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    The Iron Gate

    3.9 (686 reviews)
    PriceyFrench, American
    Closed Closed
    Updated 3 months ago

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    THE IRON GATE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Classy
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - The Iron Gate

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    Michelle P.

    Came her quite a few times before kids, but we never brought them until our anniversary this year - they enjoyed it! Fine dining, vintage fashion dining, quality wait staff - caesar salad, fish, pork, tuna, "surf & turf", fettucine alfredo - all classic, all delicious - lovely quiet dining experience - then though full, the chocolate souffle and crepes suzette - FIRE! lol so much fun! Lovely evening surrounded by my family, delicious food, quality staffing, just cannot get better - LOVE IT! Why did we wait so long to return?!

    Sotheby's International Realtors from Tampa, FL, Santa Barbara,  Ashville, NC,  Park City, UT and Greenwich, CT.

    We celebrated my 60th surprise birthday party at Iron Gate Restaurant a couple of years ago, and it was absolutely unforgettable. From start to finish, the service was impeccable. The staff is incredible -- attentive, warm, and truly committed to creating a special experience. The food is consistently delicious, beautifully presented, and thoughtfully prepared. Every detail that evening was handled flawlessly, which made the celebration feel effortless and elegant. We've also hosted many client dinners there over the years, and just one week ago we brought professional colleagues from around the country for dinner. They are still raving about the atmosphere, cuisine, and exceptional hospitality. Iron Gate is our go-to for special occasions -- and honestly, for any occasion. We highly recommend it to anyone looking for an outstanding dining experience. Bob and Kat Bedbury

    Steak Diane Flambe (10 0z)
    Caleb L.

    The service and food is impeccable. Staff were extremely attentive. Restrooms are very clean. I ordered the ribeye and the wife got the steak Diane. They cooked the steak Diane table side and it was spectacular to see! Would definitely come back and highly recommend this spot! Shout out to Chef Salvador Conchas you are the best cook!

    Zucchini flowers as appetizers! AMAZING!
    Trish T.

    This place is top notch! The service was exceptional. Giuseppe was our server. Very helpful and always available. Very personable. The food was amazing. Every bit!

    Thursday, June 22nd, 2023 - Corkage ($35)
    Elena N.

    Date: Thursday, June 22nd, 2023 Time: 7pm Meal: Dinner Party of: 2 Reservation Made: via OpenTable about 3 weeks prior *Escargots Borg ($24) *Crab Cakes App ($26) *La Liaison Iron Gate ($36) *Steak Diane: Med Rare ($75) *Prawns & Scallops ($44) *Souffle Chocolate ($17) *Combo Souffle ($22) *Silvia Reserve Cab ($25 glass) *Diet Coke ($5) *Espresso ($7): Double ($2.25) *Jameson: Neat ($8) *Corkage ($35) I had never heard of Iron Gate until my friend suggested having dinner here. (I don't get to Belmont much.) I adore French food, so of course I agreed. Plus, the menu and ambiance had an old school vibe. White tablecloths, etc. Reminded me of my Dad's French restaurant growing up. The escargots were delish! It's all about that butter! I always try to soak up all the tasty sauce with the bread. I adore salads. (I love my veggies.) I had no idea when ordering, this salad came with shrimp. (I believe they were bay shrimp.) Felt almost like a main due to the added ingredients. I don't recall much about the surf and turf we created for our main dishes, but that probably means it was fine. For dessert, we immediately went to the souffles. Normally, the souffles I get are served in their dish / bowl. But they actually scooped it out and plated it, so it lost it's airiness. The flavors were good tho. Great restaurant if you are looking for classic French cuisine. REVIEW #3520

    Veal Veau A La Jerusalem
    LeeLee C.

    In my conclusion, this is a place for the long term Bay Area residence who are nostalgic about the glory days of Iron Gate. It's a pricey traditional French style restaurant, food is fine, but their casual but personal services is what most restaurants lack. The Iron Gate owner got this place in the 1930's and in 1940's, the Iron Gate was founded. It has its own parking lot, making it a bit safer than parking along El Camino. Most of the wait staff there worked for over 20 years, and the restaurant is famous for cooking flammable dish on carte tableside. If you see "flambe" on the menu, the dish will be cooked in front of you with high fire. There's a minimum $60 spend limit for each customer but the dishes are not cheap. So if you order an apertizer, an entree and a dessert, you will reach the limit and more. We ordered the La Maison Iron Gate salad for 2, which they mix the salad in front of us on a cart. It has feta, avocado, lettuce, bacon, mushroom and a chunk of tomato. I tried the Veal Jerusalem and it tasted good. The veal was pan fried and then added on a creamy sauce. Hubby tried their signature steak Diane. The meat cut was not thick and we asked for medium rare. The total cook time was about 3 minutes, they first seared the steak, then added all the sauces and brandy and let it cooked till thickened and then serve. After adding the brandy, a huge flame shot up and making it like a show. The store manager cooking for us said in a busy night they would be making 150 times of this dish. We were being served by 2 waiters. One of them was smart enough to ask if we wanted souffle for dessert so we don't have to wait long after entree. We ordered souffle for 2 of chocolate but was pleasantly surprised when it came as one chocolate and the other vanilla and that was decided by the sauce. the souffle came out very beautifully risen and jiggly. Each bite was soft and consistent and soaked in all the sauce. It was very well executed. After the entree, I was asked if we came for a special occasion and I told them I was one year wiser. The waiter then came out with a candle on top of my souffle and a happy birthday song. There was no free desserts but the nice conversations here and there carried the character of this restaurant. Lastly I tried the white zinfandel on their menu out of curiosity, it came out a red drink, but very light and sweet, almost like grape juice in water. Super easy.

    Bananas Foster
    Rory O.

    The Iron Gate is a nice old school restaurant. They have great food, service and atmosphere.

    Jack R.

    I can't even with this place. Waited for the host who took forever even though when we went, there were only 2 tables in this joint that looked like a shabby dining area where they try to sell you timeshares. Cold bread and meh butter. My steak was bland, and if it weren't for the compound butter, I would have asked for ketchup to get through this tough yet dull tasting piece of meat. It honestly reminded me of a Dennys' steak at triple the price. Don't even get me started on the horrible bland veggies and super salty mashed potatoes that tasted like they were squeezed out of a dollar store tube. My creme caramel tasted like it came from a cheap Safeway dessert pack, and my coworkers' fish was so small and thin that I thought they gave her a kids plate. A part of me was going to order their veal marsala for lunch, but at $42 dollars, I'm glad I didn't after I had their horrible steak. It's not worth the price. Definitely not good food. We have no idea how this place survived the pandemic. They need to work on adjusting their prices and improving their food quality.

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    Delicious food and unparalleled service. Caesar salad made right in front of you. Highly recommended!

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    Page 1 of 18

    Ask the Community - The Iron Gate

    Does the bar have a "bar menu" (i.e. more casual with lower prices than the main dinner menu)? I see tables in the bar, but it seems like a pretty informal vibe, not the white tablecloth continental vibe of the other rooms

    There is a limited bar menu.

    Which menu Prices are Valid? I saw two different sets of menu prices when i searched for Iron Gate, Belmont. The Menu for Iron-Gate.com Has prices nearly half of those listed on the Iron Gate website search. It's very confusing.

    They have lunch and dinner menus so maybe you were looking at both.

    Do they offer table-side flambéed Steak Diane? Do they offer Steak Diane during lunch (by special request) or is it just dinner? Also, Is it business casual or black tie formal dress code?

    EASY--Just phone the Iron Gate & ask. May depend on how many people are in your luncheon party who would love their Steak Diane!

    I saw lunch menu $37 prefix. Is it from Monday-Friday or weekend also? And is dress code required?

    Monday-Friday No

    Now that San Mateo County is in red tier (March 13, 2021), is indoor dining available?

    YES

    Is it noisy? Or can one converse without shouting?

    You can very much hold a conversation without having to shout!

    Will they make vegan dishes upon request? :)

    I don't know if they have any vegan dishes on their menu, however they're pretty good with special requests, so i would just give them a call 😊

    Are they open Christmas Day?

    No. Only Christmas Eve.

    Do they have a happy hour? When?

    Is there a kids menu or basic kid friendly options? My step daughter is 11, but still a bit picky.

    No kid's menu likely because it's fine dining, hence a very adult atmosphere. However I know they would welcome your stepdaughter. This is what I would do....I'd order her one of the more simpler chicken dishes (or whatever protein she prefers)… Read more

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    ChouChou French Bistro - Mussels | @whaevaeats

    ChouChou French Bistro

    4.1(152 reviews)
    6.0 mi

    I have to start by personally thanking our amazing servers Ben and Andre. Service alone would give…read morethis restaurant five stars and because I have so much to rave about the service, I'll keep it at the end. Food - Warm bread and soft butter were served with free refills! The starters were the standout. Mushroom ravioli and escargot were served piping hot and dipping the bread in the creamy sauce and garlic oil was a must. The entrees were all solid with the filet, duck confit and cioppino. Desserts were very decadent so their lemon sorbet is great if you don't enjoy things too rich. Finally, they had a vast wine selection and small samples were offered for free. Overall, definitely satisfies any French food cravings. Price - They offer a $70 prix fixe menu that's a great deal. The meal was already filling after the entree! Atmosphere - Casual vibe on the finer side that is great for special occasions like a birthday. Parking wasn't difficult as well. Service - Attentive, kind, and funny! Andre always kept our water filled up so we never had to worry. We asked for many family photos and Ben took so much care in them. While we were dining, a woman came to eat who was a recent widow and overcome with emotion, she left suddenly without ordering and left $100 as a tip. Ben actually ran after her to give her money back and this act is the best representation on how amazing and kind their service was. We came for a birthday and they provided a birthday crème brûlée and even sang! Overall, good food that satisfies a French craving with even better service. Would absolutely go back again.

    We dined at ChouChou tonight for a celebratory dinner and had a wonderful experience…read more Service was perfect. Every item we ordered was delicious. The ambiance was calm and elegant. We ordered the grilled artichoke app, rack of lamb, and the duck confit Wellington. Flavors were on point for everything.

    Photos
    ChouChou French Bistro - Environment

    Environment

    ChouChou French Bistro - Cream Corn Soup | @whaevaeats

    Cream Corn Soup | @whaevaeats

    ChouChou French Bistro - $19 red wine

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    $19 red wine

    Bistro Vida - Boeuf Bourguignon

    Bistro Vida

    3.7(714 reviews)
    6.6 mi
    $$

    I love coming here, it never disappoints. I had a longtime…read morefriend visiting for the weekend and figured he'd like Bistro Vida. I was right, everything we had was seriously good. We started with cocktails. I had a Manhattan and he ordered an Old Fashioned. Both were really well done, smooth, balanced, and easy to drink. Our waitress, Shreya, was great, super friendly and patient while we asked way too many questions about the menu. She gave us helpful suggestions without pushing anything, which I always appreciate. We started with the Caesar salad. Fresh, crisp, and the dressing had a nice tang, simple but really well executed. For dinner, I went with the Coq au Vin and my friend ordered the pork tenderloin. Both were excellent. Everything was cooked perfectly and full of flavor, definitely one of those meals where you keep saying "you've gotta try this." I don't usually order dessert, but decided to split the bread pudding, and I'm glad we did. It was honestly one of the best I've had. Nothing too fancy, just really good flavor and done right. Overall, one of the better meals I've had in quite awhile. Big shoutout to Shreya, the kitchen, and the bar. We'll definitely be back.

    The order: -French onion soup…read more-Escargot -Moules et frites -Macarons The quality and freshness of the mussels and fries left much to be desired. The snails were so tiny compared to the shells and the garlic was almost raw. The French onion soup was fine. The macarons were teeny tiny! And for $3 each, I'm afraid to see how much they would charge for a regular size one. My server was nice, but after reviewing my bill after leaving I saw I was charged twice for my cocktail. Although the vibes emulated the French bistro experience, there are many other spots in the greater area that have French and/or better quality.

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    Bistro Vida - Inside

    Inside

    Bistro Vida - Crème brûlée and macarons.

    Crème brûlée and macarons.

    Bistro Vida

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    Maison Alyzée - Délice: Whipped dark chocolate Manjari 64% ganache, Confit blackberry raspberry, Crémeux raspberry& Milk Chocolate  , Soft Cacao Biscuit

    Maison Alyzée

    4.0(350 reviews)
    5.9 mi
    $$

    I love desserts and I love pistacchio flavors - this 100% pistacchio cake is just magnificent!…read morePerfect, I would say, crunchy on the outside, creamy icing on top, and not too sweet. Their flan is unique, but also superb as well as the chocolate cake. Staff were helpful and pleasant, spacious area.

    We went to Maison Alyzée today and it's become one of our go-to spots. We've been a few times for…read morepastries, and when the weather's nice, sitting outside at their little tables really gives that French bistro, European vibe. We came on a Saturday around 7pm and there was no line but the place was lively, we got lucky and didn't have to wait, probably because most people were still at dinner. Fork ordered: Tiramisu and a latte The latte was good. Nothing to get excited over, but well made. The tiramisu is a standout. It has this nice crunchy chocolate shell on the outside with a smooth, creamy center and just the right hint of coffee. As a tiramisu fiend, this is one I'd absolutely come back for. Spoon ordered: French flan I don't usually go for flan, but this one is different!!! I do absolutely love the custard layer in a fruit tart, so imagine that with a firmer texture and a richer vanilla flavor. It sits in this perfectly thin, almost hidden pie-like crust. It's honestly divine and highly recommended. Before we leave, we typically get a treat for the next morning to have with our chai. I love the banana bread and Fork goes for the croissant. Overall, such a charming spot for dessert and coffee, especially if you can grab a table outside.

    Photos
    Maison Alyzée - Indoor seating

    Indoor seating

    Maison Alyzée - The Easter Cake (single)

    The Easter Cake (single)

    Maison Alyzée - Discover the newest jewel in our collection--Strawberry Bliss (Zemlyanika Glava). A poetic balance of textures and bright, seasonal flavors,

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    Discover the newest jewel in our collection--Strawberry Bliss (Zemlyanika Glava). A poetic balance of textures and bright, seasonal flavors,

    Left Bank Menlo Park

    Left Bank Menlo Park

    3.3(1k reviews)
    6.6 mi
    $$$

    We have been going to The Left Bank for a decade. There are other French restaurants in the Bay…read moreArea, but when you find something good, you keep coming back. The ambiance is wonderful.. open, airy, windows or patio seating. The menu has a large enough selection of classics and extras, without being overwhelming. The service is consistently excellent. When we have a craving for French food, The Left Bank is where we find our car steering too, even coming from the East Bay.

    Went here for a work dinner. We were a group of 8 and seated promptly…read more We ordered drinks some appetizers and entrees. The drinks order was mixed up and they got someone the wrong drink. I ordered a lemon grass non alcoholic drink, which was not worth the price ($13). The blood orange and shaved fennel salad was sub-par with a plate of arugula topped with some shaved fennel (some of it browning at the edges) and some slices of blood orange. The dressing was drizzled on it like an afterthought instead of being mixed with the salad. Oh well! After about an hour of waiting, we got our entrees. I got the salmon as my entree and it was served with a corner of the piece broken off and sitting on the plate. This was served on some very gloopy looking cauliflower puree and some tough asparagus. My coworkers got a variety of dishes - steaks were mostly overcooked compared to what had been requested. One person from our party got his food almost after everyone else was done eating, he had the same salmon dish as mine, so no idea why it was so delayed. Overall, a dated place - the idea of French food seems to be using copious amounts of butter in their food and lacking in attention to detail or flavor.

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    Left Bank Menlo Park
    Left Bank Menlo Park
    Left Bank Menlo Park

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    Firehouse Bistro

    Firehouse Bistro

    3.9(141 reviews)
    6.2 mi
    $$$

    We had a delicious dinner here at the Firehouse Bistro. Started with the caesar salad and the…read morecarpaccio then segued to the entrees of filet mignon and the Italian seafood stew . The filet was very tender and the creamed spinach and the mashed potatoes were perfect. The seafood stew had very fresh fish in it and the sauce had a nice spicy kick to it. There wasn't a lot of seafood, but what was there was tasty. The only downside was the service which was just serviceable at best. The waiter seemed in a rush and so when he took our food order he was in a hurry to leave the table and we had to stop him as we wanted some wine...wasn't even going to ask. Had to ask for water refills throughout the night also. The waiter also never checked on us after the entrees were served ( like he did with the tables on either side of us) so I would have probably had a second glass of wine. He brought the dessert menu just placed them down. It felt like he and the busboy were just going through the motions....no personality even when we tried to joke a bit with him...no response. Would we go back? We spent with tip over $200 so unless the service improves I highly doubt it.

    Tucked away in the Woodside foothills, Firehouse Bistro is a gem worth finding. The setting is cozy…read moreand quiet, perfect for a relaxed evening out. We had the special of the night -- seabass with risotto -- and it was excellent. The waiter paired it with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc that had just the right balance, with light notes of mango and pear that complemented the meal perfectly. Prices are a bit higher than our usual date-night spots, but honestly, it's well worth it for the quality and experience. Great food, great service, and a charming escape from the usual busy dining scene.

    Photos
    Firehouse Bistro - The interior

    The interior

    Firehouse Bistro
    Firehouse Bistro - Outside view

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    Outside view

    The Iron Gate - french - Updated May 2026

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