Food and service were excellent. However, it is pricey as any other French restaurants.

2nd time to dine there with friends. They DID NOT disappoint. The table had a mix of seafood and steaks. The service was very personal and prompt. They offered some well appreciated suggestions. First time, I had Steak Diane and this time, I had Petrale Sole. Classy and comfortable atmosphere. The bar area also offers live music for those inclined. read more

My Dad and I took my Mom here for her birthday -- just days before the shutdown. When you have older parents, you cherish the opportunities you have to celebrate special occasions with them. The food was wonderful. I had the Steak Diane which was absolutely delicious. The steak was tender and and the peppercorn sauce had some bite, but thankfully wasn't too peppery. My Mom had the eggplant parmesan which she really enjoyed. But what sets The Iron Gate apart is the old-style service. The waiters all wear jackets and ties and treat their customers with the kind of graciousness and attention to detail that is largely a lost art these days. The staff was especially kind when it came to celebrating my Mom's birthday. They brought a delicious complementary ice cream dessert that all three of us got to share. All in all, a wonderful experience -- especially in light of the shutdown which has kept me from celebrating my birthday and Mothers' Day and which will prevent me from celebrating Fathers' Day with my Dad. Once the shutdown ends, please be sure to patronize The Iron Gate and other independent restaurants. The Iron Gate is an institution and it would be a shame to allow COVID-19 to drive it out of business. read more

Came here for a lunch with some co-workers who had dined here years ago... seems like this is a Belmont landmark of sorts. It's definitely has an older vibe to it- waiters all dressed up, not super updated interior, etc. Seemed like a family restaurant to me, albeit a higher priced one. I got the skirt steak with bearnaise, which was solid, but not spectacular. Steak was a little overcooked in my opinion, but the rest of my group enjoyed their lunches. Definitely on the pricier side, but a decent lunch. read more

Our waiter was extremely rude and condescending the entire time for absolutely no reason. I've worked in customer service my entire life, so I understand how this stuff goes. The ENTIRE time, the waiter would make unnecessary comments or responses towards us. For example, my father in law noticed my beer was empty and the waiter wouldn't give me a second to ask for another before he'd run away, so he asked nicely for me "can the lady get another beer?" In which the waiter responded, "sure, she can just ask me herself" ....really??? My father in law is in his 70s and was just trying to be nice. The waiter would also show obvious frustration if we weren't ready to order as soon as he approached our table and one time even took the menu out of our hands before we were even done looking at desserts. It was insane! We had to say "well I WAS going to order something" and then he gave it back so we could finish looking. We came here for a double birthday and it was a horrible experience ONLY because of the waiter. We paid about $600 for dog shit customer service lol. It was a joke. I'm giving this one star since the owner obviously doesn't care what kind of people he has working and representing his business. Reading the other reviews has proven that. We will not be coming back here nor will I ever recommend this place. I would also like to add that the waiter is lucky, because my father in law (who the waiter was the MOST rude to) is older and was oblivious to the rude ass remarks, was the one who paid and tipped the waiter who really only deserved the penny that I found on the bathroom floor. Food was great though. read more

This amazing spot never disappoints! It is our go to spot for special occasions, date night, anytime I'm craving a delicious steak and OMG the scallops! I've had ever scallop dish they have available and the "special" balsamic glazed scallop appetizer is divine! The service is beyond 5 stars and though it's unlikely they remember me I always feel like I'm a regular patron. I'm not too big on dessert (Though I do love the raspberry palate cleanser) but my husband always orders the Mixed Berry Soufflé. I'll be returning again very soon! read more

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New Years Eve is expensive. A 100.00 corkage fee for 2 bottles of wine. I think they should have mentioned the corkage fee when they asked if we wanted the wine opened now. We then could have decided to checkout their wine list instead. The menu prices were doubled their normal prices and the portions were smaller. They even filled the plate up with large baked tomatoes to give the impression the portions were large. Who does that? The tables were packed so close together it made us all feel uncomfortable. No Covid protocol practiced here. The next day or so I looked at the dinner tab and saw we were charged for two rounds of drinks. Really? Of course I called the restaurant who said, it was an honest mistake. They did refund us a portion of the overcharge but not all of it. I asked why was everything so overpriced and Dimitri said it was New Years Eve. We asked our staff to come in early and we bought all the balloons. I sad what balloons? He replied, you must have left early. Sorry to say, after years of enjoying the Iron Gate, we will not be back. read more

Entering through the lovely doors of this well-known prestigious mid peninsula restaurant, you feel like you're going back in time to an era when dining was elegant. Waiters dressed In tuxedos, beautifully appointed dining room, comfortable seating, ambient lighting, and TABLESIDE prep of Caesar salad, flambé of many entrees and desserts ! The wine steward/Head waiter, Colin, has been with Iron Gate 47 years he told me when asked. It was his first and only job and he still loves every moment. He has a great sense of humor as well as a skill for flaming entrées! José was our waiter. He was sweet, knowledgeable, funny, and all over very charming. We had no hesitation in tipping 20%. We noticed when we left that there is a bar area with live music. It was a bit incongruous to the dining room. If you like quiet dining I would recommend going early because the music starts at 9 PM. It seems to draw a different crowd. read more

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Very disappointed - we have been going to the bar very often and pre pandemic they had live music and had a great bar food menu too. They re-opened the location with live music on Saturday, Nov 4 and the rules have changed without any notification. Called prior to going to book table and was told it will be first come first serve basis, but when we showed up at 7pm, we were told no table unless you had a reservation including the bar stools. Plus they have started charging a $10/- cover charge which goes in to the pocket of the person at the door and cash only!Plus now serving the full service restaurant menu at the bar and it was cramped. We had six people in a four top and paying the same price if we were seated in the main restaurant. Its a shame - plus on top of all this we were automatically charged 20% tip as our bill was split into two (party of 3 each),we did not have a table but one of friends offered for us to sit with them. Although the table was six the bill was for party of 3.Agree the management is RUDE too. Would NEVER go back to this hell hole! read more

When it comes to fine dining in this central stretch of the Peninsula, the options tend to veer more towards long-time local favorites that specialize in a particular type of cuisine than the latest + greatest trendy bites. Iron Gate falls in line with what I like to call the "old school institutions" category that also encompasses the likes of Van's, Viognier, etc. These are restaurants that have stood the test of time due to a loyal but aging group of clients here in suburbia + are often overlooked by yuppy millennials like myself who would drive right by without thinking to stop in. I've now been to Iron Gate a few times now for special occasions with the family. The cuisine can best be described as classic French-American favorites with starters such as shrimp cocktail, escargot, soups + salads followed by meat-centric entrees that each come with generic sides. The signature dishes that makes Iron Gate special are those that are flambeed tableside https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-iron-gate-belmont?select=N9vpD14Dw6ZRy3LXZOiZGg. The waiters put on the fiery show for a selection of salad, veal, steak diane, banana foster, etc, though I'd say I personally see the Steak Diane flambeed most frequently. Menu: http://www.iron-gate.com/dinner.htm While contemplating your entree options, every table starts with a complimentary basket of bread + cold butter https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-iron-gate-belmont?select=2l6BWr6SxyztyK9LyP8B4Q. The Coquilles St. Jacques (scallops) https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-iron-gate-belmont?select=8HsQkOfnsYA0D8HnOxRQ1w appetizer is a solid start, as are the Escargot Bouguignon https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-iron-gate-belmont?select=N02cIdIm7J41AdT6weMFeA. All apps are then followed by a complimentary pink sorbet palate cleanser https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-iron-gate-belmont?select=Q3PxckdQ3_xaGWSP2Qv5BQ before the entrees are brought out. A perennial favorites whenever my family goes are any kind of red meat. It's hard to go wrong with an eye-opening Bone-in Rib Eye like this https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-iron-gate-belmont?select=p8AkGJUrMuXaB8kW3N0_tw. The waiters will call it a daily special, though it seems to be a special literally every time. And yes it tastes just as good as it looks with the giant pat of garlic butter on top. Another common special is their variation on a Surf + Turf https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-iron-gate-belmont?select=J_BELG_wc0HsO-Se8P9z5Q, served with a succulent lobster tail + filet mignon. Done well but it's also one of the pricier items if I recall correctly. The Rack of Lamb served with a wine + mint sauce https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-iron-gate-belmont?select=RhshOynd4uvAt2YCY92Mcw is another stunner, + the portion size for the $32 price tag is such a steal compared to what you'd find elsewhere. Their Filet Mignon https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-iron-gate-belmont?select=uhZcScs5MPhJiMa3OV1oLw, also comes with the giant butter plopped on top. And as you can see from this cross section picture, their med-rare comes out a healthy pink/red throughout https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-iron-gate-belmont?select=23CROoUZcTgU0vKrkBl6nQ A couple of the more uncommon dishes they have on their menu include a Veau (aka veal or young calf) section with options such as Veal Parmigiana https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-iron-gate-belmont?select=Shfn0d4t7bbM4WKH0q1l3g, which is a breaded veal cutlet that's baked with parmasan cheese + marinara sauce. Another interesting dish that caught my eye was the Abalone https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-iron-gate-belmont?select=aV081AQ8oahLVy__7T-FEA, which I really did not enjoy because the breaded slices were rubbery + relatively tasteless. Definitely a miss amongst many other hits. If you've actually bothered to check out my food photos, you'll probably have noticed a couple things. First, regardless of which entree you order, they all come with the same generic sides of steamed veggies (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, etc) + some potato (either pomme de gratin or mashed). These sides are completely uninspired + obviously prepared en masse to routinely scoop onto each plate throughout the evening. They're bland + remind me of hotel food. The second note is on plating, which is similarly uninventive. So then because every entree has the same sides, every single plate thus looks exactly the same other than the different protein. In some cases, I would even say this has resulted in an unattractive dish https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-iron-gate-belmont?select=YGuqDERaVpVHMudzimms4Q. All in all, a solid 4 stars. Your parents, who probably could care less about details like creativity or pretty plating, will love it. The "old school" fine dining ambiance https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-iron-gate-belmont?select=l5MlQ8nBJ0JhHJgjwtXFmA + service are well suited for occasions with their generation, but I'd hesitate to take a foodie friend here. read more

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A proper and fun place to dine in! The servers were all very nicely dressed and welcomed us in. The decor in the restaurant and bar made it feel as if we had time traveled into the past, and the formal way that the servers greeted us helped keep that atmosphere going. There will be some very delicious aromas from the chefs who come and cook next to your tables (with fire!) Make sure to get the soufflé with berries for dessert. Ample parking on the side and the back of restaurant. read more

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Thanksgiving dinner this evening was spectacular. I have lived in Belmont 8 years and had no idea we had such a hidden gem! Let's start with service, from the host station to seating, The Iron Gate runs like a well oiled machine. Our host was such a friendly man and we had zero wait for our reservation. Every staff member we came in contact with was so kind and courteous. Tonight was a crowded night but the staff buzzed around the floor effortlessly. Now....let's talk food. Tonight was a special Thanksgiving menu with several selections. My young teen chose the steak, my sons father, the veal and I wanted traditional turkey. Each of our courses came out perfectly timed and delicious. My favorite part of the meal was dessert. I had the pumpkin pie and my son, the chocolate mousse. Sooooo good! I was shocked to see such a well executed dinner service and will be back soon. The Iron Gate brings an old school class to the peninsula restaurant scene and I'm grateful to have shared such a lovely meal on Thanksgiving. read more

The Iron Gate - Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans and cranberry sauce. - French Near Me - Belmont, California

Not bad but quite pricey - we ordered crab cakes (very petite for $18!) and escargot-- both tasty! 6 of us shared a nice table side prepared salad and had a good mix of main dishes - steak(2/5 it was quite tough;(( and we sent it back ) lamb(5/5), fish(5/5), chicken(4/5) and scallop (3/5) - I also had onion soup - delish!!!!! We finished dinner with beautiful Soufflé (which my daughter licked off the plate) and some cheesecake (good but nothing special). Overall we had a great time and service was amazing! read more

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Stuffy and its best days have been over long ago. I don't love the food and the atmosphere doesn't make me feel at ease. The menu is as old as fossil. read more

Absolutely fabulous food which is only surpassed by the excellent staff! My friend and I eat there at least once a month and have never been disappointed! From bar service to appetizer, salads and the wonderful entree choices, the meal is superb. We particularly love the hearts of palm salad and the fish options. But the crowning jewel of the meal is the dessert choices. We move between cherries jubilee and the soufflé. We both highly recommend The Iron Gate. Fine dining in an elegant dining room. Waiters are well dressed and extremely courteous. A truly elegant experience! Diana and Phyllis read more

Let's start off with making the reservation. I called the day before trying to make the reservation. The guy there said it was noisy and told me to wait while he went to a quieter place. I gave him all the info which took him awhile to take down. I inquired about anything special for bdays and he said they had candles and dessert and to notify your server the night of. I also asked about the Costco certificates and whether or not there were restrictions, he said no. When I went to buy the certificates I tried getting 2, it didn't mention any restrictions on the Costco cardboard you bring to the register to pay. After I bought it, luckily I double checked, it said only one per party. So I had to go back k and return a set. Later that night, I got a call saying oh this is iron gate, your reservation is ready! I'm like what? I reserved it for tomorrow night.... she apologized and helped me rebook it for tomorrow night but she had to ask for all my information again. But shouldn't it already been saved for that night? That's how she contacted me!? The night of, we got there and got seated. The server seemed really nice but once he asked if we wanted any drinks, we don't like alcoholic beverages, so we declined and said water is fine. He immediately gave a look of disapproval... After ordering, I inquired the special birthday dessert thing, he had no idea what I was talking about so I told him about the conversation with the person who booked my reservation. Very awkward, especially if it was supposed to be a surprise, not a surprise anymore.... that's why I wanted to leave a note on the reservation. When the food came, we ordered a filet mignon with bearnaise sauce and lobster tail and he got the bone in ribeye both medium rare. The filet mignon tasted weird, tasted like char-siu.... the ribeye was overcooked and tough, seemed more like medium. Luckily there was dessert, souffles, the only saving grace. But even that, the soufflé seemed to deflate quicker and not as good as it was before. The owner was really nice and his dessert was on the house for his bday which was really nice. read more

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I feel like you should receive better food for the prices you're paying. The rice and vegetables looked and tasted as if they came out of a frozen meal from Marie Calendars. Service wise: our waiter was nice (that's where the one extra star goes to) but he messed up one of our meals. He apologized and offered to replace the meal with the right order, but after waiting 25-30 minutes for our food to come out, we decided to just eat what was brought out. Will I be back? Absolutely not. Especially because I feel like I could recreate the meal by stopping by Safeway and heading to the frozen section for over half the price. read more

Came here for dinner with 3 others and it was my first, but not my last, visit to The Iron Gate. It's definitely more of a special occasion/anniversary restaurant. Pretty pricey, but definitely worth it because I have zero complaints about the food. The service is a little overbearing. I feel like there were so many workers constantly coming around 2-3 at a time and clearing things. While I appreciate keeping our table tidy, it felt like a little much. Def not anything to knock a star off tho. They are definitely on top of things. For starters, we had the shrimp cocktail and crab cocktail. How can you ever go wrong there? Entrees included 3 orders of scalloping (2 veal and 1 chicken) which we all LOVED and would definitely get again. The 4th in our party got the steak and lobster which was spectacular as well. For dessert we split a chocolate soufflé which had just the right amount of richness. Along with a couple iced teas and a few beers, the bill came out to about $450. Not somewhere you can eat every week, but absolutely worth celebrating a special occasion at. Thank you Iron Gate for such an unforgettable meal! read more

I have passed this place for 20 years and finally ate there a few weeks ago. It is interesting place left over from a long long time ago, not quite time of dinosaurs but close. Unfortunately, the food cooking style and mannerism was also the say, lot so every heavy sauces, over cooked vegetables, bread that has not evolved, etc. Lots of salt and butter, think lost an artery or vein someplace there. The server was nice and the place seemed to appeal to the above 60 crowd since they remember foods from the 60s. They tend to do a lot and none seemed outstanding. Food: 2 Service: 4 Parking: 5 Wine: 3 - not as big a fan of French wines with extremely high price tags Desert: 4 Atmosphere: 4 table cloth and all Value: 2- So overall gave them 2 but maybe a 2+. For the value lots of better options. read more

I will always remember this restaurant as the first place we went to after the pandemic restrictions lifted. It was positively joyous. Everyone was so glad to be back. The Food here has always been excellent and a destination for special occasions as well as mid week break from cooking. I love a place that still has things they will set on fire for you tableside! read more

I don't know how I have lived in San Carlos for almost twenty years and never tried this place until recently. As others have said, it does feel a little like going back in time. But with that said, the food and service were both really good. Drinks were good (and remarkably inexpensive comparatively) but the bartenders have been working there for decades so don't expect them to know how to make a modern cocktail. If you want a place where you can dress up and have a fancy meal (and likely feel like the youngest people in the room) then I would absolutely recommend this place. read more

By far the worst restaurant experience I have endured in 50 years of fine dining. Avoid--especially for groups larger than four. To be fair, this review is based on one terrible visit; granted, we visited the day before Thanksgiving. Not withstanding, we were seated & ignored for 20 minutes. I asked two different workers for menus. We were seated for thirty minutes before drinks arrived: our group of seven received five drinks. Over five minutes later the last two arrived. The steak Diane was grilled for us in the crowded room at 25 feet away. I didn't even know it was being grilled for us. We ordered two bottles of one of the wine selections, but never received the second one. What sort of restaurant does not want to sell wine? The worst cut of all was the mandatory "service" charge--$140 for far less than $70 worth of service. We were embarrassed to have invited our friends & family here. We should have walked out before ordering, but I see no reason to try it again. read more

My Husband and I had an amazing dinner at the Iron Gate We were fortunate enough to be served by Magdy.He was a true professional in every sense of the word. He possesses the true class and charm from long ago,yet he is current and not stuffy,a true genuine article.He was not intrusive yet he was there whenever we needed him,this is pure skill and talent,to he able to anticipate every need without being asked. I know this first hand as I am a senior server myself and not to root my own horn I am exceptional at what I do,bottom line it is something that can't be taught,only felt,you have to love what you do and the people you do it for.Thank You To Our Server Magdy,our busser our host and bartender Tony,everyone treated my Husband special on his special day, I won't forget this and I thank you all.....Sincerely, Jennifer read more

I had been wanting to try this restaurant for the longest time. Decided to try it for my birthday dinner. The service was great from the moment we were seated. Started off with the table side Caesar salad. And it was the most delicious Caesar salad I've ever had. And the soufflé at the end...with the Grand Marnier (not sure if I misspelled) was to die for!!! Only reason I've given a 4 star is because it was quite pricey for a group of 6 people. I'd definitely recommend as a date for 2. read more

The 5 stars are not enough to really describe the experience that we had in this High class restaurant. from the wine to the cocktails to the very well prepared and served meals, to the way you are treated (LIKE ROYALTY AT ITS BEST,,,) I would like to say a very BIG thank you to every one especially to the owner Dimitri and his officers...Gary Danko should send some of his people to take some lessons from pricing of the menu all the way to the serving sizes .... ONE MORE TIME B R A V O TO ALL OF YOU IN THE Iron Gate Restaurant read more

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Cold bread hard butter. Why? Very overpriced. $40 minimum! Worst hearts of palm salad I've ever had. Nothing to pull the flavors together. Palm hearts out of a can. I've had incredible Heart of palm salads at Doppio Zero in Mt. View for much cheaper. But this salad was very lame. Now I'm dreading the entre. Sole Petrale Almondine. Waiting . . . The sole was passable. Would have preferred a crispy Crust for texture. The veggies were very bland I won't be back. A total rip off. read more

This place doesn't 'deserve a single star, I regret coming here and checking the reviews 1st. We went for my sister birthday. Expecting high quality food and Very disappointment.the food was a nasty. For party of 5 the bill came out $850 plus the waiter tip himself $150. TRUST ME if the food was good we had no problem paying. You better off going to market broiler, if you want good steak you'll paid $260 for a party of 6. I believe this place is rigged 100%. read more

Had the special crab cake. It was over cooked, burnt on the bottom. The bone in ribeye was delicious on one side and tasted like a sirloin steak on the other. The saving grace was the vegetables. They were cooked perfectly. Overrated and overpriced. Won't be back. read more

Yeah I've read the comments... the less flattering ones can be summarized as such: "I'm too young to be in here, it feels like the retirement home Xmas celebration dinner, pre-bingo night" "so old school my great grandparents would look so hip to the hop eating here" "did I get on the wrong cruise and show up in the wrong restaurant? Am I in the Depeche Mode MTV video for "Wrong"? What's up with the table of 3, all 60+, and the guy is wearing his sailor gear, including Captain Stubing's hat?!" Ahhh c'mon people. There's nothing wrong with staying stuck in time and not necessarily innovating along with the molecular fried chicken slider table to farm pork belly truck fusion thing. That's the western version of preservation. There are 50 to 100+ year old restaurants across Asia, some still alive and kicking and never fail to deliver. Sure it is not The Tadich Grill to some, and it's Belmont. But the food is delicious, the service is attentive. And they take restaurant.com coupon too. Yes, an A$N granny greets you at the door. Suddenly you think....A$N fusion? Not at all....think of it as the old school new world style old world. Confused yet? Yes me too. If you have been to Tai Ping Koon in Hong Kong http://www.taipingkoon.com/ the vibe is remotely familiar. Tuxedo clad waitstaff, except the Iron Gate gang won't stand around while you inspect the bill then take out your payment. Mix of French American, Italian American, and lots of charm. Clam chowder (Fridays only) - thick texture, ample clams and ingredients. Not the best I've had, but not bad. French onion soup - sadly too salty. May have to go to a real French bistro for this. Mixed combo salad - got everything in it from raw mixed greens to some cooked asparagus, and delicious endives. A fine balance. a nice raspberry sorbet in a mini shaped champagne glass with a spoon for the intermission / palette cleansing act. Kids will love this, thinking they get dessert BEFORE the entree. What a life. Scalone - like a calamari steak, except it was flat, good light textured, and was a combination of scallop and abalone. Golden yellow brown exterior (very light batter) that tasted much better with the lemon wedge. Scalloped potatoes on the side, and seasoned steamed veggies (even those tasted good). Seabass (from the specials, not listed on the menu) - pretty decent but it's not the haute cuisine prep. Veggie crepe florentine - interesting, a good alternative for those seeking something light. And the dessert.....the souffle is a must. However you have to decide by the time you are done with the appetizers and right before the dinner entrees come (your waiter will ask you). You can order for 2, but they also offer single dinner sized portions at $10 to $12 per. Choose between Grand Marnier, Chocolate, Berry, Apple. (As a note: Tai Ping Koon in Hong Kong only offers one souffle (Grand Mariner) and it is humongous and requires 40 mins to make.) The standard sauce is divine, but perhaps overkill and masking the delicious egg white flavor in the souffle. The chocolate verison is enjoyable and the sauce not heavy at all. While eating, various tables ordered certain meat dishes that were cooked by the waiter by the table, offering a Benihana like fire show. Or maybe it was Bananas Foster or Strawberry Flambe.... It is such a rare sight to see something like that anymore (the burgundy tux'd grey haired senior waitstaff at Tai Ping Koon couldn't be efff'd to cook anything for you in comparison...now that's luv). read more

I came here with my boyfriend to celebrate my birthday and am so, so disappointed! I drive by the bright red neon signs of Iron Gate frequently and used to think it looked like a hotel, so I looked it up and bookmarked it on Yelp after seeing it's ratings. I thought it'd be a nice intimate place to have dinner and boy was I WRONG. We arrived at 7:30pm sharp and were seated immediately. The waiter seemed irritated that we didn't know what we wanted to drink but he didn't even give us the drink menus yet. Are we supposed to guess what's on their wine list? Lol. I like to ask for suggestions when ordering food & drink but he gave off a strange vibe like he didn't want to interact with us. Bf decided on a bottle of Rombauer Zinfandel. I ordered the steak & prawns & bf ordered the steak Diane. Our server, Taner, cooked the steak in front of us and I thought he executed it perfectly. Then he drowned it in some brown sauce & butter which made my bf feel bloated. For some reason, my steak wasn't cooked in front of me and it arrived completely burnt on the top side. I didn't realize this until later since it was also swimming in thick sauce. So half of my meal was inedible but the 3 prawns surprisingly filled me up. At the end of the meal, Taner asked how everything tasted and we told him about the steak. He made an upset face and asked "Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" to which I replied "Because you weren't around to check on us.." and he said he'd let the chef know. Then, he started checking on us every few minutes even though we were done with our meal which I found very annoying. I wanted to leave right then but we had ordered souffles. When he brought them out, my boyfriend asked where the candle on mine was and told them that he called last week to tell them it would be a birthday dinner. Taner acted clueless and blamed it on the reservation maker. The souffles tasted like soggy sponge cake doused in diluted frosting and neither of us finished them. I guess we don't deserve decent service since we're not their typical clientele? Either way I will make sure to stick to tried & true restaurants for special occasions so something like this doesn't happen again. I felt so nauseous & upset after that meal. I see that the owners apologize for underwhelming experiences but you can't expect someone who just dropped a days salary for a shitty dining experience to ever return, when there are a MILLION other restaurants that are reasonably priced with good service. read more

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The service and food is always excellent and Ron the bartenders is the best pours a great drink. 2 Thumbs up 5 Stars

The only reason I give 4 stars is because it's really expensive. Our dinners were very good, and the service was excellent, but unfortunately we can't eat there more often because we're still recovering from the entree prices. If money is no object, go for it. Another reason for the 4 star, is because we were packed in tight. I could have literally reached over and touched the table next to us.. read more

3.5 stars but rounding down since I didn't feel the food was quite four stars. After driving by The Iron Gate sign and seeing them listed on Opentable for years, I finally had the chance to come for a work dinner. I was able to make reservations for a party of four earlier in the day for a Tuesday night, and our table was ready for our 6:00pm reservation. The restaurant didn't start getting busy until around 7:00pm, and it was surprisingly full for that night. We tried: -Caesar Salad For Two (Prepared Tableside, $22, http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=UZaDXNo3x5exPzhyB3EESA&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg): Solid Caesar salad, but definitely pricey for $11/person. I'm not a big fan of tableside preparation, since it's basically a waste of time, and this presentation didn't change my mind. -Complimentary Palate Cleanser: Sorbet (http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=VqzP_bFi9FjwOiHn9S1Kfg&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg): Nice- the sorbet was nice and cold, and very smooth. -Nightly Special: Grilled Bone-In Rib Eye Steak (Served w/Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Sliced Potatoes, Squash, $41?, http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=MQ1_g-QDlA6axNFYNAGc_g&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg): Just ok- I ordered my steak medium rare and it came out more medium, and the sear wasn't that great. I didn't like that they filleted the steak and wish they left it as a thick cut steak. However, the mashed sweet potatoes were good, although the sliced potatoes and squash could have used more salt. -New York Steak (Served w/Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Sliced Potatoes, Squash, $25.50): Solid, but only flavored with salt and pepper. -Steak Au Poivre Flambe (Served w/Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Sliced Potatoes, Squash, $33): My favorite dish out of the three steaks- I loved the pepper brandy sauce, which gave the steak great flavor. My coworker also order his steak medium rare, and his steak was cooked a perfect medium rare- probably because they left it as a thick cut! Highly recommended, even though I'm usually not a fan of New York steaks since they are on the leaner side. -Seared Slice Abalone: Not very good- they dip the slices of abalone in an egg batter, so all you taste is the egg. The abalone should be chewy, and these pieces were flabby and soft- skip! -Souffle Chocolate ($11, http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Glikpvn_wEBHtJbh-I9O1Q&userid=76vIFZcC7owykCBjMfGVXg): Not so great- the souffle was grainy, and overcooked. The batter was too egg-y for me, and it wasn't as fluffy as I like- skip! Our server was nice, but a little too overbearing for us. It just seemed like he was trying too hard to be funny/make a joke, and we just wanted to be left alone to have our own conversation. The food also took a little while to come, but the wait wasn't too bad. My biggest complaint is with the tableside preparation for some of the dishes, like their appetizers- it's kind of cool to see a big fan when they do the flambe, but the smell from the food cooking made all of my freshly washed clothes stink. Also, they did a flambe for a table behind ours, and the cart and saucepan were super close to my long hair- if I didn't turn around to watch the cooking process, my hair could have caught on fire. Overall, The Iron Gate is a good place to go for really classic French dishes if you want the classic version, and not the modern take. Portions are generous, and there is definitely that neighborhood restaurant feel here. I'm not in any rush to come back here, but it's a solid place for dinner. Parking was easy since they have their own lot (on the smaller side though) and some limited street parking. read more

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I'm at a loss for the appeal of this place. Our party of four spent over $200 (without drinks) on food that's just ok. Customers are packed like sardines... and I would bet anything the place is a fire code violation. What really put us out was the very rude waiter. I've rarely encountered anyone so unpleasant in this line of work and am beside myself that the Iron Gate would employ him. From the beginning of our experience, he was downright unpleasant... never greeting us or smiling. After we ordered our food, someone in our party decided to get escargot. When I asked the waiter to add escargot to our order, he got really annoyed and told us it would be a 15 min wait. After we finished our meal, the waiter handed out dessert menus without saying a word. We looked them over and decided to order soufflé. When the waiter returned, I asked for the souffle and he reprimanded me by saying he had already told us it would take 30 minutes to prepare the dessert and we should have ordered it earlier. We were beside ourselves and all agreed that he never forewarned us... but that's beside the point. As expected, when the bill came we received the only friendly words from our server. There are plenty of better French restaurants in the Peninsula where customers are appreciated for their patronage. ---------- As an update to this review, the owners took to heart my comments and sent me an apology. I appreciate that they did this. Hopefully, that will lead to better experiences and ratings from future patrons. read more

Move over Izzy's because this restaurant is your #1 competition! They have everything you do - a menu that won't overwhelm you, steaks that will rock your world, service that is 5-star - but they also have flambe and Surf-n-Turf! Remember that one star I promised you? Well these folks earned it. As for all those youngsters out there giving the bad reviews because this place is for "old folks" - the old folks come here because they remember what it's like to have good service, good food and simple choices. They don't need all the flash and fancy to enjoy a top-rated meal. It's just a quiet night out to be a little pampered with some decent chow. I'm all over that, even if I'm not part of the geriatric crew. You don't need to be over 50 to enjoy a simple and delicious dinner. Go in with these thoughts in mind and maybe, just maybe, you'll enjoy it a little more the second time around. read more

I think a place like Iron Gate gets overlooked sometimes because it looks deserted and isn't as fancy or as savvy looking as other restaurants. Our server for the night was Miguel. He has the most amazing memory ever. My table consisted of 7 people and even with all the questions and different orders, he never had to write anything down and still got our orders correct (I would have forgotten everything)! So props to you Miguel! For the appetizer, the notable mention was the oyster rocketfellers. They were baked to perfection and I loved how the blended spinach was combined w the oyster mixture. For my entree, I selected the Steak Diane flambé. It's not too often that you get to see your steak cooked in front of you AND plated to eat on the spot! This was very enjoyable. It came with a side of zucchini and broccoli, puréed mashed potatoes (very flavorful) and puréed sweet potatoes (this was just ok). My brother ordered the lamb chops and for $39, you get 7 chops cooked in a delicious sweet wine and mint sauce. So. Worth. It. We both enjoyed this. I think I may have found my favorite white wine of all time. Far Niente Chardonnay from Napa Valley. It was so smooth and silky....but $20/glass is quite pricy (I can buy a meal or a bottle of cheap wine with that $!) I was 100% stuffed at this point but, hey, they are pretty famous for their soufflés here....how can I pass up on that? Brought out in their baking ramekins and plated in front of you with the sauce, on the spot. I highly suggest you request for the sauce on the side because they are a bit heavy handed with the sauce. My mom isn't much if a sweets person but she really enjoyed the mixed berries soufflé and my family friend enjoyed the grand mariner (original) soufflé. I had the chocolate one. Yummy yummy in my tummy. Overall, a 5 star experience. I love being able to eat high quality food in a comfortable & casual setting. Also, aside from my brother, I was super embarrassed by the 5 other adults at my table who were constantly taking pictures AND with flash throughout the night. Thank you Taner for being such a good sport & very enthusiastic about it when you were cooking my steak diane, even offering to tell them you'd make the flame bigger and higher for their photo ops... read more

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My dining partner and I came here to celebrate an anniversary. What a treat it was! We really enjoyed our visit. The Crab Cake and Cream of Broccoli and Chicken Soup got things started off on a high note, although the Crab Cake would eventually be the low point of an otherwise wonderful evening. The Steak Diane Flambe, which is cooked right in front of you, is covered in some DELICIOUS sauce. The massive and juicy Ribeye Steak kept my dining partner (and eventually me) occupied for a while. For dessert, the Soufflé (chocolate for her, mixed berries for me), was awesome. Our server, Carlos, was awesome. He was always around when we needed him, kindly answered any questions we had, and was the cherry on top of our awesome time at The Iron Gate. read more

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Omg Carlos. Could you be more charming!! Yes we know it is your job.... But you make us believe you enjoy it so!!!! The food and "show" if food and service is always on point! A lost art!! A time capsule you should not miss!! read more

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I have been eating at Iron Gate for years, usually for a special occasion but sometimes just because I have a craving for one of their dishes. My favorite dishes are generally the Caesar salad, Veau Moutarde Flambe and any of their wonderful desserts. but they always have specials that are great as well. The staff are always friendly and fun. Warning: Every menu I found online understated the cost of the items by close to 50%. read more

Likes: the daily special rib eye in bone was really delicious. Peppercorn steak was good but not as good as their rib eye. Carrot puree was nice and light. Loved the strawberry sorbet palate cleanser between courses. Chocolate and mixed berries soufflé were warm and a nice way to end the meal. Service was very professional and overall a really nice old school ambiance. The place was definitely larger than I expected when I walked in. The mirrors def help give the illusion of a larger restaurant. The other room had a jazz band playing for those for enjoy that. Best to make a reservation. Dislikes: I personally could've done with a little less peppercorn on my steak but that's easily remedied. Meal was a little on the pricey side ($47 rib eye, $6 latte) read more

The Iron Gate - French Near Me - Belmont, California

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