Top Reviews

Divya K. | San Mateo, CA

I have to say, I LOVE the interior and vibe here. The seating and decor is beautifully done. The bar was decently full on a Thursday night (but not too full). The drinks were solid; they had a good balance of both taste and strength. Next time I’d try to reserve some seating for a special occasion as the nicer seating (couches & booths) was all reserved.

My favorite drink of choice was the bitter sweet moment. It captured what I’m looking for in a cocktail — a bit of sweetness mixed with something more complex. While it wasn’t quiet in here, I could easily talk to my friends. Later in the night, 2 pianists went on stage to perform audience requests. They did a great job and people sang along

Overall, a very classy bar that was worth another visit!

Thomas D. | San Francisco, CA

When a place brings you a cute little vial on ice that contains the rest of your shaken vodka that wouldn’t fit into your martini glass–I take notice!

That little vial filled me up halfway again and it was very much appreciated.
Faith and Spirits sits in the perfect place on Laurel Street in San Carlos. It is surrounded by restaurants. We sat in their really comfortable parklet before walking two doors down for dinner at Pranzi.

People are right–service was excellent.

They offer a lot of specialty crafted cocktails–prices were similar to SF though.
My Ketel martini with two olives was $16–ouch–but, I’m still not complaining because of the extra vodka that sat chilled in the cute little vial.

Hen A. |  San Carlos, CA

friday evening and faith & spirits is packed…looks to be the place to be in san carlos nights…lively crowd and great entertainment provided by the dueling pianos…standing at the bar to order drinks…bartender noticing and getting a server to take our order…friendly server immediately coming over to take our orders…tommy’s margarita $16 and old fashion $14…drinks arriving quickly and paying with a credit card with the server…taking our drinks outside, but still able to see and hear the dueling pianos…drinks were good…definitely coming back…

Annabelle R. | San Jose, CA

I had been wanting to check out this place for the longest time, and it was so lucky we ended up coming here on a Sunday. This is one of their slow nights, unlike Fridays and Saturdays, where they have dueling pianos and attract all of the crowds. But I felt like we got everything you would get from dueling pianos, just with one piano and musician (instead of two). Minus the drunken crowds, fighting for seating, and higher cost for song requests. Not that weekends aren’t fun, but the night we visited, the piano player, Noah, probably played 10-15 of our requests, since there were not many guests the entire two hours we were there (live music was from 9-11pm on Sunday).

Noah was entertaining and full of energy and showcased such a likeable personality the full 2 hours he performed. And it was his very first day at Faith & Spirits! I appreciate that he’ll try to play your request even if he doesn’t know the song 100 percent. I’ve been to various piano bars and dueling pianos, and I’d say that’s on the rare side. He did some Elton John Rocketman, some Alicia Keys, hits like Summer of 69 by Bryan Adams… and we got to speak with him afterward, and he knows a good range of music, including Disney. He made our experience here enjoyable, filled with laughter and amusement, with his performances and commentary and experimenting with music 😛

Sheila the bartender was great too. She made us some good drinks. I especially liked the Bitter Sweet Affair, which wasn’t bitter and not too sweet, the flavors were just right. The great service, friendly staff, and beautifully lit atmosphere created the perfect ambience for the night. We had the best time, and will definitely be back!

Padmaja M. | San Carlos, CA

Lively band takes requests and keeps the crowd entertained. Our group had a great time on Friday night.

Jim W. | Honolulu, HI

I enjoyed a late night libations and live music. Came in on a night when there was a guitarist and another night a pianist. I think Fri & Sat they are set up for dueling pianos. Dark, loungy settings. Outdoor seating, too.

I enjoyed my standard beers here. The martinis are the thing to order here as they have a sidecar. The craft drinks look interesting, but seemed pricey compared to the booze amount of a straightforward martini. I think the sweeter palates would like their craft drinks and drinkers will want the martini.

Either go up to the bar or bartender will serve you. The late nights I went the bartenders served us at their lounge tables.

Amanda M. | Belmont, CA

It was my first time stopping in this bar Friday night after hearing rave reviews about it for a long time. The piano players were fantastic. I loved how they made their own little renditions to popular songs and involved the crowd as well. It does get pretty packed and there aren’t many places to sit so I would def recommend looking into reserving a table or booth next time. We had a lot of fun and plan to come back next night out.

Malley D. | Redwood City, CA

The best little cocktail bar on the block (ok, it’s the only one, but I stand by this)! I am obsessed with the cute decor of this place, the excellent cocktails, and the dueling pianos! I wouldn’t say San Carlos has a hopping’ bar scene or even really a scene, but this place is worth staying up a little late for, and bringing your friends too – especially if you have a friend who’s having a birthday and you want to embarrass them. Because the piano players do take requests. And they are hilarious!

10/10, would recommend. It gets crowded, so come earlier if you want a seat outside (or inside for that matter). They do allow you to do tables inside, but there’s a minimum drink spend so keep that in mind.

Ate quel l. |  San Mateo, CA

Manager Gary is warm and very accommodating. Cocktails were serious, hardcore, yet beautiful and delicious! Waitstaff were attentive and give great service. Most of all, the dueling piano players were definitely awesome! Will keep coming back here and bring different friends and families for sure! So happy we have this kind of amazing place here in the Peninsula

Amy I. |  San Carlos, CA

A great bar with fun live music. Specialty drinks on average are about $16, but worth it as it comes with free live music in the evenings. Plus, it’s just delicious. The bittersweet affair is my favorite and go to order every time. The dueling pianos are so much fun too. If you want them to play your song, you will have to shell out some money, but if you are find listening to whatever they play, doesn’t cost you any extra (there are no cover charges to get in). The decor and vibe inside is nice and something different than you can find elsewhere nearby. I think it’s a great addition to Laurel Street.

Jonathan A. |  Oakland, CA

The show was great! Nathan and James put on an awesome show! Their different energies blended well and they kept the crowd engaged with their high energy, fun show. I also really appreciated how the servers were making sure everyone was drinking water along with their alcoholic drinks. That’s such a nice touch, and shows they care about their customers. I’ll DEFINITELY be back!!

Christigale F. | Oakland, CA

My girls and I recently came here for pre-dinner cocktails before reservations we had in the San Carols area.

I was the first to arrive and decided to hold the outdoor lounge area in front for our group of 5. For a “sidewalk” setup, I was very impressed: Modern glam tufted red velvet wingback banquettes and vintage mirror top coffee table with a beautiful area rug!? YES! I was immediately drawn to the stylish and comfortable setting. It was absolutely the perfect setup to grab cocktails with your girlfriends. The modern jazz tunes the bar played were also pleasantly filtered to the outdoor area adding to the perfect cocktail hour ambiance. Big points for that!

Of course, it had to be a scorching Saturday reaching 99 degrees, so while the outdoor setting was just lovely, the heat was too much to bear. Once the party started to arrive, they allowed us to gracefully transfer inside, since AC was now our BFF. The cabaret style setup of the lounge is great, with a wonderful mix of comfy cushiony seating areas throughout, including a few booths right next to the stage which is where we setup camp. There are dual pianos set up on stage and we all agreed we would come back for an evening of live music here, as we couldn’t stay due to our dinner reservations. 🙁

From the chic decor to the friendly staff to the vintage glassware to the funny bathroom quotes, we were all smiles during our visit, enjoying and appreciating the artful nuances of the lounge. Of course we cannot fail to mention that our cocktails were also delicious. Great variety of bubbly/wine/beer and cocktails to choose from. For a sweltering hot afternoon, the Castaway Cocktail is highly recommended: Christian Drouin Calvados, grapefruit, mint, honey syrup. Refreshing and tasty! I look forward to coming back during live entertainment and trying more of their delicious concoctions. What a little gem in San Carlos!

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