Top Reviews from Yelp and Google

Sam O. | Yelp

You know it’s good when you’ve cleaned your plate and there’s nothing left to take home. Came in for brunch on a Sunday. Lively atmosphere, with music, Sunday football on the tube, and a packed house. One of the owners, Nathan, took good care of us and recommended four brekkie entrees: Chilaquiles with chorizo, Croque Madame, “Joe’s” Scramble, and the Crab Benedict.

We went with the chilaquiles with chorizo and the crab benedict, washed it down with a cold brew iced coffee and a lavender iced latte, then topped it off with a their fresh-made cinnamon roll (side note: if you’re debating on getting the cinnamon roll, don’t. Just get it. You won’t be disappointed! *Drool*) Everything was so fresh and delicious! The food and the drinks were all on point! I came hangry. I left happy. Thanks, Drakes!

Amanda M. | Yelp

Came here for brunch Saturday morning. It’s been on my bucket list of places to try in the area, and it did not disappoint! The earl grey martini is the perfect breakfast cocktail. We had the smoked salmon avocado toast and Cobb salad for food. Very large portions and fresh ingredients. Both were delicious.

There was also a man playing live music on a guitar which was a pleasant surprise. Drakes sells hats which are really cool and stylish. We bought one during our meal because we liked them so much.

Service was great. We were seated quickly and the food/drinks came out in a timely manner. Def want to come back to try happy hour or dinner! Recommend this place to anyone looking for a delicious brunch spot!

Julissa J. | Yelp

Oh man, this place did not disappoint!!

Came here for the first time, started off with the Drake’s platter & let me tell you, if there is one thing that you have to get, it’s this platter, beautifully put together & so delicious. This would’ve been more than enough food but we’re Fatty’s so of course we ordered more, the burger was juicy, the salads were a hit & the noodles were flavorful.

Now on to the dessert, the creme brulee was on point & the espresso martini was the best! If you’re debating on dessert, order an espresso martini, great way to end the night. Side note: shout out to our server Daniel I believe that was his name (I hope I got it right) I know it was his first shift working nights, he was sweet, funny & attentive as well as Miguel Angel who constantly came by to refill our cups & I didn’t get the bartenders name but thank you for those cocktails.

I’ll be coming back for that espresso martini.

Kevin A. | Yelp

This is one of our favorite cocktail bars in the Bay Area. Perfect for a quick stop before dinner, or for dinner itself. They take their cocktails seriously here and they do them very well. Lots of cocktail selections for bourbon lovers, vodka or gin drinkers.

Old fashioned, classic, almost Great Gatsby-like atmosphere and decor but not outdated.

I got the Drake’s Old Fashioned, made with Elijah Craig bourbon, cold brew syrup, orange bitters, and BACON. Yes, you read that right… bacon. It was a excellent cocktail. My lady got the Bear Trap cocktail, a vodka based drink that came in a little bear. Delicious too.

There’s a great selection of dishes for dining or quick appetizers as well. If you’re in the area, stop by for a game-changing cocktail. Oh, and I’m pretty sure Tuesdays are trivia nights as well.

Lia S. | Yelp

If your one of those people that like something sweet for breakfast like pancakes with maple syrup then here’s my recommendation; skip that and get yourself the cinnamon roll cause it’s out of this world awesome, tender and rich. Also, I’d highly recommend the chef’s omelette with truffle sauce if your into something more salty.

Service is good, music and restaurant ambience is good. I strongly recommend and would be comfortable inviting friends to dine here with me. One really nice feature i have to say i especially appreciated with this restaurant is that you can gave free complimentary coffee while waiting for your table and the coffee is good tasting and freshly brewed.

Tony C. | Yelp

My partner and I live in downtown San Carlos and have literally eaten at every restaurant here.

Last Tuesday we had dinner at Mayan Restaurant for Taco Tuesday. Afterward, we realized that Drake’s was open, so we stopped by and peeked our head in just to check it out.

A friendly gentlemen, (I think the owner) welcomed us in and offered a seat to us. I declined and said we just had dinner a few doors down and wanted to check it out to see if they served dinner or just drinks. We chatted for a bit and said we’d by coming back for dinner another day since we live a block away.

The next day we decided to stop by for dinner and the same guy said, “Hey guys, welcome back!” We both ended up having the special, which was a rib eye steak, grilled veggies and mashed potatoes. (It was delicious). We also tried out some of the drinks.

My partner had the Honey Bear Mojito and I had the Snozberry Martini, which were both really good. We decided to return the following Sunday for brunch. The place was packed and there was a line outside. The host/manager was super friendly and assured us we would have a table shortly. After about 10 minutes we had a table.

It was obvious that the servers were overwhelmed but the host/manager guy apologized for the extended wait (which was barely a few minutes) and offered to take our orders.

We both had the Chicken Fried Steak, mine with potatoes and his with tater tots. (Also, I could have drank 10 of their strawberry lemonades – so good.) When the meal came, I noticed that both had potatoes instead of his with tater tots like we had ordered. I mentioned it to the host and within 60 seconds we had a plate of tater tots.

I think the owner was helping out in the kitchen that day because I saw him peek out in to the dining room a couple times while we were there. He made a point to come by and say hi and thanked us for coming by again.

The place is adorable and the pictures on the wall depict the building and intersection throughout the years, which was cool to see. To be honest, I kind of fell in love with this place.

As many times as we’ve visited the many many restaurants in San Carlos, we’ve never been welcomed in the way that we were here. The owner and manager are incredibly hospitable and made a point of talking with the customers and make sure things were going well with them.

It’s quite brave of anyone to try to open a restaurant at a time like this when supply chains are strained, experienced help is near impossible to come by, and COVID-19 is still making people uneasy in big groups. It’s entirely expected that all new restaurants will have hiccups when they start out (exponentially more during a pandemic) and although we saw a couple hiccups with our meals and some others, they owned their mistakes and remedied them quickly.

I do hope that Drake’s flourishes because, I’m a big fan and can’t wait to try out everything else on the menu.

Mark B. | Yelp

Finally a new choice when I comes to breakfast and lunch in San Carlos. Drakes won’t disappoint. The restaurant honors the history of the town of San Carlos in the charm of the Drake building. They have a full bar for late night cocktails and morning eye openers.

Travis C. | Yelp

I’ve been to many downtown San Carlos restaurants and Drakes is what has been missing – craft cocktails, delicious bites, and arguably the best brunch on the Peninsula! I don’t say that lightly – there are a lot of unique options here.

I particularly like the breakfast shot – shot of alcohol (whiskey and butterscotch schnapps), shot of fresh OJ, and perfectly crisp bacon to finish. For dinner and drinks I really enjoyed the Drakes burger and the honey bear mojito. The owner is a local San Carlos resident and really cares about the quality and experience for diners.

Angela A. | Yelp

We went to Drake’s for a birthday celebration last night and just WOW! From the clean white walls and vibrant turquoise details to the dark aged leather and delicate gold accents, you can tell that every detail was accounted for in the construction and design of this restaurant.

There are pieces of San Carlos and Fredrick Drake’s history scattered on the walls and you can’t help but to be pulled deeper into this eatery. The ambience sets the tone for a high class yet relaxed dine-in experience.

Their Soft Opening Drink Menu consisted of eclectic takes on Mojitos, Old Fashions and Martinis while the food options left you wanting to order every dish to try. 10/10 would recommend their Corned Beef Hash Crazy Fries – the house made thousand island is something that has left my mouth watering the next day. If you’re looking for a great place to grab drinks, mingle with friends or enjoy food that puts the “Good” in Good Living Good Eating, Drake’s is the place to be!

We can’t wait to go back and take in the brunch atmosphere this weekend!

Edgar Arteaga | Google

Had live music, the server was really knowledgeable about menu. I ordered what was suggested and my wife and I were not disappointed with the chilaquiles and burger. We will be back again. great service with a smile, and amazing food.

Peggy Fok | Google

Love this place although the food is mediocre and not worth the price of what you get. But I’m giving it a 5 star because of the ambience and the staff – like Christian who was always there to make sure we were happy. Friday nights are a blast with live bands, especially if you can get the “Friends” couch (first come first serve) which we totally took advantage of and made our own video

Ayush Bhargava | Google

Absolutely enjoy hanging out here. The people are great, the environment is awesome, the food is delicious, and the drinks are fantastic. Make sure you get the chicken street tacos. Vegetarian options: They have a fair amount of good vegetarian options.

Chuck Simmons | Google

My new favorite spot. The food is yummy. The space is well lit through the large windows with the view of the historic train station. The decor, with pictures of old San Carlos, is interesting. But I think Pancho is what really brings you back. When you find the happiest person in the room, that’s Pancho. He is either working his dream job or he enjoys everything about life. And his joy is infectious.

Kristine Calvillo | Google

1st time here and I am so glad I stopped in for breakfast. Best chilaquilles I ever had and the pineapple mimosa was delicious!Great food, great drink, but what brought the whole thing together was the GREAT SERVICE I was given from Manuel. He is very tentative to you and Im glad he was my server.The only downside to visiting Drakes is the parking is just awful. If you are lucky enough to find a spot around the corner in the back of the building then right on, but if not you will be walking a good distance to get there. Definitely worth it though!

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