Sidetrax Bar & Grill

I’ve been here several times and have tried almost everything on the menu. Food has always been great, service has been outstanding and even the owner has come around to ensure everything was ok. Definitely one of my favorites in downtown Redwood City.

Wow. Was forced to try this place because City Pub was slammed. No beers on tap because every beer they tap ends up going bad and poor selection of beers in the bottle The owner was sitting in the corner looking angry and doesn’t have a clue. This place stands no chance and offers nothing unique to distinguish themselves. It honestly looks like they are about to shut down. The only people that come in are overflow from City Pub and instead of impressing them, they have given up. Ordered a $ 9 calamari and got literally 9 small rings of calamari. The cocktail on special tasted good but I had to have the bartender re blend it. The bartender was nice– hence the 2 stars. It will be only a matter of time before this place gives up. Note to owner: you are wasting a good opportunity and awesome location!

We tried this place because there was no line, and the place next door was busy, that should have been our clue. But it had 4 stars, so we tried it. The burger had chunks of unchewable meat in it. The side salad was good, and the dressing was good. The sandwich was mediocre at best. It tasted like toasted white bread, not sourdough. We won’t be back!

Frozen French fries that were not fresh, sticky tables that stuck to my clothes, owner sat next to us scowling at staff… extremely disappointing meal.

The place next door was packed yet Sidetrax was completely empty which made us wonder but we tried it anyway. Service was excellent and food was «ok».
My husband’s burger was great but my veggie sandwich had very little flavor. It tasted like they didn’t season it at all. Also, the Spiked Pink lemonade was delicious.
The weather was stunning so we sat outside under an umbrella. Beautiful atmosphere. Hoping to try it again and they will season the vegetarian dishes better in the future. Would love for this to be a new regular for us!

Food is mediocre. Service is lousy. Any place I have to greet the server and ask how they’re doing is red flag. Only reason for the extra star was for outdoor seating. Sorry not sorry.

I’ve been here several times and have sampled a variety of their dishes. Always really great food and service. The warm spinach salad is a nice starter or even a good main dish if you are seeking something on the lighter side.
The risotto and chicken rollatini are also delicious. I once tried the scalloped salmon… It’s the only salmon dish I have ever enjoyed! I also like that you can ask for special items and the owner will try to accommodate you.
Really great people running this place and a good spot to check out when in downtown RWC. Sit at the bar and prepare to have a great evening out!

The crew at Sidetrax did it again!
I had them cater my company Christmas party… Prime Rib and Turkey carving station, delicious stuffed mushrooms, tons of food…
They did a great job… their staff made it so easy and extremely reasonable.
I can’t recommend these guys enough for when you need an event catered.

This is our new regular weekly date night spot for the past couple of months! I cannot stop raving about this place.
Prices are reasonable for the Peninsula, especially for a more downtown location.
Drinks: I really like the Locomotive Lemonade or any of the nightly specials. $ 4 for Mexican Coffee or Hot Buttered Rum is definitely a deal! And if you just want your usual fave, they have a full bar. And Francisco is always super friendly!
Food: The clam chowder has thyme (not rosemary). The Caesar Salad has an awesome anchovy dressing. The fries are always hot. I had a steak once and it was cooked to a perfect medium. Chicken wings were not greasy. And they usually have homemade cheesecake. Honestly, I haven’t had a bad meal.
Is it a high-​end foodie menu? Nope, but that doesn’t make it indecent either. It’s just a non-​elitist, quality American Style Bar and Grill. Lastly, you can watch them prepare your food if you sit at the bar, and they are always willing to answer any questions about their food.
Atmosphere: Again, it’s not a hipster or chic place, but it’s also not grungy. It’s just low-​key with great service.
We will gladly keep supporting Sidetrax over City Grill any day. The food is consistent, we don’t have to spend an outrageous amount for quality dinner, and we love supporting a family owned establishment. Plus, there are plenty of expensive, yuppie places within a 10 minute drive when I’m in the mood.

Stopped by for a beer and dinner– next door was very crowed so decided to give it a try. Ordered clam chowder (way too much rosemary in it) fries (average) and vegetable risotto. Food was a bit below average, service was pretty slow, there were only 2 other parties in there.
Watched one of the 2013 playoff games on on TV– Mexico Panama soccer game on the other.
They recently opened so hopefully it will improve.

This place is delightful. The food is great and the customer service excellent.
My friends and I were starving one late night and decided rather reluctantly to try this place. To be honest we were put off by the name and the atmosphere. It just didn’t seem to match the prices they were asking for the food so we didn’t trust it. We couldn’t possibly stand going next door for the worst food in redwood city (the pub) so we decided to give Sidetrax a try.
To our absolute surprise it was delicious! I mean really. The food is great and worth every penny they ask for. My friend had steak which was cooked and seasoned perfectly. I had grilled chicken that was also outstanding.
The owner and the wait staff are kind and willing to go the extra mile to make sure you have a wonderful experience. I will definitely be back.

Note: This review is for catered events only.
Jose and Dunia, owners of the historic Waterfront Restaurant (formerly the Harbor House) at Pete’s Harbor before harbor landlord Paula Uccelli shut down the harbor and refused to comply with the State Lands Commission’s request for a work plan regarding marina repairs, had to leave the harbor and their business behind back in December of last year.
Thankfully they have landed on their feet in downtown Redwood City, reopening their business as Sidetrax Bar & Grill.
Back at the Waterfront catered events happened on a regular basis and Jose and Dunia lost a year’s worth of advance bookings when they had to leave. They were kind enough to cater a small event for me on short notice this past weekend at Sidetrax, and based on my positive dealings with Sidetrax I’d recommend anyone else looking for a venue for a small mealtime event in RWC do the same. For a small crowd of about twenty people Sidetrax turned out a lovely spread of bruschetta, smoked salmon, and cheese/​fruit platters for a very reasonable price. Definitely considering doing more events/​group meals here.

First time here since they changed from the Mexican place. Apparently its all the same people/​workers. I had the station burger on a french roll. It was very good but slightly overcooked (I asked for medium). The fries were piping hot and delish, and they had a special for a spiked strawberry lemonade only $ 3.00. Nothing really to rave about, and I feel its taking a risk opening up right next to City Pub (City Pub was way way busier) so good luck to them!

**REVIEW IS FOR DRINKS ONLY**
Stopped in here for a drink over the weekend. They have lots of a outdoor seating, and a full bar, so we figured it wold be a good chance to try a drink at new place nearby. I’m always on the lookout for a new patio to have drinks on when it’s as hot as it’s been lately.
It was a Saturday night, and other places nearby were busy, but this place was pretty empty.
We ordered drinks, and were surprised they took so long, since it wasn’t busy.
Our server was friendly and nice, but the drinks were awful.
Unfortunately, i have to say it was one of the worst cocktails I’ve had in awhile.
For a dollar more, I can go to Martin’s and have a stellar cocktail, and for a few dollars less I can have a mixed drink on Harry’s patio, (great patio, no people though.)
We definitely won’t be back.

Went to this bar and grill due to the Unilocal reviews. Not disappointed at all.
Great food, service and atmosphere!

I drive by sidetrax on daily basis and finally decided to give it a whirl. My coworker and I were seeking to take full advantage of the beautiful weather in downtown redwood city.
This bar and grill offers a variety of menu items. From burgers, sandwiches, salads to pasta items. I had their vegetarian sandwich which lacked a bit of flavor. The fries in the other hand were delicious.
Pros: outdoor seating, variety of items on the menu, full service bar, good customer service.
Cons: same décor as Mexquite :/​just a different name.
I’ll probably come back to try more items in near future.

The place is new and they are still working out some kinks but I thought the menu was great and for a place that calls itself a bar and grill, it went beyond burgers, wings and philly cheese-​steak. I had a great salad, the waiter was attentive.
No, it’s not farm to table organic gourmet, but it doesn’t pretend to be either. We will go again!

Looks like Mexquite has closed up shop. However, a new bar and grill has taken its place. Being 70 degrees and sunny, it was appropriate to have lunch outside. Hit up Sidetrax with a few friends on the patio area. Had the chicken wings and the bacon wrapped pork chop with fig sauce. Everything was pretty darn tasty. One of my friends was somewhat late and they offered to hold the burger until they showed up. Friendly staff that didnt mind that we waited for a while to order and let us linger after. The menu has a bunch of selections so I think ill have to go back and try some more selections.

Standard American Diet served here. You can do the acronym yourself. With so much progressive and creative restaurants around, I am thoroughly surprised that this place decided to stick with a menu, similar to all the all the other American chains, City Pub, and even perhaps the diner down the street. Doesn’t anyone else watch Food Inc, Forks Over Knives, the Engine 2 Diet… um… the news? The papers? Facebook?
I was under the impression that going green, organic, creative, progressive and health conscious was a new trend? Maybe I live in a bubble? I typically buy whole foods, rarely anything processed and farm fresh organics if possible at my local grocery store and prefer my favorite restaurants to as well. I suppose there are masses of people still buying whatever, with no conscious awareness. Whether it be absurdly high in sodium, blubbering with fat grams beyond belief, or overloaded with heavily refined processed foods, because the shelves are still packed and so are restaurants like this, with loyal fans!
I could say maybe my parents would like a place like this, but honestly, they would not like it either. Maybe my step grandpa from Nebraska would be all over this place, but he may even think the food is too rich in butter and excess?! You can add butter to anything deep fried or flame broiled and I’m sure people would eat it up. Is it something we should do on a regular basis? Probably not! Going to Sidetrax, is definitely not on any of my lists to do.
Enough about the food, lets talk a little bit about the seating arrangement. It is the exact same as when it was Mexquite. I have been a few occasions and sat in different areas throughout the interior and sidewalk patio. The seats are either too low or too high for a comfortable dining experience. I don’t mean to be so picky, but even the arrangement seems off, like there is some weird feng shui about it, that makes the environment seem out of balance. I have brought a guy friend with, on more than a few occasions and he agreed (this isn’t just my opinion!) When I saw that Sidetrax had opened, I was excited, hoping that some of these things would be addressed. Not at all. Same space, same seats. :-(

Went here on a Saturday with the husband for dinner. Decided to try this place rather than City Pub, which was busy and which we knew.
Believe it to be the same owners as when it was Mexquite. It was similar to but different from City Pub, which we greatly enjoyed.
I had the Albacore tuna sandwich in toasted sourdough, which cam with a very large side salad of mixed greens and the like. Also ordered a side of onion rings. Both were quite yummy. Husband had the cheeseburger, which looked very juicy, and came with nice crisp fries.
The were cooking buffalo wings for a takeout order, which smelled very good and tempted me to change my order.
Hope they manage to survive the competition from City Pub. It is a nice, quieter alternative, still with a full bar. Has seating outside, but the seats were too low for the husband’s bad back.
We will definitely be back.