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

Pausa Bar & Cookery

4.7
4.7
1902 Reviews
$31 to $50
Italian
223 E 4th Ave, San Mateo, CA 94401

Make a reservation

2 people
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
7:00 PM
Booked 43 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Lively
  • Good for groups
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.

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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
  • 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.
  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Bib Gourmand 2023
    2. MICHELIN Bib Gourmand 2022
  • Neighborhood
    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

What 1,902 people are saying

Pausa Bar & Cookery reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

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
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.2Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Peninsula

    Hot spot

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Pausa Bar & Cookery is a vibrant culinary gem in San Mateo. Renowned for "amazing food and amazing staff," its innovative, Italian-inspired menu is a delight. Guests rave about the "phenomenal Margherita pizza" and exceptional charcuterie. With "superb service" and a lively atmosphere, Pausa promises a memorable dining experience.
1,902 Reviews
  1. Arlene

    San Francisco4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    From the hostess to the waiter to the rest of the staff, we had a wonderful experience. The food was awesome. They were very attentive and I will definitely go back. I recommend Plaza a bar and cookery to everyone and of course my favorite was the mortadella that they make there

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  2. William

    Chicago1 review

    4.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Wait staff were excellent! We shared a 2 salumi/ 2 cheese board and it was excellent. The cured prosciutto was great! One of us had a mint, lamb rage pasta and again it was unique and tasty and we would order it again. We also had a pizza and it was okay. The dough had a very good texture and flavor, but it was soggy in the middle. Had the Italian doughnuts for dessert and loved them.

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  3. Jeff VIP

    San Francisco19 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great place. Waitstaff was awesome. We were outside and it was very cold need more heaters. Food was really nice. Would recommend.

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  4. Kelley

    New York City4 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on April 2, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    We were disappointed with our overall experience.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Karen

    San Francisco2 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on March 31, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 2
    The music combined with the patrons’ noise level added to much sound to the dining experience. We needed to speak in loud voices to hear each other. Love the restaurant and food but likely not returning soon.

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  6. Ken VIP

    San Francisco10 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 31, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    A favorite neighborhood modern style multi regional Italian eatery that I’ve been going to since they opened, and still very solid and pleasing all these years. The house charcuterie are a must, as are the entrees and the desserts always spectacular and thoughtfully done.

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  7. Jenny VIP

    Monaco9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 30, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Service was exceptional! Dinner was delicious as were the drinks.

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  8. RobertS

    San Francisco4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 30, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    First time here - great ambience! Food and drinks were way better than we expected. Service was better than any we've had since pre-Pandemic times! Very attentive, quite pleasant and we'll return with friends!

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  9. john VIP

    San Francisco1 review

    5.0

    Dined on March 30, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    As always, Pausa was a great choice for an outdoor dinner. We started with our favorites: Bastardo Spritz and the charcuterie combo accompanied on the side by Pausa’s delicious truffle honey and lard (yes, lard!). We tried the pistachio pizza for the first time and it was great.

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  10. Christine

    Central Coast10 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on March 28, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    Food was good but the music was too loud. I liked their pasta, the pizza was too thin in the middle and too thick on the edge.

    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 1902 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation


Booked 43 times today
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
  • Neighborhood
    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
  • Phone number
  • 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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