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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.
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!
Stopped by last minute for a drink and had to try their famous fish and chips. The fish was tasty, but unfortunately it wasn't crispy, and neither were the fries. That said, the service, drinks, and atmosphere were all great, so I'll definitely be back for another nightcap!
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!
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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!
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.
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
1 month ago
2 months ago
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
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
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
24 days ago
24 days ago
Stopped by last minute for a drink and had to try their famous fish and chips. The fish was tasty, but unfortunately it wasn't crispy, and neither were the fries. That said, the service, drinks, and atmosphere were all great, so I'll definitely be back for another nightcap! 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
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
3 months ago
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
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
4 months ago
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
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
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
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
2 months ago
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
3 months ago
1 month ago
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
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
4 months ago
9 months ago
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
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
6 months ago
1 year ago
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
2 months ago
2 months ago
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
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
6 months ago
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
1 month ago
2 months ago
2 years ago
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
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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More info about The Burren House
925 4th St
San Rafael, CA 94901
Directions
(415) 690-1222
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https://www.theburrenhouse.com
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Ask the Community - The Burren House
Do they have a Sunday roast dinner?
Does the Burren House take reservations?
No, they do not. You just go and wait for table.
Where's the best place to park?
Usually plenty of street parking in the surrounding blocks, and there's a parking garage directly behind the pub.
Can one make a reservation for 6?
I don't think they take reservations. We had a party of 6 for brunch on a Sunday. We went on the early side,11:30, and walked right in. Don't wait to be seated. Just walk…
Any bar games? Pool? Darts?
No games. I asked about darts and they said if all goes well they will expand to the empty space to the East and have darts and pool.…
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Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
2 reviews that are not currently recommended
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10 months ago
9 months ago
