Foreigner Cafe — Restaurant in San Mateo

My review of Foreigner is sooooo overdue. I work from home so I'm constantly bouncing around all sorts of coffee shops. However, as of late I only go to Foreigner! Really, I'm there like twice a week sometimes. I've had to force myself to go other places because I feel bad for my old go-to spots. The seating options (indoor/outdoor, and the outdoor table is great for standing), the service, and the food are all better than what I've had at other places around San Mateo.

The first time I visited, I was immediately in love with the display case of their food items. It. Is. Gorgeous. Now that I'm a regular, I hear people commenting on it all the time. People bring their friends and say, "See! I told you it was beautiful!"

The food is DELICIOUS. It isn't the cheapest you'll find downtown, but the quality is worth it. Plus, I love that, even though they are small, they still have table service where they bring your drinks and dishes out to you. The serving sizes are just right - the salads and sandwiches are huge and I'm always stuffed afterwards (but I continue to devour the entire plate each time I order). The ingredients are SO fresh and honestly there's a little bit of everything on their menu, so you're bound to find something even for a picky eater.

Things I've tried: Turmeric latte -- it was smaller than I expected, but PACKED with flavor Lecso with a poached egg -- the first thing I ever tried and LOVED. It's a savory stew with vegetables and sausage. The portion looks small, but trust me once you start dipping the beautifully crunchy slices of bread in the stew you'll be stuffed. When they first opened, the egg was an extra $2 so I'm pumped it now comes with the stew Chicken, Bacon, Avocado sandwich -- UGH YUM. This is by far the most filling thing I've had. The sprinkle of cheese on top of the bread...be still, my heart Arcadian chicken salad -- Their salad bowls are pieces of art. Really, check out my pictures. Microgreens are sprinkled atop a bed of mixed greens that's filled with avocado, tomatoes, onions, and blackened chicken. Tea -- this is what I get when I come. They have a solid selection; some places downtown (Kaffeehaus) have more options, but sometimes it's too much. Mint is my favorite so far Sidenote: Their chicken is seriously so flavorful! You won't get bland, dry chicken here. It's almost blackened, seasoned beautifully, and spicy. So, so good.

The inside decor is interesting and comfortable. It's a rustic modern, with unique lighting fixtures and all sorts of plants scattered around. The chairs are all totally random, so a part of my visit is scoping out the most comfortable looking seat. Whoever designed the interior knew exactly what they were doing and did a brilliant job.

Finally, the service is impeccable. I think Ann is the owner? Or Anna? Embarrassingly, I can't remember her name and I keep forgetting to ask her. Anyway, you can tell she cares for her customers because she's always running around, asking if everything is going well and offering up small talk. She clearly knows her regulars as she always greets them, sometimes by name, and welcomes them back. It seems like she's the one that keeps the place running smoothly. You might come across Kelly, one of the baristas who always offers up a smile and easy conversation. Sam is a charismatic cashier/server who knows how to turn on the charm for his customers, young or old, men or women. Everyone who works there is super sweet and they all seem to work well together.

I never went to the cafe that was there before Foreigner, but from walking by it was ALWAYS empty; nothing like the crowd Foreigner attracts. I can't recommend this place enough! Grab some friends or hangout there alone, either way you won't be disappointed with...

Sadly, it was not the best selection to take my 82 yr old mom with her best friend for a Mother’s Day early brunch. This place is super busy, short staffed and can’t accommodate individualized service at tables aside from bringing you your food. When busy it is incredibly noisy which makes it difficult to converse with your family. I let the staff know prior to ordering that I had two elderly moms with me. I wanted to find a table prior to me ordering at the counter for them. I asked for a paper menu so I could read and translate. They didn’t have them nor could I seat them. I ordered 4 meals all of which came out at different times. We had hoped to eat together. The staff kept saying it’s coming , it’s coming but one of the meals never came so I had to go and request at the counter . The coffee came out cold with no one to come back around and check in on you at the table. The water glasses weren’t dry but had a wet cloudy haze . I could pick up my veggie scramble with my fork. Cheese was heavy , cold and made a web over my eggs. Strawberries weren’t fresh. The bread or toast was hard and difficult for my mom to eat. My mom was grateful I made an effort to try a new spot but asked me for a do over as I drove out 4 hrs to see her and she was hoping for a cozier intimate - harmonious family centered vibe where truly everyone feels welcome. The service experience felt pressured and disjointed . This place i imagine is best for a younger audience and the business community. Many tables with individuals on their phones or laptops. Too noisy for us. I will definitely spend more time researching new spots and go back to our usual restaurant style...

Terrible experience here. I ordered the turkey BLT on gluten-free bread and I asked for cheese and bacon on the side. I was splitting this with my mom and we both had different dietary restrictions. A lot of things went wrong.

First, it took them 20 mins to bring our food out. Meanwhile, the others in my party got theirs in 5 mins and had finished eating by the time our plate came out. I had to go to the front counter to ask and they told me they couldn't find us. When I got my sandwich it had cheese and bacon in it so I asked them to correct it. The guy at the front was very apologetic and said that they would for sure get it right. After another 10 to 15 minutes and me going up to the counter twice, the sandwich came out again same mistakes except the onions were on the side. Frustrated, I gave up, got a refund left and had to drag my family to another restaurant to have a second lunch. The detour ruined our plans for the day because we didn't have enough time to make it to our destination.

BTW, they had this buzzer that you had to place in a specific spot on the table and it either didn't work or they didn't know how to read it on their end. The whole system seemed fraught. Food was delivered to tables no one was at. The young waiter seemed very confused.

The restaurant was noisy and the bathroom, which was next door, down a hall, was dirty and cold.

I had high expectations when I walked in. The place looked trendy, they had gluten free options, the food looked good, and portions were big. It just was not meant to be for me. But other people's food looked great and my party enjoyed...