Address: | 963 Laurel St, San Carlos, CA 94070, USA |
Phone: | +1 650-598-9813 |
Site: | refugesc.com |
Rating: | 4.6 |
Working: | 11:30AM–2:30PM 11:30AM–2:30PM 11:30AM–2:30PM 11:30AM–2:30PM 11:30AM–2:30PM 12–10PM 12–9PM |
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Sonya Li
I ordered the pastrami burger and it came with a beef patty, pastrami, swiss, sauerkraut, and a side of Russian dressing. The bun was soft, the pastrami was tendered and well seasoned, the beef was juicy, but it was the Russian dressing that added a much needed variety to the meat on meat crime I was shoving into mouth. The dressing was mildly tangy, creamy, heavy, and delicious. My partner ordered the cheddar burger and I got to have several bites. It was the same beef patty as the one I had in my burger, but it came with the standard lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, and pickles on the side. Both of us appreciated that they had thinly sliced the onions and it was served with sweet pickles. When asked if the pickles were house made, I was told they were store brought, possibly from a company called Kraft but the wait staff wasn’t sure. They were also not sure if they were dill or bread and butter pickles. Base on this limited information and some research on my end, I found out that Claussen Pickles are under the Kraft brand and they offer a bread and butter variety of pickles. I also got to try the Goofy fries. It was difficult to eat because the melted cheddar cheese sauce was grainy, thick, oily, and just got stuck in your throat. My meal was wonderful, but my body was not built to handle so much meat. It left me feeling gassy. uncomfortable, and in need of a nap, but I would get another pastrami burger anyways.
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Dan Kimberg
We love the Refuge, and we arent even beer drinkers! Our go-to items are the pastrami sandwich (aka the Toasted Slaw #19) and the various Cheesesteaks (best Ive found in the bay area, see below for detail). Someone there clearly cares about making great pastrami. Weve had various other items from the menu (mac and cheese, and the pastrami chopped salad come to mind), and weve never been disappointed. The service is great, and they were always extremely kind to our dog, who was welcome on the patio. As a native Philadelphian, I have to add some detail on the cheesesteaks. I dont know why its so hard to get this right, but almost no one does. The Refuge mostly does, and as far as Im concerned, nails the most important bits. The roll is a smaller version of what youd expect to get in Philadelphia, and they get the meat right. In most ways, better than what I grew up with. Aside from size (theyre plenty big, just not as huge as what I grew up with), the only authenticity issue is that the sandwiches are just a little fancier than what youd find in Philadelphia. But not at all in a bad way -- it still feels like a cheesesteak, and theyre terrific sandwiches, they just happen to be variants that dont turn up at your average pizza place in Philadelphia. My wife (also from Phila) favors the "Wit," which is actually pretty close to something you could get back home. I prefer the french onion dip, which is a great twist.
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Melissa Watson
A huge win for the peninsula and Ive had many a city-dweller admit it was well worth the trek. A wonderful selection of mostly Belgian beers and some of the best "pub grub" youll ever have. The pastrami, as youve probably already heard, is the stuff of legends but theyve got great burgers and other tasty bites as well. I really like their griddled Cambozola sandwich. My small complaint is sometimes Id like a beer and I want to have a proper amount of vegetables too but I think Ive seen increased seasonable options lately. It can be a lengthy wait for a table but two people can slip in and grab seats at the bar on most nights. Please note that this location is closed on Sundays which is unfortunately when my husband and I always seem to want to go! I hear the new, larger Menlo Park spot is open on Sundays... Ill be checking that out asap!
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Alex Wallace
First, I dont really like pastrami so I was skeptical. I ordered a regular burger, but my girlfriend ordered a pastrami. I made the wrong choice. Not because the burger wasnt amazing (it was), but because the pastrami was absolutely mindblowing. Imagine a flavor that is almost like steak and smokey bacon and butter, but not only that! She only let me have a few bites and I can understand why... Also, the pastrami is thick cut, on this amazing toasted bread. The beer was really good too. I had something cream ale. Very tasty and went along with my food very well. My girlfriends first choice for beer ran out so she only got half a glass, but they put it on the house. Excellent service too. The garlic fries were tasty as well.
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Steve Colen
Best spot for a beer after work or on an awesome date. The Refuge is a interesting place. Full of amazing american comfort foods and beers and good enough environment for hanging out with friends and even a date if you can believe it. Now Im not saying that The Refuge makes the most Authentic Cheesesteak because I go elsewhere for that, but when I want a high quality cheesesteak with some nice beers this is where I go. Oh, and not to forget the pastrami sandwich... This might be the best one around. The Bar is absolutely great and my favorite spot, but the seats and booths are also comfortable. On a nice summer evening the patio is arguably the best spot in the house to chill out. Top Tip: OMG the Mac and Cheese!
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A Private User
After driving by a few times, and reading some reviews, we decided to try lunch here. We went for the Reuben....and a salad. Id have to say that the food was fine....the Reuben was good...but not as spectacular as the reviews would suggest. The "frys" were very good..and the salad was also very good. But for the price.....I was disapppointed. This was a very expensive lunch.... I was shocked to see soup for $12....whoa. And I think the Reuben was $16......the sandwich with minimal stuff. The frys were a $3 adder.....they were worth the money. There were two of us....we had Ice Tea...and the bill with tip was $50.....whoa.
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Erick Tseng
Their Reuben sandwich did not disappoint. Piled high with half a pound of juicy, tender meat, the sandwich was full of flavor and perfectly cooked. I got mine topped with coleslaw and melted Swiss cheese. Delicious. My wife ordered their fig salad, and the dish was massive. Bigger than our face. Oh, and she said it was really tasty too. A huge beer menu, with a particularly massive Belgian beer collection, complemented the food menu. The only disappointment were the fries. They were overcooked and overly tough.
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Tamara Farhat
Didnt order any pastrami, boohoo me but I really enjoyed the Refuge. The atmosphere is really good but get a little loud, was here for a girls night and we could barely hear each other. But still nice laid back atmosphere. The staff is very friendly and the service is fast. I had the Tilapia sandwich and it was absolutely delish! My husband had half of the sandwich the second day and found it very tasty even though it was a day old and cold! Everyone seemed to enjoy what they ordered. Lovely place and good food!
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Russ Laraway
Strongly recommend this place - date, buddies, or family. If youre looking for Katzs Deli quality pastrami, keep looking. It compares in neither size nor quality. It is, however, about $5 cheaper and is about the best pastrami Ive had in CA. I tried the Hop Notch IPA (7.3% ABV). Really good, super hoppy IPA. Iced tea was solid and we did not get to try the housemade black cherry soda b/c it wasnt ready yet. Kids had pastrami, cheddar burger and cheese steak and they wolfed it down.