This restaurant is incredibly tasty but very pricey. I would save it for an anniversary dinner of high importance and significance. Service was good as well. read more

This place lived up to its hype. We got a reservation on a whim and were excited to splurge on a nice meal. The service was 5 star from the woman who greeted us, to our server, and the support FOH staff. Food was flavorful and presented beautifully. I had the rabbit tortellini to start, and the scallops for my main and both were delicious and well proportioned. I wasn't stuffed when I left, but I was comfortably full. Prices were as expected. I would have loved if the tasting was less expensive, but we will be sure to save up and return to go through the tasting as it looked amazing at the tables around us. read more

A culinary experience to dream four. Ron Siegel is a culinary artist of the highest level. Presentation was flawless tastes where across the board in the realm of perfection and service was spot on. I have been to many excellent restaurants in my life all over the world. From Paris to London to NY from Tel Aviv to Berlin and Madcap's food + service can stand proudly alongside the best of them!! The only two small things I would improve on is the house wines which were not as amazing - but still doable. And the atmosphere although it's great we got a knock that didn't meet the level of the food. Price is outrageous - but worth every bite. Would not recommend it for every day dining but for those special unique occasions hands-down the place to go to. I'm giving it a four-star because they could just tweak it a little bit more on the interior design level and the atmosphere. read more

What a treat!!! Honestly, was looking for a place to be open on Monday, so we can celebrate my daughters bday. We had all family for Thanksgiving so 5+ days of homemade meals! We were ready to go out and what a find!!! At Madcap, the food, presentation of the dishes, the service, decor...exceeded the expectations by far! Every course was a treat! Delicious, seasonal, colorful but then again extremely sophisticated! Thank you so much for making my daughter's bday celebration so much more special after attending your eatery! read more

Great food and service. Small personal restaurant where wine and food go together perfectly.

Excellent prix fixe meal, very accommodating to dietary restrictions. The broths were so incredibly tasty, developed and rich flavors, deep and savory. I could have had whole bowls of them. Every bite was excellent and dessert was equally as impressive. Servers were masters of the menu and could talk through each dish as if they had prepared themselves. Recommended perfectly paired wines and the bill was not outrageous for this kind of meal. Bravo and thank you Chef Siegel and team Madcap! read more

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Phenomenal. It was cold out but well worth it. We loved every bite and the service was great. Thank you!

I've been a few times and Madcap is consistently amazing. I especially appreciate that they work with local ceramic artists to plate all their dishes in very unique ways. read more

We had a pleasant dinner, and each of the dishes was quite good. We opted for sparkling water, no wine. Not bad pricing, though we ordered conservatively - about $110 for two, including tip. Will go back, for sure! Very cordial staff. read more

Came here for our anniversary dinner and was not disappointed! The chef's tasting menu is absolutely amazing!

Went to for a company Holiday Party. Food was out of this word, service great and surroundings cool. They were awarded the Michelin star the day after we made reservations and I can see why. Enter through standard glass doors then pass heavy curtains into another environment. Beautiful artwork, well crafted tables (no table cloths!), comfortable chairs and low noise mean comfort. Service feels like a especially skilled friend was taking care of you. We tried the sampling menu of 10 small dishes. The first was wonderful and creative. Each one after was even better and more creative. It's a special occasion kind of place that makes it a super special occasion. read more

San Anselmo is somehow becoming a noteworthy restaurant destination, and venues like Madcap, Valenti's, Insalata's and nearby Marche' Aux Fleurs are among the reasons, most within walking distance. Madcap is the cherry on the sundae of Marin dining, with a Michelin nod recently, and for good reason. First tip, plan ahead. Pick a date, make a reservation and then plan your visit. We like to get a table for four and make it a double-date outing. It's fun to see the wide eyed delight of everyone in our group as the courses glide in and light up the table. First, you have to take in the presentation, as this is a five-sense dining experience. The portions may seem sparse at first glance, but they add up as the tasting menu unfolds. The colors on the plate are at once inviting, and yet almost defy you to disturb the art before you. Flavors fill your olfactory sense and textures swaddle your tongue as you gingerly savor each bite. That sound you hear is the quiet hum of delight coming from your table mates. The chef's tasting menu allows you to venture out in the realm of foods you wouldn't normally pick, or foods you would pick prepared in a special way. The do ask, however, that everyone orders the chef's menu if one person does, so the timing and presentation are at their peak. It wasn't what we had planned, but we were all glad we did. Wines are varied enough that you will be sure to find something you like by the bottle, or mix it up by the glass; all fairly priced. Recently, we started with a bottle, so one glass each, of Tattinger for the festive feel of a Champagne kick-off to a beautiful evening. Don't underestimate the insight that your wait staff has to offer regarding the wine selections. They are knowledgable, and were right on point. If you're not confident, they'll gladly oblige you with a little sample, then you'll know for sure. We lavished in the courses of gourmet delights. Service was seamless and well timed, allowing enough space between to foster warm conversation. By the time the dessert was due we were skeptical that we had saved room for it. Desserts here are delicate and satisfying. The perfect close. Unless you think a glass of Port is the perfect end, then you're my new best friend. For most of us Madcap is a special occasion, and they make sure you have a special occasion. We dined for almost three hours. Reservations are not so easy to get, but that's because they don't hustle people through, churning tables. When you're at Madcap, you're special. read more

First off, I have to apologize for not having any photos to share. Somehow, due to my ineptness with digital devices, I 'lost' all my photos when I tried to back them up to the 'cloud.' They left my Droid phone but they are not in the Google Photo App where I thought they would reside. Madcap is a small but unique little place nicely hidden beside a creek in San Anselmo. They don't have a parking lot so street parking is your only choice. The place is small so reservations are an absolute must. And, they are booked up many weeks in advance for weekend nights. They only serve dinner and the best thing is to order their Chel's Tasting Menu - 9 items for $98 before tax and tip. Yup, that's high but so is the food quality, creativity and service. It's well worth the price and you will have a memory of the event to last for a very long time to come. I took copious pictures because all the dishes were spectacular both in taste and appearance. And the range of dishes is really wide and most could not be recognized. The cuisine was a fusion of Eastern and Western cultures and flavors. The dishes can be visually stunning, very unique, playful, exciting and even mysterious. None will bore you, that's for sure! Even the dinnerware was selected or made by well known artisans. If you go to their website: https://www.madcapmarin.com/gallery/ you can get an idea of just how elegant/unusual and stunning the dishes, the food presentation and the intimate ambiance. All these factors combine to provide the guest with an truly memorable experience. Below is the sample Tasting Menu from their website: lobster shiso shot black cod, teriyaki glaze, sushi rice beltfish, somen, baby beet, white dashi broth slow cooked egg, pistachio crumble, candy cap essence shima aji, citrus gel, ryuhi kombu stonington sea scallops, radish, celery root, dashi or maine lobster, black truffles, dashi ($20 supplement) sonoma duck breast, black truffle panade, romanesco dry aged flannery rib eye, sansho, nantes carrots banana chocolate cake, pistachio almond ice cream (wine pairing available upon request) *this is a sample of the nightly-changing chef's tasting menu. On their website, it says, "Madcap offers upscale dining in an intimate yet casual setting with an urban feel." Chef Ron Siegel is owner and operator and he certainly delivers on his idea of upscale and intimate dining. We were a party of 3 couples and everyone was very pleased and impressed with the entire meal! Think of this as a smaller scale of the famed French Laundry up in the Napa area. read more

We had the unfortunate experience of having dinner at Madcap last night. After reading the reviews we thought it would be the perfect place to celebrate a Birthday. We arrived and were seated in the bar area. The reservation was for the dining room. I did not think that was a big deal so let it go. Started with a bottle of wine and was rather confused as to who was actually waiting on our table. When when the waiter finally made it over we ordered an appetizer of avacado rolls ( that was very good). Downhill from there, we waited an hour for our main dishes to arrive. No word from the waiter on why it took so long. I would not say the restaurant was very busy for a Friday evening. Main meal finally arrives no apologies for a the delay and informed us my daughters dish would be out soon. Ribeye, roasted chicken and artichoke ravioli. My husbands ribeye seriously looked and tasted like a small New York strip. ( nothing wrong with ny strip) he did not order ny strip . It was so incredibly lackluster! The roasted chicken was mediocre. The description was wonderful on the menu and was fine in presentation and not anything special in taste. I have had far superior chicken at the farmers market. Last, the Ravioli was the last served dish and it was cold! We normally will have dessert and decided to get the bill. What a disappointing evening. Subpar service and overpriced food. Maybe it was an off night at the restaurant at our expense. Won't go back! read more

Went their to celebrate my bday! What a treat! 8 course, chef choices, everything was perfect! Food and service!! Can't wait to go back ! read more

Wow, I'm so glad that we tried this place! If you have the budget, would definitely recommend trying Madcap to experience the exquisite French + Asian fusion of flavors. The staff was constantly friendly, helpful, and always extremely attentive. We got a wonderful outdoor table where we were warmed by the neighboring heat lamp. Every single dish of the course was extraordinarily delicious in its own way (I don't even want to give a breakdown because I think it's best for you to experience it yourself :)). Each dish came speedily (food came out almost instantly) and was paced for our enjoyment very well. I was very impressed with the proportions of the dishes, it was very filling and many elements of the dish that you'd initially think wouldn't work together will blow your flavor profile away. If you're interested in an unforgettable 2 hour dining experience with gorgeous French and Japanese styled dishes, you have to try Madcap! read more

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We chose the chefs menu and it was fantastic!!! Very satisfied with the service and the food. Quiet place with soulful music playing in the background. read more

Disappointing Experience -- CHEF'S TASTING MENU Overall, this was an unpleasant and underwhelming experience. My party of four went in and ordered the Chef's Tasting Menu. Although we were excited, it waned quickly. Only half of us decided to do the wine pairing, as we had been drinking wine all day and wanted to experience the flavors without an excess of alcohol. When we asked for the two tastings to be split between four glasses, we were told they would ask. Not another word was said, and the wine wasn't portioned out as requested. Seemed like a very simple and doable request. Then, we moved on to the food. The first three tastings took an hour and fifteen minutes to arrive in total, and they were each a bite or two. It was a really slow pace, and the food was sadly nothing special. After bringing the pace of the meal to the attention of the staff, there was a bump in speed which made the meal feel slightly more energetic rather than sluggish, but the food still left us all wanting. We were really disappointed. There was a slow cooked egg dish which was by far the most special thing on the menu. A restaurant with a Michelin star and a good reputation should be able to deliver far better than this. As time went on, we couldn't wait for the meal to end. And in the end, we paid almost $800 for a meal that none of us really enjoyed. I'll pay twice that for a truly special experience, but this was about as basic as it comes. In fact, I've had better experiences and better food at far less ceremonial venues. I did bring this to the attention of the venue, and the response was something along the lines of "we have our ways of doing things, and maybe the meal just wasn't to your taste." That felt slightly like the blame was being put on me, but I'll try to assume positive intent. They said that if I were to come back to let them know ahead of time so they could take better care of me. That's what I was expecting in the first place. The hospitality industry isn't always that hospitable. Any way...spend your money elsewhere. read more

Simply stated, this place is amazing. The food is outstanding, the service excellent, and while we haven't experienced it recently due to the pandemic, the ambience was cozy and fun when we were there last. A great place to go to celebrate. read more

I regard Marin as something of a food desert, so discovering Madcap was a real treat. The cooking is inventive but subtle, mixing Californian and Japanese elements expertly. Service was excellent, and at $110 for a nine-course tasting menu, the price was reasonable--especially given the quality of the food. Madcap raises the bar for local dining. read more

This restaurant was a great place to go as the food was great. We ordered the chef's taking menu for 88 bucks. It was worth the money, the food was taste. It was balenced with some heavy food and some light food. The service was absolutely great, with polite servers. But for me the chef was really nice, as a teen he was very attentive to me and my sister. He was also very nice, and describing the dishes. He also knew his information well. Overall it was a great dinner, with spectacular service, and great food. I would definitely recommend you to try this restaurant. read more

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We got their Valentine's Day kit to bring home for our 30th anniversary dinner. It came with prep and plating instructions. We had a great time putting it together and the food was truly delicious. There wasn't a single thing in all 5 courses (and dessert) that wasn't perfect! Thanks so much! Best anniversary in thirty years! read more

Excellent fine dining with imaginatively prepared dishes. Limited menu, but every dish crafted with extreme care and presented artfully using the finest ingredients. Portions are modest, so order appetizers along with the main course. It's a special place for special occasions. read more

One of the top restaurants in the Bay Area for modern cuisine is Madcap, which manages to be both upscale and welcoming. The history of Madcap's chef and owner Ron Siegel, who has worked in some of the West Coast's most known restaurants, including The French Laundry, is reflected in the restaurant to a large extent; nonetheless, at its core, Madcap remains a simple hangout. Even while it's possible that the flavors may shift with the seasons, every mouthful will still be well constructed, well-balanced, and full of unexpected taste combinations. The heirloom tomato soup with wedges of tomatillo, crispy croutons, and cubes of charred beef is a highlight of the menu, as is the shrimp that has been fried and served on an assortment of cucumber and melon. The lean and soft Sonoma duck breast is complimented well by the stone fruit purée and the seasonal foliage. The ultimate dessert is the caramel pot de crème topped with a double dose of almond crumble and almond ice cream. read more

A nice meal with a very nice dessert and slightly less nice entree's. The service was amazing and even the wine selection is amazing. The entrees were a generous portion and the protein was cooked really well read more

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Good service and environment. Food is a bit mediocre for a Michelin star. Lack variation on ingredients and flavor. I do not recommend for a Michelin experience. read more

So unless you know that it's a restaurant you would walk right past it. I did! but was so pleasantly surprised. The tasting menu was really creative and so impressingly delicious! The first 5 stars I have ever given a restaurant! read more

Came here for my birthday dinner last night. Truly an exceptional dining experience from start to finish. We got the tasting menu; from first to last course, every bite was amazing. It's obvious that each dish is prepared with care from conception to plating. Highlights for me include the carrot soup with creme fraiche, Mt. Lassen trout, and caramel panna cotta. Service was great, ambiance was perfect... can't wait to come back and try more, as the menu is constantly in flux. read more

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I love a tasting menu and this one did not disappoint, for the most part. By the end of the meal, we were very satisfied with the amount of food. The service was great and the ambiance was very nice. All of the other courses were delicious and perfectly seasoned. The surprise bread service was a delicious addition and the trout was perfectly cooked. The only course I didn't love was the pasta. It had an off scent and flavor and I couldn't smell or taste any hint of the black truffle that was shaved on top. My only wish is that the wine and beers offered didn't seem to pair well with the meal. A light, refreshing dry Japanese lager or crisp white wine would have been so nice to have with the Japanese inspired dishes. I felt what was offered over powered the dishes. read more

Awesome chef's tasting menu, great sidewalk seating arrangement, wonderful service, and the owners and their dog are really nice!

So while I appreciate what they are trying to accomplish given the lack of high end restaurants in Marin, I have to say, I think they are trying too hard. I've eaten at French Laundry, Michael Mina, Kokari, Benu, etc. and this was no where near that caliber. We went for the Christmas Eve prix fixe dinner ($125 pp) and while the food was tasty, I honestly wasn't blown away. The service was attentive without being overly intrusive which was nice. By the time all was said and done, 4 people and one mid range bottle of wine, the bill was $605. I wouldn't be inclined to go back for the price tag or recommend it. read more

I really don't understand how this place got a Michelin star or all the five star reviews. My partner and I chose to eat her last night based on all the positive hype. We got the tasting menu and my partner had the drink pairing. First, the good -- the service and vibe at Madcap are wonderful. Waitstaff are very knowledgeable, attentive, and kind. The restaurant is lovely and well-decorated. The food was a huge disappointment. The presentation of the food was beautiful but the taste was SO bland! Everything tasted incredibly muted -- if it had just been seasoned properly it would have been great. We kept on waiting for flavor which never came. Further, one of the second to last items on the tasting menu was a tough, flavorless piece of steak. The texture was super bad (I think they didn't let the steak come to room temperature before cooking so it got really tough.) It wasn't seasoned at all and the sauce which came with it was again, a super muted flavor. We spent over $360 on this meal including tip. It was a very costly lesson that sometimes a Michelin star and a bunch of positive reviews do not always lead you in the right direction. read more

Pick up the phone and call to make a reservation! The food is PHENOMENAL. Ron is an artiste. Amazing presentation. Amazing flavors. Don't expect large portion sizes -- it's okay because every bite is a state of bliss. Enjoy! read more

We have been proud to bring out-of-town guests to MadCap for years. We love the rotating seasonal menu and the sake/wine collection. We look forward to being back there when COVID is less of a hindrance. read more

We were very excited to try Madcap based on all the great Yelp reviews. We arrived a little before 5:30 so we could get one of the two tables they save for walk ins. They also have four seats at the bar for people without reservations as well. We were greeted by Kim and our server was Iris, both were very friendly and professional. We started off with a glass of Laherte Freres Brut, which was well balanced with a mouth watering green apple finish. We both ordered the tasting menu and a bottle of Clos-Du Chateau Puligny-Montrechet. The first course was a raw oyster from Washington state in a wonderful migonette sauce and a small glass of foamy clam chowder. The oyster was fresh and had a wonderful salty sea taste and the chowder was so good we could have eaten a whole bowl of it. Next was a slice of tuna sashimi with soy salt with a couple of dabs of a creamy lemon sauce. This dish didn't stand out at all. The fish was fresh, but the salt and lemon didn't give it enough flavor. The third offering was a heirloom tomato soup. Which reminded me of the tomato soup from Bistro Jeanty in Napa. The fourth plate was an avocado roll. While it was fresh it wasn't very distinguishable. The fifth dish was some sort of raw fish with rice crackers (which were the best thing on the plate. I would buy these by the box.) seaweed and pomegranate seeds. Next we were asked if we would like some made in house rolls, which we agreed to. They were served warm with a dusting of olive oil and sea salt. Our sixth dish was tortellini, I think rabbit, with mushrooms and a piece of raw kale. This dish has great flavor. I don't know that the kale added anything to the dish expect color. I would have preferred the greens to be cooked. The seventh dish we were presented with was Mt. Lassen Trout with cauliflower and a leaf of raw spinach. The trout had a wonderful crispy skin and was delicious. What arrived next was indeed one of the best dishes of the night. A slice of center cut rib eye with mashed potatoes and a micro green. To finish we had a brownie with vanilla ice cream. There was something charcoal colored and chewy under the ice cream that was awesome. Madcap, welcome to Marin. You a much needed addition to the county. read more

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Exquisite. We go with another couple when we want to treat ourselves to a memorable meal. Lovely Staff and beloved Michelin Star chef

The Michelin Star was well-deserved for in-person dining, but Ron Siegel and team have made an amazing transition to take-out food while necessary. We just had the Holiday Dinner and wow- it was easy to heat food at home, and Ron had it just where we could have it taste like we were eating there! Video instructions were short and clear; the camera loves this chef. We also enjoyed the few minutes to prepare each course, either chatting together or having one of us run watch sports while the other texted with her friends and watched the stove. Plus, we could drink our wine with no driving worries. I can't say it's 100% like eating at Madcap, but the food is fabulous and you can create as fancy or casual an experience as you like to enjoy it and right now, that's amazing! read more

Went with a party of six for a 50th bday and everything about the experience was stellar. Lovely dining room, fabulous service, and uniquely exquisite food. This is a step up from the vast majority of Marin restaurants and a great addition to the county. Our group had the tasting menu, which was unique and creative and everyone agreed that every item was fabulous. I contacted the restaurant ahead of time to see if I could prearrange my own meal, being that I have some severe restrictions that can be challenging to communicate. Kim was fabulous. She called me right back and told me she would check with the chef and have a list for me when our party arrived. Upon seating I was presented with my own menu, with notes printed below each item specifying if they would work for me and how they could modify. Let me repeat that - she printed me my OWN MENU! This was so above and beyond. Made it so easy not to dominate the experience with my special requests, and I enjoyed one of the greatest meals out I've had a a long while. Great job, Madcap!!! read more

Hate to be a wet blanket, but was disappointed with our first evening at Madcap. Given the price point (over $200 for two,ordering modestly a la carte), results were mixed: -atmosphere, quiet, a little dark, plastic, faux wood -grain tabletops. -service friendly, efficient, but a lot of inappropriate hoopla about the chef ("French Laundry, Ritz Carlton, Japan Iron Chef"). - wine list: interesting and a number of reasonably priced bottles. We shared decent white burgundy at $40. - food wise the high point were rabbit tortelloni with Parmesan foam-cream sauce with hedgehog mushroom/bok choy accents. Would have loved it as a main. -the low point was the main course ordered by each of us @$38. Cod (crisp breading but mushy interior, a really bad sign), served with a carrot risotto and turnip slices. Insipid. - starters a mixed bag. The Mt Lassen trout was tasty, but the "bite" of asparagus was just that, a bland bite with nothing to commend it. -desserts were green tea and coffee eclairs. More pastry than filling, unremarkable. It may be that we simply ordered wrong, folks at surrounding tables seemed to go for the hanger steak: a generous cut topped by what looked like arugula. But we've eaten much better at other spots for less than $225 read more

The hype was pretty large surrounding Madcap and I wondered if it could truly deliver. After tonight's meal, I do not need to wonder any longer. We did the tasting menu and it was amazing! The eight courses started off great and just kept getting better. The ingredients were extremely fresh and the dishes were innovative and incredibly tasty. Hands down this is the best restaurant in Marin. While the a la carte menu looked great, I highly recommend the tasting menu as the variety and innovation of a truly great chef was on display. The service is extremely professional and adds to the experience. The only disappointment was that I was not able to enjoy a single malt at the end of the meal as they do not have a full liquor license but for food this good, I'm more than willing to have a chuff when I get home. Keep up the good work as we will be back! read more