Five star fish and chips at this hole-in-the-wall, dive bar that we descended upon for a karaoke night celebrating a friend's birthday. Floors were a bit sticky, and a fight did break out amongst some other patrons, but overall, a mixed and chill group of people enjoying a weekend hang. read more

We've lived in SM for 25 years and are huge fish & chips fans... so of course we've gone to The Swinging Door regularly. The fish is fresh and the fact that they hand dip it in their batter pre-fry, makes it really fresh and tasty (chips too). So, why the low rating? In just the last year (or two) they have DRAMATICALLY reduced the portions. What used to be a solid sized two-piece is now a one-piece split in half. Same price, half the food. That sucks for any regular who obviously knows whats happening. Guess we're headed over the hill to Camelot in Pacifica! read more

I rarely leave negative reviews, but this experience really missed the mark. I wish i could leave 0 stars but i can't. First off, the prices are way out of line for what you get. I don't mind paying more for great food and service, but neither delivered here. The portions were underwhelming, and the quality didn't justify the cost at all. The service made things worse. Staff came off dismissive and borderline rude--simple questions felt like an inconvenience, and there was zero effort to make us feel welcome. Unfortunately, the biggest issue was the food itself. Several people in my group, including me, ended up feeling sick afterward. That alone is enough reason not to return. Overall, this place charges premium prices but delivers a pretty poor experience across the board. I wouldn't recommend it, and I definitely won't be back. read more

Perfect place to watch some sports and have a killer handmade Bloody Mary. I also ordered a "snack"- the fish bites!! It was a whole meal! Crispy beer- battered chunks of fish and fries!! All piping hot and perfectly crisp. read more

The Swingin' Door - Bloody Mary - Karaoke Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Authentic British pub - dim lighting, dark wood, walls covered in knick knacks and funny slogans. I've personally never tried the food but the fish and chips look good. Cocktails are basic and good for the price. My only complaint is the guinness - not the best pour and most notably, not in a proper glass. read more

The Swingin' Door - guinness - Karaoke Near Me - San Mateo, California

Came here on a Friday night expecting a "dueling pianos" experience... what I got instead felt like a full-on episode of Bar Rescue waiting to happen. The place was beyond packed--shoulder-to-shoulder chaos. Upstairs, where the pianos were supposed to be dueling, was just a jammed dance floor with zero sense of an actual piano show. If there were pianos involved, they were completely overshadowed by the crowd and noise. It felt more like a disorganized club night than anything close to what's advertised. The patio? Same story--completely packed and filled with heavy smoke. Not exactly what you expect (or want) for a night out in California. Then there was the crowd itself. I ended up talking to a couple people who openly said they weren't even 21. That alone made the whole place feel poorly run and honestly pretty uncomfortable. The layout doesn't help either--the bathroom is right next to the bar, so you're constantly hit with those lovely restroom aromas while trying to order a drink. Really kills the vibe. Speaking of drinks... overpriced and noticeably watered down. At one point I even overheard bar staff talking about rebottling, which--true or not--is not something you want to hear when you're paying premium prices. Service and management? Not great. The overall attitude felt cold and dismissive. The owner even had this "corner booth, watching everything" presence straight out of a mob movie, which would've been amusing if the rest of the experience wasn't already going downhill. It's honestly a shame. This spot used to have a solid reputation back when it was the Prince of Wales, but now it feels like it's coasting on nostalgia instead of delivering anything close to a quality experience. At this point, I half expected Jon Taffer to walk in, shut it down, and start yelling. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. Would not recommend unless it is Jon Taffer or Law Enforcement. The owner isn't even English and is a hardcore Trump supporter so I can completely believe the price scamming others have reported. Total fraud and I have no clue how this place is even in business. read more

The Swingin' Door - Scary that this is the owner of this establishment - Karaoke Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Stopped by on a Saturday night after dinner for a few drinks not realizing there's 49ers game on so there's more crowd than expected. We stayed for a bit to watch part of the game and had some drinks. Love the interior decoration and the British vibe, brought me back to my college time in the UK. read more

It's a dive. I chose it because it's a dive, a dive advertising dueling pianos on Friday nights (false). Besides that disappointment, normally I'm okay with a dive but this is the kind of dive that has few redeeming qualities. The several servers and bartender gals all hung out behind the bar, we had to go up and order our own drinks and food, then of course none of them could be bothered to clear the table so we did that, too. It was NOT busy when we showed up. We shared a soggy basket of underwhelming fish and chips, their website says award-winning but when exactly, I'm not sure. We stayed for the Karaoke despite the messy dude setting up yelling at patrons to not sit at certain tables until he could get his extra speakers staged. Maybe if he wasn't scrolling on his phone with full house lights on he could have been quicker with the setup instead of being obnoxious to customers, IDK. The only thing I can say that I liked about the place was the interior decor and the exterior façade. Definitely not the bathrooms because they were disgustingly dirty. This choice was a bust. read more

Completely non-pretentious, never the same twice, and always enjoyable. I started coming here for the Friday and Saturday night karaoke with the terrific KJ Dan. I keep coming back for the warm atmosphere, the bartenders who know my name, and yes, karaoke! The food is consistently good too. I haven't tried everything, but I can definitely vouch for the fish & chips, chicken nuggets, mozzarella sticks, and fries. They offer some of the best fish & chips I've had anywhere: just the right balance of crunchy batter on the outside, and hot, tender fish on the inside, with delicious fries. If you're not feeling up to heavy pub food (and let's not kid ourselves: it's not good for you, even if it's delicious), they have other options like salads too, which aren't at all bad. Every time I bring friends here, they remark on how much they loved it too... it's not just me! In an era where everything is going "greige" and sterile and pretentious, it's nice to drop by that friendly dive bar with delicious food, a wide variety of beers, cocktails, and non-alcoholic options, and a friendly and the best karaoke in town. read more

Came here for the fish and chips because of Kenji Lopez-Alt. Beer battered with a thicker but crispy shell. It's not the light airy style batter of other fish and chips. Fish is the catch of the day which today was haddock. Really delicious and on Mondays for lunch is on happy hour for $12 in June 2025 for two pieces of generously sized fish. Sat in the backyard garden with our infant enjoying the nice Spring day. Burger was solid too, chargrilled, and cooked medium rare on a 1/4 lb patty. Their homemade sauce on it is excellent. Onion rings were also crispy and tasty and the onion doesn't pull out. Service was attentive and fantastic, order at the bar. Great place for a casual lunch alone or with friends! read more

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This place is managed and owned well, great selection of drinks and prices. One of the best karaoke spots around the area. The place is pretty convenient and there's plenty of parking. read more

Well unfortunately it's gone down hill the food is average the fish and chips small and over cooked so disappointed this use to be a go to place doing the season of lent read more

The Swingin' Door - Two piece dinner - Karaoke Near Me - San Mateo, California

Fun karaoke place every Wednesdays to Saturday nights 9:30 pm - 1:30 am. Here on a Saturday night & the place is pumping and good crowd as well. read more

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Came for drinks. Waiting for our Bizza order. The bartender here today is AMAZING! She is hella fun and defiantly connects with her guest!! Vibes here are great!! Great neighborhood bar. read more

Take out fish and chips and calamari. Very fresh fish. I like the chips too. The bar has a cool vibe. read more

The Swingin' Door - Karaoke Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I wouldn't say I'm a regular, but I enjoy going to this place. Every time we went there is always good time. Although last time I went on Sunday, it was so quiet and very few people. Unfortunately, I have never tried their legendary fish and chips!!! I will submit another review once I tried it. We tried irish slammer and it was great! This place has many varieties of drinks, and their bartenders always know their stuff. read more

The Swingin' Door - Irish slammer - Karaoke Near Me - San Mateo, California

Extremely overpriced at $25. Slowly dying as I eat my expensive ass, oily fish and chips which could have used more chips. Why is a pub known for fish & chips in San Mateo so stingy with chips though?! read more

I used to come here for the dueling pianos, but it was usually dead upstairs with more guests coming to enjoy the karaoke on the lower level. Visiting this past weekend, years later since the last time I was here, I learned that they no longer have dueling pianos, which I think was a good decision (as much as I love dueling pianos). Karaoke is still the big hit here (along with their fish and chips of course). But they also had live music in their outdoor patio in the back, which was good cuz it was way too crowded for comfort inside when we arrived around 10pm on a Saturday. We enjoyed the sounds of island music on the keyboard, guitar, and vocals, some Bob Marley, and unique renditions of late 90's rnb, just good vibes all around. The outdoor setting was casual and cozy with picnic tables and a few other seating options available. By 10:45pm, the indoor crowd had diminished to something more manageable and we had a much easier time getting seating and service inside, to stay a little while longer and enjoy the karaoke entertainment. It felt like your friendly neighborhood bar (standard service and decent drinks, not the strongest but good flavor) and karaoke seemingly all performed by regulars, some interesting characters coming up on stage. It was fine. I'd stick with the live music outside though if I had to choose. Overall the place is far from perfect, but it's still one of my favorite spots in San Mateo for some late-night drinks and entertainment. read more

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Nightly karaoke. She'll British five. Apparently they serve food. I came for open mic on a Monday night. There was a lot of parking nearby on the street, parking, lots nearby especially for the evening time. Pretty safe area. My favorite thing about this place was the vibe. It was so British. I couldn't believe it. The bartender was amazing. She was so sweet and involved. Definitely coming back. read more

The Swingin' Door - Comedy night at the swinging door - Karaoke Near Me - San Mateo, California

My friend recommended this place so we could do Karaoke plus she said the Fish n' Chips were good. You get the fish portions cut in chunks so all sides are crispy vs. long fish pieces. It was definitely crunchy & the fries were thick cut. It came with ketchup & tartar sauce. We also got the Hot Wings which were nicely done, no excess breading & had the hot sauce on the side so you could control your spice level. Had a few beers on tap including a Russian River Pliny the Elder Double Pale Ale. She said that's special as they don't offer this beer in many places. She's actually bought cases of beer at the brewery but was limited to 1 case/pp. She'd bring some friends to take advantage of the deal. I tried it but not into bitter beer so I tried the Hazy beer & loved it! It had a clean finish & sweet, fruity notes. Also fun was the Karaoke night! We sauntered back inside & were able to snag a table in an already packed area. There was a lively group who had a bday party & a lot of folks sang a song. They were all good. A few regulars went up to sing as well. My friend knew them as she frequents this often. Okay...she's a regular, LOL!! Lots of screens to read the lyrics & sing along with. Really fun place! read more

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This place is the best "dive" I've been to in years. Great Chili Burger, great beer, the bartender was awesome and we had a great time! Stay alive, and open as you are Swinging' Door! read more

There's a hole in the ceiling. A rat ran down the wall from that hole in the ceiling. It was pretty clear that was not the first time this has happened. The place is great, but rats aren't. read more

I like this place once I'm inside. Parking near the pub is limited, and you might find yourself running across a busy street to reach the entrance. Once inside it's nice and cozy. I've found the bartenders to be a little too serious for my liking. Whereas I prefer a little nonsense when I'm drinking the day's blues away, these bartenders seem to have a no nonsense policy, even if the bar is mostly empty. Open mic for comedy on Monday night with the "stage" quite literally in front of the men's restroom door. Now THAT is comedy. Karaoke Friday and other nights I don't know. The food is pub/bar food. It's exactly what it is, and not trying to be anything else. Sizeable food menu for a bar, though. Comfortable seating. There's an upstairs that I have not been to. So, I've seen half the bar. Don't listen to me. Stop reading. I'm done, so it's too late. read more

Believ it or not, I've been coming here since 1955. At the time , I was working at the Purity Store on Broadway,Burlingame and attending what was then called San Mateo J.C. At that time only beer was served along with free pop-corn and P-nuts in the shell. You tossed your P-nut shells on the floor and the floor was never swept, consequently you shuffled thru a couple inches of P-nut shells and other debrie where ever you walked. At the time. There was an old-fashioned roller piano, with changeable rolls we could play - that would draw a crowd singing along with the piano music being played. This was before Karaokie, but we all seemed to enjoy singing together after a few beers. A lot has changed over all those years - but I look back with a smile at The Swinging Door - lots of Fun - what else has been around this long and still here? read more

Solid seafood plates in a dive bar atmosphere. Legit fish n chips platter, good prices on beers too. Service was quick, atmosphere was lacking. But I'd definitely come back after a pint read more

Fish and chips here are amazing! But that's not what this review is about (although it's worth mentioning). No, we're here to talk about karaoke. Karaoke on Friday and Saturday nights after 9PM with KJ Demolition Dan. Sound system is excellent and I like the set up they got going. The ambiance definitely has character. Bar's got that European pub-vibe and cozy feeling, and there's an outdoor area if you're in need of some fresh air. In regards to the karaoke lineup, you do have to go early to get your songs in. Even with the two song input limit, the karaoke queue gets filled up quickly and KJ Dan will close it up once it's filled. On occasion, I do feel like some singers somehow manage to sing more than others. I do think it would be more fair to allow those who haven't sung who arrive later the opportunity to sing at least once, so that's one area that can be improved on. Other than that, definitely a popular and one of my regular karaoke spots to hit up on Saturdays. read more

The Swingin' Door - Outdoor area - Karaoke Near Me - San Mateo, California

Atmospheric sports bar, good selection of taps, great fish and chips. They kindly let us watch the end of the Euro Women's Final even though they're not a soccer pub. read more

Stopped by The Swingin' Door on a weeknight for drinks and dinner to watch the Warriors game, because all other sports bars were way too crowded. This is a classic pub. It was pretty dark inside, which we didn't mind because the TV screens and projectors provided decent light. Food: We ordered 2 different type of burgers (comes with fries) and a side of onion rings. - Good portion sizes - Chipotle burger was very spicy - We wish they didn't place the fries on top of the burgers. Made it difficult to eat our meal. - Onion rings were good I wish they gave complimentary water instead of only offering bottled water that they charge for. Overall, it was an average bar with decent food and service. read more

The Swingin' Door - Chipotle Burger - Karaoke Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Came here with a small group on a Friday night to see their "Dueling Piano" performers. Don't come expecting pitch-perfect performances, but they were loud and entertaining! Also the bartender does not skim on the booze... I had to stop sipping mine from how strong it is. Most people would probably appreciate that though lol. One thing is I wish there is a parking lot we can use. I was able to find street parking across the street, but if I had come any later it'll probably be difficult to find. read more

The Swingin' Door - Karaoke Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I've been craving good fish n' chips for some time, cant find any place in the East Bay. By recommendation from a buddy, my wife and I came here the other weekend. WOW, delicious, perfectly battered, not like other places with thick batter that makes your stomach churn. And syrak fries, yummy! I like their homemade ketchup also. On the down side, it is kinda a dive bar, menus and tables are sticky, could use a better cleaning. As for my cravings, sure I'll be back. read more

Bartenders were awesome. They got one star is because the Karaoke guy plays favoritism. Tonight my husband and my friend came and he put other singers over us. Singers sang 3 songs and we got none. We brought drinks. read more

Pretty solid fish and chips. Probably better than most? I do remember when this place was Prince of Wales and I think it was a little less dive-y then. Or maybe it's just rose colored glasses. read more

Came in for lunch, Taylor the bartender, was fantastic. Personable, fun, and great service. Food was great, chipotle chicken sandwich, with perfect amount of spice and great steak fries. Loved the history and decor of the place. read more

Terrible bar owner tried to intimidate me for touching his already broken statue. The food looks like it barely passes health code, ambiance is divey on a good day. Bar has been on a strong decline used to be a regular, I wont be returning. read more

Excellent fish and chips- possibly best in Bay Area. Friendly service. We enjoyed a low key lunch in the back patio w my toddler.

Lovely place with really good vibes. They have trivia nights on Sundays with fun participation from all patrons. Decent food and good drinks. read more

If I could give zero stars I would. Ordered Fish & Chips and Calamari & Chips. Came at noon. Chips taste like Safeway frozen. Fish & Calamari were slimy & swimming in oil. Fish was not flaky, no texture from the fish, fried from frozen. Beware. Top 3 worst ever Fish & Chips. read more

The Swingin' Door - Slimy Calamari & soggy chips - Karaoke Near Me - San Mateo, California

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The best Fish and Chips me and my friend ever had in town. Good portion, and delicious crispy fish on the outside and perfectly cooked inside.! Sauces to compliment the fish and fries were great! Service was good and friendly and we both enjoyed our meals. I remember The Swingin' Door was rated high on TV years ago. read more

Review is just for the fish and chips. The chips that came with the meal left much to be desired, quite stale. As if they were cooked and left out, then thrown back in the fryer when we placed our order. The fish however, blew our minds. I did not expect to find such well made fresh fish in this random bar!! I would def come back for the fish and chips and shots at the bar!!! read more

The Swingin' Door - Fish and chips - Karaoke Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Wow. The fish and chips is pretty good. Actually just the fish. The "chips" were very bland and no amount of salt helped it. We also ordered the dinner for two seafood platter and that was interesting since they put it in two small personal sized trays since they only have ONE large tray for that. The fried oysters tasted off so we didn't eat all of it as a caution. The other order on our table was the Traditional English Bangers and Mash which was very very bland. The beans were pretty much bottom shelf beans out of a can, mash was bland and needed seasoning, and something else, and the sausage was even very very bland. Everything needed seasoning and no amount of salt I added made it better. All in all we're not coming back. Service from the "dude" was lukewarm as well. Terrible place. Hope it gets better but we will never find out. read more