50 Best Bars near Menlo Park

“We had cocktails here and appetizers from the restaurant next store. Masha the bartender is the absolute BEST! We stayed longer than intended, had another round and almost missed our subsequent dinner reservation! This is an excellent option for drinks, appetizers or dinner.“

“Lovely lounge for an evening drink with your coworkers or family. The atmosphere is pleasant with gorgeous views of the mountains. If seated indoors, the library environment is warm and soothing. The food is delicious either lovely choice of cocktails, wine and beers. This is most favored place for business hangouts and casual meetings.“

“exceeded my expectations, beautifully done. Staff is gorgeous. And not bad looking either. These people knew what they were doing, love what they do, and it exudes through the food and experience.. I will be back a million times.“

“Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all great and always hit the spot. Come by in the evenings if you enjoy the social atmosphere or want to hang out with friends.

Molly O’s has become a popular destination for people from all over the Peninsula on weekends. During the day it’s family-friendly and welcoming, but Friday nights bring a fun younger crowd with DJs, dancing, and great energy. The vibe stays lively and comfortable for a wide range of ages.

Saturday nights are just as great with live music ranging from young country artists to traditional Irish fiddlers, something different every weekend that keeps people coming back.

The food, beer, and cocktails were all excellent, the service was amazing, and meeting Molly herself made the experience even better. You can tell this place is built on hospitality and good people. Definitely one of the best nightlife spots in San Carlos.“

“The bartender Michelle she’s good and hard worker“

“¡ La limpieza!! La atención al cliente y la esmerada creación de las pizzas, me dan la certeza de que al recomendarlo, no me van a dejar mal !! Los precios, accesibles y todo el establecimiento contribuye a pasar un grato fin de semana con familiares y/o amigos !“

“Suzanna and Ashley are the best bartenders there oh and def can’t forget about Tiffany“

“Honestly, this is my favorite speakeasy in the Bay Area. It quietly opened during Covid and quickly became one of those places you almost want to keep secret. Reservations only. Strictly. and getting a prime-time slot isn’t always easy — which says a lot about how popular it is.

The vibe is amazing: old-fashioned leather chairs, bookshelves stretching all the way to the ceiling, and dim, intimate lighting that makes the space feel cozy, sexy and private. It’s the kind of place where you can definitely dress up and enjoy a proper night out.

The drink selection is huge and very creative. Their specialty cocktails come in a deck of tarot cards, which makes choosing a drink part of the fun. My go-to is the Wisewoman, and the French 75 is also beautifully balanced. That said, they update their menu pretty often. They’ve even created custom drinks for special requests before, which was a nice surprise.

Oh, about the “speakeasy” part, you have to figure out the code at the door with the “rabbit” to get in (hint hint), which is so fun! 🤩“

“Amazing ribeye and great vibes!“

“They dont really serve food but you can bring your own in. Really fun place. Couple pool tables great service. Most folks I talked to have been coming here for decades, so that's got say something! Great bartenders! Especially the day time guy!

Cash only though. They have an atm on site if needed. Definitely worth it stopping by.“

“Our band, Drini & the Bad Kats Band, played at the venue for the first time last night. The entire staff, patrons and owner were great. Our friends loved the venue as well. I’ve been for Karaoke Nights several times and have always had a blast as well. The drinks are strong and delicious, just like I like em. Lots of space to move around too. 🤗🎤🎉“

“What a quirky, rare find! A true dive bar, very real and authentic. There's, obviously, a bar, plus karaoke in the corner, a big wall for darts practice, a pool table, and several arcade games. Friday night was sparsely attended, but the karaoke was strong and the darts were still flying. Drinks were less than $10, the bartender was polite, and the other patrons were thoughtfully minding their own business. We loved everything about it?“

“Been in the area for work a few times in the last couple months. I found this place on my first trip out here and couldn’t have stumbled upon a better place. They don’t have a kitchen, but you can find some of the best food trucks parked outside the front door regularly. A great place to watch sports and hang out where the locals do. From the owner to Jessica behind the bar, you’ll feel right at home.“

“Can I give it 10 stars for atmosphere? Maybe 1 or 2 for food, but that makes it even at 5 stars. It's a historic dive bar that has character from its many years of pouring drinks. It's the absolute opposite of many of the bars/restaurants just down the road. Those are nice too, but cannot keep up with the character at Pioneer...“

“New cocktail spot by the Protege crew which is upscale yet fun and has a great HH weekdays. Great option for pre or post dinner when in the area.

Highlights:
- Happy hour: 4-5:30 weekdays--including Fridays. Includes a set of $10 drinks which is a steal for the bay area. Includes one of my fave cocktails (vesper) so I was super excited about that.
- Cocktails: quality and a choice between classic like the vesper or high balls and special ones like the XXX and a bunch of others.
- Sodas: they make their own which I think is super cool
- Vibe: energetic and classy--not stuffy. Nice staff.
- Nuts: tasty warm snack while you enjoy your beverage. 4 stars
- Raw fish tostada: complex but fresh mix of flavors and texture. 4 stars
- Mochiko chicken: standard flavors and textures was fine. 3.5 stars
- Cocktail option on California: not too many but more opening up lately. And open later than most places in the area (11pm on Wed/Thurs, 12am Fri/Sat)
- No reservations needed
- Trainable: only few blocks away from the California Caltrain station

Midlights:
- A5 wagyu shu mai: was super excited at the sound of this but was just ok. 3 stars

Lowlights:
- Unpredictable when it'll be busy. Came early on a Wednesday once and it was packed.“

“Great beer! Especially the Belgians. Friendly bartender.“

“Went here twice for a film screening and Dust Breaks' EP release party—both different and great events! Good vibes, warm & inviting while having great staging for different kinds of events to play with. As an artist myself, I'd like to play a show here in the future for its vibes, drinks, easy access to food along the area, and friendly service! Shoutout to Allan for the friendliness and tech help!“

“We were weary travelers stopping by Scotty's in hope of a more chill vibe with some good food, and Scottys delivered! Our bartender, Sergio, was so friendly and fun! We got some inside knowledge about the town as we are from Oregon. The drinks were perfect and the food was top notch! I would have expected to pay a lot more for the quality of food and service we received at literally any of the surrounding places. We will visit Palo Alto again if only to go back to Scotty's as a new tradition! Thank you, Sergio, for making our anniversary dinner a great one! Someone give him a raise!“

“sports atmosphere....patrons are awesome, jukebox I love and the bartenders are awesome...“

“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.“

“good chill place to hangout and have drinks and shoot pool with the locals. everyone there is chill“

“Karaoke with Ben on Thursday nights is always a blast. Good parking in front and rear, good bartenders, drinks, 2 pool tables, dart board, clean bathrooms, and a relaxed low-key dive bar feel. If you're looking for a local hideaway, then The Harbor is your refuge.

Wheelchair accessibility: ADA accessibility“

“Home away from home. 🏈🍺🎉💕“

“Wow - family gathering, center table on Sunday. Steve, Sean and the crew were first class for our group of relatives (yes, celebrating a birthday). The selections from steak to lamb and more were delicious! The Yorkshire pudding, excellent temp and texture baked potatoes, and various warm and tasty vegetables complimented the generous and well marbled cuts. The starter salad was crisp and delightful. Outstanding!“

“Rolled into town on a Wednesday, looking to book a late night party on the upcoming Saturday. Monica behind the bar grabbed the owner Malhi from next door. They were both super helpful and made it easy. Had a great time with good drinks. Even pumped our own music through their sound system. Nice looking place with chill vibe.“

“Awesome rooftop bar with stunning views and great cocktails!“

“Greens are true and the range has a helpful computer system“

“Had a wonderful, fresh breakfast and a nice dinner at the restaurant in The Westin in Palo Alto. The breakfast I chose was the bar which included eggs, bacon, potatoes, and French toast. Cereal, coffee, OJ, and toast was available as well a 8 varieties of fruit.For dinner, I started with the cheese plate and finished with the Soleil Burger with Gilroy fries. Long Islands were outstanding. The cheese plate was excellent and served with toast. The burger was cooked to perfection with bacon and cheddar.“

“Great way to spend some time.! Friendly people every where. It is realky great when you win too! Lol“

“It's a good old fashioned pub. Nothing fancy, just a nice comfortable place to have a drink and make a friend. There is a large outside area where you can smoke and have a drink, which is hard to find. It's my go to place after a hard days work. The service is the best !!“

“I loved Lorena's service, she is super professional and detailed with her hands and products. She relaxes you and makes you conscious. She makes you feel like you are in the clouds. Of course I highly recommend her. You will not regret it. You will return and above all, the results are instantaneous. thank you ? My Lore“

“The ambiance is chill to have meetings here. My friends like it too. I don't drink, so the bartender always makes me the best non alcoholic drinks. Everyone is friendly here. I've been coming here for over fifteen years because I love the location and the customers are always cool people.“

“Always great atmosphere electric.“

“An interesting place to stop for lunch if you’re at Moffet Field. And it has a dog friend patio. The bar was closed on the Wednesday we went, but the grill was open.
This was apparently the former Officers Club building and sits across from the looming Hangar One.
Both the patty melt and Philly cheesesteak were tasty.
Don’t miss the Moffet Field Museum across the street.“

“Le banc is just what Los Altos needs! A low key, no frills bar with good drinks, TV’s to watch your favorite sporting event, darts and the ability to bring in your own food of choice. This place has just the basics and is run by great people who know the biz!“

“Fred’s is the best Monday trivia and Thursday Karaoke“

“Great selection of beers!“

“Mr Ralph Carico is the most skilled trader I've ever encountered, I will certainly advise everyone to utilize his service, He’s so wonderful Ralph Carico.“

“Good food and drinks but Very pricey. Great staff. The food is pretty good. There is a young girl that works in the kitchen that's just Very rude and off-putting for no reason. No matter how nice you are it's like she has something against you. But all in all a great place.“

“Great venue for parties & just a nice place to have drinks. Beer selection is fabulous as is the atmosphere. McGoverns bartenders are fun friendly & helpful. There are numerous games to enjoy playing from table hockey, billiards, checkers, pinball, ect. If you walk in solo...you’ll find yourself with plenty of friendly people & conversation!“

“I’ve come here twice to enjoy and work from my laptop on the patio. The views are stunning and in the evening when it’s breezy they even offer blankets despite the rooftop being heated at night. The light bites are amazing— I LOVED the charcuterie board. There is a 90 min limit on the table which is fine so others can also enjoy the vibes. The service was great, Chef Tony came out and introduced himself and I sang his praises, the bartender and server was attentive and helpful and both even let me know on Fridays or the weekends in the summer they bring in a dj! Will definitely be checking that out!“

“In truth, I recommend Jessica --the front desk-- who makes sure that I receive extra marinara as well as extra sauce Anglaise... for takeout. Until, we talked, I stopped ordering from Terun on principle. I was a frequent client. Takeout customers must be honored for requests that are gladly honored when in the dining room. Takeout customers should be thanked for not causing dirty tablecloths and dishes -- and LOYALTY. Jessica reinstated that loyalty. I truly hope that the owners appreciate her. Without extra sauces the food is too dry. With it, delicious. The prices honor extra sauces and more!“

“Everything was great. Waiters were friendly. Overall 5/5!“

“Good food. Good service. Good atmosphere.“

“Great owner! Great Staff! Comfortable surroundings! Gotta be there!!“

“It's inside the building for graduate students to meet and attend certain activities. They offer a variety of food with reasonable prices. There's no table service. After done eating, you need to bring your own plates to the collection trays. Good place to grab something if you're on campus but too far away from the tresiddor union. There are not many places open on weekends. This is one of those.“

“Great food but expensive. It was a great treat for me. I did enjoy it.“

“A group (6) of us went to celebrate a friends retirement and it was the first time for all of us at Amara. We wanted to to try a variety of dishes since they all sounded so good! James was our waiter, he was amazing and helped us come up with a selection that that was a mix of their Mezzes, Share Plates and Large plates. Their pita bread was to die for, it was so delicious and it helped us sop up every last bit of the sauces from each dish. James also made a suggestion of an off menu Cabbage ( shared plate) that hands down we all loved. The Branzino , the raviolis, Broccoli, egg plant and Muhammara all were delicious with wonderful flavors!! And like I said earlier James was an amazing waiter and contributed to our wonderful meal. I definitely plan on going back 😋“

“After 20+ years of coming here…it’s STILL incredible! The Mojito! The Masitas, the snapper, and soooooo much more!“