Good food. Service was attentive. A bit hard to get to unless you live in the area. Burger was fine.

I am so bummed that they cut down their hours to only the weekends times have been hard I know, but damn that sucks I really miss two topping Tuesday!!! read more

They weren't serving lunch indoors but the street side dining area was shady and pleasant. From the takeout counter we ordered the Caesar salad and garlic gold pizza and were pleasantly surprised by the quality. The salad lettuce was crisp and we appreciated the Caesar dressing and anchovies on the side. The rolls accompanying the salad were freshly baked and hot. The creamy garlic pizza was absolutely delicious, with a blistered crust, perfectly grilled mushrooms, caramelized onions and melty cheese. It goes to show that you don't have to go to a fancy restaurant, have attentive waiters or dine indoors to have a memorable culinary experience. read more

Who says you can't go back home again. Every dining experience at the Union Hotel is like being home. Every patron is treated like family. Barb (one of the owners) is a goddess who makes everyone feel special. Gien, Barb's daughter, is an all-star and the sweetest. The Gonnella family has owned this establishment since 1879. They have managed to maintain the standards that made The Union Hotel excellent while incorporating progressive additions. My family has been coming here for generations, and we have never been disappointed. The food is unbelievable. Authentic Italian. Once you experience the Union Hotel you will continue to return. The restaurant is charming. There is a very quaint Saloon, and a beautiful outdoor patio. I also have to mention the Bakery with the best chocolate, chocolate chip cookies ever. So yummy. I was just up there again for my birthday, and it was awesome. The pizza is so amazing, I'm still dreaming of it. Many thanks to Teddy, our server, for accommodating our special request. My other favorites are the minestrone soup, ribeye steak, ravioli, chicken parm, and polenta, etc. The dinners are family style, so come with an empty stomach, and be prepared for leftovers. Quality and quantity. If you get a chance to stay overnight, their guesthouses are so beautiful. They are surrounded by gorgeous woods, and serenity. They also host weddings in their grove, and receptions and events in their Ballroom. Just do yourself a favor, and go melt into one of the best experiences you will ever have. Unique and nostalgic. The Union Hotel is a home away from home. Sent from my iPad read more

Thanks to a tip from a local, my husband and I drove here from nearby Guerneville to enjoy some family style Italian. Due to the temperature drop, we chose to sit indoors (though the outdoor seating is beautiful). While the menu has family style Italian options, there are a great deal of individual entrees to choose from as well. I chose the scampi with prawns, while my husband went with his favorite dish of chicken parmesan. Our meals started with bread (the breadstick has a delicious yeast roll taste in a breadstick), minestrone, and garden salad. Having heard a great deal about garlic fries, we started with those. While delicious, we wish they used the steak cut type of fries to hold the fresh garlic atop the fries easier. The minestrone was delicious; so much so my husband wanted more (and he originally said he wasn't much of a soup person). I tasted his chicken parm, and it was delicious with homemade sauce (using carrots to sweeten versus sugar). My scampi was good, but the prawns were just slightly overcooked. I had to add a great deal of Parmesan to add flavor as well. We topped off the meal with the chocolate mousse pie (SO delicious and thick in consistency, not fluffy like some mousse). We left stuffed, and happy. read more

Union Hotel Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Occidental, California

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Love this place. Been coming here since I was a kid and now my kids come here on their own. Great family style food and you definitely will not leave hungry. Old school bar is really cool as well. read more

This place is an old time staple of ours. Since we've been out of the state for over 14 years we thought we'd give this a try again. The place hasn't changed much but our palates have. For what it is the family enjoyed the overall experience. We were a party of 9. We were seated immediately- which is impressive! The waitress was gone a lot so that was hard because by the time we saw her again it was at least 15 minutes. Slow service for sure. We got the soup and salad and 5 of us got the chicken dish. My daughter got a Florentine chicken dish and my sis got an Irish coffee ($10). All with bread and ravioli in red sauce. The clam chowder I heard was ok. Needed more flavor but still good. I enjoyed the minestrone soup. We had plenty of water and the lemonade was late to dinner and so was a Cesar salad that was ordered with the rest of the dinner. Not sure why the delay was so long for those two things but the waitress again was MIA. For 9 ppl and one drink, 2 soda waters and lemonade it was $256. Not cheap. Every dinner starts at $25 and just the soup and salad is $16. I think it should have been less. Not sure we would go back. But it was nice to be nostalgic for a night. read more

Absolutely wonderful place to eat and feel right at home. Been coming here since i was a young child. Always have to stop here when we're in town! Food is delicious and the pastries are to die forrr!! Love read more

We finished zip lining and this place came highly recommended. We were so hungry and ordered so much food not realizing the portions are very generous. We ordered a burger, pasta and salmon. All were very tasty and would order it again. Our server was so nice and accommodating. The service was great even with it being busy. read more

Great family spot. Been in area forever. Wonderful Italian family style...Be sure to try it if your in the Occidental area. Quaint small town in Northern California. read more

Went in for dinner while on a trip to Bodega Bay. I had no idea that Occidental was know for its Italian cooking. When you enter the dining area, it's as if you're taken back in time, to when ingredients were freshly picked from the family farm, and the sheep that made it onto your plate were from the nearby fields. The food is served here family style. This is traditional Italian (Sicilian) cooking at its finest. Service was great. Prices are reasonable. Try this gem! read more

We hadn't been there since before covid. I hope they can survive. Business seems slow and the menu is limited. The bar is doing well. The food is good and ample servings. The whole town, on a nice weekend, looks sleepy. We've enjoyed visiting Russian River and Occidental for decades. read more

Union Hotel has THE best raviolis I've ever eaten, hands down! Just be sure to request they cook them "al dente." Old school -been coming here since I was a little girl- and hopefully one day its storied family style dining will return please pay them a visit on your way back from Russian River fun read more

This is our stop for eats when visiting our friend in Camp Meeker. Great service and food!!! The staff are so friendly and helpful (shout out to Barbara!). Try the PIZZA!!! Also very nice outdoor seating and dog friendly too :) read more

I hadn't eaten here in over 20 years so I was curious to see if it had changed. Walking in the side street door (bar on the left) it looked exactly the same with the delicious smell of tomato sauce wafting through the air. Before our meal, we congregated in the bar; the friendly bartender, Joelle, made delicious Greyhounds and Bloody Marys for us. The food, like the physical structure of the restaurant, was just as I remembered: plentiful servings, hearty and good. In spite of the fact that our large party, replete with active young children, was very distracting and busy, our server, Max, was helpful, friendly, flexible and tireless. MAX IS A 5 STAR SERVER! We sat outside on the terrace. So beautiful! read more

Union Hotel Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Occidental, California

What can I say! Such an amazing place. Barbara and the family are incredible. Been in the US for almost 10 years and it was the best dining experience I have had. The food is fabulous. Original Italian greatness. Make this a must stop on your way to and from Bodega Bay! read more

We drove out 35 mins, no sandwiches, no wraps, the online menu is bull. very disappointed.

As a small business owner I cannot support any small business who does not pay their Contractors the agreed upon amount. Unless you're planning on going here and eating without paying I certainly wouldn't recommend financing the owner Evelyn for her wrongdoings. read more

The food and service was very good. We had a party of 3. We shared the Ravioli, Spinach Salad with Pears and Combo Pizza. My friends brought their dog so we sat outside. It was beautiful. I would recommend the Union Hotel Restaurant and I will be back. read more

We haven't eaten out much during the pandemic, and getting food from the union today was an exceptional treat for the taste buds. We ordered a three topping pizza with original crust, their delicious savory minestrone soup, and a small apple pie. Let me first touch on the food. As I already mentioned it was delicious, and every single bite left us wanting another bite and then another. After having a slice of pizza in the car on the way home, my husband described it as some of the best pizza ever. I had to agree. We then lapsed into a conversation wondering if we were saying this only because we haven't had pizza in a while or was it truly some of the best? After eating more of the pizza we came to the conclusion it was literally some of the best pizza ever. Their homemade crust is delicious, their sauce is delicious, and their toppings are plentiful. I was looking at my pizza thinking it looked like a very thin Chicago because the toppings were so thick and overall yummy. The vegetarian minestrone was excellent on a cold winter day like today. Thick, hardy, savory slices of vegetables made this delicious soup, and it was served with a soft tasty bread roll. Yum. We also wanted dessert, and I ordered what I thought would be a slice of apple pie but instead was a small single serve pie. The crust was flaky & delicious and the tasty filling was made with tart fresh apples. All the pie lacked was vanilla ice cream which I should have picked up on the way home. Next time. We really hope this restaurant makes it through the pandemic because not only is it an occidental landmark, their food is great, and it has a fantastic ambience for eating out, dining with the family, or even hosting an event. They created a very nice setup for outdoor dining whenever that opens back up, and when it's possible again, they have a banquet hall that my husband and I have considered for a wedding reception if we ever get to have a gathering again. Go support them and eat some delicious food! read more

Old school homemade heavy Italian, YUM! My wife and I are always treated like family when we go to the Union; it's close to Santa Rosa but the restaurant's cozy location in Occidental makes for an experience that feels like a mini vacation. The food taste amazing and has a nice balance between consistency and a heavy homemade Italian meal. I love the courses of Soup, Salad & Breadsticks that are offered for dinner too (the Unions handmade breadsticks are killer with butter, salt and their table vinegar. Yum!). Makes for a great monthly Tradition! read more

Impressive and quaint. I will definitely come back here when we're back at the area. read more

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Union has been a family favorite for years. After months of COVID lockdown, I was craving their awesome breadsticks. Pulled up to see the nicely done outdoor dining arrangement and patio ordering station. Placed two orders of breadsticks so I could drop one off to a friend since I've bragged about them for years. Decided I should order minestrone as well. Bill came to $24.95 which I thought was steep, but didn't question it at the time. Checked the bags before dropping off friend's breadsticks and was disappointed to see there were only three. So six breadsticks and a quart of mediocre minestrone (undercooked vegetables and very little broth) for $25. Really?? Shame on me for not requesting an itemized receipt. I can only imagine what I was charged for the bread that's complimentary when you dine in. read more

Great place to eat and have a relaxing time. Portions are generous; enough for two meals! read more

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My husband and I had our wedding rehearsal dinner here. This place holds a special place in my heart since I have been coming here since I was a child. The food was great, atmosphere was wonderful. We got the pizzeria area all to ourselves. It was private and intimate. They did a great job making sure all guests were happy and allowed our family's younger children to run around our private area (ages 18 months to 9 years). I received many compliments about how great the food was and how the atmosphere was so welcoming. Like we were visiting a family's home. I highly recommend this place for a large group, small group, and even have had some wonderful dinner dates here. We plan to make this place our anniversary dinner date location every year. Sadly no photos were taken of the location, they were all family photos, which I wont post. On a separate recommendation, if you like tiramisu, you MUST... MUST try theirs. I recommend that you share it though. It is one of the best I have ever had, but is a large portion. Too much for most people to eat solo. read more

Terrible. This is not the main dining room. This is for the Patio that is open during Covid. I ordered 2 pizzas and 2 salads. The pizzas were from a grocery store boxed pizza and so undercooked it required a fork. The Cesar salad was a hunk of iceberg lettuce with a pie shaped slice of some unidentifiable cheese. Dressing from a can - I could taste the tin. I didn't have the courage to taste the other salad. The bill for this wonderful dinner? $95+. I won't be back. read more

The best, absolute BEST, owners, atmosphere, staff, food, location and vibe!!! We've been coming here for years... to say we're elated it survived the pandemic would be an understatement!! The warm bread is a staple and every item on the menu is worth raving about. My go to is always a Caesar salad, or minestrone when it's cold, with spaghetti and meatballs. I've had most other items and they're all just as spectacular- the spaghetti and meatballs are just nostalgic and remind me of my grandma - the owners are extremely friendly and work hard to keep this special place just as special as it was when I was a kid! 20/10 recommend! read more

Slightly better food than Negri's next door. But still, this is mass quantities of bland, carbo filled, crappy food served to hordes of tourists who arrive in giant tour buses. Eat here only if you are starving, like pasty institutional food, and enjoy visiting tacky tourist traps. read more

Wow. Pulled into Occidental not sure what to expect. In the middle of some wooded pass somewhere. Small downtown flanked by shops on either side of the main street. Kinda touristy but nice. Two restaurants on either side of main street. Negri's vs Union Hotel. Negri's: 70's look, flat roof, neon sign, lots of glass. Union Hotel: Sign not even lit, period building, small windows. We chose the Union Hotel. Wood everywhere, spacious, quirky, very comfortable. Separate bar flows to the dining room, flows to the ballroom...functional. We were greeted and seated immediately and our server brought us tasty bread and antipasto to start. Minestrone was excellent and different without beans or pasta. Salad, kidney beans, to snack. My steak was enormous and cook perfectly. Veggies and potatoes on the side were kinda soggy from being piled on with the steak. Beets and squash were a nice touch. The side of ravioli was not my favorite as the pasta was overcooked, and the marinara sauce watery. Our server was excellent despite the huge parties that showed up, effortlessly engulfed by the ballroom area setup for such. Dessert was of course, tiramisu, and my wife being a connoisseur and baker, loved it. Read the reviews, went there, now I get it ............thanks read more

Union Hotel Restaurant - Bar entrance is front right, restaurant is side by chimney - Italian Near Me - Occidental, California

We recently spent the weekend in Occidental with some friends...and after checking out the Tavern the first night, we decided to look elsewhere for our evening out. While I'm not an Italian fan (in other words, I HATE pasta), our choices were limited to Italian, Italian, and...Italian. So, Italian it was! My bud and I really wanted to smoke a cigar, and there wasn't anyplace in town that allowed that. BUT...it was a cold, wet evening, so I cut a deal with the restaurant manager - let us smoke a bone out on the patio (which was closed due to said cold, wet, evening), and we'll order drinks, then dinner. Stella on tap - ok, this is looking good. So we smoked, drank a great beer, and I read up on the history of this restaurant. Pretty cool that it's been family owned forever....but still, Italian, right? So being a racist bastard, I enjoyed the cigar, and after we were done, we went inside, chased down the wives, and sat down for what was SURE to be a pasta-filled (meaning, I was going to starve) evening. Everyone ordered wine (we WERE in wine country, after-all), while I, feeling sorry for myself, ordered another Stella (I mean...can you ever go wrong with Stella?). The menus were set down...yep, pasta pasta pasta pasta....umm...what's this? A chicken breast sandwich? Praise the lord, I'm not starving! While the rest of the gang ordered what you're supposed to order (I mean...spaghetti? Who EATS that after the age of....oh....three?) I ordered a chicken breast sandwich with swiss, bacon, and garlic fries (yes, it just got better!). When the food came, you kinda saw what you'd expect ("on top of spaghetti, all covered with cheese, I lost my poor meatball when somebody sneezed", yadayadayada). But. O. M. G. Sitting in front of me was a sandwich. Not just any sandwich, mind you. NOOOOOOOooooooo. A sandwich surrounded by garlic fries. But....more importantly....a sandwich that had about 20 pieces of bacon on top of a chicken breast! Someone gets it! A TRUE chicken sandwich, served the way it was always....ALWAYS...meant to be! Again. O. M. G. Oh, sure, it's a heart attack waiting to happen, but...IT'S BACON. And the chicken makes it all healthy. And the garlic wards off vampires. So it's all good, right? Best. Chicken Sandwich. Ever. Maybe Italian isn't so bad after-all. read more

My husband and I love to vacation in the area around the Russian River. We especially enjoy spending quality time in some of the small towns in the area. Our favorite place is Occidental which has a wonderful community. We always eat at the Union Hotel Restaurant and enjoy a drink or two in their Bar. The restaurant's food is great, there's a nice selection on the menu, and wow on the charcuterie we had last week! Barbara Gonnella is such a nice lady and she runs a great business. While the entire staff is friendly and professional, I'd like to give a big shout out to the awesome bartender, Katrina, who somehow managed to have great chats with us while keeping a full bar of people happy. read more

In a world full of corporate-owned themed restaurants, one's that leave you with the feeling, and the accompanying indigestion, of be batted around by a ride at Disneyland, the Union Hotel restaurant is unapologetically authentic. Family owned and operated since its inception, and full of the imprints of the lives lived in the magic of the Occidental plateau, this place has a paradoxical blend of historic significance and heart-felt presence in the now. I loved to come here by myself to sort out my thoughts before beginning the work week and with my family to enjoy their savory meals (and play with their pizza doe) do not miss the opportunity to feel both grounded and nourished inside their cozy walls in winter or spacious courtyard when springtime bursts forth. I love this place...what more can I say. read more

Great place to go with family and large parties. Charming atmosphere and passed down family traditions, recipes and decorating. The walls are adorned with family portraits over the years. Since 1879 the building has been hosting locals and is still a favorite among Sonoma County regulars. Each year my mother in law likes to visit for her birthday dinner. Again another family with traditions... Roasted Garlic & Brie was yum...Toasted raviolis are unique. Nozzole Chianti was good and quite a dark cherry type finish. Everyone enjoyed their meals but service was touch and go even though we were a large party of 10...sometimes our server would dissappear for quite some time. Family Style Italian Dining in a casual atmosphere. Minestrone, salad, antipasto for all!! Red checkered table cloths, silver candelabras and a grand piano in the Boice Ballroom all add to the atmosphere. *Clink *Clink read more

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My wife and I wanted to go someplace special we have been there before sometime ago so I asked my wife for a late mothers day celebration where she would like and she said the union hotel restaurant so we did and the service, atmosphere, food was great could not finish took some home.She and I had combo plate raviolis, spaghetti which was great but before that she had minestrone and I had clam chowder they both were super we will come again in about five months. I may try the rib eye steak Jack and Doris read more

Union Hotel Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Occidental, California

We have frequented the Union Hotel countless times. Stopped in this afternoon, during COVID stay at home order. Super great set up to order and receive our food for take out. The service was so quick! The adorable outdoor eating area is really amazing, looking forward to dining outside when things are opened back up. When we got the food home, it was still hot and yummy! The portions were amazing! So, please head out to Occidental for the most delicious Italian food and help keep our special establishments afloat! read more

We were in Occidental for vacation. I wanted to hit this restaurant. It had good reviews. And they were true! We tried the ravioli and lasagna. Had the minestrone. Very good. The bread twists are soft and chewy. Had heard good things about the tirimisu and really wanted to try it. It is, indeed, big enough for two. Really yummy and decadent. Topped it off with cappuccino and hot cocoa. The waitress was particularly kind and welcoming. The room is very interesting, with lots to look at. And the music fit the mood. read more

Very pricey and they changed the menu. Very small menu and now Everything is now à la carte. So sad this used to be my favorite Italian restaurant in Sonoma County. I won't be making the drive out there anymore. read more

Amazing food. Great family owned business with the best servers. Bar is a great social experience. Restaurant is split into different areas and is great for groups. My wife and I had our wedding rehearsal and my brother had his reception dinner here. read more

I wish I could leave two ratings. Stayed at one of the properties and had dinner at the restaurant. Went for a friend's birthday for a girl's weekend and it was one of the best weekend trips I've had in a while. We stayed at the Trees house and it was amazing! Beautiful area, beautiful house. The accommodations inside were great. Every room was beautifully decorated. The bed was amazing, every room had windows and each with a great view. I was sad we weren't staying longer. The restaurant was beyond amazing! Some of the best food I've had. Be ready to take food home, it's endless eating, but being stuffed was worth it. I just wanted to eat more. I can't wait to go back. Barbara was absolutely the best. She's a wonderful person. She took care of us and made sure we were beyond set. The staff was also amazing. Everyone there is kind and sweet. I can't wait to take everyone I know there lol GO! read more

I went to a wedding reception here in the barn part. We the restaurant served pizza, salad and bread sticks. Oh and the most popular item was the mountain high garlic fries. Everything was really good. The property is super old, back from the horses only time. Real cowboys. It still has that feel to it, a very country feel, minus the fact that super rich people live around there. I liked the bathrooms, because they had the classic pink sink basins from the 1970's. The place has not been renovated to be modern. read more