No shame in declaring Kaizen as my favorite coffee shop in the Bay Area! Kaizen is a coffee shop located blocks away from the Hillsdale shopping center. It does not have a dedicated parking lot, so be sure to grab the first street parking slot you see! It's a modern, small shop with some seating options (if you come early enough, you will be able to get something!) My usual here is typically a black sesame latte and I will say, probably the best one you can get in the Bay Area. It's toasty, nutty, but not over powering. I have been having a hard time finding a comparable contender. Besides that their vanilla latte is delicious and bright. For me their miso is a bit salty but that might be a preference. They also have some amazing selections of pastries you can get. I always get something new while I'm here, most recently, I got a pork floss croissant but I did enjoy the ube croissant when they still carried it. Their baristas are always very kind, and are willing to help. Despite coming in some busy times, I always get my drink in a reasonable time. I will continue to rave about this spot to my friends! It's a gem. :) read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Pork floss croissant and a black sesame latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I'm glad I got to try this place but it's def not my style both in terms of drinks and ambience. Came on Sunday AM and waited in the line. Kinda went quickly but the place is so small that we were sure where we were going to take drinks and food. We managed to snag a table that was just leaving so that was good! I got the black sesame latte as I love black sesame but in coffee was just not my thing. I did get it iced so maybe it would've been better hot? Just tasted like a thick mush that I had to stir and whenever I took a sip, was extremely grainy, For the price, the quantity was much less than I was expecting, since they served it in a tall and narrow glass. Person I was with got the mocha and one of the toast items but no comments on either. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

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It was busy when we got here but the line moved quickly. The line was even longer by the time we ordered though. We got lucky and we're able to grab a small table. There are a few but not too many dine in spaces. This place has a lot of great options for coffee lovers and tea options for non coffee drinkers! They have some simple classics and some fun flavors as well. The Mission Mocha was a favorite in our group. It had a nice slight spicy tingle too. The Earl Grey Matcha was also super good. Will be back to try the rest of the menu, the fusion drinks all really peaked my interest. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

My friends and I stopped by Kaizen & Coffee on a Sunday morning and there was a long line out the door. I wish I could say the line moves quickly, but it does not: if there's a line out the door, you'll definitely be waiting for a while before you're able to even order. My wife ordered their miso caramel latte and I thought it was the perfect balance of sweet and savory. The milk froth was very airy and the drink had an underlying burnt flavor to it that reminded me of the brûléed sugar on top of a creme brûlée. Definitely a drink I'd get again. I ordered a pork floss croissant and it was light and fluffy. There was a generous amount of pork floss both on the top and the inside of the croissant, and the layers were nicely laminated. My friend asked where they sourced their pastries from, and apparently today's batch came from Amour Bakery in Belmont. If you're around this part of San Mateo, I would not hesitate to recommend Kaizen & Coffee. Their Asian flavored lattes are delicious and there's a wide selection of Asian inspired French pastries to enjoy as well. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Miso caramel latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Came here on a Saturday afternoon with a line out the door. It went by relatively quickly but the real challenge is finding a seat inside. We tried the hojicha latte (9/10) and early grey matcha latte (10/10). Both drinks had very strong hojicha/matcha flavors which were great. I asked for less ice and the drinks came out without being filled to the top. They ran out of pastries by the time we got there so you should go early if you want those. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Earl grey matcha Hojicha latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

This place is good. Their coffee, pastries and toast are all so delicious. It's definitely a trendier type of vibe which i think is fun and different. Especially when their coffee and their vibe compliment each other. The staff is super friendly. We ate at the counter and got to watch them all craft delicious coffees, they were super attentive and checked on us frequently to make sure we didn't need anything. Be prepared to wait as people know this place is good! The line can be a little long and since the place is a little on the smaller side it gets packed. read more

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Came on Friday afternoon and the cafe had a fair amount of people. Love the vibes and has lots of counter seating. I tried the Jasmine Tea with Matcha Foam, and it was a great balance with the jasmine and matcha. The first half of the drink u taste the light jasmine then you later get a little more of the matcha. Not too sweet or heavy, and perfectly refreshing. I definitely recommend trying it while it's on their menu! They make the drinks pretty quick and I heard their lattes are amazing so will need to come back for those. Highly recommend this cafe! read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Jasmine Tea with Matcha Foam - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

It was a cold Tuesday afternoon. My partner and I had class in a bit, but needed a quick caffeine pick me up. We decided to try out Kaizen & Coffee in San Mateo, and we have become regulars now. Everything here is so awesome. They are constantly adding new drinks to their menu and they have such unique inspired drinks. Though the drinks can get really expensive, they are truly handcrafted and this place is the best. My personal recommendations are the miso caramel, regular matcha, or earl grey matcha. Each of these is awesome on their own, but if you add the kaizen kumo(salted cold foam), they are taken to the next level. They have the best cold foam I have tried. read more

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One of the best spots for really flavorful coffee and matcha in the Peninsula. Definitely a must visit if you're into either! Everything is nicely balanced, just sweet enough with a solid caffeine kick to get you through the day. The baristas are super friendly, and even though the space is small, it feels cozy and welcoming. They also have a great selection of coffee beans. Every drink I've had so far has been a hit. There's no parking lot, but street parking is easy to find right out front or nearby. It does get busy though, both times I went all the seats were taken. read more

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I've been here many more times since my last review, and every time has been great! Depending on my mood, my favorites have been the iced ube latte, iced strawberry matcha, hot matcha, or hot black sesame latte. The Okinawa brown sugar latte is good as well. My friend visited us and loved the iced miso caramel latte. My husband likes their espresso tonic. Their frens chocolate collab is also tasty. I've only tried the strawberry matcha chocolate so far and loved the bar! They have strawberry pieces throughout. I gave them as gifts recently and my cousin loves the spice in the Mission Mocha bar. The place has limited seating and the line can be out the door on some days. Service is fast so you shouldn't be in line for too long. It's our favorite coffee shop in the area! read more

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Still some of the best coffee around! Even better having it for here instead of to go. I got my usual Miso Caramel Latte which is such a unique treat. Was able to get a seat this time in the late afternoon. Very cool vibe and quick service. Had anime playing on the TV. read more

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One of my favorite go-to matcha/ coffee spots in San Mateo! It's definitely a popular spot as there's always a long line whether it's morning or the afternoon. Wait time isn't too bad, Kaizen just prefers 6 people in queue inside. Bought the usual regular matcha latte and earl grey matcha. The matcha latte with default syrup had the perfect amount of sweetness. The earl grey matcha has a balance of umami, citrusy flavor. Can't go wrong with these! Have yet to try their food/ baked goods. Will have to come and try another time. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Earl grey matcha and Matcha Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

waited 20+ mins on a saturday morning. got the iced americano + miso caramel latte. both were really good. you can actually taste the notes, not just generic coffee. line was a bit of a wait but kinda worth it for the quality. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - miso caramel latte, iced americano - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

Got super lucky and came on a Friday when there wasn't a line! IYKYK, Kaizen frequently has lines out there door and we knew we were in for a treat! Ube Latte - at first sip, the coffee was sour. However, mix up the drink along with the Ube and the drink turns into a smooth, nutty, and someday sweet coffee. Overall ok and would try a different drink. Caramel Miso - this was so delicious! Something about sweet and savory-like leaves you wanting more with each sip. Street parking in the front! read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

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miso in love w da miso caramel coffeeeeeeeeee!! i was lowkey skeptical about miso in coffee but it actually worked so well and complemented the caramel perfectly. new flavor combo unlocked fr. it wasn't too sweet at all and tasted great with the normal settings. my friend got the black sesame coffee and it was lowkey not it the coffee itself was good but the sesame didn't pair that well here. i've had better black sesame drinks elsewhere so i wouldn't get that one again. read more

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I've returned several times since my first visit and tried both coffee & tea options from their everchanging menu. +Black Sesame Latte +Black Sesame Matcha Latte +Earl Grey Matcha +Latte +Miso Caramel Latte -Earl Grey Supreme -Ube Latte Some drinks have been a miss, but the beautiful latte art, creativity, and friendly service are always there! Side notes: 1.) Restroom available for customers 2.) Walking distance from Hillsdale Caltrain station and Hillsdale mall 3.) Limited street parking (1 hour cap Mon-Sat 8:00am-6:00pm): I'd recommend having someone wait in line while the driver looks for parking. *Verdict: If you're in San Mateo, I'd recommend stopping by! read more

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Came by here with some friends for a pre-climbing session caffeine / pastries stop. There's some limited seating inside, but when the store is busy they limit the indoor line to 6 people (which is honestly pretty nice for keeping noise levels down / maintain walking space). I ordered the black sesame latte and enjoyed how the flavor is there but doesn't overpower the drink. I also tried some of the miso caramel latte and liked the subtle flavors in that one as well. I was quite hungry, so I ordered two of the toasts (to share, but I ended up eating most of both). I liked the smoked salmon better, largely because there are so many more layers to the flavors in that one. In both, the milk toast adds a nice subtle sweetness and fluffiness to the other flavors. The ube mascarpone was good, but not as complex as the salmon. Service is pretty quick. The drinks came out almost immediately, even though they were pretty busy. Will definitely come back for the lattes and the smoked salmon toast read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Smoked salmon & ube mascarpone toasts - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

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3.5 stars because they're inconsistent. There's always a line here even when I go super early in the morning but it moves quickly and the drinks come out fast. Staff are very friendly and take time to make recommendations and chat with every customer. The first time I got a strawberry matcha and it was straight up milk. As you can see from the photos, the color was horrendous. I decided to give them another try recently, and I'm glad I did! The cashier recommended the Earl Grey Matcha and I really enjoyed it. The earl grey flavor was not too overpowering but for $8.50 I found the matcha to be lacking and drowned out. However, it was still a very solid drink. Their food options and pastries look good too and I'll be back to try those! read more

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Good drinks. Service was pretty fast. Small and cozy inside with other patrons just staring at everyone who's waiting to order. Staff were pretty knowledgable about their coffee and had good recommendations on the bagged beans. Street parking. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

I've seen Kaizen & Coffee recommended on a few Bay Area matcha lists, and I was impressed! The cafe is located on a busy road so street parking is a must, but it's conveniently located between downtown San Mateo and Hillsdale mall. There was a line out the door when we arrived on a Saturday afternoon, but it moved quickly. Interior space was small with limited seating, but had a nice minimalist and modern feel to it. Menu had some interesting drink choices and they all sounded so good! Will have to come back to try others. Earl grey matcha latte: I've never had an Earl grey + matcha drink before and I think Kaizen hit the spot with this one! The flavor profiles of the tea and matcha matched well together and I could taste both at the same time. The menu warns that this drink has an increased caffeine content, but honestly I didn't notice, and would even try an extra shot of matcha next time to get even more of that matcha flavor. Ube coffee latte: The base of the drink is Vietnamese coffee so it's strong, but good! The ube flavor + condensed milk from the Viet coffee made the drink a little on the sweeter side, but overall a good drink. *Note: If you order your drink with less ice, the drink level in the cup is noticeably lower, so if you want an aesthetic picture get normal ice. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Earl grey matcha and ube coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

This is the best matcha latte in the Bay Area (sorry not sorry!!) they prioritize quality and consistency over mass producing and batching (at least the times I have been). I usually go in the mornings around 7am on the weekdays and honestly because of the hype it has been getting I avoid coming on a Saturday because there's usually a line out the door. The service is attentive, and friendly. The vibe inside is very modern and they have anime playing on a TV. Baristas are sweet, and will give you suggestions if you're stuck. Lattes are aromatic and floral, and matcha is smooth and creamy. Must try's: Tahitian vanilla bean, Matcha latte with Kaizen Kumo, Earl Grey Matcha latte, strawberry matcha latte read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Vanilla latte and Earl Grey Matcha Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

Stumbled across this cafe looking for a place to do some work on my computer and I was pleasantly surprised at how many matcha options there were! I wanted to try the food but there weren't any more at 2:30pm on a Tuesday. I got the black sesame matcha latte and I loved how the nutty flavor balanced out the matcha perfectly. It came out pretty quick too. There are a good amount of tables but they're pretty small so it can get crowded. There's some street parking right outside too. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Black sesame matcha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

Got the matcha sesame latte - flavours blended so well together and not too sweet. The toast was amazing. The Ube and raspberry flavours worked so well together. Although each bite was light, the dish was filling enough for breakfast. read more

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Service was efficient and kind. For our first time visiting, we didn't know the queue extended to the outside to provide sufficient space for those waiting inside. I appreciate this thoughtfulness and organization to lessen chaos inside the cafe. When it was our turn to order, the employee was very patient while we explored the menu aloud with them, and they offered a non-caffeinated milk drink for our young one. The ambiance was very chill as workers did their thing and looked focused and relaxed at the same time. Service was kind and efficient. Drinks came out in a timely manner and tasted delicious. We could then taste for ourselves why this place has been raved about (at least in my circle). Well come by again. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Strawberry March with oatmilk, Strawberry milk with oatmilk, and Iced Okinawa brown sugar - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

I've visited a few times now, and I'd recommend going on a weekday morning or afternoon if you can. Weekends tend to get very busy, with lines out the door. The standout for me is their iced miso caramel latte. It's not overly sweet, but still very flavorful. The miso adds a subtle depth that makes the caramel feel more balanced and slightly umami. It comes across as a more refined take on a flavored latte, and I really enjoy it. Their standard latte is decent, probably around a 6/10 for me. The espresso leans more on the fruity side, which just isn't my personal preference. One downside is that they've been out of pastries every time I've gone, which has been a bit disappointing. It would be great to see more consistent availability there. I'm not in the Bay Area often, and it's not necessarily a must-visit destination for me, but it's definitely a spot I enjoy stopping by when I'm nearby. read more

Occasionally the wife and I like to go see what's trending out with the kids in tow. I'd read about this place in local articles and had it on my list to try out. I did not expect the wait to be that brutal for the line. My wife braved it while I tried to find the near impossible parking near the SM expo center and El Camino Real across from Silver House. If she had gotten drinks only it would have been like 30 mins in line. Because she ordered the toast it took longer. I ordered the iced Okinawa Brown Sugar latte and found it to be good, strong, and slightly bitter. She ordered the iced black sesame latte and avocado toast with the suggested chili oil on top. I really enjoyed the toast. The avo and tomatoes tasted so fresh, flavorful, crunchy, and balanced. It wasn't too much of anything and all the textures worked so well together. Each bite was extremely satisfying and amazing. The price was a bit steep but it was filling and had a lot of wonderful ingredients on it. I want to try other things on the menu to get a better sense of what we like best. 4.5 stars due to the crazy parking situation and brutal wait. It was damn good but the combo of the hype and parking makes it hard to want to brave consistently for us. We'd definitely return though. read more

I saw this coffee shop pop up on my search as I was looking for places to check out while I was visiting the Bay and Kaizen did not disappoint! I got the Mission Mocha after looking over the menu and it was delicious! The chocolate mixed with the cinnamon and their smooth coffee was a wonderful combination and the gochutgaru gave a nice kick of heat on the back end and it wasn't too sweet overall. It also had a bit of nuttiness to it most likely from their use of dandelion chocolate. They have a good-sized menu with several signature drinks and a matcha section with some unique drinks like the coconut lemongrass matcha and the Miso Caramel. The shop was packed when I went and the line was out the door. There is counter seating available and some tables but they were all taken when I showed up in the early afternoon. The inside was bright and clean and modern. They also sell coffee beans and merch on the side of the counter. There are also pastries for sale as well. Service is friendly and drinks come out decently fast. I had my drink ready in less than 10 minutes. If you are looking for a new coffee shop to check out in San Mateo, come here! read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Mission Mocha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

Love that they make their own syrups here! I went for a matcha latte w/oat milk and Tahitian vanilla syrup. They get their matcha from Japan and hand whisk. It was very tasty. My partner had a cold brew and miso carmel, he enjoyed both. Service was surprisingly fast and friendly. Unfortunately, they were out of pastries on a Tuesday afternoon. So you probably need to come earlier. I can see parking being annoying, but we were lucky to get a spot in front on the street. Lots of seating inside. Love the modern vibes, kinda felt like a club with the loud music though. No pet friendly seating outside. read more

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There was a pretty long line that went outside the door, but it went by fairly quickly. They are also fast with making the drinks, which is great. Hojicha latte - 4.5/5, i got 75% sweet with less ice. Good hojicha and nutty flavor! 75% sweet was perfect for me, so 100% would probably be good too. Black sesame latte - 3/5, 75% sweet. It comes with 2 shots of espresso, which made the drink very strong and bitter. Probably better with 100% sweetness read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Hojicha and black sesame - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

Solid matcha and coffee!! This spot is located on a Main Street, so there's street parking in the area. It can get pretty packed here, but the line goes by fast! There's a good amount of seats and menu items. Their iced matcha latte is so good!! They use ceremonial matcha and I loved it!! I'd love to come and try their speciality coffees, everything looks yummy! I will defs be back! read more

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ARE YOU READY FOR SOME OF THE SWEATIEST COFFEE OF YOUR LIFE? Well, look no further than Kaizen & Coffee. This San Mateo establishment is chock full of modern coffee charm, featuring coffee beans from the likes of Fritz, Kurasu, Hydrangea, and more! You know, the usual suspects for sweaty coffee. I love to see it. I think coffee could stand to get even more snobby. Makes it feel more fun if you're too deep. Well, anyways, they offer stuff for the average joe as well as your class-A coffee snob! They have flavored lattes like a miso one, a spicy chocolate one, etc. I liked both of them, but I also got a pour over which I really liked. None of the drinks we got were misses, so that was a great indicator that I would definitely come back to here. I ended up buying a bag of beans to enjoy later, and I left also wishing that this place was closer to me! Ugh, tragic that it's all the way in NorCal. You all are lucky to have it! read more

I've always passed by Kaizen & Coffee and finally got a chance to try it this past Sunday morning. Super hipster vibes. The service at the counter was nice but the y got a few things wrong on the order. The mochi cakes were supposed to be warmed up but weren't. So these weren't special. The hazelnut chocolate croissant and pistachio blackberry croissants were good. But they were pretty sweet and rich. Street parking only read more

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Just dropping by once again to review this place for the third time the quality of their drinks are sooo good. I think I'm really in love with their matcha lattes. This time I got the earl grey matcha latte 50% sweet and it was heaven in a cup. $8 tho but very worth for a pick me up drink! Servers and vibes are always great. I went on a Sunday morning around 9am and there actually wasn't a long line. So it was a decent place to sit and catch up with friends or read a book/do some work. Other times the line is so long that you feel very claustrophobic. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Strawberry matcha latte, pistachio blackberry pastry - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

I had tried Kaizen when they first opened before they blew up and became a popular spot. I decided to give them a try again, and came back during a weekday to celebrate my coworkers birthday. I got the Earl Gray Matcha and she got the strawberry Matcha. We also took a Mexican mocha to go. All the drinks were very good. They were not too sweet, and they came out pretty quickly. We took the Mexican mocha back to another coworker who couldn't join us and she really loved it! The two of them ended up going back the next day for second round. We really loved the inside set up and the vibe. I can appreciate that they limit the number of guests inside. The line outside is mostly because they only allow six people in line inside at a time which is nice - people are not falling on top of each other and awkwardly all over the place. For me, personally, Kaizen was good but I'm not sure that I would go out of my way, struggle to find parking, and wait in line when there are many other small business options in San Mateo. I'd say it's something to check out if you're in the area. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Mexi mocha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Visited on a Sunday around 11am with a friend, cafe was pretty busy with a line of 3-4 guest ahead of us, took about 5 minutes to place our order. Most tables were taken when we arrived but there were several bar seats availible. Drink: Black Sesame Latte - good, nice slight sweet nutty toasted black sesame flavor, standard comes with whole milk which is what I ordered and foam was nice and creamy it fine bubbles, espresso flavor is very mild in this one which helped to highlight the black sesame House Pour Over - good, nice balanced profile, slightly roasted with a mild red fruit note and subtle acidity, loved that the tart acidic flavors were minimized, these do take a bit more time to prepare probably, latte came out fairly quick in 2-3 min pour over took probably 5-6min Food: Morning Bun - ok, we asked for this warmed up which i love when cafes offer this, bun it self had a nice warm cinnamon spice note with a hint of cardamom, fairly flakey, pastry did taste a little bit stale and not the freshest Service was good, quick order at the register and pick up drinks and food at the bar. Staff seems friendly and efficient in drink prep. Water is self serve, and they had an interesting scented coffee bar which you could mist a drink with a scent which I thought was fun. Cafe had about 5-6 tables and two areas of bar seating, minimalist clean design. Overall enjoyed Kaizen & Coffee, drinks were pretty good and loved that they stock some harder to find coffees, on our visit they had beans from South Korea which I rarely see in the bay area, would go back to pick up some beans and try a matcha on my next visit. read more

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I usually stop by this café on my way to SFO. It's conveniently located near the airport, has Wi-Fi, and serves good coffee. The ambience is nice with classic coffee shop vibes. There are about 4-5 seats at the bar where you can watch the baristas make your drink, which is a fun experience. There are also a few tables along the side and 5-6 window seats. It's almost always pretty packed, so I wouldn't recommend it as a place to study or get work done. Where it falls short for me is the value. The prices feel high for what you're getting. I came with a friend who's a serious coffee snob, and he mentioned the pour-over was made with water that was too hot, scalding the flavor though he admitted it could've just been someone new making it. I also tried the ube latte. While it was enjoyable, it didn't really taste like ube, so it felt a bit misleading compared to how it's advertised. Three stars feels a little harsh because the coffee is good and the café itself is pleasant. Ultimately, though, it just doesn't feel worth the price point. Side note: the bathroom is very clean and surprisingly nice, which is always appreciated. read more

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I do not usually like to go to specialty coffee places. I feel like I am a pretty simple person so I am okay with a regular house coffee everyday. I was on a business trip and lucky for me, my co-worker loves these specialty coffee places and found this place, and I can't ever repay him! We went here before having to go to work. There was already a line outside at 8:30AM on a Thursday morning. The line was about 11 people (5 outside and the cap of 6 inside). The wait was not too bad.. about 15 minutes. I ordered the ube signature drink. This was the best coffee/ube drink that I have had. The key is that it was not too sweet, and you can taste the ube flavors, even when the coffee is a naturally strong flavor. Very balanced! My coworker had the vanilla bean signature drink. I had a sip. Although good, I do think the ube drink was better. The vanilla was just vanilla, but also not too sweet. The ube drink just trumped it. So much so, that my co-worker tried it, and is now an ube fan! Service was quick, friendly, and to the point. Very impressed that we were in and out of the shop within 10 minutes after our order. I hope one day that they open up a shop in Los Angeles. Until then, I will be hoping everyday that I am needed in San Mateo for another business trip! read more

Kaizen & Coffee is located on a busy street a few minutes away from downtown San Mateo. While I didn't find any dedicated parking garages in this area, street parking on a Sunday wasn't too bad. I visited in the afternoon and while the line was perpetually out the door, it moves pretty quickly. BEVERAGES The menu was really exciting to me due to the variety of Asian-inspired drinks, such as a black sesame latte or the iced ube latte. I ordered the iced ube latte and my friend ordered an iced strawberry matcha. The ube latte had a really beautiful layering of espresso, milk, and ube. I enjoyed my drink, but I thought the ube flavor could've been stronger. My friend's strawberry matcha was really delicious and had a strong fruit flavor. SERVICE The staff were really kind. We initially ordered our drinks "for here," but ended up changing our minds since it was quite crowded. They were really nice about transferring our drinks into to-go cups! The only thing is I wish they had more room for seats and tables given how popular they've become. read more

Their matcha and hojicha lattes are excellent. Nice and strong tasting, good flavors. Smooth and rich. Both were great and I would definitely end up getting both again in the same visit lol. I found the coffee to be a bit more on the light roast side, so the taste was more acidic and fruity. Less body, really thin. The flat white was just okay for me. I would prefer more body and roast imo. The baked goods are from neighbor bakehouse in sf, really good stuff. The ham and cheese croissant was decently sized and tasty. Good amount of ham inside and nice assortment of seeds on top. Good flavor. Nice croissant. For parking, you'll have to look around the block(s) for a spot as it's all street parking. read more

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I've heard about this place from several people and have been meaning to give it a try. Finally got a chance to stop by yesterday and the wait was surprisingly not bad at all. It probably took about 20 minutes from standing in line to ordering and receiving my drink. I debated for awhile between trying one of their specialty lattes or a specialty tea, but ultimately decided on the Jasmine tea with ceremonial matcha kumo. I thought it was delicious! I didn't have to adjust the sweetness or anything and the flavor profile was great. It tasted refreshing, not too heavy/sweet, and gave me a nice burst of energy. I also tried my friends' miso caramel latte and ube latte and thought they were both just ok. The miso caramel latte had an overpoweringly salty taste from the miso. The ube latte was one of the better ones I've tried though. Overall, I'd come back if I was in the area to get my drink again, but only if the wait isn't too bad! Oh, I also bought the mango sticky rice chocolate bar and it sadly did not live up to the hype. It was too sweet. read more

Kaizen & Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - San Mateo, California