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    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

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    Recommended Reviews - Somisomi

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    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.

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

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    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!

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    Chingu

    3.9(193 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    •$$

    Love this place! It's like a mini pub which is perfect for either large gatherings or just a date…read more Staff explained the menu well and food was well made. Love the ambiance inside with kpop videos on the tv and music. They have a soju wall when you walk in! Grilled pork - pork was tender, well seasoned, came with kimchi and cheese. Goes well with rice! Corn cheese - a must order. Cheesy, sweet, I love having it with meat or solo. Fried chicken - forgot to take a pic but flavors were very mild.

    Open late for tasty eats!…read more A group of friends and I ate here past 9pm on a Saturday to celebrate another friend's dance performance. So their group of about 30 took over almost the whole place while 5 of us joined in at another table. We made it in time for late night happy hour 9pm-11pm! It was about a 30 min wait for the table. HH: *6pc half and half fried chicken x2 (soy garlic & sweet n spicy) *Corn cheese *Mandu *Calamari rings *Lychee Soju Regular menu: *Army stew *Grilled Beef Ssam *Deep fried chicken skin We were so hungry after watching the performance, can't even imagine how the performers felt! The stew came out first. My spice tolerance must've gone up. It was medium spicy and had lots of stuff in it like hot dog, spam, cabbage, zucchini, rice cakes, ramen, mushrooms, etc. Grilled beef ssam had lots of meat and was plated nicely. The platter was heated on the hot plate so we cooked the beef more. Chicken wings were great! Loved the soy garlic. Mandu was so good! Dumplings are my favorite and these were so crispy. Calamari wasn't bad; they looked like onion rings with the fried batter. Corn cheese was cheesy haha. Fried chicken skin arrived last. Fun times clinking shot glasses full of soju. The group we dined with were so loud but it was all in good fun. Chingu is a great late night spot to chill with friends. Wait staff was prompt and accommodating. Food didn't take too long to arrive. They bring out each dish as soon as it's cooked. Make note the restroom doesn't lock so if the door is slid closed, it's occupied. They have a sign on the door. Street parking and there should be some lots and garages nearby.

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    Daeho Kalbijjim & Beef Soup

    Daeho Kalbijjim & Beef Soup

    4.4(983 reviews)
    0.0 mi
    •$$$

    First time. Looooong lines but surprisingly it moves fast…read more We went on a Sat evening, we were #25 and within an hr, we were in. Casual spot with 2 rooms of seating. Great menu options specifically the kalbijim (portion for a group of 4) and the kalguksu (noodle soup). Prices seem reasonable considering the quality, portion, and that k food is not cheap. Service was friendly and efficient. Menu options were extensive. Overall, a great meal at a wonderful place. The lines don't lie so give it a try.

    They utilize Yelp waitlist and the ETA is pretty accurate. We were able to sign up for it on a…read moreSaturday night and got seated when we were up next. Table of 6, 4th in line when I signed up at 5:45pm, got seated around 6:15pm. Food is amazing as usual. I've been to many of their locations and their kalbijjim is consistent throughout the Bay. Definitely a MUST order dish, meat is super tender, falls off the bone, flavorful, delicious. For our table of 6, we ordered with extra meat, which was enough for us considering we ordered appetizers and another noodle dish. Highly recommend adding cheese for the extra show, but def helps cut the spice. I would say mild is barely noticeable, might as well be no spicy. Definitely get level spicy minimum. Will definitely be back whenever we're craving juicy meat! This place is run very efficiently and the staff are all friendly and knowledgeable.

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    Daeho Kalbijjim & Beef Soup - B3. Doh Gal Jjim (Tendon) (EX) -@tinah

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    Han Sang - Gal Bi Jjim

    Han Sang

    4.2(503 reviews)
    4.5 mi
    •$$

    I've been here twice now, once for the Galbitang and once for the Galbi Jjim. The Galbitang was SO…read moregood! The soup was really refreshing, comforting, and flavorful. I would definitely come back just for the Galbitang. The Galbi Jjim was also delicious, although it wasn't my personal favorite compared to other restaurants. We ordered Level 2 Spicy, but it wasn't quite as spicy as we expected. The beef was very tender, and the sauce worked really well with everything. There were potatoes, radish, glass noodles, and kabocha mixed in, and all the flavors and textures came together nicely. Service was also really good and efficient. Everyone was super friendly and attentive. Overall, definitely a place I'd come back to, especially for the Galbitang!

    My favorite Korean dish is Galbijjim so I order it wherever I go to a Korean spot. My usual place…read moreisn't open late, so when I saw Han Sang was open until 10pm I decided to give it a shot. Inside is clean and staff are fast and polite. Unlike other places they offer to remove the bones and cut/mix the dish for you after they bring it out. Good portion of meat and clear noodles. My only issue was there was a lack of sauce. When it first came out the majority of the liquid was already cheesy, and by the time we were half way through all of the sauce had absorbed into the meat and noodles. I like to spoon sauce over my rice so I was a bit disappointed overall with their Galbijjim.

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    OLHSO Truck

    OLHSO Truck

    4.5(40 reviews)
    2.4 mi
    Large group friendly
    Catering service

    I've been wanting to try OLHSO Truck since it opened and finally had my chance during a catered…read moreevent. The concept of having Korean food cooked in a robotic food truck is interesting to me. Since the food was catered, unfortunately I was unable to see the robots cooking in action, but fortunately was able to taste the final products. I was able to try the Wagyu galbi (short ribs), dak galbi (marinated chicken), Seoul food bowl (stir-fried pork belly and shrimp), and japchae, served with their corn salad, kimchi, and white rice. The Wagyu galbi was very flavorful with a good amount of vegetables; though I enjoyed the inclusion of lotus root, the veggies seemed like borderline filler to skimp out on meat. The dak galbi was also flavorful though spicy, and again the inclusion of rice cakes seemed like filler. The pork belly and shrimp were delicious, and I liked that the pieces of pork belly I had didn't have an overpowering amount of fat. The japchae was pretty standard and was nice to balance out the meat. I enjoyed the corn salad because it added a creamy component to my meal. The kimchi got lost in the mixture of food in my bowl and the rice was cooked perfectly by the robot. Overall, I enjoyed the food prepared by OLHSO Truck. Unfortunately, since the food was catered and already prepared when I arrived, I cannot comment on the service or wait times provided by the staff. I would consider ordering food from the truck if I am craving Korean fusion type of food and am too lazy to dine in at a local Korean restaurant. If the food from the truck is a good representation of the restaurant in downtown San Mateo, I am more inclined to try the restaurant for a nice sit down dining experience.

    Have been looking forward to trying the OLHSO Truck out. Unfortunately, after downloading the app…read moreand signing up, the checkout failed at 11:14am stating that the order failed and they are closed for business. It also said to check their Instagram for their schedule. Checked the Insta and the pinned post says it would be open for business today, Aug 8, from 11am - 2pm for zip codes 94403-94404 (which we live in). Tried again at 11:40am in case they're just behind schedule but still didn't work. Too bad as we have dined several times at their restaurant and love their food and service there. Hope they get their schedules worked out soon! Would not recommend depending on this as your lunch.

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    Kajiken - Homura Aburasoba

    Kajiken

    4.4(1.5k reviews)
    0.0 mi
    •$$

    I've come here twice now and I didn't realize I never left a review the first time I came! So now I…read morefeel I have even more to say how you much gotta come to Kajiken! Both times I've come I hadn't had to wait very long and our second time was with a large group including kids. Our server was great in helping us preorder before we could get seated and we only waited 15 minutes. We all ordered the same things: half of us ordered the original aburasoba and the other half ordered the homura aburasoba and the food came out quickly. They kindly gave us little bowls for the kiddos and forks and all the kids loved the noodles and the adults shared a large pitcher of beer. All in all, best aburasoba and one of my favorite spots in San Mateo!

    Overall: 4.1/5 [dine in]…read more There was a line on Friday night but it moved fast. The seating inside is pretty tight so your table is basically an inch from the next one, almost like a communal dining experience. Nikumori Aburasoba ($18.50): Spicy pork, pork slices, green onion, and ajitama. The spicy ground pork was delicious and they were generous with the thin pork slices, though those weren't as good as the ground pork. The ajitama was perfectly jammy. The aburasoba flavors were okay but less flavorful than mazesoba, which I now know I prefer. Wagyu Roast Beef Aburasoba ($25.50) + Chashu ($1.75) + Spicy Minced Pork ($3.95) + Ajitama ($2.50): Wagyu roast beef, crispy onions, green onions, butter onion sauce, yogurt sauce, and raw egg yolk. The chashu was average but the wagyu roast beef was thin and incredibly tender. The yogurt sauce and raw egg yolk made this one pretty creamy which I actually liked more than the Nikumori. Ume ($1.50): Did not like this at all. Hard pass.

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    Somisomi - icecream - Updated September 2026

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