Absolutely love this place. It's become our go-to dessert stop after dinner whenever we're nearby…read more The staff is always friendly and efficient, and the app makes pre-ordering incredibly easy. The atmosphere is surprisingly fun too--almost like a lounge or club, but relaxed enough to hang out and catch up with friends. The Coconut Bomb is a must-order, and the Black Sesame Coconut Pudding is easily one of my favorite desserts anywhere. Refreshing, unique, and consistently delicious. One of the best dessert spots in the Bay Area.

Great spot for some dessert after a meal. I got the Coco Mango and it was a refreshing and tasty…read moredrink with mango bits. The drink was flavorful and I thought the sweetness was just right. I haven't tried their coconut pudding yet, so I'm curious to give them a try if I'm here again!

The fried intestines appetizers here are the only fried intestines I've ever liked. They're crispy…read moreon the outside but soft on the inside, and extremely snackable. I love the night market decor too, especially the outdoor buildings facade. It's such a fun treat to look at the signs and the fake shops while you wait for your food.

I'm not sure how it managed to happen, given how long they've been around and how many times I've…read moreeaten around 3rd Ave, but I had no idea Dessert Republic even existed, let alone been here. Presumably, never walking down their block of the Main St. alley had a lot to do with it, but who knows how much longer it would've taken if not for my friends suggesting we come here for dinner. Which is kind of ironic, considering the name of this place! While nothing about the outside of Dessert Republic really stands out, the decor inside is great. It may not be all that flashy nor have much of an IG aesthetic, but I like how it has a Hong Kong/Chinatown alley sort of look to it. As for the menu, true to their name, there's no shortage of desserts to choose from, whether it be hot desserts, like glutinous rice balls, sweet tofu, or egg pudding, cold desserts, like mixed fruits, sago, or ice cream sundaes, egg puffs, and crepes. In addition, they also have a bunch of regular food options, from snacks and dim sum items, to rice plates, noodle soups, and even lomo saltado. -- (#A03) POPCORN CHICKEN Not terrible, but not popcorn chicken either. Rather, this felt more like the salt & pepper porkchop dishes I've had in the past - the batter was thick, the chicken was unmarinated, it was seasoned with just salt and pepper, and it was topped with cut peppers instead of crispy basil. -- (#S01) BRAISED BRISKET & WONTON NOODLE SOUP Overall, this was a mixed bag. On the plus side, the bowl was decently loaded, the wontons were plump, and it had chunks of beef tendon, which were tender. On the other, while the noodles were fine, the veggies were way overcooked and the beef was chewy. -- (#M08) SUPER STRAWBERRY - Strawberry Freeze, Aloe Jelly, and Strawberries Topped with Strawberry Ice Cream Undoubtedly, this had a lot of strawberry flavor to it. Even though the strawberry freeze didn't do a ton for me, especially as it melted, I liked how well the aloe jelly, strawberries, and ice cream complemented each other. As far as service goes, I've seen some folks mention running into issues, but I've actually found it to be entirely unremarkable, for better or worse. Each time I've been here, the workers haven't really gone beyond the basics (take orders, bring out dishes, take care of checks, etc.), but I never really expect anything more than that either. Still, they do seem to be relatively friendly and get orders out decently fast, which certainly counts for something. Since I've clearly only had a small handful of what their menu has to offer, there's the distinct possibility (probability?) that I haven't had the best of what Dessert Republic has to offer. However, based on what I've ordered and my friends' egg puffs and sweet tofu that I've tried (both were fine), the desserts here definitely seem to be the safer bet overall. Which is handy since they stay open so late, especially on Friday and Saturday nights (until 1am).

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

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

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

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

First time trying this out, my friends told me these cookies are delicious... well they were right,…read morethe cookies were so good! This shop is small, the service was great and I liked how they also write down on their menu if they are low on cookies and how many are left. They also have a small oven where you can WARM UP YOUR COOKIE(S)! Such a great idea, highly recommend checking this place out for their cookies.

We stop by Antoine's almost every time we're in San Mateo to pick up a cookie. My boyfriend and I…read morehave slowly been working our way through the menu and trying a different cookie each time. The cookies are consistently good--crispy around the edges, soft in the center, and slightly chewy. They're sweet, of course, but not overly sugary or overwhelming. I also appreciate that there's a microwave inside so you can warm up your cookie. So far, we haven't tried a cookie we didn't like. It's become one of our favorite spots to grab a treat, and we'll keep coming back until we've made our way through the entire menu.

LOCATION IS CLOSED as of 2/2/2026…read more Really enjoyed the popping chestnut topping here. Worker said place is being "rebranded."

Food: - Items: 2 Coconut Mango Puddings…read more- Liked the Coconut, the mango tasted kind of artificial - 7/10 Service: - Ordered from a kiosk - Server wasn't very helpful in describing their best drinks, just pointed us to their menu - 6/10 Ambiance: - Small place, don't remember any seating inside - To go type of place - Nice lighting and decor - 7/10 Overall Rating: 7/10

Made a call in order and arrived with order ready for pick up. Tried the Pambazo and wow it was…read moredelicious! Filled with potatoes mixed with chorizo and creamy with the sour cream and cheese. The lettuce gives it some freshness as this is a heavy torta. Then tried the tosti esquite and it was also delicious! It also has cut up cucumber in there which was unexpected but added some freshness to it as well. I just wish there was more added sour cream to the corn dish but other than 10/10! Will definitely return for the Pambazo! There's plenty of seating indoors and none outdoors. This place is close to downtown San Mateo where the food life is 10/10.

I stopped by on a weekday afternoon. The place was not busy. I went for 2 scoops of ice cream -…read moregansito and oreo. Both were good. I think their fruit bowls were the best. I should have went for one. Ice cream flavors were limited.

The very first time I ever tried Beard Papa's, over a decade ago when the one by the Metreon in SF…read morefirst opened, I wasn't exactly blown away by the experience. Granted, my friends probably hyped it up a bit too much while we were waiting in line (I think it was already their second or third time going), but, regardless, I thought it was just okay. Fast forward all of these years later and I have to say - whether it's because my tastes have changed or because I found a flavor that I really liked, this place is so much better than I remember! With so many boba joints and dessert shops nearby, it's pretty easy to overlook Beard Papa's. Being located on the edge of downtown/3rd Ave certainly doesn't help, but, for something quick and convenient (and different), they're a decent option. While the menu may not look all that extensive, it has a fair amount to offer when you consider how you can mix and match your choice from their near dozen cream puffs/eclairs and handful of cream fillings. Add to that the occasional seasonal/featured flavors they'll have and their assortment of lava cakes and cheesecakes and there's plenty to choose from! -- ST. VALENTINE'S RASPBERRY ECLAIR - Raspberry Cream Custard-filled Eclair with White Chocolate Coating and Raspberry Frosting This was a seasonal offering (admittedly, an older one), but if they ever added this to their regular menu, I'd easily get this again. Surprisingly, this actually wasn't super sweet and I loved how well the raspberry and white chocolate flavors complemented each other. -- GREENT TEA ECLAIR WITH VANILLA CUSTARD FILLING Not nearly as good as the St Valentine's Eclair, but way better than the original Vanilla Cream Puff I had before. The frosting had a strong hit of green tea to it, and the custard was fine, but, this time, the cream puff felt a little stale/dry-ish. While I definitely enjoyed Beard Papa's cream puffs/eclairs more than I did before, I can't say I've loved everything about this location. Mainly, the service here has been a little uneven - the first time we stopped in, the guy behind the counter looked really annoyed with having to help us and seemed like he was dying for us to leave (FWIW, we walked in almost an hour before they closed). Our last visit, though, the workers were friendly and super fast, as they handed us our eclair before we could even finish paying. Even though my opinion of Beard Papa's has definitely improved, since I never really crave cream puffs/eclairs and limit my sweets to the occasional scoop(s) of ice cream or milk tea, I can't say Beard Papa's is on the verge of getting into my regular dessert rotation. However, given how much I enjoyed their St. Valentine's Raspberry Eclair, I'm definitely more open to coming back than ever before if/when should the desire come along, especially since they don't have those same long lines anymore! THREE AND A HALF STARS rounded up for now.

The closest Beard Papa's to me! I've tried it at multiple locations, so I already know it's…read moreconsistently good haha. I love getting the mini ones because you can try all the different flavors, which is the best part. Why pick just one when you can have them all? The fillings are amazing, and I love that they fill each one fresh when you order. Such a great dessert!