Above Fifth — Restaurant in San Rafael

Above Fifth is the rooftop bar of the AC Hotel in San Rafael, CA. The hotel is part of the Marriott hotel franchise. Yes, a franchise hotel is in downtown San Rafael. Times are a changin'.

Anyways, the bar is open 4pm-11pm Wednesday-Sunday, closed on Monday - Tuesday. The hotel is about 54 feet tall so it is not particular tall, but tall enough for some awesome views of downtown, surrounding hills, and Mount Tam. The seating area, like the hotel, has modern upscale aesthetics with relaxed vibes.

The views are gorgeous. The staff are sweethearts, five star service. The drinks and tapas menu price points are of course pricey. But what was up with the stained paper menus. Eww. Anyways, the fam ordered drinks (cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks) and tapas of olives, hummus and pita, and fingerling potatoes. The olives were delicious and it was a good medley of various kinds. The fingerling potatoes were a bit boring tasting, it could use more seasonings for added zing. Not sure how the green hummus tasted, I snoozed on that one.

Overall, the drinks are good, ambiance fantastic, and the food is meh. This is a type of place I would go for special occasions and not on a regular basis, my wallet...

We had high hopes for The Ave Fifth roof top bar. Unfortunately, this is major fail. We arrived on a Friday at 4pm to a line waiting to go up the elevator. There was a host taking groups up one at a time. Many people were turned away and had wait times of 2 hours even when meeting someone staying at the hotel. After a 30 minute wait to go to the roof top we couldn't find any seating in the area that was designated for service. It is a beautiful setting but the roof top is blazing hot with very little shaded areas. Those areas that have service for drinks and food either were taken or had a reservation sign (no one sat in the reserved area the whole time we were there). There is no bar walk up service and no serve yourself water stands. Therefore if you don't sit down at a table in the designated area you will not get served. There were three wait staff, three bartenders and a manager...all very confused and stressed out. The food was very good. The drinks are overpriced ($17 dollars for a vodka and water) and there is not a happy hour. Unfortunately, we...

Hooray for a new date spot! The location, views of Mount Tam, and food are exceptional. The business is staffing up, and without a reservation, you will likely wait in the lobby for 5-15 minutes. That small inconvenience helps space things out for the staff so that you will be served promptly and they won't be slammed. As you can imagine, this is a spot getting attention.

Ali, who oversees the operation, is friendly, thoughtful, and professional. Expect exciting menu changes, and visit a few times before passing judgment. A reservation isn't required, but it will get you a spot in the shade. We had carrot hummus, sea bass, and mocktails (non-alcoholic items aren't on the menu, but I hope to see them included soon). The food was delicious!

Kindness costs nothing and new businesses benefit from a bit of grace. We’re lucky to have life returning to the hospitality industry after years of pandemic lows. (Go, Ali...