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

Pausa Bar & Cookery

4.7
4.7
1844 Reviews
$31 to $50
Italian

Make a reservation

2 people
10:30 p.m.
Booked 23 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Neighbourhood gem
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
  • Neighbourhood
    San Mateo
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • 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, Takeout, Wheelchair Access

Featured in

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 1,844 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.

1,844 Reviews

  1. Kristina

    VIP

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing from start to finish. Burrata and crudo were are favorite apps. Pizzas are all incredible. Reminds me of traveling through Italy. Finally a great spot without having to drive to the city!

    Is this helpful?

  2. Shay

    Phoenix

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on December 16, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We enjoyed a birthday dinner for our daughter. Cocktails, food and experience were excellent!

    Is this helpful?

  3. Caitlan

    VIP

    Louisville

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on December 12, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Delicious food, courteous service, and a great value! Will definitely return.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Kennyshia

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 7, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It’s a nice date night spot! :) the bartenders Jose and his crew are amazing!! Such good energy and very funny!! Kudos to them!

    Is this helpful?

  5. Ismael

    El Paso

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on December 7, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Beautiful Italian restaurant 🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼 definitely coming back. Great dishes!!

    Is this helpful?

  6. Sydney

    San Francisco

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 3, 2024

    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?

  7. Charles

    VIP

    Chicago

    179 reviews

    5.0

    179 reviews

    Dined on December 2, 2024

    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?

  8. Margarita

    San Francisco

    5 reviews

    4.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on November 27, 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?

  9. Vivekananda

    New York City

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 16, 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?

  10. Tricia

    VIP

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 11, 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?

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 1844 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
10:30 p.m.
Booked 23 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
  • Neighbourhood
    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 Lot
  • 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, Takeout, 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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