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Ad Hoc
Category: Restaurants American (New) American (New) [Edit]
6476 Washington StYountville, CA 94599
(707) 944-2487
- Hours:
Mon, Thu-Sat 5 pm - 10 pm
Sun 10 am - 1 pm
Sun 5 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Try our cornmeal pancakes with applewood smoked bacon & fresh brewed local coffee, or a vermicelli noodle bowl, fresh and tasty salads, brick-oven pizza… read more »
1275 reviews for Ad Hoc
Review Highlights
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"All hail our great American Chef, Thomas Keller." In 272 reviews -
"for his secret info about the FRIED CHICKEN NIGHT." In 111 reviews -
"French Laundry-type food at bargain basement prices." In 195 reviews
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1274 reviews in English
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Review from MAGNUM S.
Foster City, CA
5/12/2012
Oh my dear Ad Hoc,
You f'ing ROCK!!!
All those veggies were hella good on top,
Of that motherf'ing delicious lamb chop!
Our server was the bomb,
nurturing... just like a mom.
The food was top notch,
that perfect polenta they did not botch.
The experience was sublime,
Oh how we long for you one more time... -
Review from Allison A.
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
5/22/2012
After a long day in the wineries, we went to Ad Hoc with a group of friends. The menu for the day included:
Caesar Salad - The anchovies were divine
Pork Tenderloin with Soft Crab - Soft crab was an excellent addition to the pork tenderloin. The veggies especially the carrots were fresh and tasted like candy.
Panne Cotta Dessert - Light but perfect after all the strong flavors of our meal
The food at Ad-Hoc was the perfect mixture of simplicity meets quality! I would definitely come here again. -
Review from Nina B.
Bay Area
5/22/2012
Thank goodness we had early dinner reservations because I was able to walk off some of the stuffed feeling I had that evening
- 5* for service - attentive, friendly/warm, knowledgeable
- 4* for food - the food was great (I won't go into the whole menu) but knock down a star for the dessert being rather ordinary and I've had better much marrow which was the add-on that night
Ambiance is very casual which is great if you've just come from a day full of wine tasting. I'd definitely come back and would recommend to friends -
Review from Connie D.
Riverside, CA
5/22/2012 Seated via OpenTable
The beet salad was awesome. The homemade chicken pork sausage was way off the charts! The Pork short ribs were so yummy. The yellow rice was over salted to my taste. I couldn't eat it. The dessert was a Sunday.
was hoping for something more than just a Sunday especially since it was my birthday. The wines they chose for the meal were perfect. The service was absolutely the best. -
Review from Michael I.
Sacramento, CA
5/11/2012
I dunno. It's in between two and three stars for me.
I went not too long ago with my dad and a friend. It's a nice place, although rather dark. We were seated and there were four courses, which I liked half of the courses. First course looked like they chopped a head of lettuce in half and put it on the plate and put peas on the side. The dressing was an avocado dill dressing, which was extremely bitter. Extremely disappointed. The third course was very plain: Biscuits and brie with jam. The whole meal came down to $225 for three people, but I didn't see the justification for the price. I will say this, the barbecue pork, corn, and shrimp were really delicious. And the macadamia nut ice cream sandwich was unique. -
Review from Corey M.
4/30/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Never have I ever been to such a restaurant that has surmounted to such perfection. Never have I ever had a kitchen give me off the menu items to accommodate my tastes. Never have I ever seen Ciara G doughnut cry. These are all confessions of yesterday.
I could tell you about the celestial Sunday brunch filled with seared halibut, broccoli rabe, fried eggs, and mysteriously crunchy fingerling potatoes, but I won't.
I could tell you about my monday dinner of divinity filled with tempura fried sole, a gorgeous vidalia onion vinaigrette salad, a 5 year old Wisconsin cheddar, and a strawberry pear galette, but I don't want to!
and you shouldn't give a shit! it changes!
Ad Hoc's menu is an organically changing little creature. It breaths freshness, and exudes simplistic creativity.
Despite the ever-changing menu, the service will forever be a staple of awe and wonder. I've had the pleasure of Dan serving me on both visits, and the bar has been set unreachably high. Thank you so much!
Go for the service, go for the food, go for the wine, go for the outdoor patio, go for the new water filtration system. Fuck, go for the pig.
See you in NY, CG. :) -
Review from Joanne Y.
5/11/2012 6 photos
I think anyone can be honored to eat out of Thomas Keller's garden and creations. Delicious! Fresh ingredients, tender meats, great weather and patio, what else can you ask for?
Take a walk through his garden too, if you get a chance... it's not too far of a walk.
On the menu when I went: http://s3-media3.ak.ye...
Need to come back for their fried chicken!! -
Review from Lucy Y.
Los Angeles, CA
Brunch with a fixed menu always instills a bit of fear in my picky-palated heart. After superhero server Dan's expert handling of our table of 5 today, all other experiences will surely forever pale in comparison.
2 had the ($34/person) given menu: caesar salad, fried eggs, chicken fried steak, biscuits, broccoli rabe, sausage gravy, vanilla ice cream sundaes with house made reese's chunks and fudge.
1 pescatarian had the most perfectly cooked halibut and sausage-less gravy instead of its meaty counterparts
1 lactose intolerant pescatarian had a cheese-less caesar, the same halibut and an awesome pineapple sorbet instead of the ice cream
And I got a gluten-free-crouton-adorned, salt-free caesar salad studded with unctuous red and yellow pepper pieces, a slab of salt-free flat iron steak, perfectly runny fried eggs, smashed fingerling potatoes, crispy-leafed broccoli rabe, a candy-free vanilla ice cream sundae with hot fudge, and pineapple sorbet.
The biscuits were freshly baked and perfect. Both sausage and vegetarian gravies were creamy and yum. The chicken fried steak was battered and crispy on the outside, tender meaty on the inside, and a treat for my first chicken fried steak experience!
The made-this-morning vanilla ice cream was awesome, and the french press decaf was strong and hit the spot.
The homemade reese's were butterfinger-y crispy in the peanutty parts, and the pineapple sorbet was impossibly fresh tasting.
As usual, Dan required no notes on our complications yet hit everything right on the mark.
A sip of my friends' strawberry bellini, traditional mimosa, and rose wine (extra $ for these) were yum - and about all I can handle!
Sitting on the small patio, being catered to, enjoying awesome food with awesome company on a gorgeous day in Napa. Ahhhhh, this is an exceptionally good Sunday.Listed in: Napa Road Trip!, How To Impress Me?, Fried Chicken Love!
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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11/30/2010
During our 5-day Napa stay, CG, AB and I came here twice. This was our 2nd visit - the famous fried… Read more »
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Review from Kim A.
San Bruno, CA
4/30/2012 3 Check-ins Here
A weekend in Napa is always a welcome thing in my world. A weekend shared with friends filled with fun events and great meals, a total bonus.
I've been trying to get a dinner reservation at Ad Hoc for ages. I read the dinner menu emails every day, they always make me hungry. The link for dinner reservations at the end of those emails is a tease, but I digress. When a friend told us she had brunch reservations, we thought it'd be the perfect celebration of a great weekend.
I had never been to the restaurant and loved the open space. Beautiful warm tones, wood accents, and farm decor (not the kitchy kind). You feel like you're at home and welcome the moment you enter. We were seated at a large round table with high chairs in the corner of the dining room, the perfect location to see everything happening in the restaurant. Ambiance: 5 stars
The server explained that the brunch is 3 courses, served family style. She also asked about food preferences or allergies in our group. One friend has a gluten allergy, no problem they were happy to accommodate. We began our meal with fresh Mimosas and a Strawberry Bellini. So far, so good.
The first course was a delicious Caesar salad with Romaine, olives, the best anchovies I've ever eaten, red and yellow peppers, buttery croutons, cheese and a fresh citrus vinaigrette. I'm sure I got the ingredients wrong (should've taken a menu to get it right), but it was really crisp and fresh. Perfect! It was gone in a quick minute. The gluten free version was served separately without croutons.
The second course: Chicken Fried Steak with sausage gravy, perfectly cooked fried egg (with runny yolks), broccoli rabe, and biscuit. OMG! There was not a lot of talking at our table, just chewing, and fighting for the last of the gravy in the bottom of the pans! We loved the crispy light biscuits for soaking up the gravy...we should have asked for more gravy~ The gluten free option was smashed fingerling potatoes and flat iron steak, also perfectly cooked. The portions are generous. We commented on the perfectly coated crisp Chicken Fried Steaks and imagine how great the Buttermilk Fried Chicken must be... gotta leave something to try next time!
The dessert course: Peanut butter ice cream with a crunchy peanut butter and chocolate candy inside (like Reese's chunks) drizzled with hot fudge and topped with a dollop of home made whipped cream. This paired well with a second pot of French Press coffee. YUM!
Gotta say, this was a great ending to a perfect weekend with friends. We are no longer Ad Hoc Virgins... We're all talking about another weekend trip in the fall at Harvest time. Perhaps we'll get lucky and get a dinner reservation at the start of our weekend.Listed in: Wine Country
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Review from Sean W.
4/29/2012 6 photos
After wanting to try this restaurant for months I was finally able to make the trip to Yountville. I had cancelled two previous reservations due to bad weather and didn't know when I would have the opportunity to come. My girlfriend knew I've been dying to try this place so she decided to treat me out. After all, for the past two months I've been checking the website on and off seeing what they offer on their pre-fix menu.
I love the concept of this restaurant and not being able to choose what you order. What they have on the pre-fix menu is what you're going to get, so it brings a little mystery and excitement when you come. This also helps me stray from ordering my usual at restaurants.
Today's menu consisted of a salad of baby mixed greens, bay scallop crudo for the addition, grilled pork, landaff melted on toast and a carrot cake trifle and coconut haystacks for dessert.
First course: I'm not much of a salad person so I didn't finish the salad. I knew the portions were going to be big so I had to save some space for the rest of the courses. My favorite part of the salad was probably the radishes from The French Laundry garden. This is probably the closest I will get to having food from The French Laundry for a while......radishes.
Addition: I really loved the bay scallop crudo which came with white corn. It was my favorite course of the whole meal. After I ate my portion I was craving for more!
Second Course: I'm not really a fan of grilled pork but I actually liked the one here. Usually the pork is too dry for my liking but this pork was cooked perfectly and the fat on the pork was delicious. This also came with some pork belly rice which I loved. The only problem was that I ate all the pork belly pieces too fast so I was only left with rice.
Third Course: I love cheese, grilled cheese sandwiches and now melted cheese on toast! This course was very filling as they put a hefty amount of cheese on the toast. Much more than I would usually find at restaurants serving grilled cheese.
Dessert: I was actually stuffed by the time I finished the grilled pork course but I knew I had to push through and finish the meal. I didn't think I would enjoy dessert because there wasn't any ice cream but I was wrong. The coconut haystack had some sea salt on it to balance out the sweetness which I thoroughly enjoyed. The carrot cake trifle was great too and had some pineapple bits in which I loved.
Overall it was a great meal with great service. I don't usually believe in the hype but Ad Hoc surely delivered. Can't wait to come back again. -
Review from Megan S.
Dallas, TX
5/21/2012 Seated via OpenTable
We were so excited to try Ad Hoc and it was such a disappointment. Perhaps it was the specific menu the night we went; but it was unexceptional ... particularly for $200 and with Redd a stone's throw away down Washington. Based on other reviews, it seems that there are some nights where Ad Hoc is on target and wonderful -- but on Saturday, May 19th it was a big miss.
The menu:
(1) First Course: a simple salad with radishes, snap peas, and English peas. This was simple and solid, tasted good, but nothing revolutionary.
(2) Second Course: a top-round London Broil over a plain corn succotash. I have to say it: this was unimaginative, boring, and something you could have easily prepared yourself without even consulting the likes of Epicurious, Smitten Kitchen, or the Food Network for inspiration. Honestly, except for the few slivers of roasted red onion in the succotash, the corn could have come from a bag in the frozen food aisle of your local grocery.
(3) Third Course: a cheese course, which included a cow's milk camembert-style cheese (I think it may have been Mt. Tam from the Cowgirl Creamery at Point Reyes), which was delicious, served with fresh, sliced peaches drizzled in honey. This was certainly the highlight of the meal and notably, not to be unkind, but not the result of Thomas Keller's artistry.
(4) Fourth Course: a "tropical fruit tart," which was in fact a square of dry phyllo dough with some pastry cream (or maybe plain Creme Anglaise) topped with a few slices of strawberry, kiwi, and pineapple. It tasted like a mediocre danish/pastry you might have at an office lunch catered by Corner Bakery. Seriously. But for 10x the price.
Finally, we are very laid back about service ... our waitress was perfectly fine but we couldn't help but notice that the food runner did not know or remember any of the dishes he served, and, as you know ... Ad Hoc has a prix fixe style menu and only serves one dish a night.
We only had a few nights in Yountville and had to be judicious about our restaurant selections ... In retrospect, I'm disappointed that we chose Ad Hoc. -
Review from Vivian D.
5/8/2012
Was lucky enough to get to try their famous chicken and waffles! Needless to say, AMAZING!
We bombarded the server with questions in hopes he would give up all their cooking secrets and we could replicate it. We learned a thing or two, but who were we kidding? -
Review from Mike B.
New York, NY
5/11/2012
I came here a few times a few years ago around when it first opened, and it was revelatory: it's the first place I've ever eaten beef shoulder (except I guess ground up in hamburger,) and the first place I ever had anything sous vide.
This time the offering was prime rib (or scallops which they were long out of by the time we arrived for our not-too-late reservation) and an iceberg lettuce salad. A little more straight-up-the-middle than I'd expect. But not a sin in itself. Everything was tasty, but nothing was memorable. Portions are smaller than they used to be, but they used to be way too big, so that's OK.
What's not OK is:
1) Wait staff upselling the wine so aggressively that it became REALLY annoying. Really the worst I've encountered in years. Made the dining experience unpleasant.
2) Charging $7 a bottle for filtered tap water, not telling us that ahead of time, and putting a second bottle on the table when we finished the first without asking us and then charging us another $7 for it even though we didn't ask for it and it was completely untouched by us. That's close to criminal.
3) Calling a scoop of ice cream a 'sundae.' Really? It was a scoop of ice cream with a wee drizzle of chocolate on it and a maybe 1/2 tsp. dainty flowerette of whipped cream on the side. I'm not saying there's anything inherently wrong with serving a scoop of ice cream for desert: just call it what it is! 'Scoop of ice cream.' (If you need a lesson in what a sundae is, see Daniel Boulud!)
This place is very definitely off the list. Permanently. -
Review from Alissa A.
I feel ashamed (or ignorant and ungrateful) for giving Ad Hoc only three stars the first go round. Really. Either I didn't get it, my expectations were blurred by too much wine tasting, or I was expecting TK to cook my meal table-side.
Onward.
Key take-away:
Brunch - how often do you get to have dessert (ice cream!) with breakfast?!? Save room if you can, or eat the almond ice cream and have the raspberry financier packed for later snacking.
Dinner - the most beautiful salads ever presented before me. Simple elegance? Ya, something like that. Oh, and, the girl who spent her life shunning bacon (yes, I know!), ate bacon here. And admitted it was good. Damn good.Listed in: Fresh off the farm, Sober and splendid in the…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/28/2008
A high three star experience.
As a Thomas Keller restaurant, the expectations were high. This was no… Read more »
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Review from A J.
San Francisco, CA
4/29/2012
Absolutely amazing inspired food. If this place was in SF, the line would circle around the city. Their family-style servings and warm decor make this one of our favorite food places.
We visited Ad Hoc for Sunday brunch and sat at the bar as we didn't have reservations (come early!). The fixed brunch menu of the day was mixed green salad, eggs in a basket, and raspberry fiancier. The salad came with sunflower seeds, greens, and yummy chunks of salmon all with a creamy, fresh dill dressing.
The eggs in a basket had beautifully and perfectly cooked poached egg with ham in a brioche slice. We had been to Outerlands in the Outer Sunset last month and the Ad Hoc eggs in a basket was exactly what Outerland's "Eggs in Jail" was trying to accomplish but failed at. The food here was all perfectly salted, including the well-seasoned and super crispy potatoes on the side. The proportions of eggs to meat to bread were also perfect and the dish itself was decently sized and hearty.
Our favorite of the meal was the raspberry financier, which is a brown-butter based raspberry cake dessert that was served with almond ice cream and caramel sauce. This may be the best dessert we've had. The financier cake was rich which a perfectly crisp bottom crust that gave amazing textural contrast to the soft gooey raspberry filling. The tartness of the raspberry also well-balanced the sweetness of the caramel sauce. The warm cake contrasted the cold ice cream. Did we mention how balanced this dish was? Just amazing.
Anyway, we heartily recommend Ad Hoc and would come all the time if it was just a touch closer to SF. -
Review from Kelly S.
4/19/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN.
Buttermilk Fried Chicken.
buttermilk fried chicken.
It doesn't matter how you see it, you will taste nothing but perfection. Follow their calender on the AdHoc website so that you coud properly schedule your visit to try this. They only serve it every other Monday and If you don't want to sit down for a $50 per person four course meal (which is required if you sit at a table), you could opt for the bar seats for some chicken, sides and some fine napa wine. -
Review from Robyn Y.
Benicia, CA
5/3/2012 6 Check-ins Here
I can't believe we have not reviewed this place yet. This is literally our go-to restaurant in Napa. We have eaten here six times, once for fried chicken night. Each meal was special and different. We love it so much that one of our very last meals in the bay area before we move to Florida will be at ad hoc. Enough said!
They re-opened with a little more space at the beginning of March this year and the place looks great. The restaurant is permanent now (I think there were plans to have it only be temporary before) Apparently they also have a new section called addendum, where you can pick up a bag lunch during the day, first come first served. I would opt for this if I were having a picnic in Napa :) -
Review from Maya S.
4/11/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Ad Hoc has changed my life in the sense that I have never had an appreciation for lamb until now. After eating an entree of herb crusted lamb sirloin along with ramps, asparagus, mushrooms, and smashed fingerling potatoes, Mary's little lamb better run. And seriously, the best mushrooms I've ever had in my life, I had here. They sponged up the flavors of the sauce and still had their chewy texture but magically melted in my mouth. Don't even get me started with the supplement for dinner which was crisp pork belly that simply took my breath away.
Highlight of the night was dessert = ginger pain perdu topped with fresh bananas, caramel and roasted coconut ice cream. I was so full from the rest of the meal but I was eating this last course like I didn't even eat the previous ones. It was like a dessert french toast taken to the next level, and beyond.
Our waiter seemed either nervous or frazzled being that it was a busy Saturday night but his calm kicked in as our meal progressed. Regardless, he was courteous and nice the entire time and so was the rest of the staff. Plus, we got seated at a cozy, comfy table in the corner that felt pretty VIP.
Each dish was truly its own experience. Ad Hoc delivers good service and good food, served up in all-clad. -
Review from margaret s.
Daly City, CA
4/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
Aww yeah. Family style fine dining. Love the concept and love the glasses.
If you are expecting a pint of beer, you will be getting half of what you think you're geting.
Really memorable meal. From the anchovies in the salad to the cheese and seasoned strawberry jam on raspberry toast. You missed out Theresa D. MUWHAHAH. -
Review from Jen T.
4/13/2012
Fried chicken night is every other Monday night. I planned far, far in advance and calculated the right time to make sure that we made it for this (:
Wedge salad, fried chicken, cheese course, pizookie for dessert.
I think the fried chicken was a bit overhyped by some of our friends, but also because it was lukewarm by the time it got to our table. ): However, we decided to do the add-on they had that day of a sweetbreads+oxtail rice dish... and this was the best choice EVER. Seriously delicious and the highlight of the meal.
I also loved their garden next to the parking lot.
Quaint, affordable, simple but delicious... just how good food really should be. -
Review from Brittany B.
Malibu, CA
3/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
We had reservations and showed up on time on a Thursday at 8:45pm. We were told our table was being re-set and asked to wait. 15 minutes later we were finally seated.
We were given the menus and as there is always a set 4 course menu, that evening it was a bib lettuce salad followed by hanger steak with asparagus and potatoes, a cheese course an optional calamari dish and dessert, carrot cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. We asked to opt in for the calamari and unfortunately they were "sold out."
Service felt a bit off from the beginning, which is disappointing for a Keller restaurant. As we were finishing our dessert we noticed the couple next to us eating the calamari... Weird, since they said they were "out." When we asked our waiter he apologized and said that they knew someone from the restaurant and a calamari and been saved for them. It bothered me that he had lied to us about being "out of calamari" and then had the nerve to serve it to the table one over from us. I said I thought it was a strange way to serve customers, especially since we all are equally paying customers and he came back and took 25% off our bill. I guess that was a nice gesture but frankly we would have rather paid full price, not been lied to and been able to try the calamari.
I would not come back here. The food was good - nothing outstanding or groundbreaking, but with all the great places to eat in wine country, I'll eat elsewhere next time. -
Review from Nicole O.
Newport Beach, CA
5/16/2012
The best meal I've ever had. I couldn't afford to go to French Laundry, so we tried ad hoc. It was fabulous. The atmosphere was a little loud, but casual, which I was relieved because I didn't want to deal with a frou frou place. The waitress was really friendly too and no one pushed any of the wine on us. I loved every course we had (there were 4), even the turnips! I've never had turnips before but now I'm a fan! The cheese course was amazing and our waitress wrote down the name of it so I could find it in a store. For two people it was about $160 (including a round a beer and the addendum choice). Not bad, though we were on our honeymoon and splurged a little!
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Review from starrynight c.
San Carlos, CA
4/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
We came here for brunch just this past Sunday. I was really hoping for the chicken fried steak brunch, but ended up with the hens eggs in a nest. I'm not a huge fan of ham in general, so my guess is that this swayed my rating and experience overall here. We started off with pineapple mimosas (yum). Then had a grilled salmon salad. Followed by the brioche (this was delicious) with hen eggs nested in it with ham surrounding it. The ham was top notch, even if I'm not a huge fan of ham. The eggs were perfect cooked to be gooey and perfect to be sopped up by the brioche that was exactly how I like it. The potatoes on the side were perfect.
Dessert was really the highlight for me, too bad I can't remember what kind of cake it was called, but it had raspberries in it with a scoop of almond ice cream (my fave flavor, score!). Overall, fun experience, solid brunch. I'll definitely come back to try brunch again when I have the chance. -
Review from Derrick T.
Woodridge, IL
4/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
Thomas Keller. Really, that's all you need to know. Period.
You want to know more? Fine... at the risk of sounding like a fanboy, everything Keller touches seems to turn into treasures... I'm not just talking gold, but diamond crusted gold with rubies imbedded throughout.
On our first ever trip to Napa, we made reservations in advance for a Sunday night dinner. Here's what we chowed down on:
Endive Watercress Salad - Light, refreshing, with the best part (IMHO) being the toasted hazelnuts throughout. Excellent way to begin the meal.
Pork Rack - Ridiculously meaty ribs... our dinner companion probably put it best - "It's like eating perfectly cooked and seasoned steak... but with pork instead!" Each piece was HUGE (as in the bigger than my deltoid, huge) and really took up the whole plate. As tempting as it was to ask for seconds (they allow that at Ad Hoc!), there was no way any of us could put down another pork rack...
Scallops - The additional dish that costs a bit more, and was perfectly prepared. Definitely sizable u10 scallops seared to perfection. Was it worth the extra $15 bucks as an add on? Not convinced that it was. The rest of the menu really held it's own very well to the point where the add on likely was unnecessary, not to mention the size seemed diminutive compared to pork rack. My personal call, would've been fine without the scallops.
Truffle Goat Cheese with Honey coated Choux Pastry: Note I called it "Truffle" and not "truffled", an important distinction to make. My wife's eyes rolled back into her head so many times while eating this, I was starting to feel pangs of jealousy. ;) In all seriousness, the cheese was so spectacular, we had to ask how they made it. They used diced truffles and imbedded it into the goat cheese, aged it 30 weeks to help create the flavor of truffle throughout, and then break it open for service. Seriously, delicious. Choux pastry were perfectly done, but pales in comparison to the cheese it say next to. A nice balance to the rich cheese.
Smores, reimagined: Chocolate panna cotta topped with graham cracker crumbs, with whipped marshmallow on top. Light in texture, rich in flavor, an excellent end to the meal we could barely finish (we had been eating/drinking all day).
Verdict: Ad Hoc takes Keller's high end dining and makes it available to more of the masses. At around $50, you receive a four course meal of some the highest quality ingredients and professionally perfect preparations you'll ever have, built into a wonderful family style meal. If you're in the area, make reservations and go. Fair warning, make sure you've got an open enough mind to try whatever they prepare, as the menu is prix fixe and set each morning. You will have no choice in the menu, but as far as I'm concerned, I don't need it when the food is this good. -
Review from Susanna W.
Palo Alto, CA
4/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
Excellent fried chicken. Lived up to the hype!
AMBIANCE: Dim lighting for dinner. Casual, slightly rustic feel (antique-y/farmhouse-ish tables/chairs and decor), but also very clean, classic, and inviting. We planned well in advance to ensure we would snag a highly coveted seating during fried chicken night. We had to wait a few minutes, despite our reservations, b/c several tables took longer than expected. After our dining experience, I can understand why-- our meal took over 3.5 hours! Our reservations were at 7:30pm and I didn't make it home till 1am!
SERVICE: Friendly, but slow and a little bit unpredictable. Our server would disappear for long stretches of time, but there was always a busboy or two wandering around to take care of empty plates, refill water glasses, or in our case, fried chicken servings.
FOOD: Set menu, with optional add-ons for an additional charge.
- Little gem salad with champagne vinaigrette: Fresh and yummy, but nothing special-- you can get this kind of salad any/everywhere. Portions size came out to 2 quarter wedges per person.
***Fried chicken + country potato salad + greens (leeks, celery, peas, etc): OMG. The fried chicken arrived at our table as a heaping mound in a large silver cassarole-esque pan. Just the sight and smell had me salivating, and since I could hardly contain myself, my table-mates forgave me when I speared a piece (breast) even before the servers left. The first bite (I cut myself a slice, just to be civilized) was so HOT, FRESH, JUICY and BURSTING WITH FLAVOR. If I had to nit-pick, I would say that it was a smidge salty, and the crust could've been crispier. But man, that first bite blew all other fried chicken I've had in recent memory out of the water. So delicious in fact, that I ate over 6 pieces, and could've kept going if my table-mates didn't give me such disapproving looks. The sides weren't bad either (the peas in the potato salad were SO fresh and yummy) :]
- Cheese course: I'm not a huge fan of cheese, but the huge hunk of dry aged chedder that we got was pretty tasty. The pear compote paired really well with it as well.
- Lemon cupcake with strawberry frosting and pistachio brittle: A moist and zesty cupcake that I could've made myself at home (not that that's a bad thing!). I ate it all.
OVERALL: AMAZEBALLS. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and although its a hefty price tag for fried chicken ($52pp; ended up being around $77 for the meal + beer + tax + tip), I'd say it was completely worth it. I'd love to come back, and not necessarily only for FCN. Thomas Keller, bring it on! -
Review from david d.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 3/25/2012
Scoring a reservation on Open Table was cause for celebration. It was there and I grabbed it. I let the restaurant know through Open Table that I am diabetic and asked if desert might be something without too much refined sugar. On entering and announcing myself, it seemed that the hostess was not privy to my request. On being seated it was certain that my server was unaware of my request.
So, I told my server that I was diabetic and could not have too much refined sugar, as in desert. A long pause. He said nothing. No indication the the restaurant could provide something other than chocolate panna cotta. I suggested that perhaps I should not have desert. He said OK and walked away.
My prixe fixe four course meal was three courses of very good food. I was charged for the four courses.
I just wish someone had paid attention. That someone was a bit concerned and sensitive. A bit on the ball. A bit hospitality and service oriented.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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12/24/2009
I have been to Ad Hoc a few times and each time found it to be near perfect. While this last meal… Read more »
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Review from Stephen L.
Emeryville, CA
5/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
First time (seriously, ever) going somewhere more upscale than your neighborhood IHOP, so I was really diving into uncharted waters. I was expecting those fancy dishes you see on TV where you get a tennis-ball's worth of some fancy food on a giant plate, but that wasn't the case. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised. They have set courses, so you make a reservation and just plop down and they bring you food. There are several courses, and our party ended up having to take some of it back home. The menu changes, but we had the chicken and it was amazing. Definitely a once-in-a-haley's-comet type meal for me, but it was a good experience.
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Review from Sheeva G.
4/2/2012
We came here for brunch after a magical night of French Laundry. Wow. Ad Hoc puts the cherry on top of TK's amazing creations. We started with the cucumber and radish salad with smoked trout, sliced almonds and spring onion cream dressing. It was such a refreshing start to our morning and the dressing went beautifully with the salad. The almonds gave it a nice crunch too and the smoked trout was delicious.
Then we had grilled beef flank steak with white grits, poached hen eggs, herbed bread crumbs, crispy broccoli rabe, romesco and parmesan. WOW. Absolutely out of this world. My steak was cooked perfectly medium (bf's was medium well) and the poached eggs were divine. Each bite of gooey egg with grits and steak was heavenly. What a perfect dish.
Then we had cinnamon beignets with coffee anglaise, chocolate and strawberry sauce. Yummy. I was more fond of the strawberry sauce over the other two, but the beignets were outstanding and so warm. I'm a huge fan of beignets and these were to die for.
Our server was extremely friendly and the food was outstanding. I'm dying to come back for dinner; more specifically for the buttermilk fried chicken! After trying Bouchon, Bouchon Bakery, French Laundry, and Ad Hoc, I'm a happy girl for now ;). Next stop, Per Se! -
Review from Nini B.
Los Angeles, CA
3/29/2012
I wanted to like you. I really did.
On my first trip to Napa last weekend, I, an obsessive planner, had made reservations for all of the Napa restaurants I have wanted to try. Ad Hoc was at the top of my list, next was Bouchon, then Mustards Grill, then Cole's Chop House. Of course, The French Laundry too, but I figured I'd rather eat at all those four restaurants I mentioned above than eat once at TFL and starve on the other meals and break the bank.
I made reservations for brunch three weeks before my trip. Although I had wanted to go there for fried chicken night, unfortunately, they did not serve fried chicken the Monday I was there. I knew it beforehand because they only serve fried chicken every other Monday. So I settled for the less popular, which was Sunday brunch. Still, I looked forward to it.
First Course: Sticky buns with fruit salad and creme fraiche. Although the sticky buns were good, they're very much comparable to any sticky buns you can get at good bakeries elsewhere. I know they probably get this from the Bouchon Bakery down the street, but it just wouldn't make the cut for me as a first course at a highly-rated restaurant. The fruit salad they serve is what a 5-year old can make from her mommy's kitchen. Seriously.
Second Course: Ham and eggs. Smoked ham with eggs on toast. Again, it sounds like what a 5-year old can make. And it definitely tasted what a 5-year old can make. Although the smoked ham had good flavor, the toast they served it with had burnt edges. I made it a point to leave those burnt edges behind on my plate so that my server would see it in plain view and hoped she would notice and take action upon, but to my dismay, it was ignored. You charge $36 for this meal and cannot even make decent toast?? Seriously.
Third Course: Coffee ice cream with cookies. The coffee ice cream was one of the best I've ever had. It had bold flavor and the ice cream was very creamy. I really liked it; however, one of the two small cookies they served was once again burnt. Why, oh why disappoint me again, Ad Hoc?
Drink: Strawberry lemonade sangria. I opted for this because this was highly recommended by our server, at an additional $9 of course. Disappointing. Although it was refreshing, I have had better white sangria elsewhere, and it didn't cost $9.
Overall, the food was mediocre. The taste left a lot to be desired, and the burnt toast and cookies were just far from what you expect from a Thomas Keller restaurant. It is just plain unacceptable. I even wondered if head chef Dave Cruz thought that was even acceptable to serve that to his guests. I definitely have had better brunch elsewhere and for a bill costing $92 (without tip), the least they can do is impress me. I was not looking for an out-of-the-world culinary experience here. All I wanted was a brunch great enough for me to recommend to others. Unfortunately, that was not the case.
On a better note, I ended up eating at Bouchon for dinner that night and had an awesome experience. To top it off, Thomas Keller was sitting only a few tables from us. I'm preparing to write my review on that as I finish this. -
Review from Joe G.
Fremont, CA
5/9/2012
Ad Hoc is a unique semi-fine dining experience. The menu is always fixed and you can check it every morning on their website. It is a unique experience as well. The menu comes in a metal pronged folder so that they can replace it daily. We found out from our waiter that the entire 3-4 course meal is never replicated exactly. The food is served family style, so be prepared to share.
The quality of the food is impeccable and is what you would expect from a Thomas Keller establishment. At our meal we were served lamb t-bone and everyone in the party complimented that it was the best lamb they've ever had. It is Napa dining at its finest with the minimal amount of pretentiousness (yes you still see the guys roll up with the rented Ferrari or sporting their Faulex). The service is also spectacular, the staff go out of their way to please the customer.
As a friend of mine said this is the best dining value in the Napa Valley, the typical meal without wines runs $52. We avoided the wines, after a day of wine tasting and having to drive home alcohol was the last thing on my mind. From what I understand the pairing menu is overpriced at nearly $40 for small sips (go with a nice Belgian beer instead). This style of menu is not for everyone so provide warnings in advance, some people simply aren't happy with only one entree choice. -
Review from Kim S.
3/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
Seeing as though this place has already received 4+ stars and over 1,200 reviews, I hardly think that one additional review is gonna make much of a difference. So why bother? Because it's freakin' AMAZING! Quite seriously, the best meal I have ever had. Ironic, because not more than an hour before we came here did a guy and his friends describe it as the exact same thing- "the best".
I enjoyed the decor of the place- simple and laid back, yet with a touch of class. I also really loved the concept of the staff's attire (adorned with patches that represented file folder labels), and even the menus themselves were actual file folders. Word to the wise- the table area is definitely more crowded and louder than the bar area.
Our pre-fixe menue the night that we visited consisted of a salad with olives, oranges, nuts, and onions. The entree was a prime roast with asparagus, radishes, and a risotto. We also ordered the additional option of scallops with fried potato chips- delicious. After the main entree, we were served a combination of aged cheese slices, along with a mixture of yogurt-topped apples and celery, complete with bacon slices on top. For dessert- bananas foster. YUM.
The waitstaff here were super nice and attentive to our needs and in monitoring when we needed plates cleared, water filled, etc. I also felt that they were skilled in determining appropriate wait time in between delivering courses- I needed some time to digest all of the food I had devoured before I dove in for more.
Overall, a fabulous dining experience. True, you may pay a little more than you might at any other restaurant, but trust me, the outcome is totally worth it. I will definitely be back. -
Review from Assaf B.
San Francisco, CA
3/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
As part of a Napa trip for the one year anniversary with my girlfriend, we had a tough choice between the great restaurants in the area.
With Yelp's help, we narrowed it down to three. Ad-Hoc, Bouchon and Auberge Du Solei. (French Laundry had no room of course).
We went to all three, and while all are great, Ad-Hoc was the best of them in terms of food.
The fixed ad-hoc menu included a wonderful asparagus salad which was so flavorful it felt like they chemically enhanced it. A New York strip which was perfectly made and the best was the desert a bread pudding so tasty, no matter how full I was I had to have more. (Probably top 3 deserts I have ever had).
The food was so good, I forgot to mention the service and general ambiance are great as well.
If you're looking for a great dinner place in Napa, Ad-Hoc is the place to go! -
Review from Anne M.
Alameda, CA
3/18/2012
Worth all the hype! Tried it for the first time today for Sunday brunch. Just amazing!
A little wary at first of the limited family-style menu choices...basically no choices, but based on what I ate today, Ad Hoc can choose for me anytime!!
Almond croissant from the Bouchon Bakery - huge oversize buttery almond croissant with housemade jam. Shouldn't have eaten it all but just could't resist. Came with a side of a farm-fresh citrus salad with the sweetest and plumpest grapes I've ever tasted. There really must be something in the Napa soil that makes those grapes so flavorful without that dry after taste you normally get from the grape skin.
Niman Ranch ribeye steak with soft scrambled eggs, and roasted broccolini. The steak cut like butter and was so tender, seasoned perfectly. Big homey portions. I don't usually eat steak and eggs, but this has converted me!!
Lemon posset trifle with warm shortbread cookies --- Soft chantilly cream over a perfectly tart smooth concoction of lemony goodness, with a full body super moist vanilla poundcake tucked inside the little glass. And the sugary (did I already mention they were warm?) cookies... now, that's a happy ending!!
Service --- friendly and attentive.
Topped off my delicious brunch with a walk down to Bouchon Bakery with a big box of yummy treats to take home.
This ranks among one of my very most favorite brunch experiences!! I'm a happy girl!!
Fried chicken, I'm coming back for you!!! -
Review from Joanna R.
Valencia, CA
3/29/2012 6 photos
Of our trip to Napa and Sausalito, our dinner at Ad Hoc was by far the favorite.
On March 24, the menu was:
TFL Garden Beet & Potato Salad - baby tfl garden red, golden and chioggia beets
fresh dug potatoes, belgian endive, living arugula, soft boiled hen egg, bacon lardons mustard vinaigrette
Pan-Roasted Chicken & Shrimp - fulton valley chicken, gulf shrimp, white beans
wilted escarole, spring vegetables
Oven Roasted Meatballs - tomato marmalade, pea shoots, crispy sage ($12 supplement)
Hidden Springs Farm's Ocooch Mountain toasted olive bread, dried apricot marmalade mixed nuts with rosemary and citrus zest
Vanilla Cheesecake -chocolate cookie crumb, California raspberries
...and it was all pretty much awesome. From the start we knew we'd have a fun night with our server Daniel. He was friendly, well-informed, and provided excellent service.
The restaurant's format adds to the fun. It forces you outside of what you'd normally order and lets you be kind of surprised by what comes out of the kitchen. For someone who is usually pretty "safe" at restaurants, I thought this was a really good time.
We loved everything. Mr Rs favorite was the beet and potato salad - its not really my thing but I thought it was the prettiest salad we ate all week. We both loved the meatballs - they were so juicy and full of flavor. The cheese course was great as well and the marcona almonds had lots of orange zest and made for a great course.
The dessert was a little cheesecake - we had probably hoped for something more exciting, but for a cheesecake it was very good!
Its been a week since we were there and I still check the website to review the menu, I'm so jealous of those who have upcoming reservations or are there right now! -
Review from T L.
San Francisco, CA
5/2/2012
It's Friday night and its AD HOC TIME! Got here 15 minutes early so we walked over to the back garden where they grow some of their own fruits, vegetables, and herbs. How fresh is that! They even sell their popular fried chicken in a booth out here with tables to eat on during lunch. Walking in the place it had a warm feeling and not to modern and overly done. We started off with the beet salad, the assortment of beets were very good but the greens might be a little bitter for some (da wife). Then came the flat iron steak cooked to perfection with fava beans and a nice glass of red. The beans were grilled in the casing that made getting to the beans a little challenging but fun. It also came with a order of cauliflower with quinoa, very interesting look and taste. Next came our cheese plate with jam and phyllo. Last but not least our cream puff with a caramel topping with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Great exerperience at one of Thomas Kellers stellar establishments. I just wish I got to try his famous fried chicken, to tell you the truth I was a little disappointed with the meal because I soooo wanted the fried chicken :( I'll be back for the fried chicken FO SHO!
FRENCH LAUNDRY check
AD HOC check
BOUCHON check
B. BAKERY check
PER SE We're on our way! -
Review from Cindy T.
3/10/2012
I've heard so many good things about Ad Hoc, so when I found out that March 1st was the re-opening after undergoing a huge renovation, I knew I had to go. The famous buttermilk fried chicken is served every other Monday and last Monday was the first night. Yountville is cute and quaint, and Ad Hoc fits right in! My ultimate favorite places to eat tend to be the ones that service tasty comfort food that is in a nice setting without being awkward. The set dinner menu was $52 pp and included a salad, fried chicken with sides, cheese plate and dessert. And a supplement was an additional $15 pp if you chose to add that (we added two, I don't share).
Baby red romaine & lolla roso salad - Pretty salad! I loved the baby turnips, pine nuts and chive oil. So good.
Yellowtail crudo (supplement) - We ordered two and I'm so glad we did. Yellow tail sashimi, chiles, cilantro and cucumber dressing. Need I say more?
Buttermilk fried chicken - Best fried chicken I've ever had in my whole entire life. The skin was not only perfectly crispy, but it was super flavorful. And the meat inside was very moist and juicy. Crunch, crunch, lick. Broccoli rabe and pasta along with baked beets were also served with the crunchy goodness, which complemented it well.
Cheese board - When the waitress initially gave the run down of the menu offerings, I informed her that I hate cheese and she happily said that she would ask the chef to fix something for me. I thought that was so nice! My "cheese" plate included the usual suspects: nuts, date, honey, olives and in the place of cheese was prosciutto and mandarin oranges! Love.
Sorbet floats - Strawberry sorbet and lime buttermilk sorbet in gingerale served with shortbread cookies. This was fun, sweet and satisfying.
Dinner was amazing and so worth the money. The staff is funny and on point. Dishes were changed out in every course! I cannot, cannot wait to eat here again! -
Review from Marc I.
Fairfield, CT
5/2/2012
I had dinner on the famed Fried Chicken Monday and it was WELL worth the hype. The first course was a mixed green salad done in a vidalia onion vinaigrette (A+). We purchased the add on beef carpaccio done with an orange dressing. It was very tender but I generally prefer a carpaccio with nice salt and pepper(B+). The main course fried chicken was awesome (A++). The cheese course was a sharp cheddar and apples dressed a few different ways. This plate was a bit plain for my taste (C+). Dessert was a strawberry tart with vanilla ice cream that was nice and lite, a perfect finish for a big dinner (A-).
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Review from David L.
Los Gatos, CA
3/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
I've been to French Laundry and now I've been to Ad Hoc and I have to say I love everything about Ad Hoc and that you can get in and afford to eat there. The service is attentive but casual as is the environment. But let's get down to it, the food is WONDERFUL!
We started with a nice chopped salad with beets, cheese and sunflower seeds. Then the brined pork T bone with lentils, wild rice and trumpet mushrooms. Then a cheese plate with puff pastry. Finally a really awesome warm strawberry rhubarb crisp with cinnamon ice cream. It was a fantastic meal and it's an absolute favorite and I can't wait to go back. I'm dying to try their fried chicken! -
Review from Arlene M.
2/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place is really tough to get to, but if you can get in, it is totally worth the effort. We actually wound up eating here twice in one day...first for lunch at their "Addendum" takeout counter and then dinner in the restaurant the same night.
I was really excited to try their fried chicken which is why I wanted to check out Addendum, so I got the chicken and hubby got the Bbq. I think the chicken wasn't as good as the hype, though still really good, but we actually enjoyed the BBQ more! I wonder if the execution just isn't quite the same as it is when you get it at the restaurant during fried chicken nights.
The dinner at the restaurant though, was just perfect. We had chicken again, but the roast chicken at the restaurant was much better than the fried chicken we had at lunch. It was just so tasty and scrumptious...one of the best roast chicken's I've ever had. The salad, cheese course, and dessert were also great...overall a standout meal. Best of all, you are getting the full Keller experience at a fraction of the price, I can understand why this is one of the hardest tables to book in Yountville.
If you go, make sure you book on Opentable weeks in advance! -
Review from Vien C.
San Francisco, CA
2/16/2012
$50 for fried chicken...are you kidding me? My babe wanted some friggen expensive fried chicken. I can get like 50 pieces of the Colonel's stuff at that price. If you fry chicken... it's fry chicken and it's not like a steak where it takes aging and precision to grill a perfectly charred medium rare steak, which i wouldn't mind paying for. Anyways, after 12 years together, one recipe to a lasting relationship is not to brother saying "no" if it's something she really wants to try, i will make sure she's spoiled.
When i got there...let me say that I've never been so happy to be wrong. For one thing it was a 4 course meal with fantastic service. But honestly I forgot if the other dishes was a cheese plate or winter squash nor what the desert was...because the ad hoc fried chicken was the best fried chicken i ever ate. Generous portions of chicken, fried to perfection, served on a All-Clad stainless steel frying pan. Each piece was juicy and spiced perfectly, with an awesome buttermilk batter. I can see rosemary...but heck...not even gonna bother to identify the other seasonings...cause if i knew, I would put the colonel out of business. When they asked if we wanted more after we finished our chicken...i was like hell yeah...pure gluttony but oh so good.
The chicken was so good that i can't eat at the colonel's no more to this day. Best $50 i spend ever... well for 2 and with drinks and tax, tips, the bill was over ($150) but you get the drift. i would have gladly paid more...can't wait to come back for Fried Chicken Night.
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