We went to the Boba event in downtown San Mateo and came across a booth my nephew was especially excited about. This booth had a long line of children and their families. They had a claw machine where you try to win a plush boba-themed prize and he really wanted to give it a try. After six attempts, he wasn't able to win one. Later, we visited their 4th Ave store location, where he tried the claw machine and ended up winning Charmander (a Pokémon character)-the one he wanted. He was absolutely thrilled. Overall, it was a fun experience, and the staff and setup made it enjoyable. We'll definitely be coming back! read more

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We came over the weekend and were immediately surprised by how small the space is. It's relatively cramped and narrow inside with minimal machines. A lot of the prizes seemed low quality and random (versus known characters like Pokemon, Kirby, etc.), and since Clawesome doesn't offer the trade-in model, you have to keep what you win. There was some variety in machine-type, but if you're interested in claw machines (as their name suggests), your options are limited. Worst part was their app. We tried to download it and make accounts, but it was so buggy. One of us couldn't log in (kept getting an incorrect password error), and the other got in but couldn't actually use the app to pay for machines (kept pulling up Apple Pay instead). We noticed other folks also having the same issue and getting frustrated. It was also a real mood-killer to have to stand around and debug an app for 10 minutes when we just wanted to play games. Highly recommend Nakoko just a few blocks down instead. read more

The first time we went here was with just with my family. The owner is very friendly. Loved it so much that told other family members to check it out. They have a lot of cute stuffed animals and a lot of Hello Kitty, and blind boxes as well. Not sure if it's a promo, but if you buy $35 worth of plays you can spin the wheel and win a prizes or credits to play. read more

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Cute claw machine arcade! Pros: Colorful, attractive- kids were going wild as soon as we rolled up Nice toys, including labubu boxes and Sanrio stuffies I personally liked that the claw machines only had a couple items in there at a time, fewer bunched together animals . If the stuffy is the right size / shape and not too heavy, the game is totally winnable. We spent 25, walked out with 5 pretty cute stuffies Cons: Payment system can be confusing- needs you to download their app and you can only buy set increments Parking in the area can be congested, this is in the heart of downtown read more

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Clawesome is such a fun new addition to downtown San Mateo. We came on a Friday night and it was packed, but in a good way, the energy was super fun! The girls (ages 7 and 1.5) had the best time and were winning a ton of stuffies. Honestly, they didn't want to leave. I really loved the fact that it was reasonably priced. $25 got you 90 credits, and each most games were 3-5 credits. The owners, Leann and John were awesome. They walked us through their app, the new store and the reward promo they've got going right now. Leann spent time watching our girls play and would go out of her way to help them, even opening the machine to toss in the prize as a win. That was so sweet. I also love that they have a little stool so the younger kids can reach the machines on their own, plus a bunch of smaller claw machines with super cute prizes. And they even have a photo booth set up that's completely free right now, so definitely take advantage while it lasts! And the prizes overall are legit: Pokemon, Marvel, Hello Kitty, even blind box labubus! Such a great spot for all ages definitely recommend giving it a try! read more

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Came here on a Friday night and it was full!!! A great addition to downtown! Perfect location! So close to a lot of restaurants so you can come after you eat or while you wait to get your table. The machines are winnable. My 7 year old won six stuffies and my 1 year old won two. I'm pretty sure everyone in the place had prizes in hand and so many people left happy. They have a mobile app that can be used as a game card - very easy to tap and play and reload. Also reasonably priced - $25 for 90 credits. Most machines are 3-5 credits and machines with the larger prizes are around 7-9 credits. The prizes are the best I've seen in any claw machine. They have blind boxes (labubus and mickey and friends), stuffies, keychains, Pokemon, Disney. All very cute. Customer service was excellent! One of the owners, Leann, was so sweet. There were a few times that she saw us so close to winning and she gave us a few free plays until we won and also just opened up one of the machines and gave our daughters a stuffy. You can tell the owners opened this place to see people have fun. They were genuinely happy for anyone that won a prize. So fun! We will probably be visiting often! read more

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Walking by on a random day I was drawn in by the good music playing and what made me want to stay and spend my money was the great customer service! The woman working was very friendly and gave my kids free candy. I like the variety of the claw machines. Some were filled with plushies, candy, play dough, keychains, etc. My kids are small so those little knick knacks were perfect. The other claw machine arcade downtown only has plushies so I do prefer Clawsome . If it wasn't so easy to blow $25 in 5 minutes I would be a regular here haha. read more

Kids had a great time here after getting absolutely crushed at Round1. This was a great redemption option for them and they had such a great time. The owners were super kind and would help move things around if it was hard for the kids to get what they wanted - even a big Labubu! Highly recommend if you want a fun afternoon followed by good food downtown after! read more

Clawesome - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

Love this addition to downtown San Mateo. Parking can be difficult on the weekends just because it is surrounded by many restaurants. I didn't like the app too much, especially since you can only buy credits in certain amounts like $25, 35, 50, 100. $25 would get you 90 credits and each game cost 5 credits. Also, they have very few plushies in the claw machines, pretty difficult to win. The game attendant was helpful. read more

Clawesome - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

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First timers at Clawesome, what caught our eye were the bright lights. When we walked in we were immediately greeted by an incredibly welcoming young couple. After a walk around the space my kids couldn't wait to try out the games. After purchasing points we were able to spin the wheel and get a few extra games and a free photo!!! We were so excited because all the machine had great prizes but we were most excited for the POKEMON stuffys. After playing for sometime I was surprised about how much gameplay we were able to get with the money we spent. Overall experience was one of the best we have had in any establishment in a while. Such a great place to go on any night for a bit of fun. This is now my kids favorite place. We can't wait to come back! Highly recommend read more

Clawesome - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

Went here on a whim and had an amazing time. The prizes are super cute and most importantly, the staff is great My gf and I were able to win a giant snorlax plushie. Then another family won a giant squirtle plushie a few plays later haha + payout rate is great + plushies are cute + friendly and attentive staff + good location for families read more

Clawesome - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Had such a fun time at Clawsome! They had a huge variety of prizes, especially Pokémon plushies, and the games were actually pretty fair and easy to win compared to other claw machine places. The staff were also super friendly and helpful, which made the experience even better. Definitely will be coming back! read more

The machines were set to "win-able". The first machine we played we won at 2nd attempt. Second machine we played we won 1st attempt. So the place definitely wasn't cheating your money (experienced players know how it is). The photo booth pricing was not set up yet so all the printed photos were free. We were not too greedy we only took three photo sets lol. It is a few stores down from Taishoken ramen so if you have to wait in line for your table, this is a good place to visit while you wait. We even got some free stickers!! It was GOOD TIMES! read more

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An awesome claw place in the downtown San Mateo area! I was so excited to see this place open. What sets this place apart is the app they created so you can just add money and use the app from your phone to play the game- they still have the traditional gaming cards but the app is super cool and convenient easy to use bc the workers there are so nice/friendly and willing to help you. My boyfriend and I had a fun time playing all the different claw machines- there are some cool prizes including popmart boxes (some are replicas), Sonny angels, skin care, and snacks. My favorite place to go play some claw machines! read more

Great experience. Staff was extremely nice and helpful. She gave my daughter a few free credits when she was getting frustrated. Went in for a few minutes and both kids were able to win something. Will be returning! read more

We discovered, Clawesome, by accident on an after dinner walk. The colors and brightness of the store took my attention away from finding the car. We went inside and was greeted by one of the owners of the business. They have two options to purchase credits. On an app and on a card. The better option is using the app because they give you extra credits to use on the machines. The app was easy to use. You click on the app to pair with the machine you want to play. You take your phone and place it on the clawesome logo and the app notifies its connected to the machine and you are ready to play, Do not forget to disconnect from the machine using the app before going to another machine. The experience was very enjoyable and they have a large variety of fantastic popular prizes. I will definitely be back. It's a local business so I recommend coming back to support the owners and have some fun at this arcade. read more

I stopped by today for the first time with my 2 kids as a special birthday outing for my son afterschool. The lovely woman who was working behind the counter and running the place was so kind and made our whole experience such a pleasant one. Appreciated how helpful, kind, and friendly she was to us. Great experience overall! read more

Came here with my two girls on a rainy day and purchased the $25 credit. The person working at the front desk was the most amazing human being we've ever come across! After trying a few times my girls and I couldn't win anything. I'm terrible at these games but he saw that we didn't win so he added more credit to our card free of charge. Then after leaving my girls were sad that they didn't win anything again lol so he went out of his way to give each of them a little unicorn toy. It was such a small gesture but it meant so much to them! Thank you again for making our day so amazing and we will definitely be coming back to support this business! read more

Super fun claw machine store in downtown San Mateo near Taishoken that reminds me of Japan. I'm not usually a fan of claw machines but this store draws me in with their modern and well-lit interior. Great spot to go to with friends or for a date night! The owner was really nice and allowed me to switch the ball I got with an actual prize after multiple failed attempts. I also liked that if you download their app, you can get 10 free credits to play for free. There's currently a free photobooth too, huge plus! I will be back :) read more

Super great staff and super fun for the kids and we actually won a lot of neat games! Also, NOT crazy overpriced or unreasonable, like some of the other places in Japantown, SF claw machines were you spend $10 to never win. read more

I randomly stumbled into Clawsome after brunch with a friend and I'm so glad we did! I spent maybe 30 minutes here and walked out with a TON of prizes (and I have zero coordination, so that says a lot) The vibe instantly reminded me of the claw arcades in Japan and Seoul, super clean, bright, and fun, with machines that actually feel winnable. The owners, Leann and John, were both incredibly kind and helpful. They have a promo for new customers where you download their app and get 10 free coins to start. The app lets you tap to play each machine which is so convenient. They also helped me swap one of my prizes for a different color without any hesitation. If you're into Labubus, they actually have them! The boxed ones are authentic (love that) and the ones outside the boxes are just display. Points for transparency Also, there's a complimentary photo booth which is so cute. Overall just a genuinely fun experience. 10/10 highly recommend to stop by if you're in the area. read more

Clawesome - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

Checked out the new claw machine spot in downtown San Mateo. The place was clean, owners were super nice, and they had stuff the kids actually liked such as Labubu's and Pokémon stuffies. The nephew actually pulled a Labubu and a Squirtle stuffy after just a few tries. He was a good brother and gave the Labubu to his big sister. Both the kids had tons of fun and I'm still their favorite Funcle! read more

Clawesome - The nephew pulling a Labubu from one of the machines - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

We easily won prizes. Amazing time. Our 2-year-old took home some good plushies. Will definitely come back. Thanks for fun! read more

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I went to Clawsome on Saturday and I got 2 plushies one labubu and one wild but cutie ! First I a plushie in one try , next a big into Engergy Labubu in 5 try's , next another plushie in one try , and last a wild but cutie in 2 tries, after that we went to the Photo Booth and used the beautiful fun detailed filters. I really liked the overall vibe and that it was pretty easy to win prizes . I also really liked the prizes them self's they were actually good prizes. Also special shout out to the owners. They were so nice thank you to John and his wife. The staff there are also nice . read more

Decided to walk around downtown San Mateo with my friend until we found a cool spot. Caught our eyes immediately. The prizes are genuinely pretty winnable, and the staff look like they genuinely enjoy their work. Definitely a San Mateo staple read more

Owners are incredibly friendly and make sure everyone has a good time and are given the best chance to win a prize. Prices are great for both a fun time and a few prizes to go with it. Perfect for a quick stop when out for a meal downtown. read more

The owner and staff were super nice and made us feel very welcome! They took the time to explain how to win, and they also have amazing quality of plushies. My daughter absolutely loved all the toys she won! read more

Clawesome - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

Went here an hour or so before closing but the machines were stocked. The people working (maybe owners?) were very friendly and willing to adjust the prizes. Not sure if it was just our luck but we came out on top. Prizes were good quality and cute enough for us to keep trying until we won. Got lucky with the timing one and got two huge prizes. read more

Clawesome - The loot - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

Such a fun addition to downtown San Mateo. Owners are a lovely husband and wife and they are so personable. Prizes are good quality. App is easy to use. Claw machines are winnable. Also the photobooth is amazing, highly recommend!! read more

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We love Clawesome! The prizes are great and the different games are so fun! My son loves the giant claw machine, the timer game and the stacking block game! Great addition to downtown San Mateo! read more

The facility was clean and the staff were courteous and helpful. However, our overall experience was disappointing. We spent about 30 minutes there and $35, and did not win any prizes. During that time, we observed only one prize being won across approximately ten other parties. We chose to visit based on reviews suggesting the games were winnable, but that was not our experience. While we understand that the business needs to be profitable, the claw machines in particular appeared to have very weak grip strength. Even when the claw was carefully aligned and secured the prize in the center, it repeatedly dropped before reaching the chute. This occurred multiple times, which made the experience feel frustrating and not aligned with expectations set by other reviews. read more

We had an amazing time, we were able to win a lot of plushies, we will definitely be returning. read more

Clawesome - Very fun, we were able to win a lot of plushies, our kids had an amazing time! We will definitely return. - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

AMAZING! What a great place to feel like a kid again!! Great staff and there are so many fun stuffed animals + fun items waiting to be clawed/picked up! read more

Kids went for the first time and absolutely loved it. The owners are very nice and even grabbed a prize for my son after he tried a bunch of times. Highly recommend. read more

Clawesome - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

Clawesome is a great arcade for kids and adults. Prices are very reasonable and unlike other places, the prizes are attainable. They also have a neat leaderboard if you want to compete for some prizes. I'll be stopping by whenever we're in downtown San Mateo. read more

This place is super fun. All the games are amazing and it reminds me of my time in Japan.

Good prizes in new machines. Owners are extremely friendly and help make a fun atmosphere. We won a surprising number of times. Went on a Saturday night and it was pretty busy with families, groups of teens, couples on dates... a nice addition to San Mateo downtown. read more

Amazing energy from the workers, everyone was helpful. The workers gave us 2 free plays which is AMAZING! The prices were super good and cheap for the amount of plays. Would recommend 10/10 read more