Foods are gorgeous and flavorful ! Tried to order all favorite dishes all at once for celebrating the little one's 7th! Service is good and efficient! We definitely will come back again read more

amazing food and atmosphere!! this is my third coming and I will be back! Ada the barista was very lovely and gave great recommendations! read more

Whisper - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

We ordered three dishes comprised of the Triangle Melt, Sweet & Salt and Cast Iron Stone Axe; all were beautifully plated and delicious! We were welcomed with a warm greeting and the service was prompt, friendly and professional. Ambiance is comfortable, inviting with a touch of whimsy! We'll be coming back! read more

My mother and I came here for brunch, and we put ourselves on the waitlist via Yelp while driving. We got seated in like 5 minutes, which was awesome! I was honestly a bit worried about the wait time at first since I saw people waiting outside, but it was super quick. The server who took our order was also very nice.The space has a cool open concept, but the tables are definitely packed together. Heads up if you're sensitive to smells, we were sat so close to the next table that a guy's strong cologne completely invaded my nostrils. So we ordered: Truffle Mushroom Oyster (5/5): This was SO good. It's super creamy with a slight oystery taste and perfect mushroom bites. Honestly, my only complaint is I wish it came with more bread instead of just 2 pieces because you'll want to scoop up every drop. This was my favorite. Mango Pancake (4.5/5): Super light and fluffy. The cream was really mangoey and the actual fruit pieces had the perfect tart/sweet balance. It came with syrup to put on top but honestly I personally think it was too sweet after that. Kimchi Carbonara (5/5): Heavy, ultra-creamy, cheesy, and just pure umami goodness. Iced Pandan Latte (5/5): It comes as a double shot, but I added an extra shot and asked for an oatmilk substitution, so it might, maybe taste different to someone else. My mom ordered the same thing, without the substitutions and she really liked it. It's a little bitter at first, but once you mix it up with the pandan, it's literally perfect. read more

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Dear Whisper Manager, I wanted to share feedback regarding our experience at Whisper during our visit on Saturday, June 27. We had a reservation at 1:45 PM for a party of 10 to celebrate a special 50th birthday. We arrived a few minutes early, but our table was not ready until approximately 2:10 PM--about 25 minutes after our reservation time. Because the restaurant closes at 3:00 PM, we expressed our concern about feeling rushed. We were assured that, since we had been seated so late, we would be welcome to stay as long as we needed. Our first disappointment was the seating arrangement. We were placed upstairs in a corner of the room at four small round tables pushed together to accommodate our party. The space was extremely cramped, making it difficult to enjoy our meal comfortably. With so many dishes arriving, there simply wasn't enough table space, and we found ourselves constantly moving plates and rushing to finish food just to make room for the next items. Given that we were celebrating such a milestone birthday, we had hoped to wait for one of the larger tables on the main floor, where the atmosphere is much more inviting. Unfortunately, we were made to feel that this was not an immediate option, given the timing. I do want to acknowledge that our server was friendly and pleasant while she was with us. Around the restaurant's closing time, however, she informed us that she needed to leave because she worked another job after her shift. She said another staff member would take over our table. Unfortunately, no one ever did. From that point forward, our party received virtually no service. No one checked on us, no one informed us that the kitchen was preparing to close or taking last orders, and we were never given an opportunity to order dessert. Had someone simply let us know the kitchen was closing, we certainly would have placed our dessert order before it was too late. Instead, we were left to fend for ourselves. We had to refill our own water glasses using a pitcher left near the staircase, flag someone down to request to-go boxes, and ask for plates so we could serve the birthday cake we had brought. Because service became so limited and we were essentially the last guests remaining, we ultimately decided not to cut the cake at the restaurant. We left and celebrated the birthday elsewhere instead. What made this particularly disappointing was that our bill totaled nearly $600, and an automatic gratuity of approximately $88 was added because of our party size. While we understand and respect automatic gratuities for large groups, it was frustrating to pay a substantial service charge when, after 3:00 PM, we essentially received no service at all. We chose Whisper for a special milestone celebration and were excited to experience your restaurant for the first time. Unfortunately, the combination of the delayed seating, uncomfortable table arrangement, lack of communication regarding the kitchen closing, and complete absence of service after our original server left left us very disappointed. What should have been a memorable birthday lunch ended on a frustrating note. I'm sharing this feedback in hopes that it helps improve the experience for future guests celebrating special occasions. Better communication, a smoother staff handoff, and ensuring that large parties continue to receive attentive service--even after the restaurant closes to new guests--would have made a tremendous difference! read more

Service was amazing as per usual, the manager and all the staff are really friendly and welcoming. This is my 2nd time here and I really love coming with a group. The interior overall is so cozy but modern at the same time, perfect for pictures!! Overall I would say the pastas are 7/10. My favorite was the mango pancakes (8/10) and the gochujang chicken (7.5/10). The pancakes were fresh, soft, and topped with fresh cream and mangos (not too sweet either). The chicken was also pretty affordable $15 and was a nice appetizer. read more

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Huge wait time ever since they opened. Our family had a reservation and still had to wait after we checked in. Amazing decor inside and even the utensils had a unique touch to it. Great food selection for brunch - Korean/American fusion. Overall, I would like to come back if the wait time wasn't so long. Truffle oyster - expected to be creamier - more watery. Corn ribs - mild flavor Kimchi carbonara - probably my favorite dish! Very delicious and flavor was rich. Creamy and savory! We even saved the leftover sauce to mix with other noodles afterwards. Fried chicken and waffles - felt like just every other place Latin sunrise omelette - it was good! Very light and healthy. I really enjoyed eating the purple yam with it. read more

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My family came here for Father's Day with a reservation. Considering how busy they were, we had a great time. The space is very nice with an additional upstairs area. We unfortunately did have to wait a while for half of our dishes to come out. However, the staff were very accommodating and consistently came to update us on our items. We were told that two of their chefs called out sick so it was understandable. The food was delicious. We got a variety of items but my favorite was the kimchi carbonara. Definitely recommend it. I would love to try their breakfast menu one of these days. read more

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We went for dinner on a Saturday night and were immediately seated. If you're coming from afar, you can also join the waitlist on the Yelp app. We ordered the corn ribs, espresso martini & kimchi carbonara. The kimchi carbonara is my fav dish from here & is definitely a must try. It's so creamy! We were dipping the corn ribs and the bread in the sauce. Corn ribs were good apps. Nothing mind blowing. The espresso martini, my fiancé ranked it his second favorite & wished it was more creamy. Parking is street meter. After 6pm it's free. Can be difficult to find parking on weekends. Would come back again for the kimchi carbonara!! it lives in my mind rent free. read more

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Perfect vibes for a girl brunch. I've done so 2 weekends back to back already and everyone has been happy. Just be sure to make a reservation unless you don't mind waiting 35-45 minutes on a weekend. The menu has variety, service is good, and food is tasty. Fresh squeezed orange juice available is the cherry on top. I tried: -Chicken and waffles -Build your own breakfast with sweet potato fries, scrambled eggs, toast, and bulgogi beef -Fresh orange juice Looking forward to trying dinner service one day. read more

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Father's Day dinner. Busy spot but made easier w/ reservations through Yelp. Friendly staff that was attentive. Cool and casual vibe with a comfy interior. Seating at 2 levels. Food was good. Kimchi carbonara was a clear winner. Every dish presented well... however, some dishes lacked a bit of flavor. Will try their brunch next time. Worth a try. read more

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Saw this place in my IG feed, and so since I was in the area, I decided to try it. Came here for dinner so I was not able to order The Omelets Series, The Morning Edition, and Benedict Studies. I ordered the Sweet & Salt. It was a little funky looking with one medium sized chicken on top and three smaller ones underneath it. But the taste was good! The croffle was cooked perfectly. The chicken was nicely coated and tender. The inside of the restaurant was aesthetically nice. Great atmosphere. read more

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Whisper is quickly becoming one of my favorite spots in San Mateo! The dinner menu did not disappoint. The space is beautiful and perfect for a date night or dinner with friends. We especially loved the Truffle Wagyu Yukke and the bone marrow--both were packed with flavor and beautifully presented. Service was friendly and attentive, and every dish felt thoughtfully crafted. If you've only been here for brunch, definitely come back for dinner! read more

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Food was good and flavorful. Although the menu was a bit difficult to understand. They have some kid options as well. I enjoyed the chicken and croffles . I will return to try more options. Staff was attentive although food did not come out all together and took sort of a long time. This place is still new so be patient. read more

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My mom saw this place on social media and wanted to come and try it. Went on a Friday afternoon, relatively busy for midday on a weekday. Food was good not great, aesthetically pleasing for IG pics and all that but flavors of each dish we got didn't stand out massively. Crème Brûlée French Toast was a couple pieces of French toast with custard and a lil bit of torched sugar on top. Skillet was good but sort of tasted flat? Like it was all of one flavor across the whole skillet, very savory. Rice, veggies?, meat all tasted the same. Was looking for more contrast, even more than what the tomatoes brought to the skillet. My mom enjoyed the chicken and waffles but stated that if we come back we will try the ube pancakes instead. There's a parking lot a couple blocks down and street parking is available. read more

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Kimchi carbonara and gochujang fried chicken are a must try! Think creamy pasta with a subtle flavor of kimchi and sweet and crispy Korean fried chicken. Cast iron stone axe was a bit of a let down, though the wagyu finger rib was tender, the flavor combination wasn't that balanced in my opinion. Crème brulee french toast tasted expected, the mango pancake next to us looked yum, so might try that next time. Wait time was about 30 minutes for a party of 5 on a Saturday afternoon. QR code is available for ordering, but server was always around to check in on us as well. Ambiance was bright, lively, and reasonably loud. Decent spot for catching up with friends! read more

Whisper - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

Came for dinner on a Tuesday and the restaurant had plenty of open tables available. Kimchi carbonara was fantastic - not too spicy, creamy, flavorful, and the spaghetti was good. Loved that it came with bread too. Mango Scallop Ceviche was okay, nothing out of the ordinary. The Marrow Coast Cioppino was meh. I wouldn't get this again. The shrimp was kinda small and tough, not fresh/crunchy. Flavor was a bit acidic. Bone marrow was fine. Wish this dish came with more bread because there wasn't anywhere enough to eat the rest of the dish. Would love to come back and try their brunch dishes, but definitely not worth a long wait based on what we tried for dinner. read more

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First time trying this place after a dance recital close by. We were looking for a place that could accommodate 8 people on short notice during brunch time and to my surprise this venue had availability! There were lots of things on the menu that looked very interesting. It's a fusion of Korean and traditional American. After looking around at other tables, I saw a lot of people ordering the Seafood Jjambbong Pasta, so I had to give it a shot. Also got an ube latte. The kids got a more traditional breakfast and we got the corn as a starter. Everything was delicious! The staff was super friendly and the food came out quickly. The pasta has a nice spicy aroma and an even better taste! Can't wait to return here. read more

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Great place for brunch. Make sure you have a reservation because it gets busy. Our server was attentive and did everything all 15 of us wanted. The cortado is worth a try but if you like sweet this is not for you. I had the, miso pasta with pork belly. Rich sauce, well cooked noodles with a hint of sweetness. The bread on the side was a nice addition to dip in the sauce. I would come back to try something else. read more

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Decided to come try this place on a Sunday, we put our name on the list and started 25th in line. We waited about 40 minutes after checking in, and told us to stay nearby in case they call our names early(did not happen). I'm not hating it's a Sunday. Would go again! Once we went in the place was super cute naturally everywhere, and for dinner there is a speakeasy downstairs. After waiting we were taken care of really well. Since we were hungry we ordered right away! Two ordering options, with the QR Code or someone will stop by. When the food all got there, the wait was worth it!! Our server kept checking in on us. What I tried: Matcha Pancakes(for the table) -- Soo matchay, and not too sweet!! Would get again. I love a fluffy pancake. I forgot what it's called but I chose my own plate: The bacon was nice and crispy. Scrambled eggs were perfect. What stole the show was the sweet potato waffle fries!! I wasn't expecting them to be waffle fries, but they exceeded expectations so crispy. The focaccia was alright. read more

Whisper - Matcha Pancakes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Had brunch here and it was such a great experience. I had my dog with us and they catered to her as well by bringing her a bowl of water without me asking. That was really nice of them. Service was friendly and prompt. We sat outside because DOG. For apps, we had the corn ribs, the chicken and waffle and the kimchee carbonara. The kimchee carbonara is a full on pasta meal that is rich and flavorful. Expect to walk it off or NAP TIME afterwards! I loved everything about all the dishes we shared. My matcha latte was perfect for the warm day. read more

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Finally was able to make it to Whisper for brunch! My friend and I shared the Gojuchang fried chicken appetizer, while she had the Gogi morning (bulgogi eggs Benedict), and I had the Kimchi Carbonara. Everything was so good! The chicken was sweet with a little kick of spice, and the carbonara was creamy and flavorful, also with a nice kick of spice. It had pieces of bulgogi in it as well which was a great addition to help balance out the dish. Restaurant was packed the whole time we were there. Didn't love how close the seats are to the other tables but totally get it. I recommend putting your name down on the yelp waitlist as I saw a bunch of people waiting outside the later in the day it got. Service was also great, and very attentive. read more

Whisper - Gojuchang fried chicken, Gogi morning, Kimchi Carbonara - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

The food here is great! I came here Sunday morning with my friend and 4 year old/newborn and we were so lucky that despite the estimated 15 min wait, we were seated in 2 min! It was pretty busy here though. The server was around to catch here and there. We ordered the corn ribs for my oldest and I got the sea and green benedict and iced ube latte. My friend got the custom breakfast dish and got the chicken, sourdough bread, with salad. We thought everything was delicious. We have been to many fusion Korean/Thai brunch places and usually they aren't the best and overrated, but the food here was actually really good! I would come again here next time! read more

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Cool vibes and friendly staff situated in the former Wursthall space. This place has been drawing some seriously long lines, so I figured it was worth checking out. We arrived around 10:30 AM on a Sunday and had added our name to the waitlist in advance, which made the process easy. By the time we got there, the wait was only about five minutes. The food was visually impressive and beautifully plated, but I found some of the flavors a bit lacking. The kimchi carbonara, in particular, was not quite for me. The bulgogi was noticeably sweet, which ended up making the entire dish taste sweeter than I would have liked. The steak and potatoes were decent and cooked well enough, but they felt underseasoned and lacked the flavor needed to make the dish memorable. Overall, it came across as a fairly basic steak-and-potatoes plate. While the meal did not completely live up to the hype for me, I would be willing to give it another try. The menu has plenty of other options, and it is entirely possible that we simply did not order the restaurant's strongest dishes. The atmosphere and service were both enjoyable, so I would be interested in coming back and exploring more of the menu in the future. read more

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​I had a wonderful lunch at Whisper today. It's clearly a popular spot for the weekend for brunch/lunch--I joined the waitlist and waited about 45 minutes, but we were seated shortly after checking in. ​The service was excellent. Our waitress was so helpful and took the time to explain the menu thoroughly. She even gave us a heads-up that the portions are generous and perfect for sharing. We ordered the kimchi beef carbonara and the mango pancake, paired with a mango matcha latte and a hojicha latte. ​As our server noted, the kimchi beef carbonara wasn't spicy at all, which made it a perfect meal for my 3-year-old toddler to enjoy as well. She absolutely loved both dishes! Also, as a parent, I really appreciated that the restroom was clean--it's a very kid-friendly environment. Everything was delicious, and the service made the whole experience seamless. Whisper is officially my new go-to spot in San Mateo! read more

Whisper - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

Whisper took over the space of Wursthall (RIP, I miss you), so I was excited to finally see what this new spot was all about. I'm usually a bit skeptical of fusion foods and sometimes find the combinations can feel a little shoehorned together, but the Kimchi Carbonara worked surprisingly well! The tang from the kimchi was the perfect counter to cut right through the richness of the heavy carbonara sauce. The Shoyu Butter Corn Ribs were good and fun to eat. Pro-tip, make sure you have some floss handy afterwards. As for the Gochujang Fried Chicken, the batter was crispy. The sauce definitely skews more sweet than heat. If you've ever had yangnyeom chicken, the flavor profile is very similar to that! We shared these three dishes between the two of us and it was the perfect amount of food. The service was super efficient and the food flew out of the kitchen. The plateware was fun too. A great new addition to add to your Bay Area brunch rotation! read more

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The food here is as good as the interior looks. And this restaurant is VERY pretty. There is tons of natural lighting. The place is spacious and aesthetic. And the food is GOOD!!!! Truffle Wagyu Yukke (7/10) - The most vibrant dish of the day. The colors, the textures, the different components. I am a huge fan of it all. At the bottom, there was a hefty serving of chili crunch. IT was so strong in flavors but I wish that it was less salty. Mango pancake (9/10) - This dish is so pretty to look at and the cream is the perfect balance of sweet and refreshing. It was not overly sugary sweet and had a strong mango flavor. Texture wise, the pancakes and also the cream itself were super fluffy. The mangoes were also very sweet :) Nori Pasta (10/10) - I was not expecting this when I ordered the nori pasta but I cannot say i'm disappointed! I like how they did not skimp out on the toppings when it came to the pasta. There are so many flavors and textures at play and it all comes together very harmoniously. This was my favorite dish of the meal. Kimchi Carbonara (9/10) - I am not a huge fan of carbonara but this was the best carbonara I have had in a while. The kimchi flavor was very easy to taste and usually carbonaras are more heavy but this one was creamy and light! Gochujang fried chicken (9/10) - The chicken was so crispy. Sometimes with the gochujang sauce, the outside become soggy but this one was SO CRISPY. The texture of the outside was great but the inside. wow. so tender and juicy. not dry at all. My only complaint is that the sauce was slightly on the saltier side but I also ordered other dishes that were able to balance out that. Gogi Morning Benedict (10/10) - This dish was a hit to me. The only issue is that there was TOO much food. They did not skimp out on the portions here. The eggs were runny and the potatoes were crispy. The bread was so fluffy and buttery. Hojicha Latte and Mango Matcha (4/10) - both of the drinks were lacking flavor to me and the hojicha was very grainy. I wish there was a smoother texture for the hojicha and the matcha flavor was more pronounced in the mango matcha The service here is also very efficient and the restaurant manager came over to check up on us too! Super attentive. read more

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Went for dinner - I got the seafood jjambong pasta, triangle melt, and architecture burger. My favorites are the apps. Delicious with all the beautiful notes of sweet and savory. The jjambong is good with a slight spice and mellow seafood flavor. The burger was very sweet with the jam bacon on top. The flavors meshed super well. The fries were delicious and cut through the sweetness of the burger. Absolutely love the wonton shrimp. Highly recommend. Service was touch and go but he was under training so expected. He was still super sweet and came over quickly when flagging him down. Very spacious inside and beautifully decorated. Open and bright and not too crowded. Will be back to try breakfast read more

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Food was good, resto was pretty; interior was clean and modern. The servers were lovely and attentive! I ordered the axe iron skillet, my son had the mango pancakes and my husband ordered a burger (forgot what it was called). The axe skillet was great! Meat was tender and flavorful and veggie medley was seasoned well. I had some of the mango pancakes and the batter was soft and moist. The mango cream on top wasnt too sweet which was great for our five year old. My husband unfortunately didn't like his burger as much. He said the meat was overcooked and the nacho cheese flavor overpowered everything else. Other than his burger, we had an amazing experience with all the dishes. Even the Ube latte i had which the server had offered a decaf as an alternative and it came in clutch because it was late. Highly recommend this place! We will be back soon. Can't wait to try to carbonara and the matcha pancakes. read more

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Super cute spot for brunch in downtown San Mateo! Metered street parking all around, but can get busy on the weekends. We joined the yelp waitlist and checked in when we arrived, it was about a 30 minute wait on a busy Saturday. Our server was very nice and quick. Some of the highlights we ordered were: - both lattes were delicious! And not too sweet - seafood jjambbong pasta was well-spiced without being too spicy I would come back again to try some of their other dishes. Love the asian twist of flavors too. Recommend for a cute brunch date! read more

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Made a reservation for 12:15 PM for party size 6 adults, 3 kids. We were not seated until 12:50 PM. This is an additional 35 min of waiting. What is then, the point of having a reservation on file? Service: there did not seem to have a designated server for each section. We probably had 2-3 different servers assist us, which made the service inconsistent). We had to ask twice for the following things: extra plates, and the check. Ordering system: There is a QR code to scan for the menu and order, but it did not allow for customization. We had to flag down a server to help us place the order to accommodate for allergies. Food: we ordered 2x the cioppino, 2x cast iron stone axe, 1 seafood jjangbong pasta, and 1 sweet & salt. The dishes did not come out all at once. First 1 cioppino came out, followed by the sweet & salt, 1 cast iron. Maybe about 10 minutes later the second cast iron axe arrived, followed by the jjangbong pasta. The last cioppino arrive about 20 minutes from the time the first dish landed on our table. There should not be such a long wait for food served to the same party. By the time the first dish was finished, the last dish arrived. And the irony? It's the same dish. There are plenty of brunch places in the area that delivers better service and consistency. Until Whisper improves on their reservation system, timing of food output, I would not revisit. read more

Had heard about this new brunch spot in San Mateo and brought my girlfriends from East Bay to try it. Still a long waitlist on weekends so join early. It's a good location and plenty spacious. We enjoyed the food. Ordered the truffle mushroom appetizer which was rich and a bit of a smaller portion than expected. Our entrees were good, my favorites were the kimchi carbonara and seafood bibimbap. Where things fell short... We were seated at two small bistro tables put together for a group of 3. While we didn't mind, we quickly realized that we would not be able to comfortably fit our drinks and dishes. It was somewhat challenging to be able to share and we tried moving things around a couple times to fit everything. Not sure if combining the smaller tables threw off the servers also. A couple times they came over to ask us which table number we were (each table had a different QR code). And then a couple instances where dishes were brought over to us but were not ours. Still fairly new so maybe they're figuring it out but some room to improve. Hopefully it gets smoother because we did like the food and I like the venue itself. read more

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Parking can be a bit messy if you don't mind walking just a bit. The staffs were extremely attentive and great. Bathroom was downstairs and very clean. Interior design and color theme is definitely a spot to take your first dates for their gram photos. There are A lot of seating but the place gets really packed and it's all for the good reasons. Kimchi carbonara: 5/5, very creamy Truffle dip: 4/5, wish it had more of a truffle aroma Fried corn: 3/5, a bit too dry read more

Whisper - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

My friends and I enjoyed our Saturday afternoon brunch at Whisper. We checked in online, with an overall wait of over 1.5 hours. The restaurant is aesthetic, airy, and bright. Service was prompt and attentive, despite it being busy. We all ordered eggs benedicts. I got the Golden Classique (smoked salmon) one. I did find the lime slices a little odd, but overall, the taste was well-balanced. My friends enjoyed their eggs benedicts (bulgogi and shrimp). The Crème Brûlée French Toast was just okay. I wouldn't order it again. With so many brunch spots, especially Asian fusion ones, in the area, I'm not dying to come back any time soon, especially with the long wait times. But if you've been meaning to check it out, I think you'll enjoy the food and ambiance. read more

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Decided to come here for brunch with my friends on Sunday. There were no reservations available so I put us on the Yelp waitlist on our way to the restaurant and they estimated it to be about an hour wait which we were fine with. I guess it's our fault for not checking in with the host when we got there but it ended up being a 2 hr wait and then they took us off the waitlist because apparently a lot of people just join the waitlist online and then never show up. Luckily, they were able to seat us right away when we showed up. If you join the waitlist on yelp, just remember to check in with the restaurant before you go off exploring the area. Since we waited 2 hours, we were all starving at this point. We ordered the nori pasta, seafood jjambbong pasta, and cast iron stone axe. The staff were very friendly and the food came out fairly quickly. Everything was delicious. I really liked how the dishes were a Korean-American fusion. The seafood jjambbong pasta had a bit of a kick to it and I thought the nori pasta was very unique. The beef in the cast iron stone axe was tender and the kimchi added more flavor to the dish. I also appreciate that the rice in the dish wasn't just plain white rice. The restaurant itself is very spacious with two levels. It's also very aesthetic and the lighting is great for photos. I want to come back and try some of their actual breakfast items next time! read more

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Bright and vibrant, modern Korean-American brunch (now dinner) restaurant! Serves unique korean-american fusion with good classics still on the menu revamped. Dishes are presented amazingly and easy on the eyes. However the flavors of the dishes fall short in my personal opinion as they end up either overly sweet or slightly bland. The tables are very small, even if I wanted to order more and try more dishes, it physically wasn't able to be placed on the table. But the service is great, friendly, quick and efficient. Drinks: Ube Latte 2.5/5- Always loved different latte flavors. The color of the drink and presentation was amazing. But was too sweet. I couldn't taste the ube too much and the coffee was overpowered, it was quite the sugary beverage. Appetizer/Sides: Truffle Cream Oyster Mushroom 4/5 - Probably the best item we tried. Mushrooms were succulent, slight truffle aroma, creamy and the sauce paired very well with almost anything. I wish there were maybe 3-4 pieces of bread instead of just two. Truffle Wagyu Yukhoe 2/5 - I really wanted to like it. But i've had so much better yukhoe at other establishments. The meat was fine but you could barely taste the beef flavor. It was overpoweringly sweet. Very sweet and a lot of red onions, overpowered the entire dish. Still edible, and if you like that flavor profile, this is for you, but when i think of yukhoe i think of subtle sweet from pears and a nice nutty aroma from the oils. Side Croffle 4/5 - Wanted to just have a croffle, it was great, nothing too special, a nice croissant waffle, very crispy and a nice chew! Entree: Cast Iron Stone Ax 4/5- Hot skillet, rice, kimchi, australian wagyu rib (seems like kalbi marinated) potato medley. The meat was very good, slightly sweet and very tender. The potatoes were very bland though, did not have much of a taste to them other than it being a potato, like as if not seasoned with salt. Kimchi was a good addition, rice rounded the portion out and presentation was great. Overall, very nice aesthetic, great menu choices and a large variety. Expect long lines, it's a great brunch spot but just not for me. Flavor profiles were inconsistent, but i'd consider trying other menu items. Excellent service nonetheless. read more

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I waited for the Whisper hype to die down a bit before making my visit. My party of four went for a late weekday brunch and arrived around 11am. Fortunately there is a Yelp waitlist available and I was able to get on a little before I arrived. Reservations were available on the day of my visit but I decided to just get on the Yelp waitlist. I did have to loop around a bit for parking and eventually got a spot a block away. The restaurant itself is quite roomy with an upper floor for additional seating. Ordering is done via QR code on the table. Since it was our first visit, we ended up ordering five items so we can try different things. First to arrive was the Seafood Bibimbap. This dish had a lot of seafood and was very flavorful; there was a hint of spice but I wouldn't say it was spicy at all. Next came The Morning Edition with scrambled egg, wagyu beef patty, sweet potato fries, and focaccia bread. The highlight of this dish was the sweet potato fries since they were very crispy and seasoned nicely. The scrambled egg and focaccia were nice and soft, though the wagyu beef patty unfortunately tasted like a basic hamburger patty. Sweet & Salt came next and it was a nice take on classic chicken and waffles featuring Korean fried chicken on a croffle. The fried chicken was juicy and fried perfectly, though it tasted more like regular fried chicken rather than Korean fried chicken. The croffle also tasted more like a very good waffle, perhaps since the juices from the chicken were seeping into the croffle. Next was the Crème Brûlée French Toast. The crème brûlée sauce was good but it would've been nice if it had torched sugar on top. This was probably our least favorite entree since it seemed basic relative to our other dishes. Lastly, we had the Cast Iron Stone Axe. After having the bibimbap, we felt this dish was a bit lacking, though it was nice that the crisp potato medley contained what seemed to be yucca. Overall, my party really enjoyed our meal at Whisper. Service was attentive and the ambiance of the restaurant was busy but not loud at all. Although the menu isn't the cheapest, the quality of the food makes it worth it. Whisper is one of the better brunch places in the area and I am looking forward to my next visit. read more

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Korean fusion brunch: Yes please! We were second in line right before they opened Sunday morning so parking was a breeze. It's was comfortably decorated with high ceilings. I ordered the strawberry iced matcha and crème brûlée French toast. The sweet and mild tartness of the berry paired well with the slight bitterness of the matcha. The French toast was a little doughy for my taste. I think it would have been better with more berries to balance all the custard and bread; and texture change in the dish would have been nice. Maybe instead of 3 slices with cream filling 2 thick slices fried until crisp on the outside or crème crunchy bits on top and definitely more berries. Hubby got a hot matcha late and the cast iron stone ax. Oh boy his food was the best. The beef had a flavorful bugogi marinade and the kimchee hit all the flavor profiles of sweet, tart and very mild spiced, paired with mix fried potatoes, friend rice with a egg on top. It was massive and could easily feed 2-3 people. He thought his matcha was a bit bitter but it's a nice option for those who would be watching their sugar in take. For me it would have been so good with some sweeten condensed milk. When we sat down we noticed not everything was on the menu's we received but there is a QR code on one end of the table which takes you to the whole menu to order from, that is where we found drink options. read more

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Glad we have more brunch places opening up in San Mateo. The server recommended the kimchi pasta and I thought it was wayyy toooo creamy and thick for me. There was no hint of kimchi (the cream totally overpowered the dish) and only had a few shredded pieces of beef (2/5 star). The fried chicken croffle was better. The chicken was moist and juicy, and perfectly seasoned. However, the croffle missed the mark. It was a tad soggy and didn't have the crunch and chewy texture bite to it (3.5/5 star). read more

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This is the holy fusion brunch place of my dreams. The interior is a feast for the eyes. Majority of the dishes we had were great. We came on a rainy weekday for lunch and had no problems getting a table. Service was friendly and attentive. Particularly loved the creamy mushroom appetizer, though you have to order more bread as it only comes with 2 little slices. As well as the Kimchee carbonara. Very creamy and good balance of flavors. Just a little spicy. Definitely looking forward to returning and trying more dishes. read more

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