The very first time I ever tried Beard Papa's, over a decade ago when the one by the Metreon in SF first 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. read more

Beard Papa's - Green Tea Frosted Eclair with Vanilla Custard Filling - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Stumbled upon this place with a sweet tooth. As far as eclairs or puffs go, they are excellent. Service was fast and pleasant. read more

Beard Papa's - Crunch & Chocolate eclair - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Delicious cream puff, perfect for a mid afternoon snack. I usually get the vanilla custard filling but decided to give ube a try this time. It was good, but the ube flavor wasn't too strong. It still tasted like purple vanilla custard filling. I got mine to go but they do have a couple of tables for you to enjoy the dessert in store. read more

Beard Papa's - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

The closest Beard Papa's to me! I've tried it at multiple locations, so I already know it's consistently 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! read more

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Right before closing on a weekday evening in July, I walked into Beard Papa's with a couple of other customers waiting for their order. They have a wide selection of eclair flavors available, including matcha and smores and strawberry, but I opted to get a bunch of mini original puffs with the fillings matcha, vanilla, and chocolate. When I went in July 2025, the machine was down the day I went, so they accepted cash only. I waited at one of their several tables for my order, and it came in a well-designed yellow box white blue outlining of the Beard Papa man logo. The puff on the outside had slight crispiness to it that I liked, and all the creams were cooling/refreshing and true their flavor! The cashier apologized for the inconvenience of cash only, but it was no bother. Great service! read more

Beard Papa's - Mini Puffs with Vanilla, Matcha, Chocolate Filling - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

I'm absolutely addicted to the cream puffs from here! I think the San Mateo location is so much better than the Cupertino location! The service is also pretty good. They pack your cream puffs with care. It's a pretty small shop but they work pretty fast! read more

Beard Papa's - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

I visited this shop on Thanksgiving Day, hoping to treat myself, and ended up with one of the most confusing and disappointing customer service experiences I've had in a long time. I ordered a crème brûlée puff. When the staff asked what filling I wanted, I saw "cheesecake" listed on the last line of the menu. To avoid any misunderstanding, I specifically asked, "Is cheesecake an option?" The staff member clearly said yes. However, what I received was a puff topped with strawberry crème and caramel. When I asked why it was strawberry, I was told, "Crème brûlée is strawberry." I dislike strawberry, but I assumed I could at least eat the filling and discard the shell. When I opened it, the filling was the same strawberry crème, not cheesecake in any form. I went back to the counter for clarification. Instead of acknowledging the miscommunication, the staff pointed to the second-to-last menu line and explained that the option was actually strawberry cheesecake, not cheesecake. If that is the case, then answering "yes" to my question about cheesecake was simply incorrect. I told them I really dislike strawberry, and all they gave me was a fake, dismissive "Is everything all right?" No apology, no explanation, no responsibility. At that point, there was nothing I could do with the item, so I ended up throwing the puff into the trash before leaving. And to top it all off? I had even left a tip at the beginning of the transaction. On Thanksgiving Day. I paid extra to be given the wrong item and treated like it was my fault. Absolutely unacceptable. I will never be coming back. read more

Beard Papa's - disgusting fake creme brulee - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Maybe cream puffs are just not my thing...service was great and quick and the shop is nice and clean. The cream puff was just lackluster though. The puff pastry was nice and airy but the custard is overwhelming and I was stressed as it gushed all over my hands every bite lol. I am not a cream puff connoisseur so maybe that's just how they are supposed to be and if so, maybe they are just not for me. read more

Beard Papa's - Vanilla cookie crunch - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

A great place to stop by for some delicious puff pastries. They have a variety of flavors and sizes. I really enjoy the smaller ones because they are bite size and you're able to enjoy more! I ordered small ones filled with original and chocolate. I also tried their chocolate covered ones with matcha filling. Service was quick in and out ! read more

Simple happiness in a box, thats's Beard Papa's cream puffs! We got two original puffs with vanilla this time. The service was efficient and the packaging was great. I wish they brought back flavors like mango, strawberry more often. read more

Beard Papa's - Box - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Beard Papa is just off the main drag down a side street. They have lots of great flavors and we tried 4 of them. I don't know if we came on an off day but the fillings were very runny and made it almost impossible to eat them. The flavors were fine but nothing to write home about. We love cream puffs but these are a swing and a miss. read more

This Beard Papa's is located in downtown San Mateo. Parking is either street parking or there is a parking garage around the corner. Only one employee working for a semi-busy weekend evening, so it took awhile to order and get my cream puffs. I ordered a couple of their cream puffs with green tea filling in a green tea eclair shell. The cream puffs tasted a bit old like it has been sitting out for a long time. The shell tasted hard like a rock and the green tea filling tasted a a bit off compared to their other locations - it was super bitter as well. read more

After dinner, I saw this Beard Papa while walking around and decided to grab dessert. It was Friday night and the place was pretty packed. Definitely a grab and go vibe since there's not too much seating available and the store gets packed with people trying to order. I got an honey and butter individual one with vanilla filling. Overall took about 15 minutes. Pastry was pretty decent, the outside was flaky and crispy and the filling was light. The cream puff exteriors are stored on display and aren't necessarily warm or fresh. I probably wouldn't wait in line again for it, but it was still a yummy treat. read more

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Great cream puffs! Solid spot. I do love a chocolate eclair shell with vanilla custard filling, the flavor combination is perfect. Not too sweet, very balanced. Good texture and consistency. Nice hard shell. The chocolate custard is good as well, but the vanilla is so well done that I'd prefer that over chocolate. The green tea filling is pretty good when paired with the green tea eclair. The strawberry eclair is good, but not my favorite. If you can't decide, the original/plain shell is always a safe bet. read more

Beard Papa's - chocolate eclair with vanilla custard, strawberry eclair with chocolate custard - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

They need 0 star review not 1. We went there to get a yummy treat but the service is terrible. The cashier had a grimacing face and was not kind nor friendly. She was talking to someone while I asked questions. She was not ready to take care of customer in front of her at all. We almost left but the boys wanted the treat so we got it. The boys dont like eclairs because the cream was droopy and bland. Plus, the pastries were in terrible shape and the bread tasted old. The shop smelled horrible with cleaning fluid. We will never e ever ever ever ever come back. read more

Beard Papa's - Terrible look for Crème brûlée. Flat and ugly! The worst was she put the napkins on top and ruin the eclair. - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Parked in the garage next door. Got a honey butter with vanilla cream puff. Light and fluffy with crusty exterior. Vanilla cream was chilled so made it refreshing and not overly sweet. Hit the spot. read more

This location is far better than the one in Cupertino! This place actually fills up the custard FULLY like it's supposed to be .The Cupertino location only fills it up halfway !! We live close to Cupertino but rather drive all the way to THIS location for their cream puffs . Customer service is much nicer too. Thank you ! read more

Beard Papa's - They fill up on the custard fillings at this location - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

I've been to the Beard Papa's in Cupertino multiple times growing up, but it was my first time getting anything from this location. I got to have one of the plain/classic cream puffs since a friend's family bought a whole box full to share with us. The cream puff was alright; it certainly tastes fresh and soft, and the custard inside is sweet. However, I always find the bread part of the cream puff is just very plain. I really wish it had more flavor to it as it just tastes a little too bland. I feel like the flavored cream puffs are only partially able to offset the plainness of the bread due to there being additional flavors for the filling. But take my review with a grain of salt, as this doesn't necessarily mean that Beard Papa's doesn't have decent cream puffs, it just might mean cream puffs are not to my taste in general due to the plainness of the pastry part. read more

Beard Papa's - Cream puff - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

If you're craving a cream puff this place is the spot. I love mine either frozen or refrigerated. So didn't eat them right away. They are also reasonably sized. I got the ube coated one with match filling and then regular with vanilla filling. Both were delicious! Park in the lot right before and walk over. Lots of restaurants to go to beforehand for a meal or catch a movie across the street. read more

Beard Papa's - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

My girlfriend and I come to this location pretty often, it being the only beard papa in the area. We received this coupon on one of our visits for a free cream puff from this exact location. Fast forward to today, we came in for it and they said it's not valid and that their boss said it won't work? Not sure what's up. read more

Beard Papa's - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Went to Beard Papa's San Mateo location back on 8/8/2025 to take advantage of their Beard Papa's Day celebration, and the promo where if you bought a cream puff, you'd get another one for free. In this case, "free" meant that you got a buy one get one free coupon for use on your next visit after 8/12/25. Fast forward to the other day. I went in to use the coupon, and got rudely blown off. The apathetic employee said that they don't accept those cards. Mind you, this was the location that gave it to me (and at least one other person who posted their review here who was also denied). Don't patronize this business. read more

Beard Papa's - Back of coupon given to me on Beard Papa's Day, August 8, 2025. Notice that it says VALID AT ANY BEARD PAPA'S LOCATION. - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I haven't been to beard papa for years but their Gudatama collab got me coming back! The collab is so cute! I got two to try $9 total. It was okay, I was expecting inside to be a better flavor but it was just vanilla bean and on top is peach jam. And yes the face is edible! It was really quick grab n go and no tables! read more

Beard Papa's - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

I'd never tried one of these (despite having heard loads of great things), and was eager to get a little taste--but not commit to a giant puff. I wanted to get a mini one, which would've been waaaay more than enough for me. I didn't realize that they sell them only by the half dozen (for the mini's) or a huge one, equal to six of the mini's. So I didn't have the option to buy what I wanted. I don't understand the corporate decision to do less business. They could prorate their prices and charge only what the customer wants to buy. Very disappointing experience. But the customer service was excellent. the woman at the cashier was polite and patient, e.g. she doesn't maske the policies and needs to follow their rules. Cue eye roll. Ridiculous. The alternative scenario: they would've sold me a mini. I would've fallen in love, developed a Papa addiction, walked over on the daily and spent dollars upon dollars weekly. But now we'll never know ... all because they implement a short-sighted policy. read more

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Stopped by for some dessert and was immediately greeted by the two sweetest ladies, Jocaly and Reina. They were so polite and patient even though we took so long figuring out what flavor we wanted. read more

How can you not love Beard Papa's. This store in San Mateo has always been a big part of my upbringing and this location has never let me down. The service is great and the cream puffs have so much filling. I don't recommend saving them for the next day because the puff itself loses that great texture. Although I'd be shocked if they last past a day with how good they are. My go-to are always original flavors like vanilla and matcha. Although their more unique flavors like Crème brûlée are amazing. The store is also conveniently located basically attached to the parking garage so it's easy to get there. The store is tiny so there isn't much seating inside so it's more of a grab and go type of spot. read more

Beard Papa's - Cream Puffs - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

This is our go to spot for dessert emergencies .:) The chocolate-filled original cream puff is Perfection. Inside is normally very clean and they have small area to wait but its not a sit down place. Parking can be tricky but we usually find a spot next door in the basement. Its free for few min so quick in and out does the trick. Perfect spot to come for post dinner or after catching a movie! read more

Beard Papa's - chocolate - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

The international chain is from Japan. I've tried their cream puffs previously before. I wanted to try their limited time Gudetama cream puff. When I received it, I was disappointed. His face came off onto the paper covering. The peach jam didn't look appealing and the white chocolate éclair shell was too sweet. read more

Beard Papa's - Fail Gudetama cream puff - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

I love beard papa's! Came here on a weekday afternoon and it wasn't busy at all. The cream puffs tasted fresh and came out quick. It's a small location and not too deep in the downtown area of San Mateo, so you can't miss it. I love getting a couple and taking it home for family to try! Also love mixing and matching the flavors! read more

Beard Papa's - Outside - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Puff: - Cookie 4 crunchy - Paris Brest 4 chewy Cream: - Vanilla 4 flavor subtle - Green Tea 4 flavor subtle Matcha Fondant 3 very strong tea flavor read more

I got three different flavors: vanilla, green tea, and mango. I would say that the filling isn't as sweet as I would like. The last time I tried the mango filling, the employees were still working on the recipe, it was a bit sour in my opinion. They were all very friend and respectful. The store is a small bakery with a few seats inside. The texture of the cream puff was nice and airy, but it's a bit expensive in my opinion. I would say it's hard to find a place that sells cream puff conveniently like Beard Papa read more

Beard Papa's - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Beard Papa's | San Mateo 1. Green Tea Eclair with green tea filling 2. Mini original shells w/ vanilla filling If you didn't know already, Bear Papa's actually originated in Osaka, Japan. Its concept is derived from Yuki Hirota, who is the kind face of this business and is known for creating delicious, fluffy, and lovable cream puffs. Throughout the years, he managed to perfect the art or even craft of his pastries by making a double-layered puff on the inside and a pie crust on the outside. To this day, there are 435 bearded paps worldwide. The moment you walk into each store, you can immediately smell the cream puffs, as there are different flavor combinations you can choose from (e.g., chocolate, green tea, honey, Oreo, strawberry). I obviously chose the green tea eclair with their green tea filling, and it was a true piece of art--the pie crust paired so perfectly with the fluffy puff filled inside, forcing me to purchase the mini cream puffs afterwards. If you haven't tried Yuki's cream puffs yet, go get some now! read more

Beard Papa's - Green tea cream puff with green tea filling - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

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What could "a Mom" get any day of the year, but is MORE special ON Mother's Day....YES...cream puffs from Beard Papa's...!!! Placed my online order on Saturday and it was complete and ready to go when we arrived to pick it up on Sunday. One dozen mini's...if no one was looking, I would have eaten them ALL. Plus a half a dozen of their varieties....each was thoroughly enjoyed from the 1st, to the last bite...2 ube, green tea macha, strawberry, chocolate and Oreo crumble...each one was heavenly....Thanks, Beard Papa...can't wait to return for MORE...!!! read more

Amazing! I used to go to the SF location before it closed down, and decided to try this one! Definitely did not disappoint! I love their original puff (the others are too sweet for me personally) with vanilla cream, and it's perfection. Strong vanilla flavor, and the perfect balance of lightness and creaminess. It's the perfect not too sweet treat! read more

Beard Papa's - Menu - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

My sweet tooth was crying out to me and I heard Papa's was really good. I ordered a regular chocolate cream, puff and a vanilla filled chocolate eclair. Overall very tasty, but I will say the pastry part was a little dry. That being said, I would still order from here again. read more

Beard Papa's - Eclair & regular chocolate cream puff - Desserts Near Me - San Mateo, California

Came in yesterday and it was outstanding!! The young blonde lady working the front recommended the Honey Butter Creampuff and it was DELICIOUS!! Great service and the shoppe was clean as can be! read more

I have seen the sign of this store when driving by and assumed it was something to do with beards. My husband brought me home this little bag of bliss this week. I didn't take a photo, I was not expecting this to be so amazing! The perfect little puff, slightly crunchy, soft puff filled with the most amazing vanilla bean custard. Omg i will be back! These are delicious! read more

Love these light and airy, so decadent cream puffs! They're so unique and make a great gifting to friends or fam! Bring them to a dinner party or work and you'll be the chosen one for years to come! I selected these lovelies for my birthday treats instead of typical cake or cupcakes. It's been some years since I've had these beautiful puffs and I saw them advertised on DoorDash and thought, YES! I'm getting a few of these to ring in a new year ahead! The crème brûlée and s'mores cream puffs are my favorites! If you've never tried these cream puffs just know they're so good, and yes, messy! You'll grow a cream puff beard after eating one! There are numerous locations around the Bay Area, stop by for treat. These will truly brighten your day! read more

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Can one say Cream Puff without a smile? Certainly not I. The cream puffs are so scrumptious and I have tried every flavor. I am partial to the original/vanilla filling and green tea For shells I love the chocolate eclair and honey butter. For other desserts I love the chocolate lava cake (fondant) and the cream cheese. I usually go there when they first open went to lunch so they are always so fresh. The store is pretty small, but most people go for take outs, there are a few seats around the window. They have mobile order or if you order in person they are pretty quick. The price per cream puffs are reasonable they have the regular size and mini's which are so cute but limited flavors. read more

Beard papa's has been around for such a long time and I honestly thought they would have a better system going by now. I've noticed that whenever I walk in, there's an unpleasant smell. There were 2 employees working and they were quite slow and both didn't seem like they knew what they were doing. It took probably about 20 minutes before they took our orders because they were busy packing someone else's takeout order. We ordered 6 of the cheesecakes because we saw the sign while walking by. After taking the order, they pulled out the cheesecakes from the freezer. On the sign it says they're freshly baked every day, so I'm not sure if that's true now after seeing that they were frozen. They got the order wrong and also messed up by adding powdered sugar to all of them when they weren't supposed to (theyre supposed to torch the creme brûlée ones). I just thought it was very unprofessional and they made everything look unappetizing the way they were just throwing things around, especially because they're making everything right in front of you. I'm also not sure how sanitary everything is, despite them using gloves. Also, since the cheesecakes were just pulled out of the freezer, we couldn't even eat them, they needed to be defrosted for several hours and they didn't tell us that. Overall not a very good experience read more

I've been a big fan of Beard Papa's for over 10 years, but this is my 1st review. I placed an order for 2 dozen cream puffs pick up at a specific time on Christmas Day. Admittedly I was running a little late to pick up my order. Surprisingly they were too and they actually called me to let me know they were running behind and my order wasn't quite ready for pick up. It would be another 20 minutes. They didn't have to call, but I appreciated the advance notice and when I finally got there, 15 minutes after my scheduled pick up time, it was ready to go. Nonetheless, of all the desserts at the family dinner, the cream puffs were gobbled up before any of the other desserts. Consistently delicious!! Still reasonably priced--hasn't gone up very much since I first started buying them...over the past 10 years, it's gone up about $0.75--for the price, I still think it's worth it. (a slice of cake at some bakeries are over $7). read more