Awesome place with a great patio for those perfect Sonoma days. The vibe there is very chill and…read morefeels throwback. You can even feed the goats behind the patio. The food is really good, surprisingly good. Not a huge menu but the chicken fingers and the chicken sandwich are awesome. We were just there at a pretty slow time that would have been a really early dinner so the service was great.

Lou's is always good-- excellent fried chicken, excellent burgers (i get the Impossible swap), and…read morethe milkshakes are awesome. they run out of biscuits though, so be careful! the indoor seating is very cute, and the service is always very very friendly. we stop here when we can :)

Roasted chicken, filet, and lamb shank ...each and every one of these was a hit!…read moreThe filet was topped with a type of chimichurri and cooked perfectly..our server recommended the lamb shank..fall off the bone and meaty.. I would return...thank you!

Stopped by this place on a Saturday around 4:40 PM, walking in through the back door, and was…read morehonestly impressed the moment we walked in. The place has a beautiful country farmhouse vibe, bright, open dining room, and a separate bar tucked away in the back(right where we walked in), that makes it feel cozy without being noisy. They also have a really nice Happy Hour menu, even on weekends until 5 PM, which was a pleasant surprize. The only downside was the service. The restaurant was almost empty, but our party of three ordered a salad, two appetizers, and a mushroom pizza, then ended up waiting until about 5:30 PM. After reminding our server about the order, everything suddenly started coming out. Food was mostly very good. The beet salad was spot on, and the burrata was fresh and exactly what we were hoping for. The calamari was a little over-fried, though I really liked the seasoning. The mushroom pizza had good flavor, but it was a bit too heavy on the spices, so my four-year-old wouldn't eat it. Overall, it's still a solid 4-star place. Great atmosphere, good Happy Hour, and quality food with just a few things that could be improved. We'll definetly be back next time we're in the area.

Most people visit Baker and Cook for its bakery: breakfast and lunch. But Nick Demerest, formerly…read moreof Chez Panisse, brings the same culinary excellence he showed at Harvest Moon to Baker and Cook on Friday and Saturday evenings. Easily some of the best food in Sonoma, and clearly the best value anywhere in wine country, Nick's perfectly seasoned and generous entrees outshine local restaurants that charge twice the price. The homemade ravioli and bouillabaise we had last night were beautifully presented and delicious. The wine list is small but provides carefully selected bottles at near retail--half of what other restaurants would charge. And you get the same friendly and attentive service here that we loved at Harvest Moon. From the front, the restaurant looks like a fast food outlet in a strip center, but the back patio is generous and quiet. Not luxurious, but friendly and comfortable--like dining on your own porch. Our new favorite in Sonoma.

Shame on me for driving by this place time and time again. It is a sleeper! The sign is faded, it…read morelooks like there is no parking... well that's my lame excuse. Plus I'm always skeptical of counter ordering... more lameness. I had the best scrambled eggs and de-caf Americano I have ever had in my life! I ordered the biscuits and gravy, which is really very good, not a classic in the genre, but if you are a collector of biscuits-and-gravy, do definitely order it. And that's how you are going to get those scrambled eggs. My bride had the Bagel with Smoked Salmon + Avocado. Among the best bagels I've had, and very generous portions of salmon and avocado beautifully arranged. We share plates and the bagel+salmon+scrambled eggs were over-the-top. Do stop in, they are very friendly at the counter, the patio is calling, and if there are any baguettes left when you leave, leave with one. I already miss it and can't wait to go back. And that's rare...

"She's the sunflower of nature's seeds A girl that some men…read moreonly find in their dreams" (Stevie Wonder) Deep in the heart of the California Wine Country, our wine tour let us off for a lunch break to grab a meal somewhere among the various eateries in Sonoma Plaza. We were attracted to the Sunflower Caffé's distinctive yellow and white awning and sign, so we walked in and it was a terrific choice. Their menu is full of locally sourced farm fresh ingredients. I saw pastries, egg dishes, sandwiches, soups, and salads on the food menu. The beverage menu is excellent with a full coffee-espresso bar, mimosas, wine, beer, cider, smoothies, Kombucha, plus wellness and mushroom shots. We each went for one of their Half Sandwich Combos served with a cup of Cream Tomato Soup & Dressed Greens. I had a Spiced Chickpea & Yam Wrap vegan (sunflower-spiced chickpeas, herb-roasted yam, red onion cucumber, vine-ripened tomato, coconut yogurt tzatziki ($19) and my wife has a Sunflower Grilled Cheese (Vella dry-jack butter, cheddar, fontina, sliced sourdough) also for $19. The plates of food were gorgeous, and my half a sandwich was filling. We both gave the creamy tomato soup high marks. Service from Yaya was cheerful, professional and friendly, and as requested she seated us near a charging plug to bring my phone back to life. We were extremely happy with the Sunrise Caffé. PRO TIP The restrooms are outdoors behind the restaurant. On the way over, I saw they had a gorgeous outdoor seating area with bright yellow chairs and a patio cover. That would have been a nice place to eat had we known about it.

The moment we walked in it smelled delicious! A perfect bakery smell. The inside is cute and small…read morebut there are tables out front and a beautiful back patio area with lots of beautiful greenery with lights and two fountains with flowers floating in them. The service was pretty good, seated fast, pretty attentive with all the tables they had to serve. We ordered a traditional caramel macchiato (it is nothing like a Carmel macchiato that you are thinking of) and a matcha latte. They were pretty but lacking flavor. The Mach was very bitter, but I am sure that's the traditional version in a little bitty shot like glass -not my fave but I was trying to order stuff i wouldn't normally get. ‍ the matcha came in a giant mug, and it wasn't sweet at all and just kinda of plain. For food, we ordered the wagyu steak and eggs. It came with some interesting garlic herby potatoes, a piece of sourdough cut in half, scrambled eggs, 6 slim slices of beef and a little jam of some sort. We also asked for a side of their house made chili crunch. The steak was mediocre, the potatoes tasted a little weird. We enjoyed the bread and eggs the most. Maybe we just ordered the wrong things. I'd come back and try other items. It is a very cute location.

This place has been our go to for take out sandwiches whenever we go to Sonoma. Their meats are so…read morejuicy, tender and the taste is just full bodied (is that even the right word for them?) but we have tried the tri tip, the brisket and the turkey and I truly like them all; it's super hard to choose, although I would say I liked the flavor profile of the brisket sandwich. Another tip - I truly had NO idea how to get into this place but you have to go into the cheese factory and the counter to order is to the right. If you want to eat there, you have to go to the back to pick up your food and there's many tables back there inside as well as outside.

We were excited to try a bit of everything, and it was all, frankly, awful and wildly expensive…read more The ribs were cut without care or precision, resulting in sharp shards of bone jutting out of each piece (especially dangerous for children). The pulled pork, while texturally good, was bland and unseasoned. The small cup of complimentary bbq sauce did nothing to mask the taste. Worst of all was the brisket, which was gray and dry, inedible in my eyes. Incredibly disappointing, especially considering the high price per pound and the poor service. Never again.

We've stayed at The Lodge at Sonoma three times now, and Benicia's Kitchen has become one of the…read morethings we look forward to when we come back. This is so much better than your typical hotel breakfast. The menu is genuinely interesting, the food is flavorful and well prepared, and it's a great way to start a day in Sonoma. We've tried quite a bit of the menu over our visits, and some notable standouts have been the guacamole toast, birria tacos, chilaquiles, and especially the bread pudding French toast. They also do a nice range of coffee drinks and fresh-squeezed orange juice, plus there's a full bar if that's how you'd rather start the morning. Service has consistently been polite and efficient across our visits. It would be easy to overlook Benicia's as simply the restaurant attached to the hotel, but it's legitimately a very good breakfast spot in its own right, so we'll keep coming back.

Okay food. Nice people. Dining room a little worn down and tired…read more Our room rate included a $60 credit per day, for 2 people, for breakfast. If you choose correctly the bill will total out exactly to that. Adequate quantities and quality of food. I ate it all. Value wise if you are watching your wallet the meals are overpriced. But you're in wine country tourist central so it is what it is. If you're a local or a visitor in the know it's obvious you will choose to eat breakfast at the Sunflower caffe on the town square rather than here.

Hands down best breakfast in Sonoma. The food is soooo delicious and the drip coffee is actually…read morereally tasty roast, not the typical average diner coffee. We've eaten here a couple times. The first time I got the avocado toast which is really unique because it has roasted eggplant added in with the other toppings. The most recent time we got the lemon mascarpone crepe and French toast-- both so delicious but that might have been the best tasting French toast I've ever had. The restaurant itself is small and quaint, all chair tables no booths, but the patio seating is ample and really charming. Everyone who works there is so welcoming and kind, we felt cared for and at home. When they're busy parking can be a bit odd but we parked at the McDonald's lot next door (even tho it had signage for MD's only, whatev lol). All in all we LOVE Verano cafe, and although they don't have an exclusively kid menu it's also a friendly spot for kids. Thank you Verano Cafe! We can't wait to come back

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.

Wow! I came back years later, and I'm still incredibly impressed by this restaurant. The girl & the…read morefig has truly mastered its sauces, elevating the dishes from great to excellent. Our waiter, Willie, was very knowledgeable about the menu, seemed genuinely happy to be there, and provided excellent service throughout the night. My only caveat was the radish appetizer. I was surprised that it was literally chopped raw radishes served with butter. Thankfully, Willie brought us an aioli that significantly improved the flavor, but the dish still felt underwhelming compared to everything else. Steak au poivre: One of the best dishes I've had all year. It was fantastic, memorable, and the extra sauce was also delicious with the sourdough. Flounder: Buttery, citrusy goodness. It was cooked to perfection, and the sauce took it to the next level.

3.5 stars During our Sonoma vacation last week we were…read moreexcited to dine here after hearing so much about the place and seeing so many 5 star reviews. Our experience however was somewhat mixed. The restaurant is cozy and very cute; elegantly decorated with beautiful art works painted by the owner which we enjoyed a lot. Excellent service, our waitress was warm, personable and very pleasant. We received each a glass of complimentary champagne for our anniversary. To start, we ordered a cauliflower soup and a fig arugula salad. The soup was tasty and light, very enjoyable, salad was ok, we were hoping for a little more figs and pecan. Both of us liked the scallops and the relish, it was perfectly executed and delicious. We had high hopes for the mussels unfortunately it was a let down. While the broth was flavorful, most of the mussels were tiny. Hubby even got several bites with sand and had to go to the bathroom to rinse it out. We mentioned to our waitress, the manager came over to apologize and our dessert was comped. Which was a good gesture. We did also have nice chats with a family of four sitting next to us. Not sure if we'll return any time soon, if we do will stay away from the mussels.

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

We had dinner at Layla with a party of six, and while the food was excellent, the service was…read moredisappointing enough that it overshadowed the entire evening. The biggest issue was that a mandatory 20% gratuity was automatically added to our bill. If you're going to require guests to pay a 20% tip regardless of the experience, the service should at least meet that standard. Unfortunately, it didn't. Our server, Chloe, seemed far more occupied with spending time in the kitchen or attending to guests seated outside than checking on our table. We were dining inside, where the restaurant was nearly empty, yet she would disappear for 10-15 minutes at a time, leaving us with no way to ask for refills, order additional drinks, or get simple questions answered. To make matters worse, our wine glasses arrived visibly dirty. We pointed it out, but they were never replaced. That's a basic service expectation at any restaurant, especially one at this price point. She also volunteered recommendations for her "favorite" dishes, despite us never asking for suggestions--and they happened to be among the most expensive items on the menu. It felt more like upselling than genuine hospitality. The kitchen deserves credit because the food was genuinely very good. But great food can't make up for inattentive service, especially when guests have no choice but to pay a mandatory 20% gratuity. If Layla is going to automatically add a 20% tip, then they should ensure the service earns it--not simply collect it regardless of how poor the experience is.

My friend was visiting from Chicago and we thought we'd spend the day in Sonoma Square eating and…read moreshopping our way through the square. I had reservations at El Dorado kitchen because they have an excellent breakfast selection. We were supposed to sit inside, but we got lucky and we were able to sit outside on the patio which was perfect because it was a beautiful day. Although it was a bit loud (a few big parties) we still enjoyed our time and the lovely dishes! We sipped on Blackberry and Oak cocktails, the Brown Butter Old Fashioned, Gin Gypsy, and Espresso . For breakfast we had the Short Rib Hash and Chilaquiles dishes. We wanted the Buttermilk Waffle with bananas and whipped cream but thought it might be too much for our main breakfast so we saved it for dessert our way of accommodating our sweet tooth! Service: every time we come here we have excellent service. Always impressed with the welcoming atmosphere and quick service.

This review is for the El Dorado "Cantina"…read more The tacos were actually amazing, however.... The gentlemen served us moldy beer! There was legit mold, sticky black fibers on top of the beer can that they served us. As if it was left in the fridge for month, condensation and warmth over and over again. He did "clean" it for us, but you could still see it. WHAT IS GOING ON ?? Not worth the price we had to pay. thumbs down!