I had the scallops with the risotto and corn. No sauce. 3 others in the party had the same dish with the sauce, none of them finished the meal with that sauce on the risotto. They should rethink that dish, it was sooooo good without it. The restaurant is too expensive to serve a meal to a party plated as described on the menu and no one like it. It was a waste of money for those 3 people. It's was loud.
I held a baby shower here because they had a completely private room! Hard to find in the peninsula for 8. What surprised us was how wonderful the food was! I mean excellent. Several of the ladies are going to come back!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Peter Jensen
I eat out a lot all over the world. During the hundreds of dinners, I don't think I've ever had to give one star. Valentine's Day was that exception. Interesting that the restaurant managed to remove my review from Opentable which explains why their rating is high on OT. Waiter / service was so bad that we had to get up and leave after our two welcome drinks had arrived and before we had even ordered dinner. The issues was their reaction after I pointed out that nowhere had they explained that the only option was a 3 course fixed price dinner. Not on their website, not on opentable. The smart way would have been to acknowledge that they should have informed the customers in advance, and either: Offer a welcome drink on the house or allow us only to pick two dishes and maybe deduct $20. The issue was not the 3 course dinner or the money. It was the attitude and complete lack of customer understanding and flexibility. As always, it comes down to the individual waiter. But his behavior is a function of the management.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 1
Chiucat / Angel
We had a private group (17 people) event here. Had the Gardenia room, which was about right for our group (it can accommodate more people). The food was very good - 2 salads, a duck middle course, 4 main entrees & 2 dessert choices. The chocolate mousse cake could have been more dense & dark chocolate, but it was acceptable. Service was attentive, and the room provided sufficient standing room for the circulating hor d'oeuvres.Because another large(r) group called in to book the same night (about 2 weeks before the event, and 1 month after we had already booked), the restaurant tried a couple times to get us to agree to a smaller room (here would have been no standing room given our group's size) or be seated in the main dining room where the bar was (separate tables would have made the event awkward). We had already booked & paid the down payment, and since the alternatives were unacceptable, we didn't agree. While we got the room we wanted, this back-&-forth should never have happened.Parking: This is downtown San Mateo. Parking is generally tough. You must contend for street parking in a dense urban environment. Expect to take an extra 10 minutes to park & walk to the restaurant.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Beet Salad, Duck Ragout
ValerieL
Food was excellent with wide selection and generous portions. Service was superb. Everyone was attentive and friendly. Ambience in the bar area where we sat was very pleasant. First time eating there and would definitely go back again!
It's been a long time since I went to this restaurant but it certainly was better than I recall. The service was great and the dishes were all incredibly tasty. The price per dish was a little on the pricier side but it was worth it. I'll come back for sure
Claudia K M
A recent dining experience at Central Park Bistro left me utterly enchanted! We kicked off with the Living Butter Lettuce Salad, a delectable shareable delight. The Bosc pear added a sweet touch, perfectly complemented by the Champagne Vinaigrette.For a communal feast, we delved into the Charcuterie for 3, and it did not disappoint. The generous portions made it an ideal choice for sharing among friends. Moving on to the main course, the Seafood Linguine pasta was a burst of flavors. A must-try! In consideration of dietary restrictions, the restaurant graciously substituted lobster with Salmon in the dish, showcasing their flexibility and commitment to customer satisfaction. The Paella was equally praiseworthy, a symphony of tastes that left a lasting impression.Central Park Bistro is a must-visit in the area, offering a culinary experience that transcends expectations. From the thoughtful presentation of salads to the flavorful main courses, each dish is a testament to the culinary excellence found in San Mateo.
Mostly OK but Soup a little thin: had Lutece Pasta (my favorite dish and found sometime a terrific and delicious meal, but sometimes a little off, this time it didn't match the menu items offered: had wrong dessert placed ordered French and got cake and topped. Sorry about the spelling . But mostly every thing was OK and will without a problem return.
Jesua Sarmiento
Went here for valentine's day, had a great time and food was delicious. Did put a star down because the heart cake my gf got was frozen solid and very hard to bite into. Other than that it was great.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
dana wu
pricy for what it is - $44 for 3 scallops!4/5 veal ravioli
The $32 dollar Caesar with two tiny crab cake was mediocre. The cakes tasted like they had been in the freezer too long. The parmigiana was chewy. If are sensitive to wood smoke you may want eat outside.
AdamD
Cocktail drinks, soup of the day...mushroom, steak and hamburger were to near savory perfection! The service staff was warm, friendly and accommodating. Central Park Bistro has dialed it in perfectly!
DonnaH
1 of 7 never got her meal until the others had finished. It was hard to get the server's attention. When we did, he said the meal was cold from sitting too long and they had to make a new one ever! The other 6 had to wait for that guest to finish before getting dessert. The food was delicious, but the server should have come by to check that all were served. Then another guest pulled a hair from her mouth after a bite of linguini. At $90 per plate it was a disappointment. We complained and the manger comped one meal of the 7, but we would rather have had good service.
JillN
While I was very happy with the company, I was disappointed with our Valentine's dinner at Central Park Bistro. I looked at several restaurants, and many were offering a Prix Fixe menu which I wanted to avoid because I had a late lunch. Central Park Bistro didn't advertise a Prix Fixe menu so I made the reservation. Unfortunately, only the Prix Fixe menu (for $90 each) was available so at that point we didn't have too much choice. I politely explained my frustration to the manager and the waitress with no satisfaction. The dinner was average to fine, but we were rushed from the second we sat down. Disappointing to be sure.
I had the scallops with the risotto and corn. No sauce. 3 others in the party had the same dish with the sauce, none of them finished the meal with that sauce on the risotto. They should rethink that dish, it was sooooo good without it. The restaurant is too expensive to serve a meal to a party plated as described on the menu and no one like it. It was a waste of money for those 3 people. It's was loud.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Seared Scallops, Seafood Linguine, Crab Cakes
I held a baby shower here because they had a completely private room! Hard to find in the peninsula for 8. What surprised us was how wonderful the food was! I mean excellent. Several of the ladies are going to come back!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
I eat out a lot all over the world. During the hundreds of dinners, I don't think I've ever had to give one star. Valentine's Day was that exception. Interesting that the restaurant managed to remove my review from Opentable which explains why their rating is high on OT. Waiter / service was so bad that we had to get up and leave after our two welcome drinks had arrived and before we had even ordered dinner. The issues was their reaction after I pointed out that nowhere had they explained that the only option was a 3 course fixed price dinner. Not on their website, not on opentable. The smart way would have been to acknowledge that they should have informed the customers in advance, and either: Offer a welcome drink on the house or allow us only to pick two dishes and maybe deduct $20. The issue was not the 3 course dinner or the money. It was the attitude and complete lack of customer understanding and flexibility. As always, it comes down to the individual waiter. But his behavior is a function of the management.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 1
We had a private group (17 people) event here. Had the Gardenia room, which was about right for our group (it can accommodate more people). The food was very good - 2 salads, a duck middle course, 4 main entrees & 2 dessert choices. The chocolate mousse cake could have been more dense & dark chocolate, but it was acceptable. Service was attentive, and the room provided sufficient standing room for the circulating hor d'oeuvres.Because another large(r) group called in to book the same night (about 2 weeks before the event, and 1 month after we had already booked), the restaurant tried a couple times to get us to agree to a smaller room (here would have been no standing room given our group's size) or be seated in the main dining room where the bar was (separate tables would have made the event awkward). We had already booked & paid the down payment, and since the alternatives were unacceptable, we didn't agree. While we got the room we wanted, this back-&-forth should never have happened.Parking: This is downtown San Mateo. Parking is generally tough. You must contend for street parking in a dense urban environment. Expect to take an extra 10 minutes to park & walk to the restaurant.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Beet Salad, Duck Ragout
Food was excellent with wide selection and generous portions. Service was superb. Everyone was attentive and friendly. Ambience in the bar area where we sat was very pleasant. First time eating there and would definitely go back again!
It's been a long time since I went to this restaurant but it certainly was better than I recall. The service was great and the dishes were all incredibly tasty. The price per dish was a little on the pricier side but it was worth it. I'll come back for sure
A recent dining experience at Central Park Bistro left me utterly enchanted! We kicked off with the Living Butter Lettuce Salad, a delectable shareable delight. The Bosc pear added a sweet touch, perfectly complemented by the Champagne Vinaigrette.For a communal feast, we delved into the Charcuterie for 3, and it did not disappoint. The generous portions made it an ideal choice for sharing among friends. Moving on to the main course, the Seafood Linguine pasta was a burst of flavors. A must-try! In consideration of dietary restrictions, the restaurant graciously substituted lobster with Salmon in the dish, showcasing their flexibility and commitment to customer satisfaction. The Paella was equally praiseworthy, a symphony of tastes that left a lasting impression.Central Park Bistro is a must-visit in the area, offering a culinary experience that transcends expectations. From the thoughtful presentation of salads to the flavorful main courses, each dish is a testament to the culinary excellence found in San Mateo.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Seafood Linguine, Paella, Butter Lettuce Salad, Chocolate Lava Cake
Mostly OK but Soup a little thin: had Lutece Pasta (my favorite dish and found sometime a terrific and delicious meal, but sometimes a little off, this time it didn't match the menu items offered: had wrong dessert placed ordered French and got cake and topped. Sorry about the spelling . But mostly every thing was OK and will without a problem return.
Went here for valentine's day, had a great time and food was delicious. Did put a star down because the heart cake my gf got was frozen solid and very hard to bite into. Other than that it was great.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
pricy for what it is - $44 for 3 scallops!4/5 veal ravioli
Restaurantji Recommends
The $32 dollar Caesar with two tiny crab cake was mediocre. The cakes tasted like they had been in the freezer too long. The parmigiana was chewy. If are sensitive to wood smoke you may want eat outside.
Cocktail drinks, soup of the day...mushroom, steak and hamburger were to near savory perfection! The service staff was warm, friendly and accommodating. Central Park Bistro has dialed it in perfectly!
1 of 7 never got her meal until the others had finished. It was hard to get the server's attention. When we did, he said the meal was cold from sitting too long and they had to make a new one ever! The other 6 had to wait for that guest to finish before getting dessert. The food was delicious, but the server should have come by to check that all were served. Then another guest pulled a hair from her mouth after a bite of linguini. At $90 per plate it was a disappointment. We complained and the manger comped one meal of the 7, but we would rather have had good service.
While I was very happy with the company, I was disappointed with our Valentine's dinner at Central Park Bistro. I looked at several restaurants, and many were offering a Prix Fixe menu which I wanted to avoid because I had a late lunch. Central Park Bistro didn't advertise a Prix Fixe menu so I made the reservation. Unfortunately, only the Prix Fixe menu (for $90 each) was available so at that point we didn't have too much choice. I politely explained my frustration to the manager and the waitress with no satisfaction. The dinner was average to fine, but we were rushed from the second we sat down. Disappointing to be sure.
Nice restaurant with great seafood options.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5