Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Somisomi

    4.2 (371 reviews)
    Open • 12:00 pm - 10:30 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

    Somisomi Photos

    Business Info

    SOMISOMI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Somisomi

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    James H.

    Always down for some somi somi. Many soft serve flavors to choose from either in a cup or in a taiyaki. The line can get super long and it does get stuffy inside with all the people. Street parking nearby.

    Alex M.

    Overall: A+ // 6 stars Somi Somi is my favorite dessert place in the bay so I'm so excited to see its expansion. Their soft serve has such a good texture, and it doesn't melt as fast as before. I love their uniqueness in flavors, specializing in Asian takes from black sesame to ube. The taiyaki adds some warm comfort, while the toppings of the macarons adds some fun color and texture to the dessert. I'm so impressed that with all of this, the total cost is under $10 when at ice cream stores, thats usually the cost of a single scoop. And the best part is, most of their soft serve is lactose free for the lactose intolerant! Food: +2 Presentation: +1 Price: +2 Atmosphere: E Service: E Menu: +1 Insta/Yelp/Beli: @amei_eats Insta/TikTok: @ameizing.race

    Milk
    Aliza J.

    I've been to SomiSomi countless times, and it never disappoints--especially during hot weather. It's one of my go-to dessert spots whenever I'm craving something cold and refreshing. This time, I tried the Milk soft serve with strawberry topping. It was creamy, smooth, and refreshing. The biggest hit, though, was with my 3-year-old, who absolutely loved it! Watching him enjoy every bite made the visit even better.

    Ube with strawberry & Oreo crumbs w/ custard tayaki & milk/milk tea with fruity pebbles (don't remember the filling in my friend's tayaki)
    Laura E.

    I've wanted to try Somisomi for years and finally had the chance last night (7/26/2026) as it was a few doors down from Whisper. Ordering from the kiosk was easy. I had ube with Oreo crumbs, strawberry, and custard tayaki. So creamy and could taste the ube! My friend got the milk/milk tea swirl with fruity pebbles though I don't recall if/what tayaki filling she had. They are very efficient as our orders came out quickly. Would come back regularly if I lived closer!

    Cookies and cream with ahboong
    Erika C.

    The soft serve and pastry are tasty but why does it feel so chaotic and stuffy hot in here? There's something icky about an ice cream place being muggy. I want an ice cream place to be room temp at minimum but preferably a little colder, like the product won't melt right after I get it. The floors look like they could use some mopping, they're grimy. when I was there, there was a big unmopped puddle right near the steps. I told them about it before I left. In any case, I plan to come back but hope it's a bit cleaner.

    Spencer Q.

    Soft serve: 4/5 Service: 3/5 Ambiance: 3/5 Portion to Price: 3/5 Overall: A very good option if you want a sweet treat in the area. The extended review... Soft serve: Cookies and Cream Taiyaki - 4/5 - I'll say that it's a very tasty softserve. There are also good seasonal flavors that make an appearance throughout the year. Service: 3/5 - Standard service. Ambiance: 3/5 - There are a few bar tops but no seats inside. Portion to Price: 3/5 - Pricing is standard fare.

    Ube soft serve upside down
    Christine D.

    Smooth and creamy Ube soft serve. No lines today, so service was quick. Spacious inside, but there are no seats.

    In Downtown San Mateo
    Andrea Y.

    For a sweet treat that is not 'too sweet, give this place a try! 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

    Natalie P.

    Stop by Somisomi at San Mateo downtown on Friday before July 4th after lunch at Harbor Dimsum seafood and loved it. They have swirls ube& pistachio, matcha and milk . I m a fan of matcha so i got the matcha flavor in the cup $4.50, it was perfectly balanced , rich, creamy and lightly sweet. The texture was smooth & refreshing. Once in a blue moon end up ordered 3 soft served matcha in the cups. The negative is only one young girl working there. There are water cup and water near the entrance to help yourself with. The interior is big, no seating so its more grab and go.

    Kaycee C.

    A nice location. The line is always long, but it moves quickly and the service is friendly. I enjoy the weekly swirls and the fish waffles.

    Katrina C.

    The best warm snack! I'm not an ice cream person, but I always stop here for the taiyaki. The nutella 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!

    Upside Down Ahboong -  Matcha & Banana Pudding Soft Serve, Strawberry, Biscoff Crumble (R) & Ube Soft Serve, Strawberry, Fruity Pebbles (L)
    Mike L.

    Between all of the great things I had heard about them and how long they've been sitting on my list of bookmarks, I can't say I have anything close to a good excuse for taking so long to finally come here. What's worse, it's not like I'm hardly ever in San Mateo either. However, in my defense, this technically wasn't my first time trying Somisomi. It's just that since I had only tried a couple of bites of their tayaki with red bean, it didn't feel like I had gotten a proper experience! With their location right in the heart of the downtown/3rd Ave area of San Mateo, it's not the least bit surprising that this Somisomi can draw a fairly steady crowd. Besides how busy the neighborhood can get, they're a terrific option for an afternoon treat just as much as for an evening dessert. Their menu is pretty simple, consisting of two main things - soft serve, which comes in a half dozen permanent and a handful of seasonal flavors, and taiyaki, which comes with your choice from eight different fillings - that you can order separately or together as part of their signature ah-boong dessert. -- UPSIDE DOWN AH BOONG with Ube Soft Serve Topped with Strawberry, Fruity Pebbles, and a Taiyaki with Matcha Filling Pretty solid overall. The soft serve had a surprisingly strong taste of ube to it and it wasn't overly sweet. As for the taiyaki, I liked how crispy it was on the outside and how soft it was on the inside, but the matcha filling was a little underwhelming (really subtle and gloppy). -- UPSIDE DOWN AHBOONG with Matcha & Banana Pudding Soft Serve Topped with Strawberry, Biscoff Crumble, and a Taiyaki with Black Sesame Filling Of the two, I liked this one better. For one, I thought the flavors in the soft serve balanced each other really well (the matcha helped tamper the sweetness of the banana pudding), but I LOVED the black sesame filling in the taiyaki. It tasted so good, I wish there was more of it! As far as service goes, there's usually not much to note at a place like this, but I thought the workers here were great. The girl at the register did a good job of making sure folks knew there was a second table to the side tat folks could order from and happily answered the questions that the group in front of us had. Perhaps more importantly, they're pretty efficient with everything, as they seemed to get orders out at a steady pace. Besides how much I enjoyed the desserts here (did I mention I love their black sesame taiyaki?), the other thing that I like about Somisomi is how they stay open so late (11:30pm). Quite welcome, considering how most dessert shops in the area close so much earlier, but also because it just means I don't have to worry about rushing here to get more of the black sesame taiyaki before this place closes! FOUR AND A HALF STARS rounded down for now.

    Upside down ahboong with nutella filling and Earl Grey soft serve...almost forgot to take a photo
    Teresa G.

    We love this place for the variety of soft-serve and for their taiyaki which is a cross between a pancake and a waffle. We've tried several soft serve flavors over time: black sesame, Earl Grey, matcha, ube, and sakura berry. The smooth, light, fluffy swirls of whipped ice cream is always a treat. One can have it different ways - ahboong (fish-shaped waffle cone), upside down ahboong, in a cup, or cold brew float. The taiyaki is a perfect pair to the soft serve and I recommend you try it with different fillings. Service is quick after putting in your order in a self-service terminal at the counter. There are plenty of outdoor seating on South B street which is the pedestrian friendly area of downtown San Mateo. I don't think I will grow tired of this place.

    See all

    11 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    18 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Emily G.
    348
    1586
    2573

    20 days ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    20 days ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 1
    Love this 9
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Erika C.
    300
    1159
    3917

    4 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 19
    Thanks 5
    Love this 14
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Gigi T.
    72
    29
    11

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    29 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of David C.
    130
    1004
    3634

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Likes: variety of soft serve flavors. taiyaki red bean and taro are delicious. Combine both and you get ah-boong

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Giang P.
    0
    57
    106

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 10

    Ask the Community - Somisomi

    Is there dairy free &/ or lactose free options?

    Yes there are. If you go to their main website, at the bottom of the page there is a link to allergen information which will show which flavors have lactose and which ones don't. Since some flavors may rotate I'd also suggest contacting in case to… 

    Is the milk pasteurized? We asked one of the employees and he said no! i'm pregnant so we are considering abt it. We love somisomi but if its not...:(

    Hello Quinn, All of our dairy products are pasteurized.… 

    Do they have black sesame or chocolate flavors? Seems like they used to but now the selection has been cut way back to just a few flavors. The corporate website for SomiSomi has way more flavors than I see on the menu here. Thanks!

    Hello Neela, Yes, we have those flavors but availability in the stores vary per season. Right now… 

    Are they still out of the milk flavor?

    Hello, Alex We sincerely apologize for this flavor's unavailability. Rest assured that we have… 

    Hi! Is this place open now? I don't have instagram so I haven't seen any updates. Thanks!

    Hello Jeannie! SomSomi San Mateo is currently not open, but it's coming soon!… 

    When is this place opening? Love soft serve but ill be sad if it's like that lobster roll place that never opened in that same location lol?

    Hello, Maia Thank you for your interest!… 

    When is the grand opening?

    Saw on their Instagram that this location opens this Friday, February 3, 2023!

    View All 10 Questions

    You might also consider

    Dessert Republic - Mixed Fruit with Grass Jelly B

    Dessert Republic

    3.4(909 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    •$

    Finally returned after the new management took over. It doesn't have the same feeling because the…read moreseating was designed in the past to make you feel like you were dining on the streets of HK. Now, it feels more like a restaurant, which is still okay. The food, for the most part, remains consistent with what was offered before, along with some new additions to the menu. Depending on the time, the wait for a seat can be long. But in San Mateo, this is still my go-to place for HK-style dessert.

    My two other friends and I had dinner nearby and wanted to find a dessert place where we could…read morecontinue catching up, and this was the closest place to our restaurant. There were two other parties when we were seated. The three of us ordered five items to share. I ordered the walnut and sesame paste dessert, which was okay. One thing I liked about all the items was that they weren't too sweet. The ginger steamed egg was bad. It wasn't silky; instead, it looked like overcooked steamed egg, and the flavor just wasn't there. The egg puff didn't look tempting, but we all still gave it a try, and that was bad too. It wasn't crispy or flavorful at all. Overall, the three of us were not satisfied with anything we ordered. We were mainly there to have a place where we could continue catching up, so we didn't really mind that the desserts weren't good at all. I normally don't like to leave bad reviews, but the items just didn't meet my expectations. I might not come back unless there are improvements. The parking lot is very close by, so parking is not an issue. Since there aren't many other dessert places that offer so many options, from cold and hot desserts to rice plates and other appetizers, this is pretty much the only spot. The place is decorated to make you feel like you're in Hong Kong. It has iconic Hong Kong district street names painted on the walls, which makes it very welcoming for those who are familiar with Hong Kong.

    Photos
    Dessert Republic
    Dessert Republic
    Dessert Republic - Green Milk Tea with boba

    See all

    Green Milk Tea with boba

    Simply Cake - $4.50 blueberry mousse slice

    Simply Cake

    4.3(541 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    •$$
    Locally owned & operated
    Grab-and-go

    A must whenever I'm downtown San Mateo! I love my Asian breads and pastries, and this place checks…read moreall the boxes. I can't get enough of the pork sung roll. It's their twist on the Chinese classic and it's SO good! I haven't tried the pork sung and taro roll yet, so I'll definitely have to keep an eye out for that one next time. I'll also have to actually pick up a cake one of these days for a special occasion. For now, I'll keep coming back for the pastries!

    We ordered a birthday cake from Simply Cake in San Mateo and explained over the phone that we…read morewanted "Happy Birthday Dad" written in Chinese. Instead, we received a cake that literally said "Happy Birthday DAD IN CHINESE!" in English. We honestly couldn't believe it when we opened the box. This was supposed to be a special birthday cake for dad, and the result was incredibly disappointing. Given the large Chinese community in the area, the request should hardly be unusual or unexpected request. At the very least, I would have expected someone to clarify the wording with us rather than literally writing "DAD IN CHINESE" on the cake. This is the kind of mistake that is utterly unacceptable should have been caught before the cake was handed to a customer. The photo speaks for itself. At this point, I feel like this was done deliberately to go viral or something. Unfortunately, this also isn't the first troubling experience we've heard about. A friend of ours ordered a cake from Simply Cake last year for his son's fifth birthday. When they went to pick it up the morning of the birthday, they were told the cake had not been made and that there was no paper trail of the order, even though he had brought the receipt. Needless to say, his five-year-old son ended up without his birthday cake on his birthday. And what were they offered afterward? 10% off their next cake. Ridiculous. Birthdays are special occasions that you don't get to redo the next day. Between our own experience and what happened to our friend, the lack of attention to these orders is extremely disappointing.

    Photos
    Simply Cake - Mix fruit cake @whaevaeats

    Mix fruit cake @whaevaeats

    Simply Cake - Slice of mango cake

    Slice of mango cake

    Simply Cake - Blueberry mousse cake, 10/10 so good!

    See all

    Blueberry mousse cake, 10/10 so good!

    Beard Papa's - 6 Minis

    Beard Papa's

    3.9(452 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    •$$

    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.

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

    Photos
    Beard Papa's
    Beard Papa's
    Beard Papa's

    See all

    Somisomi - icecream - Updated September 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...