. I planned on sharing with my picky eater the almost fried chicken ($23), and also ordered him a side of rice. My husband got the katsudon ($38). I ordered a Japanese melon soft drink, and he got a beer. Dishes came out pretty quickly and of course, portions were huge! The almost fried chicken was fried well, and the flavors stood out on its own where the dipping sauce wasn't necessary (in fact it was a bit too vinegary for me). The fried chicken had a light dusting of spicy salt. I also enjoyed the side cabbage salad with the light dressing and chopped up eggs. My picky little guy at a few bites, but I don't think it was for him, but hubs and I rather enjoyed it. The star of the show was the massive katsudon, which was a presentation all intself. Huge pieces of breaded pork (not too fatty) scrambled tamago and a delicious rich sauce on top of a huge bed of rice. It was so good. My husband thought just the katsudon itself would've been enough for both of us due to the richness and portions. The meal was a bit of a splurge, but it was great to experience, and I was a little limited with what I could choose from the menu. It's unfortunate that in a few days they'll temporarily close for an indefinite time, but I hope everything will be okay and that they're able to open back up at least for sometime in 2025.

Thank you to my exceptional friend Li Y. for making reservations and taking us out to Kuma Nori for dinner! I had heard of Kuma Nori on Instagram and read mixed things about the restaurant, but I didn't let that dissuade me from an overall great experience! It's a shame that they're closing their doors so soon but we wish them the best for their future endeavors! When we parked, it was hard to locate at first since the signage was small. Outside is a waitlist posted and a sign saying no parties over 6 people. Luckily, my friend made reservations so we didn't have to wait (highly recommend). The restaurant is small with several tables intimately spaced near each other. Dark lighting, lowkey at times but can get loud, plenty of traditional yet fun Japanese decor all around. It gives off a non-pretentious personal yet laid-back vibe. The owners, Chad and Monica are superb. We enjoyed talking stories with them (shoutout to the 808) and learning more about their business, and I loved seeing a picture of Kuma and Nori their doggies! We also appreciate their hospitality, kindness, and aloha spirit. Since there were three of us, we chose to share family style! We shared: Potakoyaki, Kuma Katsudon, The Mentaiko Crab Pasta, and Stupid Tuna Roll. The owners surprised us and brought out complimentary Almost Famous Fried Chicken and Ebi Kakiage--we were so grateful! All the dishes had great fusion incorporation. My favorite was the Ebi Kakiage--crispy, crunchy, and colorful. The tuna sashimi and ikura from the Stupid Tuna Roll was a favorite which melted and bursted in my mouth! The other items were good and flavorful but on the heavier side. Portions are ginormous and even though we shared it was quite filling and we took several take-out boxes. Japanese food is my favorite cuisine (yes, I am biased) and the peninsula has great options. Though I don't venture to this area much, if you live around, I'd recommend visiting Kuma Nori if you're interested in innovative fusion cuisine, especially before they close! Located in the Burlingame Plaza Shopping Center, there's plenty of free parking in the lot. Mahalo and arigatou to Chad, Monica, and the Kuma Nori ohana for a memorable meal!

The best Japanese Tonkatsu that we've ever had. I thought it would be really dry but turned out it was so tender and flavorful, still don't know how they made it. The portion for the Tonkatsu was huge, maybe even enough for two if you wonder. We also had their Wagyu box and Tuna roll, which were also a bomb. Gotta say this is my favorite Japanese restaurant in this area. We came on Saturday for dinner without reservation so needed to wait for almost 2 hours. Is it worth it? Yes for me. You can always hang out at the bar in the same complex while waiting like we did. But maybe try to join the waitlist as soon as you could to avoid the wait.

So heads up to folks! Book on RESY. I had planned on going 30 min before they opened and put my name on wait list and middle found out that you can go on RESY to make a reservation! HIGHLY recommend as it's a tiny place and folks without reservations couldn't get seated for a long while... SO - hubby and I were planning to go but let my oldest and middle know as fyi - little did we know they wanted to join and was willing to leave work early to join us for dinner! Sigh... i think it's the free meal aspect and the fact we got to try this place FINALLY... We were seated and what's so cute is on your little tray everyone had origami paper to help us pass the time while waiting. I haven't done a crane in FOREVER and had to google it but we all make cranes while waiting - so that was nice and fun!! Service was nice but be warned. They take everyone's order and dishes come out in batches - so all the pasta dishes would come out to all the tables, and so on. So you don't necessarily all eat together - just a head up on that... We did start off with the seared shrooms - and I'm glad we got that as a starter. It was SO good - perfectly cooked shrooms - all KINDS of shrooms in a nice sauce. So glad we got that dish... I got the Mentaiko Crab Pasta - OMG - it's HUGE!! It's rich and delicious with the fried soft shell crab on top. I couldn't eat it all and luckily because the kids joined us - they were all able to help me eat it up! LOL HIGHLY recommend as a MUST order but would recommend sharing - it's pretty rich and a good amount!! I've had Mentaiko Pasta at other places but the fact that they add a fried soft shell crab takes this dish to EXTRA!!! Hubby got the wafu gandara with had the sake seared black cod with fried garlic pieces on top, some veggies and a mashed sweet potato (we think). He LOVED it - thought the cod was a bit small but moved some of the veggies and sweet potato aside and there was more cod!! GREAT flavors - perfect sear on the black cod - he was happy with his dish and still talks about it. Middle got the wagyudon! It was very tasty with great wagyu and rice wasn't too much. It's a bit pricey - but that's what happens when you get wagyu and we probably won't get it again but it's definitely a try it once dish... Oldest got the kaisendon! WOWZA - that don was OVERFILLING with fresh seafood and the fried prawns were amazing. Oldest enjoyed it a lot!! Overall it was excellent food and service. I'm so happy we got to try it before they close in 2026. Plan to go back one more time before they close... there were other dishes we wanted to try but didn't get a chance...

This is my first time eating at this restaurant and I'm so glad it all worked out. This place recommends reservations, but they do allow walk-ins, so I was able to do a walk-in right when they opened. The interior is small, but it's pretty fitting for the Japanese vibes. Also, I saw on their IG that they will be closing indefinitely at the end of this month, so if you haven't gone here yet, this is your sign to go lol. My waiter was really nice and friendly. Gave some great recommendations, the pasta being one of them and so I trusted his opinion and ordered the pasta. It was delicious!! The noodles were cooked perfectly, the cream sauce was creamy and not spicy. The soft shell crab was also good! And a good size, too. The portion was definitely good for up to 2 people haha. I would really love to come back to try other stuff on the menu! Hopefully soon :)

I was super excited to try this place because of all the IG reels and TikToks I have seen. However, the food was just ok and was a bit overpriced for what it was. Restaurant was a bit small and had the hole in the wall feel. The server was nice and gave us some origami paper to fold while we waited for the food. Mentaiko pasta: 2.5/5, was super salty but did look super pretty Wagyudon: 3/5, it was an off menu item but the meat to rice ratio was also off Stupid tuna roll: 3/5, had way too much rice to fish

My family was visiting yesterday and I wanted to treat them to dinner. I've been wanting to go to this place for a while but there was always a long wait so pro tip before you go here, book a reservation on RESY or else you will be waiting a while for a table. Getting to the food, we ordered the Kuma katsudon, Kaisendon, wagyu omakase, and the shoyu ahi poke bowl. The katsudon was crunchy and the inside was moist. The pork also had a little bit of sweetness to it that caught me off guard. The kaisendon was fresh had a multitude of interesting textures that blends well together. The wagyu omakase was an explosion of flavor. The shoyu ahi poke bowl like the Kaisendon was also very fresh and it had a lightness to it. In summary, the food here was HIGH QUALITY. The service here is also really good. The servers were very kind and are very knowledgeable on the menu. The restaurant itself is literally a "hidden gem"lol. It's a small restaurant and can be hard to find on the outside. The inside is also small and supports more of an intimate setting. Side note the decor is nice, their playlist is on point, and the bathroom is clean. I highly recommend checking this spot out if you're in the area and want to try some high quality food. A tiny bit on the pricy side but well worth it!

Came here with some friends on a Wednesday night and put our name on the waitlist. We waited about an hour before we were seated so I would recommend coming early if you don't want to wait. Once we were seated the inside of the restaurant was really small so would probably not recommend too big of a party. As for the food, we ordered the katsu, fried chicken, and mentaiko crab pasta. The katsu dish really disappointed me as this was the dish I was most excited to try. The katsu was very thick but was very dry and hard to eat. For the price, it was not worth it. The fried chicken on the other hand suprised me as I had the lowest expectation for it. The chicken was moist and the sauce was the star of this dish. However my favorite dish from this place has to be the mentaiko crab pasta. This was the only dish that I felt was worth it from here! It was really creamy and had a small spice kick to it. The crab was really good too. If there's anything to get you have to order the mentaiko pasta. Overall for the price and taste, I don't know if I would come back but the staff were really nice.

3.5 stars I was able to grab a same day reservation off of Resy for 4 at 6:30p which was fortunate bc the place was full when we arrived. Here's what we ordered: - "Almost famous" fried chicken: crispy and served with a delicious egg salad over cabbage - Mentaiko crab pasta: my favorite out of what we ordered, flavorful with a decent sized soft shell crab - Dashi tamagoyaki: this was ok, I don't think I would order again - Miso corny: second favorite dish with scallops and a edamame purée with corn that added just the right amount of sweetness to the dish - Tomato salad: tomatoes were refreshing but the large fried mozzarella ball was a little too firm and hard to eat I would say a little pricey (but what isn't nowadays?!) though I give them credit for the large portions. We spent ~$200 ($170 without drinks) for 3 adults and a toddler but had leftovers for another meal. I would consider coming back again to try some other things.

*Insert drooling emoji* a super small restaurant in a plaza at Burlingame. I suggest coming when they open or making reservations in advance (they have a yelp waitlist). The MUST TRY's: * Mentaikao crab pasta 10/10 - you won't find this anywhere else in the city * gyukatsunori 8.5/10 - big portion, beef is as close as what you'll get from Japan * stupid Tuna roll 10/10 - fresh tuna sashimi with a dash of uni is chefs kiss * miso corny - scallops were delicious! I saw a Wagyu don everywhere on IG but couldn't find it on the menu. It's in their secret menu now but I suggest skipping. It was pretty pricey so definitely try what's on their menu! Would love to come back to try more dishes

10/10 five stars if I could afford to eat this on the regular... which is not to say I won't try. But I feel like I need to take the price point into consideration here (unfortunately). We (party of 3) arrived at around 4:45pm and was the second group on the waitlist on a weekday. Easy service, pretty empty for at least 30 mins after opening. Tbh everything looked good but we settled with: Kuma Katsudon $38 Garlic Uni Pasta $43 Seared 'Shrooms $16 Wagyu "nikujaga" MKT$ Total = ~$180 This was plenty of food for three people w/ a little bit of leftovers! Flavors were strong and on point. As some have pointed out, the katsu can be on the fattier side for such a thick cut. Mushrooms were packed with flavors and became an unexpected favorite. The pasta was really delicious as well; I'd confidently order this version or if the mentaiko crab one makes a return. I'm a fan of the subtle menu changes (either by season or by chef's choice). I've already heard that they will probably be closing by 2026 but I definitely see at least a few more visits until then. P.S. thanks for including a slip of origami paper! We had fun challenging each other who still remembered how to fold a crane from muscle memory :)

I've been looking forward to trying this place for awhile and the good did not disappoint. Yes, it's expensive but the portions were also huge in my opinion. We each only ate half of these dishes and they were just as delicious as leftovers. The katsu was juicy and tender, the egg was soft and bursting with flavor, and the quality of the rice was superb. But my favorite was the fried chicken. It was clear they were emulating one of my favorite dishes (chicken nanban). Nice crispy chicken cutlet, egg/mayo nanban sauce on top some cabbage, and a sweet and slightly spicy vinegar sauce. Knocking off a star because the waitstaff was not so attentive and could clearly be seen on their phones when we were trying to get their attention.

I came here on Saturday night with my friends. But I checked in online first and got on the waitlist an hour before we got there. So make sure you get on the waitlist before you get there because the waitlist can be very long! In terms of the food, I really enjoyed everything there that we ordered. The katsu was amazing and there was so much flavor as well as the beef Katsu. The pasta was very creamy, but was not too rich. I would say the portion is pretty big, but it is definitely on the pricier side. In terms of the service, I wish the staff was better with service. They took a long time to get our order and at the end of the dinner, one of the staff was rushing us, even though they were slow on their service for most of the night.

Cute, small (seats 28) people restaurant with yummy food. The open kitchen is in the same space as a dining room (so you may end with some kitchen aroma on your clothes/hair). The restaurant opened for seating at 5PM but they brought out the Yelp waitlist tablet around 4:30 so you can sign up. They do not offer the Yelp waitlist via Yelp app so you can't sign up for the waitlist then drive over. Our party of 3 got in easily (since I put my name on the waitlist) & were super excited to eat. We shared: the potato salad which features an onsen (poached) egg that is lightly fried in panko, which was a nice surprise & added texture to the potato salad. Stupid tuna roll. Rice & shiso roll as the base, with slices of tuna & ikura and Hokkaido uni on top. It's a deconstructed roll which was fun to eat. This was one of our favorites. Mentaiko crab pasta - pasta is a creamy sauce with pollock roe & fried crab. We heard that this item might be retired from the menu so we had to try it & it was another one of our favorites. Kaisen don - marinated spot prawns/ikura/blue fin tuna/hokkaido uni/shoyu cured egg yolk over rice. When it arrived, we realized that we probably over ordered. It was very fresh & delicious. Kuma katsu don- kurobuta pork rib loin/fresh panko crumbs/shoyu tare/tamago/steamed rice/nori. Yummmm! Deep fried, juicy pork over soft scrambled eggs & rice. Absolutely delicious & another one of our favorites. I had a mikan highball cocktail that features tangerine, sochu & blood orange. Refreshing & not sweet. No dessert available. Service was friendly & helpful. Lots of parking available as this restaurant is in a strip mall with a big parking lot.

Promising. I must admit, the Katsu that looks very much how they serve it in Japan is what made me want to go and try this new and exciting small shop in Burlingame. More on that later. Reservations - They do not take reservations yet. They open at 5PM and take out the sign sheet (tablet) at around 4:30. We arrived around 4:20 and there were already small groups walking around and waiting. We got 3rd in line and got seated at around 5:05. The people signing up around 4:33 got an estimate of 1 hour (that long already!) Service - Very fast. We were the first ones to order and the first of our orders was served in 5mins or so. The rest of the food came within few minutes apart. Food - Miso Soup - standard miso soup served very hot with long shreds of fried tofu skin. I'd like it better if the shreds were cut shorter because it was like eating noodles. Pretty sure it wasn't meant to be slurped. Ebi Kakiage - Amazing. Not oily as expected. The prawns were chopped in big chunks which was a nice surprise. Could be shared by 3 to 4 people. My partner loved this so much and recreated it at home already. "Almost Famous" Fried Chicken - nice crunch on the outside, juicy chicken thighs. I really liked the seasoning, very tasty. The cabbage was a nice side dish with a little sharpness from the onions in the dressing. Kuma Katsudon - very thick portion of kurobuta pork. The breading was not the soft crunch I was hoping, it was a bit thick with a hard crunch. The protein itself was on the fatty side, 2 of the 5 slices were pure fat inside which I did not like. The scrambled egg was well done, I would've liked it better if it was a little under. I wish it tasted as good as it looked. I wouldn't order this again. Overall, very promising menu. I would come back to try other items on the menu. I wish they get their license very soon to see what kind of bev they will be serving.

Small restaurant, so come on a weeknight or be prepared to wait. Most of negative reviews are about the wait or the prices. I think Kuma Nori has unique offerings and I had liked the now closed affiliate Morning Wood. Get the chirashi, fried chicken and wagyu don. Skip the cooked/seared tuna dish - it was a bit too rich and sweet for me.

This place had been on our list for awhile because of all the Instagram hype about it. We decided to come on a Saturday night to try it out. We ended up waiting about two hours, which was expected. The mentaiko pasta was good for about five bites before it just felt too heavy and salty. This dish did not feel balanced in terms of flavor. The katsudon meat was actually juicy and tender, contrary to what some reviews say, but the batter was extremely greasy. The fattiness and greasiness of it all just did not make us feel good. What was also odd was that all of the sauce was on the bottom of the bowl. We didn't realize it until we almost finished the rice. We also ordered a grilled eggplant appetizer (which came last btw), but the flavor combinations were just so odd and it felt like nothing went well together. In total for the three dishes, our meal ended up costing $109. I did not feel like it was worth it overall.

- Food: miss + Service: good Found this restaurant per TikTok review video. I don't do TikTok Reviews usually but a friend recommended it so ofc had to get some food. Food was mid. Very over hyped. For the price, I was expecting just more? Being spoiled by the city with such good hidden gems and experiencing something like this for this price, both of us definitely was so disappointed. * What we got: 1. Stupid Tuna Roll: Toro is not as melty as other better for the price point that's a lil steep The rice rolls underneath also wasn't a vibe: - It had a bunch of green onions in which felt like biting into a whole raw yellow onion. It just mask all the flavor of everything.. $45 : price go to H-Mart, buy toro, make (sushi) rice w/ vinegar, plus seafood there you go. (Add uni and some sprouts if you'd like) 2. Kuma Katsudon: - Katsudon was definitely different. Chef told us it takes 3 days to make. It's thicker than usual but the cut.. idk there was too much fat everywhere. - rice was very soupy. The chef did tell us it's because they cook the eggs super watery so the rice soaks it up but idk. It was not it. The two vibes didn't compliment each other to me. $38 : price 3. Mentaiko crab pasta: - Soft shell crab was deep fried and yummy! - the pasta idk?. It was missing something? Spices? Idk it was just missing something. $35 : price I feel like all the dishes are missing something. It was very cool to have spoke with the chef. I was educated on how they prep and prepare some dishes and what their inspired by. This restaurant is definitely a you like it or you don't type of place (said by the chef himself). I definitely would pass.. as sad as I am to have put this review out, my dissatisfaction is higher and must be shared unfortunately.. It was definitely an experience. Lots of food waste which I hate but I'm sorry I was not about to force it down.

The hype is real! As someone who recently came back from Japan I can confirm that the quality and taste of the food is authentic and top tier. Be prepared to wait as their space is small and only seats 28 people. We waited 2 hours for party of 6 (could be shorter depending on your size group). However don't let that discourage you from giving them a try. Here's what we ordered; Kuma Katsudon Gyukatsunori* Wagyudon* Mentaiko crab pasta Stupid tuna roll Everything was delicious but wagyudon and gyukatsunori was our favorite. To cleanse your palate, they also have japanese sodas and ciders that are imported from Japan. Highly recommend this too to complete your meal.

We visited again on a Friday night, and were seated at 5:30pm after placing 8th on the waitlist! Same servers as last time and everything ran smoothly with no complaints. We tried different dishes this time: Otama rice - Wow, this is my absolute FAVORITE and it was only $8?!?! So simple yet so delicious; you HAVE to try this. Stupid tuna roll - Definitely not worth the hefty price tag. Sushi rice was too cold, too mushy, and too big :( there were also VERY little vegetables inside and mostly rice :/ tuna also wasn't as buttery as I thought.. the entire combo had NO flavor whatsoever. We regret getting this.

This is a new restaurant from the owners of Morning Wood and Diamond Head General Store. Morning Wood was my favorite brunch spot in San Bruno, so I was excited to try this new restaurant. Get there before it opens so you can put yourself on the waitlist. Or else, be prepared to wait. I put myself on the waitlist as soon as it came out. Waited about 30 minutes til opening. First on the list so we got sat first. They only seat complete parties! My friends and I did look at the menu prior so we were prepared. Still asked one of the servers what the best dishes were and he recommended the fried chicken and the crab pasta, the items we were thinking of getting. We ordered miso soup, potato salad, fried chicken and the crab pasta. The crab pasta was really good. It is a bit on the pricier side so don't be surprised. They do watch your time as you eat because the waitlist is usually long. I would eat here again for the crab pasta alone, and if it was just a short meal.

This restaurant has been on me and my friend's radar after seeing so many videos about it on social media. For starters, the warnings about the long line are true! The restaurant opens at 5pm but they put out a tablet for the Yelp waitlist at 4:30pm. My friend and I got there around 4:15pm and we were the first on the waitlist. Before the restaurant was even open, the waitlist was already at 30-35 mins. The restaurant is situated in a plaza with a big parking lot. We ordered the "almost famous" fried chicken, mentaiko crab pasta, and wagyudon. Our favorite was the mentaiko crab pasta. The sauce was flavor and not super spicy. Although it was very creamy, we didn't think the flavors were overwhelming. This was our favorite dish. Apparently, the restaurant is going to change out the mentaiko pasta soon so def try it before it's gone! We would've loved the chicken more, but it tasted a little too salty for us. I think it might've been the seasoning on top of the breading, but I'm not too sure. The side of cabbage that comes with the chicken was actually really tasty. The wagyudon was good, but it wasn't what we expected. The sauce on wagyu was on the sweeter side. My friend was expecting more of a soy flavor and I would have to agree. Overall, I really enjoyed our experience. The service was quick and the servers were really attentive. The ambiance and decorations were really cool. They give you origami paper on your plate so hopefully you're able to make something unlike us lol For the price, I def wouldn't come here frequently. Look forward to seeing the new changes to the menu.

I've been seeing so many reels about this place and begged my friends + husband to come here, but to no avail. Thankfully my work bestie wanted to try too and we set up a dinner date here! To my surprise, the creators of Morning Wood and Diamond Head General decided to bring a new idea to the table, which I'm all for. There are no online reservations - only a physical iPad/waiting list outside the store that gets placed out around 4:30PM or so. However, people do sit around and wait for that iPad to add themselves to the waitlist. After adding yourself to the waitlist, you will get a text message and if you have Yelp downloaded - you should be able to check your wait status. This is located in a plaza where there are plenty of parking! This is nearby the CVS? + sports trading store, which isn't hard to miss. There's a wooden board menu outside with the day's menu as well as the waiting list. You'll definitely see a crowd of people waiting. Keep in mind that this restaurant is SUPER small. The largest party it can accommodate is 6. Otherwise, I would keep your party small between 2-4. The tables are pretty small and you will be sitting near people with very little arm space. My work bestie and I came between 4:30-4:40PM, and there were already 7 parties ahead of us. Thankfully, we were 8th in line so we had a good chance of not waiting too long after the restaurant opened (their business hours are normally 5:00 - 9:30 PM on certain days I believe). After they opened, we did have to wait at least 10-15 minutes for our table. A key tip would be looking at the daily menu and knowing what you want before you sit down, so it makes the ordering process smoother and faster on your end. My work bestie and I both took photos of the menu and decided what we wanted from there. We ended up ordering the following: -Kuma Katsudon $38 -Wagyudon $68 (this depends on the cut, so market price will vary. This is A5 Wagyu!!) -Stupid Tuna Roll $45 -Imported Japanese sodas (white peach and watermelon) $7 each 18% SERVICE CHARGE IS ADDED ONTO EACH TOTAL REGARDLESS OF PARTY SIZE. Total: $213.45. ALSO AS AN FYI (as of 2/9) they do not have any alcohol at this time! They are pending their alcohol/liquor license, so it's BYOB for now! **also shout out to our waiter Anthony for being a great host! Super kind and very attentive throughout our whole meal! Definitely love the Akatsuki button up too :)** REVIEW OF EACH ITEM: -Kuma Katsudon: This was a THICC BOIII. I've seen so many reels and photos about this, and I have to say that it was bigger in person. There is a layer of rice on the bottom, a silky egg underneath the tonkotsu, and a THICC cutlet of tonkotsu that was cooked PERFECTLY. The panko breadcrumbs were super crispy and fried to perfection. The pork itself was pretty juicy and there were some parts that were more fatty than most. I'd recommend sharing this dish because it is very filling and hearty. 4/5 -Wagyudon: This was pretty much the highlight of the night. The A5 Wagyu was cooked to perfection on a bed of rice, house tare, shoyu cured egg yolk, and crispy garlic. The A5 wagyu was Koji aged Hokkaido prefecture (this is what it mentioned on the menu). I have to say every bite of this wagyu nearly melted in my mouth. Everything complimented this A5 so well. HOWEVER, I will say that this portion is on the smaller end. You can definitely share with someone as an appetizer, or I would recommend getting something else to pair alongside this dish depending on your appetite. 5/5!!!! -Stupid Tuna Roll: I have to highlight the best things on this dish that was the creamy uni, the fish eggs, and the tuna sashimi. They were SOO fresh and I absolutely loved eating those without soy sauce. It really didn't need it because it had SO much flavor without it. However, the rolls themselves were a bit lackluster. They were filled with only green onion? I believe. I know you're supposed to eat the rolls with the Tuna together, but I found the flavors to be on different ends of the spectrum. I do appreciate the fresh wasabi, which was an experience. I will give it a 3.5/5, but I wouldn't get this again - maybe just their regular sashimi if they have some! -Imported sodas: These were actually great! They were super carbonated and had a great refreshing taste without being too artificial at all. Both the white peach and the watermelon were delicious and paired really well with our meal. I'll definitely be back soon!! I definitely love the food here and the experience it gives.

New Japanese Restaurant in the Bay Area! From the minds of Morning Wood and Diamond Head General Store, @kumanorishokudo is a new restaurant that opened in Burlingame bringing old school Japanese inspired flavors, with a torch of quirkiness and modern Hawaiian sensibilities. They are currently only opened during dinner time Tuesday - Saturday 5:00pm- 9:30pm and don't take reservations so we recommend getting there early to put your name down on the waitlist! The wait can honestly get really long since the place is very small, seats only about 22 people, and they don't accept groups over 6 people. So the wait can get to like 2 hours, worth that?? Not sure haha We did enjoyed our time here for a date night though, as the items here aren't on the cheap side. But each dish has great tastes and flavor. The presentation was also top notch.

This was high on my bucket list of restaurants in the Bay. The things that stood out: the chef technique, craftsmanship, and gorgeous presentation. The inside is cozy, comfortable, and beautiful decor. The katsu was massively thick piece of tender kurobata pork, crunchy, and flavor packed katsu sauce. The egg over the rice needed a bit more soy sauce/dashi/salt, but otherwise I really loved it. I highly recommend the potakoaki, it's a creative combination of potato croquet and okonomyaki. Delicious and shareable appetizer. The soft shell crab pasta had a rich cheesy/soy umami flavor. Finally the kaisendon was packed with different flavors of seafood, tamago, and uni. It was a work of art! Overall, it was an enjoyable meal.

A unique take on Japanese food. I came by at 4:20PM on a Friday, scared of a long wait. The yelp check-in kiosk was placed outside at 4:30pm, and I was the second party. At least with yelp check-in I could walk around the plaza a bit. We were seated promptly at 5pm. Once we were inside, there's muted lighting and an upscale ambiance. The menu has a variety of items, which do feel a bit different than the standard Japanese restaurant. The dishes feel like there's more thought put into them, the presentation is really nice, and items rotate in and out regularly. The service was typical, nothing fancy, and the food came out pretty quickly. We ordered the kuma katsudon, which is even bigger than it looks in the pictures. The kurobuta pork was really juicy and fatty, and fried to perfection, though for $52 it is pricey. It definitely felt heavy after 1-2 pieces. We also got the mentaiko pasta, which was delicious. The pasta sauce was perfectly balanced with the spicy mentaiko and creaminess, and the crispy crab was great! The "almost famous" fried chicken was a karaage with an extra crunchy batter. It was good, though my friends thought a bit too much crunch on the outside. There was some egg salad (I think) on the side with the shredded cabbage which was really good. While I do want to come back to try more dishes, this would be more of a special occasion meal for me considering the price point. Would recommend trying if you're on the fence, but not worth a long wait to me.

Been wanting to try this place since hubby mentioned it. I had no idea Kuma Nori is from the team at Morning Wood until reading the reviews and checking out their Insta account. We arrived on a Friday night right before 6:00. I added us to the Yelp waitlist and was quoted a 26-41 min wait time. Fast forward to two hours later, it was finally our turn. Hungry, cold and slightly irritated, we took our seat and immediately ordered. The service was excellent even though there were only two servers. The restaurant is small, but was constantly full the whole time. We ordered the kuma katsudon (pork katsu), mentaiko crab pasta, ebi kakiage (shrimp veg tempura) and seared 'shrooms. Everything was delicious with the exception of the mushrooms, which was just average. I'd definitely come back, but not sure about having to wait two hours for a table. A few tips from my experience: 1) automatic 18% service charge is included in each check 2) expect to wait a lot longer than what the waitlist quote time is 3) know what you want to order before getting seated so you can get served quickly and you don't hold up the line of people after you waiting for a table (one of the servers told us this was why the wait times increased. There were a number of people who took a long time deciding what to order) 4) the waitlist closed around 7:30 on a Friday night even though the restaurant opens until 9:30 so go early if you want a chance at getting a table. 5) the pork used in the katsudon is kurobuta pork loin so extremely fatty. I love my pork fatty but for those of you who don't, order something else. 6) Kuma Nori doesn't have its liquor license yet so byob if you want alcohol with your meal. 7) parking is easy as the location is in a strip mall.

Week night dinner makes the wait an easier task. Instagram reels got me wanting to try this place, especially their humongous katsudon! Like a lot of reviews and comments have mentioned, the restaurant is pretty small, with like about 5 2-person tables and like 3 4-person tables. The tables are pretty close to one another for that izakaya vibe. They're getting their alcohol license by end of February, so BYOB will be ending then. There were about 2 servers, restaurant was small, so flagging them down wasn't an issue. I didn't experience the bad service mentioned in other reviews, luckily; mine was pretty attentive. Noticed my water had something weird and change it for me before I had noticed it myself. Noticed that my party was splitting food and the tiny appetizer plate is not going to be useful for handling entree dishes. We had ordered the katsudon (which I came for) and the mentaiko crab pasta. I had debated between the past and this jjapagurisotto dish, which looked like a seafood fancied up version of jjappong/neoguri dish. I'm very happy with my choice of the pasta in the end though, I ended up enjoying it a bit more than the katsudon. Found it very flavorful, it does have a kick for those who don't do any spice whatsoever. The soft shell crab was just perfect. I was a bit disappointed with the katsudon, while I liked how fatty the kurobuta meat was, I found the katsu a bit dried and a bit salty. The katsu sat on a bed of fluffy egg, the egg had the swirls of a fluffy egg, but nowhere near the fluffy texture. There's room for improvement for that. Prices are on the higher end, but the food portions are hefty and the ingredients aren't cheap. That was pretty much my opinion on Morning Wood as well. While it's not going to be a regular go-to spot for me, I'll probably come back if there are new items on the menu or I'm craving for that pasta again.

Came here on a Thursday night. Like most, this place was put on my radar from tiktok and reels. Highly recommend getting here early, seeing we got seated around 5:15pm before the line and the waitlist began around 5:30 as the place filled up~ likely due to the social media hype. What we ordered: - Stupid Tuna Roll, Katsudon, and the Mentaiko Crab Pasta Of the three, the katsudon and mentaiko crab pasta paired beautifully as the katsudon held a lot of traditional Japanese flavors, while the mentaiko crab pasta was a nice contrast with semi-fusion flavors. The pork was thick and crispy, but was still juicy in the center and not dry, while the pasta was creamy and slightly spicy. The stupid tuna roll provided a taste of fresh tuna and salmon roe and was a nice addition to the table compared to the heavier dishes that was ordered. The highlight of the meal was the origami paper accompanying the dinnerware setup, as we spent a while wondering about the purpose of a colorful sheet placed with our plates. Anything folded with the paper provided could be placed in the large stone bowl near the entryway of the restaurant and is kept. Things to note: - There were two servers, so service would be busy and slow at times. Given that the establishment seemed fairly new and busy, it was understandably so. However, this did not affect the time it took for the food to be served to the table, just the process of requesting for the tab, paying the tab, asking for water, etc. - For three dishes and some tea, the bill came out to be a total of 163$, with a mandatory service charge of 18% + tax making up 37$ of the bill. All in all, this place was decent. Came for the hype. Stayed for the origami paper cranes. Left because the place was somewhat pricey. The food was good. Would come again, just not regularly-- my wallet would cry.

Location: It's on a strip mall, so parking is not a problem. Signage is. Kuma Nori is only visible on the window, so look for the big "Be Yoga" sign or Starbucks for its actual location. They open at 5pm and close on Sunday and Monday. My strategy for a Saturday night dinner is to arrive at 4:20pm (we were the 2nd party in line), sign up with their Yelp waitlist, and then hang out at the Starbucks next door. It's not as painful as standing in line for the next hour or longer. Interior: It is indeed small, with only 3 "large" 6-seater tables, 2 4-person tables, and 2 2-diner tables. It's loud, with music and everyone chatting, so this is not a romantic place. Service: There were two servers tonight. One is more experienced but both are quite efficient. There is an 18% mandatory service fee added to the tab regardless of the party size. One nitpick is that for the rice dish or Kaiseidon, they could provide a spoon instead of us asking every time. It's not so easy to share a bowl of rice with chopsticks. Food in the order it was delivered: Ontama rice - Steamed butter rice/sous vide egg/house shoyu/furikake/chili crisp. $8. It's just like a kid's meal. We asked to skip the chili crisp. The onsen egg is done perfectly, the rice is flavorful with furikake of course. The only thought I had was that I wish this came last as it's just a carb dish, but I get it that if it's for kid to start on it first. Stupid Tuna Roll - negi maki/blue fin ahi tuna/hokkaido uni/ikura. $45. Somehow I felt that the negi maki was lightly spicy, probably because of the peppery green onion. Tuna slices and ikura and uni piled on top of the maki. I'm guessing if you are on OCD, you would want to layer the uni and ikura and uni on top of the maki and eat it one at a time. Everything tastes fresh. Crab Roll--Dungeness crab meat/butter obanyaki/yuzu kosho hollandaise. $32. This dish surprised us with its presentation and taste. It came as a pancake on mayo and a pile of salad on the side. The crab meat was inside the pancake, and the hollandaise was spicy and sour (from the yuzu kisho). I got a couple pieces of crabshell in a bite. Taste-wise, it's okay but not as surprising as the presentation. Kaisendon - marinated spot prawns/ikura/blue fin tuna/hokkaido uni/shoyu cured egg yolk/steamed rice. $45. You just cannot go wrong with this dish. Fresh sashimi on rice! Gyukatsunori - koji aged prime beef/fresh panko/onsen tamago shoyu tare/shredded cabbage/kurogoma dressing. $42. This is a new dish that was just introduced last week. Basically panko crusted beef with onsen egg soy sauce dipping and cabbage salad with a delicious sesame-based dressing. First off the salad dressing is fantastic! The onsen egg dipping is also wonderful though the egg failed to stick on the beef. The beef quantity was generous but some of the cuts were hard to bite off. It got better in a few pieces but overall not consistent. Besides this minor point, it's a great dish. No dessert menu. Drinks for us was hot tea ($4) and water. Happy that water has the choice of hot water or just room temp (no ice). Overall a very satisfactory meal.

Came here on a Tuesday night and waited less than ten minutes to get seated. This place is tiny though, so I can definitely see the wait getting long on a weekend. I came with a group of 3 which I think is the minimum number you should come with. There are so many things to try and any less, you might not be able to taste them all. Some of our favorites: Kuma Katsudon - probably one of the thickest pieces of katsu I've ever eaten! Definitely share this because the meat is pretty fatty and rich. We each only needed one piece to feel satisfied. Wagyudon - pricy, but really unique and I think worth a try! They thinly slice the wagyu so it's not chewy. They also add a cured egg yolk on top, which helps bind everything together once you mix it up. Mentaiko Crab Pasta - my personal fave! Comes with a big piece of soft shelled crab and has lots of mentaiko flavor. Also has a nice kick! Would pass on: Stupid Tuna Roll - this popped up in photos and instagram a lot, so we had high expectations. They basically had plain sushi rolls with rice and green onion, then they pile the fish on top. I get that the concept isn't supposed to make sense, but this dish really didn't do anything for me. We basically ate the fish on top and left the rice. Last thing to note is that it's pretty pricy! Might not be an everyday dinner spot, but would come back to try new dishes. No

Came here for a dinner with friends. The place itself is small with maybe 8 tables. We got the kaisendon and the beef katsu . The kaisendon was good but I think you can get that in other restaurants that have good quality fish. The beef katsu was something I don't normally see in Japanese restaurants and it was well made! The last time I had it was in Japan so I was excited to try it here. The beef was so tender. I would come back here for the beef katsu again and try the uni or the crab pasta. (Forgot to take pics of the beef ). The price is up there so I would come back for a special occasion or if i wanna treat myself haha

I had the day off from work, so my wife and I arrived when Kuma Nori opened at 5PM. We were the 2nd party to be seated, but after examining the menu before we arrived, we knew exactly what we wanted to order. We ordered a minute after sitting down. The damage was a katsudon, wagyudon, kaisen, crab pasta, and the miso ahi tuna belly. It's a lot of food for 2 people; basically 5 entrees. In my opinion, the wagyu-don was a bit overpriced. It was good, but the slices of beef were so thin. The katsudon was pretty amazing. The pork was really thick, but super moist and tender. The toppings for the kaisen had some of my favorite ingredients, but I think it was a miss to serve it over hot white rice. This could be so much better if served with sushi rice. The crab pasta was both mines and my wife's favorite dish. It was creamy and had a nice heat to the pasta. The sauce was generous and coated the noodles well.

It's a bit on the pricey side, but the food sure is tasty! Between three people, we split four dishes: wagyudon, kaisendon, fried chicken, and seared shrooms. The katsudon was actually what we came for but we were too full off everything else lol next time. If you're willing to splurge (I think our market price was $65), the wagyudon was thinly sliced and flavorful, although the rice did start to taste a bit overseasoned by the sauce towards the end. The kaisendon came with a generous portion of ikura and the shrimp was a highlight. The fried chicken was tender and juicy. Make sure to try it with their house made hot sauce! The sauce the shredded cabbage was topped with reminded me of an egg salad. 18% gratuity is automatically added regardless of party size.

The creators of Morning Wood and Diamond Head General Store have recently opened a new Japanese restaurant called Kuma Nori. Located in a random plaza in Burlingame, Kuma Nori is an upscale restaurant that offers a variety of high quality entrees and little bites that are made with fresh ingredients. The menu seems to change a bit on a periodic basis and showcases classical Japanese entree ideas with a bit of a modern fusion twist on them. Not only that, but the portion sizes here are insanely huge! Loved everything we got here and can't wait to come back again to try more options. The restaurant itself is a bit small, is only open for dinner, and offers no reservations. If you'd like to come with a larger party, I would recommend going a bit earlier or on a weekday. However since it's still pretty new, it doesn't seem like the wait gets too bad yet so make sure to go now before it's known by everyone else! ORDER: |-| Stupid tuna roll ($43) - negi maki, blue fin ahi tuna, hokkaido uni, and ikura. Really fun as you build your own bite to pair the toppings with each maki. Good fish quality too but not a must order since it comes with a lot of rice too. |-| Kuma katsudon ($35) - heritage farms kurobuta pork, fresh panko crumbs, shoyu tare tamago, steamed rice, and nori. Absolutely amazing a MUST order. Pork was not too fatty but still moist and tender which was really impressive for how large each piece was. |-| Hambagu steak ($25) - house seasoned ground beef patty, oroshi, hayashi sauce, and nori potatoes. Super tender, very savory, would recommend adding rice as the order does not come with it and it needs something to pair with the strong flavors. LOCATION: Kuma Nori is located in a plaza that has a free shared parking lot. IG: Follow me at xstina.eats for more food recs!

The last time I ate a meal in this space...everything was done via text (rezzies, pre-ordering, check-in, calling for the server, asking for water refills/napkins, etc). We went back and forth 25+ times over text and that's even before stepping foot into the resto!   Then, come the day of our meal, we were met with more "rules" like waiting until the end of our meal to use the restroom and we weren't even allowed to walk through the resto...we had to walk around the plaza and enter through their back exit.   Sheesh, it's like life of a side chick!   Thankfully, this time around...new resto, new owner(s), no rules...we just had to show up a bit early, sit down, and enjoy!   From the owners of wildly popular Morning Wood comes Kuma Nori Shokudo (named after the owners' dogs). They're open for dine-in dinner only. No rezzies, walk-in only. Limited seating for 25 people (max party of 6). No outdoor seating.  Waitlist is placed outside around 4:30 pm so you can put your name down. Seating is staggered to not overwhelm the kitchen.   M E N U Japanese cuisine with modern Hawaiian flair and fine dining techniques. The izakaya (tapas) menu changes daily with baller additions available (e.g. winter truffles)   Liquor license is pending.   18% service charge (tip) is added to all checks with an additional +3%, +5%, or +7% tip options.   F O O D Note: Portions are HUGE! We ordered 4 dishes for two and had 5 boxes of leftovers. * Stupid Tuna Roll w/ negi maki, maguro, uni, ikura ($38): http://tinyurl.com/mv9wukkb Not your basic beezy tuna roll. This tuna roll is stupidly elevated - a bed of green onion maki roll that's topped with a generous mound of fresh, meaty tuna, luxe hokkaido uni, and briny, umami-rich ikura. Looks and sounds great but the maki roll needs work. It was too large for one bite. Also, the rice was on the firm side and lacked seasoning, and the nori was very chewy.   * Ebi Kakiage w/ jumbo prawns, seasonal veg, shoyu tare ($23): http://tinyurl.com/57tdysvy The shrimp and veggie fritter was hella crunchy yet light and airy. Great satisfying ASMR cronch and good enough for four people to share. Served with a punchy shoyu for dipping.   * Kuma Katsudon: Heritage Farms Kurobuta Pork w/ fresh panko crumbs, shoyu tare tamago, steamed rice, nori ($35): http://tinyurl.com/bdf8c6uk A steaming bowl of white rice topped with blanket of soft creamy eggs (tamago) and crowned with a hella thick, crunchy, and tender cutlet drizzled with a tangy sweet katsu sauce. Because it's so thick...the cutlet wasn't juicy but this was our fav dish of the night.   * Wagyudon: Koji-aged A5 Wagyu (kagoshima prefecture), house tare, shoyu cured egg yolk, steamed rice, crispy garlic ($60): http://tinyurl.com/4fk9exj8 Least fav dish, the A5 wagyu gave me roast beef x pastrami (black pepper) vibes. I prefer A5 that's richly marbled and melts in your mouth like meat buttah. I liked the accompaniments: jammy soy marinated egg yolk, crispy garlic, crunchy rice balls, pickled onions, scallions, and microgreens for texture. But, just felt like something was missing flavor-wise.   S E R V I C E Friendly and well-intentioned staff. They're still figuring things out so don't be shy to ask for things (e.g. napkins, spoon, water refills, etc). Food comes out fast and as they're ready so be prepared to possibly have everything at once. Not sure if you can request for dishes to be coursed? A M B I A N C E Minimalist, modern, and cozy with an open kitchen and very intimate seating area for 25 people. Japanese hip hop playing.   P A R K I N G Plentiful free parking in the plaza.   Overall, Kuma Nori is off to a good start. They have potential to be 5 stars but IMHO, as with any new resto, they're not there yet. Def come hangry because some of the portions are no joke!

Party of 5 checked in around 5:30pm got seated after 2 hours. Waited outside where it was freezing. Parked my car in front of the restaurant so we won't wait in the cold weather. Place was packed. It tested my patience. Ended up BYOB. Place was small huge kitchen where the hallway was long enough to walk in the bathroom. I am sorry but I came here for experience and wanted to try the food. Did not know how to react with the long wait. So I bought myself a drink and had it in the car while waiting. Patiently, which I didn't know I have. They suggested to look at the menu and by the time you sat down you would know what to order. Food was great and delicious I won't deny. Worth every penny. However I would not bring a big party with me since YOU WILL PROBABLY WAIT FOREVER. it is first come first serve. No reservations.

Came here with a group of friends - note: everyone has to be present for them to seat you! Service was quick, upon seating they already will ask which drinks you would like. I'm glad their menu is not page after page of endless choices, but it still is hard to choose which items to pick! Everything looks delicious - but I ended up choosing the mentaiko crab pasta which was a whopping 10/10! The portion size could definitely feed two people, I was able to take half home and it was so filling. The mentaiko paste was spicy, not unbearable, and addictive. The crab was still crunchy and not fishy, you could taste the mentaiko and crab with every bite. I would definitely order this again! My boyfriend got the 'Almost Famous' Fried Chicken which was super crunchy, slightly sweet and savory, and huge! Our friends ordered the katsudons which were presented nicely. One thing I really love about this place is that the food is all piping hot when served so you know it's all fresh and made to serve. I will be back soon and highly recommend Kuma Nori because the food is so good! The wait is worth it, but maybe try to come early to resist getting hangry.

The menu was what made me want to try this place. The pork katsu was filled with flavor but I wish it was more tender. The price is steep. I was a little surprised at the amount of food you get.

My friends and I deeply regretted trying out this restaurant after seeing it on social media. The restaurant is really small and the interior is modern and clean. However, the food and service were both terrible. Our server was VERY unattentive and often crossed his arms while talking to us in a very monotoned voice. Water refills were extremely delayed and we had to specifically request for utensils and napkins. We ordered the Kuma Katsudon ($35), "Almost Famous" Fried Chicken ($23), Ahi Kasuzuke ($28), and Mentaiko Crab Pasta ($32). The fried chicken, pasta, and ahi were very mediocre while the katsudon was terrible. The katsudon lacked sauce and was very bland and dry over a bowl of rice. The dishes came out one by one and took awhile for each. The overall quality and tastiness of the dishes did not justify the prices and I do not recommend this restaurant.

I showed up on a Thursday night and waited an hour to try the katsudon. Here's my take: Kuma Katsudon: 3.5/5 stars. I have been dying for a GREAT katsu place in the Bay for so long and I had really high hopes for Kuma Nori after seeing the videos and pictures. I don't think it delivered...but has potential. The key missing component here is "balance". The katsudon is a massive beast. The meat is extremely rich and the pieces are cut to be huge, and fatty. The side piece was a solid piece of fried fat. The katsu arrives crispy and juicy. The flavor of the kurobuta pork was very good but after about 4 bites, you're pretty overwhelmed. The rice and egg with sauce help but are far too mild a contrast to stand up to the katsu itself. There was soy sauce and hot sauce on the table but neither were the complement needed to balance out the katsu. In other high end kurobuta pork tonkatsu places, they have a hot mustard, pickles, or sesame paste infused tonkatsu sauce. Those help cut the richness and kuma nori does not have something for that job. (Though I acknowledge this is a katsudon and not just a tonkatsu). For $38 and an automatic 18% gratuity, I don't think this meal was worth. No reservations also means the wait can be pretty long. At least parking is easy in the plaza. Overall, would probably not go back until they changed something about this dish to make it more balanced.

Was a huge fan of Morning Wood and got to try out their new concept! HUGE portions!!! Just like their brunch spot! Our party of 4 left with a few boxes of leftovers. We got the Ebi Kakaige, Sausage and Clams, Stupid Tuna Roll, Ahi Kasuzuke, and the Kuma Katsudon. Everything was delicious and fresh. The miso sauce with the Ahi dish was addictive. The sausage in the sausage and clams was really good and we sopped up the broth with the yummy buttered bread. It was about $240 for 4 and we each had tea ($4pp) No reservations, waitlist starts at 430. Parking is plentiful in the lot.

New joint, high hopes, left with mixed feelings. Service was friendly and ambiance was nice, but food left much to be desired. 3.5/5. - Kuma katsudon tasted really off. Half of the cutlet was unrendered fat. The lean meat lacked the texture of a pork cutlet, almost as if it was brined in salt water? The panko was inconsistently coated, parts of it was soggy, part fried a bit too much. Katsu sauce flavor was almost missing. - soft crab pasta: fried soft shell crab was amazing. The pasta was coated in thick, garlicky roe sauce. It was very good for the first few bites but the sauce was a bit heavy. - grilled mushrooms: this was my favorite dish, lots of mushroom variations, charred to perfection. Lemon zest on top was a nice touch Overall I really hope they fix the pork katsu, reading on other reviews this seems to be a common complaint. Waiter said "this is how they make it in Japan - fatty cuts", but I beg to differ.

A great new place to give a try! It's located in a plaza and may be a little hard to spot in the beginning (especially if it's dark out). It's between Lefty's Sports and Be Yoga! A lot of parking available. Dined in on a Wednesday night earlier this month. It's a small spot, so don't be surprised if you need to wait a little. Signed in at the front and waited no more than 10 minutes. I saw a post that they're still waiting for their alcohol license and they're allowing BYOB, so I called the day before to confirm. I'd recommend doing the same (in case things have changed). There's a corkage fee per person drinking. For the food, my friend and I tried the following - Mentaiko crab pasta - We agreed this was the star of the meal! Once I took my first bite, hands down this was my favorite out of all the dishes. Pasta's cooked al dente, sauce is creamy, flavorful and has a nice little spicy kick, and the crispy soft shell crab! Highly recommend Kuma katsudon - Thick pieces of kurobuta pork sitting on a bed of the shoyu tamago and rice. The katsu by itself is okay. The shoyu gives the egg and rice the perfect amount of flavor. This was probably my second favorite dish Wagyudon - This was okay, could use a bit more flavor. Stupid tuna roll - I had higher expectations for this. The tuna was piled on top of the rolls and was fresh; however, I personally think it would be better if there was tuna in the rolls. The rice tasted more on the mushy side. Great presentation for everything and portions were pretty big. Our waiter was friendly throughout our dining experience. It's worth trying! Nice cozy spot for a 1:1 or small group. Lastly, there's an automatic 18% service charge on the bill!

Saw the positive Yelp reviews and photos last week and decided to stop by. Came by on a weekday for dinner, originally I wanted to stop by during the weekend but saw online that Sunday was closed. Parked at the plaza parking and put down our name on the waitlist. Waited about 10 mins and was seated by friendly staff. You can see that some of the servers were receiving training as they go. We noticed that there weren't any napkins so we asked for some. There were 2 big groups dining in and 3 smaller ones. Our server first asked us what kind of drinks we wanted and we decided on 2 grape ciders. Ordered the Kuma Katsudon (I had to get this, the presentation reminded me of Japan) Stupid Tuna Roll Wagyudon 2 grape ciders The grape ciders were served with a cup of ice. The first dish that came out was the stupid tuna it was huge and tasted fresh. The middle part of the rice was chopped scallions, topped with tuna, uni and Ikura. Next came the Kuma Katsudon the pork pieces were big and the egg underneath was soft. The pork tasted good and the crunchy fried batter fell off the pork while eating. Final dish was the Wagyudon, the wagyu tasted alright. I liked the cured egg and the crunchy tiny balls.

Was super excited to see this restaurant open so close to home and couldn't wait to try it since we had liked morning wood previously. We got lucky and only had to wait about 15 mins when we came on a Friday night. The restaurant had a very cozy feel to it and service was great as well. We didn't know how big the portions were and ordered a little too much for 3 people but had zero regrets! Everything was so delicious! The portions are definitely a shareable size but certain dishes could also work as an individual entree. The wagyudon was our splurge of the night since we all had quite the work week but it was worth every dollar. My favorite had to be the stupid tuna roll. The rice rolls were buried under a very generous fresh pile of maguro, uni and ikura. The ebi kakiage was very well fried, light and crispy and not greasy. The ontama rice was the most flavorful bowl of rice I've had in a while. It was so simple yet so satisfying. I would be happy just eating that bowl of rice alone. You cannot go wrong with the fried chicken and the seared mushrooms. Overall, I would definitely come back here and I can't wait to try the rest of their menu.

Stopped by Kuma Nori spontaneously on a weeknight and was really happy that we got seated in less than 20 minutes! Taking over the old Kaiseki Saryo Hachi spot, the space is small and there is very limited seating. We were really impressed by the creative menu and quality ingredients. For two people, we ordered the Stupid Tuna Roll ($43), Waguydon ($63) , and Mentaiko Crab Pasta ($32). We originally had a bit of sticker shock when ordering, but it was more than enough food for two people and we quickly forgot once we got our food. The Stupid Tuna Roll is a beast of a roll that is shockingly well balanced. It's made with fresh tuna, Hokkaido uni, and ikura on top of a giant negi roll -- which perfectly cut the fattiness of the fish. The Wagyudon was super flavorful, fatty, and nicely paired with an egg, green onions, crispy garlic, and pickled onion. The pasta was creamy, had just the right amount of kick, and was super filling. We probably have enough leftover to feed us another meal. One thing worth noting: for now they are BYOB, but it's clear from the menu that they intend to start offering sake. Also, there's a family owned liquor store around the corner where you can pick up some sake, beer, or liquor. Overall, we were super pleased and want to come back and try more dishes! Highly recommend checking this spot out.