Best French Restaurants in San Mateo

Wonderful relaxing dinner with friends. Waitstaff was extremely attentive. Food was delicious. Will definitely come back.

Atmosphere feels like a French bistro, solid French fare. Had a great onion soup, duck confit cassoulet also very good. The others in my party had steak frites, sole meunière and lamb chops and all enjoyed it.

I visited Zola for their Valentine's Day event and had a mixed experience. The ambiance was great, and the service was attentive, making for a nice evening. The appetizer was a highlight—beautifully presented and full of flavor, setting a great tone for the meal. Dessert was equally impressive, with a perfect balance of sweetness and texture that made for a satisfying end to the dinner. However, the steak was a letdown. It arrived colder than expected and tasted just okay—nothing special for the price and occasion. I was hoping for a more enjoyable main course, but it didn’t quite meet expectations. Overall, while the event had its strong points, the main course left something to be desired. I’d consider returning for the appetizers and desserts but might opt for a different entrée next time

We made reservations for Valentine’s well in advance; we arrived on time were promptly seated and a nice corner deuce. We enjoyed appetizers, hot spinach salad table d’hotel, fish and veal as mains, finished w made-in-house tiramisu. Excellent ambiance, food, and service. Recommend for a special night out.

This meal, which just happened to fall on Valentine’s Day, was a lovely beginning to our trip which started with a flight out of SFO. Fortunately I had thought to make a reservation or we never would have gotten in. The service was warm, the atmosphere was cozy and not too dressy, and the food and wine were great. I especially enjoyed my risotto with scallops; while the scallops were small, they were tender and there were plenty of them. We will definitely keep this restaurant in mind when we visit the area in the future.