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The Grotto Speakeasy

4.5 (13 reviews)
Closed • 5:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)
Updated 3 months ago

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Sunil R.

Had a good time here last night. Love the Speakeasy aspect of it...you have to go the restaurant and they then escort you to the bar. You have to take a elevator which has a code to go to the basement and then you walk through a nondescript hallway before you get to the bar. Pretty cool. 5 star for creativity and set up. Small cocktail menu...the drinks were decent and so was the service.

Alyssa C.

A little underground bar connected with Cetrella, this spot is beautiful and the vibes are perfect for a chill conversation. However, I would not call this a speakeasy They seem to encourage reservations and do seat you at a table & serve you. Later at night, there's plenty of street parking around. We ordered several rounds of cocktails. If you don't see one on the menu to your liking, the bartenders are able to make something based on taste preferences (but not super sophisticated).

The Lagoon and Naked and Famous
Shimon K.

Amazing cocktails and outstanding service from a top bartender. Sergey is exceptional at his craft. Highly recommend.

A couple of cocktails
Mr. H.

Like any true Speakeasy tables are at a premium. See Mahmed for reservations at Cetrella, Might be availability for 55ppl at any one time. Service time for order to table, at capacity could be an issue with one bartender. Atmosphere is nice, their signature cocktail selection should be expanded a bit more. A live band in this space could prove challenging in the talk to listen ratio. Overall it was a nice experience, and one I'd likely do again.

Dirty martini (Mahon gin, no vermouth) chilled to perfection!

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2 months ago

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1 month ago

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Review Highlights - The Grotto Speakeasy

“What a great addition to Los Altos and one I may bring my team back to after we dine at their restaurant Cetrella!”

Mentioned in 7 reviews

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Bar Underdog

Bar Underdog

4.3(60 reviews)
3.7 mi

Can I just say I have been lucking out lately with the coolest bars around the bay?…read more Love the vibe at this unassuming lil joint. Almost missed it because there was no sign. Keep an eye out for tables & patrons who are laughing & having a great time right outside the door- good sign. Also seems to be a locals hangout which is awesome! Lots of craft cocktails, snacks & food menu with great service. Makes sense if their upscale big brother Michelin starred restaurant Protege is right across the street! Had an Its Alright Cocktail and it was very well balanced and the flavors paired & complemented each other perfectly. Coming back again for sure! Except they seem to always be busy! Another good sign!

Had an after-dinner drink to celebrate a buddy's milestone birthday. He already had Bar Underdog in…read moremind. I knew it was on California Ave. This was an old haunt of mine back when The Edge dance club was the place to be in this part of Palo Alto. Over the years I had still visited the area for its restaurants and the old camera store Keeble & Shuchat (closed for many years). Stepping into the very dark bar lit by small candles on the table I was immediately reminded at how old I was. It would say it was intimate, but it was a bit too loud to be that. However, it did have an intimate vibe. This joint's specialty (I assumed) was a menu full of house drinks. Sadly, I did not recognize any of them. I went with "You Should Try It" and it was fine. I could not describe what it tasted like, other than it was a mixed drink. My buddy ordered a "Vesper" but it didn't seem like the one Daniel Craig ordered in "Casino Royale". Service was okay and our server was very busy. Still, we got our drinks without having to wait too long. I had forgotten what it was like to go to a popular bar. Pic time.

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Bar Underdog - Fru-ti Punch and Old Soul

Fru-ti Punch and Old Soul

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Valley Goat - Hamachi Poke

Valley Goat

4.2(721 reviews)
5.4 mi

a restaurant with seriously nice ambiance, tucked inside the google sunnyvale campus. it shares its…read morespace and theme with a hotel, which makes the whole place feel cohesive and modern. the service was impeccable. our waiter was very knowledgeable about the dishes, and we went with his recommendations. i was a little confused by the name valley goat though, as only one dish actually had goat in it LOL. nonetheless, we enjoyed our orders of sticky pork shank, sautéed green beans, and goat empanadas - as well as the fun & sparkly cocktails (berry proud & blush spritz). the sauce served with the goat empanada and pork shank was tangy, which added depth to the flavor profiles of both dishes. the green beans were slightly salty though. in addition to being delicious, the food has such photogenic presentation! i'd return for the ambiance alone.

Such a cute place, which I really wanted to love more given that the person behind this restaurant,…read moreChef Stephanie Izar, was on my fave show ever (TOP CHEF!) With this in mind I had high expectations - service, ambiance, decor were all vibe and def. makes me want to go back. Location is smart - parking is fair but being within a modern style hotel def. brings the right amount of traffic and liveliness. There is a cute outdoors area and small garden with a beer trolley and pizza served outdoors (part of Valley Goat, I think but not quite clear lol) Anyways, pricing also was not bad and suited the menu and location fairly - so in the end it really just came down to food (&& prob my issues with saltiness...lol) Let's Dig In: (1) Blueberry pancakes - one of the better items, fluffy small stack pancakes, just a bit too sweet overall. Needed a cream to cool off the sticky sweetness. (2) Potato Crepe - a rip off of one of my fave Viet dishes (Banh Xeo) that simply DID NOT work. What makes Banh xeo so good is the light and airy batter - the potato and cheese shell (aka batter) was overly salty and just too oily + the filling & vinaigrette also leaned salty. (3) Coconut Labneh - this was ok, nothing to rave about overall. (4) Goat Empanadas - this was also sadly just ok, the meat inside had a great flavor but overall the whole thing ate a bit dry. (5) Yucatan Pork Belly & Tomato - this was fair, there was a lot going on with the salty & saucy-ness but the dish overall had lots of flavor and texture. (6) Heirloom Tomato Salad - similar sauce and texture to the above, tasty just a tad bit too much going on overall, esp. for a tomato dish that should've eaten more light & fresh. (6) Spicy handroll dip - loved the nori chips, but just wished the dip went a bit lighter with the chili crisp and sauce, again...too saucy and salty which def. took away from the dish. (7) The Biscuits - this was good, flaky and tasty with a unique butter and chili-like jam. Cocktails: honestly can't remember what we got but overall they tasted similar - too sweet/sour and more like juice (booze was too faint).

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Valley Goat - Dining Room

Dining Room

Valley Goat - Scallion FOcaccia cross-section

Scallion FOcaccia cross-section

Valley Goat - Complimentary Birthday Mango Sticky Rice ($0)

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Complimentary Birthday Mango Sticky Rice ($0)

Broma - Corn elote ribs

Broma

3.8(92 reviews)
3.5 mi

Amazing vibe with live piano and open bar (indoor & outdoor)…read more Service was great with the chef and servers, continuously checking the table and refilling water. Food was overall satisfying. Would revisit for bar experience as well as bar has different food menu too.

Stunning space, gorgeous artwork and colors, snazzy and sophisticated with a roaring fire, multiple…read morespaces, e.g. lively bar with small tables, lounge chairs further forward, and in the back, proper dining tables, all glass and minimalist but in a maximalist cozy comfortable way. We got their salmon, Brussels sprouts, delicate squash and a chicory bleu cheese apple salad. The salmon was exceptional, glazed with a moist perfectly cooked inside. I loved the sprouts, but only because I have a palate for tangy, it was heavy on the apple cider. The edamame cakes were freakin fire! I've never had anything like that in my life--a revelation--the best version and tastiest of edamame ever! Their toffee bread pudding my husband loved. The chicory salad not memorable and dressing barely noticeable (I brought it home and gussied it up). The delicate squash a disaster and shockingly bad, inedible to the point we had to send it back. They had literally dumped raw curry powder onto it and I guess hoped it would be flavorful or be curried squash? It was acrid and awfully bitter. Was this a mistake or how they do it? I'm Indian and know raw curry powder when I taste it. The executive chef needs to pay attention to this. The best thing about our meal: our server, Ruben, was awesome: friendly, down to earth, attentive and absolutely on the ball, apologizing for the squash (despite that he did not cook it :-) The prices are reasonable, and would be even better were the dishes more sparkling. The portions a bit on the smaller side. Parking we snagged free, but it was late, so not sure how it would be during peak times.

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Broma
Broma - Hamachi Crudo Tacos

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The Grotto Speakeasy - cocktailbars - Updated November 2026

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