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Food - The Refuge - San Carlos, San Carlos, CA

The Refuge - San Carlos

4.8 (92)
$30 and under
Gastro Pub
963 Laurel St, San Carlos, CA 94070

Make a booking

A photo of The Refuge - San Carlos restaurant

The Refuge - San Carlos

4.8
$30 and under
Gastro Pub
San Carlos

Make a booking

2 people
20:30
Booked 10 times today

About this restaurant

  • Great for craft beers
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Great for outdoor dining
As seen on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, The Refuge has been thriving in San Carlos since 2008. Let The Refuge be your haven from the ordinary. Make this upscale restaurant and pub your choice for first rate fare and brew today. If you're craving tenaciously-tender, juicy pastrami, authentic cheesesteaks, house-ground burgers, dazzling salads or savory soups, , Refuge is the place to be.

Husband and wife team Matt Levin and Melanie Roth run the show here alongside a gifted, attentive and conscientious team in the front and back of the house. Come for a classic Americana-style menu with a most extensive offering of beer. Choose from 18 different Belgian styles on tap and many more in the bottle.

Casual connoisseurs unite! This place is the real deal. Whether it’s a quick lunch, a raging evening, a private event, take-out or delivery, the REFUGE experience is unlike any other place at any one time.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Gastro Pub, American, Deli
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Fri 11:30–14:30 Mon–Fri 17:00–21:00 Sat 11:30–21:00 Sun 11:30–20:00
  • Phone number
    (650) 598-9813
  • Website
    http://www.refugesc.com/
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress Code
    Casual Dress
  • Private party facilities
    Celebrate your next special event at The Refuge. Let us host you on our spacious heated outdoor patio or indoor cozy dining room.
  • Delivery & takeout
    Order direct
  • Location
    963 Laurel St, San Carlos, CA 94070
  • Area
    San Carlos
  • Cross street
    Morse Rd. & Arroyo Ave.
  • Parking Details
    Street Parking
  • Public transport
    Caltrain - San Carlos stop
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Dog Friendly, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Concierge
AI Beta

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Menu

This menu from The Refuge - San Carlos.

View menu on restaurant's website (opens in a new tab)

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at The Refuge - San Carlos.

4.8

4.8
(92)
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.9Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Peninsula

    Best Service

  • Peninsula

    Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Refuge in San Carlos is a neighborhood gem celebrated for its "outstanding" beer selection and "best on the Peninsula" pastrami. Patrons enjoy the "great food" and "friendly accommodating staff." The lively ambiance is perfect for trivia nights and sporting events. Ideal for family gatherings or casual dates.
92 Reviews

  1. Dorrie

    San Francisco Bay Area6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 3 November 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Staff was super friendly and accommodating. We sat outside and were comfortable with the heat lamps even though it was a chilly night. Tasty food with large servings.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Diane Gold

    San Francisco Bay Area11 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 27 October 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Good food, consistently prepared, with excellent service. Usually get the chopped salad, but sometimes a pastrami sandwich is called for, along with the addictive fries. We've started coming for the Trivia nights recently, which are a lot of fun. Highly recommend!

    Is this helpful?

  3. David

    New York City1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 11 October 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Love The Refuge - great food, great beer choices and love the ambience. Suitable for family or date nights alike!

    Is this helpful?

  4. Kirk Gold

    San Francisco Bay Area5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 26 September 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Really great service. Solid food. Classic ambience.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Martin Gold

    San Francisco Bay Area1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 15 August 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Love this place!!!! Pastrami, cheesesteaks and Belgian beer!!!!! What could be better!!!

    Is this helpful?

  6. Rochelle

    San Francisco Bay Area20 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 11 August 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Trivia night was a great way to get out of the house and have some low key fun. Food was good too. I get the salad and it’s plentiful.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Josefa

    San Francisco Bay Area2 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 8 August 2026

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was wonderful and the outdoor seating is pleasant (we went early so it wasn't that noisy). My only critique is that the wine selection could be expanded a bit, as there were only 2 reds and 3 whites one of which was a bubbly. We know The Refuge is known for beer, but not everyone in our party drinks it!

    Is this helpful?

  8. Toshio

    San Francisco Bay Area2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 3 August 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Delicious food. Good service. I went for early lunch, so parking was very easy.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Claude Gold

    San Francisco Bay Area17 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on 28 July 2026

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Mediocre food at best served on basic and dated plates

    Is this helpful?

  10. John Gold

    San Francisco Bay Area8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 9 July 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    the place for areuben or pastrami with fries! great selection of beers! comfy, low key neighborhood feel. see you there this month!

    Is this helpful?

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Gastro Pub, American, Deli
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Fri 11:30–14:30 Mon–Fri 17:00–21:00 Sat 11:30–21:00 Sun 11:30–20:00
  • Phone number
    (650) 598-9813
  • Website
    http://www.refugesc.com/
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress Code
    Casual Dress
  • Private party facilities
    Celebrate your next special event at The Refuge. Let us host you on our spacious heated outdoor patio or indoor cozy dining room.
  • Delivery & takeout
    Order direct
  • Location
    963 Laurel St, San Carlos, CA 94070
  • Area
    San Carlos
  • Cross street
    Morse Rd. & Arroyo Ave.
  • Parking Details
    Street Parking
  • Public transport
    Caltrain - San Carlos stop
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Dog Friendly, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

FAQs

For a lively night choose Saturday, guests report Saturday evenings filling up and people waiting for tables; if you prefer something quieter, Sunday afternoons tend to be more relaxed.

The Refuge - San Carlos feels like a neighborhood beer hall, rustic, with communal tables, a lively bar area and visible TVs for sports, and it’s an energetic spot that can get noisy during games while still offering a cozy front patio.

Portions tend to be generous, guests frequently say the pastrami sandwiches and the 963 come in large, filling servings that often leave diners comfortably full.

Yes, The Refuge has a pleasant front patio and several guests note sitting outside on sunny days as a nice option for lunch or dinner.

Casual dress, comfortable, informal attire is appropriate for a relaxed meal or a beer at the bar.

How FAQ content is generated

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Francisco Bay Area
  4. Peninsula
  5. San Carlos

Make a booking

A photo of The Refuge - San Carlos restaurant

The Refuge - San Carlos

4.8
$30 and under
Gastro Pub
San Carlos

Make a booking

2 people
20:30
Booked 10 times today
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