Stars across the board! What an amazing evening here at Cork Dork. What a gem tucked in and away from all the hustle and bustle. First time in for dinner and was pleasantly greeted at the hostess stand, whom let us in early for our reservation. You enter the restaurant to what seems like a cozy little dining room but then surprised with this added enchanting area. Which I might add, comes with a cool hidden library for private events. After getting comfortable and enjoying our experience perusing the menus via tablet, we were pleasantly welcomed by...Rosie. By far, top five best experiences at a restaurant, all thanks to her. She took us all throughout the menu, made amazing recommendations, and took our evening and completely escalated our night. From the wine, to the amazing plates, to the delicious desserts, all was absolutely top tier. My favorite by far, was the wild mushroom risotto which was out of this world. If I can't compliment the food enough, Rosie was just amazing. I mentioned to her before we left, "it's as if you took us up on a hot air balloon ride with and ever so gently brought us back down to earth." That's what our evening was like in best terms. Thank you again to the staff and owners at Cork Dork. Most of all, thank you again to Rosie. We will definitely be back for another amazing visit. read more

At the Cork Dork, you can expect great service and delicious food. Their Branzino is the best dish on their menu. It's incredibly delicious, and what makes it unique is the creamy brown sauce they add on top. We've tried many branzino dishes all over the world and this one is simply THE BEST! read more

Cork Dork - Branzino - New American Near Me - Thousand Oaks, California

I had the pleasure of dining at the "Cork Dork" to celebrate anniversaries with friends and I have to say this was the best place I have visited and dined at this year. What an incredible dining experience starting with the staff, first rate attention to you from the time you walk in to the time you walk out and so much more in between. From the mixologist at the bar preparing our house specialty cocktails preparing drinks from their full bar with blends and recipes you would never think of with amazing fresh ingredients. Our server Elizabeth guided us through the menu and assisted in every way during our meal. I loved the decor and the simple but classy style of the room, open with modern light fixtures surrounded by wine bottles. It offers everything a diner would like to surround themselves while dining; it's cozy and warm with a sexy but sophisticated flair. We opted for the Chefs Menu which is offered on the menu but requires the entire table to participate, let me just say if it's your first time dining there what a wonderful way to explore and taste the menu. The Chef comes out and talks to you personally to describe the menu which he chooses specifically for you-so it's a surprise when it arrives. It is a multi course extravaganza of flavors that changes daily on the menu and prepared with local ingredients as well as exotic spices. Prepared as small plates similar to "Tapas" it's tasty bites of his choices or snip its of the menu (which does change often) so what we had last night may not be the same when we come back. We were just blown away at every aspect of the Chefs Menu, Chef Danny came to our table to bring out each dish and explain the ingredients, spices and how he was influenced by either family heritage or his interpretation of a memory growing up. His kitchen staff joins with the delivery and also offers commentary on the dishes. I can't explain how unique the flavors were in each dish and it was just enough to give you a good full taste allowing room for your next arriving dish. So well done and perfect "Cork Dork", you have style-you have class, deliciousness and a chef that kicks ass! Bravissimo! read more

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Good service food was solid interior is nice and cozy. The wagyu skewer was the standout, don't get the arancini not very good. Was pleasantly surprised by salad with brussel sprouts. Overall a little overpriced for the portion sizes but the quality wasn't bad. read more

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Cork Dork has some really tasty food overall. Everything is delicious, the service is awesome, and the ambiance is very cozy and inviting. Will definitely return! read more

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Everything we got was incredibly good and tasty! The Chef Danny was very nice and personable and offered a complimentary drink and dessert! He made our first visit memorable and we can't wait to be back! read more

Cork Dork - Cavatelli, hang steak, kale and brussel sprouts salad. 10000/10 - New American Near Me - Thousand Oaks, California

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I just love this place. Small, yet still has a cool "vibe" that doesn't match the exterior! But we always find gems in the most random of shopping complexes, right? :) I forget to come here, but when I do (which has been twice in last few weeks), I am greeted with very kind staff and enjoy food that is hearty, interesting, and just good! For this visit all the food was good but FAVE bites for me were the stuffed dates, mushroom risotto, and the veggies. The veggies ALWAYS hit! No dessert today but they do create great desserts. read more

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First time dining here. We were influenced by an Instagram post and wanted to try their cherry galette but also this has been on the to dine list for a while Really worth it, I wouldn't call it a hidden gem since it was pretty packed on a Friday night so obviously people know about this place. I would say every bite was worth every dollar. Abit elevated in terms of food quality but for a reasonable price, like I've spent more money for mediocre food. Here I felt like everything was really good and a good value. The truffle fries are perfectly shareable but love that they have that rustic hand cut potatoes and a nice truffle flavor. The short rib mole was something I will probably crave and want to come back for. The short rib was perfectly cooked and fork tender and the mole had such a nice depth of flavor paired with a polenta mix and some shaved veggies. Perfect plate and highly recommend. The cherry galette appears to be a seasonal item but the perfect way to enx a meal. The warm pastry combined with pistachio ice cream was a perfect combination. I was sad it was gone when we finished. Definitely great for a special occassion or date night, felt like everyone was dressed for a nicer outing. Service was spectacular from the hosts to our server and wait staff. Honestly can't wait to come back. read more

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I revisited this restaurant after a very long time. The hamachi was 5/5 with so much flavor and the perfect amount of complexity. The salmon taco was 3.75/5. It needed some citrus. I had the short rib and thought it was ok 3.5/5. My friend's chicken was bland 2/5. The staff was very nice 5/5. Overall, I would give the experience 3.75/5. read more

First time here and it won't be our last! This place reminds us of Moody Rooster & Pearl District vibes. What a hidden gem for us. Each plate was delicious and aesthetically pleasing. We ordered yellowtail, burata, roasted beet salad, English pea risotto, grilled branzino, spinach gnocchi, burger, bread pudding and Thai tea panna cotta. It was enough for 3 people to share and my friends ordered drinks. If I come back I'd definitely get the yellowtail, pea risotto, branzino, spinach gnocchi, and thai tea Pana cotta. Lindy made our night so enjoyable and she was the best! She made sure we got our order in when items were selling out so she took care of us. We'd like to see her again as well. read more

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My husband and I checked out Cork Dork for a date night a few weeks ago. Our first server was a bit flat and seemed unenthused that we were ordering drinks and just a few appetizers instead of a full meal. Luckily the food we did order was wonderful - from the truffle fries to the steak bites to the gnocchi - everything was amazing. The chef even stepped by our table to welcome us, which was a nice touch. About halfway through our visit a different server came by, noticing our drinks were empty, and was warm and happy to provide recommendations on what to order next. Wine was great and my husband ordered a frozen piña colada that he enjoyed. Overall a bit pricy, but worth a splurge for a date night. read more

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We loved our time here! First time visitors but we have many friends who recommend this place. Let me start by saying the food is fresh! True quality and amazing taste in their dishes. We tried a few things and honestly I'm sure everything on their menu is amazing. My fiancé is the foodie and he was super happy. I am the drinker and let's just say Rosie is fantastic!! She made unique drinks for us so I can't even say what they were but she definitely hit the mark. I remember places by their martinis and I loved mine. We came right at opening so it wasn't busy and service was very quick and efficient. We prefer the bar top and they have a cute little bar top area. It looked like they also have a small tented patio area outside. I recommend this place to anyone and everyone who wants to try a small business with delicious food and drinks! read more

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All of the food was amazing, nicely presented and also tasted great! The waitress and staff were very helpful in selecting the options we chose. The restaurant is great for date night or a group of friends. We saw a large work party there as well, so fits many occasions. It isn't a huge restaurant, which is a nice change from several chain locations in the area. The menu was all on an iPad display, which was convenient (photos included). I will definitely be returning :) read more

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I don't live in Oak Park anymore, so it has been a while since we've been. However, every time we have gone, the food has been absolutely wonderful and amazing with spot on service with great ambiance. Love it here and need to go back soon! read more

I had my 40th birthday here recently and was so impressed! I checked out numerous restaurants in the area and Cork Dork had everything I was looking for - delicious food, excellent service, and a fun and approachable atmosphere. They put a beautiful menu together for our party and were happy to accommodate all of our preferences and requests. Kudos to Dan for being so responsive and flexible with the planning and coordinating aspects, and to Lindy for her excellent service and fun personality. I look forward to dining here again, but until then I will be dreaming of that potato leek soup - yum!! read more

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Small restaurant in a shopping center that expanded with outside seating. This is a hidden gem located in a beautiful part of Westlake. The menus are awesome and every restaurant should duplicate this idea. They are basically little tablets that are interactive menus. It gives you descriptions and pictures of most of the menu items. Even suggests wine pairings with your meal. Awesome! I got the Baba chicken which was cooked perfectly and came with delicious carrots and cous cous. Nicely conceived dish. My wife got the Cork Dork burger. Super flavor packed, maybe a tad salty, but that's okay. The fries were crispy and fresh. Great quality. She got the Mezcal cocktail, forgot the name. It was really good, the Mezcal was high quality too. The one and only thing lacking was the service. I watched our waiter go to the table next to us three times and not even check on us at all. I wanted another drink and was waiting a little while to get it. We even had to get the check from a different waitress. That issue is what prevented a five star review. read more

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This restaurant is consistently delicious with an ever changing menu that never disappoints. The service is top notch! Love this place read more

Food exceptional, service as well. Top notch with every touch from the food presentation, service follow up, decor is beautiful and has a nice private room behind a secret book case. Open for lunch now. read more

Went for lunch last week. Very impressed with food and excellent service! Hope more people discover they are now open for lunch! read more

UPDATE! Dan (the owner) sent me the kindest text message offering to make it right. I will definitely be giving cork dork another shot! Dan, you're a gem thank you! It was my first introduction to the restaurant I did to go order for the street corn risotto. I had been seeing photos of it all over my Instagram for weeks and was salivating to try it. To my disappointment it was extremely undercooked, risotto should not be crunchy. The rice should be properly cooked. For $26 I expected better. Portion size was kind of laughable as well, but that's not so much the issue. If I'm paying $26 for vegetarian risotto, I do expect the risotto to be properly cooked. I called the restaurant when I got home and sat down to eat it and let them know. They did offer to remake it if I came back. I didn't have the time or energy after a very long week so far to do that. Hoping that you guys can make this right moving forward. No one asked me over the phone for my number or my name or to do any sort of follow up. I do hope you guys offer to make this right and remake it for me in the coming days because asking me to drive back 20 minutes there and 20 minutes home after a long day is unreasonable. No one even offered a refund which I wasn't even looking for. This is extremely disappointing. read more

Cork Dork - New American Near Me - Thousand Oaks, California

Great food. Great service. Friendly chef. Incredible veggie starters and the best hamburger in town.

Ambiance is nothing to write home about. Drinks are good they give you a tablet to order from so you can see pictures of what you're ordering. Appetizers were yummy and food was delicious. Menu is limited as it is local market read more

Food was excellent. Service was great. We had a nice dinner and time. Wine selection was extensive. The Lychee martini was delicious. We'll be back. Loved the casual ambience with high end cooking read more

Cork Dork - Lychee martini, salad, burrata with tomatoes. These were just the appetizers - New American Near Me - Thousand Oaks, California

We had the most delightful tasting menu experience, sampling some thoughtfully prepared dishes, meeting the chef and sous chef. Each course was layered with amazing flavors and carefully curated local ingredients. It is really rare to find such attention to detail locally. If you are a foodie, you must eat here. The room is lovely with soft lighting. I could have been in NYC or Paris, but no, right near home. The service was top notch. Thank you Danny for a lovingly prepared meal. read more

Cork Dork - Banana Bread Pudding with caramel sauce and Chantilly creme - New American Near Me - Thousand Oaks, California

This place was pretty awesome and delicious. We sat outside and did some tastings and ordered some appetizers to share.

Don't miss out on trying the tasting menu, you won't be disappointed, great progression throughout the whole meal and won't leave you hungry afterwards. A must try! read more

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This restaurant was surprisingly very cute. It did take me a hot second to find it due to where I drove in from the shade covering was kinda blocking the name so if this happens to you don't worry it's there! I had the Elote pasta which was delicious and the service was great. read more

OMG, what a great recommendation from a family member! The drinks were very good and the food was amazing. This place is not cheap but you definitely get what you pay for. Will definitely be back and highly recommend. Might be a special occasion place for some, but do yourself a favor and give them a try! read more

A small family owned restaurant that is serving amazing food and wine. I highly recommend a visit. Service was too notch, fine dining experience at a casual family owned restaurant! read more

The food is incredible and they have a wonderful wine selection. It's in a low key location with an upscale/casual vibe.

We had the pleasure of dining at the local gem aka Cork Dork, and I can say it's one of the best meals we have had in a long time. The staff were friendly and attentive without being overbearing. Our server, was knowledgeable about the menu and offered excellent recommendations. We started with the Yellowtail appetizer, and the Burrata & Heirloom Tomato both of which were mouthwatering and beautifully seasoned, followed by the Niman Ranch Pork Chops for my husband and the Branzino for me -- both were perfectly cooked, and bursting with flavor. Everything from the service to the presentation to the quality of ingredients was top-notch. It's clear the kitchen takes pride in their craft, and it shows in every dish. We will absolutely be returning -- highly recommend to anyone looking for a refined yet relaxed dining experience. read more

Loved the food and the service. Had a great night here with a group of friends. Lots of yummy food and drinks!

Excellent food, bravo to chef! Every foods we ordered was amazing. We heard so much good story about this place. Owner is so friendly. It's interesting electric menu book. Staff cleans table before next meal is served, we are so impressed. read more

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Wow! Where do I start?! This lovely restaurant is a hidden gem! Elevated Farm to Table New American menu with what seems to be endless options of wines and spirited beverages to choose from. Perfect for date night, dinner parties, business lunches/dinners, ladies night out, etc. Head Chef Danny has curated some beautiful dishes. They are pleasing to the eye, but that is nothing compared to what the palate experiences. Everything I tasted was like a symphony of culinary melodies. I was able to taste nuances of everything within the dishes. Everything was so carefully put together, flavors did not compete with one another, instead they enhanced and supported each other producing the most amazing flavors. The Cavatelli I had was incredible. The pasta was made that afternoon so it was soft yet sturdy. The sauce is something to die for. It was fresh and light, coated the pasta perfectly, yet had powerful flavors that brought everything together perfectly. It sounds crazy, but I could drink the sauce . 5 STARS ALL DAY! read more

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We visited Cork dork for the first time on Saturday night, we were seated promptly, and the first thing I noticed was service at our table. Immediately we were offered iPads water and such and started perusing the menu, we started with an apple arugula salad with Drake Farms goat cheese, the salad was fresh and all the ingredients were high-quality, could've used a little more goat cheese, my wife ordered the wild mushroom risotto and I braised short rib, and for dessert we had the apple galette with caramel ice cream and sauce, what I would like to point out first was how amazing the service was all night, I haven't seen this level of attention to detail in a very long time and I didn't expect it from a wine bar, but was pleasantly surprised, my critique of the evening would be this, every dish that we had that night was missing salt, everything fell flat, the chef's prepared an 18 hour braised short rib, the execution was perfect. I did like how they spun the traditional preparation, but this is winter that is a heavier dish that does not require a broth, it requires a sauce that is finished with a little butter and definitely needs salt. It is not a healthy preparation. It is a hearty preparation, the cake in the bottom of this short rib was overcooked or something. It was a little tough so that was not my favorite, they were so close to hitting the mark, but because everything was under salted made it a bit disappointing I tasted my wife's risotto. Same issue It would've popped with a little more salt, the ingredients were fantastic even down to dessert the puff pastry was without salt, and it also fell flat now even though it was a salted caramel ice cream the pastry was not executed properly.. The reason I speak in detail is from spending over 35 years every day as a chef in the culinary world. I wanted to love this place so much because it's right down the street from my house and I try to support independent establishments. read more

Unbelievable! Everything was amazing! Babas Chicken is a menu staple and great choice. Banana bread pudding is a must have.

I have to tell you about Cork Dork. In Thousand Oaks you can get great schools, and friendly people, and a safe place to live but you can't get really great food--unless you go to Cork Dork. The head chef and owner hails from the family owned, best pizza in town. (Pizza Nosh.) It's not surprising that he offers flavor bomb after flavor bomb in his own little piece of the culinary pie. The name doesn't lie--you can get some of the best wines in California--Schafer, Sea Smoke --and the food is just amazing. A few stand outs tonight were the branzino and the cauliflower, but please try it all. I've never had a miss. It's worth a drive to the boon docks for this delicious food and drink. Enjoy enjoy! read more

You can tell that food is high quality , and different in that chef is paying real attention to individual meal .Presentation is also great . I highly recommend this wonderful Restaurent. read more

Came here on a date night. The prices are high. They pride themselves on their wine list. We are talking $39 glass wines on menu but there are also more reasonable options. The menus are on tablets which was interesting. The service was excellent and the food was above average. You can tell the chef puts a lot of thought into the menu. I cannot remember the last place I went where I was served an amuse bouche. That made my smile. My boyfriend raved about the trout toast appetizer. The burrata was also as good as you might expect. We split the short rib and baba's chicken. The mushrooms and mashed potatoes served with the short rib were delicious. Short rib was good as well but not better than other short ribs I have had. The baba's chicken was served with couscous and carrots. Those may have not been the best dishes to order together but we are glad we got to try multiple items from the menu. read more

Lots of small dishes to share with friends! Cute small place with a cozy vibe. I've been here twice and will definitely bring my girlfriends here! read more