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San Mateo Prime
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San Mateo

San Mateo Prime

★★★★ 4.2 · 120 reseñas

San Mateo Prime is a welcoming steakhouse located in San Mateo, offering a premier dining experience. We specialize in cut-to-order prime rib alongside a curated selection of craft cocktails and an extensive wine list. Rated 4.2 stars with 232 reviews, we're open for dinner Wedne...

San Mateo Prime

Steak house · San Mateo

4.2 · 232 reviews Google

About San Mateo Prime

San Mateo Prime is a welcoming steakhouse located in San Mateo, offering a premier dining experience. We specialize in cut-to-order prime rib alongside a curated selection of craft cocktails and an extensive wine list. Rated 4.2 stars with 232 reviews, we're open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday...

San Mateo Prime is a welcoming steakhouse located in San Mateo, offering a premier dining experience. We specialize in cut-to-order prime rib alongside a curated selection of craft cocktails and an extensive wine list. Rated 4.2 stars with 232 reviews, we're open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday from 5-9 PM. Enjoy dine-in or takeout options, and explore our great beer and dessert selections. We are fully wheelchair accessible, including the entrance, parking lot, restroom, and seating. We look forward to welcoming you!

What Customers Say About San Mateo Prime

San Mateo Prime is known for its excellent prime rib and attentive service. Customers frequently compare it to House of Prime Rib, noting it as a comparable alternative with easier reservations. Some diners experienced unexpected service charges or inconsistent food quality.

Popular Dishes

Prime Rib (14) crème brûlée Yorkshire Pudding rack of lamb Filet Mignon cream of corn creamed spinach

Best For

Couples Celebrations Fine Dining

Tip: San Mateo Prime is a good alternative to House of Prime Rib with easier reservations. Be aware of potential service charges on the bill.

Features

Accessible 🌙 Dinner Coffee
🛋️ Cozy 👔 Upscale 👥 Groups

What to see nearby

US Post Main Office-San Mateo
Heritage
A 104m

US Post Main Office-San Mateo

edificio

View details
Hotel St. Matthew
Heritage
A 167m

Hotel St. Matthew

edificio

View details
Japanese Gardens
A 221m

Japanese Gardens

parque

View details
Central Park
A 324m

Central Park

parque

View details
St. Matthew's Episcopal Church
A 354m

St. Matthew's Episcopal Church

iglesia

View details
DeAnza Historical Park
A 582m

DeAnza Historical Park

parque

View details

Data from Wikidata

Explore the area around San Mateo Prime

San Mateo Prime is located in San Mateo, surrounded by cultural and historical points of interest. Here are some of the most notable places nearby.

Historical Heritage

  • US Post Main Office-San Mateo (A 104m) — historic building in San Mateo, California, United States Lugar inscrito en el Registro Nacional de Lugares Históricos
  • Hotel St. Matthew (A 167m) — historic building in San Mateo, California, United States Lugar inscrito en el Registro Nacional de Lugares Históricos

Religious Buildings

  • St. Matthew's Episcopal Church (A 354m) — episcopal church in San Mateo, California, USA

Parks & Gardens

  • Japanese Gardens (A 221m) — park in San Mateo County, California, United States of America
  • Central Park (A 324m) — public park in San Mateo, California, United States
  • DeAnza Historical Park (A 582m) — park in San Mateo County, California, United States of America
  • Bay Tree Park (A 677m) — park in San Mateo County, California, United States of America

Data from Wikidata

Frequently asked questions about San Mateo Prime

San Mateo Prime is located at 174 E 3rd Ave, San Mateo, CA 94401, San Mateo.
Near San Mateo Prime you can find points of interest such as US Post Main Office-San Mateo, Hotel St. Matthew, Japanese Gardens, Central Park.
San Mateo Prime offers steak_house cuisine.
San Mateo Prime has regular opening hours. Check their profile for updated schedules.
San Mateo Prime offers the following services: dine-in, takeaway.
The most recommended dishes at San Mateo Prime based on customer reviews are: Prime Rib, crème brûlée, Yorkshire Pudding, rack of lamb, Filet Mignon.
San Mateo Prime is ideal for couples, celebrations, fine dining.
San Mateo Prime is known for its excellent prime rib and attentive service. Customers frequently compare it to House of Prime Rib, noting it as a comparable alternative with easier reservations. Some diners experienced unexpected service charges or inconsistent food quality.
San Mateo Prime is a good alternative to House of Prime Rib with easier reservations. Be aware of potential service charges on the bill.
232
Reviews

San Mateo Prime San Mateo Reviews

4.2
232
5★
52%
4★
29%
3★
12%
2★
4%
1★
3%
Reviews (120)
J
Jeanette McCauley

Had the prime rib, melt in your mouth delicious

T
Tim Mcmanus

Prime rib was fantastic. Highly recommended

A
AST POS

Excellent quality of food and wine for your buck!

B
Bob Sakai

Prime Prime Rib served here...

M
MANNY BESMAN

We went there for the Valentines Day! The food was delicious! Excellent service and Friendly staff 👏👍

L
Lex Zhou

Looking for prime rib in San Mateo, this is it......look no further. The best poac that serves Prime rib and huge selection in wines...

A
Alyssa Chan

Nice quiet place for prime rib the service was fast and the servers are very attentive will come back for dinner

B
Benjamin Magee

Love coming here, Nelson our waiter was fantastic and always a great experience

Y
Yolanda Gomez

Always a treat. Good portions, quality cuts. Service is exceptional, as well.

S
Steve Ng

I love it there. Everyone is nice, food is great, service is awesome.

M
MG Gonzalez

Great Dinner and excelente service, food was amazing.

S
Sam Stevens

Great winner selection. New York is my meat if choice here

R
Ross Peterson

Excellent prime rib, beautiful presentation, excellent service.

G
Geo Fucile

Amazingly good food always fresh and service is top notch

C
Chris Zhang

Surprised to see so many mediocre reviews. I have been here three times. Each time The food was superb. Never had a prime rib so good anywhere else. Service is also on par for an upscale restaurant.

D
Dora D

Good food and great customer service!!! Had a 21st Bday for daughter. It was a blast!

C
Coco

Love this place. There is a reason they call themselves San Mateo Prime. The prime rib is just amazing and they also have a nice selection of wines. Great place to take a date if they’re not a vegetarian/vegan 👍🏻

M
Mediko Genki

Great meal, staff was accommodating, and attentive.

V
Veronica Shea

First time here. We came here with some friends to celebrate our 27th wedding anniversary 🤗😍, we were not disappointed. Food was delicious be service 👌 was great & attentive. We all had something different & tasted each others. I recommend this place highly!!!

H
Hugo Vreman

The steak was absolutely to die for, the sauce was at the right ratio, we asked for it to be well cooked and they CERTAINLY did, our sides we're good too. We also had this weird bread as a part of our meal, we weren't sure what sort of bread it was but oh boy, that was slme really really tasty bread

T
TP LEE

Mainly excellent, management and service was excellent, we had a large party and 15 out of 19 of us says the food was excellent and the other four gave the food a 4 plus, worth the time

A
Arad B

Was a enjoyable evening…. The service was very attentive and the food was good. Not a bad alternative to driving to the city and maybe having your car broken into.

K
Karla Tello

We went to celebrate Mother's day with my family and the service and the food was amazing. Very friendly people and kids friendly that is a plus for me. For sure I will go back again.

p
pantuso krejsbol

San Mateo Prime Ribs offers delicious and perfectly cooked prime ribs in a classic and elegant atmosphere.

w
william lutze

Outstanding service and food. Very friendly owner visited our booth to ensure everything was good. I would highly recommend this restaurant!

Y
Yoko Rizzo

They gave us so many generous tastings of wine, service was very attentive. Meat was cooked exactly to order

J
Joseph Stein

So happy to see them open again this year: best Prime Rib, great wine list

G
Gina Ferrell

Went here for Valentine’s Day. Had the prime rib dinner which came with three sides, dessert and a puff pastry. Everything was cooked to perfection! The service was exceptional! Can’t wait to go again.

S
Sakai Bob

A very Special Place for me. My good friends and even went to visit their Meat provider 3 years ago. They sell Prime Beef. And not many prime rib restaurants do this. But they provide you with PRIME BEEF.

E
Eric Tam

People will always say this is the alternate place for Prime Rib if you can't get RSVP at HOPR. San Mateo Prime was always operating in the shadow of HOPR but in my opinion, no more! Been here many times over the years, and this place consistently improve and developed it's own personality. Parking in this area can be a bit challenging even with a few public parking lot especially during peak hours so allow yourself ample time. The restaurant itself can seat about 100 people and had a nice bar. It's well lit and the ambiance recreates a nice relaxing atmosphere. In addition to their Prime Rib, they do have other choices, include Filet Mignon, Salmon, Portobello and a Rack of Lamb. We opted for the Prime Rib. The crab dip starters was excellent with garlic-taste toasted bread. Even their starter bread was toasted just right; crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The salad was refreshing and the dressing is not a HOPR copy cat, San Mateo Prime salad dressing has it's own signature taste that pairs equally well with the salad. You get two side (potato, cream of corn and cream spinach), or you can pay extras for the third side. Whichever two of the three, you can't go wrong. The Yorkshire pudding is fairy standard but use it to soak the Au Jus. The temperature (medium rare) was perfect and was glistening in front of our eyes. The seasoning used was exceptional without the typical overpowering of salt. For dessert, the Tiramisu with a cup of coffee was a perfect match. The owners are also the servers and their attention to details only shows their dedication in providing a memorable meal. Price for the meal was extremely reasonable (it's meat), and this place is a definite repeat.

K
Khoko Kaie

The food was surprisingly good. Just like one of those unknown tasty cuisine hidden in the city.

G
Gwendolyn McBride Bivens

Had dinner here today, my first time trying this place. Reservations are suggested. We were greeted by Simon, who was both the hostess and sever. We were seated promptly and placed our dinner order and drinks. Fresh hot bread and butter served is before our meals. The entree portion sizes were perfect, well worth the money. It was a quiet little spot downtown. I loved the loved ambiance and will definitely go back there again.

E
Excel Ang

Delicious prime rib and sides. Friendly attentive service. Relaxing family friendly atmosphere. We celebrated family's birthday here. Overall wonderful experience. We will definitely be coming back in the future.

P
PetiteKunoichi

Great food and great service anytime my family and I come to eat dinner here. The staff and owner are always friendly and we never get overcharged any ridiculous gratuity fee like in other restaurants. Definitely coming back for future celebrations as well as my wedding celebration dinner!

D
Daniel Doran

Havent gotten the food yet but excellent service

Y
Y.K. Enterprises, LLC

Always the perfect ambiance for any occasion. We are always greeted by the owner with such warm hospitality. The prime rib is never less than perfect for us. So deliciously tender and juicy. I'm getting hungry for San Mateo Prime just writing this review!!!

M
M Q

Best place to have family dinners and birthdays. The staff is very attentive and helpful. The food is excellent no complaints there, it's prime rib at it's finest.

A
Ash Custodio

Celebrated my birthday dinner there tonight. The food and service was fantastic. I forgot to take photos but you've seen their prime rib so no sense duplicating photos of the same thing. Will definitely be back again soon. Yummmmmm!

N
Nikki WW

Awesome prime rib. Old school steakhouse flavor and service in a sweet downtown location. Think house of prime rib food. Loved the big windows and great service. We have a new favorite, since they were friendly, accommodating, and the portions huge. We felt it was good value comparable or better than other steakhouses. Also not stuffy, we were relaxed and comfortable (a notch below business casual). A star for that!

L
Lisa S Bautista-Moss

The owner is friendly and always remembers us. Food is excellent. Service is good.

P
Paul Coffey

Had a lovely meal there Friday evening, food was plentiful and great. All the staff were friendly and professional. I look forward to eating their again.

I
Isabella Q (Isa)

The staff was friendly and helpful, and the prime rib, creamed spinach, and creamed corn were all wonderful. The food was delicious. So glad we decided to stop in and give them a try. This is now our go to, when we want prime rib.

D
D Rivas

Let me start off by saying I will not be comparing them to a certain place in the city. This place has excellent service, a great prime rib, and a lovely atmosphere. Conveniently located in the heart of San Mateo with plenty of easy parking options. It's perfect for a date night, birthday celebration or any special event.

R
Robert Lee

I had an excellent rack of lamb. Before you say anything, I had too much prime rib this holiday season.

S
S Chin

When craving for Prime Rib, we would come here to satisfy our cravings. I normally order the San Mateo cut with linguini and cream of corn as my sides. I usually order mother the salmon with cream of spinach and cream of corn as her sides. Their Prime Rib and Salmon was not dry at all. Not as good as House of Prime but not bad. Would definitely come back. Update: 07/13/2025 Still my favorite location to eat prime rib. 2 reasons. Service, and easy to find parking. Of course, aside from the yummy meat. I ordered: San Mateo prime with linguine as a side and cream of corn. Yummy.

A
Angela Dao

I go to House of Prime Rib at least a few times a year, I found San Mateo Prime to be basically as good!! It’s hard to beat the HOPR ambiance but the food was fantastic and comparable IMO. They even seared my cut perfectly!

C
Claudia Ramirez

1st time here, food was delicious, staff was very friendly!!! Ordered our dishes, with a bottle of wine. The meat was on point. No idea why I've never been here before, but definitely coming back.

T
Trung Bach

Very good place to go for a nice Prime Rib Dinner that won’t break the bank. Drinks were excellent, good wine selection by the glass, and prime rib was perfect. Service was attentive & great.

R
RLO

First time at San Mateo Prime; Very comfortable setting; What you'd expect, nice tables, tablecloths; Nice, well stocked bar; Prime rib, Avenue cut was very tasty; Only distraction was a large party with one very loud individual; Otherwise, great place for a meal; I understand there is also an upstairs dining area; Staff very attentive; I would definitely make a reservation when you go; Lots of foot traffic in downtown area; So I wouldn't take a chance, reserved a table in advance; They can seat large parties too!

M
Musho Pea

They let us share a 16oz beef, even gave us an extra pop pie!! Which was very eggy and crispy and yummy. Good service and decent beef.

M
Mark Garcia

If you Love House of Prime Rib in San Francisco....You will enjoy San Mateo Prime....Prime Rib was very good...The salad Yorkshire Pudding were awesome...and I did not have to wait 3 months to get a 7pm reservation....💙

S Chin
S Chin

When craving for Prime Rib, we would come here to satisfy our cravings. I normally order the San Mateo cut with linguini and cream of corn as my sides. I usually order mother the salmon with cream of spinach and cream of corn as her sides. Their Prime Rib and Salmon was not dry at all. Not as good as House of Prime but not bad. Would definitely come back. Update: 07/13/2025 Still my favorite location to eat prime rib. 2 reasons. Service, and easy to find parking. Of course, aside from the yummy meat. I ordered: San Mateo prime with linguine as a side and cream of corn. Yummy.

Angela Dao
Angela Dao

I go to House of Prime Rib at least a few times a year, I found San Mateo Prime to be basically as good!! It’s hard to beat the HOPR ambiance but the food was fantastic and comparable IMO. They even seared my cut perfectly!

Claudia Ramirez
Claudia Ramirez

1st time here, food was delicious, staff was very friendly!!! Ordered our dishes, with a bottle of wine. The meat was on point. No idea why I've never been here before, but definitely coming back.

Trung Bach
Trung Bach

Very good place to go for a nice Prime Rib Dinner that won’t break the bank. Drinks were excellent, good wine selection by the glass, and prime rib was perfect. Service was attentive & great.

RLO
RLO

First time at San Mateo Prime; Very comfortable setting; What you'd expect, nice tables, tablecloths; Nice, well stocked bar; Prime rib, Avenue cut was very tasty; Only distraction was a large party with one very loud individual; Otherwise, great place for a meal; I understand there is also an upstairs dining area; Staff very attentive; I would definitely make a reservation when you go; Lots of foot traffic in downtown area; So I wouldn't take a chance, reserved a table in advance; They can seat large parties too!

Musho Pea
Musho Pea

They let us share a 16oz beef, even gave us an extra pop pie!! Which was very eggy and crispy and yummy. Good service and decent beef.

Mark Garcia
Mark Garcia

If you Love House of Prime Rib in San Francisco....You will enjoy San Mateo Prime....Prime Rib was very good...The salad Yorkshire Pudding were awesome...and I did not have to wait 3 months to get a 7pm reservation....💙

Robert Lee
Robert Lee

I had an excellent rack of lamb. Before you say anything, I had too much prime rib this holiday season.

B
Brian Gorman

Great food and fantastic service. If you’re in the Peninsula in search of Prime Rib, this is the place!

M
Michael D

Great place! Great prime rib! Very tender and juicy. The crème brulée was top notch! Service was friendly. The restaurant had a nice upscale feel and was well decorated.

Brian Gorman
Brian Gorman

Great food and fantastic service. If you’re in the Peninsula in search of Prime Rib, this is the place!

Michael D
Michael D

Great place! Great prime rib! Very tender and juicy. The crème brulée was top notch! Service was friendly. The restaurant had a nice upscale feel and was well decorated.

D Rivas
D Rivas

Let me start off by saying I will not be comparing them to a certain place in the city. This place has excellent service, a great prime rib, and a lovely atmosphere. Conveniently located in the heart of San Mateo with plenty of easy parking options. It's perfect for a date night, birthday celebration or any special event.

P
Penelope Chan

We were introduced to San Mateo Prime through Broadway Prime/Burlingame. Both places are good to have dinner.

M
Minh Du

Good foods. Excellent service, friendly staffs

M
Marcus Louie

This place is good. But this place is not as good as the orginal. I cant really taste the beef in the prime rib. I also think the place is really dry.

A
Asher Nelakar

Not as good as the real deal which is in SF. Bread just didn't do it for me. It didn't have the crust like the one they serve in SF.

S
Saran Ophaswongse

Steak wasn't that great. Ordered Rare but got a medium.

D
DET COR

Definitely not the house of prime rib but tasty and good service

n
naveen kumar

Best dinner meals and awesome collection of wine. Great service and folks

C
Clarissa Reichner

Amazing prime and a nice place for a birthday dinner!

J
Jenn Clarke

Great prime rib. Yummy Yorkshire pudding!

J
James Toy

Saturday evening...8ish sit down reservation Family night out, meeting halfway SF and SJ....Prime Rib was a destination. Gone often and not disappointed. Single Malt pricey for almost a shot.

R
Ron Lui

Had prime cut, came out medium like I asked for. Loaded baked potato, sauteed spinach. Spinach was nice and garlicky. Prime had good flavor.

C
CKMo

I'd say the food was good and the service was great. Portions were large. Id come again.

J
Jason Chou

This place's prime rib is quite tender and flavorful. Good alternative to the House of Prime Rib in SF.

K
K L

We had a large family dinner for Xmas day and only one waiter served us. The food was good but took awhile for the main dish to come out. Not sure why there are 3 persons at the greeting reception.

G
Gordon Ko

Had reservations on a Saturday night. Great prime rib. Great service. The house salad and baked potato were also good. Creamed spinach recipe needs some adjustment/improvement. Hopr still does it the best but I would come here back again for prime rib.

M
Mako J

Good juicy prime rib on the Peninsula. I like House of Prime Rib better because the flavor is more robust. But the yorkshire pudding here is far better. The service for large groups is excellent and I'm taking one star off because I have had better prime rib. I believe it's subjective though. Try it and I'm sure you'll really enjoy this place.

W
William Derro

If you like House Of Prime Rib you'll like San Mateo Prime. Almost the same exact menu and price. They have garlic linguine noodles but, it is not on the menu. You must request the noodles if you want it. The salad at House Of Prime is better in my opinion. If you order the San Mateo cut they will give you additional slices if you finish your meat like House Of Prime, just ask. Parking is easier than House Of Prime and easier to walk in or get a reservation. Only drawback in my opinion is the automatic 18% tip added to the bill but, the sevice was attentive.

C
Christina Chang Jia

Steaks are good, but not exceptional as we expected high. Great place for a dinner. Easy conversation and warm environment. Just hard to find parking in San Mateo downtown area.

P
Peter Anthony Bulan

Food was delicious and priced just right. I especially liked the service as the staff were friendly and made sure our company enjoyed our dinner. Will definitely go back for seconds!

M
Michael Chen

Their main cuts of steak will be~$40-$50 depending on which you choose. Their steaks were nice and tender and the sides delicious as well.

J
John

11-28-2024: We ordered for Thanksgiving, and the food was good. Good dealing with Steve.

J
Josh Lanners

Service was excellent, prime rib was excellent, salad was excellent. Sides weren't great, we had fries, both Spinach dishes and garlic mashed, they were just ok. Overall I do recommend.

S
Samantha Berg

It's hard to visit this spot without comparing it to House of Prime Rib so let's get that out of the way - HOPR is way better. That said, San Mateo Prime is way more reasonably priced and more low key. The prime rib was cooked perfectly, really tasty, and the popovers were HUGE. I missed some of the pomp around the table-mixed salad and meat carved right from the cart that you get at HOPR, but at $75 each (with tip and a drink or two) it's hard to complain!

Peter Anthony Bulan
Peter Anthony Bulan

Food was delicious and priced just right. I especially liked the service as the staff were friendly and made sure our company enjoyed our dinner. Will definitely go back for seconds!

Michael Chen
Michael Chen

Their main cuts of steak will be~$40-$50 depending on which you choose. Their steaks were nice and tender and the sides delicious as well.

John
John

11-28-2024: We ordered for Thanksgiving, and the food was good. Good dealing with Steve.

T
Tiffany W. Chang

Solidly delicious! The prime rib was great. The Yorkshire pudding and crème brûlée were also standout highlights. In my opinion, it’s not quite on the same level as House of Prime Rib, but it comes pretty close — and it’s way easier to snag a reservation.

Tiffany Chang
Tiffany Chang

Solidly delicious! The prime rib was great. The Yorkshire pudding and crème brûlée were also standout highlights. In my opinion, it’s not quite on the same level as House of Prime Rib, but it comes pretty close — and it’s way easier to snag a reservation.

G
Gilbert Lee

Food used to be better.

K
Kim Pham

Good and friendly service, but the food was not impressive or worth the $$$ in my opinion.

A
Angelia Gordon

Good enough food bit over priced for the ambiance. Nothing blew my husband and I out over the water.

M
Melinda Buttle Cardona

It was good steak but not amazing. Where's the coat closet?!

E
Erick S

This place is okay. They serve Prime Ribs. Dry aged NY Steak. The Prime Rib is okay. My friend tried the Dry Aged NY Steak. He said it wasn't that good. $50. For steaks. They don't serve Ribeyes here. This is like House Of Prime Rib in SF. Same concept. They just don't have the cart moving around the dining area.

A
Alex Chu

The service is great, but I don't find their prime rib to be anything outstanding. My friend found the meat to be a bit "stringy" and not as tender as he had hoped.

j
janet mcbride

Very expensive meal. The popovers are great. The mashed potatoes are terrible. The New York steak was good quality meat but uninteresting. The English prime rib was good, not great but good. The customer service is lackluster. I watched a group come in an hour early for their reservation and even though the restaurant was empty, the wait staff was quite frankly rude and made them sit in the bar. The bartender / waiter was extraordinarily rude. This experience was not as good as the first experience.

S
Sai Ho (Skho)

Came here to celebrate the holidays with my cousin. Easy place to find, but parking could be challenging. We both ordered their signature prime, medium rare, with cream corn and garlic mash. The meat was good and portions were good but it was not as rare as we expected. The cream corn was alright, nothing to brag home about. There's definitely something missing. The mash was good but could use more garlic and portion was also insufficient. I did enjoy the sauce, wish their service was more attentive about additional sauce. We decided on this place based on a yelp review that said you only come here if you can't get a reservation at house of prime rib (HPR). I do agree, but perhaps a couple more backups (whichever they may be, I'm curious to know) after HPR before coming here.

K
Kathryn L

This place is alright. I came here with my family for the holidays. I wish the staff was a little more attentive. I think my food was just okay. Garlic mashed potato could of used a little more garlic flavor. My meat was good but I’ve had better. Parking was a breeze with street parking and a garage located near by.

R
Roy Chen

It was alright. Went for my 29th and got the prime rib. Definitely not better than HPR but that’s a tough comparison. I’d also choose broadway prime over them due to service. The ambiance is usually quiet and dim. Reasonably priced for the usual meat and sides.

J
Judy Wong

Celebrate a birthday there for dinner. Everyone was happy with their meals. I would've given an extra star if they didn't charge for the Shirley temples even with our hook-ups. 🤭

T
Thomas Ng

I've been here for years. The food is usually decent, but this time, it's a bit underwhelming. Ordered the Filet Mignon, and it came out to be wayyy smaller than before (about the size of a tennis ball). It wasn't very good either. Splat some mashed potatoes and a handful of fries, and there goes a $65 meal. (See picture.) I also heard the rack of lamb this time wasn't great either. Perhaps management should do a taste test to make sure the food is up to par? Cuz this time, it tastes a bit like mediocre buffet food. 😶

Judy Wong
Judy Wong

Celebrate a birthday there for dinner. Everyone was happy with their meals. I would've given an extra star if they didn't charge for the Shirley temples even with our hook-ups. 🤭

Thomas Ng
Thomas Ng

I've been here for years. The food is usually decent, but this time, it's a bit underwhelming. Ordered the Filet Mignon, and it came out to be wayyy smaller than before (about the size of a tennis ball). It wasn't very good either. Splat some mashed potatoes and a handful of fries, and there goes a $65 meal. (See picture.) I also heard the rack of lamb this time wasn't great either. Perhaps management should do a taste test to make sure the food is up to par? Cuz this time, it tastes a bit like mediocre buffet food. 😶

D
Donald Mitchell

Went there on Thanksgiving day Pros: Prime rib was delicious. Steve the waiter was attentive. Pricing was good. Cons: No desert memu 😢 At 2 am, both the wife and I woke up with moderate diarrhea. Think it was the creamed spinach. Any of you other customers have this problem? Overall: not coming back. Think we will explore other prime rib places in the bay area.

A
Alvin Ma

Whoever said this place is on par or better than House of Prime Rib simply does not have patience to wait for a table. They are delulu. San Mateo Prime is incomparable to House of Prime Rib. If you come here, don’t try to compare this with house of prime rib. If you want a good overall prime rib experience, go to house of prime rib. If you just want a nice dinner with prime rib, no wait, and okay sides, this is the spot for you. Let’s start with the good stuff. What was decent here was the prime rib, garlic mash potato, and creamed corn. The crème brûlée dessert was also good. Overall, nothing to brag about, but it was decent. Now what makes me not want to come back would be the salad and popover. The salad was served poorly. It’s tasted like lettuce drowned in heavy thousand island dressing, all made in bulk in the morning. What we got was a sad soggy salad. The popover tasted like undercooked pound cake. Crispy on the outside, mushy and raw in the inside. Creamed spinach was too heavy for me, but I’d say this is an acquired taste and I’m not going to neg on it. But it was not for me. I also got the garlic noodle and it was good, but nothing to go crazy over. Overall, the meal was okay, service was attentive, and the atmosphere was good for a nice date.

Donald Mitchell
Donald Mitchell

Went there on Thanksgiving day Pros: Prime rib was delicious. Steve the waiter was attentive. Pricing was good. Cons: No desert memu 😢 At 2 am, both the wife and I woke up with moderate diarrhea. Think it was the creamed spinach. Any of you other customers have this problem? Overall: not coming back. Think we will explore other prime rib places in the bay area.

Alvin Ma
Alvin Ma

Whoever said this place is on par or better than House of Prime Rib simply does not have patience to wait for a table. They are delulu. San Mateo Prime is incomparable to House of Prime Rib. If you come here, don’t try to compare this with house of prime rib. If you want a good overall prime rib experience, go to house of prime rib. If you just want a nice dinner with prime rib, no wait, and okay sides, this is the spot for you. Let’s start with the good stuff. What was decent here was the prime rib, garlic mash potato, and creamed corn. The crème brûlée dessert was also good. Overall, nothing to brag about, but it was decent. Now what makes me not want to come back would be the salad and popover. The salad was served poorly. It’s tasted like lettuce drowned in heavy thousand island dressing, all made in bulk in the morning. What we got was a sad soggy salad. The popover tasted like undercooked pound cake. Crispy on the outside, mushy and raw in the inside. Creamed spinach was too heavy for me, but I’d say this is an acquired taste and I’m not going to neg on it. But it was not for me. I also got the garlic noodle and it was good, but nothing to go crazy over. Overall, the meal was okay, service was attentive, and the atmosphere was good for a nice date.

J
Jhulz C

I had the prime rib and w sides.. mash potato and spinach cream. A bit too salty, i consumed 5 glasses of water all together by the time i finish dinner. 8 oz steak for $35 bucks, a bit too pricy and my daughter had the 16oz $47.. google says its "$$" .. its more like $$$$

A
Aaron L

Came here for a triple birthday party. Food was mediocre and the service was about the same. I ordered a medium prime rib and it came out rare. Plus there was no exterior sear. I know not all restaurants will cook it with a exterior sear but it is a personal preference. I ate only a quarter of it and will be cooking it at home. The sides looked good but we're just okay. The creamed spinach wasn't too good, it tasted off. Too much cream and not enough salt or seasoning. I also ordered a lemonade for my kids and it was powdered junk. Again not my preference for this type of restaurant. Service ignored us for the most part once our food came out. Held my hand up for a good 3 minutes waving and no one acknowledged me. I would have complained but no one asked how are meal was so.... I'll stick with cooking it at home or going to House of Prime Rib or Burlingame in that order.

E
E B

Prime rib was one of the best we have had. The servers were attentive. Stars are based on what happened after dinner. A service charge (SVC CHG) of 19.8% was added to the bill with NO explanation. There was no indication on the menu, no signs/noticed posted. No disclosure of this when we made our reservation. Fine, maybe it goes towards the gratuity? We thought the SVC CHG went to gratuity - a bit less than we give normally for good service, but okay, we don't mind being forced to pay gratuity. Apparently, that service charge does not go to the servers or wait staff as a gratuity! In my opinion, this is deceptive. Who does that service charge go to exactly?... We won't be returning and will support other establishments that can account to why you are charged a service charge and who is getting the money. Extremely disappointed.

E B
E B

Prime rib was one of the best we have had. The servers were attentive. Stars are based on what happened after dinner. A service charge (SVC CHG) of 19.8% was added to the bill with NO explanation. There was no indication on the menu, no signs/noticed posted. No disclosure of this when we made our reservation. Fine, maybe it goes towards the gratuity? We thought the SVC CHG went to gratuity - a bit less than we give normally for good service, but okay, we don't mind being forced to pay gratuity. Apparently, that service charge does not go to the servers or wait staff as a gratuity! In my opinion, this is deceptive. Who does that service charge go to exactly?... We won't be returning and will support other establishments that can account to why you are charged a service charge and who is getting the money. Extremely disappointed.

J
Javier Jimenez

More oh less, even the water charges you.

V
Vincent Jung

Go hungry stay hungry ordered the largest cut . Got the smallest slice of prime rib I've ever seen

J
Jennifer Garren

The quality of food is garbage. I had a prime rib with mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. Prime rib was bland. Mashed potatoes were not good and what I would assume would be instant. And creamed spinach was just gross. I can’t believe this place can survive with the outrageous prices and such a low quality meal.

D
Dada Mercader

Horrible, food is okay but we had the worst experience, seated upstairs with the owners friend's family with small children screaming and running around. Our server even asked the host to control their kids as we are complaining but just being ignored. We complain to the owner and all he said: sorry but I cannot tell the kids to keep quiet, I told him yes, I agree but he could have talked to the parents and he said no he can't do that and just walk away. Really, it shows that owner and manager needs training and to be educated on customer service, told them, we'll never coming back

M
Mike Mei

They double charged tip. They charged a mandatory tip by default, then the check demands you tip once more, the based is post tax post first tip. Which means. 100 dollars food would be totally 153. 100*1.1*1.18*1.18

M
Maya Baker

Horrible. Flat out refused service an hour and 20 minutes before closing. When I first attempted to visit this restaurant their Google page said they closed at 10, so I made the trek over but apparently they are not open on mondays. I decided I would try again on a Saturday night. I checked online and it again said 10, but I called to verify their hours and ensure they still had crab dip on the menu. After calling they said they closed at 9. I recalled later that day just to check again (since I didn’t want to make the drive over if they were closing early) and they said they close at 9:30 but the kitchen closes at 9. I arrived at 8:10… an hour and 20 minutes before closing and upon entry asked if we could sit at the bar for drinks and apps. But the person at the front just looked at us and said “we don’t serve appetizers”. They didn’t offer us the bar or main entrees, just flat out refused service. It did look slow and I would have understood if they said it was slow and they were closing up early. But to call twice and drive all the way over for them to just say “they don’t serve appetizers” is abhorrent. Will never be back.

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About San Mateo Prime

How to get there

174 E 3rd Ave, San Mateo, CA 94401

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Highlights

Good Rating
4.2/5 stars
💬
Many Reviews
232 reviews
💰
Upscale
Price level
👨‍🍳
steak_house
Cuisine type

Services

🍾 Dinner
Coffee
🍰 Desserts
🥡 Takeout
🍴 Dine-in

Dining Options

🍽️ Dine In
🥡 Takeout

Restaurant Info

Status
Verified by owner
🕐 Hours Today
5-9PM
Rating
4.2/5
💬 Reviews
232
💰 Price Level
$$$
⏱️ Typical Visit
People typically spend 1.5-2.5 hours here
📞 Phone
+1 650-558-8918
🌐 Website
www.sanmateoprime.com
📋 Menu
View Menu

Amenities

Wheelchair Accessible
🚻 Restroom
💳 Credit Cards
📱 Mobile Payments
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Location

174 E 3rd Ave, San Mateo, CA 94401

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