Quirky, interesting, eclectic, and very strange is the only way to describe St. Orres. You have to see it to believe it. And that's not bad at all. Located on a wooded section of Highway 1 just north of Gualala it is isolated yet charming in that it resembles a Russian style retreat out of Dr. Zhivago. The type of place you'd run to in times of a revolution. Actually beautifully done wooden details with onion domes and weathered siding it is architecturally quite well done. There are a collection of buildings and the main restaurant/bar is the star. Once you notice the domes coming up the highway it will catch anyone's attention. After reading the reviews we decided to skip dinner and just have an hors d'oeuvre and a drink at the bar. It was fairly packed at just after 6 when they open with both locals and tourists. The space is quite cozy and rustic, and even the cobwebs and bit of wear at the edges adds some country charm. I had a basil martini, very much basil flavored but also refreshing and we ordered one each of the tacos, boar, rabbit and salmon. All were excellent and filling. The absolute hit, however, was the square loaf of warm basil bread they bring to the table. It is wrapped in a white napkin and SO GOOD!!! With so many reviewers complaining about the lack of staff and wait times that was not our experience at all. Service was friendly, fun, upbeat, attentive and quite on top of it. My martini ran a little behind in arrival, but so what. Staff was plentiful and gets an A+ All in all a fun expereience. I'd go back for dinner. read more

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This a review of the restaurant. Two of us went to dinner and we both had the crushed berry cocktail (mine was a mocktail). and they were exquisite. Then we had the phenomenal mushroom ravioli with four types of mushrooms and an incredibly delicious sauce. By far the best ravioli I've ever had. The phyllo dough Stilton triangles were excellent and the decor was antique and fascinating. I can wait to come back! read more

We walked in without a reservation and we're promptly seated in the lobby area at a high top table next to the stained glass windows and got yo watch the sunset. We were offered both the cafe and restaurant menus. We both had the house salad that was true perfection. I then had the Chile Relleno and my wife had the cheeseburger and fries. For desert we enjoyed the chocolate decadence. The Service was very friendly and on the slow side. I'm so glad we gambled on getting in and recommend others try as well. read more

Upon entering the lounge, I see a little schnauzer sitting on some man's lap. Kinda weird to see a dog in a place that serves food, the place immediately sunk to the bottom for me and we almost left. I'm not a dog person when it comes to food establishments - I imagine the chef letting the dog lick the spoons in the back and that's just not my jam. We decided to stay - the dog approached me and I straight-up told it I was a cat person. It huffed at me and left me alone after that... respect...respect. So, the dog understands fluent English and totally passed my dog-vibe check.....just leave me the heck alone & we're good. Bartender was on point with her margarita game...like perfect amount of salty and sweet...I had to get 2, and they aren't in small little glasses either, she hooked up a pint sized margarita! Hell yea! We got hungry, ordered crabcakes and fries. Both were solid and hit the spot. The lounge was super small only seated like 12-15 people at most. Luckily we went during a non-busy time...it was a weird set up, but if you can find a seat and aren't allergic to the dog, you'll definitely find this a cool spot to grab a drink and appetizers. Not sure I'd stay in the hotel here, it felt haunted..but it was a cool looking property regardless. read more

Food looks good but my Salmon had so many bones that it was inedible. Dinner came to over $200 and I really only was able to eat my vegetables, couple bites of an apple and some mashed potatoes. When I told them about the bones they just said that they would let the chef know. Very unprofessional the way it was handled and we were expecting much more. It wasn't the servers fault so I still made sure to take good care of her. The place looks amazing I would've been better off driving by and just throwing the money out the window. I came home and had to make something I could eat. read more

St Orres - Looked amazing. I took two bites out of the tail section of this salmon online to find multiple bones. - Hotels Near Me - Gualala, California

When eating here the ambiance feels historic or as if in a different country but bright and fresh. The menu is interesting and different with venison and duck. The service was excellent and pleasant. My duck was served with strawberries and a rice, that had been infused with strawberry - excellent! We shared a bread pudding dessert that was delightfully yummy. read more

St Orres - Bread pudding dessert - Hotels Near Me - Gualala, California

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We made a 7:30 reservation here for an anniversary dinner and arrived at 7:20. By 7:40 no one had greeted us and the group behind us went to find someone. Someone came to seat the group behind us, who politely mentioned that we had been waiting and we were asked to wait somewhere else while they set up a table. The restaurant was maybe half full. We were seated a few minutes later and told our server would be with us. We waited a few more minutes then around 8 saw the server was helping the group who arrived after us. Around 8:05 we decided to leave as we had not even been acknowledged by staff over 30 minutes into our reservation. My partner and I are young-ish (mid 30s) and mixed race, and the couple behind us that they seemed more eager to serve was a group of 3 in their 50-60s. We were unsure if it was a race thing, an age thing, or just caught them on a bad day, but it was a genuinely upsetting experience. And if you're thinking we must be crazy looking/acting - I'm a teacher and she's an accountant and we came clean, sober, and well dressed eager to enjoy our fifth anniversary dinner. Can't comment on anything but the service, but when we go to a restaurant in this price range decent service is expected. Hopefully others have not had a similar experience here but we certainly will not be returning. We were recommended by two different family friends who both were surprised but also said they haven't been here in 5 years or so so maybe ownership/management has changed since then. read more

The restaurant is no longer worth the price. You used to get a soup or salad and bread with your meal. For us, the cold soups were the absolute best and the main reason for going. Service was always good and the food fantastic. The last couple of years though have seen too many changes. I understand times change and prices go up and maybe not everyone wants the soup, salad, or bread. But now, no more free bread. No more hot or cold soup options. No more soup or salad with your meal. And worse, horrible service. It took an hour to get our entrées from time or ordering! $60 for just an entrée is ridiculous given the poor service. It's unfortunate we will never be back. read more

The ambience was weird, there was a random dog walking around in the dinning area! Super uncomfortable to have a dog sniffing around my legs. The place was empty when we arrived and we were the only couple there. We ordered one virgin mint mojito it cost $14! For one! WE LEFT, not worth it. This place is SO not worth it. Do not waste your money. read more

Amazing venue,food service and presentation. Great atmosphere.Service is spectacular. All in all,a great experience.

Stayed here back in 2019 for a wedding and my friend and I stayed in the Treehouse Cottage. It was absolutely gorgeous and relaxing. The breakfast that was delivered in the morning was beyond amazing! My partner and I have booked a stay for my birthday in December, and I can't wait to be back! read more

Spent another magical weekend at St Orres, I just can't get enough of this place. It's an absolute piece of heaven! Thank you to Rosemary and her amazing team for everything! Our dinners each night were so tasty. I'd kill for some of that pesto bread right now my friends had an absolute blast this weekend as well. We're definitely making a yearly girls trip out here! read more

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The best meal I've had north of San Francisco. Period. Not even close! This place is magical with beautiful stained glass and Russion Orthodox church cupolas the setting is just amazing. The hand crafted cocktails and well designed wine list perfectly complimented what came next. The Food! We were a party of four and we're able to sample as many dishes as we could. Every dish was creative, nuanced, and delivered impeccably. The beautiful owner, amazing culinary talents preparing and serving the dishes are all exceptional. Thank you for an amazing experience! read more

St. Orres never disappoints. We've been visiting St. Orres for 25+ years, and every time is such a pleasure. The cabins are lovely and peaceful, with views of the Pacific and redwoods. We timed this visit to coincide with the Perseid meteor shower. Wow! We were lucky to have great visibility for star gazing. Our favorite cabins are rose Cottage and Sea Pines, though all are beautiful - you just can't go wrong. Breakfast - delivered in the morning - is delicious, with an entree, fresh fruit, a mini loaf of pumpkin bread, and that addictive St. Orres granola. The staff - Olivia, Jennifer, and proprietress Rosemary - are all gracious, helpful, and so welcoming to their guests. Kudos to you all. Even a few days at St. Orres is a special getaway. We left feeling happy, refreshed, renewed, and planning our next visit. Solid five stars. Thank you, St. Orres! read more

Amazing place, we'll definitely go back! The basket breakfast is delicious and it can be served in bed :) read more

We went to the restaurant for dinner the other night. The hostess (owner?) was wonderful - very welcoming and upbeat. The dining room is rather spectacular in a particular way - coastal view, beautiful plants and flowers, dark wood all around. The food was all exceptional and the best part was the enormous piece of New York Cheesecake we had for dessert. It was unadulterated with sauce, allowing us to enjoy the homemade crust and filling. We will definitely be back! read more

Always the best! Most wonderful, enchanting spot on the north coast! Love the restaurant and accommodations, with Russian village architecture and cottages and rooms rustic to opulent! Wood, stained glass, gourmet food sourced locally and a great wine list, all in a redwood forest by the ocean. Hope it never changes! read more

St Orres - Dining room. Excellent wine selection. Wonderful meals with fresh local produce, meats, and fish, vegetarian options - Hotels Near Me - Gualala, California

Be careful, some cottages have WiFi and phone reception, and some don't. And they don't tell you in advance!! Also, ask for missing supplies upfront. read more

I want to start by saying I absolutely enjoyed my stay. I work in an extremely stressful field and this was just what I needed to unwind. I stayed in wildflower. When I booked, checked in, and checked out the staff kept making comments implying that this is the least liked cabin. The woman when I checked out almost seemed surprised that I enjoyed it. I think there's something very special about wildflower, but the website wasn't exaggerating when it described it as "rustic" and I can see why some people would be disappointed in it. There are some things that need addressing, but with a little TLC I think more people would want to book it. Firstly, there was no where to get really comfy. Indoors there was a disgusting looking old couch, the most rigid dining chairs I've ever seen, and a wicker chair tucked back behind the stairs. Outside there was a wooden park bench that hurt my back if I spent too long on it. I really just wanted to lounge around outside enjoying nature, so more comfortable lawn furniture would be great. The cabin got pretty stuffy and too warm for my liking and when I arrived it smelled like stale old lady perfume. It's on the coast so there's no fan or air conditioner, which would be fine except most of the windows either couldn't be opened or were broken so they couldn't be KEPT open. The only one I could get to stay open was in the bathroom. I ended up having to prop the kitchen window open with a pan to get a nice breeze going through. None of the windows had screens so I had to close up early to avoid bugs attracted to the light getting inside in the evening. The curtains across from the couch are falling apart and leave a big gap when closed. The kitchen had no blinds and at night one of the parking lot lights shines directly in like a beacon up into the loft, which affected my ability to sleep. The most disappointing was the blinds on the skylight in the loft. They are broken- the left side won't stay up so it droops down about 2 feet below the right side and blocks the view. Sleeping under the stars was a huge selling point for me and this prevented me from doing so. It's such an easy fix!! Honestly this cost about the same as cabins that have been recently renovated so I don't really think the level of disrepair is justified. You don't even have to completely renovate, just keep up with the basic up-keeping and replace what's breaking and it'll greatly improve people's opinions of this place. There are so many positives that others probably overlook because of the negatives- the loft was cozy and comfortable. The outdoor shower was amazing. The breakfasts were TASTY. I saw deer in the meadow every day and a fox one evening. It was dark enough to see a ton of stars. I really loved this cabin and will definitely be back, I just hope they pay attention to their reviews and take my suggestions to heart. read more

The cottage/hotel part is gorgeous. It looks wonderful from the highway and the copper architecture is beautiful. The restaurant itself left a lot to be desired. This place had a bit of a musty smell to it, but I assume it is because of the foliage in the main dining area. I don't mind the plants, they're actually kind of a nice touch. What was really detracting from the rest of the place was the funky old carpeting. They either need to rip that up or replace it with newer carpet. There was a cafe (lunch) menu and a dinner menu you could order from. We were wanting to try their full experience, so me and the hubs went for $50 a plate, soup and salad included, entrees. He ordered the wild boar and I got the shrimp and lobster. There were 2 soups to choose from. My husband got the butternut squash soup, and I decided to go for the cold peach soup. This was a bit strange, totally tasted like melted peach ice cream with a strawberry swirl. The butternut soup was ok. The salad course was a lot of romaine lettuce, sitting on top on one butter leaf lettuce, with a small mound of blueberries on top - Garnished by one edible flower. The vinaigrette was nice, but this was a very odd salad with not much flavor or texture going on. The mains were thoroughly underwhelming. The lobster was good (thank goodness they didn't mess up lobster) but the 2 shrimp that were included in my dish were not super fresh, not well cleaned, and also on the cold side. The vegetable sides were ridiculous. They were boiled with no flavor. I also had a side of mashed potatoes that had no flavor. Hubs wild boar was about the same. Not hot and not a lot of flavor with bland, boiled veggies. If you wanted to come check this place out for the architecture, I'd recommend grabbing a drink at the bar, but I can't recommend the food. Overpriced and not good. read more

We came here for an early dinner. It's for the restaurant only. It's an interesting ambiance with kind of strange paintings. But the food and service were excellent. We had the scallops with abalone, Stilton cheese with apples and candied walnuts, and the lobster with prawns. The prawns were a bit cold but everything else was excellent. We were full by the time the lobster arrived but we still fully enjoyed every bite. And a side note, their wine pour is very generous! Highly recommend if you're in the area. read more

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We've stayed at the hotel several times during the pandemic, ordering takeout from the restaurant and eating it in our room before things opened up again. We've just had our first opportunity to sit down and have a meal at the Saint Orres restaurant and were blown away. Exquisite, thoughtful preparations pair perfectly with the unique setting - outdoors is lovely, the atrium looking out onto the garden is charming. While Saint Orres has not remained impervious to the staffing challenges facing the entire nation, the hard-working, friendly team pulls together as a strong reminder that good things come to those who wait and - RELAX. You're on vacation. Enjoy a fantastic Manhattan (or other drink) from the skilled bar staff and watch the sunset while savoring this incredible experience. read more

St Orres - Manhattans outdoors - Hotels Near Me - Gualala, California

A little get away and this place was perfect for that. In the woods, and "unplugged" from the outside world! No TV, not even in their bar. Internet was questionable. We stayed at Blue Iris and loved the huge bathroom, the Sauna was amazing, and jetted tub. Best part!!!! The only negative thing, which is huge, the carpet....OMG, it was totally disgusting, hated to walk on it, look at it.....or even eat in the room on it!!!!! (Pull that thing out.....bare wood would have been better) Staff was nice, food was great, cute breakfast brought to room was nice BUT THAT RUG!!!! Most people I know would have never stayed in that room once they saw the carpet, it's a cabin I know but dirt is dirt!! read more

Didn't have internet the entire time we were there and the customer service was below average. Wont be back.

came here for valentines dinner with my boyfriend. it's lovely at night, which to be honest, may be the only time this place exists - the whole place felt like it had spawned in from the neighboring dimension for one night only. there were stars on my boyfriend's steak. a strawberry on my sea scallops. the waiters floated in from the sea on chariots of fog, and left out the chimney on smoke ropes cast down from heaven. two different incidents occurred in which a glass shattered. the bread was good. vinegar could be darker. the star of the show? the bear painting at the front. i'd reccomend others to this place, but i fear whatever is in its place will be a mundane shell of the lavender haze my boyfriend and i found this saturday. read more

Incredible. Fabulous staff. Unbeatable ambience- ever so unique and cozy. Full of character and warmth. We stayed a night in a lovely rustic little cottage. No cell service- thank god. And no TV- THANK YOU! What a wonderful retreat. It was so peaceful. We sat and had drinks in the evening in the little deck chairs in front of our cottage enjoying the serene peace and quiet. The soap even smelled lovely. Fireplace made it so cozy- and they provide the firewood! Lots of pillows, warm blankets. Breakfast was lovely as well. Loved everything. We walked to the main building for dinner. Portions were small but the food was astronomically good- really some of the best dishes we have had. We shared; - Oysters on the half - Scallops and Abalone - Shrimp Quesadilla - Pheasant and Venison Pate - Clam Chowder All of it satisfied and the flavor and presentation was outstanding. Bill was less than we expected but was certainly not inexpensive- we were very pleased. The staff was warm, welcoming, friendly and just the right amount of chatty. Gorgeous grounds. We are so happy we found this gem and can't wait to come back! read more

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Absolutely wonderful place. Was by myself definitely needed some me time and this was a perfect trip to just get away. Luckily there's WiFi cause it's no reception at all. read more

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We stumbled upon this place last Saturday, and boy are we glad!! We sat in the front room near the fire, the place was charming, quiet and romantic! The food was exceptional! We had the clam chowder, scallops, and salmon. All was perfection. But the best part was our delightful waitress! I'm sorry I don't recall her name (she was a tall gal), but she was amazing - pleasant, cheerful, and part tour guide. She was one of the best waitresses or waiters I've had in a long time!! This place is well worth a visit! read more

We took a chance and stopped in without a reservation. We got lucky and were seated in the dining room near the onion dome (super cool!). Nina was our hard working waitress who was wonderful and unpretentious. The mussels were exceptional as was the hearty veal chop. We also like Nina's recommendation of the Naughty Boy pinot noir. Great food, great service, great ambience. We want to come back and try out the bar. read more

We went for the first time in 2019 and were blown away by how good it was. Covid hit and we didn't get back until last week. Stayed at Sea Ranch with our friends and went Friday night. My buddy and my wife had the rack of lamb, my buddy's wife had the salmon and I had the duck confit cassoulet. we started with oysters and they were sweet and fresh. Finished sharing a bread pudding and a ginger cake. Everything was 10 of 10! Plus, cocktails and wines were awesome. Our friends left Sunday and my wife and I went back Sunday night. Started with their killer bread and steamed mussels. (Better than Brittany in France!) I had the venison and my wife had the lobster/prawns and we finished with the cream brûlée. The staff is awesome and it stands up to almost anything in Napa or Carmel. Out of the way but totally worth the trip! It was amazingly awesome three times in a row which is my criteria. read more

I have been eating at St. Orres for a long, long, long time. My family has a home about 25 minutes away. Rosemary is the lady who seems to be in charge of running the show. We always have a grand time and if something is not right, it is fixed without complaint. The salmon is so fresh it makes you wonder how other restaurants can't seem to match it. Prices are fair and service with the entire staff is pleasant. Looking forward to my next visit. read more

Outstanding food, beautiful environment, friendly service! Our favorite for special occasions.

Came here on the recommendation of our good friend who's family has a condo in Gualala, and glad we took her up on it. The strange yet beautiful exterior matches the interior which is like a step back in time. There's two main seating areas both with amazing natural light and there's a small bar and high tables near the front. We came early since we didn't have reservations and more importantly we had our 2 kids under 2.5 years old with us. The wait staff was all very nice, the gentleman that took our order may have been the manager or owner even and he was very nice. He got us seated quickly and got our orders quickly knowing we had a short window of time Before toddler meltdowns. We each got a drink and then got apps to share. We got the crab cakes, prosciutto & melon, 6 oysters and shrimp quesadilla and there wasn't a bad bite of the bunch. The aioli that came with the crab cake which was perfectly cooked and lots of crab, was so good. The prosciutto and melon was also very very good, there was some marmalade, I think apricot that really added a nice touch and the oysters had a spicy green salsa, just a touch and they were excellent and so fresh. They had some other good looking items and interesting ones like wild boar and rabbit tacos. Pretty sure we had the bar menu too so very intrigued to see the full menu. A little pricy but really not that bad and well worth it for the ambiance, great food and friendly service. read more

St Orres - Awesomely weird architecture. Great for exploring with a toddler while waiting for the food to arrive. - Hotels Near Me - Gualala, California

We were sent here by a local business owner. Nice enjoyable fine dining experience along with wonderful artistic plates. The mood in the restaurant was pleasing to families and couples. read more

St Orres - Lobster - Hotels Near Me - Gualala, California

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On my honeymoon 40 years ago, I had never heard of buerre blanc sauce when I had it on a perfectly poached salmon filet at St Orres. Oh my, what a transformative experience. I knew then that a great restaurant can elevate you, and I was inspired to improve my own cooking skills. My husband and I returned to St Orres a few more times early in our marriage with happy and delicious results. So when we planned our 40th anniversary trip to Gualala, we were excited to see that St Orres still existed. We made reservations, even though the menu didn't quite inspire us like before (no mention of such things as buerre blanc on the salmon or peppercorn pan sauce on the filet of beef). We arrived for dinner and were still delighted with the beautiful architecture and enchanting interior. But sadly, we discovered that this once great restaurant is no longer great. It must, however, still imagine it is great, because it charges more for dinner and wine corkage than most of the high-end restaurants where we live in Sacramento, even though it serves mediocre food. We ordered the filet of beef and the scallops for $60 each. After finishing, my husband and I looked at each other and had to chuckle. We could have had the same baked potato and unseasoned steamed vegetables with an okay steak or overcooked scallops at any steakhouse for less than half of what we paid - (and, gosh, a steakhouse usually gives you toppings for your baked potato). My mind went to a quote I had just read on a fine dining website: "There is only one thing more depressing than mediocre food in a ritzy setting and that is overpriced mediocre food in a ritzy setting." The Guardian-Travel read more

We have been to St. Orres numerous times and decided to return for a splash during our Sea Ranch vacation two weeks ago. I made the dinner reservation five days ahead for Friday night, and was told that there was only seating available at 6:15 pm. When we arrived, there was one other couple dining and before we left at 8:00 pm, only two other couples came in. The dining experience was flat. Why could we not have been seated at 7:00 or 7:30 as requested? The host said it depended on who took the booking and tables were left open for drop ins! Are you serious? For a high price point meal, you cannot give preference for guaranteed diners? Plus, the food was average at best. The salmon was far superior at Bones in Gualala. Will question whether a return visit is inviting. read more

Review of Johnson House stay. This house is awful and really shouldn't be rented without major renovations. It is sparsely furnished, with a terrible couch and the kitchen was minimally stocked although it was described as a full kitchen. We asked for two wineglasses but were never given them. No housekeeping service and when the toilet blocked, we had to fix it ourselves as there was no one around. The redeeming aspects are a comfortable bed, great view of the ocean from the (rotting) deck and a hot tub. We chose not to eat at the restaurant given the standard of the house. Too bad!!! read more

One of those special spots that immediately makes you a local. Our bartender Cody was fun to watch graciously handle a full house while making a killer basil martini ( my current fave cocktail). The crab cakes were a perfect accompaniment to the drinks. I love a homey, busy bar with some locals and many visitors all willing to wait their turn while enjoying a lovely setting. Any wait is worth it for carefully prepared food and happily delivered drinks in a unique and brunch setting. read more

St Orres - Crab cakes! Basil martini! YES!!! - Hotels Near Me - Gualala, California

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The smoke alarm went off at 230am and we woke up in a panic.We could not go back to sleep after that and we are on vacation.The sauna and hot tub were broken as usual.The heater in the room did not work.The bed was like sleeping on concrete and the pillows were terrible.Weve been coming here for 7 years now.At least 2x per year and they still don't know us by first name.Everytime we come here there is a different bartender and different persons working in the office.Seems like they have a high turn over rate.The drinks were excellent at the bar though. read more

One word: OBSESSED. St. Orres exceeded my expectations in every way possible. From accommodations to hospitality, I was blown away. This hotel is a really unique experience. We stayed in the "Wake Robin" cottage. Spacious, clean and a cute balcony out front. This is a perfect, relaxing getaway spot if you're looking to just escape for a little. The breakfast in the basket in the morning was not only delicious, but adorable! What a cool touch to add to the experience. Check out the hot tub and sauna and also the bar/restaurant inside the hotel. Be warned there is no service, and wifi is only accessible at the hotel, but isn't that what makes a getaway, getting away? Special thanks to Dennise - an absolutely amazing host, it was a pleasure to have met you. And to Ken for being so welcoming and friendly. St. Orres you are something special! read more

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