Located right on State St in Los Altos is this unique stand out" establishment. I think I passed by on foot twice before entering. At fist it looks sort of intimidating, I wanted to place it in Palo Alto or Market St in SF, or in downtown Mt View. it has pulse, vibe and a charm! How will you know this, not until you go in and experience yourself. At first I read all about this unique space, and then I looked over the menu. There were a few things that caught my eye, some Spanish and Italian types of dishes/sides nestled into this California type cuisine, a twist of sorts. With an array of too many great dishes, you just need to go in and expeirence this yourself. I would not place this on the most pricier side of venues in Los Altos, but also not one of the most inexpensive. It is a nice place. I think for two people, if you do not go overboard, have a drink and share a small dish and have your mains and a dessert, you could do this for about $200.00. or so. Roja which means red in Spanish is most certainly a place that you should stop ...and enter and enjoy!! read more

Follow-up: I couldn't have asked for a better response! You don't have to take my word for it; James just proved my point for me. With his response, he demonstrated that he has no respect for the customer or his own establishment. I see now that he derides every customer who doesn't enjoy his service. SLOPPY GRAMMAR, SLOPPY SPELLING, SLOPPY SERVICE. While loyalty to your regulars is great, alienating new customers is a terrible growth strategy. His low-class act of going around and blabbing about other customers' money is more likely to turn off repeat customers than keep them coming back. I am flattered that he thinks they're my children, because they are angels. Their parents told me this restaurant would be a great place to celebrate Mother's Day because it had good reviews, and the website advertised that the kitchen had a kids' menu. I checked for myself today, and I see it's there, featured alongside all the other categories. He is denying that the restaurant advertises a kids' menu, but I struggle to see how that's not advertising one. It's such a foolish lie; it would be like denying Roja offers pasta or desserts. We were celebrating Mother's Day, so of course I am upset he chose that moment to insult my grandchildren and adult children. He made it sound like they were going to throw us out if my family made so much as a peep for the rest of our meal. Naturally, it put everyone on edge, not just the parents and me, but my other adult children at that table too. For a celebration like Mother's Day, the owner offered no grace. He claims there was some mass exodus of customers around us, but I didn't see that. In fact, they had many people seated near us the whole time, as far as I could tell. His faux apology highlights the contempt he has for his customers. He seems incapable of mustering the courtesy required for a sincere apology (and if James is reading this, that's how you correctly spell the word, for your information). read more

The food was okay. My wife and I were trying to enjoy a quiet meal, but the atmosphere of the restaurant isn't geared that way. There was a member of the staff, perhaps the sommelier, who was trying to entertain a larger party. He was loud and his humor was crude, and he made my wife uncomfortable. 2 stars because the waitstaff was very apologetic about the sommelier or perhaps it was the owner. Frankly they seemed embarrassed. Maybe we went on a particularly bad night. Not sure that excuses the quality of the meals, and judging by the overly apologetic waitstaff, this wasn't the an isolated incident. read more

I met a friend for dinner at Roja, and it was a very nice experience. We were seated on the outdoor patio which was nicely set up with heaters and protected from the wind and rain. The service was excellent and very professional yet personable. They provided great recommendations and came by to check on us and refill our beverages just frequently enough. The food was also very good, but some dishes were better than others. Our favorites were the grilled cauliflower, anchovy toast and duck fat fries. All were well prepared and seasoned and the fries were crispy and served with a delicious garlic aioli. The ceviche was good, but a bit on the bland side (not acidic enough and the seafood was cut unevenly and too large). The meatballs were tasty, but a bit dense. Dessert was AMAZING! The butterscotch boudino was creamy and perfectly butterscotch-y and sweet. The lemon tart was tangy with a light crispy crumb crust. Roja is definitely on the list when we're in Los Altos. read more

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Great service, the bob is still undefeated !!! Only $35 corkage which is pretty reasonable these days read more

Roja Los Altos - Ribeye special was top notch! - Modern European Near Me - Los Altos, California

Roja is a very nice place for a good meal, whether casual or on a date. The ambiance is very nice and there is a section in the back where you can sit and observe the kitchen. The decor is modern and it is very open and clean. The food is good. We ordered the beef wellington which was huge and perfectly done. The pastry was crispy and the meat was tender. Two of us shared it and we still had some leftover. The scallops were tasty and the presentation was nice. The highlight of the meal for me was the butter. It is to die for. You have to order the bread and butter separately but it is worth it. The bread is super soft and warm and the butter is creamy with nice brown butter umami flavor. For dessert, we shared a bread pudding. It comes deconstructed so I felt like I was eating french toast but tasty none the less. Roja is a great add to Los Altos and the chef is definitely talented. read more

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We loved this restaurant. Amazing food top to bottom, we had multiple dishes. Wine list is incredible as well. Scallop dish was one of the best we had and the special which was a rockfish was so fresh. You won't be disappointed with this place. read more

Came here for hubby's birthday celebration. Wish we could have liked this place more but unfortunately, left feeling a little underwhelmed especially given the cost. We ordered a panda whiskey sour and a fresh lemonade. The lemonade was ok, said to be made in house, but tasted like store bought. We ordered meatballs that never came. The baguette with brown butter was nice, but no salt. Pork belly appetizer was too fatty and not tender. The lobster roll and the potato wedges were decent. The two pasta dishes we ordered were nice and done well (Al dente), and had a good amount of flavor. The duck was too rare for most of us and also didn't have much flavor. Service was ok, but not attentive enough for an establishment of this price. read more

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Formerly called ASA, and I didn't like, but wanted to give their revamp a try anyway. Came at 5 when it first open and it was not crowded. People didn't start arriving until like after 6ish. Has indoor and outdoor seating. Yelp reviews gave them horrible customer service reviews, but we had good service. Kid friendly surprisingly! Has plastic cups with lid, high chair, and changing station in restroom. - oh the things you look out for once you're a parent lol We ordered all basic stuff so our 2 YO can share too. The food was decently good. Also a plus since it's next to the food hall. Got some ice cream after at Pennys. read more

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Roja is the newish restaurant where ASA used to be -- and it's absolutely worth checking out! They've kept much of the same menu, and the head chef is actually from the original ASA team. If you were a fan of ASA, you'll definitely love Roja too. One positive change is that it's a little less crowded and slightly more affordable than before. Plus, the same bartender/manager is still here crafting some of the best cocktails you'll find in downtown Los Altos (which really needed a good bar!). Their milk-clarified cocktail is a must-try -- it's so layered and complex, there's no way you could recreate it at home! We started with the duck oil roasted potatoes -- incredibly flavorful and delicious. We also tried the roasted cauliflower appetizer. The sauce was a little bland but had some spice; I'd probably skip it next time. For entrees, I had the "Duck Two Ways" -- a perfectly grilled duck breast and tender leg confit, served with a fruity, sweet sauce that paired beautifully. My boyfriend had the trout -- crispy on the outside, moist and almost sashimi-like inside -- absolutely on point. We finished with the pistachio panna cotta. It was fine, but honestly, I'd rather stick with one of their dessert cocktails instead. Overall, great, friendly service and a really nice, relaxed ambiance. Roja is a fantastic addition to Los Altos, and I'm excited to come back! read more

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Food was pretty good - I especially enjoyed the fig and arugula salad, the pork belly, and of course the pata negra (Jamon). Service was a little uneven. Things took a while, my husband got the wrong olives in his martini initially, but polite enough that I would still come back. It was quite busy on a Friday night so I would recommend reservations. They were able to accommodate us being 10 min late for ours. read more

Tasty cuisine and wonderful service. Nice interior and cozy optional outdoor dining with heat lamps during cold weather. Lots of pampered and adored canine companions at the outdoor tables. The dogs were treated well by the wait staff and admired by pedestrians passing by. Lobster toast was yummy. Filet mignon was very tender. Pork belly had a nice glaze and crunchy skin while the meat underneath was tender and juicy. The bread pudding was good and the butterscotch budino was outstanding. This was a pricey dinner but I think it's important to celebrate life, family, special events, or just pick a day on the calendar to unwind and celebrate yourself and your accomplishments. This was definitely the place to do it. I would love to come back one day to try different entrees. Food was delicious and it was an enjoyable dining experience. read more

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We went for our anniversary celebration. We have been here before and it is close to us and the food has always been fabulous. We were greeted with a glass of champaigne (I had told them we were celebrating). James was our waiter and he did an outstanding job! We brought a special bottle of wine from our cellar. He knew of it as he said he is in charge of their wine selections. We split the sun dried tomatoe bruschetta, Romain salad and the Rib Eye steak. The chef cooked my half of the steak just a bit more as I like Medium and my hubby likes Medium Rare. It was so yummy. The service was perfect, the ambiance is lovely and the food is the best. I highly recommend Roja! read more

This spot is a recent re-branding of ASA. 5 stars for our server! He was so friendly, warm and attentive and heightened the dining experience. I also very much appreciated the generous wine pours from him :) We started with the lobster roll, which was delicious- lightly creamy lobster mix atop a crisp buttery bread. The Duck fat potatoes were crisped to perfection. I enjoyed the rainbow trout, though I thought the sauce with the bell peppers and sauteed kale was a too creamy/heavy, almost like a curry. Shephards pie isn't really my thing, but my husband really enjoyed their version with the creamy mashed potatoes atop a mushroom blend. I also thought the mushroom blend was too greasy. Overall, I thought the food was very good, but I appreciate when the flavoring isn't reliant on grease. Elegant interior perfect for a date night, we enjoyed our al fresco dining. read more

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This is a long overdue review for one of my favorite restaurants in the Bay Area. We used to frequent Asa a lot and then hoped that Roja would also keep the same standards of food and service. I am relieved and delighted that they have done such a great job. Their cocktails are the best, better than even some Michelin starred restaurants that we have frequented. The baguette and brown butter is amazing with their daily soups. They are one of the few places where they will give you individual served portions even if you decide to split a salad which is such thoughtful service. I love their daily special fish, halibut or rockfish with the spinach and sauce. Their ambiance hasn't changed much since Asa days but it didn't need to change as it's lovely and intimate. Their spicy arabbiata pasta is a must have for any vegetarians who can handle some heat. The only request would be for the chef to bring back the chocolate fondant. It was definitely worth the 15 minutes wait in such lovely surroundings! read more

Roja is the old ASA Los Altos; the menu has changed and it's still very good. A bit more basic than the ASA menu, but we still enjoy it very much. Love the halibut and cauliflower app. Solid cocktails too! read more

Asa is back rebranded and in a new avatar as Roja. The meal and drinks were on point. Everything from the lobster roll, pork belly to the chicken entree was great. The ambiance is causal nice with indoor and outdoor seating options which at this time of the year is awesome. I will be coming back for sure. read more

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Overall a 3.5. The black cod was my favorite dish of the night. Least favorite was the duck fat fries which were soggy. The wine bottles are very reasonably priced. read more

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Everything was so yummy here! My friend and I came for dinner and we had such amazing service. I will be back very soon!!

I must say the food here is so mediocre and overpriced. Tasteless and salty. Horrendous. We will never come back. We got the trout, the cabbage, the lobster, cauliflower. Lots of different dishes all tasteless. read more

We were promptly seated at a comfortable table. Water and menus came quickly. The pace was quite comfortable. The featured wine from Small Vines was an excellent Pinot. We shared the Pear and Arugula salad, a delicious start. The bread service was very good. My wife ordered the trout, seasoned and cooked to perfection. The skin was crispy and remained crisp through the last bite. I had the scallops, also cooked and seasoned perfectly. The service and overall hospitality were outstanding and very relaxing. Looking forward to our next visit! read more

If you haven't been to Roja you are missing out! The food, the ambience, the service - all are spectacular. Chef Roberto Juarez has a magic touch and his food is amazing. His partner James is a wonderful mixologist! Run, don't walk to Roja in Los Altos. You won't be disappointed! read more

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Beautiful restaurant with charming staff, attentive service and excellent food. Went here on our anniversary and Christmas Eve and many other times and always consistently excellent. read more

Lovely restaurant- great service, good food and wine. I would go back for sure. Didn't care for the pork chop which was dry, but hubby had the lamb shank which was great - read more

Oh, I love Roja - it really suits my palette. To start I love many of their cocktails and wine by the glass - the Tin Cross Sauvignon Blanc is crazy delicious. As per food, it's a great spot for a pescatarian/vegetarian - I love all of their salads . I love their mushroom ‍ lasagna. I love their shrimp kale appetizer, their oysters , lobster toast, anchovy bread. This is a lovely spot and great environment - very relaxing actually. Great service and love the owner, James, who we all know and love from his time as bar manager at Amandine. read more

Nice looking place of course, they've kept most of the decor from ASA. However, we called for a reservation, and they offered up the bar seating. I assumed it was a reserved spot, but when we got there they seated us a table that was high traffic. Originally, over the phone, it was discussed we would not like to sit there. I was under the impression the bar was able to be reserved, but I guess not. Additionally, we ordered a beef wellington special and had to sent it back twice for being undercooked. It was red & doughy. When the owner asked us about it he told us it's for people who liked medium rare steak. Was most definitely not medium rare... and still mooing. There was one giant chunk of dough where it got overlapped, and even on the second cook did not get any better. I saw another one get sent back also. Otherwise, the mushroom lasagna was good/interesting, along with the bread & brown butter. Drinks also very good. Maybe if we ordered something else, it would've been a nicer experience, but overall for the price point, maybe they should know how to cook a beef wellington. It was $98! The didn't even tell us that, and it was only after it was taken off when we saw the price. Pretty sure Gordon Ramsay charges $74 for his wellington... read more

Great food, excellent ambience! Service was excellent. Had a great time. All good perfectly cooked read more

Ate at Roja last night and I loved it! The vibes were totally on point, drinks were amazing, service was friendly/welcoming, and food was so good! I'll definitely be coming here again. read more

We had an amazing time at Roja. Lots of items from the old ASA, and the food completely holds up! I had duck tortellini, which is a great way to have duck generally, and this was thoroughly enjoyable. My wife had the fish, and the skin was super crispy. The location is nice, plenty of outdoor sidewalk and parklet space, and the front of the space can open up, which is great for summer evenings. I'm super excited to see how RoJa evolves, especially the cocktail program! read more

Incredible food, drinks, and atmosphere. We enjoyed bread service, lobster bisque, carbonara ravioli, greens salad, lobster roll, and the confit duck. Wine selection was generous both in selection of by-the-glass and pours. The bartender created a unique drink using his in-season berries (based on an off-menu request) and it might be my favorite new cocktail. The chef kept an amazing pace with outstanding food, and we thoroughly enjoyed every moment! High recommend for date night, or dinner with friends! read more

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Roja was an absolutely wonderful dining experience. High quality, delicious food combined with an elegant yet grounded restaurant space. Service was excellent and kitchen gladly made my meal dairy-free upon request. Absolutely delicious and will be coming back very soon. Stars of the show- the cocktails and the trout. read more

Roja Los Altos - Modern European Near Me - Los Altos, California

Amazing meal at Roja on a Friday night! We had a relatively early reservation, so it wasn't at all crowded when we arrived. Great atmosphere with a huge open front to allow you to soak in downtown Los Altos. As the evening went on and the sun went down, the lighting in the interior came alive and was a beautiful sight. Service was very attentive from the beginning; you should expect to spend a little more time here as they're not preoccupied with turning tables, but allowing you to enjoy your experience. Little surprises were everywhere, starting with the bread plate. Rather than a standard butter for the bread, it was a browned butter, adding some complexity to an otherwise standard bread serving. The menu seems to change frequently even from what is on the website, we enjoyed a carbonara-style raviolo which isn't currently listed. Apart from that, the lobster toast was delicious, the main duck breast and confit leg were great with crispy skin, and the pork chop special was tender all the way through despite being about two inches thick! The bar manager/sommelier was incredibly accommodating as well. One of our party ordered a cocktail off menu, and they didn't have one of the ingredients. Despite this, the bartender was familiar with the cocktail and created a variation that, I dare say, is better than the original! By the end of the meal, we were so stuffed that we passed on the desserts even though I really wanted to try the panna cotta. Hoping to go back in the future (maybe just for dessert). *Really* great and relaxing experience all-around. read more

Roja Los Altos - Pork chop special w/ grilled nectarine compote - Modern European Near Me - Los Altos, California

I think the restaurant is overrated. Dinner for 300 dollars did not leave me with a pleasant feeling. The food does not cause delight, quite ordinary. The service itself on the waiter's side is good. The interior is nice. read more

Everything was really good. I had the special that night which was a delicious steak. My server was awesome.

Amazing! The food was incredible, the ambiance lovely, and the service superb. Thank you, Roja, for a wonderful evening. Can't wait to come back! read more

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Fantastic food, exceptional service. The seasonal soups are amazing. The filet is the best in town.

5-stars for the entire experience. Food. Staff. Service. Ambiance. Have a cocktail at Amandine (formally owned by James) and venture to Roja for dinner (now owned by James). You can't lose! read more

Great place good food good people good cocktail. Preview manager of amandine started this on restaurant with the previous chef of house on first. Love everything about it. read more

The two salads were effectively piled with flavorless / dressing-less arugula / mixed greens that were not thoroughly cleaned for wilting leaves. My regrets in ordering both of them. Apart from the waiter who takes orders, who appears to be mentioned in other Yelp reviews that mirror my lack of enthusiasm, the rest of the staff including a lady at the front and the numerous staff attending tables to switch plates and silverware were exceptionally polite and respectful. The potato terrine was wonderfully crispy; amazing texture. The crème fraîche pairing was perfect. The lobster brioche was beautifully plated with floral garnishes but the lobster itself was watery and diluted. The pork belly was hard and overly sweet, and tasted like a mockery of Asian fusion food. Beautiful outdoor ambiance with live music from afar, but the waiter's strange behavior coupled with lack of attention to quality of food beyond plating was a disappointment. Was excited about trying "modern California cuisine" with a mix of European & Asian influences but unfortunately the execution was poor. read more

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Really, genuinely, I wish this eatery was something we were able to try. Service was horrible and took over an hour for a predominantly pasta ordered table. Tortellini dish only had 4 tortellini, and it took them over an hour for this. I'm sure the food was good, if we had a chance to try it. We thought giving ourselves an hour to eat was enough when being seated at a nearly empty restaurant and ordering right away. Some other tables had sat after us, ordered later, and got their full course. When we brought this to the hostess' attention (who at this point should be promoted to managerial status because of how darn pleasant she was), she got the manger, in title, to come talk to us. The waiter came before the manager in an attempt to smooth things over to ask, for the first time in an hour of sitting there, if we "were hungry and ready to eat." I told him politely that we have been waiting, we have an event at 7, it's now 6:50p and we have to go. Told him to cancel our order, but bring the kiddo's pasta that we ordered and to please get us the bill. He said that "next time, tell us that you have to be somewhere" as if it's entirely normal to wait over an hour for a nearly empty restaurant when we first got there. This ignited a semi frustrated, hungry table to huge flames $114 for four very tiny salads and one soup and a very anemic bread plate. Oh, and sparkling water which was $36. If they got stars on serving sparkling water at $12/bottle, they'd have a Michelin star. The manager told us, AFTER all of this, that they "were plating the food right now," and he can "either cancel the order or bring it out." We told him, and the waiter, bring just the kid's food out, cancel ours. Please. He cancels the whole thing, and brings us that ridiculous bill. We have eaten at a lot of wonderful restaurants...but never have we had such a horrendous experience. I honestly didn't even want to pay for the five lettuce leafs on my damn plate....i understand fine dining very well...what I don't understand is the attitude and lack of quality services to go with a place that serves glasses of wine at $200/glass at this particular establishment. Because that has never happened to me. EVER. Seemed like a wonderful ambiance, but it was quite literally the worst experience I've ever had dining with friends. I don't want anyone to lose their job....i want someone to train a person or two in hospitality. Incredibly disappointed. I've emailed the restaurant directly, in hopes this can be resolved. If not, I'll just work with my bank to reverse this horrendous charge for unsatisfactory service. Do better guys. Train staff to actually provide good service. read more