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Arcadia Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants American (New) Restaurants Steakhouses American (New), Steakhouses [Edit]
100 W San Carlos StSan Jose, CA 95113
(408) 278-4555
Announcement
Make this Mother's Day memorable and gather at our Sunday brunch surrounded by warmth, elegance, and attentive service.
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 6:30 am - 2 pm
Tue-Sat 5:30 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street, Validated, Private Lot, Valet
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Upscale
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
407 reviews for Arcadia Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"PS: Their duck fat fries are incredible." In 88 reviews -
"The desserts are signature Michael Mina." In 72 reviews -
"Foie Gras Sliders - INCREDIBLE." In 18 reviews
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407 reviews in English
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Review from braden k.
5/10/2012
the ambiance is soothing enough that I never felt encompassed in the lobby of a hotel within the downtown area of one of the busiest cities in California.
to start,
ahi tuna tartare. the added fillers killed the flavor faster than sylvester stallone in rambo II
the raw oysters were, for lack of a better term, on point.
she had the salmon. a bit greasy and overcooked for my taste but no complaints from her so its still all good under the hood!
i chose the aged ny steak.
*note to all restaurants: if I order my meat RARE, and emphasize the 'RARE' like mr. clean with HAIR.. please serve it rare. don't be scared, if I fall ill to a peculiar case of mad cow disease, I won't sue.. i'll be too lazy from my mad food coma after a delicious steak JUST THE WAY I ORDERED IT.
chocolate lava cake dessert with birthday celebration toppings to end it all
decent service, romantic ambiance. michael mina, i was not truly IMPRESSED by your performance. you'll get one last shot after I dine at your spot in the city.
go for broke! -
Review from Cindy B.
5/21/2012
This is an overdue review as we came here for restaurant week.
The food was quite good. I had the bone marrow, which was fattier than I expected. I very much enjoyed the medium rare steak that I ordered, tho I didn't come with anything besides a couple of pearl onions. I had salted caramel ice cream for dessert, over the top good!
A friend ordered the truffle fries as appetizer but the server seemed to have forgotten it. When our appetizers all arrived, she reminded him again. When he brought it out with our entrees, he mentioned that since it was late, it would be on the house.
Had it been just all those, I'd give 4 stars for sure. However, I am pretty annoyed by one thing at the end of dinner tho. We had a group of 7 so there was automatically 18% gratuity. That practice was perfectly fine with me but a closer look of the cheque showed that the tax was based on the sum of food and tip! No, gratuity is completely between me and the server, Uncle Sam has not part in it! -
Review from Becky W.
San Jose, CA
5/14/2012
Came here for lunch with Mom today. Let's get straight to the food first. We ordered the power lunch combination with Arcadia Salad & Petra Sole, and the Arcadia Burger. The salad was decent. The blue cheese wasn't over-powering, I just wish there were more candied walnuts- they were so tasty! The fish was cooked a bit too dry, but the mashed potato and sprouts were good. I have very mixed feeling about the burger however, and this is why. The burger tasted really good, BUT the patty was too dry. If cooked right, the meat patty is supposed to be juicy and succulent. Unfortunately, it wasn't. The fries were decent, nothing special. However, the pickles that came with the burger was so good! It was juicy with the perfect sweetness, best pickles I ever had. Trust me, I don't usually eat pickles.
Great ambiance, excellent service, but the food took way too long! Our salad took about 20 minutes. After that it was another 25 mins before they brought out the rest of our food. We were starving by the time our entrees arrived! It was a bit ridiculous how long they took being a Monday and the restaurant was far from being packed.
A bit disappointed cause I did expect more from a Michael Mina's restaurant even though it doesn't have a star. Perhaps dinner is different, I'll probably give it a try in the future. -
Review from john-michael c.
Santa Clara, CA
Updated - 5/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
They remodeled..
And I like it. They got this new lounge area with seats and tables and what not.
It's a touch off the beaten path in an area that isnt quite known for their food but its worth the walk... especially since foie gras is still available till june.. or is it july?
The ban is in effect so get your foie gras fix while you still can.
And I only mention the foie gras since they have foie gras sliders. But if you dont care for the carbs.. then just get a side order of foie gras and cannibalize that bad boy.
drool
;DListed in: Some of my best memories...
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/18/2010
Man, I have really become a light weight...
One makers n coke and I'm nearly tripping all over… Read more »
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Review from Jeff F.
5/6/2012
The lack of acceptable food in downtown San Jose is baffling. What's more baffling is that the one of the few good calls you can make is the restaurant at the Marriott (which happens to be a Michael Mina creation). Quick on the food: solid filet, decent duck fat fries, ok oysters and steak tartare worth ordering. Weak tuna tartare - I'd pass.
If you're staying at the Marriott, this is a no-brainer. -
Review from Learnee L.
Emeryville, CA
5/4/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
hubby and I were in San Jose to watch the Cirque so we decided to try Michael Mina's restaurant for dinner.
We were 30 mins early for our reservations but were seated promptly.
ambiance: ppretty good
service: we were expecting better service considering what type of restaurant it is.
food: good, portions should be a bit bigger. the skirt steak I ordered was a bit too fatty that my plate started to have the fat solids around it.
the duck fries were not as great as Yelpers say it is.
mac n cheese: good but I've had better. the ham taster for apps were good but were lacking something.
drinks: pretty good.
Flavors were good but forgettable.
service: should be better. -
Review from D M.
San Jose, CA
Updated - 5/24/2012
Five stars for the super fast follow up from Arcadia's manager explaining the situation and what happened that Saturday night. I appreciate it and hope to be in SJ soon to try the place again.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/16/2012
Review is for the service/experience only.
Saturday evening, Downtown SJ. Girlfriend gets a group… Read more »
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Review from Brian L.
San Francisco, CA
Terrible. Completely overpriced. A disappointing Mina experience. Where do I begin?
To start, the beef tartare was the only dish I liked. Everything is downhill from there. The duck fat fries that everyone raves about here were just plain bad. They tasted like they had been sitting out for an hour - lacked a crisp texture to them. Flavorwise - nothing special. Same went for the cheese plate - no wow factor, just ordinary.
THE OYSTERS WERE THE SIZE OF A BOTTLE CAP. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? WORLD'S TINIEST OYSTERS. AT $3 A POP I WAS OUTRAGED.
The New York strip steak was awful. The meat was flavorless and dry. The Pinot Noir sauce I had on the side was bland and didn't add much flavor. I went with a big group, and the consensus was that the food was a huge letdown.
Save your money, look elsewhere. -
Review from Jessica C.
San Jose, CA
5/18/2012
I friggin love this place. So good, service is always wonderful. And not to mention, their bread.. is .... awesome. Oh and their steaks...
Truffle mac and cheese is the Sh*t.
There was this one time where i ordered the filet mignon with all the crap on it and, sorry, i'm not cultured, so i didn't know what foie gras was. (did i butcher the spelling?). anyway i ordered that delicious tower of food and i thought it was a salty mushroom. NOPE. the server told me in the middle of me eating it what it was and ... well it's my fault, but ... lost my appetite. thank god they're banning it in CA soon.
Anyway, they made it up to me because they gave me a dessert on the house (helped that I knew the busser)
but 5 stars from me! And i'll always be coming back here for more :)... but not for more fattened duck liver. -
Review from Les B.
Santa Cruz, CA
4/21/2012
Arcadia, I have only one comment: what the hell happened to the foie gras sliders??? Readers, look at any of the pics on the Yelp review page. THAT is what the slider was all about: seared foie gras on a little toasted bun, topped with the little perfect crunch of frisee and with a side of the most incredible jus I've ever tasted. Tonight it was liver on a bun sitting in a pool of strawberry sauce, which made the bottom bun soggy and my fingers sticky. So, you've taken one of the best restaurant bites in the Silicon Valley and downgraded it from sublime to good. NOT a wise decision.
I'm giving 3 stars for the outstanding service, and the Martin Ray '09 Cab.
Come on, chef...are you reading your reviews??? -
Review from Jessie H.
Fremont, CA
4/9/2012
My first time at Arcadia was about 5 or 6 years ago, and I vowed I would never be back. Everything was classic Michael Mina, but with a ridiculous amount of salt.
Due to a good friend's birthday dinner this weekend, I again dined at Arcadia. However, my experience this time changed my mind about the restaurant. Everything was delicious, perfectly seasoned, perfectly cooked. I left very pleased and very full.
My friend and I decided we wanted to share the Steak Rossini and the scallops. When we told our waiter this, he actually offered to have them plate it for us in a surf n turf manner. It was such a nice gesture, and the plating was done beautifully.
I highly recommend the truffle popcorn and the ahi tuna tartare for starters. The tartare is a Michael Mina classic and you can't go wrong with it. The truffle popcorn is well... wow. So incredibly fragrant and tasty. I had to forcibly stop myself from eating the whole bucket.
I also highly recommend the kobe and the steak rossini. A friend ordered the kobe and generously offered me a bite. I have good friends. Get the steak rossini before foie gras is "banned" in June.
For dessert, I always get the root beer float, which is my all time favorite at MM. Cookies, ice cream and root beer? Perfect way to end a meal.
ps. the lobster pot pie at MM is delicious and one of my favorites, but I haven't tried it at Arcadia. However, the table next to us did order it and this past weekend, the market rate was $64. When the waiter brought it out for their table, we all agreed it could be easily shared between two or three people. The serving size is pretty big. -
Review from Angela p.
San Carlos, CA
4/16/2012
Food - 2 stars
Service - 3 1/2 stars
Went here with some friends and, after dining at other Michael Mina restaurants, expected much better.
Lobster Corn Dogs - Really disappointed, the batter was doughy and the lobster was chopped so finely, it didn't resemble or taste anything like lobster.
Fries - I've had better, nothing special.
Burrata Cheese - Pretty good, again, nothing I'd order again. Not much flavor.
Arcadia Salad - Very good, great flavors and enjoyed very much.
Kobe Flat Iron steak - A lot of fat, wish I had ordered a different steak. There were many to choose from, and I'm sure there is one that would have been a better choice.
Bone marrow - this was the worst of all. First, we asked if it came with any toasted bread for spreading and the waiter brought us four slices of what looked like thin white bread with the crust cut off and barely toasted (really strange). Anyway, the marrow looked like chunks of separated, jellied, fat. Nobody liked it and we didn't finish.
Side of mushrooms - shared this with friends and we didn't finish it, not recommended.
For the money, I would go somewhere else. -
Review from Michelle H.
San Jose, CA
5/12/2012
Got the Kobe steak, was delicious! Definitely recommend the truffled mac n' cheese and ahi tuna tartare. Great service, had a good experience. WIll be back!
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Review from Cathy B.
San Jose, CA
3/31/2012
Who knew there was a Michael Mina restaurant here in San Jose? And in the Marriott no less?
We arrived on a Friday for reservations at 7:30. Valet was inefficient unfortunately and we sat in our car for a couple of minutes waiting for the cars ahead to be moved out of the way and for someone to help us.
The restaurant itself is sleek and modern. It's not pretentious at all and everyone was very kind. We were seated promptly when we arrived which was nice. It's always a bit annoying when you have reservations yet you still have to wait 15-20 minutes.
We started with half a dozen oysters and two orders of the Foie Gras sliders. The oysters were delicious and I liked that there were two kinds to try. The sliders were amazing! Very flavorful and melted in your mouth.
For our main course I had the Steak Rossini while my boyfriend had the dry aged New York strip. Both were cooked perfectly as we wanted, which we were very happy. I have had disappointing steak experiences recently so I was very happy to finally get my perfect steak. We had a side of the truffle mac and cheese, which the portion size was larger than we expected.
The bill came out to $180, which is a steal for how much food we had. Arcadia far exceeded my expectations and we'll be back! -
Review from Stephanie H.
Calabasas, CA
5/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
Came here for lunch with my boyfriend and the food was pretty good but kind of small...even for lunch portion sizes. I am all for smaller portions but geez...we were so hungry that we had to order an extra lunch special to fill us up. We started with the ahi tuna poppers and burrata salad. Delish on both. Then we had the steak frites with duck fat fries...yum but i didn't taste much duck fat and the sole. We were still hungry so we decided to share a power lunch which is a pretty sweet deal. $16 for an appetizer (arcadia salad) and main (truffle risotto). The risotto was needed to fill us up but it wasn't the tastiest...lacked some moisture but then again, by the time we were eating the risotto, lunch service had ended and the servers were all cleaning up.
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Review from Alan B.
Lacey, WA
4/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Given my lackluster experience at the restaurant across the convention center at the Hilton, I was quite surprised and pleased with my experience at Arcadia (located in the lobby area of the Marriott).
Not only was the wait-staff extremely attentive to our group (they seated us in their small private dining room), once our waiter was informed we were on a tight schedule, the speed and efficiency with which the whole night moved was outstanding.
Everyone who served and assisted us treated us superbly, and the food was outstanding! From the selection to the presentation to the taste, everything far exceeded my hopes. -
Review from Angeline H.
San Jose, CA
3/27/2012
I celebrated my 23rd birthday dinner here on a late Wednesday night. Cutting to the point! For dinner we ordered:
-Ahi tuna tartar
-Cowboy ribeye
-Dry aged NY Steak
-Duck fat fries
-Truffle mac & cheese
They serve a complimentary selection of bread (sourdough, sweet roll, olive bread) w/ a side of butter topped with sea salt and sun dried tomatoe spread which was so good with the sourdough we had to ask for more.
When the tuna tartar came out the food runner mixed up the tuna before we could take a picture :( The ribeye was okay. It was cooked medium rare and it was too rare for my liking. The NY steak was AMAZING! I would probably ask for Medium next time but everything about it was so good. The duck fat fries were ordinary. Nothing special than that. I would settle for The Counters skinny parm fries.The truffle mac & cheese was very flavorful and had a great amount of cheese and truffle oil.
I had a complimentary birthday dessert which was the chocolate molten cake. Very good.
Our server wasn't very attentive at all. I barely saw him.. maybe three times whereas another server with long spikey hair was very helpful and nice. -
Review from Jen M.
San Jose, CA
3/18/2012
Oh yes.
This is the finest restaurant in which I had the pleasure to dine in San Jose. The cuisine is excellent, paying homage to both classic iconic dishes and newer more trendy flavors. The bread is served with whipped salted butter and a tomato ragu. The stuffed potato skins are NOT what you expect. It was pulled beef inside a sushi roll looking potato skin served with the most creamy lightly seasoned creme fraiche.
I have had a filet mignon all over the country and this one was perfection. I chose the pinot noir sauce and can't imagine a better choice. I added the foie gras as an accompaniment and was NOT disappointed. The man and I shared the truffle mac and cheese and it is a MUST TRY. We could smell the duck fat fries of the table next to us and we will have to come back.
This was the richest in flavor meal I think I have ever had. It was satisfying on such a decadent level. The service was impeccable as well. Just the right amount of checking on us and discussion of the menu choices.
This is where you take someone on a second date when you had a great first date and you want to impress. I would not suggest this place for dinner prior to a sexy date as you will want to just curl up in a ball and nap afterwards if you choose the right items. -
Review from Erica S.
Since the last time I came here, they redid the interior decor. Now it has more of a rustic Napa feel with the new light fixtures and tables vs the fine dining restaurant that it used to be. It's a much more relaxed environment and an enjoyable setting. So for a weekday dinner, it was pretty busy with locals and business dinners. There's a lounge area in the front, which is a great place for happy hour.
This time, we decided to try different foods. For starters, we had the beef tartare and it was by far, the most amazing one we had. The beef was SOOO fresh that it tasted like tuna. The server carefully mixed the ingredients together in front of us and it was served with fresh potato chips. It was SOOO good that I could have eaten this as an entree!
WOW, also do NOT underestimate the other entrees here! It is a steakhouse, but you won't be disappointed in getting the "Michael Mina's Whole Fried Chicken for Two!" For $26 per person, it comes with roasted root veggies, your own individual portion of my favorite side, Truffled Mac N' Cheese along with a couple Rosemary Onion Rings. It was definitely worth the long wait, but let me forewarn you that it's not the typical fried chicken that you would think of. I thought it would be crispy buttermilk fried chicken, but instead, it was more of a flash fried chicken with au jus on top, which ends up more of a rotisserie style chicken vs fried. Although it was not what I had envisioned, I was not disappointed at all! Juicy meat with lots of flavors.
The whole chicken was brought out on a cart, which they cut and plate in front of you. We each got a breast and thigh. Generous portions. Make sure 2 people order it though. Otherwise, you get stuck with pan roasted chicken instead.
Service was excellent. All the food runners were professional and our server often checked on us.Listed in: My Favorite Place for Steak
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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3/17/2011
Funny that we came back for the 2nd time, but ended up pretty much ordering the same thing as last… Read more »
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Review from Jason K.
San Mateo, CA
3/12/2012
We came here for a birthday and had really high hopes. The service was amazing, but the food was just ok. Overall rating would be about 3.5 stars. 5 for the service and 2.5-3 for the food.
What we ordered:
Lobster corn dogs - was not a fan. they used a lobster paste formed into a hot dog instead of chunks of lobster that were skewered
Duck fat fries - Tasted good, but could not really tell the difference between duck fat and regular fat
Truffle mac and cheese - good mac and cheese, not much truffle flavor came through
Filet Mignon - Date ordered the steak medium... first try it came out well and was very dry. Our waiter took it back without question and gave her another one that was cooked to a perfect medium
Cowboy rib eye - I ordered it medium-rare, but it came medium. There was more than enough fat in the steak to maintain it's moisture, so I did not send it back.
Side of foie gras - foie gras makes everything better... this is another reason why i didn't have to send back the rib eye. foie gras = AMAZING!
Chocolate molten cake - the salted caramel ice cream and the richness of the molten cake was a perfect pairing. Desert was a win.
Our server (i believe his name was Robert) was awesome. When we didn't finish the lobster corn dogs, and he found out that we weren't too fond of them he ended up taking them off the bill. He was very attentive, but not disrupting. Probably one of the best server's I've ever had at a restaurant. -
Review from Holly V.
San Jose, CA
3/19/2012 Seated via OpenTable
i guess im always late to do these reviews..
BUT...
i have to say, i will be coming back to this place. Its a bit cheaper than your "Alexander Steakhouse", but the service was great. the food wasnt as bad either.
I ordered the salmon something, it came out cooked perfectly with crispy skin.. mmm how i like my skins to be crispy.
The bone marrow is not what i had expected at all. it was a bit salty..
the must trys are the duck fat fries and truffle mac n cheese. mmmmm i can actually eat that as my main dish! they were both pretty flavorful.
The BOYFRIEND ordered the dry aged steak which was pretty good too.
OHH! and may i add... the oyster rockefeller wasnt all that great..
the bill came out to be 130!!! with all that food!!! and we had soo much food to go too!!! this place is a must try if your looking for a nice place to take your significant other. -
Review from Dyan Y.
San Ramon, CA
3/8/2012
AMAZING.
Food A+++
Lobster Corn Dogs - OMG
Ahi Tartare - melted in my mouth
Seared Scallops - so rich and decadent
Phillo dusted Sol - soul nurturing
If you get dessert you MUST try the carrot cake! I know but I PROMISE you will thank me. 3 words : Creme Fraiche Sorbet
Wine was divine and hubby had the vodka-raspberry mead-sparkley wine cocktail and that was good.
Service: Robert A+++ funny, witty, knowledgeable about the menu! David, he can bus a table and laugh at my jokes = A+++ (if you read this David, BFE) :)
Too bad we live a tad far from this place or we would be regulars:) -
Review from Rach S.
Mountain View, CA
3/22/2012
I'm a major foodie, having enjoyed many a fine dining experience at Michael Mina, ManResa, Baume, Plumed Horse, ChezTJ, DishDash (not super fine but certainly a contendor in flavor), etc and I had been looking forward to enjoying a great dinner at Arcadia on Friday.
What a bummer!
We had dinner reservations but actually liked the ambiance of the bar so we let one of the bar staff know to please move our reservation to the bar. Apparently the front desk didn't receive this information as we were listed as a no-show.
For starters we ordered Lobster Corn Dogs and Duck Fat Fries.
The pastry shell encasing the lobster dog, was still raw on the inside. It was so sticky that when I peeled it off to take a peek inside, it stuck to my fingers like glue.
The Duck fat fries? No unique flavor whatsoever. I could have sworn they were McDonalds fries.
Next up the Burrata Salad.
Now that to me was delicious! I'm a huge fan of Burrata cheese, so you can't go wrong there. The Balsamic and Mizuna were a nice compliment to melt in your mouth burrata.
My date was hankering for a hearty salad, but I talked him into the Whole Fried Chicken for two which has rave reviews online, hoping the chef would redeem himself with this little number.
The server wheeled out the full whole chicken behind us but we barely noticed as they failed to grab our attention (we were facing the bar) and was explaining his every move some guy who looked like a Maitre d. We happened to have noticed some movement behind us and turned around to see the show. I do wish they would have made it a point to show "us" his carving techniques.
Upon serving and before they rolled the cart away, we thought what a cool idea it would be to have the wishbone. So we asked the Maitre d looking fellow if he'd ask someone to cut it out for us. He returned some time later and advised us that they couldn't cut it out as in the frying procedure most of the bones disintegrated and there was no wish bone.
BALONY! There was a wish bone. We saw it.
So onto the actual meal.
Average at best! 1/2 the chicken (my dates half) was seasoned and cooked well with the skin nice and crispy, (which I'm sure was nice) but my half seemed to have missed out on the deep fry part.
The veggies served were so so - I think... I can barely remember them that's how memorable they were.
The Truffled Mac & Cheese accompaniment was cold, which meant that the cheese that was supposed to be warm and melty, had already hardened. Sitting in a mini cast iron pot, you'd think it would still be warm, but this must be a testament to how long ago it was made and left sitting. But... the flavor was certainly good! Had it been a little warmer (or warm at all) it would have been one of the highlights of the meal.
Then the kicker! My date had finished up his meal, and I was still plugging away. The Maitre d thought it was a good idea to clear his plate.
Seriously? May not be a huge deal to some but isn't fine dining (even when at the bar) etiquette waiting until all parties have finished before any clearing begins?
Onto the staff. Very attentive - almost too attentive. I'm not a huge fan of anyone eves dropping on our conversation, making comments, and smirking to the point where it was so uncomfortable we moved.
The one part of the evening you may have thought should have gone without a hitch... the bill.
My date has since been charged "twice". He called to rectify the situation and they are giving him such a hard time about it, that he has had to get his credit card company involved.
Bad taste for Arcadia....? Bitter. -
Review from Len S.
3/14/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Although the restaurant has a few lovely dishes on the menu, the presentation is pleasing, and the overall layout of the space is nice, there are some serious flaws. The appetizer portions are small, and the prices are large. The quality of the appetizers doesn't seem to fit the bill you pay for one. The food issues continue. The filet Mignon my wife ordered was much less a prime cut of steak, it was a shriveled little truffle. If it was a truffle it might've been forgivable, however it was not, it was a piece of flavorless meat, that all though was delivered medium rare the outside was so seared as to be unpleasant. I like a sear or grilling like the next guy but something was lost in translation here. High points included the ruffled mac and cheese and green peppercorn sauce. The addition of foie gras with brioche is a nice touch but again, way overpriced.
Service was the real loser.
We were seated and told our waiter that we were trying to make a show at 8pm and would appreciate if our food could come out faster. Restaurants near theaters understand what this means and generally for a party of 7 where gratuity is automatically included will do their utmost to accommodate them. When he came around for our orders he seemed perplexed that we wanted to order our drinks and entrees at the same time. Didn't we just say we're in a rush? He comes back with an order pad. We give him our order and then begin waiting for our drinks. They take a while, too long a while. the appetizers take even longer and we finally have to ask someone where our entrees are as our waiter has gone AWOL. Needless to say we arrived late and missed the opening 10 minutes of our show.
I most certainly will never be coming back here, too bad as it is a nice comfortable space in which to dine. -
Review from Jay B.
Bay Area
3/14/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Little imprint of Michael Mina that I saw made me opt for this Restaurant of choice.
Booked thru open table. When we walked in, there were plenty of seating. Ambiance felt inviting yet also more of a buisness feeling.
As for the menu of choice. We chose the power lunch $14
Two orders -
Mushroom Bisque and Prime Rib dip sandwich
Arcadia salad, Truffle Risotto
I already knew that our order would be messed up, when she repeated it and we corrected her with our order.
Yes indeed - she brought out a Caesar salad and the truffle Risotto which was not what I ordered. I even told my good friend that this is not the Arcadia salad. With that said, when you hear a Michael Mina owned restaurant you would automatically think they live up to its name. I did not correct her with what she brought out. No arguing, I ate the Caesar salad. Nothing exciting. However, the Truffle Risotto, very tasteful, full of flavor.
My good Elite*ster friend, had the Mushroom Bisque and Prime Rib dip sandwich. Order came out right. I took two big spoonful of the Mushroom Bisque which was very rich in flavor, yet yummy. I will leave the Prime rib dip sandwich to her review. -
Review from Sammy C.
2/29/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Came here with my fiance for a romantic Valentine's dinner on 2/14/2012; it was also our anniversary.
Although, we were expecting to order something from their regular manual, but the food they prepared for the Valentine's day weren't too bad.
We had chilled foie gras, steak, & hot soup; all tasted very nice and amazingly flavorful! My fiance loved their steak, he thought it was perfectly cooked and definitely coming back here for their famous rib eye! For me, I loved their foie gras, I thought it wouldn't be as good since it's not served hot. I can't wait to go back for their regular style hot foie gras too.
Since we couldn't get what we were expecting, the waiter was super nice to waive the corking fee for us (which was supposed to be around $20); that made us happier!
Great food and great service for a romantic steak dinner for special occasion; we will definitely be back here again! -
Review from Emmy M.
Santa Clara, CA
3/24/2012 Seated via OpenTable
I hate that I feel like when I pay more for a meal, I use the fact that I paid more to judge the food. Somehow things always seem better when you dished out your savings to enjoy it. Okay, really our bill wasn't that much. $130 for 3 people, but I being the vegetarian, probably brought it down some.
What we ordered:
Burrata with beets.
Ribeye.
Filet Minion.
Sauteed mushrooms.
Also attempted to order:
Mushroom bisque - for myself. But as the waiter knew I was a vege, he brought up that the soup was made with chicken broth. Bummer, but I appreciate that he knew. Not all places pay attention to the fact that things may still not be vegetarian even though their aren't hunks of flesh floating in it.
Truffle mac and cheese - same deal, chicken broth.
Then after the realization that what I was ordering was all getting knocked down, he told me they had a vegetarian mushroom risotto, not on the menu, that they could whip up. Perfect, I was happy for that.
All in all the food we got was great. I think the quality of steaks were fantastic for what we paid. Also, the risotto was top-notch and ultra flavorful. Better than any I've been able to make at home.
I was excited about the burrata, but it was a lot less delicious than I expected. As a salad, it just seemed a little dull, so I popped a piece of the cheese on the complimentary bread they provided, and something about that combination really brought out the flavor of the cheese. Too bad I waited to the last bite to realize that.
Sauteed mushrooms. Okay.. but they were the same mushrooms in my risotto. I didn't need to eat a whole 'nother dish of the same thing.
Overall, I was impressed how well they were able to cater to my vege need, being they were a steak house. And since my two guests enjoyed their steaks just as much as I enjoyed my risotto, I was happy to have taken them their.
Would go again. Nice atmosphere. -
Review from Zerrilyn P.
San Jose, CA
2/25/2012
I've been here twice with my boyfriend, and both times have been a great experience!! First time we went here was the week of Valentine's a couple of years ago. The place has a great ambience and looks upscale, but it is decently priced.
For appetizers we ordered:
-Truffled Mac 'n' Cheese--so good! Definately a good twist to the average mac n cheese recipe
-Duck fat fries--our waiter said they're so good you don't even need ketchup...he's right!
-Lobster corndogs with fennel--so cute and petite, and yet so flavorful--the lobster tastes great, and the batter isn't too thick or overwhelming
For entrees:
-Salmon--cooked just right--flavorul and juicy,not overcooked...I also ordered a mango martini along with my dinner since I didn't want to drink wine--so girly and fruity...loved it
-Skirt steak--my boyfriend ordered this--this was also good--cooked medium well and had so much flavor even without the steak sauce
The second time we went here, we went on our 10 year anniversary just this past December...we were driving back home from Monterey when my boyfriend said he was craving lobster corndogs. When we got there we ordered:
-2 orders of the lobster corndogs
-Foie Grois slider--I won't order this again b/c it's not worth my 12 dollars...I assumed there would be more than 1 slider, but it just came with one...and it was just the size of a half-dollar...literally! I loved the fattiness of the Foie Grois, but I'd probably 86 the golden raisins that came along with it...it just seemed to oversweeten the sandwich...
-Lava Cake with caramel and Sea Salt--best lava cake I've had ever...warm and gooey, and smothering the cake with the sea salt and caramel just made that experience even better...if I could have, I probably would have decided to not share it with my boyfriend haha...
The staff is great...so welcoming, and very attentive! I don't think I'll get tired of this place :) -
Review from Charla A.
2/6/2012
THE BEST steak I've ever had in my life. I'm a 'Ruth's Chris Steakhouse' enthusiast, but this place really makes it look like an outback.
Atmosphere: It's a swanky restaurant filled with important businessmen/women and rich family dinners. You'll find yourself amidst thousand dollar suits and jeans alike (albeit, jeans that probably cost as much as the dinner itself). I enjoyed the dim overhead lighting, with candle lights atop each table. It would be an impressive place to take a date ;) Overall, presentation is nice. Furniture and table settings are classy. It's just a wine tasting room short of being one of the nicest steakhouses I've been to. Oh wait, it DOES have a wine tasting room.
Food:
I had the dry aged New York steak, medium. The first bite literally melted in my mouth. I died and went to heaven. My eyes rolled in the back of my head. I couldn't breathe. IT'S THAT GOOD. You also get a choice of nummy sauces, I couldn't pronounce mine... We also ordered the DUCK FAT FRIES and the something something cauliflower... I think my favorite out of the two was the duck fat fries, it's definitely something to try. Friend had the Kobe steak, medium rare (the first time I've seen blood come out of my bite of meat). If you can handle the plasma, I would recommend getting medium rare. One of the most tender steaks I've ever tried in my life. This was one of the best food experiences I've had in a while.
Customer service:
Good customer service. Nothing out of the ordinary, but they were nice. Very helpful in explaining what the foreign words meant. Explained what the sauces were made of, and what types of breads were being offered. Pretty good.
Go here for a delicious meal, but get ready to spend. -
Review from Bernadette G.
San Ramon, CA
2/4/2012
My husband invited me to come along with him a few of his co-workers and boss to this restaurant for the first time last night and I must say I was very pleased with my meal.
Service: Was phenomenal, I wish I could remember his name to give him the credit he deserves. I believe he was asian and had longer hair that was slick back but any time one of us would get up he would come and fold our napkin and neatly place it in the front of where we were seated. He was very informative of the menu and even laughed along with some of our conversation topics. Big plus :)
Food: For starters we had the duck fat french fries, basically very salty fries a must share throughout the whole table because after just a few thats all you'll really need.
My husband's boss order the lobster corn dogs which were only okay for me it was more corn dog batter then lobster, which was a little bit of a disappointment for me because I would rather have more of a lobster flavor than the batter.
For our main course my husband had the LOBSTER PIE OMMMMGGG it was the best thing I have ever eaten that had to do with lobster. The presentation was impressive and the taste was to die for and must try and can be shared between two. I had the filet mignon which was paired with their classic béarnaise sauce which is creamy almost like a hollandaise sauce you would find on a eggs benedict. It didn't pack as much of a flavor as I thought but the filet was just as good by it self.
For our sides we choose the truffle Mac and Cheese which had bits of broccoli in it, very cheesy and very awesome!
Dessert: We had the root beer float paired with two chocolate chip cookies that my husband shared with his co-workers and I had the chocolate molten cake with praline ice cream and salted carmel bits. My husband said it was the best root beer float he has ever had and my cake was good but it had a little bit to much chocolate sauce in the middle of the cake and just ended up looking like a puddle of chocolate on my platter. I could only eat half of it because the flavor was way to rich.
All in all the food was amazing service was great and I would definitely recommend this place to anyone. -
Review from Shirley N.
San Jose, CA
I finally had the chance to check this restaurant out after many recommendations+ yelp reviews. I had reservations at 8:15pm for a party of four for my friend's 23rd birthday. The restaurant decor is nice, very simple and classy.
We decided to order:
1. Bread- My favorite of the bunch was the sour dough. i LOVE their sun-dried tomato spread--so delicious! :)
2. Ahi Tuna Tartarer--I actually enjoyed this dish considering I'm not a huge ran of raw food. It paired well with the toasted bread.
3. 20 oz. aged Cowboy Ribeye- I usually order mines medium but since we we're all sharing, a majority of my friends enjoy their meat medium rare. The meat was surprisingly good, i liked that there we're a variety of sauces we pair our meat with.
4. Dry-aged new york steak- This was probably my favorite out of the two. This meat was packed with flavor and was good by itself.
5. Duck fat fries- The fries we're good, it stayed crispy till the very end. But at the same time, it just tasted like regular fries to me. I was expecting a kick of flavor. You can say i left a little disappointed..but don't get me wrong, it was still tasty.
6. Truffle mac and cheese- This side dish was SO GOOD and probably the best I've ever had. Creamy, flavorful, cheesy with the right amount of truffle oil!
7. Chocolate molten cake with Salty Caramel Ice Cream, Hazelnut Praline. I personally like the dessert because I'm a HUGE fan of sweet and salty :) I did however wish they caramel ice cream had a more caramel-y flavor to it.
Overall, the food was really good and we all left stuffed. The steaks are definitely not as big as say.. Alexander's Steakhouse but I'd prefer these steaks/sides instead. The meat was packed with flavor and they have better side sauces!
Minus 1 star-Service on the other hand does not compare. Our server wasn't very attentive and i wish he acknowledged my friend's birthday a little more instead of just at the very end. I feel like we barely saw him and when he was around, it was very quick. The server that was helping our main server, was WAY more helpful. I wish i got his name! (he brought out our dishes, refilled our waters, got us a wine menu, helped us take a group picture, and etc). So who ever you are, thank you! :)
I would return again! -
Review from james l.
Mountain View, CA
4/9/2012
came here for my birthday; wife surprised me with "Let's go to Michale Minas for your birthday in San Jose", i was like uh huh? Michale Minas in SJ? are you sure? In the end, i was surprised. Arcadia is part of Michale Minas and i didn't know.
We came for lunch and they were delicious. Mushroom bisque and Tuna Popper were mouthwatering! I had the prime rib auju dip and my wife got the Arcadia burger.
Molden chocolate for dessert was the best and it's free if it's your birthday!! -
Review from Grace C.
2/26/2012 3 photos
They have a pretty decent happy hour. $5 truffle mac and cheese? yumm. The truffle flavor is pretty prominent too and it's decadent without being too heavy. The beef tartare poppers are pretty tasty as well, albeit small, but definitely packing flavor, and I love the potato blinis that they're served on. Nice and crisp on the outside, fluffy and creamy on the inside. It was a nice surprise since I thought I'd be biting into croutons.
Since we were pretty good with the happy hour appetizers, we decided to split the entree and went with the filet mignon and seared foie gras with a pinot noir bourdelaise sauce. Oh my yummm. The filet mignon was very well prepared, the right amount of pinkness. And honestly, you can't really go wrong with seared foie gras. It was a nice pairing, although the foie gras gets a little lost when eaten with the filet. The pinot noir sauce was a little lacking in the flavor of the pinot though, and a little on the salty side, but nice when eaten with the potato blini on the bottom. The presentation was lovely and they gladly split the entree in half for us.
Not usually being a dessert person but having heard so much about Michael Mina's desserts, we decided to try the first two on the menu. The chocolate lava cake with a salted caramel ice cream and the root beer float. Eh.... I really went for the first one because I saw the salted caramel ice cream, which is by and far my favorite ice cream flavor, however this one was...not so much salted caramel as it was just caramel. The cake was delicious though, dark chocolate and not milk chocolate, thank goodness. The root beer float, I think, is definitely one of those novelty desserts intended to bring you back to your childhood days. Unfortunately my childhood was lacking in this kind of sugary sweet dessert, so really it was just ok for me.
I love the service and the ambiance and I love that you can totally see into the kitchen. Definitely a nice place to check out. OH, and if you park in the hotel, I believe you can get free parking as long as you eat here. -
Review from Lorianne L.
San Jose, CA
4/8/2012 6 photos
Overall, the food was good, but the service, or lack there of, really ruined our experience at Arcadia last night. When we could locate our waiter, Ashwant, it was like pulling teeth to get any information. I hope he was just having an off night. My friend had the Arcadia salad and the filet. I ordered a medium rare steak Rossini, which was atop a potato cake and spinach, and topped with a piece of foie gras. I added on an order of bone marrow, and we shared the truffle mac n cheese and duck fat fries. My steak was overdone, but they made me a replacement. I'm sorry Michael Mina, but the service we received last night was bad enough to make us not want to visit your establishment again.
-
Review from Bebe D'hala D.
San Jose, CA
My buddy David brought me here for my birthday along with my my friend and godson. Before u frown upon bringing a baby to dinner at a Michelin star contender, let me explain it was in Winter and there were only 3 other couples and it was my b- day celebration, so I get exemption.
Seeing the reviews of other yelpers I was reluctant initially to come here because I wanted red meat, protein in the form of a big delicious cut of medium rare was my quest and I was fearful with all the hoop la Micheal Mena... Oh its .... Alexanders wah wah Etc that it might disappoint me as it did some other yelpers.
Well boy was I happily surprised :) ah..... Where to begin first off my apologies to vegans, vegetarians , PETA supporters, and other food sensitive groups because I had 3 types of species that night on my plate and 1 in two different forms .I did eat them all, respectfully of course they had a great burial in my tummy .
Here we go the menu is All American with a twist. They offer about 6 entrees steak is what they do best here so don't wander off. We ordered the foie gras sliders, tuna tar tar, as appetizers and the truffle Mac , mash potatoes, sautéed mushrooms as sides the serving size of the sides was huge like family style so we totally did not finnish. The fries fried in duck fat were eh,,, however the mini bite foie gras sliders were just heavenly melted in your mouth ....the tuna tar tar and Asian pear was also delicious and refreshing . Our entree ( drum role)....I ordered the Steak Rossini TDF beautiful 8 ounce steak laying on a potato cake, with some chard greens and topped with a slice of foie gras and drizzled with red wine reduction . David had the cow boy cut with bone. It was out of this world gorgeous inside juicy Med-R and out with lovely grill marks , serve with carmelized shallot I took one bite of his and hands down best steak I had in the past few years . My gal friend had the filet mignon and thought it met the standard of a good filet mignon . However we all agreed the Cowboy cut was the best tasting beef we could all recall and my steak Rossini came in as also top tasting steak. The mash and and sautéed mushroom side was good but it was the steak , foie gras dishes, tuna tar tar, and truffle Mac that were great.
Decor is intimate and warm colors with elements of warm wood tones and leather. Nice fireplace with seating by Bar it does have an Aspen feel. Good for couples, groups, and our case 3 and a baby.
Service was friendly but most importantly my food was delicious. I'm coming next week again for the foie gras sliders, and the cow boy cut with a side of truffle Mac n cheese it has that right blend of cheddar with drooltastic flavor. This restarunt is a must try unless your personal beliefs or feelings prevents you to. Sorry I love foie gras and steak. Admission is part of recovery. -
Review from Brian K.
1/5/2012
Magnificent prime rib sandwich
Delicious duck fat fries
Iced tea (unsweetened)
With that kind of lunch, I need a nap!
The restaurant has a modern, minimalist touch to it.
Service was mediocre and even curt at times (they were overwhelmed though the restaurant wasn't even 50% full). -
Review from Tiffany T.
Fremont, CA
2/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
Went here for Valentine's Day with the Beau. Arrived about 30 minutes early and checked-in. Lady was nice and told us that we would be seated promptly at 8:00. Could have sat at the the bar or at Tanq for a drink but wasn't feeling too well for any alcoholic beverages.
When our reservation time came around we were seated and given pre-fixed menus. Four courses with your choice of appetizer and entree.
Amuse Bouche
American Caviar Parfait
Crème Fraîche, Smoked Salmon, Egg Salad, Potato
-This was tasty and a good size (for me).
For appetizer I got the:
Butter Poached Maine Lobster
Corn Crepe, Thai Curry, Organic Sweet Peppers
-Which was very good. The crepe was a little dry but I really enjoyed the corn and tang of orange with each bite of everything in the dish.
Beau got the:
Beef Tartare
Traditional Accompaniment, Salt & Pepper Potato Chips
-I really liked their homemade chips which weren't as crispy as I'm used to. The beef was seasoned well and very delicious. Although I liked it the dish it lacked some texture and variety.
We both chose the:
Brandt Beef Tenderloin
English Pea and Chantrelle Ragu, Jerusalem Artichoke, Bone Marrow
-I must say that this was the shining dish of the night. So glad that I chose the beef entree at a steakhouse. The first bite was AMAZING. The marrow with the chantrelle mushrooms and Artichoke cream sauce was spectacular!!! Funny thing is the highlight of the dish for me was the peas. I know..peas? I usually dislike peas but these were the best peas I'ver ever had in my life. To quote my beau: "These peas are magical"
We talked about this dish for the rest of the night. Heaven on a platter! Definitely going back because of this entree!
Chocolate Valrhona Mousse Cake
Caramel 'Rice Crispy,' Butterscotch Gelato, Raspberry Espuma
-The dessert was okay. A little on the rich side and the portion was way too big after the first 3 courses. I'm sure if I wasn't already full I would have enjoyed it more. We ordered coffee which was just okay as well. We also got a little bag of house made truffles to take home with us.
Overall I would definitely go back. Giving it 4 stars for now on the edge of 5. Need to try more first/this is my first review. -
Review from Jikhan J.
Los Altos, CA
3/4/2012 1 photo
Starting from the food,
Since we went for lunch, we couldn't try all different things but,
Appetizer :
Mushroom Bisque : Awesome! Creamy, and sweat... loved it!
Arcadia Salad : Good, not big fan of blue cheese but it was good, more apples could be good.
Main Dish:
Arcadia Burger : Good, did the medium for the steak, good.
Truffle Risotto with Shrimp : Blast!
Dessert:
Chocolate Molten Cake : Exceptional! chocolate was warm, and great to got 2 different kinds of ice cream.
Their service was nice.
You can park at Marriott hotel and get stamp here can save money, but you still have to pay 4 dollars at the Marriott. wondering any good place to park eating here. -
Review from Aaron K.
Anaheim, CA
3/9/2012
Everything was amazing! The wait staff was educated and attentive. The food was delicious and beautifully prepared. Our wine Somalie was fantastic and paired all of our meal perfectly.
We had:
Lobster Corn Dogs- A+++
Shrimp Cocktail - A+++
Braised Beef Potato Skins - A+++
Steak Rossini A+++
And, to top it off we enjoyed a 1937 Quinta do Noval Colheita Tawny Porto (Very hard to find)...A truly AMAZING way to end our evening!! -
Review from donna t.
San Jose, CA
4/20/2012
Went here for our anniversary. We made appointment online.
Service: 4 star. The waiter was very nice. I gave them 4 star because the usher gave us the worst table (no privacy, near bar) at beginning, they obviously had some better tables available. We asked to change the table, the usher said we can wait if we want better table, so we decided to wait and then they gave us a table a little better in about five minutes.
Duck fat fries: 3 star. it was average, I do not recommend.
Cowboy steak: 5 star. My husband ordered this, it was very tasty
filet mignon: 1 star. it was bland
mac&cheese side order: 5 star. very good
beet salad: 3 star. The waiter was very nice and recommended this. The salad itself was ok.
price was a little bit high. I would rather go to Texas roadhouse in Union city, they offer good filet mignon with half price.
