The fried intestines appetizers here are the only fried intestines I've ever liked. They're crispy on the outside but soft on the inside, and extremely snackable. I love the night market decor too, especially the outdoor buildings facade. It's such a fun treat to look at the signs and the fake shops while you wait for your food. read more

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I'm not sure how it managed to happen, given how long they've been around and how many times I've eaten around 3rd Ave, but I had no idea Dessert Republic even existed, let alone been here. Presumably, never walking down their block of the Main St. alley had a lot to do with it, but who knows how much longer it would've taken if not for my friends suggesting we come here for dinner. Which is kind of ironic, considering the name of this place! While nothing about the outside of Dessert Republic really stands out, the decor inside is great. It may not be all that flashy nor have much of an IG aesthetic, but I like how it has a Hong Kong/Chinatown alley sort of look to it. As for the menu, true to their name, there's no shortage of desserts to choose from, whether it be hot desserts, like glutinous rice balls, sweet tofu, or egg pudding, cold desserts, like mixed fruits, sago, or ice cream sundaes, egg puffs, and crepes. In addition, they also have a bunch of regular food options, from snacks and dim sum items, to rice plates, noodle soups, and even lomo saltado. -- (#A03) POPCORN CHICKEN Not terrible, but not popcorn chicken either. Rather, this felt more like the salt & pepper porkchop dishes I've had in the past - the batter was thick, the chicken was unmarinated, it was seasoned with just salt and pepper, and it was topped with cut peppers instead of crispy basil. -- (#S01) BRAISED BRISKET & WONTON NOODLE SOUP Overall, this was a mixed bag. On the plus side, the bowl was decently loaded, the wontons were plump, and it had chunks of beef tendon, which were tender. On the other, while the noodles were fine, the veggies were way overcooked and the beef was chewy. -- (#M08) SUPER STRAWBERRY - Strawberry Freeze, Aloe Jelly, and Strawberries Topped with Strawberry Ice Cream Undoubtedly, this had a lot of strawberry flavor to it. Even though the strawberry freeze didn't do a ton for me, especially as it melted, I liked how well the aloe jelly, strawberries, and ice cream complemented each other. As far as service goes, I've seen some folks mention running into issues, but I've actually found it to be entirely unremarkable, for better or worse. Each time I've been here, the workers haven't really gone beyond the basics (take orders, bring out dishes, take care of checks, etc.), but I never really expect anything more than that either. Still, they do seem to be relatively friendly and get orders out decently fast, which certainly counts for something. Since I've clearly only had a small handful of what their menu has to offer, there's the distinct possibility (probability?) that I haven't had the best of what Dessert Republic has to offer. However, based on what I've ordered and my friends' egg puffs and sweet tofu that I've tried (both were fine), the desserts here definitely seem to be the safer bet overall. Which is handy since they stay open so late, especially on Friday and Saturday nights (until 1am). read more

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Came here for late night dessert after having dinner at a nearby restaurant. It was a little quieter in comparison to the other areas near it, being located just across the street from the parking garage. There was ample seating inside, with the tables being organized by rows (along with the tables within the same rows all being connected to each other). Service was also friendly from what I could recall. We decided to get the Super Mango, which was really good and unafraid to shy away from its mango flavor. I also recalled there being some aloe jelly inside, which made for a pleasant texture. Overall, a nice experience. I wouldn't mind returning to this place if I happen to end up in San Mateo again. read more

Dessert Republic - Super Mango - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

Finally returned after the new management took over. It doesn't have the same feeling because the seating was designed in the past to make you feel like you were dining on the streets of HK. Now, it feels more like a restaurant, which is still okay. The food, for the most part, remains consistent with what was offered before, along with some new additions to the menu. Depending on the time, the wait for a seat can be long. But in San Mateo, this is still my go-to place for HK-style dessert. read more

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Was looking for some dessert in downtown San Mateo after dinner on a weekend and came across Dessert Republic, a HK-style dessert shop. The ambience was super cute--almost like stepping onto a Hong Kong street. The walls are painted with storefront-style murals, a blue sky with clouds above, and big Chinese characters designed like signage. Very fun and thematic! Black Sesame Paste & Almond Paste -- they unfortunately didn't have the tai chi yin-yang version since they seem to only make it for special occasions now, but this combo was still delicious. Not too sweet, cool, slightly gelatinous, and super refreshing. Chinese desserts aren't meant to be bold or overpowering, and the pairing of black sesame & almond paste hit it out of the park Service was fast after we ordered our pudding to-go. They're also open pretty late--until 11pm on weekdays/Sundays and 1am on Fri/Sat--which is clutch for dessert cravings. I'll be back for their black sesame almond paste dessert! I've also heard good things about their Willow Dew (coconut & mango juice with tangerine & sago). read more

Dessert Republic - Fresh Almond Paste and Black Sesame Paste - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

I used to like having dessert at this place. Sometimes you end up here because they are open late. Their menu is extensive and can be overwhelming. One star bec the crepe we ordered had hair!! It was way inside the crepe which was gross. Brought it to young man who was manning the cashier and all he could say was sorry. We still had to pay for the other food we ordered even though we didn't finish it. Not coming back to this place again read more

The lady who runs the shop was very nice and welcoming. The place has plenty of seating, making it great for large groups, while still maintaining an intimate atmosphere. There's a wide variety of choices, and my favorite was the pandan waffle. read more

Dessert Republic - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Came here with some friends. Worst experience after change of ownership Presentation is awful and price more than doubled. Pushy woman wants us to order asap. Service is not good. Food, we didn't bother trying. We just stood up and walked out. read more

Came in on a Sunday night and there were only 2 other groups of customers so we got seated immediately. First off, their ventilation system seemed off because there was a strong, greasy odor that lingered the entire 30+ mins we stayed. We ordered 2 items but had to get 1 to-go because we couldn't stand the odor any longer. The ginger sweet tofu I got was decent and waited almost 30 mins for this dessert given that it wasn't busy at all. It also came out to almost $10 after tax, which didn't feel justified given the portion size and overall quality. Had I known this is what Dessert Republic is about, I would have gone to Meet Fresh or Golden Island. At least for $10, I would get a good portion of real dessert. Very disappointing experience. Won't be returning. read more

Dessert Republic - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

So disappointed. Hadn't been here in a while so decided to drop by. New ownership maybe? There's a grand opening sign outside. Employees were nice but the person helping us didn't seem to know Cantonese (keep in mind this is a HK style cafe). I dismissed it because honestly it doesn't matter but I should've taken that as a sign. None of the foods were authentic and seemed to be made by someone who had never had the them before. Red bean drink came with regular ice, not crushed ice. Red bean soup came like it was blended to get it to paste form instead of boiling until beans opened. Sesame and almond soup came in layers, when traditionally it's in the yin yang sign. Eggettes was undercooked and came out half white. None of it was gross but why go somewhere inauthentic when there are plenty that are. Will not be coming back. Again so disappointed.... I think we were the only Chinese people there. read more

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Came here with friends and the food is really good. Tends to be more spicy. The popcorn chicken is really liked, not overpriced. Also we got free seasame taro and seasame almond dessert pudding. read more

I didn't get pictures of the rest of the things we got but this place was great! The decor is so fun and the stuff was so sweet to me and my 1 yr old. The desserts and drinks were delicious and you could tell they made them to order. We will definitely be back! read more

Dessert Republic - Mango pudding - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

Haven't been year since the new ownership, and will not come back. Prices are inflated (compared to other HK dessert places like Kowloon Tong and Golden Island). Everything was too sweet. The tofu in the red bean tofu was chunky and clumpy. read more

Dessert Republic - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

I was a more frequent customer over 20 years ago before dessert shops for more popular in the Bay Area. As a kid I was a sucker for the ice cream floats haha now as an adult. I enjoy their paste and sesame balls. Great service, great place to have gatherings and a quick bite. Overall a warm in family oriented place to have gatherings. read more

Dessert Republic - Iconic decor - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

Came here on a Sunday night after dinner and place had a lot of sit-ins but we were still able to get a table for our group of 6 right away. Place had really nice murals of old hk. We ordered and the desserts were good but coulld be better. The Tai -Chi Sesame Paste came out first then the banana sundae then the Ginger Egg White & Milk Pudding and last the Willow Den. It's a cute date night spot and it seems like tthey do a lot of to-go orders. read more

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This review is for September 2025. First time dining here and I was hoping that the food will be really good as it is in Hong Kong. Too bad it's not. I was very disappointed. SERVICE: The lady who was the server was nice. FOOD: - Black Sesame Paste $7.99 - 2/5 I've been craving Black Sesame Paste and I was too lazy to make it at home. Turns out that this one tastes almost like the one I could make at home. - Red Bean Paste $7.99 - 1/5 This barely have any red bean flavor. Not good. - HK Style Milk Tea $4.99 for hot - 3/5 If you want it cold, it's $5.69. The tea was good. They did not give us a full cup. Would not return. read more

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I have been going here for the last ten years and it never ceases to disappoint. With crepes, traditional Chinese desserts, and food shaped like other food (they have a dish of "sashimi" made from fruit and tiramisu that looks like a potted plant), it is an amazing place to go. The servers there are all very friendly and will also help explain anything on the menu and all the ingredients. Besides the ceiling painted to resemble the sky and the decor of feeling like you are in China, each table has a placard with buttons that make it very easy to receive service. Not to mention, the food always arrives quickly. My favorite dish there is the Green Wonder, but they also have fantastic garlic noodles, and be sure to try their Tofu with Black Sesame or Tofu with Red Bean! EDIT: Went here recently and prices have become quite expensive. The staff are still extremely friendly and the quality of desserts is good. I understand why they need to raise prices to compete with other businesses, but it's a little sad to see how a 7.29 crepe now costs 12+ dollars. read more

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My friend recommended me this place and it was a little underwhelming but I really enjoyed the spicy popcorn chicken. I wish the crepe was bigger for the price we paid for. However, the staff that was taking care of us, he was really sweet and I enjoyed the service and the vibes at the place read more

Dessert Republic - Spicy Popcorn Chicken, Black Pepper Chicken & Pork Chop Combo - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Always wanted to try this place - finally did and was not disappointed. Hong Kong style cafe with a rich selection of Chinese desserts. Unlike some Asian dessert chain, desserts are hot when it should be hot - not lukewarm. Will be back to try their other offerings! read more

Dessert Republic - Ginger Sweet Tofu - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

Dessert Republic is a staple in San Mateo downtown serving up classic Cantonese food and desserts. We've popped by many times over the years. Recently, we tried their steamed ginger milk (8/10), almond soup with sesame balls (8/10), red bean soup (6/10 - too thick), mango sago (8/10), and their curry fish ball noodle soup (7/10 - very salty). Dessert Republic gets pretty busy in the evenings and on the weekends, and there's sometimes a short wait for this small spot. read more

Dessert Republic - Curry fish ball noodle soup - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

The HK milk tea was good, but the boba was super watery and wasn't at all good. Don't order boba balls :(( The staff was very kind though (which is why I'm giving two stars.) read more

Dessert Republic - Boba - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

When we want a smaller place with fairly basic ambiance to grab a dessert after a movie, this is a good option. It isn't as modern as some of the other places that have popped up around downtown San Mateo, but the food is solid and it's far quieter. If it's a busy time, the service can be slow because they aren't staffed for a full house. But the team who are there work very hard to keep the service mobin We like both their hot and cold desserts. On our last trip, it was a cooler evening so we skipped our usual favorites (willow dew and super mango - love the sago!) The black sesame rice balls in a warm soup were delicious. The almond tea is far superior to the black sesame paste which we found a little bitter and too thick. The egg puffs are a consistent winner. If you like waffles, you can't go wrong. read more

Dessert Republic - Black Sesame Paste and Sesame Rice Ball - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

Maybe it's because of new ownership, this was the most disappointing hot tofu dessert ever...the tofu was all broken up and there's actually not a lot of tofu per order, and I was charged almost $20 for 2 orders? The old establishment had the best hot tofu dessert and had I known this is what I would get then I wouldn't have ordered it... read more

Dessert Republic - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

A casual, late night spot. Snacks, Hong Kong style plates and noodles. They also have an array of desserts, from crepes, drinks, hot desserts and more. Tonight at 11 pm was not busy, but a other time that we came last year,it was very crowded. read more

Dessert Republic is a typical hong kong style cafe located right next to the public parking garage. They are a small cafe/restaurant that has a friendly waiter who was hustling to serve everyone as best as he could by himself. He recommended the black sesame paste and sesame balls (tang yuan). We thoroughly enjoyed all of it! You can also order to go if you dont wanna sit down and eat. Would definitely recommend if you want some thing more hong kong style from downtown san mateo! read more

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There is an ownership change in 2025 I believe since a "grand opening" was hung above the entrance. Food was okay, nothing special and also on pricey side given the portion (common in bay area these days) My biggest problem was with the iced lemon tea, which was a fail grade to me. The tea tasted stale (feels like it sat for too long after brewing) and didn't have any sweet taste. A good Hong Kong/ Canton diner must be able to make good drinks in my opinion. read more

Dessert Republic - Ownership change in 2025. - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Dessert Republic is a cute dessert spot that has all the classic Chinese desserts as well a few with a modern twist. After an epic dinner with friends in San Mateo, we decided to continue our food feasts with dessert. Looking for a dessert spot that had enough room to seat eight of us, Dessert Republic came up on our radar. Even when we got there around Saturday night around 8 PM, the place was pretty packed! Fortunately, we were able to get seated after a decent bunch of people left. What impressed me most about the place was the decor and vibe of the place! The murals on the walls are meant to evoke a Hong Kong street scene complete with lights that dangle above that are perfect for night time hang. Maybe it is a little cheesy, but I thought it was a nice change of pace from your typical cafe! I had ordered the mixed fruits with grass jelly which was pretty good! Not too sweet with a nice variety of fruits to add that extra bit of sweetness. I also tried my friends egg puff which was solid. Enough bite and not too sweet. In general, my friends agreed their options were solid though perhaps a little expensive given the size. NOTE: If you are actually in the mood for food, they do have food options as well! In terms of service, I would say it was pretty good considering how busy it was. The server had plenty of good energy! He was also very great considering we were such a big party too. Dessert Republic entrance is located in the alleyway so may want to be careful with Google Maps which took us to the main street :D Overall, Dessert Republic may not have the best desserts, but it has solid options that are worth spending some time with friends over. read more

Closed Monday / Tuesday Open until 1 am on Friday & Saturday, other days until 11 pm . Street parking & garage parking available . Restaurant is adjacent to the public garage parking down the alleyway . At night pathway is lit with string lights leading to the Dessert Republic and other restaurants in the area . Inside remind me of an alley streets in Hong Kong back in the olden golden days . Service here by one women is impeccable she does it all. Ginger egg pudding, served hot , cooking time is long 30-40 minutes, so make sure to order first thing. ( very creamy and eggy smell for me ) so not a fan of this one . My friends loved this dish . My favorite dish here #C13 fresh fruit imitation sashimi, served cold on crushed ice . ( it's not real fish lol) made with fresh fruits / fruit juice to look like sashimi . Great place for late night savory snacks & sweet cravings, it's a small place so wait time might take a long time . read more

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Dessert Republic is located in downtown San Mateo - it was convenient, as they are right in the alleyway next to the parking garage. I ordered to go ahead of time, but my order took a bit longer than expected. I was glad that I ordered to go, as the shop was a bit cramped and small inside with almost every table filled. They started making my drink shortly after I arrived and after I paid, I asked to get my drink first, while waiting for my soup. I ordered a green milk tea with boba and imitation shark fin soup. The milk tea was pretty watered down and a bit difficult to drink, it tasted like they forgot the sugar / sweetness. The soup was decent, but it honestly tasted just like hot and sour soup, so it was not exactly what I was expecting or wanted at that time. Overall, I paid about $17 for these two items, which I felt was a bit expensive for what I received. read more

Stopped in with some friends to grab some dessert and have our girls night last a little longer! This place is small but cute. I was surprised by the prices but some of the presentation was quite pretty. We had the Green Wonder, Tai-Chi Paste and Sweet Tofu. Look at how pretty some of them were! Loved the sweet sugar for the Sweet Tofu with the tiny chrysanthemum flowers! The Tai-Chi Paste was also professionally done. Lol. Can't say the Green Wonder looked like anything special except very green. Would definitely stop in for the sweet tofu and I think the hubs might like to try some of the desserts to get away from our usual San Mateo dessert spot! read more

Dessert Republic - Sweet Tofu, Tai - Chi Sesame Paste and Green Wonder - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Great place to hang with friends if you've just finished a meal nearby. The mixed fruit desserts are refreshing and not too sweet or heavy. Love the street food vibe. Prompt, friendly servers. read more

Dessert Republic - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Searching for a spot after a concert, we decided to try Dessert Republic. We got to the cafe around 11:30-45 pm and it had a waiting list. It took at least another 20 minutes before we were seated. In any case, it's a Hong Kong style cafe that's popular for late night eating. Cute set up that makes you feel like you're overlooking a street in some Asian city. We wanted an almond paste hot dessert but they ran out of almond paste, so we ended up ordering the tai chi sesame paste, which was beautifully placed in the bowl. Our friends ordered some garlic fries and a hot walnut and sesame paste dessert. Both desserts were lightly sweetened. I prefer it this way so it was perfect for me. Garlic fries were ok. I like thinner cut potatoes over steak fries. We also ordered savory dishes; a black pepper chicken and pork chop with spaghetti and a garlic noodles with prawns, but I forgot to take a pic before people dug in. From what I heard from my friends, the savory dishes were ok and nothing to write home about. The black peppered combo meat dish took about an hour that it came after 1am, after closing hours. We asked a few times and thought they had forgotten, but she kept reassuring us that it's being prepared. From what I gathered, this place is crowded because it's one out of a few cafes, if not the only cafe that's open at such a late hour in San Mateo. IMO, food is about 3.5 stars. It gets the job done. And after a long wait, you're bound to be hungry. read more

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It's been a while since we are here, still great atmosphere and quality! Love traditional HK style desserts~ read more

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I love this place. I take all my friends here, and like to order a crepe or the almond egg/black sesame pudding, but I've seen my friends order many other things and it all looks amazing! It is a sit down restaurant, with a relatively chill atmosphere, which is a RARE find in San Mateo. It's fantastic to be able to sit down in a restaurant where the music isn't so overwhelming loud and eat desserts and not feel rushed by staff. Words cannot express how lucky it is we have such a unique and cute place that is decorated like a street in Hong Kong .Tonight I ordered the black sesame egg pudding. It's AMAZING. The lady is sweet, and answer any questions. Please support! read more

Ordered a "shaved ice", got blocks of ice sitting on top of red bean paste from a can. Maybe they shaved it with a machete? I didn't watch but some machine made a lot of noise like it was trying to break down the ice, but it looks like the ice won. read more

A cute little spot with an array of fun desserts. My friend, her mom, and I were looking for a place to get some dessert after dinner, and we were drawn to this place because of how many options for Asian-inspired desserts they have, and the ample seating. We definitely knew we wanted to try one of the crepes, so we opted for the Full House Crepe, which was quite delicious. The crepe was perfectly thin and we enjoyed the ice cream on top and the fruit that it came topped with. We also wanted to try one of their "Molecular" (?) Desserts because we were intrigued. We got the Fresh Fruit Imitation Sashimi Shaved Ice. I admit, I was a little thrown off by it. I probably wouldn't recommend this, given the texture of the imitation sashimi was that of this interesting gelatin substance. I had wished they just used fruit instead. But I will say that it's a very creative dessert. read more

Dessert Republic - Full House Crepe - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Been here quite few times. The food is decent & fresh. Kids love getting the fried chicken wings & mango pudding every time in here. The crepe was still warm & delicious with fruits & ice cream. Forgot to take pics of the other dishes, the noodles & chicken combo was good and big portions. read more

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I like how Dessert Republic was open late. It's very cute inside, and we enjoyed hot desserts on a cold, windy night. The downside is we had to wait a while to be seated, and we waited outside. read more

Dessert Republic - Fresh Almond Tea and Sweet Tofu - Chinese Near Me - San Mateo, California

we were coming home from watching the warriors game from the city and got hungry on our way home and we decided to stop by Dessert Republic. The place was packed when we got there late night but we didn't wait long to be seated. Noticed there was only one server and he was proficient and still was able to accommodate us. We ordered Boba drinks and a few dimsum and noodles. The quality of the food was just ok I thought, but it was satisfying. we enjoyed it and will most probably try them again sometime. read more

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I personally tried the crepes and the red bean shake here. They were alright. Not nearly enough Nutella on the crepes though so we should have asked for more. It was more of just a convenient place to go for desert before we drove home. Service was also surprisingly pretty good. read more

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