Being honest! I ordered hard boiled eggs and were served with vinegar. I explained that i am alergic and they just brought maybe the same eggs cleaned, or another ones still with vinegar. Very irresponsable! And unethical!!! read more

Foreigner Cafe - Eggs with vinegar, maybe just hand cleaned - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

Horrible is the only word. Ordered their veggie scramble and didn't enjoy how it's filled with cheese and pesto (what? Pesto for breakfast? Great.). My son ordered their French toast and he was surprised how the bread is so hard. We couldn't stand that $40 breakfast and ran for a coffee shelter to another coffee spot in downtown. read more

Always on the search to find new afternoon tea places. Girlfriend noted Foreigner was now offering a tea service on the weekends and we decided to give it a try. Made reservations for Sunday at 3:30pm. Pros - Spacious place and loved the presentation of the tea service. Of all the items we were served, standouts for me were the sweet potatoe toast, quiche, and the cheddar scone / biscuit. Also appreciated that they served warm milk with the tea. However, there were quite a few downsides/kinks that need to be worked out. When we arrived, we didn't know where to check in for our reservation. It looked more like an order at the counter and sit down kind of place, so we were confused and wondered if we were at the right place. We asked staff that were walking by and were eventually brought to a table. There are 3 menu options for tea service and it serves 2. $30 for additional tea service. FYI - there were 3 of us. When our tiered tray came, most items were split in 2s so we asked if it was a service for 3 people. We were told it was and that they add more items to the tiers. The items on the tiers were not explained to us when it was delivered and we also had to ask for plates and silverware. Must note, though, Kelly (manager?) was great. He came by to tell us he didn't charge us for the 3rd person as he acknowledged it wasn't clear how the service was for 3 people. He also apologized and explained reasons for some of the misses. He was also gracious and listened to our feedback. Despite the misses, we did enjoy ourselves and we'd consider returning once they work out the kinks. read more

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this breakfast/brunch place is so delicious. i frequent san mateo pretty often and can't believe i haven't tried this place before. came here with friends after lunch and there was no wait. we order at the front and they have displays of what some of their food options look like and they all looked so good. after ordering we go to their dining area with plenty of seating. i'm a sucker for scrambles and theirs was amazing. would definitely come back here for brunch with friends if im in the area again. workers are also super nice and providing suggestions if needed! read more

Foreigner Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

Stopped by as we were in the area. Ordered at the counter and found a seat at a high top. It was super busy. We both had the veggie omelette with toast and mocha and coffee. Everything tasted fresh and delicious. Food came out pretty quick even with the busyness. Seems like a really great breakfast spot to come with friends or family. read more

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Came for brunch and was a bit nervous about the long line but we were able to find seats with no issue. You have to wait in line to order at the counter and then they bring the food at to you. Loved that they had fake samples of the food so you can get preview of what you want! I went with the salmon Benedict which came with salad and potatoes. Pretty large portion and so delicious! We also went with the mimosa tasting which came with 4 different flavors which were all great read more

Foreigner Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

Foreigner | San Mateo 1. Smoked Salmon Toast ~ basil pesto sauce, cucumber, heirloom tomato, avocado, boiled egg with onion, capers & dill Foreigner is a family-friendly brunch spot during the day and a casual/upscale dinner eatery at night, located in downtown San Mateo, California.   I had the honor to SPEND $20 on salmon toast, and let me tell you: I would have never thought that toast could be that expensive. Never in my life have I ever spent that much on toast. CRAZY. Nonetheless, it was huge in size, and all the components of pesto, tomato, avocado, cucumber, and dill made it taste phenomenal. read more

Foreigner Cafe - Smoked Salmon Toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Delicious brunch spot with plenty of seating in San Mateo, perfect for dates, friends, and family! I love that they have pretty much their entire menu on display at the counter so you can see what your food would look like. Super helpful in helping you decide what you want to eat, especially for first timers like me. Once you know what you want, order at the front and pay. You'll get a number and then you take any open table. Your food will be brought to you when it's ready. I ended up ordering the morning breakfast croissant after seeing it on display. The display showed a hefty layer of meat on the bottom, so I was a but disappointed that the actual croissant I got had 1 layer of meat on the bottom. Felt like I got catfished but at least it still tasted great. We also ended up getting the ube buff, dulce de leche cake, latte flight, and salmon benedict. All of the food we got was delicious and the service was super friendly. Would definitely come back! read more

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My husband and I love to go on foodie trips. We found this place in Yelp and have good reviews so we went for Brunch. We got there before it got busy around 9:30 on a Thursday. The place is nice and plenty of seating. They also have outdoor seating. The staff are nice and friendly. They have a big menu and it was so hard to choose, everything looks good! One of their coffee flavors is made of Barako beans (from the Philippines). It is strong and flavorful just the way I like my coffee! We wl definitely come back! read more

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This place is awesome! It's bright & happy with a good vibe. The service is also pretty good, the food comes out pretty quickly. They have a lot of food options. We've been here couple of times and will be going back for more. - Coffee: not the best in town but it's ok - Arcadian Grill Chicken Salad: Really good salad with good dressing. We got Thai twice. First time the chicken was great, 2nd time chicken was rather dry. - Farmesr's salad: Absolutely loved it, fresh delicious ingredients and good dressing. - Mushroom & Gruyère Toast: loved the delicious creamy mushrooms and the cheese combo on top of layer of avocado. The bread was also very tasty, not too thin or thick. The side salad was refreshing and great dressing. read more

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This is one of our go-to places for brunch, I love how they have a display of the food so you know what to expect. It can get a little loud and busy during the weekend breakfast/brunch time. They do still have patio seating and it's pretty pet friendly for the patio area. We decided to go in the afternoon around 2pm to avoid rush hours. Service was good, and we got our food relatively quickly. The salmon Benedict came with potatoes and salad, it was a decent portion. Only one egg for the Benedict, but I was expecting that since the display had one egg also. Bread at the bottom got a little soggy because of the sauce. And the smoked salmon toast also came with salad. Both were pretty good. It would be nice if the display also shows the price, but that's just me. There were tables set up with table cloth and a nice tea pot for the 2:30-5pm Merienda afternoon tea session. read more

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Had a weird experience today. I ordered a dish no dairy no egg no gluten and it came out with a pesto that had mayo/egg, I took a few bites and realized I started to get hives. I brought it to the front and they said they'd bring back a new one but 20 minutes later nothing and I had to ask. Finally after 30 they gave me a new one with no mayo, but after I finished I'm pretty sure they didn't do the gluten free bread I asked for the first time as I've been sick all day. The place is cute and People were nice but I would avoid coming here if you have any actual allergies. read more

This is a great place to get brunch and have a wonderful conversation. My daughter brought me here and it did not disappoint. Coffee was good, food was great, place was full but noise level was still conducive to having a conversation. It's a lovely brunch place in San Mateo! read more

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Fast, delicious, and dog friendly! What more could you ask for? Great customer service as well! Loved that as you order they have all of their items on the menu on display for their customers who like a visual. read more

Foreigner Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

FOOD: 2 SERVICE: 3 AMBIANCE: 3 VALUE: 3 I really did not enjoy the food here. I ordered a Denver omelet and it was made with canned ham slices! Even Denny's serve better ham. At $17.95, it was just a rip off. Did not even come with butter for the toast. The only thing good was the flat white coffee. Huge disappointment. read more

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Order at the counter and they will bring you the food. Lots of indoor seating and some outdoor seating. The iced matcha latte is very much so just matcha and milk. Perfect for those who like drinks less sweet. The salad was very refreshing and delicious. The potatoes have a stronger black pepper flavor and also come with hot sauce on the side. The flavor of the toast is on the stronger side so perfect for those who like stronger tasting food. Be prepared for a workout with the toast though! The knife they give you is a little dull so you will definitely be getting a biceps workout cutting the toast. read more

Foreigner Cafe - Iced matcha latte - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

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*LOCATION* This cute restaurant is located in Downtown San Mateo, with an indoor seating area as well as an outdoor patio. There's paid street parking and parking garages nearby. *WAIT TIME* My friend and I met for Saturday brunch around 12:30pm and we luckily didn't have to wait long in line (maybe only ~10 minutes). You place your order first at the register and then you look for your own seating. You'll be given a number and the waiter will bring your food directly out to your table. *FOOD* Aesthetics was ON POINT (*chef's kiss*) but half of the things we got just tasted alright... everything looked very pretty but was very $$$ imo... -Strawberry Delight Croffle $15.95: the croffle was the perfect mix of flaky and chewy, fruits were sweet and seemed fresh, cream and maple syrup(?) were not too sweet, this dish was my fav! -Smoked Salmon Toast $18.95: v generous toppings but toast was too hard to cut/eat, salad was pretty good though -Ube Puff $8.95: filling was nice and creamy, ube flavor was just right, puff itself tasted a little stale though :( -Mimosa Flight $21: classic orange + lavender raspberry + pineapple jalapeño, flights are always nice to get a little taste of all the flavors -Iced Vietname Coffee $5: nothing super special here haha *SERVICE* Not much to say since the waiters just come out to bring you your food. They offered to bring us additional plates so we could share our food with each other and were nice when we asked for an extra cup. *AMBIENCE* This is a SUPER cute place to grab food with a group of girlfriends. The inside is really cozy and super instagrammable (A+ here, LOL). This will be one of the places I'd recommend for a nice treat every once in awhile! read more

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This place is excellent. It's sometimes hard to find an early morning breakfast place that serves soup and savory items and this was just the ticket. Located in the heart of downtown San Mateo, nestled in between lots of other restaurant and local shopping. The thing that stands out here is it was fully staffed! So nice to have lots of workers to help expedite the food and drinks. Definitely made our morning run a bit smoother. Food was EXCELLENT. read more

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Popped by this place with a friend for lunch and it was crowded. You order at the front counter and they bring the food to your table. I thought it was gonna take awhile bc of how busy they were, but it came out pretty swiftly. All the staff was lovely especially Nicole big shout out to her. She put together a lovely tea party for another table that made me and my friend deff want to come back and try! The food was really good! I got the grilled chicken BLT and it was delicious. It came with a side salad and I should have asked for a bit more dressing but no complaints other than that 6/10. Her tortilla soup she said was bomb 8/10. The foreigner favorite was super good and was craving for days after I had it 8/10!!!! Got a dessert on the way out chocolate mouse cake 9/10 not too sweet and hit just right!!! Thank you again Nicole read more

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What a cute brunch spot! My friend and I came here for breakfast/brunch, and omg it was delicious! FOOD: I ordered the Strawberry Delight Croffle, and it was so delicious! The berries were so fresh, sweet, and full of flavor. DRINK: I am a coffee addict, so I got fancy and ordered an Orange Blossom Latte (with oat milk). It paired so perfectly with the croffle. AMBIANCE: You order at the counter, and they will bring the food out to you. When we went, the restaurant was packed to the brink. I can see why! We found a spot outside. It was nice out, so it was perfect! There's nothing better than good food with good company! Highly recommended. read more

Foreigner Cafe - Orange Blossom Latte (with oat milk) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

Ham and burrata quiche hit the spot. Really great options on the menu, doesn't look like you can go wrong. The price point is decent too. The latte was massive, I would have preferred something smaller, it felt like too much. This is a place I would return to read more

Foreigner Cafe - Ham burrata quiche - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Enjoyed High Tea this afternoon. Excellent service and outstanding food. The food was as outstanding as the presentation. Highly recommend this restaurant for both service and food. We will definitely be returning! read more

We had such a wonderful lunch experience here! The customer service was absolutely amazing -- Eric and the staff attended to all our needs and made our small birthday celebration feel extra special. Great food, fast service, and a nice ambiance. Everything was excellent, and we'll definitely be coming back! read more

Always have been a big fan of the foreigner. The ambiance here is great for brunch or an early breakfast date. There's usually a line during lunch. I would always recommend their gluten-free bread. It's usually hard to find seats. I always had to wait whenever I went here. It's on the pricier side, but the food is really good. 10/10 for their bacon benedict and their eclairs! This is going to sound funny, but I love their self service, fruit-infused water. I'm very picky with water, I never drink tap water or rarely service water. I've had amoebasis in a different country and now I'm so picky. But this is one thing I just wanted to note with foreigner if you're a picky one like me. I've had some of their lattes and hot chocolate, I would say 8/10. Some of the servers are great, and some of them are okay, some don't speak english well so sometimes it's hard to get things through. But they have a huge menu selection, if you ever want to impress anyone over brunch, this is the place! read more

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My husband and I came here before leaving for the airport. It was literally 12 minutes away, which was perfect! They have street parking across the street, but make sure you park in the area where it does not say 24 min. parking. This place is pretty cool! As you enter you can see all the displayed items that are on the menu, which all looked appetizing! They also have a menu right in the middle. This would work if it's not busy for sure, so if it's busy, make sure you look on Yelp for the menu so that you're not pressured when you're there. We ordered the spirulina, which was a plant based (algae) latte and it was blue! We also ordered their ube puff, Denver omelette and the morning breakfast croissant. The spirulina was surprisingly delicious! It was very light and not too sweet, which I liked! On top of that it was beautiful! The Denver omelette was okay. The omelette itself was bland and the breakfast potatoes that came with it was also bland. It was filled with bell peppers. Ketchup was definitely needed in this dish. My Morning Breakfast Croissant was very tasty, but very messy to eat! The croissant is massive! Definitely worth getting. The ube puff was a disappointment. I was really looking forward to it. The breading was very stale. We could tell that it was in the fridge for a while. The inside of the puff was good! You can taste the ube and it was very creamy! If the breading on the outside was fresh, it would've been a great puff. The service and ambience was nice! Definitely get the morning breakfast croissant if you want a filling breakfast! read more

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First time trying this restaurant at Dan Mateo. I've been wanting to try it since the place always quite busy. You have to order directly at the cashier then find your table. The food will be brought to your table after by the staff. Don't forget to get your own water. We ordered the salmon eggs Benedict and the la amour crepe. The salmon egg Benedict is not your normal egg Benedict. It uses sourdough slice bread, but it's delicious. The salad and the potatoes that come with it are delicious and well seasoned. We like it! The crepe is decadent. Not too sweet and a bit in crispy side which I like it also. Even the price is $$ but the portion is quite generous. It's a casual place for family or friends to hangout for a coffee or a brunch. You should give this place a try if you're around San Mateo read more

Foreigner Cafe - La amour crepe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Was from out of town and my family and I enjoyed breakfast here. We didn't quite know what to expect but staff were really friendly and food was great! read more

We arrived voraciously hungry from the airport for a quick breakfast/ early brunch. Tried the mozzarella basil toast, a crepe and the beets latte. I was say the taste was just ok ,not too flavorful. I guess it's not to my preference to have chewy large chunks of mozzarella on my toast but others may like it. Service is fine nothing too mention, the ambience is quite nice. read more

Foreigner Cafe - Mozarella, Tomato, Basil Toast and Banana Nutella crepe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Food - my friend and I wanted something small in the morning and decided to check Foreigner out. We had their strawberry croffle & must say it was perfection. Not to sweet and the waffle had this crunch to it. The best one from the Mimosas Flight was their Lavender Raspberry flavor. Really loved their Ube puff! Service - was good as it wasn't busy yet. You order first and then pick your table. You also can get your own utensils and water. Ambiance - Modern and clean. read more

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So after a couple years of wanting to try this place, my boyfriend and I finally made our way over. Good ambiance to start, but the music didn't really mesh well. We ordered our food and sat down and I'm quickly brought my quiche and our drinks which was good. However, my boyfriend ended up waiting another 20-30 minutes for his food to arrive. Typically restaurants know how to try and bring things out in a timely matter so one person isn't without their food for a long period of time. I did kindly ask for an update a couple times and the workers seemed confused, and I never received an apology or anything. I don't usually complain either, but this was pretty disappointing being that I'd been looking forward to try it. read more

Came here for brunch on a weekday and thought this place was a cute for breakfast, coffee and studying if needed. I liked seeing the displays of the meals they had today for the menu. When you first walk in you can just order at the cashier. I ordered the coffee and the waffle. Then they give you a ring number and then you can sit wherever you want. I was surprised how spacious this place was. They had a lot of seating. Then they bring out your food and drinks. They even have a water station with fruit or tap water and place for sugar in your coffee. Over it's a good place to hang with friends. read more

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First time at Foreigner! Ordered an iced Yema latte and a hot Cuban cortadito. Cuban cortadito flavor had depth and just the right amount of sweetness. Kind of bummed about the Yema latte; just tasted like a regular iced latte. Can't taste anything Yema-inspired about it. Would go back again to try the food and maybe a different drink. Ambience is fun and inviting and service was great. read more

Great food and accommodating for allergies! We were staying in the area and went a few times for breakfast with my son who's gluten and dairy allergic. They have good gluten free bread ( that actually tastes good as well ) and it's easy to switch ingredients in the omelette or sandwiches. My son ate the gf bread with their jelly, which tastes homemade. The egg omelette was flavorful and the vegetables were fresh. They have fantastic salads which we had a few times on the side. The cappuccino was my favorite ( got to have my coffee fix ) and the oatmeal made it creamy similar to milk. They have a pretty good space for indoor seating and a few tables outdoors. We sat both indoors and outdoors. Good service, they get crowded and still have a prompt, friendly and efficient service. Definitely recommend this place! read more

Foreigner Cafe - Denver Omelette with added mushrooms and no cheese, gluten free bread and a cappuccino with oat milk - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

Super cute cafe with so much variety! Unfortunately, they do not take reservations unless you are doing the Tea Time menu,l; so first come first served for their open seating setup. First you order at the front, grab a number stand, find a table, then your food will get delivered to you. Also, there's self serve water stations. There are so many items ranging from savory to sweet - sandwiches, omelettes, croissants, quiches, toasts, croffles (croissant waffles) and more! My boyfriend and I went with both a savory and a sweet option - tuna egg croffle and the La Amour crepe. The tuna croffle was amazing; it was toasted perfectly and seasoned well (I don't believe this was on the menu so didn't realize how much it costed.. a whopping $18.95). The crepe consisted of fresh strawberries, bananas, Nutella and chocolate - this was okay, nothing too special in my opinion. For the two items, it came out to a little over $37. Overall, experience was nice because we got to lounge and chat while enjoying our food. The menu was pretty extensive so it was a bit overwhelming but they actually have most of their items on display which made my decision easier. Def would visit again to try their other brunch options. read more

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Happening and solid lunch cafe with a delicious avocado and egg toast. Thick bread, and a big side salad. Enjoyed the tumeric ginger latte in a tiny cup. Nothing wildly unique or amazing about it all, but it's a lively spot with tons of indoor-outdoor seating. read more

Ready for self-serve style brunch? Order first, then grab a number. The ambiance is spacious and hipster. Definitely a place where you can grab a latte and chit chat with your friends while you enjoy brunch. The madame croquette was definitely a hit for me! The flavor of the country potatoes were nice but it was a bit soggy when served. Wished it was hot and crispy! The latte was also very delicious-- flavorful yet the coffee was worked OT. I appreciate their customer service e.g. asked for a high chair and they were super accommodating. Definitely would be back for more since they have a huge selection of brunch items! read more

Foreigner Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Decent Food, Disappointing and Unpleasant Service I brought my visiting parents here based on a coworker's strong recommendation, and while the food was decent, the experience was entirely marred by the terrible service. We ordered three brunch entrees and one dessert to share. The dessert was served first, and since it only came with one set of utensils, I politely asked our waitress for two extra sets. Her response was very unpleasant and instantly defensive, asking me back, "We only serve one set of utensils per dish, did you order other food?" I confirmed that yes, we had ordered three main dishes. She then looked at me suspiciously, and despite me confirming again that we simply wanted to share this one dessert, she made us wait until all of our main dishes arrived before grudgingly providing the extra utensils. My parents were visibly embarrassed by her demeanor and the awkward exchange, which made the entire situation much more uncomfortable. Given that the restaurant charges tips upfront, I deeply regret having paid over 20% for service that was actively hostile and made me feel unwelcome, especially when hosting my parents. It's a shame when good food is overshadowed by such a poor customer experience. read more

Food: I got the grilled chicken salad. The chicken was quite dry and the salad did not seem fresh (tasted like bagged salad and dressing). Food was presented well, but overall, I think the food is quite overpriced for what you get. Service: Food came out quickly and efficiently. Ambiance: Lots of seating. Great place to sit and catchup with friends. read more

Foreigner Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

*Parking: street parking or garage around downtown San Mateo. *Experience: Order at the front counter before finding a seat. Water is self-serve from dispenser with clean mason jars available. Service was pretty quick, as we didn't have to wait too long for food to come. Ambiance indoors was pretty cute. Nice hangout spot to grab lunch. *Food: I got the Arcadian chicken salad. The salad was topped with avocado and dressing was a good ratio. The grilled chicken was a bit too charred but otherwise the salad was delicious! read more

Foreigner Cafe - Arcadian Chicken Salad - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

I've always have this place bookmarked and finally had the chance to try it. I'd say it's a 3.5 so I rounded up to a 4. There's nothing here you would go "wow" or I gotta come here for this. The restaurant had a nice atmosphere and décor, it is mainly self served. You would order at the register, then they will bring you the food. The server sometimes will get confused with your order but I guess it was because it's busy. Food items are just so-so, although they all look delicious in the pictures. We've ordered chicken salad and egg benedicts. Chicken salad - 3.5/5 The salad itself was good, very fresh and the chicken was not dry. It was nicely grilled. I've had better chicken salad with outstanding flavors. I'd say this dish is just "your average chicken salad" where you can make it at home. Egg Benedicts - 3.5/5 My friend ordered this dish, it's a quite big dish, but he said it's lacking flavors. He was expecting more. Because they have a big menu, I would go back to give it another try. read more

Foreigner Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

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