JC Bruno Restaurant

Had the steak special. It was humongous!! And so delicious. Great customer service, it seems like family owned place.

This is long and detailed - skip to the bottom for a short recap. JC Bruno has been on my "must try" list since they opened. My husband made a reservation for Valentine's Day weeks ago and placed our order for our entrees over text to the owner. The Valentine's Day menu (attached to this review) was $150 per couple. We ordered the beef tartare, braised short ribs, and grilled fillet mignon. When we arrived at the restaurant at our reservation time, the owner couldn't find our reservation. Each table had customized placards with the names of each couple with reservations, which I thought was a sweet, personalized touch. Staff seemed a bit frantic when the owner Marcella went to the kitchen to ask others if there was a table for us, but Marcella returned to us, seated us in the middle of the restaurant, and placed someone's personalized placard at another table. She also asked my husband to text her to show her that we do have a reservation and for our order. No apologies were given and our complimentary glass of champagne that was apart of the Valentine's Day menu was put at our table by a waitress. The champagne was great, I wish that the waitress poured the glass at our table so we could see the bottle but it was poured in the back. Our amuse bouche and beef tartare was placed at our table a few moments later. The beef tartare was just ok - it seemed like it was prepared in advance since the meat was browned already and didn't taste fresh. After we finished our starters, we waited about 25 minutes and were never checked up on - our water carafe and champagne glasses were empty. A staff member walked by our table and asked if we've had our salad yet. We said no and they brought it over at the same time as our entrees. The braised short ribs were advertised to come with rainbow carrots which is why my partner ordered it over the filet mignon. He enjoyed his dish and loved how hot the short ribs were. My filet mignon was good but it was just warm - as if it were sitting out for a bit under a lamp. I enjoyed the truffle mashed potatoes, I think they went well with the steak and broccolini. I mentioned earlier that our water carafe and champagne glasses were empty. We were never offered to see a beverage menu or given any more water. I noticed other tables were offered wine options but nobody ever stopped by. After waiting another 20-30 minutes after we finished our entrees, someone came by to take our plates and never asked if we needed anything. 10 minutes after that, another server came by and asked if we ever got our entrees. Dessert was brought out - I loved the passion fruit panna cotta but yet again, we waited another 25 minutes for the check while each server had great conversations with other guests. Too many details above? Here's the short version:The service wasn't great, which made it a disappointing experience overall. It became clear to us that regular customers were favored over new customers. At $150, getting checked in rather than just dropping off dishes is expected and our entire dining experience was over 2.5 hours because of how infrequent the service was. We're a quick walk away, so we were excited to come back and make this our go-to spot, but I wouldn't go back or recommend it to others because of our experience.

You take one bite and go HOLY SH*T thats the best food i ever ate The rack of lamb was so GOOD it makes you thrilled that your not a vegan ‍I SWEAR BOBBY FLAY‍ was back their cooking because that food tasted like I was eating at a Michelin Star restaurantthe best food i've ever had the place is family owned and they take the best care of their customers try the rack of lamb try the whole damn menu the pasta is homemade the seafood is incredible the bread is homemade this place is so underrated its a bart ride from the san francisco airport its right next to the bart station you can walk there !!!!the best restaurant ive ate at in the bay they chefs and staff are amazing and the ambiance is great and really quaint

I first learned about this gem of a restaurant from a family friend who is a frequent diner there. After years of anticipation, I finally decided to treat my mom to a birthday dinner there. Tucked away in downtown San Bruno, just across from the Caltrain station, finding parking was a bit of a challenge, but luck was on our side that day. Welcoming us with a warm smile was Marcella, who promptly seated us upon our arrival.The interior was understated yet cozy and clean, setting the stage for a delightful dining experience. Eager to savor our meal, we all kept our appetites in check. Our appetizers included the fried calamari, crab cakes, and the mussel and clam dish, each one earning high praise with every delectable bite. It was a joy to watch my mom, who had never tried mussels or oysters before, thoroughly enjoy the dish, especially when paired with the heavenly creamy sauce that we gleefully soaked up with bread. The fried calamari was a standout, and the crab cakes were so delicious that I couldn't bring myself to share.As for the main course, everyone at our table opted for the Lomo, while I indulged in the filet mignon. The quality of the meat was simply out of this world--seriously, it felt like there was a culinary wizard working their magic in the kitchen! Not a single morsel was left on our plates by the end of the meal; the food was just that good. Even a day later, I find myself still raving about the exceptional dining experience I had. From start to finish, our time at the restaurant exceeded all expectations. Marcella's attentive and generous service towards my mom added an extra touch of warmth to our celebratory dinner. Needless to say, we are already eagerly making plans for our next visit to this culinary haven.

Really pretty venue. Staff were friendly. Came here for an event and they ran out of steaks. I know it's not the restaurant's fault bc it's based off what was ordered for catering. My steak came out pretty well done. As much as I hate well done steak the flavor wasn't too bad. It was just dry. I was offered a chicken, or should I say baby chicken based off the size. I'm guessing maybe it was a game hen? Tried to ask for more bread which was not available. The best thing here I would say was the bread. Butter was not room temp or warmed which was disappointing.

First time visit here and gonna be last. Only 1 lady as server. Sat for almost 10 mins and waited to order. Only ordered the crab cake to try and beer. All menu are so pricey. So decided to try just that. 20 mins passed No water serve until I had to ask when she dropped the beer. Then the crab cake came $17.50 for 2 little pieces that smaller than the forks!!! I never ever seen crab cake this small. Thought for the price will be in good size. Inside has many stuffing in it so not all crab. Then another lady from the kitchen came out to serve the bread and butter, she had 2 baskets, she was walking to my table to serve but the server lady yelling at her in other language that not English , I think Spanish. Then that lady walked back to serve another table and looked at me and walked back to the kitchen. That is super rude!!! I'm not sure what she said but can tell she said don't serve my table! One star for the decoration looks nice.

We came here on a rainy February Saturday night. There was literally no parking for blocks. The covered and climate controlled outside seating was cozy and intimate. The server and hostess Marcela was super friendly and graceful. The appetizers and entrees were well prepared and savory. My wife loved the bouillabaisse and I devoured my lomo saltado. My 14 year old son's burger was not that good unfortunately. I told him to expand his horizons and stop ordering burgers at fine restaurants. Overall a great experience!

We came on a slow night, and had fantastic service! It was very quiet, but we still could not hear the other couple of tables. You could absolutely tell that everything is homemade. The noodles were thick and fresh and Al dente. The lobster bisque was not too heavy. The lobster and scallops were extremely fresh. The sea bass was phenomenal! So tender. The mash potatoes were average, but the presentation, fish, and spinach were incredible. So impressed!

Horrible parking! As in good luck finding something, definitely a Lyft/Uber in kinda situation. So I finally get to the door and it's locked? I thought we'll maybe the entrance is through the patio, Nope! Someone opened the door and asked if I had a reservation I said no & they explained that since they didn't have any reservations they locked the door? I asked if I could order something to go, nope I'm at a loss. It smelled like they were cooking but no food for you I guess. I mean place has great reviews wish I could've tried the food but swing and a miss! Given the whole location parking situation and weird hours/ seating/serving sorry we're not open today deal I don't think I'll be back anytime soon

I'm a regular to this house of yummy foods, and I brought a friend here to see her reaction. With every bite she was committed to coming back. We ordered only 3 dishes (Clams & Mussels, Chilean Sea Bass, Rack of Lamb) and each dish's freshness delighted her into speechlessness. My friend was impressed with the generous food portions, and even the generous pour of wine by the glass. JC & Marcella (owners), you just won over a new convert! My friend will be back bringing you new business.