A new bar and grill has taken over one of San Carlos's most recognizable dining spots on El Camino Real. Zac's Bar & Grill opened September 1 at 1748 El Camino Real, moving into the space long occupied by The Office Bar & Grill, which had served as a San Carlos staple for 14 years before closing in March 2025.
The new restaurant was created by Zaki Massis and Btool Nazerial, according to Palo Alto Online. Massis, who lives in Belmont and has called the Bay Area home for 14 years, brings restaurant management experience to the venture, having previously worked as business operations manager at Waterfront Restaurant in Foster City. MenuDelite also identifies him as a manager at Waterfront Restaurant.
Massis told the outlet he and his wife had long wanted to open a business together and shared a love of food. “I love the area, neighborhood and community,” he said, adding that Zac's “loves people, engages with the community and gives back.”
A Sprawling Space With Room to Grow
The restaurant seats about 90 people inside and another 100 on its outdoor patio, per the same account. It's open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and features a full bar alongside 16 beers on tap, including Stella Artois, Modelo Especial and Firestone 805, with draft prices running $8 to $10.
Cocktail offerings include five signature drinks priced between $14 and $16, among them a prickly pear margarita, an espresso martini with chocolate bitters, and a cosmopolitan variation. Appetizers on the menu range from $13 to $19 and include calamari fritti with tartar sauce, potato skins loaded with melted cheese, bacon, sour cream and green onions, and a $26 sampler platter.
Massis is steering diners toward two signature items in particular. He recommends the Zac's burger, a brisket and Angus beef patty served on a brioche bun with fries and topped with American cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, pickles, red onions and aioli, priced at $22. He also points to the Philly cheesesteak, made with thinly shaved rib-eye steak, sautéed bell peppers, onion and melted provolone on a sweet roll with fries, priced at $21. The broader menu also covers steak, pastas, sandwiches and burgers, plus casual bar bites like wings and jalapeño poppers.
Community Events and a Family Business Connection
Beyond the kitchen, Massis has bigger plans for the space. He intends to host trivia nights and eventually add karaoke, and he wants to use Zac's as a vehicle to help fundraise for school programs. The restaurant maintains an Instagram account, @zacsbarandgrill, for updates on those efforts.
The property itself carries a long history. Before it became The Office Bar & Grill in 2010, the site had functioned as a neighborhood watering hole dating back to San Carlos's incorporation, according to the White Oaks Blog. Gateway Properties partners Dave Parks and Steve Hicks converted part of their real estate office into that restaurant.
The property was listed for $4 million, according to MLSListings. MLSListings describes the 1748 El Camino Real property as having office/retail present use and being zoned Mixed Use South. Massis and Nazerial registered their wedding gift list on June 16, 2026, per MyRegistry.com.
Opening Amid a Changing Commercial Corridor
Zac's arrival lands at a moment of significant flux for San Carlos's commercial corridors. The 1748 El Camino Real property has Mixed Use South zoning. San Carlos also has restaurants including CreoLa Bistro and Sushi Kazoku.
The new restaurant also opens as the city weighs bigger changes nearby. San Carlos officials proposed a half-cent sales tax measure for the November 2026 ballot, estimated to generate $6 million annually for infrastructure, street repairs and downtown commercial upgrades, as Hoodline previously reported. A proposed 95-unit affordable housing project has been reported at 626 Walnut Street, alongside a life sciences complex at 789 Old County Road, developments Hoodline has covered as San Carlos balances housing mandates with commercial growth.
