Plenty of space Empanada…read moreOrange juice fresh squeezed with the latte Choripan nice chimichurri Bread crisp on outside, chewy inside

This place was just OK, I'd like to give them another shot but the first impression wasn't great…read more Went on a weekend late afternoon and the place was pretty full. But even though the seats were filled up, it still felt empty since it's a large space with high ceilings and it's not very cozy. Like getting pastries in a bank lobby. Many of the pastries were not available which is understandable since they were closing soon. They had a quince tart which is not something you often find so had to try that and of course an empanada, they had few available so I got the bacon and cheese one. Service wasn't super friendly and when I went back to ask for another spoon I got the "I'm doing you a huge favor" look. The owner came by to check on us and he was definitely super friendly and engaging, but the folks behind the counter were not. The quince pastry was unfortunately a let down, very dense and not flavorful. The pastry itself was too doughy. The empanada was ok but not flaky enough. I want to give them another shot, but I had heard glowing reviews of this place and maybe had too high expectations. But even if I had gone in blind, I would have still been underwhelmed.

Wow! We were surprised how good the mango cake that we got. They wrapped it so nicely…read more Also, they have different pastries that reminds me of 85 degrees. But this place is much better.

Located in downtown San Mateo, this Asian bakery features the typical baked goods as well as fusion…read morepastries and cakes. Grab a tray and tongs, pick from the drawers, and line up to pay. Ask a staff member to purchase cakes. My order: Ube Mochi Danish ($4.65): +This reminded me more of a pineapple bun vs a danish, with its crunchy top & soft bread. +Ube was smooth and mochi was chewy -As someone who orders drinks w/reduced sweetness, I thought the bread was bland and could be a touch sweeter. -Unfortunately, they don't provide you with an actual bag or sleeve to hold your bread. My item was placed in a paper cone. Durian Pull Apart Bread ($6.20): +Even though there was a cloud of powdered sugar, it was surprisingly not too sweet! +The packaging was so cute with the cartoon & Chinese message. -I was expecting something lighter & fluffy, but it was on the denser side. It reminded me more of crumb cake than bread. -Lacked durian filling *My fave for durian buns is in SF Chinatown Side notes: 1.) Self-serve napkins and water 2.) Paper bags are 25 cents 3.) Indoor seating 4.) Walking distance from San Mateo Caltrain station *Verdict: I thought the items I tried looked better than they tasted, but if I was in the area, I wouldn't mind stopping by to try something else.

Food is very good and reminds me of being in Japan. The Katsu Sando is very good as well as the…read moresweet treats. I would recommend eating at this cafe/bakery! Service is very good and the ambience is quaint. All of the menu items look delicious. Check it out!

Not. Good. At. All…read more Nothing is fresh here, it's a little pathetic really. Pork kastsu sandwich: Nearly tasteless, luke warm, cold sauce, cold untoasted bun. I would prefer a mayo or thousand island dressing. No side. Expensive for what you get Yakisoba: Some kind of cheap microwave situation. No meat. Rip off. Came here because of the good reviews and feel duped. AVOID! Bad bad bad. Just horrible.

Super cute cafe serving sweet and savory pastries, cakes, sandwiches, salads, and drinks! Quality…read morefood and delicious flavors! Ample indoor seating. Parking is limited (small lot with about 8 spots) but there is street parking. Zulemy is so kind! She's great at recommending salads to try! Will be back to try the Chicken Sonoma next!

I was craving croissants on Sunday morning so I went to check out this place since it's close to…read morewhere I live. Just a heads up parking is honestly pretty difficult so it may take you a bit to try to find parking in the area. I got the strawberry croissant, chocolate croissant, and almond croissant! along with an iced latte. Took all of them to go to eat back at home. The iced latte was just ok but the croissants were pretty flaky and smooth! Both the chocolate and strawberry have a cream filling on the inside. I would try to come again earlier in the day to get a fresher batch. I would say the croissants are the best thing to get at this cafe.

Cute little bakery. 1st time there. Crossiants, cupcakes, cakes, cookies, coffee and ice cream!…read moreCute already boxed cookies and treats to go! The wait staff came to check on is a few times while we had breakfast which was nice. I did like the Mediterranean egg with feta, tomatoes and spinach crossiant but next time I would get something different cuz the dizzle (think balsamic vinegar) was the same taste as the salad

We were craving dessert after eating at state of mind , and the spot was next door…read more They have lunch items but also cakes and gelato . I tried a sample of the Oreo gelato and it was way too creamy, like had more of a mousse texture. My friend and I got two desserts that looks beautiful in the case but wow, I have not had cake that dry at a store ever !!! It tasted like if I had birthday cake and kept it in my fridge for 2 weeks. The inside is cute , with lavender colored decor. The lady also seemed eager for us to leave.

Backhaus has been on my radar for forever, so I was so excited to finally try them on a Sunday…read moremorning. I came in around 9am and they were already sold out of some items, but I did manage to get my hands on one of their famous croissants! I ended up getting the Pistachio Raspberry Croissant and Chocolate Chip Cookie. Both pastries are PHENOMENAL. The Bay Area truly does have a fantastic pastry (especially croissant) scene, but Backhaus is definitely up there. I loved how well the flavors came through in both, and the textures were great. They were also baked perfectly. I definitely want to try more of their offerings in the future! In general, this place well deserves the hype.

The plain croissant was excellent--beautifully flaky with a delicate sweetness and satisfying…read morecrunch on the outside, while remaining soft and pillowy on the inside. The chocolate croissant was just as good, featuring the perfect balance of sweet and slightly bitter chocolate wrapped in layers of buttery, flaky pastry. The latte, topped with a leaf design, was rich, smooth, and flavorful. It provided the perfect pick-me-up while making a headache disappear. The café offers plenty of seating both indoors and outdoors, with additional space upstairs and downstairs. Friendly staff, a welcoming atmosphere, delicious pastries, and good coffee make this cafe well worth a visit.

Everyone loves the cupcakes! The decorations are so cute and will definitely reorder in the future!read more

A very overdue review - I realized I never left one for my son's birthday mini cupcakes 3 years…read moreago! I requested 3 batches with 3 different themes (birthday, construction, and Bluey) and they were perfect!

3.9 stars is misleading, should be 4+, although maybe not a 5. Coffee is good/strong, most of the…read morepastries were tried were fresh/tasty. Easy place to bring kids, lots of space and outdoor seating.

I bought 2 slices of chocolate strawberry cake on April 1 and on April 3, it was covered with mold…read more Is it normal for a cake to mold within two days? I think not. I must have been not fresh to begin with. I want a refund.