50 Best Cocktail Bars near San Carlos

“Really fun place a lot of l great people will definitely go back“

“amazing food wonder staff“

“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!“

“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!!“

“Drakes is amazing! Craft Cocktails, great food!! Highly recommend 5 Stars!“

“Everything! It's a flawless dining experience.“

“My wife & I had Sekoya's 3-yr anniversary prix fixe meal. Everything just plain delicious. The Bavette steak was killer, the burrata starter excellent. My wife loved her yellowtail starter and halibut main. The butterscotch and watermelon desserts were delish. I brought a bottle and was treated to excellent wine service, beautiful glassware, with a (by today's standards) very reasonable $35 corkage. Sekoya is now on our radar, and we'll be back!“

“Good food and great customer service. Do recommend“

“Fiona was super friendly and gave amazing recommendations! we just happened to stumble across this place and didn’t know what to expect. she was super inviting and took very good care of us which really made our night. highly recommend to try out the london, midori sour, and passion cocktails. check out their happy hour for deals too!“

“👌👌beautiful the place and the drinks“

“Amazing food and excellent service - highly recommend“

“Met my wife here how can I not love it!“

“An exceptional culinary experience at Protégé in Palo Alto. Every dish showcased masterful technique and impeccable flavors. The A5 Japanese Wagyu Ribeye was perfectly marbled and melted effortlessly, while the Crab and Caviar delivered a luxurious balance of brine and sweetness. The lobster toast was crisp, buttery, and indulgent, and the Black Bass—flawless in execution—was the best I’ve encountered. The Ricotta Dumplings , delicate yet deeply flavorful, rounded out an unforgettable meal. The shigoku oysters with whipped ponzu were indescribably fresh and flavorful. The sunflower Caesar, with its preserved tomato jam, was a unique and unforgettable twist on a classic. As for the brick chicken that we took to go, it was so delicious that it barely made it home before being devoured. The experience was elevated even further by the outstanding service—every person was kind, attentive, and genuinely dedicated to creating a memorable evening. A true showcase of precision, creativity, and hospitality“

“Chef Marcus’ dishes are full of flavor & fresh ingredients that make for a spectacular culinary experience. 😋“

“By far was this is the best Mexican food I've ever had. A bit on the pricey side, but well worth it!“

“Amazing food and excellent service!“

“I’m in town for a few days and, as usual, I love finding interesting, culturally authentic restaurants. and I landed here!

Oh my gosh…the sausage, the sauerkraut, the schnitzel, and yep, the strudel! Every bite took me right back to my Grandma Dorothy’s table. ❤

Everything was absolutely spot-on and delicious, and the service was wonderful. There’s just something special about food that doesn’t only taste good, it brings back memories.

So glad I found this little gem. I’ll definitely be back!“

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

“Excellent, creative dishes! Good service!! 10 stars!!!“

“Cocktails and Wagyu - soooo good!“

“Home away from home. 🏈🍺🎉💕“

“I think this is a good restaurant“

“It's a very nice place to go listen live music and also if you want to dance💃 the only thing I don't like is that they don't have a parking lot so we have to struggle finding a spot to park our car but other than that is very cheap to enjoy a night out!“

“A beautiful Spring lunch & afternoon! Delicious entrees!“

“Ottimo cibo, servizio veloce, locale molto carino.“

“I’ve been there a few times and is always very good I highly recommend“

“Our go-to bar before heading to the Guild Theater. The bartender makes excellent drinks, and every cocktail we've tried has been well-balanced and delicious. It's a great spot to grab a drink before a show. Plus they play old movies with Audrey Hepburn.“

“Really enjoyed our dinner here! We skipped the famous sampler platter since we weren’t super hungry and just ordered a few things that sounded good.
- The beef tongue was a bit chewier than I expected - definitely had to work at it.
- Oxtail stew was tasty but they went a little heavy on the green onions.
- Pork jowl had great flavor and that nice fatty richness, though I wish it had been a touch more tender.
- Whole marinated short rib was absolutely incredible. So tender and juicy, honestly the star of the show.

Worth coming back for that alone. Good meal overall with one dish that really knocked it out of the park!“

“Burma Love was an amazing dining experience! The food was packed with vibrant flavors and thoughtfully prepared, the service was friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. Every bite was enjoyable, and I’d definitely come back again to try more dishes!“

“Amazing experience.

Great staff. Great drinks. Great atmosphere.

I feel at home.

The drinks are delicious. We had 3 rounds and wish we had more time!

The bartenders actually have personalities!

Go and enjoy! You’re welcome.“

“Amandine was incredible. If you are a fan of great cocktails and amazing atmosphere you'll be right at home. They know what they're doing and the service can't be beat. 10/10 experience. I can't wait for my next trip to California to come back.“

“Nice place but one guy close early on sundays.around 9;30 pm“

“I’m Thai and my family was in the restaurant business so I know Thai food. Our group of over 10 people dined here today. Food was great. It was a team event so we requested a prix fixe menu and budget control. The restaurant was very responsive and go above and beyond to help us with the arrangements. The menu options was good. We had some vegans in the group and vegan options were good too. Everyone in my team loved it. Thank you for a wonderful evening!“

“First time dining at Twelvemonth. Everything from ambiance, food quality, to service was outstanding. It is such a treat to have an entirely plant based menu in a beautiful environment like this. Jack, our server, and management took incredible care of us. Will absolutely be back to try the rest of the menu. My compliments to the kitchen and staff. Cheers!“

“Hadn’t been here in nearly 30 years, we moved to Seattle, but back for vacation. Had to have the Cancun platter. Just like I remembered!!“

“We have been here several times now. It is a cozy and relaxed restaurant. The menu is somewhat limited however everything we have tried has been delicious. The staff are very pleasant. We will be back.“

“Such a lovely bespoke atmosphere and the cocktails and bar bites are so artfully crafted. My only disappointment was that I only had time to visit once during my time in San Mateo but I hope to return. Cheers!“

“Staff are friendly. They’re pet friendly. My Ribeye steak was the best!“

“Needed a break from the terminal chaos, so my travel companion and I sat down at Tapas and Taps for a quick bite. We decided to share a bottle of wine and an order of buffalo wings.

The food was great. The wings came out hot, fresh, and had a fantastic kick to them—definitely hit the spot. It was a nice, civilized way to spend an hour before boarding.

The only reason I’m not giving a perfect score is the service. Our server was incredibly nice, but she seemed to have about ten things on her mind at once. She kept coming back to our table before we were ready, practically hovering while we tried to decide on the wine, and seemed eager to rush us through the process. It wasn't rude, just very distracted. A little patience goes a long way, and I wish we hadn't felt so hurried. Great food, just hope the service is a bit more relaxed next time.“

“🎉 Just had an unforgettable evening at Ettan! Cozy vibes, top-notch service, and every dish was a masterpiece. 🍽 The chef's special? Mind-blowing! 🤯 Whether it's for the ambiance, the flavors, or the amazing staff, Ettan's a must-visit. Left with a full belly and even fuller heart. ❤️ Can't wait to go back! #EttanMagic #FoodieDream #BestDinnerEver“

“The bistek asado. omg! soooo tender. we ordered it medium. it was perfect. We also ordered the pollo rostisado con mole. it was tender and tasty. Thank you for accommodating us with no reservations. make reservations. place gets packed quick.“

“Enjoyed their Hamburger and fish & Chips Fries are excellent. Lovely surroundings, the ducks enjoyed the pool.“

“Stella is a sweet, comfortable restaurant with lovely employees and tasty food. The cheese bread was excellent, and the spicy pasta special was absolutely amazing and full of flavor.

Unfortunately, my pork loin was disappointing. It was served with white beans and sauce, and the beans were actually the best part of the dish. The pork itself lacked flavor and was somewhat tough. I hope they revisit this dish because, in my opinion, it does not represent the quality of the rest of their menu.

What truly made our experience worthwhile was our server, George. He was one of the most attentive and sincere servers anyone could ask for. In today’s world, excellent service can be difficult to find, but Stella clearly knows how to choose its employees. The entire staff was friendly and helpful, and it genuinely felt like a team effort to make sure we had a pleasant experience.

We understand how difficult it is to operate a restaurant today, and we appreciate what Stella is doing. We are repeat customers and look forward to returning—next time, I’ll just order a different entrée!“

“太棒了，肉品沒吃多少，倒是吃了好幾磅的櫻桃🍒“

“Great selection of food, the house special pork pan fried bao is delicious -- one of the best outside of China. Love its tapas style, you can get a lot of smaller dishes to share and try a lot of different items! Service is outstanding!! Every server is so hospitable and you can tell they care about their customers.

We tried a lot of their items, would totally recommend the dumplings, XLB, wonton in chili oil, pan fried bao, skewers such as the ox tongue, salmon and chicken. Kids loved the porridge and ramen too. We got a bottle of sake, it comes with the coolest chilling/dispensing device -- it's an experience!“

“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!“

“I ate there last week for the first time in several years. The menu is large and many different styles of food. I had the Prime Rib and it was EXCELLENT. There was 2 others in my party and they were equally impressed. Another benefit is that there are no parking problems. I will definitely eat there again.“

“Fantastic Cocktails, Vibrant Small Plates, and Great Group Vibe!
We had an outstanding meal at Horsefeather in Town & Country Village near Stanford! The space is sleek, modern, and light-filled, making it a perfect spot to gather with friends for lunch or evening drinks and bites.
Here is a breakdown of what we tried:
Deviled Eggs: A must-order appetizer! Topped with tobiko/caviar, crispy shallots, and chives, they are incredibly creamy with a nice pop of texture and savoriness.
Korean Fried Chicken Wings: Crispy, perfectly glazed in a sweet-and-spicy sauce, and topped with sesame seeds. Served with a cool dipping sauce that balances out the heat wonderfully.
Tacos (Carnitas & Shrimp): Both taco options were served on warm, fresh corn tortillas topped with pickled red onions, cilantro, and served with a side of slaw and spicy salsa. High quality and super flavorful.
Roasted Cauliflower: A gorgeous mixture of purple and white cauliflower tossed with a rich green pesto and drizzle of spicy red pepper sauce. A phenomenal vegetable side with a great kick.
French Fries: Golden, crispy, well-seasoned, and served in a massive bowl—perfect for sharing across the entire table.
Overall: Excellent presentation, generous portions for small plates, and a super welcoming atmosphere. Whether you’re stopping by for creative craft cocktails or grabbing a bite with a group near campus, Horsefeather delivers. Highly recommended!“

“Fantastic food and good prices Excellent service“

“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.“