I was gonna say it's a 4 but then when I thought about food,service, and atmosphere, I had no reason to say it's not a 5! Pastrami sandwiches and pastrami steak... Excellent! Tilapia fish sandwich... very good. Grilled cheese awesome. Tomato soup was very, very tasty. And garlic fries were perfectly made! We had a dog so we sat outside on the cupboard patio with heated lamps. It was perfect. Pleasant view of the street. Service was just as good outside as inside. Very friendly and quick. And we got some fresh air. They're 49er fans and have a big banner inside that bumps them one star my book. Casual bar atmosphere inside. I definitely wanna come back again.

Not too crowded on a thursday night around 630pm. Parking can be tricky but there are side streets available to park at. The reuben was good, toasty bread with melted cheese and a side of pickle and pickled red onions. The poutine was ok, the gravy and cheese was concentrated in one area. Lots of different drinks (3/4 of the menu) but didn't try any tonight. Servers were friendly and nice! Lots of decor for christmas, brewery emblems, and beer handles hanging on the walls

Definitely hands down some of the best pastrami sandwiches we've ever had! We came in for dinner with no reservations and were sat down right away in a cozy both on a Friday. The beer was excellent. We love the casual, bar vibe. The sandwiches were out of this word!!! Highly recommend and we'd totally come back when we're in this area!

Awesome spot for the best Reuben in the Bay. I don't how they get their pastrami to taste like that, but wow ! I also got the blue cheese burger it was just okay, but don't skip on the Rueben or the chicken liver. Order the bread for dessert and finish it with the underberg shot.

I know there's a couple other locations on the East Bay but I'm only familiar with the San Carlos location. This is the place for an awesome pastrami sandwich!!! Quality AND quantity. I've also had the garlic fries, and chopped pastrami salad which is also delicious. Definitely worth a trip if you're craving a solid pastrami sandwich. Service is great, everyone's attentive and kind. Good amount of seating, never insanely busy but good crowds. This spot is spacious and welcoming and offers some outdoor seating as well. Lots of street parking available, and I believe there's some lots in the area too. Also, a great variety of beer and wine for anyone interested!

Wasn't expecting much from a mall restaurant, but I was meeting a friend there, so, I essentially, went for the company. But, I guess what I'd heard about these new restaurants being a far cry from the old mall food courts is absolutely true. This place was amazing. It's very pleasant, aesthetically pleasing, and comfortable, and we really enjoyed sitting out in the sunshine. To begin with, I could not believe the amount and variety of drinks. The selection of food was also plentiful and varied. I hadn't had one of my old favorites in awhile and ordered it; not expecting much, to be quite honest. Well, my mind (and palate) were properly blown away with, probably, the most delicious Reuben sandwich I've EVER had. And, it was very generously proportioned. The pastrami was so juicy, thick and flavorful, the sauerkraut and oven baked bread fantastic. Ah! The servers were very nice; courteous, knowledgeable, professional, very helpful and patient (took us awhile to make up our minds) Will go back, definitely, and recommend, definitely!

What an underrated place! I just came here for the first time and I cannot stop eating their pastrami sandwich. The pastrami is so soft and tender with a lot of flavor and finishing off the meal with bread pudding is a must! Also, the server for my table was so sweet and definitely made the experience so much better. Recommend this spot 10/10!

It's been a minute since I've been to the OG Refuge location, and since I was in the area for in errand, I decided to stop by with my dad to grab some lunch. It's located around a block away from the busy part of Laurel Street, San Carlos's downtown. Given the nice weather, we sat outside and immediately put in our orders for lunch; I had skipped breakfast, so I was ready to eat. I ordered the Pastrami Burger and added avocado to it (+$3.50). They must run a tight ship in that kitchen, because our food was out within minutes, coming before we even got our drinks. My burger was quite hunky, with the amount of pastrami being equal to that of the burger patty. Additionally, the avocado added at least half an inch to its height. The main flavor was the pastrami, which was salty, smooth, and easily broke apart with each bite. The sauerkraut on top provided some nice acidity that cut through the richness of the pastrami. The side of fries that came with were thin and crispy, very crushable. Order this and you'll leave full. I know I did. If you do stop by the Refuge, make sure to try their pastrami. It's phenomenal.

The Refuge is one of our most-frequented San Carlos establishments. We learned about it from the sales agent when we were purchasing our condo, and I have since consumed a large volume of pastrami. This place attracts everyone from children to seniors, and the vibes are casual. Food highlights: - Barbacoa nachos - the perfect mix of chips and toppings - Reuben - I always eat one half at the restaurant and one half for lunch the next day. It heats up wonderfully in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. - Goofy fries - their fries are nice and thick. Who can resist a little cheese and pastrami on top? I like the mix of indoor and outdoor seating, the rotating selection of beers, the Tuesday trivia, and the special events (like St. Patrick's day or Pliny the Younger release). My only two complaints (which aren't enough to justify less than a 5 star rating): - There is only one bathroom for the entire restaurant. A line forms during busy times. - Sometimes things get funky with the ordering system (like a drink being forgotten, a wrong item on the bill, or loyalty credits not loading).

The rain was starting to get to me so I picked up my brother and we took a drive to The Refuge for lunch. I'd been here once before but this was my brother's first time. Parking on a weekend can be a little challenging and this visit was no exception. I had to circle the neighborhood a few times before we found a spot but thankfully it wasn't too far since the weather was a little drizzly. They have indoor and outdoor seating. Surprisingly the patio was full despite the wet windy afternoon. Inside was warm and a few folks were eating at tables but we opted to sit at the bar. The bartender was friendly and handed us two menus. I had to flag him down once we decided what to order. He just didn't seem engaged in the customers at the bar which was disappointing. I typically opt to sit at the bar just because bartenders can be a lot of fun and the customers that sit at the bar tend to be entertaining. None of that goin on here. Okay, here's what we ordered: MAC-N-CHEESE - this was warm and creamy and the noodles were perfectly cooked. I'd order this again. TILAPIA SANDWICH - the buttery toasted bread was really the best part of this sandwich. It also had nice, crisp lettuce and ripe tomatoes. The tilapia though was absolutely forgettable. The piece of fish was so thin that we had a hard time even seeing it. I'm slightly shocked that they were charging over $20 for this and I paid it! If you're gonna charge this much for a fish sandwich, you better make darn sure it's substantial which this wasn't. It did come with a side of fries and we opted for garlic fries. They were fine. Nothing spectacular. RUBEN - winner winner Ruben dinner!! This was hands down the best thing we ate. The pastrami literally melted in your mouth. Outstanding. Like legit outstanding! These folks know their pastrami and it shows. The one thing that was a miss was the bread. It kinda fell apart because of the meat juices but overall this was a 10 outa 10 for flavor, texture and juiciness. Next time I come back, it'll be pastrami only for me cuz it's THAT good!