Whisper

Takes reservations

The 18 dollar Pho is the best I've had. The soup is so fantastic…read more Everything else is wonderful.

The beef pho was delicious. And huge portion for $18 well well worth the price. Customer service…read morewas very professional. And food came out fast.

Cold Sesame TanTan Pho

Creamy Soy Milk Pho with Poached Yuzu Chicken and Greens

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Azuki Mochi Ice

Taste & Glory

4.4(861 reviews)

0.9 mi

I have been to taste and glory twice and have experienced great service each time. We have been…read moreseated quickly during weekday hours and fortunately for us it begins to fill up after we arrive. Very cute and small dining area. I believe they have another section for larger groups, but I havent been to that side. The food itself is very good. I am not much of a breakfast person, but I was satisfied with my Sweet Croffle and my boyfriend enjoyed his Spicy Crispy Chicken. My cousin wasn't too impressed with the salad, so I would recommend trying something aside from salads if you are looking for flavorful items. The star of the show for me is a Mango Passion Fruit drink. It is so delicious! My boyfriend and I have to pace ourselves from chugging the entire thing before the food arrives. Overall, I would definitely recommend this place for a nice brunch. I wish they stayed open later, but I will definitely return to try more of the menu.

Went here for brunch and it was a decent brunch place. We ordered the Chicken Croffle and the Crab…read moreCake Eggs Benedict. The highlight of the meal is Chicken Croffle. Chicken croffle tastes like popcorn chicken and the flavor was delicious. It is a good combination of sweet and savory especially with the waffle & syrup. Highly recommend this dish. Crab Cake Eggs Benedict on the other hand, I would pass next time. I wasn't a huge fan of this. However, the potatos were great! I would just get a side of that. It was very crispy and flavorful. Service was great. Restaurant is a bit small but the decor is cute. You can make a reservation in advance. Street parking.

View upon entering

Banana French Toast

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Tom Yum Scramble

Tai Er Sichuan Cuisine

4.2(271 reviews)

0.3 mi

I was lucky enough to visit both locations, Valley Fair and San Mateo recently. I didn't know much…read moreabout the restaurant beforehand but sichuan always is a "go" for me and I really wanted to try the signature sauerkraut fish. Both locations were very good, the San Jose one had a bigger menu though (both food and drinks) and it gave free soft serve in mini cones for dessert! I ordered some of the same dishes at both locations (two different sets of friends at each location), but the staples were the sauerkraut fish soup, garlic greens, cucumber salad and truffle fried rice! Highly recommend all!

We went here last weekend on Saturday after we went shopping at Suruki. We love Sichuan food so we…read moredecided to give this place a try! The ambiance was very nice. The restaurant had a very nice environment to it. The service was fine. Our waiter was very nice but the hostess was OK but she definitely did not want to be there. After being seated, we ordered. The ordering style felt like a dim sum spot but that's fine. We ordered the Chongqing chicken, cucumber salad garlic greens and mushroom fried rice. The food was fantastic! The cucumber salad was the only one that we felt was OK but it tasted really good combined with the peanuts in it. The chicken was a different, tastier version of the dish but it was very tasty and was very enjoyable. The veggies were great and tasty, your standard veggies. However, the mushroom fried rice was amazing. I believe it's one of their newer items. That dish alone made the place worth it. I think it's really more of a 4.5/5 but leaning closer to a 5 because of the food. Probably would've been nicer if all the staff were as nice as our waiter, it'd be more of a 5. We'll definitely be back again.

Interior

Cold sesame noodles. Photo by @martiwantsmore

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Mochi ice cream

Prime BBQ

4.7(939 reviews)

1.9 mi

Kitchen open late

I love this place! I particularly like it because it's open late and the menu offerings are just…read moregreat for a late night spot. Being Japanese, I love skewers! Lots of options here, the seasonings are a little different from Japanese skewers though just FYI. The mentaiko udon is a must!! The menu is quite large and I haven't tried everything (and I have my favorites, all here) but I always look forward to going back and trying something new.

Food wasn't terrible but on the sweeter side. I typically like my food to be saltier and spicier…read morewhen eating skewers. Service was spot on, really attentive and friendly.

Yakitori Combo

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Yakitori Combo （All Chicken）

Avenida Restaurant

4.0(1.1k reviews)

0.2 mi

We had the BEST experience! The food and drinks were delicious, and the service made it even…read morebetter. Ken was fantastic and gave us excellent recommendations. You have to try the octopus and crispy pata (pork). We'll definitely be back!

Let's start off with the positive. The service was Great!! A+ on that. . We got seated right away…read moreeven though we arrived 30 minutes before our reservation time. The servers were very nice and helpful. They always made sure we were doing good. The drinks were very tasty and it did it's job right away. We got the the Purple Jeepney which was a little too sweet but tasted good. Puto Maya Mangga which was also a little sweet but okay. The best one was was the Black Pandan Old Fashioned. That drink was Amazingly Good!! We ordered 5 dishes and Garlic Rice. The best tasting dish we got was the Dinakdakan. Ingredients were well put together and full of flavor. Coming in second was Kare Kare. It had plenty of meat and veggies along with enough peanut broth (sabaw) to compliment the dish. Only bad thing is that it was really heavy on the peanut butter but it did taste like real Kare kare. The lumpia Shanghai comes in third because it didn't taste or look like store bought. Now the negative side is the last 2 dishes. Coming in 4th place was the Sisig. We ordered 2 eggs along with it. The eggs were way over cooked and was hiding under the dry pork. Even though it was pork, it was also super dry. The flavor was missing something and didn't have the traditional Sisig taste. Not all Sisig is supposed to taste the same but if I didn't know that was supposed to be Sisig, then I wouldn't know what I was eating. It felt like I was searching for the Easter egg under the hay. I wouldn't recommend ordering it. For the finale was the horrible tasting Pancit Palabok. Don't let the looks deceive you because it was horrible. It was awful. That was a bad representation of Authentic Filipino cuisine. All we tasted was Bagaong (shrimp paste). Yes, shrimp is used to make that dish but not shrimp paste. You can tell it wasn't made the right way. This may sound harsh but if that's how they make it, then they should remove it from the menu. That dish was either made wrong by mistake or they need to revisit their cookbook and fix it. The whole expierence was nice but the food was below average. The price was also high for the quality and taste of the food you get. Would we go back to give it a second try, I highly doubt it.

View from below

BUKO PANDAN MILKY ICE

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Halo Halo

Himali Bistro

4.9(301 reviews)

2.5 mi

Wheelchair accessible

Peaceful, welcoming ambience with seriously good food. They…read morehave a variety of dishes that showcase the cuisine of Nepal. The owner/manager is happy to explain the dishes and make recommendations. We got a lamb kebab called lamb choila served with salad and rice. We also got the daal tarkari with chicken curry, a plate of rice, daal, vegetable and chicken curry. All the dishes were flavorful and felt like home. The portions are good sized and we had leftovers to take back home. We will look forward to returning and trying out their other dishes!

Decent Himalayan food! Situated in Burlingame, you find some tasty curry here. We went on a Friday…read morenight and we didn't have to wait long until getting seated. We got the samosas, curry and the garlic naan. Our favorite was the samosas. The garlic naan was solid too.

Pancake starter

Newly renovated interiors

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Entryway

808 Zone

4.8(73 reviews)

3.0 mi

Minority-owned & operated

This is an absolute awesome spot if you are looking to celebrate a special occasion and you…read moreappreciate Asian cuisine that is meticulously prepared in a very unique style. We prebooked the set menu. Boy was it a dining experience! From start to finish, every single dish was so deliciously curated. The waitstaff was also extremely friendly and did such a great job explaining all the intricacies of each dish. By the end of our meal, our tummies were full and the entire journey from appetizer to dessert was so satisfying. 808 Zone is truly a place that we will plan to revisit for our next special occasion.

I think it's more of a 3.5 overall score. There's so much…read morepotential but it lacks precision, execution and attention to detail. The ambiance is a bit similar to a fast casual restaurant than that of a high end course meal and the service aligns with that. Bathrooms are in a bit of a sorry state and chairs are peeling at the edges. Service is a bit clumsy and rushed. No one asks for any food restrictions before the meal and it isn't asked when reservations are being made, so you'll have to actively speak up if you need this addressed. Dishes are only fully explained at the bar, if you sit at the standard tables you'll get a very basic dish explanation. The food is mostly Chinese Japanese fusion and some dishes knock it out of the park, like the chawanmushi which is fused with flavors of Chinese egg drop soup. Some really drop the ball, like the scallion noodles which were soggy and overly greasy, the oil was not properly infused with the green onion and so you just got mushy soggy plain oil flavored noodles. The course lacked consistency. Some dishes were incredible, some average, and some downright bad. There's a lack of consistency in the prep also, there were crab shells in the orange crab dish, there was a bad bitter uni in one of the chawanmushi, etc. I think the ambiance, service, and course doesn't add up to the $150 price tag. There's definitely potential but the lack of effort does affect the overall experience.

Pre Main Course

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DASH Japanese Tapas & Sushi

4.2(567 reviews)

0.1 mi

•$$$

Went to Dash ( the format pasta shop) in Noe Valley. Great…read moreservice. Lovely dishes. Especially nice was the hamachi carpaccio and stuffed mushrooms. We started/miso soup because it was a cold and foggy night. Parking was surprisingly easy for a Saturday night I will be back.

vegetarian review - eggplant, amazing…read morevegetarian dragon and tempura rolls, hm too similar too each other agedashi tofu - hopefully the kitchen is able to make a vegetarian sauce next time without onion/garlic cus i really wanted to try

Omakase x 2

Fish Tacos

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Wagyu beef

Truffle Poké Bar

3.9(636 reviews)

0.9 mi

Certified professionals

25 years in business

Great spot, I come here often. Good clean food and great service…read more R, give Luis a raise!

I may have driven right past Truffle Poke Bar on El Camino maybe 100 times and I never thought to…read morestop in until this past weekend. First off, parking could be challenging, as they don't have a parking lot, so you're left with parking on El Camino or on a side street adjacent to their shop. For my first visit here, I went with the Tuna Lover Bowl and I was mightily impressed with its mix of fresh tuna, flavors and textures. I will try building out my own bowl next time and I look forward to returning soon.

Packed!

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Noelani's Island Grill

This was my first time at Noelani's and we will be back. I went with my son and daughter for a…read morelate lunch for my birthday. The food and service were great. They even gave us malasada's and ice cream with a candle sparkler. It made today something I will remember. I also enjoyed the soft music playing. The tunes were old favorites that my kids and I were singing along with. We'll see you soon!

I ordered them from Uber Eats the sliders were absolutely perfect! You can get beef spam Katsu pork…read more, I also got the spam masubi but I wanted to shout out the side dish pot macaroni it's absolutely perfectly balanced! I suffer from UC colitis and this meal tasted amazing and settled well ! I will back you all clearly cook with such specific flavor profiles and with care ! Who is the owner ? Thanks to you all I finally enjoyed what I ate and Finally ate since April .. this place Is great for us sensitive picky eaters

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Covered Back Patio Space

Can't Choose Just One Thing, get the "Hawaiian Mix Plate"

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Vegetarian options available "Thai Noodle Salad"

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189 reviews that are not currently recommended

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Janel H.

3 months ago

Dear Whisper Manager, I wanted to share feedback regarding our experience at Whisper during our visit on Saturday, June 27. We had a reservation at 1:45 PM for a party of 10 to celebrate a special 50th birthday. We arrived a few minutes early, but our table was not ready until approximately 2:10 PM--about 25 minutes after our reservation time. Because the restaurant closes at 3:00 PM, we expressed our concern about feeling rushed. We were assured that, since we had been seated so late, we would be welcome to stay as long as we needed. Our first disappointment was the seating arrangement. We were placed upstairs in a corner of the room at four small round tables pushed together to accommodate our party. The space was extremely cramped, making it difficult to enjoy our meal comfortably. With so many dishes arriving, there simply wasn't enough table space, and we found ourselves constantly moving plates and rushing to finish food just to make room for the next items. Given that we were celebrating such a milestone birthday, we had hoped to wait for one of the larger tables on the main floor, where the atmosphere is much more inviting. Unfortunately, we were made to feel that this was not an immediate option, given the timing. I do want to acknowledge that our server was friendly and pleasant while she was with us. Around the restaurant's closing time, however, she informed us that she needed to leave because she worked another job after her shift. She said another staff member would take over our table. Unfortunately, no one ever did. From that point forward, our party received virtually no service. No one checked on us, no one informed us that the kitchen was preparing to close or taking last orders, and we were never given an opportunity to order dessert. Had someone simply let us know the kitchen was closing, we certainly would have placed our dessert order before it was too late. Instead, we were left to fend for ourselves. We had to refill our own water glasses using a pitcher left near the staircase, flag someone down to request to-go boxes, and ask for plates so we could serve the birthday cake we had brought. Because service became so limited and we were essentially the last guests remaining, we ultimately decided not to cut the cake at the restaurant. We left and celebrated the birthday elsewhere instead. What made this particularly disappointing was that our bill totaled nearly $600, and an automatic gratuity of approximately $88 was added because of our party size. While we understand and respect automatic gratuities for large groups, it was frustrating to pay a substantial service charge when, after 3:00 PM, we essentially received no service at all. We chose Whisper for a special milestone celebration and were excited to experience your restaurant for the first time. Unfortunately, the combination of the delayed seating, uncomfortable table arrangement, lack of communication regarding the kitchen closing, and complete absence of service after our original server left left us very disappointed. What should have been a memorable birthday lunch ended on a frustrating note. I'm sharing this feedback in hopes that it helps improve the experience for future guests celebrating special occasions. Better communication, a smoother staff handoff, and ensuring that large parties continue to receive attentive service--even after the restaurant closes to new guests--would have made a tremendous difference! read more

Sharon R.

5 months ago

Visited today and the overall experience left us feeling uncertain about this place. Don't get me wrong the food was solid, not the best or anything special but still solid nonetheless. What really rubbed us the wrong way though was the absolutely awful service from the servers, they were awful. we were seated fast, we had our drink order taken right away and our drinks came out relatively fast but unfortunately the good service ended there. About 15 minutes after our drinks came out we got restless and decided to order online through the QR code. About 10 minutes later our server finally decided to come take the order but we informed him that we had already placed the order online, not a word from him just a nod and he walked away. About 5 minutes later our food came out, again nothing special. Throughout our meal our server came to check on us once and he failed to bring us our plates that we had asked for. We had to get up and grab our sauces ourselves from the kitchen counter because our server still never went back to check on us. We made a tiny remark to the busser that our server was not the best. To which our server came right away after that remark, he asked if we needed anything else, we requested ice water to which HE FORGOT AGAIN!!!! This place really really needs to consider who they pick as servers. I will say that we will highly highly HIGHLY praise and appreciate the service from the bussers, they were on top of it and towards the end of our visit they were the ones taking care of our table and order. So sad as the restaurant is beautiful and it's 1000% the vibe that we were looking for, we just feel that you would expect such an establishment to have peak service but that is sadly not the case for Whisper. 2 stars just for the bussers but if it weren't for them we'd definitely give only 1. read more

Aaa T.

206

1339

5 months ago

LOVE this cute, charming, airy and bright brunch spot! We reserved on Yelp a couple days prior to our Friday brunch. The food was amazingly delicious and the entire team provided us with warm, efficient and fast service! Thank You especially to our Server Blas for making our 1st visit a fantastic one! We look forward to returning soon! :0) We ordered 3 items so we could try a variety from their unique Korean inspired menu. We enjoyed the very tasty Kim Chi carbonara pasta, but wished it had a lot more noodles and more, bigger bits of bulgolgi! Loved the toasted bread and we had to order more bread to enjoy the deliciously plentiful sauce! Would like them to also add more noodles as I was still a little hungry after eating this. The fried chicken was perfectly fried and moist! Presentation was awesome! The biggest issue is that they need to doctor and spice up this item more! It kinda tasted like ketchup and was on the sweet side vs. slightly spicy! I hope they will improve the flavoring on this one as they work on fine tuning the recipes! :0) Can't wait to give it another shot next visit! We also had the egg chicken brunch item which I can't recall the name of. Again, beautiful presentation and soooo... delish! Just say YUM! The egg yolk oozed out perfectly upon breaking the outer surface! If you like this type of egg, this is expressly made for YOU! :0) We were able to get free ice cream for writing a Yelp review! What a cute and fun treat! Thank You for the delicious brunch! We had such a great time relaxing and catching up at your restaurant and trying your delightful food! Thank you also for making us feel welcome and not rushing anyone out! LOVE it! :0) read more

Kiana L.

Elite 26

142

3 months ago

I recently came across Whisper, a newer brunch spot, and decided to check it out with my family. I'm glad we did because it was a great place to spend a relaxing brunch together. The restaurant has a clean, modern interior with a bright and welcoming atmosphere. It feels open without being too loud, making it a nice place to catch up over a meal. The staff were also very friendly and welcoming, and we felt well taken care of throughout our visit. We ordered the Shoyu-Butter Corn Ribs, Crème Brûlée French Toast, and the Miso Ssamjang Bossam. The Shoyu-Butter Corn Ribs were probably the only dish that fell a little short for me. They weren't bad, but they were a bit bland and didn't have as much flavor as I was expecting. I was hoping for a stronger buttery, savory glaze to really make the corn stand out. The Crème Brûlée French Toast, on the other hand, was delicious. The caramelized sugar on top gave it a nice crisp texture, while the inside stayed soft and fluffy without being overly sweet. My favorite dish was definitely the Miso Ssamjang Bossam. The pork belly was tender, flavorful, and paired really well with the rich miso ssamjang sauce. It was savory, well balanced, and easily the standout dish of the meal. I also liked that we ordered both the French toast and the bossam because it gave us the perfect balance of sweet and savory. I'd definitely come back to try more of their menu. read more

Teresa B.

6 months ago

Food was ok. The pictures I took was a birthday brunch with my friend. That day service was disappointing. We got our food in a timely manor. We ordered those 3 openers (pics are the openings) and also 2 entrees (no pics for entrees). We only got 1 entree we were missing mine. They told me they couldn't make it because the kitchen is closed mind you I waited for an hour. Had to tell them to take it off the list. Again this was my birthday brunch. Not a good impression. Also the "Dajuk" was cold when we received it. Over all I was disappointed. Yesterday I went and service was poor. Our waiter greeted us. Sat us. We ordered the sunrise omelette. Which had chorizo. Hardly any chorizo, hardly any cheese. They sprinkled cheese on top which was interesting since it was an omelette. Potatoes were okay,,, very basic. Got toast but the toast was cold and had no butter. No big deal was going to ask for some but no waiter around. He disappeared. Did a full 360. He was sitting at the bar eating. Guess he was off and didn't tell us. So we didn't know who our waiter was. Didn't see anyone for a good 30 mins. We wanted butter, hot sauce and napkins. We gave up and lost our appetite. Won't be coming back. Be better with your customer service and hope the menu gets better. Food isn't anything special. And it's pricey. read more

DIANA T.

Elite 26

1190

153

300

2 months ago

What an absolute gem of a find! The vibe here is the perfect balance of chill and bustling, spread across a beautiful two-story space. The staff is incredibly warm, and the service is seamless. Best of all? Rolling in at 10:00 AM meant completely bypassing the brutal lines at Stacks and walking straight to a table. As for the food--wow. The Wagyu skillet was the absolute star of the show. It came accompanied by these incredibly fresh, perfectly seasoned house potatoes. I'm normally not a fan of breakfast potatoes, but these were executed so beautifully that I completely polished off the skillet. Not a single crumb was left. We also tried the porridge. It was definitely unique and an interesting twist, but it just lacked that "wow" factor for me compared to the other heavy hitters. Saving the absolute best for last: the crème brûlée French toast. Oh my goodness... pure, heavenly bliss. It is incredibly decadent, and once you drizzle that syrup over it, it elevates it to another level. The syrup is an absolute must! I'm already plotting my next trip back just to repeat the skillet and French toast combo. Exceptional food, great atmosphere, and very reasonable prices. Highly recommend! read more

Ryan J.

11 days ago

Food: Kimchi pasta: Very good level of cream and spice. Not overwhelmingly creamy which is what I prefer. I really liked the green onions inside. I'm very glad it also comes with focaccia bread to balance it out. I absolutely demolished that plate. Sweet potato: Great crisp. No flop. Good seasoning. I really liked how they were waffle fries. Many restaurants don't usually do sweet potato waffle fries. Ambiance: Marble tables, nice hints of forest green, fun decorations, and I like the baroque/rococo-inspired utensils. Great lighting. Not white bright but a nice mix of strong and warm yellows. Great place for couples, families, and friends. Service: Although a busy night, Mya had very nice energy: she was bright, welcoming, and she made the place feel cozy to enter. Mya was amazing and very attentive: I like sitting next to my girl instead of across and she was very accommodating :) She checked on us and made sure we were enjoying our night. She also had a friendly team dynamic with the other staff and the other staff members checked on us as well. Her and Donnie were great I will be back read more

Tiffany C.

Elite 26

168

312

3 months ago

Finally made it to Whisper for brunch, and it definitely lived up to the hype! We made a reservation, which made everything super easy--we were seated right away with no wait. My friend and I shared the Kimchi Carbonara, Truffle Mushrooms, and Gochujang Fried Chicken. My absolute favorites were the Truffle Mushrooms and the Kimchi Carbonara. Both dishes were SO flavorful, and I loved that each one had its own unique sauce and flavor profile. They also came with bread, which was perfect for soaking up every last bit of sauce (honestly, one of the best parts ). For drinks, I got the Mango Matcha Latte, and it was so yummy--the perfect brunch drink! The restaurant itself was super clean and had such a cute, stylish vibe. Everyone there was dressed so well, and the bar area looked especially beautiful and elevated. On top of that, our servers were incredibly attentive, friendly, and sweet, which made the experience even better. Overall, such a fun brunch spot with amazing food, great service, and a gorgeous atmosphere. I already can't wait to come back! read more

Xinbo L.

6 months ago

Had the "Sweet & Salt" at Whisper and it was honestly one of those dishes that hits both comfort and creativity at the same time. The combination of crispy fried chicken over a soft, buttery croffle is already a classic, but what really stood out was the balance. The chicken was juicy inside with a perfectly crunchy coating, and the waffle had that light crisp on the outside while staying fluffy. The syrup tied everything together without making it overly sweet, and the fresh fruit added a nice refreshing contrast. The orange slice on top wasn't just for looks--it actually gave a subtle citrus brightness that made the whole dish feel more layered. Every bite had that sweet-savory harmony done right. Presentation was also on point--definitely one of those dishes you want to take a picture of before digging in. If you're into chicken & waffles but want something a little more elevated, this is a must-try. And the service was excellent, the ambiance is amazing!! Definitely gonna come back to try more dishes. read more

Ruochen Y.

8 months ago

Just tried Whisper, a newly opened brunch spot in San Mateo, and it was such a pleasant surprise. The dish I ordered was beautifully plated and packed with flavor -- crispy roasted potatoes, perfectly toasted bread, and a savory main topped with fresh herbs, microgreens, and a light, creamy sauce that tied everything together. You can tell a lot of care went into both the presentation and the balance of flavors. The vibe is calm and modern, perfect for a relaxed brunch, and the service was friendly and welcoming without being overbearing. Everything felt fresh, thoughtful, and well-executed -- especially impressive for a new opening. Definitely a great addition to the neighborhood. I'll be back to try more of the menu. Highly recommend if you're looking for a quality brunch spot in the area! read more

Crystal H.

167

18 days ago

I came out on a Sunday afternoon to enjoy brunch with my 5 year old son. We were able to put ourselves on a waitlist on Yelp and walked down since it is conveniently located in Downtown San Mateo. The ambience was lively and the decor is wonderful, bright and inviting. The waitress was quick and careful to confirm gluten-free options with the kitchen, for my son, which was heartwarming and so kind! I tried the Kimchi Carbonara, Ube Latte, my son had the kids Build your own with eggs, bacon, fries and fruit with a house lemonade and I enjoyed the house coffee also! The Kimchi Carbonara was perfectly cooked Al dente, delicious and creamy but not heavy. Ube latte was also delicious and house coffee is nice and strong! Will be back with friends and family very soon! read more

Jairo C.

8 months ago

We had a big group gathering at Whisper in San Mateo and it was an amazing time. The table was filled with so many beautiful dishes, everything came out looking great and tasting even better. Sharing food, laughing, and enjoying the moment together made it feel like a real celebration. The vibe was perfect for a party -- lively, welcoming, and comfortable. Everyone was having a great time, taking photos, and enjoying the food without feeling rushed. What really made the experience stand out was the service. The staff was warm, attentive, and genuinely enthusiastic, which made our group feel well taken care of from start to finish. Such a fun place to gather with friends. We had an incredible time and will definitely be back again for another party soon! read more

C W.

6 months ago

We recently visited this fairly new café and were excited to give it a try. I ordered a hamburger and fries, and my friend had an omelette. While everything looked good, the food arrived a bit lukewarm and didn't quite have the flavor we were hoping for. The service was a little slow during our visit, although the staff was polite. As it got busier, we did feel a bit rushed with a few check-ins at our table. It was also quite noisy, which made it a bit difficult to hear our conversation. Overall, it may just be that they're still finding their rhythm as a new spot. We hope things improve over time, but this visit didn't fully meet our expectations. read more

Henry K.

12 days ago

We had a fantastic experience dining at Whisper in San Mateo! The menu offers such a unique and thoughtful fusion of flavors--everything from the appetizers to the main dishes was absolute perfection. The atmosphere is warm, stylish, and inviting, making it a great spot for a meal out. What truly made our visit exceptional, though, was the service. A huge shoutout to our waitress, Brianna! She was attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable, making excellent recommendations and ensuring we had everything we needed throughout the meal. Exceptional service like hers makes a great meal even better. We'll definitely be back soon! read more

Rocko's P.

6 months ago

Linh made our experience at Whisper absolutely wonderful. From the moment we sat down, she was warm, attentive, and genuinely kind. She made sure everything was perfect throughout our meal without ever making us feel rushed. Her recommendations were great, she checked on us at just the right times, and her positive energy really made the whole experience feel special. Great service can truly make a meal memorable, and Linh did exactly that. If you're lucky enough to have her as your server, you're in excellent hands. Thank you, Linh, for the outstanding service -- we'll definitely be back! read more

Winnie L.

7 months ago

Loved this brunch spot! The hostess seated us right away, the servers kept our coffee topped off, and every dish came out hot, fresh, and beautifully plated. The huevos rancheros were flavorful without being too spicy, the pancakes were perfectly fluffy, and the crispy bacon had just the right amount of chew. The space feels bright and cozy, with plenty of natural light and just enough background music to chat comfortably. Prices were reasonable for the portion sizes, and we never felt rushed even though it was busy. I'd absolutely come back for another relaxed weekend brunch with friends. read more

Aria L.

6 months ago

We got the Kimchi Carbonara, Mango Pancakes, and Gogi Morning! First time trying this restaurant and we were pleasantly surprised with how good the food was. Usually asian fusion restaurants are a hit or miss but the combination actually complimented each other and tasted really good. Kimchi Carbonara will 10000% be coming back for that dish the meat was marinated so well and the sauce was lwkey addicting to dip the bread into. Overall The food looks as good as the photos would highly recommend for a girls day brunch or showing visiting family downtown San Mateo! read more

Melissa L.

6 months ago

Donnie made our experience at Whispers so great! He was incredibly sweet, attentive, and genuinely welcoming from the moment we arrived. I brought my dogs with me, and he was so kind and patient with them, which I really appreciated. It's always a big plus when someone goes out of their way to make both you and your pups feel comfortable. Donnie checked in on us at the perfect times and made sure we had everything we needed without ever feeling rushed. His friendly attitude and great service definitely made our visit memorable. Thank you, Donnie! read more

Sony N.

233

11 days ago

The service at this place needs serious improvements. I get the place is busy but I shouldn't have to keep flagging servers to get simple items like salt. I also observed other tables get water service and our glasses got replenished when I flagged someone for the check. This was after checking out through the app and waiting 6 more mins. We came here for my daughter's bday and when I asked for a dessert to put candles I brought, I was told they ran out of ice cream. Disappointed and won't ever return! So much hype for a horrible experience read more

Michael S.

2 months ago

Whisper is an absolute gem! The food was outstanding, everything we ordered was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. The atmosphere is warm, inviting, and makes for a great dining experience, whether you're out for a casual meal or a special occasion. The customer service was exceptional. Everyone was friendly, attentive, and made us feel genuinely welcome from the moment we walked in. We'll definitely be coming back for more. Highly recommend Whisper to anyone looking for great food, a relaxing atmosphere, and top-notch service! read more

Whisper - breakfast_brunch - Updated September 2026

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We came here to celebrate my birthday, and from the moment we walked in, we were greeted so warmly…read more My son especially loved the beef tongue and said, "It was so delicious--it's a must-try!" My favorite was the pork collar. It was flavorful and very tender. Our server, Fiona, was amazing! She was incredibly interactive, funny, and made us feel so welcome throughout our meal. The atmosphere was nice, relaxing, and comfortable, with very few interruptions while we enjoyed our food. Everything we ordered was delicious, and Fiona really went above and beyond to make sure we had a great time. One of the biggest pros was how attentive and engaging Fiona was. She was also fantastic at cooking and made the experience even more enjoyable. The only con was that it got a little noisy at times, but honestly, that didn't take away from how awesome our overall experience was. I really hope Fiona gets to see this review!

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Open late for tasty eats!…read more A group of friends and I ate here past 9pm on a Saturday to celebrate another friend's dance performance. So their group of about 30 took over almost the whole place while 5 of us joined in at another table. We made it in time for late night happy hour 9pm-11pm! It was about a 30 min wait for the table. HH: *6pc half and half fried chicken x2 (soy garlic & sweet n spicy) *Corn cheese *Mandu *Calamari rings *Lychee Soju Regular menu: *Army stew *Grilled Beef Ssam *Deep fried chicken skin We were so hungry after watching the performance, can't even imagine how the performers felt! The stew came out first. My spice tolerance must've gone up. It was medium spicy and had lots of stuff in it like hot dog, spam, cabbage, zucchini, rice cakes, ramen, mushrooms, etc. Grilled beef ssam had lots of meat and was plated nicely. The platter was heated on the hot plate so we cooked the beef more. Chicken wings were great! Loved the soy garlic. Mandu was so good! Dumplings are my favorite and these were so crispy. Calamari wasn't bad; they looked like onion rings with the fried batter. Corn cheese was cheesy haha. Fried chicken skin arrived last. Fun times clinking shot glasses full of soju. The group we dined with were so loud but it was all in good fun. Chingu is a great late night spot to chill with friends. Wait staff was prompt and accommodating. Food didn't take too long to arrive. They bring out each dish as soon as it's cooked. Make note the restroom doesn't lock so if the door is slid closed, it's occupied. They have a sign on the door. Street parking and there should be some lots and garages nearby.

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