This is my favorite spot to stop at when I'm in San Rafael on 101 highway they have the coolest ambiance it feels like you had stepped back in time with oldies playing and all the vibrant colors! Not many of them left but this is a true gem. The staff are so friendly and always smiling and super fast. And the food man where do I start here is my order I get a double papa cheeseburger combo with a root beer float and cheese curds. The cheese curds are made with real Wisconsin cheese too! It's to hard to forget a reallllly good burger spot and this has always been my number one read more

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I saw rats running around in the parking lot and they charge an additional fifty cents for nuts on a sundae. Obviously, they don't understand that nuts are as much a part of a sundae as are whipped cream and a cherry, or they're just greedy. Your business is suffering, David, if you up-charge for basic ingredients. That's a weak grift and a great way to lose customers. read more

Better than I thought it was going to be. Root beer comes in frosted mugs & there is a daily special thats is about $5 off. Food itself is okay - 3 star. read more

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On my day off, as I was driving back to San Francisco, last minute I decided to detour from Rohnert Park to San Francisco to the closest A&W Restaurant and yes I only came for one thing, the classic Rootbeer float and a selfie with their mascot, Rooty the Great Root Bear . I enjoyed the root read more

A&W Restaurant - A toast to you Rooty! Glad to meet you. You rock! - Burgers Near Me - San Rafael, California

A&W on 101 at San Pedro exit is my pit stop after mountain biking at China Camp State Park. After burning calories in the hills of Marin County your body is famished for some food. My go to order are chicken strips with fries and a root beer float. Hits the spot! The staff is always friendly and the drive thru is quick. read more

A&W Restaurant - Drive -thru - Burgers Near Me - San Rafael, California

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They left this restaurant with the retro design and never updated or remodeled it, which is a good thing. You get a nostalgic like the 80s when you're dining. :) . And they have root beer floats in cold frosted mugs. While older,the place is very clean inside and not worn out or run down or anything. read more

It's not that hard to make a burger and not add lettuce. It took a long time to get my foos so I figured they were making the burger fresh. But no luck... read more

A&W Restaurant - Lettuce for days! - Burgers Near Me - San Rafael, California

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Great service and the Spicy Papa double cheeseburger is amazing. The chili cheese fries and classic A&W Root Beer float are great additions.

A place lost in time. Well, maybe that's just most of Marin, if we're being honest. And there's nothing wrong with that. I love places in the Bay Area that feel like they've escaped the looming tide of Silicon-Valley-fication, and many of those places lie in Marin County and it's many hamlets and towns. And that includes A&W. I mean, first off, when was the last time you saw an A&W? They're pretty rare and never in the same tier as other fast food joints in how frequently they are brought up. I remember when the A&W Vallejo opened up and no one went cause it's just associated with root beer. In that sense, A&W is truly the underdog of fast food. You know it exists, but it feels like an urban myth to the mass public. But by giving it a chance, you can see it has its own unique menu superstars and charm that I haven't felt with a fast food joint since I was a kid looking at a gleaming McDonald's PlayPlace. You have to pay attention to the daily specials. BOGOs, discounts, and more await when you pull up to that drive-thru line and behold the holy testaments of savings next to the menu. Do this and you'll leave A&W happy and in awe of how it still stands to this day in small town Bay Area. Oh, and of course the cheese curds. Make sure you double and triple check sauces here since it's missed sauces a few times, but other than that: it's golden. read more

A&W Restaurant - Cheese curds golden hour (10 AM in the morning). - Burgers Near Me - San Rafael, California

We are from the east bay and will drive here because 1. The place - nostalgia, clean and bright 2. A&w Root beer float 3. Friendly staff :) Cant wait for my kid to grow older to enjoy this place with us! read more

Best burger ANYWHERE!!! Plus everything they serve is awesome!! I highly recommend A&W restaurant on the Redwood Highway in San Rafael, California‼ read more

Passed by as it's been so long since I had a Rootbeer Float and Chilli Cheese Fries! The inside the restaurant was clean and well maintained. The staff friendly. There is plenty of parking spaces and it's by the freeway. I love their rootbeer floats here! Big and in a nice mug! My fave! This place is better than the one in the Bay Area! [22R,2024] read more

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Ordered: 10 Corn Dog Nuggets Large Fries Root beer Cream Freeze Got: 10 Corn Dog Nuggets No Fries Probably the Root Beer Cream Freeze -- I asked the cashier if he knew what was distinct about the Root Beer Cream Freeze & this is the rest of our convo: "It's good" "Oh but how is it different than a RB Float" "Idk I've never had it" ... And he forgot my fries! I am so silly and read the "R Freeze" on my receipt as "R Fries" so I initially thought he got the wrong size. But he completely forgot my fries even though the RB Cream Freeze convo happened after I ordered fries. Ugh. The RM Cream Freeze is just blended RB Float btw. -- I would order both RB Cream Freeze & Corn Dog Nuggets again. Can't speak on the fries. read more

A&W Restaurant - Burgers Near Me - San Rafael, California

Great staff, great food! The ONLY spot to get a beyond burger and tall glass (REAL GLASS) mug of creamy root beer. A must stop. The employees were amazingly accommodating. Restrooms were very clean and food came out exactly as expected. read more

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The staff was very nice and very courteous. However, I was not very impressed with the quality of the meat or the buns. Having said that it was clean and very reasonably priced. read more

Spotless restroom. Food served hot. Had to be careful with the fries. Planets aligned. I'll be back.

I love A&W They even give free root beer floats on your birthday!! (just a heads up for the freebie birthday crew) I took my Mom here a while back, and had a great experience. I had a chili dog, she had a beyond burger, I also got cheese curds!! Oh those cheese curds, soooooooooooooooooooo good!! They're a rare treat but a good one when I'm feeling like junk food. The chili dog was good, not many places one can get a chili dog in Marin; my Mom didn't even know she had a vegan burger, and didn't complain, so I'm guessing it was really good for her too! The staff here is always very professional, and they clean tables after every customer, which is important during this time in the world. read more

A&W Restaurant - Burgers Near Me - San Rafael, California

They charged $19 for a basic burger, cheese curds, and soda. Unreal. Asked for sauce, wasn't given any. For that price, go to an actual restaurant. Customer service was awful. read more

Okay food, okay service, but crazy overpriced! Inside, the place is sterile and empty feeling. A few retro 80s steel banded tables with ~3-4 chairs each fill the open floor plan, surrounded by a few bench-like seats. The food quality was mixed. The burger was overcooked and tough, while the veggies tasted pretty fresh. The chicken was just depressing. A sad individual small chicken tender, coated in a flimsy and flavorless bread that peeled off of it like the mistake it had been to apply it. Just a sad meal. I wouldn't recommend this for anyone outside of folks that don't know the value of money or those with stock in A&Ws parent company... TL;DR: Overpriced bad food. read more

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Service was fine. Ordered a root beer float however it tasted than when I was a kid. The vanilla custard was too sweet and did not add anything to the taste. Root beer was just fine. read more

One of the REAL A&W remaining, where the Root Beer is king! I like having a root beer freeze. The A&W's that are part of another fast-food chain usually do not offer the freezes, just floats. Try one and see. The people were friendly and helpful. If I lived nearby, I would go here often. read more

Cute spot for a quick bite. I liked there floats served in a chilled glass. Lots of condiment options read more

A&W Restaurant - Burgers Near Me - San Rafael, California

The corn dog bites are incredible food! The fries and the root beer float are also really good! I highly recommend their food. The service is pretty quick! Also the ambiance is also great for an american fast food place! read more

Great root beer, but I would never return to this location after finding several hairs deep fried in my chicken tenders. Worst experience ever and will NEVER go back again. The staff are really friendly but I can't trust them anymore. read more

Nostalgia! I had driven back and forth to SF via the GG bridge twice in a week and had noted what looked to be a vintage style A& W root beer from the highway. I finally decided to stop by my last time there heading back to Sacramento and I ordered a classic A & W root beer float. Friendly service, not too much of a wait in the drive-thru, and the float was quite delicious and better than I hoped, as the last time I had one was over 20 years ago. Good amount of parking, a bit wonky to get there from freeway due if unfamiliar with area so use your gps, but worth the stop. A vintage classic that delivered. read more

This is by far my most favorite burger joint. I go here almost every week. They have the best burger's other than Phyllis's Burger which is better but more pricey. I have been to this restaurant since the 80s. The only A&W I know in the Bay Area. read more

A&W Restaurant - Beyond Burger - Burgers Near Me - San Rafael, California

I'm giving A&W four stars because for Me, being there is like going back in time. The place is clean, staff is efficient and the food is exactly as I remember it when I was a kid. Back then I thought these were the best burgers ever and though my taste in hamburgers has become much more discerning over the decades, I still think A&W does a pretty decent job for a fast food joint. The real draw for me, though, is the root beer. Whether you prefer diet or regular, they've got it and they even still serve it in glass mugs! I hardly ever get root beer anymore so having it at A&W is a real treat. As I understand it, this A&W has been around since the 1970s. Good for them! They're obviously doing something right. So if you're in the mood for a nostalgic burger, fries and some root beer, this place is a must. Cheers! read more

The wrong price was posted on the drive through menu and I asked if they will honor the advertised price, the guy asked someone and tried to say it was the single rather than the double. (it's not) Then he got upset and said "Do you want it or not?" I don't, and I don't want to do business with you anymore. You lost a customer for life by not being up front with your communication and trying to say the customer is mistaken instead of checking the board outside, which they'll probably never do. Honestly the last burger was not cooked as well as it used to be anyways, probably under new management that has no clue about customer service or basic cordial communication. read more

Fast service, my burger was covered with fresh onions as requested, french fries were piping hot! Convenient location right on and off the freeway, recommend! read more

I don't normally review fast food or chains but I am going to mAke an acceptation I ordered from the drive thru so I don't know what the dinning room experience is like . The man that was working the drive thru was very polite and nice. Most always seem like you are waisting THEIR time but he was very patient as I wanted to look over the menu. I ordered the mushroom burger and onion rings. The burger had SO many mushrooms along with Swiss cheese. Very tasty. The onion rings were actual onions in a ring, not onion bits in the shape of a ring. The food was hot and freshly made, not old junk that had been sitting under a heat lamp,Good JOB A&W!! Wish there were more of you and less Burger King!! read more

I saw this restaurant and realized I haven't been to an A&W in a very long time. So I hit the drive thru and got a cheeseburger and fries. Service was relatively quick, as i expected "cook to order.'' The cheeseburger was good, fresh and juicy. When a burger is this good, I'm not going to take it apart and analyze it. The fries were crispy and lightly salted. Maybe not fresh from the fryer vat, but they were good. When a burger place sticks to what it knows, the food is good. Burgers, Fries, Shakes, Sodas and desserts. Worry about your diet later, this is American comfort food. Located near Hwy 101 near the San Pedro Rd exit. Along Merrydale Rd, North of McDonalds. Large parking lot. read more

A&W Restaurant - Meanwhile in San Rafael - Burgers Near Me - San Rafael, California

It is sad that the only way to get A&W root beer with sugar rather then corn syrup is to pony up to an actual A&W brick and mortar! A friend turned me onto this tip, for whom I will pick up a gallon of the stuff as a thoughtful gesture whenever I pass by it is convenient and they are in town. One can also get a gallon of calorie free root beer! The gallon comes in a bag with handle and turn top seal. Their burger deals are the same as if you rode up to McDonald's next door or across the street. While you can order in advance similar to McD's, it does not seem you can park in a designated spot in the lot where your items will be delivered to you. The convenience of this at McD's unlike even a Burger King is not to be underestimated. Not only can you wait in the comfort of your vehicle: you are not having to wait in line with the riff raff who simply nonchalantly drove up to the outdoor menu and transceiver and placed their order in real time: now, despite ordering in advance through the A&W app, you are now five cars deep as orders are handed to one in the car at the window serially... I do like their basic cheeseburger more than McD's: like Burger King, A&W, theirs has a lovely char, more natural than BK. But the pricing among the three outlets for their normal sized burgers is very very similar. The closest BK to the A&W-McD's pairing is north off of 101, about 5-10 minutes away. I tend to go to BK: their deals and point system works for me. Wednesdays you can get a regular Whopper for $3!!! The A&W fries are the best of the three: they have a texture between BK and McD's. When McD's fries are fresh they are amazing: rarely fresh or cooked properly however... BK simply charged too much for their fries. But, you can get an offer which drops the price down significantly. But you can only use one offer per order or day. About that: I disagree: you cannot use both an offer and use your accrued points. That is just wrong! Maybe it is a limitation of the ordering or computer system. But it is too evil to not make it so. What I love the most about A&W it seems like a family owned business, everyone seems happy to be working there. No corporate BS or feeing one is working for The Man. That alone should convince you to consider A&W even though their pricing seems to be a bit higher than either McD's or Birger King. I have heard that some SF Bay Area BK outlets will be shuttered. I don't know if the one near Ignacio is at risk. However, I cannot even imagine how any fast food drive up outlet survives... the miners just don't make sense to me. The bottom line for the mega corporate companies must be another angle than selling burgers fries and shakes - except, of course: In-n-Out seems to be crowded the entire time they are open...‍ Our A&W has an antiquated look and fee clearly from decades of service. The patina in the form of grit and hand polished surfaces gives it a consistency unattainable by any McD's worth It's muster. BK just looks worn down wherever you find 'em. Getting back to the staff at each: A&W: nice friendly working hard to serve you a delicious meal; orange colored t-shirts. McD's: the professionalism and and the uniform and tightness uniformity is sharp and makes you feel special in a different way. BK: no pride in their situation; no sense they represent something bigger than the local owner's situation. Nice enough, the staff has little perspective they represent a huge corporate brand. Offers and a specials: BK: Sometimes an offer is not available at s given BK: the app does not know the difference until well after you have selected the store location. The Wednesday Whopper deal cannot be beaten. McD: Consistent. I always pick one deal or use my points for "free" stuff. Suggestions in the app are brilliant. Again, not being able to use points and offers is ridiculously lame. A&W: a daily deal is gonna be exciting and enticing: 2 cheeseburgers for $7 is awesome. Except on a Wednesday but the 2-fer dal falls on another day of the week: I think Sunday...‍ read more

As a New Jerseyan and recent transplant to the west coast, I was really excited about trying A&W. It didn't disappoint. It's not a niche fast food joint (such as shake shack, chick fil A, 30 Burgers), but prob compares best to Wendy's. For what it is, I think it's pretty darn good! I got the #1 with Fries, Root Beer (obviously), and a side of onion rings. It was the perfect DMO (dirty munch out)! It was filling, greasy, and - most importantly - tasty. I couldn't put the burger down and ended up eating the fries and rings last. The pic I'm sharing was from home, since it was a drive thru order. The burger doesn't look sexy, but it was gooood! read more

A&W Restaurant - Papa Burger Fries Onion Rings - Burgers Near Me - San Rafael, California

went thru the drive thru and got the root beer cream freeze. delicious. tastes like the last part of a root beer float with the melted ice cream. pretty yum. server at the window was very nice and the drive thru line moved nicely and was unobstructed. clean and well lit. read more

Not bad but not amazing. Food lacked seasoning and was slightly over priced, but overall I was satisfied. Cute aesthetic as well. It was a fun experience. read more

Worst. Service. Ever. I've tried this place a couple of times now. First time was a disaster. Thought it may have improved but, nope! The same little woman that ignored me at the counter the last time (a couple of years ago) while she chatted with coworkers got my order wrong and tried to blame me! Apparently, the franchisee is committed to this longtime employee, disregarding the fact that she is chasing customers away. read more

There aren't too many of these around. This location keeps the restaurant very clean. Kind and courteous staff. Conveniently located right of the freeway. Food always fresh. read more

A&W Restaurant - Papa Burger, Coney Cheese Dog Combo, Root Beer and Root Beer Float - Burgers Near Me - San Rafael, California

Food is way above average; my heart melted when I saw they put out buffalo sauce next to the ketchup, service is way above average. Who'd have known? They need a sign marking where to turn in. read more

It's A and W what's not to live. The food is consistent. The fresh flavor is great. The staff is friendly and the store is clean.

Best diet root-beer float. Bring backs fond memories of my childhood. Friendly staff.