They have the BEST food in San Rafael. When we walked in another patron told my husband, "You'll never have a bad meal here" and he was absolutely right. We enjoyed the jumbo pub wings in the jerk dry rub and sweet chili flavors, a rueben sandwich with hand cut fries, and a burren burger with hand cut fries. Our favorites were the wings and the hand cut fries, but the sandwich and burger are solid options. We visited during a world cup soccer game and the atmosphere was that of a pub or sports bar with lively cheering fans and regulars. I highly recommend trying it if you're in the area. read more

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My husband was hungry and when he found it, that was it. Pets friendly (outside parklet), beer and Irish (he's part Scotch-Irish). To me, it was alright. The service was kind of slow and I was afraid to piss off the waitress because she can be a bit direct or she didn't want to wait on us. On the flip side, it was a Sunday, so they could have been short staffed because it took longer than usual to take an order, get us food and kick us out with the bill. I think it's a really cute place to find in DT San Rafael, I didn't get a good vibe, that's all. read more

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February of 2012 - Waitress - Kaitlyn - was wonderful. Went there feeling a bit down with some family, and left feeling much better. The fish and chips came with one LARGE piece of fish that was well cooked, moist, and hearty. Fries were fries. Second round of beers came out slow, but nothing to stress about. The beef stew was tasty. I'd say they could give you more mashed potatoes with it instead of the small dollop they put on it, but that's a small complaint. Vibe was good. Music was nice. Busy and vibrant, good crowd. Liked the layout, and expect will return. read more

I love home style food and when I saw they had Shepherd's Pie & Fish and Chips on their menu along with good reviews we had to try them out. They did not disappoint! Their quality of service, food & authenticity was wonderful. I would go out of my way to stop here again if I was given the opportunity to be in the area. Loved the vibe & our meals were delicious Also they had some live Irish music which added awe to the experience. read more

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Such a great addition to downtown San Rafael, The Burren House is an authentic Irish bar, with plenty of Emerald Isle clientele to prove it. The fish and chips is spendy, but split amongst two, it's more than enough to satisfy. Best fish n chips in the Bay! I say this as someone who's been to Ireland 14 times. The bar has plenty of beers on tap, and the staff is always friendly and welcoming with a wry wit and a twinkle in the eye. Occasionally they have DJs and live music, and there's a M-F happy hour from 3-5 that I'm looking forward to trying! read more

The Burren House - Fish n chips - Irish Pub Near Me - San Rafael, California

My cousin picked this restaurant and it was delicious. The ambiance was friendly, just like an Irish pub in Ireland. The staff was efficient and welcoming. read more

The Burren House - Chicken Blue Cheese Salad. Good to last bite. - Irish Pub Near Me - San Rafael, California

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I was looking for a place to take a friend to dinner. Wanted to try something completely new and found 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! read more

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Proper. Thats my whole 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. read more

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The Sunday roasts are amazing and I am a picky English Sunday roast chooser. I hear fish and chips are excellent too but to be honest I'm not done ordering the Sunday roast every week for now read more

The Burren House - Sunday roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. Duck fat roast potatoes, glazed carrots and parsnips. Gravy. Delicious. - Irish Pub Near Me - San Rafael, California

The Burren House is a gorgeous new Irish pub in San Rafael. Everything is authentic, including the decor that is literally imported from Ireland! The ambience is warm and cozy, and when we went the pub was it was vibrant and full of people having a great time. We lovedddd the shepherd's pie and the smoked salmon brown bread. The cocktails were lovely too! We are looking forward to coming back soon. read more

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The food was pretty good the "house made" bread wasn't that good it was pretty stale but the beef stew was divine. The burger was a little dry barely any aioli sauce my boyfriend had to ask for mayonnaise. We went on the weekday and both had work the next day EARLY in the morning and when we didn't order any alcohol our server was a little colder towards us. It took us a few times to wave him down to come take our orders and to ask for the check. We sat inside as it started to get a bit busier the ambiance of the restaurant/pub was really fun. read more

The Burren House - Irish Pub Near Me - San Rafael, California

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We returned from two weeks in Ireland recently and I was craving Sunday roast, brown bread and all things Guinness so we decided to try The Burren House. We went on Sunday around 5 (to miss the dinner crowd). Ha! It was PACKED. Insanity. So loud and crazy. But we stuck it out and I was so glad we did. They had Sunday roast. Beef, lamb and chicken options! I had the beef and it was delicious. My husband liked his fish and chips. I'd love to come back when it's not insanely busy and loud, but I'm not sure when that would be. I loved that Sunday roast. I will try to come earlier for it next time. read more

The Burren House - Sunday roast - Irish Pub Near Me - San Rafael, California

Really great spot that gets super busy in the evenings, be prepared to line up if you're there after 6pm without a reservation Food is teriffic, great Irish bar vibes in downtown San Rafael Had the fish and chips, wings, and Irish stew Everything was fantastic read more

The Burren House - Wings and fish and chips - Irish Pub Near Me - San Rafael, California

It's my first time trying brunch here and I already know it's going to my favorite place. I tried the traditional Irish breakfast which was full of pleasant surprises! It came with ham, blood sausage, Irish sausage, mushrooms, eggs, beans, potatoes and toasts! I love every bite of this breakfast! Although it's my first time trying Irish breakfast, I already foresee many more times to come! read more

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One Sunday night, our party of 5 dined at this Irish restaurant. The place is packed, fun and loud. I suppose that's the Irish vibe. We had a great time and feasted on burgers and sandwiches. They have a gigantic TV showing the football game which added to the liveliness of the place. Food is average and service good. They had Sunday night specials which I might try next time. read more

The Burren House - Irish Pub Near Me - San Rafael, California

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Amazing pub atmosphere--like being in Ireland! We had a short wait, but they got us to a table pretty quickly, and a very nice one at that! My husband and I both ordered the fish sandwiches. The preparation sounded great with a spicy aioli. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough spice to be 'spicy'. Fries were great as was the not-too-thick batter on the fish. My son-in-law was looking forward to Sunday Roast...unfortunately, they were out by the time we ordered (which was around 5pm). If you want the roast, I'd guess you're better off coming in for an afternoon Sunday dinner. He ended up having a burger on a gluten-free bun (nice that they have gluten-free options), and enjoyed it, and my daughter had kale Caesar salad with salmon. All good. Nice wine and beer selection (and full bar, too). read more

New owner of the Burren House and it was excellent. If you want quiet get a booth in the back, which we did. It was relaxing! The owner is terrific, smart, and enthusiastic about the place. Waitress was exceptional!! Thursday night and Burren House had a nice crowd. Pub like ambiance that is not faked. The real thing. No aggravating and loud background music. Let me get this out of the way: do not order the side veggies. Not good. Needs vast improvement. However, my dinner of Shephard's pie tasted amazing, and everyone loved their order. My husband had the salmon, one friend the lamb burger, and one the salad niçoise. Another time she ordered the vegan Shephard's pie with Impossible plant-based meat and claimed it was incredible. Wait, nice dessert menu and we ordered Strauss Ice Cream cones- Heaven. Drinks: one hard cider, black & tan (my new favorite), a gin-based drink that was "excellent." Oh yes, these potato appetizers that were so good with just enough balsamic vinegar. We are so happy that the Burren House is in our community. Cannot wait for a return trip soon. We want to try everything! read more

Service was great . One complaint is the "fish and chips" were so greasy, we were expecting non-greasy with the other reviews we read . I would like to tried other items on their menu. read more

A wonderful warm, welcoming pub. The menu is varied - great burgers, fish and chips, Shepard pie, etc. You will be transported to Ireland for a bit. The clientele is friendly too. Go - have fun- eat and drink - repeat! read more

Excellent service and cozy, welcoming atmosphere. Loved the extensive menu, one of us is a vegetarian and the portobello mushroom burger was outstanding. Fries were perfect. Most of us enjoyed our food, others felt was just ok but would return and order something else! Definitely would return when in the area again. read more

The place is definitely noisy which means lively to us. The food is terrific, the drinks menu is extensive and he ambiance is very pub.

Fun place, dark wood long and thin. Packed. We started with the wings, half bbq, half sweet chili, really good. Split the chicken blue salad and Rueben sandwich. Both delicious. Service was great. Might have been a few Guinness beers involved. Highly recommend read more

The Burren House - Chicken wings. BBQ on the left, sweet chili on the right - Irish Pub Near Me - San Rafael, California

So so so good. The service, the menu, the food, the beer selection, the ambient music - absolutely love this place. The food is delicious and hearty - we have never been disappointed, quite the opposite :-) read more

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One of our new local favorites on 4th street. Beautiful Irish atmosphere and great pub menu. Don't forget to order a half and half harp and Guinness and all of our food was fun and delicious. Great place to hang out and looking forward to trying happy hour! read more

The Burren House - Half Guinness bbq and half garlic and Parmesan wings. - Irish Pub Near Me - San Rafael, California

They are busy on Monday. I like the set up with booths and table here like traditional Irish bar with a hint of modern look. The services are fast and friendly. Food is good. Love my potato-leek soup. Their homemade shepherd pie is delicious. My 11 year old son heard the people in booth said the F word ... it's hard for me to teach him about bad word but he heard it here at the restaurant read more

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The staff are kind, knowledgeable about food and drinks. It's very clean, as are the restrooms (hard to find these days). Have honest suggestions if you're not sure (they know their menu well). They are always super busy, but this is good. Get there early so you can get in for good food and the alluring ambience. I for one find Burren House, a place of fun, good conversation with people, and the staff. The traditional, Irish music is amazing during the week. And the nightlife on the weekends with the DJs and new bands coming in. I give this A+ review. Come and have fun!! read more

Firstly, what an awesome pub..I really loved it..so comfortable, and welcoming.. This place has thee best food! The Fish and Chips, I cant describe to you how perfect the batter was, flaky fish..The fries are so good.. My fiance had Shepards Pie, its the best ive ever had hands down..Im for sure eating here again. Service, its been a minute and I cannot remember the young lady's name..She was so nice..She was knowledgeable on the food and drinks.. This little Pub is a 10 star top notch in my book of restaurants.. My favorites..I probably have about 5 of those. If I could give them 10 stars I would. read more

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Each time my husband and I have come for dinner we thoroughly enjoy it all- the vibe, the food, the drinks! It's a cozy little pub with very authentic decor. Vegan menu options. Fantastic drink selection. Reasonable prices. Will definitely be coming here on the rotation! read more

On a Monday night, it was packed and a bit too noisy and we had to wait for a table but... once we got seated, the food and drinks were quite delicious. read more

The Burren House - Salmon cooked perfectly for me (pink in the middle) - Irish Pub Near Me - San Rafael, California

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I have such mixed feelings about The Burren House. I've been here a few times and there are things I love and things that I don't love. I've been lucky enough to get there early enough each time that I've gotten a table. However, I've also had groups of people hovering around our table asking when we are going to leave so they can grab the table. That is super annoying. The vibe is fun for happy hour but it is LOUD. It is so loud that some of our friends have asked to leave so that we all could stop shouting at each other. The waitstaff is great and very accommodating. I tried ordering a drink at the bar once and the bartender just ignored me. So there's that. Order from your table if you want a drink. The food is also super disappointing except for the cheesecake. The cheesecake is fantastic. My husband, however, will disagree with me about the food. He's had the Reuben and the burger and loved them both. I think The Burren House has so much potential and can really be an amazing place if they make a few tweaks. read more

The Burren House - Irish Pub Near Me - San Rafael, California

Met some family for lunch. We had 4 delicious meals...The Burren Burger, Fish and Chips, Homemade Shepherd's Pie, and The Buffalo Chicken Wrap. We all cleared our plates. It was SO Good ! The atmosphere was wonderful and the service was great. Very busy spot on a Sunday afternoon. We will be going back for many more meals. I am going next weekend, early just for coffee and an Apple Crisp... had no room for desserts after our meals. Haha Highly recommend going and enjoying a good meal. read more

The Burren House - Irish Pub Near Me - San Rafael, California

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Food and service were really good. Problem was a group of seriously drunk folks who had clearly been over-served and were shouting and singing. This went on for the nearly 2 hours we ate and no one in management did anything other than acknowledge that they were too loud. They just kept getting more and more drunk and started to try and strike up conversations at other tables as they stumbled through the place. We couldn't take it anymore and left. And no, the match wasn't on. This was 7 hours AFTER the match. read more

THE UPSIDE This is a nice addition to downtown San Rafael. The space is nicely designed and a full bar. If you like fish n chips then you won't be disappointed. It's ginormous and good. They have a selection of beers on tap but don't have a menu for it. THE DOWNSIDE The acoustics is horrible. The place was packed and noisy. I couldn't hear my conversation with my friend, and I had to yell over the noise to communicate to him. So if you're sensitive to loud and noisy rooms. This is not the place for you or bring your ear plugs. read more

The Burren House - Their signature mega sized fish and chips. Get the crispy french fries. - Irish Pub Near Me - San Rafael, California

We've gone several times now for breakfast and once in the evening. We've enjoyed every visit. The details inside are a treat --lovely wood, gorgeous long bar and the variety of seating is fun to find a new place to tuck into. Breakfast/brunch is on the weekends. The restaurant is still busy but not loud. You MUST try their version of eggs Benedict. The evening vibe is a community pub, packed with everyone having a lovely time. It's loud. There is live music occasionally. You may have to wait for a table or sit with others and make new friends! Plenty of parking behind in the parking garage or street parking all within a block. Only thing we have not enjoyed are the desserts. Not my cup o' tea. Perhaps these are more authentic Irish desserts. The apple crisp is served in a shallow dish and there just wasn't much there. It was somewhat over cooked which made it dehydrated vs a more thick juicy version. The cheesecake was very dry and had chunks of cream cheese is pockets throughout that I thought might have been nuts. There is meant to be an Irish cream flavor that was missing for me. read more

The Burren House - Irish breakfast - Irish Pub Near Me - San Rafael, California

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These reviews hurt to write. I was so excited to try this place. We kept hearing the buzz throughout the community and were eager to visit. We went on Friday night and it was pretty busy when we went. Our first bartender didn't seem happy or eager to serve us. Not sure if it was a bad day or what exactly happened but we tried to not let that affect our experience. I ordered one espresso martini and my bf had an old fashion. Our second bartender, was amazing. She truly was so sweet and happy to serve us. From her I ordered 2 espresso martinis and my bf had a corona. When it was time to leave, I closed out with the female and we left. The first bartender chased us down in the pouring rain telling us we didn't pay. I was extremely confused because he took our card and asked if we wanted to keep it open after our first round. I paid again, and went home to check my bank statements which shows all the charges (photo attached). It's Sunday now and we still have one pending $10 charge and then I was charged $17.45 and $76.25. I'm not sure how 3 espresso martinis, one old fashion and a corona cost almost $100 but wow. I'm hopeful the other $10 pending charge fall off, and I will update if it doesn't. We were looking forward to try the food, but due to this treatment, we won't be back. We will stick to the bars who are transparent about their prices, treat us with respect, and make us feel welcome. Big let down and bummer. read more

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We were excited to check out The Burren House, but we're pretty disappointed. The food was just okay and the service was mediocre at best. We ordered the fried cauliflower and chicken bites for apps. The chicken (teeny little fingers of meat) was so heavily battered that it made up at least 2/3 of the mass. For dinner my husband had the fish and chips and I had the Reuben. Both were fine, though the sweet potato fries were so heavily salted I only had a few. What was least impressive, though, was the service. With five people at the table and incredibly standard drink orders (menu cocktails, G&Ts), they got two out of five wrong in both our first _and_ second rounds. Our server was nice, but it made for a really unimpressive experience overall. I wouldn't say no if someone else really wanted to go (bad, but not_that_ bad, but for sure will not be back by choice. read more

Love love love! The espresso martinis and fish n chips are perfect. Incredible service. Can't wait to return. read more

The Burren House - Fish n chips - Irish Pub Near Me - San Rafael, California

The Burren House is a great addition to downtown San Rafael and does a great job with some proper Irish hospitality. The pint of Guinness is good (by American standards very good) and they have a great selection of Irish whiskey for your sipping delight. We had a snack of some meatballs when we were there and they were very good. Nicely seasoned and pretty tasty. If you're looking for a little slice of the Emerald Isle in Marin County this is the place for you. read more

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First time, and the only Irish Pub I've been in outside of Ireland! I loved the ambiance, the service, and especially the food and variety of choices. I went on December 31st for lunch, and thought that since it's a new restaurant and this was kind of a weekday, it would be quiet. Wrong. It was very lively and most tables were filled! I ordered the Homemade Shepherd's Pie, and my friend ordered the Corned Beef Reuben. My portion size was exactly right for me. I finished it, and was no longer hungry. I ordered a Guiness Zero to go with it (from a can). Service was quick, even though the restaurant was busy. There are several other dishes I wanted to sample, so I'll just have to return soon. Hope they save some Fish and Chips for my next visit! read more

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My family and I came here last night for dinner -- seven of us total, spanning a few generations -- and it was such a good time. The Burren is right in the heart of San Rafael on Fourth Street, and the whole vibe is cozy, unpretentious pub energy, which is exactly what you want for a big, loud family meal. We ordered a mix of things and honestly everything hit. The steak was cooked exactly right, the fish and chips were crispy on the outside and flaky inside (not greasy at all, which is rare), and the bread they bring out before the meal is genuinely some of the best I've had -- I could've made a meal out of that alone. Service was great too. Seating a party of seven can be a lot for a restaurant, but our server never made it feel that way. Drinks stayed full, food came out at a good pace, and nobody felt rushed. If you're looking for a solid spot for a family dinner or group get-together in Marin County, The Burren is a great pick. We'll definitely be back. read more