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Avenida, San Mateo, CA

Avenida

4.4
4.4
280 Reviews
$31 to $50
Filipino

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 21 times today
  • Good for groups
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Good for special occasions
Avenida Modern Filipino Restaurant and Bar was inspired by the dynamic lifestyle of Avenida Rizal, one of the main thoroughfares in the Old Manila during the pre and post World War II era. It was named after the Philippine National Hero, Jose Rizal.

For decades, Avenida Rizal was a melting pot as well as the mecca for entertainment and dining in the Philippines.

Being the center of Old Manila’s social life, Avenida Rizal was also famous for its Art Deco as well as its theaters and opera house where performing arts lovers came to watch zarzuelas, vaudeville acts and stage plays. The theaters were designed by very well respected architects who were later honored as National Artists.

Avenida Restaurant would like to pay homage to the glory days of the Old Manila.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Filipino, Asian
  • Hours of operation
    Sat, Sun 12:00 pm–10:00 pm Lunch Fri 12:00 pm–4:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Happy Hour Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–6:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (650) 781-3641
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Catering
    Bring the food home in our Party Trays! We serve take-out options to feed your family events. Please contact restaurant for details.
  • Private party facilities
    We host private events and large gatherings. Up to 32 pax in our mezzanine. Please email the DATE, TIME, and NUMBER OF GUESTS to events@avenidasanmateo.com
  • Neighborhood
    San Mateo
  • Cross street
    Ellsworth Ave
  • Parking details
    None
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 280 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4
4.4 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.4Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 3.9Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Peninsula

    Kid-friendly

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Avenida offers a delightful blend of "excellent menu" selections and "delicious food" in a vibrant atmosphere. Known for its "big, delicious portions" and "fun ambiance," this Filipino gem is perfect for family-style dining and happy hour. The service is friendly, though some guests noted room for improvement.

280 Reviews
  1. Ervin Riel

    San Francisco

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 2
    I came here with my family for dinner on Friday night, and the experience was very disappointing. The customer service was lacking—staff seemed uninterested and didn’t make us feel welcome. On top of that, the food wasn’t as good as it used to be. This used to be one of our favorite spots, but the quality has gone downhill. The dishes lacked flavor, and the overall experience just felt underwhelming. It’s unfortunate because we’ve had great memories here in the past, but after this visit, I’m not sure we’ll be coming back.

    1 person found this helpful

  2. Jason

    Phoenix

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on December 8, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    First time here at Avenida. We were not disappointed. Food was great, service was exemplary, staff friendly. Place was very clean as were the restrooms. We will surely be back.

    1 person found this helpful

  3. Yurls

    VIP

    Chicago

    32 reviews

    5.0

    32 reviews

    Dined on December 1, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great service and great food. Will definitely Come back.

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  4. Rowe

    San Francisco

    99 reviews

    4.0

    99 reviews

    Dined on November 13, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Always a pleasure to come here. Thank you, Dean, for your attentive and pleasant service.

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  5. gvchick14

    San Francisco

    48 reviews

    2.0

    48 reviews

    Dined on October 4, 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    Based on the reviews, I was excited and had high expectations for Avenida. Cocktails : El Guapo and Aplaya Paloma 4⭐️, Lumpia: 3⭐️ pricey at $23!Crispy Pata: 2⭐️ not worth the $38. Funky flavor, crispy outside, but dry and tough on the inside; Relyenong Talong: $17. Again flavor was off. The spices used was not recognizable and not pleasing to the palate; Beef Kare Kare:4⭐️ saved the night. Packed with flavor and I was happy it didn't contain any tripe! Service:2⭐️ since no one came to check on us after the dishes were served. We were pretty much done eating and the server came by to let us know last call for cocktails. We had tons of leftovers for obvious reasons in my review of the food. The portions are generous which could explain the price point. I just wish the food tasted better. I shared the leftovers with my native filipino parents who cook these dishes at home and they didn't care for it.

    1 person found this helpful

  6. RAY

    Tahoe

    2 reviews

    2.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on September 28, 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 4
    The food is outstanding. This is our second time T this establishment and the service was a zero. Our waitress went on break and let us know she always going to do so, however, there was no replacement while she was on break, no one came to ask if we needed anything, not once, no refills on water, etc. The busboy would come to our table to clear plates often (there’s a limit of 2 hours you’re allowed to stay and dine) and we would take that opportunity to ask for anything needed. We saw the busboy the most frequent. Of course, when it’s time to pay the bill and tip is when folks come over to give their efforts and ask if we’re okay and if we need anything. We asked the person sitting at the host desk how many servers were on duty and he said they’re short staffed and they were setting up for a reservation upstairs. I asked, “well, what about the customer that is currently dining?” No real answer. Unfortunately for the server, we didn’t tip as we would normally tip (we’re big tippers for good service). The food is pretty pricey but absolutely delicious so we’re willing to dine there in the future but hope that when they’re short staffed that they’ll figure out how to balance the service that should be provided to paying customers.

    1 person found this helpful

  7. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 14, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Took my girlfriend to Avenida for a nice dinner. She usually isn’t a fan of pork dishes however this place changed her mind. The liempo we ordered was very tender and flavorful, and the cocktails we had tasted great. (I had the Green Goddess and she had the Pinya Punch) The sisig was also very good, reminded me of back home. Other than that, the service was great, we were seated right away and our server Lorenzo checked in on us from time to time and gave us great recommendations.

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  8. Michelle

    Orange County

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 13, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    Ambience was outstanding. Food was meh, nothing over the top impressive or memorable that would bring me back. Came for the crispy pats and the dessert drinks. Dessert drinks were disappointing. No flavor - had WAY better. Had the flan and it was overcooked to my liking. Service was average nothing over the top. They came to refill our waters and remove plates but no engagement other than during their scope of duties.

    1 person found this helpful

  9. Sam

    San Francisco

    44 reviews

    5.0

    44 reviews

    Dined on September 8, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Delicious Filipino food and drinks! The Lechon and Pinakbet were like how my parents made it! Worth driving from the City to San Mateo!

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  10. Rj

    San Francisco

    28 reviews

    3.0

    28 reviews

    Dined on September 3, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    We’ve been to Avenida before and feel like the food was better the first time. The Lechon Kawali, while the skin was crispy and the meaty part under the skin was rich and juicy. The bottom layer of meat was HARD, DRY AND INEDIBLE. it was like eating the driest beef jerky. My son had to drink it down with water it was so dry. Sinagang was good. Pancit Bihon was 50/50 noodles to sautéed cabbage. Adobo rice was good. Tortang was bland. Our server was polite and professional. It was very noisy. We were sat by the window between 2 loud parties and the noise was overwhelming. Might go back, without the kids. Sit at the bar.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Avenida offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (650) 781-3641.

Avenida is rated 4.4 stars by 280 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 21 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Avenida

201 E 3rd Avenue, San Mateo, CA 94401

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Ellsworth Ave
  • Neighborhood
    San Mateo
  • Hours of operation
    Sat, Sun 12:00 pm–10:00 pm Lunch Fri 12:00 pm–4:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Happy Hour Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–6:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Filipino, Asian
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    None
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (650) 781-3641
  • Catering
    Bring the food home in our Party Trays! We serve take-out options to feed your family events. Please contact restaurant for details.
  • Private party facilities
    We host private events and large gatherings. Up to 32 pax in our mezzanine. Please email the DATE, TIME, and NUMBER OF GUESTS to events@avenidasanmateo.com
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