Whisper
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This post covers two visits within the last few weeks, including lunch and dinner. The wait was about 10-15 for lunch on Saturday and we were seated immediately for a Saturday night dinner (restaurant filled up shortly). Very pleasant servers and staff. The restaurant is nice and roomy with a tall ceiling, so it feels very comfortable. However, the background can be loud even though it's possible to talk during the meal. The food is very good, so far I have enjoyed the food during both visits. Spouse and I shared the congee (creamier than expected, thick the way I like it, with delicious toppings), seafood bibimbap (mildly spicy, good, and served in a cast iron pan), and my fav was the corn pancake (lots of fresh corn, a creamy sauce, on a very thin crispy pancake). For brunch, I had a marine Benedict. Because there are two eggs, sauce, and toppings on one croissant base, it's not a very shareable dish but totally delicious to make a 100% commitment to enjoy and not share or plan to take home leftovers. The potatoes are so good.
A trendy addition to the downtown San Mateo food scene, Whisper is clearly going to be a staple for its all day brunch. Although the waitlist and parking can be a deterrent, the food is worth braving the lines. Once seated, you can order from your waiter or from a QR code on the table. My table ordered the kimchi carbonara, matcha pancakes, and two smaller starters. Service was very fast and it was almost shocking how quickly the food came out. The carbonara was the star of the day with creamy flavors and perfectly cooked pasta. The seating can be a little tight where you might hear a neighbors conversation. The decorations and scalloped plates are very upscale to match the quality of the food.
Whisper Korean Style Brunch is a must-visit. The kimchi carbonara is a must-try, and the wagyu cast iron is excellent. I also tried the mango pancakes--delicious. Service was fast and professional. The place is big, clean, and has upstairs seating. Food--unique and flavorful; Ambiance--spacious and clean; Service--fast and professional. Highly recommended.
Came here once before for brunch and once for dinner. Whisper does a great brunch. Their dinner options were a bit lacking and we items from their physical menu weren't available to order which was confusing. Our server took our order. Kimchi Carbonara (5/5): So good! Creamy and has a slight kick to it. I am sensitive to spicy and I thought it was not spicy. This is a must order dish here! Bossam (3/5): Bossam was yummy although for the price, it wasn't anything special. I liked the charcuterie plating Seafood Bibimbap (2/5): The bibimbap was unfourntately quite mid. It lacked flavor and was mushy Matcha Pancake (3/5): Pretty good! We needed the maple syrup because the dish wasn't sweet enough. The aesthetic is really nice here and wunderbar is right downstairs!
I came here with a group of friends for weekend brunch. Definitely join the Yelp waitlist ahead of time if you can, I think we waited about half an hour for our group of five. Miso ssamjang bossam pasta was my favorite 9/10 (not sure if this is offered all the time since it was on the app but not listed on the physical menu) Bone marrow cioppino was good but I think I would have also preferred just the bone marrow itself Kimchi carbonara was very creamy but a bit of a one note compared to our other pasta Matcha pancakes were fluffy and delicious Each dish was a good portion size so we were quite full but we also were able to finish everything on the table. Ambiance was great, it's a beautiful space and nicely decorated inside. I didn't use the restroom here but I heard from my friends that there was an entrance somewhere to a speakeasy on your way to the restroom. I would come back here again to try other items or get the bossam pasta again!
The jjampong really impressed me. The sauce had a really good vegetable flavor, especially from the bell peppers, and the seafood tasted really fresh. There was also a solid amount and variety of seafood, which made the bowl feel substantial. To me, it was a really good interpretation of the dish, with some interesting additions that actually worked really well together. I also really liked the oyster mushrooms that were in all the dishes we ordered. The flavor was great, and the stringy texture and bite were perfect. The only downside was that all the dishes got a little too salty and rich toward the end, which made them harder to finish. Very busy spot, but they have a lot of space so the line moves pretty quickly. The seating is interesting too, although the setup we got seemed like it was meant for a big party. We ended up sharing a bench/couch with a large party, which felt pretty awkward for them going in and out and cramped.
Came back again for brunch. Ordered the Kimchi Carbonara, Truffle Oyster Mushroom, Shoyu-Butter Corn Ribs, and a Pumpkin Spice Latte. The Kimchi Carbonara was the standout. I was lowkey expecting the kimchi to be overwhelming, but it was just a hint, enough to add something without taking over. The sauce was creamy and the noodle texture was great. The Truffle Oyster Mushroom was a bit on the salty side, but the focaccia it came with helped balance it out. The bread was soft, warm, and honestly perfect on its own. Flavor was great. I wasn't a huge fan of the red chili powder on the corn, but it was still good regardless. The Pumpkin Spice Latte wasn't too sweet and I enjoyed it - seasonal due Halloween coming up I think? Still would definitely come back. The Kimchi Carbonara and the focaccia are reasons enough on their own.
Whisper is relatively new to downtown San Mateo, but they're a consistently popular brunch and lunch spot. Dinner, from my couple of experiences is more hit or miss, but generally Whisper has good foot traffic coming through all day long. The space inside has tall ceilings and the tables are somewhat spaced together tightly, so fair warning to you. I've had the same dish both times I've dined here and that is their Layered Architecture Burger, that comes with bacon and bacon jam. This burger is both savory and a bit sweet at the same time. Quite an interesting experience for your mouth, in my burger eating experiences. I have also ordered their Strawberry Lemonade to wash down my burger, and based on my exact repeat order, I can tell you both items I've tried I would order yet again. Service has been challenging on both occasions that I've visited. I was told they were short staffed and offered a discount on my meal for one of the occasions.
Solid American Korean fusion breakfast spot. Ordered their mango pancake, kimchi carbonara and dak juk. Omg the mango pancake was so fluffy, strong mango flavor cream, and not too sweet. The kimchi carbonara was creamy with a mild kick. The dak juk was my favorite, the explosion of flavor and the congee cooked perfectly right. Service was ok, it was pretty hard to get their attention. The environment was very cozy and nice, a great spot for hanging out with friends and dates.
This unfortunately did not hit for me. I want to preface that I am not a brunch girlie and this is mainly for appetizers and entrees. Finding parking at 9:30am on a Sunday was super easy! The restaurant didn't have a wait that time, and it was very nice and spacious. It definitely gives off an "elevated" vibe. When we left around noon, there were a few parties waiting. Alcoholic drinks were good, but everything else kinda missed. We ordered two apps, two entrees, and side of fries for two people, plus two drinks to start off with. And all the food came out AT THE SAME TIME, and our table is small for two people. When all the apps came out, I asked if we can slow down the entrees since all the apps filled the table but the person shrugged and said it's up to the server. Then a minute later both large entrees came out. My friend and I were so overwhelmed LOL, we were focused on rushing our apps, puzzling dishes on top of each other, it was not fun and chaotic. Anyways let's get to it: 1. Corn - 3/5 - I asked the server if we can just eat it whole instead of munching it on the cob, and he said we could. We in fact couldn't LOL. I thought it'd be crunchier too but it was just basic. 2. Truffle mushroom - 4/5 - I love truffle and mushroom so that was pretty tasty and not too heavy! 3. Mentaiko Jjambbong - 2/5 - I ate a few bites but it's not to my liking. This might be a personal preference. 4. Fries - 3/5 - pretty basic, has good crunch to it. Overall, pretty mid experience. No real servers designated to sections, just people roaming around and barely checking up on you LOL! If you're looking for a basic brunch spot, I mean why not.
I've been here a couple of times, and my most recent visit yesterday was the best yet. We ordered the matcha pancakes, bibimbap, omelette, and mentai pasta, and everything was delicious. The drinks were great as well. The seasonal pumpkin spice hojicha is fun, and we also tried the strawberry lemonade and mango matcha. The online waitlist is handy. We signed up in advance and were seated quickly. The decor is very pretty, making it a great brunch date spot or a fun hangout with some girl friends.
Came here to celebrate my bday with my GFs and I'm so glad we came. I've been here before with my kids where we only got the pasta and drinks but this time we ordered a variety of things and I'm so glad we did. We started with some small plates of Truffle Cream Oyster Mushrooms - it was so decadent - and perfect with the bread they provided. We also got the Gochujang fried chicken and WOW - the crunch, the tender chicken the gochujang - not too spicy - had just the right amount - it was definitely worth getting and I love it's an appetizer so we all could try it and enjoy. For our main courses we got the Cast Iron Stone Axe - which has Australian Wagyu finger meat, with rice, crispy potato medley (SO GOOD), with a little side of kimchi, and a sunny side egg on top. Everything was so flavorful but dang - that crispy potato medley - was crispy on the outside - soft and pillowy on the inside - and it's a medley of different kinds of potatoes. I would just get those on the side!! And the wagyu as so tender and caramelized perfectly... The other main course was the Kimchi Carbonara. One of my friends was worried it might be too spicy but it was perfect - and the texture, flavor, everything was so tasty, a bit decadent but so worth it!! And you get side of bread with it so scoop up all the sauce!! We ended our meal with the Creme Brule French Toast. It was a perfect share - fluffy and a bit of the creme Brule in the middle... Perfect way to end our meal!! They do get super busy - staff is very friendly and attentive which is surprising given how busy they are - so I guess they staff appropriately. What I do like is you can see what other people are ordering as the menu descriptions don't give them justice!
We decided to check this spot out for brunch since the weather was warmer in San Mateo. I added my name to the waitlist, but when we arrived, they told us there was actually no wait even though I was 5th on the list. We were seated right away! *** O U R P I C K S *** OLD FASHIONED ~ this wasn't strong at all and didn't have enough alcohol to really taste like an Old Fashioned. Our server gave us an extra half glass of a stronger Old Fashioned to make up for the weaker first glass. 4/5 ICED PANDAN LATTE WITH MATCHA ~ perfectly sweetened matcha with a nice pandan flavor. Delicious & tasty! 5/5 TRUFFLE CREAM OYSTER MUSHROOMS ~ "oyster mushrooms baked into truffle cream and cheese. Served with 2 pieces toasted focaccia." *** We really enjoyed this creamy, rich and flavorful dish! There was some spinach mixed in as well, and the mushrooms had a nice texture. 5/5 SWEET AND SALT ~ "croffle, Korean fried chicken, fresh seasonal fruits, sugar powder." *** This was my dish. The chicken had a nice sweetness and a good crunch! The croffle had a good chewiness, almost like it was made with mochiko flour. I was expecting some maple syrup or maybe a fruit compote for the croffle, though. The chicken could have used a sauce as well. I felt it was a little dry eating it by itself. 3.5/5 MARROW COAST CIOPPINO ~ "a rich tomato base, shrimp, scallops, black mussels, crab meat, toasted focaccia, roasted beef bone marrow, feta cheese, sourdough, basil, parsley." *** My partner had this and felt underwhelmed. They only give you 2 pieces of toasted focaccia for a fairly large bowl of tomato sauce with some seafood. He was expecting to see a crab claw, but unfortunately, there was none. The description says "a rich tomato base," but it tasted more like a marinara sauce for spaghetti. The only highlight was the large piece of bone marrow, which was naturally rich and flavorful. Otherwise, for a nearly $40 dish, it just didn't wow us. 3.5/5 I wanted to mention that all of our dishes came out at once. Since I could only eat one dish at a time, I felt like I couldn't enjoy my entree while it was still piping hot. Spacing out the dishes would have made a big difference. One thing they need to work on is serving more bread with these saucy dishes! Honestly, how are you supposed to enjoy all that sauce without enough crackers, bread, or croutons? Drink the sauce like soup? We would have needed to order extra bread at least 3x for the amount of sauce that came with the cioppino. Even the creamy oyster mushrooms could have used a few more pieces of bread. So instead, we took the rest home, where we could enjoy it properly with some extra bread. And then there was my chicken, which could have used some kind of sauce, but was served without anything. It was a little strange to have one dish with so much sauce while another could have really used some. Overall, beautiful ambiance and friendly, top-notch service, and some really good flavors, but unfortunately, the main dishes just didn't wow us. Maybe we didn't order the right plates for a home run. We enjoyed some of what we ordered, but I'm not sure this is a spot we'd rush back to.
1 month ago
Wait wasn't too long with Yelp Waitlist Food was served quickly. Staff was friendly and attentive! read more
4 months ago
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
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
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
1 month ago
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
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
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
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
2 months ago
Food is great! Atmosphere is also top tier. Our server micky did a great job serving and helped us coordinating with the food arrangement a lot. Recommend! read more
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
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
25 days ago
A friend recommended this place to me, and when I arrived I realized I had been to the speakeasy below before (Wunderbar). The restaurant provided wonderful service in a modern, clean and bright setting. We ordered the bacon shrimp quesadilla without bell peppers (it came with tartar sauce on the side), the albacore tuna salad, a mango tango, and unsweetened tea. The drinks did not disappoint. That mango tango was definitely memorable, with a nice combination of fruity flavors and the perfect sweetness. The quesadilla was small and light on the toppings for the price paid, but it was delish! And definitely unique. The tuna salad was different too, though not exactly in a good way. The dish was not served with pieces of tuna on top of a salad, rather it was actual tuna salad (mayo based mixture) on top of a salad. It was interesting. Not what was expected, but not bad. Altogether, we were happy with our experience here. And parking was free in the nearby garage on a Sunday. read more
8 days ago
The food were not bad! However, the service was not good. Had to asked for the empty appetizer plates to be cleared. Also, No mango to make mango matcha is not a problem. Instead the waitress told us "we cannot make the drink, the mango matcha, no mango, would you like to get another drink?" We don't think that was the correct way to let the customer know. And the most disappointed thing was there were VERY BAD smell from hallway of kitchen and restroom!!!! Our table was right next to the hallway, and the smell was getting stronger and stronger which end up I cannot stand to stay longer. At last I went to restroom and found the smell was not from the restroom. It was from the opposite side which we believe that's the kitchen. I doubt if they have hygiene problem inside the kitchen. Not recommended and will not be there again!! read more
5 months ago
Was looking up brunch places to meet to discuss fundraising and ended up finding Whisper! My friend and I always joke about how we take each other on the best dates (sorry not sorry to our partners) because we always find such beautiful places to eat or chat at. This didn't miss the mark either. Pay attention to the decor if you visit and there's some fun things if you look around. Beatiful interior indeed. We came in and added ourselves to the waitlist which was not long at all- though I do recommend joining waitlist on Yelp just in case. Many people came after us and wait time jumped from 15 minutes wait to an hour. Our host, Fina was very patient and kind. Definitely a busy place but she made the experience feel perfectly paced and light. We ordered: Ube Latte - my friend's drink- she loved it but didn't get her opinion on score. We needed coffee and it was a delightful fix, Mango Matcha - Can't go wrong especially now that mango season is here!! Very refreshing. Oyster Mushroom w/ Baguette - 8/10 - I think I loved this bite the most. Really great appetizer, it was a little salty BUT that's why you eat it with the bread. Stone Axe - The MEAT was cooked perfectly. Still juicy, hot, and flavorful. Potatoes were good but those are pretty standard. 7/10- but the meat 8.7/10- that was a really good first bite of this dish. Nori Pasta - Creamy pasta but sauce was a little more wet than what we were hoping, But we're also thick sauce kinda people so that could just be us. Nonetheless, it was yummy, 7/10. We also ordered to go for some friends. Mango Pancake - Our friend has a sweet tooth and this hit the spot. Gochu Fried Chicken - Good crunch. 6.5/10. Sauced but I'd give this a chance again dining in. read more
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
5 months ago
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
19 days ago
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
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
10 days ago
Food was great! Everything was flavorful. Definitely recommend the truffle oyster mushrooms (appetizer) it was that good we didn't get a pic! The beef bulgogi Benedict and chicken and waffle were delicious! Service was decent. read more
5 months ago
Cast iron stone axe, truffle cream oyster mushrooms, and Sea and Green (shrimp and avo) Benedict. All so delicious and worthy of eating again and again. We couldn't get enough of the truffle cream sauce. After we ate all the mushrooms with the bread, we ate it over my potatoes from my cast iron stone axe dish. So so good! My cast iron axe dish was huge and could easily feed 2 people. I have enough for 2 more meals after eating it today. The beef was marinated and so succulent. I also loved the runny egg and red pickled tomato. A star dish. The Benedict was also delicious. Shrimp was cooked perfectly and the bread (brioche?) was perfect. We will be back with friends and family. :) read more
19 days ago
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
2 months ago
Great Korean fusion food Everything was delicious, and the atmosphere was great! Definitely will be back soon read more
2 months ago
New Korean fusion brunch spot in downtown San Mateo. Added our group to the virtual waitlist. Was 26th in line. Wait was about 40 minutes. The restaurant has a second floor but the tables are pretty cramped. They're also open for dinner. The portion is pretty huge. Definitely shareable. I ordered the chicken and waffles for something savory and sweet. It was a good amount. My friend got the kimchi pasta and it was really good. Also ordered an ube latte and mango matcha. Both drinks were good. read more
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
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
3 months ago
Aside from the long wait, foods are excellent, rich, heavy, and very tasty with a twist of surprise and creativity. read more
5 months ago
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
1 month ago
I have some dietary restrictions, so I was really glad to see that they offer such a customizable option. The dish is called The Morning Edition, and you can choose your preferred protein, sides, and style of eggs. I also ordered a side salad for some extra greens, along with a hojicha latte. I especially loved how they prepared the potato medley that came with The Morning Edition. The potatoes were really flavorful and perfectly crispy, but surprisingly not oily at all. They tasted more oven-roasted than deep-fried, which I really appreciated. It felt indulgent without being too heavy, so I could enjoy them without feeling guilty afterward. read more
Went here for lunch and boy was it crowded! Thankfully we only had to wait about 15 minutes before we were seated. We got the matcha pancakes, gochujang chicken & kimchi carbonara. The food came out pretty quickly which was great! The matcha pancakes were okay, a bit bitter for my taste although the foam that goes on top with the strawberries and nuts was quite tasty. The gochujang chicken was crispy and well seasoned. Our favorite though was the kimchi carbonara. Such a delicious fusion dish! The restaurant is bright and has a cute cafe style ambiance. Would come back but definitely making a reservation next time! read more
7 days ago
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
6 months ago
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
12 days ago
Great food and service! I would recommend the kimchi carbonara :) Came on a Sunday morning and was relatively busy. Come early for shorter wait times read more
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
10 days ago
More info about Whisper
310 Baldwin Ave
San Mateo, CA 94401
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(650) 977-4579
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https://whisperfusion.com
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Ask the Community - Whisper
Do you take reservations?
Yes, they have reservations on their website. Super easy to make
Where should I park?
There is metered street parking everywhere but there are also a bunch of parking structures around. The one on second is the closest.
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
200 reviews that are not currently recommended
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