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    Porterhouse

    3.8 (834 reviews)
    Ultra High-EndSteakhouses, Seafood, Lounges
    Closed 4:30 pm - 9:45 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

    Porterhouse Steakhouses Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    PORTERHOUSE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Classy
    Happy hour specials
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Porterhouse

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    Reviews With Photos

    Christine K.

    Spontaneously came here on a Saturday night, was able to get a reservation for 8:30pm on OpenTable. I had never heard of this place before, but I'm always up for trying a new steak spot! The ambiance is low lit and romantic. There's Audrey Hepburn posters throughout the restaurant, my fave had to be the Marilyn Monroe ones though! Tables are spaced fairly far apart for privacy. The restaurant was clean, modern, but still had some old time charm. We started with a glass of wine and a cocktail with the apple salad. The salad was delicious and refreshing. My cocktail was delicious and strong! For our main, we shared the porterhouse which was 30oz. of steak total. This was the perfect serving amount for two people honestly. I had no idea we would be served two different cuts, so we were super happy about that. The steak was absolutely phenomenal. It was served with a baked potato and veggies on the side, which was also delicious. The owner was walking around and chatting with guests (including us) and it felt like such a personal touch to the experience. The wait staff also took time to chat with us and talk food and wine with us! Overall, this was an amazing dining experience. From the service to food, I will 100% be back and recommend this to anyone in search of a good steak in San Mateo!

    Anna N.

    Came here to celebrate our anniversary last month I got the Cowboy which is a 18oz prime rib and he got a Porterhouse which is a 20oz. It comes with some vegetables and a baked potato situation. We ordered a Beets Salad and the Wild Mushroom, supppper good! Service was great and our waitress was really kind & helpful ~

    18 OZ Dry-Aged Cowboy
    Crystal D.

    We made reservations for Valentine's Day dinner at Porterhouse and overall had a great experience. It was pretty obvious the restaurant had added extra seating to accommodate the holiday crowd, so the space felt a bit crammed and walking room was limited. That said, it didn't take away from the evening. The service was immaculate. Our waitress was extremely kind, attentive, and made us feel well taken care of throughout the night. As for the food, the truffle mac and cheese was a pleasant surprise and ended up being the star of the show. The glazed carrots were delicious, and the twice-baked potatoes were perfectly executed. While the cook on our steaks was spot-on, we did feel they were slightly over-seasoned. Still, it wasn't enough to overshadow the overall experience. We would definitely come back and look forward to trying more from the menu.

    Jacob C.

    We tried their iconic porterhouse steak. It was very flavorful and juicy, but my only complaint with this steak as well as the other steaks that my party got was that they were all overcooked we ordered medium rare for our steaks, and I'd say we got a medium at best Porterhouse staff treated my party very well and even gave my dog a bowl of water, which we really appreciated.

    APPLE SALAD
    Julia B.

    Finally got the chance to stop by Porterhouse in San Mateo for pre-Valentine's day dinner. We made a reservation two days before and were able to get a spot at 8:30pm. We were seated right on time but service was a bit slow, obviously because everyone was there to celebrate. I got the refreshing Apple salad and still wish that I ordered more. The cauliflower steak wasn't to my personal liking so we shared the Porterhouse steak with the cauliflower as a side. The steak was incredible, we ordered it medium rare and it came out perfect. The mac n cheese along with the bread and butter were the perfect carbs to eat on the side. We also ordered the Bananas Foster, which gets sautéed right in front of your table. I will definitely be back to have more steak and salad.

    Truffled Mac and Cheese
    Maggie W.

    Had a really excellent experience at Porterhouse in regards to the quality of service and dishes we ordered! I randomly walked in from downtown San Mateo and immediately was seated at a table for two on a weekday night. We ordered the steak tartare, 20 oz porterhouse, Kansas City steak, truffle mac & cheese. Both steaks were done medium rare. A fresh bread basket came out prior to our dishes, The steak tartare was excellent, I was initially apprehensive due to other reviews but this is my favorite part of the meal solely because I could eat a decent portion of it and not get tired of the taste since it's so layered with various acidic flavors. Our server mixed it up while making small talk with us, and my initial impression was that this was a very lemony steak tartare! I enjoyed eating it without the crostini, opting to butter the crostini and eat tartare by the spoonful. However, my boyfriend insists that the crostini and tartare are best enjoyed together due to the combination of texture. The porterhouse was my boyfriend's favorite part of the meal- it was really delicious and had an excellent sear. Each bite was so tender and filling. The Kansas City steak was also delicious, but I preferred the porterhouse to it. Our server informed us that if we wanted to split the steaks, we should inform her next time so that they are able to slice and plate them properly for us- this was so sweet of her! Pairing our orders with the mac and cheese and the baked potato for carbs definitely helped to not get tired of the steak. The mac and cheese was yummy and had a fragrant aroma to it because of the truffle, the pot was decently sized as well. I was ambivalent about the vegetables they provided since I found bok choy to be an interesting choice to be paired with steak?

    Burger

    Fantastic service. Excellent food. My favorite place for happy hour. Phenomenal service at the bar. Love you ladies

    Had such a great experience with Cassius! He was very knowledgeable, welcoming, and kept things fun with his sense of humor. You can tell he really cares about what he does. Top-notch service! He deserves a filet mignon!

    The whiskey flamed banana dessert
    Love K.

    This is my favorite steak restaurant in SF! The owner and the team of the restaurant always provide the best service. The quality of the food was excellent. Aged beef was my favorite. The flame banana dessert will make a fantastic end of the meal . I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who loves aged steak.

    The Rita Hayworth cocktail at Porterhouse - adorned with a real and beautiful orchid.
    Loni R.

    BEFORE WE GET TO THE DINING PORTION OF OUR REVIEW: While perusing the reviews of Porterhouse, I have to say I found it highly amusing that those who gave Porterhouse one and two stars clearly have little to no experience with fine dining (it's an easy thing to find out: Just look at their profiles to see where they have eaten in the past... many of their reviews for the casual or fast food establishments they frequent are also negative!). For those who don't visit Yelp often for recommendations, know that it's well documented that many will deliberately leave bad reviews with the hope the restaurant will contact them and offer them a free meal to offset their 'alleged' bad experience. Restaurants aren't falling for that scam anymore, as they have learned a diner with a legitimate complaint will voice their concerns while they are there and NOT post hurtful reviews after they've left. NOW ON TO THE FOOD: Having what some have called a 'picky palate', Porterhouse has never failed to meet and exceed my culinary expectations! When I dine here, I am a 'VINO' (vegetarian in name only!) - I won't eat meat anywhere else - full stop! The mouth watering Filet Mignon steak Porterhouse serves is where I abandon my vegetarian oath. Accompanied by flavorful sautéed vegetables and a unique twice baked potato (not ala carte btw: both come with your steak), you are memorably swept into foodie heaven! The salads - they're all perfect - and the table bread... soft and warm from the oven! The environment is very 'upscale old school:' Bruno (Porterhouse's owner) has brought in his own personal collection of 1930's/40's movie poster memorabilia to grace the walls of the restaurant in what can only be described as a homage to a bygone era ...'Casablanca come to life!' Classic crooners sing the standards during happy hour before the vibe changes as the night goes on. Bruno has become renowned for his table-side flambé dessert masterpieces. ... AND WE END OUR PORTERHOUSE ADVENTURE AT THE BAR! (you can also start your adventure here too!) Suzanna and Pepper are without question the BEST MIXOLOGISTS in the Bay Area! A special menu of cocktails has been crafted to satisfy every mood and every palate (in keeping with the 'old school' vibe, the 'Rita Hayworth' is one of my personal faves!). I'm also partial to a really good Grey Goose vodka martini... and no establishment makes them better (the hand stuffed Bleu Cheese olives are just the right touch to set Porterhouse's martinis way above anyone else's). They have a standout selection of top shelf spirits in addition to the standards - and the 'Happy Hour' menu is one of the best I've seen for both cocktails and food. Cheesy Garlic Bread... sliders... Bruno's Tacos for two... (you may never make it to the dining room, which is okay, because you're more than welcome to have your dinner in the bar!) Suzanna... Pepper... Bruno... EVERYONE! Yes everyone working at Porterhouse takes their job seriously and goes above and beyond to make sure your experience there is one you'll remember, and return for. Extended family.... Fun and jokes... laughter... great relaxing vibes... and even HUGS! And let's not forget the FOOD!!! Porterhouse checks every single box for me, and I hope it will for you too!

    Tasty Lamb Chops
    Eric C.

    I went to Porterhouse to celebrate my birthday with my family. We had an Italian gentleman as our server; he was very friendly and humorous. I had the lamb chops for dinner; they were delicious and very tender. Many people were celebrating Christmas and having a grand time. The atmosphere is cozy and warm; the walls are filled with old time Hollywood celebrities and classic movie posters. Overall an excellent steakhouse!

    Look at the stringy grizzle!!!
    Alex A.

    When the best thing about a steakhouse is the twice baked potato and the bread with butter AND NOT the porterhouse steak -- which is the signature/namesake of the restaurant is below SUBPAR = NOT recommended. We ordered the porterhouse steak for 2, medium and it came out rare. The meat was so tasteless, tough, stringy with an off-flavor fake like liquid smoke essence. We started at the bar for a glass of wine and I inquired with the hostess if I could transfer the bill over to our dinner and she stated of course no problem. However when I requested this from the bartender, she BARKED No! You need to pay here. Then it took her 10 min to run the cc. Our server never inquired or asked how our meal was so we never had a chance to say anything. Also, I notified them when I both made the rsvp and when checking in that it was a bday celebration, they mentioned a free scoop of ice cream with a candle would be provided. After the check was paid--they brought a non-descript golf ball size of sorbet that we had to actually ask what flavor it was because it tasted like plain shaved ice. Not the restaurants fault, however note parking is a nightmare. Brought the leftovers home for the dog and he would not even eat it...! What a waste of time, calories and $$$$$. Could be coincidence, however we doubt it--we both experienced acute gastroenteritis and I checked with my chef friend at Bob's Chop house the image in the photo is rare--not medium cooked. Also, muscle fibers in better cuts of meat indicator was not dry aged. Could never recommend....

    Cowboy steak

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    26 days ago

    Cassius is amazing, knowledgeable, and friendly. He have a great sense of humor and deserves a filet mignon

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    23 days ago

    Brenda was amazing! She made my night and the food was phenomenal. You need to come here if ur in San Mateo

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    22 days ago

    Incredible food and our bartender/server, Susanna was incredible. We will continue to go there weekly.

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    Ask the Community - Porterhouse

    Do they serve prime ribs?

    Fridays & Saturdays mostly

    Do they serve beef wellington?

    Yes, they serve Beef Wellington as a special, not in their menu.

    Do they still have Happy hour M-F 5-6pm?

    Happy hour is 4:30 to 6pm Monday thru Friday

    Have you moved to a different location this year (2023)? Thanks

    Yes they moved to a better and nicer location not far away. Just 3 blocks away close to the parking structure.

    Does the outside patio have cover or heat lamps?

    They have heat lamps

    How much is the corkage fee? Thank you!

    Corkage is $40/bottle with a two bottle limit.

    View All 7 Questions

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    Porterhouse - steak - Updated June 2026

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