Restaurants in San Carlos
Best Restaurants
Indian • $$
“First time at dinner here. We started with rajasthani patta chaat . it was really good. very authentic taste from North India. paani puri was great too.
Dal Makhani deserves special mention. Cooked to perfection but why would they put sugar in it😏 my only reason for a 4. malai kofta and lachha parantha were great. I would recommend this place for a wholesome family meal.
might want to try their brunch menu someday. Heard great reviews about it.”
Irish • $$
“First time here. Food was good. I ordered fish and chips with coleslaw
I recommend this place
Steet parking and a parking garage down the street”
Greek • $$
“We love coming to this place. The food is tasty (all the dips is our regular go to), the service is friendly and unobtrusive, and there's a pretty good selection of wines and spirits.”
Restaurants by Cuisine
Hawaiian • $$
“Always enjoy listening to Rick and Steven with their wonderful music, and selections.Both are friendly and have great rapport with the clientele. They, and the food and mai tais are why we come! Love them!”
Restaurants with Delivery
Pizza • $$
“I ate at Pazzo on Wednesday and had a great experience. The restaurant is take out only. I ordered at the restaurant instead of on the phone. The staff were super friendly and helpful with recommendations. The order took about 20 minutes and we had a drink outside while waiting. I HIGHLY recommend the shrimp and grits. Over anything else on the menu! And I was told the gnocchi was amazing too iAnd of course the pizza is awesome!”
Indian • $$
“First time at dinner here. We started with rajasthani patta chaat . it was really good. very authentic taste from North India. paani puri was great too.
Dal Makhani deserves special mention. Cooked to perfection but why would they put sugar in it😏 my only reason for a 4. malai kofta and lachha parantha were great. I would recommend this place for a wholesome family meal.
might want to try their brunch menu someday. Heard great reviews about it.”
Coffee Roasteries • $
“Try their Nitro Crema cold brew. So good! The owners are so kind and friendly.”
Breakfast • $
“Wow! We had a wonderful breakfast here, tasty, calm, and great service. Not a bite was left on our plates.
Vegetarian omelette was great!
Waffles are just amazing…truly crispy on the outside and yum.
The star was the server, Erin. She was great with kids and very thoughtful.”
Poke • $
“Delicious and fresh poké! My favorite poké place in the Bay Area. Great variety in the toppings and sauces and they always give generous portions. Fish is excellent quality too.”
Chinese • $
“My wife and I stumbled into the restaurant when we were in the area for an appointment. Good prices, very good quality ingredients, and we were very pleasantly surprised with how much we enjoyed our lunch - hot and sour soup, pot stickers, dumplings, and beef soup noodle (which was brisket and excellent). Really nice server too. We will be back.”
Brewery • $
“Great people and great food. There’s events every night. So fun”
Pizza • $
“Great first time experience at Pizza Guys in San Carlos! I ordered a pizza over the phone for pick up. Friendly and quick service. When I arrived, my jaw nearly dropped when they took $7 off my order and gave me a free container of ice cream! AND the pizza was delicious! THANK YOU!”
Hawaiian • $$
“Always enjoy listening to Rick and Steven with their wonderful music, and selections.Both are friendly and have great rapport with the clientele. They, and the food and mai tais are why we come! Love them!”
Mediterranean • $
“I stumbled upon this place as a second option and it did not disappoint. Food was delicious, service was slower than expected but all in all a good meal for a decent price.”
Brewery • $$
“Best root beer Bay Area at least I think so. Enjoy their beer Fridays with food truck and live music. Their Whinsey Market nights are always on enjoyable, though need more variety or turn over vendors. Otherwise it becomes repetitive shopping
Tried their Grainbakers class, highly recommend for bread making.”
Thai • $$
“Best Thai place i have been too! Great food and even better owners!!”
Outdoor Dining
Pubs • $
“Cool spot, very knowledgeable crew behind the bar. Tina and Steve are rad! Prices were fair. They offered half pints which is a plus. Barstools with a backrest would be nice.”
Sandwich Shop • $
“Sandwiches are fresh and delicious. Lou's sauce is a great condiment. I usually get turkey and their's is one of the best I have had from a deli. You should try it!”
Brewery • $$
“Best root beer Bay Area at least I think so. Enjoy their beer Fridays with food truck and live music. Their Whinsey Market nights are always on enjoyable, though need more variety or turn over vendors. Otherwise it becomes repetitive shopping
Tried their Grainbakers class, highly recommend for bread making.”
Hawaiian • $
“FAMILY OWNED & DELICIOUS! It’s made to order and you get a lot of food!! They host you like you’re in their own home. Which is rare and deserves more than 5 stars. The BBQ chicken is perfectly cooked over veggies and rice. I regretted not ordering double Mac salads because it was the first thing to go. Thank you guys, see you next week!”
Pizza • $$
“My family and I were searching for a great pizza spot near San Carlos and stumbled upon Impasto through Google Maps. I managed to snag a reservation just an hour beforehand, and I’m so glad I did because there were only two slots left. Shortly after we arrived, the place packed out—in the best way possible.
The interior is absolutely beautiful. My wife and I couldn't stop admiring the color palette and how well the entire design came together. Even the small details, like the flower vases on the tables, were incredibly thoughtful.
Our server, Jackson, was fantastic. He gave us great recommendations and, refreshingly, didn't make us feel uncomfortable when we decided to skip drinks that night—something that happens way too often at other places.
Every single thing we ordered was incredible, from the pizza and the roasted beet salad to the veal cannelloni special and tiramisu.
My only minor hurdle was the initial confusion with parking, but the hostess kindly cleared that up for us so we know exactly where to go on our next visit. We will definitely be back!”
Mexican • $
“Got takeout for a family dinner and it was delicious. The burritos were huge and we couldn’t finish them. I would probably order a Baby Burrito next time because they’re so big. The meats were perfectly prepared and very tasty, as were the nachos.”
Wine Bar • $$
“Excellent place to share Cheers with your friends and family. Salute!”
American • $$
“Had a wonderful dining experience at West Park Bistro. The food was incredibly flavorful and the portions were very generous. Service was top-notch—attentive and friendly throughout the night. I also really appreciated the layout; the atmosphere is pleasant and there is plenty of space between tables so you don't feel crowded. Highly recommend!”
Coffee Shops • $
“Best coffee in town, but not the best you’ll ever have. The sandwiches taste much better than they look, I don’t know how they get the eggs so creamy. Limited seating.”
Afghan • $$
“Vriendelijke bediening, grote porties en heerlijke gerechten. Zeer mals vlees, een echte aanrader!”
Peruvian • $$
“muy rica comida! y los ceviches son delicious 😋”
Pizza • $$
“My family and I were searching for a great pizza spot near San Carlos and stumbled upon Impasto through Google Maps. I managed to snag a reservation just an hour beforehand, and I’m so glad I did because there were only two slots left. Shortly after we arrived, the place packed out—in the best way possible.
The interior is absolutely beautiful. My wife and I couldn't stop admiring the color palette and how well the entire design came together. Even the small details, like the flower vases on the tables, were incredibly thoughtful.
Our server, Jackson, was fantastic. He gave us great recommendations and, refreshingly, didn't make us feel uncomfortable when we decided to skip drinks that night—something that happens way too often at other places.
Every single thing we ordered was incredible, from the pizza and the roasted beet salad to the veal cannelloni special and tiramisu.
My only minor hurdle was the initial confusion with parking, but the hostess kindly cleared that up for us so we know exactly where to go on our next visit. We will definitely be back!”
Online Reservation Available
Thai • $$
“Best Thai place i have been too! Great food and even better owners!!”
American • $$
“Best place to go after the holidays, nice service, excellent food and very tasty wine …”
Tapas/Small Plates • $$
“We have been here a couple of times with and without our baby and each time it is amazing. The sushi is fresh and consistently taste good they also have other options that are not sushi. That is amazing like this sizzling beef. We’ve had great experience with their servers every time we’ve went, but they do get busy during prime time dinner time.”
Chinese • $$
“A lovely white tablecloth setting. Great service and delicious food. A lot like Wings in San Jose which is out of business now😭. So yes I love that we found King Chuan Restaurant 😍”
Mexican • $
“Tasty and authentic 🇲🇽 with reasonable prices. Family-run business 😍”
Wine Bar • $$
“Really wonderful service, the blonde curly-haired woman was so nice and perfectly attentive. Great food, nice that they are open late, and a unique vibe for the area.”
Chinese • $$
“IMO the best chinese food place in downtown San Carlos - their sizzling rice soup, and sizzling eggplant vegetables are 😋. You can also do a Bubble tea takeout - do try their Mango yakult (no caffeine) and Thai iced tea. Staff is friendly.”
Cocktail Bar • $$
“Really fun place a lot of l great people will definitely go back”
Mexican • $
“The food is solid… I’ve tried tacos, quesadillas, burritos, etc and all are delicious. For me, the green salsa served with chips/meals is amazing!!! Many places serve chips and salsa, but I will always go back because of the green salsa served… not sure if it’s called verde or tomatillo, but it makes the restaurant for me.”
Bar & Grill • $$
“Fantastic night! Enjoyed Sema and her hospitality tremendously!”
Steak House • $$$
“Great food but expensive. It was a great treat for me. I did enjoy it.”
Wine Bar • $$
“Excellent place to share Cheers with your friends and family. Salute!”
American • $$
“Had a wonderful dining experience at West Park Bistro. The food was incredibly flavorful and the portions were very generous. Service was top-notch—attentive and friendly throughout the night. I also really appreciated the layout; the atmosphere is pleasant and there is plenty of space between tables so you don't feel crowded. Highly recommend!”
Takeout Restaurants
Bar • $
“The best of the best dive bars. Katie is sweet, warm, welcoming and makes everyone feel like a new friend. The regulars here make it feel like home, even to someone who just arrived from the airport. The gourmet food options include Lays, Fritos, Cheetos and Cheez-Its. There's a pool table and shuffleboard. Come for a good time, stay for a long time.”
Mexican • $
“Went for a hike down the road in the nature preserve and on my way driving up I saw this taco truck. Decided to grab some tacos on the way out and this place did not disappoint!!! The service was warm and friendly and the carnitas tacos were delicious. It was quite busy on a weekday at lunch which is a good sign. Cash/venmo/zelle only. $13 for 3 tacos and a drink. Would check it out if you’re in the area! :)”
Sushi • $$
“Always great food & service! Clean, friendly & fresh food! Thank you again!🤗♥”
Bagels • $
“I'm sure you'll find plenty of New Yorkers who, on principle, will exhibit nothing but disdain for any bagel that's made outside their city, but for me House of Bagels delivers a product that's consistently what I consider to be close to if not the quintessential bagel; fresh baked (on site), soft chewy interior, thin crispy crust, mildly sweet malty flavor. Plenty of type/flavor variety too, even pumpernickel which seems to be getting harder to find these days. I was really concerned this place was going to be negatively impacted by the pandemic, but I'm glad they survived.
One note: While there are a few outdoor tables, don't count on there being a place to sit, especially during busy times.”
Barbeque • $$
“This is a whole in the wall place reminiscent of when I used to live in the South! Meats are very tender and sides are flavorful. Everyone working there is super nice as well. It’s hard to find good American style BBQ in the Bay, but I’ll definitely be back when I’m craving it!”
Salad • $
“Fresh and tasty! Don’t forget it’s healthy, too! Highly recommend!”
Food Trucks
“You can tell the birria here was made by someone who cares about flavor and tradition. It’s not rushed, it’s not bland it’s balanced, bold, and beautifully executed. Portion sizes are great, the food comes out hot, and every bite feels intentional.
If you only order one thing from Ramo’s Food Truck, make it the birria.
It’s comforting, flavorful, and cooked with the kind of heart you rarely find.
10/10 Just incredible birria”
Deli • $
“They make the best sandwiches here. I love getting either the Breakfast Burrito or the Breakfast sandwich on the way to work. The people who make my food are very nice. I love the turkey sandwich the most. My husband loves the Always Thanksgiving sandwich. They also have a great selection of fresh breads. My favorite is the Dutch Crunch.”
Recommended
“Excellent place to share Cheers with your friends and family. Salute!”
Afghan • $$
“Vriendelijke bediening, grote porties en heerlijke gerechten. Zeer mals vlees, een echte aanrader!”
Drive-Thru Restaurants
Mexican • $
“Tried 4 tacos, Asada, Pollo, Pastor, Carnitas. Carnitas was the winner, decent portion, decent price, convenient location, easy parking today but I can see it being challenging. Good pickled peppers and carrots on the plate. Good, solid paper plate and foil. Could use some flavorful salsa and a fork for the bits.”
Italian • $$
“Had a great experience here! The calamari was crispy and delicious, the pasta was full of flavor, and the dessert was the perfect way to finish the meal. Everything was fresh and beautifully presented. A special thank you to Mr. G
for his warm hospitality and attentive service. He made us feel truly welcome. I’ll definitely be back!”
Italian • $$
“I got my food to go, and it was ready promptly, and the food was absolutely outstanding! I would recommend this place to anybody!”
Fast Food • $
“(Translated by Google) Good food, the sandwiches are delicious, the place has good food, only I have a complaint and it is not for the place but for the owner, today, Saturday, January 29, at 2 or 2:30 p.m. I went to the homedepot, I went to his place and he had two employees working, a young woman and a lady between 35 and 40 years old, the young lady cooks and works very fast. What I don't like is that the older lady, while I was waiting for my food, was about 20 minutes. This lady spends talking and complaining about the owner and his Unfortunately, other employees took a lot of time for the young woman and instead of getting to work during the course I was there, she did not pay attention to the cashier's window and 4 potential clients left, the fifth person who arrived was waiting and I had to yell at him to pass the You to attend and it is not worth that the business loses money more in these times due to bad employees, instead of paying attention and paying attention to the clients, attending them, let them go, take care of your business, sir, and hire someone people who really want to work and take care of their place not people who only go for their salary thank you(Original)Buena comida los sándwiches estan deliciosos el lugar tiene buena comida solo que tengo un complain y no es para el lugar sino para el dueño hoy sabado 29 de enero alas 2 o 2:30pm fui a homedepot pase asu lugar y tenia dos empleadas trabajando una joven y una señora entre sus 35 y 40 años la jovencita cosina y trabaja muy rapido lo que no me gusta es que la señora mayor en lo que estuve esperando mi comida fueron como unos 20 minutos esta señora sela pasa ablando y quejandose del dueño y de sus otras empledas lastimosamente le kita mucho en tiempo ala joven e ves de ponerse a trabajar en el trascurso que estuve ahi no ponia atencion ala ventanilla de la caja y se fueron 4 potenciales clientes la quinta persona que llego estaba esperando y tuve que gritarle para pasarle la vos para que atendiera y no se vale que por malas empleadas el negocio pierda dinero mas en estos tiempos en ves de poner atencion y restetar alos clientes atendiendoles los deja ir cuide su negocio señor y contrate personas que realmente quieran trabajar y le cuiden su lugar no gente que solo vaya por su salario gracias”
Chinese • $
“Great restaurant! I loved the food, especially the honey walnut imitation meat. Each dish had a great amount of food! We asked for boxes, so we will have a delicious dinner today.
We'll come back for sure!”
Chinese • $
“We had a really good lunch special meal today , food and service was great , would recommend this place . We had Kung Pao Tofu, green beans and salt and pepper fish .”
Wineries • $$
“Awesome venue. Pleasant, chill vibe. Great food for extremely reasonable prices. Very enjoyable wine. Amazing staff. Came as a stranger, left feeling like family. Will definitely be back again.”
American • $$
“Best place to go after the holidays, nice service, excellent food and very tasty wine …”
Cheap Eats
Coffee Shops • $
“The owners are awesome and I'd definitely come back again! :D”
Bubble Tea • $
“A wide variety of mochi donuts available that are soft and fluffy. Cute and clean, bright aesthetic. Honestly, one of the few tea/coffee shops in the area that feel like you could sit for a while and no one would care. My NY Resolution is to try a new boba shop every two weeks, so I feel like I'm becoming a tapioca pearl expert. These were really good! Perfect QQ.”
Creperies • $
“Fun people watching spot for casual meals/bites in the heart of Laurel! Can’t wait to try all of the gelato flavors.”
Bubble Tea • $
“I'm happy to come to Tea Hut again, especially after the Millbrae location closed. The appearance of the menu was a little different, but the drink selection, at least when ordering from the tablet, was as I remember. Glad that could stay consistent. I ordered a Boba N' Milk at 75% sweetness. At most boba places I usually request 50%, but Tea Hut (or maybe just this drink) is already not too sweet to begin with. Although Boba N' Milk sounds simple, they do add a bit of syrup to liven up the taste and the pearls which come with the drink also add flavor. The drink was also just as I remember. You can't really go wrong with Tea Hut.
The atmosphere was also nice and consistent to the location I used to go to. I wish it was a little bigger so there was more seating, but that's out of their control. Overall, 4/5.”
Mexican • $
“The most delicious gluten free burritos. Highly recommend them. We are hooked. The only reason why I gave 3 stars for atmosphere is because of the hard cold metal chairs.”
Coffee Shops • $
“Huge space to calm down and study, WiFi , outlets and heighten chairs and sofa present. I took a hot chocolate which was so good. The servers were welcoming and fun. Good place for kids and family or people who want to study or cowork, family, BFFs and others recommended too.”
Sandwich Shop • $
“Subway San Carlos served me an excellent Spicy Italian made just the way I like it. Mine came on Italian Herb and Cheese bread that was perfectly toasted. Drink on the side was a Dr Pepper, and it was also perfect.
Atmosphere is pretty standard for an older location that has not been updated in many years. The tables , food counter prep area, floors and windows are clean and neat
Parking in front and back.
The one strike against Subway in San Of Carlos was the bathroom. It was obviously not cleaned well for at least a few days. No hook to hang a jacket. Sink drain empties VERY SLOWLY. And when I visited I first had to clear the plugged up toilet and give it a light cleaning before I could use it. Would never had sent kids in there alone because of the lack of upkeep.
Close to the San Carlos Transit Center for easy SamTrans and CalTrain access.
Except for the restroom, I count this Subway visit in San Carlos California as a win.
You may want to stop by yoursellf for some well prepared Subway food too.”
Greek • $
“It’s a Greek restaurant. I wanted to get something healthy so I ate a Salad for 5$. It was nice and made me full for my lunch. Packed with healthy lettuce, tomato and other 🥗. The place was super clean. Indoor Outdoor seating both available. The servers were friendly, attentive and hard working. Most of the food is in the range of 12$+ for one person. Attaching pictures for reference.”
Bubble Tea • $
“Amazing tea with great variety! Accidentally stumbled across this place, have returned since, and am never disappointed! The milk tea boba is great, but the Super Fruit green tea with passion fruit popping boba is next level. The fresh fruit slices mixed in with the tea are a refreshing surprise and the fruit is always ripe and delicious. I tried the grapefruit fruit tea today as well which hit the spot! Would definitely recommend checking out Tea Juice!”
Cocktail Bar • $
“The new management (Carlos Galvan) is great! We felt welcome from the moment we walked through the door! Looking forward to the Friday Night Blues Jams. Great music...great people. Thank you Rail Club!!”
Vietnamese • $
“We LOVE this restaurant! The pho is the best in the area, and the fresh rolls are amazing. We also love the eggplant tofu dish. We eat here at least once a month (mostly takeout), if not more. Highly recommended.”
Tapas/Small Plates • $$
“We have been here a couple of times with and without our baby and each time it is amazing. The sushi is fresh and consistently taste good they also have other options that are not sushi. That is amazing like this sizzling beef. We’ve had great experience with their servers every time we’ve went, but they do get busy during prime time dinner time.”
Chinese • $$
“A lovely white tablecloth setting. Great service and delicious food. A lot like Wings in San Jose which is out of business now😭. So yes I love that we found King Chuan Restaurant 😍”
Wine Bar • $$
“Really wonderful service, the blonde curly-haired woman was so nice and perfectly attentive. Great food, nice that they are open late, and a unique vibe for the area.”
Sushi • $$
“Always great food & service! Clean, friendly & fresh food! Thank you again!🤗♥”
Chinese • $$
“IMO the best chinese food place in downtown San Carlos - their sizzling rice soup, and sizzling eggplant vegetables are 😋. You can also do a Bubble tea takeout - do try their Mango yakult (no caffeine) and Thai iced tea. Staff is friendly.”
Latest Reviews
Chinese • $
“First time here. What great food! Fresh, not greasy Will be back for sure. Service is great. They are so nice here”
Convenience Store • $$
“Bubble Yum, Pop Rocks and Chico sticks. KC & the Sunshine Band crackling from the AM radio of an El Camino parked out front. This is The Little Store as I experienced it circa 1974 in 4th grade. Groups of Arundel and TL kids in and out all afternoon . My friends and I sharing snacks (as much as our pooled change could afford that day) while sitting on the stairs before our brutal treks up the SC hills home. No cell phones. No rides. Lots of fun memories & great friends. Decades later I’m back in the neighborhood and while much has changed, the Little Store hasn’t (it even smells the same). Still friendly owners, and still a convenient stop when driving home or on neighborhood walks for sweet treats, a six pack, or essentials. And for many of us nostalgic touchstone.”
Most Popular Restaurants
Italian • $$
“I got my food to go, and it was ready promptly, and the food was absolutely outstanding! I would recommend this place to anybody!”
Mexican • $
“The most delicious gluten free burritos. Highly recommend them. We are hooked. The only reason why I gave 3 stars for atmosphere is because of the hard cold metal chairs.”
Italian • $$
“Had a great experience here! The calamari was crispy and delicious, the pasta was full of flavor, and the dessert was the perfect way to finish the meal. Everything was fresh and beautifully presented. A special thank you to Mr. G
for his warm hospitality and attentive service. He made us feel truly welcome. I’ll definitely be back!”
Coffee Shops • $
“Best coffee in town, but not the best you’ll ever have. The sandwiches taste much better than they look, I don’t know how they get the eggs so creamy. Limited seating.”
Chinese • $
“My wife and I stumbled into the restaurant when we were in the area for an appointment. Good prices, very good quality ingredients, and we were very pleasantly surprised with how much we enjoyed our lunch - hot and sour soup, pot stickers, dumplings, and beef soup noodle (which was brisket and excellent). Really nice server too. We will be back.”
Hawaiian • $
“FAMILY OWNED & DELICIOUS! It’s made to order and you get a lot of food!! They host you like you’re in their own home. Which is rare and deserves more than 5 stars. The BBQ chicken is perfectly cooked over veggies and rice. I regretted not ordering double Mac salads because it was the first thing to go. Thank you guys, see you next week!”
Burmese • $$
“Great Burmese food. Core dishes are superb - tea leaf salad, chicken coconut curry, lamb or beef kebat. Dine in or carry out are both solid. Our family loves it.”
“I ate at Pazzo on Wednesday and had a great experience. The restaurant is take out only. I ordered at the restaurant instead of on the phone. The staff were super friendly and helpful with recommendations. The order took about 20 minutes and we had a drink outside while waiting. I HIGHLY recommend the shrimp and grits. Over anything else on the menu! And I was told the gnocchi was amazing too iAnd of course the pizza is awesome!”