I always forget about this post office even though it's located super close to me! It's a historical building, which may be why pets aren't allowed? I've definitely brought my dog into other post offices, but this one specifically has signs stating no pets and only service animals allowed. The last few times I've come by, the staff have been pleasant and helpful. There was only one person working though, which is fine when it's slow, but when there's a line, it becomes a bit of a wait. I just wish they had a self-drop off box for after-hours!! read more

Gorgeous place that's well beyond the utilitarian postal needs. The interior is a slice of yesteryear with stunning turquoise and coral Spanish tiles, a mural with people and ... spanned length of the wall. Gilded edges snd and a stagecoach in maple just gorgeous. The exterior with wrought iron massive chandeliers and light fixtures a beacon of promise. It's super civilized and quiet, the customer service genteel (the most ever I've envy at USPS :-) efficient and friendly. Beautiful--even if you don't need to use their services, it's worth it to sneak a peek and do a mini tour. read more

See all

There's a line on a Thursday at 1:51pm And only one person working. Why?! Never again to this location, plus parking is difficult and you have to pay. read more

I use this office frequently. I've never had a bad experience. This office is often busy with long wait times. Other than this. I feel the service is good, the workers are pleasant, and helpful. I'd rate this office a 6/10 or 4/5 mostly because it's a small office. When busy there is no way to rest or hold your position in line. All postal offices are like this. I think all post offices would serve their respective community better by reducing long wait times. read more

Usually just go here to drop off mail, which is quick. Needed to get in line to get an international stamp the other day. There usually isn't a line here but it was so long. They have a self serve kiosk that I checked and I could get what I needed there so I didn't have to wait in line. Would have rather been able to choose my stamp but it wasn't worth the line. Think they need more staff to help at busy times. read more

Never thought I would leave a review for a post office. But this post office is the best! Staffs were friendly and helpful. Came here on a Friday afternoon and line was short. In and out, 10 minutes. read more

My main post office eversince living in San Mateo. Quick, easy and drop off. Friendly people

Is anyone else bothered by the smell in this Post Office? Because this is the closest location to me now I've been dropping by to mail out all my insurance info, most of which has a short receive date (10 or less days). I usually buy an envelope, they give me some time to write down the information, I step back up to the window, they charge me, and I'm done. The line is rarely more than 3 people deep when I drop in and the service on my visits has always been quite helpful and sweet. But it smells very strongly of manure every time I come in. The first time I assumed it was another patron, but it's been there every time I've walked in. Like a monkey house, the smell goes away after a few minutes, but I'm surprised they don't do anything about it. All in all, stinky or not it's not a bad location. read more

Really long lines even on weekdays. I waited 45 minutes in line. They locked the big collection box so everybody had to stand in line, including people who had prepaid labels on their packages. This made the line even longer. On the contrary, I've only had good experiences with the workers so that's a plus point since a lot of the other USPS locations have rude workers. read more

I LOVE this Post Office. It's in an historical building with great paintings. The staff is friendly and will take time with each customer. Sometimes this may make long lines - but there is a MAJOR post office for other options a couple miles away. I like the service and they have never let me down! read more

Poor ADA compliance and customer service in relation to ADA accommodations. My son uses a wheelchair and you have to access the ramp in the back where deliveries are made. You have to ring a bell for service and it took about 15 minutes for someone to even acknowledge our presence out in the back. The rep then proceeded to complain about me ringing the bell so much when that's what the instructions posted indicate to do. Because of the poor ADA set up and the rude worker, I boycott this post office even though it is closer to my home and go to the Delaware Street one instead. Much more accessible. read more

If you have a stroller don't think to go to this office. They don't let you in by the disabled door you have to go by the front door, by the stairs. So frustrating for me, I live at just 3 blocks so I like to walk with my 3 months old baby girl on her stroller but now I have to use the car and go far for use a usps office. read more

Like a couple Yelpers said, it smells funky in here. To be more specific, it reminds me of somebody who hasn't brushed their teeth and has plaque build-up. Totally gross! Service is "hit or miss" over here. THE BAD There use to be this really mean Asian lady over here. I haven't seen her the last couple times so good riddance. Yay! Once I went in and she was barking at everyone. Geez, if you hate your job... retire, don't come in or quit. Also, there was another time that when all the mailing supplies were completely empty. So I popped head into the window and asked if they could refill as I wasn't the only one waiting around. They were 2 agents, probably about 6-8 people in line but the agent said "we'll do it when we are done with the line." Ok, I understand just the tone and curtness was appalling. So I left to do other errands, returned 20 minutes later. The rude agent was just starting to put stuff out. Really? I would have had to wait that long. Give me a break. THE GOOD There are two people here that are really good, I need to get their names so I can post it. It is an Indian guy and Asian girl who are always very helpful, even taping/retaping my box to ensure that package is completely secure. OVERALL Please Febreeze the place every hour or something, the smell needs to be resolved. I know government employees are not known for their service but it doesn't mean you have to conform to that generalization. If your co-workers have great service, why can't the rest of you. Only go when I really have to. read more

US Post Office - Holiday spirit :-) - Post Offices Near Me - San Mateo, California

I wish I could give this place zero stars. Over the years I keep trying to give it the benefit of doubt. Well from rude customer service, and horrible lines, this place is my worst nightmare. I can handle the above, but they have lots of stairs and with a newborn and a big box this mama needs her stroller. I have tried 2x to use the ramp which leads to a handicap door. Neither time will they help me or let me in. They are insane to think someone can carry a stroller up those stairs mind you do it while holding packages to mail. I can't say anything nice at all about this location or it's employees. read more

US Post Office - I guess I need to chop a leg off and then try to access while pushing a stroller. - Post Offices Near Me - San Mateo, California

I honestly hate going to the post office, and this one especially. However since my family runs a business in San Mateo, we have no choice but to use a PO Box from this place. Last year my father was very sick in the hospital and I couldn't go to this place all week to pick up our mail. On one early morning during that week I came here, and since our PO Box filled up, I got little slip saying I have to pick up my mail from the counter. I couldn't wait for their counter hours to open because I had to see my father in the hospital, and my mother's work schedule is a typical 8AM-6PM job, so neither of us had time to pick it up during the day. I finally came back that following Saturday, and when I went to the counter, the lady gave me such a hard time for having so much mail. I explained the circumstances, and she just told me to come earlier to pick up my mail. Absolutely ridiculous. Regardless of this event, this post office has terrible customer service. Employees are unfriendly, unprofessional, and I always feel like I'm the inconvenience for them. It's a nightmare here when it's busy. My biggest problem is that their hours are VERY impractical. If your lobby hours are open, then the counter should be open as well. It's not as if no one is there anyway... read more

As old as this place may look, they have one of those machines where you can waigh and print out your own postage, then pay by credit card. All this without standing in a damn line and having to deal with messed up patrons and slow ass service. That machine is worth coming here for postage needs alone read more

Beware of unnecessary charges!!! I went up to the window since it was completely empty, which is rare. I was mailing a package and the Indian man with the turban was at the window. I specifically told him I want to mail this cheap and no special anything. You know how they try to sell you everything. All of a sudden I am looking down at the screen that shows what you are paying for and he quickly kept clicking. I told him wait, I didn't want a delivery confirmation and before he even responded the stamp was already on the package. He told me that it is required to have a delivery confirmation on all packages which is a bunch of BS since I mailed the exact same package a week prior through the self postage machine and it did not require a delivery confirmation. And why would it? That's a personal choice. What I should have done is grabbed my package, ripped the stamp off, went to the self service machine and mailed it outside. He gave me the delivery confirmation card, but it was not even listed on the receipt like it usually is. I remember a year ago or more the unfriendly Korean woman charged me $1.20 because I had written "Do NOT Bend" on the outside of the letter I was sending. I asked why are you charging me for writing on my own letter. She said because it's special handling. I declined to pay and she crossed it off. Again what I should have done is taken it back and mailed it elsewhere with all kinds of mail handling requests written all over it!! But it always happens at the end of the day when I really need to get something in the mail and I'm in complete shock!! I never thought USPS would hustle their customers so that they can make more money. Make sure to pay close attention to the screen when you are mailing your holiday packages. I'm pretty sure for god only knows how long they have been adding special handling to parcels and you don't even know it. read more

Like most post offices, there's always a long line, and the person in front of you is always trying to perform some complex shipping transaction with 12 different oddly-shaped packages held together with strapping tape and bubble gum in the absolute slowest way possible. The apathetic staff here are fine with that: moving quickly isn't something they do. Ah, but then you see the automated shipping machine and think, "hey, I'll use that!" Ohhh, but this machine is perpetually out of the smaller-size labels for your small package, because nobody could possibly be bothered to restock the machine, now could they? Fine, put it inside a slightly bigger flat-rate envelope; it's cheaper anyway. Great. And now comes the punch line. There's this HUGE bin there for the packages for which you printed your oversized postage at the automated machine. In theory, your package goes into this bin. Oh, did I mention it's impossible to open the bin? That's right. The bin is always locked up tight. The door doesn't open. Joke's on you: you repackaged your mail so you could use the oversized postage label, and now that you've paid for it, you can't mail it because the bin can't be opened. Not by you, not by anybody. Tell me, downtown post office, what's the point of this giant receptacle for postpaid mail if it cannot be opened? Why won't you ever fix it? Is it just so you can get a laugh out of people trying to mail things? Don't waste your time here. Go to the little Foster City post office instead. The lines are shorter, the machine works properly, and the bin can be opened. read more

Always very busy here, doesn't matter at what time you come, be always prepared to face a line, short or long but always a line! People who work here are always very helpful, kind and friendly. A plus is the location, a beautiful building with an amazing original set of doors. The hardest part is the parking...being located in downtown San Mateo, the parking situation is just bad! read more

See all

Located in a beautiful Spanish-style building. Such a pleasant feeling to be inside this building knowing its history. I don't get as pissed off having to wait in line for the next teller. read more

The parking here sucks but I'd still rather come here than most other usps locations in the area. The staff are consistently friendly and helpful, at least the ones I encountered. Even if they don't know the answer they'll do their best to look something up and even if there's a long line they don't rush me or tell me I'm holding up the line. Things I thought should be the bare minimum but apparently not at some usps locations. read more

It smells like an old person left to die in their room at a nursing home in here. Not only does it smell, but the accuracy of service stinks here as well. Multiple packages that I've sent from here have never reached their destination. One was because it apparently violated a new customs requirement of no batteries in the shipment. I was sending a Kindle internationally. Not only did the woman accept the package for me to ship it that day, but I had completed the customs forms to say what was in the package and asked for it to be tracked. When it was never received and I went back to find out where it was - I was told that 1. The last place it was scanned was there when it was received and now they don't know where it was 2. With the new customs regulation of no shipping items with batteries overseas, it would have been held in customs in the US and not shipped. It could not be found and therefore not returned. $200 down the drain. Very frustrating. This was one of 5 of my packages I shipped from here since August for my company. I no longer go here to ship, only to check my company PO Box. Boo. read more

How do you even review a post office? Considering I haven't really had to set foot in one in a long time, I'm not so sure myself. Free 20 min parking spots in front! This is nice because most of the parking areas in downtown San Mateo require some sort of payment. I came in to use the self service and there was no line to get service from a worker. By the time I realized I didn't really know what I was doing and would benefit more from speaking to an employee the line had grown quickly. The line moved somewhat slowly, not unlike any other post office. Nothing special, but nothing to rave about. A-OK read more

For my fellow auction sellers/shippers - this is not a friendly shipping office. If you have a shipment that can fit thru the shipping slot, you will be fine. However if you have package that needs to be passed to a cashier, shipper beware. One attendant with glasses will make you fall in line. Today was pretty ridiculous since there was no one in line. This person demanded I fall in line before dropping off my package. Some offices will allow these quick drop offs but this one is a tough cookie. Maybe this office has their reasons. *shrug* read more

parking here sucks drive over to delaware and 92 for better and larger facility self service station is a huge plus NOT here read more

Great customer service from clerk #9 ( per my receipt). Easy location to get to, parking available on street. Historical building has a good vibe. Fast and friendly service a plus for a post office! read more

I come here to drop of packages in the drop box whenever I'm in the area. This post office isn't the closest to where I live but for the 3 times I did drop of packages. I manage to find parking and run right in and out. read more

I have a sleeping baby in a stroller. My stroller basket was filled, making it extra heavy. I walk to the San Mateo post office only to see that there was no ramped entrance in the front. There was a sign indicating a ramp entrance in the back. I go to the back and a mailman who was loading his truck told me to go up the ramp and they will let me in. I go up the ramp, knock on the door and the mailman refused to let me in. He said it was for disabled people only. I told him that it is unsafe for me to go up the stairs with a stroller and he still refused to let me in. Even after telling him the other employee lead me to this entrance, he did not allow me in. I had to walk all the way back where I came from, load the baby in the car, and drive to a different post office. Rude and inconsiderate. read more

My favorite place post office, as I have been coming here since the days I would come here with my brothers and grandma to mail our letters to Santa. (We were kids) The rustic architecture to the exterior and interior and mural to this day, reminds me of my childhood. Inside, the people working here are attentive, very friendly, and extremely helpful. Lines do have a tendency to build up, but do not let it discourage you, the people here get that line moving pretty quickly. Even though I do not live in the San Mateo anymore, I still come here for all my postal service needs during my work week. read more

First of all, the waiting is long; Second and the most important thing is, the lost my mail. It's a first class certified mail sent from San Mateo to San Leandro. It's like 40 mins driving but after 12 days my client called and said she never received it! It's a very important mail contains a refund check! I was furious and called and was told: "they couldn't find it". What a joke. If you don't want your business to get hurt, don't ever use USPS. I'm rooting for its bankruptcy. A better service provider should take over. read more

THE REVIEW ABOUT THE UNNECESSARY CHARGES IS SPOT ON. If you go to this post office, use the machine ONLY. The clerk in the turban will try to send letters at package rates, and refuse to service you if point it out. The clerks here will charge you extra for stamping do not bend or fragile on your package. They will add on services insurance and delivery confirmation without telling you and trick you into buying more services. I shipped an international package last week, and was told that tracking was an extra 10 dollars.....except you know all international mail has tracking included in the price. Same with priority mail. The people at the window will try to charge for it, where as it's included. Really frustrating. Someone needs to report this place to consumer affairs. THIS POST OFFICE IS ONLY GOOD FOR THE MACHINE. GO TO ANOTHER POST OFFICE EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO MAIL A LETTER. THEY CHARGE EVEN LARGE MANILA ENVELOPES AND SMALL PADDED MAILERS AT PACKAGE RATES AT THE WINDOW. read more

8 people in line, three windows and I see several employees sitting at the windows but only one is open. It's like this all the time and they wonder why people don't want to use their services. read more

The employee named JUN is a total douche bag + a half!!! He must seriously hate his job because he yells at customers, has no courtesy, does not smile, slams the "next window please" sign in front of customers faces with whom he does not "feel like" assisting, and has some serious anger management issues. He was yelling at an 80 year old lady (at the top of his lungs), telling her she was wasting the certified mail tags and she shouldn't be touching them or writing on them if she doesn't know what certified mail is/doesn't know if she needs it. A**HOLE! I mean, has USPS ever heard of sending their employees to customer service trainings?! These (extremely unhappy) employees are, in fact, service employees--in case they weren't oriented as such when they were initially hired on... However, I must say, not all of the employees are a**holes-the older (Caucasian) gentleman and Indian woman are extremely pleasant to deal with... Unfortunately, I didn't catch their names... read more

Seriously took me 20 min for the lady to type in the information for the international package. She is so slow. Older woman with black hair and glasses. I would not have mind, but she also had an attitude problem. read more

Its an old school post office. Usually just come here to use the automated stamp machine or drop off some mail. Its right in the heart of downtown. we just usually walk our doggie and stroller and make a stop. Nothing special. I have stood in line before when they're open but from what I remember it went quick and they were friendly. read more

This is the worst-run business in town except that you can't call it a business because it's so poorly managed. I have no quarrel with the employees. It's just horribly organized and run. Example: there was a huge line today so I used self service to get the label on my package. But the bin for packages was jammed, so I would have had to wait on line for a half hour just to hand them an already stamped package. Trust me, there was no cutting THAT line of pissed-off people. Why were they pissed off? BECAUSE THEY WERE IN LINE FOREVER AT THE POST OFFICE! My mistake was not going to the UPS store on 2nd. Won't make that mistake next time. I'm done with USPS. read more

It's an old looking building. But it has the same post office function as all the other ones. But they don't do passport processing here.

This is the worst post office ever! It has a unbearable odor when you walk in. The hours to the P.O. Box is terrible, you cannot go at night and they close early on weekends. I was there this afternoon and I was the forth in line, it took 20 minutes for me to get served. There were 2 employees while I was waiting, blink of an eye one of them closes the window and there are around 12 people in line now. I cannot imagine how long it will take for those people to be served. Bottom line is, if you don't have to do not come here! read more

Don't take your stroller here. I followed the signs for the disabled ramp and was lead to a door around back where you ring a bell for service. After 3 rings and a 5 minute wait, a woman finally answered the door. Super frustrating b/c I could see a man through the window who was clearly ignoring the bell. Then, she told me we could not come in this way. I said what if I was disabled and she said then they would secure the safe and help me in. The woman suggested instead that I drag my flimsy stroller with my 8 week old baby up the steps backwards. No thanks. The post office on Delaware is way better for strollers or disabled persons. Too bad that one is not within walking distance of my place. read more

This place is unbearable! 30 min in line, really? The end of the post office is here!