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

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

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 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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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

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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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

Delicious food. Fun atmosphere and great service. Cant wait to go back. Had the sliders and our friends had the fish chips. Amazing huge portions. read more

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

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

The Burren House - Wine County - 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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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

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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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

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

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

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

Food was great, as was service even though they were short staffed on the day our five person group came for lunch. Because they were so busy at the noon hour that we arrived, the noise level was quite high, and carrying on a conversation was a bit difficult. read more

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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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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The ambience inside depends on what time and dah you go. During busy hours it's a very buzzy and lively setting with multiple sports and things going on. However, the staff are all super nice and attentive even though it was really busy. For bar food, I was quite surprised because I had the assumption it was going to be mediocre and mainly focused on alcoholic drinks but I was wrong. The food was quite good and not too expensive with really nice portions for sharing or as a meal for one. My favorite are the chicken wings and potato cakes. Come here for something fun, lively, tasty, and for a nice drink. (I don't consume alcohol so I'm not sure how good those are.) read more

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Just had the Happy Hour menu here and: the Irish Nachos were excellent, they are the "quintessential" Irish Pub. Beautifully enhancing the dining and bar scene downtown. Next to the old Fenix (to be their new music hall, also much needed in SR! The service was very friendly and you can tell the team is happy :) can't wait to get back gear for a full meal and try out their Shepherd's Pie soon! read more

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The gang took me here for my birthday lunch. Interior decorations are beautiful and sets the stage perfectly for every thing! I ordered the fish sandwich. It was very filling and tasty! Fresh. Service was good. I think it might have been her first time waiting in folks but she did fine. read more

This is a traditional Irish pub in the heart of downtown San Rafael. We decided to grab a bite before going to the movie there that is located just down the street. The food was excellent! We had a small appetizer of chicken wings and french fries. The wings tasted great, and the french fries were handcut and cooked perfectly! I can't wait to go back and try some more dishes. I took a peak at the tables around us and everyone seemed to enjoy their meals. I saw someone eating the fish and chips and the fish was huge! I definitely recommend this place. I will have to return on Tuesday/Thursday nights when there is tradtional Irish music played. read more

Good Irish bar with some solid wings. Kind of the usual fare and ambiance but that's not a bad thing. There's Irish bars in pretty much every part of the world for a reason! read more

The bar tenders here are amazing! Real chill. Rico did a great job making sure I was taken care of... Marissa the musician, very kind and polite, and Nina valentina was absolutely entertaining!! She even placed a napkin over my drink when I went to the restroom. First time that's happened. Had a blast chilling at the bar. (If you haven't watched "Lost Boys" take a gander!!) Had the grilled chicken sandwich. On point! 9/10 Devils Gultch to wash the sorrows down. Not bad! 8/10 Hospitality 10/10. This place just opened a few months ago. Make sure you stop by here if you're ever in downtown San Rafael!! read more

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

If Killarney and Galway had a pub baby, this is it. Simply the most fun I've had in so long. Staff was great. Food was exceptional. Guinness was as good as pint as you will have on the west coast, best since Casements in SF. True Irish snacks (Tayto and Crunchie!), live music and something for everyone. Remarkable. Cheers to everyone at Burren House, and especially to Alan. I'll see you here once a month til I'm in the ground, ok? read more

Generally, anything on the menu is extremely good and no way that you'll leave still hungry. For example the fish and chips is like one whale and 700lbs of potato on a dinner plate. Everyone makes sure your experience is comfortable and satisfying. That's so nice to see especially during busy times. But they are consistent. It's generally pretty noisy which tells me that others are having a good time and the mood is always pretty lively and bright. Love this place. read more

Our group had the Lamb Roast and Beef Roast. Both were excellent!! The staff were very attentive. We loved the Irish vibe since most of us have Irish ancestry. Hope to go again next time we are in CA. read more

Food is consistently good. Staff are friendly. A little loud sometimes, but hey, it's a pub! Get there early to get a table. Looking forward to them expanding, and hosting live music in a few months! read more