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Somisomi

4.2 (361 reviews)
Open 12:00 pm - 11:30 PM
Updated 1 month ago

Somisomi Photos

Business Info

SOMISOMI ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Loud
Good for kids

Recommended Reviews - Somisomi

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Reviews With Photos

Kaycee C.

A nice location. The line is always long, but it moves quickly and the service is friendly. I enjoy the weekly swirls and the fish waffles.

Natalie P.

Stop by Somisomi at San Mateo downtown on Friday before July 4th after lunch at Harbor Dimsum seafood and loved it. They have swirls ube& pistachio, matcha and milk . I m a fan of matcha so i got the matcha flavor in the cup $4.50, it was perfectly balanced , rich, creamy and lightly sweet. The texture was smooth & refreshing. Once in a blue moon end up ordered 3 soft served matcha in the cups. The negative is only one young girl working there. There are water cup and water near the entrance to help yourself with. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The interior is big, no seating so its more grab and go.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

Cookies and cream with ahboong
Erika C.

The soft serve and pastry are tasty but [[HIGHLIGHT]]why does it feel so chaotic and stuffy hot in here?[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]There's something icky about an ice cream place being muggy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]I want an ice cream place to be room temp at minimum but preferably a little colder, like the product won't melt right after I get it.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The floors look like they could use some mopping, they're grimy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]when I was there, there was a big unmopped puddle right near the steps.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I told them about it before I left. In any case, I plan to come back but hope it's a bit cleaner.

Spencer Q.

Soft serve: 4/5 Service: 3/5 Ambiance: 3/5 Portion to Price: 3/5 Overall: A very good option if you want a sweet treat in the area. The extended review... Soft serve: Cookies and Cream Taiyaki - 4/5 - I'll say that it's a very tasty softserve. There are also good seasonal flavors that make an appearance throughout the year. Service: 3/5 - Standard service. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambiance: 3/5 - There are a few bar tops but no seats inside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Portion to Price: 3/5 - Pricing is standard fare.

In Downtown San Mateo
Andrea Y.

For a sweet treat that is not 'too sweet, give this place a try! [[HIGHLIGHT]]The shop is always crowded for customers waiting for their order.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Tonight I tried the Ube Pistacchio which was delicious. It really tasted like Pistacchio. We also got the Matcha and Milk. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Clean aesthetics, bright lights and customers eagerly awaiting their ice cream in a fish cone[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

Gigi T.

We were pretty disappointed with our visit. The biggest issue was the lack of personal service. Instead of ordering from an employee, you're expected to use a self-service kiosk and then stand in a waiting area with no chairs or stools. The whole experience felt cold and impersonal. What made it even more frustrating was that after we carefully selected our toppings on the kiosk, the employee still asked us what toppings we wanted. If we're expected to do all the ordering ourselves, the staff should at least be looking at the order we just entered. There are often long lines, and I suspect part of the reason is that many first-time customers aren't sure how the ordering process works. Since the employees are busy filling orders, there's really no one available to answer questions or guide people through it. As for the ice cream, it was just okay. It wasn't bad, but it certainly wasn't memorable, and we've had much better elsewhere. Overall, the impersonal ordering process, lack of customer interaction, and average ice cream mean we won't be returning.

Katrina C.

The best warm snack! I'm not an ice cream person, but I always stop here for the taiyaki. The nutella and cheddar fillings are the perfect sweet and salty combo. Crispy, fresh, and delicious every time [[HIGHLIGHT]]This location is a big, popular spot, but keep in mind there are no chairs, just standing tables![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

Sonia M.

I haven't been to Somisomi in years. So when I was walking by and saw it, I had to walk in. [[HIGHLIGHT]]As soon as you walk in, you can smell the freshness brewing.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I confirmed with the cashier that it's made to order, so I went and ordered two-one black sesame and vanilla custard. They were both made fresh and tasted just as I remembered. I'm so glad I stopped by. It was a perfect afternoon treat.

Upside Down Ahboong -  Matcha & Banana Pudding Soft Serve, Strawberry, Biscoff Crumble (R) & Ube Soft Serve, Strawberry, Fruity Pebbles (L)
Mike L.

Between all of the great things I had heard about them and how long they've been sitting on my list of bookmarks, I can't say I have anything close to a good excuse for taking so long to finally come here. What's worse, it's not like I'm hardly ever in San Mateo either. However, in my defense, this technically wasn't my first time trying Somisomi. It's just that since I had only tried a couple of bites of their tayaki with red bean, it didn't feel like I had gotten a proper experience! With their location right in the heart of the downtown/3rd Ave area of San Mateo, it's not the least bit surprising that this Somisomi can draw a fairly steady crowd. Besides how busy the neighborhood can get, they're a terrific option for an afternoon treat just as much as for an evening dessert. Their menu is pretty simple, consisting of two main things - soft serve, which comes in a half dozen permanent and a handful of seasonal flavors, and taiyaki, which comes with your choice from eight different fillings - that you can order separately or together as part of their signature ah-boong dessert. -- UPSIDE DOWN AH BOONG with Ube Soft Serve Topped with Strawberry, Fruity Pebbles, and a Taiyaki with Matcha Filling Pretty solid overall. The soft serve had a surprisingly strong taste of ube to it and it wasn't overly sweet. As for the taiyaki, I liked how crispy it was on the outside and how soft it was on the inside, but the matcha filling was a little underwhelming (really subtle and gloppy). -- UPSIDE DOWN AHBOONG with Matcha & Banana Pudding Soft Serve Topped with Strawberry, Biscoff Crumble, and a Taiyaki with Black Sesame Filling Of the two, I liked this one better. For one, I thought the flavors in the soft serve balanced each other really well (the matcha helped tamper the sweetness of the banana pudding), but I LOVED the black sesame filling in the taiyaki. It tasted so good, I wish there was more of it! As far as service goes, there's usually not much to note at a place like this, but I thought the workers here were great. The girl at the register did a good job of making sure folks knew there was a second table to the side tat folks could order from and happily answered the questions that the group in front of us had. Perhaps more importantly, they're pretty efficient with everything, as they seemed to get orders out at a steady pace. Besides how much I enjoyed the desserts here (did I mention I love their black sesame taiyaki?), the other thing that I like about Somisomi is how they stay open so late (11:30pm). Quite welcome, considering how most dessert shops in the area close so much earlier, but also because it just means I don't have to worry about rushing here to get more of the black sesame taiyaki before this place closes! FOUR AND A HALF STARS rounded down for now.

Upside down ahboong with nutella filling and Earl Grey soft serve...almost forgot to take a photo
Teresa G.

We love this place for the variety of soft-serve and for their taiyaki which is a cross between a pancake and a waffle. We've tried several soft serve flavors over time: black sesame, Earl Grey, matcha, ube, and sakura berry. The smooth, light, fluffy swirls of whipped ice cream is always a treat. One can have it different ways - ahboong (fish-shaped waffle cone), upside down ahboong, in a cup, or cold brew float. The taiyaki is a perfect pair to the soft serve and I recommend you try it with different fillings. Service is quick after putting in your order in a self-service terminal at the counter. [[HIGHLIGHT]]There are plenty of outdoor seating on South B street which is the pedestrian friendly area of downtown San Mateo.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I don't think I will grow tired of this place.

Line on a Saturday
Shih Fa K.

The taiyakis here are pretty much made to standard. I tried the Dubai Chocolate for the first time, and it was good. The service was fast and friendly. [[HIGHLIGHT]]And the ambiance was typical of SomiSomi[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

Sakura berries
Anthony N.

This place was good. I got the sakura berry and i wish i could go back for more. It was a reallly good combination of floral and fruity. I think the ice cream is really creamy and tasty too. I think everyone needs to give that flavor specifically a try.

Upside down matcha and ube with black sesame filling
Sho R.

I stopped by on a weekend afternoon. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place was not too busy.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Black sesame filled fish was my favorite. Matcha custard filling was good too. I went for an upside down matcha and ube with black sesame filling and an ahboong milk and strawberry with matcha custard filling. Both flavors of softserve was good.

Upside down Ah-boong

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Review Insights

2 months ago

Love this place! I enjoy the flavors and toppings. You place your order thru the kiosk and it's pretty quick.

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Ask the Community - Somisomi

Is there dairy free &/ or lactose free options?

Yes there are. If you go to their main website, at the bottom of the page there is a link to allergen information which will show which flavors have lactose and which ones don't. Since some flavors may rotate I'd also suggest contacting in case to… 

Is the milk pasteurized? We asked one of the employees and he said no! i'm pregnant so we are considering abt it. We love somisomi but if its not...:(

Hello Quinn, All of our dairy products are pasteurized.… 

Do they have black sesame or chocolate flavors? Seems like they used to but now the selection has been cut way back to just a few flavors. The corporate website for SomiSomi has way more flavors than I see on the menu here. Thanks!

Hello Neela, Yes, we have those flavors but availability in the stores vary per season. Right now… 

Are they still out of the milk flavor?

Hello, Alex We sincerely apologize for this flavor's unavailability. Rest assured that we have… 

Hi! Is this place open now? I don't have instagram so I haven't seen any updates. Thanks!

Hello Jeannie! SomSomi San Mateo is currently not open, but it's coming soon!… 

When is this place opening? Love soft serve but ill be sad if it's like that lobster roll place that never opened in that same location lol?

Hello, Maia Thank you for your interest!… 

When is the grand opening?

Saw on their Instagram that this location opens this Friday, February 3, 2023!

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Daeho Kalbijjim & Beef Soup

Daeho Kalbijjim & Beef Soup

4.4
(971 reviews)
0.0 mi
$$$

This Daeho location definitely feels busier than the others -- the wait can run 1-2 hours! We put…read moreourselves on the waitlist and hung out in the car. Pro tip: when you get in, you order first before being seated, especially the kalbijjim since it takes a long time to make. The kalbijjim, of course, is the star of the show and never ceases to amaze me. The veggies inside are flavorful and tender from marinating in the sauce for hours, and the beef is fall-off-the-bone tender and plentiful. It's expensive, but worth every penny -- and with the cheese torched on top, it's just perfect. We also got the bibimbap and steamed mandu, japchae, and they were amazing too. Service was great -- attentive even with the crowds. There's street parking, but 3rd Ave is busy, so your best bet is the parking lot nearby. Come hungry and be patient -- it's worth it!

Food here js always solid and the staff is always on point. I usually will get a Kalbi taang or…read moreseollangtaang and then the Kalbijjim and it never disappoints even if it hits the wallet pretty hard. I've also had the bibim nangmyeon here and it's great. I've not yet done any of the boiled beef yet but maybe someday. My only gripe is that you have to pay extra for ttuk and cheese when you get the Kalbijjim or at least you used to. Also no grilled pork meat here but what they do serve they make very well!

Photos
Inside
Inside
B3. Doh Gal Jjim (Tendon) (EX) -@tinah
B3. Doh Gal Jjim (Tendon) (EX) -@tinah
Oxtail kalbijijim

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Oxtail kalbijijim
Rin-Tei

Rin-Tei

4.7
(1.1k reviews)
0.3 mi
$$
Locally owned & operated
Takes reservations

Fantastic service, small place so might be a short wait on Friday and weekends but food is great…read more Would definitely come again!

Rin-Tei is a delicious Japanese-Thai fusion restaurant that I'd highly recommend! I came here a few…read moreweeks ago with some friends on a Sunday whim, and we all thoroughly enjoyed our experience here. When we arrived, we were easily able to get seated without a reservation (perhaps because it was a Sunday). The service was wonderful from the get-go - they were extremely friendly and attentive the entire time, and made us feel very welcomed. And though we arrived on the slightly later side, they never made us feel rushed. The interior of Rin-Tei is minimalist and cozy, and had a very familial feel, as virtually all the tables are connected by a long bench along the wall. It contributes to the inviting, inclusive atmosphere of the restaurant, making it a great spot to meet up with friends. We ordered a variety of dishes which we all split, including: the garlic shrimp, the Vietnamese papaya salad, cold sesame TanTan pho, keema curry, calamari, sizzling wagyu loin, and a couple drinks. And everything we had was excellent! My personal favorites were the sizzling wagyu loin, which was perfectly cooked and abundantly juicy and flavorful, and the warm, tasty keema curry. I'd also never had cold pho before, but I ended up being very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it! I don't think you can go wrong with anything here. I loved my experience at Rin-Tei, and will no doubt be back soon!

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Cold Sesame TanTan Pho
Cold Sesame TanTan Pho
Creamy Soy Milk Pho with Poached Yuzu Chicken and Greens
Creamy Soy Milk Pho with Poached Yuzu Chicken and Greens
Azuki Mochi Ice

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Azuki Mochi Ice
OLHSO Truck

OLHSO Truck

4.7
(38 reviews)
2.4 mi
Large group friendly
Catering service

I've been wanting to try OLHSO Truck since it opened and finally had my chance during a catered…read moreevent. The concept of having Korean food cooked in a robotic food truck is interesting to me. Since the food was catered, unfortunately I was unable to see the robots cooking in action, but fortunately was able to taste the final products. I was able to try the Wagyu galbi (short ribs), dak galbi (marinated chicken), Seoul food bowl (stir-fried pork belly and shrimp), and japchae, served with their corn salad, kimchi, and white rice. The Wagyu galbi was very flavorful with a good amount of vegetables; though I enjoyed the inclusion of lotus root, the veggies seemed like borderline filler to skimp out on meat. The dak galbi was also flavorful though spicy, and again the inclusion of rice cakes seemed like filler. The pork belly and shrimp were delicious, and I liked that the pieces of pork belly I had didn't have an overpowering amount of fat. The japchae was pretty standard and was nice to balance out the meat. I enjoyed the corn salad because it added a creamy component to my meal. The kimchi got lost in the mixture of food in my bowl and the rice was cooked perfectly by the robot. Overall, I enjoyed the food prepared by OLHSO Truck. Unfortunately, since the food was catered and already prepared when I arrived, I cannot comment on the service or wait times provided by the staff. I would consider ordering food from the truck if I am craving Korean fusion type of food and am too lazy to dine in at a local Korean restaurant. If the food from the truck is a good representation of the restaurant in downtown San Mateo, I am more inclined to try the restaurant for a nice sit down dining experience.

Ordered à la carte since the $10 extra for meals didn't seem worth it for a little bit of sides and…read morerice. One thing that is a bit annoying is that there is no way to schedule or get an estimate of your order until after you pay. After clicking the deliver now button, the final eta was actually closer to 70min, but then was actually delivered in 30min. Ordered the Wagyu Galbi, Dak Galbi, SEOUL food, and japchae. The wagyu galbi was nice and tender. The Seoul and dak galbi had similar flavor profiles with the latter being a bit spicier. Note, when you look at your order details, it WONT list any of the sides (e.g. Japchae), which is very confusing. However, it is listed on the final receipt.

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Wagyu Galbi
Wagyu Galbi
Seoul Food
Seoul Food
Dak Galbi

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Dak Galbi
Kajiken

Kajiken

4.4
(1.5k reviews)
0.0 mi
$$

TLDR: Worth the wait. The noodles are excellent…read more This is a different kind of Japanese Noodle Place. Not soup-based, but noodles barely coated in a simple soy infused oil. SPEEDY SERVICE While daunting in appearance, the long line out in front moves surprisingly quickly - only 12 minutes for us to get seated! Friendly enthusiastic attentive staff. Given the queue, they really move you through here in a friendly sort of way, so it's not a place to sit and linger after consuming your meal. There's tons of dessert places just outside.. =) Inside you'll find airy high ceilings and a busy energetic vibe with music that is almost kinda loud! Tables are pretty close together to accommodate everyone. Understandable given the constant lines outside. We came here on a late afternoon midweek. We ordered the: CHASU RICE Appearing almost immediately after ordering, you get a good sized bowl of your basic bits of pork belly-infused Japanese rice - tender and most throughout. It could use a tiny pinch of salt to dial it in, but it worked well with the Aburasoba. Generous serving - enough for both of us. ORIGINAL ABURASOBA オリジナル油そば Aburasoba basically means "oil noodles". Not "oily" in a bad sense, but supple and smooth and superb! With this you get two pieces of 1/8" thick chashu, bamboo shoots, green onions, and nori (seaweed.) The star of the show here are the noodles - supple, al-dente with every bite and such an delightful texture. Served warm. Suggested for first timers, I split this with my light-eating wife. Between us, and the side of rice it was enough for a light lunch after a big breakfast we had earlier. I definitely look forward to coming back here at the first opportunity. Worth the wait.

Loved Kajiken every time we've been!…read more There was a line when we went on the weekend, but the wait wasn't too bad. I've tried ordering a different noodle each visit, but I always end up wishing I'd just gotten the Homura Aburasoba again. The combination of fish powder seasoning, raw egg yolk, and savory meat sauce makes the noodles incredibly rich, flavorful, and packed with umami. The other noodle dishes without the fish powder tasted more like Chinese dan dan noodles to me. They're still good, but they don't have the same unique flavor that makes Kajiken stand out. We also ordered the chicken karaage, takoyaki, and agedashi tofu for the kids, and everything was delicious. The menu recommends the Original Aburasoba for first-time visitors, but if you don't mind the fish powder taste, I'd actually recommend the Homura Aburasoba. It's the dish that really offers the best experience!

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Inside
Inside
Oroshi Ponzu Karaage($10)
Oroshi Ponzu Karaage($10)
Complimentary Accoutrements ($0) Vinegar, Chili Oil, Dried Garlic, Sesame seeds, & Chili Powder

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Complimentary Accoutrements ($0) Vinegar, Chili Oil, Dried Garlic, Sesame seeds, & Chili Powder
K. Grill & Tofu House

K. Grill & Tofu House

4.1
(898 reviews)
6.4 mi
$$

I was in San Bruno today and was craving Korean food. Korean cuisine ranks high on my list due to…read morethe awesome variety of flavors and textures you get with your meal. K. Grill and Tofu House is an excellent, family run establishment that serves up delicious food. The space is very nice and the service is very friendly. I ordered a Dolsot bibimbop because I love food that comes to your table and it's still cooking! I also love that your entree is served with several Banchan (appetizer) dishes. One thing I love about any dining experience is getting a lot of different flavors and textures in one meal. The banchan here had seven different dishes! Of course you get your kimchee, bean sprouts, fish cakes and then some other pickled fruits and veggies. They also gave me what seemed like a roasted sardine? In any case, it was delicious! The Dolsot Bibimbap was a hit! Crispy rice, vegetables, beef and a fried egg on top. Plus, some gochujang sauce to go on it! So yummy! I feel like the prices here are pretty standard for the area, but I do think it's 100% worth the money. Check them out if you're in the area!

Came on Sunday night and there was a small wait (about 10 mins)…read more Service was good after we sat down. The water and banchan came quickly. The seafood pancake is crispy and good. The tofu stone pot is delicious with quite a lot of tofu. The grilled chicken is so-so. The stir-fried glass noodle dish is good. Note there is no free parking and you'll have to pay for parking on the street.

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Indoor ambiance
Indoor ambiance
Banchan
Banchan
Galbi $38

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Galbi $38

Somisomi - icecream - Updated July 2026

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