Mortar Pestle - San Mateo

I've visited this restaurant before, but I never noticed the bar in the back. It's a fantastic spot to relax and enjoy a drink.

The cocktails here are intriguing, creative, and expertly made, with some featuring an Indian twist. It's definitely a spot worth visiting multiple times. They also offer a small selection of light bites that reinterpret Indian street and fast food. The place is quite popular and busy, and rightfully so, but things move a bit faster if you stand by the bar and wait for your drinks, which can be entertaining to watch. It can be challenging to find seating at or near the bar, so we opted to take our drinks outside to the main restaurant area. This section is less lively but much quieter, making it a better choice for conversations.

I absolutely love this restaurant! The drinks are fantastic and delicious, with bartenders who take their time to craft the perfect beverage. The food, sourced from the sister restaurant Curry Up Now, is equally delightful. Be sure to try some appetizers; you won't be disappointed! My only downside is that they close a bit early—usually at 10 PM and even earlier at 9 PM on Sundays.

Drinks here are delicious. Highly recommend the Land of Milk and Honey! JC was a fantastic bartender, she went out of her way to make us drinks from scratch even though some materials weren’t ready yet, and she also had fantastic recommendations.

I was there with a group of 8 and amongst us we tried a significant portion of the drink menu they were all interesting and delicious. I did however, find them to be a little on the sweet side. Service was attentive and friendly but the unexpected/best part of this place is they serve Curry Up Now (attached to the bar) as their bar food!!