We dined here the other night & it was a complete flashback to the type of restaurant I would go to with my parents growing up when they were taking my grandma out to somewhere fancy. Suited waiters, old school service, pretty delicious food, tableside fires & all the awes that come along with it. The service was very attentive, but when the Mr went to use the restroom, I was asked if we are celebrating something special, what is the occasion that said monsieur brought me here? "It's Wednesday. We like to party midweek?! " I thought that but I didn't say it. I guess we have to have an excuse to go there, it's not exactly a cheap place so I understand that mentality, if the year was say, 1945. I told the our waiter that sharing a meal and making time was special. Didn't even know how to reply so I just smiled. {It's often best to smile & keep the inner voice inner.} It was a little weird but not terribly off-setting; we still enjoyed a tasty meal. And unless he's reading my review, I didn't feel the need to share the comment when he returned to our table. Unnecessary. But do be warned if you are younger than say 40 dining here dressed in jeans. **** updated ** so after reading a couple of the reviews, I realize the server was probably trying to find out if we have a Groupon or some other Deal of the Day coupon as apparently others have stated they used, which we did not have. So, let's talk food: His steak was fantastic. He is 1 big man and he needs to be well fed. Portions were generous. My buttery scallop prawn dish that our server enthusiastically recommended surprisingly paired very well with our vodka martinis. #yummy Next time we should save room for dessert though!
(4)
VB L.
Move over Izzy's because this restaurant is your #1 competition! They have everything you do - a menu that won't overwhelm you, steaks that will rock your world, service that is 5-star - but they also have flambe and Surf-n-Turf! Remember that one star I promised you? Well these folks earned it. As for all those youngsters out there giving the bad reviews because this place is for "old folks" - the old folks come here because they remember what it's like to have good service, good food and simple choices. They don't need all the flash and fancy to enjoy a top-rated meal. It's just a quiet night out to be a little pampered with some decent chow. I'm all over that, even if I'm not part of the geriatric crew. You don't need to be over 50 to enjoy a simple and delicious dinner. Go in with these thoughts in mind and maybe, just maybe, you'll enjoy it a little more the second time around.
We took our two young boys here for a special evening out, and we were SO impressed with this restaurant! From the moment the hostesses greeted us, we were treated like VIPs! There must have been about 5 different waiters and busboys who kept bringing bread, refilling drinks, checking on us, etc and we really appreciated it all. Even though the restaurant was bustlingly busy at 6 pm on a Saturday night, they really took the time to treat us well. They were genuinely nice and attentive, not pretentious at all. And all the food was to die for! Nothing but the best!!!! Of course we had to get the amazing table-side strawberry flambee for dessert to WOW the kids, and it worked!! We will definitely be back!
(5)
Sarah C.
I grew up a couple blocks away from this restaurant. My parents used to drag me along to their business meetings here and I hated it. See, little 9 year old me was afraid of everything, especially fire. And of course someone at the table would always order the Steak Diane and I would beg my parents to ask the waiters to cook the steak for another table or in a corner far, far, away from us. Now that I'm older I have overcome my fear of fire (okay maybe not completely but at least supervised indoor flames), and have learned to appreciate this place. Get the Steak Diane Flambe. You will not be disappointed. Not only is the steak juicy and tasty but you can actually watch them cook your steak to perfection. If for some reason everyone at your table is a vegetarian but you still want to enjoy the show get the strawberry flambe for dessert. They flambe the strawberries right in front of you so it's very similar to the steak Diane experience. To top it off they pour it over ice cream. The strawberry flambe here happens to be one of my favorite desserts! Another thing you can't skip out on is the souffle! So delicate and scrumptious! If you do order the souffle be sure to let the staff know at the beginning of your meal because it takes a while to make. The Iron Gate is pretty fancy. This would be the perfect place to hold a special occasion dinner. For a hefty price you can impress that special someone, your family, friends, and/or colleagues.
(4)
J G.
This is my husband and mine's favorite restaurant - only if Ted is our server. There food is just amazing - really yummy. There service can be better - the only server we find gives great service is Ted - we will not go if he is not working. We are in our late 20's and I get a vibe from other servers that we are too young to be there (the majority of their clients are in there late 50's 60's) and I feel like they treat us that we don't have the money to spend there. The other servers should not judge people by their age. So if you want good service ask for Ted - if you don't care so much about service than that's ok 'cause the food is always exceptional!
(4)
Jess B.
I've been here once a long time ago. I had a gift certificate when I came but I enjoyed my meal. Its definitely a more older restaurant. I need to go again and try it out.
(5)
Jayne W.
I didn't know you could still get a Ceasar salad prepared tableside! We had a girl's night out and had a wonderful experience. The Caesar was great, although garlicky! We all loved the garlic but some might not like that much! Although, we were served a very tasty fruit sorbet to cleanse the garlic!!! Good steaks, and the service excellent. They also make souffle, cherries jubilee and bananas foster tableside. We were too full to indulge but will next time.
(4)
Mary Ann M.
Excellent portabello mushroom appetizer! I enjoyed their linguine vongole very much. The customer service is exceptional here. My coworkers and I very much enjoyed our company lunch here. Giuseppe was an amazing host. He entertained us with humor and was very attentive. Not once were our water glasses midway before he could fill it up again. Thank you Giuseppe!
(4)
Lee M.
The food was amazing and eating here was an experience. Plan on spending the entire evening. They don't rush here. They even served sherbet between courses in order to cleanse your palate. I would definitely recommend this place.
(5)
Matt V.
Golly, this is one of my all-time favorite places in the Bay. The restaurant is stunning, dimly-lit, romantic. Chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and dark red chairs are seated at white-clothed tables, perfectly set. Before you begin your meal, you have the option of ordering a souffle. All the souffles are made fresh, so you order it at the beginning of your meal so that they can begin preparing it, and have it ready for you by the end of the meal. Aside from that, I ordered the Steak Diane flambe, which was just incredible. They make it for you table side, and all the waiters are quite knowledgeable about the menu and capable in their preparation of the dishes. The steak is pan-fried to perfection, and has an excellent flavor to it. The flavors of butter, Worcestershire sauce, and brandy complement one another perfectly, with just a little hint of garlic that's wonderful. The potatoes alongside it are also excellent. Service is extremely attentive, obviously going so far as to prepare some of the dishes right for you at the table. You know that your server is there to serve your table, and they devote a lot of time to each individual patron in the restaurant. It's just a great experience. Highly recommended.
The Iron Gate is very classy in terms of ambience and the staff. Traditional French-Continential. And some of the food was good with lots of flambes and souflees. However, we mistakely all order different varieties of steaks, all in the $$$ range. They were horrible. So for all the pomp and circumstances, the entrees were so disappointing. Very sad experience.
(2)
Victor G.
Service is slow, the waitress they have there is a b-tch and f-ckin' rude, and needs to be FIRED! We've been told that we can't put two tables together, what a bunch b-llsh-t that was when I was there last week and saw that they did put two tables together for a party of SIX! Really IRON GATE!!?? REALLY!!?? The music is good though. At least that is the only thing good about that place though! JOHN TAFFE of BAR RESCUE!! PLEASE SAVE THIS PLACE FROM DESTRUCTION!!
(1)
Lisa T.
I have mixed feelings on this place - the food was absolutely amazing, but the place itself was bit depressing. I'd say the average age of those around us was about 70, and I'm not joking. It seemed like it was a as if a retirement community bus dropped by. I asked the waiter and he said it's like that all the time. My next question was, this place has yelp reviews? How is that possible considering the clientele?]] As mentioned before though, the food was great. I got the calamari and my friend got the veggie platter. Both were excellent. We finished off the night with their famous souffle, which was the best I've ever had. Would i go back? Maybe, if my grandparents were still around and and in town.
(4)
M'famous O.
Let me start by saying, the food is good. Everything ordered by my party of 5 today was tasty across the board. However, chicken fingers, for a child, should NEVER cost $25!! The adult entrees averaged $25, and chicken fingers and fries were $18?!? Ridiculous. Now on to the ambiance of this place--funeral home!! We walked in and it was very dark with dark carpet, and there was a photo n an easel. Fortunately, that was just advertising the live music, and not the funeral of the day. This place was very dark and stuffy and could stand some modernization--inside and out!!
(3)
Thomas M.
You step back in time when you walk through the doors of the Iron Gate. Not in a bad way, but in a way that reminds you of your parents and grand parents. I love the history and culture of this place. I love the roving cart of fire, and the waiters who take pride in their service. It's an art, it's an experience, it's wonderful.
(4)
Frank g.
The main reason that I am writing this review is because of both the service that we received at the Iron Gate and the food. We chose this place because it came highly recommend from on of our co-workers and we thought it would be a great place to have our holiday lunch. It seemed like it would be a great meal and a good place to eat at. First of all the waiter got my bosses order incorrect. But instead of just apologizing about the mistake and working quickly to fix it. He told her that he did repeat the order back to her and essentially washed his hands of the issue. In order to not make a scene my boss just said fine but the waiter continued to point out that he repeated the order. Then instead of just saying "it's no problem that I will fix it right away" he just kept saying I can get you what you ordered but I did repeat the order. The tone in which it was said was in essence saying "You made the mistake not me but I will fix your mistake if you want me too." At that point our lunch got off on the wrong foot and continued to go down from there. The waiter did come back after my boss said no to getting a different plate and offered her a piece of free cheesecake because of the inconvenience but made sure to mention again that he did repeat the order. Then about 15 minutes later as we were halfway done with our meal my other co-worker found a hair in his chicken alfredo pasta. We then waited to let the waiter know the issue and my co-worker tried to keep it low key and let him know about the issue. When the waiter came back we let him know that there was hair in the food and he just said oh and I will check with the owner to see what he could do. Not once did he apologize for there being a hair in the food or that he would take care of the plate and get a new one right away. Also my co-worker mentioned that he thought the hair was blonde and in actuality it could have been white/blonde but since it was in alfredo sauce we couldn't be sure. When the waiter came back all he said was that the Owner said he was sorry and that if we wanted to we could go back into the kitchen and look at all the staff because none of them have blonde hair. Which upset me because at that point the owner is essentially calling the entire table liars. Basically treating us like some kids who were trying to get out of paying for something. Also the waiter did not do a good job of even trying to apologize for the hair being in the food or trying to smooth the issue over. They tried to offer my co-worker a free dessert because, you know the next thing you want to do after finding hair in your food is eat more. At that point, my co-worker just stopped eating and we all just wanted to leave. To us the issue was the fact that we had stuff go wrong at the table that could have been easily corrected and it was not and instead of being treated respectfully we were treated condescendingly. As for the food, 2 of my co-workers got sick. One from the Chicken Alfredo and the other from the Crab Canneloni. The food wasn't as good as I expected and it was topped off by bad service. At this point, our staff will never be going back to the Iron Gate because of our experience with the staff and sub-par food. For the prices that we were paying for a group of 6, you would have expected a little more respect and courtesy but I guess that isn't on the menu at the Iron Gate especially when you find hair in your food.
(1)
Corina N.
Very disappointing experience after being tricked by Yelp's 4 star's rating and having some pretty high expectations! Came on a weeknight with my fiance and shared the Caesar salad (which was like $20 btw), onion soup and the steak Diane, as recommended here on yelp by many. The food wasn't great at all, customer service was OK but also not stellar and the prices ridiculously high for what you get. We'll never be back, although we live close by and it would be convenient. I wanted to like this restaurant, but it just did not happen.
(1)
Mona W.
Dining at The Iron Gate is like a trip going back in time. Banquet room filled with guests dressed in evening gowns and suits. It is like something straight from a black and white movie. The old time vibe is so mesmerizing that I am willing to forgive the mediocre quality of their dishes. Long time ago...or maybe not so long ago, my dad probably took my mom to a similar restaurant for their very first date. The highlight of the evening was the dessert. I can't even remember when was the last time I see one of those flambe cooking cart. This was the place when I had my very first Zabaglione cooked at my table.
(3)
Ed L.
Iron Gate has been shooting a lot of local target-marketing Comcast commercials in the recent years. It's funny to see the transition from legit, high-quality commercials to Iron Gate ones which are super low-budget, shot with a camera with less definition than an iPhone. When you actually show up to the place, you actually understand why they lack the flash and technology. The experience is like fine dining at a retirement home; I think the average age of diners was like 67. Everything about the place is old school from decorations to the way the waiters are dressed. Although it's a little expensive, the food is not bad and it's like taking a trip back into the 1960's! They got classic steak dishes like Steak Diane and a few bold seafood appetizers like tuna tartar spice up the otherwise conservative menu. Did I mention I came here to have my 24th birthday dinner with my family? Think I showed up 50 years too early to celebrate.
(4)
Annie K.
I have been visiting this restaurant for years. The food is fabulous. Well, it sounds so funny, but I only had veal or salmon there for years whenever I visited. I just love their veal so much that each time I visited, I end up ordering the same thing again. Their service is also great. I should try other dishes in the future..... They could start to attract some young crowds though. I was reading some of the comments below. Frankly i'm shocked as a person visited there for years. I found nothing but great things about this restaurant.
(5)
Winnie P.
I feel cheated from having had a fine dining experience. Recently dined at this restaurant for a special event and should have brought my own wine and paid the bottle opening charge of $18.00. Instead I opted to purchase from there wine list(not posted on there web-site), I purchased a bottle of Kendall -Jackson Vinters Reserve. This bottle of wine is currently selling for $9.99 @ Walgreens. The restaurant charged $44.00 for this same bottle. Customer Beware!!!!
(1)
Michael M.
When my wife and I want to celebrate, or just have a quiet world class meal, there's only one place we go and that's the Iron Gate. The food is delicious (for beefeaters, the chateuabiand for two is unbelieably wonderful) and the service is impeccable. Since I only work about 15 minutes from the restaurant, I have been known to take colleagues and clients there for lunch. One of my coworkers said she felt she was dining with a mob boss the way the owner and the entire wait staff fawned over us. Yes, the place is expensive, but for my money, it is worth every penny. Yes, the average clientele is older, and my wife and I are fast approaching that demographic, but we've been coming here since we were in our mid-30's and we were always treated royally. Other reviewers are right, having the steak Diane flambe'd tableside is a treat unto itself. The Caesar salad is one of my favorites, also mixed and tossed right at your table. My wife and I were planning a quiet dinner for two there just last week but we had to change our plans at the last minute. We're both salivating for our next visit after the first of the year/
(5)
Ana B.
Our passport card brought us to The Iron Gate, and we were nicely surprised ! The quality of the food was excellent, we enjoyed : $8 glass of beautiful carneros pinot noir Escargot = simple , delicious. Calamari= crispy lightly battered New Zealand rack of Lamb= OMG ! Veal= Quite tasty Chocolate, grand marnier souffle = The perfect way to end our meal Why three stars if the food was so good ? We could hear the staff making comments in Spanish about the costumers. We weren't quite done with our meal when a different server announced that he was ready to bring the souffles to the table . Don't assume that because people don't look Hispanic aren't able to understand you.
(3)
Jo C.
My husband (fiance then) and I celebrated our Valentines '10 here -- which was more than a year ago; but whenever I have a craving for steak and lobster, I could not stop obsessing about our dinner here. If only it wasn't so damn expensive... Anywho, regarding our experience, we ordered the escargot for appetizer, their evening special for our entrees -- Filet mignon and lobster, and the flambee for dessert. Everything was superb, although the lobster took the spotlight -- it was oh, so, succulent... and the melted butter that accompanied it... Man, I'm drooling right now thinking about it. The wine recommendation of our server was also very tasty, for those who like their Pinot Noirs. I believe it's called Camelot. Affordable too at $8 per glass. As for the service, the tall blonde hostess was very sweet. She profusely apologized for the wait, and walked us to our table. She also came by to ask how everything was, and when we were leaving, she also helped me with my coat and once again asked if we had a nice time. As for the servers, the first one we got was kinda stuffy, maybe because we looked too young for the place, and spent his time chatting with the regulars instead of helping us. Another waiter took over though - thank God. He was replaced by this French waiter, who was so hospitable, it almost felt like he was our own personal butler for the evening. He really took care of us. Reading the other reviews, sure the decor is a little dated, the clientele not so "young and hip" -- whatever that means, but who cares! you go to a restaurant mainly for the food right? I would go back every month if I had the moolah. Order their filet mignon and lobster special!!!
(4)
Mochi L.
My husband and I came here for our first date anniversary. I got a coupon from Restaurant.com and have been wanting to try it out. We made a reservation but probably didn't have to, it was a weekday and after V-day. However our hostess was kind and brought us to our table. She asked if we had a special date, which we did. She came by later to see how we were doing so that was nice. Our waiter we learned had been at that restaurant forever, he stayed even tough the owners changed throughout the years. He wasn't exactly the best waiter though but he had some personality. I ordered the onion soup and NY steak, both really good. We skipped out on the chocolate souffle but got the chocolate cake instead. My-o-my if we had know the chocolate cake was going to be so good, we should have ordered the souffle!
(4)
C S.
Absolutely fabulous! Came here for Mother's Day, Brother's Birthday and my graudation celebration. Same as before ... great veal, great flambe, souffles were amazing, cafe diablo left us amused! We tried the Banana Foster for the first time, so yummy!!! Service was a little slower than normal but it was really busy. Everything was perfect.
(5)
Jennifer H.
Have probably driven by this place over a thousand times. Hubby got a gift certificate here. OMG!! How did we never eat here before!? Had the 12oz filet mignon and it was cooked to perfection. I know meat and this was spectacular! Service was outstanding. Will I go back? HELL YEAH!
(5)
Stacie M.
So the prices at this place are sky high. Now I've eaten at some super fancy restaurants and really don't mind high prices -- if you get the experience you're paying for. Now don't get me wrong. This place was nice. Was it Michelin rated price worthy? Probably not. Our meals were solid. Enjoyed the owner preparing flambe for us. He had a great reparte as well. Service was great. So I guess it's just the ambiance I question. It's really just your standard restaurant. Dust on the floor boards. Not so nice looking carpet. Was hoping for a bit more based on all the reviews I've read. Would I go back? Yes. For a special occassion with the parents. Would my husband and I go back alone? No. If we're spending that kind of money there are a ton of restaurants in the city that actually have some ambiance. Although it seems they sometimes have live music in their "lounge". That could be worth checking out.
(3)
Lobat O.
Love this Place!! Food is delicious! Kaveh is Awesome! Table-side flambe's are soooo Good! You can't leave without having their awesome Cherrie Jubilee or Banana Foster!! O and don't miss out on their weekend music nights.... great music and dancing... quite a FUN nite!!
(5)
Kent S.
Been coming here since I was a kid. Old school and bit cheesy decor, but the food is good. I usually eat in the bar. Always seem to be the same crowd hanging out which is a good sign. Excellent home made blue cheese. Staff is very professional and nice. Sure beats all the chains in the area.
(4)
David L.
Thanks for the non reply to the portion size. Your obvious disassociation to this item as previously documented on this link is troublesome. I am not the only customer dissatisfied with the portion based on the entree charge.
(2)
stacy r.
This is an update to my 2010 review. The Iron Gate has been a long-time choice for special occasions for my family. My family and I have dined at the Iron Gate twice in the past few months. The customer service on both occassions was bad, but it was particularly deplorable on our visit there last week. After we were seated, we sat for over an hour and the wait staff never came to take our order or refill our drinks. We eventually flagged down a waiter and he said he was not our waiter but would take our orders since we had been waiting and our waiter was busy. We were polite and did not give him a hard time, except to say that we wanted to place our orders as we had been there a while and were hungry. The waiter that served us had a horrible, snotty attitude. He was extremely impatient, patronizing, sarcastic, and flippant. He made it very clear that he did not want anyone to ask any questions or make any special requests. He got annoyed with me when I ordered an entree size dish from the appetizer menu as my meal, and said nastily, "Everyone at this table wants changes!" When I asked him what the salads were, he said, "Sweetheart, you can look at the menu...on the side," again with a snotty attitude. He was annoyed again with my 15-year-old niece who asked him some questions about the menu, and he said, "Little girl, what are you going to order?" Then he snapped at my 18-year-old nephew who was asking a couple of questions about the menu, became frustrated, and told him, "Young man, hurry up and order." My nephew and my brother-in-law became very upset by how the waiter was speaking to everyone. Thirty minutes passed and no appetizers arrived. We flagged down a waiter and then we waited another 30 minutes before the appetizers arrived. Another hour passed and the entrees were nowhere to be seen. We again flagged down a waiter and waited another 30 minutes for our entrees. They never explained or apologized as to why the food took so long. That said, the food itself was pretty good. My parents, who are very polite, paid the bill and tipped generously without saying a word to the management of the restaurant, and were very embarrassed that my nephew went up to the waiter after our meal and told him that he had a bad attitude and that he had upset his father (my brother-in-law), and that he (the waiter) was very lucky that his grandparents (my parents) were nice because he did not deserve a tip. Honestly, I agree with my nephew. It was atrocious, appalling behavior by the waiter...at a fancy, high end establishment. What is so sad is that I have been dining at this restaurant since I was a child. It has been the favorite choice of my family for decades. This is supposed to be a high-end restaurant. The issue is not so much the food but the customer service, which has gone so far downhill that it is resting firmly in the gutter. I have had better customer service at Denny's. I hope my parents pick a different restaurant for our family's special occasions in the future, because I have no interest in returning to the Iron Gate.
(1)
S M.
This was the second time we dined in Iron Gate. Both times the service was exceptional and the food was absolutely fantastic The best was Steak Diane, but lamb rack was also excellent. We ordered appetizers- fried calamari and crab cakes were good, but scallops exceeded our expectations. The restaurant is not cheap, but it worth every penny. Waiters are friendly and attentive. Owners themselves help serving in the dining area, which I believe one of the reasons the service is so good.
(5)
Dave W.
The oysters (Rockefeller and raw) are excellent--I especially recommend the raw oysters with the mignonette sauce. The salads are all good, particularly the table side tossed salad, and the heart-of-palm salad. Sometimes they have lobster thermidor--JUMP on it if they do, but tell them you don't want it too dry. The Steak Diane is EXCELLENT, as with the veal dishes (picatta, etc.)--the veal oscar is my favorite. For desert, you must get a souffle, and you can split it for two people. If you are really adventurous, order the "Cafe Diablo"-- it is $60; but it is by far the most intense coffee drink that you will ever see or that you have ever tasted in your life! No question. Best for 4 people. I have been going to this restaurant for 15 years. The food is consistently excellent and the service is superb. It is old-school French-style cooking with waiters in tuxedos. Yes, there are a fair number of old folks here. So what? This is not a hipster place, if you want that, then go somewhere else. But if you get something you really like, it will taste the same the next time you get it. I always have a great time and I really like the fact that it is QUIET and CLASSY!
(5)
Joe A.
Really exceptional experience from the taste and quality of the food to the exceptional wait staff. Decor is a bit dated but the overall service and excellent food easily overcome that minor distraction. I will definitely return!
(4)
Joe H.
I came here as part of a company party expecting the food to be subpar due to the fact that I was in a large group, was I wrong! The New York strip was low in gristle, cooked to a perfect medium, and the dessert was great! Then, upon leaving I went to the bar and Jim the bartender handled a slightly rowdy patron in a very diplomatic manner that was initially trying to be vulgar. I live out of the way, but the good food and service was stand out!
(5)
Lyndsey S.
If I could give them zero stars I would... My husband and I came to the Iron Gate for dinner on a Friday night. It was fairly busy but there was no one waiting for tables to open up. We stood at the potium in front waiting for someone to seat us. We stood there for about 10 minutes watching people finish their dinner and leave. We finally saw the guy with the tux on (who was supposed to seat us). He had menus in his hand that he was returning to where the other menus were kept (which was near we were standing). He looked at us and walked away. I've never worked in a restaurant, but I've been to enough to know that if you see people waiting, a simple "I'll be right with you" is sufficient enough to know that we will eventually be seated. I will never go to this place again. When I go to a restaurant- I want to eat, not watch others eat...
(1)
Ken L.
Very old school, with an older crowd who dress up and wear jackets, etc. Wait staff are friendly, helpful and entertaining. Must go at least once to experience the various flambe and souffle. The sauces on the steaks were very good and the meat tender. I got the NY steak flambe with creamy mustard peppercorn sauce which was great.
(5)
Ken K.
Yeah I've read the comments... the less flattering ones can be summarized as such: "I'm too young to be in here, it feels like the retirement home Xmas celebration dinner, pre-bingo night" "so old school my great grandparents would look so hip to the hop eating here" "did I get on the wrong cruise and show up in the wrong restaurant? Am I in the Depeche Mode MTV video for "Wrong"? What's up with the table of 3, all 60+, and the guy is wearing his sailor gear, including Captain Stubing's hat?!" Ahhh c'mon people. There's nothing wrong with staying stuck in time and not necessarily innovating along with the molecular fried chicken slider table to farm pork belly truck fusion thing. That's the western version of preservation. There are 50 to 100+ year old restaurants across Asia, some still alive and kicking and never fail to deliver. Sure it is not The Tadich Grill to some, and it's Belmont. But the food is delicious, the service is attentive. And they take restaurant.com coupon too. Yes, an A$N granny greets you at the door. Suddenly you think....A$N fusion? Not at all....think of it as the old school new world style old world. Confused yet? Yes me too. If you have been to Tai Ping Koon in Hong Kong taipingkoon.com the vibe is remotely familiar. Tuxedo clad waitstaff, except the Iron Gate gang won't stand around while you inspect the bill then take out your payment. Mix of French American, Italian American, and lots of charm. Clam chowder (Fridays only) - thick texture, ample clams and ingredients. Not the best I've had, but not bad. French onion soup - sadly too salty. May have to go to a real French bistro for this. Mixed combo salad - got everything in it from raw mixed greens to some cooked asparagus, and delicious endives. A fine balance. a nice raspberry sorbet in a mini shaped champagne glass with a spoon for the intermission / palette cleansing act. Kids will love this, thinking they get dessert BEFORE the entree. What a life. Scalone - like a calamari steak, except it was flat, good light textured, and was a combination of scallop and abalone. Golden yellow brown exterior (very light batter) that tasted much better with the lemon wedge. Scalloped potatoes on the side, and seasoned steamed veggies (even those tasted good). Seabass (from the specials, not listed on the menu) - pretty decent but it's not the haute cuisine prep. Veggie crepe florentine - interesting, a good alternative for those seeking something light. And the dessert.....the souffle is a must. However you have to decide by the time you are done with the appetizers and right before the dinner entrees come (your waiter will ask you). You can order for 2, but they also offer single dinner sized portions at $10 to $12 per. Choose between Grand Marnier, Chocolate, Berry, Apple. (As a note: Tai Ping Koon in Hong Kong only offers one souffle (Grand Mariner) and it is humongous and requires 40 mins to make.) The standard sauce is divine, but perhaps overkill and masking the delicious egg white flavor in the souffle. The chocolate verison is enjoyable and the sauce not heavy at all. While eating, various tables ordered certain meat dishes that were cooked by the waiter by the table, offering a Benihana like fire show. Or maybe it was Bananas Foster or Strawberry Flambe.... It is such a rare sight to see something like that anymore (the burgundy tux'd grey haired senior waitstaff at Tai Ping Koon couldn't be efff'd to cook anything for you in comparison...now that's luv).
(4)
Janet L.
One of the BEST restaurant experiences I've had... The service is great. The flambe dude is funny. Food is all fantastic and the portions are pretty big. Started with the flambe welted spinach salad with bacon. The dude rolls his cart over, chats up with you, and goes BAM! and serves a hot welted spinach salad with HUGE chunks of bacon. Sweet/Salty/Warm, and it has some spinach in it...so don't feel TOO guilty. I had the lamb chops - I'm not a fan of lamb. I keep reminding myself to stay away from it, but I ordered it again...and I'm SOOOOOOOO glad I did. This was THE BEST LAMB I've ever tasted. KOBE RIB EYE - you can't go wrong with rib eye...then again yes you can. But they do it right here! Chocolate something - it was just okay I think what blew me over was the service...and the flowing wine...haha Definitely will come here again. They also have a dance floor and have live bands playing. WOOO HOOO party time with the elder folks!
(5)
Rene C.
When I was 7 I was almost tossed out of a car on a blind curve. When I was 38 I sat on a chair in front of my date and it broke and fell apart and I fell to the floor. Yes, I am prone to accidents. By accident one day, I agreed to coming to dinner here with one of my high maintenance friends. It's his favorite all time restaurant so I will be as kind as possible. One would expect the crowd to on the older side, but it does attract an interesting mix of younger types as well. The old school atmosphere is a draw and makes you feel like you're in the middle of an episode of the Sopranos. The food is ok, but not great. Creativity is not the chefs specialty. There is however enough variety to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters.
(3)
Nathan W.
Had the oysters for an appetizer, was pretty disappointed. Not only did they lack "the taste of the sea", they also were pretty chewy. Next we got the caesar salad which was definitely our favorite dish. Served table-side with a pretty tasty dressing. I had the filet mignon and my wife had the salmon piccata. Both of us thought it was alright, maybe not worth that price point but not bad.
(3)
Jennifer T.
I go here for lunch with my Dad and brother on a somewhat consistent basis. They go every week! They have the best ground filet mignon burger ever! Today I had a the lunch special, dungeness crab in an heirloom tomato salad, and my Dad had the petrale sole. He is 76 years old, of which is about the average age of patrons for lunch, and he said," it's a little old fashioned here(meaning decor and waiters in tux's) but at least I know I'll get a good meal. " The only deduction is that the decor really needs updating other than that really great food!
(4)
Brett P.
I concur with many of the reviews... pleasantly old school! Reminds me of the kind of place I would go to for prom or the once a year holiday dinner with the family. Cart service for Caesar Salad and Banana Foster, sorbet in between courses... excellent. Service was also excellent. Maybe one star off for the veal entree... which was good, but lacked a little inspiration with rice and plain veggies on the side. Don't hesitate, if it's on your radar, go and enjoy a night out in style!
(4)
Marady N.
First time timers here and wow fine and dine and wine!!!! Thanks to my Persian princess I'm enjoying life!!!!!
(5)
Scott H.
Definitely worth a try, although somewhat expensive. Food is delicious and staff is generally very friendly (and formal). Clientele tends to dress up, so avoid the jeans and grunge look if you want to fit in. We've driven by this place countless times in the decades that we've lived here, but finally stopped in to try it out recently. We were pleasantly surprised. It looks a bit like a saloon from the outside (the bar inside seems to attract a far less sophisticated crowd than the restaurant) and is located near a very busy intersection of El Camino Real. The food compares well with that of Izzy's Steaks and Chops over at the San Carlos airport, but prices at Iron Gate seem to be noticeably higher. Different ambiance (one's not necessarily better than the other, they're just different). Make reservations if going during peak hours.
(3)
John F.
My wife and I moved to Belmont about 3 years ago. Every time we passed Iron Gate we would say... one of these days we should give that place a try. It had an East Coast feel to it... maybe a hidden gem on the peninsula.... I have to say I was very disappointed. I ordered the Halibut Special and my wife had the New York Steak. My halibut was way over cooked and dry. When it was first served I was upset because it was swimming in sauce... once I cut into it I was thankful for the sauce to help with the dryness and lack of flavor in the fish. The New York Strip was just OK. It too seemed a bit dry and was nothing special. The sides that came with the dishes were so forgettable that just 2 days later... and I can not even tell you what came with either meal! Originally I was going to go with 3 Stars, but once the bill came I cut another star. We only had 2 dishes and 2 cokes.... and the tab with tip was $75! I am not one to hold back on a place because of cost... I have paid $150 for 6oz at Alexanders and still given 5 Stars... but the meal we had should have cost about $30 all in. On a positive note the staff was friendly and well appointed although some what absent throughout the meal.
(2)
Steph L.
LET'S KEEP THIS SIMPLE: I don't like to give people the eyesore of their epic experiences, word for word and about how we sat down and the waitress rolled her eyes and what not. SERVICE: Wonderful as always. FOOD: Food is excellent here! a few times my steaks have been a little more over cooked than my likings, but still tastes great! I prefer fresh baked warm bread, that's not what you get here. If you come here often, everything starts tasting the same. LOL must be the heavy butter? SANITATION: (most important to me) Clean and pristine. Just the way I like it. WHAT I GOT: OYSTER ROCKEFELLER APPETIZER IS A DAM MUST TRY!!!! Steak Diane is a wonderful butterfly fillet, Meat is so soft; you can almost chew it with your tongue. SO WHATS THE BIG DEAL?? Oysters ROCK! Steak ROCK!! what else is there to say?!?! Plus they cook certain meals in front of you! careful, flame is so hot might get yourself a free perm! jk! OTHER NOTES: -Nice place to celebrate birthdays. -Children? not so much. unless you have yourself a pre-madonna!
(4)
Patrick P.
Not many restaurant can earn 4 or more stars, this restaurant definitively can. I wish I could give a 4.5 since I cannot and since it is above 4, let's go for a 5! we were about 15 eating dinner few days ago and I got a chance to try several dishes and one better than the previous one. You got to try their desert. The souffle is out of this world. Recommend the "Grand Marnier" version. highly, highly recommended
If I was 80, I would probably love this place. But I'm not, so Iron Gate gets 3 stars from me. I agree with others who've said that Iron Gate is more Continental than French. The food is solid, but not very modern, and the wine list is pretty "safe." Our waiter was a little over-the-top and in-your-face for my tastes, but I think that some people are into that. Especially older people who like to spend time with the waiter and be romanced throughout the meal. I'd rather be romanced by my date, but, that's just me. If you're under 40 and looking to take someone out to a classy, fancy restaurant, I feel like this isn't really the place to go. It felt more like where you'd go with the family after a Communion or where you'd take Grandma for her birthday (which is why I was there in the first place.) If you are intimidated by all the nuevo-fusion-fanciness of other Bay area "date" places, you might like Iron Gate - for me, there's just too many other interesting places to be.
(3)
Jennifer L.
This place is one of the fancier restaurants I've ever visited for a work lunch. Lucky for me, I enjoyed a three-course meal which included the following: - Basic starter salad - Chicken Plate: Generous proportions served with mashed potatoes and green beans - Ice cream with fudge desert served in ice cold glasses To keep it short: Good food, good service, good times! Thanks work for a free meal, and thanks Iron Gate for the excellent service! Quick Tip: Get to know your table etiquette! This place is fancy!
(4)
N A.
My family and I really enjoyed this swanky place. First of all, I heard from friends about their great food, but I wasn't aware it was a "dress up" place. My wife, son, and I went in jeans and running shoes and the staff treated us just as nice. The one thing I really appreciated about the staff was they were really nice to my son. My son was the only kid in the whole restaurant and they really acknowledged him nicely. About the food, they were good. My wife ordered the steak and it was delicious! They put this sauce on it, which is out of this world. I ordered the Ahi Tuna with wasabi and it was good, but the wasabi was a bit much and the Tuna, I like it a bit rarer. The bottom-line, yes we will go back there again. My wife and I still talk about the steak and serviced is exceptional.
(5)
Dione S.
Old school restaurant that my parents love going to for birthdays every year. The food is always good and the wait staff is very friendly and attentive.
(5)
Stephie L.
AS ALWAYS - FABULOUS food FABULOUS service. One of the Peninsula's premier restaurants. I have been dining there for a couple decades and am NEVER disappointed!
(5)
Erika S.
This has been my favorite restaurant for years. Best food I have ever had. The bartender makes great drinks and the live bands are fun. The veal rollatini is so good!!! Don't go here on a budget though.
(5)
mike g.
We were seated for our reservation at 6:30 Saturday evening and our waiter arrived promptly to give us the wine list and mentioned the special entres. We thanked him, but declined ordreing wine, just ice water please and he left menus. The restruant was busy, but after 30 minutes I went to the see the matra d', then the waiter showed up with a rude remark " I didn't think you were in a hurry" He continued to be impatient with us and we could tell he was angry that I had complained about the long wait. The tables were so close together, he was not able to prepare the Caesar at our table. The salmon was dry and over cooked with some cubes of mangos over the top, the vegetables were the cheap variety of stubby carrots and string beans. In conclusion we had a very poor dining experience because of the waiters attitude, the food was below average and over priced. Maybe we just hit a bad night, but we not likely to go back.
(2)
Robert S.
The Iron Gate is a stalwart institution firmly fitting into the Elder appeal. And like its clientele, its been around forever, the formula works, so no need to change anything. The staff could not be more accommodating as they will dote and care with a well practiced expertise. Its effortless. But note that if you are under say 65, chances are its simply not going to be your style. The food works on the classic Continental level. The Grand Marnier dessert souffle is a must do. Just remember to order that early. Veal Piccatta, sole, salads, steak and lamb. But typically served with a cream/butter sauce. And that's what throws some off - this is rather heavy food. Delicious but rich in a real old school pocket. Just know that going in. Seriously. My sister will not go near the place. To its credit, unless you are in a Country Club, there are few places on the Peninsula that one can find a room full of people drinking martinis and wine, enjoying Continental cuisine and generally having a ball all at 2pm on a Tuesday afternoon! (Just ignore that half the room is assisted by a wheelchair or walker).
(4)
Lori M.
It was good food and service, but pricey. I probably wouldn't go back.
(3)
Marina K.
My husband and I came here for Valentines day. The only con was that there was a 30-45 minute wait even though we had a reservation. I assume that this is not a regular thing however, and was just due to the craziness of V-Day. The ambiance there is great and classy and the food is great as well. I also recommend their wine! It is on the pricey side but a great place for a romantic dinner or a special occasion.
I have been to the iron gate so many times over the last 25 years and every time it's Great!
(5)
Chris B.
For my birthday my wife treated me to a good dinner here. And good it was. First, this place is more Continental than a French restaurant. I was seriously underwhelmed by the wine list, especially the Bordeaux's (my opinion) unless you got some serious $$ to spend. Our waiter was certainly no sommelier either (I don't think the Iron Gate has one?) and the wine he sort of recommended (he didn't sound very sure of himself) was just ok. If they allow it I would do corkage next time. For starters we had the prawns and escargot. Prawns were good, if not a tiny bit overcooked. Escargot (which are SNAILS) were very good. I could almost eat SNAILS as my dinner. It's so much fun using that tiny fork to get the little buggers out of their shell. Good, good stuff. Dinner, I had the Steak Diane. First time ever. This is one of the meals they cook tableside, using a butterflied piece of filet mignon and lots of sauce, a bit of fire and presented in pure yumminess. The wife had the surf & turf special, filet with bernaisse sauce and Australian Lobster tail. Both good (never had Aussie lobster before... good yes but not as good as Maine lobsta'), the bernaisse was ok but my sauce was better (she kept stealing off of my plate). Dessert - I fully expected a place like this to have creme brulee, but they do not. But the strawberry flambe made up for it... yet another dish they make tableside, think strawberries cooked in yummy alcohol syrupy goodness. With ice cream. Yeah! Good place to take the parents too next time they are in town.
(4)
Sarah F.
My husband and I come here every anniversary. Very romantic and the wait staff are so friendly and really make the experience. Steak Diane and the scallops, to die for!
(5)
Erik N.
Excellent wine list, especially the Bourdeauxs. Food is very good. Service is quite good. The food is French, but not oppressively so. Atmosphere is a bit like the dining at a nice retirement home.
(4)
Erica C.
The staff was excellent, great sense of humor! Authentic cuisine, the food is amazing, loads of flavor!! Its a bit on the pricy side and very dressy attire, but well worth it!
(5)
Kelly M.
**Review for Sat. night live music and dancing** All I have to say is Mary and Terry you are by far the coolest and friendliest local entertainers around. I've had the pleasure of watching you perform on several occasions. Mary, amazing vocals and boy you sure know how to cut a rug. Terry, you're so dark and mysterious under that cowboy hat and you can really wail on the electric ge-tar! My favs: "Give it to me baby" Rick James cover "I like the way you move...doodoodoo" Outkast cover (Terry's rap solo is the best part - AWESOME!!) "Strokin" Clarence Carter cover. I can't help but get my toosh on the dance floor when I hear this one. Mary and Terry where ever you are....THANK YOU for gettin down to funky town! You're the cutest!
(5)
Eva O.
Hold your applause Welcome to an honest review. Service The worse in my opinion we had reservations for 4 on a saturday evening, one hour before our reservation we had to ad 1 more person so a total of 5, so I called them up and I asked them to include 1 more person,and the host had a tone and said were pretty busy and we don't have a extra chair, I was so pissed off are you fucking kidding me Im not asking you to ad 10 people only 1, she refuse to ad 1 more so I was like fuck them! Im sure there are other restaurants willing to take a party of 5 without reservations, so I called Izzy's Steak House in San Carlos and they had no problem taking a party of 5.
(1)
Randy S.
Meh. There are better choices for the money around San Carlos/Belmont. I like the way "E.C." put it in another review - "cheesy 80's version of a classy French restaurant." I've driven by this place hundreds of times in the 10 years I've lived in San Carlos. Originally I thought it was a bar or nightclub based on the neon sign and the signature gate out front (looks like a security gate to me). Someone said the food was good so I thought I'd try it for a recent business dinner. I wasn't overly impressed. The service is very attentive. This is usually a good thing - but these guys take it a little too far. And despite the surfeit of attention, no one asked me if my lamb was cooked properly - it was pretty close, although it sure was slathered in sauce. The wine list, particularly for by-the-glass offerings, was pretty weak. I know we're spoiled around here, but I expected more from a restaurant that tries to bill itself as gourmet continental/french. The menu has tons of choices, but almost nothing for someone looking for lighter fare. You a veggie? I'm not, but even so, I noticed a total dearth of vegetarian choices. Even choices for pescatarians are smothered in sauces / butter. I asked the waiter for a suggestion or two from the menu. He proceeded to basically read me the menu - what's the point of that? I asked for a suggestion or two. He did suggest the steak that they prepare at the table, but that didn't appeal to me. The food was pretty good. But I can get pretty good food for half the price at plenty of other places around. I won't be going back any time soon.
(2)
Kim N.
This place kicks ass in a really strange way. My co-worker and I ended up going through the bar entrance where they have a big screen TV and some old school patrons. As we went to the dining area, we were transported to a different world, another time. The waiters wear tuxes, the managers and patrons, suits. There's music in the back which are redone orchestral or lighter versions of sixties rock like "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" by the Beatles. Judging by the collective 1000 years or so of living by the other patrons besides us, they probably thought the original songs were works of the Devil. On the other hand, it was cool to see these people having elegant lunches in such an old historic place. The waiters were quite formal at first but warmed up a bit after dealing with us. We both started with some soup, me the french onion and my co-worker the chicken, lemon, rice. For the entrees we got the angel hair pasta and corned beef and cabbage. Both meals were quite tasty and the service was excellent. The ambiance is kind of stuffy at first and even though we were very under dressed and very young compared to everyone else, we were treated really well. 4.5 stars.
(4)
Allison R.
My family goes to The Iron Gate for every celebration. If you want a perfect meal, I suggest the caesar salad, steak diane and grand marnier souffle. My sister loves the Petrole Sole.
(5)
Kathy S.
The portobello sauted mushroom appetizer is to die for! And, my main dish was a seared tuna with wasabi mashed potatoes. It was excellent! Yes yes... the crowd was a little geriatric but doesn't that say something if someone is willing to have one of their "last meals" here? Plus, it is expensive, since when can 20 yr olds afford $100 meals these days.. especially in the bay area? I don't know why the more expensive the restaurant, the worse the souffle.. it tasted like eggs (unlike Pasta Pomodero who's souffle tastes like chocolate ummmm). But, I gather this is the authentic way soufflees are supposed to taste. It was a very classy restaurant, nice and cozy with warm candlelit lighting. I really enjoyed myself, will go again for sure!
(5)
P M.
This place is over-rated for the quality of the food you get. We tried it years ago and thought it was ok but recently some friends wanted to go so we went with them. The waiter was great and a lot of fun but at the end of the night, I have to say the food was just ok and it's not cheap. If you are looking for similar food, take the trip up to Bella Vista off Skyline and enjoy the view while you are up there!
(2)
Judy L.
Old established place. One feels at home. Service is good. The bar/lounge small and old and can get crowded quickly which is why the 3 stars. Female waitresses not so friendly.
(3)
Jeff V.
Short story: there are much better choices for a lot less money. Food presentation looks like something from the Gallery of Regrettable Foods. Bug in the wine. Souffle was wet. Long story: Looking for someplace low-key, the reviews about this place being 'romantic' led us here to, hopefully, have a quiet evening. We certainly were not prepared to walk into a large, brightly lit room, echoing with needlessly loud conversations from other tables. I am absolutely not exaggerating when I say Outback Steakhouse is many times more subdued and cozy. While we were seated promptly, we were left to peruse the wine list with no menus (shouldn't I have an idea of what the food might be before choosing a wine?). After nearly 10 minutes, the waiter asked if we 'had any questions' (what?) and I had to ask for menus. He, instead, told us the specials (which we strained to hear over the annoyingly loud table a few feet away from us), then went to retrieve menus for us. They bring water while we look over the menu. We order -- escargot to start, spinach with flambe bacon salads, steak Diane for me, veal cutlets for my dining partner, and I pre-ordered a chocolate souffle and we get a bottle of Pinot Noir. They correctly take our white wine glasses and bring red wine glasses back (using the smaller white wine glasses for everything is definitely a pet peeve of mine) Escargot is good and uneventful. Presented Bourguignons (in-shell). Salad is prepared table-side -- skillet is warmed with oil and bacon in it, then a dressing/sauce is made which includes, I am not kidding here, A-1 Sauce, then lit afire (it's flambe, remember), then flipped into a big bowl of spinach, then left there, trapping the heat to wilt the spinach. Pretty bad-ass preparation of a salad, for sure. It was quite delicious, as well. We're given a little sorbet amuse before the entrees, which is nice. They wheel one of the tableside prep carts over again to prepare my steak Diane. Again, A-1 Sauce is involved in sauce creation (*sigh*). The steak was requested 'rare', but I get medium. It's plated with some positively uninspired generic sides -- green beans, some mashed potatoes and some small carrots laid out along one side. My date's veal truly looked like an unbreaded weinerschnitzel with a few asparagus spears on top and some covered in some congealed goop that was supposed to be Hollandaise. Similar level of lazy side dishes, though the carrots were different for some reason. She whispered that her plate looked like something from the Lileks' Gallery of Regrettable Foods. My steak was pretty good, though more done than requested as I mentioned. My companion's meal was bland. My souffle was already ordered, and my date ordered the fresh berries. As we sat waiting for our desserts, it was about this time my dining partner found a bug in her drink (the wings and body were very apparent, floating dead in there). The waiter took the glass, left, came back and said "it's just cork, not a bug". Note, were weren't trying to, for instance, get the meal free or anything (that would be unreasonable), but telling us we're wrong/lying isn't the expected result, either. After some objection to that, they ended up crediting us the equivalent of a glass of wine from the bottle. Fine. Desserts came -- her berry selection was very fresh and top pick of all the fruits. Very nice. My souffle tasted good, but was wet in the center. I always fear that pancake batter taste and texture in a souffle, and I definitely got it with theirs. So, overall, I can't imagine we'll be back. It's like the other reviewers went somewhere else I wish we knew how to get to.
(2)
Stephanie G.
My sister is visiting from out of town and I wanted to take her for a nice dinner. After reading up on a bunch of French places here we decided to go for the Iron Gate. The evening started off nicely enough, we were seated by a gracious hostess but then had to wait 10 minutes for our waiter to even acknowledge us. He was spending all of his time yacking it up with his old regulars and completely ignoring us. My sister went through her entire meal with her glass empty, always trying to get his attention. We got the Halibut and seared Ahi. The Ahi was fatty and not seared properly, but the Halibut was actually pretty good though. The sides were unremarkable; limp veggies soaked in butter. The souffle looked amazing but we weren't going to stick around for dessert after service like that. They do offer a %20 discount to celebrate their 20th anniversary, which was nice. This is absolutely a restaurant for older folks, I wouldn't go in expecting amazing service on a Saturday night unless you are a regular. I would NEVER take a date there.
(2)
YanYan D.
We go here every year for my parent's anniversary I always enjoy my time spent here The service and food deserves all 5 stars From the Escargots to the Souffle - The 5 course meal is worth it
(5)
Dave N.
Like a blast from the past, there just aren't many of these old school restaurants around any more. Larry the bartender is great; he makes an honest drink and is funny and colorful as hell. His presence really adds to the old world charm of the place. The lounge area is a big karaoke joint on weeknights, and the people watching is quite good. The dining room is just what you'd expect from an old school place as well; the waiters are impeccably dressed in formal tuxes, and the manager himself in an impeccable dark suit and tie. He's the one who actually did cafe diablo tableside, probably because it's a two man operation. We started out with crabcakes in a lobster sauce, and they were excellent. Our caesar salads were also prepared tableside, as were our flambe'd pepper steaks. The steaks themselves were a bit overcooked (we asked for medium rare, and they came out medium), thus taking away a star. But the meat quality was good enough that the steaks were still tender and delicious. Service was gracious and friendly, while still retaining a suitable formality. This is a GREAT for a first date place or a special occasion like birthday or anniversary. It's not an everyday kind of place, but I do see us going back again.
(4)
Bobbi R.
We chose this restaurant for a company dinner for 20. The food, service and atmosphere was fantastic and very affordable. I was so pleased with the management and how very accomodating and gracious they all were. I would recommend this place to everyone whether it be for an intimate dinner, a night out with friends or for large parties like mine. I will be back again and again. Thanks Dimitrios and Kaveh! You made our evening very special. Best, Bobbi Ratley
(5)
Iris Y.
This was a very unique dining experience for me personally and one that I don't ever remember having before. And the type of dining experience that I'm talking about is old-school traditional white people food. Let me clarify that I am not ridiculing the food, service, or restaurant. The food itself was well seasoned and well prepared, and everyone, including myself, enjoyed our large portioned meals. The restaurant was full for lunch and it was very obvious that many were locals and return guests. The service was also attentive and polite (and the waiters were wearing tuxes!) By old-school food, I mean the plating and type of food. A good portion of the main dishes were mostly a piece of meat (fish, chicken, etc) sitting in a pool of sauce (lemon caper, lemon butter, masala, etc), with some steamed vegetables (carrots and green beans in separate piles), either mashed potatoes that came out of a piping bag or rice pilaf, and garnished with a sprig of parsley and a half lemon. It was plating that I'd only heard of before and seen on tv! This restaurant has been around for a while and it's very obvious they're keeping to the high, though traditional, standards that the older generations of locals love and return to. The prices are a bit steep for lunch ($15-$30 for the entrees), but the portions are generous. If you're ever in Belmont and are interested in some old-style service and food, I'd say head on down and enjoy!
(3)
Nicole C.
The food was delicious, but the atmosphere and decor are a bit more for the older crowd. This was confirmed as we were probably the youngest there by far. The french onion soup and oysters were particularly amazing. Our waiter was nice but the service didn't blow me away. I still think it is a good place overall, though.
(4)
Tim J.
I've eaten at the Iron Gate probably 20 times over the past ten years and it's one of our favorites. I simply can't bring myself to order anything but the Calamari Dore. I'm a huge Calamari fan by the way. Everything is great. Steak Diane, prepared at the table is always good too. This is a great place with great service. The crowd is a bit older but always pleasant. The prices are high but worth the great food and service. I'll continue to go here
(4)
Lauren W.
Food: 4 stars Price: 3 stars Service: 3 stars It is a charming, "old school" restaurant that serves continental food. I say it's "old school" because of the appearance (starting with the class Iron Gate outside), the waiters wear tuxedos, and wooden carts are pushed around. The carts are used for salad - some salads are made at your table - and also fflambe dishes. Every now and again, we'd see somebody set either some meat or dessert on fire (e.g., cherries jubilee). We ordered a garden salad with shrimp, clam chowder (Fridays only), veal Jerusalem, dungeoness crab legs out of the shell (special of the day) and chocolate souffle. All very good. I personally thought the souffle was the best, although it took a surprisingly long time even though we placed our order at the beginning of our meal along with our appetizers and main courses. Hubby & I would go again, but the prices are for special occasions like a date night or client dinner, not casual dining.
(4)
Ida C.
friends and i came here to celebrate a birthday and not-so-coincidentally, a surprise proposal/engagement. the groom-to-be didnt' propose while the couple was visiting paris this spring so this was the next best option :). we weren't exactly the quietest table in the dining room and i half suspected someone would come over to tell us to keep it down (or to STFU) but that didn't happen as they just let us be and the staff was sweet to come over and congratulate the newly engaged couple. service was friendly and attentive (as a french resto's should be) WITHOUT a side of pretentiousness. i shared the steak diane with a friend and convinced her to accept it as medium rare but since the portion was so thinly sliced, it came out medium and perhaps a little overcooked even to her liking. the server was kind enough to portion out the shared french onion soup into two ramekins for us and we enjoyed the depth of flavour in the broth. i have a fondness for caesar salad which was assembled tableside but was too heavily doused with olive oil. note: DO NOT attempt to share a standard appetizer (outside of salads/soups). this is, afterall, a french and not a chinese resto :). the BEST part of dinner was the grand marnier souffle. there have been times when i've ordered souffles only to find a dense cake served out of a ramekin. pastry + ramekin cup = NOT a true souffle. sheesh, the audicty of some places to pass such an inferior dessert off as a souffle. this one DID NOT DISAPPOINT as it was light, fluffy, not overly sweet, and had the perfect eggy-custard + airy consistency. it was clearly well executed and perfectly timed. there was a bit of a production with its assembly tableside but that added to the charm of our overall experience. 3.5 stars w/o the orgasmic dessert experience but the service and souffle elevates this place to a solid 4. this place also takes the prime card (1 entree of equal or lesser value free) on weekdays so i'll be back with my company perk card to try the steak poivre (a thicker cut of steak) and of course, the amaze-balls souffle.
(4)
Wendy C.
The food here is pretty good. It better be, consider how expensive it is. The irony, however, is I don't remember what I had. That means nothing really spectacular that I can remember. I walked in the restaurant (had reservation), and the first thing is wait because the hostess received a call from her boss. Rather than telling her boss to hold, we had to listen to the entire conversation and wait until she gets off the phone. I guess her boss taught her well to respect her superior but forget about customer service. Our waiter is although polite but not personable or approachable. In fact, when I told him that we have a birthday, he smiled and walked away. There is no birthday ice cream or singing birthday songs or even a "happy birthday". Overall, this is a one time experience and not a place I would go back.
(3)
M S.
Old style ...... Classic ....... Good food and service ......white tablecloths ...... Tuxedo wearing waiters. What's not to like?
(5)
Cheeks L.
This place is great!!! I ended up going there with my bf at the time (that fucker!) his sister and her husband, which frequented the place A LOT. The waiters are some of the best I have encountered. It's like you have your own little butler at your feet for the entire night. Score! The ambiance is great. It's totally like stepping back in time. Super classy and elegant.. but I always feel shown up by the waiters.. "Damn you tuxedos! Where is my ball gown?!" Ok... so...the food is freakin incredible. What a bummer it would be to have such a nice place and shitty food, but this place does not disappoint. The Veal Oscar was to die for... veal and crab legs?! What's not to love? Steak Diane is like butter in your mouth... and the Cherries Jubilee dessert was fabulous. They also serve VERY stiff drinks. (It was a loooooonnnggggg island night) We finished up dinner, picked up a few drinks, and listened to a small jazz band play in the bar. Was a very very nice night. I would recommend this place to anyone, regardless of age who likes to get a little dressed up for dinner and make a night of it. You will not regret it.
(5)
Jacko F.
Good house for nowadays. Very old fashion menu, which is great. Classic menu that you do not see anymore. Almost all these kinds of houses are gone. Lunch is the best deal if you stay away from the fancy entrees. Stick with the hamburger, sandwiches, and basic salads for $10-$12 bucks and you cannot go wrong. Great service and the guy who runs it is someone who knows the restaurant business. He was very nice, helpful, and smiles a lot. All in all, very very good. Good place to bring someone under 40 so they can see how a good restaurant is run and the way it use to be back when customers knew what was good.
(4)
Denise B.
It was my dad's birthday so he picked the place. And while it was okay, for someone my father's age (sorry Dad) it wasn't somewhere that would pop into my head when my friends and I are pondering where to go for dinner. So no, it's not the hottest spot of the moment. It's somewhere out parents would enjoy. Simple decor, that blends into the room, along with the dimly lit lights, staff dressed in formalwear, and older clientele. So if you can get over the atmosphere and then hope that it's saved by the food, well sorry to let you down: the food wasn't anything worth writing about. OK, nothing wonderful. 2 things though about the meal did warrant mention: 1 good and 1 bad thing. First the chicken Jerusalem, while with good flavor, it could not in any way or form disguise the dryness of the chicken. It was really dry, like 2 weeks dried out in the fridge dry. The veggies that came with it, looked like they came out of the freezer section at Safeway. So if everything else wasn't worth mentioning, then this was one dish was so bad it had to be mentioned. The 1 good thing about the meal: the souffle was above average. GREAT light flavor, not too much sauce (though can there ever be too much sauce) and perfectly warmed with just enough chocolate flavoring. So if the atmosphere was only okay, and the food garnishes mixed reviews, was there anything that was redeeming? The service. Great waiter, attentive, sincere, didn't overly hover over us, yet also seemed to appear whenever we needed him. As much as I liked him though, we don't go out to dinner to get good service so much as we go out to dinner to get some good food, complemented by good service and ambiance. Sorry Iron Gate, the gates can close on me. I'm not coming back. :(
(2)
Angela H.
I don't know what it is about Belmont, but eating in their restaurants in like stepping back in culinary history. Like the Vans, Iron Gate has been around for a while, and has the same reputation for serving good old-school food and having served it to the same generation for years. Yes, the average age of the dining room is north of 60, but you can't deny that the food is tasty and in the case of Iron Gate, just fun to watch be prepared. We started off with the escargots Bouguignon- at $12 for about 6 snails, a little pricey, but delicious in garlic butter nonetheless. We also went with the Les Epinards au Bacon Flambe- warm spinach salad. At first I thought $26 for 2 portions was ridiculously priced, but the preparation is such a production that you can't help but be impressed. I guess I'm just a sucker for anything that's flambeed and therefore, contains an element of danger. For my entree, I picked the Veal a la Jerusalem, which was okay, but not anything too exciting. What turned out to be really good was the Calamari steak Dore and the Prawns and Scallops Bordelaise that my dining companions ordered. The calamari steak was the best calamari I'd ever had- super tender while retaining a firm texture. I almost wanted to send my veal back and get the calamari instead. Likewise, the prawns and scallops were delicious- I thought the bit of prawn I had was just a touch rubbery but the scallop was perfect. The rice and side veggies were okay. We wanted yet another performance at the flambe carts, so we ordered bananas foster, which really is the perfect dessert. In this case, the caramel sauce cooked a little too long, so it was hard by the time it hit the vanilla ice cream, but it was still a great way to end the night. We were probably the youngest people in the room by far, but you know what, I still had a great time. The tuxedo'd waiters are nice and there really wasn't anything I could complain about the service. Go if you're looking to impress your older relatives with the flambes and such. And just remember that the trendy places you all love so much these days will one day turn "old school" and we'll see if they have the longevity of Iron Gate.
(4)
Stefanie Y.
Don't be fooled by the ancient look of the building. Belmont is a good city but the food at Iron Gate got my vote. I went there on a date and the wait staff greeted and seated us promptly. Food was delicously prepared and we didn't have to wait long for our food to come. My only complain is that the place is little too dark and can hear other's conversation pretty loudly during dinner time
(4)
Maurine K.
sorry, we have to give a thumbs down for the iron gate due to poor service and mediocre food. we were happy to get a table for 2 on a busy saturday night, but when we waited over an hour for the entree, with very little attention (or apology) from the wait staff, we were pretty hungry. well, the steak rossini, a house specialty, was bland, boring, bland. we got tired of waiting for the bill so announced on our way through the restaurant they could find us in the bar. the nail in the coffin for them is they didn't even offer to comp us a glass of wine, or a dessert..or hey how about knocking off the split charge? nada. we won't bother to go back or recommend it. too bad.
(1)
Kristin H.
My family has been going to the Iron Gate for special occasions ever since I can remember. We went here for my 21st birthday, my 30th birthday, and my engagement party. They always have great service and fabulous food! I always order the combination salad, which has hearts of palm, asparagus, endive, and loads of shrimp. The veal is of great quality and always cooked to perfection. I have tried the veal marsala, the veal Oscar, & the veal picante - all good. The steak Diane is out-of-this world good and is prepared tableside. My father usually has the Caeser salad, which again, is prepared tableside. It is a large serving and it is very tasty. The tableside preparation is a nice and entertaining addition to the meal. The waiters...I cannot say enough about the waiters!! They are there to serve your every whim! If your glass is only half-full, they are there to fill it. I have to watch them because they will keep filling my wine glass and I don't realize how much wine I have had until the bottle is empty!! Not a complaint, really, just an observation...I like wine. :) Their souffles are wonderful. They have chocolate and they have Grand Marnier, and if you are in-the-know, you can have them combined! My favorite is the Zabaglione, an Italian egg yolk, sugar & marsala wine concoction they, again, make tableside. It is served with berries and I cannot get enough of it. Iron Gate is one of the only restaurants I have found that offers it and it is GOOD!! It is warm and smooth and makes you feel good all over. (Of course that could be the marsala!) Yes, the crowd is older, but I would attribute that to the fact that their prices are steep - fair for what they offer, but most young people don't see the value in it and would prefer a cheap burger at some drive-thru while they text the passenger in their own car. Butter, yes, they cook with butter!!! OMG BUTTER!!! Let me let you in on a little secret here folks - it won't kill you. This is a splurge, a night out, not for every meal! I can only guess that half of these reviews were written by people who wouldn't know a good dinner if it hit them in the face and think iceberg lettuce & tomatoes make a salad! I like to be waited on..on occasion, and I don't mind paying for it. I believe "you get what you pay for." Good service is a lost art (sigh*) and Iron Gate serves it up best!!
(5)
Christine N.
I would have never picked to come here but was so pleasantly surprised! Steak Diane was fabulous. Our server cooked it table side and told us the story of how the recipe came to be. He has worked there for 38 years. French onion soup was great too. It was pricey but for a nice night out, I'd go again.
(4)
Judy J.
Dinner with friends at The Iron Gate last evening was perfect. Delicious ( Caesar salad is the best), very courteous staff, serene and relaxing environment. What a treat!
(5)
KJ J.
Iron gate is really locked in time, but not in a bad way if that is what you are looking for in an evening out. There is a large bar in a seperate section of the restuarant with a live band on weekends and a small dance floor. All of my dining experiences here have been pleasant and the wait staff always attentive and professional. While the decor is a bit lacking the service, food selections and cocktails make it worth at least one try if your thinking of checking out the place.
(4)
claire m.
I had the pleasure of eating here twice in one week. I was going to be photographing a party there and decided to go check out the room as well as the food. I'm sooo glad I did! The food is FANTASTIC. To me, this is a special occasion place because it's pricey. I've eaten at Izzy's and enjoyed it but this takes the cake. The service is fantastic. Waiters in tux. I can hear there are a lot of regulars there which is fantastic. The place always seems busy and full which is great. My husband and I shared the vegetable crepes and the filet mignon. We had the Hess Cabernet to go with it, nice and smoky. The food was fantastic, cooked to perfection and the garlic butter on top of the meat! Heaven! For dessert we had the chocolate souffle which takes awhile to prepare so they warn you ahead of time so you can put your order in early. They brought it to the table and the waiter poured the chocolate over it at our table. I wished I had this all to myself ha I still can't believe we brought our 14 month old. He was soo well behaved, we had people coming up to tell us what great parents we were and how well behaved he was. But this is not a place for kids, it's upscale and not a place for kids to be running around in. I ate there again while photographing for the party and had the NY steak which was fantastic. The raspberry sorbet in between the salad and dinner was a wonderful treat. We had tiramisu for dessert and it was DELISH! The service was fantastic once again and nice to see nothing had changed whether it was for two people or 60 people. I'll definitely dine here again :)
(5)
Christina A.
This is a about as old-school upscale as you'll find on the Peninsula. An elegant atmosphere, a consummately professional waitstaff in formal wear, and fabulous food - much of it flambeed. The menu features traditional favorites such as Oysters Rockefeller, Coquilles St. Jacques, Rack of Lamb and Steak au Poivre. The Cherries Jubilee, Crepes Suzette and Bananas Foster are guaranteed to impress. Pricy, but a perfect venue for a special occasion.
(5)
Helen L.
Once you enter, you go back in time, seating on Old fashion velvet seats with Old fashion waiters and manners. You just go back in time. French cuisine-french words on the menu. Romance of Flambe, souffle, veal a la Marsala, crepes. I wonder if the fire ever get out of control. They've got great tender steaks and veal. I had the vegetable crepes with artichokes with hollandaise sauce. Excellent Hollandaise sauce. You do pay for this, but you can get certificate through restaurant.com . It was very interesting to get a sorbet after our appetizer. The sorbet is suppose to cleanse your palate, but for me, it lead me to crave for dessert! The souffle takes 30 minutes, so order ahead of time. We were celebrating a birthday, so a birthday cake was brought, but they charge $3.00 for cake charge, so we forgo eating the cake there. The cake cost less than the total charge. The side vegetables were all perfectly done.
(4)
Chris T.
The first thing you'll notice when you walk into to this restaurant is that it is a very mature crowd. Considering my age, and my fondness for food, leads me to places where often times I am one of the younger people in the restaurant, this was the first time that I felt, way too young. I am not exaggerating, we could easily be the age their kid's kids. That said, they do provide a service that is fairly unique and becoming trendy lately. I've always been a big fan of things done table side, but they also need to be well executed in the taste as well. Iron Gate does not fall short in either category. I think in someways I romanticize the table side flambee, I think of it as a old school way of spending the evening and it could be why the Iron Gate's crowd is such an older group. I will say I came back a few months later and did find that the age gap had narrowed, most were probably around my parent's age. I figured since they specialize in table side cooking, I usually prefer to stick by their strengths and order to it. Escargots Bouguignon - A nice start, pretty traditional in presentation and flavor, pulling those little bits of tasty meat and eating it with bread is awesome! *Palette Cleanser* Some sort of Pineapple sorbet that I think has a touch of chambord liquor in it. Last time I came here I just did the dinner, and we didn't get this, so I'm thinking you need a fairly strong tasting starter, I'm not sure if you get this if you order a soup or salad. Steak Diane Flambe - I had this on my first visit, nice aroma from the Brandy and scallions, the steak was thin but perfectly cooked, to a true medium rare, which I like. Venison (aka Bambi to my friend's horror.) Flambe - This was a special of the day and it was good, not over cooked, clean flavor and juicy. The same could be said for the rich peppercorn butter sauce that it was served with. The meat was not gamey at all. They are served usually with some sort of starch, (mashed or oven roasted potato) and some steamed vegetables, there are usually a bit to soft, the vegetables get forgot in the dishes, still the main dish entree is fantastic. They do have souffle, like the traditional gran marnier or chocolate, to some more exotic types like, mixed berry and green apple... It requires quite a wait time so let your waiter know early. I have never had these mainly because I just can't resist the table side desserts. The cerises jubilees is absolutely amazing, and they spoon it over ice cream in a large vessel, what I like about this dish, is that care needs to be taken in making this a success, if the liquid is to hot it becomes burnt and tastes awful, if the liquid is to cold it will harden like a rock the moment it touches the ice cream. I have also tried the Banana Foster and the Crepes Suzette, both of them good in their own way, presented table side, but still the cerises jubilees is all you really need. The servers here are very fun, and lively, well polished in conversing with the customer. They are always attentive but not overbearing, providing to a comfortable yet fun atmosphere. The gentlemen who does the table side cooking is always engaging and entertain you (and your closest tables) as he cooks with a sizzling pan and flames shooting up lightening up the romantically dim room. The hostess is really sweet, she was the one that took our reservations and also took us to the table, she does have a thick Japanese accent, I on the phone for a brief moment thought I miss dialed... Still everyone here really makes this restaurant shine, and I have always had a good time here. One other nice thing I like here, is that you can dress up if you want for a nice evening, but at the same time, if you walk in from work in jeans they still will treat you well, I like restaurants that try to provide a comfortable and upscale dinning experience regardless of how you dress. And while this restaurant may seem a little geriatric, I don't think of it as that big of a deal. Heck these are the older foodies that are into drinking and eating foods and desserts soaked in brandy and other alcohol that catches fire. Shoot that sounds remarkably similar to a number of parties I threw when I was in college, I sure hope I'm still eating and drinking like them when I get that old....
(4)
Sarah C.
I enjoyed a delicious holiday work lunch here. The restaurant is elegant and wonderfully decorated for the season. They specialize in flambe which is very intriguing- I can't wait to return and try the Bananas Foster. I wasn't feeling well and the host was so kind of accommodate my picky state of eating. My consumme pastine was delicious and satisfying.
(4)
Ashley R.
Yuck! My husband took me here for a romantic dinner after seeing that it has some of the best service on the peninsula. Too bad that good service comes with bad food. I am a vegetarian, so I ordered the one thing that is vegetarian on the menu....a crepe...smothered in creme with vegetables...that had absolutely no flavor. I felt like I was gaining a pound with each bite that I choked down due to guilt of the price. I also got a salad and forgot to ask what the dressing was?? Oh. It was basically just mayonnaise on lettuce. My husband thought his steak was okay. We are in our 20s and everyone around us was with someone 70+. We will not be back...or at least not for 50 years when we lose our tastebuds. Also, this place is so not romantic. If you are 40 or under, I recommend staying away from this place.
(1)
Chris W.
Ah a night of fire and food. i ordered the Steak Diane Flambe and was not disappointed. It was juicy and tasty perfect. Then I topped it off with more fire, strawberry flambe for dessert. it might be my favorite strawberry dessert.
(5)
J S.
I don't give many restaurants a 5! We loved the Iron Gate. Food was fabulous! Service was fabulous! The souffle was unbelievable! We got the Grand Mariner with Berries for two people! We will definitely go back. Total bill for two was about $150
(5)
Yvonne K.
Definitely a throwback to the way dining used to be, The Iron Gate is a great place to go for both family celebrations or even a date. This is one of the few restaurants that still does flambe cooking table side. The steak diane is absolutely fabulous and you simply cannot beat that it is cooked right at your table. They also have a great wine list to pair with your meal. A note on the cafe diablo - make sure you are in a group to order this as it is mostly liquor, but watching it be prepared is totally worth it. This place is also on the expensive side, but the service as well as the meal are top notch.
(5)
Abby K.
I recently went here for my husband's company holiday party. Maybe it was because we were such a large crowd and all but the service left much to be desired. I asked for a glass of coke because I don't drink wine and the waiter looked at me as if I had asked him to bring me an elephant on a plate. Then it was time for the caesar salad--pretty good other than the fact that I had literally 5 leaves and my husband had a FULL plate..weird. When the main course finally came out, the servers were literally running around the room giving people their food. They HANDED me my plate and said "watch out, the plate is hot!" I was mortified. They were in such a hurry they set my husband's plate so hard on the table the sauce splashed a bit and the table rattled. The waiters kept running into the back of people's chairs as they were passing by and one server even pushed my 2 yr old son aside with his hip!! Later on when it came time for dessert the waiter brought over some forks and get this-he SLID the forks to us because I guess he was too busy to place them by us. I was so annoyed with the constant rush of the waiters and the lack of service that I don't even remember if the food tasted good or not. I will not be returning here and will make sure no one I know doesn't either.
(2)
Geri M.
Our friend recommended this place. We really enjoyed the staff. Our waitress was very spirited. Interesting as the evening and dinner progressed. We first started with some Hors d'Oeuvres: - Oysters Rockefeller: These were okay. It was good to share and taste. - Portabello in filo dough: Good since I love mushrooms. - Fried Calamari: Good. - Prawn Cocktail: Wonderful! Then, we ordered lots of dishes with "flames": - Steak Diane: Delicious sauce - Peppercorn Steak: The steaks that were ordered rare were served medium. The steak that was order medium well was served with "flames". It was a wonderful experience. For dessert, we ordered (All served with "flames"): - Chocolate Souffle: Delicious - Banana Foster: Outstanding! To top off the end, we were served "El Diablo". Wow! Everyone should order this. It is expensive, but it is worth the "flames". I did not place the extra star, because our waitress' attentiveness became wearing especially when she spilled two drinks on our table. One landed on a main dish and the other landed on our dessert plates and "El Diablo" cups as we were trying to calculate the bill. Overall, it was great. we were all full and happy. Remember to come hungry!
(4)
Ron G.
Iron Gate is one of the better "old school" fine restaurants in the bay area. People who complain about the decor are missing the point here. Iron Gate is not trying to be 'new' or 'trendy'. The whole point is to deliver a traditional white linens dining experience. If you go a few times you are likely to be greeted as an old friend by the Matradi. To get an idea of the type of fare, the signature order here is the Caesar Salad, Carpaccio, Steak Diane, and Souffle (well the Carpaccio is mostly my addition, but this is what I commonly order). All of these (except the Carpaccio) are prepared table side. Another terrific standard is the Chicken Jerusalem. Although I have never personally ordered them, I am told the Sweetbreads are very good as well. The clientele is on the older side, but an older crowd is normally a sign the place delivers what is expected for the value. No experimental surprises here. If what you want is to take your date or wife to a really nice traditional continental diner, this place will not disappoint. If you want a more 'hip' setting, try elsewhere.
(4)
Corrin R.
This is one of my favorite places. The food is delish every time I go. The steak diane is amazing.
(5)
Jeff S.
This restaurant is one of the best with a delightful classic semi-french menu. While the flambe is exciting, there is not adequite ventalation for this to happen too often. That is a small gripe, as everything else was wonderful! The service and food were on par with the finest restaurants I've been to. I had the veal picatta, and my meal-mates had the Veal Oscar (that for some strange reason has been removed from the menu. This is their best dish IMO) The ceasar was made tableside with the most classic and wonderful recipe. Only one other place has made it this good, Le Virage In Walnut Creek, closed now for 3 years. The souflee, while not really my thing, was fluffy and smooth with tons of topping of your choice. Overall, a true winner in every sense, a wonderful old-school, classic restaurant.
(5)
Norm D.
As always, a wonderful restaurant. Food was outstanding again and the service is superb. A neighborhood gem. The steak diane is the best. We save it for special occasions.
(5)
Pam H.
I have been to the Iron Gate a few times. A few business luncheons and then just recently for an impromptu dinner. Excellent service, very attentive and the food did not disappoint. We were dining with another couple and two people had the fish special of the day and loved it and two of us had steaks and they just melted in your mouth! Wine selection was very extensive and a good selection of mid-priced wines. We like our wine, but don't see the need to overspend when dining out (markup in a restaurant can be huge). Overall a great night out with friends. Only negative is that the air conditioning was turned way up and you could literally "hang meat in there"- it was sooooo cold. They did turn it down a bit when we complained though ~ so all in all, very good night!
(4)
Matt C.
Have tried a couple of the veal dishes and the veal flambe is simply undeniable. There is some slight variation depending on who you have cook the sauce (it's done in the dining room) but each time it has come out and been the envy of the table. The sole and the filet are also very good, and the wine-by-the-glass list is short but each selection (whites and reds) has been solid, not to mention a good value. The service all around was impeccable and the ambiance is old school yet comforting and welcoming. Quite a gem.
I'm not going to waste your time with a long review so i'm just gonna say that this place is simply great...
(5)
Doublejack X.
If you walked in knowing nothing about it, as I did recently for some family friends' 40th wedding anniversary party, you might set your expectations pretty low. It looks small, there's a jukebox near the bar... it just doesn't look like someplace you'd find great food and/or great service. I was so glad to be wrong! At the Iron Gate, I had one of the best meals I've had dining out in a long, long time. Even though it was a private party, with a set menu (I had to decide between salmon, lamb or beef over a month before the party), every course was excellent. And as a former waiter with a keen eye for quality service, I can tell you the staff at the Iron Gate know their stuff. They were prompt, attentive and professional from beginning to end. If you're looking for someplace a little unique, maybe a little quirky, but don't want to risk a bad experience, give this Bay Area landmark a try. I highly doubt you'll be disappointed.
(4)
Joy S.
We wanted a special dinner, and followed yelpers advice and are glad we did. The food was excellent and the wait staff was very professional and friendly. Comments about an older crowd and old fashioned atmosphere are true, and having said that we said we would certainly return when we want very good food with a more fancy presentation and not outrageous prices.
(4)
Hai Y.
Had the Tournedo and wife had the filet mignon and lobster. very good taste. right softness.
(5)
Brian E.
Maybe this place was better back in the day, but not anymore. The food reminded me of mediocre catering. If it was half the price I would have given two more stars. The atmosphere is not romantic at all. Don't waste your money, there are much better places with great value on the peninsula.
(2)
Jennifer L.
I crave their Ceasar Salad - best I ever had, though wasn't up to par on one visit. This place is overly expensive, but can be nice (definitely a throw-back to another era, waiters wear tuxedoes and all that). Their desserts did not impress me at all (not worth ordering at all if you're serious about chocolate like I am), but the main courses (and French Onion Soup) are rich and delicious. They do certain preparations table-side (like Ceasar Salad and Steak Diane, or something with flames). It's fun to watch, and there are mirrors that reflect the fire, so people notice the table-side pyrotechnics. The fireplace and the fine China add to the coziness of the place.
(4)
Tina L.
Went to a party at the Iron Gate but did not eat in the restaurant but did have a few of the appetizers served at the party. Great cheesy mini quiche and usually I do not like meatballs but theirs were very flavorful. But the bar and the staff were very friendly and attentive with our crowd. The due who were performing were great and had us dancing all night. I would like to go back and eat there.
(3)
Andrew F.
We had an pleasant dinner here last Tuesday. Our server was friendly albeit a bit hyper. Many reviews mentioned the geriatric crowd, but when we where there it seemed more middle aged. The decor is odd: it starts out very over the top with the giant gate, moves to heavy wood in the darkened bar, and by the time you've gotten to the back, its dirty drop ceiling. For appetizers we had prosciutto and melon, and portabella mushrooms. The mushrooms where quite good, the melon was not particularly fresh. For dinner we had sole, chicken saltimbocca, a veal dish, and rack of lamb. It was all very tasty and quite filling. The odd exception was the sides of vegetables. While they had been microwaved all the way through, they had obviously been frozen for quite some time before that. To finish up we had a green apple souffle. I'm not a connoisseur, but this is definitely the best I've had. It tasted quite strong of liquor (so I wonder what the Grand Mariner one tastes like). Overall, we had mushrooms with butter, chicken with butter, veal with butter, fish with butter, and lamb with butter. If you like butter you'll enjoy them. Just be careful with the fresh stuff.
(4)
ERIN M.
We visit the Iron Gate a few times a year and it is consistently good. The atmosphere is lovely and the food is wonderful. The recommended wines are always right on the mark. The portions are good which is unusual for French food.
(5)
M I.
I've been here several times. The service here is always great and friendly. I've tried their sole, veal and lamb dishes and they were all excellent. Their grand marnier souffle is very good too. The location is not convinient if you don't live/work in this area but I would highly recommend to try this place out when you have a chance.
(5)
janine m.
My most favorite restaurant for true continental cuisine - and the best place to get a solid stiff traditional cocktail in the Peninsula. And if you want to hear some great Top 40, head to lounge for music on Fridays/Saturdays. This isn't the place that young folks will find the "scene", and it's not catering to the young clientele. That's the point.
(5)
Roco j.
I can only say, the name says it all. and to those who are surprised, maybe drive by the place next time and stick your lazy head in and have a look around before you settle on it for your, fun, celebrations. and to the person who wont go back because of a lost blue tooth, its like this, if your guest had a brain he would not have left it behind in the first place. dont blame a under paid staff for your mishaps and negligence. how do you know it just wasnt tossed in the garbage with all the other crap on the table?! i give them 5 stars for being a successful business in San Mateo County. :).
(5)
Avid E.
Went here for dinner last night and thoroughly enjoyed the meal. Onion soup and steak diane were right on the money (although the steak was slightly over cooked). I also highly recommend the chocolate souffle. The ambiance wasn't particularly sheik and the service was a little bit funky - they brought my souffle before my dining companions had the opportunity to even order from the dessert menu.
(4)
Igor V.
The style of the restaurant has an older feel to it, so I end up going with older relatives who would rather not go to a hip place with music blasting. And that's fine with me because the food here is really great. The standout for me is the Tournedo A La Rossini, which is basically a piece of tenderloin covered with pate and truffle, cooked in a brandy sauce ... YUM! It has such a rich flavor to it that I had to fend off the forks from my other guests. I've also had the oysters and scallops, both of which were great. I tried a piece of veal as well and wasn't impressed, though I normally don't eat veal either. And of course, the steak Diane flambe, which they make right in front of you, is also really good! I've never had problems with the service. Always seated promptly (with reservations), and the waiters were very attentive. If you are younger (20 - 30) and care about being with the "in" crowd, then you might want to skip this place. But if you don't care about being the youngest person in the place and just want a really amazing meal, I totally recommend this place.
(5)
Joely L.
This place has a real old school feel to it. Waiters are in tuxedos and always looking sharp. Food is great especially the steak Diane is yummmmy! Not to many places like this around.
(5)
hank w.
I've been going to the Iron Gate since I was a teenager ! Total old school and always awesome food and service. I miss Harris and the salami plate---but still one of my favorites. I love the veal saltimboca and coquiles st jauqes ! The banana foster is to die for.If your lucky there will be a live band at the bar.
(5)
Thomas B.
We had high expectations which is maybe why we were so dis-appointed. The unique inviting exterior revealed a wedding banquet like interior with a mis-match pub style bar. The service was top notch and we received 20% off our bill as some kind of anniversary promotion which is why we rated it three stars. The food was just disappointing though OK. This turned out to be a below average place with above average prices. We enjoyed our meal but won't be going back. Too many better restaurant around. Ohh and it's a italian restaurant not french.
(3)
Vera L.
This has been our favorite date night restaurant for months now; in fact, we barely go anywhere else now when we want to have a nice dinner. Yes, we are typically the youngest couple in the dining room, but who cares when their coquis St. Jacques (spelling?) is so amazing. My husband tries different meat dishes every time, but I'm a creature of habit I guess, always having the same fantastic meal and never disappointed. I can't say that their prices are higher than your average Italian or French restaurant, but then we never have room for desert or wine... We never had a bad experience with a waiter, even with new ones who served us for the first time. Will be returning here again!
(5)
Kevin S.
Imagine a slightly gin-and-tonic'd up Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Robinson. She's not afraid to slip you some tongue and try to light your fire if you give her half a chance. And if you're brave, you will let her have her way, because this old lady knows a few tricks. The souffle, for example. Just order one, any of them, when you order your meal and no matter what happens along the way you can count on a happy ending to your night. The Iron Gate is supposedly one of the oldest restaurants on the peninsula and the decor confirms it. But if you can keep from skeeving at the looks, which seem to date from the finest restaurant in Tarrytown circa 1965, your mouth is in for a treat. This tongue-kissing old dowager can put together some pretty good old-school eats, such as the Steak Diane which is set aflame tableside and faithfully follows the old recipe with mustard, worcestershire, lemon, and brandy. IQ enjoyed a delightful filet with Bearnaise and we started with a classic Coquilles St. Jacques, featuring absolutely perfectly cooked scallops. There is nothing on this menu that wasn't being cooked in "fancy" restaurants 30 years before Alice Waters ever picked up a vegetable peeler, but you could do much worse in this stretch of the Peninsula on any given night.
(4)
Javan E.
This place is hit and miss. The atmosphere is 80's and needs an update pronto. The food is pretty good. I had the skirt steak and my friends had the tuna salad and one of their pasta dishes. We all liked what we ate although the sides could be a bit more memorable like another reviewer said. For desert we had chocolate mousse and cheesecake. The cheesecake is the same no matter where I go but the mousse was outstanding. The best part about this place is the great service. The waiter is very helpful and friendly. He'll meet any needs you have. The average rating is for great service, good desert, lousy atmosphere, oh, and it's pretty pricey.
(3)
David B.
This place is over rated. There is no atmosphere and the food was C+. The inside is like a Denny's with bad chairs and dirty ceiling tiles. It amazed me that the place was packed.
(2)
Chris H.
Went today for lunch, to celebrate my husband's birthday. The food was fantastic. Hubby ordered the filet of sole and I had the poached halibut. Both were excellent. The service was warm and friendly and the waiters were very attentive. Had a custard to split for dessert, which was to die for!!!! So creamy and smooth....Hey, they are offering 20% off every lunch and dinner order, between now and September, in honor of their birthday. An extra plus!!! Every little bit helps, in today's economy.... Will return soon!!!!
(5)
Bruce B.
Everything is on fire here. If you want your entire meal from starter to desert on fire, come here. It's nothing spectacular but it's not bad either. Oh, and you'll feel out of place if you're not an AARP member.
(3)
Charmi T.
Really really great minestrone soup. Homemade and very flavorful. It's difficult to find homemade soups these days and Irongate has nailed it. Service was very slow but I didn't mind after having ate the soup. The environment of the restaurant is pretty cafeteria like and you can dress casual or business casual and feel comfortable. Parking can be difficult at times.
(4)
Elliott N.
Accessibility (Parking / Wait Time) 1/1 Star: Free parking lot. No wait. _____ Service (Waiter / Cleanness / Ambiance) 1/1 Star: top notch service. Very fancy and professional. Dim lighting. Simple atmosphere. _____ Taste (0=Not Edible / 1=Edible / 2=Good (average) / 3=Must Try!) 3/3 Stars: the pepper steak is a must try! It was deliciously peppery and they make the sause at your table with fire. Its not the big fire though. For the big fire you need to order the raw steak and they cook it with huge flames at your tabke. The crab cake was good too. _____ Overall Experience 5/5 Stars _____ Last Words The bathroom wasn't fancy.
To begin, this review is based on only 1 experience which may have been an off night instead of being indicative of this restaurant on average. We (7 people) selected this place for our friend's birthday as it was a place he wanted to try and none of us had eaten here before. Upon arriving, our host kindly greeted us and showed us to our table. And then things started going downhill. After waiting more than 15 minutes (at a time where the restaurant was not seemingly crowded), we were finally asked about drinks, and even though we were ready to order, the waiter walked off before we could say anything to place our drink order. Upon his return, we placed our order (various dinners, 2 apps and soups or salads for all). When the soup/salads arrived, one of the soup spoons was dirty (not spots, rather there was dried food still on the spoon). When we informed the waiter, we got a nonplus "oh" and then he grabbed one off the table next to us and left. It wasn't his fault, and we weren't looking for any compensation or what not, but a little empathy would have been nice. Following this course, we received our dinners and 1 of the 7 meals were cold; not luke-warm but cold. When we brought this up to the waiter, we again got no apology or anything resembling one; rather he took the meal and said something like I'll get this fixed. He was back so fast, it must have been simply tossed in a microwave. At this point, some of us were too put-off to enjoy our meals or the evening. I would not recommend this establishment (again, based on this 1 experience).
(2)
Jenny Q.
I came here with my boyfriend to celebrate my birthday and am so, so disappointed! I drive by the bright red neon signs of Iron Gate frequently and used to think it looked like a hotel, so I looked it up and bookmarked it on Yelp after seeing it's ratings. I thought it'd be a nice intimate place to have dinner and boy was I WRONG. We arrived at 7:30pm sharp and were seated immediately. The waiter seemed irritated that we didn't know what we wanted to drink but he didn't even give us the drink menus yet. Are we supposed to guess what's on their wine list? Lol. I like to ask for suggestions when ordering food & drink but he gave off a strange vibe like he didn't want to interact with us. Bf decided on a bottle of Rombauer Zinfandel. I ordered the steak & prawns & bf ordered the steak Diane. Our server, Taner, cooked the steak in front of us and I thought he executed it perfectly. Then he drowned it in some brown sauce & butter which made my bf feel bloated. For some reason, my steak wasn't cooked in front of me and it arrived completely burnt on the top side. I didn't realize this until later since it was also swimming in thick sauce. So half of my meal was inedible but the 3 prawns surprisingly filled me up. At the end of the meal, Taner asked how everything tasted and we told him about the steak. He made an upset face and asked "Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" to which I replied "Because you weren't around to check on us.." and he said he'd let the chef know. Then, he started checking on us every few minutes even though we were done with our meal which I found very annoying. I wanted to leave right then but we had ordered souffles. When he brought them out, my boyfriend asked where the candle on mine was and told them that he called last week to tell them it would be a birthday dinner. Taner acted clueless and blamed it on the reservation maker. The souffles tasted like soggy sponge cake doused in diluted frosting and neither of us finished them. I guess we don't deserve decent service since we're not their typical clientele? Either way I will make sure to stick to tried & true restaurants for special occasions so something like this doesn't happen again. I felt so nauseous & upset after that meal. I see that the owners apologize for underwhelming experiences but you can't expect someone who just dropped a days salary for a shitty dining experience to ever return, when there are a MILLION other restaurants that are reasonably priced with good service.
(2)
Alex G.
What an excellent dinner with a friend last night! Everything went very smooth. The only caveat: this is quite pricey. Great atmosphere, attentive and knowledgeable service staff, well curated wine list. As for food, delicious foie gras, and steak Diane with tableside preparation was superb.
(5)
Michelle V.
Went here with a party of eight this past Sunday. My party was a bit loud and I thought our service would be affected. But it was the opposite. We had nothing but excellent service and great food here. Our waiter was very attentive to all our requests. His recommendations were excellent and my party and I will definitely be back here again. The restaurant had closed and our waiter and the staff were in no rush to get us out. "EXCELLENT SERVICE AND FOOD"
(5)
Matt C.
Delightfully old-school. And I do mean old. Many of our fellow diners -- wheelchair-bound and oxygen-mask-high -- looked as though they would be just as happy eating brains, and there is a bit of a musk in the air that may take you back to the Gold Rush. However, if you can embrace the dust, you'll discover a restaurant whose atmosphere is ultimately charming in its classical simplicity and whose menu is quite delicious. Some dishes are adventurous in their originality and presentation. This is not necessarily a place that serves them. For that very reason, I highly recommend the La Salad Caesar (for two) as a starter and the Steak Diane Flambe. These are well-established plates and The Iron Gate prepares both beautifully. I ate every last morsel and saved room for dessert, a mouthwateringly amazing Banana Foster. I started the evening a skeptic and came away a believer and think you will find the same result if you give the restaurant its well-earned chance.
(4)
Christopher G.
My wife took me for my birthday and I can not put in words how pleasantly plump I feel after the most wonderful food, and most wonderful service my wife and I received. My server Giuseppe is outstanding and knows just what to pair your wine with entree and exactly how to make the best ceaser salad that is created and tossed while you watch. My wife and I can not say enough to express that five stars just doesn't do The Iron Gate justice. The Iron Gate also has a lounge with live music every weekend, so no matter what night it is the experience is always going to be a memorable one. Eat and be merry!
This is a classy continental style restaurant similar to those that I've been to in Paris. The maître de is one of the two owners, the decor is classy, and the waiters wear suits! Impeccable service with table side specialties like old school Caesar salad and bananas foster. Reason for four stars: the prime rib steak that I got today was not tender or flavorful (not a steak house).
(4)
G R.
Very good experience at Iron Gate. The Steak Diane was so delicious and having the steak cooked at your table is a treat. Growing up in France, it reminded me when my parents would take us for a special event. Side Table Cooking is a lost technique that I am a bit sad to see disappearing. Now, the biggest problem we had there was that I should have ordered 2 Steak Diane as my 3 years old twins loved it so much that they ate more than half of it. Next time, we need to order the Crepe Suzette for dessert.
(4)
Buzz B.
This restaurant is a throwback to the 50s. The food is bland tasting, way overpriced and the service is equally poor. The bread to start with was horrible. My halibut had been frozen and the vegetables chopped up days in advance. My wife's sole was also frozen And in all likelihood bought previously breaded. In other words nothing was fresh. Our waiter had one plan and that was to get us our food and get us out of there as fast as possible so he could get another table full of unsuspecting diners. I felt as though we were renting this table for 35 minutes and then being shoved out the door. The waiter was not the least bit friendly and made the evening even more painful. It's a shame that a restaurant that's been around this long is putting out such badly created meals and getting away with prices that are not in keeping with food this bad. The clientele is largely seniors who in all likelihood don't care what they eat as long as I can chew it. As a result no one complains and I suppose the just keeps pushing out garbage and getting away with it. The Chardonnay wine was good at nine dollars a glass and thus it should be but for $100 for two I feel like we were let down and will not be going back there anytime soon.
(1)
Jessica H.
You'd never guess how nice it is from outside. Once you enter the ambiance changes into something a bit romantic and upscale. The lights are dim and the people look to be all in their mid 50s - 60s. The waiters seem to all be "french" and are dressed up. They do it old school here by serving certain dishes table side like flambe and salads. I didnt get the popular Steak Diane since it sounded a bit heavy but ordered the Steak Flambe with peppercorn sauce. The meat was cooked to correct temperature and I enjoyed it. My mom ordered the New York steak and it some parts were too tough for her. My husband got the Duck aLorange and he said it was ok, a little dry. All in all we liked it there and plan to go back once more when they have their nightly entertainment! We probably wont be regulars though.
(4)
Beck B.
My fiancee and I come here all the time! We absolutely love this place! The food is five star and phenomenal quality. My father and law Gordon introduced me to this place and im so glad he did! My favorite plates are the steak diane, there occasional specialty sauteed crab legs and there grand marnier berry souffle! My fiancee always gets there chocolate souffle. So when it came time to pick a.wedding reception venue, it was no question where we would have it! Cant wait to come back soon!
(5)
X L.
We've been to The Iron Gate once and I'm not so fond of it. The dessert was good, but other than that everything else was mediocre. I guess it's the most unimpressive French restaurant I've been to. On the other hand, the server was pretty attentive and the ambient was nice. As I value the quality of food above all other factors, I can only give 3 stars for this place.
I dined at the iron gate with a group. Service was professional. I ordered the steak Diana and have to say not sure what they served. It was a piece of unidentified meat cover end in some sort of brown sauce. The steak tasted more like chicken fried steak' for 41$ I would have better off ordering a hamburger
(2)
Natalie P.
It truly is an old Italian Resturanut. The food is based in butter and oil, the food is very high quality but sadly was cooked and prepared terrible . The ahi tuna over wasabi mashed potatoes was lacking flavor and finesse. The potatoes needed salt and the wasabi was just plopped in a big pile straight in the middle of it. The tuna was very over cooked and flavorless. The only high to the dinner was the dessert . The chocolate torte was outstanding. I recommend finding a different place to eat. The Iron Gate is simply over priced and outdated .
We had reservations at 7:30. We were not seated until 8:20 after asking over and over. The hostess was rude and told us we should have called and not used open table? Strange comment to make as we use open table all the time. It just went down hill from there. It took an hour between our starter and entree's to be served. By this time it was 9:45pm..! Food was fair, not great, service not Good And it was 10:45 before we left. They gave us a 25% off because it took so Long. We didn't want a discount... Just a disaster
(1)
Wing Y.
Interesting place. We snuck out Friday evening for our first date night since Max came along two months ago. The food is expensive and very traditional - lots of classic dishes on the menu and the sides were simply prepared vegetables. We shared oysters, the salad, a couple entrees, and a souffle. The souffle was really good. I'm not sure if we'll come back; I'm generally happier eating at places like Martins West and 31st Union but it's a matter of personal preference. Overall we had a nice time thanks to the great service and tableside assembly of certain dishes (like the Caesar salad, steak flambe, and souffle). It felt kind of like we were on vacation, which is exactly what we needed.
(3)
T S.
Excellent food, excellent service, nice ambience, decent crowd (older) ... though the ceiling looks a little tacky in comparison :) The wine was nice, onion soup excellent, we had a steak and lobster and scallops and shrimp (both excellent) and a very nice souffle for dessert. Good dining experience, highly recommended
(5)
Angela G.
Had a great dining experience here. The decor is outdated but if you can overlook that the food is fantastic and reasonably priced. The steak was cooked perfectly to order and was tender and juicy. Veggie crepe was amazing and tasty. Dessert was delicious. Try the soufles. Waiter was also exceptional. Overall an awesome dinner. I felt like the staff really took pride in the whole dining experience from the moment you step in the resturant.
Been in the San Carlos/Belmont area for 15yrs & have never been here. SO glad I made it here Went on a Saturday - it was pretty packed. FYI - They have a band on Fri/Sat. Got seated promptly. Got a Martini that was DAMN good. The bartender knew what he/she was doing. So that was a great start. Had escargots & the crab legs to start off with. The escargots were perfectly cooked. Not overly cooked in butter, which i appreciated. Some places you can just take butter & garlic. I had the mini filet & shrimp for dinner. Steak cooked perfectly & good quality meat. My guest had the almond crusted Dover Sole which was nicely cooked in a delicate sauce. They had a special Prime Rib dish with bone in, that was cooked to perfection. Over all - ood was damn good. Service was even better. The staff was definitely seasoned & knew the menu & what wine suggestions to go with it.
My honey wanted to get suited up Saturday night and asked me where I wanted to go. I chose the Iron Gate where we shared a sumptuous dining experience. Our waiter, Guiseppe couldn't have been better with his amusing sense of humor and exemplary service. The restaurant itself isn't as fancy or modernized as other steak houses we've been too. The dining room is quite simple and reminds me of an elegant hotel ballroom, but it is comfortable nevertheless. Guiseppe suggested a bottle of cab, Alexandra Jordan which was reasonably priced. We decided to start off with the escargots bouguignon. Wow!! It was amazing. These nice sized snails came in their large shells resting in some garlic herb concoction. We were given a slice of lemon with some escargot tongs. I'd never used the tongs before and hoped not to pull a blunder like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. Success! We continued to soak up the buttery sauce with their soft sourdough bread. Next on the menu was the Caesar salad which Guiseppe mixed up a dressing in front of us- something we found engaging. Both my bf and I are weak to bone in rib eye (see photo) and decided to share one which came with bright green snap peas, sweet potato and mash. The rib eye was topped with herbed butter- bad but oh so good! After the main course, we were ready to cancel dessert, but it was already in the works. Guiseppe advised us the berry souffle would find room regardless. He wasn't kidding. It was so light and fluffy. Neither of us wasted anytime cleaning the plate. I enjoyed my dessert with some Frangelico on the rocks and he with a nice 20 year aged port. After dinner, there was rock and roll music in the lounge. We loitered for a bit. It's a more mature crowd with classic music. If you're looking for a steak house, but prefer a more placid atmosphere over the loud hustle and bustle of most steak houses, this is the perfect spot.
(4)
Pia P.
Great food, great customer service! Giuseppe, our server, was delightful. I had the petrale sole with almonds, hubby had the veal oscar, dad had the duck l'orange while mom and bro had the filet mignon. Everything was so yummy! For dessert, I recommend the bananas foster or the chocolate torte. This place is a Peninsula gem. I'll be back soon.
I am surprised, pleasantly so. Yes old style. I was expecting stuffy, but anything but. The service was exceptional, highly professional. Table side mixing of the Cesar, flambe of the steak, where do you get that anymore? The food was very good, a bit on the heavy side. Overall, great experience. (Costco has their discount coupons, great value.)
(4)
Jocelyn C.
Made reservation on Open Table and then modified it close to the actual time, and that was no problem. Service was attentive, food was excellent. The French onion soup was terrific. This is a pricey restaurant, so it's a place for a celebration or special occasion. They have music (and people even dancing!) in the lounge which was fun, and it is especially great that the noise doesn't reach the main dining room.
One of my favorite places! Who cares if the older crowd frequents....the food is great. The place is old school charm and you are treated like a paying patron-- always. I've had the owners and the servers (and assists/bus) go out of their way for our happiness. I love the crab crepes, fish and chips, ceasar salad and of course the Steak Diane for special occasions. I typically come at lunch. Been for dinner a few times but I've never been on a Friday or Sat evening for the entertainment. If I lived closer I would!
(5)
Sasha G.
The food was phenomenal and the service was amazing! We ordered the crab legs appetizer, cesar salad (a must!!!!), veal scallopini and my husband got the filet mignon/lobster dish and souffle for dessert. Everything was beyond delicious and I can't wait to go back!
(5)
Herman K.
A great and REAL steak house. Awesome!!
(5)
Ginny E.
It just doesn't get any better than this. Guiseppe, our waiter, didn't skip a beat and was totally delightful, his efficiency and humor was appreciated. Wish it was possible to clone more waiters like him. The food? Oh, mama mia! I couldn't have asked for a better birthday dinner. The accommodations were excellent, totally unlike the whiney description posted by JennyQ. This is one of those restaurants that still exhibits class. There aren't many left. I guess we'd fit the description of typical clientele (aka "old farts" maybe who dress business casual?) because we're going back again next month :-)
(5)
Megan W.
My husband and I ate at Iron Gate on our wedding anniversary. The service was excellent but the decor and food are a bit dated. The cooks use a lot of butter.
(3)
Ben L.
It's of an era and not bad for the era that it is from. It's just not of this era. The seating is a little tight, the food is fine (and a touch expensive for what it is) and it isn't drawing too many 20-something couples. This place was probably kicking butt and taking names in the 1980s and now seems to still be doing ok.
(3)
Amanda G.
We had purchased a Groupon for this place awhile ago, and finally got around to using it a couple of months ago. I knew this was an old school kind of restaurant, but my husband and I thought it might be kind of interesting to have dinner there, (especially with a discount.) We went with the MIL, and GIL. Even the 90-yea-old GIL thought the crowd and food was dated and old, and not in a nostalgic way. Service wasn't great, and the food was gross. Seriously overpriced for the quality and flavor. Even the rice was completely stale and overcooked. Everything had a sheen of grease over it.Totally unappetizing. I disliked my meal so much I came home hungry rather than waste the calories on such awful food. My husband's steak was overcooked, and the souffle everyone raves about was AWFUL. I had at least thought the dessert would be good, but it was a huge disappointment, and I passed on it as well. The only positive thing about this place were the strong and super cheap cocktails. If you want a really cheap cocktail, their bar/lounge is the place to go. I would return for a drink, but would NEVER step foot in the dining room again. Obviously, some people like this kind of food, since they're always busy. I'm guessing the menu hasn't changed since they opened, maybe the clientele hasn't either.
(2)
Nima K.
This place is great. The food is usually very good, and the service is impeccable. My favorite dish was the ahi tuna served over wasabi potatoes. It sounds weird, but it was delish. I want to mention again our waiter. I forgot his name, but he was awesome. He was polite, funny, and very knowledgeable. Food: 4/5...just because I had a bad meal ONCE Service: 6/5 Decor: 3/5...a little outdated, but still charming **make a reservation
What a gem! Our party had reservations with another restaurant that they broke terrifically. Our party of 13 took cabs down to Iron Gate and they were able to get us into a semi-private room at the last minute and with no reservations. The staff are gems. We were treated like royalty, the food was divine, and the drinks were perfection. It was a great meal to celebrate a great day! The host also helped organize cabs to get our fat and happy group home! My only complaint is that one of my friends took my leftover steak home! Boo, I wanted it! ;) I'll definitely plan to celebrate here again!
(5)
John D.
This restaurant exemplifies old school, friendly fine dining. Service has been good and efficient every time we come here. Oysters were fresh and the steaks have always been very well done. My wife had the skirt steak special and the meat was done very well. Ive also havent had such good peppercorn steak (new york) for some time. The plus is a special on the wine list which i wont mention because i want to keep them all to myself :). Oh and the grand marnier souffle is awesome. Def give it a try.
Went for lunch with my coworkers, celebrating the Holidays. It's an old skool place, with outdated decor. That being said, the food was good, and we enjoyed ourselves.
(4)
Ayla L.
I went here after driving by this place many times for years, and for awhile I was unsure abouyt it since from the outside it is rather non-descript and even looks closed when its really open. I found the place to be a bit upscale, so since I was not dressed for a fancy dinner environment, I had dinner at the bar which is casual enough for one wearing denim and work boots with the corresponding thread bare shirt to go after work for a beer and/or dinner. Ibnteresting characters at the bar, including a cool Italian guy with a good sense of humor. Sorta old school bar where people are down to earth and like a good joke. Good drink menu, wine etc. The food was good, calamari that was very non-greasy which is always nice. Very good seafood there, and I even got the escargot which can be good or bad depending on freshness. It was fresh, and amazing. I'll go again to Iron Gate, 5 stars!
We reserved one of the small rooms for a family get together and what a wonderful experience. The food was great and the service was fabulous. Giuseppe is a first class professional and was so nice with our special needs children.
(5)
Ray A.
I've been living in the San Carlos/Belmont area for over 30+ years. All those years I always passed the Iron Gate restaurant and didn't think much of it. This last Mother's Day, my parents invited my wife, son and I too join them for dinner. The atmosphere was dark upon entering. When you get to the dining room, there was more light. Our waiter was great, but forgot his name. Here is what I got: Appetizer...Calamari. One of the best I have had. Dinner... Chilean Sea Bass with potatoes. It was nicely done Unfortunately no room for dessert. I was very impressed with the whole experience. Service was amazing. Well worth the money.
(4)
Rina m.
I visited this favorite place of mine after 4 yrs. of being away...Still wonderful. The owners have a huge hand in running the place, and its ran well. The only thing I want to say is that on Fridays and Saturdays, they need to have more staff, specially in the bar area. Other than that everything is wonderful. They are friendly, professional and the food is out of this world. I will continue to revisit this place and enjoy the wonderful atmosphere as well as their good food and drinks.
The opportunity to enjoy French cuisine in a traditional setting with flawless service is rare. Iron Gate is one place where that opportunity still exists. A classic and well thought-out menu, genteel surroundings, perfect service, and wonderful table-side preparation creates a wonderful experience for special times. Steak Diane, Cesear Salad, the Souffle, Bananas Foster, Veal Saltimboca are all standouts, but it is hard to go wrong. The specials are usually standouts. This is not trendy, but timeless and traditional. If you value that kind of experience you will not be disappointed.
(5)
Julie Z.
My boyfriend took me here for my birthday. He had been here once before and was a huge fan of the souffle. First of all, finding parking here on a weekend is impossible. It is located on El camino which makes parking on the street very difficult. The restaurant has a mini parking lot but it is very uneven and unpaved with no parking space lines so all the cars park anywhere they can find a space. Our car ended up getting stuck in the lot and we had to drive down a hill in order to get back on the main road. So after we managed to find a spot and get to the actual place, the first thing that struck me was how old the place looked. The ambiance was nice, but the decor was kind of shabby and outdated. The dining area is separated from the bar area. Other reviews mentioned that there are live bands playing in the bar area, and while I didn't see any bands, it was definitely the more livelier area. The dining area was filled with older patrons. I think my boyfriend and I were the only ones there under 35 and I definitely feel like we got a couple odd looks because of that. Despite the shabby decor, the service was amazing. I loved that they have their waiters dress up in tuxes and bow ties. Our waiter was one of the most amazing waiters I have ever had. He gave us a great wine recommendation (from their incredibly extensive wine list) based on a few things we told him we were looking for and then went with us through all the specials and every thing on the menu that I asked about (I asked about a lot of things). We decided to skip the appetizers because we had eaten beforehand and just go straight for the entrees. I ended up getting the veal and lobster plate and my boyfriend got the steak Diane. They made his stake in front of us and the cook was very engaging and fun to talk to. The veal/lobster dish was kind of disappointing but I had a bite of the steak and it was amazing. The sauce as great and the meat was cooked exactly how my boyfriend wanted it. The portions were pretty decently sized in my opinion, but I am a smaller girl so I can see why people complain about the smaller portion sizes. For the dessert we had the mixed berry souffle. Amazing. The souffle was perfectly fluffy and our waiter managed to move it onto the plate without deflating the puff. The cream sauce was very rich and the berries cut through it perfectly. Since it was my birthday, they gave me a complimentary slice of cheesecake with a little candle on it and a few waiters came over and sang happy birthday. Overall it was a great meal with a nice show and a spectacular dessert ending. Would come back.
(4)
Rosquete B.
American, Italian Classic & classy restaurant Patronized by locals Busy full bar Music on weekends Impeccable and friendly service by Giuseppe and the waiter's assistant Super delicious food with beautiful presentations Nice salads e.g., shrimp louie; & sandwiches e.g., Monte Cristo Pasta, meats, & lots of fish Tableside service for Caesar salads, steak Diane Wonderful desserts Minus: a little expensive. $28 for bananas foster for two seems a bit excessive Full bar Own parking lot
(4)
G W.
This resto has been on my radar for at least 15 years, maybe more. I agree with most other Yelpers, that the decor leaves much to be desired. So, yes, this place is wayyy dated. Not dirty or gross, it's just lookin' like the last reno was at least 20 years ago. No biggie if you go in already expecting this though, because aside from that, it is still very charming. Also yes... the clientele is mostly of the older generation, but I think that adds to the ambiance. If you want classic, old school French, this is the place to go. For our 13th Wedding Anniversary, that's what I wanted and that's exactly what I got! We ordered: Minestrone soup - divine Soup of the day - I actually can't remember what was in it, just that it was creamy, meaty, yummy and I finished it! I might have even licked the bowl clean if there was no one else around. ;) Caesar salad - made table side and it was absolutely delicious NY steak with veggies and rice - cooked to perfection Roughy with veggies and potatoes - the garlic butter sauce was amazing Chocolate souffle for two - fluffy chocolatey delight! If I'm going to be picky, I can only complain about the dessert. Don't get me wrong, it was delicious! One of the best chocolate souffles I've ever had! However, that bad boy was by no means "souffle for two", because after all that food I consumed beforehand, I could've easily swallowed that souffle whole, all by my lonesome. So the only thing that didn't make me happy-happy that evening was that I had to share my souffle for one with the hubby. ;) Otherwise, we thoroughly enjoyed our meals and the service was outstanding! Iron Gate was everything I hoped it would be! We'll definitely be back, I'll just remember to order souffle for eleventeen! ;)
(4)
James L.
Whaaaaat an unfortunate experience. Longstoryshort: we were initially given a bit of space to fundraise here on a weeknight for some tenants who are being evicted. Well, we barely had the chance to set up in an unobtrusive corner of the bar area when Dimitrios Papas, one of the co-owners, stormed up to us and started yelling at us about how we weren't allowed to be there because he was friends with the tenants' landlord and he valued her business. We quickly cleared out, but even the multiple trips I had to make to my car to put our paraphernalia away seemed to annoy Papas, who gave me the dirtiest look when he walked by me. Now, if you want to kick a fundraising group out of your business because you have a conflict of interest, I can respect that. But raising voices, saying a couple very disrespectful things, and making a scene is really not cool, nor was that kind of behavior necessary. I've been long curious to try the food here, but considering this was my first experience at the Iron Gate, it's doubtful I ever will. No place that goes to such unwarranted lengths to make people feel unwelcome is worth my time, or yours.
(1)
Ennie L.
The resto is an old institution, everything is old school from the decor to the crepe Suzette. Service was great but food is just A- ok for me, dishes are very heavy, creamy and very buttery. Don't get me wrong I love butter but not when it takes over all the dishes flavors. So as much as my mother in law and all her elderly friends love it, this resto is not for me.
Ok so the trick is to come here on a Sunday evening with just 2 people. A generous person gifted us with a dinner here and I came with an open mind despite the horrid experience we had the first time. Excellent service. Table-side Caesar was the best Caesar salad I have ever had. I had the beef medallions for dinner it was delicious. My husband had some sort of special involving crab, it was also great. Cherries jubilee divine. Now you know what to order :) Man that first time I came here with a large group was ROUGH though.
(4)
Rui J.
I like this place and will definitely come back. Their desert Crepes Suzette is a very good one.
(5)
Saleem C.
Food = 2 Stars Service = 1 Star Cleanliness/Decor = 1 Star Price Value = 1 Star The food here is traditional French with a few American dishes as well. As I've been to France many times, I can tell the food here is very authentic. The cooking job seems like it was done by a professional or someone that is highly trained, as every little detail was well prepared. (2 Stars/2 Stars) The service here was not that great. I don't mean to say they didn't check up on us enough. I think they checked on us way too often. I was taking a girl out on our first date, and we felt a little uncomfortable with the excessive attention. (0 Stars/0 Stars) The ambiance was great, and everything looked beautiful. (1 Star/1 Star) The prices were fair for this kind of restaurant and this type of food. It was a bit pricey, but hey, it is definitely classy. Cannot complain (1 Star/1 Star) Total = 4 Stars
(4)
Robin B.
This is an old-school restaurant, but seems to be phoning it in on the food. The tables that had tableside flambe had a nice show, but the traditional food is just mediocre. My rack of lamb was tasty, but the sauce and mint jelly became a soup in the bottom of the plate before it was served to me making everything rather wet, including my potatoes. The lamb was nicely cooked, but then they put turkey sized paper crowns on two of the tiny legs. It just looked sloppy. My husband had the special -- duck a l'orange -- and it was not special. It was actually extremely overcooked. Dry and rubbery. We left before dessert.
(2)
C M.
I received a $200 gift certificate for this restaurant and ended up taking a party of five on a Friday night to celebrate my Mother in laws birthday. I read some of the more recent reviews before coming and that combined with my own dining experience here several years ago had me hesitant about what to expect. We arrived on time and were greeted warmly and seated immediately. Our waiter was really funny and kind and actually made us laugh out loud several times. The ambience is a bit old school, but I think it adds to the overall charm of the place. Not to mention it is really clean. I had a Diet soda which was cold, carbonated and not watered down or too sweet and they were quick with free refills. We started out with appetizers including the calamari, the shrimp and a daring choice of escargot. We ate it all and it was all delicious, including the escargot, which everybody tried. Nothing was chewy or overdone. We also had two spinach salads which they cook with bacon and it's a treat for them to flambe it at your table. I had the special, which was Chilean Sea Bass and my husband had the other special, which was the ribeye - Both of us cleaned our plates, it was beyond incredible. The other dishes ordered were veal parmesan and another special which was a veal dish. Everything was perfect. I told the hostess on my way to the restroom that it was my Mother in laws birthday because we honestly didn't preplan a cake or anything and they graciously brought over a slice of tiramisu with a lit candle and it was a sweet gesture, we all shared the cake and it was fabulous! I will no doubt be back. The prices are a bit high, but it's worth every cent.
(5)
Kathy Q.
My husband and I went to the Iron Gate on a whim. We've eaten here quite a few times but haven't been there in about a year. Food has always been good and service ok. Last Friday, however, we were happy to get a table (pretty lucky) without a reservation. The hostess was polite and actually told us it would be 5 minutes---and it was. We were served our cocktails and I had the waiter (Magda) select a pinot. It was fabulous and I let him know too. Our dinner was delicious, however, the salad was a bit over dressed (had a pool of dressing at the bottom of my plate)--Magda did not toss our salad, it was another gentlemen. The evening ended with brief and polite conversation. Magda (I hope I'm spelling his name correctly) was a pleasure. He brought a sense of charm and old fashion "waiter" service to our table and we truly appreciated it. We will, of course continue to go and enjoy. We'll be sure to ask for Magda.
(4)
Pavel M.
Don't let the waiters make menu choices for you. You gonna be charged extra $100-200. Then you would wish not to pay tips which leads to the freaking manager yelling at you the classic American "Thank you f***in much"!!! And yes, after that you're in the black list. No way back!!!
(1)
Marti R.
Last Saturday night we went to celebrate our Company's Annual Dinner at the Iron Gate Restaurant in Belmont. It was a fabulous time. The food was great, the atmosphere was great and the entertainment was great! We actually ate in the bar, at our request, not knowing how loud we would/could all be, and wanting to be considerate of other diners. Rebecca, our bar server was fabulous, as was Collin, the Captain who prepared our food tableside. When the band set up at 9:00, we stayed at our table and got to dance to a great band called Michael Turner & Company who has an incredible female vocalist! All in all, Great place to eat and play...
(5)
Mark W.
Unabashedly old-school. The steak Diane is both a gastronomic treat as well as a spectacle of presentation. While the Iron Gate does one thing (the classic restaurant experience), they do it well. Highly recommended. PS: if you want to undo your tie and relax a bit, the bar is worthy.
(5)
Irene C.
The waiter was very slow. The food was nothing special.
(3)
Michael L.
Very good food and service with charm. The wait staff new all of the specials by heart without missing any details. Great selection of wine. The Scallop and Shrimp over rice was outstanding!
(4)
Debbie R.
This review is a few weeks late, however, I need to release my dissatisfaction with the service. * This review is based on service only * I made reservations for 5 people on September 5, 2013 to celebrate my mother-in-law's 86th birthday. I advised that I wanted a special table for her birthday. We arrived at the restaurant and we were seated near the back exit door (is that the special table??) Our waiter was the worst we have ever had. He proceed with inappropriate jokes, stated hates California and would rather be in Vegas. He stated he only been working at your restaurant for a few months; this was quite apparent. He was rude with his comments which made our dining experience very uncomfortable. We were actually getting really upset. As we proceed to order our dessert, he continued on with the banter... We received our desserts and at no time did he acknowledge we were celebrating a birthday; we noticed other tables celebrating birthdays and were acknowledged. The food was AMAZING, however, it is very unfortunate that we are tainted by the service.
(1)
Bala G.
I am not sure why this restaurant is rated at 4 stars on average. We went there to have a nice dinner. My daughter wanted to have a steak dinner so we picked this restaurant up since we had not been there before. The showmanship was AWESOME but the food SUCKED! The steak was improperly cooked. The side dishes were greasy. Service was even worse than the food. All in all a horrendous experience. If you want to get a nice piece of steak in this area, visit Kincaid's or Medallion-- both
(1)
Patrick Z.
Very tasty food! Crab cake app = outstanding. (5 stars) Clam chowder = excellent (4 stars) Scallops = outstanding (5 stars) cooked perfectly and very flavorful. Vegetarian crepes = (5 stars) Prices = not cheap but not bad. We used a coupon from a daily deal site. Decor = A little cheesy (3 stars) Music from the 80s and older, overweight crowd. ONLY BIG ISSUE I think they use a lot of butter = tasty and a little rich. Doesn't feel too heavy while eating and the flavors were excellent, but after-wards I felt like I had just eaten very fatty rich food. Unlike oily food, it did not give me heartburn but I grew with a lot of butter in my food. Haven't used it much for years so it was like going home.
(3)
Lisa R.
We couldn't agree more with Amanda G's review below. Thankfully, we also had a discount promotion we were able to use during our visit. I'm not sure where the crowds come from nor the positive reviews. The food is very expensive and the quality is amongst the cheapest we've experienced (iceberg lettuce, canned clams and odd tasting and textured rice). The place is dark and drab and the servers do not make you feel welcomed. The clientele is 60 and over and very well dressed. We are in our 40's and were casually dressed, so we felt a bit uncomfortable. Needless to say, we did not enjoy ourselves nor the food.
(1)
Alex S.
Awesom place! Great food!
(5)
H. H.
The restaurant is classic and the food is solid. I made a reservation for my husband's birthday and got there on time. Restaurant was busy and our table was not ready. We visited the bar while waiting. The bar was actually quite nice. Drink was good, band was fine, and the atmosphere was very classic. We waited for about 10 minutes and I checked on the status again. I was slightly upset by the delay but they managed to give us the table within reasonable time. We ordered ceasar salad for two. I ordered the New Zealand Lamb and it was beautifully cooked. Hubby ordered fillet mignon and he loves it. Food portion here was big. We were stuffed and couldn't get any desert at all. They also have a good selection of wine, which we truly enjoyed. Service was very good, personal, and friendly. We would definitely visit again.
(4)
jen c.
Delightfully old school! Charming waiters in tuxes, a savory yet sweet bartender, palate cleansers between courses, and dishes prepared table side. On top of all that, the food (caesar salad for me & the hubby, veal parmigiana for him, medallions of beef for me, droooool) was absolutely to die for, and the restaurant is totally unpretentious. Our waiter was a charmer and truly elevated our dining experience over the top. I was here for the first time thanks to a birthday dinner, but I will absolutely be back again!
(5)
LZ T.
The place is an old fashion restaurant that serves good food.
(4)
El Guapo G.
I came here with my wife this last Friday and had a wonderful time. It's nice to be served by professional food servers who know the menu and have some knowledge of the foods they serve. Our waiter was very attentive and knowledgeable. Our glasses were always full, and when there was a wait for the next course he informed us that it would be 10 more minutes so we weren't wondering what's happening. The ambience was okay, a little dated. They could use a designer to update the decore. They had live music plaing in the bar that's attached. We were sat at 8 pm and it was a little annoying. We started with a couple glasses of wine and the oysters rockerfeller. That was very good, although from what I remember Bella Vista's was a little better. Next course was the spinach and bacon salad (flambeed). We were very happy with that. My wife had the filet of sole petrole (daily special) she felt it was a little greasy. I had the beef medallions which was really good. I was in a beef mood. We had the chocolate souffle for dessert which was also excellent. We left with a bag of leftovers and definately ate too much. Portion size was very good. It ended up being $150 before taxes for two people. I was happy with that price for the quality of food and service we received. I've paid much more and received much less. We also had a chance to meet the owner, Dimitrios, who was very gregarious. We had a good conversation with him. Because of our conversation with the we will be back soon.
(4)
Amy Y.
Hub and I returned last night for his birthday and our meal was even better than last time! We started with the scrumtious bread ( three kinds all wonderful), then hub had the combo salad which he loved and I had the clam chowder which was delicious. Hub had the mahi mahi special which was just perfectly cooked and the sauce well yummmmmmm. I had the prawns provencale and my meal was better than his! Where do they get these wonderful huge fresh prawns? Whoever taught the chef to prepare them should get an award! We ended with the souffles, his a chocolate yum yum yum and mine the grand marnier all I can say is OMG gooooooood! Yes they have an older clientele but we can and should change this soo a shout out to all you 30 and on ups.. GO HERE NOW! :)
(5)
Lulu S.
I have never had a bad meal here- ever. The food speaks for itself.
(5)
Inigo M.
Prices too high for non-stellar food. But 4 stars for the older crowd-- I like old people, especially the wise, laid-back ones who are cute and awesome like my grandma.
(3)
Mary B.
The best dining experience I have ever had. PERIOD! The service was extremely fast and waiters were complete sweethearts(there was 8 of us in my party) Everything from the appitizers to desert was jaw-dropping delicious. A bit pricey, but worth every penny.
(5)
Robert G.
If you love mausoleums, you'll love Iron Gate. I'd heard good things about the place, and since I live in the city, I thought it would be a nice place for my wife and parents. My parents really liked it (they're not too finicky), but my wife and I were a bit appalled. We were easily the youngest people in the room (by about 20+ years), and the ambiance was pretty much non-existant. Food was decent, I'll grant it that, but just decent for the outrageous prices. For the price they charged for average food, I could have gone to SF and eaten at some of the better restaurants there. Not sure why folks still like this place, but I'll never return.
(1)
Ailene E.
We came back for another luncheon (that I didn't have to pay for) and my salmon was excellent. So yummy. Their waiters are really great. I'd go back again, as long as I'm not footing the bill.
(3)
David W.
The food approaches perfection, the fire show they put on if you order a steak Dianne, or a special desert are the very best. :-) You get a waiter in a tux and the owners are always there! Awesome experience every time.
(5)
A K.
Loved it, absolutely loved it. Didn't think I would when I entered this place and was greeted by ancient people. However, the seasoned servers are very cool and the flambe stuff rocks. The flambe salds, main dishes and deserts. Dont miss the souffles. Totally recommended.
(5)
Barbara P.
Hands down GREAT food for the price! We have been going here for years and have never been disappointed! We can always expect a good meal with quality food. If you get the right waiter... you will get the most excellent service... some of them have been there for a while and know how to serve you! Make sure you have a flambe of something when you are there... I reccomend that you sit near an aisle so they can flambe right by your table... they are pretty croweded in there and if you are not near an aisle... you get to watch the flambe from afar! My favorite dishes are: Escargot, Ceasar Salad, Steak Diane, Sole, scallops & Cherries Jubilee! Don't miss out... and if your even a B or C celebraty... you can get extra vegatables! (apparently I didn't make that cut that day!!!)
(5)
Tor B.
Old school dinner house and the food is great! Be sure to have a drink with Larry at the bar!
(5)
Marjorie B.
Went here for a department lunch (read: freeee!) They seemed even to get a large lunch crowd (large in the aggregate, though small, wrinkled and feeble in the specific) yet despite this, the service was way beyond expectation. Our lunch waiter was very attentive and decked out in tails. They made our salads right at our table from scratch -- the dressing and everything. We had escargot & oysters on a half shell for appetizers, which were very well favored. The bread could have been warmer, and since the bread wasn't, the butter should at least have been, but wasn't either. I'm not a big fan of trying to spread cold hard butter on a thin slice of bread. Aside from that... the main course (I had some really yummy chicken pasta alfredo) was delicious. They have many signature seafood dishes, which many in our party loved so much they ended up sopping every last drop with the pith of the rolls. I'll have to say, the dessert -- and I'm not a big dessert person -- is THE best course. If you're abstaining, the display they put on is a feast in itself... so make sure at least someone at your table orders a flambe. One of us ordered bananas foster, but news from the kitchen was that they had run out of bananas and our waiter was so kindly as to offer to run to the store across the street if we could wait 10 extra minutes. Wow. Of course, there was the polite decline and an alternate goodie was selected (Strawberries en flambe). We thought that the offer was only made in politeness, but as it "turns out" they suddenly had bananas after all... so they made the bananas foster complements of the chef. Super extra credit. I'd like to come here for dinner sometime most likely with someone older in my family. There was an ad hoc performance space with drums, keyboards and a mic at one end of the major room, so I'm assuming they have live dinner band, but even if you come for lunch, they pipe in instrumentals of nostalgic and popular songs that are fun to play name that tune to.
(5)
melissa h.
This place is great.........it's been a landmark restaurant on the peninsula for years. Finally I had a chance to go here, loved it. Everything is flambe! It's divine - not good for a casual quick dinner, but better for a birthday, anniversary, special date night, or a splurge. This is an old school place that actually makes the salad right at your table, along with the steak Diane and banana's foster. Excellent service, a mature crowd. I believe you need to make a reservation and I would wear business casual when dining there.
(5)
Jennifer L.
An old standard - and I could easily be talking about the crowd. This place loves setting things on fire, and the service is usually phenomenal. Be sure to wear clothes that you don't mind smelling of everything flambe since that is definitely the cologne you leave with. We started with a portobello mushroom special that was FANTASTIC, followed by caesar salad prepared table side (I thought it was way over dressed, but the folks ate it up with reckless anchovied abandon), the palate clensing sorbet course, then both 'rents had veal (heartless bastards) and I had the steak diane. Dessert was a lovely glass of port and the Andes candies that come with the check. Overall I thought it was okay. Very old fashioned, I think I'm just into more of a fresh style of cooking, whereas this is all heavy and saucy. If you're looking for a night of french dining, starting with escargot (that were as big as Volkswagens) and ending with souffle, you could be much worse off than at the Iron Gate.
(3)
Scott S.
A group of 8 of us recently celebrated my wife's birthday (one of those biggies that ends in "0") at Iron Gate. Dinner was excellent, and the atmosphere was very nice, and the service and food ... all excellent. "Ted", our server was appropriately attentive, and gave us those "little things" that helped make the evening special. Service was great, and plates were not being snatched out from under our forks to rush us along. Our reservation was for 6pm, and we were able to stay at our table as long as we wanted, not "rushed off" for the next tip as in some places. The Portobello Mushroom appetizer was excellent. The entree's were delicious (I had the Veal Jerusalem) and I tasted my wife's Veal Marsala ... both delicious. It was all topped off with Chocolate Souffle and an flaming "Bananas Foster" with a candle and a round of "Happy Birthday" lead by our server. This was a fun and very nice place to celebrate a special event. Thanks Iron Gate, and Thanks Ted for your extra work to make it special.
(5)
May A.
Simply irresistible!! I never knew how much food you can eat flambe. I had spinach and bacon salad flambe. I had a steak diane flambe and banana flambe. I'm surprise my espresso wasn't flambe either. Really good choices of wine. As one of the oldest restaurants in Belmont you get the feel of old school atmosphere with a blend of modern cuisine.
(4)
Sam L.
Wow... I love this restaurant! No doubt you'll love it too. Great place for a special dinner. The service is impeccable. The food is devine. Wine selection that perfectly matches the menu. This place will make you and your date very happy.
(5)
Brandon L.
This restaurant is like the French version of Benihana. They cook your steaks on a cart near your table. They even tossed the $20 Caesar salad in front of us. The crowd is just as old school as the place is. One of the few places where you can get Steak Diane. The prices are higher as this is a "fine dining" establishment.
(4)
Its M.
This place was my first intro to French food. I really enjoyed some kind of cream soup thing and crepe suzettes. The guy made it in front of me and I had no idea they were so easy to make. The ambiance at this place was weird; it looked very cheap. I went with a neighbor who took me mid-morning on my day off. I looked like a hooker because my neighbor said we were going for a "QUICK ERRAND" not "FRENCH RESTAURANT". Notice how those two don't sound alike...at all. So yeah even with my snowboarding jacket, salsa-dancing halter top, yoga stretch pants, and faux alligator skin heels I was still treated very kindly. In fact the staff acted as if they didn't notice even though most of their clientele (65+seniors) did. So even if you are a hooker you will get great service. Just remember to tip like you would want to be tipped, working girl.
(4)
Nadia B.
Waaaay too pricey for not getting great food AND service. Granted, I only went to this place once (was always told how wonderful it was) and it was a year ago, but after reading some of the other posts with similar experiences I wanted to chime in. When we arrived (dinnertime on Sat without reservation so maybe our fault), they didn't even want to provide the four of us a seat. But it appeared there were plenty of tables open--it's possible they were short staffed though. I think also since two of our party were not dressed "up to par" (wearing jeans) maybe they turned their nose and thought we wouldn't be big spenders or something. Luckily, another one of our party knew the manager so we were promptly seated as soon as he discovered we were waiting. But after all of that, it seemed the service was poor, and the food wasn't really anything too special. So I haven't been back to see if it was a fluke, since there are other places I'd rather spend my money and get better food and service.
(2)
katherine M.
My fiance took me here for our one year anniversary and I was super excited, however the moment I walked into Iron Gate, I got a bad feeling about this place. The decor and ambiance reminded me of my 85 year old grandmother's assisted living facility. The menu lacked innovation and creativity, nothing really interesting on there at all. I ordered the Veal Marsala, it was dry and had very little flavor. Also, the carrots and broccoli that came with the meal had no seasoning. I can steam veggies at home and the carrots will only cost me a dollar at Safeway, not 27 dollars...and it will taste the same. My fiance ordered Veal Parmigiana. The Veal Parmigiana was mildly enjoyable, but it tasted similar to the Lean Cuisine Chicken Parmigiana that I can microwave out of a box for 3 dollars, not worth the 25 dollars they charged us. I would suggest going to Marche in Menlo Park, the menu is more creative and flavorful, and the decor is classier.
(1)
Cynthia C.
We went here for Valentine's Day and it had the best service and food ever! The steak was well marinated and yummy to eat but the BEST part was the dessert souffle! They usually ask you to order during the beginning of your meal so it'll be ready when you're done. That's the best souffle ever!! It's a little pricey but definitely worth it!
(5)
Norris T.
Best Bananas Foster I've ever had. Discreet on the outside you might think this isn't a restaurant if not for the sign. The inside is quite the opposite with an old school class. A respectable wine list and plenty of daily specials so it'll be hard to peg my favorite entree here. I usually try to keep my banter at food only but it's almost as much of a show as dinner with salads, steaks, and desserts being prepared tableside all around us. Salmon & mushroom baked in a pastry shell: flaky shell helps it all meld together. A solid choice. Had second thoughts though after seeing the steaks being made around me. Bananas Foster: See above. Made tableside, there is a generous amount of liquor added but the fire burns most of it off so it's not overwhelming. I'm also curious about the cherries jubilee but that will have to be next time..............soon.
It's no secret in my family that my beloved Bride, the Jen, and I favor as our #1 Go To Restaurant, is the Iron Gate located along the Kings Royal Highway, aka El Camino, in the Beautiful City of Belmont, CA. There are three things that contribute to making this our Favorite Restaurant.... #1 of course is the food and selection of same. #2 is the Professional Waiters that are the exceptional in their service and satisfaction. #3 is the front section of the Restaurant which includes a Cocktail Lounge, Full Bar, and Dance Floor with Live Bands on Friday and Saturday Night, and all come together for a great experience. The Bar Drinks served up by Bartender Larry are Strong and reasonably priced. As far as our Most Recent experience; June 2015, we both enjoyed the Linguini and Baby Clams which are cooked to perfection with a hint of Lemon Flavor along with the Wild Salmon Special.... As good as it gets. Their famous Caesar Salad for Two which we LOVE and rate #1 in California. Iron Gate's Caesar Salad is prepared and tossed Table Side by the Serving Staff which are all long Term employees of the Iron Gate, who prepare the Caesar with Iron Gate's Long Time Receipe and always pretty equal no matter which server your lucky to get. This brings me to discuss a TRouBling and unfortunate chain of events that occurred earlier in the last Decade. Of course there was the tragic events of 911 that began in New York City Twin Towers and the later Economic Set Back of the Stock Markets affecting everyone's Investments coast to coast and their temporary decline during years 2007 and 2008. MOST tragic however was in 2009, Unbelievably a Long Time Restaurant, the North Beach Restaurant, located in San Francisco and renowned for their consistent quality of Italian Food and very good Servers made an absolute Bone Head Move; a tragic error in their treatment & handling of one of their own, and recognized by many of their regular customers who ask for him as their BEST Server.... lost that Server, Josepi, because the new owner at the time had a personality conflict. We will never know the real reason but Josepi, an American of Italian Decent, was blessed with Old World Good Looks and Italian Charm, was forced to leave that restaurant (could have been the new owner was jealous of Josepi's good looks).... Well at any rate, things tend to happen for the better and it was North Beach Restaurant's loss and Iron Gate's Gain as Josepi, found a new 'home' at the upscale Iron Gate. In the aftermath of Josepi's migration, there has been some long term customers of that North Beach Restaurant that so appreciate the Josepi's Expertise as a Knowledgeable Server, missed him so, they travel a long distance from the City to visit their favorite Server and experience great dining at 'Gate'. I've got to agree with those customers, Josepi, just sets the standard and raises that bar making all the other Servers he works with even that much better as there Is also a competitive spirit to be the best. Jen and I enjoy all the Iron Gate Servers; Franc, Miguel, Teddy (Theodor able), Magdi, Tanner, Captain Colin (Prepares the Steak Diane) along with the Boss, (not Bruce Springsteen) but from the Gorgeous Greek Isle, owner... Handsome Dimitri... all working in concert together along with the support staff from those gorgeous hostesses that escort you to your table, to the Senior Bus-Men, coming together to make eating at the Iron Gate a #1 Experience and a Repeat Satisfied Customer!!! Just be sure to Ask for Water if you want it, due to the drought. Special shout out to Franc, who always remembers that Jen prefers a larger Glass for her Wine consumption. BONUS: The Iron Gate is also a Magnet for some recognizable TV Personalities and Whos Who.... Last week, my wife and I met Local Sportscaster, Rick Quan and his Date. Donna T, a personal trainer my wife recognized through the PJCC in Foster City They too had a delightful dinner and we all met after dinner at the Iron Gate's Cocktail Lounge and Bar Area and Danced to some wonderful 1970s to 1980s Rock. By the way, you can save an additional $20.00 by buying some Iron Gate Coupons at Costco. As far as the rest of the food... I'll let the other Yelpers do the talking!!!!
(5)
Brian H.
I went to this restaurant yesterday based on yelp reviews and I was not disappointed I ordered the escargot and the rack of lamb the meal in the restaurant were excellent I would recommend anyone who wants a nice French experience. But be prepared to pay for this service as the meal ranges anywhere from $15-$42 most people here use the Iron Gate as a special occasion restaurant highly recommend everyone go
(5)
Deborah L.
Salad bowls looked super old but nice touch on making the salad table side. It seem like a great place for a business meeting but not much fun to hang out and relax. Food was just ok, nothing special and waiter was professional.
They continue to knock it out of the park here! Josepi and the entire wait staff are spectacular. Love the tableside items the best!!
(5)
Pat K.
We celebrated 4 birthdays here! We told them about it when we booked our reservations. They completely forgot about that. The food was good and the service was acceptable. Just sorry that they forgot all about our birthday celebrations! Will go back there again in the future.
(3)
Patty O.
This is definetely an old school restaurant establishment. My family and I all got different cuts of steak, but we all admitted that Steak Diane (the flambe) was hands down the tastiest option there. It's awesome because if ordered medium rare, it was actually cooked medium rare. Also, they cook the steak right in front of you, and it is a great show because the oil creates a large fire! (Make sure not to sit too close). I also recommend the chocolate souffle for dessert. It is very light and airy. Also, make sure to make a reservation because the place does get busy.
(4)
Elaine Y.
What AN AWESOME experience and EXCELLENT FOOD! It's very old school - made our salad table side, provided the "palate cleanser" in between salad and main course! But first I have to say - the CAESAR SALAD! THE BEST EVER with the anchovy in the dressing - it's JUST the way I liked it - not this creamy Caesar dressing but more authentic... with the anchovy flavor, crispy romaine... can't go wrong! And the Chateaubriand! OMG! WHAT an experience... you share it and they cut it table side and add to the sides. Cooked PERFECTLY and so tender! LOVED the sauces... I have to say though we were sitting pretty close to another table of two and I started to eye their duck and lamb chops... something to get for the next time we go!! AND then there's the souffles... Definitely the berry souffle with the Grand Mariner! VERY nice - not overly sweet and so light and yummy - with the fresh berries!! We liked it better than the chocolate... definitely getting it next time too. Service was awesome - so old school - they totally take care of you! In a polite and nice way... love it! Definitely pricey - meant as a place to celebrate something special or spend time with family... am going there with my kids in a few months to celebrate my bday - I think they'll like it... can't wait to go back!
(5)
Luke S.
The music is fantastic here. They really stay soo smooth. You get an older pretty classy crowd here. The foods not cheap here but its really good an well worth it. I wouldn't want food this good to be cheap. Its well worth it. I know you'd agree too. The prime rib is very good . I come here for a nice treat. I love this place , it makes me feel great. The prime rib tastes like a cloud from heaven mixed with cotton candy , soo juicy and sweet. The steak is great too, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. A great place for groups and especially great for taking a date. I suggest ordering dessert, I mean when your here you just wanna go all out an so you might as well enjoy the experience. THis place is a rare treat. They take credit and debit also
(4)
Vida R.
Pros: tasty desserts Cons: came in for Valentine's Day and were given a regular menu and when our table was given the check, our check was double the price and they had added +$4.00 to each item and an extra drink we never ordered had slipped in. When we asked about why our bill didn't add up, our waiter said that "because of the holiday each item was increased that night". Our server was clearly frustrated and lacked empathy to the fact that we would pay extra when the prices were not even changed on the menu. When our bill came back, the extra drink we never ordered was STILL on the bill and some items still had 'special prices'. Besides the salad we never received,the expensive items listed with the surprise 'v-day prices', and poor service.. this is a gate we won't be returning to.
(2)
Angelo T R.
When you first walk in, the decor greets you with a warm hug. Next the beautiful host guides you gracefully to your seat. We had our 7mth old and a stroller. She moved a chair around to accommodate us. The waiter was great. He was very knowledgable of the menu. The food was perfectly cooked, prepared and presented. The ambience was awesome. It was homey, upscale and complimentary of the meal, but not overbearing and unwelcoming. We thoroughly enjoyed our outing and would recommend it to everyone!
(5)
Merry K.
Overpriced! Overpriced! Overpriced! $42 for steak Diane, $60 for the fillet mignon and lobster tail. I know that is the on going price but, the quality and taste of the food just make the dishes feel overpriced. We really feel we were paying for the fire show. We love our server and the ambiance. But will not come back
(2)
Jen E.
I have to agree that the clientele here are on the older side. But where else can you get table side Steak Diane and souffles on the peninsula? This is my favorite special occassion restaurant within 5 miles of my house.
(5)
Anne J.
Food I give 2 1/2 stars, the atmosphere however is a solid 4. The tradition and history of the Iron Gate keeps me going back. If you haven't been, this is a place you must try if only for the experience. Do not expect to be wow-ed by the food. The food is really just average and not very creative, but you just cant beat the stuffy waiters and the retro decor.
(3)
wayne c.
I don't get all the positive reviews. I found the food to be mediocre, even allowing for the fact that this is real "old school" dining. The Caesar Salad dressing was unbalanced, and much of the food was lacking in distinct flavors. Our waiter seemed to know little about the food or the wine. On the positive side, the mixed berry souffle was wonderful, but I'm not convinced that's worth a trip. Prices are somewhat hight, so overall, this is not a very good value.
(2)
Hal J.
I hesitate to post a Valentine's Day review, but since there's an earlier good one in the list, here goes. We made a 7pm reservation based on a friend's recommendation and arrived on time. The hostess did not say, "Oh, we're so sorry your table's not ready yet." She said (only), "Have a seat." We eventually left at 7:30. While there, we observed that the dining room was packed like sardines. It was like looking back into 1965, except that half the diners were wearing jeans and sneakers. If you go in 2008, enquire whether they are really giving you a "reservation" for a table or just a spot on the waiting list.
(1)
Lianne G.
The bananas fosters alone deserves 5 stars! Made right at your table. Hot and delicious... served with ice cream! Our server was great. Very personable, very funny. You can tell this place is a "family joint". Good feeling inside. Not your typical restaurant. Really looks like someone gutted out a room, strung up some lights, and put some tables in. Nicely done.
(5)
Jennifer W.
Waiters at this restaurant have big attitudes. Entrees were good but appetizers lack flavor and escargot tasted watery. Unfortunately the waiters' attitudes can spoil the evening. The waiters were openly attacking each other which make the customers uncomfortable. Very bizarre evening. With so many great restaurants, we won't be coming back again. With some dishes costing in the $40 range, we expect better trained servers and management. Two stars for keeping Steak Diane on the menu and keep the tradition alive.
(2)
Tom N.
For the price that they are charging, I expect more.... The food is ok, service is so so, I can't think of one thing that impresses me here. There are definitely a lot of other better choices out there for less.
(3)
Bill A.
Had lunch on Thursday with people from work. This is my favorite restaurant to go for lunch. My colleagues really enjoyed the Iron Gate. They told me that they want to return next time they make a visit. Giuseppe was our fantastic waiter. Service was impeccable. We had ordered our deserts at the beginning, but ran out of time. Giuseppe understood our situation and gave us a plate of cheesecake with a fantastic vanilla sauce and four spoons. He said it was on the house. What a wonderful gesture! By the way Giuseppe works only on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Thank you Iron Gate for your wonderful food and service!!
(5)
Jacob B.
My favorite restaurant on the peninsula. The Chicken Jerusalem is delicious and the Caesar salad is done at the table. Nowhere else does it quite like the iron gate. atmosphere is always top notch. Waiters/service above and beyond
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Athena S.
We dined here the other night & it was a complete flashback to the type of restaurant I would go to with my parents growing up when they were taking my grandma out to somewhere fancy. Suited waiters, old school service, pretty delicious food, tableside fires & all the awes that come along with it. The service was very attentive, but when the Mr went to use the restroom, I was asked if we are celebrating something special, what is the occasion that said monsieur brought me here? "It's Wednesday. We like to party midweek?! " I thought that but I didn't say it. I guess we have to have an excuse to go there, it's not exactly a cheap place so I understand that mentality, if the year was say, 1945. I told the our waiter that sharing a meal and making time was special. Didn't even know how to reply so I just smiled. {It's often best to smile & keep the inner voice inner.} It was a little weird but not terribly off-setting; we still enjoyed a tasty meal. And unless he's reading my review, I didn't feel the need to share the comment when he returned to our table. Unnecessary. But do be warned if you are younger than say 40 dining here dressed in jeans. **** updated ** so after reading a couple of the reviews, I realize the server was probably trying to find out if we have a Groupon or some other Deal of the Day coupon as apparently others have stated they used, which we did not have. So, let's talk food: His steak was fantastic. He is 1 big man and he needs to be well fed. Portions were generous. My buttery scallop prawn dish that our server enthusiastically recommended surprisingly paired very well with our vodka martinis. #yummy Next time we should save room for dessert though!
(4)VB L.
Move over Izzy's because this restaurant is your #1 competition! They have everything you do - a menu that won't overwhelm you, steaks that will rock your world, service that is 5-star - but they also have flambe and Surf-n-Turf! Remember that one star I promised you? Well these folks earned it. As for all those youngsters out there giving the bad reviews because this place is for "old folks" - the old folks come here because they remember what it's like to have good service, good food and simple choices. They don't need all the flash and fancy to enjoy a top-rated meal. It's just a quiet night out to be a little pampered with some decent chow. I'm all over that, even if I'm not part of the geriatric crew. You don't need to be over 50 to enjoy a simple and delicious dinner. Go in with these thoughts in mind and maybe, just maybe, you'll enjoy it a little more the second time around.
(5)Valerie W.
I've been meaning for a few years now to write a review on this place. Our service last night was so exceptional, I made it a point to write one now. We had Guiseppe as our server, and he was superb, from start to finish. His attentiveness and attention to detail, along with his great sense of humor and charming personality makes him a Gold Star in my book. We started off with the escargot, absolutely fantastic butter sauce, followed by the Caesar salad for two--the dressing here doesn't get any better. The Steak Diane, as always, was cooked to perfection by the Head Captain, who I would imagine can cook that dish with his eyes closed. The sauce is always perfect, and the filet is amazingly tender. The tableside presentation with the fire show is of course a nice added bonus. Hubby had the calamari steak, lightly battered in egg with a light lemon cream sauce. It was just a touch on the sweet side, so just know that you may prefer to get the sauce on the side rather than over the top. We had originally put in an order for the chocolate soufflé, but we were so full by the end of dinner that we didn't think we could eat it, and Giuseppe said he would try and cancel it for us because it's not really one of those deserts that fares well if you take it home. It was very nice of him to do that for us. Worked out well, since he was able to give the soufflé to another table that had ordered one. He knew it was my birthday, so he surprised us at the end with complimentary vanilla ice cream, which I admit, we were able to squeeze in, who knew? First class food at reasonable prices along with first class service...it's one of those few places I am glad to see has barely changed in over 30 years, and I hope it never will.
(5)Dana F.
We took our two young boys here for a special evening out, and we were SO impressed with this restaurant! From the moment the hostesses greeted us, we were treated like VIPs! There must have been about 5 different waiters and busboys who kept bringing bread, refilling drinks, checking on us, etc and we really appreciated it all. Even though the restaurant was bustlingly busy at 6 pm on a Saturday night, they really took the time to treat us well. They were genuinely nice and attentive, not pretentious at all. And all the food was to die for! Nothing but the best!!!! Of course we had to get the amazing table-side strawberry flambee for dessert to WOW the kids, and it worked!! We will definitely be back!
(5)Sarah C.
I grew up a couple blocks away from this restaurant. My parents used to drag me along to their business meetings here and I hated it. See, little 9 year old me was afraid of everything, especially fire. And of course someone at the table would always order the Steak Diane and I would beg my parents to ask the waiters to cook the steak for another table or in a corner far, far, away from us. Now that I'm older I have overcome my fear of fire (okay maybe not completely but at least supervised indoor flames), and have learned to appreciate this place. Get the Steak Diane Flambe. You will not be disappointed. Not only is the steak juicy and tasty but you can actually watch them cook your steak to perfection. If for some reason everyone at your table is a vegetarian but you still want to enjoy the show get the strawberry flambe for dessert. They flambe the strawberries right in front of you so it's very similar to the steak Diane experience. To top it off they pour it over ice cream. The strawberry flambe here happens to be one of my favorite desserts! Another thing you can't skip out on is the souffle! So delicate and scrumptious! If you do order the souffle be sure to let the staff know at the beginning of your meal because it takes a while to make. The Iron Gate is pretty fancy. This would be the perfect place to hold a special occasion dinner. For a hefty price you can impress that special someone, your family, friends, and/or colleagues.
(4)J G.
This is my husband and mine's favorite restaurant - only if Ted is our server. There food is just amazing - really yummy. There service can be better - the only server we find gives great service is Ted - we will not go if he is not working. We are in our late 20's and I get a vibe from other servers that we are too young to be there (the majority of their clients are in there late 50's 60's) and I feel like they treat us that we don't have the money to spend there. The other servers should not judge people by their age. So if you want good service ask for Ted - if you don't care so much about service than that's ok 'cause the food is always exceptional!
(4)Jess B.
I've been here once a long time ago. I had a gift certificate when I came but I enjoyed my meal. Its definitely a more older restaurant. I need to go again and try it out.
(5)Jayne W.
I didn't know you could still get a Ceasar salad prepared tableside! We had a girl's night out and had a wonderful experience. The Caesar was great, although garlicky! We all loved the garlic but some might not like that much! Although, we were served a very tasty fruit sorbet to cleanse the garlic!!! Good steaks, and the service excellent. They also make souffle, cherries jubilee and bananas foster tableside. We were too full to indulge but will next time.
(4)Mary Ann M.
Excellent portabello mushroom appetizer! I enjoyed their linguine vongole very much. The customer service is exceptional here. My coworkers and I very much enjoyed our company lunch here. Giuseppe was an amazing host. He entertained us with humor and was very attentive. Not once were our water glasses midway before he could fill it up again. Thank you Giuseppe!
(4)Lee M.
The food was amazing and eating here was an experience. Plan on spending the entire evening. They don't rush here. They even served sherbet between courses in order to cleanse your palate. I would definitely recommend this place.
(5)Matt V.
Golly, this is one of my all-time favorite places in the Bay. The restaurant is stunning, dimly-lit, romantic. Chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and dark red chairs are seated at white-clothed tables, perfectly set. Before you begin your meal, you have the option of ordering a souffle. All the souffles are made fresh, so you order it at the beginning of your meal so that they can begin preparing it, and have it ready for you by the end of the meal. Aside from that, I ordered the Steak Diane flambe, which was just incredible. They make it for you table side, and all the waiters are quite knowledgeable about the menu and capable in their preparation of the dishes. The steak is pan-fried to perfection, and has an excellent flavor to it. The flavors of butter, Worcestershire sauce, and brandy complement one another perfectly, with just a little hint of garlic that's wonderful. The potatoes alongside it are also excellent. Service is extremely attentive, obviously going so far as to prepare some of the dishes right for you at the table. You know that your server is there to serve your table, and they devote a lot of time to each individual patron in the restaurant. It's just a great experience. Highly recommended.
(5)Chris Y.
On a whim, I decided to try this place out for dinner with my wife. I'd never been here before, nor even known anyone who's been here before, but I drive right by it nearly every day. Therefore, I was unprepared for how fancy this restaurant aims to be! Think of a super-swanky, chic, modern restaurant - Iron Gate is pretty much the exact opposite. If my grandparents ever used to hang out around Belmont, I would imagine them having fancy dinners here. It's not that the ambiance is bad - they just clearly opt for "traditional" over "modern." The service was impeccable; unobtrusive, yet attentive, very knowledgeable and friendly! Also, the whole wait staff was dressed to the nines, making me feel a little shabby in my polo shirt. The food - oh-so-tender steak and quality tiramisu was what I had. Lots of other menu items sounded quite delicious as well. A sound choice, but the combination of high prices and somewhat outdated décor conspire to make the Iron Gate a solid four stars. Bonus - One of very few places around that you can get table-side flambé dishes!
(4)Mike L.
The Iron Gate is very classy in terms of ambience and the staff. Traditional French-Continential. And some of the food was good with lots of flambes and souflees. However, we mistakely all order different varieties of steaks, all in the $$$ range. They were horrible. So for all the pomp and circumstances, the entrees were so disappointing. Very sad experience.
(2)Victor G.
Service is slow, the waitress they have there is a b-tch and f-ckin' rude, and needs to be FIRED! We've been told that we can't put two tables together, what a bunch b-llsh-t that was when I was there last week and saw that they did put two tables together for a party of SIX! Really IRON GATE!!?? REALLY!!?? The music is good though. At least that is the only thing good about that place though! JOHN TAFFE of BAR RESCUE!! PLEASE SAVE THIS PLACE FROM DESTRUCTION!!
(1)Lisa T.
I have mixed feelings on this place - the food was absolutely amazing, but the place itself was bit depressing. I'd say the average age of those around us was about 70, and I'm not joking. It seemed like it was a as if a retirement community bus dropped by. I asked the waiter and he said it's like that all the time. My next question was, this place has yelp reviews? How is that possible considering the clientele?]] As mentioned before though, the food was great. I got the calamari and my friend got the veggie platter. Both were excellent. We finished off the night with their famous souffle, which was the best I've ever had. Would i go back? Maybe, if my grandparents were still around and and in town.
(4)M'famous O.
Let me start by saying, the food is good. Everything ordered by my party of 5 today was tasty across the board. However, chicken fingers, for a child, should NEVER cost $25!! The adult entrees averaged $25, and chicken fingers and fries were $18?!? Ridiculous. Now on to the ambiance of this place--funeral home!! We walked in and it was very dark with dark carpet, and there was a photo n an easel. Fortunately, that was just advertising the live music, and not the funeral of the day. This place was very dark and stuffy and could stand some modernization--inside and out!!
(3)Thomas M.
You step back in time when you walk through the doors of the Iron Gate. Not in a bad way, but in a way that reminds you of your parents and grand parents. I love the history and culture of this place. I love the roving cart of fire, and the waiters who take pride in their service. It's an art, it's an experience, it's wonderful.
(4)Frank g.
The main reason that I am writing this review is because of both the service that we received at the Iron Gate and the food. We chose this place because it came highly recommend from on of our co-workers and we thought it would be a great place to have our holiday lunch. It seemed like it would be a great meal and a good place to eat at. First of all the waiter got my bosses order incorrect. But instead of just apologizing about the mistake and working quickly to fix it. He told her that he did repeat the order back to her and essentially washed his hands of the issue. In order to not make a scene my boss just said fine but the waiter continued to point out that he repeated the order. Then instead of just saying "it's no problem that I will fix it right away" he just kept saying I can get you what you ordered but I did repeat the order. The tone in which it was said was in essence saying "You made the mistake not me but I will fix your mistake if you want me too." At that point our lunch got off on the wrong foot and continued to go down from there. The waiter did come back after my boss said no to getting a different plate and offered her a piece of free cheesecake because of the inconvenience but made sure to mention again that he did repeat the order. Then about 15 minutes later as we were halfway done with our meal my other co-worker found a hair in his chicken alfredo pasta. We then waited to let the waiter know the issue and my co-worker tried to keep it low key and let him know about the issue. When the waiter came back we let him know that there was hair in the food and he just said oh and I will check with the owner to see what he could do. Not once did he apologize for there being a hair in the food or that he would take care of the plate and get a new one right away. Also my co-worker mentioned that he thought the hair was blonde and in actuality it could have been white/blonde but since it was in alfredo sauce we couldn't be sure. When the waiter came back all he said was that the Owner said he was sorry and that if we wanted to we could go back into the kitchen and look at all the staff because none of them have blonde hair. Which upset me because at that point the owner is essentially calling the entire table liars. Basically treating us like some kids who were trying to get out of paying for something. Also the waiter did not do a good job of even trying to apologize for the hair being in the food or trying to smooth the issue over. They tried to offer my co-worker a free dessert because, you know the next thing you want to do after finding hair in your food is eat more. At that point, my co-worker just stopped eating and we all just wanted to leave. To us the issue was the fact that we had stuff go wrong at the table that could have been easily corrected and it was not and instead of being treated respectfully we were treated condescendingly. As for the food, 2 of my co-workers got sick. One from the Chicken Alfredo and the other from the Crab Canneloni. The food wasn't as good as I expected and it was topped off by bad service. At this point, our staff will never be going back to the Iron Gate because of our experience with the staff and sub-par food. For the prices that we were paying for a group of 6, you would have expected a little more respect and courtesy but I guess that isn't on the menu at the Iron Gate especially when you find hair in your food.
(1)Corina N.
Very disappointing experience after being tricked by Yelp's 4 star's rating and having some pretty high expectations! Came on a weeknight with my fiance and shared the Caesar salad (which was like $20 btw), onion soup and the steak Diane, as recommended here on yelp by many. The food wasn't great at all, customer service was OK but also not stellar and the prices ridiculously high for what you get. We'll never be back, although we live close by and it would be convenient. I wanted to like this restaurant, but it just did not happen.
(1)Mona W.
Dining at The Iron Gate is like a trip going back in time. Banquet room filled with guests dressed in evening gowns and suits. It is like something straight from a black and white movie. The old time vibe is so mesmerizing that I am willing to forgive the mediocre quality of their dishes. Long time ago...or maybe not so long ago, my dad probably took my mom to a similar restaurant for their very first date. The highlight of the evening was the dessert. I can't even remember when was the last time I see one of those flambe cooking cart. This was the place when I had my very first Zabaglione cooked at my table.
(3)Ed L.
Iron Gate has been shooting a lot of local target-marketing Comcast commercials in the recent years. It's funny to see the transition from legit, high-quality commercials to Iron Gate ones which are super low-budget, shot with a camera with less definition than an iPhone. When you actually show up to the place, you actually understand why they lack the flash and technology. The experience is like fine dining at a retirement home; I think the average age of diners was like 67. Everything about the place is old school from decorations to the way the waiters are dressed. Although it's a little expensive, the food is not bad and it's like taking a trip back into the 1960's! They got classic steak dishes like Steak Diane and a few bold seafood appetizers like tuna tartar spice up the otherwise conservative menu. Did I mention I came here to have my 24th birthday dinner with my family? Think I showed up 50 years too early to celebrate.
(4)Annie K.
I have been visiting this restaurant for years. The food is fabulous. Well, it sounds so funny, but I only had veal or salmon there for years whenever I visited. I just love their veal so much that each time I visited, I end up ordering the same thing again. Their service is also great. I should try other dishes in the future..... They could start to attract some young crowds though. I was reading some of the comments below. Frankly i'm shocked as a person visited there for years. I found nothing but great things about this restaurant.
(5)Winnie P.
I feel cheated from having had a fine dining experience. Recently dined at this restaurant for a special event and should have brought my own wine and paid the bottle opening charge of $18.00. Instead I opted to purchase from there wine list(not posted on there web-site), I purchased a bottle of Kendall -Jackson Vinters Reserve. This bottle of wine is currently selling for $9.99 @ Walgreens. The restaurant charged $44.00 for this same bottle. Customer Beware!!!!
(1)Michael M.
When my wife and I want to celebrate, or just have a quiet world class meal, there's only one place we go and that's the Iron Gate. The food is delicious (for beefeaters, the chateuabiand for two is unbelieably wonderful) and the service is impeccable. Since I only work about 15 minutes from the restaurant, I have been known to take colleagues and clients there for lunch. One of my coworkers said she felt she was dining with a mob boss the way the owner and the entire wait staff fawned over us. Yes, the place is expensive, but for my money, it is worth every penny. Yes, the average clientele is older, and my wife and I are fast approaching that demographic, but we've been coming here since we were in our mid-30's and we were always treated royally. Other reviewers are right, having the steak Diane flambe'd tableside is a treat unto itself. The Caesar salad is one of my favorites, also mixed and tossed right at your table. My wife and I were planning a quiet dinner for two there just last week but we had to change our plans at the last minute. We're both salivating for our next visit after the first of the year/
(5)Ana B.
Our passport card brought us to The Iron Gate, and we were nicely surprised ! The quality of the food was excellent, we enjoyed : $8 glass of beautiful carneros pinot noir Escargot = simple , delicious. Calamari= crispy lightly battered New Zealand rack of Lamb= OMG ! Veal= Quite tasty Chocolate, grand marnier souffle = The perfect way to end our meal Why three stars if the food was so good ? We could hear the staff making comments in Spanish about the costumers. We weren't quite done with our meal when a different server announced that he was ready to bring the souffles to the table . Don't assume that because people don't look Hispanic aren't able to understand you.
(3)Jo C.
My husband (fiance then) and I celebrated our Valentines '10 here -- which was more than a year ago; but whenever I have a craving for steak and lobster, I could not stop obsessing about our dinner here. If only it wasn't so damn expensive... Anywho, regarding our experience, we ordered the escargot for appetizer, their evening special for our entrees -- Filet mignon and lobster, and the flambee for dessert. Everything was superb, although the lobster took the spotlight -- it was oh, so, succulent... and the melted butter that accompanied it... Man, I'm drooling right now thinking about it. The wine recommendation of our server was also very tasty, for those who like their Pinot Noirs. I believe it's called Camelot. Affordable too at $8 per glass. As for the service, the tall blonde hostess was very sweet. She profusely apologized for the wait, and walked us to our table. She also came by to ask how everything was, and when we were leaving, she also helped me with my coat and once again asked if we had a nice time. As for the servers, the first one we got was kinda stuffy, maybe because we looked too young for the place, and spent his time chatting with the regulars instead of helping us. Another waiter took over though - thank God. He was replaced by this French waiter, who was so hospitable, it almost felt like he was our own personal butler for the evening. He really took care of us. Reading the other reviews, sure the decor is a little dated, the clientele not so "young and hip" -- whatever that means, but who cares! you go to a restaurant mainly for the food right? I would go back every month if I had the moolah. Order their filet mignon and lobster special!!!
(4)Mochi L.
My husband and I came here for our first date anniversary. I got a coupon from Restaurant.com and have been wanting to try it out. We made a reservation but probably didn't have to, it was a weekday and after V-day. However our hostess was kind and brought us to our table. She asked if we had a special date, which we did. She came by later to see how we were doing so that was nice. Our waiter we learned had been at that restaurant forever, he stayed even tough the owners changed throughout the years. He wasn't exactly the best waiter though but he had some personality. I ordered the onion soup and NY steak, both really good. We skipped out on the chocolate souffle but got the chocolate cake instead. My-o-my if we had know the chocolate cake was going to be so good, we should have ordered the souffle!
(4)C S.
Absolutely fabulous! Came here for Mother's Day, Brother's Birthday and my graudation celebration. Same as before ... great veal, great flambe, souffles were amazing, cafe diablo left us amused! We tried the Banana Foster for the first time, so yummy!!! Service was a little slower than normal but it was really busy. Everything was perfect.
(5)Jennifer H.
Have probably driven by this place over a thousand times. Hubby got a gift certificate here. OMG!! How did we never eat here before!? Had the 12oz filet mignon and it was cooked to perfection. I know meat and this was spectacular! Service was outstanding. Will I go back? HELL YEAH!
(5)Stacie M.
So the prices at this place are sky high. Now I've eaten at some super fancy restaurants and really don't mind high prices -- if you get the experience you're paying for. Now don't get me wrong. This place was nice. Was it Michelin rated price worthy? Probably not. Our meals were solid. Enjoyed the owner preparing flambe for us. He had a great reparte as well. Service was great. So I guess it's just the ambiance I question. It's really just your standard restaurant. Dust on the floor boards. Not so nice looking carpet. Was hoping for a bit more based on all the reviews I've read. Would I go back? Yes. For a special occassion with the parents. Would my husband and I go back alone? No. If we're spending that kind of money there are a ton of restaurants in the city that actually have some ambiance. Although it seems they sometimes have live music in their "lounge". That could be worth checking out.
(3)Lobat O.
Love this Place!! Food is delicious! Kaveh is Awesome! Table-side flambe's are soooo Good! You can't leave without having their awesome Cherrie Jubilee or Banana Foster!! O and don't miss out on their weekend music nights.... great music and dancing... quite a FUN nite!!
(5)Kent S.
Been coming here since I was a kid. Old school and bit cheesy decor, but the food is good. I usually eat in the bar. Always seem to be the same crowd hanging out which is a good sign. Excellent home made blue cheese. Staff is very professional and nice. Sure beats all the chains in the area.
(4)David L.
Thanks for the non reply to the portion size. Your obvious disassociation to this item as previously documented on this link is troublesome. I am not the only customer dissatisfied with the portion based on the entree charge.
(2)stacy r.
This is an update to my 2010 review. The Iron Gate has been a long-time choice for special occasions for my family. My family and I have dined at the Iron Gate twice in the past few months. The customer service on both occassions was bad, but it was particularly deplorable on our visit there last week. After we were seated, we sat for over an hour and the wait staff never came to take our order or refill our drinks. We eventually flagged down a waiter and he said he was not our waiter but would take our orders since we had been waiting and our waiter was busy. We were polite and did not give him a hard time, except to say that we wanted to place our orders as we had been there a while and were hungry. The waiter that served us had a horrible, snotty attitude. He was extremely impatient, patronizing, sarcastic, and flippant. He made it very clear that he did not want anyone to ask any questions or make any special requests. He got annoyed with me when I ordered an entree size dish from the appetizer menu as my meal, and said nastily, "Everyone at this table wants changes!" When I asked him what the salads were, he said, "Sweetheart, you can look at the menu...on the side," again with a snotty attitude. He was annoyed again with my 15-year-old niece who asked him some questions about the menu, and he said, "Little girl, what are you going to order?" Then he snapped at my 18-year-old nephew who was asking a couple of questions about the menu, became frustrated, and told him, "Young man, hurry up and order." My nephew and my brother-in-law became very upset by how the waiter was speaking to everyone. Thirty minutes passed and no appetizers arrived. We flagged down a waiter and then we waited another 30 minutes before the appetizers arrived. Another hour passed and the entrees were nowhere to be seen. We again flagged down a waiter and waited another 30 minutes for our entrees. They never explained or apologized as to why the food took so long. That said, the food itself was pretty good. My parents, who are very polite, paid the bill and tipped generously without saying a word to the management of the restaurant, and were very embarrassed that my nephew went up to the waiter after our meal and told him that he had a bad attitude and that he had upset his father (my brother-in-law), and that he (the waiter) was very lucky that his grandparents (my parents) were nice because he did not deserve a tip. Honestly, I agree with my nephew. It was atrocious, appalling behavior by the waiter...at a fancy, high end establishment. What is so sad is that I have been dining at this restaurant since I was a child. It has been the favorite choice of my family for decades. This is supposed to be a high-end restaurant. The issue is not so much the food but the customer service, which has gone so far downhill that it is resting firmly in the gutter. I have had better customer service at Denny's. I hope my parents pick a different restaurant for our family's special occasions in the future, because I have no interest in returning to the Iron Gate.
(1)S M.
This was the second time we dined in Iron Gate. Both times the service was exceptional and the food was absolutely fantastic The best was Steak Diane, but lamb rack was also excellent. We ordered appetizers- fried calamari and crab cakes were good, but scallops exceeded our expectations. The restaurant is not cheap, but it worth every penny. Waiters are friendly and attentive. Owners themselves help serving in the dining area, which I believe one of the reasons the service is so good.
(5)Dave W.
The oysters (Rockefeller and raw) are excellent--I especially recommend the raw oysters with the mignonette sauce. The salads are all good, particularly the table side tossed salad, and the heart-of-palm salad. Sometimes they have lobster thermidor--JUMP on it if they do, but tell them you don't want it too dry. The Steak Diane is EXCELLENT, as with the veal dishes (picatta, etc.)--the veal oscar is my favorite. For desert, you must get a souffle, and you can split it for two people. If you are really adventurous, order the "Cafe Diablo"-- it is $60; but it is by far the most intense coffee drink that you will ever see or that you have ever tasted in your life! No question. Best for 4 people. I have been going to this restaurant for 15 years. The food is consistently excellent and the service is superb. It is old-school French-style cooking with waiters in tuxedos. Yes, there are a fair number of old folks here. So what? This is not a hipster place, if you want that, then go somewhere else. But if you get something you really like, it will taste the same the next time you get it. I always have a great time and I really like the fact that it is QUIET and CLASSY!
(5)Joe A.
Really exceptional experience from the taste and quality of the food to the exceptional wait staff. Decor is a bit dated but the overall service and excellent food easily overcome that minor distraction. I will definitely return!
(4)Joe H.
I came here as part of a company party expecting the food to be subpar due to the fact that I was in a large group, was I wrong! The New York strip was low in gristle, cooked to a perfect medium, and the dessert was great! Then, upon leaving I went to the bar and Jim the bartender handled a slightly rowdy patron in a very diplomatic manner that was initially trying to be vulgar. I live out of the way, but the good food and service was stand out!
(5)Lyndsey S.
If I could give them zero stars I would... My husband and I came to the Iron Gate for dinner on a Friday night. It was fairly busy but there was no one waiting for tables to open up. We stood at the potium in front waiting for someone to seat us. We stood there for about 10 minutes watching people finish their dinner and leave. We finally saw the guy with the tux on (who was supposed to seat us). He had menus in his hand that he was returning to where the other menus were kept (which was near we were standing). He looked at us and walked away. I've never worked in a restaurant, but I've been to enough to know that if you see people waiting, a simple "I'll be right with you" is sufficient enough to know that we will eventually be seated. I will never go to this place again. When I go to a restaurant- I want to eat, not watch others eat...
(1)Ken L.
Very old school, with an older crowd who dress up and wear jackets, etc. Wait staff are friendly, helpful and entertaining. Must go at least once to experience the various flambe and souffle. The sauces on the steaks were very good and the meat tender. I got the NY steak flambe with creamy mustard peppercorn sauce which was great.
(5)Ken K.
Yeah I've read the comments... the less flattering ones can be summarized as such: "I'm too young to be in here, it feels like the retirement home Xmas celebration dinner, pre-bingo night" "so old school my great grandparents would look so hip to the hop eating here" "did I get on the wrong cruise and show up in the wrong restaurant? Am I in the Depeche Mode MTV video for "Wrong"? What's up with the table of 3, all 60+, and the guy is wearing his sailor gear, including Captain Stubing's hat?!" Ahhh c'mon people. There's nothing wrong with staying stuck in time and not necessarily innovating along with the molecular fried chicken slider table to farm pork belly truck fusion thing. That's the western version of preservation. There are 50 to 100+ year old restaurants across Asia, some still alive and kicking and never fail to deliver. Sure it is not The Tadich Grill to some, and it's Belmont. But the food is delicious, the service is attentive. And they take restaurant.com coupon too. Yes, an A$N granny greets you at the door. Suddenly you think....A$N fusion? Not at all....think of it as the old school new world style old world. Confused yet? Yes me too. If you have been to Tai Ping Koon in Hong Kong taipingkoon.com the vibe is remotely familiar. Tuxedo clad waitstaff, except the Iron Gate gang won't stand around while you inspect the bill then take out your payment. Mix of French American, Italian American, and lots of charm. Clam chowder (Fridays only) - thick texture, ample clams and ingredients. Not the best I've had, but not bad. French onion soup - sadly too salty. May have to go to a real French bistro for this. Mixed combo salad - got everything in it from raw mixed greens to some cooked asparagus, and delicious endives. A fine balance. a nice raspberry sorbet in a mini shaped champagne glass with a spoon for the intermission / palette cleansing act. Kids will love this, thinking they get dessert BEFORE the entree. What a life. Scalone - like a calamari steak, except it was flat, good light textured, and was a combination of scallop and abalone. Golden yellow brown exterior (very light batter) that tasted much better with the lemon wedge. Scalloped potatoes on the side, and seasoned steamed veggies (even those tasted good). Seabass (from the specials, not listed on the menu) - pretty decent but it's not the haute cuisine prep. Veggie crepe florentine - interesting, a good alternative for those seeking something light. And the dessert.....the souffle is a must. However you have to decide by the time you are done with the appetizers and right before the dinner entrees come (your waiter will ask you). You can order for 2, but they also offer single dinner sized portions at $10 to $12 per. Choose between Grand Marnier, Chocolate, Berry, Apple. (As a note: Tai Ping Koon in Hong Kong only offers one souffle (Grand Mariner) and it is humongous and requires 40 mins to make.) The standard sauce is divine, but perhaps overkill and masking the delicious egg white flavor in the souffle. The chocolate verison is enjoyable and the sauce not heavy at all. While eating, various tables ordered certain meat dishes that were cooked by the waiter by the table, offering a Benihana like fire show. Or maybe it was Bananas Foster or Strawberry Flambe.... It is such a rare sight to see something like that anymore (the burgundy tux'd grey haired senior waitstaff at Tai Ping Koon couldn't be efff'd to cook anything for you in comparison...now that's luv).
(4)Janet L.
One of the BEST restaurant experiences I've had... The service is great. The flambe dude is funny. Food is all fantastic and the portions are pretty big. Started with the flambe welted spinach salad with bacon. The dude rolls his cart over, chats up with you, and goes BAM! and serves a hot welted spinach salad with HUGE chunks of bacon. Sweet/Salty/Warm, and it has some spinach in it...so don't feel TOO guilty. I had the lamb chops - I'm not a fan of lamb. I keep reminding myself to stay away from it, but I ordered it again...and I'm SOOOOOOOO glad I did. This was THE BEST LAMB I've ever tasted. KOBE RIB EYE - you can't go wrong with rib eye...then again yes you can. But they do it right here! Chocolate something - it was just okay I think what blew me over was the service...and the flowing wine...haha Definitely will come here again. They also have a dance floor and have live bands playing. WOOO HOOO party time with the elder folks!
(5)Rene C.
When I was 7 I was almost tossed out of a car on a blind curve. When I was 38 I sat on a chair in front of my date and it broke and fell apart and I fell to the floor. Yes, I am prone to accidents. By accident one day, I agreed to coming to dinner here with one of my high maintenance friends. It's his favorite all time restaurant so I will be as kind as possible. One would expect the crowd to on the older side, but it does attract an interesting mix of younger types as well. The old school atmosphere is a draw and makes you feel like you're in the middle of an episode of the Sopranos. The food is ok, but not great. Creativity is not the chefs specialty. There is however enough variety to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters.
(3)Nathan W.
Had the oysters for an appetizer, was pretty disappointed. Not only did they lack "the taste of the sea", they also were pretty chewy. Next we got the caesar salad which was definitely our favorite dish. Served table-side with a pretty tasty dressing. I had the filet mignon and my wife had the salmon piccata. Both of us thought it was alright, maybe not worth that price point but not bad.
(3)Jennifer T.
I go here for lunch with my Dad and brother on a somewhat consistent basis. They go every week! They have the best ground filet mignon burger ever! Today I had a the lunch special, dungeness crab in an heirloom tomato salad, and my Dad had the petrale sole. He is 76 years old, of which is about the average age of patrons for lunch, and he said," it's a little old fashioned here(meaning decor and waiters in tux's) but at least I know I'll get a good meal. " The only deduction is that the decor really needs updating other than that really great food!
(4)Brett P.
I concur with many of the reviews... pleasantly old school! Reminds me of the kind of place I would go to for prom or the once a year holiday dinner with the family. Cart service for Caesar Salad and Banana Foster, sorbet in between courses... excellent. Service was also excellent. Maybe one star off for the veal entree... which was good, but lacked a little inspiration with rice and plain veggies on the side. Don't hesitate, if it's on your radar, go and enjoy a night out in style!
(4)Marady N.
First time timers here and wow fine and dine and wine!!!! Thanks to my Persian princess I'm enjoying life!!!!!
(5)Scott H.
Definitely worth a try, although somewhat expensive. Food is delicious and staff is generally very friendly (and formal). Clientele tends to dress up, so avoid the jeans and grunge look if you want to fit in. We've driven by this place countless times in the decades that we've lived here, but finally stopped in to try it out recently. We were pleasantly surprised. It looks a bit like a saloon from the outside (the bar inside seems to attract a far less sophisticated crowd than the restaurant) and is located near a very busy intersection of El Camino Real. The food compares well with that of Izzy's Steaks and Chops over at the San Carlos airport, but prices at Iron Gate seem to be noticeably higher. Different ambiance (one's not necessarily better than the other, they're just different). Make reservations if going during peak hours.
(3)John F.
My wife and I moved to Belmont about 3 years ago. Every time we passed Iron Gate we would say... one of these days we should give that place a try. It had an East Coast feel to it... maybe a hidden gem on the peninsula.... I have to say I was very disappointed. I ordered the Halibut Special and my wife had the New York Steak. My halibut was way over cooked and dry. When it was first served I was upset because it was swimming in sauce... once I cut into it I was thankful for the sauce to help with the dryness and lack of flavor in the fish. The New York Strip was just OK. It too seemed a bit dry and was nothing special. The sides that came with the dishes were so forgettable that just 2 days later... and I can not even tell you what came with either meal! Originally I was going to go with 3 Stars, but once the bill came I cut another star. We only had 2 dishes and 2 cokes.... and the tab with tip was $75! I am not one to hold back on a place because of cost... I have paid $150 for 6oz at Alexanders and still given 5 Stars... but the meal we had should have cost about $30 all in. On a positive note the staff was friendly and well appointed although some what absent throughout the meal.
(2)Steph L.
LET'S KEEP THIS SIMPLE: I don't like to give people the eyesore of their epic experiences, word for word and about how we sat down and the waitress rolled her eyes and what not. SERVICE: Wonderful as always. FOOD: Food is excellent here! a few times my steaks have been a little more over cooked than my likings, but still tastes great! I prefer fresh baked warm bread, that's not what you get here. If you come here often, everything starts tasting the same. LOL must be the heavy butter? SANITATION: (most important to me) Clean and pristine. Just the way I like it. WHAT I GOT: OYSTER ROCKEFELLER APPETIZER IS A DAM MUST TRY!!!! Steak Diane is a wonderful butterfly fillet, Meat is so soft; you can almost chew it with your tongue. SO WHATS THE BIG DEAL?? Oysters ROCK! Steak ROCK!! what else is there to say?!?! Plus they cook certain meals in front of you! careful, flame is so hot might get yourself a free perm! jk! OTHER NOTES: -Nice place to celebrate birthdays. -Children? not so much. unless you have yourself a pre-madonna!
(4)Patrick P.
Not many restaurant can earn 4 or more stars, this restaurant definitively can. I wish I could give a 4.5 since I cannot and since it is above 4, let's go for a 5! we were about 15 eating dinner few days ago and I got a chance to try several dishes and one better than the previous one. You got to try their desert. The souffle is out of this world. Recommend the "Grand Marnier" version. highly, highly recommended
(5)Ilya K.
One of the best restaurants I found in Bay Area so far. A true fine dining experience for a reasonable price. The Cremé of mushroom soup I ordered had a very rich taste, with bits of chopped mushrooms, and I enjoyed every spoon of it. For entree, I and my friends ordered a variety of flambéed steaks (Diane and NY), as well as lamb chops. Steaks were so tender and had such an exquisite delicious taste! They do flambé in front of your table, so you also get a spectacular fire show before the meal. :) And when they start melting the butter and throw the steak on a skillet, the entire dining room fills with a fantastic smell of fine food that just makes you wanna close your eyes and sleep there. Alas, steaks left no room for a dessert, but their soufflé looked impressive, will absolutely order it next time.
(5)Alex G.
If I was 80, I would probably love this place. But I'm not, so Iron Gate gets 3 stars from me. I agree with others who've said that Iron Gate is more Continental than French. The food is solid, but not very modern, and the wine list is pretty "safe." Our waiter was a little over-the-top and in-your-face for my tastes, but I think that some people are into that. Especially older people who like to spend time with the waiter and be romanced throughout the meal. I'd rather be romanced by my date, but, that's just me. If you're under 40 and looking to take someone out to a classy, fancy restaurant, I feel like this isn't really the place to go. It felt more like where you'd go with the family after a Communion or where you'd take Grandma for her birthday (which is why I was there in the first place.) If you are intimidated by all the nuevo-fusion-fanciness of other Bay area "date" places, you might like Iron Gate - for me, there's just too many other interesting places to be.
(3)Jennifer L.
This place is one of the fancier restaurants I've ever visited for a work lunch. Lucky for me, I enjoyed a three-course meal which included the following: - Basic starter salad - Chicken Plate: Generous proportions served with mashed potatoes and green beans - Ice cream with fudge desert served in ice cold glasses To keep it short: Good food, good service, good times! Thanks work for a free meal, and thanks Iron Gate for the excellent service! Quick Tip: Get to know your table etiquette! This place is fancy!
(4)N A.
My family and I really enjoyed this swanky place. First of all, I heard from friends about their great food, but I wasn't aware it was a "dress up" place. My wife, son, and I went in jeans and running shoes and the staff treated us just as nice. The one thing I really appreciated about the staff was they were really nice to my son. My son was the only kid in the whole restaurant and they really acknowledged him nicely. About the food, they were good. My wife ordered the steak and it was delicious! They put this sauce on it, which is out of this world. I ordered the Ahi Tuna with wasabi and it was good, but the wasabi was a bit much and the Tuna, I like it a bit rarer. The bottom-line, yes we will go back there again. My wife and I still talk about the steak and serviced is exceptional.
(5)Dione S.
Old school restaurant that my parents love going to for birthdays every year. The food is always good and the wait staff is very friendly and attentive.
(5)Stephie L.
AS ALWAYS - FABULOUS food FABULOUS service. One of the Peninsula's premier restaurants. I have been dining there for a couple decades and am NEVER disappointed!
(5)Erika S.
This has been my favorite restaurant for years. Best food I have ever had. The bartender makes great drinks and the live bands are fun. The veal rollatini is so good!!! Don't go here on a budget though.
(5)mike g.
We were seated for our reservation at 6:30 Saturday evening and our waiter arrived promptly to give us the wine list and mentioned the special entres. We thanked him, but declined ordreing wine, just ice water please and he left menus. The restruant was busy, but after 30 minutes I went to the see the matra d', then the waiter showed up with a rude remark " I didn't think you were in a hurry" He continued to be impatient with us and we could tell he was angry that I had complained about the long wait. The tables were so close together, he was not able to prepare the Caesar at our table. The salmon was dry and over cooked with some cubes of mangos over the top, the vegetables were the cheap variety of stubby carrots and string beans. In conclusion we had a very poor dining experience because of the waiters attitude, the food was below average and over priced. Maybe we just hit a bad night, but we not likely to go back.
(2)Robert S.
The Iron Gate is a stalwart institution firmly fitting into the Elder appeal. And like its clientele, its been around forever, the formula works, so no need to change anything. The staff could not be more accommodating as they will dote and care with a well practiced expertise. Its effortless. But note that if you are under say 65, chances are its simply not going to be your style. The food works on the classic Continental level. The Grand Marnier dessert souffle is a must do. Just remember to order that early. Veal Piccatta, sole, salads, steak and lamb. But typically served with a cream/butter sauce. And that's what throws some off - this is rather heavy food. Delicious but rich in a real old school pocket. Just know that going in. Seriously. My sister will not go near the place. To its credit, unless you are in a Country Club, there are few places on the Peninsula that one can find a room full of people drinking martinis and wine, enjoying Continental cuisine and generally having a ball all at 2pm on a Tuesday afternoon! (Just ignore that half the room is assisted by a wheelchair or walker).
(4)Lori M.
It was good food and service, but pricey. I probably wouldn't go back.
(3)Marina K.
My husband and I came here for Valentines day. The only con was that there was a 30-45 minute wait even though we had a reservation. I assume that this is not a regular thing however, and was just due to the craziness of V-Day. The ambiance there is great and classy and the food is great as well. I also recommend their wine! It is on the pricey side but a great place for a romantic dinner or a special occasion.
(4)E. Y.
This place is like the cheesy 1980s version of a classy French restaurant - oysters, flambé, soufflés - for some reason I picture the gang from Three's Company coming here (not to say that there's anything wrong with that!). It's just good to know before you go. It's not the most "modern" restaurant, which is probably why most of the clientele is on the more "mature" side. With that said, it's still a fun place to eat - they do flambé at your table side for goodness sakes! I liked the fact that even though it's a fancier restaurant, it didn't feel pretentious and no one looked down on us for being younger. I would say the food is 3 stars, yummy but nothing truly unique or special. But the staff was very friendly and personable, and despite being one of the youngest adults in the room, we had a fun experience. Aside from the flambé "shows", the Blue Point Oysters (very fresh) and Grand Marnier soufflé were the highlights for me.
(4)Mark L.
I have been to the iron gate so many times over the last 25 years and every time it's Great!
(5)Chris B.
For my birthday my wife treated me to a good dinner here. And good it was. First, this place is more Continental than a French restaurant. I was seriously underwhelmed by the wine list, especially the Bordeaux's (my opinion) unless you got some serious $$ to spend. Our waiter was certainly no sommelier either (I don't think the Iron Gate has one?) and the wine he sort of recommended (he didn't sound very sure of himself) was just ok. If they allow it I would do corkage next time. For starters we had the prawns and escargot. Prawns were good, if not a tiny bit overcooked. Escargot (which are SNAILS) were very good. I could almost eat SNAILS as my dinner. It's so much fun using that tiny fork to get the little buggers out of their shell. Good, good stuff. Dinner, I had the Steak Diane. First time ever. This is one of the meals they cook tableside, using a butterflied piece of filet mignon and lots of sauce, a bit of fire and presented in pure yumminess. The wife had the surf & turf special, filet with bernaisse sauce and Australian Lobster tail. Both good (never had Aussie lobster before... good yes but not as good as Maine lobsta'), the bernaisse was ok but my sauce was better (she kept stealing off of my plate). Dessert - I fully expected a place like this to have creme brulee, but they do not. But the strawberry flambe made up for it... yet another dish they make tableside, think strawberries cooked in yummy alcohol syrupy goodness. With ice cream. Yeah! Good place to take the parents too next time they are in town.
(4)Sarah F.
My husband and I come here every anniversary. Very romantic and the wait staff are so friendly and really make the experience. Steak Diane and the scallops, to die for!
(5)Erik N.
Excellent wine list, especially the Bourdeauxs. Food is very good. Service is quite good. The food is French, but not oppressively so. Atmosphere is a bit like the dining at a nice retirement home.
(4)Erica C.
The staff was excellent, great sense of humor! Authentic cuisine, the food is amazing, loads of flavor!! Its a bit on the pricy side and very dressy attire, but well worth it!
(5)Kelly M.
**Review for Sat. night live music and dancing** All I have to say is Mary and Terry you are by far the coolest and friendliest local entertainers around. I've had the pleasure of watching you perform on several occasions. Mary, amazing vocals and boy you sure know how to cut a rug. Terry, you're so dark and mysterious under that cowboy hat and you can really wail on the electric ge-tar! My favs: "Give it to me baby" Rick James cover "I like the way you move...doodoodoo" Outkast cover (Terry's rap solo is the best part - AWESOME!!) "Strokin" Clarence Carter cover. I can't help but get my toosh on the dance floor when I hear this one. Mary and Terry where ever you are....THANK YOU for gettin down to funky town! You're the cutest!
(5)Eva O.
Hold your applause Welcome to an honest review. Service The worse in my opinion we had reservations for 4 on a saturday evening, one hour before our reservation we had to ad 1 more person so a total of 5, so I called them up and I asked them to include 1 more person,and the host had a tone and said were pretty busy and we don't have a extra chair, I was so pissed off are you fucking kidding me Im not asking you to ad 10 people only 1, she refuse to ad 1 more so I was like fuck them! Im sure there are other restaurants willing to take a party of 5 without reservations, so I called Izzy's Steak House in San Carlos and they had no problem taking a party of 5.
(1)Randy S.
Meh. There are better choices for the money around San Carlos/Belmont. I like the way "E.C." put it in another review - "cheesy 80's version of a classy French restaurant." I've driven by this place hundreds of times in the 10 years I've lived in San Carlos. Originally I thought it was a bar or nightclub based on the neon sign and the signature gate out front (looks like a security gate to me). Someone said the food was good so I thought I'd try it for a recent business dinner. I wasn't overly impressed. The service is very attentive. This is usually a good thing - but these guys take it a little too far. And despite the surfeit of attention, no one asked me if my lamb was cooked properly - it was pretty close, although it sure was slathered in sauce. The wine list, particularly for by-the-glass offerings, was pretty weak. I know we're spoiled around here, but I expected more from a restaurant that tries to bill itself as gourmet continental/french. The menu has tons of choices, but almost nothing for someone looking for lighter fare. You a veggie? I'm not, but even so, I noticed a total dearth of vegetarian choices. Even choices for pescatarians are smothered in sauces / butter. I asked the waiter for a suggestion or two from the menu. He proceeded to basically read me the menu - what's the point of that? I asked for a suggestion or two. He did suggest the steak that they prepare at the table, but that didn't appeal to me. The food was pretty good. But I can get pretty good food for half the price at plenty of other places around. I won't be going back any time soon.
(2)Kim N.
This place kicks ass in a really strange way. My co-worker and I ended up going through the bar entrance where they have a big screen TV and some old school patrons. As we went to the dining area, we were transported to a different world, another time. The waiters wear tuxes, the managers and patrons, suits. There's music in the back which are redone orchestral or lighter versions of sixties rock like "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" by the Beatles. Judging by the collective 1000 years or so of living by the other patrons besides us, they probably thought the original songs were works of the Devil. On the other hand, it was cool to see these people having elegant lunches in such an old historic place. The waiters were quite formal at first but warmed up a bit after dealing with us. We both started with some soup, me the french onion and my co-worker the chicken, lemon, rice. For the entrees we got the angel hair pasta and corned beef and cabbage. Both meals were quite tasty and the service was excellent. The ambiance is kind of stuffy at first and even though we were very under dressed and very young compared to everyone else, we were treated really well. 4.5 stars.
(4)Allison R.
My family goes to The Iron Gate for every celebration. If you want a perfect meal, I suggest the caesar salad, steak diane and grand marnier souffle. My sister loves the Petrole Sole.
(5)Kathy S.
The portobello sauted mushroom appetizer is to die for! And, my main dish was a seared tuna with wasabi mashed potatoes. It was excellent! Yes yes... the crowd was a little geriatric but doesn't that say something if someone is willing to have one of their "last meals" here? Plus, it is expensive, since when can 20 yr olds afford $100 meals these days.. especially in the bay area? I don't know why the more expensive the restaurant, the worse the souffle.. it tasted like eggs (unlike Pasta Pomodero who's souffle tastes like chocolate ummmm). But, I gather this is the authentic way soufflees are supposed to taste. It was a very classy restaurant, nice and cozy with warm candlelit lighting. I really enjoyed myself, will go again for sure!
(5)P M.
This place is over-rated for the quality of the food you get. We tried it years ago and thought it was ok but recently some friends wanted to go so we went with them. The waiter was great and a lot of fun but at the end of the night, I have to say the food was just ok and it's not cheap. If you are looking for similar food, take the trip up to Bella Vista off Skyline and enjoy the view while you are up there!
(2)Judy L.
Old established place. One feels at home. Service is good. The bar/lounge small and old and can get crowded quickly which is why the 3 stars. Female waitresses not so friendly.
(3)Jeff V.
Short story: there are much better choices for a lot less money. Food presentation looks like something from the Gallery of Regrettable Foods. Bug in the wine. Souffle was wet. Long story: Looking for someplace low-key, the reviews about this place being 'romantic' led us here to, hopefully, have a quiet evening. We certainly were not prepared to walk into a large, brightly lit room, echoing with needlessly loud conversations from other tables. I am absolutely not exaggerating when I say Outback Steakhouse is many times more subdued and cozy. While we were seated promptly, we were left to peruse the wine list with no menus (shouldn't I have an idea of what the food might be before choosing a wine?). After nearly 10 minutes, the waiter asked if we 'had any questions' (what?) and I had to ask for menus. He, instead, told us the specials (which we strained to hear over the annoyingly loud table a few feet away from us), then went to retrieve menus for us. They bring water while we look over the menu. We order -- escargot to start, spinach with flambe bacon salads, steak Diane for me, veal cutlets for my dining partner, and I pre-ordered a chocolate souffle and we get a bottle of Pinot Noir. They correctly take our white wine glasses and bring red wine glasses back (using the smaller white wine glasses for everything is definitely a pet peeve of mine) Escargot is good and uneventful. Presented Bourguignons (in-shell). Salad is prepared table-side -- skillet is warmed with oil and bacon in it, then a dressing/sauce is made which includes, I am not kidding here, A-1 Sauce, then lit afire (it's flambe, remember), then flipped into a big bowl of spinach, then left there, trapping the heat to wilt the spinach. Pretty bad-ass preparation of a salad, for sure. It was quite delicious, as well. We're given a little sorbet amuse before the entrees, which is nice. They wheel one of the tableside prep carts over again to prepare my steak Diane. Again, A-1 Sauce is involved in sauce creation (*sigh*). The steak was requested 'rare', but I get medium. It's plated with some positively uninspired generic sides -- green beans, some mashed potatoes and some small carrots laid out along one side. My date's veal truly looked like an unbreaded weinerschnitzel with a few asparagus spears on top and some covered in some congealed goop that was supposed to be Hollandaise. Similar level of lazy side dishes, though the carrots were different for some reason. She whispered that her plate looked like something from the Lileks' Gallery of Regrettable Foods. My steak was pretty good, though more done than requested as I mentioned. My companion's meal was bland. My souffle was already ordered, and my date ordered the fresh berries. As we sat waiting for our desserts, it was about this time my dining partner found a bug in her drink (the wings and body were very apparent, floating dead in there). The waiter took the glass, left, came back and said "it's just cork, not a bug". Note, were weren't trying to, for instance, get the meal free or anything (that would be unreasonable), but telling us we're wrong/lying isn't the expected result, either. After some objection to that, they ended up crediting us the equivalent of a glass of wine from the bottle. Fine. Desserts came -- her berry selection was very fresh and top pick of all the fruits. Very nice. My souffle tasted good, but was wet in the center. I always fear that pancake batter taste and texture in a souffle, and I definitely got it with theirs. So, overall, I can't imagine we'll be back. It's like the other reviewers went somewhere else I wish we knew how to get to.
(2)Stephanie G.
My sister is visiting from out of town and I wanted to take her for a nice dinner. After reading up on a bunch of French places here we decided to go for the Iron Gate. The evening started off nicely enough, we were seated by a gracious hostess but then had to wait 10 minutes for our waiter to even acknowledge us. He was spending all of his time yacking it up with his old regulars and completely ignoring us. My sister went through her entire meal with her glass empty, always trying to get his attention. We got the Halibut and seared Ahi. The Ahi was fatty and not seared properly, but the Halibut was actually pretty good though. The sides were unremarkable; limp veggies soaked in butter. The souffle looked amazing but we weren't going to stick around for dessert after service like that. They do offer a %20 discount to celebrate their 20th anniversary, which was nice. This is absolutely a restaurant for older folks, I wouldn't go in expecting amazing service on a Saturday night unless you are a regular. I would NEVER take a date there.
(2)YanYan D.
We go here every year for my parent's anniversary I always enjoy my time spent here The service and food deserves all 5 stars From the Escargots to the Souffle - The 5 course meal is worth it
(5)Dave N.
Like a blast from the past, there just aren't many of these old school restaurants around any more. Larry the bartender is great; he makes an honest drink and is funny and colorful as hell. His presence really adds to the old world charm of the place. The lounge area is a big karaoke joint on weeknights, and the people watching is quite good. The dining room is just what you'd expect from an old school place as well; the waiters are impeccably dressed in formal tuxes, and the manager himself in an impeccable dark suit and tie. He's the one who actually did cafe diablo tableside, probably because it's a two man operation. We started out with crabcakes in a lobster sauce, and they were excellent. Our caesar salads were also prepared tableside, as were our flambe'd pepper steaks. The steaks themselves were a bit overcooked (we asked for medium rare, and they came out medium), thus taking away a star. But the meat quality was good enough that the steaks were still tender and delicious. Service was gracious and friendly, while still retaining a suitable formality. This is a GREAT for a first date place or a special occasion like birthday or anniversary. It's not an everyday kind of place, but I do see us going back again.
(4)Bobbi R.
We chose this restaurant for a company dinner for 20. The food, service and atmosphere was fantastic and very affordable. I was so pleased with the management and how very accomodating and gracious they all were. I would recommend this place to everyone whether it be for an intimate dinner, a night out with friends or for large parties like mine. I will be back again and again. Thanks Dimitrios and Kaveh! You made our evening very special. Best, Bobbi Ratley
(5)Iris Y.
This was a very unique dining experience for me personally and one that I don't ever remember having before. And the type of dining experience that I'm talking about is old-school traditional white people food. Let me clarify that I am not ridiculing the food, service, or restaurant. The food itself was well seasoned and well prepared, and everyone, including myself, enjoyed our large portioned meals. The restaurant was full for lunch and it was very obvious that many were locals and return guests. The service was also attentive and polite (and the waiters were wearing tuxes!) By old-school food, I mean the plating and type of food. A good portion of the main dishes were mostly a piece of meat (fish, chicken, etc) sitting in a pool of sauce (lemon caper, lemon butter, masala, etc), with some steamed vegetables (carrots and green beans in separate piles), either mashed potatoes that came out of a piping bag or rice pilaf, and garnished with a sprig of parsley and a half lemon. It was plating that I'd only heard of before and seen on tv! This restaurant has been around for a while and it's very obvious they're keeping to the high, though traditional, standards that the older generations of locals love and return to. The prices are a bit steep for lunch ($15-$30 for the entrees), but the portions are generous. If you're ever in Belmont and are interested in some old-style service and food, I'd say head on down and enjoy!
(3)Nicole C.
The food was delicious, but the atmosphere and decor are a bit more for the older crowd. This was confirmed as we were probably the youngest there by far. The french onion soup and oysters were particularly amazing. Our waiter was nice but the service didn't blow me away. I still think it is a good place overall, though.
(4)Tim J.
I've eaten at the Iron Gate probably 20 times over the past ten years and it's one of our favorites. I simply can't bring myself to order anything but the Calamari Dore. I'm a huge Calamari fan by the way. Everything is great. Steak Diane, prepared at the table is always good too. This is a great place with great service. The crowd is a bit older but always pleasant. The prices are high but worth the great food and service. I'll continue to go here
(4)Lauren W.
Food: 4 stars Price: 3 stars Service: 3 stars It is a charming, "old school" restaurant that serves continental food. I say it's "old school" because of the appearance (starting with the class Iron Gate outside), the waiters wear tuxedos, and wooden carts are pushed around. The carts are used for salad - some salads are made at your table - and also fflambe dishes. Every now and again, we'd see somebody set either some meat or dessert on fire (e.g., cherries jubilee). We ordered a garden salad with shrimp, clam chowder (Fridays only), veal Jerusalem, dungeoness crab legs out of the shell (special of the day) and chocolate souffle. All very good. I personally thought the souffle was the best, although it took a surprisingly long time even though we placed our order at the beginning of our meal along with our appetizers and main courses. Hubby & I would go again, but the prices are for special occasions like a date night or client dinner, not casual dining.
(4)Ida C.
friends and i came here to celebrate a birthday and not-so-coincidentally, a surprise proposal/engagement. the groom-to-be didnt' propose while the couple was visiting paris this spring so this was the next best option :). we weren't exactly the quietest table in the dining room and i half suspected someone would come over to tell us to keep it down (or to STFU) but that didn't happen as they just let us be and the staff was sweet to come over and congratulate the newly engaged couple. service was friendly and attentive (as a french resto's should be) WITHOUT a side of pretentiousness. i shared the steak diane with a friend and convinced her to accept it as medium rare but since the portion was so thinly sliced, it came out medium and perhaps a little overcooked even to her liking. the server was kind enough to portion out the shared french onion soup into two ramekins for us and we enjoyed the depth of flavour in the broth. i have a fondness for caesar salad which was assembled tableside but was too heavily doused with olive oil. note: DO NOT attempt to share a standard appetizer (outside of salads/soups). this is, afterall, a french and not a chinese resto :). the BEST part of dinner was the grand marnier souffle. there have been times when i've ordered souffles only to find a dense cake served out of a ramekin. pastry + ramekin cup = NOT a true souffle. sheesh, the audicty of some places to pass such an inferior dessert off as a souffle. this one DID NOT DISAPPOINT as it was light, fluffy, not overly sweet, and had the perfect eggy-custard + airy consistency. it was clearly well executed and perfectly timed. there was a bit of a production with its assembly tableside but that added to the charm of our overall experience. 3.5 stars w/o the orgasmic dessert experience but the service and souffle elevates this place to a solid 4. this place also takes the prime card (1 entree of equal or lesser value free) on weekdays so i'll be back with my company perk card to try the steak poivre (a thicker cut of steak) and of course, the amaze-balls souffle.
(4)Wendy C.
The food here is pretty good. It better be, consider how expensive it is. The irony, however, is I don't remember what I had. That means nothing really spectacular that I can remember. I walked in the restaurant (had reservation), and the first thing is wait because the hostess received a call from her boss. Rather than telling her boss to hold, we had to listen to the entire conversation and wait until she gets off the phone. I guess her boss taught her well to respect her superior but forget about customer service. Our waiter is although polite but not personable or approachable. In fact, when I told him that we have a birthday, he smiled and walked away. There is no birthday ice cream or singing birthday songs or even a "happy birthday". Overall, this is a one time experience and not a place I would go back.
(3)M S.
Old style ...... Classic ....... Good food and service ......white tablecloths ...... Tuxedo wearing waiters. What's not to like?
(5)Cheeks L.
This place is great!!! I ended up going there with my bf at the time (that fucker!) his sister and her husband, which frequented the place A LOT. The waiters are some of the best I have encountered. It's like you have your own little butler at your feet for the entire night. Score! The ambiance is great. It's totally like stepping back in time. Super classy and elegant.. but I always feel shown up by the waiters.. "Damn you tuxedos! Where is my ball gown?!" Ok... so...the food is freakin incredible. What a bummer it would be to have such a nice place and shitty food, but this place does not disappoint. The Veal Oscar was to die for... veal and crab legs?! What's not to love? Steak Diane is like butter in your mouth... and the Cherries Jubilee dessert was fabulous. They also serve VERY stiff drinks. (It was a loooooonnnggggg island night) We finished up dinner, picked up a few drinks, and listened to a small jazz band play in the bar. Was a very very nice night. I would recommend this place to anyone, regardless of age who likes to get a little dressed up for dinner and make a night of it. You will not regret it.
(5)Jacko F.
Good house for nowadays. Very old fashion menu, which is great. Classic menu that you do not see anymore. Almost all these kinds of houses are gone. Lunch is the best deal if you stay away from the fancy entrees. Stick with the hamburger, sandwiches, and basic salads for $10-$12 bucks and you cannot go wrong. Great service and the guy who runs it is someone who knows the restaurant business. He was very nice, helpful, and smiles a lot. All in all, very very good. Good place to bring someone under 40 so they can see how a good restaurant is run and the way it use to be back when customers knew what was good.
(4)Denise B.
It was my dad's birthday so he picked the place. And while it was okay, for someone my father's age (sorry Dad) it wasn't somewhere that would pop into my head when my friends and I are pondering where to go for dinner. So no, it's not the hottest spot of the moment. It's somewhere out parents would enjoy. Simple decor, that blends into the room, along with the dimly lit lights, staff dressed in formalwear, and older clientele. So if you can get over the atmosphere and then hope that it's saved by the food, well sorry to let you down: the food wasn't anything worth writing about. OK, nothing wonderful. 2 things though about the meal did warrant mention: 1 good and 1 bad thing. First the chicken Jerusalem, while with good flavor, it could not in any way or form disguise the dryness of the chicken. It was really dry, like 2 weeks dried out in the fridge dry. The veggies that came with it, looked like they came out of the freezer section at Safeway. So if everything else wasn't worth mentioning, then this was one dish was so bad it had to be mentioned. The 1 good thing about the meal: the souffle was above average. GREAT light flavor, not too much sauce (though can there ever be too much sauce) and perfectly warmed with just enough chocolate flavoring. So if the atmosphere was only okay, and the food garnishes mixed reviews, was there anything that was redeeming? The service. Great waiter, attentive, sincere, didn't overly hover over us, yet also seemed to appear whenever we needed him. As much as I liked him though, we don't go out to dinner to get good service so much as we go out to dinner to get some good food, complemented by good service and ambiance. Sorry Iron Gate, the gates can close on me. I'm not coming back. :(
(2)Angela H.
I don't know what it is about Belmont, but eating in their restaurants in like stepping back in culinary history. Like the Vans, Iron Gate has been around for a while, and has the same reputation for serving good old-school food and having served it to the same generation for years. Yes, the average age of the dining room is north of 60, but you can't deny that the food is tasty and in the case of Iron Gate, just fun to watch be prepared. We started off with the escargots Bouguignon- at $12 for about 6 snails, a little pricey, but delicious in garlic butter nonetheless. We also went with the Les Epinards au Bacon Flambe- warm spinach salad. At first I thought $26 for 2 portions was ridiculously priced, but the preparation is such a production that you can't help but be impressed. I guess I'm just a sucker for anything that's flambeed and therefore, contains an element of danger. For my entree, I picked the Veal a la Jerusalem, which was okay, but not anything too exciting. What turned out to be really good was the Calamari steak Dore and the Prawns and Scallops Bordelaise that my dining companions ordered. The calamari steak was the best calamari I'd ever had- super tender while retaining a firm texture. I almost wanted to send my veal back and get the calamari instead. Likewise, the prawns and scallops were delicious- I thought the bit of prawn I had was just a touch rubbery but the scallop was perfect. The rice and side veggies were okay. We wanted yet another performance at the flambe carts, so we ordered bananas foster, which really is the perfect dessert. In this case, the caramel sauce cooked a little too long, so it was hard by the time it hit the vanilla ice cream, but it was still a great way to end the night. We were probably the youngest people in the room by far, but you know what, I still had a great time. The tuxedo'd waiters are nice and there really wasn't anything I could complain about the service. Go if you're looking to impress your older relatives with the flambes and such. And just remember that the trendy places you all love so much these days will one day turn "old school" and we'll see if they have the longevity of Iron Gate.
(4)Stefanie Y.
Don't be fooled by the ancient look of the building. Belmont is a good city but the food at Iron Gate got my vote. I went there on a date and the wait staff greeted and seated us promptly. Food was delicously prepared and we didn't have to wait long for our food to come. My only complain is that the place is little too dark and can hear other's conversation pretty loudly during dinner time
(4)Maurine K.
sorry, we have to give a thumbs down for the iron gate due to poor service and mediocre food. we were happy to get a table for 2 on a busy saturday night, but when we waited over an hour for the entree, with very little attention (or apology) from the wait staff, we were pretty hungry. well, the steak rossini, a house specialty, was bland, boring, bland. we got tired of waiting for the bill so announced on our way through the restaurant they could find us in the bar. the nail in the coffin for them is they didn't even offer to comp us a glass of wine, or a dessert..or hey how about knocking off the split charge? nada. we won't bother to go back or recommend it. too bad.
(1)Kristin H.
My family has been going to the Iron Gate for special occasions ever since I can remember. We went here for my 21st birthday, my 30th birthday, and my engagement party. They always have great service and fabulous food! I always order the combination salad, which has hearts of palm, asparagus, endive, and loads of shrimp. The veal is of great quality and always cooked to perfection. I have tried the veal marsala, the veal Oscar, & the veal picante - all good. The steak Diane is out-of-this world good and is prepared tableside. My father usually has the Caeser salad, which again, is prepared tableside. It is a large serving and it is very tasty. The tableside preparation is a nice and entertaining addition to the meal. The waiters...I cannot say enough about the waiters!! They are there to serve your every whim! If your glass is only half-full, they are there to fill it. I have to watch them because they will keep filling my wine glass and I don't realize how much wine I have had until the bottle is empty!! Not a complaint, really, just an observation...I like wine. :) Their souffles are wonderful. They have chocolate and they have Grand Marnier, and if you are in-the-know, you can have them combined! My favorite is the Zabaglione, an Italian egg yolk, sugar & marsala wine concoction they, again, make tableside. It is served with berries and I cannot get enough of it. Iron Gate is one of the only restaurants I have found that offers it and it is GOOD!! It is warm and smooth and makes you feel good all over. (Of course that could be the marsala!) Yes, the crowd is older, but I would attribute that to the fact that their prices are steep - fair for what they offer, but most young people don't see the value in it and would prefer a cheap burger at some drive-thru while they text the passenger in their own car. Butter, yes, they cook with butter!!! OMG BUTTER!!! Let me let you in on a little secret here folks - it won't kill you. This is a splurge, a night out, not for every meal! I can only guess that half of these reviews were written by people who wouldn't know a good dinner if it hit them in the face and think iceberg lettuce & tomatoes make a salad! I like to be waited on..on occasion, and I don't mind paying for it. I believe "you get what you pay for." Good service is a lost art (sigh*) and Iron Gate serves it up best!!
(5)Christine N.
I would have never picked to come here but was so pleasantly surprised! Steak Diane was fabulous. Our server cooked it table side and told us the story of how the recipe came to be. He has worked there for 38 years. French onion soup was great too. It was pricey but for a nice night out, I'd go again.
(4)Judy J.
Dinner with friends at The Iron Gate last evening was perfect. Delicious ( Caesar salad is the best), very courteous staff, serene and relaxing environment. What a treat!
(5)KJ J.
Iron gate is really locked in time, but not in a bad way if that is what you are looking for in an evening out. There is a large bar in a seperate section of the restuarant with a live band on weekends and a small dance floor. All of my dining experiences here have been pleasant and the wait staff always attentive and professional. While the decor is a bit lacking the service, food selections and cocktails make it worth at least one try if your thinking of checking out the place.
(4)claire m.
I had the pleasure of eating here twice in one week. I was going to be photographing a party there and decided to go check out the room as well as the food. I'm sooo glad I did! The food is FANTASTIC. To me, this is a special occasion place because it's pricey. I've eaten at Izzy's and enjoyed it but this takes the cake. The service is fantastic. Waiters in tux. I can hear there are a lot of regulars there which is fantastic. The place always seems busy and full which is great. My husband and I shared the vegetable crepes and the filet mignon. We had the Hess Cabernet to go with it, nice and smoky. The food was fantastic, cooked to perfection and the garlic butter on top of the meat! Heaven! For dessert we had the chocolate souffle which takes awhile to prepare so they warn you ahead of time so you can put your order in early. They brought it to the table and the waiter poured the chocolate over it at our table. I wished I had this all to myself ha I still can't believe we brought our 14 month old. He was soo well behaved, we had people coming up to tell us what great parents we were and how well behaved he was. But this is not a place for kids, it's upscale and not a place for kids to be running around in. I ate there again while photographing for the party and had the NY steak which was fantastic. The raspberry sorbet in between the salad and dinner was a wonderful treat. We had tiramisu for dessert and it was DELISH! The service was fantastic once again and nice to see nothing had changed whether it was for two people or 60 people. I'll definitely dine here again :)
(5)Christina A.
This is a about as old-school upscale as you'll find on the Peninsula. An elegant atmosphere, a consummately professional waitstaff in formal wear, and fabulous food - much of it flambeed. The menu features traditional favorites such as Oysters Rockefeller, Coquilles St. Jacques, Rack of Lamb and Steak au Poivre. The Cherries Jubilee, Crepes Suzette and Bananas Foster are guaranteed to impress. Pricy, but a perfect venue for a special occasion.
(5)Helen L.
Once you enter, you go back in time, seating on Old fashion velvet seats with Old fashion waiters and manners. You just go back in time. French cuisine-french words on the menu. Romance of Flambe, souffle, veal a la Marsala, crepes. I wonder if the fire ever get out of control. They've got great tender steaks and veal. I had the vegetable crepes with artichokes with hollandaise sauce. Excellent Hollandaise sauce. You do pay for this, but you can get certificate through restaurant.com . It was very interesting to get a sorbet after our appetizer. The sorbet is suppose to cleanse your palate, but for me, it lead me to crave for dessert! The souffle takes 30 minutes, so order ahead of time. We were celebrating a birthday, so a birthday cake was brought, but they charge $3.00 for cake charge, so we forgo eating the cake there. The cake cost less than the total charge. The side vegetables were all perfectly done.
(4)Chris T.
The first thing you'll notice when you walk into to this restaurant is that it is a very mature crowd. Considering my age, and my fondness for food, leads me to places where often times I am one of the younger people in the restaurant, this was the first time that I felt, way too young. I am not exaggerating, we could easily be the age their kid's kids. That said, they do provide a service that is fairly unique and becoming trendy lately. I've always been a big fan of things done table side, but they also need to be well executed in the taste as well. Iron Gate does not fall short in either category. I think in someways I romanticize the table side flambee, I think of it as a old school way of spending the evening and it could be why the Iron Gate's crowd is such an older group. I will say I came back a few months later and did find that the age gap had narrowed, most were probably around my parent's age. I figured since they specialize in table side cooking, I usually prefer to stick by their strengths and order to it. Escargots Bouguignon - A nice start, pretty traditional in presentation and flavor, pulling those little bits of tasty meat and eating it with bread is awesome! *Palette Cleanser* Some sort of Pineapple sorbet that I think has a touch of chambord liquor in it. Last time I came here I just did the dinner, and we didn't get this, so I'm thinking you need a fairly strong tasting starter, I'm not sure if you get this if you order a soup or salad. Steak Diane Flambe - I had this on my first visit, nice aroma from the Brandy and scallions, the steak was thin but perfectly cooked, to a true medium rare, which I like. Venison (aka Bambi to my friend's horror.) Flambe - This was a special of the day and it was good, not over cooked, clean flavor and juicy. The same could be said for the rich peppercorn butter sauce that it was served with. The meat was not gamey at all. They are served usually with some sort of starch, (mashed or oven roasted potato) and some steamed vegetables, there are usually a bit to soft, the vegetables get forgot in the dishes, still the main dish entree is fantastic. They do have souffle, like the traditional gran marnier or chocolate, to some more exotic types like, mixed berry and green apple... It requires quite a wait time so let your waiter know early. I have never had these mainly because I just can't resist the table side desserts. The cerises jubilees is absolutely amazing, and they spoon it over ice cream in a large vessel, what I like about this dish, is that care needs to be taken in making this a success, if the liquid is to hot it becomes burnt and tastes awful, if the liquid is to cold it will harden like a rock the moment it touches the ice cream. I have also tried the Banana Foster and the Crepes Suzette, both of them good in their own way, presented table side, but still the cerises jubilees is all you really need. The servers here are very fun, and lively, well polished in conversing with the customer. They are always attentive but not overbearing, providing to a comfortable yet fun atmosphere. The gentlemen who does the table side cooking is always engaging and entertain you (and your closest tables) as he cooks with a sizzling pan and flames shooting up lightening up the romantically dim room. The hostess is really sweet, she was the one that took our reservations and also took us to the table, she does have a thick Japanese accent, I on the phone for a brief moment thought I miss dialed... Still everyone here really makes this restaurant shine, and I have always had a good time here. One other nice thing I like here, is that you can dress up if you want for a nice evening, but at the same time, if you walk in from work in jeans they still will treat you well, I like restaurants that try to provide a comfortable and upscale dinning experience regardless of how you dress. And while this restaurant may seem a little geriatric, I don't think of it as that big of a deal. Heck these are the older foodies that are into drinking and eating foods and desserts soaked in brandy and other alcohol that catches fire. Shoot that sounds remarkably similar to a number of parties I threw when I was in college, I sure hope I'm still eating and drinking like them when I get that old....
(4)Sarah C.
I enjoyed a delicious holiday work lunch here. The restaurant is elegant and wonderfully decorated for the season. They specialize in flambe which is very intriguing- I can't wait to return and try the Bananas Foster. I wasn't feeling well and the host was so kind of accommodate my picky state of eating. My consumme pastine was delicious and satisfying.
(4)Ashley R.
Yuck! My husband took me here for a romantic dinner after seeing that it has some of the best service on the peninsula. Too bad that good service comes with bad food. I am a vegetarian, so I ordered the one thing that is vegetarian on the menu....a crepe...smothered in creme with vegetables...that had absolutely no flavor. I felt like I was gaining a pound with each bite that I choked down due to guilt of the price. I also got a salad and forgot to ask what the dressing was?? Oh. It was basically just mayonnaise on lettuce. My husband thought his steak was okay. We are in our 20s and everyone around us was with someone 70+. We will not be back...or at least not for 50 years when we lose our tastebuds. Also, this place is so not romantic. If you are 40 or under, I recommend staying away from this place.
(1)Chris W.
Ah a night of fire and food. i ordered the Steak Diane Flambe and was not disappointed. It was juicy and tasty perfect. Then I topped it off with more fire, strawberry flambe for dessert. it might be my favorite strawberry dessert.
(5)J S.
I don't give many restaurants a 5! We loved the Iron Gate. Food was fabulous! Service was fabulous! The souffle was unbelievable! We got the Grand Mariner with Berries for two people! We will definitely go back. Total bill for two was about $150
(5)Yvonne K.
Definitely a throwback to the way dining used to be, The Iron Gate is a great place to go for both family celebrations or even a date. This is one of the few restaurants that still does flambe cooking table side. The steak diane is absolutely fabulous and you simply cannot beat that it is cooked right at your table. They also have a great wine list to pair with your meal. A note on the cafe diablo - make sure you are in a group to order this as it is mostly liquor, but watching it be prepared is totally worth it. This place is also on the expensive side, but the service as well as the meal are top notch.
(5)Abby K.
I recently went here for my husband's company holiday party. Maybe it was because we were such a large crowd and all but the service left much to be desired. I asked for a glass of coke because I don't drink wine and the waiter looked at me as if I had asked him to bring me an elephant on a plate. Then it was time for the caesar salad--pretty good other than the fact that I had literally 5 leaves and my husband had a FULL plate..weird. When the main course finally came out, the servers were literally running around the room giving people their food. They HANDED me my plate and said "watch out, the plate is hot!" I was mortified. They were in such a hurry they set my husband's plate so hard on the table the sauce splashed a bit and the table rattled. The waiters kept running into the back of people's chairs as they were passing by and one server even pushed my 2 yr old son aside with his hip!! Later on when it came time for dessert the waiter brought over some forks and get this-he SLID the forks to us because I guess he was too busy to place them by us. I was so annoyed with the constant rush of the waiters and the lack of service that I don't even remember if the food tasted good or not. I will not be returning here and will make sure no one I know doesn't either.
(2)Geri M.
Our friend recommended this place. We really enjoyed the staff. Our waitress was very spirited. Interesting as the evening and dinner progressed. We first started with some Hors d'Oeuvres: - Oysters Rockefeller: These were okay. It was good to share and taste. - Portabello in filo dough: Good since I love mushrooms. - Fried Calamari: Good. - Prawn Cocktail: Wonderful! Then, we ordered lots of dishes with "flames": - Steak Diane: Delicious sauce - Peppercorn Steak: The steaks that were ordered rare were served medium. The steak that was order medium well was served with "flames". It was a wonderful experience. For dessert, we ordered (All served with "flames"): - Chocolate Souffle: Delicious - Banana Foster: Outstanding! To top off the end, we were served "El Diablo". Wow! Everyone should order this. It is expensive, but it is worth the "flames". I did not place the extra star, because our waitress' attentiveness became wearing especially when she spilled two drinks on our table. One landed on a main dish and the other landed on our dessert plates and "El Diablo" cups as we were trying to calculate the bill. Overall, it was great. we were all full and happy. Remember to come hungry!
(4)Ron G.
Iron Gate is one of the better "old school" fine restaurants in the bay area. People who complain about the decor are missing the point here. Iron Gate is not trying to be 'new' or 'trendy'. The whole point is to deliver a traditional white linens dining experience. If you go a few times you are likely to be greeted as an old friend by the Matradi. To get an idea of the type of fare, the signature order here is the Caesar Salad, Carpaccio, Steak Diane, and Souffle (well the Carpaccio is mostly my addition, but this is what I commonly order). All of these (except the Carpaccio) are prepared table side. Another terrific standard is the Chicken Jerusalem. Although I have never personally ordered them, I am told the Sweetbreads are very good as well. The clientele is on the older side, but an older crowd is normally a sign the place delivers what is expected for the value. No experimental surprises here. If what you want is to take your date or wife to a really nice traditional continental diner, this place will not disappoint. If you want a more 'hip' setting, try elsewhere.
(4)Corrin R.
This is one of my favorite places. The food is delish every time I go. The steak diane is amazing.
(5)Jeff S.
This restaurant is one of the best with a delightful classic semi-french menu. While the flambe is exciting, there is not adequite ventalation for this to happen too often. That is a small gripe, as everything else was wonderful! The service and food were on par with the finest restaurants I've been to. I had the veal picatta, and my meal-mates had the Veal Oscar (that for some strange reason has been removed from the menu. This is their best dish IMO) The ceasar was made tableside with the most classic and wonderful recipe. Only one other place has made it this good, Le Virage In Walnut Creek, closed now for 3 years. The souflee, while not really my thing, was fluffy and smooth with tons of topping of your choice. Overall, a true winner in every sense, a wonderful old-school, classic restaurant.
(5)Norm D.
As always, a wonderful restaurant. Food was outstanding again and the service is superb. A neighborhood gem. The steak diane is the best. We save it for special occasions.
(5)Pam H.
I have been to the Iron Gate a few times. A few business luncheons and then just recently for an impromptu dinner. Excellent service, very attentive and the food did not disappoint. We were dining with another couple and two people had the fish special of the day and loved it and two of us had steaks and they just melted in your mouth! Wine selection was very extensive and a good selection of mid-priced wines. We like our wine, but don't see the need to overspend when dining out (markup in a restaurant can be huge). Overall a great night out with friends. Only negative is that the air conditioning was turned way up and you could literally "hang meat in there"- it was sooooo cold. They did turn it down a bit when we complained though ~ so all in all, very good night!
(4)Matt C.
Have tried a couple of the veal dishes and the veal flambe is simply undeniable. There is some slight variation depending on who you have cook the sauce (it's done in the dining room) but each time it has come out and been the envy of the table. The sole and the filet are also very good, and the wine-by-the-glass list is short but each selection (whites and reds) has been solid, not to mention a good value. The service all around was impeccable and the ambiance is old school yet comforting and welcoming. Quite a gem.
(5)David O.
Wow! Such a great dining experience again, it was packed last Friday night but we had a reservation for two and got a great seat ringside of the main dining room as soon as we arrived. It's so interesting watching all of the staff do the table side flambé's, the flames literally shoot ten feet into the air! I really cannot think of any other restaurant that dose this anymore it great to see that Iron Gate has kept this tradition alive. Jonny our waiter was awesome and could quite possibly be the best waiter I have ever had, but not to take anything away from the other people working the dining room that night all of them would stop by making sure our dinner service was progressing well in-between Johnny's service. Festive Christmas décor and lighting made the ambiance perfect. We had the seared tuna appetizer with apple martinis, then on to table side Caesar salad service which I think is the best Caesar salad I have ever had. Then the entrées, my wife had NY strip and I had the Sea Bass everything was cooked perfectly and paired it with champagne then for desert we had their famous soufflés with espresso coffee.... What a great way to celebrate our anniversary close to home after a long week of work.
(5)Jade L.
Food was ok...but service is good..
(4)DANNY B.
I'm not going to waste your time with a long review so i'm just gonna say that this place is simply great...
(5)Doublejack X.
If you walked in knowing nothing about it, as I did recently for some family friends' 40th wedding anniversary party, you might set your expectations pretty low. It looks small, there's a jukebox near the bar... it just doesn't look like someplace you'd find great food and/or great service. I was so glad to be wrong! At the Iron Gate, I had one of the best meals I've had dining out in a long, long time. Even though it was a private party, with a set menu (I had to decide between salmon, lamb or beef over a month before the party), every course was excellent. And as a former waiter with a keen eye for quality service, I can tell you the staff at the Iron Gate know their stuff. They were prompt, attentive and professional from beginning to end. If you're looking for someplace a little unique, maybe a little quirky, but don't want to risk a bad experience, give this Bay Area landmark a try. I highly doubt you'll be disappointed.
(4)Joy S.
We wanted a special dinner, and followed yelpers advice and are glad we did. The food was excellent and the wait staff was very professional and friendly. Comments about an older crowd and old fashioned atmosphere are true, and having said that we said we would certainly return when we want very good food with a more fancy presentation and not outrageous prices.
(4)Hai Y.
Had the Tournedo and wife had the filet mignon and lobster. very good taste. right softness.
(5)Brian E.
Maybe this place was better back in the day, but not anymore. The food reminded me of mediocre catering. If it was half the price I would have given two more stars. The atmosphere is not romantic at all. Don't waste your money, there are much better places with great value on the peninsula.
(2)Jennifer L.
I crave their Ceasar Salad - best I ever had, though wasn't up to par on one visit. This place is overly expensive, but can be nice (definitely a throw-back to another era, waiters wear tuxedoes and all that). Their desserts did not impress me at all (not worth ordering at all if you're serious about chocolate like I am), but the main courses (and French Onion Soup) are rich and delicious. They do certain preparations table-side (like Ceasar Salad and Steak Diane, or something with flames). It's fun to watch, and there are mirrors that reflect the fire, so people notice the table-side pyrotechnics. The fireplace and the fine China add to the coziness of the place.
(4)Tina L.
Went to a party at the Iron Gate but did not eat in the restaurant but did have a few of the appetizers served at the party. Great cheesy mini quiche and usually I do not like meatballs but theirs were very flavorful. But the bar and the staff were very friendly and attentive with our crowd. The due who were performing were great and had us dancing all night. I would like to go back and eat there.
(3)Andrew F.
We had an pleasant dinner here last Tuesday. Our server was friendly albeit a bit hyper. Many reviews mentioned the geriatric crowd, but when we where there it seemed more middle aged. The decor is odd: it starts out very over the top with the giant gate, moves to heavy wood in the darkened bar, and by the time you've gotten to the back, its dirty drop ceiling. For appetizers we had prosciutto and melon, and portabella mushrooms. The mushrooms where quite good, the melon was not particularly fresh. For dinner we had sole, chicken saltimbocca, a veal dish, and rack of lamb. It was all very tasty and quite filling. The odd exception was the sides of vegetables. While they had been microwaved all the way through, they had obviously been frozen for quite some time before that. To finish up we had a green apple souffle. I'm not a connoisseur, but this is definitely the best I've had. It tasted quite strong of liquor (so I wonder what the Grand Mariner one tastes like). Overall, we had mushrooms with butter, chicken with butter, veal with butter, fish with butter, and lamb with butter. If you like butter you'll enjoy them. Just be careful with the fresh stuff.
(4)ERIN M.
We visit the Iron Gate a few times a year and it is consistently good. The atmosphere is lovely and the food is wonderful. The recommended wines are always right on the mark. The portions are good which is unusual for French food.
(5)M I.
I've been here several times. The service here is always great and friendly. I've tried their sole, veal and lamb dishes and they were all excellent. Their grand marnier souffle is very good too. The location is not convinient if you don't live/work in this area but I would highly recommend to try this place out when you have a chance.
(5)janine m.
My most favorite restaurant for true continental cuisine - and the best place to get a solid stiff traditional cocktail in the Peninsula. And if you want to hear some great Top 40, head to lounge for music on Fridays/Saturdays. This isn't the place that young folks will find the "scene", and it's not catering to the young clientele. That's the point.
(5)Roco j.
I can only say, the name says it all. and to those who are surprised, maybe drive by the place next time and stick your lazy head in and have a look around before you settle on it for your, fun, celebrations. and to the person who wont go back because of a lost blue tooth, its like this, if your guest had a brain he would not have left it behind in the first place. dont blame a under paid staff for your mishaps and negligence. how do you know it just wasnt tossed in the garbage with all the other crap on the table?! i give them 5 stars for being a successful business in San Mateo County. :).
(5)Avid E.
Went here for dinner last night and thoroughly enjoyed the meal. Onion soup and steak diane were right on the money (although the steak was slightly over cooked). I also highly recommend the chocolate souffle. The ambiance wasn't particularly sheik and the service was a little bit funky - they brought my souffle before my dining companions had the opportunity to even order from the dessert menu.
(4)Igor V.
The style of the restaurant has an older feel to it, so I end up going with older relatives who would rather not go to a hip place with music blasting. And that's fine with me because the food here is really great. The standout for me is the Tournedo A La Rossini, which is basically a piece of tenderloin covered with pate and truffle, cooked in a brandy sauce ... YUM! It has such a rich flavor to it that I had to fend off the forks from my other guests. I've also had the oysters and scallops, both of which were great. I tried a piece of veal as well and wasn't impressed, though I normally don't eat veal either. And of course, the steak Diane flambe, which they make right in front of you, is also really good! I've never had problems with the service. Always seated promptly (with reservations), and the waiters were very attentive. If you are younger (20 - 30) and care about being with the "in" crowd, then you might want to skip this place. But if you don't care about being the youngest person in the place and just want a really amazing meal, I totally recommend this place.
(5)Joely L.
This place has a real old school feel to it. Waiters are in tuxedos and always looking sharp. Food is great especially the steak Diane is yummmmy! Not to many places like this around.
(5)hank w.
I've been going to the Iron Gate since I was a teenager ! Total old school and always awesome food and service. I miss Harris and the salami plate---but still one of my favorites. I love the veal saltimboca and coquiles st jauqes ! The banana foster is to die for.If your lucky there will be a live band at the bar.
(5)Thomas B.
We had high expectations which is maybe why we were so dis-appointed. The unique inviting exterior revealed a wedding banquet like interior with a mis-match pub style bar. The service was top notch and we received 20% off our bill as some kind of anniversary promotion which is why we rated it three stars. The food was just disappointing though OK. This turned out to be a below average place with above average prices. We enjoyed our meal but won't be going back. Too many better restaurant around. Ohh and it's a italian restaurant not french.
(3)Vera L.
This has been our favorite date night restaurant for months now; in fact, we barely go anywhere else now when we want to have a nice dinner. Yes, we are typically the youngest couple in the dining room, but who cares when their coquis St. Jacques (spelling?) is so amazing. My husband tries different meat dishes every time, but I'm a creature of habit I guess, always having the same fantastic meal and never disappointed. I can't say that their prices are higher than your average Italian or French restaurant, but then we never have room for desert or wine... We never had a bad experience with a waiter, even with new ones who served us for the first time. Will be returning here again!
(5)Kevin S.
Imagine a slightly gin-and-tonic'd up Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Robinson. She's not afraid to slip you some tongue and try to light your fire if you give her half a chance. And if you're brave, you will let her have her way, because this old lady knows a few tricks. The souffle, for example. Just order one, any of them, when you order your meal and no matter what happens along the way you can count on a happy ending to your night. The Iron Gate is supposedly one of the oldest restaurants on the peninsula and the decor confirms it. But if you can keep from skeeving at the looks, which seem to date from the finest restaurant in Tarrytown circa 1965, your mouth is in for a treat. This tongue-kissing old dowager can put together some pretty good old-school eats, such as the Steak Diane which is set aflame tableside and faithfully follows the old recipe with mustard, worcestershire, lemon, and brandy. IQ enjoyed a delightful filet with Bearnaise and we started with a classic Coquilles St. Jacques, featuring absolutely perfectly cooked scallops. There is nothing on this menu that wasn't being cooked in "fancy" restaurants 30 years before Alice Waters ever picked up a vegetable peeler, but you could do much worse in this stretch of the Peninsula on any given night.
(4)Javan E.
This place is hit and miss. The atmosphere is 80's and needs an update pronto. The food is pretty good. I had the skirt steak and my friends had the tuna salad and one of their pasta dishes. We all liked what we ate although the sides could be a bit more memorable like another reviewer said. For desert we had chocolate mousse and cheesecake. The cheesecake is the same no matter where I go but the mousse was outstanding. The best part about this place is the great service. The waiter is very helpful and friendly. He'll meet any needs you have. The average rating is for great service, good desert, lousy atmosphere, oh, and it's pretty pricey.
(3)David B.
This place is over rated. There is no atmosphere and the food was C+. The inside is like a Denny's with bad chairs and dirty ceiling tiles. It amazed me that the place was packed.
(2)Chris H.
Went today for lunch, to celebrate my husband's birthday. The food was fantastic. Hubby ordered the filet of sole and I had the poached halibut. Both were excellent. The service was warm and friendly and the waiters were very attentive. Had a custard to split for dessert, which was to die for!!!! So creamy and smooth....Hey, they are offering 20% off every lunch and dinner order, between now and September, in honor of their birthday. An extra plus!!! Every little bit helps, in today's economy.... Will return soon!!!!
(5)Bruce B.
Everything is on fire here. If you want your entire meal from starter to desert on fire, come here. It's nothing spectacular but it's not bad either. Oh, and you'll feel out of place if you're not an AARP member.
(3)Charmi T.
Really really great minestrone soup. Homemade and very flavorful. It's difficult to find homemade soups these days and Irongate has nailed it. Service was very slow but I didn't mind after having ate the soup. The environment of the restaurant is pretty cafeteria like and you can dress casual or business casual and feel comfortable. Parking can be difficult at times.
(4)Elliott N.
Accessibility (Parking / Wait Time) 1/1 Star: Free parking lot. No wait. _____ Service (Waiter / Cleanness / Ambiance) 1/1 Star: top notch service. Very fancy and professional. Dim lighting. Simple atmosphere. _____ Taste (0=Not Edible / 1=Edible / 2=Good (average) / 3=Must Try!) 3/3 Stars: the pepper steak is a must try! It was deliciously peppery and they make the sause at your table with fire. Its not the big fire though. For the big fire you need to order the raw steak and they cook it with huge flames at your tabke. The crab cake was good too. _____ Overall Experience 5/5 Stars _____ Last Words The bathroom wasn't fancy.
(5)Mark C.
My girlfriend and I came here for our four year anniversary. What a treat it was! We really enjoyed our visit. The Crab Cake and Cream of Broccoli and Chicken Soup got things started off on a high note, although the Crab Cake would eventually be the low point of an otherwise wonderful evening. The Steak Diane Flambe, which is cooked right in front of you, is covered in some DELICIOUS sauce. The massive and juicy Ribeye Steak kept my girlfriend (and eventually me) occupied for a while. For dessert, the Soufflé (chocolate for her, mixed berries for me), was awesome. Our server, Carlos, was awesome. He was always around when we needed him, kindly answered any questions we had, and was the cherry on top of our awesome time at The Iron Gate.
(4)Justin K.
To begin, this review is based on only 1 experience which may have been an off night instead of being indicative of this restaurant on average. We (7 people) selected this place for our friend's birthday as it was a place he wanted to try and none of us had eaten here before. Upon arriving, our host kindly greeted us and showed us to our table. And then things started going downhill. After waiting more than 15 minutes (at a time where the restaurant was not seemingly crowded), we were finally asked about drinks, and even though we were ready to order, the waiter walked off before we could say anything to place our drink order. Upon his return, we placed our order (various dinners, 2 apps and soups or salads for all). When the soup/salads arrived, one of the soup spoons was dirty (not spots, rather there was dried food still on the spoon). When we informed the waiter, we got a nonplus "oh" and then he grabbed one off the table next to us and left. It wasn't his fault, and we weren't looking for any compensation or what not, but a little empathy would have been nice. Following this course, we received our dinners and 1 of the 7 meals were cold; not luke-warm but cold. When we brought this up to the waiter, we again got no apology or anything resembling one; rather he took the meal and said something like I'll get this fixed. He was back so fast, it must have been simply tossed in a microwave. At this point, some of us were too put-off to enjoy our meals or the evening. I would not recommend this establishment (again, based on this 1 experience).
(2)Jenny Q.
I came here with my boyfriend to celebrate my birthday and am so, so disappointed! I drive by the bright red neon signs of Iron Gate frequently and used to think it looked like a hotel, so I looked it up and bookmarked it on Yelp after seeing it's ratings. I thought it'd be a nice intimate place to have dinner and boy was I WRONG. We arrived at 7:30pm sharp and were seated immediately. The waiter seemed irritated that we didn't know what we wanted to drink but he didn't even give us the drink menus yet. Are we supposed to guess what's on their wine list? Lol. I like to ask for suggestions when ordering food & drink but he gave off a strange vibe like he didn't want to interact with us. Bf decided on a bottle of Rombauer Zinfandel. I ordered the steak & prawns & bf ordered the steak Diane. Our server, Taner, cooked the steak in front of us and I thought he executed it perfectly. Then he drowned it in some brown sauce & butter which made my bf feel bloated. For some reason, my steak wasn't cooked in front of me and it arrived completely burnt on the top side. I didn't realize this until later since it was also swimming in thick sauce. So half of my meal was inedible but the 3 prawns surprisingly filled me up. At the end of the meal, Taner asked how everything tasted and we told him about the steak. He made an upset face and asked "Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" to which I replied "Because you weren't around to check on us.." and he said he'd let the chef know. Then, he started checking on us every few minutes even though we were done with our meal which I found very annoying. I wanted to leave right then but we had ordered souffles. When he brought them out, my boyfriend asked where the candle on mine was and told them that he called last week to tell them it would be a birthday dinner. Taner acted clueless and blamed it on the reservation maker. The souffles tasted like soggy sponge cake doused in diluted frosting and neither of us finished them. I guess we don't deserve decent service since we're not their typical clientele? Either way I will make sure to stick to tried & true restaurants for special occasions so something like this doesn't happen again. I felt so nauseous & upset after that meal. I see that the owners apologize for underwhelming experiences but you can't expect someone who just dropped a days salary for a shitty dining experience to ever return, when there are a MILLION other restaurants that are reasonably priced with good service.
(2)Alex G.
What an excellent dinner with a friend last night! Everything went very smooth. The only caveat: this is quite pricey. Great atmosphere, attentive and knowledgeable service staff, well curated wine list. As for food, delicious foie gras, and steak Diane with tableside preparation was superb.
(5)Michelle V.
Went here with a party of eight this past Sunday. My party was a bit loud and I thought our service would be affected. But it was the opposite. We had nothing but excellent service and great food here. Our waiter was very attentive to all our requests. His recommendations were excellent and my party and I will definitely be back here again. The restaurant had closed and our waiter and the staff were in no rush to get us out. "EXCELLENT SERVICE AND FOOD"
(5)Matt C.
Delightfully old-school. And I do mean old. Many of our fellow diners -- wheelchair-bound and oxygen-mask-high -- looked as though they would be just as happy eating brains, and there is a bit of a musk in the air that may take you back to the Gold Rush. However, if you can embrace the dust, you'll discover a restaurant whose atmosphere is ultimately charming in its classical simplicity and whose menu is quite delicious. Some dishes are adventurous in their originality and presentation. This is not necessarily a place that serves them. For that very reason, I highly recommend the La Salad Caesar (for two) as a starter and the Steak Diane Flambe. These are well-established plates and The Iron Gate prepares both beautifully. I ate every last morsel and saved room for dessert, a mouthwateringly amazing Banana Foster. I started the evening a skeptic and came away a believer and think you will find the same result if you give the restaurant its well-earned chance.
(4)Christopher G.
My wife took me for my birthday and I can not put in words how pleasantly plump I feel after the most wonderful food, and most wonderful service my wife and I received. My server Giuseppe is outstanding and knows just what to pair your wine with entree and exactly how to make the best ceaser salad that is created and tossed while you watch. My wife and I can not say enough to express that five stars just doesn't do The Iron Gate justice. The Iron Gate also has a lounge with live music every weekend, so no matter what night it is the experience is always going to be a memorable one. Eat and be merry!
(5)Christina S.
Family favorite! Delicious food and great, attentive service. Loved the filet mignon and soufflé grand marnier. Great fine dining option on the Peninsula!
(5)Tim K.
This is a classy continental style restaurant similar to those that I've been to in Paris. The maître de is one of the two owners, the decor is classy, and the waiters wear suits! Impeccable service with table side specialties like old school Caesar salad and bananas foster. Reason for four stars: the prime rib steak that I got today was not tender or flavorful (not a steak house).
(4)G R.
Very good experience at Iron Gate. The Steak Diane was so delicious and having the steak cooked at your table is a treat. Growing up in France, it reminded me when my parents would take us for a special event. Side Table Cooking is a lost technique that I am a bit sad to see disappearing. Now, the biggest problem we had there was that I should have ordered 2 Steak Diane as my 3 years old twins loved it so much that they ate more than half of it. Next time, we need to order the Crepe Suzette for dessert.
(4)Buzz B.
This restaurant is a throwback to the 50s. The food is bland tasting, way overpriced and the service is equally poor. The bread to start with was horrible. My halibut had been frozen and the vegetables chopped up days in advance. My wife's sole was also frozen And in all likelihood bought previously breaded. In other words nothing was fresh. Our waiter had one plan and that was to get us our food and get us out of there as fast as possible so he could get another table full of unsuspecting diners. I felt as though we were renting this table for 35 minutes and then being shoved out the door. The waiter was not the least bit friendly and made the evening even more painful. It's a shame that a restaurant that's been around this long is putting out such badly created meals and getting away with prices that are not in keeping with food this bad. The clientele is largely seniors who in all likelihood don't care what they eat as long as I can chew it. As a result no one complains and I suppose the just keeps pushing out garbage and getting away with it. The Chardonnay wine was good at nine dollars a glass and thus it should be but for $100 for two I feel like we were let down and will not be going back there anytime soon.
(1)Jessica H.
You'd never guess how nice it is from outside. Once you enter the ambiance changes into something a bit romantic and upscale. The lights are dim and the people look to be all in their mid 50s - 60s. The waiters seem to all be "french" and are dressed up. They do it old school here by serving certain dishes table side like flambe and salads. I didnt get the popular Steak Diane since it sounded a bit heavy but ordered the Steak Flambe with peppercorn sauce. The meat was cooked to correct temperature and I enjoyed it. My mom ordered the New York steak and it some parts were too tough for her. My husband got the Duck aLorange and he said it was ok, a little dry. All in all we liked it there and plan to go back once more when they have their nightly entertainment! We probably wont be regulars though.
(4)Beck B.
My fiancee and I come here all the time! We absolutely love this place! The food is five star and phenomenal quality. My father and law Gordon introduced me to this place and im so glad he did! My favorite plates are the steak diane, there occasional specialty sauteed crab legs and there grand marnier berry souffle! My fiancee always gets there chocolate souffle. So when it came time to pick a.wedding reception venue, it was no question where we would have it! Cant wait to come back soon!
(5)X L.
We've been to The Iron Gate once and I'm not so fond of it. The dessert was good, but other than that everything else was mediocre. I guess it's the most unimpressive French restaurant I've been to. On the other hand, the server was pretty attentive and the ambient was nice. As I value the quality of food above all other factors, I can only give 3 stars for this place.
(3)Jessica H.
I had always seen this restaurant when I drove down El Camino so I was excited to go when a friend invited us for a double date. We walked in and the hostess was very friendly and it had a great old steak house feel with a large bar (which was packed on a Friday night) and a area for live music. We decided to head straight to the table and wait for our friends. When ordering a drink the waiter seemed a little irritated that we asked and brought us a table tent card to show us what we could order- there were only martinis on the menu I guess. LOL. When he left and we decided to call someone over to order a drink- we had tried to get the attention of two different servers and they both looked at us and walked the other way- when we called on them there were not busy but just standing looking at the room. I was a little disheartened by this because when we walked in and from what we heard - this was a great steak house with excellent service. We ordered food and the salad I ordered with dressing on the side had dressing on it. No biggie I can handle that. Our meals came and the steak Dianne was really fun to watch being made. Flame on!! I should have ordered that! I ordered scallops and shrimp- the scallops were flavorless and the shrimp seemed a little overcooked. :-( Desert was ordered at the time we ordered our other dishes and was a nice soufflé with berries - but not being an expert at this dish by any means- I thought that it tasted a little eggy and needed more complexity. Something was lacking. I would go back but this time I wouldn't expect the high level of service people had raved about.
(3)Rusty C.
I dined at the iron gate with a group. Service was professional. I ordered the steak Diana and have to say not sure what they served. It was a piece of unidentified meat cover end in some sort of brown sauce. The steak tasted more like chicken fried steak' for 41$ I would have better off ordering a hamburger
(2)Natalie P.
It truly is an old Italian Resturanut. The food is based in butter and oil, the food is very high quality but sadly was cooked and prepared terrible . The ahi tuna over wasabi mashed potatoes was lacking flavor and finesse. The potatoes needed salt and the wasabi was just plopped in a big pile straight in the middle of it. The tuna was very over cooked and flavorless. The only high to the dinner was the dessert . The chocolate torte was outstanding. I recommend finding a different place to eat. The Iron Gate is simply over priced and outdated .
(2)Cleo C.
Absolutely one of the last of the old time eateries on the peninsula. Waiters used to wear tuxedoes, now they're in vests and ties. They are all professionals and help each other to make your dining an experience. Always save room for a soufflé.
(5)elaine c.
We had reservations at 7:30. We were not seated until 8:20 after asking over and over. The hostess was rude and told us we should have called and not used open table? Strange comment to make as we use open table all the time. It just went down hill from there. It took an hour between our starter and entree's to be served. By this time it was 9:45pm..! Food was fair, not great, service not Good And it was 10:45 before we left. They gave us a 25% off because it took so Long. We didn't want a discount... Just a disaster
(1)Wing Y.
Interesting place. We snuck out Friday evening for our first date night since Max came along two months ago. The food is expensive and very traditional - lots of classic dishes on the menu and the sides were simply prepared vegetables. We shared oysters, the salad, a couple entrees, and a souffle. The souffle was really good. I'm not sure if we'll come back; I'm generally happier eating at places like Martins West and 31st Union but it's a matter of personal preference. Overall we had a nice time thanks to the great service and tableside assembly of certain dishes (like the Caesar salad, steak flambe, and souffle). It felt kind of like we were on vacation, which is exactly what we needed.
(3)T S.
Excellent food, excellent service, nice ambience, decent crowd (older) ... though the ceiling looks a little tacky in comparison :) The wine was nice, onion soup excellent, we had a steak and lobster and scallops and shrimp (both excellent) and a very nice souffle for dessert. Good dining experience, highly recommended
(5)Angela G.
Had a great dining experience here. The decor is outdated but if you can overlook that the food is fantastic and reasonably priced. The steak was cooked perfectly to order and was tender and juicy. Veggie crepe was amazing and tasty. Dessert was delicious. Try the soufles. Waiter was also exceptional. Overall an awesome dinner. I felt like the staff really took pride in the whole dining experience from the moment you step in the resturant.
(5)Konstantin F.
Good parking, atmosphere, service. I enjoyed soufflé. The meat was not great. I suspect that it was sprayed with one of those things imitating the smell and taste of open fire. Anyway this place can be recommended for a rare atmosphere where you can talk and hear each other.
(4)Nadia N K.
Been in the San Carlos/Belmont area for 15yrs & have never been here. SO glad I made it here Went on a Saturday - it was pretty packed. FYI - They have a band on Fri/Sat. Got seated promptly. Got a Martini that was DAMN good. The bartender knew what he/she was doing. So that was a great start. Had escargots & the crab legs to start off with. The escargots were perfectly cooked. Not overly cooked in butter, which i appreciated. Some places you can just take butter & garlic. I had the mini filet & shrimp for dinner. Steak cooked perfectly & good quality meat. My guest had the almond crusted Dover Sole which was nicely cooked in a delicate sauce. They had a special Prime Rib dish with bone in, that was cooked to perfection. Over all - ood was damn good. Service was even better. The staff was definitely seasoned & knew the menu & what wine suggestions to go with it.
(5)Stan L.
This place is one of those classic restaurants that stays regal and never runs out of style. From the warm lights of hanging lamps, to the mirrored walls, to open flames grilling steak on trolleys by the dining table and evergreen melodies that fill the air and experienced and most professional wait staff, what's there not to love about Iron Gate. Loved the food - we ordered ahi tuna for starters & veal & fillet mignon for entrees & wrapped up dinner with a delectably rich chocolate soufflé & coffee. If not for the dearer prices, I wouldn't wait for another special occasion to dine there again. Thumbs up!
(4)Elizabeth S.
My honey wanted to get suited up Saturday night and asked me where I wanted to go. I chose the Iron Gate where we shared a sumptuous dining experience. Our waiter, Guiseppe couldn't have been better with his amusing sense of humor and exemplary service. The restaurant itself isn't as fancy or modernized as other steak houses we've been too. The dining room is quite simple and reminds me of an elegant hotel ballroom, but it is comfortable nevertheless. Guiseppe suggested a bottle of cab, Alexandra Jordan which was reasonably priced. We decided to start off with the escargots bouguignon. Wow!! It was amazing. These nice sized snails came in their large shells resting in some garlic herb concoction. We were given a slice of lemon with some escargot tongs. I'd never used the tongs before and hoped not to pull a blunder like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. Success! We continued to soak up the buttery sauce with their soft sourdough bread. Next on the menu was the Caesar salad which Guiseppe mixed up a dressing in front of us- something we found engaging. Both my bf and I are weak to bone in rib eye (see photo) and decided to share one which came with bright green snap peas, sweet potato and mash. The rib eye was topped with herbed butter- bad but oh so good! After the main course, we were ready to cancel dessert, but it was already in the works. Guiseppe advised us the berry souffle would find room regardless. He wasn't kidding. It was so light and fluffy. Neither of us wasted anytime cleaning the plate. I enjoyed my dessert with some Frangelico on the rocks and he with a nice 20 year aged port. After dinner, there was rock and roll music in the lounge. We loitered for a bit. It's a more mature crowd with classic music. If you're looking for a steak house, but prefer a more placid atmosphere over the loud hustle and bustle of most steak houses, this is the perfect spot.
(4)Pia P.
Great food, great customer service! Giuseppe, our server, was delightful. I had the petrale sole with almonds, hubby had the veal oscar, dad had the duck l'orange while mom and bro had the filet mignon. Everything was so yummy! For dessert, I recommend the bananas foster or the chocolate torte. This place is a Peninsula gem. I'll be back soon.
(5)Mary Ann T.
My family and I were celebrating and this was the ideal place to celebrate. We started with escargots. My brother and I passed but the rest of the family enjoyed them. Caesar salad mixed at the table. Delicious. Rib eye, salmon specials. Topped the evening with 4 of us ordering Bananas Foster. Flambéd at the table. Would have loved to have "show" closer but our table in the corner and they couldn't it closer. Family had an excellent evening. They were impressed.
(4)Peter L.
I am surprised, pleasantly so. Yes old style. I was expecting stuffy, but anything but. The service was exceptional, highly professional. Table side mixing of the Cesar, flambe of the steak, where do you get that anymore? The food was very good, a bit on the heavy side. Overall, great experience. (Costco has their discount coupons, great value.)
(4)Jocelyn C.
Made reservation on Open Table and then modified it close to the actual time, and that was no problem. Service was attentive, food was excellent. The French onion soup was terrific. This is a pricey restaurant, so it's a place for a celebration or special occasion. They have music (and people even dancing!) in the lounge which was fun, and it is especially great that the noise doesn't reach the main dining room.
(4)Thomas B.
Our main waiter, who is a veteran employee there by the way, was extremely inattentive or just forgetful. I'm not a big stickler for service, but he repeatedly told us, "I'll be right back with [fill in the blank]," and took forever, or just completely forgot. Fortunately, there were other, more attentive staff nearby that covered for him when we asked for their assistance. One thing our waiter kept forgetting over and over was dessert menus. After finally realizing he screwed up (or one of the other staff told him), he said that he had a soufflé coming for us "on the house," that would be "ready in about 13 minutes." He didn't ask us what we wanted. He just picked something himself. I figured, what the hell - it's on the house. Let's see if he can redeem himself. Well, after about 20 minutes, he came by and said, "4 more minutes." About 15 minutes later, we got tired of waiting, and asked another staff member to just box it when its ready (our waiter was out of sight). I'd say the dessert arrived about 45 minutes after we were told it would take 13 minutes, and overall, we probably sat in the restaurant about 2 1/2 hours - waiting longer than we were eating. As for the food itself, I don't have anything bad to say, but it was not memorable - and this is not a cheap place.
(2)Meg W.
One of my favorite places! Who cares if the older crowd frequents....the food is great. The place is old school charm and you are treated like a paying patron-- always. I've had the owners and the servers (and assists/bus) go out of their way for our happiness. I love the crab crepes, fish and chips, ceasar salad and of course the Steak Diane for special occasions. I typically come at lunch. Been for dinner a few times but I've never been on a Friday or Sat evening for the entertainment. If I lived closer I would!
(5)Sasha G.
The food was phenomenal and the service was amazing! We ordered the crab legs appetizer, cesar salad (a must!!!!), veal scallopini and my husband got the filet mignon/lobster dish and souffle for dessert. Everything was beyond delicious and I can't wait to go back!
(5)Herman K.
A great and REAL steak house. Awesome!!
(5)Ginny E.
It just doesn't get any better than this. Guiseppe, our waiter, didn't skip a beat and was totally delightful, his efficiency and humor was appreciated. Wish it was possible to clone more waiters like him. The food? Oh, mama mia! I couldn't have asked for a better birthday dinner. The accommodations were excellent, totally unlike the whiney description posted by JennyQ. This is one of those restaurants that still exhibits class. There aren't many left. I guess we'd fit the description of typical clientele (aka "old farts" maybe who dress business casual?) because we're going back again next month :-)
(5)Megan W.
My husband and I ate at Iron Gate on our wedding anniversary. The service was excellent but the decor and food are a bit dated. The cooks use a lot of butter.
(3)Ben L.
It's of an era and not bad for the era that it is from. It's just not of this era. The seating is a little tight, the food is fine (and a touch expensive for what it is) and it isn't drawing too many 20-something couples. This place was probably kicking butt and taking names in the 1980s and now seems to still be doing ok.
(3)Amanda G.
We had purchased a Groupon for this place awhile ago, and finally got around to using it a couple of months ago. I knew this was an old school kind of restaurant, but my husband and I thought it might be kind of interesting to have dinner there, (especially with a discount.) We went with the MIL, and GIL. Even the 90-yea-old GIL thought the crowd and food was dated and old, and not in a nostalgic way. Service wasn't great, and the food was gross. Seriously overpriced for the quality and flavor. Even the rice was completely stale and overcooked. Everything had a sheen of grease over it.Totally unappetizing. I disliked my meal so much I came home hungry rather than waste the calories on such awful food. My husband's steak was overcooked, and the souffle everyone raves about was AWFUL. I had at least thought the dessert would be good, but it was a huge disappointment, and I passed on it as well. The only positive thing about this place were the strong and super cheap cocktails. If you want a really cheap cocktail, their bar/lounge is the place to go. I would return for a drink, but would NEVER step foot in the dining room again. Obviously, some people like this kind of food, since they're always busy. I'm guessing the menu hasn't changed since they opened, maybe the clientele hasn't either.
(2)Nima K.
This place is great. The food is usually very good, and the service is impeccable. My favorite dish was the ahi tuna served over wasabi potatoes. It sounds weird, but it was delish. I want to mention again our waiter. I forgot his name, but he was awesome. He was polite, funny, and very knowledgeable. Food: 4/5...just because I had a bad meal ONCE Service: 6/5 Decor: 3/5...a little outdated, but still charming **make a reservation
(4)Margaret L.
Great Service. I love the Duck à l'Orange and my husband love the Medallions of Beef. The meat of the duck as well as the beef were so tender and it melts in your mouth. I have ducks at a lot of places and this place has the best duck. The chocolate soufflé was great too. The server was great and I would love to bring my family here again.
(5)Jennifer G.
What a gem! Our party had reservations with another restaurant that they broke terrifically. Our party of 13 took cabs down to Iron Gate and they were able to get us into a semi-private room at the last minute and with no reservations. The staff are gems. We were treated like royalty, the food was divine, and the drinks were perfection. It was a great meal to celebrate a great day! The host also helped organize cabs to get our fat and happy group home! My only complaint is that one of my friends took my leftover steak home! Boo, I wanted it! ;) I'll definitely plan to celebrate here again!
(5)John D.
This restaurant exemplifies old school, friendly fine dining. Service has been good and efficient every time we come here. Oysters were fresh and the steaks have always been very well done. My wife had the skirt steak special and the meat was done very well. Ive also havent had such good peppercorn steak (new york) for some time. The plus is a special on the wine list which i wont mention because i want to keep them all to myself :). Oh and the grand marnier souffle is awesome. Def give it a try.
(5)wes s.
The Iron Gate needs "oiling!" After a superb Caesar Salad, it was all down hill. Entrees were just ok. Must have been the chef's night off. All had set too long under the warming lamp ( could have been our waiter's fault). It toughened the scallops in one dish and the Calamari in another. Sauce bland and watery. Waiter inconsistent, we had to ask for items 2 or 3 times. Soufflé was just ok, as well. For the price it all should hAve been superb, it wasn't!
(3)Tim D.
Went for lunch with my coworkers, celebrating the Holidays. It's an old skool place, with outdated decor. That being said, the food was good, and we enjoyed ourselves.
(4)Ayla L.
I went here after driving by this place many times for years, and for awhile I was unsure abouyt it since from the outside it is rather non-descript and even looks closed when its really open. I found the place to be a bit upscale, so since I was not dressed for a fancy dinner environment, I had dinner at the bar which is casual enough for one wearing denim and work boots with the corresponding thread bare shirt to go after work for a beer and/or dinner. Ibnteresting characters at the bar, including a cool Italian guy with a good sense of humor. Sorta old school bar where people are down to earth and like a good joke. Good drink menu, wine etc. The food was good, calamari that was very non-greasy which is always nice. Very good seafood there, and I even got the escargot which can be good or bad depending on freshness. It was fresh, and amazing. I'll go again to Iron Gate, 5 stars!
(5)Lee K.
I'm at a loss for the appeal of this place. Our party of four spent over $200 (without drinks) on food that's just ok. Customers are packed like sardines... and I would bet anything the place is a fire code violation. What really put us out was the very rude waiter. I've rarely encountered anyone so unpleasant in this line of work and am beside myself that the Iron Gate would employ him. From the beginning of our experience, he was downright unpleasant... never greeting us or smiling. After we ordered our food, someone in our party decided to get escargot. When I asked the waiter to add escargot to our order, he got really annoyed and told us it would be a 15 min wait. After we finished our meal, the waiter handed out dessert menus without saying a word. We looked them over and decided to order soufflé. When the waiter returned, I asked for the souffle and he reprimanded me by saying he had already told us it would take 30 minutes to prepare the dessert and we should have ordered it earlier. We were beside ourselves and all agreed that he never forewarned us... but that's beside the point. As expected, when the bill came we received the only friendly words from our server. There are plenty of better French restaurants in the Peninsula where customers are appreciated for their patronage. ---------- As an update to this review, the owners took to heart my comments and sent me an apology. I appreciate that they did this. Hopefully, that will lead to better experiences and ratings from future patrons.
(1)David H.
We reserved one of the small rooms for a family get together and what a wonderful experience. The food was great and the service was fabulous. Giuseppe is a first class professional and was so nice with our special needs children.
(5)Ray A.
I've been living in the San Carlos/Belmont area for over 30+ years. All those years I always passed the Iron Gate restaurant and didn't think much of it. This last Mother's Day, my parents invited my wife, son and I too join them for dinner. The atmosphere was dark upon entering. When you get to the dining room, there was more light. Our waiter was great, but forgot his name. Here is what I got: Appetizer...Calamari. One of the best I have had. Dinner... Chilean Sea Bass with potatoes. It was nicely done Unfortunately no room for dessert. I was very impressed with the whole experience. Service was amazing. Well worth the money.
(4)Rina m.
I visited this favorite place of mine after 4 yrs. of being away...Still wonderful. The owners have a huge hand in running the place, and its ran well. The only thing I want to say is that on Fridays and Saturdays, they need to have more staff, specially in the bar area. Other than that everything is wonderful. They are friendly, professional and the food is out of this world. I will continue to revisit this place and enjoy the wonderful atmosphere as well as their good food and drinks.
(5)Jake S.
Enjoyed a lovely Valetines' Day dinner here. The restaurant is easy to find(although the parking lot is not adequately suited enough for all the patrons) and its entrance is well lit and accommodating. This establishment caters to an older crowd, as my date and I marveled at the guests and our obvious age discrepancy. However, the food and service was upbeat and charming. We started with an appetizer of escargot which was very good, especially dipping the sourdough bread into the garlic butter. I swear I could just feast on those for an entire evening and be juuussst fine. We elected to have the Caesar salad, which is prepared table side, and it was good although a little heavy on the garlic. The person who prepared the salad, which wasn't our assigned waiter, seemed a little disenchanted so it kind of took away from that experience. They prepare quite a bit of table side dishes so its not uncommon to be mesmerized by a flambé nearby as you're enjoying your meal. This place is a throwback to tuxedo style restaurants of the past. Very elegantly dressed servers offering these services and ours was especially pleasant and accommodating. We elected to have the scallops and shrimp for an entree and veal parmigiana for the other. Both had more than adequate portions and were cooked beautifully. For dessert we had the soufflé(which you have to order in the beginning) and the chocolate mousse. The soufflé was good and the combo of the two sauces was a nice twist. The mousse however was divine. My dear mother makes this dessert and I may or may not think that this place is better ;). Overall the dining experience was memorable with more choices on the menu left to experience at a later date. My only flaw besides the parking situation was that the hostess and host were openly bickering in front of the patrons. I understand it was a busy night, but professionalism in front of your audience is an attribute to fine dining. The chefs and the waiting staff did their jobs beautifully, but the front desk needs to match that standard. Worth it to experience a throwback to your gramps' era.
(3)Andrew B.
The opportunity to enjoy French cuisine in a traditional setting with flawless service is rare. Iron Gate is one place where that opportunity still exists. A classic and well thought-out menu, genteel surroundings, perfect service, and wonderful table-side preparation creates a wonderful experience for special times. Steak Diane, Cesear Salad, the Souffle, Bananas Foster, Veal Saltimboca are all standouts, but it is hard to go wrong. The specials are usually standouts. This is not trendy, but timeless and traditional. If you value that kind of experience you will not be disappointed.
(5)Julie Z.
My boyfriend took me here for my birthday. He had been here once before and was a huge fan of the souffle. First of all, finding parking here on a weekend is impossible. It is located on El camino which makes parking on the street very difficult. The restaurant has a mini parking lot but it is very uneven and unpaved with no parking space lines so all the cars park anywhere they can find a space. Our car ended up getting stuck in the lot and we had to drive down a hill in order to get back on the main road. So after we managed to find a spot and get to the actual place, the first thing that struck me was how old the place looked. The ambiance was nice, but the decor was kind of shabby and outdated. The dining area is separated from the bar area. Other reviews mentioned that there are live bands playing in the bar area, and while I didn't see any bands, it was definitely the more livelier area. The dining area was filled with older patrons. I think my boyfriend and I were the only ones there under 35 and I definitely feel like we got a couple odd looks because of that. Despite the shabby decor, the service was amazing. I loved that they have their waiters dress up in tuxes and bow ties. Our waiter was one of the most amazing waiters I have ever had. He gave us a great wine recommendation (from their incredibly extensive wine list) based on a few things we told him we were looking for and then went with us through all the specials and every thing on the menu that I asked about (I asked about a lot of things). We decided to skip the appetizers because we had eaten beforehand and just go straight for the entrees. I ended up getting the veal and lobster plate and my boyfriend got the steak Diane. They made his stake in front of us and the cook was very engaging and fun to talk to. The veal/lobster dish was kind of disappointing but I had a bite of the steak and it was amazing. The sauce as great and the meat was cooked exactly how my boyfriend wanted it. The portions were pretty decently sized in my opinion, but I am a smaller girl so I can see why people complain about the smaller portion sizes. For the dessert we had the mixed berry souffle. Amazing. The souffle was perfectly fluffy and our waiter managed to move it onto the plate without deflating the puff. The cream sauce was very rich and the berries cut through it perfectly. Since it was my birthday, they gave me a complimentary slice of cheesecake with a little candle on it and a few waiters came over and sang happy birthday. Overall it was a great meal with a nice show and a spectacular dessert ending. Would come back.
(4)Rosquete B.
American, Italian Classic & classy restaurant Patronized by locals Busy full bar Music on weekends Impeccable and friendly service by Giuseppe and the waiter's assistant Super delicious food with beautiful presentations Nice salads e.g., shrimp louie; & sandwiches e.g., Monte Cristo Pasta, meats, & lots of fish Tableside service for Caesar salads, steak Diane Wonderful desserts Minus: a little expensive. $28 for bananas foster for two seems a bit excessive Full bar Own parking lot
(4)G W.
This resto has been on my radar for at least 15 years, maybe more. I agree with most other Yelpers, that the decor leaves much to be desired. So, yes, this place is wayyy dated. Not dirty or gross, it's just lookin' like the last reno was at least 20 years ago. No biggie if you go in already expecting this though, because aside from that, it is still very charming. Also yes... the clientele is mostly of the older generation, but I think that adds to the ambiance. If you want classic, old school French, this is the place to go. For our 13th Wedding Anniversary, that's what I wanted and that's exactly what I got! We ordered: Minestrone soup - divine Soup of the day - I actually can't remember what was in it, just that it was creamy, meaty, yummy and I finished it! I might have even licked the bowl clean if there was no one else around. ;) Caesar salad - made table side and it was absolutely delicious NY steak with veggies and rice - cooked to perfection Roughy with veggies and potatoes - the garlic butter sauce was amazing Chocolate souffle for two - fluffy chocolatey delight! If I'm going to be picky, I can only complain about the dessert. Don't get me wrong, it was delicious! One of the best chocolate souffles I've ever had! However, that bad boy was by no means "souffle for two", because after all that food I consumed beforehand, I could've easily swallowed that souffle whole, all by my lonesome. So the only thing that didn't make me happy-happy that evening was that I had to share my souffle for one with the hubby. ;) Otherwise, we thoroughly enjoyed our meals and the service was outstanding! Iron Gate was everything I hoped it would be! We'll definitely be back, I'll just remember to order souffle for eleventeen! ;)
(4)James L.
Whaaaaat an unfortunate experience. Longstoryshort: we were initially given a bit of space to fundraise here on a weeknight for some tenants who are being evicted. Well, we barely had the chance to set up in an unobtrusive corner of the bar area when Dimitrios Papas, one of the co-owners, stormed up to us and started yelling at us about how we weren't allowed to be there because he was friends with the tenants' landlord and he valued her business. We quickly cleared out, but even the multiple trips I had to make to my car to put our paraphernalia away seemed to annoy Papas, who gave me the dirtiest look when he walked by me. Now, if you want to kick a fundraising group out of your business because you have a conflict of interest, I can respect that. But raising voices, saying a couple very disrespectful things, and making a scene is really not cool, nor was that kind of behavior necessary. I've been long curious to try the food here, but considering this was my first experience at the Iron Gate, it's doubtful I ever will. No place that goes to such unwarranted lengths to make people feel unwelcome is worth my time, or yours.
(1)Ennie L.
The resto is an old institution, everything is old school from the decor to the crepe Suzette. Service was great but food is just A- ok for me, dishes are very heavy, creamy and very buttery. Don't get me wrong I love butter but not when it takes over all the dishes flavors. So as much as my mother in law and all her elderly friends love it, this resto is not for me.
(2)Karen C.
Don your best Betty Francis or Don Draper attire, this place is such a throwback! Ok, so I wore sweats here the first time I went. Hey, I just had a baby and its all about what I can fit into and comfort. Coming to the Iron Gate is like going back in time to the 50's or 60's, the food, the ambiance, and the staff. The service is pretty entertaining actually. Watching them make the food table sides is pretty fun and the staff have interesting personalities. The food, is totally oldskool but tasty in a buttery, creamy, decadent way. I love the salads that are prepared table side. I tried the caesar and the spinach and both were delicious. And the steak diane is definitely a must order for a newbie. And you must order a soufflé for dessert. Its not as refined as the soufflés at Cafe Jacqueline's but its still better than my sad attempt making it at home. This place is definitely a splurge and a little kitschy, but its a gem thats worth bring family or friends for some fun. I hope its around for another 50yrs.
(4)Grace L.
Definitely agree with the other yelper who said that this place is like walking into the Sopranos!! The decor is really dated and the people there are older. I enjoyed the appetizers and desserts, but found the entrees to be just so-so. Appetizers - Fried calamari - Really tender and not over cooked, pretty good. - Foie gras - Was superb! The sauce was amazing and the mandarin oranges were a good addition. Even my boyfriend who hates these kinds of things enjoyed it. Entrees - Halibut with veggies - Not memorable. Not terrible, not good. - Peppercorn steak with veggies - This was a delicious slab of meat that was flambéed. The veggies that came w/ the entrees were like frozen vegetables, yuck! If I wanted vegetables like this I would've gone to the freezer section of the grocery store and boiled a bag for 99 cents. Desserts - Souffle Grand Marnier - Really well made souffle, but I'm not sure it's worth $22. - Tiramisu - Really good and a thick, large slice! Lots of flavor! I would go back for the foie gras, dessert and maybe try the escargot next time. Service was great, but a little pushy about ordering things. I actually overheard the server say to another server that he "talked them into getting the souffle" - he wasn't talking about my table, but I thought it was a rude conversation to have in the dining area. If you want to talk about those kinds of things, talk about it in the kitchen where the guests can't hear you!! Oh, there's a bar at the front of the restaurant is that much more casual than the dining area if you want to hang out without having to get all dressed up.
(3)Chris B.
Great place for having a steak or a some fish. Amazing service plus you can order the chocolate grand marnier soufflé for dessert.
(5)Jackie D.
Ok so the trick is to come here on a Sunday evening with just 2 people. A generous person gifted us with a dinner here and I came with an open mind despite the horrid experience we had the first time. Excellent service. Table-side Caesar was the best Caesar salad I have ever had. I had the beef medallions for dinner it was delicious. My husband had some sort of special involving crab, it was also great. Cherries jubilee divine. Now you know what to order :) Man that first time I came here with a large group was ROUGH though.
(4)Rui J.
I like this place and will definitely come back. Their desert Crepes Suzette is a very good one.
(5)Saleem C.
Food = 2 Stars Service = 1 Star Cleanliness/Decor = 1 Star Price Value = 1 Star The food here is traditional French with a few American dishes as well. As I've been to France many times, I can tell the food here is very authentic. The cooking job seems like it was done by a professional or someone that is highly trained, as every little detail was well prepared. (2 Stars/2 Stars) The service here was not that great. I don't mean to say they didn't check up on us enough. I think they checked on us way too often. I was taking a girl out on our first date, and we felt a little uncomfortable with the excessive attention. (0 Stars/0 Stars) The ambiance was great, and everything looked beautiful. (1 Star/1 Star) The prices were fair for this kind of restaurant and this type of food. It was a bit pricey, but hey, it is definitely classy. Cannot complain (1 Star/1 Star) Total = 4 Stars
(4)Robin B.
This is an old-school restaurant, but seems to be phoning it in on the food. The tables that had tableside flambe had a nice show, but the traditional food is just mediocre. My rack of lamb was tasty, but the sauce and mint jelly became a soup in the bottom of the plate before it was served to me making everything rather wet, including my potatoes. The lamb was nicely cooked, but then they put turkey sized paper crowns on two of the tiny legs. It just looked sloppy. My husband had the special -- duck a l'orange -- and it was not special. It was actually extremely overcooked. Dry and rubbery. We left before dessert.
(2)C M.
I received a $200 gift certificate for this restaurant and ended up taking a party of five on a Friday night to celebrate my Mother in laws birthday. I read some of the more recent reviews before coming and that combined with my own dining experience here several years ago had me hesitant about what to expect. We arrived on time and were greeted warmly and seated immediately. Our waiter was really funny and kind and actually made us laugh out loud several times. The ambience is a bit old school, but I think it adds to the overall charm of the place. Not to mention it is really clean. I had a Diet soda which was cold, carbonated and not watered down or too sweet and they were quick with free refills. We started out with appetizers including the calamari, the shrimp and a daring choice of escargot. We ate it all and it was all delicious, including the escargot, which everybody tried. Nothing was chewy or overdone. We also had two spinach salads which they cook with bacon and it's a treat for them to flambe it at your table. I had the special, which was Chilean Sea Bass and my husband had the other special, which was the ribeye - Both of us cleaned our plates, it was beyond incredible. The other dishes ordered were veal parmesan and another special which was a veal dish. Everything was perfect. I told the hostess on my way to the restroom that it was my Mother in laws birthday because we honestly didn't preplan a cake or anything and they graciously brought over a slice of tiramisu with a lit candle and it was a sweet gesture, we all shared the cake and it was fabulous! I will no doubt be back. The prices are a bit high, but it's worth every cent.
(5)Kathy Q.
My husband and I went to the Iron Gate on a whim. We've eaten here quite a few times but haven't been there in about a year. Food has always been good and service ok. Last Friday, however, we were happy to get a table (pretty lucky) without a reservation. The hostess was polite and actually told us it would be 5 minutes---and it was. We were served our cocktails and I had the waiter (Magda) select a pinot. It was fabulous and I let him know too. Our dinner was delicious, however, the salad was a bit over dressed (had a pool of dressing at the bottom of my plate)--Magda did not toss our salad, it was another gentlemen. The evening ended with brief and polite conversation. Magda (I hope I'm spelling his name correctly) was a pleasure. He brought a sense of charm and old fashion "waiter" service to our table and we truly appreciated it. We will, of course continue to go and enjoy. We'll be sure to ask for Magda.
(4)Pavel M.
Don't let the waiters make menu choices for you. You gonna be charged extra $100-200. Then you would wish not to pay tips which leads to the freaking manager yelling at you the classic American "Thank you f***in much"!!! And yes, after that you're in the black list. No way back!!!
(1)Marti R.
Last Saturday night we went to celebrate our Company's Annual Dinner at the Iron Gate Restaurant in Belmont. It was a fabulous time. The food was great, the atmosphere was great and the entertainment was great! We actually ate in the bar, at our request, not knowing how loud we would/could all be, and wanting to be considerate of other diners. Rebecca, our bar server was fabulous, as was Collin, the Captain who prepared our food tableside. When the band set up at 9:00, we stayed at our table and got to dance to a great band called Michael Turner & Company who has an incredible female vocalist! All in all, Great place to eat and play...
(5)Mark W.
Unabashedly old-school. The steak Diane is both a gastronomic treat as well as a spectacle of presentation. While the Iron Gate does one thing (the classic restaurant experience), they do it well. Highly recommended. PS: if you want to undo your tie and relax a bit, the bar is worthy.
(5)Irene C.
The waiter was very slow. The food was nothing special.
(3)Michael L.
Very good food and service with charm. The wait staff new all of the specials by heart without missing any details. Great selection of wine. The Scallop and Shrimp over rice was outstanding!
(4)Debbie R.
This review is a few weeks late, however, I need to release my dissatisfaction with the service. * This review is based on service only * I made reservations for 5 people on September 5, 2013 to celebrate my mother-in-law's 86th birthday. I advised that I wanted a special table for her birthday. We arrived at the restaurant and we were seated near the back exit door (is that the special table??) Our waiter was the worst we have ever had. He proceed with inappropriate jokes, stated hates California and would rather be in Vegas. He stated he only been working at your restaurant for a few months; this was quite apparent. He was rude with his comments which made our dining experience very uncomfortable. We were actually getting really upset. As we proceed to order our dessert, he continued on with the banter... We received our desserts and at no time did he acknowledge we were celebrating a birthday; we noticed other tables celebrating birthdays and were acknowledged. The food was AMAZING, however, it is very unfortunate that we are tainted by the service.
(1)Bala G.
I am not sure why this restaurant is rated at 4 stars on average. We went there to have a nice dinner. My daughter wanted to have a steak dinner so we picked this restaurant up since we had not been there before. The showmanship was AWESOME but the food SUCKED! The steak was improperly cooked. The side dishes were greasy. Service was even worse than the food. All in all a horrendous experience. If you want to get a nice piece of steak in this area, visit Kincaid's or Medallion-- both
(1)Patrick Z.
Very tasty food! Crab cake app = outstanding. (5 stars) Clam chowder = excellent (4 stars) Scallops = outstanding (5 stars) cooked perfectly and very flavorful. Vegetarian crepes = (5 stars) Prices = not cheap but not bad. We used a coupon from a daily deal site. Decor = A little cheesy (3 stars) Music from the 80s and older, overweight crowd. ONLY BIG ISSUE I think they use a lot of butter = tasty and a little rich. Doesn't feel too heavy while eating and the flavors were excellent, but after-wards I felt like I had just eaten very fatty rich food. Unlike oily food, it did not give me heartburn but I grew with a lot of butter in my food. Haven't used it much for years so it was like going home.
(3)Lisa R.
We couldn't agree more with Amanda G's review below. Thankfully, we also had a discount promotion we were able to use during our visit. I'm not sure where the crowds come from nor the positive reviews. The food is very expensive and the quality is amongst the cheapest we've experienced (iceberg lettuce, canned clams and odd tasting and textured rice). The place is dark and drab and the servers do not make you feel welcomed. The clientele is 60 and over and very well dressed. We are in our 40's and were casually dressed, so we felt a bit uncomfortable. Needless to say, we did not enjoy ourselves nor the food.
(1)Alex S.
Awesom place! Great food!
(5)H. H.
The restaurant is classic and the food is solid. I made a reservation for my husband's birthday and got there on time. Restaurant was busy and our table was not ready. We visited the bar while waiting. The bar was actually quite nice. Drink was good, band was fine, and the atmosphere was very classic. We waited for about 10 minutes and I checked on the status again. I was slightly upset by the delay but they managed to give us the table within reasonable time. We ordered ceasar salad for two. I ordered the New Zealand Lamb and it was beautifully cooked. Hubby ordered fillet mignon and he loves it. Food portion here was big. We were stuffed and couldn't get any desert at all. They also have a good selection of wine, which we truly enjoyed. Service was very good, personal, and friendly. We would definitely visit again.
(4)jen c.
Delightfully old school! Charming waiters in tuxes, a savory yet sweet bartender, palate cleansers between courses, and dishes prepared table side. On top of all that, the food (caesar salad for me & the hubby, veal parmigiana for him, medallions of beef for me, droooool) was absolutely to die for, and the restaurant is totally unpretentious. Our waiter was a charmer and truly elevated our dining experience over the top. I was here for the first time thanks to a birthday dinner, but I will absolutely be back again!
(5)LZ T.
The place is an old fashion restaurant that serves good food.
(4)El Guapo G.
I came here with my wife this last Friday and had a wonderful time. It's nice to be served by professional food servers who know the menu and have some knowledge of the foods they serve. Our waiter was very attentive and knowledgeable. Our glasses were always full, and when there was a wait for the next course he informed us that it would be 10 more minutes so we weren't wondering what's happening. The ambience was okay, a little dated. They could use a designer to update the decore. They had live music plaing in the bar that's attached. We were sat at 8 pm and it was a little annoying. We started with a couple glasses of wine and the oysters rockerfeller. That was very good, although from what I remember Bella Vista's was a little better. Next course was the spinach and bacon salad (flambeed). We were very happy with that. My wife had the filet of sole petrole (daily special) she felt it was a little greasy. I had the beef medallions which was really good. I was in a beef mood. We had the chocolate souffle for dessert which was also excellent. We left with a bag of leftovers and definately ate too much. Portion size was very good. It ended up being $150 before taxes for two people. I was happy with that price for the quality of food and service we received. I've paid much more and received much less. We also had a chance to meet the owner, Dimitrios, who was very gregarious. We had a good conversation with him. Because of our conversation with the we will be back soon.
(4)Amy Y.
Hub and I returned last night for his birthday and our meal was even better than last time! We started with the scrumtious bread ( three kinds all wonderful), then hub had the combo salad which he loved and I had the clam chowder which was delicious. Hub had the mahi mahi special which was just perfectly cooked and the sauce well yummmmmmm. I had the prawns provencale and my meal was better than his! Where do they get these wonderful huge fresh prawns? Whoever taught the chef to prepare them should get an award! We ended with the souffles, his a chocolate yum yum yum and mine the grand marnier all I can say is OMG gooooooood! Yes they have an older clientele but we can and should change this soo a shout out to all you 30 and on ups.. GO HERE NOW! :)
(5)Lulu S.
I have never had a bad meal here- ever. The food speaks for itself.
(5)Inigo M.
Prices too high for non-stellar food. But 4 stars for the older crowd-- I like old people, especially the wise, laid-back ones who are cute and awesome like my grandma.
(3)Mary B.
The best dining experience I have ever had. PERIOD! The service was extremely fast and waiters were complete sweethearts(there was 8 of us in my party) Everything from the appitizers to desert was jaw-dropping delicious. A bit pricey, but worth every penny.
(5)Robert G.
If you love mausoleums, you'll love Iron Gate. I'd heard good things about the place, and since I live in the city, I thought it would be a nice place for my wife and parents. My parents really liked it (they're not too finicky), but my wife and I were a bit appalled. We were easily the youngest people in the room (by about 20+ years), and the ambiance was pretty much non-existant. Food was decent, I'll grant it that, but just decent for the outrageous prices. For the price they charged for average food, I could have gone to SF and eaten at some of the better restaurants there. Not sure why folks still like this place, but I'll never return.
(1)Ailene E.
We came back for another luncheon (that I didn't have to pay for) and my salmon was excellent. So yummy. Their waiters are really great. I'd go back again, as long as I'm not footing the bill.
(3)David W.
The food approaches perfection, the fire show they put on if you order a steak Dianne, or a special desert are the very best. :-) You get a waiter in a tux and the owners are always there! Awesome experience every time.
(5)A K.
Loved it, absolutely loved it. Didn't think I would when I entered this place and was greeted by ancient people. However, the seasoned servers are very cool and the flambe stuff rocks. The flambe salds, main dishes and deserts. Dont miss the souffles. Totally recommended.
(5)Barbara P.
Hands down GREAT food for the price! We have been going here for years and have never been disappointed! We can always expect a good meal with quality food. If you get the right waiter... you will get the most excellent service... some of them have been there for a while and know how to serve you! Make sure you have a flambe of something when you are there... I reccomend that you sit near an aisle so they can flambe right by your table... they are pretty croweded in there and if you are not near an aisle... you get to watch the flambe from afar! My favorite dishes are: Escargot, Ceasar Salad, Steak Diane, Sole, scallops & Cherries Jubilee! Don't miss out... and if your even a B or C celebraty... you can get extra vegatables! (apparently I didn't make that cut that day!!!)
(5)Tor B.
Old school dinner house and the food is great! Be sure to have a drink with Larry at the bar!
(5)Marjorie B.
Went here for a department lunch (read: freeee!) They seemed even to get a large lunch crowd (large in the aggregate, though small, wrinkled and feeble in the specific) yet despite this, the service was way beyond expectation. Our lunch waiter was very attentive and decked out in tails. They made our salads right at our table from scratch -- the dressing and everything. We had escargot & oysters on a half shell for appetizers, which were very well favored. The bread could have been warmer, and since the bread wasn't, the butter should at least have been, but wasn't either. I'm not a big fan of trying to spread cold hard butter on a thin slice of bread. Aside from that... the main course (I had some really yummy chicken pasta alfredo) was delicious. They have many signature seafood dishes, which many in our party loved so much they ended up sopping every last drop with the pith of the rolls. I'll have to say, the dessert -- and I'm not a big dessert person -- is THE best course. If you're abstaining, the display they put on is a feast in itself... so make sure at least someone at your table orders a flambe. One of us ordered bananas foster, but news from the kitchen was that they had run out of bananas and our waiter was so kindly as to offer to run to the store across the street if we could wait 10 extra minutes. Wow. Of course, there was the polite decline and an alternate goodie was selected (Strawberries en flambe). We thought that the offer was only made in politeness, but as it "turns out" they suddenly had bananas after all... so they made the bananas foster complements of the chef. Super extra credit. I'd like to come here for dinner sometime most likely with someone older in my family. There was an ad hoc performance space with drums, keyboards and a mic at one end of the major room, so I'm assuming they have live dinner band, but even if you come for lunch, they pipe in instrumentals of nostalgic and popular songs that are fun to play name that tune to.
(5)melissa h.
This place is great.........it's been a landmark restaurant on the peninsula for years. Finally I had a chance to go here, loved it. Everything is flambe! It's divine - not good for a casual quick dinner, but better for a birthday, anniversary, special date night, or a splurge. This is an old school place that actually makes the salad right at your table, along with the steak Diane and banana's foster. Excellent service, a mature crowd. I believe you need to make a reservation and I would wear business casual when dining there.
(5)Jennifer L.
An old standard - and I could easily be talking about the crowd. This place loves setting things on fire, and the service is usually phenomenal. Be sure to wear clothes that you don't mind smelling of everything flambe since that is definitely the cologne you leave with. We started with a portobello mushroom special that was FANTASTIC, followed by caesar salad prepared table side (I thought it was way over dressed, but the folks ate it up with reckless anchovied abandon), the palate clensing sorbet course, then both 'rents had veal (heartless bastards) and I had the steak diane. Dessert was a lovely glass of port and the Andes candies that come with the check. Overall I thought it was okay. Very old fashioned, I think I'm just into more of a fresh style of cooking, whereas this is all heavy and saucy. If you're looking for a night of french dining, starting with escargot (that were as big as Volkswagens) and ending with souffle, you could be much worse off than at the Iron Gate.
(3)Scott S.
A group of 8 of us recently celebrated my wife's birthday (one of those biggies that ends in "0") at Iron Gate. Dinner was excellent, and the atmosphere was very nice, and the service and food ... all excellent. "Ted", our server was appropriately attentive, and gave us those "little things" that helped make the evening special. Service was great, and plates were not being snatched out from under our forks to rush us along. Our reservation was for 6pm, and we were able to stay at our table as long as we wanted, not "rushed off" for the next tip as in some places. The Portobello Mushroom appetizer was excellent. The entree's were delicious (I had the Veal Jerusalem) and I tasted my wife's Veal Marsala ... both delicious. It was all topped off with Chocolate Souffle and an flaming "Bananas Foster" with a candle and a round of "Happy Birthday" lead by our server. This was a fun and very nice place to celebrate a special event. Thanks Iron Gate, and Thanks Ted for your extra work to make it special.
(5)May A.
Simply irresistible!! I never knew how much food you can eat flambe. I had spinach and bacon salad flambe. I had a steak diane flambe and banana flambe. I'm surprise my espresso wasn't flambe either. Really good choices of wine. As one of the oldest restaurants in Belmont you get the feel of old school atmosphere with a blend of modern cuisine.
(4)Sam L.
Wow... I love this restaurant! No doubt you'll love it too. Great place for a special dinner. The service is impeccable. The food is devine. Wine selection that perfectly matches the menu. This place will make you and your date very happy.
(5)Brandon L.
This restaurant is like the French version of Benihana. They cook your steaks on a cart near your table. They even tossed the $20 Caesar salad in front of us. The crowd is just as old school as the place is. One of the few places where you can get Steak Diane. The prices are higher as this is a "fine dining" establishment.
(4)Its M.
This place was my first intro to French food. I really enjoyed some kind of cream soup thing and crepe suzettes. The guy made it in front of me and I had no idea they were so easy to make. The ambiance at this place was weird; it looked very cheap. I went with a neighbor who took me mid-morning on my day off. I looked like a hooker because my neighbor said we were going for a "QUICK ERRAND" not "FRENCH RESTAURANT". Notice how those two don't sound alike...at all. So yeah even with my snowboarding jacket, salsa-dancing halter top, yoga stretch pants, and faux alligator skin heels I was still treated very kindly. In fact the staff acted as if they didn't notice even though most of their clientele (65+seniors) did. So even if you are a hooker you will get great service. Just remember to tip like you would want to be tipped, working girl.
(4)Nadia B.
Waaaay too pricey for not getting great food AND service. Granted, I only went to this place once (was always told how wonderful it was) and it was a year ago, but after reading some of the other posts with similar experiences I wanted to chime in. When we arrived (dinnertime on Sat without reservation so maybe our fault), they didn't even want to provide the four of us a seat. But it appeared there were plenty of tables open--it's possible they were short staffed though. I think also since two of our party were not dressed "up to par" (wearing jeans) maybe they turned their nose and thought we wouldn't be big spenders or something. Luckily, another one of our party knew the manager so we were promptly seated as soon as he discovered we were waiting. But after all of that, it seemed the service was poor, and the food wasn't really anything too special. So I haven't been back to see if it was a fluke, since there are other places I'd rather spend my money and get better food and service.
(2)katherine M.
My fiance took me here for our one year anniversary and I was super excited, however the moment I walked into Iron Gate, I got a bad feeling about this place. The decor and ambiance reminded me of my 85 year old grandmother's assisted living facility. The menu lacked innovation and creativity, nothing really interesting on there at all. I ordered the Veal Marsala, it was dry and had very little flavor. Also, the carrots and broccoli that came with the meal had no seasoning. I can steam veggies at home and the carrots will only cost me a dollar at Safeway, not 27 dollars...and it will taste the same. My fiance ordered Veal Parmigiana. The Veal Parmigiana was mildly enjoyable, but it tasted similar to the Lean Cuisine Chicken Parmigiana that I can microwave out of a box for 3 dollars, not worth the 25 dollars they charged us. I would suggest going to Marche in Menlo Park, the menu is more creative and flavorful, and the decor is classier.
(1)Cynthia C.
We went here for Valentine's Day and it had the best service and food ever! The steak was well marinated and yummy to eat but the BEST part was the dessert souffle! They usually ask you to order during the beginning of your meal so it'll be ready when you're done. That's the best souffle ever!! It's a little pricey but definitely worth it!
(5)Norris T.
Best Bananas Foster I've ever had. Discreet on the outside you might think this isn't a restaurant if not for the sign. The inside is quite the opposite with an old school class. A respectable wine list and plenty of daily specials so it'll be hard to peg my favorite entree here. I usually try to keep my banter at food only but it's almost as much of a show as dinner with salads, steaks, and desserts being prepared tableside all around us. Salmon & mushroom baked in a pastry shell: flaky shell helps it all meld together. A solid choice. Had second thoughts though after seeing the steaks being made around me. Bananas Foster: See above. Made tableside, there is a generous amount of liquor added but the fire burns most of it off so it's not overwhelming. I'm also curious about the cherries jubilee but that will have to be next time..............soon.
(4)Brian S.
The Iron Gate is an outstanding French Restaurant in Belmont. From the outside, it doesn't look like much - just another slightly worn down restaurant on the main thoroughfare, but once you step inside everything changes immediately. As you walk in and turn the corner, to your immediate left is a bar which hosts live music on the weekends. Straight ahead, you are greeted warmly by a hostess in a pleasant French accent, setting the theme for the night to come. The décor in the main dining room is classy with layered table cloths and an abundance of servers flitting to and fro ensuring that every customer's need is met. The overall noise level was a bit more than expected - not because of the live music in the bar (which we couldn't even tell was there!) but perhaps because we Americans are naturally loud - there was a light buzz of gaiety in the dining area. To be clear, the noise did not take away from the experience, this is just an observation. Our server this evening was pleasant and attentive, more than willing to provide any requested thoughts on the evening's menu. We ordered the foie gras, pepper steak, filet, and soufflé for dessert. The foie gras was probably the most disappointing - it was served on top of a puff pastry with a sauce and mandarin oranges on the side. Unfortunately, while the puff pastry was nice independent of everything else, it really didn't fit with the rest of the dish. However, the pepper steak and filet were fantastic. The pepper steak had peppercorns embedded into the skin of the steak, which was cooked excellently to order. The sauce was very nice and the vegetables were perfectly cooked. The filet was everything you'd expect of a filet - succulent, tender, with a daub of garlic butter resting on top. They require that the soufflé is ordered at the same time with the main course due to the length of time required for preparation. We waffled as to whether we wanted to order dessert before we even saw our meal, but as it came highly recommended we decided to give it a go. It was worth it. We had the sauce with pieces of fruit and Gran Marnier, and it was outstanding. Appropriately light, but with enough body to absorb the sauce, the soufflé was the perfect coda after the heavy steak. If I were to offer one note of constructive criticism, it would be the following: Ensure all of the servers know how to pronounce "Gran Marnier" - we were confused for a good while as our server kept saying the soufflé has a "Gramenere" sauce. (Our server was otherwise phenomenal). Overall the restaurant was outstanding. The starter, and some aspects of the service need to catch up to be considered Michelin star quality, but it wasn't as expensive as many starred restaurants are either. Our experience at the Iron Gate was delightful, and I hope to return myself.
(5)Greg M.
It's no secret in my family that my beloved Bride, the Jen, and I favor as our #1 Go To Restaurant, is the Iron Gate located along the Kings Royal Highway, aka El Camino, in the Beautiful City of Belmont, CA. There are three things that contribute to making this our Favorite Restaurant.... #1 of course is the food and selection of same. #2 is the Professional Waiters that are the exceptional in their service and satisfaction. #3 is the front section of the Restaurant which includes a Cocktail Lounge, Full Bar, and Dance Floor with Live Bands on Friday and Saturday Night, and all come together for a great experience. The Bar Drinks served up by Bartender Larry are Strong and reasonably priced. As far as our Most Recent experience; June 2015, we both enjoyed the Linguini and Baby Clams which are cooked to perfection with a hint of Lemon Flavor along with the Wild Salmon Special.... As good as it gets. Their famous Caesar Salad for Two which we LOVE and rate #1 in California. Iron Gate's Caesar Salad is prepared and tossed Table Side by the Serving Staff which are all long Term employees of the Iron Gate, who prepare the Caesar with Iron Gate's Long Time Receipe and always pretty equal no matter which server your lucky to get. This brings me to discuss a TRouBling and unfortunate chain of events that occurred earlier in the last Decade. Of course there was the tragic events of 911 that began in New York City Twin Towers and the later Economic Set Back of the Stock Markets affecting everyone's Investments coast to coast and their temporary decline during years 2007 and 2008. MOST tragic however was in 2009, Unbelievably a Long Time Restaurant, the North Beach Restaurant, located in San Francisco and renowned for their consistent quality of Italian Food and very good Servers made an absolute Bone Head Move; a tragic error in their treatment & handling of one of their own, and recognized by many of their regular customers who ask for him as their BEST Server.... lost that Server, Josepi, because the new owner at the time had a personality conflict. We will never know the real reason but Josepi, an American of Italian Decent, was blessed with Old World Good Looks and Italian Charm, was forced to leave that restaurant (could have been the new owner was jealous of Josepi's good looks).... Well at any rate, things tend to happen for the better and it was North Beach Restaurant's loss and Iron Gate's Gain as Josepi, found a new 'home' at the upscale Iron Gate. In the aftermath of Josepi's migration, there has been some long term customers of that North Beach Restaurant that so appreciate the Josepi's Expertise as a Knowledgeable Server, missed him so, they travel a long distance from the City to visit their favorite Server and experience great dining at 'Gate'. I've got to agree with those customers, Josepi, just sets the standard and raises that bar making all the other Servers he works with even that much better as there Is also a competitive spirit to be the best. Jen and I enjoy all the Iron Gate Servers; Franc, Miguel, Teddy (Theodor able), Magdi, Tanner, Captain Colin (Prepares the Steak Diane) along with the Boss, (not Bruce Springsteen) but from the Gorgeous Greek Isle, owner... Handsome Dimitri... all working in concert together along with the support staff from those gorgeous hostesses that escort you to your table, to the Senior Bus-Men, coming together to make eating at the Iron Gate a #1 Experience and a Repeat Satisfied Customer!!! Just be sure to Ask for Water if you want it, due to the drought. Special shout out to Franc, who always remembers that Jen prefers a larger Glass for her Wine consumption. BONUS: The Iron Gate is also a Magnet for some recognizable TV Personalities and Whos Who.... Last week, my wife and I met Local Sportscaster, Rick Quan and his Date. Donna T, a personal trainer my wife recognized through the PJCC in Foster City They too had a delightful dinner and we all met after dinner at the Iron Gate's Cocktail Lounge and Bar Area and Danced to some wonderful 1970s to 1980s Rock. By the way, you can save an additional $20.00 by buying some Iron Gate Coupons at Costco. As far as the rest of the food... I'll let the other Yelpers do the talking!!!!
(5)Brian H.
I went to this restaurant yesterday based on yelp reviews and I was not disappointed I ordered the escargot and the rack of lamb the meal in the restaurant were excellent I would recommend anyone who wants a nice French experience. But be prepared to pay for this service as the meal ranges anywhere from $15-$42 most people here use the Iron Gate as a special occasion restaurant highly recommend everyone go
(5)Deborah L.
Salad bowls looked super old but nice touch on making the salad table side. It seem like a great place for a business meeting but not much fun to hang out and relax. Food was just ok, nothing special and waiter was professional.
(2)Veronica M.
Not what I expected at all. Disclaimer...this restaurant was not my pick. So sorry to say! It's in Belmont, so friends that live in Redwood City recommended it since we were first meeting at their house for cocktails. 8 of us. They booked our reservation a month in advance. I was told it was an old school joint. I looked it up right here on yelp, per usual, to get some experienced feedback. The reviews were all across the board, w more than a few of them being only one or two stars. So, I didn't go in w very high expectations, & I reasoned that it's not where you are, but who you are with. Often times the term "old school" can mean dated. And I wondered if the table side service was going to be too kitschy. No & no! The Iron Gate is indeed old school, but in the most honorable way. Traditional. Pomp & circumstance. A service that is ritualistic, instead of showy or contrived. From the beginning... Where the heck else can you conceivably get all 3 courses, salad, entree, & dessert, done flambé at your table?! We started w the spinach bacon salad flambé for two. Everyone else at our table did the table side Caesar, which they are known for. But I wanted something I truly never see anywhere else. The table side presentation is fabulous. And it was delicious. Spinach has never tasted this good, without being doused & drowned in a rich cream sauce. (hello Izzy's, which I do love). Next, I ordered the seared ahi tuna. This tuna steak was unbelievably fresh. And they actually cooked it perfectly...& I mean PERFECTLY. I had initially eyed the Steak Diane flambé, but am so glad I went w the tuna. 5 stars. My man ordered the Veal Scallopini Marsala. He just devoured it. A friend ordered the Veal Flambé. The table side presentation really adds so much to the meal. It just felt special. Now the desserts. Any place that has bananas foster, cherries jubilee, & soufflés on the dessert menu is good by me. I opted for the individual sized soufflé, rather than the full size, so that I could try another dessert as well. I had to order the cherries jubilee, since again I know other places do a bananas foster. Seize the rarity when given the opportunity, right? The soufflé really blew me away. This is one of the best soufflés I've ever had. It rivals Cafe Jacqueline in SF. No joke. Texture on point. Flavor on point. OMG eggy & creamy & velvety... Perfection. The cherries jubilee was great; I mean, what's not to love? I loved it all. The space is tastefully understated, softly refined. The waiters wear vests & ties. I.LOVED.IT .ALL. The 8 of us had a fantastic meal. A unique & memorable dinner. 5 stars.
(5)Julie N.
We dined here this evening. I loved the family feel to the restaurant. The service was very attentive and this was our first visit, so no favoritism here. We shared the portobello mushrooms on a puff pastry shell and the crab cake to start. The mushroom starter won the race to my tastebuds. It was peppery, light and delicious. My hubby had the steak fillet and I, the sea-bass in a light sauce with capers and lemon. The fish was a little under cooked on arrival but the server soon had this corrected and I cleaned the plate. NOW, let's talk about about the soufflé - amazing and light - my only constructive criticism is - I would have liked the soufflé batter to be chocolate flavored with a sauce inside as a nice surprise when you crack it open on your first try. I know many people have complained about the age of the crowd - I actually think that is what makes this restaurant so inviting and a proven gem - people have been bringing their families here for years. The venue isn't swanky but some of the swankiest restaurants serve the worse food. The food way outshines the decor in this place and that's the way it should be.
(5)Kayla N.
While the service was good, the food was okay. Was in the area all week for work and came here for dinner with 2 co-workers on Monday, Nov 17. I ordered the french onion soup and it was better than most places. The tournedos was okay. The soufflé for dessert, I thought was excellent. My co-workers thought their meals were decent. For the price, I would go elsewhere since the foods are not yummy. We ordered a bottle of french wine and it was okay. My co-worker is French and she mentioned it's a good year for that region and the bottle was at the right price point.
(3)Lisa Z.
I think a place like Iron Gate gets overlooked sometimes because it looks deserted and isn't as fancy or as savvy looking as other restaurants. Our server for the night was Miguel. He has the most amazing memory ever. My table consisted of 7 people and even with all the questions and different orders, he never had to write anything down and still got our orders correct (I would have forgotten everything)! So props to you Miguel! For appetizer, the notable mention was the oyster rocketfellers. They were baked to perfection and I loved the fact that blended spinach was combined in w the oyster mixture. For my entree, I selected the Steak Diane flambé. It's not too often that you get to see your steak cooked in front of you AND plated to eat on the spot! This was very enjoyable. It came with a side of zucchini and broccoli, puréed mashed potatoes (very flavorful) and puréed sweet potatoes (this was just ok). My brother ordered the lamb chops and for $39, you get 7 chops cooked in a delicious sweet wine and mint sauce. So. Worth.It . He and I both enjoyed this. I think I may have found my favorite white wine of all time. Far Niente Chardonnay from Napa Valley. It was so smooth and silky....but $20/glass is quite pricy (I can buy a meal or a bottle of cheap wine with that $!) I was 100% stuffed at this point but, hey, they are pretty famous for their soufflés here....how can I pass up on that? Brought out in their baking ramekins and plated in front of you with the sauce, on the spot. I highly suggest you request for the sauce on the side because they are a bit heavy handed with the sauce. My mom isn't much if a sweets person but she really enjoyed the mixed berries soufflé and my family friend enjoyed the grand mariner (original) soufflé. I had the chocolate one. Yummy yummy in my tummy. Overall, a 5 star experience. I love being able to eat high quality food in a comfortable casual setting. Also, aside from my brother, I was super embarrassed by the 5 other adults at my table who were constantly taking pictures AND with flash throughout the night. Thank you Taner for being such a good sport about it and being very enthusiastic about it when you were cooking my steak diane and even offering to tell them you'd make the flame bigger and higher and letting them know when you'll make the flame so that they can be ready to take their pictures....
(5)Mary K.
They continue to knock it out of the park here! Josepi and the entire wait staff are spectacular. Love the tableside items the best!!
(5)Pat K.
We celebrated 4 birthdays here! We told them about it when we booked our reservations. They completely forgot about that. The food was good and the service was acceptable. Just sorry that they forgot all about our birthday celebrations! Will go back there again in the future.
(3)Patty O.
This is definetely an old school restaurant establishment. My family and I all got different cuts of steak, but we all admitted that Steak Diane (the flambe) was hands down the tastiest option there. It's awesome because if ordered medium rare, it was actually cooked medium rare. Also, they cook the steak right in front of you, and it is a great show because the oil creates a large fire! (Make sure not to sit too close). I also recommend the chocolate souffle for dessert. It is very light and airy. Also, make sure to make a reservation because the place does get busy.
(4)Elaine Y.
What AN AWESOME experience and EXCELLENT FOOD! It's very old school - made our salad table side, provided the "palate cleanser" in between salad and main course! But first I have to say - the CAESAR SALAD! THE BEST EVER with the anchovy in the dressing - it's JUST the way I liked it - not this creamy Caesar dressing but more authentic... with the anchovy flavor, crispy romaine... can't go wrong! And the Chateaubriand! OMG! WHAT an experience... you share it and they cut it table side and add to the sides. Cooked PERFECTLY and so tender! LOVED the sauces... I have to say though we were sitting pretty close to another table of two and I started to eye their duck and lamb chops... something to get for the next time we go!! AND then there's the souffles... Definitely the berry souffle with the Grand Mariner! VERY nice - not overly sweet and so light and yummy - with the fresh berries!! We liked it better than the chocolate... definitely getting it next time too. Service was awesome - so old school - they totally take care of you! In a polite and nice way... love it! Definitely pricey - meant as a place to celebrate something special or spend time with family... am going there with my kids in a few months to celebrate my bday - I think they'll like it... can't wait to go back!
(5)Luke S.
The music is fantastic here. They really stay soo smooth. You get an older pretty classy crowd here. The foods not cheap here but its really good an well worth it. I wouldn't want food this good to be cheap. Its well worth it. I know you'd agree too. The prime rib is very good . I come here for a nice treat. I love this place , it makes me feel great. The prime rib tastes like a cloud from heaven mixed with cotton candy , soo juicy and sweet. The steak is great too, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. A great place for groups and especially great for taking a date. I suggest ordering dessert, I mean when your here you just wanna go all out an so you might as well enjoy the experience. THis place is a rare treat. They take credit and debit also
(4)Vida R.
Pros: tasty desserts Cons: came in for Valentine's Day and were given a regular menu and when our table was given the check, our check was double the price and they had added +$4.00 to each item and an extra drink we never ordered had slipped in. When we asked about why our bill didn't add up, our waiter said that "because of the holiday each item was increased that night". Our server was clearly frustrated and lacked empathy to the fact that we would pay extra when the prices were not even changed on the menu. When our bill came back, the extra drink we never ordered was STILL on the bill and some items still had 'special prices'. Besides the salad we never received,the expensive items listed with the surprise 'v-day prices', and poor service.. this is a gate we won't be returning to.
(2)Angelo T R.
When you first walk in, the decor greets you with a warm hug. Next the beautiful host guides you gracefully to your seat. We had our 7mth old and a stroller. She moved a chair around to accommodate us. The waiter was great. He was very knowledgable of the menu. The food was perfectly cooked, prepared and presented. The ambience was awesome. It was homey, upscale and complimentary of the meal, but not overbearing and unwelcoming. We thoroughly enjoyed our outing and would recommend it to everyone!
(5)Merry K.
Overpriced! Overpriced! Overpriced! $42 for steak Diane, $60 for the fillet mignon and lobster tail. I know that is the on going price but, the quality and taste of the food just make the dishes feel overpriced. We really feel we were paying for the fire show. We love our server and the ambiance. But will not come back
(2)Jen E.
I have to agree that the clientele here are on the older side. But where else can you get table side Steak Diane and souffles on the peninsula? This is my favorite special occassion restaurant within 5 miles of my house.
(5)Anne J.
Food I give 2 1/2 stars, the atmosphere however is a solid 4. The tradition and history of the Iron Gate keeps me going back. If you haven't been, this is a place you must try if only for the experience. Do not expect to be wow-ed by the food. The food is really just average and not very creative, but you just cant beat the stuffy waiters and the retro decor.
(3)wayne c.
I don't get all the positive reviews. I found the food to be mediocre, even allowing for the fact that this is real "old school" dining. The Caesar Salad dressing was unbalanced, and much of the food was lacking in distinct flavors. Our waiter seemed to know little about the food or the wine. On the positive side, the mixed berry souffle was wonderful, but I'm not convinced that's worth a trip. Prices are somewhat hight, so overall, this is not a very good value.
(2)Hal J.
I hesitate to post a Valentine's Day review, but since there's an earlier good one in the list, here goes. We made a 7pm reservation based on a friend's recommendation and arrived on time. The hostess did not say, "Oh, we're so sorry your table's not ready yet." She said (only), "Have a seat." We eventually left at 7:30. While there, we observed that the dining room was packed like sardines. It was like looking back into 1965, except that half the diners were wearing jeans and sneakers. If you go in 2008, enquire whether they are really giving you a "reservation" for a table or just a spot on the waiting list.
(1)Lianne G.
The bananas fosters alone deserves 5 stars! Made right at your table. Hot and delicious... served with ice cream! Our server was great. Very personable, very funny. You can tell this place is a "family joint". Good feeling inside. Not your typical restaurant. Really looks like someone gutted out a room, strung up some lights, and put some tables in. Nicely done.
(5)Jennifer W.
Waiters at this restaurant have big attitudes. Entrees were good but appetizers lack flavor and escargot tasted watery. Unfortunately the waiters' attitudes can spoil the evening. The waiters were openly attacking each other which make the customers uncomfortable. Very bizarre evening. With so many great restaurants, we won't be coming back again. With some dishes costing in the $40 range, we expect better trained servers and management. Two stars for keeping Steak Diane on the menu and keep the tradition alive.
(2)Tom N.
For the price that they are charging, I expect more.... The food is ok, service is so so, I can't think of one thing that impresses me here. There are definitely a lot of other better choices out there for less.
(3)Bill A.
Had lunch on Thursday with people from work. This is my favorite restaurant to go for lunch. My colleagues really enjoyed the Iron Gate. They told me that they want to return next time they make a visit. Giuseppe was our fantastic waiter. Service was impeccable. We had ordered our deserts at the beginning, but ran out of time. Giuseppe understood our situation and gave us a plate of cheesecake with a fantastic vanilla sauce and four spoons. He said it was on the house. What a wonderful gesture! By the way Giuseppe works only on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Thank you Iron Gate for your wonderful food and service!!
(5)Jacob B.
My favorite restaurant on the peninsula. The Chicken Jerusalem is delicious and the Caesar salad is done at the table. Nowhere else does it quite like the iron gate. atmosphere is always top notch. Waiters/service above and beyond
(5)