Well, the service was still amazing this time around but I don't understand why they use American cheese... :( The chicken in my enchiladas was really tender and delicious but I couldn't get over the literal pool of cheese. My food was being drowned. Never thought I'd complain about that much cheese... The only plus was that my plate pretty much turned into a queso dip sooo that's a plus to dip my chips in. Haha I still want to come back because the employees are awesome...maybe I'll just avoid the enchiladas and stick to the Chile verde plate. read more

This was our only authentic Mexican go-to place. Sadly we won't be coming back here until they fix their "cheese supply chain issue". I don't know what kind of cheese it was but on hot food, it was not melting, perhaps vegan? No clue. Please fix ASAP! read more

Fernando's has a great happy hour. Nice seating out in front, and they will turn on the heaters for you if you get cold. Very friendly staff, including the bartenders who are great and can make a mean margarita! Check them out. read more

This is a long one but I have to tell you my first time experience here: My partner were really in the mood for some Mexican food so I looked up the closest place which led us here. First off, it looked closed. Doors were shut, no windows to see inside.. Not very inviting BUT we were already there so, I reluctantly opened the door. There was no one working at the bar. There was no one on the floor. We stood there for a few minutes before a waitress finally passed by and told us to have a seat anywhere. So far so meh. The waitress was pretty nice and talked to you like a family member calling me "mija" and my partner "papi". I thought it was really cute and friendly. We ordered a couple beers and I ordered a cheese enchilada platter that comes with beans and cheese and my partner ordered some beef tacos. Our food food arrived pretty quickly so I was pretty excited about that since we were so hungry. At first, the food looked pretty good. Nothing was burned and it all looked pretty fresh. As fresh as you can get in a little hole in the wall Mexican restaurant. The food basically looked like what it would look like if Taco Bell stepped up their game big time. Which is a compliment because we reeeealllly love Taco Bell. A couple bites in to my dish and all I'm getting is globs of cheese. No prob, just scrap some cheese off, right? Wrong. It just kept oozing down my plate like molten lava and swallowing my enchiladas. Listen, I LOVE cheese but there was a least a pound of cheese that had been placed on top of the enchiladas and beans and melted down. No matter how much cheese I scraped off, all I was getting was cheese in my mouth. I couldn't eat it anymore. I flag down our waitress... I tell her "I'm so sorry but I can't eat this. It tastes good but the chef put waaaay too much cheese.." I even showed her as I picked up blobs of cheese with the fork and it just oozed back down, she became semi defensive and said "Well you asked for cheese enchiladas right?" I responded, "Yeah but this is excessive.. it's starting to hurt my stomach.." To which she replied, "Well, that's how we make it and that's how we've been making it for years and that's how people eat it. Next time just order little bit of cheese." So I tell her, "Listen... I'm Mexican. I've had a fair amount of enchiladas to know this is too much." So she says to me, "Well it's not authentic Mexican.. it's Tex Mex." At this point, I realize she isn't going to work with me and I tell her, "I'm not telling you this to get defensive. I'm telling you this is inedible and I can't eat this." I pushed my plate towards her, which I thought was the universal symbol for I'm FINSIHED and she said okay and walked away. (Side note, the weird this is she was nice. She didn't have an attitude. She was just saying the wrong thing.) She didn't offer me a remake or if I wanted anything else.. she just walked away. Then a few minutes later she passes by and asks, "Can I get you another beer?" What?! Lol.. I haven't even eaten yet! Why would I ask for another beer!? I said "No thank you." I helped finish my partners plate, we finished out beers, and we asked for the check. To no surprise, she charged me for the meal I couldn't eat. Luckily, I was in a good mood and tipped anyway because it's not her fault the chef thought it was a good idea to turn my enchilada into a fondue.. But I regret it now. My stomach hurts, we paid too much for bad food, and she should have offered me something else to eat or a remake. I mean, it was basically a plate or tortillas, rice, beans and cheese. It's not like I was eating expensive lobster. All in all... not the best experience but I might try it again in the future. I'll just have to remember to ask for "a little cheese". Ps: Their tortilla soup is good. So was the beer. read more

Fernando's Mexican Restaurant - Too much cheese!!!! The plate to the right is me attempting to scrap off cheese that has swallowed my enchiladas whole. - Mexican Near Me - San Mateo, California

Seen this place a few times but didn't realize it was related to the Celia's group of restaurants. Been craving sitdown Mexican as opposed to my usual taqueria runs. Good chips and salsa to start. Co-worker liked his chile colorado. I got a good taco al carbon but my pork tamal and chile relleno weren't all that great. Average tasting and a bit lukewarm. The relleno actually only had an egg dip without the batter. Odd. I think if I stick with the grilled items it would be a better bet. read more

First off - mariachi is loud when it's right next to your head (I love live music but a few feet from my table, please). But anywho... I went for a tostada, my standby at Mexican restaurants. Paid extra for carne asada. It was quite lame. The steak was dry, chewy and had two pieces that I couldn't even identify. Ew. The avocado slices on top were brown, and overall it wasn't a generous portion given the price. If you're more into big plates of food with lots of cheese, you might like this place more. My friend enjoyed his enchiladas, and two folks really liked their big plates of cheese, chicken and shrimp (forget what it's called). But for me, it was a "meh" experience. And loud. And overpriced for what we got... OH! And my biggest pet peeve - the staff just STARE at you while you're there. From their order entry station, from a booth near the restrooms, from the kitchen entrance... it's really disconcerting to eat while you've got six or seven staff folks just staring at you the whole time. Ew. read more

I love the food and staff at Fernando's! I have been coming here literally my whole life. Their salsa and margaritas are my favorite.

I only come here for the tortilla soup. Just get a bowl of the soup and munch on the chips and salsa. They actually use real cheese for the soup unlike with their enchiladas & burritos, which is nasty velveeta cheese. Their guacamole is really good too but is pricey. read more

BESTEST BEST Margaritas in the Bay!!! This bartender knows how to pour and knows how to mix!!! YUM YUM ... I like the drinks more than the food, but it is very authentic. read more

We have been coming to Fernando's for at least 17 years! So many great memories and always great tasting food! The only problem is my stomach is too small and I have to take home leftovers.... Ok, that really isn't a "problem"! read more

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I really liked the inside of this restaurant. Felt like the portion sides were really big. My minus two stars were because they had only one waiter for the restaurant side and one waitress for the bar area. It took a while to put in our order. Second is the cheese. I didn't like the taste of their cheese, it needs to be monterey jack or something else besides whatever they had. What they had almost tasted like American Cheese? Loved the hot chips that came out, we ate the whole basket. So if they fix those two things, I'll so be coming back here more often. read more

I always get the Mole enchiladas. Immensely delicious! My family and I love this place! read more

Worst Mexican food I've ever had in MY LIFE. First time experience: ordered a "taco salad" - theoretically. 10.95 + 1.75 (for choosing steak).. So I thought to myself, "this will surely be an amazing taco salad! It better be for this price..". BOY WAS I WRONG. Refer to picture I posted for evidence. It speaks for itself. read more

The potions are huge. Two people can easily share one burrito. The refried beans are so good that it is one of the top things I crave when I want comfort food. Each entree comes with tortilla soup or coleslaw. I would choose the tortilla soup -- very flavorful and cheesy. There was only one waitress when we were there. While she was doing her best, service was slow (1 star off). Diners here consist of Spanish-speaking folks, which always makes me feel like the restaurant is more authentic! read more

First of all, the salsa served with their chips and salsa is the best I've ever had. Spicy, excellent texture, and fresh! The espresso burrito was HUGE and priced well!! As a newbie to San Mateo, I'm looking forward to conquering as much of this menu as possible!!! read more

Fernando's Mexican Restaurant - Expresso Burrito w/carne asada - Mexican Near Me - San Mateo, California

For my money, this is the best Mexican restaurant in San Mateo. Food is always tasty, portions are enormous, margaritas are strong, and the service is always friendly. The rice and beans may be the best on the Peninsula. No frills, just delicious and authentic Mexican dishes served up hot. A+ read more

I love this place. My friends will all tell you this is my favorite place to go. First and foremost, I have an appreciation for a good top-shelf margarita. They're hard to find in my experience! Fernando's margaritas not only taste good, but they have good quality ingredients that don't leave you with a headache in the morning and it's a real adult beverage... meaning you feel it with a smile on your face. With that said, the food is pretty good Mexican and the wait staff is really friendly. Happy hour deals are good. However if you plan to sit at the bar for happy hour, get there early because the seating goes fast. In summary, the food gets a B, the atmosphere a B-, the bartenders and wait staff an A and the drinks an A+. If you're a top-shelf tequila/margarita fan, you won't be sorry. My personal favorite at this place is the Petron Margarita on the rocks with one of those little bottles of Grand Marnier put upside down in the drink in a Coronarita-type drink clip. It's like the picture below only with Grand Marnier instead of Corona. read more

Fernando's Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - San Mateo, California

My favorite Mexican restaurant!! My family & I have been going here for years & it's always a perfect meal! They have live music on Saturday nights & a full bar too. The staff is extremely nice & the service is super fast! 10/10 recommend & cant wait to go back! read more

Fernando's Mexican Restaurant - Steak Enchilada - Mexican Near Me - San Mateo, California

Overall, I think this place is a good restaurant - it's that place you go to for good-ole homestyle Mexican food. They have a very good selection of drinks and a great selection of menu items - they have seafood specials as well as those delicious combination items...Fernando's offers appetizers as well and one of my favorites are the chimichanguitas (little chimichangas with a side of guacamole). The service is very good and the servers are very friendly and accommodating. Most of their entrees arrive with the usual beans and rice, which is good, but I really like the Tortilla Soup, which is outstanding - it's hearty, fresh and thick (not brothy) - they give you decent servings of beans, chicken, cheese and tortilla strips in each bowl. My only "problem" is that some of the food items are topped with Cheez Whiz and/or Velveeta Cheese. I love cheese and I can spot processed cheese in a heartbeat and unfortunately it was on my plate. I'll give them 3-stars for the variety of food, food taste/quality and amazing service; I'll take off one star for the fake cheese. read more

We visited this restaurant due to the positive reviews on Yelp. From the outside, this is clearly a long time business, tucked away, a genuine 'hole in the wall'. We were greeted right away by a very friendly hostess, unfortunately there were no booths available so we took a table. I would recommend waiting for a booth as the chairs used at the tables are really hard to eat from, they swivel and are on roller balls (circa 1971). The tables had nice details. Everyone eating here seemed to know eachother, so it was clearly a locals hideout, there were two sides to the restaurant, which is nice to separate the bar area which looked rather large, might be good for a night of margaritas and friends. I ordered the arroz con pollo and my SO ordered the carnitas pollo, we were both very pleased. The rice in the arroz con pollo dish was buried underneath plenty of nicely cooked chicken and a rustic flavored sauce, you will need tortillas for this dish. The dishes were huge as noted in previous reviews, we could have easily shared one dish. We had a pitcher of famous margartias, but even after we finished it off it didn't seem to have the kick we were looking for, however they were tasty! A few turn offs, the chips were rock hard, very thick. During our dinner, a young lady approached our table stating she was from the Ukraine and was selling baubles to fund her trip? Or something? It was really, really odd. The workers didn't pay any attention to her, but she went to every table in the place. Anyway, we will visit here again, its nice and close to home. However, we will most likely stick to shots and beers versus the margs, and order one plate to share. read more

Love it here! The mole enchiladas are my favorite and I get them every time. The waitresses are the sweetest and they recognize the regulars, it's very family oriented. I come here so frequently they remember my order! Haha, defiantly recommend coming here and grabbing a bite of authentic mexican cuisine!! read more

Fernando's Mexican Restaurant - Best Mole Enchiladas I've ever tried come from here. I'm never disappointed I wipe the plate clean every time!! Friendly too! - Mexican Near Me - San Mateo, California

That food was sadsies. Whomp, whomp! The food took a long time to make during lunch break and the food was covered in sauce that was mostly from a can. My friend said, "why would you have a Mexican restaurant and not try to make good food?" I agree. I have had better. read more

Actually it's more like three and a half stars. Sometimes I like a place just because I can get breakfast at lunch. The Chilaquiles were quite good, with the eggs cooked over medium so that that the yolks spilled out onto the chips below to create an even better sauce. Topped with the excellent salsa, this was quite tasty. I'm thinking that it would have been even better with a little sour cream or guacamole, though. The tortilla soup was also surprisingly good, with the chips staying crispy all the way until the end. We were in for lunch and it seemed that we were the only people in the restaurant that the waitress didn't know. That didn't stop her form referring to my lunch mate as "Honey" throughout the meal. They also get a half star for not being Cecilia's. read more

Fernando's Mexican Restaurant - Chilaquiles con Huevos - Mexican Near Me - San Mateo, California

Check this place out...!! A group of us were referred to this charm of a restaurant / bar, while attending the MILLBRAE ART AND WINE FESTIVAL. After the festival we were looking for a fun place to eat, drink and have some fun.........WE FOUND IT .......!!! FERNANDO's Mexican Restaurant on 37th, is a place to do exactly those things..... The bartenders SAUL AND PEDRO, were funny and efficient. The food was good and the prices are not too expensive. We ended up, after our dinner, hanging around for several hours,talking and laughing it up with the bartenders and the other bar guest. We will be going back, good people, good vibes, a fun place. Make sure you sit at the bar..!! read more

I've heard mixed things about Fernando's. Some say it's their favorite place for Mexican, others say they've walked out; my experience was more towards the former. Our waiter wasn't extremely kind, and seemed rushed to seat and serve us. The chips and salsa are excellent, however if you're not into spicy foods I wouldn't have too much salsa. Our food came out extremely quickly, and the plates were HUGE! I had the Fernando's Special, and even a big boy like me couldn't finish it. The food wasn't the best Mexican I've had, but it definitely wasn't terrible. The taco was soggy, and I had to eat it with a fork. Their refried brand were fantastic, but rice tasted like something precooked out of a bag. Parking was difficult, had to walk about a quarter mile to get there. Overall, if you're in the area and craving Mexican, I'd give Fernando's a try! read more

Fernando's Mexican Restaurant - Fernando's Special - Burrito, Taco, Chile Relleno, Enchilada - Mexican Near Me - San Mateo, California

Super disappointed in Chile Rellenos Especial. Every chile relleno I have ever gotten was a cheese stuffed chile dipped in a fluffy egg white and egg batter then fried. The result being a fluffy omelet wrapped chile. The Chile Rellenos Especial last night was awful! The egg portion of the dish was as flat and tough as a corn tortilla. Then the melted cheese on top made it even worse. I don't know when they changed how rellenos are made but now they are not good! I feel I wasted my money for a poor dish. Very disappointed and likely will not return. This was my favorite dish up until last night. read more

The instant we walked in the door, we were greeted and seated in a nice booth by the window. A few seconds later, another friendly person came over and brought us menus. This was the fastest and friendliest service I have ever experienced! I ordered the two enchilada combo. One beef in red sauce and a chicken in green sauce. They got the sauces mixed up. The red still tasted pretty darn good on the chicken. The beef one was good too. For $11.75, I got a LOT of food! The servers were very nice and attentive and they give you a lot of food for a reasonable price. I intend to eat here again. read more

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This place has the right look, right decoration and right ambiance to be a great Mexican place but it fell way short. The chicken soup was the only good thing I had. The beef taco was almost unbearable. Way too salty and a bad flavor. Those cheap tacos at Sizzler you build yourself were better tasting. And they poured what looked, tasted and smelled like that cheap American cheese that isn't really cheese. Like Kraft singles. I won't be back. read more

Great food and fast service. Always go back for their tortilla soup, chips and spicy salsa and of course their Midori daiquiri.

It's disappointing because I LOVE Mexican food and I live walking distance to Fernando's but I would never eat here again. I heard they used to be really good but they've changed since then. I ordered my usual cheese enchiladas and it tasted like it had canned cheese on top. The only thing good about this place is their margaritas, their chips and salsa, and their happy hour deal (free appetizer platter with a drink). If you're in the mood for this kind of Mexican, I would recommend driving up the hill to Celia's instead. read more

This is my manager's favorite Mexican restaurant that she been going for many years, we were there to celebrate her retirement. The dining room was open and bright, little dated but with nice theme, the server was very nice, quickly got us our drinks and took our orders. The food was so delicious we all enjoyed! We had a great time. read more

Fernando's Mexican Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Best Mexican restaurant in San Mateo!! I've been coming here since I was young and the staff has always been super friendly and accommodating. All the food is yummy but I would especially recommend the nachos rancheros with chicken! Wonderful decor and atmosphere, great for a birthday dinner! read more

I am from Texas originally and have had difficulty finding anything that approximates TexMex food. That said, the staff of Fernando's is the rough equivalent of Cheers where everybody knows your name. I love the service, the staff know my likes, I always feel welcomed and never feel that I am a bother. The food is very consistent, tasty, and well-prepared. The Cadillac Margarita is amazing. Comfortable and clean, I really enjoy being here. Hat's off to Fernando's for a great experience every time! read more

Thoroughly enjoyed the Carnitas Puerco. I could sit here all night popping pieces into my mouth. The salsa and chips were fresh, and I loved how extra spicy the salsa was. The mole enchilada was good and tasty, but not my style. Service was informative, quick, friendly, and efficient. Get the sopapilla. Thank me later. read more

Absolutely my go to. The staff here are SUPER great. My family have been going to Fernando's for over 10 years. Now my dad frequents it too. TONS of regulars that have been going here for decades. My go tos are cheese enchiladas, Chile relleno, Chile con queso, salads and more. read more

On a little vacation with my family so we wanted to try something in the area. This location was only about. 5 miles away from our hotel. The service was friendly. Unfortunately, we were seated right next to the restrooms without my noticing so while trying to enjoy our meal we would get a foul odor which was coming from the facility behind us(the restroom). My husband ordered the Friday special, my daughter an a la carte chile relleno, my son an asada burrito and I had the 2 enchilada plate. I was a little disappointed with the fact that they didn't serve them with queso fresco. I'm an authentic mexican and was hoping for the authentic mexican meal. They are a little pricey too but that's to be expected for the area I guess. read more

The stars are really for the service and great Tortilla Soup.... that's it. The margaritas were really thick and syrupy, and the food was really.. not good. I got enchiladas and carnitas taco, both of which had REALLY dry, overcooked meat. Almost inedible, which is really a shame considering carnitas are an extra $1.50. Everything tasted a quite old, and considering how piping hot my plate was, it's probably safe to assume everything was microwaved. The bar area had a decent amount of people in it, looks like they had a good amount of frequent customers, but I can't imagine it's for the food. Come to think of it, not that many people had food at the bar. Overall we spent $50 for two margaritas and two entrees. Definitely not a $50 well spent. Word of advice- if you want some bomb Mexican food, check out the taquerias around town, and for half the price! read more

Very adequate, average mexican food. We were in the area and it looked good and authentic, but wasn't that great. Pretty bland, boring, very long wait for food. Don't understand why it's so crowded, there are better mexican restaurants in redwood city. Can't remember what I had, it's been awhile, but I know I didn't leave there thinking, I need to go back. read more

Cute little restaurant-decor is very authentic and warm colors!! The plates are huge portions--they have daily specials, Thursday is yummy! Our waitress was sweet and checked up on us but really allowed us to enjoy our lunch read more

I went here tonight with my girlfriend and I saw a cockroach and I told the bartender the cockroach was crawling close to my drink he wasn't even apologetic about it but picked up the napkin that my friend had killed it with and then threw it away. I will never visit this place again it was a disgusting experience I think he should've comped both my drinks. Thumbs down plus bartender had no personality what so ever I think his name was Pedro read more