Fun new beverage menu! I tried Papaya Don't Preach: papaya vodka, limoncello, prosecco, and papaya…read more(!) cotton candy (that melts when you combine it with the liquid ingredients--fun!) The staff is always so friendly and welcoming--you feel like family. We enjoy having small bday parties with themes. Good times. 6.6.26: updated menu!!

My wife and I had the occasion to stop by The Speakeasy a few days ago. We were just looking to…read morehave kind of hors d'oeuvres and a cocktail and just hang out together, because we found ourselves with a rare four-hour window where the kids were occupied and we could just do whatever we wanted. This was a nice way to spend a few hours. The space is neat. It's as small, somewhat dark ambiance with the windows blacked out. So, you do loose your sense of time a bit inside. That's actually nice as it feels like you went somewhere/somewhen else for a while. We had a Manhattan and a Kentucky Mule, and, additionally, we had three different shareable appetizers. First thought, we ordered and devoured a really exceptional cheese plate. I know cheese plates seem a little meh sometimes, but this was really good! I would absolutely order it again. In fact, I would definitely go there just to have the cheese plate again with a drink, a glass of wine. We also had the three tacos shareable. There were three tacos that were stunningly good. Lastly a dish with some little steak medallions and a shrimp. Each of these was about two bites and the flavor and texture was excellent. All three of the shareables and the drinks were exceptional. I have to call out that, with the cheese board, came a little loaf of bread. That bread was really good all on its own. I would definitely want to eat it. I can still taste it. It was really good, but my wife, she's gluten intolerant. They offered, because she couldn't eat the bread, they offered to also bring her out some gluten-free crackers, so she got to enjoy the cheese board just the same without the bread. They gave her the crackers, and do you know, they just gave her those extra. They didn't ask for something more. They didn't do anything. They just took care of her. I really appreciate that. I have to also give a shout out to the Jessica. I don't know how she did it, but she was taking care of the whole room of tables I think. Nice. We ordred all three shareables at the same time and she thoughtfully said, 'do you mind if I course these out for you?' We said yes and she did. I don't think anybody felt like they didn't have everything they needed, so a shout out to you, Jessica, really well done. We're grateful for the service and the high quality dining experience that you gave us on a moment's notice. I hope we can visit again soon. And, especially we want to check out The Boardroom soon. NOTE: This is in a kind of older looking strip mall. Don't be concerned about that at all! It threw us off a little at first and we did wonder when we pulled in though if we were in the right place. Happily, we were!

Everyone goes for the view, but the food is amazing too! Like what else can you ask for?…read more Main events, parties, birthdays you name it can happen here. I absolutely enjoyed my experience here and would recommend.

I had no idea Novato had such a beautiful gem…read more Nothing against the city but I live in Benicia. The only time I come to Novato is to go through Novato. Theres hiking trails or places where we go to get to the Ocean. In order to go to them, we have to drive through Novato to get there. But whenever we are out in Marin, we usually just defeat to eating a Sol Food(If you know you know...). Recently we wanted to try something different. Ayawaska is about the experience. A very bold name but from the moment you walk in, to the moment you start eating your food you will quickly understand why they chose that name. All the workers are professional but also very friendly. Their cocktails are all delicious. Theres something about taking a sip and peering out the windows and seeing the view. For a minute it really feels like we are in another world. They really chose such a cool location for a restaurant. For food, I saw the Paella adjacent dish on the menu and I immediately knew what I was ordering. Arroz con Mariscos. We did order some Empanadas. I hate mushrooms but I had a bite of the Empanada Veggie. It's all mushrooms dude...alllll mushrooms...but it was good. My favorite was the Empanada de Lomo. But both Empanadas were delicious. They had a nice flaky crust but had really generous fillings. The flavors were so dang good. But with the Arroz con Mariscos I loved all the fixings it came with and how it was decorated. All kinds of onions and bell peppers everywhere. The rice itself wasn't overcooked or undercooked. And most of all there were giant shrimps along with calamari and clams. Altogether this was a symphony of Seafood and rice. This probably could be shared between two people. Unless you are just really hungry. So long story short, I highly recommend this place. Sometimes you go to fancy places like this and they got the nice decor. Sure. They got a nice view. Cool. But at the end of the day, the meal and the overall experience is what matters right? Ayawaska is the full package. If you live in the area and haven't tried this place yet, you are definitely missing out.

best cocktail bar north of GGB by far ... just pick a spirit and let the bar tenders just make you…read morewhat they like. can't go wrong.

Kinda looks like an antique store thrift shop. The interior…read moreis kind of groovy. However, if you're not a 23-year-old girl with exposed cleavage, you're not gonna get a drink for about three hours- ha ha! I mean, seriously I've been there several times and it gets real frustrating trying to get a drink as a senior male. There's a nice group of regular young people there that really dig it which is nice. I'm glad they have a hip spot to hang out. However, I do think they should have more servers or at the very least more efficient service. They also have NO items that resemble food so a lot of people bring food in from nearby spots, in fact, this establishment encourages it. (Loss of revenue but most likely their license must be restricted?) I'll walk a block and visit the "FLAT IRON" any day for killer elevated bar food and the great beer offerings and I'll retire my bustier!

We were in the area looking for a late dinner and were so glad to find Finnegan's Marin. Some pub…read morefood sounded really comforting after what had been a long day for us with little food in our stomachs. It was a Friday night and they had live music going on. I really liked the cozy pub atmosphere. They even have a table in the back of the restaurant with a sign saying "Worst Seat In The House," haha! Service was quick and friendly. We started off with the arugula and beet salad since we were starving, and we devoured it. We also ordered the pot roast and the bangers and mash. Both were delicious and comforting. The pot roast was fork tender and I really enjoyed the savory, tart sauce it came with. I also really enjoyed the gravy on the bangers and mash. We had a good first impression of this pub and will keep it in mind when we're in the area.

Literally just walked out at 10:45am!It's a shame because we were excited to try this restaurant…read morefor the very first time for breakfast. From the moment we sat down and the server came to our table she was completely unpleasant and had a major attitude. Very condescending but with a smile. It was as if she didn't want us to be there and took it out on us. If I were the owners I would seriously be concerned with this server taking care of customers. Unfortunately, we weren't able to try the food, but we weren't willing to spend our money in a place where we're not welcomed. So, we walked a few minutes down the road and went to the Grazie restaurant. Amazing experience. Amazing customer service. Don't spend your money in places where you get poor service. There are too many choices out there! ***I can't reply to the owners reply (there's no option in Yelp) to my post so I'm adding my reply here. I do hope the owner sees it. What's a shame is that owners like you don't take accountability for your servers providing poor service. If you were so-called only 10 feet away then you would have noticed that we walked out and you would have noticed that your server was rude and condescending when we asked her simple questions about the menu. If you were so-called only 10 feet away and you were such a great owner then why didn't you care that we were leaving? How about you take accountability for your establishment and your employees... you know what's really sad about this... as an owner this is how you respond? What kind of owner are you? After your response , why would I ever want to discuss this face to face with you? You called me a liar. If you don't care, and you want to respond unprofessionally, well, that sounds like a you problem. I was in the food and service industry managing multiple restaurants for many years. I know how to treat customers and when I need to have a conversation with my employees for their poor behaviors. I would definitely never go to a restaurant where the owner doesn't care about their customers experience. Good luck with everything!

Finally got the chance to stop in and try ranch water. My friend and I went on a Monday night so it…read morewas pretty empty. Our bartender was Jacob was such a chill dude and really cares about the cocktails that he makes. I had told him that I had a couple Moscow mules from other places so he decided to make me his style of Moscow mule and it had the perfect balance of all the ingredients which I really enjoyed. He made my friend this fig and lavender whiskey drink which was yummy and different than anything we've tried. He was a great conversationalist and I loved the vibes of this spot. I would def come back to get some more drinks.

What a neat place for a drink. Atmosphere was so cheerful with a holiday vibe right now.! Topher…read moreis the man!! Fun barkeep to talk to, will keep coming back!! Come check this place out everybody:)

Good food, took a long time to take orders and I had too walk to the bar to get water refill.read more

Excellent guacamole. Thursday night and it was packed. Great service, very friendly. Loved the…read moreatmosphere, loud but not too much. More lively one would say. Chicken enchiladas were phenomenal, sides were excellent. Ceviche was fresh and full of flavor, not too much citrus. Would definitely eat here again!

My colleagues and I had lunch together here recently - service was fantastic and I loved the…read morelandscape of the restaurant. They offer both indoor and outdoor dining options which is always a plus for me. I had the open faced crab sandwich and it was delicious! Others had tacos, salmon, and sandwiches.

I have been dining at Beso Bistro since it first opened and have always appreciated the excellent…read morefood prepared by the chef. My two friends and I recently had dinner there on Friday, May 29, 2026, and once again, the quality of the food did not disappoint. All three of us ordered the Shrimp Chef Salad, and each salad was fresh, flavorful and beautifully prepared. We arrived at 6:00 p.m. and were seated immediately. Unfortunately, the table service throughout the evening was unexpectedly slow. We ordered an appetizer that never arrived, and no one checked back with us regarding its status. At the end of our meal, we waited for someone to pick up our bill and payment at our table, as usual. But eventually we had to go to the cash register ourselves to settle the bill. What made the experience more surprising was that the restaurant did not appear particularly busy, especially for a Friday evening. While the outstanding food remains a strong reason to return, I hope the service issues we experienced were simply an off night and not indicative of a broader trend.

I tend to be very repetitive with the menu items I choose; today, however, my husband and I decided…read moreto try something different, and we were pleasantly surprised--the seafood was absolutely delicious! Thank you; El Rey will continue to be one of our favorite places. Great service and friendly staff, drinks

Over a week ago, we were driving south to San Francisco through Novato when we decided to have…read moredinner, and Mexican food won the majority vote! We chose to try a new place, and El Rey caught our attention. We arrived around 7:30, and the restaurant wasn't busy since it was a Sunday evening. Looking at the menu, I was drawn to their ceviche. We decided to start with guacamole and chips, share a ceviche, and have a Quesadilla con Carne Asada. The guacamole was fresh and well-made, the ceviche was exceptionally delicious, and the quesadilla was very well prepared and tasty. Our server was very friendly and helpful with our questions, and we even shared a few good laughs. The service was excellent. El Rey has been a local spot in Novato for many years, family-owned and known for serving traditional Mexican dishes in a welcoming setting. It has built a reputation in the community as a reliable place for a hearty meal, and many locals have been coming here for decades. The restaurant is a standalone building in a shopping center and offers a large seating area. They also have an outdoor seating area, which I imagine would be especially nice on a warm evening. As a first-time visitor, I left impressed. The food, service, and relaxed atmosphere made for a very enjoyable stop on our drive. We would definitely come back again the next time we're in Novato.