Local bar vibe. Currently being remodeled 1/2026) Drinks are poured old school - strong, strong strong! Love everything about this place! Bang for your buck! read more

Do you like a dive bar? Do you like to watch the game without others blocking the TV? Do you like to find a seat at the bar or near it? Do you like when your shoes don't stick to the floor bc it's actually clean? How about bartenders being friendly and responsive - like that? I do. That's why I keep coming back to bucks. I love the comfort in here. It's never so packed I can't move. It's not so empty I feel weird. I do wish the second room had a pool table and there was food here (pizza, wings, dive bar food) or even a taco truck outside. Otherwise I could easily be here more often. Lol... my liver said that's a bad idea anyways. Im also 99% of the way towards buying a neon sign reading "i don't give a buck" to hang next to the deer head. Tho... my husband has run this past the owner and he didnt seem enthused lol. See you soon, Bucky's! read more

I am torn with this review because I used to go here when Kelly owned this place and it was super nostalgic with its old school vibes and it was just cool!! And now it's still super cool but now it's all new and still a nice place to go to and super friendly service. But if I had a choice i would most definitely want the old school place back lol read more

Great service, with a lot of options. A nice neighborhood feel. Service was great. No pressure ordering. We will definitely be back. Service from a bartender too. Who makes mixed drinks. read more

Bucky''s is a great bar that serves reasonably priced drinks. I usually go a couple Tuesday nights a month and enjoy the service there from Meagen. Bucky's also has an back patio that's great if you want to enjoy your drink with some fresh air. If you are looking for a low key atmosphere and a good time, Bucky's could be the right spot for you. read more

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Service is always top notch and everyone is usually cool AF!! Drinks are priced good too!

Friendly staff and partrons. Lots of selection for different taste. 3 Big screen tvs at bar. read more

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Fun clientele. Good bar tender. Good drinks. Solid Bloody Mary ............ Free WiFi. Sport tv. Full package read more

Lil hidden spot where the drinks are nicely poured, hell I love a bartender with a heavy hand. I remember going here since way back when the palm theater was movie spot close by. It's gotta great location there's a supermarket close by , a magic shop and the legion where they play bingo. When life seems hopeless I've come to Buckys to put my mind back in focus . read more

Buckys has very good bartenders. The environment is very pleasant. Love the custom bar top! It's nice to have the TVs in there. Very good selection of whiskey, bourbon scotch, etc. Reasonable prices which is a good thing! read more

Russian River PLINY THE ELDER on tap Beautiful people Always fun Ask about daily specials Come in!! read more

Bucky's Cocktail Lounge - New helpful staff - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Neat old school neighborhood dive. Reminds me of the Yuppie but less gnarly. Had my first in-bar beer in over a year here and I can't think of a better place to break that seal. read more

Omg Buckys has new owners Monday thru Wednesday they have two pretty bar tenders Marissa and Lynna Bringing back great happy hour food and Monday night football I'm telling ya they had pulled pork sliders that were fantastic the ladies go all out so glad they have some nice eye candy compared to before grumpy old peeps anyway come by see for yourself,,it's been 4 weeks now and I tell yeah Monday's are fun the ladies always are in a great mood which makes my tuff Monday' bearable,, read more

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My friend is in town from Austin TX, we were so happy that we ended up being here as our last stop of adventure of the night. We had the pleasure to meet Gwen the bartender, she made us the Mai Tai and the Washington apple. The drinks were so good and the talks were so great. Have a nice time here! I'll come back to this place as my go-to cocktail lounge in San Mateo! read more

Classic neighborhood bar. I wouldn't call it a dive bar because my definition requires it to smell like a Porta potty. This place is clean with intimate atmosphere when it's empty. I imagine weeknights can get active. Especially Friday after work. I heard they did a potluck with the regulars during the super bowl yesterday. Elisa the bartender was very friendly. read more

Moved into the neighborhood recently and was I excited to find out the local dive bar was 2 blocks away from me. Walked over with some friends and family on Thanksgiving (yes on Thanksgiving) around 10pm. Heavy pours, great sing-a-long music, and a pool table. From what I understand, dog-friendly too! They have the bartop, some tables, and an outdoor patio in the back with string lights. I was very impressed and will be back again soon (-; read more

This place is awesome! Come in and check out the new vibe! Awesome jukebox, Russian River PLINY THE ELDER on tap and tantalizing selection of Bourbons. Code name "Marisa" for daily specialties! read more

Bucky's Cocktail Lounge - Beautiful new bartenders - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

When Mike or Paulie work, those are the days that we visit because they are on top of it. Friendly service and clean bar and bathrooms. I have to say that when the others work, unless they are leaving and asking us if we want to cash out, they do not really talk to us. read more

I generally do not frequent dive bars, and I'm always afraid of not fitting in... but walking into Bucky's Cocktail Lounge feels like visiting the home of a good, old friend. Everything about this place is super cozy, and the company (bartenders and regular customers) is just wonderful. Toni was probably the nicest bartender I've ever met, and she totally did not judge me for not knowing exactly what cocktail I wanted. She made several suggestions, including the WP, which apparently stands for Wet... something. Cough. If you are a beer drinker in a cocktail bar, prepare to drink bottled beer for days. Toni took us on a tour of the whole place. There is an outdoor patio that feels like someone's backyard. Plenty of seating for busier times. There is also a room clearly dedicated to hosting larger events and celebrations. How fun! My friend and I played a game of pool while sipping on more beers and taking shots. Overall A+ experience. I don't live conveniently nearby, but Bucky's is definitely one bar to go out of my way for. read more

Bucky's has become one of my favorite hangouts. This is definitely not a trendy nightclub, it's a fun place to hang out with friends and DRINK. Sure you can't get a Guinness but they have Olympia in a can....don't see that all to often. Prices are very reasonable and the drinks are strong. I guess one could call it a dive bar, but then again who cares? Most of the crowd are locals and have all been going there all their lives. Everyone is pretty friendly and it's not hard to pick up an interesting conversation with real people. Their jukebox has a good selection of classics. Also they have an ATM, big screen and a pool table read more

This is a classic neighborhood bar with a familiar cast of characters, generous pours, reasonable prices, and great ambience. It's across the street from my new office, and I've been in quite a bit over the last few months. Sometimes they even have my favorite, Pliny the Elder, on tap. Friendly bartenders and a great overall crowd of mostly older locals. If you're looking for a classic Peninsula bar where most people grew up in the area, this is as authentic as it gets. Marisa and Alisa on Tuesday nights sometimes even order food for everyone. I look forward to going back often. read more

I like coming to neighborhood bars like this one. You can tell that the place had been around for a while and had a worn-in but comfortable feel to it. The service was prompt and friendly and it was a good place to come to catch up with a friend of ours. This is my type of spot. I have to dock a star because they only had 2 beers on tap. And it wasn't for a lack of room because they had a pretty good sized bar. It'd easily be a four star if they had a few more beers on tap. read more

A great place to get a drink and watch a game. The service and staff are highlights. Open early and late. read more

Bucky's Cocktail Lounge - Bucky's Cocktail Lounge 101 South Blvd San Mateo, California (650)349-4711 - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

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My friends and I had a great time at Bucky's recently. Since COVID, the bar has been updated and revamped with nicer decor. I'm happy to see the changes made there. There is plenty of seating and games to play too. They also have a spacious backyard with lighting, giving it a fun and relaxed vibe. The drinks were very affordable for the area-- a major plus. The bartender Michael, was very nice and took care of us all night! We'll definitely come back again. read more

Ah, dive bar. Went on a Monday night. Tons of parking. Sexy NASCAR model posters. Bartender was friendly. Pretty simple beer choices. Very interesting patrons. Maybe too interesting. We came for pool. Instead, we got this drunk Steve "Mongo" McMichael meets Meatloaf lookin' drunk guy who claimed to own the table. Like he made the damn table from his grandfather's tree from his backyard in Louisiana that was once struck by lightning. (Que theme from "The Natural") My friends played them (Mongo & Friend) and he left (he talked sh*t the entire time). My friends start playing a new game, Mongo comes back and exclaims "When I say the table is ours. It's ours. I mean, did we go outside or something?" If I had a poison dart for every time.... I would give this place a better score if I was allowed to break a pool cue over that guy's head. read more

Went last night, heard a great local band called "Tehya" played for four hours....overheard convo by patio with lead singer & bartender. Bartender: sorry not able to pay you, we didn't make $1000 tonite Lead singer: look of disappointment, speechless.... From what have heard from other bands - this place is FULL OF SHIT! how can you hire a band to perform and they play their hearts out for several hours while racking in $$ bucks from the bar and have NERVE to tell them at the end of night they won't pay you? WTF?!! If you're in a band looking for work... BEWARE OF BUCKY'S!!! read more

My boss took us here to celebrate his Superbowl pool winnings, and this place fits my childhood mental image of a bar to a T. "What beers do you have?" my first co-worker asked. "The beers you can see," the bartender waved dismissively. Bud, Miller, you know. "Uh... what beers do you have in bottles?" The bartender sighed, and actually had to look. The answer was at best Sierra, and my co-worker fell back to a vodka-tonic. Having observed this, I simply ordered a rum and coke. "Could I have a rum and diet coke? With uhhhh, less rum than his?" My second co-worker ordered, after having observed my cocktail. Bad bartender, bad beer selection, smoke outside so thick that I felt like I was in Europe rather than California *inside*, sports showing on one TV and Survivor on the other, a back room so brightly lit that you were blinded if you happened to accidentally look that way, sagging breaking seats, and a droopy smoke stained 40-something crowd of obvious locals makes for a place that's so bad that I want to take my friends there to let them see it for themselves. read more

A nice little piece of middle America in the middle of San Mateo. What you have here is everything you need for a nice relaxing evening after a long day of work. -Olympia beer in a can, check -Miller High Life in a bottle, check -Nascar shrine, check -Speed channel, check -Dog friendly, check, -Super welcoming bartender that looks like she can be on the Real Housewives of Orange County, check -Sweet little pool table for $.75 cents a game, check -The bartender even gave us a free pool game on the house, double check Little perks like that make me want to come back here. The crowd is a little bit older (35-50ish) but really relaxed. Lot of contractor trucks out in the parking lot, so this is as a genuine bar you can get in San Mateo county. read more

News Flash. The toilet in the men's powder room has been upgraded. Version 2.0. So now one flush does it. Now get your drink on. read more

Its been a few years since I've been to Bucky's but I drove by today and was happy to see they're still around (including their proud 6AM opening sign out front). This is by far my favorite dive bar on the peninsula, if not entire bay area. Prices have stayed reasonable and the decor/ambiance is a great blast from the past. Bucky's: Please dont change, ever! read more

This place depends on your taste in bars. If you're into true dives (no, not like the ones in the Mission in SF that pretend to be dives), friendly people, rocking out to The Carpenters, Elton John and the like, and cheap drinks, this is the place for you. Can be a bit loud, but for a local spot, you could do worse. But I can see those that might feel uncomfortable here, with sometimes rowdy people and NASCAR paraphernalia everywhere. read more

Although hardly a regular to this establishment I always feel welcome. I set up a few shows here in the past and recently hosted a birthday party for a friend. This place is perfect to host any event, with a large side room, a kitchen and other ameneties. My friends party went off without a hitch, the regular patrons don't seem to mind the intrusion and everyone had a good time. If I lived in the neighborhood, I'd be a regular. And like everyone else said: Kelly is awesome! read more

So, I may be a little biased about this place because my uncle is a bartender and my family frequents this place, but I love this bar! I'll admit, this place is a dive, but most people coming here know that. The bar itself is really long and has a good selection. Outside in the smoking area there is a putting green to keep drunky's occupied for hours, or to just set up some more drinking bets. If you're looking for a place to throw a party at a VERY reasonable price, I would suggest this place. I threw my 25th birthday party here. You get what you pay for. The owner is extremely nice, as is his daughter, and they were more than accomadating to the specific drinks and needs that we had for the party. During baseball season they have a really awesome pool that is too complicated for me to even explain, but it's worth checking out if you watch a lot of baseball! In conclusion, this bar can do no wrong in my eyes! read more

What a great little dive bar right out of the seventies you feel like Clint Eastwood's going to walk out of the bathroom. When I want to lay low and I come down here and hang out. Good times. read more

Bucky's Cocktail Lounge - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

great bar - it used to be a local - race track bar - for the jockies - people who worked at the track - gambled "sorry about the spelling - and the gamblers - now it is just a fun - local tavern - I've had a lot of fun in there - an old school bar / tavern read more

Had a fantastic time on Saturday January 25 2014 at Bucky's. Attended Scotts 60th birthday surprise party. There was dancing they had a DJ in the back room tables were set up and they served tacos and Spanish rice. It was pretty awesome. read more

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It was alright. Big space, pool table, juke box. However, they had an empty room where the tables had white table cloths and no one was in there. It looked like it was set up for a party that was never going to happen. Sort of spooky vibe read more

This is an actual dive bar. No hipsters, no yuppies, just a dive bar. If you like that kind of thing this is the place for you! If you don't, then don't bother to stop by and don't write nasty reviews complaining that it's "gross," or "dirty," or "a dive," or whatever. The bartender was friendly, even turned on the light so I could see the special NASCAR collection. Sweet! read more

I'm Shirley I stopped in Bucky's this week and Bucky's daughter is the barmaid. She is the MOST COOL BARMAID!!! She showed me the private patio garden out back. Everyone should go out on the patio and have their group served there. Lots of plants and flowers, screened I for privacy, and plenty of seating. GO HAVE YOUR DRINKS IN BUCKY'S PATIO GARDEN TONIGHT! TELL THEM SHIRLEY RECOMMENDED THEM! 2 THUMBS UP FOR BUCKY'S read more

Marisa is awesome! I really appreciate her customer service! She makes a mean margarita! Definitely coming back!