Finally Sonoma has a restaurant like this. The space is gorgeous and the staff is plentiful and good. The food was delicious and beautiful. The reason for three stars: as a parent of a toddler, the most important element of dining out is to ensure they are fed. We ordered a kids pasta that never arrived. Luckily one of us ordered a pasta dish that she ate, but our server disappeared until the very end of the meal so we could not even attempt to remedy it. Also, we asked if they had strawberry ice cream for her and were told yes but it was sorbet. I expect a place like this to understand the differ read more

Came to Layla on a recommendation from one of the local wineries (Three Sticks) to celebrate my wife's birthday. Given she is a total foody, I was hesitant due to some of the negative reviews. But I was hopeful the restaurant had worked out the kinks after recently opening. Boy was I happy we went for it! My wife and I agreed that this was one of the best meals we had ever had. The food was delicious with really unique presentation and amazing flavors. We ordered the grilled beets, fried zucchini, shared the sea bass, and donuts + chocolate cake for dessert. The decor/ambiance were perfect. We sat on the outside patio surrounded by a fountain and trees - super relaxing wine country vibe. Our server was very attentive and the pastry chef made my wife the best chocolate cake ever! - the leftovers of which the restaurant packaged for us to take home along with a Happy Birthday note. We may go back again today ;) read more

We had Thanksgiving dinner here. We were skeptical of a "buffet" for Thanksgiving. We were wrong! The green beans were crisp and dandy. The turkey and fish were very nicely done. The mashed potatoes were great! The service was great and the dining room has a great vibe. Highly rrecommend!! read more

Food was excellent as was the service but on the way out we heard who could have only been the manager (could tell because of accent) I believe his name was Miguel, screaming at a worker. With this said I don't know what he or she did but as a business owner myself it is extremely inappropriate to speak to a worker in the tone he was using it was so aggressive and honestly frightening. I don't think I will be returning if this is how the staff is treated by management. I will only return if and when he is fired. read more

We held our 37th annual staff holiday party at MacArthur Place in December. The consensus was this was the best venue, food, service and ambiance ever. Layla served our group of 30 people with ease. The food, wine and service was outstanding. We really enjoyed it and will return. Michael R. read more

The folks at Layla provided my wife and me with a wonderful summer dinner experience in late June, 2019. We has just walked 1/2 hour from our Home Exchange residence in 90 degree heat, and began our evening with a refreshing Martini at the bar. The bartender was engaging. After we told him of our long heated walk, he asked if we had crossed the street multiple times to find the shade. Exactly what we had done! That kind of personalized conversation set the tone for the evening. Then it was over to the dining room, which has many windows, making it bright and open. Our waitress explained all the usual specials, and took a few minutes to talk with us about the unusual wine we had brought with us. My wife chose the baba ganoush and fish special. I had a Fattoush salad and the Lamb Tagine. My wife declared the baba ganoush the best she had ever tasted, and she raved about the fish special. I found the salad very creative and refreshing. The lamb was out of this world. They must use some special marination, as every taste from beginning to end had a very unique and complex taste. We don't do desert, so we can't comment on that. Overall, an excellent experience with great food, nice atmosphere, and warm, personalized professional service. Highly recommended. read more

Falling dull and flat I'm afraid. I'd had high hopes for this new concept which unfortunately has remained just that. An empty idea of a place with neutral colors and lengthy( at the table )explanations of mediocre food. The bar would have to try hard to fail and I'm sure they're doing alright because the staffing has been pretty good. However, they fail to understand the importance of a least appearing to be a local spot which is actually what visitors to the valley like to discover. The approach of the culture within the service model comes off as a washed out generic experience. If you wan to chill out in the 'meh' and 'blah' go here. read more

This is our second time at this restaurant. Initial reservation was at 4 pm so we can beat the crowds. Received a confirmation text a few days before. On the same day the restaurant called to request we move it up to 3pm; but I refused and they made it right and set us up for 5 pm. We had a party of 6, arrived and had a drink order and starters. Drinks came piecemeal but when asked the waitress indicated the manager called a meeting to address a large group coming to the restaurant. MacArthur Mule was disappointing. When ordering the sea bass our waiter specifically told my mom and I that this sea bass dish is for two (2) persons. However, after waiting until 6:30 pm until our dishes arrived; we were thoroughly disappointed because it is not a dish made for two people. At best; one person. Waiter asked how was the food and I said our dish took longer and our fish was not made for two adults. He asked what can I do to make it right for you? I said, I don't want to wait; how about the fried bravas potatoes. It arrived and it was filling (ate it myself). Then as we went to pay for our tab and noticed they "charged me" for the second potato appetizer dish. I explained to the manager and chef whom greeted me at the doorway, I explained the situation and they corrected the tab. I specifically selected to come back to this restaurant after having spent our time here Dec 2019 for my wife's birthday; and looking to do the same for mine. I knew other patrons looked at their watches too; and can understand accommodating a large wedding party BUT please treat the other guests at the restaurant the SAME as the large event party or just don't overbook the restaurant. The entire experience just fell flat. - received feedback from the Business Owner indicating they are in the process of staffing up and she apologized. I think instead of apologizing let's figure out how to make it right. If there is one thing I can suggest is to include in print on the menu (portion size is x ounces or x lbs) or include (made for two) and allow the patrons to make an informed decision. Ww went home that night and made my mom and I some ramen with eggs. read more

I called a month ago to make a reservation for 8 because Open table wouldn't take a reservation for more than six. Came to Sonoma and was told today they have no record of our reservation. Completely unreliable. read more

Where to start? So noisy, conversation was taxing. After millions poured into this place, you'd think the investors would have spent some $$ on methods to mitigate noise level. Food was mediocre. Dinner menu limited. Salmon good, however no veggie on plate; just a slab of salmon on farro. Had to ask for bread . . . $9 for a small plate of focaccia. This place went from a Sonoma landmark to a poor imitation of what the new owners imagine a happening wine country spot to be. It simply doesn't live up to the hype. read more

Last night my family and I had a wonderful dinner of shared appetizers. We ordered the yellowfin crudo, octopus, pea hummus, greens and oysters with a bottle of red. Everything was outstanding. The waitress was attentive and personable. The ambiance is relaxing. It was the perfect night for my little family bridal getaway. read more

The two stars are for the beautiful ambiance, location of this restaurant, our incredible server Jessica, our delightful bartender Adam, and the awesome front desk staff, Michael. I had my 3rd visit with Layla, and shocked to say the experience was not quite pleasant. I had made reservations 4 days prior to my arrival. When I called to make my reservation, I was guided to the concierge line. A reservation was made, and I requested a certain table (outside) and also had some wine delivered to the hotel to enjoy with lunch. I had also called the restaurant upon arrival to inform them we were running 15 minutes late, driving from San Jose, CA. They simply responded, it's okay Alexis, get here safely. I approached the host stand, where I was simply told they had no reservation. I had showed extreme concern, confusion, embarrassment because (of our guest who flew into town for this lunch). I was told a restaurant manger would come talk with me. The restaurant manager told me it was a mistake on there front desk and I have to go figure it out as it's not there problem. Michael, at the front desk at MacArthur Place hotel was so sweet, and managed to work something out. Unfortunately, they sat us in a hidden corner in the pathway for there food runners. I'm frustrated to say, we arrived lunch at 12:29 left at 2:30pm and the table I requested was empty, as well as many others. I'm here to say, that the food was good and tasty, my server was awesome, but the attitude and customer service relationship I had at the host stand with the hostess and manager was simply rude and unpleasant. Also, there apology was a round of drinks. read more

The rating would be higher if a two hour dinner to take over three hours. Food was amazing, the flavors were popping. Very nice ambiance. Unfortunately our waiter had a uppity attitude and took forever. It would have been forgiven if the orders were correct and that we did not have have to wait 10 minutes to show mistake. I will try again, but will ask for a different server if we are to get the same person. read more

A must when visiting Sonoma! I recently stayed at the MacArthur hotel and the first night we went to Layla. It's hard to pick a favorite dish - everything was delicious. I loved the octopus, the calamari, and the pasta bolognese. Not only is the food terrific, but the space is gorgeous... everything is aesthetically pleasing. The next night we were supposed to go to another restaurant for dinner but we had such a great time at Layla we ate there again. The breakfast was also tasty - highly recommend the hashbrowns. Everything about Layla and the MacArthur hotel is special - Cant wait to visit again! read more

I'm very happy for our visit to Layla. The food was exceptional, and the pacing and order it was brought to the table thoughtful. The ambiance is also nice and our wait staff seemed very on point. That been said I cannot overstate the quality of the food. The desert was honestly the best I can remember, to take nothing away from the other plates. Our next date will be here. read more

A beautiful restaurant and attentive staff. The dining room restaurant menu is really nice and the bar menu gives more casual options. The mixologist made fantastic cocktails, and the bar is gorgeous. The four of us had a great time, with nice appetizers and we all enjoyed our dinners, however my halibut was very salty. The five stars is because everyone was so kind and friendly and welcoming and although the restaurant wasn't busy, it had a nice buzz to it. I really enjoyed the music, it was modern, contemporary and elegant. I have not seen the rooms in the renovated hotel, but if they are as Shaikh as the lobby, I'm sure it would be a great place to stay. I can't wait to come back! read more

The restaurant is beautiful and the meal was delicious and perfect for a warm afternoon. We sat on the porch and it was very comfortable. The food is very good and a great selection of more health conscious and vegetarian entrees. Highly recommend. read more

Layla at MacArthur Place just re-opened after the COVID shutdowns. We ate there for lunch, as well as dinner and drinks, earlier this week and had great meals. There is a new outdoor tent over the patio, also the menu has been updated, but they still have the same great staff! read more

Went there with my sister and brother in law. Bartender was great and so was the service. However, the quality control in the kitchen was sorely lacking. First up, we ordered a cappuccino and what arrived was an espresso. Next up, they were out of two items on the menu that we wanted. Next we ordered the lamb meatballs. It arrived with 3 meatballs. There were 3 of us, so, ok. They were good. But then 10 minute later a server arrives with another plate and there are 4 meatballs, apparently there were supposed to be 4. So, they made up, but hold on. The meatballs aren't cooked all the way through. Raw and cold in the middle. We sent them back. Finally, the main meal arrived and it was lukewarm. Very tasty, but it wasn't exactly hot. They gave us free dessert to make up for the issues which was a nice touch, but whomever is responsible for the food going out needs to take way more care. one issue, ok, mistakes happen, but 3?!! At a upscale restaurant should never happen. read more

OMG!!!!!! I have not had this great of food & service in a very long time. Layla is stunning! Every detail is thought out perfectly. The service was impeccable. All of our needs were anticipated before we even thought of them. Not only was the service & decor a 5/5 but the food.......WOW! Every bite was delicious and balanced and simply perfect. Our favorites at breakfast were: the breakfast sandwich, the hash browns, and the dutch baby. I think I said "this is worth the few extra pounds." We had such a great time at Layla I went back 4 times in one week. The dinner was insane.....the parker house rolls, the hamachi crudo, the whole fish....everything was divine. Greg & Chris treated us like queens. How will we ever dine anywhere else again? love s6 read more

This place is a pretentious scam. We were a party of 8 ladies and very excited to go here. When we were sat, we were blindsided by Damian, our server, asking us what we wanted to order before all of us even had menus - all we'd been given was one wine menu we sat with for ten minutes. The place wasn't crowded at all and we felt rushed and unwanted. When we asked about their gluten free options (two of our group have a serious allergy) they were completely shamed and essentially told that every single GF option noted on the menu wasn't actually GF and that they shouldn't even be in the restaurant "with an allergy like that." This wasn't exactly word for word but it was the sentiment: "Even the plates on the table have gluten on them and if you aren't flaring up already then do you even have an allergy?" This makes absolutely no sense since everywhere else we've gone this weekend has been incredibly accommodating and polite plus the fact that the entire reason we chose this place was because they had so many gluten free options. Needless to say, we left, and this place lost over $700 of business. read more

Great food and environment! Love the table setup and decoration. French fries and Hamachi Crudo are delicious

Very underwhelming meal at the price point. Not a single remarkable entree of 6 ordered. Limited menu.

After our visit early May, I was anxious to get back to the restaurant and update my previous review. Our visit today is same as our previous visit in that the food was very good but service remains an issue therefore I cannot update my rating. Over the entire hour we were there, our plates were never cleared away and just stacked up in front of us until we piled them to the side as a hint to come get them. As a new dish was brought out, not one server thought to clear away empty plates nor did the hint of piled plates on the side of the table get anyone's attention. Now, I said before, service can ruin a meal so I'm hoping third time will be the charm as i really want this place to work. It's very beautiful inside and the menu while limited, has good food. Please fix your service and all will be well. read more

Not for Locals! The menu is limited, the prices are very high. Food is good. This spot is for tourists!

We stayed on property, and we tried breakfast here on our first full day in town. We wanted to love it, but we just didn't. It took a while for a waitress to come by, and she didn't really greet us when she finally did. We ordered two coffees, and I ordered avocado toast, my husband had the short rib hash. We got our food before our coffee, and then after the coffee was dropped off we waited a few more minutes for cream and sugar, which we did say we wanted initially. The avocado toast was fine, but nothing to write home about. Most unique part was the grilled bread, otherwise I've had better at home. It says there is everything seasoning on it, but mine didn't seem to have much. My husband said the has wasn't very flavorful, and he was hoping for better. He needed to use quite a bit of hot sauce. Not much in the way of checking on us after the food was brought out, either. Maybe they were busy or were having an off day, but not the best. read more

Lovely ambiance on the patio and really good food. I had the lobster roll which was delicious and my husband had the burger which he was really happy with. They also had the tables nicely spaced out and they were doing a great job of cleaning between guests so we felt really comfortable eating out (which we have rarely done during the pandemic.) I'm sure we'll be back! read more

Our second visit. Decided after the poor service in the main dining room and expense to try the bar. Food was ok but the service was non-existent. Are there no managers supervising? Two bartenders and a helper entertains at the bar while guest sit with empty glasses and dirty plates for well over a half an hour. Only welcoming person upon arrival and departure was a valet. Otherwise no feeling that you matter. There is a world of improvement needed. read more

Wonderful outdoor, tranquil patio to calm your nerves in these uncertain times! Super fresh, well prepared food and great service. Breakfast is one of the best in town. Squeaky clean, table spacing, all precautions in place. We have had Angela take care of us numerous times, and she is always amazing! read more

SUPERB! You need a different descriptor for Layla -- because, just everything, was superb. From decor, to food, to wine choices, to service, it's just everything. We were seated in the outdoor back patio, for a 5'ish dinner, and given a beautiful spot next to the fountain. Celebrating a wedding anniversary, we immediately were provided with a complimentary glass of rose, which was thoughtful, as well as an amuse bouche from the chef which was delightful. Started with the grilled gems, and the whole cauliflower, and was so delicious, my wife added a flatbread -- please try the margarita flatbread -- it's a must. Additional glasses of wine arrived in appropriate stemware, generous pours, and at perfect temperatures. My wife had the grilled sea bass, it's a whole fish, and the waiter forewarns you that 'it's a whole fish, head, eyes, fins, tail, and all the bones -- not everyone expects' -- which we thought was thoughtful. I had the baked halibut. Both were amazing and wonderfully presented, like EVERYTHING, at Layla, and MacArthur Place provides, it's just superb, first class, with attentive staff, gorgeous surroundings, and memorable experiences. Finally, for dessert, there was the cheesecake -- I don't even think cheesecake is fair to this little piece of heaven -- again, it's a must. Try it, you'll thank us. SUPERB! read more

We ate at the bar this time but have eaten in the dining room as well. Both times, great service, delicious food and great cocktails and wine by the glass. Really no complaints and the bar is just really beautiful. Actually so is the restaurant, 2 totally different vibes. restaurant more light and farm style, bar more luxurious.If we lived local this would be our spot. Bravo. read more

The long-awaited opening of Layla lived up to the expectations. Starting off in the beautiful and open bar, we had a couple of drinks before getting to our table (the staff behind the bar were excellent btw!). Once the meal began, we were amazed by the variety of dishes we ordered: from baba ganoush... to a tender lamb dish... to a take on hash browns with ketchup (so good!)... and finally the dessert of what I can only describe as warm donut holes and ice cream, it hit the spot! All I can say is... we'll be back. read more

I've been coming at staying at MacArthur Place and dining at Layla since May. To be honest the restaurants service was always a bit of a letdown (the bar was always great). Recently though both the service and the food has been extremely good. I sat outside with a friend today for lunch and Ryan, our server was just fantastic. Extremely friendly, knowledgeable and engaging. A fantastic place to pop in for lunch, dinner or to watch a football game at the bar! read more

Went for dinner on a Friday night. I got the spicy tequila cocktail which was good but not great. The appetizers we had were great - butternut squash soup, fritters, and brussel sprouts. Good variety of vegetarian stuff! Unfortunately it went downhill from there. I was not impressed at all with the vegetarian bologonese - quite bland and not special at all. My cousins got the salmon and enjoyed it. We also got the chocolate cake banana dessert but this was again, not impressive. We had a very nice waiter but overall would not come back or recommend (at least for a vegetarian). read more

We have lived in sonoma for 17 years and Layla at McArthur Place is definitely the best ambiance, service, food, interior design, and art we have experienced in wine country. read more

My sister and I came here for the first time to celebrate her birthday. However our experience wasn't the best. We got the Clam Chowder and Margharita Flat Bread for the appetizers and the Chicken Sandwich and Wagyu Burger for mains. The food was pretty good: though the chicken sandwich was very oily. The fries were nice and crisp, and the burger was juicy. My issue was with the customer service. We had reservations for 11:45 am, 15 mins after they re open for lunch. When they seated us, we were one of two tables occupied. By 12:45, 7 other tables around us were occupied. for some reason, all had all received their meals despite the fact that they ordered after us. When we asked where ours was, we were told it was being prepared. we didn't receive the food until 1:05 pm. We had spa appointments at MacArthur Place at 1:15 pm so we had to miss out on getting dessert and blowing out a candle, and felt pretty rushed eating - they brought us out ice cream instead though which was nice. my guess is they forgot our food but I can't be sure. There's just no reason our meal should arrive almost an hour after we ordered it when others around us ordered the same items 20-30 mins after we ordered and still received theirs before us. It just made the birthday lunch feel a bit weird and I wish the experience had been different :/ read more

The WOW Dish is The Butternut Squash SOUP. The other dishes are delicious. David Artson

Okay so the food was amazing! Decor, also amazing. But....the service was uncomfortably terrible. We were the ONLY ones in the restaurant and it took about 20 mins to get our drinks. We saw the drinks sitting at the bar for about 5 mins and servers were just moving things around to look busy and not bringing our drinks over. Inefficient. Then she forgot one of the coffee's we ordered. Just fine and dandy if you are busy but literally no one was there. About 3 servers were constantly circling our table and staring at us which was super uncomfortable. The manager was watching them like a hawk - maybe they are all scared of him? Seemed like it was every servers first day. Every time we asked for something it felt like they moved in slow motion. Took about 25 mins to get our check and our sever disappeared. Overall pretty uncomfy and again, inefficient to see how many servers looked so unprepared and awkward. Scary to imagine that place with an actual crowd of people. Also we saw a server try and open a champagne bottle which was tragic and the customer offered help because the server had no idea what they were doing. And then she broke the cork in the bottle and tried to open it with a wine key which is NEVER appropriate for bubbles. I give this place less than a year read more

Three of us went for lunch and did enjoy the food and cocktails. The lobster roll was so delicious...so buttery and a generous portion of lobster! We ordered the trio of 'dips' with the crudite and the pita...perfect with cocktails. I can't wait to go back for dinner...especially, since there is more to choose from. Great decor, too. read more

This is hands down my favorite restaurant in Sonoma. It hasn't been open that long and I've already been there three times - once for lunch and twice for dinner. I've tried many things on the menu. The detail in every dish is perfection. A few of my favorites....for lunch....Croque-Madamsel, the California Burger, and the Salmon. And for dinner...Patatas Bravas, the Crispy Greens, and the Israeli Couscous with lobster. A suggestion....make sure you go with a group that likes to share plates. That way...you can order and taste as much as possible! Next time I visit, I want to sit in the bar and try the bar menu. I'll update my review after my next visit! read more