WOW. Just WOW. **California Gold in San Rafael** is an absolute gem, and our experience was taken…read moreto the *next level* thanks to the incredible bartender **Víctor**. From start to finish, he was beyond amazing--warm, welcoming, insanely knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about his craft. Every single drink was PERFECT. Not one miss. We enjoyed **all** the drinks, and each cocktail somehow got better than the last. On top of that, Víctor is just an awesome human being who makes you feel genuinely taken care of. The **location is beautiful**, the atmosphere is fun, vibrant, and incredibly enjoyable--one of those places where you instantly feel relaxed and excited to be there at the same time. Great vibes, great energy, great people. This place is a MUST, and Víctor is the reason we'll be coming back again and again. Do yourself a favor: sit at the bar, trust his recommendations, and enjoy an unforgettable night.

Service was terrible. Ordered a drink asked for an adjustment due to food allergies. Was told it…read morewould be well balanced. Bartender was annoyed and was rude. Had a food reaction and I asked if I could choose a replacement. They told me no and wanted me to pay for another drink. A patron offered me a replacement drink and he shouldn't have to do that. Was excited to check this place out from out of town. The entire drink was left at the bar and I left the establishment. The bartenders had terrible customer service skills.

Great foods, quality cocktails, tasty bites. Is GI would…read morerecommend anyone who's in Marin or passing through Marin to stop by and enjoy the views.

Above Fifth is the rooftop bar of the AC Hotel in San Rafael, CA. The hotel is part of the Marriott…read morehotel franchise. Yes, a franchise hotel is in downtown San Rafael. Times are a changin'. Anyways, the bar is open 4pm-11pm Wednesday-Sunday, closed on Monday - Tuesday. The hotel is about 54 feet tall so it is not particular tall, but tall enough for some awesome views of downtown, surrounding hills, and Mount Tam. The seating area ,like the hotel, has modern upscale aesthetics with relaxed vibes. The views are gorgeous. The staff are sweethearts, five star service. The drinks and tapas menu price points are of course pricey. But what was up with the stained paper menus. Eww. Anyways, the fam ordered drinks (cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks) and tapas of olives, hummus and pita, and fingerling potatoes. The olives were delicious and it was a good medley of various kinds. The fingerling potatoes were a bit boring tasting, it could use more seasonings for added zing. Not sure how the green hummus tasted, I snoozed on that one. Overall, the drinks are good, ambiance fantastic, and the food is meh. This is a type of place I would go for special occasions and not on a regular basis, my wallet cannot sustain it.

I was looking for a place to take a friend to dinner. Wanted to try something completely new and…read morefound the Burren house on yelp. Located in downtown San Rafael the ownership here invested heavily in this restaurant to create an authentic Irish pub. We feel comfortable the second we walked in. Due to some food, allergies it's not always easy for me to find food that restaurants other than maybe one or two dishes on a menu. I was amazed that there were nine or 10 different dishes that I would have wanted to order. I can literally come back eight more times and order something different and enjoy it each time. The food was great! The setting was authentic. And the fact they have soft serve for dessert brings us to a 5+ rating!! Our server was great. And there was a second server managing cocktails. My only complaint was we never saw the bus boy and had to ask for our place to be removed even after they served his dinner. Highly recommend the Burren House if you're north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Note, they don't take reservations. But it's worth the chance of a table. Oh and they have live music too!

Proper. Thats my…read morewhole review. From the people to the food, to the environment. It's the best. Where else can you get a Smithwicks on draft.? And the breakfast just hits all the notes. It won't disappoint.

This place was such a fun surprise. The location is really accessible, with street parking…read moreavailable, which made getting there easy. I honestly didn't realize how much I'd enjoy playing pinball until coming here--there aren't many spots that have that kind of unique feature anymore, and it really added to the experience. I went for a Yelp Elite event, and it was great. The owner was there and super welcoming, and his staff were genuinely nice and attentive. We were given bracelets that gave us access to two drinks, which was a fun self-pour experience. That said, it would've been helpful to get a quick tip on pouring (like tilting your glass) beforehand--foam can sneak up on you fast , especially with so many people around. Because it was busy, we were also given a card that allowed unlimited access to the games, which was awesome and made the night even better. I definitely enjoyed my time here. The owner also mentioned that you can rent individual tables or even the whole venue for events, which is something I'd absolutely consider in the future. I'll definitely be back.

Visited a friend in San Rafael and her first recommendation was State Room! Nothing like an ice…read morecold hazy IPA on a hot summer day. Staff was friendly and reservations were easy to make. They had huge tvs playing sports which entertained the kiddo quite a bit. Breakfast Bravas ($19): The crispy potato coins + pork + runny egg + avocado + chipotle cream = elite combo!!! Stateroom Burger ($20): Cheese is not included and is an extra $2 (???). It was stacked though and hubby could only eat half before he was stuffed! I will absolutely be back for the bottomless mimosas ($25) and I'm curious about the dirty iced chi tea ($14). My daughter also loved all the magnets on the fence in their mini play area :)

Straight up real deal: nice vibe, great service... (Please note that there are new owners and…read morerecently took over in the last few months. Therefore, pricing here could be inaccurate.) Excellent spot for watching the Warriors. Elevated bar food with great pricing. Me likes the Grilled Broccolini in black truffle salsa verde. Doesn't everybody love tater tot's? Nice tap beer selection and full bar. Best hang in Downtown San Rafael... Gets better with each visit ! Bombdigity! Love this joint!!!!

We really enjoyed this place. We found it while visiting and wanted to watch games. It's a small…read morebar in size but the excitement was electrifying in there. The main entrance room has a bar with seating, some side high top tables, some lower tables, and a high communal table. The next room has lower tables, 5 higher tables seating 4 people each, a larger table that had chairs and a booth side, lower large table. Lots of TVs around the entire place. The food is pretty good. We enjoyed a couple appetizers (bulgogi fries and chili lime cauliflower) and then their wings. Friends ordered nachos, but didn't finish them...the cheese was a cheese sauce so the chips were soggy. Our server was fantastic. She was very friendly, helpful, and very attentive despite having so many tables and it being packed. I'd go back here again, but I'd go earlier just to ensure a table.

this place was nice and cozy. It was my first time here but I love a dimly lit bar. The drinks and…read morefood were so yummy. I had the chile Colorado beef burrito and the queso & chips. I would def come back. It's a perf bar where you just want a chill night and a drink w/ the girls.

When I first arrived it was a wine only establishment but then they enticed me with their craft…read morecocktails and "mexican" food. The cocktails are imaginative, well balanced and simply delicious. The food crafted from a NY transplant is inventive and a pleasant nod to tex mex cuisine. From the brisket burrito to the salsa and chips it makes one crave the experience that they had in TX. I applaude the creativity and am so happy to see that the tex mex, regardless of the chefs origins, are here to stay! P.S. The cocktails are in play.

Pint Size packs a punch. One of my favorite Bars in this area because of their Beer selection,…read moreloyalty to local artist, music and whatever you want to play in the jukebox. I ordered a pizza to be delivered here and shared it with just about everyone, it's that kinda vibe if that makes sense. A Vintage Vinyl sound system spins transforming the spot to wherever time and place of your choosing. Stop by, Celebrate or hangout. I think they got something real cool going on with their signature Texas Longhorn above the bar. whichever way you decide... one customer said that it's trying to "Steer" you in the right direction.

I cannot believe this sweet bar has been here almost 28 years and I, a lifelong Marin resident,…read morenever came across it. Wandered in as we parked to grab some Mex food on the next block and wound up staying to watch the World Series. Great selection of beers on tap, especially loved the District 10 Shadows of Prague Black Lager. What an unusually delicious beer with the best aftertaste. Sadly, the very friendly and informative bartender said the brewery has gone under and we were drinking the last keg of this beer. (Note to self, some back soon to drain this keg!) Only reason I didn't give 5 stars is the cigarette smoke that seems to waft in as we were sitting at the bar. Yuck. Otherwise, what a fun experience. Check them out!

What a great new addition to downtown San Rafael!! Great beer options, both beer and cider and…read morenon-alcoholic options. They have snacks and games. You're able to order from Red Rooster or the Pupusa place next door. Great vibes and has both outdoor and indoor seating. Dog friendly. The service was also great allowing us to sample a few before we chose what we wanted to drink. We will be back!!

The best brewery north of Golden gate, accessible by Sonoma Smart Train and from SF via Ferry or…read morebus. Happy hour, 6$ for a craft beer

My family of four really enjoyed our Sunday spent at Pixels. We've also been to the pinball museum…read morein Alameda so I figured this would be a similar experience. In comparison to the pinball museum, Pixels had more video games and I think it fit our interests more. We each got a drink from the place, the kids picked out soft drink / juice, and the husband and I each got an alcohol beverage. I like that there were many local brews they are serving. I like the idea of supporting local businesses. My son was a little shy to go play the video game station set up with gaming chairs. But we pretty much tried all the other free games. There are a few machines not included in the package cost, they are clearly labeled and close to the entrance, you will need cash coins to play those, if you want to play them. The bathroom was clean. There were so many bottles of anti-bacterial solutions lining up near the entrance and inside the facility. I'm a bit of a clean freak after the Covid-19 pandemic, so seeing this made me happy that the owner cares about protecting people. We spent about 3 hours here. I saw some lady some in with a bunch of kids. It was kind of interesting to watch them because she was working on her laptop while the kids ran around and played games. It's like a cheap daycare! I wish the had one of these arcades closer to where I live, I can just let my kids loose while I do my own thing for a couple hours!

This review is for booking a table for a kid's birthday party... I first attended a Yelp event at…read morePixels and had such a great time, I thought it would be great to host my son's birthday party there! Booking was easy to do online, and the owner Rob answered questions that I asked via email. Last Saturday, I showed up with 8 boys to celebrate my son's birthday, and the group had a blast. The party was mid-morning, and I appreciated how quiet the venue was. Some arcades have music that is blasting and so many lights flashing, and that can be overly stimulating. There are plenty of machines for guests to spread out. In the back, there are 4 controllers for Nintendo Switch, and the staff did have to come help change games for the kiddos but if you know what you're doing, you might be able to navigate on your own. Ordering pizza from Red Rooster was really easy, and the staff at Pixels even walked over to pick up the pizza for the party. So thoughtful! Throughout the 2 hours there, there were other families who came in to enjoy the arcade, as well as adults. 2 hours goes by so quickly! All the parents whose kids attended said their kiddos had a blast. Great place for a birthday party, young and old :) The dads are now talking about gathering again without the kids! Quick logistics: A single use bathroom is at the back of the space. Bring cash for tips or you can tip with card payment. Parking in the lot is free on weekends, otherwise pay for metered street marking Monday - Saturday.

My wife and I had the occasion to stop by The Speakeasy a few days ago. We were just looking to…read morehave kind of hors d'oeuvres and a cocktail and just hang out together, because we found ourselves with a rare four-hour window where the kids were occupied and we could just do whatever we wanted. This was a nice way to spend a few hours. The space is neat. It's as small, somewhat dark ambiance with the windows blacked out. So, you do loose your sense of time a bit inside. That's actually nice as it feels like you went somewhere/somewhen else for a while. We had a Manhattan and a Kentucky Mule, and, additionally, we had three different shareable appetizers. First thought, we ordered and devoured a really exceptional cheese plate. I know cheese plates seem a little meh sometimes, but this was really good! I would absolutely order it again. In fact, I would definitely go there just to have the cheese plate again with a drink, a glass of wine. We also had the three tacos shareable. There were three tacos that were stunningly good. Lastly a dish with some little steak medallions and a shrimp. Each of these was about two bites and the flavor and texture was excellent. All three of the shareables and the drinks were exceptional. I have to call out that, with the cheese board, came a little loaf of bread. That bread was really good all on its own. I would definitely want to eat it. I can still taste it. It was really good, but my wife, she's gluten intolerant. They offered, because she couldn't eat the bread, they offered to also bring her out some gluten-free crackers, so she got to enjoy the cheese board just the same without the bread. They gave her the crackers, and do you know, they just gave her those extra. They didn't ask for something more. They didn't do anything. They just took care of her. I really appreciate that. I have to also give a shout out to the Jessica. I don't know how she did it, but she was taking care of the whole room of tables I think. Nice. We ordred all three shareables at the same time and she thoughtfully said, 'do you mind if I course these out for you?' We said yes and she did. I don't think anybody felt like they didn't have everything they needed, so a shout out to you, Jessica, really well done. We're grateful for the service and the high quality dining experience that you gave us on a moment's notice. I hope we can visit again soon. And, especially we want to check out The Boardroom soon. NOTE: This is in a kind of older looking strip mall. Don't be concerned about that at all! It threw us off a little at first and we did wonder when we pulled in though if we were in the right place. Happily, we were!

Tucked away in a Novato strip mall but out of site from the surrounding streets, odds of chancing…read moreupon The Speakeasy are slim. Attached to The Boardroom restaurant, The Speakeasy is a real find featuring a wonderfully robust appetizer menu, a full bar, and a daily happy hour menu that applies mostly to alcohol purchases. If you're looking for wine here, the bar offers a variety, with the house wines - excellently priced at $8-$9/glass - comprised fully of Rutherford grown grapes. Somebody here knows what's up. A friend who'd talked up The Speakeasy for years is besotted by the Marsala Sautéed Chicken Livers ($11) on the bar menu. Not ever a fan of liver, I avoided sampling his until we'd collectively polished off an order of Baked Goat Cheese ($10) and a trio of Pulled Pork Tacos ($13). He'd grown full and much liver remained which is when I learned that I do like chicken liver. Or rather, I like chicken liver as prepared at The Speakeasy. All of the above pretty much had me fan-girling out over this place but then this happened: We were done, requested our check, and were told that someone that evening had picked up the tab for the entire bar, something I've not experienced in my lifetime. I already liked The Speakeasy a whole lot before learning my food and drink were free of charge. Like changed to rabid fandom when this occurred. I know that I can't expect a full repeat of this experience but even if it's just chicken livers and Cabernet, that'll be enough.