Absolutely delicious!!! Amazing service, made adjustments due to food allergies. Had chicken, pizza, Caesar salads... everything fresh and flavorful and highest quality! Place was packed and understandably so! read more

Hazel - Pot de crème - Pizza Near Me - Occidental, California

Outstanding restaurant in a cozy setting, excellent service, fabulous food and reasonable pricing. Our local friends recommended Hazel's and we went with their recommendations for dishes to share: sourdough bread, ribs, brussels sprouts, a Point Reyes blue cheese pizza, pots de crème and an apple crisp. We brought our own wine and paid the corkage fee. Highly recommended. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Lovely place.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The server was gracious and nice. The pot roast was flavorful, tender, and good-sized. We also got the mushroom pizza as recommended by our lodging and this did not fail to impress. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We had a very nice and laidback dinner at Hazel.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

We had just come from the Occidental Farmers Market where they sell all kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables and great plant-based foods. Dinner at Hazel was quite disappointing. We ordered the little gems salad - good, nothing special. The Brussels sprouts were re refried, oily and overcooked but the greatest disappointment was the lack of plant based, California fresh foods. I ordered the quinoa because it was the only vegan option. This was the same option they served five years ago which means they have made no attempt to evolve or improve. Quinoa with spinach? It didn't sound right and it wasn't good. The dish arrived very hot but it felt like it was not fresh. It was really soupy, garlicky, uninspired, heartless and colorless as if the chef really didn't care (see photo). The grayish/blackish color of the dish looked ill. I can thing of a thousand better ways to prepare a vegan quinoa dish - think fresh, colorful veggies and nuts or seeds, possibly some blacked tofu or tempeh? Blended nutty sauce to add some creaminess? Dried cherries, cranberries? Celery for some texture and crunch? Please see Google for ten thousand ways to prepare fabulous, fresh, colorful, California, healthy, inspire vegan meals. I almost always eat all of the food on my plate but I found myself pushing the food around and feeling sad. There were no vegan desert options. And then the bill arrived! read more

Hazel - Pizza Near Me - Occidental, California

You must go . We just loved this place. We were staying in Bodega Bay looking for somewhere different for dinner. it's a 20 minute drive from there along a nice Scenic 2 Lane road. The food was just excellent . Will definitely come back next time we're in Bodega. read more

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I got into Sebastopol a few days prior to the wineroad.com Wine and Food Affair event occurring on 11/2 - 11/3. As a matter of fact, it was Halloween, 10/31, when I visited your adorable, charming, little Occidental restaurant. The pot roast and smashed Yukon potatoes were amazing! Great service. In the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1984 film, The Terminator, "I'll be back!" Thank you for the wonderful experience. read more

Hazel - Pizza Near Me - Occidental, California

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I loved my dinner at Hazel. The staff were very pleasant and helpful. The food was great. The servings were generous. We three ordered too much food but they boxed it up for us so nothing was wasted. I had the pot roast and it was full flavored and served with potatoes in a pool of delicious pot juices. The pork ribs and Brussels sprouts were fine too. For dessert we shared a chocolate pot de crème. Oh my-deep rich chocolate flavor. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is small and nicely decorated.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]We ate late in a weeknight so it wasn't full so noise level was low-which I loved.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

I was staying up in Forestville for Sonoma Wine & Food Affair with friends. The event itself was going to take care of lunch/mid day food, but we still needed to plan some dinners. While there were some options in town like Farmhouse Inn, we decided to check out some of the neighboring towns like Guerneville and Healdsburg, but I decided to look a bit further and came across Hazel in Occidental. Before heading to Occidental, I do recommend downloading the area map to Google Maps as there is poor reception in the area. Also the only way into Occidental is through windy, dark mountain roads. Just take your time, and ignore the idiots in trucks tailgating you. Eventually you'll pop into this cute little town and Hazel is one of the first stops, even better with a parking lot. I do recommend getting a reservation. This is the best spot in town and was packed the entire time we were there, including the outdoor tables on a cold night. It is worth it. We were quickly sat and introduced to our great server Bruce. He gave us the entire spiel - he had no specials to call out as all of tonight's options were listed on the menu. Pointed out a few highlights as well, and it was a tough call given the night we were there: King Salmon, Pot Roast, Rib Eye, pizzas. We got a bottle of Zinfandel for the table, which worked as Woody went with the Pot Roast, while Kate and I each got a Ribeye. But before that, we did get an order of the fried brussel sprouts to tell ourselves we were eating healthy - a huge plate of brussels topped with bacon and shredded cheese. We did end up killing it. The Ribeye was a STEAL! $36 and MASSIVE. We easily could have split one; instead I ended up with leftovers which made two more meals (I made a thin-sliced ribeye sandwich on Monday, and the deckle for dinner that night). It was perfectly cooked, just a ton of meat. It came with Jojos (potato wedges) and sauteed kale underneath the steaks, soaking up all the juice. Woody enjoyed his pot roast, which came with mashed potatoes. For dessert, as we couldn't leave without the made in house desserts, we split the peanut butter pie and the apple crisp. Both were great, and I did get a giant chocolate chip cookie to go. All in all, a fantastic experience. Intimate restaurant, top notch service, a steal of a meal. Honestly wish we had the time to explore Occidental a bit more, especially if the sun was out. Not sure the next time I will be out that way, but we all agreed we would come back, and I can highly recommend this delightful yet filling spot. read more

Hazel - Fried brussel sprouts - Pizza Near Me - Occidental, California

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I enjoyed a splendid Sunday brunch at Hazel! This adorable spot is nestled in the town of Occidental and serves a lovely brunch (Sundays only!). My group started out with a round of beignets. While delicious, these were unlike any beignet I've ever tried. Usually, beignets are light and fluffy, but these were more dense (reminded me of hushpuppies). But fried dough is fried dough (i.e. delicious) and I loved the jam that was served with them. I ordered the ham benedict for my main dish. The hollandaise sauce was delightfully creamy and lemony. My ham made the dish a bit chewy, so I think I would order a different benedict next time. But my poached eggs were cooked perfectly and the fried potatoes were superb. The dungeness crab benedict sounded incredible! There are a lot of mediocre brunch spots in Sonoma County, but Hazel is not one of them! Can't wait to return! read more

Hazel - Ham Benedict - Pizza Near Me - Occidental, California

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The food was delicious, the service was excellent and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the atmosphere was great.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Just the type of place we were looking for to enjoy a nice relaxing dinner with excellent food. read more

After a very long day of driving and wine tasting, the family and I had dinner at Hazel in the eclectic town of Occidental which is the home to a progressive, albeit aging hippie community and two competing Italian restaurants. Our reservation was at 7, but we arrived about two hours early and while were were staying only six miles from Occidental, we decided to stick around and take in the town before dinner. Occidental was abuzz with activity. There was a farmers market, live music, and the locals seemed to be gathering outside the Union Hotel for drinks. After checking out the farmers market and having a cocktail with the locals, we headed over to Hazel and arrived around 6:45 and were greeted by Michelle, the owner. There were several diners enjoying the somewhat cooler weather outside. We wanted to join in, but the back side of the restaurant was full and the front side was having issues with wasps. We were seated at a nice table next to a window that gave us the perfect view of some of the interesting residents who call Occidental home. The menu at Hazel is simple. I like the fact that it is basic and unpretentious. Sixteen items in total. You have your choice of 4 starters, 6 different pizzas, and 6 mains. We started things off with the Little gems which is a Caesar salad beautifully crafted with Vegan Caesar dressing, croutons, fried capers, nutritional yeast. I have to say that I've never even though about frying capers. I can just imagine change those little things around the frying pan. Overall, Little Gems was a very refreshing salad. I'd order it as a meal. The Mrs. and kiddo shared a Pepperoni Pizza topped with fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, Calabrian chili, and Estero Gold. The pizzas at Hazel are wood fired and have thin crust. I know that isn't everybody's thing when it comes to pizza so FYI. I was hard pressed on what to choose for my main. It was either the Braised Pot Roast or the Glazed Meatloaf. Both looked incredible from their description on the menu. I ended up choosing the meatloaf. I was thinking I would be getting a few slices of meatloaf with smashed potatoes, but I actually got my own individual meatloaf. Everyone does meatloaf differently. There are probably a million variations. Hazel's is beautifully crafted with ground beef, carrots, mushrooms, onion, red pepper, and topped with BBQ glaze. I noticed there were even some pieces of green bean and capers in the meatloaf. Needless to say, Hazel's meatloaf isn't your typical Blue Plate Special. The smashed potatoes were great! The portion size on the meatloaf is large enough that two people could easily share it. I just wonder how it would taste as a meatloaf sandwich. We also had dessert, but unfortunately I don't recall exactly what we had Wine and beer are served at Hazel and the list is about as small as the regular menu. We ordered a bottle of the the 2018 Paul Mathew Cab Franc. Desiree did a great job. She was polite and personable as was the rest of Hazel's team. At Hazel, you feel like you're at home. read more

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This place has a woodsy and chic vibe to it. The tables are in close proximity to each other. Be prepared to make a reservation in order to eat here. The starter portions are small but the main course makes up for it and can be split among two. The mushroom pizza is so rich and creamy and was just pure deliciousness, one of the best pizzas I've had in my life hands down. read more

Hazel - Mushroom pizza - Pizza Near Me - Occidental, California

The food was delicious, timely and brought to the table in an appropriate order. The server was super sweet, knowledgeable and welcoming! Would definitely recommend this place if you're in town looking for a nice spot to eat at. read more

This was my third time coming here. Never disappoints! The food is delicious. I had the chicken and it was so flavorful. Even the gem salad had a little kick to it, which was nice. I like that they have a small menu. It means everything on it is fresh and well thought out. Service was great, also! read more

I saw the good reviews and was excited when we were finally in town and able to stop by, but it was very disappointing. The sourdough bread was great -- it had a lovely tang and was a generous portion for $5. The Brussels sprouts we had were very light on the bacon, which is maybe a good thing, as this dish was literally dripping in grease. I was aware they were fried, but wow -- just absolutely sopping with oil. The pizza we had was really something else, in a very, very bad way. Specifically, the sausage and egg pizza was just an absolute mess. The bed of arugula (for the love of god, please stop throwing handfuls of greens on top of your pizzas!) seemed to intentionally cover up the absolute chaos underneath. The pizza was classically undercooked, which means that the middle gets very soggy and wet, which we experienced firsthand as the pizza disintegrated as we tried to eat it. Additionally, the spicy sausage was both not spicy and extremely bland, and the entire pizza seemed ill-constructed. Even odder, it was sliced incorrectly (??), so it broke off into random pieces on the outer parts where it hadn't completely dissolved into a wet cheese and egg soup. My wife is non-confrontational and prevented me from saying something mid-course, but wow. One of the worst pizzas I've ever had. The pepperoni pizza was far too small for the price and also very undercooked. I can't trust a place that would let that food out of their kitchen. Such a disappointment. read more

10 out of 10. Braised pot roast was the star of the show! Service was excellent. [[HIGHLIGHT]]And the ambiance in the middle of December after a rainy day at 8 pm was everything![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

My wife and I were on a getaway for my birthday. We looked on yelp for a restaurant and found Hazel in Occidental. We were welcomed and seated right away, and our server was very prompt and courteous. The surroundings are not very upscale, but the entire atmosphere is clean and homey. I liked it very much: clean tables, clean counters, clean glasses, and silverware. All of these things, however, were not the best part. The best part was the food. I had the pot roast and my wife had the mushroom pizza. Both of us commented that our dinners were among the best we've ever had anywhere in any restaurant. Also, neither of us could finish our dinner because the portion size was so large. We were so full, we had to decline dessert. This truly made for a memorable birthday. read more

Our group of 7 visited Hazel for dinner and had such a lovely time. The restaurant is small and cozy. The staff is extremely warm and kind. I loved the service. Our reservation was around 7pm. We got seated right away. Everything on the menu looked delicious. We ordered the fog hill arugula salad, and brussels sprouts which were all delicious. The brussels sprouts were nice and crispy without being too oily. The salad was seasoned and dressed properly. The fennel was a great touch. We also ordered the mushroom pizza. Divine! The dough had a nice bite to it which I enjoyed. We ordered family style: Roasted Chicken, Braised Pot Roast and Crab Cioppino. The Cioppino was tasty but was missing SOMETHING. I am used to the Sotto Mare Cioppino in SF so I think I had that in mind when I tried it. But it was really good overall. The braised pot roast was 10/10 meat melt in your mouth delicious. The roasted chicken was robust and moist. Make room for dessert! Their desserts were super thoughtful and delicious. I gave 4 out of 5 stars because they were out of items on the menu. It is surprising that two hours in service and they're out of bread. But overall, I very much enjoyed visiting Hazel. read more

I found that the food lacked a lot of flavour, but the salad was amazing. Specifically, the pie was very dry and the fish lacked any flavour. The restaurant is very pretty itself, service was decent. read more

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Love the atmosphere. Love seeing the cook doing his thing in the kitchen. The portions were awesome. Really really nice place that makes you feel like starting up your own restaurant lol read more

Beautiful place and amazing food for a nice and comfortable small dining area experience it is quite nice to go here for the salads

POV: Out-of-towners, visiting wine country and staying in Guerneville. We were all over Sonoma County for winery visits and made a point to ask our BnB hosts as well as locals/servers/industry folk what their favorite eateries were. Hazel came up several times as a MUST VISIT. The first reservation we could secure was at 745p (Saturday night), without cutting it too close. This gave us a surplus of time so we had the chance to go to the ocean for sunset which was lovely. Hazel is in an old renovated house, very quaint. Space was tight but well utilized. They let us know right off the bat that they were out of bread, a few of their drinks, and regular pizza dough but their gluten-free crust was available. We ordered their crispy Brussels sprouts which were fantastic and probably my favorite item of the night. We also got the short ribs - spicy, saucy, and tender. They were a little greasy but...RIBS. We also ordered the Sausage Egg Pizza on gluten free crust and I was not a fan. My husband liked the toppings well enough but the crust was chewy and got stuck to our teeth. I don't order gluten free crust many places so I'm not sure how it compares. I'll also note that their portions are huge, which we didn't know, so we had SO MUCH food to take back to the BnB. Not usually a bad problem, but for visitors with limited leftover storage options, it would have been better to order fewer options. The last thing I'll note is that after seeing a neighbor table order the pot roast, we had a little FOMO. It looked so good!! No room for dessert so I can't share anything there. Overall, some really good things, some not-so-great things. With the overwhelming recommendations from locals, I wouldn't be opposed to going back and giving Hazel another shot. Maybe an earlier visit time would prevent the shortages. read more

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Made reservations - glad we did. The pot roast portion was immense; but flavoring was uninspiring - no veggies. My hubby's ribeye was nicely cooked (though the bits of grill cleaning was yucky) - so much gristle! The service was professional; polished and excellent. Not sure whether its worth coming back read more

I'd be willing to go back simply to try the pizza only because the staff was so kind. One would have thought by the prices that the food would have been outstanding...no where near it. What were supposed to be [smashed] potatoes turned out to be a sloppy glop of runny mashed potatoes and the roasted chicken was the greasiest poultry I've ever been served. What a disappointment after starting out with an excellent appetizer of Brussels sprouts and their homemade sourdough bread. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]We loved all of it: the food, the ambiance and the service.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We are vegetarians and ordered the mushroom pizza and the Little Gems salad. We ended the meal in dessert heaven by ordering the caramel-chocolate sundae. It was all delicious! We'll be back. It's too good of a place to pass up if you're in the area. And carnivores, you won't be disappointed. The meatloaf and other meat dishes looked great, too. (This former meat lover should know.) read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Fantastic food, exceptionally friendly staff, and lovely indoor and outdoor spaces.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]We ate outside on a very chilly evening and not only were the heat lamps very cozy, the staff also offered us blankets to keep our tushies warm![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The Brussels sprouts appetizer was unbelievable- crispy and flavorful and melt in the mouth, even without the bacon. And the bleu cheese pizza was fantastic. Even the bread was delicious! Strongly recommend. read more

We came in from out of town and were looking for some dinner. Saw that Hazels was open til 9, we got there at 8:30, wouldn't serve us because the kitchen was closed! 30 mins before you close?? Ridiculous!! We will never come back to this town. read more

We visited this place on the recommendation of Ben at the receptionist desk of the Bodega Bay Lodge (see my review of them!). What a great recommendation. It is a quaint little place with a nice menu. We dined on pepperoni pizza and seafood stew. The stew was very robust with plenty of variety, and I finished the broth after the fish. It was that tasty. They told us the menu is printed new every day to accommodate different available items. It was a little noisy and sometimes hard to hear my dinner partner, but it was not overbearing. Hazel is definitely a place to dine when visiting Bodega Bay. read more

Hazel - Seafood stew and pepperoni pizza - Pizza Near Me - Occidental, California

Hazel is off the beaten path but so worth the trip. I would wager to say they are among the best in Sonoma County and give John Ash, Dry Creek Kitchen and Valette a run for their money. Given they are in west Sonoma County, the vibe is relaxed but the caliber of the food is elite fine dinning. Everything is cooked to perfection; the owners are the main chef de cuisine and pastry chef. On my most recent visit, I dined with 7 friends and had a fantastic meal. We loved the lamb meatballs, Brussel sprout salad, pork shank with creamy polenta, baked chicken and the desserts were equally outstanding. Even what would seem to be a simple sundae was special and delicious. read more

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Made day-of reservations on a Sunday night. Sat outside on the patio since we had a dog. There were about 3-4 parties sitting outside under heat lamps, blankets provided! The service was slow and not very attentive, but it seemed like they were short-staffed. Fried brussel sprouts were quite tasty! I would order this again. The bacon and lemon both came through perfectly, and the brussels were cooked evenly. Ordered half/half pizza with Pepperoni then Sausage and Egg. Personally, I enjoyed the flavor of the Sausage and Egg more than the Pepperoni. It had a nice kick with the perfect punch of flavor. The crust was fine, but didn't seem to hold up the toppings well. Either less sauce/cheese or a thicker crust would've made the pizza more enjoyable. We got lucky because it was the first night of the Brown Sugar Cake debut. It was homemade brown sugar cake with plum filling. The two contrasts complemented well. The cake wasn't too sweet and we finished it in a jiffy! Would return to try other dishes on the menu, and hopefully sit inside with more attentive service. read more

Fantastic restaurant with good food. The chicken was awesome so was the pizzas. Avoid the quinoa main dish, was soupy!

A year in the making. That's how long it has taken me to journey to this humble restaurant in Occidental after being told about it by numerous friends and coworkers. It's been on my bookmark list for some time and after an incredible brunch experience I had it will undoubtedly remain on that list--perhaps moved to the top. Coming here on a beautiful, Sunday morning for brunch couldn't have been a more perfect time. As the only day where brunch is offered, my friends and I would highly recommend giving it a try. The cozy, relaxed yet classy ambience with a wood burning oven at the heart of the kitchen really makes a great dining experience. A delicious coffee started the service and woke the senses and appetite. Opting to start with something delicious and sweet, our server suggested their signature beignets. A heaping portion of it arrived on the table and certainly large enough to be shared. The warm, fluffy interior of such doughy concoction revealed how skilled the chef in the kitchen was. If this was any indication, I had no doubt the main event was going to be better. And indeed my assumptions were right. Feeling like the only way to have a legit brunch would be to have some sort of benedict dish, I opted for the crab option. Dungeness crab and poached egg on top of sourdough bread and enveloped in a rich hollandaise sauce is a perfect combination no matter how you view it. This dish was perfectly executed with the flavors accentuating each other rather than competing. For example the slightly sweet flavor of the crab melded beautifully with the savoriness of the hollandaise. The crunchiness of the sourdough bread added the textural contrast. This rendition of crab benedict might be one of the best, if not the best, one I've had the pleasure of eating. With brunch now notched in my belt, the next step is dinner service. With the experience I had, and most importantly the delicious food that made the meal memorable, I have no doubt future visits would be just as great. read more

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The food was so delicious! We had the margarita pizza...beautiful presentation, the crust is thin and let the flavors from the mozzarella, tomatoes and basil be the stars of the meal. Get the peanut butter pie for dessert! Enough to share with you table mates. Service was great! Very friendly staff who knew their menu's flavors. read more

Michele, I was not there when my wife asked Bruce to move us inside. She only told me that Bruce said he couldn't sit us inside with our service dog. I asked her if she made it clear to him that Colin was her service dog and she said yes. That surprised me, but she didn't want to find another place to eat. I'm glad to realize it was all a misunderstanding. We appreciate your kind good will gesture. read more

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Very pleasantly surprised with the everything here, food quality, portion size, dessert, ambiance, service, dog friendliness, etc etc... We ordered the ribeye and pot roast. When the food came, it literally looked like we were about to indulge in a thanksgiving feast. There was so much food. Meat sweats incoming! My husband (who is a complete steak snob and finds steak restaurants like Alexander's, Mastros, Harris, etc mediocre), said the sear on that ribeye was probably the best he's had in America. The pot roast was more than enough for 2 meals. The potato and au jus that surrounded the tender meat were perfect. For brunch next day, I HIGHLY recommend getting some fresh baguette / challah from Nightingale Bakery lathering it with this saucy roast. The sundae omg... so good. Fresh homemade vanilla ice cream filled with sauce and big chunky caramel bits and nuts. Must get this. We later learned that this is Nebraskan cuisine and the chef named the restaurant after his great grandmother who was a homesteader and an amazing cook. Thanks for the great meal! read more

I have been coming to Occidental my whole life and I never realized how much good food was being made here!! Hazel was incredible!! Everything we ordered was top notch!! It's a small restaurant but the portions and flavors are huge! I got the pot roast, my mom got the halibut, and my sister got the mushroom pizza! All we're perfect!! So much flavor, so fresh! Loved it! read more

Hazel - Mushroom Pizza - Pizza Near Me - Occidental, California

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Amazing local mom and pop with the best pizza and great service. You will need a reservation! Reserved a star as the menu never changes but I guess if it's not broken... read more

Pork not sourced locally, but the ribs are so tender and flavorful. Hazel has excellent food, service, and ambiance. Plus they always have rice crispy treats and cookies. read more

After a an afternoon of wine tasting in the Russian River Valley, me and a friend from out of town were feeling in a pizza mood. I do have my usual haunts in and around the area. But I was really wanting to try something new. My wife had been to Hazel this past year and raved about their pizza. So I decided to give it a try. First off, I love the town of Occidental. If you have never been you really need to get on your horse and get there! Occidental for being a small town is blessed with some excellent dining choices. But I am getting really off topic. Now back to Hazel.... We stopped in for an early 5:15 reservation and warmly greeted and seated. Our server came right over and took our drink orders. We both started off with a glass of pinot gris, which at $9.00 a glass I thought it be the perfect wine to being the night. We shared a heirloom tomato salad which was PHENOMENAL! The tomatoes were tossed in extra virgin olive oil with cucumbers, red onion, feta cheese and topped with fresh basil. Our server also brought a side of fleur de sel. This dish is obviously served on a seasonal basis so GO NOW! otherwise you will have to wait a year to grab one of the best salads in the county. As for the pizza, we shared the pepperoni the ingredients were perfectly balanced with the crust being the star. It was as good as advertised. The ambiance and service were both five star. I like the fact that the dining room is causal yet you feel like you were treated as well as any high end restaurant without having to pay the high end prices. read more

New to Occidental and very pleased to have found Hazel. We've been a few times and taken out too. Always good. Really good pizza, the Gem salad is a simple and yummy gem. Good wine selects. Not least important is to be able to dine outside! Looking forward to each visit read more