I came with some friends and had such great service from Fina. It was my first time, and she explained the menu thoroughly and was super sweet. Food was great! read more

Food was really flavorful! Ordered the mango pancakes and kimchi carbonara. Delicious!

First time coming here. Good food, nice environment. Will definitely be back! Be sure to make a reservation.

The food here is as good as the interior looks. And this restaurant is VERY pretty. There is tons of natural lighting. The place is spacious and aesthetic. And the food is GOOD!!!! Truffle Wagyu Yukke (7/10) - The most vibrant dish of the day. The colors, the textures, the different components. I am a huge fan of it all. At the bottom, there was a hefty serving of chili crunch. IT was so strong in flavors but I wish that it was less salty. Mango pancake (9/10) - This dish is so pretty to look at and the cream is the perfect balance of sweet and refreshing. It was not overly sugary sweet and had a strong mango flavor. Texture wise, the pancakes and also the cream itself were super fluffy. The mangoes were also very sweet :) Nori Pasta (10/10) - I was not expecting this when I ordered the nori pasta but I cannot say i'm disappointed! I like how they did not skimp out on the toppings when it came to the pasta. There are so many flavors and textures at play and it all comes together very harmoniously. This was my favorite dish of the meal. Kimchi Carbonara (9/10) - I am not a huge fan of carbonara but this was the best carbonara I have had in a while. The kimchi flavor was very easy to taste and usually carbonaras are more heavy but this one was creamy and light! Gochujang fried chicken (9/10) - The chicken was so crispy. Sometimes with the gochujang sauce, the outside become soggy but this one was SO CRISPY. The texture of the outside was great but the inside. wow. so tender and juicy. not dry at all. My only complaint is that the sauce was slightly on the saltier side but I also ordered other dishes that were able to balance out that. Gogi Morning Benedict (10/10) - This dish was a hit to me. The only issue is that there was TOO much food. They did not skimp out on the portions here. The eggs were runny and the potatoes were crispy. The bread was so fluffy and buttery. Hojicha Latte and Mango Matcha (4/10) - both of the drinks were lacking flavor to me and the hojicha was very grainy. I wish there was a smoother texture for the hojicha and the matcha flavor was more pronounced in the mango matcha The service here is also very efficient and the restaurant manager came over to check up on us too! Super attentive. read more

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Whisper took over the space of Wursthall (RIP, I miss you), so I was excited to finally see what this new spot was all about. I'm usually a bit skeptical of fusion foods and sometimes find the combinations can feel a little shoehorned together, but the Kimchi Carbonara worked surprisingly well! The tang from the kimchi was the perfect counter to cut right through the richness of the heavy carbonara sauce. The Shoyu Butter Corn Ribs were good and fun to eat. Pro-tip, make sure you have some floss handy afterwards. As for the Gochujang Fried Chicken, the batter was crispy. The sauce definitely skews more sweet than heat. If you've ever had yangnyeom chicken, the flavor profile is very similar to that! We shared these three dishes between the two of us and it was the perfect amount of food. The service was super efficient and the food flew out of the kitchen. The plateware was fun too. A great new addition to add to your Bay Area brunch rotation! read more

Food was good, resto was pretty; interior was clean and modern. The servers were lovely and attentive! I ordered the axe iron skillet, my son had the mango pancakes and my husband ordered a burger (forgot what it was called). The axe skillet was great! Meat was tender and flavorful and veggie medley was seasoned well. I had some of the mango pancakes and the batter was soft and moist. The mango cream on top wasnt too sweet which was great for our five year old. My husband unfortunately didn't like his burger as much. He said the meat was overcooked and the nacho cheese flavor overpowered everything else. Other than his burger, we had an amazing experience with all the dishes. Even the Ube latte i had which the server had offered a decaf as an alternative and it came in clutch because it was late. Highly recommend this place! We will be back soon. Can't wait to try to carbonara and the matcha pancakes. read more

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Went for dinner - I got the seafood jjambong pasta, triangle melt, and architecture burger. My favorites are the apps. Delicious with all the beautiful notes of sweet and savory. The jjambong is good with a slight spice and mellow seafood flavor. The burger was very sweet with the jam bacon on top. The flavors meshed super well. The fries were delicious and cut through the sweetness of the burger. Absolutely love the wonton shrimp. Highly recommend. Service was touch and go but he was under training so expected. He was still super sweet and came over quickly when flagging him down. Very spacious inside and beautifully decorated. Open and bright and not too crowded. Will be back to try breakfast read more

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Super cute spot for brunch in downtown San Mateo! Metered street parking all around, but can get busy on the weekends. We joined the yelp waitlist and checked in when we arrived, it was about a 30 minute wait on a busy Saturday. Our server was very nice and quick. Some of the highlights we ordered were: - both lattes were delicious! And not too sweet - seafood jjambbong pasta was well-spiced without being too spicy I would come back again to try some of their other dishes. Love the asian twist of flavors too. Recommend for a cute brunch date! read more

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Had heard about this new brunch spot in San Mateo and brought my girlfriends from East Bay to try it. Still a long waitlist on weekends so join early. It's a good location and plenty spacious. We enjoyed the food. Ordered the truffle mushroom appetizer which was rich and a bit of a smaller portion than expected. Our entrees were good, my favorites were the kimchi carbonara and seafood bibimbap. Where things fell short... We were seated at two small bistro tables put together for a group of 3. While we didn't mind, we quickly realized that we would not be able to comfortably fit our drinks and dishes. It was somewhat challenging to be able to share and we tried moving things around a couple times to fit everything. Not sure if combining the smaller tables threw off the servers also. A couple times they came over to ask us which table number we were (each table had a different QR code). And then a couple instances where dishes were brought over to us but were not ours. Still fairly new so maybe they're figuring it out but some room to improve. Hopefully it gets smoother because we did like the food and I like the venue itself. read more

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My friends and I enjoyed our Saturday afternoon brunch at Whisper. We checked in online, with an overall wait of over 1.5 hours. The restaurant is aesthetic, airy, and bright. Service was prompt and attentive, despite it being busy. We all ordered eggs benedicts. I got the Golden Classique (smoked salmon) one. I did find the lime slices a little odd, but overall, the taste was well-balanced. My friends enjoyed their eggs benedicts (bulgogi and shrimp). The Crème Brûlée French Toast was just okay. I wouldn't order it again. With so many brunch spots, especially Asian fusion ones, in the area, I'm not dying to come back any time soon, especially with the long wait times. But if you've been meaning to check it out, I think you'll enjoy the food and ambiance. read more

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Parking can be a bit messy if you don't mind walking just a bit. The staffs were extremely attentive and great. Bathroom was downstairs and very clean. Interior design and color theme is definitely a spot to take your first dates for their gram photos. There are A lot of seating but the place gets really packed and it's all for the good reasons. Kimchi carbonara: 5/5, very creamy Truffle dip: 4/5, wish it had more of a truffle aroma Fried corn: 3/5, a bit too dry read more

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

Food was tasty. Drinks were okay, nice variety on the menu. The Hojicha latte had a lot of powder tea residue so it wasn't fully mixed. It was okay. I assume it was because the restaurant was super busy. All the drinks that were ordered on the QR menu came after all the food came and when we had to ask staff if the order went through or not. Not a lot of sweetness added which is nice for my partner and I. The pasta was flavorful and thick so it filled us up pretty good. Perfect size for the pasta. Good amount of meat. Good seasoning and presentation. The matcha pancake was super thick. It was tasty and the cream was tasty. I'm not sure if the cream needs to be whipped more but it was presented well and the cream was enough to cover all 3 pancakes. The seafood bibimbap was okay. Good amount of seafood but it wasn't as flavorful as I thought it would be. But still good. My partner enjoyed the food. I knew MOST places charges for gratuity for 6 or more people. We didn't know that it was charged at the end. The staff waitress Aaliyah was nice, she checked in now and then. She did not inform us about the auto gratuity tip of 20% added to the ended of the bill. I don't know if it's because it was really loud and busy that it was assumed we would know. We didn't see a notice on the QR menu app or menu. My partner just assumed he had to tip after the card was charged on the tablet when it flips to him the total of our bill. Once we got our paper receipt, we noticed we double tipped. Some places charges automatically and some places doesn't charge the big group fee. I only ask to please have staff remind big groups it's added cause all my companions and I didn't hear it was added. In the end, I would try the place again on a non super busy holiday day. It has a lot of potential. read more

My partner and I went here for breakfast today and were underwhelmed given the price. They have a cute aesthetic and some unique dishes. He got the bulgolgi benedict and I got the fried chicken Benedict. We also got the shrimp scampi avocado toast. The latte I got was nice. Avocado toast - the bread wasn't even toasted and only contained a very thin layer of avocado The breakfast potatoes on both of our dishes were barely toasted. Total with tip came to $85 for two people. There are better breakfast spots for that same price or less such as Jack's, Johnny's and Taste and Glory. read more

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

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Decided to come here for brunch with my friends on Sunday. There were no reservations available so I put us on the Yelp waitlist on our way to the restaurant and they estimated it to be about an hour wait which we were fine with. I guess it's our fault for not checking in with the host when we got there but it ended up being a 2 hr wait and then they took us off the waitlist because apparently a lot of people just join the waitlist online and then never show up. Luckily, they were able to seat us right away when we showed up. If you join the waitlist on yelp, just remember to check in with the restaurant before you go off exploring the area. Since we waited 2 hours, we were all starving at this point. We ordered the nori pasta, seafood jjambbong pasta, and cast iron stone axe. The staff were very friendly and the food came out fairly quickly. Everything was delicious. I really liked how the dishes were a Korean-American fusion. The seafood jjambbong pasta had a bit of a kick to it and I thought the nori pasta was very unique. The beef in the cast iron stone axe was tender and the kimchi added more flavor to the dish. I also appreciate that the rice in the dish wasn't just plain white rice. The restaurant itself is very spacious with two levels. It's also very aesthetic and the lighting is great for photos. I want to come back and try some of their actual breakfast items next time! read more

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Bright and vibrant, modern Korean-American brunch (now dinner) restaurant! Serves unique korean-american fusion with good classics still on the menu revamped. Dishes are presented amazingly and easy on the eyes. However the flavors of the dishes fall short in my personal opinion as they end up either overly sweet or slightly bland. The tables are very small, even if I wanted to order more and try more dishes, it physically wasn't able to be placed on the table. But the service is great, friendly, quick and efficient. Drinks: Ube Latte 2.5/5- Always loved different latte flavors. The color of the drink and presentation was amazing. But was too sweet. I couldn't taste the ube too much and the coffee was overpowered, it was quite the sugary beverage. Appetizer/Sides: Truffle Cream Oyster Mushroom 4/5 - Probably the best item we tried. Mushrooms were succulent, slight truffle aroma, creamy and the sauce paired very well with almost anything. I wish there were maybe 3-4 pieces of bread instead of just two. Truffle Wagyu Yukhoe 2/5 - I really wanted to like it. But i've had so much better yukhoe at other establishments. The meat was fine but you could barely taste the beef flavor. It was overpoweringly sweet. Very sweet and a lot of red onions, overpowered the entire dish. Still edible, and if you like that flavor profile, this is for you, but when i think of yukhoe i think of subtle sweet from pears and a nice nutty aroma from the oils. Side Croffle 4/5 - Wanted to just have a croffle, it was great, nothing too special, a nice croissant waffle, very crispy and a nice chew! Entree: Cast Iron Stone Ax 4/5- Hot skillet, rice, kimchi, australian wagyu rib (seems like kalbi marinated) potato medley. The meat was very good, slightly sweet and very tender. The potatoes were very bland though, did not have much of a taste to them other than it being a potato, like as if not seasoned with salt. Kimchi was a good addition, rice rounded the portion out and presentation was great. Overall, very nice aesthetic, great menu choices and a large variety. Expect long lines, it's a great brunch spot but just not for me. Flavor profiles were inconsistent, but i'd consider trying other menu items. Excellent service nonetheless. read more

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I waited for the Whisper hype to die down a bit before making my visit. My party of four went for a late weekday brunch and arrived around 11am. Fortunately there is a Yelp waitlist available and I was able to get on a little before I arrived. Reservations were available on the day of my visit but I decided to just get on the Yelp waitlist. I did have to loop around a bit for parking and eventually got a spot a block away. The restaurant itself is quite roomy with an upper floor for additional seating. Ordering is done via QR code on the table. Since it was our first visit, we ended up ordering five items so we can try different things. First to arrive was the Seafood Bibimbap. This dish had a lot of seafood and was very flavorful; there was a hint of spice but I wouldn't say it was spicy at all. Next came The Morning Edition with scrambled egg, wagyu beef patty, sweet potato fries, and focaccia bread. The highlight of this dish was the sweet potato fries since they were very crispy and seasoned nicely. The scrambled egg and focaccia were nice and soft, though the wagyu beef patty unfortunately tasted like a basic hamburger patty. Sweet & Salt came next and it was a nice take on classic chicken and waffles featuring Korean fried chicken on a croffle. The fried chicken was juicy and fried perfectly, though it tasted more like regular fried chicken rather than Korean fried chicken. The croffle also tasted more like a very good waffle, perhaps since the juices from the chicken were seeping into the croffle. Next was the Crème Brûlée French Toast. The crème brûlée sauce was good but it would've been nice if it had torched sugar on top. This was probably our least favorite entree since it seemed basic relative to our other dishes. Lastly, we had the Cast Iron Stone Axe. After having the bibimbap, we felt this dish was a bit lacking, though it was nice that the crisp potato medley contained what seemed to be yucca. Overall, my party really enjoyed our meal at Whisper. Service was attentive and the ambiance of the restaurant was busy but not loud at all. Although the menu isn't the cheapest, the quality of the food makes it worth it. Whisper is one of the better brunch places in the area and I am looking forward to my next visit. read more

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Korean fusion brunch: Yes please! We were second in line right before they opened Sunday morning so parking was a breeze. It's was comfortably decorated with high ceilings. I ordered the strawberry iced matcha and crème brûlée French toast. The sweet and mild tartness of the berry paired well with the slight bitterness of the matcha. The French toast was a little doughy for my taste. I think it would have been better with more berries to balance all the custard and bread; and texture change in the dish would have been nice. Maybe instead of 3 slices with cream filling 2 thick slices fried until crisp on the outside or crème crunchy bits on top and definitely more berries. Hubby got a hot matcha late and the cast iron stone ax. Oh boy his food was the best. The beef had a flavorful bugogi marinade and the kimchee hit all the flavor profiles of sweet, tart and very mild spiced, paired with mix fried potatoes, friend rice with a egg on top. It was massive and could easily feed 2-3 people. He thought his matcha was a bit bitter but it's a nice option for those who would be watching their sugar in take. For me it would have been so good with some sweeten condensed milk. When we sat down we noticed not everything was on the menu's we received but there is a QR code on one end of the table which takes you to the whole menu to order from, that is where we found drink options. read more

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Glad we have more brunch places opening up in San Mateo. The server recommended the kimchi pasta and I thought it was wayyy toooo creamy and thick for me. There was no hint of kimchi (the cream totally overpowered the dish) and only had a few shredded pieces of beef (2/5 star). The fried chicken croffle was better. The chicken was moist and juicy, and perfectly seasoned. However, the croffle missed the mark. It was a tad soggy and didn't have the crunch and chewy texture bite to it (3.5/5 star). read more

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This is the holy fusion brunch place of my dreams. The interior is a feast for the eyes. Majority of the dishes we had were great. We came on a rainy weekday for lunch and had no problems getting a table. Service was friendly and attentive. Particularly loved the creamy mushroom appetizer, though you have to order more bread as it only comes with 2 little slices. As well as the Kimchee carbonara. Very creamy and good balance of flavors. Just a little spicy. Definitely looking forward to returning and trying more dishes. read more

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I enjoyed every dish of this Korean fusion brunch place. The atmosphere is nice and the food is delicious. We came on a Thursday for brunch and it was packed already. Definitely glad we made a reservation first. Parking is street parking only with parking meters. Definitely need to come a little early to find parking. It was busy so the service was a little slow. But when we got the attention, the service was great. I would definitely want to go back to try different things. *Im not a pancake person but the matcha pancake is sooooo good. The matcha cream over the pancakes is such delicate combo. read more

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Cast iron stone axe, truffle cream oyster mushrooms, and Sea and Green (shrimp and avo) Benedict. All so delicious and worthy of eating again and again. We couldn't get enough of the truffle cream sauce. After we ate all the mushrooms with the bread, we ate it over my potatoes from my cast iron stone axe dish. So so good! My cast iron axe dish was huge and could easily feed 2 people. I have enough for 2 more meals after eating it today. The beef was marinated and so succulent. I also loved the runny egg and red pickled tomato. A star dish. The Benedict was also delicious. Shrimp was cooked perfectly and the bread (brioche?) was perfect. We will be back with friends and family. :) read more

Whisper - Sea and Green (shrimp) Benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

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My friend and I came here for lunch on Thursday. There were a lot of people but luckily we were seated right away without a reservation. The space looks way nicer than before. It's aesthetically pleasing, modern, and spacious. It's nice that there's second floor seating and high ceilings. The waiters provided good service and were friendly. For drinks, I got the Iced Mango Matcha Latte and my friend got an Iced Hojicha Latte. She said her latte tasted not too sweet, which is how it should be. I liked my drink as well, but it could use more mango. I noticed it was pretty much only smeared on the inside of the glass when I mixed it. We shared the Shoyu-Butter Corn Ribs and Truffle Cream Oyster Mushrooms. She liked the mushrooms better and I liked the corn ribs. For the mushrooms, they gave us two small pieces of bread, which wasn't enough for the plate of dip. She got the Kimchi Carbonara and said it's a good, shareable entree. I ordered the Sea & Green Benedict. I liked the twist of the croissant base. The shrimp was small though and there were only 5 pieces. I don't think it goes well in a Benedict because the point is to cut and eat everything together. I know they're new but here's some things I think they can improve-- -pricing: lattes were almost $10 and our total meal was $100 -wish they had more options for hot drinks. The special drinks were all iced -the drink menu is only available by QR code on the table even though they have physical menus for food Overall, it was a pleasant dining experience. There's a lot of food options so I will come back to try more dishes! read more

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Food was delicious! I shared the gochujang chicken and kimchi carbonara with my friend, and both did not disappoint! The chicken was very crispy and flavorful. The carbonara was rich and al dente. The sauce was thick and great to dip our bread in. One of my friends got an omelette and she said it was one of the fluffiest omelettes she's had. I also ordered the orange americano, and it was a nice refreshing pick me up. Our server Aliya (spelling?) was super friendly ! The inside is modern and cute. I wished they took reservations. We tried to join the waitlist on yelp but they don't even allow you to join until you are 10 miles away. Even with joining the waitlist we waited almost 2 hours. read more

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Went on a busy Easter Sunday as a party of 3 and waited for 30-40 minutes. The host was friendly and checked in with us to notify the table would be ready soon. We were seated on the second floor and although it was a bit of a tight space, I loved the aesthetic of decor. The ceiling high windows made the space feel bigger. The portions were decent and food was tasty. I was just disappointed with the korean fried chicken as I was expecting a bit more flavor. None the less the chicken was crispy and juicy. Would return when in the mood for a cutesy brunch. read more

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I was up on the peninsula to take a class at SFBI, so I took the opportunity to meet a friend and check this place out on an extremely rainy Sunday afternoon. I felt like the food was just alright for the amount of hype this place has been getting. The dishes are fairly unique, being Korean-American brunch fusion, but the execution is pretty standard. We got the creme brulee french toast and corn ribs to share, and I got the chicken and croffle while my friend got the rib-eye. I would say everything tasted pretty good and was executed fine, but not to the level that I'd expect a 5 star restaurant to be. Service was friendly but slow. It was really crowded when we went so they could have been understaffed. Speaking of crowded, it was REALLY crowded in there. It was very loud and hard to hear, and I constantly felt like I was going to accidentally touch the person next to me. Plus, for a restaurant where you'd probably want to try and share a lot of dishes, the tables are really small and cramped. I might come back someday when the crowds have died down to try something else, as I think their quality is not bad, but at present it's just a bit too chaotic for me as a place to have a relaxed meal. read more

This place is located in Downtown San Mateo and is street parking only. This place is brand new and just opened up 3 months ago. They do have a few parking garages but they are a few blocks away. I came here on a Saturday morning around 11am. I joined the wait list prior to arriving when I was driving here. I saw this place on TikTok and wanted to come. To check in, your whole party needs to be present. We were seated and were given water/menus immediately. You have the option to order via the QR code or with a server. They gave us time to look at the menu and even helped with recommendations. We got a Strawberry Matcha and a Mango Matcha. The Strawberry Matcha was more sweet and the mango was not really sweet. For food we ended up ordering the Matcha Pancake, The Sunday Chronicle Omelette, and the Gogi Morning. We all shared and agreed that the Gogi Morning was so good. That was my personal favorite. All portions are definitely sharing portions. The flavors were all delicious and the food presentation was great. The interior is very clean and modern. The service was great and our server was very helpful! This was such a cute brunch place and the menu was pretty similar to other modern brunch places. read more

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Got to visit the Whisper few weeks ago on a weekday and we made reservations just in case via Yelp. Parking was relatively easy to find on a weekday which was nice! What we ordered: - Hojicha latte: Yummy! I feel like it's a standard latte that you can't go wrong ordering. Hojicha latte has the nutty/toasted flavor and I ordered it with oat milk! - Kimchi Carbonara: Definitely recommend ordering this & sharing it! It was a huge plate for my friend & I but super creamy and delicious! - Shoyu Butter Corn: This one also was pretty tasty! It was also a rich seasoning flavor and goes well with the corn. - Crème Brûlée French toast: Super moist and soft! So delicious after eating all that food to finish off with the French toast! Overall it was a good food & service! Relaxing vibes and comfortable seats! It's definitely a place I'd go once in awhile for a nice treat as it is a bit pricer but overall good food! read more

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Visited on a Friday for lunch with a reservation and was seated promptly. Their service is really quick actually, I think our food came out not even 10 after we ordered. We tried the Sweet & Salt, Cast Iron Stone Axe, Kimchi Carbonara! Sweet & Salt: Presentation is beautiful! The chicken was juicy and crispy, but kind of overpowered the crispy airiness of the croffle. They give you pancake syrup on the side, nothing special. I wish they have a more unique sauce to it. Cast Iron Stone Axe: Meat was perfectly tender and potato bites were very crispy and flavorful. Every bite was amazing. Kimchi Carbonara: A good combo of kimchi and creaminess, but was salty in our opinions. I'd try some other pastas next time. Definitely recommend making a reservation if you can! The waitlist gets pretty long even on a Friday, probably worse on weekends. Love the presentations and ambiance of the place though! read more

Came on a Friday for lunch and the place was super busy. Taking over Wursthall, the space is bright and airy with super tall ceilings. Ordering is through a QR code so if you need anything like water or condiments, you'll need to flag down some of the floating staff member. Butter Corn Ribs: Corn that is fried with nice flavors. Would order again. Gogi morning: The potato medley was crispy and delicious and loved the mix of regular and sweet potatoes. The benedict tasted as expected. Melting Archive: One thing that don't note is that it has jalapeños so keep that in mind when ordering. The potatoes were nice and crispy and the burger was solid. I wished the bacon jam was a bit more potent though. Would definitely come back! read more

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Food is really good! I came once for brunch and once for dinner. There's a larger menu for brunch but the dinner options are still pretty extensive. My favorite dish is the creamy oyster mushroom starter. Restaurant is beautifully decorated and spacious. read more

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

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Good but certainly doesn't live up to the hype (or the price point). We went for lunch on a weekday and fortunately it was easy to walk in and get a table (unlike the craziness of a weekend). It turns out they take reservations for weekday lunches (not weekend) but we didn't need them. Gochujang Fried Chicken - appetizer good flavor but came out a bit cold so disappointed Corn Ribs - flavored corn cob like things. Outstanding flavor. The best thing we had. Layered Architecture - fancy name for a burger. At $25 I have high expectations and this didn't come close. Ordered it medium rare and it came out well done. Had to send it back. Came out cooked correctly the second time. Beef patty was really small. Tasted mainly lettuce, tomato and mushrooms and avocado and the burger was too small of a patty to enjoy. Couldn't taste the bacon jam on it which is sad. If you like good thick burgers this is not for you. The one redeeming thing was the fries were excellent and thanks to another review ordered bacon jam on the side to dip them in. The bacon jam itself is the best I've ever had. Kimchi Carbonara - outstanding sauce in this dish. Couldn't really taste Kimchi but it didn't matter because this orange cream sauce was so good! The pasta itself was very low quality spaghetti out of a cheap box. If they did this with good fresh pasta it would be a true hit. Seafood Jjambong Pasta - pretty dish in a cast iron skillet. The flavor profile was weak and again had cheap low end spaghetti out of a box. Skip this dish! Service- hard to tell who our server was and water glasses didn't stay full. You have the option of ordering on a QR code but why would someone do that if they expect you to tip for full service. Conclusion- hopefully this place will hit its stride and improve overall quality. I think I'll give them time to do that before I go back again. Additional note: I'm guessing they use a lot of MSG in the food. I was super sluggish and thirsty after which usually only happens from high MSG food. Really bad: there was a QR code at the bottom of the receipt asking to leave them a review with chowbus. The QR code had been deactivated so I guess they really don't want feedback! This is why we have Yelp! read more

Whisper - Kimchi carbonara - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

Wait time: Arrive early to avoid a long wait to be seated. Ambiance: The interior is extremely nice looking with a coffee bar on the right when entering and a partially open kitchen. Dining area: The tables can be a little small for dining and it can be hard to find a large enough area for larger groups. Service: The servers were nice and friendly, however it seems a little disorganized with who is in charge of each area when dining. Food: The food was really good and the portion size was fair for the price point. I would say that the latte was not my favorite and came out warm bordering more towards cool. The pancakes were good with the matcha cream flavor strong to make up for the rather regular tasting matcha colored pancakes. read more

Whisper - Matcha Latte - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

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heard the fuss about this spot and was eager to check them out. walked in one brunch morning and it was busy but there was still enough table to accommodate immediately. I was greeted kindly by one of their staff and was escorted to a cute and cozy table inside. I was explained the ordering system and the menu where you can agin scan a bar code to check out their menu and order. I wanted to try a few things and went ahead and ordered my drink and an appetizer, my entree and ended with a dessert. So far, the ambiance were fascinating. I didn't wait long to be served my drink and meals. Presentation were outstanding and instagramable! and it tasted good! I love the kimchi carbonara pasta the best! will definitely return and try other stuff from their menu. read more

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Came here twice for brunch: once with my boss and once with friends. Pictures included are from my first visit. The location and decor is one of my favorites. Tons of natural lighting brightens the entire dining area, and the servers were very attentive. While all of the dishes were excellent, I'd recommend splitting some of the items. The truffle noodles, for example, might be too heavy for one person to eat, but great when also combined with some of the bone marrow. My favorite ironically is also one of the simplest items: the corn spears. The buttery seasoning was delicious, and I just couldn't stop ordering more. The place does get packed pretty early, so I'd recommend going a bit early if you can. Overall a great brunch spot, and would definitely come more when I have the time. read more

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Tried Whisper in San Mateo today. The place looks really nice inside and the service was good too. Definitely a good brunch vibe. We got the cast iron stone rice, French toast, and corn rib. Everything looked great when it came out, which always helps with the appetite. The food tasted decent overall and had a nice homemade feel. The French toast was a bit of a letdown though. It wasn't anything special and didn't have that crispy outside I was hoping for. I'm a big French toast fan, so that didn't meet expectations. The corn rib was good, but I wish they cut off the hard core part so it's easier to eat the whole thing. Overall still a nice spot and I'd come back for brunch. read more

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Came here on a Tuesday with a reservation for 12. Heads up if you're coming with a larger group, they wouldn't seat us until everyone arrived. Our last person was running late and had already texted her order in, but we still had to wait to be seated, which slowed things down a bit. The space itself is beautiful, open, thoughtfully designed, and feels a little elevated without being stuffy. Bathrooms are downstairs, and there's also a speakeasy down there if you're going at night (separate reservation needed). It's downtown, so parking wasn't an issue, plenty of options nearby. Food wise, I went with the kimchi carbonara after our server said it was "the best thing on the menu," and honestly... they weren't wrong. It's a unique twist on a classic, super rich, layered, and full of umami. Definitely on the more decadent side, but really well done. Service was the only hiccup. There were QR codes on the table and we were initially told to order through those, so we all started putting in our orders, then a server came by and told us not to use them. Not a huge deal, but it set things off a little. The bigger issue was timing: food came out really staggered. There was about a 20 minute gap between the first and last entrée hitting the table, which made it a bit awkward. Some people waited, others started eating so their food wouldn't get cold, and by the time the last dishes arrived, a few people were already done. Overall, despite the disjointed pacing, the food delivered and we still had a good time. I'd come back, just maybe with a smaller group next time. read more

Whisper - Kimchi Carbonara "The best thing on the menu"- waiter (it was delicious) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

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While D1 was in town for Spring Break I took a personal day and hung out with the cool kids for Brunch. Made a reservation via Yelp which made it easy peasy. We were seated at our chosen time. The aesthetic is super cute. High ceiling. Exposed beams. Cozy seating. Circular tables. There's even seating upstairs. D1 used the bathroom and said it was a little strange, bc it was downstairs and it seemed to have a shared space with another kitchen behind some curtains. Anyhow our waiters were very attentive, until... they took our orders and D1 and my dishes came out almost simultaneously. However, there was a 20 minute gap from the time D1's plate landed til D2's came to the table. And D2 insisted we couldn't eat until everything was the table. 3 different waiters came to say they were checking on her order but never returned to give us an update. D2 insisted we start without her after 10 minutes went by. I was going to draw the line at 15 minutes, but felt bad so we waited until it hit the table. Thankfully we were able to nosh on D1's fries. Disappointing bc we saw her same order land on other tables that ordered well after us. Just bad service on their part. Sad. D1 ordered "The Gentle Melt": tuna salad, cheese, tomato, aioli, on a toasted ciabatta bun. The interesting thing about this sandwich is that the tuna salad was made into a patty. Very nice crunch and well put together. The fries were delicious: nice crunch as well and lightly seasoned. I ordered the "Sweet & Salt": croffle, Korean fried chicken, fresh seasonal fruit, and powdered sugar. The croffle wasn't croffle like at all, it was a waffle. Dense and not flakey. The Korean fried chicken was good nice flavor and crisp. Other than that it was just okay. Nothing different than any other place that makes chicken and waffles. D2 had the "Red Dawn" Benedict: fried chicken, radish paper, chili hollandaise, 2 poached eggs on a croissant base. And it was served with a potato medley. She said it was sadly not worth waiting an extra 20 minutes for. She did like the combination and flavors though, it was just rather anticlimactic for her after waiting for so long. The last waiter who checked on her order before it hit the table, was also the host/ greeter. He apologized for the lag but said they were short staffed. He had to say something after all, but it was clearly a lie. There were more than 7 servers walking around and more than 8 people working the open kitchen. Food was good not mind blowing or awesome. Would we go again. Possibly but hopefully our dishes all come in a timely manner. read more

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I love brunch, so I had to check this place out. The wait can be long, but it's nice that you can join the waitlist on Yelp ahead of time. The place does get pretty packed. Once seated, you order through a QR code at the table. We ordered the truffle wagyu yukke, red dawn, cast iron stone axe, and an orange americano. The potato medley in the dishes was gooddd, perfectly crispy on the outside, well-seasoned, and super addicting. My favorite dish was the cast iron stone axe. Presentation and portion was nice. The other items were just okay. One of the eggs in my Benedict was overcooked. I probably should've tried the kimchi carbonara since I saw a lot of people ordering it. read more

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I was really excited to try Whisper after seeing all the hype on socials but it was unfortunately underwhelming for me. I made a reservation through Yelp for 11:30 AM on a Friday and we were seated within a few minutes of arrival. The interior is gorgeous, I really like the modern look and various decor on the walls. Chairs and tables have an elegant look to it too, and the bar area looks nice. Ordering is pretty easy as you just need to scan a QR code on the table. Every table has a number attached to it, but somehow we were almost served other table's food and drinks! I don't blame the staff though , they're doing their best in such a busy and big restaurant. I ordered an iced ube latte and their Melting Archive. Iced Ube Latte 3/5: there was a ton of ube extract in here so the drink was very dark purple to the point where the straw was getting dyed. The taste was still pretty muted and overall I don't think it's worth it. Melting Archive 2/5: seeing pictures and reels of this was what made me want to come in and try but I left pretty disappointed. I am an absolute cheese fiend and I especially love melty cheese, but the house made cheese sauce had such an off flavor to it. Almost like a strong yeasty taste and the alcohol not getting evaporated enough. It's described as a "house made nacho cheese" on the menu but it tasted like stale fondue cheese to me. The flavor was so off-putting to me that I only ate fries that didn't touch the sauce. It took 1 hour to receive our food which was also a rough point. They are dealing with the sudden hype and popularity so I was expecting some hiccups. The waiter did kindly discount our bill by 10% for the long wait which I appreciated. I still want to come back and try other things, but I will probably wait for some of the hype to die down. read more

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I came here for brunch on a Friday, and there was no wait. I really liked my experience here! We sat at a booth, and it was as comfy as it was beautiful. I had the mango matcha latte, and it was so fresh! I really loved it! For my starter, I had the shoyu butter corn ribs, and these were packed full of flavor. For my main, I had the dak juk. This was ok - I wasn't expecting it to be so spicy. For this reason, I couldn't share it with my baby. The porridge consistency was great, though. Service was awesome! read more

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