Love this cozy spot on guerneville road in the north bay! The outside of it is so cute and looks like a little house! The inside is super chill yet upscale vibes! A bit quiet as well but absolutely love it! The service is amazing!! They are swee, gracious and very very friendly! Our server was also hilarious, we absolutely love it here! The food and the wine! The go to is the beef tenderloin marinated in garlic and I love the potato's and carrots with mine!!! The cheese plate with the Walter Hansel Rose Pinot Noir is tasty!! It is always one of the best around!!! read more

Walter Hansel Wine & Bistro - Yum!! - Wine Bars Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Rode my bike here one Friday evening in the summer and stopped in an hour or so before closing. There are tables outside and it's a cozy setting inside. We opted for sitting at the bar, a couple glasses of their Pinot Noir, Peaches & Burrata and a soup. Everything was delectable and the evening felt more special than it was. I didn't see any designated bicycle parking so we propped ours on the fence. It's a bit pricey but worth the treat when in the area. read more

Walter Hansel Wine & Bistro - Peaches & Burrata - Wine Bars Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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We absolutely love this restaurant! Unfortunately my phone died after I took the first picture, so I missed pictures of these great dishes. The food here is exceptional, and often I would say the some of the dishes have slightly diverse flavors which I would say are a welcome addition to the plain old classic dishes that restaurants topically offer. On this visit we had Sea Scallops, Wild Mushrooms Pasta, Ribeye with Red Chimichurri Sauce, French Fries, Peaches & Burrata appetizer, and for dessert a peach crumble and chocolate cheesecake. We did not leave one bite behind. The service is always very good...the whole staff is welcoming and the noise level is not bad at all. I hope that Walter Hansel Bistro is around for a very long time! If you haven't been here before you are missing out! read more

Walter Hansel Wine & Bistro - Wine Bars Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

I recently visited Walter Hansen Wine & Bistro for Sonoma County Restaurant week. I made a reservation online for a Friday evening. My friend and I were immediately greeted upon arrival and the staff was very warm and welcoming.  They had a wonderful $60 prix fixe menu including your choice of soup of the day or baby mesclun greens and beet salad, hanger or grilled New York steak or wild Alaskan halibut and for dessert included either passion fruit pot de creme or apple tarte tatin. I ordered the soup of the day, which was a delicious tomato-based soup with croutons on top. For my entree I ordered the Alaskan halibut, which came with potato gratin, spinach, crispy onions and a piquillo butter sauce. They flavors were to die for in this dish! For dessert, I ordered the passion fruit pot de creme with fresh berries, opalys crunchy pearls. It was superb! I tried a bit of my friend's apple tart tatin and the puff pastry was incredible and so light and fluffy. Everything was absolutely wonderful and had so much flavor! The service was top notch throughout the entire evening and the staff was very attentive. The overall atmosphere indoors is very warm and relaxing.  I greatly enjoyed my visit and look forward to coming back soon to try more of the menu and enjoy another experience at Walter Hansen Wine & Bistro! If I could rate them a 10/5 I would in a heartbeat! read more

So happy to be back in my favorite area of the country so I can eat at my favorite restaurant (& find new ones). I arrived not long after they opened and was seated at the bar. This is a place where reservations are a must, though if you don't, the bar is usually open. It is a cute, well taken care of farm house with a casual, yet classy vibe. The food is the epitome of farm-to-table, as all vegetables come from their garden. They bring you an amuse bouche while you peruse the menu. This time it was a chilled tomato soup with basil oil. Very light with so much flavor. I started with the grilled peaches with burratta cheese, drizzled with balsamic. A very nice combination. Next was the bib lettuce salad that was refreshing, with heirloom tomatoes, grilled corn, and an avocado dressing. I paired the salad with the wild mushrooms, zucchini on tomato fettuccine, along with the potatoes gratin. Everything was so well prepared and fresh. Can't wait to go again read more

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Came here on a Saturday night to celebrate our anniversary! It's a cozy restaurant with Sonoma County vibes. They have rotating menu items on their tostada, Wellington and soup. We opted to try their tostada which was a raw scallop with ceviche sauce. It came with three tostadas and avocado mouse. Scallops were fresh and the avocado mouse balanced out the acidity. For mains I ordered their filet mignon Wellington and my husband the osso bucco. The welli was tender and flaky. My only wish was that it came with some puréed potatoes or any other form of potato starch. Dish only came with sautéed zucchinis and carriage, which were fresh but was looking for a nice creamy potato purée. For dessert. We shared the profiteroles with pistachio gelato. I enjoyed a glass of there Pinot and my husband a pint of pliny. They also gave us two glasses of rosé sparkling for our anniversary which was very nice of them! Service was great. Felt attended too but not bothered! Great place to enjoy a meal. Overall 4.5/5 stars read more

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Wow, lovely and filling meal! Started at the bar with the Chardonnay flight and a glass of their Sauvignon Blanc which is delightful!! From there our guests came and we went to the table. We started with the Dungeness Crab while Robert had the Tuna Carpaccio and his wife had the Burrata with freshly grilled apricots and prosciutto!! Yummo!! Then I had the duck breast and my partner had the prime rib steak mrare and delicious!! Then we finished with the pot de creme and some Beerenauslese that was given to me by a good friend @webgeek!! Phenomenal!! read more

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This bistro has a very cool estate Pinot wine list that is worth the exploration. It's a great taste if the won de fuel bounty of west Sonoma county. read more

A great experience. We have wanted to stop by for years and finally did. We were not disappointed. The food is excellent, beautifully prepared, and delightfully served. They live up to everything they aspire to be on their website and all the good things everyone says about them are true! read more

An absolute hidden gem! Fabulous, wonderful food with Vineyard views from a country farmhouse setting. Attentive service.

Our first time here, we split the 3 course prefix and added a seafood entree. Friendly service, relaxing ambiance, fresh farm to table dishes. Bar seating was quite roomy. They start by bringing soft, airy bread, salted butter, and amuse bouche (tonight's was a rich and savory tomato soup). My wife has a tree nut allergy and they did an excellent job of accommodating. Overall, everything we had tonight exceeded our expectations. My favorite was the hanger steak and house made sauce, but the Coquille st Jacques was a close second. And if you order dessert, try the pistachio gelato, it's so good! Caesar- fresh ingredients, well balanced dressing flavors, delicious anchovies. Large enough to feed two easily. Hanger steak- we asked for medium rare and it was cooked to perfection, nice char on outside and juicy inside, loved their house peppercorn sauce, brussel sprouts and side of fries. Coquille St Jacques- delicious scallop dish, bathed in a very rich, creamy, truffly broth. We added lobster which complimented it well. It came with a small salad and finger potatoes and mushroom. Ask for extra bread for dipping in the yummy broth. Dessert- we tried the vanilla and pistachio gelato, both were delicious! read more

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Great ambiance, delicioufood and service. Didn't know about this hidden gem until recently. Nestled in west Santa Rosa among the vineyards. Will be back. read more

We made a reservation here on a Saturday night for our anniversary. We got free strawberry rose and amuse bouche tomato soup. The ambiance and service was exemplary, but the food was just okay. Items ordered: ~Mary's Organic Chicken Cordon Bleu: Unique dish as the chicken was stuffed with prosciutto. However, I prefer dark meat. I poured the whole gravy boat on the chicken... great choice! ~ Liberty Farms Duck Breast Risotto: Duck was well cooked medium rare. Risotto was under seasoned, but the mushrooms were tasty. read more

Walter Hansel Wine & Bistro - Mary's Organic Chicken Cordon Bleu - Wine Bars Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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The food was excellent and good proportions! Thank Jesse was being our waiter for our 48th wedding anniversary dinner. He even paid for our sorbet/Gelato! Ambience was nice with Xmas music in background! read more

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Interesting first time experience. Our reservation was for outside. When we arrived the strong manure smell (aka Sonoma aroma) on the patio was too aromatic so we requested an inside table and they accommodated. Inside lighting and decor are OK, tables are extremely close together. The cheeseboard was delicious, enjoyed the combination of soft and hard cheeses as well as the ample toasted crostini, honey, jam and almonds. Wedge salad was good with Point Reyes blue cheese. Osso buco was tender and tasty. Limited selection of wine by the glass, tried the Hansel tasting flight. Parking lot is free and adjacent to venue. read more

Good restaurant. Deep in the heart of Sonoma wine country. Got the following: Large cheese platter: 3 stars. Even though the cheese and accoutrements were good, I would not have considered it "large" by any means Beet salad: 3 stars. All beets! Needed a little extra salt or vinegar or something. Slightly bland but good portion size Wedge salad: 3 stars, as expected, but good Beef bourguignon: 4 stars, big portion, rich hearty flavors. Would definitely get this again Halibut: 4 stars. Tender and moist and loved the sautéed kale and sauce with it. Would get again! Very nice experience. read more

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We had a nice family dinner. I enjoyed the Wellington. The place has a quaint charm to it and is a little rustic. Our server was Mandy and she was Quite charming and sweet. She was attentive and oh so pretty. A long day of wine tasting pretty much put a damper on cocktail exploration. read more

Wonderful service Denise is amazing.. and the food was so delicious. The servers are so friendly. I can't wait to come back. read more

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Friendly, tasty, and good vibes. They rotate the menu every month, so check their site or call for the latest. read more

We stopped here after a day of wine tasting in Sonoma; we couldn't get into the winery, but the bistro had wine flights and several of the WH single vineyard Pinots available by the glass. We ordered a cheese plate and they brought us samples of soup! We had dinner plans elsewhere, but we're definitely coming back here to eat one day. Fantastic service and the staff was very friendly. Keep up the great work! read more

Walter Hansel Wine & Bistro - Drinks at the bar! - Wine Bars Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Wow! I had the pleasure to dine here for the first time recently. It was my birthday, and I went with some close friends who wanted me to try Walter Hansel. I go by here a lot on my way around Sonoma County, but for some reason hadn't ever made it in. We were promptly greeted n' seated. We got a nice table, and got our meal started with caesar salad. The dressing was light and tangy, and really satisfying. The French wines the server recommended were outstanding, reasonably priced, and paired very well with the meal. We followed the caesar with escargot. I had never had escargot, and I found it delightful! A good bit of garlic and butter, but not so much that it overwhelmed the flavor the escargot. Delicious! We also had a delicious burrata. Once we started eating -we wanted to try everything! I had the Chicken Cordon Bleu. It is one of my favorite dishes, and the kitchen really delivered. It was very nicely prepared and really hit the spot. Others at the table had lamb shank, the steak fritte, and French-style gnocchi (which was surprisingly light and delicate!). Everything on the table was delightful - and again, the server's wine recommendations were outstanding! Though we were stuffed, we felt obliged to have desert - and everything they brought out was delicious. Though the food was outstanding - the service was also perfection! I find great food can be diminished by invasive of absent service, but we found the server to be perfect on timing and pacing, and really helped elevate the dining experience. I am huge fan of this local gem. I can't wait to go back and try more of their menu. The food and service was outstanding and made for a memorable dining experience. All things considered, I would consider this a great value! Sorry, I was too caught up in enjoying the meal to take photos. read more

We came here for a celebration dinner. The food was very good, very well executed with the freshest of quality ingredients. We had scallops that were so fresh and sweet, perfectly lightly seared on a creamy dreamy polenta bed. And the halibut also was cooked with a delicate hand and so fresh. Service was really really good and the timing of the food coming out of the kitchen was perfect. They just serve beer and wine. Their wine list is limited but the wines are very good. You'll be able to find something you like here. read more

Outdoor patio dining is the way to go here! This French spot has a winery feel and farm yard restaurant decor that is located on the side of a main road. It's easily bypassed if one is on a road trip. They change up their menu as I wanted escargot, rack of lamb and they didn't have either nor creme brûlée for dessert. Indoors is nice, but one can't order the lobster bisque and apple crisp as dessert if sitting in. It's limited to outdoor patio only. What better way, though, to enjoy a winery that serves up delightful French entrees and house wine with fresh air! As an opening starter, do get their beets salad. I don't usually care for beets, but they make it adorned with their vinaigrette dressing and complementing cheese! With the ingredients, the texture and taste is well rounded. Lobster bisque is superb on either warm or chill days! They have heaters and was functioning well while we were dining outdoors. The puff pastry top with the lobster bisque underneath, fulfilled the comfort of dining warmly. The lobster chunks were a bit overcooked and the bisque needed something to make it indulgent. I ordered their scallops in white truffle cream served up with mushrooms, spinach and fingerling potatoes. It was hot and deliciously cooked on point. My dining partner opted for their beouf bourguignon and it was homely. The pearl onions added a nice flavor to each bite. Their side potato gratin could have been more flavored by tossing in aged, stronger cheese. We finished with apple crisp as the dessert versus the chocolate mousse. I let my partner choose since I was beyond stuffed after the entrees. It went well with the vanilla ice cream. Overall, their food dishes on the menu is great. Each entree, was clean, presentable and pleasant, but lacked that extra spark to make it fantastic. I do commend on the refined house estate red pinot noir 2017! It was captivating and tingled the tastebuds all on its own. We loved it so much, we got a bottle to take home! Wonderful staff and charming ambiance. I would wine and dine here anytime! read more

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I wish I had taken pictures of the dishes because they were absolutely excellent in flavor and lovely display. I've lived in Sonoma county since I was 4, grew up in a small town (Cloverdale)- this spot hits close to home with the mix of quaint small town and country atmosphere. Nothing is out of my norm to explore, I can't say it would be the first pick but my fiancé has been driving past this spot for a while and we love trying new places. We had Jesse as a server and is delivery was beyond exceptional. I think this goes for the whole staff that helped us tonight. The talent to have quality hospitality was a success. The blend here is one of a kind in all aspects. read more

Our party of four dined here Nov 27. We were seated promptly, and greeted with a delightful amuse-bouche. We selected the 2016 Domaine Chante Cigale Chateauneuf-du-Pape from the expansive wine list, with which we enjoyed our soups, salads, and entrees. Service was impeccable yet inobtrusive. The relaxed and informal atmosphere invites sharing, and the general consensus was "excellent" across the board. The menu changes weekly, however, we found the confit duck gizzard salad, rack of lamb, and Warren Pear tarte tatin particularly noteworthy. We highly recommend this restaurant as an informal and relaxed Californian take on French bistro dining. read more

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This is a hidden gem! A bit on the pricey end, but if you are looking to celebrate it's a great spot. Really kind, helpful and attentive staff. Cute little place. The menu had tons of appealing options! We sat indoors and ordered the crab cakes as a starter. We were surprised with a potato leek shooter that was so delish before they came. Crab cakes were full of crab! My husband had the filet and added shrimp and I ordered the lamb. Both were cooked perfectly and fantastic. Wine selection was huge. After a great meal they brought us a small glass of complimentary port which was another delightful surprise. We will definitely be back! read more

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The food is delicious and the staff is amazing. It is a good opportunity to taste Walter Hansel wines which are varied and luscious.

Cozy atmosphere. Steak was perfect. Great , fun wait staff. knowledge about wines. Birthday dinner on a whim and it delivered. read more

Very nice fine dining place! Great for date night and special occasion. The food is soo good and fresh! We really enjoyed the halibut and the burger was amazing!! Service was top tier. Very professional, kind and helpful! Small menu but they have something for everyone! Can't wait to come back! :) read more

Excellent service, food and wine. Nice semi.casual atmosphere. We recommend it for a.nice evening out read more

Not sure how I didn't know about this place but wow ! Great food , great service and great wine. Parking was easy and as I walked in was kindly greeted by the staff . The ambiance was elegant comfortable. Our server Denise was awesome ! We ordered the burrata and cheese platter as an appetizer followed by the lobster bisque . I have to say all were excellent , especially the lobster bisque . For the main I ordered the filet minion . We has a chance to meet the chief as we were the last group left in the restaurant . All super nice ! I for sure will be back ! read more

Walter Hansel Wine & Bistro - Burrata and cheese platter - Wine Bars Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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The noise is intolerable for people with moderate, or severe, hearing loss. The food and wine are superb; best in Santa Rosa. Service is outstanding. It's a little out of the way but worth the drive. The menu changes so go back. read more

We had a reservation at 5:00 on a Saturday after wine tasting. The entire staff was attentive and friendly. The food here is outstanding. The wine drinkers had Walter Hansel wines and they were all good. I shared escargot and crab cakes, both were excellent. I had the duck with polenta which was perfect. The rest of the table had beet salad, Cordon Bleu, Seafood Paella and strawberry crisp. There were no complaints. I would definitely come back. A big thank you to our server Mandy. read more

Went a few weeks ago on a Saturday evening right when they opened for a birthday dinner and the three of us found it still amazing. Love the customer service, the ambience, and the food is devine. read more

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In case you haven't been lately, or never been ... Go! Fabulous start-to-finish! The food, the quality, the presentation, the service, the pace ... All Top Notch!! Great for a date night, great for a girls night out, great for mother daughter dinner, great for an anniversary celebration. Or just because. Seriously, go there! We had the cheeseboard, out of this world - not one little nibble was left. The escargot, heavenly. The Caesar, unstoppable. And the entree special that night, the wild boar stew with gnocchi, perfection! Handmade vanilla gelato with a scoop of passionfruit sorbet, singing!!! Run, don't walk, to Walter Hansel Bistro! read more

Truly farm to table. They recognize your name from their system and always make you feel welcome. They value loyal customers. Their food is off the charts. The best gnocchi you'll ever try. The halibut is fantastic. They changed their menu seasonally. The escargot is always great. So happy to have this restaurant in town. read more

We always like coming here. Relaxed dining, friendly & professional staff, delicious food and great Pinot.

Wonderful service, excellent food! Walter Hansel is off the beaten path and I would wager to say it's one of Sonoma county's hidden gems. I've dined here several times since it opened in 2015 and the food and service remain on point even through a pandemic. The preparation of proteins is always perfect; I am fortunate to have a talented cook at home so when I eat out, I want the meal to be special and this hits the mark. The steaks are cooked to perfection not chewy, dry or tough. I'm also impressed with the care and attention they provide; the service at many restaurants has suffered in many establishments post Covid and I am happy to report it is not the case here. The server and all staff were attentive and helpful however I never felt rushed or needed anything. They were in tune with everyone's pace and brought out courses at the perfect intervals. I'll summarize by encouraging you to take a beautiful drive to the west side and enjoy a beautiful evening of wonderful food and service. read more

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Local and organic (some of the options) - everything we have ever had has been amazing! Halibut is my go to, but my family LOVES the gnocchi. Never can go wrong with their escargot. I love how they always recognize that you have been there many times, and show they appreciate it. read more

I LOVE this place and don't go there nearly enough! Some of the best customer service I've received in the county and one of the only places to find excellent, buttery escargot! YUM! The variety of wines pair extremely well with the elegant menus. Bonus: a complimentary palete-cleanser before food and dessert wine to accommodate a perfectly balanced meal. Don't miss out on their mouth watering specials in this charming, cozy gem of the county! read more