MacArthur Park Restaurant and Bar

Um, this was an Open Table fail. The food wasn't terrible but there were very weird elements. Like, I couldn't drink water because the smell/taste of the dishwasher detergent residue on the glasses was so strong. The outside was so cute from the pictures on Opentable but it was this giant empty hall where you might have a wedding for your 2nd cousin or an awkward work party. Then they put up a privacy screen to keep half of the restaurant empty and crammed the rest of us together at too small tables. The lighting was a mix of lovely warm chandeliers mixed with the occasional blue/cold spotlight like you might find outside of someone's garage. This place could be really charming and the interior has potential but someone with very odd taste is in charge. The food is just like a 4.5 out of 10 maybe. Even the fresh baked bread had perfect crust/ texture but the taste was pretty bad- like it was made with old oil or something. The crowd here is definitely on the much older and decidedly not-foodie side.

We come here a lot. Especially when we have Palo Alto Players theatre tickets. We are never disappointed with our meal. The entrees are delicious and well presented. The service is professional, kind and prompt. We are never late for a performance.

Hosted a private dinner here for 20 doctors and they never notified me that they were in the middle of renovations. It was so embarrassing for all of my guests. We had to tell them to stop drilling so we could hear ourselves. I suggested they offer a $25 gift certificate to each guest but was refused. The entire experience was awful and totally avoidable if they had AT ANY POINT contacted us to let us know of the inconvenience. Poor management! And the food was subpar.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

Great food, great service and a relaxing atmosphere. My new favorite restaurant.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

I used to come here as a kid and it was 10/10. Over the last few years the wheels fell off. It has not been kept up and overall quality has taken a steep dive. So much potential here if good ownership took over.

Atmosphere: 2

Food: 2

Service: 3

The current owner Faz gave me a grand tour of the facility, and I was impressed with the history in heritage of this venue, along with the current use from an army depot to a critically acclaimed neighborhood eatery in the shadow of Stanford University

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

The food was delicious and we will definitely be back.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Meal and service was good, but the restaurant was empty...like it was just 2 of us having dinner. Which seems strange for a Friday night at 8:30.

Very tasty BBQ
Service was outstanding
Enrique made our party of 8 feel right at home
Thanks 👍

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

MacArthur Park is a quiet, somewhat forgotten gem in the heart of Palo Alto. Probably more popular in its prime, but still full of charm. Ignore the old reviews. Despite holding an event on a Friday evening, the dining room was peaceful and uncrowded. Our server was kind, ensuring we had a good time and even made sure we enjoyed every last drop of wine. We started with the onion strings, fried fresh, generously portioned, and only $10 for two. A basket of crusty bread with butter came out on the house, also solid. For mains, the half chicken ($28) was incredibly juicy, bright with zesty flavor, and served with beautifully charred vegetables. I typically never order poultry (almost always dry every-time), but I was happy I did. The prawn salad was also a highlight. The shrimp came skewered, hot off the grill, and full of fresh, smoky flavor. Altogether, dinner for two came out to just $80, a rare value in the center of venture capital-run Palo Alto, where most meals these days feel overpriced. No complaints. Just a quality meal in a lovely setting with an even more lovely fiancee. A solid 10/10. MacArthur Park is worth your time.

Hadn’t been to the restaurant in over 30 years. We used to frequently dine there when we lived in the area. It was exceptional. I had the rosemary chicken and my husband had the ribs and chicken. My favorite turtle pie was as delicious as I remembered. Enrique our waiter was very knowledgeable and provided excellent customer service. We look forward to the next time when we are in Palo Alto and visit the restaurant.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Nice space and friendly staff. Unfortunately the buffet for Fathers Day was pretty sad. Bland food. Edible but nothing to get excited about.

Staff was great but unfortunately the food was nothing special. Meat was dry and not many variety that would be worth the $75 per person.

The food and service were excellent. The buffet choices were many and varied: one of us is a vegetarian and was pleased with the choices. It was a good value considering the quality of food choices.

We enjoyed having brunch for Father's Day at MacArthur Park. The venue is very nice and the food and service were great. Always a fun place to go.