Restaurants in San Rafael

“Without a doubt, the best cocktail bar in Marin! The menu is fantastic, but their off-menu creations are even better. The friendly, outstanding service puts this place in a league of its own. Christian and Manny are truly pros🤙🏽”

“Excellent made to order Momo’s. I can’t wait to return!”

“there's usually always a wait but excellent!”

“This place is really authentic. Food is cooked from scratch. Yuca is crispy and delicious. Beans are so tasty and pupusas well filled with yumminess”

“Great food and service. Great presentation”

“Of all the Indian restaurants in the Bay Area that I tried, this restaurant has the best food imo. I discovered this place by chance on the way to Napa. After having a full meal, I ordered another meal for takeout because the food was so good. I've been here twice now. It's exceptionally good.”

“Got pick-up and had to wait around for another 30 minutes after arriving.

Food was ok, garlic naan was tough and bland and fried momos were soft not crispy. Tandoori chicken was the saving grace and was ok.

Updating original review. The owner really cares about customer service and apologized for what happened, really appreciate the care they give to their customers”

“I came with my family here, very clean place, clean restroom, clean everything, good food. Fast service, but please ladies from the front (customer service) smile, you take care of the customer like robots, next, thank you , next, thank you next. I was looking at every single person that was receiving their orders to make sure that chips are given to some odres or to every order. We order two burritos, one pupusa and twelve tacos. We did not received chips at all. I saw people that purchase tacos , receiving their chips, this wasn’t my case. No one gave us our chips😟”

“I thought this was an ordinary around the corner boba tea shop, the store presentation and their uniqueness really surprised me. Not only did they offer Vietnamese coffee made from equator coffee, they also offered a variety of matcha for matcha lovers like me. They pretty much have everyone covered. I also like that they have the option to do 0% sweet, which is extremely important for those who are health conscious.”

“Talked myself into trying something different today... Fried chicken thighs and it wasn't up to par as the pork belly is. The chicken may have been over bribed as I found it real salty :-(”

“Such fresh good food. I made my own scramble it was beyond delicious!!!”

“Wonderful food and service. Highly recommend!”

“This guy is an Italian genius when it comes to food! The combinations of flavors he comes up with would rival any great Italian chef. I met him while selling at a local farmers market a while ago-during or right after the pandemic. Restaurants were closed and he needed a way to support himself and to carry on his love of cooking and, thankfully, he came up with this business plan. Check out his website and i promise you will not be disappointed! Absolutely delicious and freshly made options available!”

“I have been coming here since it opened and the service and quality has been consistently excellent! The atmosphere is modern, the music is great, and the staff are always friendly. And the food is delicious!!!! Highly highly recommend!”

“Not the most impressive in appearance but had my food in five minutes and it was as my wife said the freshest Banh Mi we ever had. Sad to here it is closing soon. Will be missed.”

“Above Fifth is the rooftop bar of the AC Hotel in San Rafael, CA. The hotel is part of the Marriott hotel franchise. Yes, a franchise hotel is in downtown San Rafael. Times are a changin'.

Anyways, the bar is open 4pm-11pm Wednesday-Sunday, closed on Monday - Tuesday. The hotel is about 54 feet tall so it is not particular tall, but tall enough for some awesome views of downtown, surrounding hills, and Mount Tam. The seating area, like the hotel, has modern upscale aesthetics with relaxed vibes.

The views are gorgeous. The staff are sweethearts, five star service. The drinks and tapas menu price points are of course pricey. But what was up with the stained paper menus. Eww. Anyways, the fam ordered drinks (cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks) and tapas of olives, hummus and pita, and fingerling potatoes. The olives were delicious and it was a good medley of various kinds. The fingerling potatoes were a bit boring tasting, it could use more seasonings for added zing. Not sure how the green hummus tasted, I snoozed on that one.

Overall, the drinks are good, ambiance fantastic, and the food is meh. This is a type of place I would go for special occasions and not on a regular basis, my wallet cannot sustain it.”

“Had to stop and use the restroom when the freeway got too jammed to wait so, detoured and purchased some giant cookies as away of saying thank you for one, being open in a very commercial area with limited options; two, for letting me use their restroom and three having very reasonable prices and a friendly demeanor.
Oh, the cookies were great, too!”

“We had our lunch in red rooster brick oven and it was the best atmosphere that’s family friendly, the food was delicious and the owners were very nice. We will be visiting again and we highly recommend this restaurant.”

“Had a panucho for the first time. Huge pile of chicken on a nice crispy fried tortilla covered in black beans. Great hot vinegar salsa and picked onions to go with it.

It seems like they had to take down their dining area and shade structure. I wonder why, that was quite nice.”

“Best Mexican restaurant I’ve been to so far in the US.”

“We are new to the area/California from NY we were delighted to find pizza as amazing as home! Friendly owner and staff.”

“I had coffee this morning for the 1st time. The cafe has such a relaxing vibe to it! It was a nice group of patrons. The staff was very helpful. I've found my favorite coffee shop! 😋😋😋”

“Tasty Mediterranean food. Good amount of vegan options with falafel. The falafel is very good, high quality and nicely fried.
The falafel burger was very tasty, and the crispy falafel added a nice texture. The fries were okay, a bit dry. Also got the sampler platter - liked the falafel, pita, hummus, baba ganoush, and salad that came with it. The dolmas were not my favorite.
Very good service. The bathroom is shared with the other businesses in the building and was fine. They have both indoor and outdoor seating.”

“Wednesday Taco night the 💣.”

“Just to be clear, this is not a “4 star restaurant”, it’s a 4star dive bar! Unassuming outside, friendly and large inside. My bro-in-law and I went there for late dinner after doing some work on his house. The kitchen was still open, with a fairly large menu; lots of burger options, a special chicken dinner and more. We sat at the bar, had some beers (Guinness on tap!) and delicious burgers with tasty sides. If you’re in the area and looking for a drink and a good meal, I say check it out. (Note: not for kids)”

“The food was so good that I had to visit here 2 days in a row!

Monica, the owner, was helpful and patient as we asked about the various menu options available. We had kimchi soup with banchan & a protein rice bowl with spicy pork, and both were excellent.
The beverage options were great as well, including everything from Aloe Vera juice and Korean soft drinks to classics like coffee & boba tea.”

“We had the most delicious pastas and wine! The service was fantastic as well. We highly recommend TKT for your next night out!! Even our toddler was impressed!”

“Hi I am delighted to have Royal Thai as a friend for Take dinners needs during these shelter times. Support your local restaurant. San Rafael , you got my buisness. Plus your Thai food is darn good”

“Lunch buffet is really good and at a fair price.”

“If you're thinking about a place to have a party, I can't recommend Ounces enough! Waz and his team were so lovely to work with, and they helped plan the perfect afternoon. Lawn games, tasty food, delicious sips, relaxing atmosphere, and friendly service.

Outside of events, it's also just a fantastic place to drink a cold beverage in the sunshine. I've taken a book with me and relaxed on the lovely patio, during the times I wasn't there with friends.

This place is truly a hidden gem at the Northgate Mall.”

“Very comfortable, family oriented restaurant with great food and service”

“The Chomage miso tonkatsu ramen was terrific. Even better than when I had this dish at a highly rated ramen restaurant in Japantown. Very flavorful. not heavy or greasy.

It was nice to sit in the outdoor patio near a fountain.”

“Delicious food! Very unassuming, we were so happy we stopped in, food and service were top notch 🍝”

“Love take out. The best minestrone and garlic bread. Yummy. Try it.”

“I loved it. Great Mexican food. Miss this in Hawaii”

“The pizza, the calamari, the mozzarella sticks, the margaritas, what an exceptional find. The service was top notch and the pizza so good i ate the crusts, it’s that type, i never eat the crusts. We left feeling well taken care of. Sean, the manager, was making us feel welcome in every possible way. I’ve heard the clam chowder and salads are amazing as well, we will be back!! Prime rib?! French dip!?! Yes please!!!!”

“Todo está muy delicioso recomiendo las enchiladas de cangrejo el salmón ala parrilla y también los huevos rancheros las quesabirrias están muy buenas también sin contar que fin de seman tiene barbacoa de borrego con consomé y menudo”

“The food was served Hot and Fresh and the serving was very generous! I ordered the Steak and Nopal and my girlfriend ordered the Tacos Birria. We chose to eat outside and they had Vicente Fernandez playing on the speaker, We both rate it 5 stars! Gracias ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️”

“Was our first time visiting this location and only now have learned that each red boys is owned by different owners. This location is awesome, great tasting pizza”

“The most authentic Chinese restaurant in this area. The service attitude is very good. The dishes are fresh and the prices are cheap and reasonable. It is a very good dining place. It’s great?????”

“Superlative. See my picture post. Ichiban!”

“Definitely a good place for you”

“I came here because the San Francisco Chronicle listed it as one of the best 10 tamales in the bay area. I was not disappointed. It’s not traditional corn masa tamales from Mexico, but rather rice or potato masa tamales. The sauces are wonderful the meat is tender, and the tamales melt in your mouth. The nice lady behind the counter was very helpful in helping me make my choices. I bought six different tamales to take home. I’ll be back.”

“Very nice people good food”

“Great Thai food !!!! Customer service was also great.”

“Delicious, authentic Vietnamese restaurant in the heart of downtown San Rafael. I just had the very best bowl of pho ever! The broth tastes amazing - I suspect that their pho broth is homemade. Golden Era looks unassuming from the outside, and I have been reluctant to try it, but this is now my absolute favorite Vietnamese restaurant in Marin. I had the chicken wings and beef rib pho. The chicken wings were generously sized, crispy and fully cooked, yet juicy and tender. I realize I've become accustomed to freezer burnt undersized wings at other local Vietnamese restaurants. The beef rib pho had a huge tender, cooked to perfection rib, AND several large pieces of incredibly tender sliced beef (prime rib? so good!). I'm blown away by the broth! Every other Vietnamese restaurant I've ever been to has the same powdered, tastes like gym socks buillion broth. Okay, maybe Slanted Door and Golden Era 1 have housemade broth.

This is the tasty, high quality comfort Asian/Asian fusion food you've been looking for. And at such good prices! The menu is on the small side, but I think that's a good thing, so they can focus on their delicious dishes. Family run, these folks try super hard to make delicious food for their customers.”

“I was enjoy my lunch today”

“Excelentes pizzas y cordial atención”

“Really wonderful chill vibes in here. Quite the difference compared to outside walking around. There is a power outlet at every table. My drink was great too 👍”

“Making chicken salad sandwiches with the best bead 🥖”

“I love this place! Excellent BBQ, excellent people!”

“How nice to finally have an excellent Chinese restaurant in San Rafael. Nicely decorated, friendly and efficient service and delicious cuisine! Give them a try, you won’t be disappointed.”

“A very delicious fried chicken sandwich!! So moist and I got the “crunchy” which was delightful. I will return to try the “crispy”. I was very pleasantly surprised. I waited less than 5 mins and for only like $7. Good stuff.”

“It was a great experience. I like the atmosphere, food, and drinks. The waiter was very nice and helpful. They made the food exactly how I asked for it the first time. Fairly priced. I recommend the beef vermicelli with egg rolls. The durian shake was delicious and it's hard to find it at other places. 5 stars.”

“I remember going to this place many years ago and thought of it again today when I was passing by. Great, simple, well balanced sandwiches. I recommend toasting your bread if you don’t like hot sandwiches but want a soft yummy bread. The staff who own the place are so nice and accommodating. Plenty of snacks to go with your sandwich. Definitely a good stop for a good sandwich that won’t disappoint.”

“Great services, friendly”

“Best coffee in san rafael IMO! Lenny is really nice and always has my order ready! Nice vibe and close to my work! Highly recommend!”

“Tried Wrap N Kabob for the first time today and was really impressed! The food was incredibly fresh and absolutely delicious. The owner, Chris, was super friendly and welcoming. Highly recommend checking it out!”

“Awesome coffee and a very comfortable space to sit and enjoy the coffee.”

“A “Must Stop” for lunch! The best sourdough bread I’ve ever had. Wanted to go back and just order a bunch of bread to take home and spoil the family. The perfect crispy crust and then soft chew center with lots of wonderful savory sourness. I had the Ham & Pastrami. Perfect fresh ingredients. Everything you want in a deli sandwich at a reasonable price. Lots of selections so I’m heading back for future yummy bites. Excellent personal service.”

“Best Mexican food I've had in a long time!”

“They have the best food. Anything you order will amaze your tastebuds. We get 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ service every time. Course it helps we go every weekend!!”

“You make my birthday girl so happy, especially the Unicorn. Make her birthday for this year sweet...it really makes her enjoy this lonely birthday becomes a joyful one”

“Seriously, best burrito in North Marin. Repeating this post because 1) Facebook asked me to write a formal review and 2) it's too empty when I've gone and I want people to keep them in business!”

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“It is not super easy to find a vegetarian sandwich that is substantial, but the eggplant sandwich delivered. I really liked the type of bread roll that they used, it held up perfectly. Great flavors all around. I look forward to coming back for another great vegetarian lunch!”

“Χριστός Ανέστη! I couldn't be with my family for Easter this year so they sent me a care package from Glyka Sweets. I am so grateful for this feeling of home that your sweets gave me. And, the tsoureki and koulourakia were absolutely delicious! 10 out of 10. Thank you so much. Have a wonderful day!”

“I went in because I seen 5 star reviews and it did not disappoint. Owner was nice, welcoming and friendly. Very fast service and best of all the banh mi’s were so good. Fresh, soft and perfectly crisp bread, very flavorful and such a homemade feel. Would definitely recommend and come back myself to try other items!”

“I was here for breakfast and the food was delicious and very affordable. Excellent service in a nice place to relax. Unfortunately, I didn’t take any pictures. It’s a small mom’s and pop’s operation.”

“This place made the tastiest veggie curry dish - I asked for the Channa Masala extra spicy and they did such a great job! Their garlic naan is very good too. I am not an expert or Indian food aficionado. However, I love the taste of their food and the girl I spoke with over the phone was very sweet!”

“Only thing I come in to order is the Crazy Coffee Smoothie! And it's on hit every time! 👍🏽”

“Great coffee great service most of the time. People working there need to learn to communicate and let customers know when they are backed up so when they make an order, they understand how long it will take instead of letting them know after the fact.”

“Great Food!!! Great Service!”

“It’s beyond wonderful. Tony spumoni, pistachio, ginger, too too good”

“The turkey and cheese burger is the best 🍔 with the curlier fries is the best of the best 👍🏼🤗.”

“Great Sub sandwiches!!!!!”

“To put it very simply, that was the absolute best donut I've ever had. You just don't realize there could be that much difference until you have one that's this good.”

“Spectacular! I am so happy I drove by and found this place. The cupcakes tasted amazing and were absolutely beautiful. The guests loved them and I will 100% be back for more! Thank you Baked Blooms!”

“Love Banh mi Zon with a passion! Back when I used to frequent at the Banh Mi Zon food truck it was my favorite bbq pork banh mi and that's never changed. Fresh crisp vegetables, good ingredient balance, good quality melt-in-your-mouth bbq pork- which isn't always easy to find on a banh mi. Highly recommend this place for your banh mi craving.”

“Even after a 4 year hiatus (work relocation) Tajikistan San greeted me at the door tonight with "So good to see you, two chicken bento, extra dressing!". Arigatou's is world class.”

“Great beer and great food and service.”

“We had an amazing lunch experience at Foodles today! The bibimbap, chicken katsu, and "Breakfast #4" were all exceptionally delicious. The service was equally impressive—warm, attentive, and truly welcoming. The cozy atmosphere made our meal even more enjoyable. Love this place! We will definately come back.”

“Visited on a random Wednesday morning for breakfast and took a seat on one of the two seat tables against the wall. A few other patrons sat along the counter eating and drinking coffee. The place was relaxed, dim, and lovely. The server was perfectly nice and I already had my order decided so in a flash I had a perfect iced tea and my ticket was in a ticket for a corned beef hash combo.

The plate was delicious with big shreds of corned beef, properly cooked potatoes and onions, and the entire eggs Benedict alongside. On the Benedict the yolk was runny and every part of the dish was hot, seasoned, and hearty.

The price was totally fair for what I got, walking out paying something like 25 bucks total and I'd gladly return. Go here to fill up on classics a cut above.”

“The best food ever , it is delicious 🤤 the environment is very welcoming , the staff are super kind and sweet 🥰we ordered falafel , shawarma and kabob , the rice is yummy too , the dessert is wow 🤩 I recommend it to every one 👍👍👍”

“Perfect in every way. I order the spicy fried rice and added chicken and shrimp. My friend ordered pad phed beef and mixed them together. Amazing. Satay was awesome! The egg rolls were delicious. Goong grab borg was amazing as well. Portions were more than enough to share between us. Everyone was so sweet and I was so happy that we found this gem. Although I don’t live in the neighborhood, it will be our new go to when I visit! <3”

“I felt like I was eating homemade cuisine. An atmosphere of nurture and hospitality. Authentic vibe and food. I can’t stop thinking about the pleasant experience.”

“Servers are fun to talk with and to learn about the best treats!”

“🇲🇽 I must leave ★★★★★ for my friends at Puentez Taqueria. Parking is difficult however there is overflow parking behind the Taqueria. The food is served quickly but expect lines around lunchtime. I captured this photo near the rear employee-entrance which has a great view of the San Rafael canal. Can't recommend this place enough!”

“unbelievable experience, the bartender was more than friendly and I would recommend to all my friends and family”

“Started going there in 1980 and have never stopped❤️🙏🏻♥️”

“Such fresh good food. I made my own scramble it was beyond delicious!!!”

“Love take out. The best minestrone and garlic bread. Yummy. Try it.”

“Have dined at Le Chalet Basque for more than 20 years. Our recent meal with lamb chops, fresh vegetables, mashed potatoes and split pea soup served with crumbled blue cheese salad couldn't have been better. Fresh ingredients, great wine and excellent service will keep us returning again and again.”

“I have always loved the Gloria Jeans drinks in fact I used to work at the Ontario Mills Mall in Ontario California at Gloria Jeans there it was owned by Katie Chuck a very nice lady to work for but unfortunately she closed her business I miss working there that was back in 2002 -2006 4 years I had worked for her I still know how to make every drink we had back then cold and hot drinks speciality drinks which were the holiday drinks I remember the measurements to brew coffee ☕️ for the day when you work there for that long everything sticks with you but as for today I’m sure many things have changed as the years went by but I do still see some of the same coffee beans we had back then I wish we had one here in applevalley California we used to have one in the Victorville Mall years ago but that one has gone out of business as well years ago please ?? someone bring Gloria Jeans back to the High desert of California Applevalley California we need one here desperately I’m so sick of Starbucks they overroast their beans which gives the drinks a burnt taste of course they will deny it there is nothing like a Gloria Jeans coffee ☕️ hot or cold simply the best you can’t get any better then Gloria Jeans Coffee..❤️”

“Talked myself into trying something different today... Fried chicken thighs and it wasn't up to par as the pork belly is. The chicken may have been over bribed as I found it real salty :-(”

“Emilee made an amazing cake for my wedding. She was quick to respond, adaptable to what I wanted and edits, and had flexible pick up. Everyone loved the cake (almond cake with cherry compote).”

“💙 I can come here every day. 💜”

“How nice to finally have an excellent Chinese restaurant in San Rafael. Nicely decorated, friendly and efficient service and delicious cuisine! Give them a try, you won’t be disappointed.”

“I have been to many black bears and i have never been any bad experience. My server name was Karan, he was the best server i have ever had at any restaurant.
He does everything with a welcome smile and positive attitude. He had professional and amazing skills.
This is the best black bears i have been to.”

“I’m highly recommend it ..I’m here every day”

“Very friendly. very clean, seems family oriented and maybe that's what makes it work. Love it!!!!”

“Of all the Indian restaurants in the Bay Area that I tried, this restaurant has the best food imo. I discovered this place by chance on the way to Napa. After having a full meal, I ordered another meal for takeout because the food was so good. I've been here twice now. It's exceptionally good.”

“This place is really authentic. Food is cooked from scratch. Yuca is crispy and delicious. Beans are so tasty and pupusas well filled with yumminess”

“Great coffee great service most of the time. People working there need to learn to communicate and let customers know when they are backed up so when they make an order, they understand how long it will take instead of letting them know after the fact.”

“Definitely a good place for you”

“Wanted to try the quesabirria & birria tacos. We were not disappointed! Will go back and want to try the mole buffet on weekends”

“Sooooo effing good! Obsessed!”

“Great food. Friendly staff. Good music walking distance for me”

“I lived close by and dropped in one day to check out the eats. The Chile Colorado peaked my interest, and it was like "Heaven"! . So pretty much every time since, the friendly staff would remember me and my passion for it. They'd see me walk in the door and instantly know... Chile Colorado! :) ( pro tip- while you wait, walk over to the painfully slow Safeway next door , buy Jardine's ghost pepper salsa and add a generous portion on top)”

“I absolutely love Picante. I visit this establishment at least twice a week. I'm normally a 100% carne asada guy, but Picante's chicken is out of this world and has me constantly re-thinking my burrito meat choices. Super chicken burrito with no rice is my go to order. Staff is super friendly and always attentive. Do not skip the orange habanero salsa, it is life changing!”

“I've only ever used the drive thru at the location.

Staff are great - even when I can tell someone is new or in training.

The food is consistently good and the location is convenient.”

“I had coffee this morning for the 1st time. The cafe has such a relaxing vibe to it! It was a nice group of patrons. The staff was very helpful. I've found my favorite coffee shop! 😋😋😋”

“The turkey and cheese burger is the best 🍔 with the curlier fries is the best of the best 👍🏼🤗.”