Took my friend Jenn here for her bday and it was good. Got a last min ressies. We split the mushroom soup to start and the portion was huge. We also got the beet salad which i wasn't a big fan on. I don't like veggies. haha. We got the cod and braised beef ribs and they were both cooked perfectly. Got the lemon tart and strawberry cake for dessert. I wanted a 3rd one but got cut off. haha. Only downside is that there isn't much on the menu to choose from. read more

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Let me start by saying there's nothing wrong with this restaurant. It's just wildly overpriced. Know that going into it. In the end, I don't think the high prices are worth it. Again, everything is fine--the servers, the food quality (though the portions could be larger), and the ambiance. I probably wouldn't return as the experience is not worth it in exchange for the extremely high prices. read more

Fantastic dinner service drinks as police dude Cafe in Menlo Park great owner great chef great service great bartender read more

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Good neighborhoody feel with attentive service. Food is solid with nice touches and great attention to high quality vegetables simply prepared. Really good in its category. Value for the money unfortunately is pretty abysmal. Items are overpriced ($20-35 apps, $35-55 entrees), at that price they should be more sophisticated or more filling. For example their oyster app ($30 for 6) is as expensive as it gets in the Bay Area, comparable to specialty spots like Angler SF which is a different category of dining style. The tiny wine list is quite well thought out but it has no value options and the highest markups I've ever seen in the Bay Area, bar none! Markups are much higher than you'll find even at a 3-star spot with 1000+ label cellar. Overall nice place, good food, but tryly tailored to Atherton-sized wallets. Would recommend if price doesn't matter, stay away if you want bang-for-your-buck on a special occasion. I feel bad writing this kind of review knowing the struggle restaurants have had through pandemic, inflation etc. and I understand it's hard to make ends meet, but diners with limited budget should still be able to weigh a restaurant's value for money versus comparable alternatives. read more

We ate here twice in the past month. The food is always fresh, delicious and beautifully plated. They constantly change their dish based on what is seasonal, so you get to taste something different every time. Their new outdoor dining area is lovely, and I like how they setup their outdoor bar area as a barn, very creative. read more

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Had one of the best culinary experiences ever. Thank you Jesse for visiting. This was a special occasion that exceeded expectations.

As unappetizing as the restaurant name sounds, this hidden gem of a restaurant in Menlo Park is anything but! Flea Street is an elegant yet casual restaurant that serves up a three course menu fit for a foodie based on fresh, locally grown and organic ingredients. Seriously, you won't find Diet Coke or anything with aspartame here! I don't usually drink cocktails before dinner, but I absolutely love, love, love the lavender lemon drop! They also whip up a smooth, dirty martini with olives that I could eat for days (and I hate olives). Not to mention the warm homemade biscuits are completely worth the extra calories as well. For dinner, we ordered: Half Dozen Pacific Oysters - Fresh, delicate and delicious with the mignonette and lemon, skipped the cocktail sauce Roasted Half Moon Bay Sardines - Not your ordinary tiny little sardines from a can, these are fresh, larger sardine bites. They are pretty good, but a little on the fishy side. I probably would enjoy them more if they were smoked to mellow out the flavor. Crab Cakes - Oh god these are good. The fresh lump crab meat on a bed of frisee and sweet potato cake with a touch of blue cheese sauce are not your ordinary crab cakes. Honey Soy Duck Breast - The duck breast was very tender and juicy, just wish the skin was more crispy on the outside. Being Chinese, I'm always expecting Chinese roast duck crispy, but I've never found this at American or French restaurants. Otherwise, the flavor was quite good. My boyfriend loved it and ate it all. Filet Mignon - I LOVED the grass fed filet mignon with cabernet sauce and truffled gratin. It is melt in your mouth delicious and you can tell they use really high quality meat. Chocolate Hazelnut Torte w/Caramel Sauce - It's like a chocolate orgasm on a plate and worth every single calorie. We were pleasantly surprised to find this kind of a restaurant in the south bay, and it was a nice change of pace without having to drive all the way to Napa for instance for an innovative twist on upscale comfort food without being pretentious. The service was all around outstanding as well from the host, bartender to the wait staff. Since it has been around since 1980 and located in Menlo Park, it is an older crowd, but it was surprisingly a little trendy and chic as well. Although it turned out to be a little pricier than we expected for a "cafe," the fresh, local organic food that actually tastes really good and the excellent service makes it more than worth it in my opinion. We had a great date night here, and will absolutely be back! read more

Flea Street - Lavender Lemon Drop bliss - New American Near Me - Menlo Park, California

Food: 4 Decor: 4 Service: 4 Came here for dinner with two friends on a Wed around 6:30pm. 1. Halibut with peas over saffron risotto and saffron broth (daily special), 36 http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/flea-street-menlo-park?userid=2fN8mN7uUjOw-QqtcgYqXQ#3xiJ7bLz32Jc_VJqpTxK8A ~Very good. Halibut was cooked perfectly, and I really liked the saffron risotto and broth. My friend's black cod was also quite good, but I couldn't order that because of the amazing black cod I had at Rasika in DC a week before. 2. Dark Chocolate Flour less Torte 9 http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/flea-street-menlo-park?userid=2fN8mN7uUjOw-QqtcgYqXQ#RCEuaSHpWFLCGs21qCE4CQ toasted pistachio, candied bacon, salted caramel ~Pretty good, although the strawberry semifreddo was slightly better. 3. Strawberry Semifreddo 9 http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/flea-street-menlo-park?userid=2fN8mN7uUjOw-QqtcgYqXQ#OPJFiJ0oPgKxLtQIOkrr-A lemon poppy seed cake, Coke Farm strawberries, white balsamic reduction ~Pretty good. Service was good. Jesse, the founder, actually came by each of the tables to see how their meals were going, which was definitely a nice touch. read more

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Solid four stars! Food and main courses were quite amazing, all of our main dishes like the sea bass and smoked trout were great. Very delicate and the sides were delicious too. It could have been even better if the desserts were better.. didn't end our meal with a bang unfortunately. And our server Jenny was sort of a bad ass, she was a little pushy with our service. She was still courteous but just pushy with what we should order... like when we ordered just 3 oysters, she said, "why not 4? 2 for each of you?" But I didn't like oyster that much so just wanted to try one, so we had to explain to her too.. that 3 was fine... we wanted to get the risotto but she pushed us in getting another dish too.. the dish she recommended was our least favorite of our meal so I kind of regretted not getting the risotto that I wanted.. anyhow! Loved most of the food here and great energy overall :) read more

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Excellent! I had short ribs, she had the fish cheeks (was it halibut? I forgot.) Both were excellent - super well prepared, seasoned, and presented. We had the Brussels sprouts appetizer which was amazing. I've had a lot of sprouts for appetizers and these were among the best I've ever had. Cocktails were great also. read more

Amazing dinner and Service! Short Ribs Chicken Soup and Biscuits were delicious! The care put into our takeout and experience was Top Notch! They are open for takeout and please support this local business in Menlo Park! read more

Flea Street - Organic Biscuits ! - New American Near Me - Menlo Park, California

First visit to Flea Street, and it was outstanding! The menu was summery and diverse. Meals were delicious, and service was excellent, attentive but not intrusive. Highly recommended!! John V. read more

I had an amazing dinner here with a friend on 2022-09-16. My prior review, which mentioned the inconsistent and hurried feel of the service, was very likely just a random off night. Flea Street was back to excellence in terms of experience, complimenting the excellence of its food and drink. The biscuits and bread were as good as ever - plus the pat of butter and the coarse salt are back! The fried green tomatoes were delicious, with the right amount of crunch and texture and flavor variation - the avocado mousse was lovely as were the peppers. The tang of the goat cheese risotto was an unusual and pleasant surprise, and the dish as a whole was rich and flavorful. And the slow braised short ribs were just ridiculously savory and tender. We complimented the kitchen, and Bryan came out and explained the ingredients and the method, and told us about his favorite tequila at the bar. The frozen chocolate mousse dessert was a perfect ending. The drinks were very nice - how awesome that Eloy continues to create great cocktails there after more than a decade! I followed that up with wine. With dessert we had cognac (or maybe the armagnac?) and a great tawny port. And we went over the top with the very sippable tequila that Bryan told us about at the very end of the meal, which extended our conversation into the late night as we walked ourselves sober around the neighborhood. The meal was paced perfectly indulgently - with great space for conversation and for savoring the food and drink. I'll be back :-) read more

The prices here have become exploitative while the service has plummeted. Wine markup is worse than I have seen even at extremely prestigious, Michelin starred institutions that can charge whatever they want. A $40 vegetarian sampler plate is priced as something very special. Well, it included a piece of toast with a slice of cheese melted on top and three other completely unmemorable sides. Tapioca for dessert runs you $14. $14 tapioca!! And then there is the service. They automatically charge you 20% gratuity for grossly substandard service. One of the best strengths of Flea Street used to be the wonderful, professional servers. No longer. Expect to be abandoned at your table for long stretches and expect basic service concepts like offering to take a wine order before entrees come out to be out of the question. We should all strive to be sympathetic to restaurants having legitimate struggles during these difficult times. But in this case, with the huge drop in quality of food and service on top of the crazy price hikes, I sadly won't be coming back to Flea Street. read more

I used to love this place. Sadly, it's lost its charm and the food is just not the same. What a bummer.

It's been a while since we last came here. The place looks a bit different but crowded as usual. Always a good sign. The service was great and the food was d err delicious the way I remembered. I don't recall seeing a private room in the back but that's a great feature. Can seat up to 20. Will come here again soon! read more

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The truffle grilled cheese will make you smile. This place is amazing, the food is fresh and sessional. The service is excellent.

Food was absolutely fantastic, and the service was warm, and attentive. It's a great place to celebrate a special occasion, and enjoy a nice and well prepared meal. read more

Our local favorite for almost 40 years! Jesse Cool and her staff revolutionized the dining scene in Menlo Park when they opened Flea Street and featured local and seasonal products. I discovered the restaurant because I was a fan of Late for the Train, and because one cold Halloween evening, I saw they were offering bing cherries over vanilla ice cream at the bar. Along with my family and friends, my daughter, niece, dear friend, and I all now visit regularly and call ourselves the Lavender Lemondrops after one of FS's wonderful cocktails. Highly recommend for convivial or romantic evening out. Did I mention the food is superb and the service is first rate?! read more

Flea Street - Dining on the deck - the best! - New American Near Me - Menlo Park, California

Excellent food, the smoked trout was fantastic as was The Smoke a spicy mezcal cocktail. The ambiance is pretty ordinary, nothing to gush about but service is very good . They do add a 22% service charge, and the food is pretty pricey but again great service and good food. Also, highly recommend the carrot cake! read more

To be honest, the service here was extremely slow and on top of that, they seated my family and I in the back corner (there were other seats available by the windows)...::cough cough:: It took forever for the waitress to take our orders, get us our drinks, and finally get our main courses. We were there for over two hours and 90% of the time was waiting for our food and drinks. Never coming back to this establishment. Let's also remember the lack of hospitality she gave our family compared to the other families surrounding our table... read more

I'm a very picky eater who is basically someone like an "Anton Ego" I rarely come across truly spectacular cuisine: beautiful presentations, balanced flavors, perfectly cooked cuisines, warm and amiable staff and a wonderfully good time. Our favorite treat was when seeing the Master Chef in action with his team creating original pieces Highly recommend if you want to enjoy something unique, high-end without the pretentiousness and a friendly atmosphere read more

This has been one of my peninsula favorites for a long time. No longer in the area we decided to go when we were up by the bay and hadn't been since before Covid. The friends we went with told us they'd been using paper plates; luckily that was no longer the case. It was a beautiful night and outdoor dining was perfect for a warm fall evening. We were put off by vaccine checks which are ridiculous, especially for outdoor dining. We also didn't think self-busing made any sense at all. Their 'rationale' - they don't want staff hovering. My rationale is they don't want to incur the necessary costs for wait staff or deal with being short-handed. They also have a covid 'manifesto' on the dining table for all to read, ending with a 'fill in the blank' where they write in what time you're supposed to leave. And for this they include the tip which for a party of 4 is unacceptable. If I wanted to bus my own dishes I'd stay home and forcing a tip in this day and age makes no sense. We would have paid 20% anyway. So they are a little extreme on the covid front and it's frankly silly especially for outdoor dining. That aside the food was OK. Not as great as I remember but I won't quibble. It was a decent meal - short ribs their usual deliciousness, salads fresh and wholesome. The warm biscuits to die for. Decent cocktails and no more 'mini' glasses which is nice. Dessert was yummy. They need to be a little less extreme and focus back on the food. It's good but it's not great and this was a place that used to be bullet-proof. I get it's hard to run a restaurant these last two years. The owner has always been ahead of her time and serving wonderful cuisine. I just missed their typical warm hospitality. They seemed more focused on covid prevention than a great experience in all facets of the evening. It's a nice evening on the peninsula but next time in town I'll go to Village Pub, Try Selby's or hit Los Altos Grill. They are a lot less militant in their approach and we don't have to bus our own dishes or have our tip automatically put on the bill. read more

The ambiance is great, staff is attentive and food is good. Nice place for a business dinner or a date night close to home. Menu has its ups and downs but I always find a couple of excellent things in the meal. They have gotten a bit convoluted with some of the dishes in more recent years - would avoid those that have too many ingredients. read more

We are enormous Flea Street fans and have enjoyed going to the restaurant for years. Tonight, we enjoyed their Thanksgiving feast and it was an absolute delight. Total perfection. We can't wait to see what they pull together for Covid Christmas!! read more

Flea Street - Thanksgiving - New American Near Me - Menlo Park, California

My wife and I returned here after a two year absence and were very disappointed in the overall quality of the food. The-breads were good to start but after eating the biscuits we found the remaiNing bread had gone stale. The Fried Green Tomatoes were very good, but while the presentation of the oysters was nice by placing the sauce and garnish inside the shell it took away any chance to enjoy the brine and sweetness. The beef short rib with blistered padrone peppers, smoked shiitake mushrooms horseradish spatzle was just not good, none of the flavors benefited the other and the short rib itself was bland. Cookie selection appeared it was purchased elsewhere. Service was attentive and friendly. Wine list good but not a lot to choose from. Will go elsewhere read more

Came here for with a friend because she had heard good things about this place and based on the reviews on Yelp I was thinking we were going to have a great meal. We did not. It was an ok experience all around but I left feeling underwhelmed. Nothing we ordered stood out to me and the whole meal had me wondering why others seem to have such a lovely time here. I wouldn't go back but part of me is curious to, just to see if the day we went was an off night or if all of the pictures and reviews online are just misleading. read more

We love the vibe at Flea Street's new BARn outdoor space for drinks and snacks. What a fun mid-week changeup, Tues-Thursday from 4:00 on. Relaxing atmosphere, well designed. Tasty meatballs topped with colorful bright green chive, delicious artichokes with dip and amazing truffle fries! Friendly staff too. We'll be back soon! read more

Seriously the best cocktails ever! what a great night! thank you to the chef and the bartender for making it a fun night catching up with friends. I always love the food and cocktails here. I only wish they Brought back the old glassware! I will definitely be back. thanks you for making it such a fun night! A must try - read more

Had two martinis, cup of coffee, and their house bread. 100.00. Service was not good, did not fill our water glass or asked if we needed anything. Will not go back. read more

What a disappointing evening. We went to Flea Street for our 25th Anniversary dinner and were anticipating a wonderful dining experience. We were disappointed. We started out with the Crispy Fried Oyster Mushrooms and the Braised Cabbage Roll. Both were beautifully presented but the accompanying sauces overwhelmed the dish. If the Cabbage roll had raisins or pork in it, it wasn't something we could find. We continued with the Local Black Cod and the Marin Sun Farm Pork Chop. The Cod was a wonderful main course that demonstrated the quality of what we expected. The Pork Chop was tasteless and the accompanying heirloom beans were undercooked. (Our waiter did take it off of our bill.) We were pleased with the Toffee Butter Cake desert, so at least the meal ended on a high point. I've been going to the restaurant for about 30 years, and often hosted groups of international executives from around the world. In the past it had a much wider menu variety, with incredible daily specials featuring organic and local foods, and the chefs were always willing to customize the entrées and thoroughly impress the guests to the point that they remembered the dining experience for years. The restaurant now states "we politely decline all modifications of substitutions" on its menu. This is a far cry from the Flea Street Café I so much loved. read more

I've been coming to Flea Street for business or for special occasions since they opened in the 1980s. This was the first time I was disappointed. My husband had called well ahead for a weeknight reservation, saying it was my 75th birthday and that we would like to sit inside, if possible, or if not, as far away from traffic as possible. Apparently work is going on inside the restaurant, so we were seated in (not just on) the street -- at the last available table. The noise! Lots of traffic, roaring motorcycles included. We couldn't really talk to each other unless we waited for a break in the traffic flow. Service was a little slow, so when the dessert menu arrived, we had just 10 minutes left on our allotted 90. When I pointed this out, our server asked if we would order dessert if allowed to stay a little longer, and disappeared inside to ask. They returned saying we could stay -- but between the ongoing street noise and not wanting to feel rushed, we asked for the check. And went somewhere else for my birthday dessert. Yes, we should have waited until we could be sure of being able to sit inside, and we could have asked to pick a dessert early on. I had hoped Jesse and her crew would be offering a better experience, even or especially in these times. read more

Wonderful restaurant. Great atmosphere, good service And exceptional food. Menu that we had very hard time to choose from . When we finally had an agreement we enjoyed every single dish we signed for. The desert I was cream broule that after many years around I can safely say it was the best around . They deserve the 5 stars . read more

Flea Street - New American Near Me - Menlo Park, California

I've been debating to give this place a 3 star or 4 star but for this sake.. I'll do 3 stars. Came here about two weeks ago for dinner with my girl friend for some catch ups. She was running late so I went inside to grab our table as she was stuck in traffic so I waited for a good 15 minutes before she arrived. The hostess asked me if my friend was still coming because.... I don't even remember her reason but it was somewhere along the lines of.. her Manager was wondering and since I've been waiting for about 15 minutes and haven't ordered anything then maybe my girl friend and I should reschedule dinner? I don't know.. I don't remember. It might be their table rule.. I respect that but I felt a bit offended. Anyways... girl friend arrived so we went on with our dinner. Food: Red Wine Poached Pear Salad (3/5): I felt like there was too much things going on in this salad... I mean, there's about 6 things going on in one dish... I somewhat liked it but maybe I should've gotten the Seasonal Mushroom Soup over this. Seasonal Soup - Mushroom Soup (4/5): I'm not really a fan of mushroom soups but this one was probably one of the better one's that I've tasted. Pan Roasted Miso-Marinated California Black Cod (4/5): I've actually enjoyed eating this dish... it had overall a decent balance of ingredients - spinach, wild rice, baby carrots, hedgehog mushrooms, blood oranges and hoisin. Marin Sun Farms Braised Grass-fed Short Ribs (4/5): my girl friend liked the flavor of this one.. I had a piece of it and the beef was incredibly tender. It came with a light horseradish sauce, leek and truffle stuffed crepes, and baby beets. Good flavors overall. Dessert: Trio of Seasonally Inspired Ice Cream (5/5): GAME CHARGER. MAKE UP SEXY TIME IN MY MOUTH. It's dessert, duh! So we had three flavors which consisted of Chocolate, Pistachio and Vanilla. All three were organic-made and they were as close to a gelato type of texture... I can't get enough of that Pistachio flavor... what can I say... nuts in my mouth ;) my favorite part. Service: decent. Parking: small lot and street parking but there are plenty around the area. Ambiance: quoting a fellow yelper, Helen D. "You know when you're little and you and one of your other pig-tailed girl friends hold one another's hands and spin around in a circle really really fast... and everything is a blur except the other person? The ambiance at Flea Street embodied that experience for me. The lighting at each table illuminates solely your companion, and everything and everyone else fades away into the hum of the restaurant." Yup that's how I felt dining here. Overall: definitely a splurge... was it worth it? kinda. Come and taste yourself. read more

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It's hard to believe I hadn't been to Flea Street Café in over a decade. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=fDny65qdxn3EJH0PZbCxIw&select=y9EFmPgbFlMQHjQ6gCEBRg Somehow it fell off my radar. Tonight we rectified that with an early birthday celebration and I reacquainted myself with "my kind of place" that serves local, organic lovingly prepared food. My parents took us out and we ordered: * Cornmeal Crusted Winter Vegetable Fritto Misto chipotle aioli (similar to vegetable tempura) - fried goodness * Half Moon Bay Crispy Sardines spicy seaweed salt, lemon - a miss for us * Roasted Gold & Chioggia Beets goat cheese, pine nuts, celery leaves, lemon garlic vinaigrette - fresh, creamy, geometric, and sweet http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=fDny65qdxn3EJH0PZbCxIw&select=qX0MNzAUb5gkPd-yTSRULw * Bitter Greens, Fuji Apples & Parsnip Fritters asiago, shaved egg, golden balsamic vinaigrette - crunchy and good http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=fDny65qdxn3EJH0PZbCxIw&select=7AFQ1VxYu38plP5VteMjDw * Honey Soy Vermont Pasture-raised Duck Breast savoy spinach, blood oranges, pomegranate, wild rice, walnut vinaigrette - beautifully prepared, delicious http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=fDny65qdxn3EJH0PZbCxIw&select=f35lgC1Oqg0iiEEYQ0yb-g * Winter Organic Vegetarian Tasting from local farms and gardens - satisfying and perfectly cooked vegetables http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=fDny65qdxn3EJH0PZbCxIw&select=rpIkdW5uo94TqDhLsYAw3A * Filet Mignon with crispy onions, brussels sprouts and potato gratin - tasty http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=fDny65qdxn3EJH0PZbCxIw&select=zic-a75caXYAucqwN6v6jw * Pan-roasted California Cod winter hash of brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes and pancetta, sweet potato puree, coriander drizzle (minus the pancetta - no thanks) - fresh, but not light http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=fDny65qdxn3EJH0PZbCxIw&select=YYrvbN8YUt5UadA_iskmsg * Chocolate Fondue with house-made marshmallows, cream puffs, dried cranberries, and Godiva chocolate cake - very yummy! http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=fDny65qdxn3EJH0PZbCxIw&select=KSsRBN47CmN_o1T9TJ95AQ My top picks: + Cornmeal Crusted Winter Vegetable Fritto Misto + Beet Salad + Bitter Greens + Duck Breast (nice balance with tart fruit and leafy green vegetables - a lovely dish) + Vegetarian Tasting Entrée Bottom picks: - Crispy Sardines - California Cod We finished off the meal with Chocolate Truffles with a birthday candle for me, which was a nice touch. I appreciate that they were complimentary and popular at my table, but they were too sweet for me and not complex enough to be palate-pleasing. Less sugar and some Grand Marnier might fix that. The truffles are soft and dusted with cocoa powder, which caused me to sputter cocoa powder across the table (sorry, Mom and Dad). http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=fDny65qdxn3EJH0PZbCxIw Ambiance was pleasant and service was attentive. The house-made buttery biscuits were hard to resist. This is a feel-good restaurant for foodie types who like local and organic food. 4 locally-grown, organic stars. read more

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Flea street cafe is one of my go-to restaurants for a nice dinner, hands down. Funny enough, I didn't realize until after coming here for my first time, that this place is Sheryl Sandberg's favorite restaurant and where she met with Mark Zuckerberg for the first time and where she had her interview with Oprah. If you have seen the interview, you know how much they rave about the biscuits, which at first I thought was interesting considering it's something that you don't usually see served at a new American restaurant. However, they ARE delicious and seriously, I would come here just for them and the bread, no joke. Their wine and cocktail list is also very impressive and is also something just for which I would come here. The restaurant is very homely, which is the first time I have truly have gotten that feeling at this kind of a fancy restaurant other than at the Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley. It could be due to the fact that the restaurant is very small and so you truly feel like someone is taking care of you in a homely environment. The food is also much like that served at Chez Panisse in terms of cooking style, presentation, and taste. Each dish is very wholesome and made with fresh ingredients and also has that tiny bit of French flair added to it. I enjoyed everything we had, especially the cheese plate. That dish was another thing besides the drinks and the bread/biscuits for which I could come here. It was so good and everything on the plate compliments each other PERFECTLY. I would highly recommend this place the next time you are celebrating a special occasion and see why Ms. Sandberg raves about this place! read more

Flea Street Cafe is the only one of its kind: a restaurant that brings the farm directly to your table. It succeeds where many have failed miserably, with all ingredients being fresh, local, and organic! OpenTable is just cruel sometimes, but I was lucky enough to snag a rezzie for patio seating via a very friendly receptionist. When we arrived, we were given the option of both indoor and outdoor seating. I chose indoor, figuring we would get blown away by the wind before the main course, so we sat at one of the tables near the front. My favorites were the heirloom tomato salad, fried green tomatoes (which I would have eaten 5 orders of), short ribs, chicken (which came with zucchini smothered in the most delicious sauce that makes zucchini taste like crack, and a poached egg!), and their biscuits (which I had maybe 5 of..)! Truth be told, I think I may have eaten more vegetables in that one meal than I have in my entire life, and Flea Street made it feel so good! The truffle made for the perfect gooey cherry on top! Every worker we came in contact with was very prompt, friendly, and had a great sense of humor. Our waiter, Victor, was not only hospitable, but took excellent care of us! He was always there to make sure we had all we needed, coming and going with a smile. One thing I always wonder when people complain about pricing is whether anyone has the slightest idea of how much it costs to run a business (no, not into the ground). Flea Street Cafe offers top quality ingredients, not the questionable scraps of entrails you usually find in your hole-in-the-walls. You also have to account for the fact that Menlo Park/Palo Alto has the highest rent rates in the Bay Area. Cooks, servers, bartenders, host(esses), and cleaning crews certainly do not work for free, and they have to hire them to ensure a quick and steady service... And I don't know, might business owners have families to feed after accounting for all this? Debbie Downer dose of reality: This isn't Burning Man where everything comes for free! Expenses are very real. The resto itself is very cozy and feels like the inside of someone's home. On the way out, we noticed that the patio actually looks pretty darn awesome (especially with the heater lamps). Certainly a must-return! read more

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What a fabulous little gem! I had dinner here recently and was treated to a beautiful relaxing experience. First of all, the service was perfect. Everyone (even the busboys) was genuinely friendly, helpful but not overreaching. And then there's the food. Who knew a soup (sweet corn soup with shrimp fritters) and salad (with crispy sardine) could be so simply delicious? And who knew that I could enjoy a vegetarian entree without salivating over those gorgeous meat entress at nearby tables? And then the desserts AND coffee. Yes, coffee deserves a special mention here because I was in awe at first sip. For those who don't understand why I hate Starbucks so much (and by the way there was one across the street), they should try the coffee here and have their souls renewed. I am a little in love with Flea Street Cafe. read more

Feeling like a nice dinner with the hub at somewhere new, yelp found this delightful spot--just what I was looking for after a busy work day. Great food, service, and atmosphere. 4.25 stars Cost to worth it rating: 3 (entrees mid $20s-low $30s) Return worthiness: yes Highlights: - Beet, fennel, watercress salad: with pistachios and oranges too. Loved it! Perfectly balanced, fresh, and beautiful. Beets were thin slices of the red ones lining the bottom of the plate and little yellow sliced oval ones too. Fennel was subtle and goat cheese not overpowering either. - Chicken with poached egg: fun play on what came first. Incredibly moist and tender chicken with the fresh runny egg. Oddly enough the star for me was the big pile of spinach with crunchy round pellets in it. - Pork duo: hub thoroughly enjoyed the pork belly square and pork chop. Chop was tender bursting with smokey flavors. - Roasted strawberry upside down cake: nice take on the pineapple original - Atmosphere: open simple yet elegant white tablecloth place--perfect match for their food style - Waitress: pleasant, welcoming, and fantastic Lowlights: - Biscuit roll: tricked us at first with it's softness, warmth, and sweet buttery smell. However once we grabbed it out of the bread basket, upon first bite it was devoid of any flavor. :-( Southern hub loves biscuits so was disappointed at the tease. - Location: bit hard to find in a non-downtown spot between 101 and 280 Fantastic yelp find and we'll be back! read more

Because it took me halfway through dinner to realize this, I'm going to give a hint to those of you who are confused about the name of this place: What does Alameda de Las Pulgas (the name of the street) mean in Spanish? Great, now that we have that out of the way... on to the review! I came by for a celebratory dinner with family (the high prices mean most people here are probably celebrating something) and enjoyed a much, much fancier meal than we normally go for at much, much more expense. The inside looks and feels like a nice house converted into a restaurant: dim lighting, fancy silverware, fancy paintings, and mirrors all over the place. The atmosphere is classy and most people seemed at least a little dressed up. Service is very friendly, attentive, and polite, as expected for a fancy place. And this place passed my "fancy food test" when a waiter came by with a crumber after we were finished with our entrées: If they use a crumber, it's a nice place in my book! (This is how you know I don't do fine dining very often...) The theme of the food is: deliciously fresh and "melty." Yes, "melty," as in everything literally melts in your mouth (and probably contains a stick of butter in order to achieve this consistency, but let's not think about that. Edit: Apparently they achieve this consistency without using a ton of butter...impressive!). Everything we consumed was amazingly "melty:" soft salmon, tender ribs, flaky pie crust... and the biscuits! The biscuits are quite possibly the best biscuits I have ever had: doughy, melty, flaky, and savory with just a tinge of sweetness. Finish the bowl of biscuits they give you so that you can have another! Everything I ate was fantastic: fresh and flavorful. You can tell that they put a lot of effort and care into each dish. A few dishes in particular that I really enjoyed (aside from the biscuits): Fig and Radish Gnocchi (second course), Salmon Sturgeon (third course), and the Peach Tart (dessert). The food is amazing, but be warned: this place is pricy. If you're looking for a good gauge for portions and pricing: my family of four shared 1 first course and 1 second course, each ordered our own third courses, and split 2 desserts. This came out to about $230 before tip (and we didn't order any alcohol!). Is it worth the expense? Yes, but only for a special occasion when you want to enjoy a particularly "melty" meal. read more

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