The Refuge - San Mateo

4.6

109 Reviews

$30 and under

Gastro Pub

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 24, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 6 times today

Great for craft beers
Good for groups
Innovative

As featured on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives, The REFUGE specializes in hand-carved, ultra tender, boldly flavored navel pastrami which is sending shockwaves throughout the gastronomic consciousness of patrons who call it “the greatest this planet will see in some time.” The REFUGE boasts the world’s best Belgian and Craft Beer on draught (24 in San Mateo) in the Bay Area, with many more by bottle.

Since 2008, the REFUGE has been providing protection for many East Coast street food classics especially the hand-carved navel pastrami. But wait, just for good measure, we grind our own blend of hamburger on a daily basis as well as procure our own Ribeye Blend for our Authentic CheeseSteaks.

We also offer honest Old World wine, dazzling salads and eclectic appetizers. Casual connoisseurs unite! This place is the real deal. Whether it’s a quick lunch, a raging evening, a private event, take-out or delivery, the REFUGE experience is unlike any other place at any one time.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Gastro Pub, American, Deli
Hours of operation
Mon–Sat 11:30 am–9:00 pm Sun 11:30 am–8:00 pm
Phone number
(650) 458-3044
Website
http://www.refugesc.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Michael Greuel
Catering
The Refuge San Mateo offers party platters and catering with 3 ways to order: <br />CALL: 650-458-3044 | E-MAIL: CATERING@REFUGESC.COM | ORDER ONLINE @ REFUGESC.COM
Private party facilities
Celebrate your next special event at The Refuge. Our location in the new development at the Hillsdale Shopping Center can accommodate large groups from 20 to 250. Let us host you on our spacious outdoor heated patio or our indoor Eagle room.

Location
66 31st Ave, San Mateo, CA 94403-3404
Neighborhood
San Mateo
Cross street
Corner of Sailer Dr. and 31st Ave in the Hillsdale Shopping Center.
Parking details
Public Lot
Public transit
Caltrain - Hillsdale stop
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Dog Friendly, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 109 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6

4.6 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.7Service
4.3Ambience
4.1Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

San Francisco Bay Area
Good for groups
San Francisco Bay Area
Lively
Peninsula
Great for brunch
Peninsula
Kid-friendly
Peninsula
Innovative
Peninsula
Good for groups
Peninsula
Hot spot
Peninsula
Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

The Refuge in San Mateo offers a delightful dining experience with "service above and beyond" and a menu that features "excellent pastrami" and a "huge beer selection." The outdoor patio is perfect for gatherings, and the attentive staff ensures a memorable visit. Don't miss the "amazing sauerkraut and Ruben sandwich."

109 Reviews

P
Paul
VIP
Baltimore
41 reviews
4.0
41 reviews
Dined on December 4, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Best Pastrami west of the Mississippi. Miss the Lambic beers.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on December 1, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Food was good. Portions were a little smaller than expected.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
VIP
Pittsburgh
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on November 30, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Food was extra good today. Service is excellent. You never have to wait for someone to refill your drink. Food comes out fast and hot. Always a great dinning experience. Rueben was excellent just like we ordered them with the meat extra lean. I highly recommend this restaurant.
Is this helpful?
D
David
San Francisco
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on November 17, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Mainly beer with a few wines. No bar! Sandwiches are good but expensive for what you get. Service was excellent. Ambiance is upscale Dennys like.
Is this helpful?
B
Brad
Philadelphia
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on November 17, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Beer selection is excellent, and food is delicious. Menu is rather meat-heavy, which is great if that's what you want. Their pastrami is really delicious; juicy and flavorful.
Is this helpful?
M
Mary
VIP
San Francisco
12 reviews
4.0
12 reviews
Dined on November 2, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Menu items well thought out! If you love pastrami, this is the place. The care they take to prepare and combine food items makes this a go to place on our rotation of feel good restaurants.
Is this helpful?
R
Ric
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on October 27, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
attended the Refuge first beer and food pairing, both were exceptional, worth every bit of the cost
Is this helpful?
J
Jean
San Francisco
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on October 22, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I was unaware that the refuge had taken over the outback location at Hillsdale Mall. We were celebrating my nephew’s 26th birthday. The service was slow, but that was good as we were talking and enjoying each other‘s company. It looked like out on the porch, they were having a trivia night that many people were enjoying The food and the service was excellent.
Is this helpful?
L
Lauren
San Diego
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 19, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great place for family, large or small group, or a quick date! Food is always good, appetizers come out quickly too — so my tip is to get those started first before you peruse the rest of the menu. HUGE beer selection and excellent pastrami. Service is great, outdoor seating is quiet even though it’s parallel to the street, there are plenty of heating lamps as well. A reliable restaurant!
Is this helpful?
N
Natalie
San Francisco
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on October 7, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We held our son's 10th bday party and loved it. The boys were happy with the food and the service was exceptional
Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Refuge - San Mateo offers delivery in partnership with Uber Eats. The Refuge - San Mateo also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (650) 458-3044.

The Refuge - San Mateo is rated 4.6 stars by 109 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 24, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 6 times today

Order delivery or takeout

66 31st Ave, San Mateo, CA 94403-3404

Additional information

Cross street
Corner of Sailer Dr. and 31st Ave in the Hillsdale Shopping Center.
Neighborhood
San Mateo
Hours of operation
Mon–Sat 11:30 am–9:00 pm Sun 11:30 am–8:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Gastro Pub, American, Deli
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Public Lot
Public transit
Caltrain - Hillsdale stop
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Michael Greuel
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Dog Friendly, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.refugesc.com/
Phone number
(650) 458-3044
Catering
The Refuge San Mateo offers party platters and catering with 3 ways to order: <br />CALL: 650-458-3044 | E-MAIL: CATERING@REFUGESC.COM | ORDER ONLINE @ REFUGESC.COM
Private party facilities
Celebrate your next special event at The Refuge. Our location in the new development at the Hillsdale Shopping Center can accommodate large groups from 20 to 250. Let us host you on our spacious outdoor heated patio or our indoor Eagle room.

The Refuge - San Mateo

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Menu

What 109 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does The Refuge - San Mateo offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is The Refuge - San Mateo restaurant rated?

Is The Refuge - San Mateo currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information