===TL;DR=== - Tahitian Vanilla Bean iced coffee with soy milk ===TMI=== Had this place bookmarked for awhile and finally got a chance to check it out. What a gem. Loving their exterior, gives off such a modernized and upscale vibe. Inside is a clean aesthetic. They have small sable seatings or you can sit at their coffee bar, great for intimate catch ups or versatile as alternative workspace. The coffee was really good, just the right balance. Great staff that multitasks but they were quick and attentive. They have a merch wall and also a coffee vending machine toward the back!! Loving the small hints of Japan vibes in here. Also, TMI but they have the Toto toilets in their restroom! Parking wasn't bad, you should be able to find residential or meter parking nearby. Would definitely come back just to chill! Oh, lastly, love their music choice. I've been Shazamming a couple of songs here and there! read more

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After reading all the rave Yelp reviews, I knew I had to give this one a try. My girlfriend is the coffee drinker out of the two of us and loves trying new spots, so after hot pot down the street, we ended up at Kaizen. I'm not the biggest coffee person but I really do love me some matcha. When I saw the matcha mango on the menu, I knew that's what I wanted. They were pretty busy, and since everything is made to order, it wasn't a quick n out but well worth the wait. This was easily one of the best matcha drinks I've ever had. It wasn't too bitter and was the perfect matcha flavor. The mango added a good layer of flavor to it and blended really well. I just wish it had a little more ice and was a colder beverage. Still good though, and would definitely order again. The aesthetic is really nice inside. They have a handful of tables and plenty of bar seating. Just watching them make the different drinks is such a fun watch. Definitely could see myself getting some work done here. As someone who doesn't know coffee that well, the pricing seemed high but when you see what goes into it, and taste the quality ingredients, it's well worth it. Better to spend a little more and get a higher quality product compared to those big coffee chains They even sell the Tokyo Cheese Factory cookies, which if you've never tried them, you must. They are hella addicting and are flown in from Japan. If you like savory and sweet, you'll go through boxes of these no problem. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Oh Kaizen & Coffee. Honestly I love this place so much, my only qualm is how crowded it gets now. And the El Camino parking which isn't the funnest. But the love is well deserved, since it is pretty great. Every single drink is great. And you'd think oh, a coffee specialty cafe. It probably has mediocre matcha. It's one of the few cafes in the Bay Area to do matcha CORRECTLY. correctly!! Whisked fresh and they clearly use the right powder for lattes. So many cafes waste money on the wrong grade where the flavor gets completely lost on a latte. Not here. But I digress. I've tried everything here and can't recommend it more. If you want to start simple go for a Tahitian vanilla latte. Peruse their extensive bean collection. Try a pour over. The strawberry matcha latte would also convert anyone. The toasts are wonderful too. You gotta love a peanut butter banana honey toast. On milk bread? The space is modern and fresh with a reasonable amount of seating which probably made sense when they created the space at the time, but people love to work here for a long time (understandably) so unless you're early or in on a slow day seating will be scarce. Every barista is friendly and warm. I can only pray they consider expanding and opening another location. read more

A cozy little craft coffee shop serving up some serious Joe that will make you say Ho!!! When you see the names like Black and White coffee roasters and Academic you know right there it will be something special. Plus teas by Rishi?! I definitely already know since I personally buy their products. My first order was their Mission Mocha that came with Vietnamese cinnamon and Dandelion chocolate with a nice spicy dash of Gochugaru red pepper. Talk about spicing up the morning! As soon as I took that first sip I was already lit! The next drink I had was their Miso caramel and I'm not sure exactly what's mixed besides the main ingredients but this was also a winner. The service was amazing and the baristas looked like they really enjoy what they do. They offer mug service at a first come first serve basis so get up early if you're coming here to relax or study. Street parking available if it's not too busy because they really do get Hella busy. And that's my take, Peace... read more

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There is limited street parking so make sure you come early! The line was also super long, but worth the wait. Both drinks were absolutely delicious so I can't wait to come back. This place is very small and crowded so if you're okay eating in that kind of environment that this is the place for you. I wouldn't suggest trying to study/doing work here, especially on the weekend. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Mango matcha and hojicha latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

Cute new hipster/new age coffee shop with a southeast Asian twist. Interior is extremely clean and well lit, lots of seating. Parking is all street so be ready to parallel park. Service was fast and the owner and his family were welcoming. Menu is straight forward, lots of options. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

Coffee is delicious but didnt give me any energy. Good non-dairy milk options. Only downside is that the drinks are a little sweet for me. I would ask for less sugar. Service is pretty fast even when busy. They are well staffed I love all of the options and seasonal flavors. We had an iced black sesame latte with almond milk with less sugar and an iced caramel miso latte with almond milk. "Less sugar" is still a bit sweet. Small place with pretty clean, modern interior. Not a lot of seating read more

It's exciting to discover new local coffee shops in the Peninsula! Parking: Residential or street parking Inside: Modern, clean aesthetic. Some tables and seats available. Menu: Cafe food, signature lattes, espresso, matcha, teas Kaizen & Coffee's Strawberry Matcha tasted amazing! Sometimes matcha can be a hit or miss for me at cafes. However it's on the pricier side at $8. read more

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Horrible coffee I think they spent older time decorating the place rather than learning to brew a coffee. This place does a good job of appearing like it does quality coffee, but it couldn't be farther from the truth. It was absolutely atrocious. I ordered a plain coffee with half-and-half and somehow it did not even taste like coffee. I don't know how you messed that up. It's the simplest thing a coffee shop can do. read more

Kaizen & Coffee is a must when you are in the area. Their specialty lattes are the way to go - we ordered caramel latte and black sesame latte. Both were delicious and made with in house made ingredients. Not too sweet either (which is usually the case with lattes like the ones we ordered). read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

This cafe was a fun find! I was in the area for work, and I needed to seek out a coffee shop for a couple of hours to get some meetings in. This spot happened to be nearby, so I swung over here. I was very pleased with the latte options offered! I'm a huge sucker for Ube lattes, but the Vanilla Bean, Honey Lavender, and Black Sesame lattes also caught my eye. I ended up ordering a hot Ube latte though along with a croissant. The Ube latte was very nice and smooth, and not overly sweet. The ube blended well with the coffee and didn't come across as overpowering. The only downside is that their lattes are on the pricier side ($7.50 for a 16 oz Ube latte), but I enjoyed it so much that the price is worth it. The croissant was incredibly buttery and flaky, and you can hear the crisp in every bite! As for seating, there's not many options available as it's a small cafe. There's ~5-6 tables available, and I was super fortunate to find one during my visit. Wifi is available though, and I was able to get my work done during my visit to Kaizen. I'm super excited to try their other flavored lattes when I'm in the area next! read more

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I came 10 minutes till closing and staff was pretty rude when taking the order and giving the order. Just felt some attitude from the different people. The coffee for $7 was good. read more

Picked up a couple coffees from here while in the area. Small spot with a decent number of tables and lots of people working/studying. Street parking. Iced ube latte: decent coffee flavor but the ube flavor could have been stronger in my opinion. Sesame latte with oat milk: delicious and also appreciated that the oat/milk alternative only cost 50 cents extra. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Iced ube latte & sesame latte with oat milk - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

Found this little gem on Yelp and was excited to try it out. There is only street parking so be patient when trying to park. When you get inside, you order to the right and then wait on the left. The line was long but went by at a good pace. The decor is minimalistic and there are a good number of places to sit. The avocado toast was delicious and aesthetically pleasing. Our vanilla bean lattes with oat milk were great! Not too sweet and good flavor. Overall, a home run of a place to find! read more

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Kaizen & Coffee is a wonderful place for specialty coffee and breakfast. I enjoyed my avocado toast (did not add soft boiled egg, but you can). The Ube latte is rich, aromatic and creamy. The staff were personable despite the long line going out to the street. I waited in line for 25 minutes but it was well worth it. While parking on the street can be challenging, I highly recommend Kaizen & Coffee for your next breakfast in San Mateo! read more

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Even though I drink coffee on a daily basis, I am far from being a coffee snob or connoisseur. I have been curious about this place ever since they opened and I drive by them on El Camino often. I finally decided to give them a try recently when I was waiting for my car to be repaired nearby. There was a decent line of people when I went on a Thursday morning but the line moved quickly. Service was very friendly and helpful especially when I told them it was my first time. I went with a latte and an ube croissant which was warmed. Both items were excellent and full of flavor. The prices were a bit on the high side but the food and drink are excellent and worth it. I'll come back again to try the other drinks and locally baked items. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

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This is a really cute coffee shop! We went around 10am and it does get busy but they do have a sign that kinda prevents the place from getting overcrowded which is nice. Great customer service and they're quick too! Drinks were good and we also had some pastries. The croissant was def worth the price and I liked that it was toasted to perfection :) crispy on the outside and soft/fluffy on the inside! Def going back read more

Eccentric coffees!!! I loved my miso one, my friend got Tahitian vanilla which was also delicious but nothing out of the ordinary. The line went quickly and I would say it was worth the wait! read more

Wow! What an awesome place! I'm trying to try as many matcha places this year and there's so many to choose from. I found Kaizen Coffee in a Yelp search. The ambiance is very modern with lots of seating to enjoy your drink or treat. The menu is easy to read and the service is wonderful. I tried the iced matcha honey lavender, oat milk with 25% sweet and it was so good! I definitely recommend and will be back soon! read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Pistachio/Blackberry Croissant - Warmed! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

I got the mission mocha because I wanted to try something different which had a mix of chocolate, cinnamon, and gochugaru for the spice. It tastes like an Asian version of the Mexican hot chocolate and I enjoyed the warm spices. It didn't overwhelm the coffee and was a good balance. I love the idea of Asian inspired drinks and definitely want to try more! read more

Excellent, high quality drinks! Tried the iced ube latte and iced strawberry matcha latte. Both were really tasty. Can't wait to come back to try more! However, I didn't enjoy the avocado toast very much. Flavor combination just didn't work for me. Threw me off. My bf thought it was ok though. It also took a while to come out. Overall, I love the Japanese, minimalistic vibe. Fair warning that it is on the pricier side. Very limited table space, so you might have to wait or order to-go. read more

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Kaizen is a fancy place for coffee, different types of coffee. They have everything from a plain black cup of dripped coffee, variations of matcha, and specialty espresso drinks. I've tried all. My sisters get their specialty coffee here more than once a week. We love in south city and dirge to kaizen in San Mateo, so that says something about their coffee. 'm black cup of coffee drinker, so my favorite was the drip coffee. Having the speciality drinks are good for me once in a while. This 5-star review is for the gentlemen who made my coffee. Why? While I was sitting down at the bar waiting, he asked if I had the coffee before, gave background information about the coffee/vendor, and provided the associated drip coffee fact cards. Honestly, i didn't read the cards, but the fact that he took the time to ask and make sure I was informed made the difference. The detail that stuck with me from the taste is that the coffee has hints of grape and I indeed tasted some type of black grapes from each sip. I think this process of coffee making has a watered down tastes and cools down after a few minutes, but the experience was worth it. Recommend. Enjoy! read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Kaizen's drip coffee in their branded cup - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

This is my favorite coffee place in the area. The best quality coffee, espresso, and matcha. They have the best drink recipes. My favorite is the miso caramel latte and the salmon toast. The staff is professional and nice. My only complaint is there's always a long line (that's how you know it's good) and it's too small for the volume that they're doing. read more

Kaizen & Coffee gives off dark and moody vibes in a part of San Mateo you wouldn't really expect to find. The interior is modern with the sleek black tones and cool neon light sign. I was a bit disappointed to see the prices online don't reflect the prices in store. I paid $7 for a vanilla latte and $8.50 for a mocha which is the most I've ever paid for coffee even in the Bay Area market. Honestly, both were good but weren't worth $7+ a cup. The mission mocha was creamy with a full chocolately flavor, bits of spices that added a unique yet subtle kick. It seems more like a drink you try once, and then go to a more typical drink. The tahitian vanilla latte was good. The milk was rich and creamy and the espresso was strong and full bodied. The coffee was sweet which is typically how I like my lattes. I didn't really get that vanilla beany taste though. Theres about 6 small tables inside so its not really meant for large parties. The servers were nice and friendly. We skipped on the pastries this time because the croissants and pastries looked a bit deflated which didn't really appeal to me. To me, the coffees taste good and quality but I don't think I would spend $20 on two cups of coffee again- but that's just me. I am glad we got to try it out though. read more

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Super cute coffee shop, has the best matcha in the bay in my opinion. I got the strawberry matcha and it was delicious, I recommended getting it with oat milk. Only con is that there's not a lot of parking, there's only street parking. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Strawberry matcha and cold brew - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

Such a nice coffee shop in San Mateo! Parking is a bit hard as it's all street parking but this place was packed on a Saturday morning! We probably waited about 20 mins for our drinks but understandable since they look a bit short staffed. I got the sesame latte with oat milk latte and it was made to perfection. I know the barista knows how to calibrate their expresso beans when they're grinding it cuz the coffee was so fragrant! I highly suggest stopping by this place as I want to be back to try their other drinks. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Ambiance: very modern and sleek. You can tell they were intentional with every inch of this establishment. Parking: street parking only! Service: helpful, fast, and friendly. Drinks: - iced honey lavender: not too sweet, just perfect! - Cornado: hard to mess up! Came out great. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Iced Honey lavender specialty drink and cornado - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

Kaizen in San Mateo absolutely blew me away. This little coffee shop located in El Camino Real is worth the stop. They do everything the right way. From great quality, to amazingly friendly service, to top tier aesthetics. Yelp don't lie. I'm a big fan of the coffee here. Ordering process at the cashier is easy and everyone working there is nice. They are also happy to give any sort of recommendations and are patient. The drinks came out really quick and it's comfortable just hanging out at this store with friends or family. I opted for the Iced Black Sesame Latte ($7). I also got it with oat milk which was recommended. I love the black sesame latte here because you could go to some other places that offer a black sesame latte, but they just mix their black sesame liquid with milk and call it a day. This place gives a real black sesame LATTE. It's such a good combo and you can really taste the flavor of the latte. The only downside is that parking can be a little difficult and you have to try your luck with parallel parking on the street. It's worth coming here though because this is a coffee shop that cares a lot about their craft and they have something great here. I will definitely be returning here as much as I can in the future. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Iced Black Sesame Latte ($7) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

The black sesame coffee was out of this world! I couldn't believe it. Place gets busy in waves bc it's not big enough for the high demand and the location is kind of tough to find parking. read more

First time experiencing a beverage at Kaizen, after seeing long lines for months. Happened to go mid-day on a Saturday when the line was only 6 deep and ordered a Hot Miso Caramel Latte. I really enjoyed the taste and aroma of the coffee. The body and flavor was perfect, not too sweet and smooth. Will make it back...hopefully when the line isn't long. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Miso Caramel Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

Service 5/5 I have been there a few times already. Every time we go the staff is very friendly. They have the time and take the time to answer any questions about their coffee. Ambiance 5/5 Very clean place. Limited seating for now but I would imagine they would add more seating. Coffee 4/5 I have had the following drinks: 1st time - Hot Black Sesame with oatmilk. This was pretty good. I know to ask to lessen the sweetness for me. 2nd time - Mission Mocha. I really liked this. I asked for half sweetness. It was perfect. I was hesitant because of the "Gochugaru Red Pepper" but it was a perfect dash of it. They do plan on adding more drinks to their menu but they are definitely headed in the right direction. I will definitely keep coming back. NOTE: Parking is very limited off the busy street of El Camino but a little walk for good coffee will not hurt you. read more

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Great spot for coffee & non-coffee drinks, tea and baked goods (local and Ono Bakehouse). Located on busy El Camino Real. Nice, clean looking interior space with fair amount of seating. There weren't any outdoor seating that I saw. Based on other reviews, I decided to try a couple of drinks. And because it was a warm day, an iced Black Sesame and the iced Matcha Mango. The Black Sesame signature drink is made with a double espresso shot. The Black Sesame was good with the coffee coming through strong. The Mango Matcha was also good and refreshing. It's made with ceremonial grade matcha and Rishi tea - so a very high quality product. I may be wrong but I didn't see any upcharge for dairy milk alternatives. It's been open for about a month now, and it's currently in the soft opening phase. Fun place to hang out and grab a drink. read more

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Plant themed and aesthetically pleasing coffee shop with Asian flavors! Their coffee and matcha menu sounds amazing and I tried the Ube latte. The drinks are carefully made and delicious! I came on a weekday morning before 8am and a line had started to form, so there was a bit of a wait. I would definitely come back to do some work here and try their matcha! read more

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I don't usually drink coffee but I caught up with a friend visiting from New York over breakfast. I totally thought this was located in downtown at first and made my friend wait an extra 10 mins. I actually like this location because there's plenty of parking. I got the hojicha latte because it's supposed to have less caffeine than matcha, and he got a latte. I'm still super sensitive though so I feel like it really kept me up this night. The toast had a generous amount of ricotta and tomato so it's worth the cost, and pairs well with the balsamic vinaigrette - I'll definitely be making this one at home now. The cafe is small but handles a lot of customers, some studying, some taking coffee to-go, and others hanging out like us. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Any place that serves dandelion chocolate is an instant 5 star review for me lol jk.... unless....? They have a mission mocha that instantly caught my eye. mission hot chocolate is basically just dandelion chocolate's mexican style hot chocolate. but looks like they put their own twist on the "mission" using korean pepper and viet cinnamon. p cool imo. It tasted pretty great. Similar to the OG but still had a different flavor to it. They also had a yuzu furikake salmon avo toast. man. that yuzu furikake... so good. on a slice of milk bread? obsessed. I can't wait to go back but i'm like 400 miles away. everyone working there was extremely nice and cheerful. there were a ton of folks just chilling on the tables doing work. like. it was PACKED. thats what sucks about owning a coffee shop right? people buy one cup of coffee and stay there the entire day. but definitely a nice place to hang out with friends, chill music, busy vibes. just be warned. parking on the street behind the shop. GET THE MISSION MOCHA! read more

Kaizen is a newer coffee shop with a contemporary style interior. I'm not a huge coffee drinker, but I do love my matcha. I ordered a matcha latte with oat milk and it did not disappoint. I feel like they use a higher quality matcha here and the one thing I enjoyed was that the drink wasn't too sweet (a critique many Asians have). I paid about $8 for a regular sized, which is a little pricier but with good quality matcha and inflation, I'll take that. They also offer other smaller foods but I didn't get a chance to try them. I would come back to try the mango matcha and pastries. One thing that stuck out to me here was the service, all workers are incredibly warm and welcoming; they go the extra mile to make the customer experience great. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - matcha latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

Was working in San Mateo and needed a mid day pick me up. Kaizen was walking distance and decided to check it out. Been into Hojicha lately so decided to try theirs! It was delicious! They had some pretty unique drinks on the menu that I'll definitely be coming back to try! read more

Had to update this review because these folks just consistently up-level everything from their menu to ambiance! Always a fun time here. Definitely don't rush if you're looking for quality coffee. We love their pour overs and their rotating menu. Also they are sweetest workers, we look forward to coming here. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

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The miso caramel latte was delicious. Well balanced flavor with the umami savoriness of the miso and the toasty nuttiness of the caramel. Coffee flavor was fantastic and came through well. The shiso mint latte was good, reminiscent of the Philz mint mojito but with an added subtle shiso flavor. I would have preferred if the shiso and mint flavors were a tad stronger. Overall great experience, I personally enjoyed the miso caramel latte more because of the savory/umami/nutty flavor combination. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Hot miso caramel latte & shiso mint latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

Went on a Saturday around 12:30 PM, and the shop was busy. Didn't have to wait in line to order but took awhile to get my drink. They did apologize for the wait and I wasn't in any hurry so it was all good. It's a small place with few seating so it's a little bit noisier. The place is nicely decorated and has a coffee bar seating area which I think I would enjoy on a quieter day. I got the honey lavender iced and it tasted perfect! Not too sweet and the flavor came through well. I also tried the single origin pour over which was a lot fruitier tasting than I expected. Drinks are on the pricey side but I do want to come back to try some of their other lattes. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Menu - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

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