We've been to this restaurant several times for dinner or to the bar to listen to live music on Saturday nights. The restaurant has an old school setting, which was nice.The restaurant in general is pricey.This was the first time that we went for lunch.Everything for lunch was delicious, and the service from Ignacio excellent.We started with a glass of Moet champagne, which was very good.For an appetizer, we had fried zucchini blossoms that also had crab inside. This was so good, we wanted to lick the plate. For lunch we had a Dungeness crab sandwich and fish & chips and both were on the daily lunch specials. For lunch they also offer a 3 course prixe fixe menu for$37, which I would have tried except that I wanted their bananas foster for dessert, which they make tableside and is sooo good.You can see live musical performers on Saturday nights in the bar for a fee.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lisa Okada
Best Cesaer
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: La Salade Caesar Caesar's Room
Barry Heisler
A classic old style dinner house, with a good menu, tableside service and very good food. I would highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Charles Rubi
Service,very good,food too,fun place to enjoy music,dance,meet up with
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Peter Rush
My wife and I were up from Monterey. I asked a guy in San Carlos where to get a good steak. He said, "Iron Gate," without hesitation. So, with a name like Iron Gate, I thought it was a cowboy restaurant with sawdust on the floors, but maybe good steaks. We saw the sign from a distance, and were sure it was not fine dining. Wrong. This was great from start to finish. Our server, Will, was a total pro and in fact the whole staff worked like a well oiled machine. The wine, the food, the desert, the tableside Steak Diane; it was all fabulous, a true dining experience. Who offers sorbet to cleanse the palate? A great time.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The Iron Gate was my Mother's favorite restaurant for 20 plus years. Last night we had a special family dinner to celebrate the 1st anniversary of our Mother's Birthday, death & internment. I requested our parent's favorite table. The owners wife graciously saved the table for us and it was the icing on the cake of a delicious meal with exceptional service & hospitality.
Cindy Wilson
Vegetarian options: Very few vegetarian dishes but they are superb. Mixed vegetable platter is awesome.Dietary restrictions: I'm strictly keto and they always make a modified version of my meal without any starchy side dishes. (Usually a side of cauliflower and broccoli instead of mash potatoes); I order the Caesar without croutons.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: La Salade Caesar Caesar's Room
SusanO
We have gone to the Iron Gate for DECADES - so many memories there! And it is still as elegant, and traditionally tasteful as it as always been. We went this time for my husband's 90th birthday celebration, and (as always) the service was perfection, the food delicious, and the environment lovely and pleasant. Our server (Carlos) had actually been there 40 years ago and recognized my stepson (who'd worked with him back then during his own college years). You just can't find "history" like this anywhere else. The Iron Gate is one-in-a-million, and a treasure to all of us on the Peninsula!
MaryP
Disappointed. Rib eye steak was tough and no flavor. Accompanying steak was 2 small pieces of boiled russet potatoes. The vegetables provided were prepared fine. Ordered a caesar salad (for two) and it was fine. Those who patronize this restaurant appear to be long-time customers who may not have tried many of the formidable restaurants who prepare/present expensive meals in the area. We won't go back again.
ConradM
This is one of our favorite restaurants. The food and service are always great. We had the La Liaison salad (shrimp, avocado, bacon, feta, mushrooms), Steak Diane, and Veal Moutarde. Everything was fabulous. The cocktails are really good, too, and their wine list is extensive. It's kind of a special occasion restaurant but hey, isn't Saturday a special occasion? It's definitely worth a visit.
Recommended dishes: Blue Point Oysters, La Salade Caesar Caesar's Room, Mouse Au Chocolate Souffle
P TA
We recently dined here and while the service was impeccable, with an attentive staff that went above and beyond, the food fell short of expectations. The menu boasted premium prices, but the dishes turned out to be fairly average. The highlight of disappointment was the soufflé dessert, which was far from satisfying. If you're looking for good service in a kind of a sad place, this is steakhouse delivers, but be prepared for a hefty bill for a less-than-impressive culinary experience.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 5
Ilya Fedarovich
This is $6 cafeteria food that they charge you 10X for. The service is great though!
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 5
If you are looking for old charm and an authentic tasty dining experience, Iron Gate does not disappoint. Service is top notch and ambiance is a lot of fun with all the flambé carts rolling around. Every once in awhile you are surprised with tall leaping flames from the preparation of a Steak Diane or some other dish that gets doused with Brandy and set a blaze. A really cool experience, great staff and great food will make you want to come back! Enjoy and cheers.
Doctor
I think this is the best restaurant anywhere from San Francisco to San Jose. The food and the service are both first rate. If you're looking for a restaurant for that special occasion, the Iron Gate is definitely the one to choose.
We've been to this restaurant several times for dinner or to the bar to listen to live music on Saturday nights. The restaurant has an old school setting, which was nice.The restaurant in general is pricey.This was the first time that we went for lunch.Everything for lunch was delicious, and the service from Ignacio excellent.We started with a glass of Moet champagne, which was very good.For an appetizer, we had fried zucchini blossoms that also had crab inside. This was so good, we wanted to lick the plate. For lunch we had a Dungeness crab sandwich and fish & chips and both were on the daily lunch specials. For lunch they also offer a 3 course prixe fixe menu for$37, which I would have tried except that I wanted their bananas foster for dessert, which they make tableside and is sooo good.You can see live musical performers on Saturday nights in the bar for a fee.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Best Cesaer
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: La Salade Caesar Caesar's Room
A classic old style dinner house, with a good menu, tableside service and very good food. I would highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Service,very good,food too,fun place to enjoy music,dance,meet up with
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
My wife and I were up from Monterey. I asked a guy in San Carlos where to get a good steak. He said, "Iron Gate," without hesitation. So, with a name like Iron Gate, I thought it was a cowboy restaurant with sawdust on the floors, but maybe good steaks. We saw the sign from a distance, and were sure it was not fine dining. Wrong. This was great from start to finish. Our server, Will, was a total pro and in fact the whole staff worked like a well oiled machine. The wine, the food, the desert, the tableside Steak Diane; it was all fabulous, a true dining experience. Who offers sorbet to cleanse the palate? A great time.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The Iron Gate was my Mother's favorite restaurant for 20 plus years. Last night we had a special family dinner to celebrate the 1st anniversary of our Mother's Birthday, death & internment. I requested our parent's favorite table. The owners wife graciously saved the table for us and it was the icing on the cake of a delicious meal with exceptional service & hospitality.
Vegetarian options: Very few vegetarian dishes but they are superb. Mixed vegetable platter is awesome.Dietary restrictions: I'm strictly keto and they always make a modified version of my meal without any starchy side dishes. (Usually a side of cauliflower and broccoli instead of mash potatoes); I order the Caesar without croutons.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: La Salade Caesar Caesar's Room
We have gone to the Iron Gate for DECADES - so many memories there! And it is still as elegant, and traditionally tasteful as it as always been. We went this time for my husband's 90th birthday celebration, and (as always) the service was perfection, the food delicious, and the environment lovely and pleasant. Our server (Carlos) had actually been there 40 years ago and recognized my stepson (who'd worked with him back then during his own college years). You just can't find "history" like this anywhere else. The Iron Gate is one-in-a-million, and a treasure to all of us on the Peninsula!
Disappointed. Rib eye steak was tough and no flavor. Accompanying steak was 2 small pieces of boiled russet potatoes. The vegetables provided were prepared fine. Ordered a caesar salad (for two) and it was fine. Those who patronize this restaurant appear to be long-time customers who may not have tried many of the formidable restaurants who prepare/present expensive meals in the area. We won't go back again.
This is one of our favorite restaurants. The food and service are always great. We had the La Liaison salad (shrimp, avocado, bacon, feta, mushrooms), Steak Diane, and Veal Moutarde. Everything was fabulous. The cocktails are really good, too, and their wine list is extensive. It's kind of a special occasion restaurant but hey, isn't Saturday a special occasion? It's definitely worth a visit.
Restaurantji Recommends
Great Food, and always impeccable service??
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Blue Point Oysters, La Salade Caesar Caesar's Room, Mouse Au Chocolate Souffle
We recently dined here and while the service was impeccable, with an attentive staff that went above and beyond, the food fell short of expectations. The menu boasted premium prices, but the dishes turned out to be fairly average. The highlight of disappointment was the soufflé dessert, which was far from satisfying. If you're looking for good service in a kind of a sad place, this is steakhouse delivers, but be prepared for a hefty bill for a less-than-impressive culinary experience.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 5
This is $6 cafeteria food that they charge you 10X for. The service is great though!
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 5
If you are looking for old charm and an authentic tasty dining experience, Iron Gate does not disappoint. Service is top notch and ambiance is a lot of fun with all the flambé carts rolling around. Every once in awhile you are surprised with tall leaping flames from the preparation of a Steak Diane or some other dish that gets doused with Brandy and set a blaze. A really cool experience, great staff and great food will make you want to come back! Enjoy and cheers.
I think this is the best restaurant anywhere from San Francisco to San Jose. The food and the service are both first rate. If you're looking for a restaurant for that special occasion, the Iron Gate is definitely the one to choose.