It's been a while since I've eaten here. I've forgotten how big their selection is and how good their food is. This family owned restaurant has been around since 1983, they must be doing something right! Their portions are big enough to feed an army. We walked in with an army, 10 hungry teens, 13 adults and a 10 year old. We ordered pizza, pasta and apps. Nothing beats carb loading on a cold Saturday night. They also offer lots of Mediterranean dishes in this Greek inspired restaurant. read more

This little gem is located off 92 near 280 in the hills of San Mateo. Me and my elderly relatives went to check it out after Saturday's Farmers Market at CSM - so the location was perfect. The proportions are huge. We ordered a small personal pizza (#2) which is 8" in diameter and piled with meats, cheese and veggies. My mom and her sister split it, and took a quarter section home with them. I had the chicken cheesesteak sandwich which comes on Dutch crunch roll with soup, salad, or fries. The salad - I picked the Greek salad - was large so easily shared with my mom and aunt. The staff was warm, friendly and efficient. Will definitely return to try out more of the it's extensive menu. read more

Incredibly overpriced pizza! I ordered a regular-sized pizza, and it came out to $70--seriously? I had to double-check--am I in a Michelin star restaurant in Napa?Nope, just an old shopping plaza in San Mateo. To top it off, it doesn't even taste like pizza! Sure, the toppings are fresh, but the ingredients definitely don't justify the price. And the cheese? Overloaded and downright unpleasant. Definitely not worth it! read more

Gotta love an old-school family owned business. This place has an enormous menu and I don't mean just the number of items but when you actually go into the restaurant, the menu is the most giant menu I've ever seen in my whole entire life. The pizza was good. I had the vegetarian Greek pizza and really enjoyed it. I love that they have a lot of vegetarian salad, pasta, and sandwich options so a lot of good things to go back and try and as always I love supporting locally owned family businesses and this is definitely one to support. read more

This might be an unpopular review but let me explain my rationale. We're now 4 months into this COVID mess and looking for any "normal" dining experience continues to be a challenge. Yelp also isn't helpful with its inconsistent reports of whether or not certain restaurants have outdoor dining so when you try to do a filtered search, you often come up with a limited list of pizza, and other pizzas, oh and more pizza... Pizza is a treat for me and if I splurge on pizza, it's gotta be special. What brought me here was all the reviews with keywords like: ... Out of this world ... As if you're on a Greek Island ... So worth it ... Authentic ... Huge ... Best ... Extensive ... Been going here for years ... Large portions So you get the idea why we decided to give this place a try. Trusting the reviews, we went with an order of fried calamari $15 and medium 12 inch pizza, half #2 Greek American and half #7 Greek. There is outdoor seating available. Most of it was in the shade so with the wind blowing, I wish I can an extra layer. Service was prompt and responsive. You can go inside to use the bathroom with mask on. It's cute inside with Greek murals on walls and decorations to give you that Greek vibe. So let's get to the food. First I have to agree that the pizza is massively thick -- so thick and packed with toppings that you should not attempt to pick a slice up unless you want everything spilling everywhere and juice dripping down your hand. But here's why all this massiveness didn't work -- one layer of pepperoni/salami taste oily salty and good but 5 layers stacked on top of each other makes it taste like Im eating cold cuts. The cheese was so thick that it was like eating a block of string cheese. And lastly when you pile tomatoes/onions layering on top of each other, they become watery and completely soaking the crust. What you end up with is a soggy crust that you can enjoy. I actually preferred eating the rim of the crust more than anything. The pizza itself tasted incredibly salty and that's probably due to the over topping. It reminds me of my teenage years when Boboli pizza crust was first created and everyone bought one from the grocery store thinking they could go home to make their own homemade pizza. I always overtopped my pizza until it resembled a low level pyramid. Sadly, I ate one slice of each #2 and #7 just to compare. They're both pretty similar. The gyro was dried out. I'm sure if it was done in a wrap, it would've been much more juicer. There was so much feta and the whole olives were just overkill. Whenever I get a Costco combo pizza, I always pick all the topping off and wish outloud if I could just eat the toppings and nothing else. Well here at a Rainbow, that became a sad reality, except I didn't enjoy it as much as I did a Costco combo. Lastly, Calamari was average but expensive at $15. Without the tartar sauce, it really had no taste. I'm a regular calamari fan at a Chinese restaurant -- you can't beat a good salt and pepper calamari. Pizza was $32 and we had half of a medium 8 slice 12 inch left to take home. It was expensive for what it's worth considering I can get MOD pizza for a third of the price and it actually tastes better but I probably won't be having pizza for the rest of this COVID lockdown... read more

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I have eaten and taken out food from Rainbow Pizza for many years now. Food is always plentiful and good. Every friend I have introduced to RP, first, they are amazed at the size of the menu. Second, they see so many items they want to try and that's not even including the pizza yet. When one goes often enough, you get recognized by their staff and I've always had good experiences. Whenever I see Steve, he waves, smiles, talks a little and jokes with me. Bud, he and I always joke with each other and I have to say, he cracks me up. I will continue to go to RP not only for the food, but for the good times my friends and I have there. read more

Huge menu and super friendly staff! I had heard that the gyro here was top notch, so I tried that and was not disappointed. Very fresh ingredient's and tasty meat. The pizza was good as well , with generous amounts of cheese, and toppings, And a zesty sauce. It was my first time here but based on the crowd and their interactions with the staff, I could tell I'd walked into a beloved neighborhood gem. If pizza or gyros aren't your thing, that have an absolutely enormous menu full of Italian and Greek items to choose from. Very much recommend and we will be returning read more

I really like this place. I've never had a bad meal. But I feel like I have to call out this one. I ordered a pizza and the sausage was undercooked and raw. This is only an issue because someone in my family is susceptible to food illness. I corrected it by putting the pizza in my oven till it was cooked but then parts are overcooked and burned. Aside from this, I recommend the gyros. read more

This might be the best restaurant in the Bay Area? It's certainly the only casual restaurant with great Greek food in the Bay Area! Never had their pizza, but incredible authentic Greek food. Ambience could be improved but who cares when the food is this good and the portions are horse sized. read more

Food was great and servings were huge. Great deal! Friendly staff. May try their catering. Will definitely return to try more of the menu. read more

Rainbow Pizza - Pizza - Greek Near Me - San Mateo, California

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We all have had pizza's from dozens of different pizza joints and restaurants throughout our lifetime. Everyone makes a claim as to what the best pizza they have ever eaten. It's all personal preference and opinions. I'm sure there are many of people who can make that claim about Rainbow Pizza me being one of them. I can't claim it's the best tasting pizza I ever eaten because I do have two others that I really like as far as taste (Toto's and Amici's) but let me tell you why I really like Rainbow pizza and restaurant. I am going to make this claim because in my opinion all the pizza joints that I've been to nobody piles it on like Rainbow Pizza. There is no skimping on the toppings or cheese on the pizzas that they make. When they deliver that pizza it makes a big thud when they dropped it on the table. I can't believe the variety of foods that this restaurant serves and their menus are the heaviest and largest menus I've ever seen at any restaurant (very senior friendly with lots of pictures and no eye glasses necessary). If you can't find something in this restaurant that you would love to eat or try and you need to go back home and cook it yourself. I don't eat here often but have eaten here many times over the years and when I do I always leave there satisfied and with a doggie bag or leftover pizza. It's always been that way. No need to say keep up the good work because they have always done so over the years. read more

Talk about a good THICK slice of pizza :D Got the meat lovers equivalent rainbow pizza and was delighted with the pizza. Stacked meats and cheese and a nice thick pillowy crust, what more do you want! The price point won't compare to other pizza chains, but I was happy to support a local business like Rainbow pizza. I recommend getting a Medium pizza for 2 as that was enough for me and my bf. We also had leftovers. Parking here is fairly easy as it's located in a plaza and ordering ahead is the fastest way to get your food! They do have indoor dining open the last time I ordered from here. read more

The salads are phenomenal and humongous. They are my go to, but when I am feeling ravenous and deserve a special treat, it is the Gyro Sampler appetizer that satisfies all of the cravings. This item is kind of like a salad, with gyro slices, topped with their homemade cucumber and yogurt, tzatziki sauce, tomato and red onion...Only instead of a bed of lettuce, the aforementioned blankets a pile of fresh from the fryer, steak fries. The fries are crispy but taste splendidly of potato. Each bite has crunch, salt, velvety tzatziki and the sweet/ bitter bite of onion and the ripest tomato. It is just the best combination... This is a HEAVY meal for one, or a great appetizer for a crowd. Forget about carne asada fries, poutine, chili cheese fries, or any other indulgent potato topped with naughty stuff! The pizza is phenomenal, every sandwich and pasta is great, the salads are amazing, but the Gyro Sampler is the BEST thing on the extensive menu. read more

Rainbow Pizza - Gyro sampler! - Greek Near Me - San Mateo, California

Such a fun and vibrant ambiance for the entire family! Super accommodating menu and the food is hands down delicious... go with an appetite.

Portions are very generous and love the old school charm. We have been enjoying their food for over 20 years and they never disappoint. Their party trays are a staple at our family gatherings. The pastitsio and linguine with clams are my favorite. read more

Food is delicious & the service is amazing. The portions are huge! Second time here & will continue to come more often. read more

Rainbow Pizza - Pastitsio "lasagna" - Greek Near Me - San Mateo, California

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This is honestly one of my favorite places to get a greek salad. Literally THE BEST. I typically add beef or lamb onto it to get some protein. The portions here are huge!! Seriously, last time I ordered a half order of their greek salad and even then it was way too much! They really fill it to the brim and don't skimp out. Their menu is extensive...so many options to choose from! Their pizza is bomb and so are their pastas. I really like their pesto ravioli! The staff is always super duper friendly. We've ordered here for company parties and everyone always loves the food here! I love coming here when I'm in the area! read more

Amazing Pizza! Very delicious! Ordered # 5 Pizza with Salami, Pepperoni, Onions, Fresh Tomatoes, Italian Sausage, Fresh chopped Garlic, In extra virgin Olive Oil. Michael was very friendly and provided great customer service! Thank you. read more

Eleven years since my last review of RBP. The seem to still be going strong and we're still taking out from them, if not quite as regularly as we used to. Our Greek food order has subtly shifted to the Greek Isle salad but everything I said a decade ago still holds true. We ordered two sandwiches tonight for a little change of pace. Eggplant parm, and Meatball. Both come with a side of fries, salad, or soup. Both sandwiches are solid. They held up well with takeout, the rolls getting a little soft on the exterior but even without a crunch they maintained their integrity and supported the overall flavor and textural experience. My only small complaint is that the meatball sandwich isn't actually a meatball parm (to be fair, they do not call it that on the menu) so we felt it didn't have enough cheese. Next time we order it I'll ask for more cheese. :) read more

Service is excellent here. Pizza is good, salads are good but my fave is their fettuccine Alfredo. Both shrimp and chicken are great. All their pasta dishes are amazing. Would recommend this place. Very family-friendly too--I've been going here through the years with my hubby and huge family ever since my hubby and I were just dating. Now we have a little one and we still love this place. Wish I had some photos to share but I'll just come back and add some next time we go back read more

We need to celebrate Great Food in San Mateo County!!!! Rainbow's menu is phenomenal. Too many choice, so little time!!! Our favorites are the Greek Pizza, Gyros, meatball sand, chicken Alfredo...all good-everything on that damn Rainbow menu!!! Go now!!!!!! read more

OVERALL: This is the only local place to get good, authentic Greek food! They have a HUGE variety and everything served is also huge. Their menus are even the size of my torso. Can't go wrong. FOOD: I always go for the Greek food here. They also have pizzas, sandwiches, and pasta dishes. Everything comes in huge portions, even their water cups are extra large. Everything can absolutely be shared. Some of my favorites are their gyro (years ago they made their own gyros but now they use Kronos. Still good but was even better before), spanakopita, avgolemono soup, and pastitso. SPACE: They have a large indoor space. I've never had a problem getting a table. The decor includes pictures and art from Greece. Their large back room is decorated like a Greek village. SERVICE: The staff is friendly and food comes out quickly. read more

Rainbow Pizza - Gyro with fries - Greek Near Me - San Mateo, California

This is a frequent place that my friends and I congregate to catch up. Every time the service was superb and all their greek dishes were top notch. If I were to suggest anything, it would be the greek salad because it's consistently HUGE and Tasty. Warning: the pizzas are NOT cheap. I ordered a meat-lovers small and a salad and the tab was $55. The pizza was really good and fed 3 meals so just be prepared. lastly, It also doubles up as a "Fry-Spot" for us as they have the mozzarella sticks and onion rings read more

Great service and very good food. Huge menu, so there is something for everyone :) The Chicken parmesan and Cheesy garlic bread were quite good. My wife had a 4 cheese pizza with chicken that she really enjoyed . read more

Delicious large portions of food and fountain drinks. Perfect for large groups and families. Attentive and friendly service. My 2nd visit. We'll be back. read more

They were very kind and extremely helpful. 10/10 recommend. Amazing staff. Great service. Much love

True hidden gem in the Bay Area. My favorite pizza place of all time! The Greek-American pizza has a delicious crust and plentiful topping of meat and cheese-tasty and surprisingly not too salty. Love their pastas too. The sauce and the seafood in it are phenomenal. Also you can't miss their salads. Customer service is exceptional every single time i have gone there. Great place to sit down and hang out with old friends! If you haven't tried this place, you MUST! read more

This restaurant is a steady provider of good food in reasonable prices. My husband and i tried so many restaurants to find a good chicken Parmesan dish. we found is no place but rainbow pizza which provides the steady dish without ups and downs. It always gives not overcooked/dry chicken pieces. Don't mention its generous portion. You need to wait 20-30 minutes to get your order. It means you need to calculate your stomach watch well in advance. Enjoy. read more

This is our new favorite restaurant. We recently had lunch there with our friends who have been going there for many years, and we loved it. It is truly a neighborhood gem. "Family operated since 1983", and it's still going strong. Wonderful food, amazing menu, very high quality and amazing quantity, excellent service, charming atmosphere, and remarkable value. We will be going back for sure. read more

An extensive menu covering pizza, pasta, salads, Italian staples, burgers, and mouthwatering Greek cuisine! I'm sure I'm forgetting to mention the two handfuls of appetizer offerings. Whatever you order, you can't go wrong. Besides, there isn't a day I haven't been here where I haven't heard animated Greek conversations happening at nearby tables. Reminds me of my time in Greece eons ago (I had been dating a Greek guy and went solo to explore the homeland. LOVED my time there). My favorites: moussaka, pastitio, greek meme platter read more

WOW, who ever would have guessed this hidden gem would be right in San Mateo where some of my relatives live and where I work?! Where I have been this whole time?! Stumbled across this place as one of my old school friends has told me about this place. So I decided to take my best friend with me to check this place out! Man, the reviews and my friend were not kidding! They all stated that the food here comes in huge portions and the pizza is huge and not to order a big size as you will take it home. My brother has personally said that he was only able to eat 2 slices and tapped out..... We ordered the calamari as all the reviews and other fellow yelpers had advised to get it. We also got a mini size greek pizza and still even took half of that to go back home with us as we didnt finish that either. Totally worth the drive all the way across town over the bridge for this spot! DEF a fan and will be returning back real soon! read more

Rainbow Pizza - Calamari - Greek Near Me - San Mateo, California

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The staff is people friendly. They'll remember you for next time. Greek's their forte. They will suggest the type of food you came in for. Greek cuisine,Hawaiian, Italian pizza, just to name a few. Calamari is my fave for starters. It is locals busy for a reason. But don't back out if ever there's a wait. They're fast, friendly & reliable. Short but sweet, they will truly deserve a tip.. read more

Ok so how many times have I seen this place in the shopping center? Yes you are correct, like one hundred million! Ok,ok I exaggerate a bit, but who is counting? Lol- So we did a walk to Crystal Springs, we were a bit hungry and we said..hey why not? After all, being part Italian I like the fact that they have Italian food, and I like Greek food too..so its a win-win! You go on, nothing fancy but nice panels and murals on the wall, totally bustling with people in the front. So much so, I am getting a headache with all the " bla bla bla" talk I am hearing. No thanks lets sit in the back. We arrive hardly anyone is in the back..thatsa nice" :) Next, their menus are so big and weigh a ton, I could literally do arms curls with them.:) We order, can I just say that the plates did not arrive exactly at the same time. So how does that look? Um not good. The person I am with, their food arrives like 20 minutes before mine. Hello 20 minutes, for crying out loud they are going to be done before I can even start!! This is not a race..but geeze, hey did you check my tank, do I have enough gas for this race? ;-) .IT was obviously a slip up of the waiter, but all is forgiven, Now I want my damn food"! I get grumpy when I am hungry. (breathe in..breathe out..) The waiter seemed annoyed that we questioned where the food was. I think he was having a stressful day. It is not easy being a server. I ordered the Souvlaki combination, which was very good. Then we had some calamari..not so good. The crispy parts were great, the others tasted like little rubber bands..yuk!! They were not good..too overdone. The Greek salad we ordered was out of this world! So I like the ambiance, the food. Is it inexpensive?, so not really. Okay so with my platter, an order of Calamari, a small Greek salad, 3 beers it came out with tip to over 33.00 each. So in other words 66.00. That is a little steep for lunch, would you not say? Would I go back again?..Yes?! But I would need to go when it is not so crowded, and the waiter gets the food out together. It is fine when its appetizers, but not main courses and 20 minutes apart? Really?. PRO's- The food is good, and the owner is very nice and accommodating. read more

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Of course, I will never come back. I'm going to restaurants to spend $$$ not begging foods for free, so my expectation is to have a good service for return. I believed your business was established over 42 years. For that reason, you probably forgot about customer service 101. Customers are always right and customer is a king. If you think you're a business owner and your business is sustainable, you can say anything to customers, then you're wrong. I have a right to request for a service and you have a right to refuse to serve me. However, you need to watch your language and attitude to customers. Don't look down people. You're just like me and others whom immigrated to US. Don't think your English better than others. read more

The food is really tasty and delicious. The pizza will last you for days. I bring mine home, and vacuum seal it and eat it whenever I feel like it. It still taste good. The portions are huge. My husband and I get 3 meals out of it. I usually like to order the chicken florentine. The calamari is delicious and huge. If I order it, I cannot eat my dinner. The shrimp Cesar salad is delicious. So much stuff on the menu. The service is very good. We go for lunch and it is not too crowded and you can spread out. read more

This is an amazing spot! Highly recommend getting the gyro with extra tzatziki... I think it's the best gyro I've ever had. The people there are always nice and friendly. read more

Food is excellent. Everything prepared fresh. Freshly made pasta every time. Menu is extensive. Family operated. Waitstaff efficient, professional and friendly High quality ingredients. You can watch the pizzas being made through the front window. One of the very few family operated restaurants. read more

Greek American pizza Gyro salad The shrimp salad sandwich These are my go-to when going to Rainbow Pizza. The pizzas are dense and remind me of deep dish because of the weight and density. Routinely eat here and recommended to all. read more

Pizza? In a back road strip mall in San Mateo? Admit that I was apprehensive, but left thoroughly impressed and looking forward to next time. This is the perfect spot for: a. Big appetites b. Big menu selection c. Kid friendly food d. Creative mix of Greek and Italian classic comfort food. e. All of the above Answer: e. All of the above To confirm this, come as a party of ten and make it a democratic meal. Three in our party dined here previously so they ordered the 'meat' of the meal, mainly the pizza and the lamb while the rest of us picked through the other items to try. Here's what we ordered and shared family style: Appetizers 1. Grande appetizer combo (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=i60UNEhGaqrplMuleKosqw&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - 6 mozzarella sticks, 6 jalapeno poppers, onion rings, and a generous portion of French fries... no partridge and a pear tree. 2. Caesar's salad - Sorry, no photo as we divvied this up before I could get a shot in. Nicely seasoned and dressed, this disappeared in a hurry. 3. Fried calamari (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=aAjvW4R8jOvGKTVzPO904Q&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - Crisp with a good mix of legs and rings. Mains 4. Greek-American pizza (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=aIXd97SwXgoApksiHFGLhA&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - The STAR of the show for me... touted as the best pizza in the house, you have me SOLD! Did I tell you that I like mushrooms?! There was no shortage and the flavors of all the other ingredients made me wondering when I'd make the drive here again. 5. Tortellini de la mar (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=ZhAFO5NaDar5cn7pwDE1Xg&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - These were nice little pasta pillows garnished with shrimp and mushrooms in a not overly tangy sauce. 6. Rack of lamb (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=bJ4L0V0YDOF3qCQSi0b0pg&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - Generous in portion, these were authentic in seasoning but the pizza overshadowed this for me. Sides 7. Moussaka (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Lq-NCmTY2ggtw0ISakbhRg&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - Not my cup of tea as I prefer a meaty Italian style lasagna to this. 8. Meatballs (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=zsXIdK7QO5uWKrDor0QsAg&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) - They were okay but not earth shattering. Go to North Beach and seek that corner pizza maestro by the park. South Bay families are familiar with this sleeper of a place. My friends said that their children's sports teams often dined here post event and there was a good mix of couples and families here on a foggy Saturday night. I don't believe they take reservations but my friend, a relatively frequent diner, arranged for a table for our party when we arrived. Service was prompt and efficient and there is definitely a family feel service wise too as the owner stopped by during our meal. It's a bit of a trek but the plus is that it is closer to 280 so traffic is less of an issue. Looking for my next time here and you can be sure that I'll be taking a Greek American pizza home! read more

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My fav go too pizza spot !!! Super delicious & melts in my mouth every time. Pricey but worth it. Their sausages are huge !!! Everything is super big on the pizza especially the largest size pizza read more