My wife and I had the occasion to stop by The Speakeasy a few days ago. We were just looking to…read morehave kind of hors d'oeuvres and a cocktail and just hang out together, because we found ourselves with a rare four-hour window where the kids were occupied and we could just do whatever we wanted. This was a nice way to spend a few hours. The space is neat. It's as small, somewhat dark ambiance with the windows blacked out. So, you do loose your sense of time a bit inside. That's actually nice as it feels like you went somewhere/somewhen else for a while. We had a Manhattan and a Kentucky Mule, and, additionally, we had three different shareable appetizers. First thought, we ordered and devoured a really exceptional cheese plate. I know cheese plates seem a little meh sometimes, but this was really good! I would absolutely order it again. In fact, I would definitely go there just to have the cheese plate again with a drink, a glass of wine. We also had the three tacos shareable. There were three tacos that were stunningly good. Lastly a dish with some little steak medallions and a shrimp. Each of these was about two bites and the flavor and texture was excellent. All three of the shareables and the drinks were exceptional. I have to call out that, with the cheese board, came a little loaf of bread. That bread was really good all on its own. I would definitely want to eat it. I can still taste it. It was really good, but my wife, she's gluten intolerant. They offered, because she couldn't eat the bread, they offered to also bring her out some gluten-free crackers, so she got to enjoy the cheese board just the same without the bread. They gave her the crackers, and do you know, they just gave her those extra. They didn't ask for something more. They didn't do anything. They just took care of her. I really appreciate that. I have to also give a shout out to the Jessica. I don't know how she did it, but she was taking care of the whole room of tables I think. Nice. We ordred all three shareables at the same time and she thoughtfully said, 'do you mind if I course these out for you?' We said yes and she did. I don't think anybody felt like they didn't have everything they needed, so a shout out to you, Jessica, really well done. We're grateful for the service and the high quality dining experience that you gave us on a moment's notice. I hope we can visit again soon. And, especially we want to check out The Boardroom soon. NOTE: This is in a kind of older looking strip mall. Don't be concerned about that at all! It threw us off a little at first and we did wonder when we pulled in though if we were in the right place. Happily, we were!

Tucked away in a Novato strip mall but out of site from the surrounding streets, odds of chancing…read moreupon The Speakeasy are slim. Attached to The Boardroom restaurant, The Speakeasy is a real find featuring a wonderfully robust appetizer menu, a full bar, and a daily happy hour menu that applies mostly to alcohol purchases. If you're looking for wine here, the bar offers a variety, with the house wines - excellently priced at $8-$9/glass - comprised fully of Rutherford grown grapes. Somebody here knows what's up. A friend who'd talked up The Speakeasy for years is besotted by the Marsala Sautéed Chicken Livers ($11) on the bar menu. Not ever a fan of liver, I avoided sampling his until we'd collectively polished off an order of Baked Goat Cheese ($10) and a trio of Pulled Pork Tacos ($13). He'd grown full and much liver remained which is when I learned that I do like chicken liver. Or rather, I like chicken liver as prepared at The Speakeasy. All of the above pretty much had me fan-girling out over this place but then this happened: We were done, requested our check, and were told that someone that evening had picked up the tab for the entire bar, something I've not experienced in my lifetime. I already liked The Speakeasy a whole lot before learning my food and drink were free of charge. Like changed to rabid fandom when this occurred. I know that I can't expect a full repeat of this experience but even if it's just chicken livers and Cabernet, that'll be enough.

I recently had a birthday lunch here and it was an incredible experience! I am especially thankful…read morefor Daniella's service. She was super attentive, gave recommendations, answered any questions we had and was so kind! The whole team at Ayawaska was incredible and made it a super enjoyable experience. Food and drinks we all delicious. My party and I ordered a large variety from the menu and everyone was so pleased with their food. I've been coming to Ayawaska for a while and it's always a pleasure to eat here every time. It is a truly a gem in Marin!

Food was not great but the ambiance was good. The service was fine. Maybe next time will try other…read moredishes.

A solid 3.5-4 stars. Good menu, reliable, some nights a bit inconsistent. Like the pot roast, flank…read moresteak, Blue Cheese Donahoe burger, side vegetables, mashed potatoes, fish & chips, Corned Beef. Good drinks--alcoholic & non. Had the sticky toffee pudding once. Was yummy, but too hot in the middle, like it had been nuked too long.

I like to visit every few weeks, but I had never dined in on a Sunday before. We had a 12pm patio…read morereservation on Mother's Day, and they were definitely busy. Since it was noon, I expected the regular lunch menu, but brunch was still being served and some lunch items weren't available until 2:30pm. My son really wanted the mac and cheese, but ended up ordering scrambled eggs with bacon, fries, and toast instead. The toast came quite a bit after the eggs and only after we followed up with our server. I ordered my usual Manny's Taco Salad, but forgot to ask for the dressing on the side, so it ended up heavily dressed and a little soggy. The eggs Benedict, though, was very good. Even with this experience, I won't let it stop me from returning. Finnegan's gets it right more often than not.

Monday night karaoke They don't respect the karaoke list…read moreand it's not fair to everyone

Huge thanks to Mike! I stopped in for a drink to meet some friends after work. It's my second time…read morein at Brown's and Mike was working last time too. Honestly the best local-friendly-brilliant bartender I've been served by in a really long time. Everybody knows him, they come in for him and he knows everyone's drinks. My go-to shot, Casamigos Reposado, was given the "Mike Special" -- cinnamon and an orange slice. The best way to enjoy Casamigos, and quite brilliant! Also as a gay man, sometimes quite eccentric I found this to be one of the most inclusive bars in all of Marin. At least by the staff (Mike) and (most) of the locals. Thanks for the great time and vibes, will be back and back!

I've always passed by here since it's a great shopping center. And I finally stopped in! I went in…read moreon a Monday afternoon with my sister, mom and our little ones who are too young for kids menus. We had a great experience with our waiter. He was super kind, patient, and welcoming. The entire staff were very sweet & we had a beautiful time. We tried the Juno mocktail. It was delicious. Usually they can be too sweet but it wasn't! It was so good! And a Shirley temple to keep it light which was also very delicious. We decided to go with the onion rings and egg roll appetizers. The onion rings were fried perfectly, salted just right and not oily at all. The egg rolls had enough spice to pair with the aoili sauce they gave us. Would order again! My mom is usually a picky eater.. and she LOVED the fish & chips. They looked really good, I would've snatched one off her plate but I don't think she would've shared this one lol My sister and I both had the Nashville chicken sandwiches. Soo good. Only side not I have, the lettuce it came with, could've done without. The chicken spoke for itself with the Caesar salad or fries. Spot on perfect. And if you like pickles.. those pickles were crunchy & delicious! 100/10! Would go again :)

When you want good pub food, this is the place!…read more My family enjoyed calamari,fish tacos, Reuben sandwich and burger. I enjoyed not having to cook while everyone ate what they wanted. It's the little things in life.

Amazing brews and henhouse novato record room was a hit! Alex was super friendly. Everything here…read morewas good. 8.6% Chaos Machine and the once a year BIG CHICKEN 10.2% ABV WAS outstanding. Alex was spinning some cool vinyl records for us. All the patrons were cool too! Alex was saying they go the extra mile to clean out the lines and taps! And its shows. Really fresh off tap and to-go cans were amazing. Definitely coming back. Bathrooms were clean. Just hung out at the bar but there was also extra rooms to chill.

Was in the area and wanted to check this place out. I've been to the other locations and absolutely…read morelove their brews so it was a win win with this. The brewery was comfortable and very well set up. A good selection of beers as always and the bartender was very knowledgeable and friendly. One of my favorite brewery's in Northern California.

What an exquisite time we have every time we visit. This review is for when we visited in March for…read morea small birthday celebration. The food was amazing. I chose the Lamb Papardelle, which was earthy and savory with gloriously wide noodles. My companions had the grilled salmon and rigatoni. Jessica, the adjacent Speakeasy restaurant manager, made my custom cake. It was amazing. She made a gluten-free, fluffy chocolate cake with fresh raspberries between the layers--slightly sweet and tangy. Soooo delicious. She added red roses to match the roses on the tables. And they honor your celebration of birthdays and anniversaries with an adorable (Scrabble) sign on your table. And those exciting candles...feel free to check out the lovely photos. What an absolutely delightful memory we made for my birthday. The service is always accessible, attentive, welcoming, and friendly. It's a cozy space, so be sure to make reservations. The ambience is so elegant--at any point, you expect a member of the Rat Pack or some performer to be dining there. They have excellent live piano music I believe on Fridays and Saturdays.

A bit of an overdue review, but we came here to celebrate Valentine's Day with a nice dinner. They…read morehad a 3-course pre-fixed menu with several appetizer, entree, and dessert choices. We ordered the truffle risotto and lobster bisque for the appetizers, and I thought they were both very hearty. Truffle flavor was there, and the risotto texture was great! For the entrees, we had to get the steaks. They were cooked medium-rare like we requested, and the meat was very tender. I would definitely want to come back to try a few things I've seen on their menu that weren't offered during the Valentine's Day special dinner service. Service was phenomenal and super friendly, even during the busy night. The live pianist and vibes added an extra touch to the atmosphere and made it a very pleasant dinner!

A Novato Brewery Worth the Search…read more During a weekend drive north of San Francisco, we found ourselves in Novato and decided to stop for a bite to eat. Before grabbing our late lunch, we wanted to try a local brewery, and Adobe Creek Brewing caught my attention. Adobe Creek Brewing is a newer craft brewery started by Jonathan MacDonald in March 2017. Jonathan was a homebrewer before turning professional. Adobe Creek is known for its tasty, hop-forward beers. At first, they only made small batches for local bars and restaurants. But in 2019, they opened a taproom for the public. The taproom is in a parking lot in Novato's business district. It was a bit tricky to find, but it was worth the effort. The place has a simple and open feel. I asked for a light beer, and the friendly staff member gave me a few options. I chose a clear IPA, though I can't remember the name. It was smooth and flavorful, perfect for a nice day. Since we were hungry, we didn't try more beers, but our samples were so good that I knew I would go back and explore more of their offerings. Overall, Adobe Creek Brewing is a great place to visit if you're in Novato.

Really great beer - fun vibe and dog friendly! Loved this place! There isn't food, but you can…read morebring your own in which is perfect for us as everyone in our group had exactly what they wanted. The gentleman working was very cool.

Excellent guacamole. Thursday night and it was packed. Great service, very friendly. Loved the…read moreatmosphere, loud but not too much. More lively one would say. Chicken enchiladas were phenomenal, sides were excellent. Ceviche was fresh and full of flavor, not too much citrus. Would definitely eat here again!

I miss the good old days of Boca steakhouse, Boca Tavern, and finally Crave in that order. Boca…read moresteakhouse was outstanding. Crave was the weakest of the three but still very good. Unfortunately, Mamita is no where near as good as the original 3 iterations. While Mamita is passing overall, it is unexciting and pedestrian. I don't understand why every iteration has downgraded quality. Why close better versions every few years? Wish they would upgrade for once for a better quality experience.

WOW. Just WOW. **California Gold in San Rafael** is an absolute gem, and our experience was taken…read moreto the *next level* thanks to the incredible bartender **Víctor**. From start to finish, he was beyond amazing--warm, welcoming, insanely knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about his craft. Every single drink was PERFECT. Not one miss. We enjoyed **all** the drinks, and each cocktail somehow got better than the last. On top of that, Víctor is just an awesome human being who makes you feel genuinely taken care of. The **location is beautiful**, the atmosphere is fun, vibrant, and incredibly enjoyable--one of those places where you instantly feel relaxed and excited to be there at the same time. Great vibes, great energy, great people. This place is a MUST, and Víctor is the reason we'll be coming back again and again. Do yourself a favor: sit at the bar, trust his recommendations, and enjoy an unforgettable night.

Service was terrible. Ordered a drink asked for an adjustment due to food allergies. Was told it…read morewould be well balanced. Bartender was annoyed and was rude. Had a food reaction and I asked if I could choose a replacement. They told me no and wanted me to pay for another drink. A patron offered me a replacement drink and he shouldn't have to do that. Was excited to check this place out from out of town. The entire drink was left at the bar and I left the establishment. The bartenders had terrible customer service skills.