I heard about six months ago that the fish market was going to be closed down to make room for more condos in San Mateo. I figured I better get over there before it’s gone but that was a mistake! I guess if you know the writing is on the wall and your restaurant is going to close no matter what you do, why even try. That was pretty much our experience. The food was nothing special and the service was poor. If this is the #2 Restaurant in San Mateo, I’m not sure I can rely on TripAdvisor reviews anymore.
Excellent food, friendly staff, and nice atmosphere. I ate there two nights in a row and was not disappointed. Food was all fresh, hot, and delicious.
Sweet, delicious king crab legs!!. Loved the cheesy garlic bread and rice but the green beans had no flavor. The fried calamari had no flavor... no we did not have covid...lol. the carrot cake was dry and not enough of that cream cheese flavor in the frosting.
I've visited occasionally over 15 years of being a local. The kitchen has fallen apart. Fish tacos? The most reliable and best value item on the menu? Nearly inedible. Too wet for the now El cheapo simulated tortillas to even pick up. Awful. The ramekin of beans was tepid, which is to say an unsafe food temperature. Not worth the (additional) health risk to go back. A sad ending, but there were good times.
This was always a favorite for family gatherings. Sadly, we went there a few days ago to an unrecognizable place. The food was so bad, the manager took three of the main courses off of the bill. The location is still very nice, but... will not be returning.
This use to be one of my favorite places. But our last visit I ordered the Louie salad and the lettuce was wilted and the dressing was watery and there was hardly any crab. Plus we were Seated for 20 minutes before anybody came to take our drink order. It seemed like the staff did not know who’s section we were in. We were also sitting on a section of the patio 20 feet from any other dinners but the manager still took the time to come tell me that o could not hold my & pound Pomeranian dog in my lab. They have some rule about keeping gods under the table. I understand everybody had their own rules but we were so far from anybody else that they forgot to serve us, but we could not bend this one little rule? You can tell when a restaurants management is more focused on rules then they are making their guest feel special. So the good news is that we live in the Bay Area where there are lots of great options for seafood and we will never go back there ever again after many years of dinning there
Covid19 cautious. Plenty of parking . Can ear indoor or out side overlooking water. Attention to side dishesxa big plus. My three calamari steaks were tender, thick and Italy breaded.
Nice seating outside and good choices on the menu. Enjoyed the appetizers and some favorable cocktails.
in house dining... all was good... order to go had stale hard rolls but bread in restaurant very good
On the day after my wife's birthday in early April of 2021, we decided to go to the Fish Market since we have always enjoyed the food and atmosphere. We also enjoy the San Mateo Fish Market outdoor seating. Additionally, we go to the Fish Market when in San Diego. During our April visit, we properly masked until seated. During our process of seating, the person who seated us (blonde approx. 175 lbs) was very unpleasant (with which we were okay, maybe she was having a bad day), but incurred a significantly negative impression from us when she followed up her unpleasant demeanor with a stern tone stating, "you can't be here for more than 90 minutes" after she had seated us. This person presented herself as an individual who was more than a hostess or server (manager may?). We made light of the awkward order so that we could enjoy our dining experience. The Fish Market has typically had a more sophisticated atmosphere. This worker downgraded this restaurant to more of an atmosphere common to cheap diner chains. When we visit the Fish Market San Mateo, we typically drive about 60 miles. Although we may return, we have no plans to continue going to the San Mateo Fish Market at this time. With an abundance of other options that are more pleasant, we are taking the Fish Market off the list, for now. What used to be a good memory is, now, a running joke.