This is a hidden gem! Went here for a private party and it was wonderful! The food and service was very well put together. The bar service was also good! Fun night! read more

We went out to eat and had the ribs and they were exceptionally dry and hard to eat. When I went to the restroom two rats ran down the hallway so there's no telling where else they run around in. ***The chef reached out to pay for my food the next visit. Unfortunately that will not happen as I will not go back to visit a place that rats running around in the open and they try to make excuses as to why they let it happen. read more

I understand that businesses set their own prices, but today's experience was truly disappointing. After leaving work this afternoon, I came across a young girl suffering from heat exhaustion. While others were caring for her, the one thing I could do was give her my only bottle of water. It was an easy decision--someone needed help. Every day I walk past this restaurant on my way to catch the bus home. Since it was extremely hot and I had given away my water, I stopped in to buy another bottle. I was stunned to be charged **$10.92 (including tax)** for a single 1-liter bottle of Fiji water. During extreme heat, access to water is more than just a convenience--it can be a necessity. While I respect a business's right to set prices, charging nearly $11 for one bottle of water feels excessive, especially when people may be trying to avoid dehydration or heat-related illness. I hope the restaurant will reconsider its pricing on something as essential as water. A small act of fairness can make a meaningful difference, particularly on days when the heat poses a real risk to the community. read more

MacArthur Park Restaurant and Bar - The bottle of water I purchased today for $10.92 - New American Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Hidden gem that doesn't get the attention it deserves! Been here numerous times and the food is always delicious! Today I got to sit at the bar and enjoyed some craft cocktails and some of the best potato skins I've ever had! I love crispy potato skins, and they do it well. This would be a great place for people to come and enjoy Sunday football or pop in on Tuesday through Friday between 4:30-6:30 for happy hour. I'm looking forward to next summer because they have just set up a pizza oven and a new outdoor area that can be used for banquets. read more

My sister and I went for Thanksgiving. It was AMAZING! They are in process of remodeling. They've put in the most gorgeous hardwood floors. And a fresh coat of paint goes a long way. The food! They really elevated things this year. So many options on the buffet. Regular Thanksgiving fare Seafood Roast beef Salmon Their famous ribs, sausage and bbq chicken Pasta ( 3 choices) Charcuterie Salads And the desserts - yum. I wish I had taken a photo but we were so excited by the food we just inhaled our meal. To be honest, our server was meh. You don't need much for a buffet but we had to wait at least 15 min before he even showed up to our table to ask if we wanted water. That was disappointing. But I give the food an A++++++ read more

We went to MacArthur Park for baby back ribs and the Marco Polo pasta. For dessert we had the Turtle pie and Mudpie. It was delicious as always. Service was very attentive from the whole staff. read more

Awful Christmas dinner- definitely avoid if you can! Bizarre as soon as you walk in. The hostess is wearing ripped jeans for a holiday meal? Totally classless and that should have been our first red flag. We were seated at one of the bare tables with no decoration, silverware, plates, etc. We waited for about 10 minutes before someone finally greeted us to give us the drink menus. We never got any explanation for if we were clear to go to the buffet, so we flagged down a woman who seemed flustered and told us we could go. The food was average at best. The ribs were probably the most disappointing- I had a bite that I had to spit out because it was just an entire bite of fat- so so gross. My favorite dish was probably the salad with Brussels sprouts but when I mentioned that to my uncle he said that his portion was super bitter. There were a few tables cluttered with bins of utensils and napkins just out next to the coffee station. It seems like no effort was put into cleaning up or having a nice atmosphere. There was garbage on the carpets too. The only staff member who was upbeat or friendly or didn't seem totally out of it was the gentleman at the carving station. At the dessert station, the cheese board had little tongs but no knives to cut pieces off of the blocks of cheese. The dessert selection was limited, hadn't been refilled, and most of the dishes didn't have serving utensils, so people had to grab portions with their hands. Gross!! It's clear to see why you never hear about this place. I've lived ten minutes away for 30 years and never hear about anyone going here- now I know why. read more

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Amazing ambiance! Food was deliciouso...Staff were friendly and accommodating. It was a perfect night for a great birthday celebration!!!

One of my best friends celebrated her birthday at MacArthur Park Restaurant recently and I am very impressed by the excellent service they provided. All their staff, the bartender, and especially their boss, Mitzie really went above and beyond to make sure all of us are having the great time. The food is also sumptuous! The ambiance is perfect to celebrate special occasions in this restaurant. I highly recommend this place! read more

I've been to MacArthur Park several times and have never had an issue with the food. We went on Christmas Eve, and for the price, the buffet was a great value, with a wide array of options to choose from. Their happy hour is also a standout--great prices on both food and drinks--and it's just a festive, enjoyable place to be. The service could be improved, as it can take a while to get a drink, especially during the buffet. That said, I would absolutely go back for happy hour or a special occasion. read more

Hosted a private dinner here for 20 doctors and they never notified me that they were in the middle of renovations. It was so embarrassing for all of my guests. We had to tell them to stop drilling so we could hear ourselves. I suggested they offer a $25 gift certificate to each guest but was refused. The entire experience was awful and totally avoidable if they had AT ANY POINT contacted us to let us know of the inconvenience. Poor management! We opted for the patio and didn't realize we'd have a crappy view of the staff transportation food was about as good the management. read more

MacArthur Park Restaurant and Bar - View in the patio- ??! This is for my fancy party and we have to look at this -yikes - New American Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Perfect place for parties and gatherings! The food is great, and the staff are attentive and friendly. We had a wonderful experience and would definitely come back read more

Came here to celebrate one of our bestfriend's birthday and we really had so much fun. Food was savory and the service was excellent. Kudos to Mitzie and her team for their excellent service! Highly recommend this place to celebrate a special occasion. read more

Great customer service! Mitch the coordinator and the rest of the staff were very professional and accommodating. The food was delicious! Will definitely be back and recommend this place! read more

We celebrated my cousin's 50th birthday here and had a fantastic experience. The patio area was beautiful, had a great atmosphere, and was spacious enough to accommodate all of our guests comfortably. The food was delicious, with plenty for everyone to enjoy. The servers and organizer were friendly, attentive, and always available when needed. Everything was well organized, making the celebration enjoyable and stress-free. Highly recommend for special events! read more

Great Thanksgiving buffet: traditional turkey, chicken, prime rib, salmon, sides galore! A feast with many delectable dishes and desserts, the servers were kind and gracious. Food was great! read more

We had a wonderful large birthday dinner at MacArthur Park, the food was terrific and the outside patio venue was lovely. The patio was perfect for a private party, and there was room for a dinner buffet and a DJ and dancing area. The food was great, and the servers were very helpful and on top of making sure everyone had drinks and appetizers, etc. Mitzie as the event planner was a great help in ensuring this was a fun and successful event. read more

I had driven by this restaurant so many times and recently decided to give it a try with my partner. Our dishes were served really quickly as we were one of three tables. The server was attentive enough without being overbearing. The portion for the fettuccine was large and they were generous with the prawn. The cheesecake was slightly gritty so I would not recommend it. This restaurant has been operating for over 20 years so I would definitely recommend giving it a try for yourself. read more

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This review is specifically for Tyler: Bartender, magician, part-time therapist & full-time legend. Let me just say this: I came to MacArthur Park for a drink, not to meet a man so charismatic he could sell sand in a desert. Tyler is the kind of bartender who makes you question why you ever settled for lukewarm beer and social anxiety at other bars. From the jump, Tyler greeted us with a smile so genuine I briefly considered proposing, even tho I'm straight as an arrow. The man's got jokes, charm, and the kind of presence that makes you think he might be in witness protection from a former life as a stand-up comic or cult leader (the friendly kind). Now here's where he went above and beyond: I brought my little brother, Scotty, who has a rare disability where he was born without a bottom lip and has 6 toes. Scotty usually gets overlooked in crowded spaces. Not on Tyler's watch. He made that goofy rascal feel like he was the star of the bar. Tyler busted out all sorts of tricks with the oranges and limes--juggling them, making them disappear etc. He started doing magic tricks like he was auditioning for America's Got Talent: Bartender Edition. My brother lit up like a Christmas tree in Times Square. You could literally see the fuzzy feelings forming in real-time. It was borderline emotional, which was inconvenient because I was trying to look cool sipping on some suds. Tyler made my brother feel like the most important person in the room, which--let's be honest--is a rare and beautiful kind of magic that no cocktail can replicate (and the cocktails were damn good). He even made Scotty a special cocktail called The Melted Snowman (it's just ice water). So yeah, if you want to be served by a guy who can mix a Manhattan, roast you lovingly, make your little brother feel like royalty, and possibly pull a coin out of your ear (or anywhere else you want it pulled from)--Tyler's your guy. Just try to not fall in love. He's probably already taken. read more

John at the bar was amazing. He was busy but made me feel special. The owner Faz came by and walked me through the science around being better. John I'm coming back for you. Watching Ellen work her magic inspires me to come back again. Thank you everyone for making me feel specially read more

On our way to the Stanford football game and we stopped here to eat. Waitress was super nice and professional and attentive. Why do restaurants serve "instant" potatoes with their meals. That's gross and unnecessary. Chicken was delicious and the Cobb salad had lots of protein and fresh crispy bacon. read more

MacArthur Park Restaurant and Bar - Cobb salad - New American Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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Came in not really knowing what to expect but it turned out to be a solid experience. The people working were super friendly and seemed relaxed, not stiff or overly formal. They checked in just enough and were happy to answer any questions without rushing us. The space had a laid-back feel and was clean without being too sterile. Food came out faster than we thought and everything was cooked just right. No weird aftertaste or over-seasoned stuff. It was just good, clean food that tasted fresh. The portions were generous without being too much. We could tell a lot of care went into both the food and how the staff treated people. Nothing overly fancy, but definitely something we'd come back for again when looking for something reliable and tasty. read more

So so sad. When we moved to California almost 40 years ago this was one of our favorite restaurants. We decided to celebrate our son's birthday by visiting this restaurant for the 1st time in 35 years. The restaurant is in disrepair physically. We were there on a Saturday night. At 7pm there were just a few parties dining. Food was mediocre at best. Dried out BBQ chicken, Cobb salad had ice cold tasteless meat on it. Ribs were just OK. Onion strings were delicious. Service was excellent. I don't expect this place to survive. A shame. read more

The Food is SO BAD here. Service is okay and Ambiance is mediocre. But again, Food is absolutely terrible.

We made reservations for a family Christmas Eve dinner. We were not told it would be a buffet dinner. The website says there is plenty of parking which is incorrect. We entered and it was like a high school cafeteria. It was buffet with no decorum. People ravaging the food, tubs of bread, food on the floor, waiters with no personality. Didn't even greet us at our table and introduce us to the place, menu, drinks etc. Just go up and get your food. Food was generally lukewarm warm at best. Website says average plate was $30 and buffet was actually $79. Presentation was poor. Ambiance was not suitable for a nice family Christmas Eve dinner. More like Kings Court or a bowling alley buffet. read more

Excellent service by the wait staff helping us by moving our chairs out as we were leaving the table. Very nice food and beverage presentations by the staff. Best time to dine is in the morning and just my opinion. Make sure you order a drink of any of the their mocktails, as they're real good too. read more

Restaurant was cold, I ordered lam shank and I was not cooked. No service for first 15 minutes. I would not go back. read more

MacArthur Park Restaurant and Bar - Picture of lamb shank - New American Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Onion straws were very tasty-thin,crispy,and piled high. Steak sandwich on sourdough was delicious with lots of thin sliced filet mignon and condiments. Linguine with chicken in a cream sauce was homemade and just right. Upscale warehouse vibes and tastefully remodeled. I'll be back! read more

Excellent service, wait staff friendly and efficient...ambiance good for large party inside private room...my steak was good..very generous portions read more

MacArthur Park Restaurant and Bar - Mesquite Grilled Fillet Mignon 8oz Steak - New American Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Thanksgiving 2025 meal. The place was packed. Sat at a bare table and was told by the waitress that the silverware was at the buffet station? They could not be bothered to set a table for a $75pp meal? Food was just OK, nothing special (cruise ship food). Mary's chicken was the best at the buffet. Desserts were sad and picked over. Will not attend this event again. Stay home and bake a turkey breast. read more

Very nice service. Warm delicious sourdough with cold butter no extra charge (so many restaurants are charging for bread now!). Very ample portions. BBQ is their specialty. The ribs are great and you can have any combination of sides with them at same price. I especially recommend the corn, prepared with slightly spicy Mexican ingredients, and coleslaw, which is not too mayonnaise-y. Cobb salad entree is likewise delicious, more than enough for a meal. Come with a big appetite! Gorgeous Julia Morgan-designed historic landmark building lovely interior. Not sure why the rating isn't higher or the restaurant isn't fuller. Do not agree. read more

Still my favorite and I hope everyone stops by. Sent a few friends to your lovely restaurant (there was nothing else around here, quite frankly) and they were very pleased. Stated the food was "good" and the "atmosphere was lovely". Please everyone - enjoy this restaurant. You won't be disappointed. I'm going by tonight! read more

Aureliano and his team are the best customer service hands down, get custom drinks, good food, great atmosphere. Will always keep coming back! read more

MacArthur Park Restaurant and Bar - Aureliano, bar manager - New American Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Was a great meal! Came on thanksgiving which was a buffet that was being regulated / refilled frequently. We had a great service and they were very attentive for the large party we had. We were sitting in one of the rooms in the back which was a perfect space and quieter. The space was warm even though it was so cold outside and there were many doors. read more

After a long day of touring SF, my fiancé and I made reservations here to cap the night off on our way home. We ordered each a wedge salad and the 8oz filet that came with veggies and a baked potato. Everything was pleasant. The filet was a little tougher than I would have preferred, but still a great cut of meat. Veggies were perfectly sautéed and seasoned. I would have liked more options to put on my baked potato (it only came with sour cream) but it was still cooked well and tasted good. The manager and staff were great! My birthday is in 5 days and we recently got engaged. As a way to celebrate, the manager and our server brought us a brownie with ice cream on top as well as each of us a glass of champagne! To top things off, it was a beautiful night and to sit on the front patio, mid-October, in front of MacArther Park, was divine! read more

MacArthur Park Restaurant and Bar - New American Near Me - Palo Alto, California

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I've been meaning to stop in to try this place as I've become a regular on the Caltrain. Popping in, the venue has a great vibe with wooden floors and a great outdoor patio for warm happy hour dining. Stepped in solo to grab a drink and food while waiting for the train. Service was friendly, with a nice server. The pomegranate martini was delicious. Asked the sever about the starter scallops & if it came with just one or a few. (It comes with two, and while the menu says it is served on potatoes the sever recommends getting them served on the polenta). I took some time to think over my order, and eventually decided on the scallops. I realized after putting my order in that I didn't ask for the polenta, but when the sever brought it out he had decided to make the change for me (a little presumptuous to make that executive decision without confirming with me first) but it worked out in the end because it was very delicious! A nice place to unwind after work. However, if you are looking to catch the train after I do not recommend coming here because the service is slow and you will miss your train. Once I was done with my meal, it felt like the server disappeared. It took what was essentially 10 minutes for the check to show up. (My dishes had long been cleared by that point). And even when I provided my card as soon as it arrived, the server said "I'll be right back for that" and never returned. It took me another 3-5 minutes to realize there was a QR code on the receipt that I could use to pay via Toast. All amounts to a super bummer since I ended up missing the last train by a minute. Good food, nice people--soured at the end. read more

The food was amazing. We selected 2 items from a selected course menu. I picked the lobster scallops pasta, and the poke. The first item was the shrimp bisque. So yummy. It was creamy and tasty. It was served with bread. I love the bread- soft and chewy in the in the side and crunchy on the outside. The salad was good. It was refreshing- simple arugula, with fruits and a light dressing. The poke was also ok. It came with tuna, avocado and tortilla chips. The chips were oily. And the tuna has a hint/smell of ginger, which I didn't like like. The pasta salad was great. The sauce was creamy and the lobster and scallops was oh so yummy. The desert was also very good. So why the 3 stars? 1 star for the service. The service was horrible. We had reservations and when we checked in at the front desk. The guy said they don't have a table for us. We can either sit at the bar or wait at least 30 minutes. The couple in front of us was offered to share (for Valentines dinner) with a table with 4 other random people. So we sat at the bar which wasn't too bad at all. The problem was our waiter. He kept getting us confused with the couple next to us. He kept bringing their food to serve us, even when we didn't finish our courses. He kept asking us if we were good when the dirty dishes were just stacking up. We asked for our check but he gave the couple next to us their check first when they didn't ask for it. We had to keep reminding me about our check cause we wanted to leave. When we finally got our checks, it was for another couple down the other end of the bar. The poor experience kind of ruined the great food :( read more

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MacArthur Park has been a staple in the Palo Alto community for years. It has a wonderful outdoor seating area and a great ambiance inside. The wait staff was welcoming and attentive. The menu is well rounded and the food is yummy. Specifically we had the calamari, wedge salad, grilled shrimp and avocado salad, and ribs for dinner. We each sampled a desert as well. The turtle pie, mud pie, and cheesecake were the perfect end to the meal. We also had some of their port wine, which was a nice touch as well! I would recommend MacArthur Park to anyone looking for a quaint, classic, Palo Alto restaurant vibe. Enjoy! read more

This place was the spot 10 yrs ago. I don't have any idea what's going on with the menu. I met 4 friends for a birthday dinner and it was mediocre at best. I spent $300 dollars on buttermilk fried chicken, 2 whole rack of baby back ribs, 1 rib and chicken, a Cob salad along with 1 onion strings and 1 Calamari and Artichoke for appetizers. The ribs and bbq chicken was a 8 and very good except the sauce. The cob salad was a 8 along with the appetizers. But the service and the buttermilk chicken with mash potatoes and Cole slaw was horrible. There's some dishes you just need to keep simple like fried chicken, Cole slaw and mash. The skin was soft and like a sponge and not crispy along with awful horse raddish slaw and running mash potatoes. We had to ask the waiter 5 to 6 times for water, bread and utensils. Simply get rid of that awful slaw and make real fried chicken and buttermilk garlic mash potatoes. No one in my party ate that nasty slaw.. Also get folks that enjoy there job and not the tip. read more

The name MacArthur Park is not a new name for me in the least. I used to have Pharmaceutical Speaker programs here all the time. I would say I have had over the last 20 years about 10 dinner programs at least. On top of that, numerous family events here. Well yesterday for Easter we decided to for here for their advertised Easter Brunch. Yes there were a few things that sort of disturbed me about the posting. First an Easter Brunch, but for those that do not want to order from that, they made no other offers. That is not a great choice!! After all there are those that are vegetarians that would not be able to have the majority of what you had at your brunch, so I guess for those. Tough Easter Eggs for you! ;-) Another thing, you advertised it as an Easter brunch for 65.00 when in fact, your drinks including Champagne are separate, how do deal with that? Alright, so parking to this event was terrible and had to go all over kingdom come looking for a space. On top of that all the parking was way too tight!! Have ample parking for an event like this. If you are anticipating these crowds. Onward and forward. The inside was not as I remember. It was not as nice as years gone by. The rugs inside looked old and rugged and not clean, that was disturbing. Your bathrooms should have been managed better, turn off!~ On top of this, the only real coverage where staff was behind the buffet was for the Prime Rib and Ham and Salmon, that is it. That is disturbing. It looked like a free for all. Though most people were respectful, we just have been dealing with Covid for the past 2 years and we have an open even where practically zero people are wearing masks except these 2 people covering that back table of Prime Rib and Salmon etc. There was nothing exceptional about the food. The salads were good, but for 65.00 a person which in turns is actually much more by the end, everything was just ok. Honestly, I would not have paid more than $ 35.00-40.00 for this brunch per person. Let me explain what the total cost ended up for all of us. That 65.00 per person, by the time you add tax, a living wage ( which is a higher wage that for the servers that owners want to pass on to patrons), tip and your champagne or drink, we ended up paying $101.00 per person. Would I do it again here no way!! Was I glad I did, yes. Was it the same as in years go bye, disappointing but not. Your waiting staff was not even that attentive, but given the circumstances, I understand. read more