The Refuge

I want to love the food but it felt very extreme. Goofy fries was a bit on the warm side. The cheese sauce was piping hot which made the fries seem even colder. Pastrami chunks was amazing. The cheese steak was underwhelming & a bit dry. But the fries that came with the sandwich was amazing. The staff were awesome. They kept my glass filled. They also seem very close with the other patrons.

Ok so they are still making the absolute best Ruben pastrami sandwiches in the Bay Area. And there are 100’s of reviews to verify it, but I’m here to tell about my experience with the customer service- so I get there during rush hour 2:45-3:00 they were busy - but then the guy standing in front of me brought in a group of 15 people I fought oh man the food is going to take forever to make - and I sit at the bar grab a beer, and the person ordering right before me orders 10 sandwiches to go. I’m thinking it’s no way I’m ordering food it’s going to take forever but - everyone taking about these pastrami sandwiches so I order one - and guess what - the food got there super fast. - I don’t know what they doing but the customer service was amazing, the atmosphere at the bar was cool, the people

I recently stopped by The Refuge while visiting San Carlos along the Peninsula, and it quickly became clear why the restaurant has developed a strong local following. Located on Laurel Street, the main dining corridor in the city, the restaurant blends the atmosphere of a casual beer hall with a menu centered around hearty comfort food. The atmosphere strikes a balance between lively and relaxed. The interior has a rustic, industrial feel with wood accents, communal tables, and a bar area that highlights the beer selection. It feels like a place designed for social dining rather than quiet, formal meals. The energy of Laurel Street also contributes to the experience, especially in the evenings when the area becomes more active with diners and visitors. The food is clearly the main draw.

Saw them on triple d, and was excited to try the pastrami. Didn't want to order too much, because my family and I wanted to check out another spot. Even with a half sandwich and sharing fries, we ended up all being too full to eat anything else after. The food is very filling. We all enjoyed our food. A few of us had reubens and we're wowed by how soft the pastrami was. The pastrami was delicious and melts in your mouth. My husband had the tuna fish melt sandwich, and I tried a bit of his. The tuna fish sandwich/melt was also very good and they gave a generous amount of tuna salad. Service was also very pleasant. Everyone was kind and patient, and happy to help us as first timers there.

Amazing pastrami, crispy bread (greasy), the overall taste profile is very rich though bland? Not my type of food but it’s good ingredients and quality. Reuben is better than 963 Very friendly waiters :) I can tell they like their jobs