We have been coming to this restaurant for many years and have always enjoyed it. Everything has been so good, from the service to the food. Unfortunately, our last experience here was far from great and I am extremely disappointed. About a week and half ago, I called to make a reservation for 9 as we were celebrating my MIL's 94th birthday. I let them know that we would need a w/c accessible table since she is no longer mobile. So far so good. On this past Saturday night, we arrived at the restaurant to find that they put us at a very poorly situated table right next to the front door. Every time someone came in or out, we got the cold and the rain plus kept getting the noise and bumping from people coming in and out. There are 2 main rooms in CPB and the second room had a large table that could have fit us nicely. My son inquired several times as to if we could have that table and we were told that "it was reserved" and "it was not w/c accessible". There was absolutely no barriers to the wheelchair for that table. As far as it being reserved?? No parties ever came to that table for the whole time we were there. The seating we were given was miserable. Now let's go to the service. My daughter in law and I ordered cocktails. She ordered a Bees Knees. The waiter did not know what it was and apparently neither did the bartender because she said it was terrible. (My DIL was too nice to send it back.) My son tried to explain to the waiter how to make the drink but it did not work out. I ordered an Aperol Spritz - this too was not good. For dinner, I had the crab crakes for the starter and the scallops for the main. My hubby had the ribs and the French Onion Soup. When we were ordering, the host explained that the Fr Onion Soup had bread and cheese on top - just the way my husband likes it. Well, there was no bread nor cheese on the soup. Just oniony broth. My starter and main dish were ok but definitely not great. My husband noted that his ribs were drowning in BBQ sauce and the meat was rather dry. Another thing to note is that there was no bread served with the dinner or starters. I guess they have gone the route of that being extra but for prices they are charging it would be nice to include it. We ordered coffee, tea and dessert. Hubby and I split the beignets which were doughy and overly sweet. On top of this, the waiter forgot my husband's coffee and my MIL's coffee. It was a very disappointing experience because (a) it was a special occasion that we had been looking forward to and (b) we have had so many great dinners and lunches there in the past. I had recommended CPB to our family and felt terrible that it turned out the way it did. Especially given the total cost of the dinner! I'm sad to say that we will not be planning on returning to this restaurant. I hope others have a better experience. read more

Everything was perfect for our celebration of life luncheon (party of 25). Delicious food, lovely private room, easy to arrange with manager, lead server Diana was attentive and helped customize the event to my preferences, great value for the price. Would also be perfect for a reversal dinner. Thanks all. read more

Beautiful restaurant but their Rack of Lamb is very disappointing! Very small, fatty portion with one small potato. I was hungry when I finished my meal so I ordered a mixed green salad which only had lettuce...again very disappointing. I have dined in prior months; not sure I would return. This is my very first negative review of a restaurant! Larry of Redwood City. read more

Great food and service. Obviously on the pricier side but the linguini was pretty delicious wish there was more seafood in it though. The apps were nice, the duck spring rolls and fried calamari were my favorites read more

Central Park Bistro - Linguini Pasta, garlic shrimp, - New American Near Me - San Mateo, California

It was my Anniversary 31 years everything was so good service was spot on Thank you had the prime rib it was Delicious read more

We arrived expecting a great experience, but when we got the menu, it did not match the menu posted on their website we had reviewed. We were disappointed it did not have what we had decided on our meal. We asked if there were any specials and the response was "everything is special" hahaha, not. We asked out server about the Mismatched menu online and on site. He quickly apologized and blamed their website designers do not keeping up. We then decide we were not going to eat here and went to PAUSA for a spectacular dinner. So disappointed after hearing from our close friends that Central Park Bistro is excellent. Maybe we'll try it again some other time. read more

Always driven by, walked by, ran by and had wanted to try it. Well that day has come and I gotta say it's a pretty laid back almost fancy dining. Space is fair and has a couple separate rooms for parties or meetings also if needed. Fortunately I was here for a meeting and meal was paid for. However that doesn't change my or alter my opinion on the place. Service is great and fast with nice comfortable seating where the lighting could be fancy or just a simple dinner. It seems like there is plenty of staff to keep par with the diners so I assume the service is always great. My four course meal was really hearty and sort of fancy with the presentation but not like the 4 star extravagant ones that serves you a tasting menu. Serving an American fare you have a decent selection of entrees to choose from. I opted for the mushroom ravioli and it was really hearty and earthy with my first bite to my last bite in minutes. Yeah yeah I know but it's not that much so it was easily consumed. My Meal: *Salad is a typical pear Gorgonzola with a light dressing. *Butternut Squash Gnocchi was super delicious with the fluffy potato wrap melting in your mouth *Bread Pudding was a bit too moist and sweet for my palette but others seem to enjoy it, especially with the ice cream on top. My partners meal: *Skirt Steak : grilled with side of Green Beans and mash. *Key Lime Pie was the main star of the night. This is a simple review for now until I can go back and try it again for a full on review. Keep up the great service and meals and you'll have more customers. read more

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Good environment for friends I really enjoy the food Most clients are local Worthy to try read more

Central Park Bistro - 美式环境 是个朋友聚餐 - New American Near Me - San Mateo, California

First time here for my bday lunch last week on Thursday. Beautiful sunny day for outdoor dinning. This place is awesome. Food and service was great! Plus their cocktail drinks are so good that I had second for lunch lol. The grill octopus was so yummy which was my favorite. The paella was also good but more on the runnier side than what I'm use too but still it's really good. The skirt steak sandwich was ok. I think it would be better if slice more thinly but it was still good. Our server was very good and tentative. Overall we both enjoyed it. Great way to start a bday. I definitely would like to come back but this time for dinner. read more

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I have been a customer over many years, perhaps a visit for dinner with friends twice a year. The food is generally consistent and the staff is usually very professional, passionate about service and engaged with the tables. Sadly, I have to report a very disappointing situation which might effect others who patronize Central Park. I was given a Central Park Bistro gift card over the holidays. So I decided to use it during my last dinner. After a very long wait after the check was presented, the manager returned to say "I am sorry, our computer system cannot read the gift card. Would you mind paying with credit card and we will call you tomorrow to figure this out?" After the initial embarassment, I said to myself, well things happen. They'll call me tomorrow. So I gave them my number and email. A week has passed and not a word. I then decided to send an email to the customer engagement address on their website. Still zero response from the owner or management. Be forewarned that buying a gift card at Central Park Bistro or likely their other locations will come with an uncertain result. Like someone wasting their money and a diner being royally embarassed. read more

The food was enjoyable, but our experience was overshadowed by an issue with the bill. Upon reviewing it, we noticed the sales tax was doubled, which seemed more intentional than accidental. This left us feeling uneasy about the transparency of their billing practices. While the food was good, I recommend carefully checking your bill if you choose to dine here. We learned from neighbors in San Mateo this is a pattern w Central Park.... Beware!!! read more

First time here for dinner last night. Great ambiance not loud atmosphere very romantic setting Food was delicious and service was perfect. Going back soon. read more

Central Park Bistro - New American Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Excellent good service is amazing. The food selection is the best in this area. Love the staff and kitchen options,!

I love this place . Apps, entrees, and deserts ! All wonderful. Have not had a bad bite in the years I have been visiting. Excellent service. Always accommodating . read more

I hadn't been here since before pandemic, so was intrigued to try it out again. Service was good. Seated promptly and drinks also came quickly. For appetizers, the Calamari was excellent. It was crispy and not soggy like other places. The batter was also seasoned properly. The octopus was smaller than we thought it would be and I didn't particularly enjoy the flavors. For the entree, I had the Hanger Steak medium and it was great. Flavorful and tender. I would definitely order it again. Parking isn't too bad for San Mateo. If you're going for dinner, park on 5th. It's usually easier to find parking then in the busier downtown area. The only knock was that it was hot that evening and it was stuffy inside. There wasn't any air conditioning. But, with good company and drinks, it was soon tolerable. I'd go back, but maybe on a cooler evening. read more

Great service and food. Our Father's Day dinner was a hit. Chicken, pasta and scallops all delish! read more

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I wouldn't say that "good" or "great" explain this restaurant, I'd say exceptional is the best way to describe dinning here. We had dinner on the patio on a Friday night. We made reservations and I would recommend you do as well as they did get busy. We had the Cesar and butter lettuce salads, meatballs, gnocchi, brussel chips and baby back ribs. Everything was super tasty and even with two beers and all that food, our check only came to $105! The salads were great - not drowning in dressing and had plenty of toppings for each but bite. I had the butter lettuce salad and the pecans and green apples made it super tasty! The gnocchi was very fresh plenty of sauce. And we really tasty! I feel like most restaurants serve dry meatballs but these ones were still moist! The Brussel were a little too oily for our tasty but that was the only thing that wasn't expect up all. We split the baby back ribs and they were kind enough to serve it on two plates for us! That has never happened to us despite always ordering to share! When we poked the ribs with our forks the meat immediately fell off! They were AMAZING! The cornbread and apple slaw were also great! We had too much to order dessert but we will be back again to try out their desserts! read more

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We had not been here in years and so we were very pleased to find that the food was still excellent. The restaurant is not trendy like some of its neighbors, and perhaps is a bit dated, but it was rather nice to find a place where we could really talk with our friends and hear each other. We started with the beet salad and goat cheese, which was delicious with a light raspberry dressing. Roast chicken on broccolini with fingerling potatoes was very good and the pork chop with purée and geeens was excellent. Ended with the gelato. The blood orange was excellent but the chocolate was the only weak note of the evening. Excellent service. read more

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Work dinners are awesome, especially at places like this! Loved the decor and ambiance from the moment I walked in, and was truly in love when we were escorted to our own private room which also happened to be their wine cellar, sort of! Super, duper cute!!! Everything we ate was incredibly yummy! Loved the duck pate appetizer as well as my lamb chops! And the bread pudding dessert is a total must, perfect size and taste to top a delicious meal! Definitely 5 stars on the food! Close to 5 stars on the service but a few things really bothered me towards the end. I've never had to pack my own leftovers at a place like this! They usually take my plate and bring the leftovers back, wrapped up nicely in a container and bag. Instead I was handed a rather beat-up box with sauce on the outside! Then I was feeling a drought midway through dessert! I need water with my bread pudding!! Ugh! I didn't finish it bc I was out of water!! Lastly, a pitstop to the ladies' room before leaving resulted in ... no more toilet seat covers and trash overflowing! It wasn't like that at the start of dinner when I remember thinking "nice restroom." read more

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Wow what a delicious meal we all had- my wife and son and I can't rave enough for this special restaurant. Thank you for a great meal and great service!! read more

Central Park Bistro - New American Near Me - San Mateo, California

We had our company holiday luncheon here. It was a 4-course meal and I received lobster salad, shrimp wrapped in prosciutto, chicken breast entree with potatoes, and chocolate mousse for dessert. The portions were on the small side but the flavors were good. Service was just okay. We had to ask for water two times before getting it. My coworker asked for a coke at the beginning of the meal but never got it. Then at the end of the meal, he asked for it again and finally received it. Parking was extremely hard to find during lunch time. read more

This is an old school spot that attracts old school clientele. The food is good and the prices are sky high. My group of five arrived for dinner Friday night and the restaurant was not full. The bread arrived warm and very soft. More wonderbread than a crusty loaf. I loved their flavored house butter which is served at room temp. They have a solid wine list here, but thought the copy/paste issues on their list were interesting. It looked like they accidentally used ~3 different fonts. I had the scallops with risotto. The scallops were cooked well, and the risotto was smooth and creamy. A reasonable portion, you will not feel stuffed. The duck ragout was delicious. The sauce was very flavorful. Crepe brûlée for dessert was topped with berries and pretty standard. I did not taste the flavor at all; I think it was supposed to be coconut? Overall, a very traditional, pricey restaurant. read more

Central Park Bistro - Seared Scallops - New American Near Me - San Mateo, California

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CPB recently hosted an important family lunch of us. The food was terrific, as was the ambiance and Giorgio's attentive and thoughtful service. We had a wonderful experience. I would recommend CPB with enthusiasm. read more

Everything was SOOOO GOOD! we had: Beet salad Octopus Steak. Even my mother, who doesn't usually appreciate American food loved it!!! Above the food, was there excellent service. I can't wait to come back to try the rest of their menu. They have a super cute wine family room. 10 stars highly recommended read more

I've been coming here infrequently for years. Like the location, ambiance, interior, food, and fairly easy parking. In general, for me, a solid go-to place for a business dinner or lunch whether in the main room or renting a private room for a small event. Last night had dinner here and it was anything but. Half the place was a big Boston Scientific marketing event. And the other private rooms were full. And the main room had a small number of HUGE parties (e.g., 12-14 people) that [1] made the place very noisy, [2] packed it to the rafters, and [3] overwhelmed the kitchen. So congrats on having a booming business on a Monday night. BUT you need to preserve the experience for someone looking for a dinner where you can hear the other side of the table and the service is up to snuff. I simply loathe dining in places with big tables because they are invariably loud and swamp the kitchen with the meal syncing problem. I won't be back for a while if I want a quiet business dinner. Pizza: solid, love the mushroom and the four cheese Smoked salmon: good, not outstanding Heirloom tomato salad: very good Beignets: great Lava cake: OK Coconut creme brule: very good read more

It was great food and atmosphere! I went There for the event that was happening from Pca and was great food !! I would definitely come back!! read more

I had a family get together in one of their private rooms. It was a family where some members hadn't seen each other in over 50 years so it was important to me that everything be perfect. And perfect it was! The food was excellent as was the service. Everyone enjoyed themselves thanks to Central Park Bistro hitting it out of the ballpark! read more

3.5 stars! The first thing I noticed about Central Park Bistro was how dark and dingy it is on the inside--and not even in a romantic way! There's something really off about the lighting and atmosphere in this restaurant, but the service and food are definitely good. You can start off with a serving of soft and spongy housemade bread with an herbed butter on the side while perusing the classic yet creative menu! To start off, we got an appetizer of the wood oven roasted beets, served with mixed greens and topped with goat cheese. This appetizer was delicious--the red beets on top of the greens were warm, while the slices of golden beets on the side were cold; the tang of the goat cheese was such a classic pairing with the sweetness of the beets! For our main course, we had the Painted Hills Beef Burger, a perfectly juicy and caramelized beef patty with cheddar cheese in a perfectly toasted bun, served with mustard, lettuce, tomato, and onion. The beef patty was seasoned absolutely perfectly and had a nice crust on it--definitely a solid burger! Instead of fries, we asked for the sauteed red Swiss Chard as a side, which was garlicky and delicious as well! Finally, we tried the duck ragout with shell pasta, gremolata, and veal-red wine sauce. Though the dish sounded enticing, the execution was off--first, the small shells of pasta were overcooked and near mushy. On top of that, the sauce was completely overpowered by a strong sweet/sour flavor from the tomato sauce, and you couldn't really taste anything else. Eating this dish was like drinking a big bowl of tomato soup, and I'd definitely recommend picking another option instead. read more

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I had a lovely dinner with a few friends at Central Park Bistro, and I highly recommend you try it out sometime! The service was attentive and friendly, while the food was rich and tasty. You must try the octopus dish and make sure you try a few plates to share, or not! read more

Central Park Bistro - New American Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Great food and ambience!! Staff was friendly and accommodating as well. Food tasted excellent. The seafood was of high quality and presentation was nice too. read more

Central Park Bistro - Sea bass and octopus - New American Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Great food and even better service! The birthday girl and I split: crab and lobster cakes, beet salad, octopus, and creme brulee. All were beautifully prepared and very much enjoyed. Elegant, but not fussy, Central Park Bistro is the perfect place for both weeknight date nights and special occasions. read more

Had such a lovely dinner here tonight. The waiter recommended the red wine braised octopus which I reluctantly got, and I'm so glad I did! I thought it was going to be like a braised short rib, but it's actually just grilled octopus with cool vegetables (cucumber, onions, carrot). Soooo tender and I loved every bright, citrusy bite of it! I was also served complimentary warm bread with soft herb butter. For my main I got the scallops, which was still tasty but not nearly as amazing as the octopus. I had a solo dinner tonight, but I'll definitely be returning with my partner and friends! read more

Central Park Bistro - New American Near Me - San Mateo, California

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The chicken roulade here was seriously amazing. It was stuffed with cheese and mushrooms (a lot of mushrooms) with the best mushrooms sauce to top it off. I asked the server if I could switch out the potatoes for something else (like asparagus) and he said "yeah, no problem" so many restaurants I know give a hard time or charge extra but they were just so nice & accommodating. It's a cute place, right in the heart of downtown San Mateo. Also, they were so nice to my two kids, it's a nicer place so sometimes kids aren't always welcome with open arms, but they even gave my daughter a plastic duck they had when she started to get restless. I mean, really nice people. But let's talk about the food, oh my goodness, so delicious. 10 stars! Definitely going back. read more

4.5 stars! I had dinner here last night for my brother's birthday and all 4 of us were thrilled with the service and with most of the food! Appetizers: - Foie gras was well balanced by the dates and compote. My only wish is that they gave more crostini! I feel like most restaurant never give enough lol -Octopus was incredibly tender and not at all rubbery! Entree: -BBQ ribs were fall off the bone tender! I would try to pick it up by the bone and the meat would just slide off. I do wish the corn bread had more flavor. It was moist, but was very bland and hardly tasted like anything at all. - My brother ordered the skirt steak which by the way was the most tender one he's ever had. His truffle mashed potatoes were fantastic! - My mom had the filet mignon and my dad had the lamb chops. Once again, tender meats, well seasoned. Dessert: - complimentary birthday cheesecake- has more a jello consistency, leading me to think it's a no-bake cheesecake. My brother it's not the biggest fan of cheesecake so he really loves this kind! - toffee bread pudding- we order this because everyone raves about it on yelp, but we actually found it to be pretty dry and the portion to be small. Georgio, the owner, is so kind and you can tell how much he cares about his clients and his restaurant. I would definitely recommend people to try this place! I can't wait to taste more of the menu. read more

Central Park Bistro - Foie gras - New American Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Always excellent, has never disappointed us. Went for mother's Day brunch and enjoyed everything. Georgio was a great host and took great care of us. read more

Great food & service. Prices are reasonable. Would recommend this restaurant to my friends, read more

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I'm surprised I haven't written a review about Central Park Bistro because our team often comes here for business lunches and dinners. I love this place because they have an extensive wine list. They also have a menu that has options for various diets and everyone leaves happy. There are a few private dining spaces and they're perfect for a private business meal. We are trying to find an opportunity to book the wine cellar for a private lunch. The service is always top notch which is part of the reason we keep coming back. Prices are reasonable for a special occasion team lunch. read more

Super great outdoor dining experience in COVID. Ribs for the win again but also had the octopus and the smoked salmon and burrata which were excellent. read more

Central Park Bistro - Sea bass - New American Near Me - San Mateo, California

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After reading the reviews, I had high hope for this place especially it comes with a premium. Fyi, a glass of red CA wine cost me $18. I ordered a medium rare flank steak since it was accompanied with truffle mashed potato. The mashed was delicious however the steak was more like medium well and was a bit tough to chew. The calamari and beet salad were decent. With their price point, there are definitely a lot more options nearby with great creative menu and dishes - not to mention the dessert were subpar. This may be a great place to take your clients for business (conservative approach) but not for those with an acquired taste. read more

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As of June 6, 2020, this restaurant is offering outdoor dining! We were thrilled to see that this restaurant in San Mateo was opening and decided to try it on day 1. There are four tables outside that seat four people each, though they still offer take out while in quarantine. We were greeted with water, a loaf of bread and chive infused butter. This was much missed during quarantine! The staff was masked, friendly and excited to again be serving customers at tables. It was a needed dose of normalcy! We enjoyed draft beers, corn shrimp soup, butter lettuce salad with pear, gorgonzola and cashews, and the mushroom wood oven pizza. The fares were hot, fresh and very good. The prices are a bit high for the area, but we thoroughly enjoyed our experience being able to eat out in the wild. read more

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