The State Room — Restaurant in San Rafael

We decided to walk up and down 4th Street on a Friday evening and pick a random place for dinner, finally choosing The State Room because it seemed to have more energy than most of its neighboring restaurants.

We were easily seated without a reservation at 5:30, but by 6:00 the place was filling up. Wouldn't be a bad idea to get a reservation. It's a very lively happy hour. That's what I liked best about the State Room. It's got a great energy.

I'm not really sure what the ambiance is going for…sort of a warm sports bar industrial feel with old timey style pictures. It feels a little like an ai curated Pinterest board urban chic. I actually googled to see if this is a chain. I don't think it is, but it gives off those kind of vibes

We had very prompt and efficient service, except after we had finished eating and the table was cleared. I mean, the server checked in on us three times throughout the meal, but once we were ready to pack it up, he was nowhere to be seen. I'm sure this was just an anomaly, but it's a pet peeve of mine…having to sit for a long time at an empty table, then having to hunt down the server to get the bill.

The food was fine. I had the Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl. Others at my table had the Fried Chicken and the Creole Special. You can certainly order a variety of food, there is no special focus. We all agreed our dishes were perfectly adequate.

My recommendation is to visit The State Room with friends and hang out at the lively bar. If you're looking for a memorable meal, you might try elsewhere. Again, not bad, just...

I'll start with the summation: it's a nice lively addition to Fourth Street and a pretty good spot for drinks and nibbles. That was my first visit. There are numerous shareable small plates for that "drinks with friends" plan, but when I returned for dinner I was a bit disappointed.

Probably should have just opted for the burger, which was what brought me back (hello IG) but instead I got distracted by the Wailea Poke starter (miss my Brick & Bottle tartare!). I should have stuck with that, but instead took our server's decent recommendation to get the East West salad (an "Asian Chop" if you will) and add the poke on top. Not a bad idea - and the tuba was delicious! - but the salad seemed like it had been dressed a few hours ago, and had sat waiting for an order...

We ordered the Brave Potatoes to share, and they were as tasty as I'd heard but I'd get the Harissa aioli on the side next time as the potatoes didn't stay crispy very long.

My friend ordered the Sticky Ribs and (on suggestion) added the Fire Cracker Green Beans. Beans were tasty! And spicy FYI. But the ribs were a miss with a bit of a strange gamey aftertaste that was funky. She left the majority of them behind. So she added the Mac & Cheese with "bacon dust" and that was quite good. Creamy, al dente, and savory.

Plus 2 glasses of wine, this dinner of small plates was $100. Ugh.

Not sure I'd come back unless it was for the burger deal: $16 including salad or fries. Or maybe I'll meet friends for just drinks and...

We went as a group of three without a reservation, and still had to wait 45 mins for a table, even though it's not that busy. They used a lot of space in the restaurant for bench seats and counter seats, instead of tables or booths, so that's a little annoying. They have more tables outside, but we didn't feel like fighting the cold sitting under heaters. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the restaurant was impeccably clean. Parking in the area can be a challenge. The food was pretty good, if not a little overpriced, but the beer was the letdown. They do offer flights of beer, which is a pleasant addition most other "breweries" in the area fail to offer, but much like all the others in the area, their menu is heavy with IPA's. They are the easiest beer to brew and take the least time, so they are popular amongst upstart brewery/restaurants, but they don't taste good. No matter how you try to differentiate them (double, triple, amber, etc.) they all taste bitter. You know something's off when you have to give the product a bitterness rating. Bitter beer is not good, full stop. Anyway, still worth giving the place a try for the food and the...