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Pausa Bar & Cookery, San Mateo, CA
Award-winning

Pausa Bar & Cookery

4.7
4.7
1839 Reviews
$31 to $50
Italian

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 40 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Good for business meals
  • Great for creative cocktails
Pausa, a bar and cookery in San Mateo, calls for guests to take a recess from life and enjoy a dining experience that transports them to a place of leisure. With a strong focus on modern Italian, our menu will consist of house-made pasta, wood-fired pizza, wood-fired grill, and house-cured meats. Our friendly and knowledgeable team will ensure your pause is a memorable one.

We are now taking reservations for our patio tables, bar, and indoor tables. As we practice social distancing with our new limited floor plan, we ask that you and your guests limit your dining to 2 hours to accommodate all reservations.

When checking table availability, if outdoor seating is not an option to select, then your reservation will be for an indoor table as the outdoor may be booked.

Thank you for understanding.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Farm-to-table, Contemporary Italian
  • Hours of Operation
    Dinner Mon–Thu 4:30 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–9:30 pm Sun 4:00 pm–8:30 pm
  • Phone number
    (650) 375-0818
  • Website
    http://www.pausasanmateo.com/
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Executive Chef
    Andrea Giuliani
  • Private party facilities
    Bolle Room: Outfitted with elegant drapes and a skylight, the Bolle Room is a great destination for memorable events Chef's Table: Enjoy our Chef's Table with a front-row view of our open kitchen and dough room. Set in the heart of our restaurant, your dinner will be unlike any in recent memory.
  • Location
    223 E 4th Ave, San Mateo, CA 94401
  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Bib Gourmand 2023
    2. MICHELIN Bib Gourmand 2022
  • Area
    San Mateo
  • Parking details
    Public Parking
  • Entertainment
    Enjoy Pausa's full menu in our bar or dining room until midnight on Thursdays through Saturdays. Book a private dinner or cocktail reception in our 'Bolle Room' for late night parties.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Chef's Table, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Wheelchair Access

Featured in

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 1,839 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.1Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Pausa Bar & Cookery in San Mateo consistently delights with its "top-notch personable service" and innovative Italian cuisine. Guests rave about the "brilliant and masterful use of seasonal ingredients," making it a must-visit for food enthusiasts. While some find the ambiance a bit loud, the "delicious food" and "great wine selection" ensure a vibrant dining experience. Perfect for both casual outings and special celebrations, Pausa is a local gem that consistently impresses with its creativity and attentive staff.

1,839 Reviews

  1. Sydney

    San Francisco

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The service and ambiance were very good but the food wasn’t.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Charles

    Chicago

    177 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    177 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The cocktails and food were very creative. The wine list is exclusively, unapologetically, and properly Italian. I love my California wines, but am glad that this place is committed to Italian food and wine.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Margarita

    San Francisco

    5 reviews

    4.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on 27 November 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Dinner was very good. The music is played at a very high volume that conversation was difficult. We asked the hostess to have the music lower a bit and her response was; let me ask the manager. Volume was not lowered; we then asked our waiter and he immediately made the miracle of listening g to the request. Definitely too high of music volume.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Vivekananda

    New York City

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 16 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This restaurant was a great little find. Great food, great staff and ambience. Really cute little find.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Tricia

    San Francisco

    1 review

    vip
    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 11 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and atmosphere! Friendly service - the charcuterie boards are out of this world!

    Is this helpful?

  6. susana

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 10 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Had a great experience here with my teenage godchildren. It is an adult atmosphere, but the for options were good for adults and teens. They also serve mocktails

    Is this helpful?

  7. Lorie

    San Francisco

    1 review

    vip
    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 9 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Absolutely amazing! The food was delicious and the service was on point!

    Is this helpful?

  8. Annette

    San Francisco

    5 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on 8 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and lots of choices on the menu. The charturerie is a must.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Roy

    San Francisco

    5 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on 3 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Greta food and service. Had a really fun night with a different take on Italian. Parents loved it as well.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Sarah

    Chicago

    2 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 2 November 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The restaurant was beautiful and our waiter was great! Overall the food was just ok though and felt really expensive for what it was. I’m not sure that we’ll be back, but it was an ok experience.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Pausa Bar & Cookery offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (650) 375-0818.

Pausa Bar & Cookery is rated 4.7 stars by 1839 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 40 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Pausa Bar & Cookery

223 E 4th Ave, San Mateo, CA 94401

Additional information

  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Bib Gourmand 2023
    2. MICHELIN Bib Gourmand 2022
  • Area
    San Mateo
  • Hours of Operation
    Dinner Mon–Thu 4:30 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–9:30 pm Sun 4:00 pm–8:30 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Farm-to-table, Contemporary Italian
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Public Parking
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Andrea Giuliani
  • Entertainment
    Enjoy Pausa's full menu in our bar or dining room until midnight on Thursdays through Saturdays. Book a private dinner or cocktail reception in our 'Bolle Room' for late night parties.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Chef's Table, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Wheelchair Access
  • Website
    http://www.pausasanmateo.com/
  • Phone number
    (650) 375-0818
  • Private party facilities
    Bolle Room: Outfitted with elegant drapes and a skylight, the Bolle Room is a great destination for memorable events Chef's Table: Enjoy our Chef's Table with a front-row view of our open kitchen and dough room. Set in the heart of our restaurant, your dinner will be unlike any in recent memory.

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