Diners' Choice: Hot spot restaurants in Peninsula

OpenTable

Updated May 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants that are the best hot spots in Peninsula? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Ethel's Fancy

4.8

4.8 (605)

$50 and over

Californian

Palo Alto

About the restaurant

A hip and fun restaurant with chef's counter dining, serving thoughtful American cuisine, with an emphasis on local seasonal products.

Ethel's Fancy is open at 5 PM Tuesday - Saturday.

We have a small dining room with a limited amount of reservable tables. We do keep our Bar seats and a table in the restaurant open for people to walk-ins. Walk-ins are on a first come basis.

Please do not make multiple reservations with the intention of combining reservations to increase party size.

All guests must be present before your party will be seated.

To help provide a seamless experience for all our guests, we have allocated 2-hours for your group of 2 to 4 people.

Top review

Brenda

Dined 1 day ago

This is one of the best restaurants on the peninsula - innovative menu with unique flavor combinations that really work, great service, and a fun cocktail menu.

Cascal

4.7

4.7 (4417)

$30 and under

Tapas / Small Plates

Mountain View

About the restaurant

Serving spirited Pan-Latin cuisine, Cascal is a place to meet and linger with friends over enticing foods with bold flavors and personality from Spain and Latin-America. From Paellas to Ceviches to Cuban Pork, we have options for everyone. There vegetarian and vegan options available as well.

We have indoor and patio dining available. Happy hour Tuesday to Sunday from 3:30-6pm. Live music on Fridays and Saturdays from 7:30 to 10pm. Reservations are encouraged. Online ordering and gift cards available at www.cascalmv.com

Celebrate your special occasion or event with us, easy hassle-free booking and menus available for your convenience. Catering is also available with delivery and chef on-site options. Go to www.cascalmv.com for more information.

Top review

SheilaVIP

Dined 1 day ago

We always enjoy Cascal .It’s our favorite pre theater stop for dinner.

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4.7

4.7 (1261)

$31 to $50

American

Pacifica

About the restaurant

Floor to ceiling windows that look down on the beach makes Moonraker restaurant a go to spot for food and an excellent view. Situated inside the Lighthouse Hotel in Pacifica, Moonraker serves lunch, dinner and happy hour!

A large selection of fresh seafood dots the Moonraker menu with items like Dungeness crab, Chef's selection of oysters and ahi poke. Other options from "the land" include pot roast, steak, chicken parmesan and a vegetarian tagine. The chef makes a lot of the offerings gluten free, like crispy calamari and coconut prawns. Be sure to save some room for bananas foster bread pudding or campfire s'mores with a table side hibachi.

Top review

Jocelyn (Joy)

Dined 3 days ago

Wonderful Atmosphere and Delicious Food . We Came For Our 31st Wedding Anniversary!

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Popular dish

Seafood Pasta

Pausa Bar & Cookery

4.7

4.7 (1920)

$31 to $50

Italian

San Mateo

About the restaurant

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.

Top review

Eilir

Dined on May 22, 2025

good prices for great food, waiter helpful w/ dietary restrictions

Vino Locale - Palo Alto

4.7

4.7 (111)

$31 to $50

Wine Bar

Palo Alto

About the restaurant

Welcome to Vino Locale serving downtown Palo Alto since 2005!
The only Wine Garden & Kitchen in downtown Palo Alto with Nightly Live Music in the back garden!

Check music schedule on our website www.vinolocale.org
Join us for Dinner, Wine and live music in the Vino Garden!
Dog Friendly Patio

Happy Hour (Tue-Sat) 3:00-5:30
Great wines from California and around the world
Wine flights with cheese pairings
Craft beers on tap & beer flights
Nuts and olive flights
Cheese & Charcuterie boards
Extensive Tapas Menu
Dinner Menu

Top review

Gwen

Dined on May 21, 2025

Awesome venue. Great food, exceptional service and perfect ambiance for a team dinner.

Sushi Roku - Palo Alto

4.7

4.7 (60)

$30 and under

Sushi

Palo Alto

About the restaurant

Sushi Roku is revolutionizing the culinary scene. A Japanese sushi concept new to Palo Alto, unites the elements of inventive fusion dishes, hip ambiance and trendy cocktails while offering unparalleled hospitality.

Top review

KemiVIP

Dined on May 23, 2025

We expected to pay for the dining experience on our first visit to Sushi Roku. Early evening weeknight dinner time offered perhaps a quieter time to enjoy the space and the food. Any louder background conversation to the ambient music would have been less appealing. Seared albacore stater and miso eggplant were very tasty, and we also liked all the sushi we ordered: Katana roll, eel & avocado, Japanese scallop, yellowtail, and the special of the day golden eye.

Amara

4.5

4.5 (21)

$31 to $50

Mediterranean

Belmont

About the restaurant

Step into Amara, where Mediterranean artistry meets timeless elegance. Led by Chef Brett and a Michelin-distinguished team, Amara offers a sun-kissed escape in the Peninsula. Inspired by Greece, Morocco, and Spain, our menu blends tradition with innovation.

Indulge in dishes like smoked lamb tajine, black hummus with crispy smelt, and our signature caviar service, paired with a globally curated wine list. The 32 oz Tomahawk steak with za’atar butter is a masterpiece, while whole branzino and braised octopus evoke coastal Mediterranean flavors.

Under Executive Sous Chef Linda, desserts shine—Labneh cheesecake, molten harissa chocolate cake, and baklava sundae with rose and pistachio.

Nestled in the hills of Belmont along the 280 and 101 corridor, Amara is easily accessible yet beautifully secluded. A lush, candlelit courtyard invites you to linger under twinkling lights.

Take a trip to island shores without leaving California.

Amara is Paradise found, not for one day but every day.

Top review

Carsten

Dined on May 15, 2025

We had no room for dessert but was persuaded to try out the CITRUS SOLISTICE and boy were glad that we tried - it was amazing.

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Experience

Brunch

Experience

Social Hour-Mediterranean Drinks & Bites

Alhambra Irish House

4.4

4.4 (561)

$30 and under

Californian

Redwood City

About the restaurant

Alhambra Irish House is both a pub and a restaurant; sitting in the beautiful Alhambra Theater with its brick walls and wooden columns you can really feel the history of the building.
We strive to give all our guests a genuine taste of Irish Hospitality , our menu has many Irish Classics such as Beef and Guinness Pie and Shepherds Pie, we are also well known for our Fish and Chips along with local Californian offerings.

We have a full bar with a mix of Irish Beers and Craft selections, we also have a fine Irish Whisky selection and a great Cocktail List,
We look forward to meeting you

Top review

RaissaVIP

Dined 1 day ago

Five stars! Can't wait to go back! This place swaggered into the spot of one of my old downtown Redwood City favorites and, honestly? I love it even more! Everyone was super kind, the waitstaff was on point with their recs and info, and the food was not only delicious but also zoomed out to us, hot and ready. We're talking seriously traditional Irish grub and a fantastic selection of Irish beers on tap – pure bliss! It’s got that classy pub vibe, so expect a lively buzz rather than quiet dining, which is absolutely perfect. Guess what? Thursdays are trivia night, starting at 7:30 PM! If you're itching to play, I'd suggest rolling in around 7. We had such a blast, and seriously, I'm already dreaming of my next visit! Just a heads-up for those Thursday-to-weekend visits after 6 PM: parking in downtown RWC can be a bit of a treasure hunt. I'd recommend adding an extra 5-10 minutes to your travel time, just in case you need to snag a spot in a garage and enjoy a little stroll.

Pulpo Tapas & Wine Bar

4.3

4.3 (124)

$30 and under

Latin / Spanish

Burlingame

About the restaurant

A new wine bar and restaurant located on Broadway in Burlingame just steps from Caltrain and a short drive from Airport Area Hotels.

Pulpo features a variety of Spanish Tapas, Charcuterie along with a variety of Pasta dishes.

Top review

ShariVIP

Dined on May 22, 2025

I love this place especially the appetizers. The list is vast and the variety is wide. I've always had a good meal but last night was the first night I was there when it was crowded and because of the high ceilings it is very noisy. Keep that in mind. Meanwhile, the food is excellent, love having a salad and appetizers. The wine list is extensive. The service wasn't that good last night as two of our dishes never made it to the kitchen. So we had to remind the staff and they finally brought it to the table. Disappointing. Maybe it was an off night.

Dave & Buster's - Daly City

4.1

4.1 (75)

$30 and under

American

Daly City

About the restaurant

Each Dave & Buster’s has more state-of-the-art games than ever, more mouth-watering menu items and the most innovative drinks anywhere. From wings to steaks, we’ve got whatever suits your appetite and our premium bar assures we’re stocked to satisfy! Plus, you can watch your game on one of our massive HDTVs with epic stadium sound.

Top review

Char

Dined on May 3, 2025

I brought my son and his 6 friends to play and eat. They had a good time and most were good with the food. They were exhausted at the 2 hour mark.

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Experience

Trivia Tuesdays

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