Love the interior, variety of options, and atmosphere in here! You see families, friends, and a great ambiance. We ordered affogato, freshly squeezed OJ, Ube puffs, the foreigners favorite, and tuna croffle melt. The Ube cream was delicious but the outside was a little soft due to being in the cold case. OJ was great. Dishes were such a solid breakfast. We appreciated how kind the staff was, and would definitely come back to try more! read more

This is a nice place in downtown San Mateo for breakfast/lunch. It's an American style cafe, with many options of food and drinks. This is a walk in and order, than you grab your own seats kind of resturant. This places gets pretty popular with long lines during the weekend, so expect a little bit of wait time. Personally, I really like the food they have there. Have a pretty aestic, great for some cute pictures. I would recommend coming to try if your looking for a simple American cafe for breakfast.lunch or brunch! read more

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Visited here recently for brunch with a friend since we were in the area and while it was okay, it didn't really impress me in any way in terms of food and overall ambiance. Instead of being seated at a table and ordering from there, you just go up and order at the counter and then you find a table. We luckily made it in right before a rush of people, so we were able to nab a table for 2 indoors. The menu here is pretty extensive; I went savory and got the morning breakfast croissant, and my friend went sweet and got the banana nutella croffle. Both of our meals were fine but nothing special, and my croissant sandwich was super messy to eat and came in a plate that was definitely not big enough for the messiness. The environment was also pretty hectic in general so not sure if I'd come back. read more

Foreigner - Morning breakfast croissant (with banana nutella croffle in the background) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

Foreigner is a classic American brunch spot in DT San Mateo. I always order the Salmon Avocado Toast and it never disappoints. They also have a variety of different colored lattes. Although there's plenty of seating, that can be hard to find on a weekend morning. The service is order at the counter and they'll bring the food to you. Though it's a busy spot, they are relatively quick with bringing food to the table. read more

Foreigner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Love the Foreigner! This place is great to grab lunch with coworkers or friends. I also like to do work here. There's a good amount of seating so I've never had to wait for a table. My favorites from their menu are their eggs benidict and toast. I think they have good coffee too. It's a joy every time I come here! read more

Foreigner - Salmon Eggs Benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

What can I say? I'm easily influenced by pretty pictures! I went here for brunch with my classmate on a weekday. There was a lot of seating, and not too busy. The staff was really friendly. You order in the front and get a tag to place on your table. We ordered the plant-based latte flight, mushroom and gruyere toast, foreigner favorite, butternut squash soup(?), and crepe. Overall, not a fan of the food or drinks. It's just personal preference, I like things with a lot of seasoning/flavor--but all were lacking in flavor. The presentation was beautiful though. read more

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Casual brunch vibe. Service is friendly. Food displays were wonderful which made ordering desserts and dishes very easy. Lots of options to choose from to meet your various tastes. Prices are the current going rates with an avg of close to $20 for the main dishes and desserts are closer to $10. Overall, a satisfying late afternoon brunch. read more

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Stopped by for a late lunch on a hot Sunday. Tried the strawberry delight and tuna meld croffles. Good value. Just the right portion size, well prepared and nice flavors. The croffle is basically a thin waffle. I couldn't pick out any croissant aspects of it. Still, very good. Good service, nice atmosphere. read more

Foreigner - Tuna melt croffle - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

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this is a pretty cute casual spot for brunch/lunch mostly! it's conveniently located in downtown and parking isn't too bad for the area. i stopped by for a quick brunch on the go. i like that they have tons of options for all different preferences, and they also do coffee! the service was great, you just order at the counter and put a buzzer on the table to let them know where to bring your food. it came out fairly quickly as well! it's also a great place to work, as it's a large space with lots of seating and not crowded. i had an omelette with ham, and i substituted the toast for a salad. the salad was pretty good, it was very well dressed without being too much. the potatoes were a bit bland except for this kind of off-putting greasy and sour sauce and i wished they had been crispy for some texture! the omelette itself was alright - i finished the whole thing because i was pretty hungry. they don't put a lot of salt which can be nice if you're trying to keep sodium intake low, but i just found it to be bland. overall, im not sure if i just ordered the wrong thing, but i wasn't impressed by the food! it's a decent place to get work done but i don't think id ever come here again. 3 stars because i did eat it but it was just very mediocre. read more

Foreigner - Denver Omelette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Food here is a little complicated for my taste. Sandwiches are too big, salads have too much stuff on them. Servings are generous, but the prices are commensurate with the portions. Meaning, it's expensive, but you get plenty of food. Case in point, I came here the other day with a friend and we split the chicken BLT. To share a sandwich and each have one drink, we spent over $30. Oddly, there aren't a as many m mid-level places to sit down and have lunch in downtown San Mateo as you'd think. Inside is very loud and if you sit outside you're on the sidewalk and probably freezing to death. The model is to order at the counter and then they bring you the food. Overall, it's fine. Am sure I'll be back due to lack of alternatives and hoping they switch up the menu from time to time. . read more

Food was good - the menu has healthy options but I went for the Nutella crepe. I didn't like the mocha but their specialty drinks seem better. The main dining area gets pretty loud, we sat on the front part of the restaurant to avoid it. read more

Foreigner - Nutella Crepe and Mocha - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

Enjoyed girls' brunch there. Tried the one of the kind herbal latte and stew. Foods were tasty and loved the foods' display for easy selection. read more

Foreigner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Being honest! I ordered hard boiled eggs and were served with vinegar. I explained that i am alergic and they just brought maybe the same eggs cleaned, or another ones still with vinegar. Very irresponsable! And unethical!!! read more

Foreigner - Eggs with vinegar, maybe just hand cleaned - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

Erick is heaven sent, someone give that man a raise!!! Love the eggs, house salad & chicken tortilla soup! read more

First time here and it will not be my last! One of the better brunch spots in downtown San Mateo. You order first, then find any open table to sit at. This is the only restaurant where every item on the menu is on display, big selling point for me considering I need to see what I'm going to order before ordering. Portions of the foods are decent, some smaller than others. But, the flavor in each dish makes up for the portion size. The seating area is very spacious, multiple tables for any party size. A big projector screen for any sports event going on too! I ordered the turkey BLT sandwich and the banana nutella croffle (croissant waffle, I had to google that one after seeing it on the menu). The sandwich was very moist and loaded with fresh ingredients, the side salad was simple yet very satisfying. This will be a new usual brunch spot for my wife and I moving forward! Highly recommend trying! read more

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Horrible is the only word. Ordered their veggie scramble and didn't enjoy how it's filled with cheese and pesto (what? Pesto for breakfast? Great.). My son ordered their French toast and he was surprised how the bread is so hard. We couldn't stand that $40 breakfast and ran for a coffee shelter to another coffee spot in downtown. read more

I went to Foreigner on a Sunday morning with my family. Luckily, it wasn't super crowded yet as I heard it gets busy later in the afternoon. There is a drink menu on the wall, and a food menu framed while waiting in line. There are also food displays of what's on their menu for visual aid. The employees were friendly & quick with the food service. There are these table trackers that you are given with your order and have to place on a respective tag that connects to the tracker, so it's easy to locate customers for service. The cafe has plenty of seating inside and some tables outside if it's a nice day. I ordered the Yema Latte since the Orange Blossom was currently sold out, and it was very sweet. I also ordered the La Amour Crepe, which you can't really go wrong with, and it fulfilled my crepe cravings. Will definitely come back to try the Orange Blossom drink and their other food on their menu! read more

Foreigner - Drink Menu - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

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this breakfast/brunch place is so delicious. i frequent san mateo pretty often and can't believe i haven't tried this place before. came here with friends after lunch and there was no wait. we order at the front and they have displays of what some of their food options look like and they all looked so good. after ordering we go to their dining area with plenty of seating. i'm a sucker for scrambles and theirs was amazing. would definitely come back here for brunch with friends if im in the area again. workers are also super nice and providing suggestions if needed! read more

Foreigner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

Saturday - crowded vibes. Holy cow it is stressful to find seating lol. Especially if couples behind you divide and conquer and reserve seats before ordering. Bruh I just wanted to have a peaceful brunchy cafe time by myself but this place is not it. I kept spilling my latte trying to find seats as a single person lol. The staff was kind in giving me napkins tho. Avocado toast with egg - Huge portions. Lots of greens. Tough & hearty bread. Flavor was simple and spot on. But missed opportunity: egg was over cooked. Beet latte - incredibly earthy, has some kind of spices to it - cinnamon? Wish that was classified in the menu! I didn't really enjoy it. I'll try this again on a weekday. read more

Foreigner - "we have europe at home" - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Strolled in around 12:45pm on a Sunday expecting a line, but there was none! I enjoyed their variety of meal options: omelettes, quiches, crepes, croffles, avo toast, burgers, and other delights. There are lots of sweet desserts and brunch items too. The best thing is that there are presentations of everything on their menu so you now exactly what you're getting. My boyfriend and I also tried their coffees, the house blend is the perfect roast without it being too dark, and my yema latte was not too sweet either. The Denver omelette was hearty and the potatoes were soft and flavored well. I liked my quiche- the crust at the bottom was tasty. I thought the quiche was a little smaller than the presentation so that was a small let down. Overall I had a nice experience here. Definitely take advantage of the outside seating during the nice weather right now. Food comes out pretty fast too. read more

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The food is very delicious and the service is good. El ambiente es bueno y tranquilo el ambiente

First time at foreigner and I was pleasantly surprised! This is a place where you order first, get a pager, and then sit down. If you don't know what to do, don't worry because they have almost everything on their menu on display!!! Everything looked so tasty. I ended up getting the turkey BLT, morning breakfast croissant, passionfruit tart and the blue spirulina latte. The food came out so quickly. Everything smelled and tasted delicious. It's obvious that high quality ingredients were used to make their food. After you're done eating, I think you're suppose to put away your own dishes but there were a lot of staff around helping clean up tables right as customers finish eating. Restrooms are located outside of the restaurant. 5/5 would try again read more

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This place is awesome! It's bright & happy with a good vibe. The service is also pretty good, the food comes out pretty quickly. They have a lot of food options. We've been here couple of times and will be going back for more. - Coffee: not the best in town but it's ok - Arcadian Grill Chicken Salad: Really good salad with good dressing. We got Thai twice. First time the chicken was great, 2nd time chicken was rather dry. - Farmesr's salad: Absolutely loved it, fresh delicious ingredients and good dressing. - Mushroom & Gruyère Toast: loved the delicious creamy mushrooms and the cheese combo on top of layer of avocado. The bread was also very tasty, not too thin or thick. The side salad was refreshing and great dressing. read more

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San Mateo has no shortage of restaurants but this one is a stand out. With beautiful ambience and many options that are customizable for all kinds of food preferences and allergies, it's a perfect place for breakfast/brunch/lunch/coffee. Glad to have discovered it and will be back soon! read more

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Always a charmer. They are most well known for their breakfasts but the bolognese did not disappoint. Walk up, order, and they bring you their delights. Casual atmosphere. Parking can be tough. read more

Great spot for brunch or dinner, or if you need a spot to decompress, kick back with a book, or do some work. There's free wifi, great seating areas inside and outside, and overall a very chill vibe. The Foreigner offers many different options for salads, sandwiches, crepes, desserts, coffee & tea. I ordered the mango mousse and it was a little tart for my liking. The Vietnamese coffee was also a tad watered down, not as creamy as I would have liked. I am interested in coming back again though to try some of their lattes and entrees. Coffee was $5 Mousse was about $9 Total $15 for two items, a little pricey but expected for the area. read more

Had a weird experience today. I ordered a dish no dairy no egg no gluten and it came out with a pesto that had mayo/egg, I took a few bites and realized I started to get hives. I brought it to the front and they said they'd bring back a new one but 20 minutes later nothing and I had to ask. Finally after 30 they gave me a new one with no mayo, but after I finished I'm pretty sure they didn't do the gluten free bread I asked for the first time as I've been sick all day. The place is cute and People were nice but I would avoid coming here if you have any actual allergies. read more

Fast, delicious, and dog friendly! What more could you ask for? Great customer service as well! Loved that as you order they have all of their items on the menu on display for their customers who like a visual. read more

Foreigner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

Popped by this place with a friend for lunch and it was crowded. You order at the front counter and they bring the food to your table. I thought it was gonna take awhile bc of how busy they were, but it came out pretty swiftly. All the staff was lovely especially Nicole big shout out to her. She put together a lovely tea party for another table that made me and my friend deff want to come back and try! The food was really good! I got the grilled chicken BLT and it was delicious. It came with a side salad and I should have asked for a bit more dressing but no complaints other than that 6/10. Her tortilla soup she said was bomb 8/10. The foreigner favorite was super good and was craving for days after I had it 8/10!!!! Got a dessert on the way out chocolate mouse cake 9/10 not too sweet and hit just right!!! Thank you again Nicole read more

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We came at 10 am on a Saturday. There was a considerable line to order food. It got considerably busy between 11-12 am. I got the avocado toast and wasn't entirely impressed by a $15 toast. My friends seemed to enjoy their dishes. Maybe I just ordered incorrectly. I would give it another shot a different time. read more

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What a cute brunch spot! My friend and I came here for breakfast/brunch, and omg it was delicious! FOOD: I ordered the Strawberry Delight Croffle, and it was so delicious! The berries were so fresh, sweet, and full of flavor. DRINK: I am a coffee addict, so I got fancy and ordered an Orange Blossom Latte (with oat milk). It paired so perfectly with the croffle. AMBIANCE: You order at the counter, and they will bring the food out to you. When we went, the restaurant was packed to the brink. I can see why! We found a spot outside. It was nice out, so it was perfect! There's nothing better than good food with good company! Highly recommended. read more

Foreigner - Orange Blossom Latte (with oat milk) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

Enjoyed High Tea this afternoon. Excellent service and outstanding food. The food was as outstanding as the presentation. Highly recommend this restaurant for both service and food. We will definitely be returning! read more

Always on the search to find new afternoon tea places. Girlfriend noted Foreigner was now offering a tea service on the weekends and we decided to give it a try. Made reservations for Sunday at 3:30pm. Pros - Spacious place and loved the presentation of the tea service. Of all the items we were served, standouts for me were the sweet potatoe toast, quiche, and the cheddar scone / biscuit. Also appreciated that they served warm milk with the tea. However, there were quite a few downsides/kinks that need to be worked out. When we arrived, we didn't know where to check in for our reservation. It looked more like an order at the counter and sit down kind of place, so we were confused and wondered if we were at the right place. We asked staff that were walking by and were eventually brought to a table. There are 3 menu options for tea service and it serves 2. $30 for additional tea service. FYI - there were 3 of us. When our tiered tray came, most items were split in 2s so we asked if it was a service for 3 people. We were told it was and that they add more items to the tiers. The items on the tiers were not explained to us when it was delivered and we also had to ask for plates and silverware. Must note, though, Kelly (manager?) was great. He came by to tell us he didn't charge us for the 3rd person as he acknowledged it wasn't clear how the service was for 3 people. He also apologized and explained reasons for some of the misses. He was also gracious and listened to our feedback. Despite the misses, we did enjoy ourselves and we'd consider returning once they work out the kinks. read more

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Stopped by as we were in the area. Ordered at the counter and found a seat at a high top. It was super busy. We both had the veggie omelette with toast and mocha and coffee. Everything tasted fresh and delicious. Food came out pretty quick even with the busyness. Seems like a really great breakfast spot to come with friends or family. read more

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Came for brunch and was a bit nervous about the long line but we were able to find seats with no issue. You have to wait in line to order at the counter and then they bring the food at to you. Loved that they had fake samples of the food so you can get preview of what you want! I went with the salmon Benedict which came with salad and potatoes. Pretty large portion and so delicious! We also went with the mimosa tasting which came with 4 different flavors which were all great read more

Foreigner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

Foreigner | San Mateo 1. Smoked Salmon Toast ~ basil pesto sauce, cucumber, heirloom tomato, avocado, boiled egg with onion, capers & dill Foreigner is a family-friendly brunch spot during the day and a casual/upscale dinner eatery at night, located in downtown San Mateo, California.   I had the honor to SPEND $20 on salmon toast, and let me tell you: I would have never thought that toast could be that expensive. Never in my life have I ever spent that much on toast. CRAZY. Nonetheless, it was huge in size, and all the components of pesto, tomato, avocado, cucumber, and dill made it taste phenomenal. read more

Foreigner - Smoked Salmon Toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Delicious brunch spot with plenty of seating in San Mateo, perfect for dates, friends, and family! I love that they have pretty much their entire menu on display at the counter so you can see what your food would look like. Super helpful in helping you decide what you want to eat, especially for first timers like me. Once you know what you want, order at the front and pay. You'll get a number and then you take any open table. Your food will be brought to you when it's ready. I ended up ordering the morning breakfast croissant after seeing it on display. The display showed a hefty layer of meat on the bottom, so I was a but disappointed that the actual croissant I got had 1 layer of meat on the bottom. Felt like I got catfished but at least it still tasted great. We also ended up getting the ube buff, dulce de leche cake, latte flight, and salmon benedict. All of the food we got was delicious and the service was super friendly. Would definitely come back! read more

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Was from out of town and my family and I enjoyed breakfast here. We didn't quite know what to expect but staff were really friendly and food was great! read more

My husband and I love to go on foodie trips. We found this place in Yelp and have good reviews so we went for Brunch. We got there before it got busy around 9:30 on a Thursday. The place is nice and plenty of seating. They also have outdoor seating. The staff are nice and friendly. They have a big menu and it was so hard to choose, everything looks good! One of their coffee flavors is made of Barako beans (from the Philippines). It is strong and flavorful just the way I like my coffee! We wl definitely come back! read more

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Order at the counter and they will bring you the food. Lots of indoor seating and some outdoor seating. The iced matcha latte is very much so just matcha and milk. Perfect for those who like drinks less sweet. The salad was very refreshing and delicious. The potatoes have a stronger black pepper flavor and also come with hot sauce on the side. The flavor of the toast is on the stronger side so perfect for those who like stronger tasting food. Be prepared for a workout with the toast though! The knife they give you is a little dull so you will definitely be getting a biceps workout cutting the toast. read more

Foreigner - Iced matcha latte - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

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