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

See all

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

See all

nice vibe and newer addition to downtown san mateo - the menu is giving sweet maple and the actual food is not bad. i could see if this was closer to me, it'd be added to one of the brunch spot to frequent. however, must say the service is terribleeeeeeee. when they servers actually talked to you, they were nice but problem is you really didn't see them. no one proactively checked your water level, if all the food items were ok yadiyada hence the mere 3 stars. it was quite frustrating bc it's not like we were looking for above and beyond, this is below average for sure. read more

See all

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

See all

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

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

See all

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

See all

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

See all

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

See all

Such large portions and very flavorful!! Love the interior so much too! Came back a few months after this for their dinner as well and it was just as good as the first time (: read more

See all

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

See all

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

See all

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

See all

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

See all

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

See all

We came on a Saturday for brunch and as expected we did have to wait like 30-40 mins. Nothing a little walk over to mollytea couldn't fix. The menu itself is quite large, we decided to go for savory and sweet items. The jjampong noodles were cooked perfectly but the sauce just didn't cling to the noodles. Honestly we found this dish to be a little lack luster flavor wise. The fried chicken and waffles was a hit. The chicken was juicy and the croffle was crispy and buttery. The burger was also pretty solid. The bun was probably the best thing, it was sweet and soft like a Hawaiian roll. We did the crème brûlée toast for dessert and thought it was okay. Yes the toast was good but we wished there were more burnt sugar pieces. Overall we felt the service to be a bit slow and the food just quite hit the mark for the wait. However they do have a gorgeous interior and it feels quite lively to dine here! read more

See all

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

See all

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

See all

Visited for brunch recently and came away with mixed feelings. The atmosphere was definitely the highlight of the experience--comfortable, stylish, and a great place to relax and catch up with friends. Service was attentive throughout the meal, and our drinks and food arrived in a reasonable amount of time. There was about a 30-minute wait when we arrived, though they do offer a waitlist, which helped make the process a bit more manageable. The food itself was just okay. The menu leans toward Korean fusion, which sounded interesting, but the execution didn't quite live up to expectations. The carbonara was noticeably watery and lacked the richness I was hoping for. The omelette was fine but fairly standard and nothing particularly memorable. I also ordered a latte, and while presentation isn't everything, the latte art was underwhelming and the coffee itself was average. Prices were a bit higher than what I'd normally expect for the overall quality of the food and drinks. While the atmosphere and service were strong points, I'd probably come back more for the ambiance than for the menu. read more

See all

Came to Whisper for dinner and overall it was pretty good. We started with the gochujang fried chicken which was boneless dark meat fried. It was tender, crispy, sweet, and savory. Excellent! For my main I had the cast iron which was a huge portion. The rib finger was marinated well but my favorite part was probably the potatoes. They were deep fried just enough so they were crispy on the outside and pillowy on the inside. Boyfriend got the congee and thought it was ok. He wasn't the biggest fan of the pickled jalapeno but the poached egg was perfect. We did have to send the dish back for being lukewarm but the staff was accommodating. It's odd that they would serve it in such a shallow dish. Given that they are still on a learning curve, I'll give them a bit of a pass on some aspects but one faux pas was delivering the appetizer and entrees within minutes of each other. The chicken isn't exactly small bites so not only did we lose a lot of table space but that probably was a contributing cause to the congee being cold by the time we moved over to it. The second was the abysmal state of the women's restroom. No TP and toilet covers strewn about. 1. Ladies, do better. 2. Whisper, check more frequently! Still, I would come back to try brunch. The food warrants it. read more

See all

A really creative brunch spot with unique Korean-inspired dishes. The gochujang fried chicken was fantastic. The waygu steak skillet (served with potatoes and rice) was only so-so. The flavor was fine, but the steak meat was really fatty and rather chewy. I was pretty disappointed by this dish. The ambiance is really classy, but the service is a bit lacking. Our matcha drink finally came after all our dishes had already arrived, which seems a bit backwards. And the servers all seemed a bit distracted and weren't trying very hard to be helpful or hospitable. read more

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

See all

Long story short why it didn't get 5 stars.. I just wish it had just a little bit more. But we will get to thay later. The downside is the wait. Tbh now that I've eaten there, I would probably consider eating here if it not for the waiting times. Took 50 minutes to get seated. Thank God for several restos in the area. I do have to say I miss wurst hall lol. Service was pretty fast except for the order they forgot. The place looks great. Wide bright and clean. Nothing bad to say. As for my point earlier, I just wish there was a nudge more. Let me explain...the dishes sound amazing.. The food looks great.. Those corn ribs were amazing. The rest though...It just fell a tad bit flat for me. Maybe I was expecting more flavor. Don't get me wrong. It was good. But it could be great. I will Def come back soon though. Those burgers looked pretty good. read more

See all

Whisper serves Korean style brunch and lunch, kind of similar to the very popular Thai style brunch around the Bay Area but with a Korean theme twist. As such, you can find dishes like bulgogi Benedict, gochujang fried chicken, or seafood bibimbap on the menu. The place is new and quite popular so expect a line. We waited around 30 minutes on a Sunday to be seated. The interior is nicely decorated and actually is quite large and includes a second floor. We ordered the Seafood bibimbap and Bulgogi Benedict. The Seafood Bibimbap offers a generous amount of seafood like scallops, mussels, shrimps, and octopus with a gochujang like sauce and includes a fried egg over rice. It's a large serving but the rice was not crispy at all like what a traditional bibimbap should be. It's as if they cooked the seafood on the side, put rice in a hot pan, and then put the seafood, sauce, and eggs over it. Clearly not the best bibimbap I've had. The Bulgogi Benedict is served on a croissant base. The bulgogi was tender and tasty but the croissant was nothing special, tasted like a Costco croissant, and poached eggs were slightly overcooked. Not the best eggs Benedict I've had. Overall, it's an interesting novelty to try this type of brunch and lunch but the food is ok to me. read more

See all

We got the shoyu butter corn ribs, crème brûlée French toast, and the Sea and Green Benedict. The corn ribs were actually so good. Super juicy with a nice char, and the shoyu butter gave it that salty, savory depth with a little sweetness. The crème brûlée French toast was the best thing on the table. It has that hard caramelized top that cracks when you cut into it, and inside it's soft and custardy. Definitely on the sweeter side, but not overwhelming. The Sea and Green Benedict balanced everything out. The shrimp tasted fresh, the poached eggs were perfectly runny, and the sauce wasn't too heavy. The only thing was the croissant base was a little dry, which took away from it a bit, but overall it was still solid. The ambiance is cute and a little trendy without trying too hard, with a relaxed brunch vibe that makes it easy to hang out for a while. Service was friendly and pretty quick, and everything came out well-paced. read more

See all

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

Whisper is a cool new restaurant that serves Korean themed brunch and other foods. It's a nice, open casual and inviting space to gather with friends although it can get a bit loud. Went for lunch and enjoyed my Bulgogi Benedict served with a salad instead of potatoes and it was an interesting and tasty combo. My friend had the Sweet and Salty fried chicken stack...came with 3 pieces on a croffle, so I tried one and the chicken was cooked very well. Servers were nice, too, and very busy, as they are still getting things down having just opened recently. Make sure you flag someone down to order if you don't want to use the QRCode on the table. Sounds like they are getting their liquor license any day now, too, and I'm looking forward to returning again before or after my next round of golf at Poplar Creek that's less than 10 minutes away! read more

See all

Was so excited to try Whisper but left disappointed. First off, service was lackluster from start to finish. When we walked in, no one greeted us even though staff members walked right past us repeatedly. We waited a while to talk to the host, and we had to proactively flag him down. During the meal, no one came to check on us, and when we were ready for the bill, it took us 8+ tries to get someone's attention. At one point, we were literally flailing our arms in the air to catch someone's glance. Food was quite disappointing. We got their popular corn ribs which were super salty and hard to eat. We also got their $29 seafood pasta which (aside from coming in a cast iron skillet which was kind of fun) was a watery, flavorless mess with a few frozen mussels, shrimp, and the tiniest scallops. Tried to get their matcha latte but they were "out of matcha." Got their hojicha latte instead which was incredibly gritty. read more

Whisper - Seafood jjambbong pasta - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

Since whisper has been so popular I had high hopes for it. I put my name down on the waitlist and ended up waiting over 1 1/2 hours. The menu is large with many options but I wasn't too impressed. We had the chicken croffle and the mango pancakes but I've honestly had better. The restaurant is very beautiful but it was so loud and busy that it made it less enjoyable as well read more

Was looking up brunch places to meet to discuss fundraising and ended up finding Whisper! My friend and I always joke about how we take each other on the best dates (sorry not sorry to our partners) because we always find such beautiful places to eat or chat at. This didn't miss the mark either. Pay attention to the decor if you visit and there's some fun things if you look around. Beatiful interior indeed. We came in and added ourselves to the waitlist which was not long at all- though I do recommend joining waitlist on Yelp just in case. Many people came after us and wait time jumped from 15 minutes wait to an hour. Our host, Fina was very patient and kind. Definitely a busy place but she made the experience feel perfectly paced and light. We ordered: Ube Latte - my friend's drink- she loved it but didn't get her opinion on score. We needed coffee and it was a delightful fix, Mango Matcha - Can't go wrong especially now that mango season is here!! Very refreshing. Oyster Mushroom w/ Baguette - 8/10 - I think I loved this bite the most. Really great appetizer, it was a little salty BUT that's why you eat it with the bread. Stone Axe - The MEAT was cooked perfectly. Still juicy, hot, and flavorful. Potatoes were good but those are pretty standard. 7/10- but the meat 8.7/10- that was a really good first bite of this dish. Nori Pasta - Creamy pasta but sauce was a little more wet than what we were hoping, But we're also thick sauce kinda people so that could just be us. Nonetheless, it was yummy, 7/10. We also ordered to go for some friends. Mango Pancake - Our friend has a sweet tooth and this hit the spot. Gochu Fried Chicken - Good crunch. 6.5/10. Sauced but I'd give this a chance again dining in. read more

See all

Food was great. Everything coming out of that kitchen looked amazing! I wanted to try it all! Although they gave us a wait time of 60-83 mins, we were seated pretty quickly. Maybe around 15-20 mins. The ambience was nice as there was a lot of natural light coming through the establishment. It had an updated ambience and everyone in there seemed to be having a great time. Will be back soon! read more

We visited Whisper Downtown San Mateo on a Tuesday afternoon. Even though they were fairly busy, we were still able to get a table pretty quickly, which I appreciated. Ordering is done through a QR code at the table, which made the process simple and convenient. My friend and I ordered the Red Dawn and the Gogi Morning, and both dishes were delicious and full of flavor. The inside of the restaurant is very cute and classy, with a cozy atmosphere that makes it a nice spot to catch up with a friend over brunch or lunch. read more

See all

Put your name down on the waitlist on Yelp before heading over! It'll save a lot of time! We got our text that our table was ready and were seated right away after checking in. Ordering was via qr code on the table. The food came out quickly. All the food was delicious! We definitely over ordered, and the portions sizes were generous! Loved everything from the savory to sweet dishes. Doesn't seem like you can order wrong here, can't wait to come back to try more. read more

See all

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

So much to say here! First, I love that they have the online Yelp Waitlist considering this is a new up and coming brunch spot that was buzzing all over social media. I appreciate that there's not a parameter limitation on how far away you can add yourself on the waitlist. Signed up at 10AM on Saturday morning and drove about 30 mins to get seated right when we parked. The service is impeccable. HUGE shoutout to Vina as it was her first day and she did an outstanding job serving our table along with the other tables around us. She provided a warm welcome when we sat down and shared some of the most recommended items on the menu. She was super attentive, always checking in with us and making sure that our waters were always refilled. We ordered the Shoyu Butter Corn Ribs, Golgi Morning Benedict, and Sweet & Salt Chicken and Waffles. You're not missing out on much with the corn ribs as they were a little bland, but both entrees were amazing! The chicken and waffles were just enough to be satisfyingly crispy on the outside but juicy and tender on the inside. The waffle had a nice flakey crusted which paired great with the fruit! Interiors wise, I felt like the furniture to the designs was carefully curated to be a great picture spot as well. The bathrooms were underground which was a little tricky to find but it looks like they are turning the third floor into a bar or speakeasy of some sort! can't wait to see what they do! read more

See all

4.5 stars. Beautiful space and good portions. Came for brunch and their fried chicken benedict was delicious. Also tried the kimchi carbonara from the dinner menu and it was good. Sauce is super heavy so I could only eat 1/3. Took the rest home for lunch the next day. Their French fries are seasoned and delicious. Get those too! read more

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

This is a fairy new brunch cafe that opened in downtown San Mateo. I heard about this place online so I wanted to check it out since ai love brunch food. I came on a Saturday around 11 am and put my name down on the waiting list. It took around 1.5 hours to get seated so I just walked around the block until I was called. I ordered the morning edition with scrambled eggs, bacon, focaccia and sweet potato fries. They accidentally gave me ciabatta bread so I asked to switch it and they just gave me an extra price of foccacia. I loved the eggs and fries, super fluffy for the eggs and super crispy for the fries! I would love to come back when the wait times are shorter and try other items on the menu. read more

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

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

See all

Came for brunch with some friends. Line is long waited almost an hour after checking in. Inside didn't update a lot from the last restaurant but change tables and chairs, added upstairs. We ordered coffee, seafood jujambbong pasta which is very watery not much taste, frozen seafood. Cast Iton Stone Axe, a little too sweet for the finger meat, but meat cooked juicy not over cooked, potato's are crispy but blend. Benedict wasn't the best Benedict, same potatoes. Cream burlee toast was something I really want to be good but it's boring. Side has not taste only middle has little burlee not sweet and no very flavorful. For Brunch is expensive as well. read more

See all

Our reservation for 11 peeps was at 5:30pm. We were seated immediately. The foods were amazingly delicious! Excellent and attentive service from the staff. We need to come back for the brunch. Highly recommended! read more