Restaurant Bay Watch

Salmon Omelet was phenomenal. Generous portions Bay Potatoes very tasty

Food was under cooked, coffee was bitter, the server was pleasant but lied about understaffed when the wrong food came out-a lot of staff standing around. 2nd and last time here.

Baywatch is my favorite restaurant to get breakfast. The service is quick, the menu is large, and the food is amazing. I've eaten here multiple times and the pancakes are always a go to.

Always a favorite. Today I had the daily deli special... half sandwich, soup, salad, and a fruit cup. I chose a Reuben. The soup was chicken noodle with fat, chewy, yummy noodles.

Tables here move fast. 10-15mins wait (worth it!) even at peak brunch. Great food came out fast and affordable. Great San Mateo brunch spot!

Food is delicious servings are generous servings is amazing pancakes 🥞 are delicious 🤤

A classic American branch experience. The servers are super sweet and helpful. The food was delicious.🍵

This is one of my favorite breakfast spots in SM. Very reliable. Food quality s fresh, tasty and plentiful. Great breakfast and lunch options! Their Reuben sandwich is Awesome and my favorite lunch choice. Love their eggs Benedict as well! Service is Fast , friendly and very professional.

Took a window seat to enjoy the beautiful post office across the street. I am a biscuits & gravy fan. The biscuits tasted like they were fresh and homemade, the sausage/mushroom gravy was creamy and delicious. The organic Italian coffee was spot on. The hash browns were unique and I will leave that to you to try. A truly enjoyable brunch.

Always good brunches in this light filled restaurant. Tall windows connects you to the outdoor. The wait staff is friendly and helpful. One of the few breakfast spots around town. Big menu to choose from. Street parking is quite easy. Fully accessible entrance. Long wait on the weekends though, but well worth it.

It's my first time here at this location. Upon walking in, you're greeted right away by the hostess.  She was super polite and helpful in placing my order.  I'm not sure how long this place has been here, but it seems pretty modern and newly renovated.   It was pretty busy when I was here. For my to go order, I ordered: 1. NY Steak and eggs, cooked medium with bay potatoes and sourdough bread -  The steak ended up being well done but was good with the grilled onions and mushrooms.   Bay potatoes tasted horrible,  it tasted like it was made earlier in the day and just warmed up.   I say that because that's how some potatoes taste when you reheat leftovers that you took home. 2.  Basic Omelette  with bacon,sausage, and cheese - ginormous, cheesy with bits of bacon and sausage 3.  French Toast - pretty tasty you didn't need syrup. 4.  Orange juice - tasted like it was freshly squeezed.  It was cold and refreshing. The food and prices weren't too bad.  I wouldn't mind coming back.

Not that busy at 10 am. They give you a pitcher so you can refresh your coffee everytime. The menu has a lot of options. I got an Spanish omelette with no cheese that probably is around 500 cal. Also got a single blueberry pancake that's like 170 cal, I only had the half. The place overall has nice vibes of American diner, quiet place to stop by in the morning. Definitely coming back.

Voted (by me) as the best place for breakfast in downtown San Mateo. I've been coming here for 9 years, and I've not had a bad meal. Friendly staff, generally quick service, good price, great food. My favorite menu item is the fruit crepes with strawberry yogurt filling. 🤤

I loved this visit! Wish I could take the restaurant back to Virginia with me. The food was hot & steaming when it arrived at my table. Everything was made better than I could ask. I had the scrambled eggs with a croissant & hollandaise sauce 😍🤩 Had me dancing in my seat. I also had a waffle with mixed fruit, and they gave me 3x the fruit I expected from most restaurants. I was a happy fatboy. My waitress was super polite and extremely helpful. My coffee never ran low and she an answer for every question I asked. Definitely on my short list for must return to the bay area.

Cute and homey breakfast place. Variety of dishes for traditional american breakfast. Super fast service and kind staff! Been going here since I was young.

Excellent breakfast and lunch place if you’re looking for the traditional American California-style food items. Expansive menu of omelettes, skillets, sandwiches, and many healthy items as well. Fast and friendly service in a bright and clean environment.

Bay Watch is a really nice breakfast/brunch place with several egg preparations including vegetarian friendly ones. I really appreciated that they also allow to substitute egg whites for any preparation making it a lot more healthy. I often come here with my toddler son after having fun in the nearby central park and it's an amazing way to end the morning. It's not typically crowded and the prices are quite reasonable as well. Highly recommend!

Delicious and peaceful. Went on Thursday morning, wasn't too busy and they were playing good music. Service was good and the food came out fast. Definitely will go back

It's a simple diner serving breakfast and lunch. Waitresses were super friendly regardless of whether you're a regular. Food was homey and tasted exactly like you'd expect (good). I came in on a Monday morning and it wasn't busy, so I got a table right away.

Peter G

Took a window seat to enjoy the beautiful post office across the street. I am a biscuits & gravy fan. The biscuits tasted like they were fresh and homemade, the sausage/mushroom gravy was creamy and delicious. The organic Italian coffee was spot on. The hash browns were unique and I will leave that to you to try. A truly enjoyable brunch.

TK

Always good brunches in this light filled restaurant. Tall windows connects you to the outdoor. The wait staff is friendly and helpful. One of the few breakfast spots around town. Big menu to choose from. Street parking is quite easy. Fully accessible entrance. Long wait on the weekends though, but well worth it.

Lynn Eglan

It's my first time here at this location. Upon walking in, you're greeted right away by the hostess.  She was super polite and helpful in placing my order.  I'm not sure how long this place has been here, but it seems pretty modern and newly renovated.   It was pretty busy when I was here. For my to go order, I ordered: 1. NY Steak and eggs, cooked medium with bay potatoes and sourdough bread -  The steak ended up being well done but was good with the grilled onions and mushrooms.   Bay potatoes tasted horrible,  it tasted like it was made earlier in the day and just warmed up.   I say that because that's how some potatoes taste when you reheat leftovers that you took home. 2.  Basic Omelette  with bacon,sausage, and cheese - ginormous, cheesy with bits of bacon and sausage 3.  French Toast - pretty tasty you didn't need syrup. 4.  Orange juice - tasted like it was freshly squeezed.  It was cold and refreshing. The food and prices weren't too bad.  I wouldn't mind coming back.

Bob Rose

Voted (by me) as the best place for breakfast in downtown San Mateo. I've been coming here for 9 years, and I've not had a bad meal. Friendly staff, generally quick service, good price, great food. My favorite menu item is the fruit crepes with strawberry yogurt filling. 🤤

igab

Not that busy at 10 am. They give you a pitcher so you can refresh your coffee everytime. The menu has a lot of options. I got an Spanish omelette with no cheese that probably is around 500 cal. Also got a single blueberry pancake that's like 170 cal, I only had the half. The place overall has nice vibes of American diner, quiet place to stop by in the morning. Definitely coming back.

Courtney Tai

Cute and homey breakfast place. Variety of dishes for traditional american breakfast. Super fast service and kind staff! Been going here since I was young.

A Dozier

I loved this visit! Wish I could take the restaurant back to Virginia with me. The food was hot & steaming when it arrived at my table. Everything was made better than I could ask. I had the scrambled eggs with a croissant & hollandaise sauce 😍🤩 Had me dancing in my seat. I also had a waffle with mixed fruit, and they gave me 3x the fruit I expected from most restaurants. I was a happy fatboy. My waitress was super polite and extremely helpful. My coffee never ran low and she an answer for every question I asked. Definitely on my short list for must return to the bay area.

Wei-Ai Tai

Excellent breakfast and lunch place if you’re looking for the traditional American California-style food items. Expansive menu of omelettes, skillets, sandwiches, and many healthy items as well. Fast and friendly service in a bright and clean environment.

Venkat Krishnaraj

Bay Watch is a really nice breakfast/brunch place with several egg preparations including vegetarian friendly ones. I really appreciated that they also allow to substitute egg whites for any preparation making it a lot more healthy. I often come here with my toddler son after having fun in the nearby central park and it's an amazing way to end the morning. It's not typically crowded and the prices are quite reasonable as well. Highly recommend!

G

Delicious and peaceful. Went on Thursday morning, wasn't too busy and they were playing good music. Service was good and the food came out fast. Definitely will go back

Andrew Jaru

It's a simple diner serving breakfast and lunch. Waitresses were super friendly regardless of whether you're a regular. Food was homey and tasted exactly like you'd expect (good). I came in on a Monday morning and it wasn't busy, so I got a table right away.

I’ve been coming here for years and my go to is the crab cake Benedict with hashbrowns. Sometimes when I’m craving something sweet, the pancakes are the way to go. The service is always super friendly and attentive.

This place feels like a family run restaurant! I’m not sure if it actually is, but that’s the feel I get. The food is good too, I’ve been twice so far and I got the hungry jack each time. Really recommend for a local, casual spot in San Mateo.

Great food,was visiting the area from Michigan and stopped in for breakfast, food was great and fresh, the older lady that served us was very friendly and showed us great hospitality and welcoming,,will definitely stop in again when in the area..

Esther Dang

I’ve been coming here for years and my go to is the crab cake Benedict with hashbrowns. Sometimes when I’m craving something sweet, the pancakes are the way to go. The service is always super friendly and attentive.

Elizabeth Rivera

This place feels like a family run restaurant! I’m not sure if it actually is, but that’s the feel I get. The food is good too, I’ve been twice so far and I got the hungry jack each time. Really recommend for a local, casual spot in San Mateo.

Chris Allen

Been coming here since it was First Watch, now Bay Watch. Delicious food, generous portions, friendly service and I love that you get English muffins or bagels with breakfast. Great place to bring the family. Lots of windows and natural light.

LaRue Branchcomb

My Sister, Sister-in-law, and I are here from the East Coast. in looking for nice brunch places we found Bay Watch. We can’t wait express how great the food was: choices, freshness, and overall taste. We absolutely loved the dining experience. However, more importantly was the service. Our waiter was Tony, he must be the star of the establishment. He was engaging, funny, and clearly knows how to keep the customers happy. Having Tony and enjoying the food only reinforces Baywatch being the best in San Mateo.

Solid food. Clean place. Excellent service. Great place to meet up to reconnect with friends. Baywatch Cafe is a breakfast or brunch win. And it's been that way for a long time!

Very friendly staff. Great banana crunch pancakes.

Seated Promptly. Good atmosphere. Great service. Chocolate Milk wasn't great. Menu had too many options. Got the Hungry Jack + Bacon + Macadamia, Banana, Coconut upgrade for the pancakes. Eggs were average. Bacon was amazing. Pancakes were great. Portion sizes are large. Good value if you take leftovers.

Nice breakfast diner with plenty of options. Attentive service and good crepes. Bonus points for leaving the coffee pot with me on the table - a sign of a well intentioned diner

This place is good for brunch. You can never try enough their breakfast options, their menu has so many tempting choices! The line seems long but moves up fast (20 minutes waiting to get a table).

Salmon omelette is delicious, I would prefer crispier potatoes

The restaurant is filled with festive spirits for the upcoming holidays! Nice decorations with tall glass windows for all the lights to shine through. Warm and cozy place. The waitress was so lovely and energetic even though it’s already midday. The food was good. Only one small thing: the poached eggs of Egg Benedicts wasn’t poached enough. It was almost like a boiled eggs. Should be runnier. Otherwise, everything was good.

If you want to have a hearty or healthy breakfast look no further then The Bay Watch Restaurant in San Mateo. It's centrally located downtown. They were busy on a weekday and accommodated our party of 8. We were immediately seated. Water, then Hot Coffee and Tea were served in a carafe and placed on the table. This was very convenient when I wanted a refill. The staff was very pleasant. The menu had a good selection of healthy dishes along with diner classics and skillets, and burritos and wraps. I chose the Bacado Omelette- Bacon, Avocado, and melted Monterey Jack Cheese. Topped with sour cream. Served with a side of salsa. It was good and had lots of flavors going on. I love avocado and it was delicious in an omelette, along with the cheese, salsa and sour cream. I chose Sourdough Bread and Bay Watch Potatoes. One of my friends had their Denver Omelette-Ham, Bell Peppers, Onions, and Cheddar and Monterey Jack Cheeses. She chose a Toasted English Muffin, and Home Fries. She was very pleased. My other friend ordered the Masterpiece Omelette-Ham, Bacon, Sausage , Mushrooms, Onions, melted Cheeses, and Diced Tomatoes. Topped with Sour Cream. He ate every drop on his plate. There are vegan and vegetarian along with healthy options too. We parked on the street. I will say this place is a bit pricey. A basic omelette starts at $14.95 and up depending if you add meat. Burritos $17.95, Skillets $18.95. A Smoked Salmon Omelette is $21.95. 2 Side Sausages start at $6.00, Chicken Sausage is $7.00. You get the picture. I will say everything was very tasty, and I would recommend coming here.

Kevin Smith

Nice breakfast diner with plenty of options. Attentive service and good crepes. Bonus points for leaving the coffee pot with me on the table - a sign of a well intentioned diner

Judy Margaret Chen

The restaurant is filled with festive spirits for the upcoming holidays! Nice decorations with tall glass windows for all the lights to shine through. Warm and cozy place. The waitress was so lovely and energetic even though it’s already midday. The food was good. Only one small thing: the poached eggs of Egg Benedicts wasn’t poached enough. It was almost like a boiled eggs. Should be runnier. Otherwise, everything was good.

Donna R

If you want to have a hearty or healthy breakfast look no further then The Bay Watch Restaurant in San Mateo. It's centrally located downtown. They were busy on a weekday and accommodated our party of 8. We were immediately seated. Water, then Hot Coffee and Tea were served in a carafe and placed on the table. This was very convenient when I wanted a refill. The staff was very pleasant. The menu had a good selection of healthy dishes along with diner classics and skillets, and burritos and wraps. I chose the Bacado Omelette- Bacon, Avocado, and melted Monterey Jack Cheese. Topped with sour cream. Served with a side of salsa. It was good and had lots of flavors going on. I love avocado and it was delicious in an omelette, along with the cheese, salsa and sour cream. I chose Sourdough Bread and Bay Watch Potatoes. One of my friends had their Denver Omelette-Ham, Bell Peppers, Onions, and Cheddar and Monterey Jack Cheeses. She chose a Toasted English Muffin, and Home Fries. She was very pleased. My other friend ordered the Masterpiece Omelette-Ham, Bacon, Sausage , Mushrooms, Onions, melted Cheeses, and Diced Tomatoes. Topped with Sour Cream. He ate every drop on his plate. There are vegan and vegetarian along with healthy options too. We parked on the street. I will say this place is a bit pricey. A basic omelette starts at $14.95 and up depending if you add meat. Burritos $17.95, Skillets $18.95. A Smoked Salmon Omelette is $21.95. 2 Side Sausages start at $6.00, Chicken Sausage is $7.00. You get the picture. I will say everything was very tasty, and I would recommend coming here.

Do you enjoy below average food and service for average prices? Then you'll love this place! Not much to say, except that it was open when most places on B were closed.

We used to be regulars at Bay Watch, but sadly the experience has really gone down hill over the past few years. The biggest offense is that they changed their hashbrowns from the classic shredded kind to these horrible kind of chopped style that don’t ever get crispy…just tough and chewy. Please bring the original ones back! Also the service was really bad this last time we went. It wasn’t even busy and there seemed to be plenty of staff. We had to ask for our server to come back to take our order after waiting a while. Our table had no ketchup bottle so we asked for more. Never came. I just finally got up and took one from another table. It was almost empty. Eventually had to get up and take a second bottle from another table because no one came to check on us. Had to ask for the check twice. Just not great overall. Sad to write this because we really used to come here almost every weekend. :(

Came here on a Sunday at 1:30pm. Very average and old fashion time brunch location. We ordered the Californian crepe and masterpiece omelette. Bland. No flavor or kick. Wont be coming back here. I’m surprised at all the reviews here. Place is more old timer, old fashion eatery Service was above average.

The coffee was EXCELLENT!! The service was great!! Food was very bland. Like NO seasoning what so ever, like not even salt or pepper. It cost $34 for two breakfast platters. I may return for coffee, but that's it.

Came here on a Saturday brunch with not much wait at all! No fills brunch diner - and average experience with what you'd expect out of an American brunch spot. Good: I liked my garden crepe - the crepe was the most unique part since it had egg on the outside. The rest of it was fairly average - and the hash browns were relatively crunchy but not super savory. Pretty extensive service. Bad: Slower service. Food quality is pretty meh for the price. French toast was super bland. Overall a pretty average place, not memorable and won't come back.

Jenny Xu

Came here on a Saturday brunch with not much wait at all! No fills brunch diner - and average experience with what you'd expect out of an American brunch spot. Good: I liked my garden crepe - the crepe was the most unique part since it had egg on the outside. The rest of it was fairly average - and the hash browns were relatively crunchy but not super savory. Pretty extensive service. Bad: Slower service. Food quality is pretty meh for the price. French toast was super bland. Overall a pretty average place, not memorable and won't come back.

Potatoes were undercooked - soft with no color. Pancakes and breakfast sausage were both dry and gritty. Eggs, bacon toast were all just ok. Nothing special. The tabasco sauce was the best part of the meal. Overall just super underwhelming, especially given the price.

If you can't make a edible pancake, then you shouldn't be serving them. The crepes are not crepes, but a thin layer of egg. My 4 pieces of bacon looked like 2 different people cooked it. 2 were overcooked and dark.

It’s nice when you order an omelette from GrubHub with cheese and you get basically no cheese except for 1 teaspoon on one teeny corner. Entire omelette had zero cheese except for that one corner, which was about the size of a 50 cent piece. Dry omelette.

I have been in this place twice and I can assure you that there will be no third time. I was seated immediately, but then ignored for about 15 min until I called one of the waitresses to bring me coffee. Then the food took at least another 15 min to arrive. I ordered the same breakfast as my first time, but this was awful, the rubbery consistency was like the food was put in a microwave for a long period of time. Throughout the meal the staff would walk by and never ask if everything was ok or if I needed anything. So Customer service was a disaster. I got the bill and I placed my CC on top of it for the waitress to pick it up and run the charge, she picked everyone's CC for the 3 tables around mine and kept ignoring me. I would suggest for management to review the tapes and see how the staff conduct themselves throughout the day, and remind them that there are customers that speak Spanish and can understand all the fault language that is being used in the kitchen. I am sure some of the staff could clean the spiderwebs in the inside of the windows, this is not nice to see while eating. As per my last experience, I would never recommend this dinner, not even for coffee.

Ordered takeout. She said it would be ready in 30 minutes. Arrived 22 minutes later and it was sitting on a table already ready. It was cold, dried out, and you could definitely tell they gave us the last scraps of the burnt hash browns. Also- I ordered potatoes and hash browns and only got hash browns. We will not be returning.

Maddie Layman

Ordered takeout. She said it would be ready in 30 minutes. Arrived 22 minutes later and it was sitting on a table already ready. It was cold, dried out, and you could definitely tell they gave us the last scraps of the burnt hash browns. Also- I ordered potatoes and hash browns and only got hash browns. We will not be returning.