A friend recommended this restaurant for my weekend getaway in the area and this was absolutely fantastic, and I'd highly recommend it! We arrived a little early for our reservation and were taken to the bar to wait until our table was ready. Word to the wise, make a reservation as the place gets packed! We decided to share a few things so we could try more and ended up with the following: *Sourdough bread with butter - this was delicious! My only small nit is that I wish the bread was warm. *Stonefruit salad - this was delicious and very fresh *Scallops - absolutely delicious and perfectly seared and cooked! One thing I'll note is that the scallops are very very pricey at over $60 for 5-6 of them. I know it's super fresh and delicious, but this felt like it was overpriced. *Blintzes - we decided to finish with the blitzes for dessert, and these were delicious. Overall, the food was fantastic and the had a very decent selection of wines, and the place was overall very cute and the service very welcoming! Would absolutely highly recommend to anyone who finds themselves in the area. read more

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What a fantastic surprise! Our meal was simply delicious, and we enjoyed every bite. The chef's ability to create such unique flavors and beautiful presentations is truly special. I highly recommend this restaurant. Had it been located in a larger city, I am certain it would have earned a Michelin star. read more

Everything we try at Twelve 28 Kitchen is absolutely phenomenal. You can tell that Chef Zach is truly passionate about his craft. The menu features seasonal, locally sourced ingredients, and the service and décor are just as elevated as the food. It's romantic enough for a date but also welcoming if you want to bring little ones. Our favorite dish on our most recent visit was Pork and a Pancake... crispy pork belly on a Japanese okonomiyaki pancake with ramen noodles. It had the perfect balance of flavors: sweetness from the Asian BBQ sauce and apples, umami from the pork belly and egg yolk jam, and a tart, rich yuzu aioli. Every bite was satisfying and memorable. read more

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This place is top notch!!! Service was outstanding with the waitress giving perfect recommendations to the owner coming by and checking in on us a couple of times. We started off by having a bottle of their house wine $25 for a very good tasting Cab. For our appetizer we had a tomato salad that had cheesecake bites in it (very interesting and tasty). For dinner I had the stuffed pasta which was very good and flavorful. The wife had the duck and in her words the "best duck she has ever had". The duck was so tender and great flavors. Wish I could give higher review rating read more

Twelve 28 Kitchen - Stuffed pasta - New American Near Me - Penn Valley, California

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Everyone had been telling us we needed to try this place since we moved here several months ago. The environment is definitely first rate, with a relaxed and upscale atmosphere and even live music playing gently in the background while we were dining. The guitarist was excellent! The service was also first class. Very attentive and informative for our first time. Their menu changes on a regular basis, so you can always get something new and exciting. The drinks we had were great, and the food had beautiful presentation and was very flavorful. We were somewhat disappointed that they didn't have some of the things we were hoping to get when we looked online, but I guess we will just have to try again another time and see what's on the menu for that night. The elote smashed fries were delicious anyway, so no regrets! We also tried the duck. read more

First off, this review is long overdue. We've been dining here since it opened close to 10 years ago, and it's consistently been one of the best restaurants in our area. By "our area", I'm not just talking Nevada County, I'm talking the entire Sacramento Valley. Chef Zach and his team's creativity and passion for food are unrivaled. Even on the rare occasion when the restaurant is not quite firing on all cylinders, the food they put out is miles ahead of the competition. Twelve 28 is truly a destination restaurant. If you haven't dined here, do yourself a favor and make reservations ASAP. You won't regret it. read more

Another year, another wonderful meal and welcoming service! My friends were impressed with the flavors, the presentation and the fact that we could carry on a conversation without raising our voices. Still a top recommendation. read more

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Service is top notch, they make everyone feel like family. The food is a delightful treat for our area. Highly recommended.

On July 29, 20, & 31st and today Augut 1st their web site posts their current sesaonal menu. We made reservations based on that menu. When we arrived it was not the menu on line, and had nothing I wanted to order. We told the waitress and the dad of the chef that we came the over an hour drive based on what is currently on their web page for a menu. We opted to leave, this morning we were be billed $100.00 for cancelling our reservation. We did not cancel, we were there, they did not bother to update their web page to reflect the actual menu on offer. As the dad said to us very loudly on our way out of the restaruant wow, wow, wow, wow, wow,. % 5 wows, not one concern about their lack of up dating their web page. read more

Love Twelve 28 Kitchen . . . It is our favorite date night local location for us. Food is superb, service is on point, and the setting is inviting and always makes us feel welcome. Last night, they had a local musician playing live as background music . . . It was a perfect accompaniment to our special dinner! I also want to put a plug in for the Cherry Salad on the menu last night . . . The most creative, unique, and delicious salad combination I may have ever had! Keep up the great work!! read more

We have a few good restaurants in Nevada City, couple of good ones that have just opened in the last year, including The River and Dakan. Both excellent restaurants in I highly recommend them. But I gotta think Twelve 28 Kitchen Is probably the nicest restaurant in the area. Located right outside of Lake Wildwood the food is amazing and unique entrées, and the Services second to none. The server seemed well informed on the items on the menu and are right there whenever you need them. If you have not checked out this gem of a restaurant, you owe it to yourself. A little bit pricey that I feel like you get your bunnies worth. read more

Wows all around! I love this place. I came here with a friend to celebrate an engagement and it was the perfect restaurant. I loved the unique flavor and texture combinations, and the presentation. This chef knows his stuff! I loved that it was clearly family run and everyone was so friendly. Families and kids were welcome and I felt comfortable there even though I was not dressed fancy at all. I will come here every time I visit Grass valley. Thank you for the wonderful experience! read more

Twelve 28 Kitchen - Chicken entree - New American Near Me - Penn Valley, California

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Exquisite culinary experience nestled in an offbeat small rural outdoor mall area. Once inside, you'll think you are in heaven. Always a unique taste delight and fascinating menu that serves all specialized dietary needs. Rivals the French Laundry restaurant in Napa! read more

Absolutely the best fine dining in the area with a warm and welcoming vibe. Our anniversary meal here was made so much more special with a personalized menu and staff who also celebrated our day. The food is phenomenal, truly. read more

Amazing gem. This guy deserves a Michelin star. I'm so impressed. Obviously will be back

Food was great, and service is very good too. The owners came over to our table and are very nice people. read more

Good local vibe blended with cozy warmth and class. All staff was very friendly, smiling, welcoming. Food menu and choices were awesome!! We tried them all and yum!! read more

Excellent dining experience and top top shelf food. Pricey, but you get what you pay for. My wife and I like to "belly-up" at the bar. Nice to have such a gem in our small community read more

Always the best, most imaginative and well presented food in the county. Chef makes fabulous meals of local and seasonal produce and his family and staff make the entire meal a treat from entry to exit. The service here is so attentive and unobtrusive, always my favorite. Dessert was killer good, we shared the Crepe Cake, holy cow, so good! Look at this masterpiece, fall flavored crepes stacked, with apple compote, cream and caramel, I could eat it everyday. Thank you! read more

Twelve 28 Kitchen - Crepe Cake - New American Near Me - Penn Valley, California

This place is amazing! Their food is excellent!!! The service is amazing and the atmosphere is relaxed.

The food here is incredible! Everything is made from scratch and the different flavors the chef comes up with always complement each other. My favorite restaurant hands down! Not only great food, the family that own and run it and waitstaff are friendly and works hard to make your experience there special. Make reservations, or call beforehand to make sure they can get you in. If you are one that doesn't venture out for unusual dishes, I would recommend you go in with an open mind you will be glad you did. There are a few things I don't like but will eat it here with no problem. We always bring guest here when they are visiting, everyone loves it and wants to go back when they are in town. It is on the pricier side, but this is one place I don't look at prices when ordering. Enjoy, Bon Appetite! read more

Pssst. Everybody! Lean in here. Let me tell you ~ this little gem likely won't be a secret for much longer. Get yourself to Twelve28. Go. Now! Learned of this place by way of passing reference by a fellow live music lover talking about stopping here on their way from Chico to Nevada City for a show. So grateful I saw that, because wow! Hubby and I got to swing by for an early dinner after an afternoon show at The Center for the Arts in Grass Valley this past weekend. Arrived a bit earlier than our reservation time to a friendly welcome; greeted and seated right away. Alrighty then. Start to finish, we had great service from our server (Haley, if I remember correctly). We opted for: ~ the stone fruit salad ~ incredible! Easily the favorite of our visit. The charred sweet onion was the perfect complement to the sweet stone fruit and creamy parmesan mousse. ~ heirloom tomato salad ~ such a unique twist on the classic Caprese. ~ the cachapa ~ sweet, spicy and absolutely delicious, and the slight amount of leftovers were killer with some Gallo pinto and farm fresh eggs the next morning. ~ pan seared sea scallops ~ beautifully composed and balanced dish. Would happily order it again tomorrow. Can't wait to return (looks for next excuse to head up the hill...) read more

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Class Act here. The food is fine dining with a pleasant atmosphere. The menu and congratulation card was a special treat to help celebrate our 45th Wedding Anniversary! A shout out to Michael and Crystal for making this evening unforgettable! read more

Twelve 28 Kitchen - Thanks to Crystal and Michael for making out 45 Wedding Anniversary unforgettable! - New American Near Me - Penn Valley, California

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An unexpectedly great restaurant in a podunk town in good country. Everything popped: the liver pate, tomato salad and corn-y crepe/gordita (cannot recall what it was callled) with fresh cheese were fantastic and reminded me of Chez Panisse in Berkeley in the 1970s and 80s, when normal people could afford to eat there. And you can definitely afford to eat here! We had three dishes plus a delightful and large flourless chocolate cake, and a good bottle of wine and got out for about $200 with tip. Seemed like a bargain! Service was great. read more

OMG...Chef Zach hit it out of the park this evening, as did the entire staff! Jen, our server, was beyond spectacular! The food was absolutely delicious, especially the Wagyu steak with truffle gravy and garlic mashed potatoes....beyond delectable, and everything was perfectly cooked. We loved Zach's father, Michael's jokes! Can't wait to see y'all again soon! Thanks for a delightful Christmas Eve dinner! We adore you! And thank you for accommodating our seating request. Oh, and Allie, thank you for the box of cookies you and your mother made. You truly are national treasures! read more

Twelve 28 Kitchen - New American Near Me - Penn Valley, California

We had such a wonderful experience at Twelve 28 Kitchen while celebrating a friend's birthday! From the moment we arrived, the staff made the evening feel special. They surprised our friend with a personalized menu featuring a birthday message just for her, along with a sweet card which was such a thoughtful and memorable touch! Our server was fantastic--friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu. Every dish we ordered was absolutely delicious and beautifully presented. You can tell the kitchen puts a lot of care into every plate. read more

Yummy food and great service Everytime Mike is great Glad you expanded the menu. We will be back read more

Every dish here is truly a masterpiece. I love this place! Fantastic service, prompt, but not rushed, great hospitality. I enjoy how the menu is rotating, but some things remain similar like the smashed, dirty fries, are always a must when I come here. I also like how they have a rotating draft menu as well. I love that when I come here I know that I am getting a dish I can't get anywhere else. It is a smaller local restaurant but I like it, feels cozy & clean. A must try if you're in the Northern California area. read more

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We enjoyed our experience, made a birthday extra special. Food was very good but it's pricey so can't visit more often. The atmosphere is warm and cozy. read more

Food was amazing. I wish more restaurants actually used fresh ingredients like this restaurant does! It should be the standard. The menu is unique and seasonal because they only use fresh ingredients which I also find fun and tasteful. Every dish was brought out by the chef, which was a nice touch. The ambience was amazing & the live music really tied the vibes together. Our server was a woman brunette, very sweet and knowledgeable about the menu. We couldn't have asked for a better experience and our only downfall is not going to this restaurant sooner. I wish they were open more often, but I understand when you have everything made fresh like they do you can't have the same hours as restaurants that are just whipping out frozen food in the back. read more

This restaurant has quickly become an absolute must-visit every time I visit Northern California. I just recently celebrated my 4-year anniversary here and it was our first time back since the start of the pandemic. We made reservations for a Thursday evening and it was quite stormy out but you didn't notice it at all once you stepped inside. The cream curtains are drawn and live music played throughout the restaurant, creating a cozy and intimate setting for dinner. If you call to make reservations ahead of time, they still print out custom paper menus with your special occasion titled at the top. Your reserved table will also have an envelope with a post card thanking you for choosing Twelve 28 Kitchen for your special occasion signed by the whole staff and the owner, Michael. It is the little touches like these that make them stand out in my opinion. Onto their fabulous food and menu, my partner ordered the okonomiyaki and I ordered the king salmon steamed bun sliders. The sliders were so moist and the flavors were exquisite. The sweet and sour cabbage slaw was a great flavor and accent to the salmon, and the steamed buns had a light crunch to them. Literally was in awe of how the flavors went so beautifully together. My partner loved the okonomiyaki so much that he was wishing for a slightly bigger stomach just to be able to finish it all in one sitting. And as per every visit, an appetizer of the O.G. dirty smashed fries with added crispy braised pork belly. I'll reiterate: they are to die for. These fries are the best smashed fries I've ever had. The acidity of the kimchi gives it that special unique flavor, and the potatoes are so crispy, paired with the pork belly? If you like any of the three aforementioned ingredients, you'll be happy. If you enjoy all of the ingredients, well then this trifecta will send you to foodie heaven. For dessert, we had the vanilla cream. A small, light, creamy panna cotta with a dollop of honey berry sauce and a pretty sizeable sugar tuile. It was a perfectly portioned dessert that was sharable between two people at the end of a very a delicious meal. Their service throughout the years since I started visiting them remains personable, and above and beyond for each guest. From every single server, to the owner himself, who makes it a point to visit each table during the evening to ask how everything is; I honestly have yet to encounter another dining experience as lovely as the one this restaurant offers. Their consistency is rather unparalleled. I highly, highly recommend this place. I primarily live in NY and find myself recommending them to all of my friends who mention potentially visiting CA. For the quality and service this place brings to the table, you could not find better. They have the fairest pricing, fresh ingredients and in house creations, impeccably curated seasonal menus, and such warm hospitality; I absolutely could not sing any more praise for this place. You'll have to fall in love with them yourself to find out. They are mine, and my family's favorite place to celebrate special occasions, and I know they'll quickly come to be yours, too. *A special thank you to our server Haley, who was such a delight. And compliments to the whole staff, Chef Zach, Michael, and Laurie, the pastry chef, for yet another beautiful experience. Until the next celebration, thank you guys! read more

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We've been 4 or 5 times now and the food has been exceptional every time. The menu is creative and seasonal; yet familiar each time. The quality of ingredients and attention to detail is clear. And the service has been very good each time. Servers are knowledgeable about the menu and exceedingly friendly. The poached pear salad pictured here was one of the yummiest things either of us could remember eating in a LONG time. Don't miss this gem tucked away next to a gas station in a small town. It rivals big city restaurants for sure, and is worth the drive wherever you're coming from! read more

Twelve 28 Kitchen - Poached Pear Salad - New American Near Me - Penn Valley, California

Food was outstanding. Service was of a high standard. Ambiance relaxed and quiet. All-in-all a very good experience. read more

This restaurant makes the best food I have ever had in my life. I can't praise them enough and cannot stop going. Everything is so delicious and prepared perfectly. read more

Twelve 28 Kitchen - Risotto al salto - New American Near Me - Penn Valley, California

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We've been to this restaurant a few times and it's always amazing. The staff, food and ambiance are outstanding. I also recommend asking about the scones to take home. They're very good. read more

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My wife and I went to Twelve 28 last night for a big anniversary. We've lived in the area for four years but have never been to this restaurant. When we arrived for our reservation, the restaurant was nearly full. The atmosphere was energetic, but the noise level was not at all oppressive or intrusive. It was all happy noises. We were greeted at the door by name. The hostess wished us a happy anniversary. They had custom-printed the large two-sided menu with "Happy Anniversary!" written at the top. Nice touch. We ordered a bottle of Merry Edward Sauvignon Blanc from the Russian River ($65). It was listed on the wine list as a favorite of customers and the owner. I could see why. We started with two stone fruit salads ($21). I was intrigued by the inclusion of parmesan mousse. The dish was not overly sweet, and the mousse was a rare treat. It balanced the sweetness of the fruit nicely. I had to stop myself from licking the plate--it was that good. For the entrees, my wife ordered risotto al salto ($31). The local adriatic figs provided a nice accent. The Pt. Reyes bleu cheese fondue was amazing. I chose the crispy braised pork belly ($38). It was served on a bed of babaganoush with a Mediterranean salsa verde. It was beautifully balanced and the crispy outside of the pork belly provided an appealing texture and flavor. I felt as though the chef took me to the Mediterranean, all the way to Lebanon. We shared a pot de creme made with goat cheese. I don't remember the price, but it was a lovely coda for the meal. I am not a big fan of goat cheese, but this dessert was delicious--very little of the "goaty" taste I expected. As we were getting ready to leave, our server presented us with a happy anniversary card signed by the staff. We lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for decades. It's a dining mecca. This meal was at least as good as any we've had in some of the fanciest establishments and better than many. I can't wait for our next occasion to go back! read more

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Oh my gosh! Didn't know what to expect in this area for restaurants and this exceeded anything that I have available to me locally. Staff is extremely friendly food is absolutely amazing. And the chef is out and about on the dining room floor which is wonderful. Highly highly recommend read more

This our favorite local dining venue. Great service, incredible food and wine list and cozy atmosphere always bring us back. This is a must for special occasions and out of town folks. It is the best of Napa Valley in the Sierra Foothills! read more

What an outstanding experience! A great gem located in Penn Valley! Staff was so kind, helpful and friendly! The restaurant is owned and operated by a wonderful Bay Area family from the hostess to manager and chef! Our wait staff was excellent and part of the family as well! Interior was modern and very comfortable! Ambiance was very relaxing with live guitar music. Our dinner was on a Sunday night and it was busy. However, you did not feel rushed or crowded. We were well taken care of the whole time. We sat at the bar for a drink before dinner, enjoyed local beer and wine and got to know a little about the restaurant and staff thanks to the owner. He checked on us throughout the time we were there and introduced us to the Chef his son. The star of the evening was the food! We tried a variety of dishes and loved them all! The food was beautiful, so well put together, delicious, complex and creative! Nothing disappointed us! Portions were very generous and we took food home. We each ordered 2 dishes and split 2 desserts between 4 of us. We are looking forward to our next visit! Thank you all for the outstanding experience! read more

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The best restaurant in town by far. Great wine list. The service is top notch. The menu is seasonal so there is always something different. They had live music (solo guitarist) on a Friday night. We went for a birthday and they personalized the menu which was a nice subtle touch. I've never had a bad meal here and will keep coming back again and again. read more

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