Fogbird is easily one of the best spots around for a mid- to late-night drink after dinner. The space is extremely clean, cute, and comfortable, creating the perfect ambiance to wind down your evening. The Highlights: Food & Drinks: They have a great selection of classic cocktails and an approachable menu of bar bites that pair effortlessly with the drinks. Perfect for a late-night snack! Just keep in mind that while they're open until midnight, last call for food is before 9 PM. Pricing: Very reasonable for the quality. Their Happy Hour is a stellar deal, with drinks ranging from $9-$13 and bites between $7-$14. Service: The staff is wonderfully kind and hard-working. With a small team (typically two servers and one bartender), service can run a bit on the slower side when it's busy, but the personal touch--like the bartender personally bringing drinks over to our table--makes a big difference. Seating & Group Size: Walk-Ins: You can easily walk in most days with a small party, though making a reservation in advance never hurts if you want to guarantee a spot. Party Size: Stick to smaller groups. We've tried coming with a party larger than 10 before, but it gets busy and is much better suited for small, intimate gatherings. Overall, a lovely spot with great vibes and sweet service. Will definitely keep coming back! read more

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Fogbird is definitely worth a visit if you're in downtown San Mateo. Their cocktails are creative, well-balanced, and full of flavor, making each sip enjoyable. The ambiance is just as impressive, stylish, cozy, and perfect for a date night, a night out with friends, or simply unwinding after a long day. If you're exploring downtown San Mateo, I highly recommend stopping by and giving Fogbird a try. read more

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One of my favourite bars in San Mateo and have visited at least 3-4 times. I really do love everything I have tried at this bar. From the Swan Song which was fruity and extremely refreshing to Angry Bird which I tried recently. It's a rum based drink with a really unique flavour to it, it is definitely strong so be ready to be a little tipsy. I highly recommend both these cocktails. What I really love about this place is the service, the bartender and the staff is really friendly and I remember they made us off menu drinks something with Gin and Mango and it blew my mind for sure. I have had the Spinach Artichoke dip here and it's actually really good. Would highly recommend Fog Bird for unique well crafted cocktails and bar snacks which are delicious. Would keep coming back here read more

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Best cocktails I've had in recent memory, Fogbird is a hidden gem with an elevated, but chill vibe. You can tell there's a lot of heart and skill that go into crafting these drinks. They have a great happy hour 4-6pm. read more

Fogbird - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

Cute cocktail bar right in downtown san mateo, indoor and outdoor seating. Such a cute spot for a friend catchup or a date, their cocktails are solid and good snacks! (That dip with the potato chips was delicious!) Service is always quick and friendly. Recomment stopping by if youre looking for a nice cocktail spot in san mateo! read more

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Well-prepared cocktails paired with a solid bar food menu that features some creative entries like gochujang Korean popcorn chicken and parmesan fries. The space is homey and comfortable. My biggest complaint is that the fabric seats have zero support and sink down, making me feel like I'm a kid sitting at the adults table. Service is friendly! read more

This is the cutest bar in San Mateo located across Malatang x Molly tea. Accessible parking lot and street parking nearby. We made a reservation since we were celebrating our engagement, and were seated inside quickly. This place gets bustling as the night goes by so probably not the best for those hard of hearing. The drinks were great! I did end up liking the angry bird as well as the fogbird sour I ordered. Beautiful selection of alcohols behind the bar. We ordered the cheese and charcuterie board that came with a lot more than we thought $31 would get us. A lovely assortment of deli, honey, cheese, olives, and mustard + pita. We also got the Parmesan fries (10/10). My only complaint is that I wish there were more food items. Like this would be an amazing place if I could get a full meal not just light bites but that's a personal preference. Our server was very attentive, friendly and helpful with the menu. We would 100% come back. read more

Hi David H, Thanks for reaching out. I don't have a way to respond via Yelp since there isn't any contact information so I'm responding in another "review". I had already responded via email to the email directly from Fogbird, but I didn't receive a response so I've attached a screenshot. read more

Fogbird - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

Another 5-star experience at Fogbird. A close friend, whom I haven't seen in almost a year, met me here for a pre-dinner drink. I decided to try something different and ordered the Red Dawn. How can this be the first time I tried this? It was so good, refreshing, not too sweet and not heavy on the alcohol. I think this is my new favorite here. Service was quick, attentive and friendly. The place is decorated for the holidays so made the feeling so festive and warm. A perfect place to hangout on a chilly, December day! read more

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Great ambiance and service. Drinks were well balanced. Came in on an early Sat evening glad we did because there was a wait for tables for some. Great selection of hard to find tequilas! read more

Fogbird - Inside vibes - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

Really cute place! I like the inside and colors. This is definitely a trendy cocktail bar, they have specialized cocktails and happy hour drinks. They also have small bites as well. I didn't love too many of the options for cocktails but the gin one I got had a nice after taste. The drinks took a very long time for some reason. I read in another review it's almost impossible to order drinks when it's busy, but there were only a few other tables and everyone was already drinking when we got there. Even single shots took awhile. I would definitely come back if I wanted to sit and chat with some friends and it wasn't busy. But I can't even imagine having to deal with it when it's crowded and waiting super long. read more

Fogbird - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

Finally tried Fogbird. Got to enjoy the HH for a little bit which is always nice! Haven't tried the food yet but will be sure to try it next time. Service was quick and friendly. read more

Fogbird - Happy hour drinks - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

Really cute bar, has so much potential but the way the bar is run surely decreases the value and the experience. For the amount of tables and people, there really should be 2 bartenders at the well. Its kind of crazy that the bartender behind the bar cant check tickets and watch the bar top too. In addition to only having 1 server on a Friday night, with 1 bartender taking 20+ mins to make a drink is sad. Drinks are great but the service and how slow the bar is...I probably wont be back. read more

Fogbird is a hip and cool bar in downtown SM. If you're looking to get some craft cocktails and have some time on your hands, I'd def check it out. Each time we've gone, the place is always bustling. With that said, you can expect the servers to always be pretty busy and for you to wait awhile to get their attention or get seated. If you sit at the bar or along the rail though, you can almost always get seated right away; which is what we've done and were perfectly fine. The drinks are all unique and do rotate frequently. Each one comes with a metal straw, which I appreciate since I hate using paper straws. I like the ambiance here a lot, it gives off a sleek and trendy feel of a bar that you'd want to introduce to your friends. read more

Fogbird - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

I've walked by this place several times before and always wanted to try it. As part of a girls' night out, we decided to grab some cocktails here. When we walked in, we put our names down for a table. We decided to then wait outside. They have tables both indoors and outdoors and we saw a couple of tables leave and figured it was our turn any minute. The hostess even walked by us a few times and I assumed it was pretty evident we were waiting. After 20+ minutes of waiting and seeing open tables, we decided to check in again at the front to see how much longer it would be and to ask if we could request a table outside, only to be told "oh, outside tables are first come first serve, you can just sit down if you see one open." Uh, ok? That would have been nice to know 20 minutes earlier, especially as you saw a group of us just waiting outside. We finally got seated and were able to put in an order for a round of drinks. I think my selection was the Angry Bird which was ok - you could taste the hint of the coconut cream coming through the rum. One of my friends had asked about a cocktail which the server described as a "blueberry acai" which sounded really interesting and really good but came out looking milky and nothing that would make you think of a blueberry acai bowl, but there were some slight fruity notes that came through upon taste. Overall, the drinks are really expensive and only ok. Works for the occassional nightcap given the limited options in the area but not a go-to place, in my opinion. read more

Great place for drinks and food Great atmosphere and chill vibe Friendly service Highly recommend read more

Fogbird - Old Fashion and Old Sparrow - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

Fogbird has been marked as a "never return again" for me. Etiquette is the most underrated and underused trait taught these days. Yes, clearly I had a problem with the mushroom appetizer that was recommended to me as a popular item that needed to return to the menu. For one thing, "crispy mushrooms" in the description to me does not equate to BATTERED mushrooms. Plus, the mushrooms were so greasy that it gave both my friend and me bad stomach aches. The grease was so apparent that it looked like there was water on our plates. When the mushrooms came out, they didn't even look like mushrooms. I was so confused about what I ordered but my bad... I didn't go out of my way to flag down a waitress and make a scene while we both were carefully chewing on the BATTER. I thought crispy mushrooms meant they would be sautéed on a pan until the point of crispy on the edges, not assuming "crispy" meant "with batter." After flagging down our waitress after I gave up on trying to pretend like this dish tastes mediocre, she responded to my complaint with *what would you like instead* and went through 4-5 items on the menu. This question indicates either the original order or the replacement order will be comped. Meanwhile, if one appetizer was not going to be comped, the waiter SHOULD HAVE verbally let me know that before putting in my replacement order. Also, if the only reason why a waiter is waiting by our table for us to pull out our credit cards and does not check in on our table during our dine-in experience, 18-20% tip is not necessary but as it was shown on my receipt, 18% is the lowest offered tip listed on there. Poor etiquette. It's such a shame that my second experience fell way below par. A beautiful, elegant atmosphere combined with milking us for more money put a bad taste in my mouth. Also, the customer before my friend used the bathroom left urine all over the toilet seat. Where's the courtesy? Where's the etiquette? Are these the type of customers you attract? Lastly, coming back around to only ask what else we would like to order after delivering the "replacement" order was a sure sign of milking us. That's fine but I sure won't be returning and neither will my friends. Just as in any profession and in life, communication is key. If you didn't accept my complaint, do not offer a replacement then charge me for both. Poor management. This is the culture that Fogbird encourages. Poor customer service. Standing next to us making us feel pressured to pay right away. Poor communication skills. Elegant décor. But the opposite in taste. read more

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Fogbird and I are no strangers, as it's a typical stomping ground for my coworkers and I for happy hour (which is Monday-Friday from 4-6 pm, as of 4/1/25). I love the casual vibes, yummy drinks, and reasonable prices! This is definitely a great stop on a warm spring/summer day with outdoor seating, or just grab something at the bar on more rainy days. You can never go wrong with the Paloma and fries after work. This location, though roomy, is definitely more appropriate for smaller groups. Keep in mind that there is only 1 bathroom! I will definitely be back here. Service: 5/5 Food/Drinks: 4/5 Price: 4/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 read more

Fogbird - Paloma - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Meh. I am happy there is a bar/lounge option amidst all the restaurants and boba offerings in downtown San Mateo. This space is quite large but not much variety in seating options and the height difference in the seats (at the same table!) are very bizarre! I would hate to be having a date here and either tower above him or stare up at him because of weird chair design choices! Service was transactional - they took our order and returned for bill - that's it. Not much interaction despite it being a low capacity night. The drinks were also meh. We don't plan to return despite limited options in the area. read more

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This is my favorite bar! I love the ambiance, it's so vibey and clean and love the fact that it's right in downtown San Mateo. The drinks are amazing, so well crafted. I love trying all their speciality cocktails but my favorites would have to be their Gin and Sour and All Day Affair. Their bites are pretty good too, my favorite would be their Spinach and Artichoke Dip! The service is also great, I never have any complaints while dining here, the servers are extremely attentive and I have came on a Monday where it was not busy at all and a Friday night when it was extremely busy and service is still very on par! On a busy night - drinks and food may take a while but I think it's worth the wait and they're very apologetic about the long wait if there is one. My bf also booked Fog Bird out on a Sunday for a proposal and hosting an event here was great too! This is my fave bar and I love coming here! read more

Fogbird - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

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This is one of my favorite craft cocktail bars in the Peninsula it's small, modern, loud and amazing drinks. They also offer tasting events so sign up and meet some new friends. Great service, ambiance and fun vibes, perfect with friends and date nites for sure. Only caviat, only one bathroom! read more

We hosted our anniversary party at Fogbird and it was perfect! I worked with David via email (I had a lot of questions ) and he was always super responsive and helpful. Thank you to the whole staff for helping us out the whole night! The vibe here is amazing, the bar is so cute and I especially loved the brick wall, which made the best backdrop for our photo booth. The team was so accommodating and did everything we asked, even keeping us updated each time we hit the bill amounts we set. The drinks are also delicious. Everyone was telling us how much they loved the drinks! Our guests had the best time, and we couldn't be happier we chose Fogbird. Highly recommend for any special event! read more

I recently visited Fogbird and sat outside because their patio is dog-friendly. The outside area is nice, and I could watch people cruising around B Street. I tried an Old Fashioned and a Martini -- both were excellent. Overall, this is a great spot for well-made cocktails. I'd definitely return to try more from their menu. read more

Drinks: 4 out of 5 Thoughtful crafted cocktails. My only critique is having freshly brewed espresso for espresso martini over a bottled liquor. My friend enjoyed his Paloma, no notes. Service: 4.5 out of 5 Sat at the bar with two bar tenders available One of the bartenders was friendly & she engaged in a nice conversation with my friend and I. The other was meh, he didn't care much to talk. Environment: 5 out of 5 Cool ambiance and plenty of seating at the bar and tables. Dim lights and nice decor. Overall: 4.25 out of 5 I would probably come back with a friend and grab a drink. Currently, not really somewhere I would stay past 1-2 drinks. read more

Fogbird - Espresso martini - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

宽敞、明亮、简约、整洁 环境其实很合我的口味 可惜调酒技术普普通通 浅尝经典款就能发现差距 特调反而展现了一些值得回访的有趣之处 The Birds and the Bees Knees Barr Hill Gin 杜松子酒｜Amaro Meletti 意大利蒸馏利口酒｜Honey Syrup 蜂蜜｜Lemon 黄柠檬汁 在传统配方的基础上加入了蒸馏利口酒，刚入口时的确感受到了舒适好喝的味道，草本、辛辣、甜苦，点缀以微弱的蜂蜜甜，但不痛不痒的酸度真的很有问题，只能说是这家店的通病... Fogbird Milk Punch Elijah Craig Small Batch 波本威士忌｜Laird's Apple Brandy 苹果白兰地｜Brucato Orchard Amaro 加州酿-意大利草药利口酒｜Lemon 黄柠檬汁｜Blueberry/Oat Syrup 蓝莓燕麦糖浆｜Whey 乳清蛋白 清新、自然、酸、苦、回甜，介绍说是超酸、巨酸、本店最酸，却是完全没有体会到，然而轻盈的微甜草药有些稍后而至的意味，颇有尼格罗尼的影子 Penicillin Bank Note Scotch 调和苏格兰威士忌｜Lemon 黄柠檬汁｜Honey Ginger Syrup 蜂蜜生姜糖浆｜Islay Scotch 艾雷岛单一麦芽苏格兰威士忌 干冽、烟熏，苏威的感觉是有的 但... 酸的力道差太远，咸又过重，甜也不足，缺少了口味的层次与碰撞，不能称之为合格的盘尼西林 BAR BITES Garlic Parmesan French Fries Ketchup & Aioli Dipping Sauces 外皮有些硬脆的粗薯，内里充满了土豆的绵软，奶酪的香气淡淡的，没想到大蒜的辣味竟如此突出、持久，越吃越上头 蒜泥蛋黄酱的浓厚程度，仿佛下一秒就会胖到二百斤，与此同时，满足感也是无可替代的，从薯条的口感逐渐变为薯片，wow，油炸食品的快乐～ read more

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My friends and I didn't have a reservation but we were able to get seated fairly quickly. The drinks were okay, nothing amazing but the service was great. My friend did not like her martini and they offered to switch out her drink. The ambiance inside was great and would give it another try on another day. read more

Fogbird - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

I enjoy fogbird when I go, the ambiance is dark and relaxing and the waiters are very friendly. The food is good but the kitchen closes early. I like the onion dip. Drinks are all good as well, a bit pricy but still continue to go back read more

First time here and Sammi bartender was the sweetest! As a local, me and my friends have high energy so I could tell the servers weren't feeling us but Sammi truly made the experience worth it. She overshadowed their energy! I love her and truly would come back! Her cocktails were also amazing! I ordered an old fashioned and white lotus! read more

Fogbird - Old fashioned and white lotus - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

Pretty cute inside. Modern, plants, nice color palate. Nice servers working. This is my favorite cocktail bar in the near area. Pros: Delicious cocktails Can accommodate big and small parties Has happy hour Has food, wine, beer, cocktails Solid vibes Spacious atmosphere Cons: Cocktails and food take forever Food isn't super special Servers are nice but need to check up on patrons more Will be back. read more

Fogbird - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

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The staff here is very friendly and helpful. The service here was great and they always checked in on us. The place is modern and cozy. There's variety of drinks here and they were delicious. I enjoyed both their cocktails and mocktails. The drinks didn't take too long to come out either. They serve water to you as well which was nice. I would definitely come back if I'm in the area. read more

Fogbird - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

Terrible, idk how the bartender is making the drinks taste this bad but he/she must be inexperienced

Visited Fogbird for the first time- busy night, and rightly so. We had to put our names on a waitlist but it went by rather fast. Ended up going with 3 mezcal based drinks (I liked the milk punch the best), but their menu is fairly large, and I'm confident they can make whatever you're in the mood for. The place can be a bit noisy, maybe good for a night out with friends but if you need a more intimate setting then maybe drop in when it's less busy. I'd come back though- there's a lot to try, and I'm all for it. Thanks Team Fogbird! read more

Stopped by last Saturday night for some cocktails with my girls. This place was busy, this is now my second time here so I knew the drinks were worth waiting for. On this particular night, there was a long wait for our drinks due to only having one bartender behind the bar. Shout out to Dani, our server for being patient with us & providing such great customer service & to Charlie the only bartender holding down this place on a busy Saturday night. Once we finally received our drinks, they did not disappoint, this place knows what they are doing & it's a must when in the area. We started off at the bar & then moved over to the back corner where they have an L shaped seating area with pillows, we got comfy & enjoyed a second round of drinks. Highly recommend this place if you're looking for a nice hang out spot with great cocktails. read more

Fogbird - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

Came here for pre dinner drinks on a Thursday and had a great time. It wasn't too crowded, and we got a table right away. Cocktails are $15-16+, and the menu is pretty extensive with specialty cocktails and house favorites. I think anyone would find something they'd enjoy. Service was helpful and attentive, we had a super friendly server. It is definitely a treat to come here, so I feel like a happy hour would be an awesome addition to their offerings! read more

Fogbird - Great drinks! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Mateo, California

Terrible the cocktails tasted nothing but straight vodka but the description said that there was many things going on. I could taste none of those things. They even brought out a bottle to show me where the flavours were coming from and I could taste it in the bottle but not in the cocktail. I don't know what the bartender is doing back there. read more

A cute lounge in downtown San Mateo with drinks and appetizers. I love the variety of cocktails on their menu and I thought the shareable apps we ordered were delicious as well. My group of 10 were able to walk in at 5PM on a Thursday and were seated immediately. We spent about two hours there and the space never felt too crowded or busy. In fact, there were only two other parties there. Drinks are a bit pricier, but not bad for downtown San Mateo. I'm not sure if Fogbird gets busier on a weekend night but the seating inside was pretty limited, and it seems like more of a "stand around and drink" bar rather than a place you would go for a nice meal. Will come again if I'm looking for a cool evening spot to hangout with friends! read more

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Been here a couple of times. Creative drinks, awesome decor, great location. Their whiskey collection is excellent!

Love the ambience of this place! What's not forgettable is their bar snack: pretzel sticks( so warm and chewy with salted crust and sauces)! This will definitely make me come back. The drinks are not bad either. We got swan bird and espresso martini. However, the espresso martini is on the sweeter spectrum compared to the others that I have tried. I prefer more of a bitter espresso martini but this may be right up your alley if you like a sweet dessert cocktail! read more

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Fogbird is a cocktail bar located on South B Street in downtown San Mateo. They opened a couple years ago and aim to be a period of relief similar to when you breathe in the salty Northern Californian air. Their cocktail menu is separated by flavor profile: carbonated, shaken & refreshing, and spirit driven, stirred & stiff. Further back they also have house classic cocktails, altogether encompassing a very comprehensive list with a lot of variety. My first drink was the eyes of the osprey ($15) whose specs reminded me of a scotch daiquiri with green chartreuse. It was balanced and smokey at the end from the Ardbeg. My second drink was the angry bird ($15) which was citrusy and creamy from the coconut cream. It definitely had a tiki flavor to it. The decor was warm with the brick along the back wall and the large light spheres dangling from the ceiling. It was a cool spot for some nicely-made and delicious cocktails and the service was good too. read more

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Because they're the only cocktail bar in the area I feel like they're kind of coasting. While cute inside, the cocktails are just not inventive and the cocktails that are more unique are poorly executed. I ordered the sesame washed whiskey bevvie and it literally tasted like drinking sesame oil straight from the bottle. There was no subtle pairings, no other flavors, just sesame. I disliked it so much I wasn't willing to risk a different drink for the $$. The server was nice but I dont know, kinda disappointed after having come before with a super long wait and just super eager to get in. read more