MacArthur Park Restaurant and Bar — Restaurant in Palo Alto

I’d give this one 2.5 stars if I could.

The good: The wines there are excellent The bistro lights outside are very cute There are plenty of tables They have good sourdough bread

The not so good: This is clearly a restaurant in decline. We were there during prime dinner hours on a Saturday night for a wedding dinner, and the place wasn’t even 20% full. Despite that, service was awful, and the food incredibly slow. As in, a meal with zero appetizers or special orders took three hours (maybe to drive up the drinks tab? I’m not sure). Our waitress was very coarse, and had a really bad attitude. I don’t say that lightly - she made passive aggressive comments to the bride when we arrived about half our wedding party being late, was defensive when a dish did not include all the described ingredients, and kept giving people horrible forced smiles despite clearly not wanting to be there. She acted like she was doing us a favor just by showing up. The only time I saw her try remotely hard was when she handed everyone the check, in which she clearly wanted to ingratiate herself. But even though there weren’t many people there, servers rarely checked on us, to the point that we had to pour our own wine, and go find waitstaff when we needed anything. The elderly members of our party got very cold as the sun set, but no one was available to turn on the heat lamps. While the outdoor area was kind of nice with a fountain and cute lighting, the huge tv undercut the ambiance, along with blaring pop music that was out of sync with the old timey vibe. When I mentioned the music to the host, he was frustrated we had chosen a table near the speakers. Inside, it looked a bit like a country club from the 1950’s, that hasn’t had many updates. The hallways to the bathrooms were creepy with broken fluorescent lighting, and people were constantly almost running into each other in the dark. The food was completely uninteresting. It was good, but nothing that you might remember a week later. I guess I would call it a white bread Americana menu, mostly appealing to generations born prior to the 1960’s. It is definitely not Californian, and not high end or creative. I am very surprised it has survived in the Palo Alto market, given how different it is from other restaurants in the downtown area, and would be surprised if it’s still there a couple of years from now. I think most of the patrons must be families who have lived in the Bay quite a long time, and that this restaurant reminds them of simpler days past. They did not ask if we wanted coffee or tea with dessert, and the one person who did order coffee received it after everyone had eaten cake and was standing up to leave. The location is a little loud and hard to find next to Caltrain - take the first right off of Alma, not the second.

All in all, I was happy to be there because nothing could dim my joy at my friends’ happiness getting married. But, I thought it was important to note for other couples wanting to celebrate anniversaries or a special day, how the entire party was treated like an afterthought.

If you want to be truly celebrated, go someplace that cherishes and welcomes your business, where the experience echoes and...

I am sorry to report that this place is simply a NOT RECOMMENDED. It has so much potential. The first sign was the ability to get a table on a Saturday night without the need for a reservation in Palo Alto. I mean that is unheard of. Anyway, we arrived to only a few cars in the parking lot. We were a party of six including two children and asked for a table on the patio. It was a warm afternoon and the patio was cool and refreshing. Though as mentioned, there were only two other tables with customers in a patio of at least 20 tables. Our waiter explained the menu which was helpful. Everything seemed to be “highly recommended”. We settled for a Napa cab in lieu of pre-dinner drinks, table bread, calamari & artichokes as an appetizer. I have to say the calamari was delicious though the artichoke hearts were somewhat bland, perhaps not fresh. Two of us ordered the “highly recommended” filet mignon with garlic mashed potatoes and steamed veggies. We waited 45 minutes for our meals which signals to me the waiter wanted to sell us another bottle of wine. Almost no customers, yet the cook couldn’t grill two steaks to rare and medium rare within an acceptable 20 minutes. In fact the waiter came back without the dinners to ask if we “needed” a second bottle of wine. We were at that point all upset the meals had yet to be served. The mood had been ruined. Finally, the filet mignon plates were delivered. One supposedly rare, the other supposedly medium rare. NOPE! The rare was thoroughly cooked well done and the MR cooked medium well. We refused them. Perhaps if the dishes had been served in a reasonable time, they would not had needed to keep reheating it and then serving. It’s either that or the chef/cook is untrained in determining when a steak is ready. Either way, we all got up and left, paying for what some of us had been served, but all of us very unhappy with the service and overall experience. It could have been so much better. Not recommended. I have 3.6M reviews, this is one of the worst I’ve ever written. No restaurant response needed. I’ve read through other 1 rated comments, our experience...

For the past seven years, our department has hosted our annual holiday party at MacArthur Park, and each year has been an enchanting experience. Nestled in downtown Palo Alto, MacArthur Park, a historic gem, consistently offers a magical atmosphere that transcends expectations, encompassing delightful cuisine, impeccable service, and an ambiance that captivates our guests.

Throughout the holiday season, MacArthur Park undergoes a festive transformation into a Winter Wonderland. The centerpiece, a magnificent 17 ft tall Christmas tree, serves as a beacon of holiday cheer. The entire restaurant is adorned with festive decor and lighting, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere that sets the perfect stage for our annual gathering.

I appreciate Faz, Mitize, and the entire team at MacArthur Park for their exceptional professionalism and dedication. Working with them has been an absolute pleasure, and their attentive service and seamless coordination, particularly when hosting a group of our size, deserve the highest praise. Their support is integral to the success of our event.

In essence, MacArthur Park has become more than a venue for our holiday festivities; it has become a partner in creating enduring memories for our department. We look forward to continuing this wonderful tradition and appreciate the extraordinary efforts of the MacArthur Park team in making each celebration...