Kingfish Restaurant

650-343-1226
201 S B St
San Mateo, CA 94401
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Business Information

Restaurants
Cajun & Creole

Top Sentiments among Kingfish Restaurant Reviewers

Awesome Wine selection Nice remoulade sauce Like King Fish Romantic family dinners Good banana bread pudding dessert Nice dessert menu Excellent dishes Fresh oyster appetizers Unbeatable prix fixe menu Wonderful birthday party

Customer Reviews (48 reviews)

HaNguyen

on Citysearch May 07, 2009
Decent place to go once a year, but food not good enough to make me a regular. It is close to the movie theater though, so a good option for before/after the movies. (more)

lisamarie51284

on Citysearch Apr 15, 2009
I have tried so hard to like Kingfish and after the last time I went there I don't think I'll go back to eat again. The drinks are GREAT, I have never had a bad drink from there but the food is just... ok. I have ordered a... (more)

Citysearch User

on Citysearch Feb 02, 2009
I eat here all the time. The fish is always super fresh. They have great drinks too. there's a room upstairs for private parties also. they have a kids menu too. Highly recommend... (more)

Citysearch User

on Citysearch Nov 05, 2008
This place was actually just redone and it looks amazing inside, the bar is kind of hidden though. But their dishes are amazing they just take you through the new orleans style. With cajun and seafoods. Its amazing, I... (more)

anesejatina

on Citysearch Sep 20, 2008
+ prime rib; i was starving by the time we went out for a late company lunch; i ordered a medium rare for the prime rib. for the life of me, i couldn't figure out why i wasn't scarfing this dish down. my co-worker kindly... (more)

jus2000

on Citysearch May 10, 2008
Talk about a DISSAPOINTMENT!!!!! I recently had dinner this past weekend on Friday! The restaurant was not even busy when I was seated upstairs. I was greeted by a young short girl who happened to be my server. I never... (more)

Citysearch User

on Citysearch Mar 11, 2008
New Orleans style fresh seafood was great. I enjoyed the Fire grill Ono and my husband had the Salmon. We tried the oysters for appetizer and a salad. Everything was wonderful from the food to the friendly staff. Great... (more)

Citysearch User

on Citysearch Nov 25, 2007
I love Kingfish in san mateo, It's in a prime location w/plenty of parking. There's an oyster bar downstairs & plenty of tables & private rooms for larger parties. The food is awesome, the portions are huge! There's... (more)

w_

on Citysearch Jul 18, 2007
honestly, a little too overpriced! The oysters were .. ok. Overall, other than the great drinks they make there i not a big fan. But if you havent tried it, you should at least try it once!... (more)

ralyn

on Citysearch Jun 10, 2007
Although the food was average - the customer service received from the manager/ owner was just bottom line RUDE. My family and I were dining and I wanted to change my 1.5 year old son's soiled diaper. There was not... (more)

magdelena79

on Citysearch Jan 20, 2007
My roommate and I went this past saturday night. No tables were available, so we went up to the second floor and sat at the bar. It took about 10 minutes to even get the bartenders attention. Once our drinks were done, we... (more)

lynngood

on Citysearch Nov 05, 2006
Since new owners have taken over Kingfish, it's not the same consistent, good experience it once was. They've removed/changed signature dishes that are not close to being as good as they once were--the signature... (more)

Joanne G.

on Judys Book Sep 19, 2006
Kingfish serves Cajun/Creole cuisine with a mix of seafood and steaks. Unfortunately I found the food to be expensive for what it was, and unmemorable. The restaurant somehow has a chain-restaurant feel to it to me.... (more)

bzzzsweeti

on Citysearch Aug 29, 2006
Great food and great service! I recommend making reservations because this place gets pretty crowded. Great place for family dinners or a night out w/ friends. Try the Cosmo, you won't regret it, but save room for... (more)

fassa

on Citysearch Jul 19, 2006
Went there with a group of six on a week night. They were busy but they have a nice bar area where we waited. Service was good and the food was excellent. Several of us had the seared tuna and it was to die for.... (more)

E. M.

on Judys Book Jun 09, 2006
I went here once and was unimpressed. The food was bad and expensive. I had the beignets which you would think would be their signature dessert, and they were awful. Cafe du Monde they are not! I'd much rather have a... (more)

smblubird

on Citysearch Jun 01, 2006
A group of 25 friends and I had a party at Kingfish and it was the coolest experience ever! We had the area upstairs by the bar and we were in heaven. My friends were thrilled on the excellent looking bartenders that shook... (more)

stanfordcards

on Citysearch May 29, 2006
No place can even compare to Kingfish on the peninsula. It is the ultimate pro & fun restaurant! My husband and I are regular "city" diners are were shocked when we were down in San Mateo visiting friends to see such a... (more)

kpeats

on Citysearch May 29, 2006
We have dined here regularly since the opening. We have to say that this place gets better with time ! The menu is incredible, I can find anything no matter what I am craving. I especially enjoy oysters - and they are... (more)

udef2112

on Citysearch Apr 23, 2006
If you like going out to eat and trying new things, go somewhere else. Had a few friends with us. The owners need to take a class on owning it seems. All the chef's were arguing with each other. The server had to keep... (more)

Citysearch User

on Citysearch Mar 21, 2006
Their catch phrase is to eat like a king, drink like a fish and maybe the food is good if you are drinking. I don't drink and found the food to be uninteresting and not worth the money. I also got the signature beignets... (more)

tarab13

on Citysearch Feb 28, 2006
The chef got very annoyed when asked about the ingredients in the dishes which could be very problematic if you have food allergies. Was a very disappointing experience. I won't go back.... (more)

Citysearch User

on Citysearch Feb 06, 2006
My brother went to Tulane and though I only went to visit once, the food made a lasting impression. I'm not talented or inspired enough to make my own beignets and it's not like Krispy Kreme carries them, so I love... (more)

jlfx

on Citysearch Dec 29, 2005
My girlfriend and I went during a trip to my hometown. We live in NYC and always look forward to dining in the bay area. We went for lunch. The oysters were great; far less can be said about the shucking. They were filled... (more)

enchanterina

on Citysearch Nov 13, 2005
I went in with a large party. The server seemed rushed all the time. I selected a wine, which I didn't care for much and was told that it was highly rated - as if my own taste couldn't tell me what I liked. I told the server... (more)

haole739

on Citysearch Aug 28, 2005
The food was amazing - rich and flavorful. The service, however, left a lot to be desired. While it was not outright bad, it was extremely mediocore. I had heard about this from friends as well, but wanted to give the... (more)

amy n.

on Judys Book Aug 04, 2005
This is definitely upscale. It's loud but fun! My brother went to school at Tulane in N'Awlins, so I remember the Louisiana cuisine. Let's start with dessert - my favorite! How to choose, how to choose? Go with lots of... (more)

athenasudom

on Citysearch May 20, 2005
My dining experience at Kingfish was very poor. Our table was so dimly lit, we could barely see our food. I ordered the "Vietnamese Gulf Shrimp Rolls" and received a single roll, cut in half. It was hard and cold and had... (more)

nv

on Citysearch Dec 26, 2004
It's my favorite restaurant in the area. A seafood lover's paradise and the wine cellar is a beautiful touch to the decor. Loved the Oyster Bar too. (more)

chynnae

on Citysearch Sep 17, 2004
Hubby & I were very impressed with the decor at Kingfish. We had a couple of drinks at the bar, and hubby said that the $3 he paid for a Coors Light was relatively cheap. The food, however, was overpriced. I ordered the... (more)

jcruman

on Citysearch May 30, 2004
I've been to Kingfish many, many times and I keep going back because they have great food. However, the service is downright bad, so don't expect much in that category. I enjoy dining at a nice restaurant and taking my... (more)

hersheyjan

on Citysearch Mar 27, 2004
Tuna Tartare was just ok...decent selection of oysters. Crab cocktail wasn't bad either. I've been here ta handful of times already but wouldn't return on purpose. The service was a bit slow and unattentive.... (more)

achin

on Citysearch Mar 24, 2004
Upon reading the first few reviews, I had grave concerns going into this restaurant. However, it was not as bad as written. Service and food were average. The etoufee was OK. Not sure if I am correct in my assessment,... (more)

Contributor

on Citysearch Aug 17, 2003
The Peninsula meet the Big Easy at this festive Cajun eatery in downtown San Mateo. (more)

datrojanghogan

on Citysearch Apr 13, 2003
After looking at their wonderful menu online, I must say that we were disappointed with King Fish. While their selection and descriptions were fantastic, the execution fell far below our expectations. The "best... (more)

nino001

on Citysearch Feb 14, 2003
Last time I was at Kingfish, service was not that good. While still needing work, it has improved. The waiters seem more attentive now to diners than before. The atmosphere continues to be warm and friendly, with all... (more)

noefoodie

on Citysearch Dec 29, 2002
Food was great here (skirt steak, beignets, crawfish etoufee) but the service needs major improvement. There are 3 levels to be seated on. I asked the host for a quiet table and he put me in the basement, which had that... (more)

mogulss

on Citysearch Dec 21, 2002
Perhaps it was the holidays, or maybe because the kitchen was short staffed, but I have never spent close to 4 hours in a restaurant with such poor service. Not only was the service slow, the waiter could not get our... (more)

Jeffmca

on Citysearch Nov 13, 2002
This restaurant has a great atmosphere and the food was wonderful. The service was the worst I have had in a long long time! Our waiter only came to our table about 3 times the whole night, we waited and waited for... (more)

serenalau

on Citysearch Nov 01, 2002
Solid food, good atmosphere, and great desserts (beignets!), but the service was EXTREMELY slow. They really need to fix this! (more)
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Recent Comments


The Cajun food here is absolutely delicious and the atmosphere is fun and welcoming. The... (more)
Leftylag, May 11, 2011

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