TOWN San Carlos

One of our favorite restaurants around the Bay Area. I haven’t had a bad dish there. They are customer service oriented. Our family has been going there for many years now.
Recently I had a full rack of ribs. They were very tasty. Beans were a bit over cooked, which isn’t normal. I like the fact that they vegetables are crispy and not over cooked. Keep up the great work!
I would recommend Town to anyone looking for great food and atmosphere. It’s always busy. Make reservations ahead of time

I had a work lunch here recently and really enjoyed the food and service. I was talking with my colleagues so the waitress kept having to come back as we had not looked at the menu yet. She was totally cool about it. We did finally order and then the food came pretty quickly.
Two of us had the soup and salad combo. The soup of the day was a thai coconut chicken soup with crispy jalapenos on top. It was really tasty, not too spicy. We both had the warm Napa cabbage salad — Shredded Napa Cabbage, Crispy Bacon, Mushrooms, Bleu Cheese, Warm Red Wine Vinaigrette. So good. Loved the cheese and all of the crispy bits in it. Our other colleague have the Cobb salad. It was huge. Lots of good toppings there too.
Our waitress came by often and refilled drinks without me having to ask and refilled waters too. Good food and good service in a nice downtown area.

My BF and I went for dinner on a Thursday evening at 8 pm. We had reservations, but I think we could have gotten in without them although it was pretty crowded. BF got the grilled chicken with grilled tomatoes and he said it was delicious. I ordered the ahi tuna with buttery jasmine rice and salad with a wasabi dressing. WOW! First of all, the flavors were unique and complimented each other perfectly. Also, the ahi was prepared just as I like it. The portion was huge, thanks for the heaping helping of flavorful rice. I was definitely full, and I left a little rice. We did not have drinks, but I did notice the bar only had three or so beers on tap, and a couple of them are just Gordon Biersch.
The bar itself looks like a neat place to hang out, and lots of middle-​aged people seemed to be there leftover from happy hour during GS Warriors championship game #6. They were loud…and I don’t attribute it to the game. Most of them were drinking and socializing and giving occasional glances at the tv. One thing I like about this is that I am in that age group, and I appreciate a place that the twenty-​somethings like to avoid :)
Overall, we had a good experience and will definitely return for the food! Service was also excellent.

If you find yourself in downtown San Carlos, Town is definitely a must visit — one of my favorite places for steaks and to indulge in their famed bread pudding!
Terrific steakhouse restaurant that doesn’t feel too fancy (which I like!) Everything on the menu is moderately priced except for, of course, some of the steaks. Atmosphere is loud and the décor modern while dimly lit. Always popular and packed especially at dinner time — we had to make a reservation a week in advance.
We ordered:
+ Garlic bread: super creamy and garlicky! If you are a fan of the excessive taste of garlic you would love this appetizer. For me, though, I like my garlic in moderation!
+ Crab-​crusted Filet Mignon ($ 52): delicious! The fillet mignon was covered with a huge chunk of succulent crab meat as well as accompanying sauces. Definitely could do with less sauces next time. The quality of the steak and the freshness of the crab, though, were superb! We got this with a side of creamed spinach that was just okay and fries which were pretty good!
+ Prime Rib ($ 33): best prime rib I’ve had so far! I had the petite cut and the portion was still HUGE. The steak was cooked perfect for my medium request — absolutely tender and flavorful! I got a side of potato au gratin and Mac & cheese which were amazing!
+ Bread Pudding:
! Be sure to order this even tho you are by now on the brink of a meatfest coma. The bread pudding, in my opinion, triumphs over everything we ate that night — the most delicious and memorable dish hands-​down!
I will definitely be back for more.

We had the honor in celebrating the anniversary of a good friend. I had no idea there is a private dining room upstairs. It’s wonderful for a small party. There were 20 in the party we attended and still plenty of space to walk and socialize. The style of the room is contemporary with rich brown paneling and even has a gas fire place. Very chic… Great windows over looking the street, but you could not hear any street cars or people. Wait staff were friendly and helpful.
Appetizers, salad/​soup, entrees and desserts were delish! Town is an organic restaurant. Their dinner menu offers a variety to select from and they have taken care of gluten free customers as well. I’m a big soup fan and they always serve wonderful soups any time of year. Proportions were a nice size. You were pleasantly full enough and left you wondering, «Do I want more or should I order dessert?»
You won’t be disappointed at TOWN! Select inside or outside for brunch, lunch or dinner. Enjoy…

TL;DR — Good food and good service, but not amazing. Solid 3.5 stars
This place was pretty good, but I wasn’t amazed enough to rave about it.
–Service–
Good service, attentive but we did feel a bit rushed.
–Food–
Amuse bouche was a little fried potato puff which was fun.
Watermelon radish salad — This was the star of the night for me. Light and delicious.
Salmon — There was a decent sized piece of salmon on top of a bed of greens with roasted veggies and seeds. I was underwhelmed. Plating was meh and the skin was a bit burnt.
Roasted chicken — The least impressive. I already don’t like chicken and the fact that Town’s chicken was on the drier side was upsetting. Plus the green beans were just ok.
Overall… its a mixed older crowd. A bit stuffier than restaurants of this caliber in SF but its a solid date location; quiet-​ish with good service and ample parking.

TOWN has been our reliable go-​to place for birthdays, holidays, and when no one has time to cook. Their bone-​in Ribeye is great but ironically, my favorite dish is the Salmon Miso. It is not a consistent menu item but when they do have it, I order nothing else.
TIP: Try not to sit next to the grill kitchen — it’s too warm!

Great night at Town — with cocktails, wine, appetizers and entrees. The service was great, the food was excellent. They really know how to put a nice evening together.
Looking forward to our next visit!

Came to dinner myself sat right at where the chef and his team is. Didn’t know how extremely crazy busy it gets for them there. This place is my all time fav in San Carlos area. Had scallops this time, it was very tasty.

Came on a Monday for our anniversary. I thought it wouldn’t be too busy. Luckily I made reservations as this place was PACKED even at 7:45.
Started off with Masterson rye. Very good.
For appetizer we share the seared scallops. Perfectly prepared and very tendor. What I like is it wasn’t over seasoned so one can enjoy the simple taste of scallops.
For entrée we had the seared ahi tuna which was also prepared perfectly. The wasabe sauce was awesome. Only disappointment was the jasmine rice which was very dry.
I had the chicken and ribs. Both were excellent, tender and most. I also like that they had the sauce on the side rather than smothering the protein. The asparagus side dish was a bit over cooked but flavor was good. I prefer my asparagus to be crunchy. But the mac & cheese was outstanding. To die for.
We shared the warm bread pudding for dessert. This too was good. It was airy and not overly sweet. I like we got an end piece as I like the crust.
The service was timely and not overbearing.
All in all a fine dining experience for my 2^nd trip to Town.

We went here for my husbands birthday and our friends accidentally came about an hour late and they still accommodated us and gave us a booth and menus that said Happy Birthday which was super cool.
Nadim (sp?) was our server and he was one of the best servers I’ve ever had. Seriously amazing.
The food, for me personally, was okay. I ordered a steak that came with two sides. I tried the potatoes gratin and the Mac n cheese and both were under seasoned. I’ll take under seasoning before over seasoning any day though. The steak was also just okay. My friend ordered the bone in and I had total plate envy.
Our server brought us bread pudding and wow it was so delicious. The best thing I ate the entire evening. I’d give that dish alone 5 stars.
I would definitely come back here for the great service and order different sides next time and probably a different cut of steak.
Drinks were great too :)

Been to Town numerous times. From birthday celebrations to just a casual dinner. This place is always packed so make sure you make reservations and I don’t mean the day before since bookings go out at least a week for prime dinner times at least.
The food is always very good. My favorite is the either the prime rib or bone-​in ribeye. The only other time I deviated from these choice was brunch here. Had the chicken and waffle which was average. Also when love the fact that they customized a menu «header» for special occasions as long as you inform them. Service is always good. Only had 1 bad experience and it never happened again.

I was excited to try Town after hearing about it for so long. Its a great spot right along San Carlos’s main street. Its a lovely restaurant with a great patio & a romantic interior.
I got the Capone’s Black List with strawberries, bourbon, & balsamic drink which was terrible, but my friend’s sparkling pear was delicious. The Crispy cauliflower is amazing! I could’ve ordered 3 more and just eaten that for dinner. I chose the skirt steak with potatoes & onion strings. It’s very similar to the dish at Nola’s but I actually prefer Nola’s better. Perhaps next time I will opt for one of their signature steaks.

I’m a huge of Town. Came in Saturday night. Kendall, the hostess was totally awesome. She got me an awesome table at the counter. Have hands down the best cheeseburger. Will be back soon.
Kendall is a rockstar.

Sunday. Brunch. No reservations. Standing outside 15 minutes before opening. I got to sit in front of the kitchen!
So… It was fun to watch Chef Jeremy give all the kitchen staff directions. It was fun to watch all the food. The most fun part was checking to see how long it took a server to refill my bottomless mimosa. The answer? 20 seconds. They don’t mess around when it comes to bottomless. They refilled my friends glass, I turned around and mine was topped off too. Sweet…
The food: the Benedict trio is one of the best things I have ever eaten. The crab cake??? Omg! Mostly crab. A little citrus zest. SO GOOD… Mmmm… The steak was good as well as the traditional Benedict.
What’s better than that? THE BACON! Forget regular bacon. This bacon was like a dessert. A little sticky. Sweet. It’s just phenomenal…
Also, there was a party going on upstairs and I was oodling the party food. Chef Jeremy hooked it up with a mini croquette sample. (Thank you).
Great experience. Great food. Great service. I definitely loved it and look forward to going back sometime.

This is a really cute brunch spot. Everyone in town knows about this place, so make sure you reserve ahead of time. The waiter I had was extremely charismatic, I dig. He seemed oddly passionate about this one side salad, I forget the name, but he really wanted us to try it. He was not kidding, it was amazing. It was a cabbage salad with bacon and it was insane. I got the healthy scramble (sorry forgot the name again) and it tasted… Healthy. It wasn’t amazing, but it was good.
Biggest regret: not going all out and trying to be healthy.

My experience here was just so-​so.
Though I had high expectations, I came in here with 2 friends wishing to get chicken and waffles, but they only serve it during brunch on weekdays. We were sorely disappointed and ended up going with the prime rib and halibut options. Prime rib is nowhere near the caliber of HOPR and halibut dish was extremely dry (flavor was okay though). We also had the bread pudding which was pretty good!
We came on an unassuming Monday night and the service was only okay. There were tons of servers around but our water glasses were empty and it took 10 minutes to get an extra plate.
I would come back to try their chicken and waffles for brunch but this experience was just meh.

I had so much good food I am stuffed & excellent service from Igor! We started with deviled eggs with fried jalapeños on top & garlic cheesy toast — yummy! For my meal I had steak benedict & my hubby had chicken & waffles with a side of maple bacon with bottomless mimosas. Igor checked on us frequently without being invasive and made sure we were taken care of.
We will be back to the Town!

Somehow, Town became one of our pocket picks for when my wife and I celebrate a special occasion or are in the mood for a low-​key brunch. I’ve been trying to pinpoint why or how that happened but maybe that’s the answer: Town simply is greater than the sum of its parts?
The Asian and Latino influences help keep the menu interesting, and the food (and cocktails) has always been well-​executed and generous in portion size. The hostesses and wait staff have always been helpful and friendly, and the more upscale ambiance somehow manages to feel appropriate for a variety of occasions — whether you’re dressed-​up for a romantic dinner, celebrating an event with loved ones, or enjoying a casual meal.
As far as the food goes, my wife and I usually order the ribeye and bread pudding for dinner, and I’m a fan of their breakfast burger (the sweet, crisp bacon does a great job cutting through the rest of the burger — both texture-​wise and flavor-​wise) for brunch. In either case, I usually need a wheelbarrow to roll myself back to the car after the meal, as my wife shakes her head wondering why I do that to myself. Stop judging me, woman!
P. S. If you give the restaurant advance notice that you’re celebrating a special event, they can customize the menu header which is a nice touch.

After coming to TOWN San Carlos twice now, I can confidentaly say it’s my top 5 favorite restaurant in the Bay Area. Both visits have been nothing short of excellent. Top notch customer service, simple yet incredible ambiance, stunning presentation and delicious food. I made my way over here for my Grandpas birthday (the last time I was here was for a birthday as well) and I highly recommend this as a spot for special ocassions. Prices are not cheap, but you will never be dissapointed at the end.
Last time I was here I sat outside and loved it. It’s a very good place for people watching, and since there’s heaters outside, it never gets cold, even when it is cold. This time my party decided to sit inside. It was actually the first time I’ve seen the inside of TOWN. I instantly felt welcome as I walked in and the first thing you see is a very well thought out bar section with TV’s circling the whole bar (check out my picture). Because of this layout, you can see a TV from any spot in the entire restaurant, which I personally think is genius.
Let’s move on to the food… I’m already hungry just thinking about it again.
My party started with ordered pretty much every single item on the starters menu. No joke, every single one. It varied from fried califlower (one of the BEST vegetable dishes I’ve ever tasted) to Ahi Tuna with wasabi sauce. I would never have thought of putting wasabi on Ahi Tuna (as simple as it is to think of) but it was pure bliss. Some of the best Tuna I’ve ever ate. Next came the bbq shrimp and a beef dish. I swear if I didn’t hold back as well as I did I would never have ate my main course, becase they have some of the best starter dishes, period.
After chatting a bit and getting a very nice break between starter dishes, main curses started coming out. I ordered the Teryaki Skirt Steak with garlic mashed potatoes which was topped with onion rings. I can’t even explain in proper words how much I enjoyed it. I’ll let you find out for yourself. Every other dish that came out looked as good as the previous dish, and at the end of the day I walked out having one of the best meals of 2016… that good. If you’re looking for a perfect place for a special ocassion, I can’t recommend this enough. A food bucket list item. Enjoy!

A great place to have lunch with your girlfriends. Staff is very friendly and the food is pretty good. We ordered from the power lunch menu, which is a great way to sample some of their house specialties but smaller serving size and priced at $ 18. Warm napa cabbage salad and shaking beef are two of my favorites. We ended the meal with one of my other favorites, warm bread pudding. So yummy!

As I lay here almost fully immobilized, I can already feel my body succumbing to the impending food coma TOWN San Carlos has put me in. The food, the ambiance, the service, everything here was spectacular. We couldn’t have asked for a better dinner, especially since it was for our dad’s special birthday.
Town San Carlos is located downtown which means parking is a hassle, but we were lucky enough to grab an open spot right in front of the restaurant. While the exterior doesn’t look anything special, the interior design is breathtaking. Low, mood lighting that beautifully highlights the warm wood of the walls, booths, and tables makes the whole place feel exceptionally homey. Each table was beautifully set with crystal clear glasses and shiny silver utensils. The booths were large and comfortably fit a party of six without any of us bumping elbows.
The service was impeccable with our server being very charismatic and helpful. He gave a lot of good recommendations and was knowledgeable about the food. Props to that! Not wanting to load ourselves with appetizers, my family chose the crispy cauliflower and halibut tostadas to share. The tostadas were presented in exactly six pieces, allowing each person to take one bite. The crispiness of the cracker and the freshness of the fish tasted delicious, especially when paired with the spicy mayo. The cauliflower dish honestly looked like pieces of fried chicken and when eaten, you could barely taste the vegetable. While the sauce was complex and super savory, we did feel that it overpowered the vegetable just a little too much.
Looking forward to the rest of our dinner, my hubby chose the ‘au poivre’ filet mignon with a side of mac and cheese as well as chili green beans and I chose the seared scallops on top of a bed of asparagus risotto. Everybody’s dish was served at a similar time and came out extremely hot. I personally loved the clean presentation of my scallops. While the scallops themselves weren’t too large, the risotto looked wonderfully creamy and with just one bite, I knew I made the right choice. There was such a good balance between the broth and rice, not overly creamy, but still smooth at the same time. The asparagus was crunchy and added a different level of texture to the plate. The scallops were beautifully caramelized and super tender as well.
My hubby’s filet mignon had an interesting copper-​like color as a result of the brandy glaze. Slightly pink on the inside, it was cooked just the way he liked it and while the sauce added a nice touch to the beef, you never lost the «meat» flavor. I, however, was completely blown away by the chili green beans. Who knew something so simple could taste so amazing? The spicy chili elevated such an easy vegetable to an astronomically well-​flavored dish. While the mac and cheese was good, it unfortunately paled in comparison to the green beans.
Finally for dessert, we all ordered the warm bread pudding to share which was honestly pretty big. We all got a bite of its warm, sweet custard and soft bread, the perfect ending to one of the best dinners. The bill may have been a bit pricey, but honestly for food like that, you don’t feel like it’s much of a loss. My whole family was super pleased with the food; and when we all nearly rolled over from being so full, you know dinner was a success. TOWN San Carlos is one heck of a restaurant!

Solid 4-​Star experience at Town last Saturday!
Great service and better food and my only complaint is weak pours at the bar, haha. Dang. Did «Bar Rescue» visit this place or is there ²⁴⁄₇ surveillance on the poor bartenders? Whatever it is, you get one shot and not a drop more. My wife and I had 2 – 3 drinks before being seated and for $ 44 bucks we could have done a lot better somewhere else.
Nevertheless, once we were seated our waiter was fantastic; friendly, attentive and did an outstanding job taking care of us.
My wife ordered the Rotisserie Chicken and BBQ ribs and it was a ton of food. The ribs were some of the best I’ve eaten. Enormous baked potato with all the fixen’s and fresh green beans on the side. Damn good.
I ordered the meatloaf and it was perfect; super moist and well seasoned — down home comfort food at its best with garlic mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts with bacon. The gravy was thick and rich and I all but licked my plate clean.
If you’re looking for a cozy, date night spot with great food and atmosphere that’s upscale but not stuffy, you’ll enjoy Town.
Make a reservation — it gets packed!
Enjoy!

When in doubt Town is ALWAYS a sure thing. We have eaten at most restaurants on Laurel Street and find ourselves keep coming back to this one. The only down side is the crowd sometimes makes it tough to get in, but that can only mean good things right?
Brunch is great.
Lunch is great.
Dinner is great.
Dessert is great.
Drinks are great.
If you’re a fan of seafood I highly recommend the seared ahi entrée or the BBQ shrimp appetizer.
As for meatlovers I always go for the filet. I have had many a filet in my time and the best one I’ve had is here. Blue cheese crusted cooked medium and it sliced like butter. My family members tend to go for the prime rib which is also delicious. The best part is you get to choose two sides with your steak. Try the green beans!!! I have dreams about those little strings of yumminess.
Other tasty notes to make:
–deviled eggs
–Philly cheesesteak rolls
–warm cabbage salad
–wedge
–mushroom risotto
–cubano burger
–meatloaf
–shaking beef
–skirt steak
–bread pudding
Extra notes:
–brunch had bottomless mimosas
–weekdays offers $ 18 power lunch! Appetizer and entrée. Best deal around.
*****Luanna always serves us at lunches and is awesome!!! :)

I had made a reservation for an anniversary dinner about 2 weeks out and did not have any issues finding a time slot.
On the day of, my girlfriend and I drove out to San Carlos and found plenty of parking around 7pm. We arrived 10 minutes before our reservation time and were seated within a few minutes of arrival. When we first got there, there was a curtain blocking the entrance and the rest of the restaurant, which was a bit weird. Just know that the hostesses are stationed behind the curtains so just don’t barge into the restaurant.
Once we were seated, we were greeted by our server who was enthusiastic and eager to take care of us. After filling our waters, he took our orders for drinks/​starters. I got really excited when I saw the Yamazaki Whiskey on the menu, but was told that they were out of stock. DAMMIT! Oh well, instead I ordered the Lagavulin 16. I watched our server for a bit and he looked fairly busy. He was running from table to table to make sure that everyone was tended to. There was a bit of time before we received our drinks, but it looked like the bar was pretty slammed (Friday night).
Shortly after our drinks arrived, our Ahi Tuna Tataki came out and it was bomb! The cuts of tuna were fresh and the dab of wasabi added a nice kick. The dressing on the side salad was light and sweet (not too saucy).
I ordered the 20 oz bone in ribeye (medium rare) with mac & cheese and garlic mashed potato for my sides. My gf ordered the scallops which came with a mushroom risotto. When my ribeye came out, it was cooked perfectly. It had a nice pepper and salt crust which gave it great flavor. I have eaten at a lot of steak houses in the past… House of Prime Rib, Harris’ Steakhouse, Mastro’s Steakhouse, Ruth’s Chris, etc. and this ribeye was either my 2^nd or 3^rd favorite (definitely towards the top of the list). The mac & cheese and garlic mashed potato were good but nothing stellar. My girlfriend seemed very impressed with her dish, which inspired her to try and make her own risotto. My waiter told me the bread pudding here is the best, but we were too stuffed at the end to give it a go.
Overall, the ambiance was great and there was a nice vibe. This place was definitely popping on a Friday night. I have been getting very bored with SF so it was nice to find a new restaurant/​area that is fun to visit. I would definitely come back to this establishment.

It was my last night in town for a while so I made reservations for a couple coworkers and I to go out.
8:30 was the only available reservation and when we got there I was glad I’d decided to reserve as it was insanely busy.
Snagged drinks at the bar and had a really delicious blood orange mules while my friends had a wonderful pear martini. Bar guy was super fast in spite of how many people were crowded around. That in itself was amazing because I’ve been in places only half as busy and not managed to get a drink so fast. First round was on me so I dropped $ 40 with a tip.
We managed an earlier seating by accepting outside seats. It was chilly, but they have blankets AND really good heaters. Considering I didn’t bring a jacket, I was pleasantly surprised with how warm I was under the heaters. Maybe that was the alcohol talking…
Everything I ate was top. Philly cheesesteak spring rolls, loaded prime rib dip (sooo yummy), and warm bread pudding for dessert that melted in my mouth. Had a lovely glass of rosé champagne that was everything.
Our server was excellent. Had suggestions ready for every part of our meal and was prompt with services.
It was an excellent temp going away for me. I’ll definitely come here when I’m back in town.

Came and tried their dinner menu… as if this place can’t get even better! Their menu items were difficult to choose from because they all sounded very delicious.
The garlic roasted cauliflower had this sweet and sauce that made the dish delightful. Their deviled eggs were topped with crispy jalapeños which added texture to the appetizer. I ordered the teriyaki marinated steak that came with mashed potatoes, green beans and onion rings. My friends ordered the seared salmon with mixed veggies and the seabass on top of a bed of coconut rice. The steak was very tasty and the green beans were perfectly crispy. The fish was flawlessly cooked and it was flaky. The coconut rice was good but I wish it could’ve been more coconut flavored.
To finish off our feast, we ordered bread pudding and 6 layer chocolate cake. I usually hate bread pudding and the server overheard me and convinced us to order it anyway since it was «different» from the usual bread pudding. Their bread pudding was the only kind I finished! It reminded me of flan with a crispy thicker top. The chocolate cake was good but super rich. The vanilla bean ice cream was the perfect pair.
Love their brunch and their dinner menu, but definitely pricey