Amour Amour Wine Bar - Tapas
305 E 4th Ave, San Mateo, CA, 94401
Amour Amour Wine Bar - Tapas Menu
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Address :
305 E 4th Ave
San Mateo, CA, 94401 - Phone (650) 513-1759
- Website https://www.amour305.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :4:00 pm - 10:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Intimate
Noise Level : Average
Music : Background
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : No
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Nicole F.
This is my new favorite wine/tapas bar! The food is delicious and the staff is really friendly. The ambiance is romantic and I love the "old world Italy" decor! Must try the pumpkin squash, lime beef and crostini's too... To die for! Great wine selection and really yummy sangria... I will be back here many times!
(5)John H.
Best new restaurant in town! Really liked everything about the place - creative, fresh, delicious food, terrific ambience, and great, friendly, professional service. Will go back soon. JH - San Mateo
(5)Anne L.
We've already been twice and both times the experience was great. It is a charming, intimate restaurant where all are made to feel welcome. Simone, the owner, is an incredibly warm, big-hearted hostess. She makes the rounds of the tables and actually recognizes and appreciates her return customers. Singles, couples and groups are all welcomed and the music is great. Everything we've tried on the menu has been delicious and we especially appreciate the fact that they're using top quality local products, like Harley Farms goat cheese and produce from Blue House Farm. A great experience!!
(5)Sue H.
This place is a little gift to downtown San Mateo. The food is really superior, with standouts like the squash and bali hai ribs. The atmosphere is intimate and relaxed. A perfect spot to hang out with friends and have a special experience.
(5)Suki T.
Very cute and intimate setting, perfect for a Girl's Night Out or romantic dinner. Great selection of wines. Tapas were all delicious, especially the foie gras and brussel sprouts.
(4)fefifofum h.
If you want to have a delicious dinner in an intimate, warm, and inviting setting, then this is lovely restaurant to spend your evening. Whether you are dining alone or with others, the ambiance is friendly, warm, and comfortable. I found the service to be prompt and excellent, the food was delicious ( the lamb' crostini, and butternut squash dishes were my favorite), the lighting soft, and the music not intrusive. There is a lot of care and love put into the restaurant decor. Definitely a place I would go back to by myself or with friends for a relaxing meal. If you don't drink alcohol, she has a tasty selection of Italian sodas.
(5)m c.
This place is a lot of fun! I loved the rustic decor and the delicious food. I'll preface this that I'm not much of a wine drinker but the recommendations from the staff actually gave me something that I enjoyed. The food was delicious and came out perfectly paced. I really like how this is next to the caltrain station so that you can have a drink and safely go home. The place feels really cozy and perfect to meet your lover or secret lover or friends for a nice drink and some dinner. You can tell the owners really care about this place by how they run the room and make sure everything is taken care of. I'll definitely come here more often when I'm down in the area. FYI, I'm not sure if it was a Thursday night thing, but the women to guy ratio was 10:1.
(5)Diane S.
Loved this cute little place. Eclectic, but delicious! Nothing else like it in San Mateo. We loved the prawns, beef and truffle crostini.
(5)Pooh C.
Maybe we just came on an off night, and/or ordered the wrong things, but we were not impressed by this place. Service was incredibly slow for such a small place (but friendly) and what we ordered was nothing remarkable. Aside from a cheese/charcuterie selection we ordered the ensalada muy rica, which turned out to be diced tomatoes with canned tuna. The tapas are also mostly light - I would come here for wine and snacks, not dinner. They did just open so perhaps some of these issues will improve, but with other much better wine bar options in San Mateo, its unlikely we will be back. If you are going to give it a try, make sure you are not in a rush and are not starving.
(2)Jonathon J.
We tried it and I must definitely say that I am very happy that we spent our Friday evening here. First the cons: (so I can finish with all of the good stuff!) - The service was a bit inconsistent. It was actually better when the restaurant was really busy. Having to ask to have water refilled, asking for bread 3 times before actually getting it. Not being familiar with the menu to recommend dishes, etc. you get the point... - After the rush was over, I actually had to walk to the register to ask for the bill. We waited for about 20 min after we finished eating and watched as a couple of the staff chatted with other customers. - When the bill arrived, it turns out that a couple of the items we ordered that had never arrived were not taken off. The one we didn't order was listed though. Not a big deal, except the fix for this was not to cancel the check and redo it, but "take it off at the end of the night" or "reduce the amount of the tip by that amount." Huh? Ok. Now even with all of those things, I must say that the food we had was EXCELLENT, yes, truly excellent. We started with the lime beef and the scallops. The scallops were very good, but the beef bordered on the best tasting I've ever had. Tender, flavorful, and cooked just right. Next we had the squash. I'm not a fan of squash but was very good none the less (and the sauce was very nice and there were bits of bacon!) Next the crab crostinis arrived ( the dish we didn't order) They were also tasty, but again not what we asked for. We were then able to flag the waiter down (ask again for water and bread) and for the items we did order. Next the prawns arrived. They were juicy, tasty and cooked with the same wonderful chimmichurri sauce as the steak, awesome. Finally the Brie arrived. Being the cheese snob that I am, I was concerned. But there was no need. By that time the extra bread had arrived and it went perfectly with the very good Brie, and all of the very very tasty sauces from the scallops, beef and squash. By the way, the wines were also very good. They have a nice selection but I, of course, was hoping for more French wines (and at least a red from the Loire Valley). I settled on an Oyster Bay Pinot as my favorite for the evening. It worked a fine line between the lovely, excellent, wonderful beef and the delicate flavors of the scallops and prawns. It was perfect with the Brie. All in all, in my opinion, the service was a bit rough around the edges, but the food (and espresso) were way way more than I'd imagined. We will definitely plan to visit again.
(4)Gregg K.
Great atmosphere and great food! Everything I've tried here has been great. Every dish has an interesting or unusual mix of flavors that works. I'm not a big wine afficionado, so I don't feel qualified to comment on that. But if you like sangria, this is the place to come for the real stuff on Friday: real sangria with real chunks of fresh fruit. (Not that stuff that other places call sangria but is just wine pre-mixed with fruit juice.) And a proprietor who has created a place that is about more than just the food they serve - it's a hospitality business, a place where you want to bring your friends, and a place where you they care for your experience.
(5)Stephanie G.
FINALLY!!! Something different in San Mateo!!!! Love the food and the staffs! They had this flight thing going on with the wines. You can get three different wines for $15 such a steal. Tired the lobster bisque. Oh my lord it was so yummy. Overall, everything was wonderful Simone herself can out and greet everyone & made sure everyone was happy. Can't wait till next time :)
(5)Catherine K.
The food is correct, but definitely not French. The foie gras is almost no "gras" (what is the point? it is just liver and does not taste like foie gras although it has the same price). The ham and cheese plater is ok (the cheese is good, the pâté and ham average, but I don't think you could find any French ham here anyway). The bread is correct but not so good, you could buy it from Acme to have a nice fresh bread. It is overall too pricey compared to what you would get for the same quantity in France. In definitive, I would not recommend it to taste French food, but it's ok if you'd just like to try something new.
(2)Lisa S.
We had a lovely meal here last night. The food and the service were top drawer. We are foodies and Amour is super impressive in every regard. The attention to detail with every dish only inspired us to eat more... It's a must if you haven't tried it! Happy Holidays~ L & P
(5)Geoff H.
Spectacular, intimate, ambient, amazing food, gracious service, fine attention to detail. Five stars. Go now. Linger. Highest recommend.
(5)jennifer s.
First time here... Service was excellent and food amazing. Great spot to have great wine and flavorful tapas. Will definitely return soon!
(4)Suany W.
3.5 stars. The space is cozy and inviting, but so kitschy and cluttered that I was initially afraid to try the food. I mean, there was a branch and fake moss hanging just INCHES above my head for chrissake. I had clearly misjudged, because the food was fantastic! I loved the crostini (smoked salmon was the best!), kaffir lime beef and quail. Unfortunately, the foie gras had cooled significantly by the time we received this dish. It would have been amazing served hot. The service was extremely slow on a Friday night, and we never got the dessert menu we had asked for. However, I'd come back for the reasonably-priced bottles and delicious food.
(3)Allen J.
Had a wonderful dinner here and was impressed with every dish! I would recommend the pancetta wrapped dates, ribs and foie gras. Extremely friendly staff and brilliant wine selection. Would highly recommend checking it out!
(5)Joc V.
We used to live next door to this cute Norwegian couple, I'll call them Mr and Mrs Fjord. Mr Fjord used to carve things out of wood--he once gave us hand carved bowls with our initials etched on the bottom and Mrs Fjord knitted us scarves. Anyway, we got locked out of the house once and my brother and I had to go next next door to borrow the Fjords' phone. First the heat was turned up to 85 degrees--they could grow orchids in there-- and it smelled like potpourri, mothballs, stale Vicks and baked goods--in short, old people odors. Nonetheless, it was warm and inviting and along with the sauna treatment, we had tea and cookies with our adopted grandparents. Amour Amour is a lot like the Fjords' home: comfortable, nourishing and cute in a very European, elderly way. Don't miss out on the crostini sampler, especially the one with goat cheese and salmon and the goat cheese and fig jam. Round it out with some rose wine and kaffir lime beef. This will be your new favorite tapas place.
(4)Heather K.
This place is super cute! Perfect spot for some small bites and new wines you haven't tried before. The food is excellent and when I say "small bites" I'm being kind of misleading. The portions are actually rather generous for tapas. I HIGHLY recommend the scallops -- the flavor is amazing and unlike any dish I've had before. The cheese plate is so big, my husband and I couldn't finish it last time we were here. And the variety of wines is pretty impressive for a small place like this. Service is super friendly and welcoming, and the prices are more than fair. The only problem is that the place is really tiny, so it's a little awkward/crowded inside. But we're all friends here, right?
(4)Amit H.
Great ambiance for a date night. I love the decor in this place. We went on a Friday night and it was packed. The severs were very attentive and on the spot. Couple of things - I thought the food was little pricey. Plus weird incident happened that I've never experienced before. Yes I agree this place is small...my date and i were towards end of our meal and finishing up wine. The server asked if we could switch tables to accommodate a bigger party. So yes we got moved tables before the dessert, which I thought was very odd.
(2)Gunnar P.
Great find, after being disappointed at B St and vine I walked here and had a great experience. Nice wine list, salmon was fantastic. Great setting and friendly staff. I will be back!
(5)Hasan D.
The upscaling (is that even a word?) of San Mateo continues unabated. Amour Amour is good, so good that it may be too good for downtown San Mateo. Like the Vin Club, whose existence was predicated on the upscaling of that corner of Broadway and failed, this is a reach. It is up to the rest of downtown San Mateo to catch up. It is an open question as to whether it will. While it exists, though, I fully intend to patronise it. Good scallops, shrimp, wine, bread and a friendly, QUIET bar. The neighbourhood would do well to catch up to Amour Amour. Tapas ftw!
(4)April G.
Great boutique wine bar , great waitress :) had couple excellent dishes . Will be back to see if I can upgrade to 5 stars .
(4)Fred M.
The food was awesome, as was the service and wine. Just became one of my favorites in Bay Area. Price is great, too! Congrats, Simone!!! Awesome place!!
(5)Molly A.
Love, love, love this place! Hubby and I were looking for a new place to dine this evening and we stumbled upon Amour, Amour via Yelp! This place is AWESOME! It's very small and well decorated. I loved the ambiance! We ordered: - Sachet de Prosciutto- 3.5 stars - Crostini- Truffle Mushroom & Prosciutto- Artichoke- 5 stars - Kaffir Lime Beef- 1.5 stars. Meat was not lean enough and not tender like I was expecting. - Chocolate Mousse- 4 stars - Wine: Garnacha- 5 stars Service was 3.5 stars. Pretty attentive but we did have to catch their attention a few times. We will be coming back here soon!
(5)Fong L.
Back again and same awesome experience. Luv the laid back but classy feel. This place is well organized. The waitresses are the sweetest. I was slightly embarrassed they read my comments in their book before I left but it was all great words to their calibre. The menu is the same but soooo good. I'm so happy the tapas weren't all about cheese. I have to say this is a fabulous addition to the San Mateo vibe!
(5)Yvette S.
I didn't love it. Happy hour wasn't that happy, wine is pricey, very limited menu.... Tight in space and almost didn't seat us because their large table was reserved.
(2)Frances N.
Walk in on a whim with my girlfriend for dinner. It was a wonderfully delightful meal! The mélange of Asian flavors with traditional European tapas style dishes were amazing! Staff was attentive, helpful and the young lady owner/chef were all great. It will be on my favorite San Mateo restaurants list!
(5)Bryanna G.
We have been anxiously awaiting Amour Amour to open it's doors. We really love wine, and are always looking for good ambiance - Amour Amour offers both and more. The cheese plates are generous, thoughtfully constructed, and delicious. The decor is lovely, the music select is enjoyable, and the staff are personable. We are thrilled to have a new go-to spot in the neighborhood that can feel both like home and like an escape to Italy or France.
(5)LUDMILA G.
love the ambiance, love the food . 4 stars only because the service is a bit slow for americans.(but for europeans is just right! ;))
(4)Cay A.
Excellent!!! I don't know how I've missed this place in my yelp searches. Anyway, it's been open for about a year and a half and has four stars so I decided to give it a go for pick up. First of all, the lady was super friendly. I told her I was ordering for 5 people and she was able to accurately help me with the portion orders. We had a mix of hot & cold tapas & an amazing burst and variety of flavors. It came out to about $160 total. The skewers were super good on its own but even better when paired with the savory ribs or octopus. The trick is really to eat small bites of everything together.
(5)Charmaine L.
Had a romantic dinner date at Amour Amour for my birthday and it was wonderful from start to finish. Our waitress was kind and efficient and the ambiance was French country eclectic. The drinks and wine were good and reasonably priced during happy hour. We ordered a number of small plates and each one was as good as the next. Truffle mushroom crostini with burrata. It was so fragrant and savory that I thought nothing else would compare ever again. The quail egg crostini was almost the same, just with an addition of spicy chorizo. You must order it. The escargots were so so so tender. The garlic butter was perfect for dipping our baguette into. And there was definitely more than one escargot in each well on the plate so the value was great as well. Brussels sprouts were well prepared with drizzle of rich and thick balsamic. The sauvignon blanc prawns were sweet and tangy. The pork belly came with a very generous shaving of bonito flakes although the belly itself was very dry. The seared foie gras was accompanied with roasted grapes and a slice of pear to cut the rich fattiness of the liver. Saffron was sprinkled around the plate and was used unsparingly, which again brings a lot of value and quality to the dish. We ended with chocolate souffle which was more like a warm lava chocolate cake and a scoop of ice cream. It tasted very rich and chocolatey which I loved. We will definitely be returning for the crostini, escargots, and foie gras! Love Love!
(4)Chloe Y.
This is such a cute tapas restaurant! So glad it opened in san mateo. They have a good selection of hot tapas and most were hits! My favorites were the kaffir lime beef, brussel sprouts, the sauvignon shrimp, and the crostini! The scallops are a solid choice as well. While these are tapas, we split about 5-6 dishes among 4 and were decently satisfied. I'm excited to come back and try more of the tapas as they do change seasonally!
(5)Helen T.
Cute place on 4th street right by the Caltrain. We sat outside because the weather was surprisingly mild and it felt a little bit stuffy inside the restaurant. There are several crostini combinations with amazing toppings that we started with. It was too hard to choose, so we ended up getting the sampler (all six) for $18. My favorite was the prosciutto artichoke! We moved forward to the Sachet de prosciutto, which had goat cheese, jam, wrapped in a prosciutto pocket. It was cute, bite-size. Kaffir Lime beef- very tender meet and a delicious dipping sauce. Highly recommend. Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon - what's not to like?!! Organic Kabocha Squash with bacon - Bacon did not redeem the dish as I hoped it would. However, quite a hearty dish! My favorites were the prosciutto artichoke crostini, kaffir lime beef, the roasted brussel sprouts, and the service! We must have had half a dozen people come outside and check on us throughout the night! The chardonnay that I had with all my food was also delish! Great non-pretentious wine bar that just joined the San Mateo restaurant family.
(4)Kim F.
Great food everything we had was delicious but the one negative is we signed the check and left cash for the tip and the server came over and questioned us on the bill asking us if the amount was correct my dad said yes and then the server questioned him and said no tip my dad was embarrassed he said yes I left cash in the folder that is an old book with pages so they did not even look needless to say that just shows no class kind of spoiled our experience here at this restaurant as we would never not leave a tip
(4)Alex T.
Haven't written a review for a while, and in fact, haven't been to a place that prompts me to yelp about. I understand why this small cozy restaurant quickly became a San Mateo hit. Staff are friendly, and owner/chef Simone took time to greet every table. Ingredients are fresh and carefully selected, and the recipe is original. Portions are not as small as tapas, but more like appetizer size, but they are all good. Simone definitely has creativity, good taste and most importantly -- passion. We picked the Sangria instead of wine just to remind ourselves the good times in Spain. Unbelievably, the Sangria was filled with fresh fruits and SAKE! Very nice and surprising twist. I am going to skip recommended dishes, as all the 8 dishes we picked were good. I am certain everything else are good. So foodie friends out there, do give this place a try and enjoy the night! Mon-Thur Happy hour 4-6p btw.
(5)Yann M.
This place opened only two months ago. The owner is a very beautiful and elegant lady. She is also the chef invented all the recipes on their menu! Very gifted lady! She is doing such a fabulous job! We really enjoyed the squash in honey sauce! Pumpkin seeds were perfectly in adding some extra texture to the dish! The crostini are all delightful small bites, perfect combinations of both flavors and textures! Lamb in lychee sauce and seared scallops were the highlights of our dinner! Everything was so fresh! I am very impressed by the juicy scallops in that coconuty sauce!! Roasted beet was served with goat cheese and pine nuts! Another perfect combination! The fragrance of pine nuts enhances the flavor of the creamy goat cheese! How delightful! Also the owner has been doing lots of charities as well! They change their menu often, since the owner is always trying out new things and having new inspirations! Will definitely come back!!
(5)Rick C.
My wife and I have been to Amour Amour twice and found it to be just the place to enjoy a relaxing meal with a great selection of imported wines, friendly service, great tasting tapas surrounded by a charming decor! 4 stars for their Escargots de Bourgogne, warm Burrata Salad with Seasonal Organic Fruits and Bali Hai Baby Back Ribs. Top off your meal with their delicious Coconut Panna Cotta with mango puree dessert and a cup of Lavazza coffee. A perfect meal! We'll be back and hopefully in time for Happy Hour so we can try event more dishes!
(4)Alec W.
Simone has such a nice comfortable place. The food is always made from fresh ingredients and the team that takes care of you are top notch. Always fun to try something new
(5)Lemon C.
This place is delicious and the decor is super cute!!! We had the shrimp and quail, which were both totally mouth watering. The bread was really yummy! Everything was so good and the staff is super friendly. This is a great place for a girls get together or date night!
(5)Toshi K.
Well... I hope it becomes better, because I actually like these kinds of places. So what's good? Atmosphere, the concept, generally friendly staff, and one dish (lime beef). What's not that good? I would say that the quantity/cost ratio is a little over the top - on the expensive side. 3 shrimp for close to $10 is a bit too much. Most of the dishes tend to be on the sweeter side - I generally like my dishes to be salty, although this is more personal preference. The shrimp even has honey on it... to each on their own. On the wines - when I was there, they had many of the wines "run out". A Wine Bar that runs out of over 50% of the wines? They literally had half of the wines crossed out and I didn't get to try out a lot of things. The wines they did have was decent. And when I got a "flight" of 3 wines, I got ONE GLASS and 3 mini-containers - which makes it near impossible to taste multiple wines at the same time. I don't think I'm crazy to expect 3 glasses for a flight of 3 wines. Finally, the seats... the seats have a slight tilt to it that makes it less comfortable than your average chairs. It's I think slightly tilted backwards - and it's hard when you're trying to lean forward and eat or have a close conversation with the person in front of you. It's not horrible, but definitely not good. I'd say right now that if I had to pick, I'd pick Amie in Redwood City if it was closer, but alas, this one is closer to my home than driving to Redwood City. I sincerely hope that they do a better job in the food department (quantity/cost and more salty dishes), better availability of wines and offer multiple glasses (and talk to me more about those wines as you put them on the table), and if I'm greedy... better seats.
(3)Denise L.
Wow what an amazing place! It's a great place to go out for a great meal. The food is amazing, very fresh and original. The service is way beyond the average restaurant. The restaurant is very european, giving it a great vibe. The decor reminds me of a Classic Italian kitchen. The soup is amazing I highly recommend it. Bottom line it's a stellar restaurant!
(5)Anabel L.
It is definitely sad for me to write this review because the owner clearly cared but just did not deliver. It was one of the most disappointing meal for me. I was expecting handcraft tapas, other then the presentation was nice, everything tasted quite awful. First dish was the lime beef- cold hard boiled beef with lime juice and flower petal sprinkles. It was rough and tasteless. Second dish was the seared scallop- which again "looked" amazing but the scallop was lukewarm, no seared flavor or crispness, and the sauce was literally dessert sweet coconut milk with flower sprinkled on top. Third was the prawn-it was quite good, the only dish that came out hot, tasted like Thai food. Then we added the rack of lamb and lobster bisque because portion was small. Lobster bisque came out completely cold. It was just cream, flour, orange food coloring and again, flower sprinkle. No lobster flavor, no texture. Again, flower petal sprinkle over it. The lamb was the worst by far. One piece was rare while the other was well done. On top of that, it was extremely sweet. It was like rack of lamb drenched in syrup, very strange taste. And again, with flower petal sprinkled over it. Lastly, was the "Dungeness crab" crostini. Let's be honest, it was canned crab meat that's been left out all day. My friend and I picked off all of the crab because it was awful. The best part of the meal was the wine. The owner was nice enough to take the lamb dish off our bill and offer a complimentary glass of wine. However, still was not worth $120.
(1)Lilian K.
Visited yesterday on a whim with my husband (kid-less!) and enjoyed the setting and ambience. The food was fresh and light, the baguettes were soft on the inside but a little too crunchy and tough to bite (for me personally) on the outside... They left little cuts on the roof of my mouth! My husband ordered the Vietnamese sandwiches and I ordered the prosciutto sandwich and both were delicious. The downside was there were only two parties in the entire restaurant for lunch and the owner/server forgot our appetizer so we decided to have her cancel the order since we were already almost done with our meal! I still may go back but I anticipate that the service wouldn't be up to my standards.
(3)Katrina A.
This place is absolutely delicious. We stopped by here for a late-night snack and were not disappointed: the skewer was great (although we, for some reason, assumed there would be more than one haha) and the panini I had was a fantastic flavor explosion. The ambience, too, was great, even though there was a loud party of drunk middle-aged women. Would go back for dinner sometime.
(5)Dyuti S.
This is a super cute new place in San Mateo. When I say super cute, here's what I mean: You are an expat living in France. You stop by a little shop with a man playing Beatles songs in the doorway. His voice is like Nick Drake. He sings in English. He is an awesome guitar player. There are six tables and bar seating. Everything is compact. And cute. The decorations are many in good taste. Cute. It feels like a charming French cafe. But everyone speaks English inside (thus the expat reference). They have wine flights. The wines are mostly European or southern hemisphere wines. Very few California wines. Why? Because you aren't in California. You are somwhere else. They have food. It is not American food. It's not French. It has Asian flavors sometimes. It's like California cuisine with Asian undertones (VERY subtle ones). There are very few vegetarian options but there are a few (about three). You are not in California. You are somewhere else. Charming and cute. But not for vegetarians.
(5)Kathy L.
Got here on opening day! The concept is great, and everything we tried was sourced really well. John legend was blasting through the shop. The decorations were rustic. Tried the lobster bisque. It was yummy, but a bit sweet. The soup spoon was deliberately small, forcing you to savor every taste. We also tried the squash and the charcuterie plate. Both were yummy. Avoid the crab bruschetta. It didn't work for us. They added truffle honey. Crab, which is supposed to be sweet didn't taste right sweet. Also, they added burrata cheese, which also did not work with the smoked salmon on this dish. Overall, everything was very enjoyable. We will come again. The bathroom was modern, very clean. As always, the way I rate bathrooms with regards to a restaurant is very high. A good restaurant typically has a great bathroom. A bad bathroom is also an indicator of a restaurant without a good process. Great job for a restaurant first timer! The owner is extremely nice and offered to prepare something special. We like the fact that this establishment really cares.
(4)Mike H.
The second day they opened their doors I showed up hungry and was heartily welcomed by staff and owner. The elegant yet old world decor was very cozy, as was the eclectic blend of Brazilian, French and Portuguese music was chill and really helped transport me a to a place that complemented their menu. After perusing 40+ wines and a well laid out tapas menu, I ordered their Kaffir Lime Beef, prosciutto-artichoke-sun_dried tomato-balsamic crostini and shallot Eggplant. The Luis Pato white wine was a great complement. The servings were well portioned and the prices provided most foodies the opportunity sample several plates. The owner/chef as well as three other members of the staff took time to say hello and ask if there was anything I needed. Their passion for food was clearly represented in their attitude and comments, and proven in the quality of each dish I ordered. I don't see that often enough, and when i do it is too often accompanied with pretentiousness. Their quality shows through all they do, and I believe they will do very well for themselves. Give them a try!
(5)Melissa T.
This place deserves all the stars and more! I want to make this restaurant my weekly date night place. The restaurant currently isn't seating at full capacity and selfishly, I hope it doesn't so the ambiance can stay the same. This is a place PERFECT for a romantic date night or an intimate get together with close friends. You can tell the decor, silverware, everything was meticulously chosen. The food choices are superb, delicious, and carefully crafted. Service is warm and friendly - you will definitely leave here thinking you'd been transported to another county. Do not come expecting a quick and fast meal. It'll take some time for the food to come, but it'll be worth it. I am a HUGE fan of the crostini platter. I've also had a taste of their kobacha squash, kaffir line beef, and torta nocciola. I can't wait to eat my way through the entire menu. On the menu it says it's a place to unwind and destress - I think this place does just that and does it better than anywhere else I can think of
(5)Lea M.
Great atmosphere for a glass of wine and hanging out. The decor was quaint and definitely takes me back to France. My husband made reservations since restaurants in downtown San Mateo get quite busy on Fridays. We shared a couple of tapas and got the crostini sampler because we couldn't decide on which one to try. My favorite was the fried quail egg and chorizo. The egg was cooked sunny side and seasoned with pepper and salt. In general, their bread was crispy on the outside and fluffy soft on the inside. We were stuff by the end of our meal, so will need to go back to try the rest of their menu.
(5)M. L.
Lovely little hole in the wall. Great food and great sangria. The tapas are inventive and delicious. And the owner and staff are very friendly.
(5)Gigi K.
Cute local place in San Mateo! The restaurant is very small and the tables are very close together, but the food and service were excellent. Mostly tapas style/shareable dishes. Cozy and intimate - good for couples but if you get one or two big groups in there, it starts to feel a little too crowded and raucous. When we went in the winter, they served us complimentary mulled wine that was delicious. Might give it 4* if in a city, but on the peninsula, it's a rare gem and we were very pleasantly surprised.
(5)Jen C.
Yuck got really bad food poisoning here! Ordered all cooked dishes and still got so sick I couldn't even get out of bed the next day. Quality was not good. Even ordered the foie gras which was stringy and greasy. It was clearly not a choice piece and not cooked properly. Disgusting. The wine selection is also crappy. I would not recommend this place. Do your self a favor and go around the corner to b street and vine. Cheaper, better quality, better service and better food. They even have live music and an outdoor patio area. :)
(2)Rebecca L.
Best part of my meal was the wine. We had meat, scallop, shrimp, lamb, dungeness crab, and lobster bisque. Lobster bisque tasted mix of cream n flour. N it was cold when it came out Scallop sauce was way too sweet. Lamb was horrible. One pc was rare while other one was well done. Meat has no flavor n tasted rough. Shrimp was actually decent. Tasted like Thai. Dungeness crab clearly came out of a can. Probably won't ever come back. And you can tell the servers didn't come from a restaurant background.
(1)Jonathan H.
We really enjoyed Amour Amour and definitely recommend it. Having said that, there were some rough edges with service tonight but I think they have a ton of potential. The atmosphere is cute, cozy, and relaxing in my opinion. The decor was one of the things that attracted us there in the first place after walking by a couple of times in the past few weeks. The food was excellent. We started with the prosciutto with fig jam, goat cheese, and almond and then a flat bread with salmon, tobiko, some kind of creamy cheese, and dill. Both were so good, will absolutely order them again once we try everything else on the menu. Next we tried the beef with kaffir lime and then the Kabocha Squash. The Kabocha Squash blew my mind and the beef dish was delicious. Everything felt like it had a ton of love poured into it but there were some oversights and mistakes with service that I think they can improve on. They need a little more organization and confidence when seating people, when we entered it wasn't clear who was going to seat us and then one person started to and then we got switched to another person. First service was prompt and our first order came out quickly but you had to be very careful when you wanted further service because they weren't looking around after serving other tables. They brought me the wrong desert along with my wife's desert and I'm dumb and didn't realize it until after I took a bite. Turns out mine was for the table next to us so they made them a new desert and I went ahead and stuck with the wrong one (it was delicious). I probably should have given 3 stars but I think this place has the potential to be a 5 start in my book after they get some more experience and level up their service. The tapas we tried were amazing and I look forward to trying everything else.
(4)Aleksey L.
We had great tapas! Wonderful flavors! The shrimp is excellent. Staff is very friendly. We are so glad to have a new place in San Mateo that isn't the same old. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Kate R.
I have visited Amour numerous times since their opening a few months ago and I continue to be impressed. The food is nothing less than exceptional. Simone (the owner) had created one of the most inventive menu's I've come across - and I've been to my fair share of top rated restaurants in the bay. Im a bit of a wine bar snob and this tops my favorite spot in the city. Yeah, she's THAT good. Some of my favorites: Sauvignon prawns - um, they're simply to die for. Kale salad - I'm the kind of foodie that rocks a "kale yeah" shirt and it's the best kale salad I've had. The dressing is so unique, light and refreshing. Kabocha squash - the blend of sweet, salty, and spice plus the texture of the raisins, pumpkin seeds and soft squash is out of this world. Big portions too! Roasted brussel sprouts - with bacon. Nuff said. Pork belly - slow braised for 10 hours with spiced flavors like anise and ginger wow The quality of the cheeses and cured meats are also off the charts. I mean, just about everything I have tried I have loved. Side note - I am not quite sure what the other low start reviewers are talking about. I'm surprised they could be that disappointed. Anabell and her "beef was tasteless?" comment? Seriously? Did we dine at the same spot? (Do you have tastebuds or a frame of reference for solid fare?) I've also had the kaffir lime beef and it's a party in my mouth. It's an intense explosion of flavor. And the lamb!? Don't get me started OMG ... it's no longer on the menu (she rotates it) but it was fall-out-of-your-seat spectacular. I actually asked for the recipe. Seriously. Do yourself a favor and check this place out. I just discovered they have a happy hour too!
(5)Valerie C.
Amazing food, wonderful service and owners are so fun and so hospitable and lovely, I highly suggest this place, the food is also beautiful and delicious...."bring your family and friends here", you won't be disappointed !! ***And...wonderful wines, Spanish to Italian, it's all good*** Thank you Simone for always an amazing experience !
(5)JoAnne B.
We had dinner here tonight for the first time.. Everything was much better than we expected ..we loved the shrimp dish so much we ordered a second one ! The food was fresh, flavorful and delicious. We are looking forward to going back for more....
(4)Vicki K.
This place was fantastic. From the mint/cucumber water in the metal glass, to the last bit of pickle from our panini, it was great. The olive oil/balsamic to start was very rich. We ended up finishing all of it. We had the truffle crostini and a sachet de prosciutto to start, and thought our mouths had gone to heaven. We split the prosciutto/goat cheese and the turkey brie paninis, and they were a perfect blend of sweet and savory. The presentation was amazing, and they embrace the Slow Food Movement with locally grown produce. We walked in for lunch, but we'll be taking our respective spouses back for a nice, intimate dinner. Thank you!
(5)Pinkilism M.
We came here first time tonight, lovely decors and very nice service. The most importantly their foods were delicious. We ordered the chicken liver moose (excellent!!), lime beef (love the chimichurri sauce, beef were ok, were little over cooked to my taste), blue crab cake ( my favorite!), half plate of taste of Barcelona (very good, love the spain sausage) and house made dessert was nice too. They also have good wine selections. Overall the experience was great, we will come back again soon!
(5)Rashed S.
This place is great !!!! Stopped for desert.... It's was delicious !!!!!! Defiantly recommend it.
(5)Annette B.
Lovely cozy place with delicious food!!!Would definitely go back and bring more friend!!!
(5)Natalie L.
Tasty food, a short but exotic wine list and great service. First visited this place about 3 weeks ago and surprisingly the waitress happen to remember me and even the wine that I ordered.
(5)Rebecca C.
This is only my opinion. I believe that the owner has a good concept at Amour, Amour but the execution leaves a bit to be desired. The place is small and cozy and this could work amazingly however, my suggestion would be to edit the decor. There is so much stuff everywhere you could actually just walk by thinking it was a tchotchke store and not a place for a nice glass of wine and small appetizers. The space is adorable and really be tastefully done with the right decorator. The next thing is the menu, it is too extensive with some items that are done very well and others that taste so similar it seems repetitive and shouldn't even be on the menu and others just miss the mark. Perhaps sitting down with a group of people that aren't employees and wouldn't be intimidated and trying out the entire menu and paring it down to only your best items. The wine list is amazing and our server knew what to recommend and why, so I have nothing to say about that. She even introduced me to my new middle of the road favorite Chardonnay. The pricing is a bit off the mark...it is a bit too high! We started our evening here with 4 of us just doing a mixture of sampling and some wine tasting and our bill was more than dinner w/1 cocktail each and wine for all later the same evening at 31st Union which is Farm to Table and Organic. I think with a bit of fine tuning this could be turned into a great little hot spot to start or end your evenings. Let me know if I can help...
(3)Rona m.
I really wanted to like this place, but it fell short. As most other reviewers stated, service was nice, but the pace of the food coming out was excruciating. Halfway through the meal our husbands were talking about picking up take out from another restaurant on the way home. Note to owner, beef up size of the tapas, bring two bread baskets for 4 people, pick up the pace, make sure temperature of items is correct (hot scallops with a sear on them, ours were cold and rubbery).
(3)Kristina L.
What a cute little gem of a place! Very old world European charm with amazing food! Everything is made in house and the staff was very friendly. It was surprisingly packed on a Monday night! For starters we had the truffle mushroom and the fried quail egg with chorizo crostinis. They were big enough to split between two people maybe even three. The bread was perfectly toasted and the truffles just melt in your mouth. I can and will never pass up seared Foie Gras, it was divine atop a wine poached pear. We also had the Crevettes aux Poivre: Prawns...it was a little sweeter than expected but it was delicious! The sauce is so good, you want to scrape it all up with the baguette it comes with. The oregano octopus was perfectly blanched, I did feel it was a little on the herby side for me but nonetheless we still devoured it! Escargot was definitely garlicky and it was so tasty! They really have everything down! Love the menu! For drinks, we didn't do alcohol but had the sparkling orange soda, very refreshing and hit the spot on a warm summer's night. We topped everything off with the housemade coconut pannacotta with mango puree. Oh my!!!! I am always a stickler for pannacotta and this was amazingly good...the consistency and combination was absolute happiness in my mouth! Definitely will come back again and again, so many more dishes to try! Only regret is that I wish I'd come sooner!
(5)Tina C.
The food is well prepared but nothing spectacular. For a wine and tapas bar, we were surprised that our server lacked knowledge of the wines on the menu. Also, they don't offer wine flights for tastings. The glass of granache I had was pretty good so someone in the back knows how to pick wines.
(3)Monica S.
What a fantastic spot for a glass of wine with hubby! Quant, lovely and the service is nice. Their selection of wine was top notch! I love wine bars.. this place is wonderful!
(5)Mekhala E.
A few weeks ago, a friend and I were looking for a place to chat it up over some alcohol and good food and stumbled upon Amour Amour while in the neighborhood. I absolutely loved the decor and ambiance, it small and cozy place filled with cutesy decorative pieces throughout the restaurant. The service was also exceptional, our server was very attentive and pleasant. Food wise though, there were dishes that we loved and dishes that just did not do it for us. We got the foie gras, seared scallops, kabocha squash and tartufata. I think my favorites were the foie and scallops. the tartufata was good but had a little too much olive oil for my liking. the kabocha squash was my least favorite. That said, Amour Amour is one of those places that warm your heart and for reason makes you want to go back.
(4)Jules A.
Hands down the best place in San Mateo. It was absolutely delicious and the service was amazing. Great wine, and the waitress was really knowledgable about pairings. We had the salmon crostini and ordered 3 additional because it was so amazing. I highly recommend for a date night or a girls night! What a blast. Will be back at least once a month!
(5)William Q.
Don't get how they received so many 4 and 5 star praises ... The experience was quite disappointing. You feel the bad ventilation the moment you entered, the restaurant smelled oily the entire time. The service was ok but everything were slow. The food was average, the waitress was polite and courteous. Other than than, there wasn't much worth complimenting. Going to this restaurant was because of the high praises seeing at yelp. Guess this is one of the few exceptions Yelp didn't meet up to my expectations;(
(2)Jerome C.
We went to Amour Amour Wine Bar-Tapas for dinner tonight. Food was good but nothing really special, sadly... and the other customers were extremely loud, which is a big turn-off for both of us. Still, this is the first restaurant in the Bay Area, we went to, with designed silverware, so there is that ;) We had a Crostini Sampler (6 slices of bread with different toppings) and a Taste of Barcelona (smoked ham, chorizo, Manchego cheese, almonds and olives). Everything was good and reasonably priced.
(3)Mandy C.
This is definitely my new favorite go-to and definitely my new amour in San Mateo! It's such a neighborhood gem hidden on E.4th! The place looks so cute, so French and smells so good with food aroma. The wine list is of decent size and their food menu is mouth-watering and is pretty good portion with hints of Vietnamese-French influence. I really like the Luis Pato under Crisp/Acidic White because of its honey after taste, and the brussel sprout, which comes in pretty big portion and so flavorful that I couldn't stop eating more of it with my wine. The "chocolate soufflé" was also really good but it came out more like a molten lava cake. The waitress was so nice and make such good recommendation. She was also super jolly and nice about everything! What place would ask you if you want lemon with even hot water? Sweet! This place has so many little details with the decors including the bathroom, and you can tell they put a lot of heart into the food too! When I was there, I overheard the owners and their friends critiquing the menu and about how to improve it in the table next to us. It's the perfect little spot for all gatherings. Can't wait to try more food and wine from their menus!
(5)Anson T.
The service is slow but that's part of the charm [there's also small signs reminding everyone that the food will take time so consider yourself notified]. Food was amazing, our new favorite local spot of fancy food and outdoor dining. Improviser zinfandel is a favorite. Tuscan heat dip is excellent Foie Gras is AWESOME Seared Scallops, wife loved them i thought it was okay [too coconutty for me but still good] Pork belly -- will be a staple order whenever we go there We went there three times in one week and will try and go there every month as a date night
(5)chandra p.
What a great, unique addition to San Mateo! I stopped by after work on a Wednesday and was delighted by such a welcoming, relaxing atmosphere. I was greeted immediately by friendly wait staff and enjoyed perusing the extensive tapas and wine menus. Although I'm vegan, they're able to modify quite a few things that can easily accommodate my dietary restrictions. I tried three different types of crostini (truffle, beet and kale...all three were delish) as I sipped away at a lovely, crisp white wine from South America. I'll definitely be back to try some more food and wine soon...
(5)Ann P.
This is one of my very favorite restaurants in San Mateo. The food is fresh and delicious. My favorites are the skewered shrimp and the turkey and brie cheese sandwich on a fresh baguette. The Vietnamese coffee was very treaty. The place is cozy and uniquely decorated. This is a great place to enjoy a delicious meal in a relaxing environment.
(5)Ina S.
I don't think this place will survive. Visited on Friday with 5 girls. The service was horrible slow, which ok maybe that could be swept under the rug. There was 5 of us and it was Friday night and busy. But what did me in, was when we ordered dessert I saw one of the employees taking and ice cream scooper and scooping Kirkland Ice Cream onto a plate and drizzling chocolate sauce. Ok I have nothing against Kirkland ice cream from Costco , but in a restaurant in front of people who are eating, at 7 or whatever it is bucks per scoop. At least hide it, or pretend or put it in unmarked container if you are doing it in the front. That really blew me out of the water. i am sure restaurants do this all the time, but in plain view.. hmmm not good
(1)Yana P.
Very bad service , took over 1 hr to get any food on the table. Desert wasn't of a good quality at all.
(1)Michaela V.
This is a "wine bar" with an identity crisis. Are you French? Are you Italian? Are you Japanese? Sake at a wine bar? Yes I know, rice wine, but really? It's a cute place and you can tell they are trying to make it a success, but they have a long way to go. Let's start with they are in a TINY space. Take down half of the décor on the walls. Boom instantly a more spacious and less cluttered look. Switch out the chairs in a hurry. They are terribly uncomfortable and have a much wider base than any restaurant chair should ever have. I just loved stubbing my toe on the way to our table. The guy crooning Beatles with his guitar at the front door was cute-ish. Again, trying to have a nice atmosphere, but there really was no room for him and he was more comic relief than anything. I wasn't impressed with the wines they had, nor their wine flight set up. I will say we didn't try any food. We came for some wine tasting after dinner. It seems like everyone has reviewed this placed based on food, perhaps why my review is so at odds to everyone else. One friend did order some dessert ... that took forever to get to the table and then was not what she ordered anyway. That brings me to service. They tried, but missed. Nice and friendly but slow and with zero knowledge on the wines they were serving. When we had finally had enough and decided it was time to move on to B Street and Vine it took about 20 minutes to get the check. Overall not an enjoyable experience. I wish them luck, but I won't be back.
(2)Jimmy G.
Great authentic tapas bar. Came on the opening night and was treated very well by the friendly staff. Food was very high quality and had very unique tastes. Definitely going to return for the prawns. Yum!
(5)Suzanne W.
Very, very good! The food was delicious. We will be back. Need new chairs...not very comfortable.
(4)Miriam W.
This is definitely a place to sit for a while, relax, and slowly drink wine with friends. Don't go here if you're on a schedule! Service was slow but friendly. We didn't have anywhere to be and therefore didn't really mind, but the couple next to us was clearly unhappy at their wait - the waiter brushed them off once as they tried to cancel their crostini sampler, then brought it out 15 minutes later. It took even longer for them to get the check. To add insult to injury, when the waiter brought out our crostini sampler several minutes later, he told us, "You're in luck - we just brought out the FRESH ingredients, we were trying to clear the other stuff out." The couple overheard this and was understandably less than pleased. Having said that, our food was delicious, if on the pricey side. We ordered the kaffir lime beef (great), the seared scallops (good), and the kabocha squash (absolutely amazing). All of the crostini were delicious as well. The waiter brought out some gelato with our almond tartlet as a "thank you" for our patience. Frankly the gelato was better than the tartlet, but both were fine. I know others have commented on the decor - I didn't mind, my husband was actually uncomfortable about how many eclectic things were on the walls. Between that and the iffy service, there are definitely other places in town for us to try. I'm a bit disappointed because I was hoping for a bit more.
(3)Margot D.
Popped in here for dessert and a drink and it was phenomenal. Super intimate, very different than lots of other places I've been to. We loved the mulled wine and had the chocolate mousse and seriously regretted not having had come here for the whole meal. You can tell the owner has been putting her heart and soul into the restaurant, even paying a kindness to a stranger off the street. We will definitely be going back soon for a full meal and you should too!!
(5)Shana O.
We really enjoyed our dinner here, and I think with time & a bit more experience, they will be able to offer a truly exceptional dining experience. The restaurant is very small, cozy, & cute; most importantly, it's unique & different for the San Mateo dining scene - it has a very comfortable, homey feel. I do think it's a bit overdone & could stand to lose about half of the chotchkies, but that's sort of part of its charm. Service was incredibly slow, but they definitely seem invested in providing their diners with a good experience, so I expect that to improve with time. The food was delicious and reasonably priced. We started with the pecorino brilla cheese plate (served with apples & honey) which was good, though I probably wouldn't order it again (mostly because there are so many other dishes I'd like to try). The Kefir lime beef was tangy, spicy, & savory all at the same time. My only complaint would be that it was only lukewarm. The crostini sampler was a nice selection of about six varieties, & each was big enough to split between the 2 of us. All were good, but the prosciutto & artichoke was probably my favorite. I didn't expect to particularly like the beet & ricotta with almonds, but it was surprisingly tasty! The wine flights are a good way to sample different wines at a reasonable price. I look forward to visiting them again when they've gotten a bit more experience under their belts.
(4)L K.
This place is awesome! Came here with hubby to tried out their tapas. The food is really good. All the dishes we got are very yummy. I love the cozy atmosphere, pretty decor and nice service.
(4)george s.
Absolutely one of the best tapas wine bar! Tried sauvignon prawns. .the best sauce made with honey lemon, saffron and lemon grass.seared scallops with lychee coconut sauce. The kaffir lime beef was great with the chimichurri,cabernet saffron sauce
(5)Henry L.
This is a really tough review for me to write. This place was clearly built out of love for food and wine. But the lack of experience in running restaurants is evident in many aspects of the restaurant. First off, the chairs here are terrible for a restaurant. Why would you buy chairs that stick out at the bottom? They are asking for people to trip on these all the time. The decor is a bit too busy for my taste. It's just reminds me of restaurants from a decade ago. Very warm and comforting, but feels like it lacks professionalism. When we ate here they were understaffed. Apparently 3 waiters called in sick? Most new restaurants will over hire like crazy to weed out the flakes and stuff. Again, this is a sign of underexperience. And seriously, who has 3 waiters call in sick during the first few weeks of an opening. What did they eat? The service that we did get was slow at best. At the end of dinner I asked for my check, and the owner brought the check out for another table. They paid. We were the only table left. No check. Eventually just went up to the front to pay. Our entire dinner experience took nearly TWO HOURS. At worst it should have been a 90 minute dinner. The owner was busy still trying to figure out the POS to notice what's going around in the restaurant. I feel bad, because she was trying. Just not in the right areas of the business at the right time. Fortunately the food that we did eat was pretty decent. The crostinis tasted pretty good, but as much as I like mushrooms, there was too much topping to bread ratio. The egg on the crostini with quail egg and sausage was a little too overcooked for my taste as well. As a first time outing, it's not a failure. It's OK. There's a lot of potential for improvement over time if the owner can make this place last.
(2)Tiffanie L.
It's been 3 days since I've eaten here and I'm STILL thinking about how wonderful the food and experience was. The decor is cute and comfortable. The food is amazing. We walked in and had a table immediately on a Friday night. Was it a bad sign? Not so much - I felt LUCKY if anything. My friend and I met up at Amour Amour to have some appetizers. We were planning on grabbing a small bite as we waited for our other friends to get off work. After we ate the complimentary bread they brought to our table, we knew it was all over - we were going to have a complete dinner and we did not care how much we were spending. What we ordered for the two of us: - Oolong tea - Some kind of red wine (I can't remember which) - 2 quail egg crositinis with apricot jam - Kabocha Squash with honey-butter sauce, pepper, olive, chive, parsley, and bacon - Pork belly - Prosciutto wrapped with goat cheese, fig jam, almond, Provence herbs - Tartufata with burrata cheese served on a baguette - Escargot - Chocolate souffle - Chocolate Mousse The servers were wonderful. They were attentive, yet not intrusive. My friends and I talked and ate - A GREAT TIME. The bill wasn't served in tradition check folder; it was served in a cute notebook that matched the decor. Guests are able to write little reviews so future guests can read them. I wrote: "I wish I could eat this well everyday. I wouldn't even mind being fat." It's completely true. Everything tasted amazingly and the bill was moderate. The atmosphere was nice and I give 5 stars to every category of the dinner. It's Monday and my friend and I are so sad they're closed. We understand; even great restaurants need rest time at least once week. We're looking forward to our second visit! I COMPLETELY AND WHOLE HEARTEDLY RECOMMEND THIS PLACE FOR EVERYTHING.
(5)