Lou's Luncheonette in Sonoma, CA, on Highway 12…read more I haven't been back since they revamped Fremont Diner to Lou's Luncheonette. Luved the fried chicken back in the ole Fremont Diner days. Fast forward to present day, I recently got myself to Lou's for lunch. The fried chicken plate is gone off the menu. Instead it is a more concise menu focused on single items versus full entree plates. Casual eats and counter service. Darn cute small diner feel inside. Modern retro country diner aesthetics. The menu focuses on hamburgers (starting at $8), hot dogs ($7+), sides, chicken sandwiches including chicken 'n biscuits ($6), milkshakes, floats, craft beer, ciders, and wine. I studied this menu to figure out what the closest thing to fried chicken would be. I landed on ordering the #1 Chicken biscuit. It's fried chicken, honey butter, and hot sauce on a buttermilk biscuit. Whoa Nelly, that was darn delicious. The fried chicken was boneless light meat. Thick cut with the meat so extremely moist n tender. Crunchy fried and flavorful exterior, seasoned well. Such a satisfying audible crunch. Just like I remembered. I could taste the light touches of hot sauce in the crust. Then that biscuit. Mmm. Heavenly. Crunchy top and bottom with fluffy innards. Each bite was fabulous. You know when you eat something so darn delicious, the noise of the world just fades away. I had a food moment. To top that, it was only $6. Not a bad price compared to the size. Another notable thing to point out are the goats. At the back fence ,of the outdoor seating area, look for the old candy dispenser. Instead of being filled with candy, it's filled with goat feed pellets. Put in a quarter, turn the handle to get the pellets to feed the goats. Let me tell ya, once the goats hear the clicking from that knob being turned.... they all come a running and clamoring towards you. Watch out for the more smarter and aggressive ones that muscle the others to get the primo spot to stick their heads through the fence. Remember they can jump so don't stick your head over the fence unless you want a head bump. I chickened out and didn't hand feed them, instead I tossed the pellets over the fence.

Love this place!!!! The chicken sando is the best in Sonoma. It was huge, juicy, and hit just…read moreright. The fries are big enough to share with another person. My wife got the burger and said it was great. Not dry and added the pimento cheese. Service was fine. You order at the counter, and grab a seat. Nothing special, but I wasn't expecting white glove service at this place. It's part of the charm. The patio outside is wonderful. Allows you to share the Sonoma sun with the grape vines surrounding the place. The one thing I would suggest is adding some cocktails. Went in a Sunday, and a Bloody Mary or French 75 would have hit the spot. Overall will be coming back.

Wow, quite surprising that this restaurant only rates at a 4.1 I thought the food was amazing…read more Maybe not a 5.0, but a solid 4.5 for sure. Was in Sonoma to see my mother and going out to lunch was on the agenda. We struck out at our first spot then saw this super cute restaurant on a drive by. The Farmhouse vibe was accurate, even from the outside. Inside was even cuter, very open and artsy. Got a lovely table in the back and received incredibly great service from Vincent. Professional, friendly, competent, knowledgeable. I don't have a huge sampling of the menu, but what we had was truly fantastic. We both had salads, my mom the Beet salad and I had a Caesar. Let me tell you, both were delicious. The Caesar dressing was perfect. Anchovy forward but not overpowering. My mom said the Beet salad was the best she had ever had. Note the picture as I'm surprised she didn't lick the bowl! We then shared a mushroom, bacon, truffle, arugula, and balsamic glazed pizza with shaved parmigiana on top. Don't like saying things like "that's the best mushroom pie I've ever had", but I believe that it was!!! Triple Wow. Beautiful thin flatbread crust, tasty sautéed mushrooms, crispy bacon bits and just a hint of truffle. The balsamic just tied it all together. Ahhhhhhhhhh... Looking forward to my return to continue exploring the menu. Thanks, mom, for living so close. Cheers

They tried. But I just don't feel it measured up…read more We had the burrata, beet salad, bucatini tomato sauce and the branzino. The burrata lacked any taste whatsoever. Knowing that it should be a mild creamy, buttery, delicate flavor, I was left searching for ANY flavor as we worked our way through it. Nothing. Beet salad wasn't bad. But again the flavor came from the overly seasoned salad dressing and no real flavor from the beets. The bucatini tomato sauce was atrocious. We had to send it back because it had no guanciale flavor, far too much watery tomato sauce and overdone bucatini. It was more like pasta soup with soggy pasta than any pasta dish I've ever made or had. When you have two pastas on the menu, they should be highlights, not afterthoughts. So glad I didn't try the carbonara which I love, and hope to find great variations everywhere I go. The branzino was pan fried, tender and somewhat juicy. Again, lacking in the flavor profile with it's pairing on the plate. We came because of this establishment's claim of celebrating seasonal ingredients. We assumed there was a level of freshness and flavor consistent with fresh off the vine procurement. We did not taste evidence of this. The prices here are Sonoma'ish. The quality of food that we had was diner like. The service was attentive and apologetic and much appreciated. But the kitchen let down their counterparts in the service area and we come for the food first.

Phenomenal lattes, drip coffee and pastries! A local gem as they say. The guys (I assume owners)…read morewere super kind and helpful guiding me around town on a few requests too. Lovely backyard patio too. A+ keep up the great work

What an amazing place. Cute outside patio that is set back from road and is filled with potted…read moreplants! The homemade salsa for the breakfast burrito is so flavorful and delicious and complements their homemade sausage beautifully. We also shared the brioche donut with a bright and tart raspberry filling and a morning bun. All delicious and you can tell lots of care goes into their food.

I've been coming to this breakfast cafe for years and it's still so good. It can be a bit pricey,…read morebut totally worth it for the quality and service. We came as a party of 2 and ordered a lot, and everything was delicious. The drinks were really good too, the mimosas are a must. The vibes are giving backyard chilling in the best way. Super sweet spot, just come early because the lines can get long. Definitely worth the wait though.

Stopped by for the first time and ordered to go. Staff was…read morenice but waiting area is awkward - you'll have to wait in the front of the cafe. Coffee was good but would've liked a bit more coffee than milk. Tasty though!

The food is amazing. We loved the sandwiches that were served w generous portions of unbelievable…read moremeats. So yummy. The sides of slaw and mac&cheese were just perfect. I was tempted to ask them for their Mac & cheese recipe but resisted the urge. If the owner sees this review please send me the recipe! ;--) The staff is really friendly. There is plenty of seating both outside and indoors. Parking was easy. It is a little tricky finding the place that sits inside another shop but the signage is really helpful. Come check it out. It's completely worth it. Your bellies will be happy.

Sure. Why not give this place 5 stars. So as people have mentioned it is in the cheese shop. There…read moreis seating in the back and outside which is surpraiingly nice. In fact the whole experience was great. There was a short line when I went for lunch. I finally got up to the register and asked the last of she like the brisket or the Philly sandwich better? "Ooooohh that is a tough one - I like them both. Philly is a hit more food but flavorful but the brisket is good and probably one of our most popular sandwiches." Nice!!! And how is the Mac and cheese? "people love it but it is a bit cheesy just so you know". Ok so let me get the brisket sandwich, the Philly cheesesteak sandwich and the Mac and cheese. "You want all of it?" YEP!! So I have to say both sandwiches were good but the brisket was the winner for me. The brisket was very flavorful, juicy, spiced right. I should have listened to her on the Mac and cheese. Way too cheesy for me. What also tipped this over to a 5 star review is Dora (I hope I got the name right). What a sweet kind amazing woman. She gave me my food when the buzzer went off. I told her I didn't need the second silverware set as it wa a just me. "All this for you?" YEP!! Ok fine I will take an advance on a to-go box. She checked on me. She grabbed my plate (wood plank). She was really great. So thank you! I will be back. Check this place out.

Benicia's Kitchen serves up some of the best hotel breakfast I've ever had. The highlights were the…read morebread pudding french toast and smoked fish and bagel platter. My toddler and the adults who ate her leftovers enjoyed the oatmeal and açaí yogurt bowls. I would not get the chicken apple sausage again. For dinner, we ordered the chicken caesar salad, pork chop, and mushroom cavatelli. The chicken in the salad and the accompaniments for the pork chop were well seasoned. The pasta was bland. The overall quality at Benicia's greatly improved our hotel experience during a rainy holiday.

We ate at Benicia's three times while staying at the Lodge at Sonoma. The wait staff was excellent…read moreand kind. The food was well-prepared and delicious. Being there over Thanksgiving, some of the offerings were unique. It is a nice setting, but small and fills up quickly at times. Breakfast: They bring a complimentary little bowl of fruit, which is nice. Chilaquiles are fine, but come with carne in the sauce, which we didn't realize. The bread pudding French toast is very good, no complaints, except for maybe the calorie count. Eggs Benedict are okay, but I ordered it with the smoked salmon and it was way too salty. The English muffins are exceptional. The sourdough toast was also good and the French butter served with it is extraordinary. The omelette with spinach and goat cheese was large but not a stand out, a bit dry. Dinner: Excellent kale salad with butternut squash purée. Blistered shishito peppers were the perfect blend of sweet and spicy. Worth a visit if are the resort.

Trifecta! Our first time eating here. It was a cold, blustery day in Sonoma and we were looking…read morefor a cozy, family owned restaurant. I looked up breakfast places and we were directed here. What a hidden gem... or maybe everyone else knows about it but us. The parking is limited, but you can park around the back or next door in the McD's lot. Seating outside, but since it was raining, we opted for inside. We walked into a cozy, friendly environment which was packed. The only table that was available, was a table for 1 in the corner. The extremely generous young man sitting by the door, heard what the server had offered us and he immediately turned to us and gave us his table and he moved to the single table. I don't think anyone has ever done this for us. We gladly accepted and in turn we treated him to breakfast. We were curious to see the plates coming out of the small kitchen. The pancakes look amazing, as did everything else we caught a glimpse of. A Vallejo omelette and a basic eggs, bacon and potatoes plate. My husband absolutely loved the omelette comparing it to the ones he used to order at the Cliff House in SF back in the day. My eggs were cooked perfectly and the potatoes were perfect with onion and red peppers added in. Omelette $20 and egg combo $19. Very reasonably priced. The service was great and the food came out piping hot. We will definitely visit again. They were written up in Sonoma magazine for the lemon pancakes and French toast.

I just checked this place out for the first time, and I am so happy I did!…read more They have such a cute place, with outdoor and indoor seating, and a menu that has something for everyone! Great selection, and everything was delicious and seasoned well. Service was delightful too, I will be back with my kids! Great spot for the whole family!

We had the Spring Tartine. It was amazing. Then we had the steak & frites. Cooked to perfection…read more And the taste of the meat was perfect. The fries (aka French fries) were crispy and perfectly salted. Lucky for us we live down the street and will continue to be regulars!

My goto dinner spot in Sonoma…read more I actually have been here multiple times and I don't know what has taken me so long to post a review but the Girl and the Fig is definitely the truth. When you enter you'll notice a more homey decor to the place. Warm colors all around and even warmer service once you sit down. Every single experience Ive had here is been nothing less of 110%. Theres always this good balance professionalism with lightheartedness that pair so well for the atmosphere. Because at its core this restaurant is high scale. It definitely has that higher scale vibe but if never comes off as pretentious though. This particular I took my wifey here for our 10th year anniversary together. And we were greeting by a nice little card from the "Fig Family." We ended up trying the Seared Halloumi and I was shocked at how much I liked it. Very light flavors but still enough variety with the crispy spigarello and pine nuts to keep things fun. The lemon never feels too overwhelming. For mains my wife got the Mushroom RisottoI think? Or maybe it was Butternut Squash Risotto? I got the Fig Burger and both were amazing. The only reason I didn't get her Risotto was simply because I already had it at lunch time, but that still didn't stop me from taking a bite. Each rice like grain had a perfect chew and flavor to each bite. Even being the picky person that I am with veggies, I appreciated the veggies addition to the dish. I still think though that the sure winner was my Fig Burger. This burger is everything we wish our local breweries burger was. A harmonic balance between salty and sweet. Im down to get a little crazy with burgers but if it's too sweet, it kinda loses the appeal for me. It takes away too much from the burgers roots. So yea. Go here. Make reservations too. I know for myself I made mine about a month in advance so it's hard to say how hard it is to get a table here. But hopefully it's not too bad. Parking by the way is just street parking. Despite that Ive always been able to get a park on W Spain St right before I pull up to the restaurant. OH! And thanks again Girl and the Fig family! You made the end to our anniversary quite magical!

Great atmosphere in beautiful outdoors. Nice Bar and dining…read moreas well. Dog friendly with menu. Food prep good

Best smash burgers!! Yes, the smash burgers are great and…read moreI've been there many times enjoying them with friends. This particular visit was awful in regard to service. We must have had 4 or 5 different people serving us, no consistency. We received the burgers on a dessert plate with no room for the extra salad and fries we ordered. So we asked for bigger plates. We had to ask for serving spoons for the salad. Then, I mentioned to one of the servers that it was my friend's birthday- not a word from her. Did we want dessert? I thought at least a scoop of ice cream with a candle but no!! We ordered their deconstructed cheesecake which we would share. Had to ask for 3 plates and we were charged for the dessert which was fair I suppose as it was $13. But nothing whatsoever regarding my friend's birthday. 90% of restaurants will always try to celebrate a birthday if they are advised. All of us are locals and this is bad news for Layla's.

The food, the staff, the ambience was fantastic. Came here after much research and pre-planned…read morethought having moved to Sonoma County over 3 years ago now. This is the #1 mentioned spot recommended to me on my post/inquiry for great romantic restaurants in the area on Facebook page "Sonoma county foodies." I have my list from them and was excited to use one of the best excuses ever to go-my mother-in-law's 75th birthday and flying in to town to see us. We got a sitter and reserved a table weeks ahead. Entering in to the restaurant, it has a cool vibe as it's also a hotel. We got there before the dinner rush, so it was relaxed when we arrived. We were seated at a table; the staff knew ahead it was my MILs bday, and they kindly wished her happy birthday several times in our time. We ordered the mushrooms for appetizer; a generous portion, but not too big to ruin dinner. It was an unusual dish we hadn't had before; beautifully plated with arugula and a slightly spicy purée. I would order it again. I got a glass of Walt Chardonnay and my MIL a sparkling wine, which she and my husband really liked. For entrees, I got the Petaluma Chicken-which was crispy outside and tender on the inside. Polenta (very creamy) and broccolini. I would say my dish was light on salt, so I added some to taste, and all was good. My husband got the vegan plate with salmon, and it looked so healthy and fresh. The tofu was crispy too, even for my hubby that doesn't eat tofu. My mother in law got the flat iron steak and frites. The steak was cooked to her liking and looked delicious. The fries were ok--I thought they were a bit under-whelming (like them piping hot) but that can't always be achieved in a busy restaurant. Mid-meal the place started buzzing with activity, and it got a bit loud but not too bad. The staff was very kind and brought us a small fudge brownie (very rich and dense) and all 3 of us had 1-2 bites and satisfied our sweet tooth for end of meal. The waiter was fantastic! I would love to return and try some different dishes and some signature cocktails as they were so tempting.

Was with my mom for dinner time yesterday and we ordered paella plus a fillet mignon…read more The paella was burned and my mom barely enjoyed it. The fillet mignon was not tasty and dry. Didn't enjoyed the dinner at all. Which i was surprised as we been here before and food has been amazing. Paid over $130 and it was not worth the money or the far drive.