I came here for brunch with my family and we had the BEST time. My brother and I ordered the Korean…read moreCrispy Chicken Sando with fried eggs and avocado and WOW. Crispy chicken + gochujang honey + brioche + a fried egg? Whoever came up with this understood the assignment. My mom got the Shrimp Po' Boy, and my nephew went for the BLT. Everything coming out of the kitchen looked better than the last thing. The umami fries deserve their own paragraph because we kept ordering them. And ordering them again. And then somehow ordering them AGAIN. At some point I think the fries just became part of the family. We also tried the deviled eggs with tobiko, which were SO good! But let's talk about the drinks because this is where things got dangerous. Our server Sam was AMAZING. He was attentive without hovering, knew the menu, and gave us recommendations that were genuinely spot-on. We trusted him completely by the end of the meal, which is how we ended up trying several cocktails. My favorite was the Low rider because I'm a mezcal girly and the espresso martini was especially good definitely one of the better ones I've had. I loved the different ingredients they use, including Ola Coffee, which gave it something a little different. And then Sam recommended the whiskey butter cake. That cake was the perfect ending. Every recommendation he gave us was a hit, so at this point I would probably let Sam plan my entire brunch menu. We had such a fun family brunch and genuinely left talking about how much we enjoyed everything. Great food, great cocktails, great service, and a staff member who clearly knows how to make people have a good time. The ambiance was also such a vibe. The interior is really cute and we got seated in a booth, which made it feel extra cozy and perfect for hanging out and enjoying brunch. I could totally see this being a great spot for family brunch, drinks with friends, or even a cute date. It has that kind of atmosphere where you can dress it up a little or keep it casual and still feel right at home. 10/10 would brunch here again.

Stopped by around lunch time on a Saturday and was able to be seated without reservations easily…read more We were hoping to try the miso pasta but on weekends only the brunch menu is available until their dinner service at 4pm. We tried the loco moco and chicken and waffles instead. Both were good and portions are average sized. Usually we can't finish brunch between the 2 of us but this was easily consumed with no leftovers. The chicken and waffles came with matcha butter which was a nice touch. Overall a safe choice for brunch and I'm interested in coming back to try some of their lunch/dinner options!

Oh yeah..... Such a great experience. Yelp last minute find for Saturday evening last minute…read morereservation. Dined outside on small street side patio. Weather was perfect. California with Asian flair. Food is carefully prepared, creative, fresh, local, and delicious. Loved the sesame pancakes with trout meringue and avocado (my description LOL), yellowfin tuna and rice, and beef dumplings. Absolutely delicious. The desert was pistachio with fresh blueberries and ice cream. One of the best I've ever had. Wine service and list is proper and lots of offering from the great state of California as you would expect. The Poe bubbles was exceptional and paired perfectly. Tea service is a definitely worth enjoying. For the locals, this is amazing. For travelers like us, a golden find. Cheers!

A nice vibrant, modern asian fusion eatery, with a great selection if small bites and shareable…read morefood for the table, everything from delectable milk bread to fresh and fried seafood. Definitely a family style dinner, order multiple things to try! Made a reservation couple weeks in advance for a week night dinner for 2. Celebrated our anniversary and couldn't be more happy we came to Ethel's Fancy. Service was great, everyone was friendly and explained the menu and process. Helped making some personal recommendations and the food came out quickly. The only dish that came out very slowly was the dessert, we did wait about 25 - 30 minutes just for the softserve, but all other dishes came out in a moderate time. Rouge de Bordeaux Milk Bread, comes with cultured amazake butter and some salt. Comes out super warm, puffy, and soft. Very nice pull and the butter is super decadent. Very great take on a japanese shokupan, we were hesitant at first, but it makes for a good appetizer 5:5 Warm Sesame Pancakes were like those mini sesame mochi pancakes at chinese dim sum, but the texture was slightly airy. The sauce to accompany it was unlike anything i've had, smoked trout, avocado and yuzu. The avocado was not over powering and the cream on top was whipped. Amazing pairing. 5/5 Sashimi of Kanpachi, japanese cucumber salad as the base and dressing with the kanpachi sashimi. I will say this was the weakest dish of the night. While still good, it was a bit too tart, it overpowered the other natural flavors. Fish was still very good, tender and not fishy, but again, over powered but all the tartness in the dish. 3/5 Yellowfin Tuna on sushi rice - this was a great shareable plate of upscale poke. The tuna was great, no fishy taste, perfectly seasoned and the smoked kira had an amazing pop of flavor. Very rich and decadent dish, absolutely loved the harmony of a slight smokey flavor to the nice rich, umami savoriness. 5/5 Crispy Caledonian Prawns - Absolute star of the night. We could not stop talking about these prawns. Big plump prawns, fried perfectly, where the prawn itself was not dry but the shell had a shatteringly crispy exterior definitely slightly coated with a starch to give it a nice crunch. The chili ramp sunomono was a great touch, not spicy at all but added a great touch of flavor that complimented the crispy prawns. Could devour plates of these! 6/5! Sword-Fish Katsu Style - A great take with sword fish, flakey but not overcooked, great thin crispy katsu. Accompanied by kumquat and cauliflower, helps cut down the greasiness. The sauce with it was a buttery tart sauce. This was a lot better where the tartness helped the fried fish. It was like eating a fried fish burger without the buns. I really enjoyed this one. 5/5 Lastly we ordered a softserve with peaches, shokupan croutons and a caramel dressing. We had to wait about 25 minutes just for the small softserve so we were a bit surprised as other dishes came out relatively quickly or in an orderly fashion. It still tasted great as a little small dessert but definitely was surprised by how long it took. 3/5 Overall, we were very happy with our experience at Ethel's and it definitely lives up to the standard it sets. I can't wait for other new dishes to try and come back in the future.

Came by for dinner the other night and it was a tasty experience. Made a reservation and our table…read morewas ready upon arrival. Parking is available in the private lot or on nearby residential streets. Dining is available either inside the dining room, at the bar, or outdoors on the covered patio. Flea Street is featured in the Michelin guide. Our waitress was phenomenal the entire evening, being very sweet and attentive. She was quite talented too! ;) Meal started off with the complimentary biscuit, served with a side of beautiful butter, salt, as well as a piece of carrot. This was decent as the biscuit was merely lukewarm. The lamb chop as a snack was quite tasty. These were sold per piece and cooked to a perfect medium rare. The farmers salad, dungeness crab cake, as well as the cured trout small plates were all quite tasty. Loved how premium and light the farmer's salad was. The dungeness crab cake was super light and tasty too! The cured trout was excellent with the homemade potato chips! The cioppino was gigantic and perfect for sharing. It featured a ton of premium seafood, from clams, mussels, calamari, shrimp, as well as a couple pieces of black cod fish along with a few pieces of toasted bread! Finished off the meal with an apple galette which was tasty and served with a scoop of ice cream which was surprisingly a touch lacklustre... The meal ended off with a couple chocolate dipped strawberries. ~$130/head after 20% service charge and 3% employer benefits surcharge.

Flea Street has been in the Menlo Park 'hood since the '80s, and they are all about embracing…read moresustainbility and supporting local ferns, fishermen, ranchers, and vinters. Our group came here for an early dinner, and we decided to share some bites and small plates to share: +the Cast Iron Corn Bread - prepared with rosemary, lemon, and smoked maple syrup; they use GF corn meal +Our Caesar Salad with Tempura Fried Sardines - prepared with little gem lettuces, Parm, and breadcrumbs; was a fan of the sardines! +Nana's Stuffed Artichoke - prepared with panko bread crumbs, garden herbs, Parm, lemon, and olive oil +and, the McFarland Smoked Trout - with marinated beets, frisee, truffle horseradish creme fraiche, and housemade potato chips For my main, I went for the Slow Braised Grass-Fed Short Rib - this was served with spring veggies, mashed potatoes, and a Zinfandel au jus; the short rib was tender, but wished there was more au jus that came with. Staff were friendly, and the restaurant itself is cozy and intimate; great for date nights or a little get-together. Note that parties of 5+ automatically includes a 22% service surcharge. +shareable bites and small plates +friendly service

Amazing food made with fresh local seasonal ingredients…read more Very flavorful, very well presented. Great service and ambiance. Upscale, elegant, high quality and unpretentious.

Snap pea toast (5/5) Pea agnolotti (5/5)…read morePork rib chop (3/5) - too dry Overall still an amazing wine collection and great starters

Anniversary dinner!…read more Wife and I enjoyed exploring the gallery and getting ideas until it was dinner time. I had made a reservation online. Super easy process, had no issues. Mentioned in the reservation that it was our anniversary, what wine was our preference and nice seating - whatever that may be heheh. My only problem is that they ask for this information and yet it felt like they didn't proactively, beforehand, do anything with it. Oh well. Beyond that, Philip was a star, great host. Very attentive and timely. Took pictures when we requested and was just overall delightful I guess to be expected, but all portions were very small (reference pictures for more detail). But although small, they all had BIG flavor! Every single bite was savored and enjoyed.

A bit over hyped !…read more The restaurant itself is absolutely beautiful. The ambiance, decor, and overall atmosphere were definitely the highlight of our experience--it's a very lovely place with a sophisticated and inviting feel. We visited to celebrate my birthday, and while our server was friendly, I felt the service lacked attentiveness throughout our visit. When we were seated, we were asked again what the occasion was, so we were expecting perhaps a small birthday gesture or acknowledgment. Unfortunately, nothing was done for my birthday, while we noticed the table next to us received a nice birthday gesture. It was a little disappointing, especially since the occasion had been specifically mentioned. As for the food, there were definitely some hits and misses. My mom ordered the chicken sandwich, but the bread was extremely over-toasted. When I took a bite, it was so hard and sharp that it actually cut my gums, which was definitely not something we expected. On the positive side, the salmon and truffle fries were delicious and probably the best part of our meal. However, while they were good, I wouldn't say the food overall was quite at a 5-star level. Overall, I think this restaurant has a lot of potential. The setting is gorgeous and the ambiance is beautiful, and our server was kind, but the lack of attentiveness and some issues with the food made the experience feel more like a 3-star visit for us. I would consider coming back, but I would hope for a more attentive experience and better attention to the small details next time.

Every time I have come to Sun of Wolf, I always get top notch service, everyone is so friendly…read more I also like the menu selection and the vibes of the restaurant. On this occasion, we came here on a Friday evening, we had made reservations for 6 of us. I personally ordered the agua fresca-pineapple and the lasagna. We ordered 2 chips and salsa for the table and the others ordered, arugula salad, tacos de carnitas, mahi mahi tacos, hamachi tostadas and drinks such as the spicy tamarindo, mocktail and margarita. Everyone loved their selections. One of my friends ordered the chocolate tart and the chocolate was too rich for my liking but the mousse that accompanied it was soo good, very tart and tropical. This restaurant is on California Ave., no restaurant parking but there is street parking nearby, although not on this street since its closed off to vehicle traffic. There is also a parking lot and a parking garage nearby. Once you eat, you can take a nice stroll down the Ave. Check online for details but once a month, on Thursdays, the city helps to sponsor a Thursday Live events with music, giveaways and games. Even without the Thursday Live events...this restaurant is a must if you are in the area.

We came in a Sunday and if you come too early there is always an amazing farmers market you can…read morewalk around at. Because of timing for other errands we came at 10:30 am and they were open on time and ready. Sitting outside or inside is amazing, outside you get the crowd and the sun. Inside you get amazing interior design. My overall feedback is this is one of the rare "fancy" Mexican places that justify the price and justification. Everything is above average in taste and execution. Brunch Tacos mole: chicken mole poblano, scrambled eggs, huitlacoche, tortillas, epazote crema, fried shallots & avocado. Perfect portioning and the salad that came with it had a fantastic dressing. I pulled some chicken out and gave it to my wife and then it was perfect, a bit too overstuff before. The mole and overall taste were quite good though. Chilaquiles: tortilla chips sautéed in chile de árbol-guajillo salsa, topped with queso fresco, cilantro crema, and an egg. My wife loved this so much it made her question every time she didn't order it before. Fried egg sandwich: two over easy eggs on house baked brioche bun, chipotle aioli, avocado, bacon, cheddar cheese, fried shallot. Kids loved this and happily ate the leftover after. Iced Mexican Cafe: delicious iced coffee with a distinct Mexican taste. Distrito Verde: mezcal, basil, lemon, and falernum. Simple but refreshing brunch cocktail, really paired well with the mole tacos. Chips and salsa: These are not free but worth the price. Both the chips and the 2 salsa are of extremely good quality and preparation. Abnormally tasty and the kids went crazy eating it.

Been wanting to try this place because so many of my friends recommended it, and it did not…read moredisappoint! We went on a Sunday and it was PACKED, but their table system was super efficient and we got seated sooner than expected. Great ambiance with lots of indoor/outdoor seating. Very family and large-group friendly, plus dogs are welcome outside and they even have a dog menu! Ordering through the QR system made it super easy when dining with a group, and the food came out SO fast. We tried the Besio pizza, roasted chicken & kale salad, garlic Parmesan fries, and six-layer chocolate cake. The pizza was a classic wood fired pizza with a great crust and so much flavor from the spicy fennel sausage. A great size for sharing. The salad was good but a little small for the price. The fries were crispy and garlicky (a little lacking on the Parmesan but still good). The cake was 100/10. Light, airy, and not overly sweet. That's a must order! Can't wait to come back and try more!

3.5* Zott's aka Alpine Inn Biergarten in Portola Valley…read moreALWAYS CROWDED! Big parking lot 50+ picnic tables for outdoor seating, rustic A few table inside Lots of young people drinking beer Burgers are good; have French Dip Minus: 2-hour seating limit Friendly and helpful staff

Came here to celebrate a birthday and lucked out with the best table in the house! We were seated…read morenext to an open window with the perfect breeze and great people-watching. This was my first time trying Persian food and I loved it! Everything was full of flavor, the meats were cooked perfectly, and the desserts were beautiful. The ambiance was warm and authentic, but the service really stood out. Everyone was so attentive, even if they weren't our server. Such a great experience and definitely somewhere I'd come back to!

Celebrated an anniversary here and our server Jennifer was amazing! She was engaging and pleasant…read moreand really tried to make our anniversary extra special. The inside of the restaurant was warm, bright, and inviting. There weren't many patrons as we got there right when it opened. For a steak house we really went for it and ordered more than two can eat! Along with the lamp chops we went with the tomahawk and the meats were cooked perfectly. For appetizers we had oysters and the bone marrow and toast. The dessert we decided on - the baklava cheesecake - was decadent and rich. It was a great end to an epic meal.

The burgers are very tasty the chicken strips are very tasty the fries are great . When my wife and…read moreI eat there we bring our dog with us and there good with your dog as long as there will manerd they have even one day came out with a burger for my dog . The only thing they need is a menu for the dogs so we can buy him dinner to great place stafe very nice never had a bad meal.

3.5 stars for this burger spot, came here and sampled their burgers, let me breakdown what was…read moresampled and how it all faired. Brought the family with me to sample their options here is what everyone had I sampled the roadhouse burger and added mushrooms and made it a double, sadly this was not my favorite that I sample minus the mushrooms would have been a better take on this burger, also added the chilli cheese fries those were delicious would have been better with more meat in the chilli but everyone has their own preference Son ordered the nashville chicken sandwich - taste was perfect but my son mentioned it was way to messy to eat again delicious but way to messy to eat, crunch on each bite, seasoned and flavored well just allot to bite down on Daughter ordered roadhouse burger just cheese and meat with side of fries, even though it was smashed she finished most of it she left 1/4 of the burger and bread she stated it was delicious with side of piping hot fries she would order it again Wife had the roadhouse cobb and added nashville chicken she stated it was heavy for a salad allot of greens and heavy slices of crunchy nashville fried chicken In total all of the food was good, there were several other options to choose from, i will have to come back and sample a different burger Food **** for everyone elses burger 3.5 for my burger should have not added the mushrooms Price $$$ Service **** helpful, friendly Ambiance **** clean, open, not loud

Sekoya is fantastic. I've been here 3 times and the food has always been stellar. When you go, ask…read moreto be seated with Marley or Kim. They are excellent servers. They helped guide us through the menu and we're really knowledgeable about the dishes. I also had the pleasure of meeting the new chef on my most recent visit, he is passionate and energetic, I look forward to returning to sees what he comes up with next. Highlights: The Beef Tongue skewer, my sister said it was the best she'd ever had. The Embered Scallops, presented beautifully in the shell with a dreamy chili cognac butter A Tie between the Chocolate Tart and the Bread Pudding. Save room for dessert! Honorable: Housemade Parker Rolls ( get the whipped ricotta and mascarpone) Cons: The music can be a little loud in the back room for conversation. (Request the front room or outside for a more mellow experienced) The plastic chairs in the from dining room, they look great, they feel like I'm at a company picnic. (I like to be balanced, no one is perfect) Overall Sekoya is one of my favorite new spots in Palo Alto and I can't wait to keep bringing friends and family there. ( and bugging the chef until he brings back some variation of the Tempura Mushrooms they used to have!)

$165 before tip: 2 Amber Hour prix fixe menus, including 1 dry-aged steak up-charge, plus 1…read moreKickstart cocktail. 3.6 stars rounded up. The first course was a bit of a mixed bag. The Ahi was a fair portion for what I expected from the prix fixe menu. The flavor was nicely balanced, and the fish was beautifully seared while remaining tender inside. Overall, a well-executed dish. The Hamachi, unfortunately, wasn't something I'd order again. The fish flavor was unusually pronounced in a way that wasn't particularly pleasant. It came across as slightly off and overshadowed the rest of the dish. The second course was also mixed. The Bavette steak is a cut fairly close to skirt steak, and it's one where preparation, cooking, and especially slicing can make or break the experience. Unfortunately, this one arrived closer to medium-rare despite my requesting medium. More importantly, it was sliced with the grain. The steak had good beefy flavor, but being undercooked for my preference and sliced with the grain made it exceptionally chewy. I'm also not a fan of having steak pre-sliced before it reaches the table. I prefer to let a steak rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting so the juices can redistribute. In a commercial kitchen, I don't see this happening, also if the steak like this is going to be sliced before serving, I'd prefer it be sliced against the grain. The dry-aged New York strip was much better. It arrived sliced into strips and was cooked exactly to the requested medium. The aging process brought out a pronounced, beefy flavor, and the portion was a good size. There was some gristle, as you'd expect with a New York strip, but here I would have preferred some of the tougher exterior gristle to have been trimmed a bit more aggressively before cooking. Dessert was the highlight of the meal. The pastry/dessert chef is working at a level above the other courses. I rarely order chocolate desserts because chocolate has become just so vanilla as a safe, uninspired and predictable choice. That was absolutely not the case here. The dark chocolate tart was outstanding. It was intensely rich and unapologetically dark, with a depth of chocolate flavor that made it much more interesting than the typical chocolate dessert. The portion was surprisingly generous considering how powerful the dish was. The butterscotch pudding with fresh fruit was equally impressive, but in a completely different direction. My first thought was, fruit and butterscotch? Those aren't two flavors that play well together. But the pairing seemed audacious enough that there had to be a reason for it, and there was. The fruit was clearly selected with care, and the quality showed. The butterscotch pudding was beautifully made. It was firm enough to hold its shape, but exceptionally smooth, with a gentle, well-controlled sweetness. Each component tasted great on its own, but combining them was where the dish really came alive. The fruit's brightness and acidity cut through the richness of the butterscotch, creating a surprisingly balanced combination. That dessert alone is worth coming back for. Service was outstanding. We were never rushed, and the pacing felt very natural. Courses came out when we were ready rather than being pushed along. The staff was friendly, attentive, and worked together seamlessly. Environmentally, the wood themed interior (think sequoia) is attractive, the beverage menu is a wood binder the the plates have a tree slice, wood-cookie, cross-cut look. Although it can get cold. There's a ceiling register that sends air directly down the wall and onto the tops of your head, neck, and shoulders. If you're sensitive to cold air, your table location may make a difference. And while they do change silverware between courses, they also place silverware directly on the table. All-in-all a good dining experience with the edges to clean-up.