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Cafe La Haye
Category: Restaurants American (New) American (New) [Edit]
140 E Napa StSonoma, CA 95476
(707) 935-5994
- Hours:
Tue-Sat 5:30 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
105 reviews for Cafe La Haye
Review Highlights
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"DO NOT LEAVE without having the Butterscotch Pudding." In 11 reviews -
"And then the pork chop which was very good and lamb..." In 11 reviews -
"It was so succulent & the cherry pistachio stuffing." In 3 reviews
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105 reviews in English
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Review from Duke B.
Arcata, CA
2/22/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
Lived up to the hype in every way. This place was great, showcasing local veggies and simple dishes that let the food speak for itself. I don't mean simple in a bad way either. Everything tasted just as I would imagine it as I read the menu. The menu is the perfect size and I don't think you could go wrong with anything on it. Had a bottle of the Dunom pinot off the reserve list and it was amazing as well.
Make A Reservation Because This Place is tiny.... The kitchen can be seen from any seat in the restaurant which I love because you can really watch all the magic happen and there are no secrets.
I would request a seat at the kitchen bar next time as it only sits 4 and you are just a few feet from all the cooking and it seems like a fun kitchen to watch.
GET THE DONUM PINOT, you can thank me later. -
Review from StillServedWarm S.
Los Angeles, CA
1/29/2012 3 photos
Full flavored dishes. Portions are abundant. If you don't feel like an opulent libation, share one entrée and save room for dessert.
We reviewed our dinner at:
http://www.stillserved... -
Review from Sara B.
San Francisco, CA
12/18/2011 Seated via OpenTable
If you are in Sonoma you should definitely make it a point to go here. I had the risotto, it was delicious, and my boyfriend had the steak, whuch was cooked perfectly. I am a dessert person and don't usually rave about them, but the butterscotch pudding is so dreamy and right on with the flavor, it is a must have!
As stated in most reviews the menu does not have a lot of choices, but the simplicity of it make all the food there delicious and a restaurant not to miss! -
Review from Philipp L.
San Jose, CA
5/22/2012
An enjoyable experience but not perfect. Pleased with ambiance & service. Food was very good but not great for price. Doubt I would come back since there are better selections in the area.
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Review from Chris O.
Oakdale, CA
3/30/2012
Fantastic little place that tries very hard and executes very well, Menu is limited but NOT over priced. Wine list is tremendous (diverse, quality, up to date and value). Make a rez for sure. Do not miss if in Sonoma town area. Visa/MC, but no Amex. You can sit at the 4 seat counter looking into the kitchen too. Beer/wine only.
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Review from Ben N.
11/16/2011
Simplicity is sometimes best.
Using Sonoma itself for a couple of days as our base in wine country, we thought we'd eat at least one higher-end meal in the city itself while we were here. From its website and on-line menu, Cafe La Haye seems a bit underwhelming. The entree lineup is pretty basic: a pasta, a pork chop, a couple of steaks, a scallops dish, a chicken dish, a daily fish special. That's about it.
You won't know this until the food is placed in front of you, but the execution of this rather simple menu takes it to a higher level.
I got the fish special, which was pan-fried arctic char, a beautiful piece of fish that couldn't have been more perfectly or simply cooked, with tender flesh contrasting very nicely with crispy skin. (Whipped pototoes and haricots verts as sides weren't exactly exciting but were also perfectly cooked.)
The wife got the grilled pork chop, which is an absolutely killer dish at $21. The massive thing, cooked medium with a wine-roasted garlic jus, was served with a delicious smoked-tomato polenta. In contrast to the refined fish dish, it was a hearty flavor bomb.
Mixed greens with beets was very simple but refreshing as a starter. I'm not a dessert freak, but I am a coffee hound, and the chocolate custard with espresso mascarpone was something special.
Service was very efficient and pleasant without being fussy. And the guy at the front of the house seems like a great host.
The understated decor and atmosphere is great, pretty much perfect for so-called casual high-end dining. It's kind of the epitome of the comfortable, convivial upscale neighborhood restaurant, an evocative and inviting little split-level room. It reminded me of some of the better neighborhood restaurants we used enjoy when we lived in New Orleans. For me, noise levels were very nice: the sound of normal conversation and not-too-loud music reminded you that you were in the civilized world without it being even close to overbearing.
At about $120 for two entrees, two startres, a shared dessert, a glass of wine each, with tax and tip included, I'd call this experience a bargain.
Cafe La Haye is not "destination" dining or cutting-edge in any way, but just a great little restaurant. -
Review from michelle p.
Fort Worth, TX
1/26/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Cafe La Haye was a unexpected treat in downtown Sonoma.... unpretentious, simple,and tastefully decorated. The menu was also simple and carefully chosen. I love to see this as I always say that is truly a sign of a great restaurant.
I can still taste my food... also a sign of a memorable meal. I started with a mixed green salad with pears dressed with a lemony vinaigrette. This would also be a great salad to cleanse your palate between courses. I chose a winner of an entree: papardelle pasta with braised pork ragu, gruyere and parmesan cheese, hazelnut nuts. and swiss chard. DIVINE!! For dessert: almond cake, drizzle of honey, blueberry, creme fraiche, and vanilla ice-cream.
My husband ordered the beet salad with micro greens, and breaded goat cheese lightly dressed with a vinaigrette. He then ordered the risotto of the day: chantarelle mushroom risotto with roasted parsnips. Delicious!
All in all, a wonderful meal...I would definitely go back. -
Review from Shaun S.
Glenview, IL
2/13/2012
We went to dinner with my wife's old boss and his partner. The interior is nice, simple and clean, the menu is diverse but not expansive, you can tell that they'd rather do a few things well than try to do everything. Service was outstanding. It's not showing on the menu now, so I'll try to describe it well enough, it was a braised pork and mushroom ragu over papparadella noodles. Just the right sized portion. We finished with a few different desserts, as others have noted, the butterscotch pudding is a nice touch!
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Review from Lisa P.
Sonoma, CA
3/4/2012
Had dinner with my husband last week for our anniversary. Dinner was fantastic. The staff and service was perfect. Thank you Saul for wonderful evening! Our visits are too far and few between.
The Paulsons -
Review from Pamela S.
Simi Valley, CA
9/9/2011
Oh my goodness gracious this was the BEST meal of our vacation!!! Seriously.
We were staying at the Renaissance and they provided us with a list of restaurants nearby, this happened to be the first on the list (after their own). They noted that reservations were needed far in advance, but we took a chance and called over to check on availability. They had the kitchen bar open on a walk in basis, so we hurried over and were seated right away.
We had the shrimp skewer which was very good, the sweet pea puree it was on was excellent. I had the pork chop as my entree and it was absolutely phenomenal. Hubby does not like pork chops, and he ate half of mine. It was perfectly cooked, so juicy, and the polenta it was served with was such a good compliment. Hubby had the Arctic Char which was the special, and it was also very good, just not as good as my pork chop...
DO NOT LEAVE without having the Butterscotch Pudding. Seriously. We went back the next two nights for that dessert, not kidding.
Great wines of course, and the service was truly wonderful.
Oh, if you end up at the kitchen bar, it's a great spot, so much to watch!! -
Review from Michael M.
Los Angeles, CA
11/20/2011
I loved the bone-in pork chop, perfectly cooked, and presented in two pieces balanced like a meat lean-to over braised kale and red pepper/cannelini bean puree.
As for dessert, all the Yelpers who raved about the butterscotch pudding are dead on. Don't miss it!
Minus one star for an acrid pinot noir that I didn't touch, but I was never asked if I wanted a different wine.
Consecutive bickering couples at the window table. Seating one was holding the "what?" (glare) (counter-glare) "not here" conversation. Seating two were attempting to ascertain whose parents were the most objectionable. Chill out and enjoy the food, people! -
Review from Carol K.
7/24/2011
If you are in the Sonoma area and you miss eating at Cafe La Haye- you have missed a lot! For this little gem of a restaurant is perfection in every way.
We arrived for our reservation and were greeted warmly by the owner who showed us to our table overlooking the entire restaurant. The space is small but they make the most of it by raising the ceiling and adding some mid level seats.
Our server suggested a lovely red wine and the pecorini and salami plate to go along with it. A perfect start to our evening. Because the seats are so close together- we ended up talking to everyone who was sitting up on the mid level with us, comparing notes as to what might be the best recommendations for dinner as people told us what they had to eat that night.
After debating between three things on the menu, I finally decided on the veal chop. And was I glad I did. It was absolutely phenomenal! And my friend had the quali which was one of the specials of the day. Also delicious!
And for dessert- we split the butterscotch pudding that came with toffee pieces (think Heath bar). The perfect end to a perfect meal!
Service was spot on. Our server, Esther, was personable, knowledgeable and obviously loved what she did. And she took great care of us even though she had several other tables as well.
Dinner for two, including a bottle of wine, ran about $130 which was amazing given the quality of the experience.
Our dinner at Cafe La Haye was one of the highlights of our visit to Sonoma. If you get a chance- you should check it out!Listed in: California Wine Country
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Review from Sarah C.
Boston, MA
5/30/2011
I have to admit I was not excited to come here. I wanted to go to Girl and The Fig and wound up here instead. My mom found this place after trolling the Sonoma square and was like "Oh this is neat. They have one of those stickers on the door!" I bit my lip and looked only to see that it was Michelin recommended and not just the AMEX sticker. PHEW!
Well, mom picked out a good one and we had some of the best seafood of our trip. The chef here knows how to cook fish up to New England standards and that is a feat in itself. Bravo. -
Review from Susie M.
Saint Louis, MO
9/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Just when I thought it couldn't get better, along comes a totally surprising gem. Cafe La Haye is small, intimate, personal, and the caliber of food fits the guest. What terrific flavor! The hangar steak would make a steer surrender to the cause...FAN-BLOOMIN'-TASTIC! Perfection in steak preparation!
And the corn smashed potatoes might sound trendy, might sound funky, but no...each bite was a creamy kiss of comfort and then came the POP of fresh corn...holy cow, was that the perfect match to a hangar steak! So, if the dinners were that good, why not dessert? The cheesecake with the smooth yet zingy spark of lemon was just enough to send me right over the edge to dinners nonpareil. CLH, you have one killa restaurant. -
Review from Lauren B.
1/22/2011
This is the best meal I have had since Thanksgiving. Classic light, fresh and delicious California cooking with excellent wine to go with it.
For my appetizer, I had the mushroom with spinach, now as this was supposed to be "crispy" (aka breaded), it could easily have been messed up but it wasn't too greesy and you could still tell the mushroom was the focus. As my main dish I order their special, the Arctic Char. Yummy light a flavorful fish. Not too fishy but just tender enough. The dessert was the highlight. If you eat here and only get one thing, you must order the lemon crepes. They are amazing.
The fifth star comes from great service. They are quick to greet you, quick to serve you and attentive all the way through. I showed up 15 minutes early and every table was filled. When I returned on time, there were two tables open. Now that's what I call good planning! -
Review from Greg G.
Eureka, CA
11/1/2011
Not bad, but not great either. We had the salumi & cheese plate app and the chopped salad to start. The salad was very good, the salumi/cheese consisted of 4 slices of salami (delicious), a few olives, 2 crostini, about 1/2 teaspoon of quince paste and a slice (very small) of cheese (aged goat I think) - very skimpy we all thought.
For mains we had the porcini dusted scallops, pork and pappardelle, and grilled pork chop. All were kind of ho-hum. The scallops were supposed to have a lemon vinaigrette, but the sauce was very strongly flavored with sesame oil, which kind of fought the porcini dust on the scallops. The smoked tomato polenta that was served with the pork chop was WAY smokey - and not from smoked tomatoes, but it had the telltale flavor of liquid smoke - not good.
Overall it was an OK meal, but far from great. -
Review from Meghan L.
Sonoma, CA
2/26/2010 ROTD 4/28/2010
Five stars.
An inventive use of a small, multi-leveled space studded with really cool art and an open kitchen. One star.
A staff that works seamlessly at being quick, unobtrusive, helpful and knowledgeable. One star.
A menu that doesn't use local foods to death, mixes in delicious and unusual items, executes flawlessly, and always pleases. One star.
An almond cake that, even after two years, still has me wanting to bribe the chef for the recipe. One star.
For making every Valentine's Day I've had with Capt. Arbuckle special. One star.
And because I read a lot of Dr. Seuss as a kid and I like rhyming names. Cafe La Haye gets one extra star. -
Review from Jamie D.
8/3/2008 4 photos
Nearly a month to the day delayed in reviewing this wonderful dinner spot, but Grace P had me covered. She couldn't have reviewed it better.
We had reservations for the first seating as we didn't want to mess around on a holiday weekend. The wait staff was 5 stars, the food was 5 stars, the ambiance was 5 stars & I also felt that the price was 5 stars. My belly left so happy. I was content for hours post meal.
The pork tenderloin with cherries is not to be missed. In fact, I loved it so much, I will get it again. The halibut was also amazing, but I am a huge fan of swine & La Haye's little piggy is at the top of my list. It was so succulent & the cherry pistachio stuffing...Mmmm. I may have made inappropriate moans of pleasure throughout this meal, but every patron was enjoying their meal with equal abandonment it seemed, so I most likely went unheard. The soup couldn't have been better. Our salads were also wonderful- fresh & full of flavor & if we had saved room for dessert, I'm sure it would have been 5 stars, too.
I will be bringing every in-towner & out-of-towner here. It is amazing food & within walking distance of the infamous Sonoma Square. What more could any foodie ask for?Listed in: Top Restaurants, Out-of-Town
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Review from F. P.
San Francisco, CA
8/17/2010
So I was eager to try this long time SF Chronicle Top 100 restaurant just off the heart of quaint Sonoma Square and so when the opportunity arose to check it out with some friends, I jumped on it.
First of all, it's a really cozy space that fits around 35 ppl but it's well designed on tiered levels so as to give the impression that it's more spacious. When we got there (with reservations), it was already packed outside. A good sign.
The menu is fairly compact (6 starters, 8 entrees) with a few daily specials (for us, it was bacon and potato soup or burrata for apps and a steelhead trout entree).
I ordered the scallop appetizer, which were arranged elegantly in a row (4 of them) on a bed of arugula. The scallops were tender and well prepared. Nice dish but nothing spectacular. I had a taste of the bacon and potato soup which was excellent, with a nice bacon taste that seemed to linger pleasantly afterwards. The burrata on toast also stood out.
For main entrees, I was looking forward to trying the daily roast chicken as it's been so highly touted. Unbelievably, they were out of the chicken (we weren't a particularly late seating so it's a bit surprising that the restaurant couldn't have figured out the relative number of chicken orders per night). But my initial disappointment quickly evaporated when I took one bite of my chipotle glazed pork chop with red lentil puree. The pork chop was so juicy and tender; one of the best I can recall in recent memory (along with Foreign Cinema's lavender-rubbed version).
For dessert, the famed butterscotch pudding was good but what made it excellent was the side of salted chocolate that provided texture and balance to the sweet pudding. Even better was the summer fruit crisp (with peaches) and vanilla ice cream. Simple but amazing!
We also had bottles of the the 2005 Counterpoint Cabernet, which is a bold, complex wine with a silky texture and hints of spice and berry fruit. -
Review from Katie W.
7/6/2008
4th of July
3 Brats (2 with fabulous handbags)
1 excellent meal
I invited Brat 1 to Sonoma to play and most of all to eat for the 4th of July. We required 1 thing: an exquisite meal at a chic establishment. Not overdone. Not stuffy. NOT overpriced.
Enter Cafe La Haye. I was wary that the staff would be uptight and pretentious (that p word that I just cannot tolerate!) but they could not have been nicer.
But who even cares when the food is this good? Fresh, bright and refreshing - you don't leave here with that heavy tired feeling after a stick to your ribs coma meal that are much more common.
They prepare the food in such a way that it is the best version of itself, paired with everyday flavors that are unlikely bed fellows.
Brat 1 was kind enough to let me sample the pork tenderloin masterpiece on her plate. Stuffed with cherries alongside savory cornbread pudding with snap peas. There was nothing to elevate this dish. Succulent, sweet, tangy - it has it all. The cornbread is crisp on the outside, cheesy and moist on the inside with a touch of honey flavor.
Brat 2, that's me - Got hold of the best halibut interpretation yet. Lightly pan seared with lemony fresh flavor, served atop green pea risotto garnished with a walnut basil puree. Sophisticated & simple.
Few restaurants grasp that essential ingredient, simplicity. Food doesn't need 50 flavors pulling your taste-buds in every direction. Give me flavors that work together to make one overall outstanding burst and you've done something that not just any place can do. That's why you'll love Cafe La Haye and remain loyal.
Brat 3?, She charmed the entire restaurant while producing lovely artwork and looking fabulous. -
Review from Tom S.
Kenwood, CA
3/31/2007
Revised & updated: November 28, 2007
New owners. New cooks, new waiters. New menu in Autumn 2007. The good old French brasserie menu is gone. New food is Cali-style comfort .
I raved about this restaurant in 2005 & 2006. The food used to be extrodinary. Now it is merely competent. But the magic is gone.
The Zagat 2008 books gives a score of 26 out of 30 for food. I disagree with that high of a score. My score using Zagat criteria is 19.
Cafe La Haye loses one star from me ere on Yelp*. The "Reserve" wine list panders to wealthy tourists. 26 bottles priced from $100 to $625. An insult to working class locals who made the original Cafe La Haye a financial success.
My prediction: the new ultra-precious Cafe La Haye will close by 2009. -
Review from Liz C.
San Francisco, CA
7/9/2008
DEEEEELICIOUS. Yummy yummy yummy.
Can you tell? I am a 5-year old at a candy store again.
Cream of cauliflower soup....simple but full of flavor.
Roasted pork tenderloin with cherry-pistachio stuffing, savory corn bread pudding, snap peas & fresh cherry pan sauce - quite possibly the best pork I have ever had in my life. So tender and juicy. Salivary glands....stop it!!!
Roasted marinated natural 'Angus' hanger steak with twice baked potato-bacon pie - though not usually a hanger steak fan, but holy culinary gods, this hanger steak was so good. What the heck did they marinate this in?? And folks...TWICE BAKED POTATO-BACON PIE. How can you say no to that?
Unfortunately, we were totally overstuffed to enjoy the dessert, but I would definitely come back here again. Food was fantastic, the service was excellent with an A++, and a nice hole-in-the wall feel. -
Review from Dank I.
San Francisco Bay Area
11/1/2009
Sometimes I deeply regret not sending a dish back or making a formal complaint. This is definitely one of these moments.
We were there for a late dinner (8:45 seating) on a sat night.
2 appetizers: trout crepe and pan seared shrimp kabobs.
I could tell the ingredients were good (large and very succulent shrimp), but both dishes were too salty. I thought so, my wife thought so, and we overheard the same comments from the table next to us.
I had the beef (flat iron steak). It was good. Some sides (again, pretty salty, but the brussel sprouts were very interesting). Well cooked to order and tender. Because of this and the decent service, the place earns 2 stars.
My wife had the chipotle glazed pork and it was bad. When we first saw it, I was like "wow, it must be 2 inches thick w/ no char on the outside...can't possibly be cooked thru". Well it was cooked thru, but it was almost inedible. So tough, my wife simply gave up cutting. She trimmed off a bit, took a bite and then spat it out. I gave it a go. It was tough. The meat was white w/ a slight pink hue...the "chipotle" flavor was akin to a weird thai curry taste. We think the pork was boiled and then thrown into the smoker for a few minutes, because we tasted no smoke and didn't notice any glaze. The polenta side was ok.
we suspect that because we were in the last seating, some compromises were made in the prep.
Overall a disappointing experience. -
Review from Jaime C.
San Francisco, CA
11/5/2009
Upon walking in we were immediately greeted by name and seated. Very nice.
Service was immediately friendly and efficient. We did the gnocchi, flat iron steak and pork tenderloin. The meat itself was of good quality and cooked properly and the apple crisp was delicious. Everything else (sides & sauces) was salty. Very very very salty. Bleh. I really should have said something, but I didn't. That's my mistake.
Ambiance was ok - small and cozy. That can be a bad thing though when the couple next to you spends their entire meal fighting. Thanks Mr & Mrs Miserable, you just reminded me how happy I am. But at the end of the day I'm here for the food and I just can't get over how salty it was.
Disappointingly average. -
Review from Shoshana D.
San Francisco, CA
3/17/2009
Cafe La Haye, well very good, is a bit over-hyped in my opinion. I've been to the El Dorado Kitchen, Girl & the Fig and Meritage (the oyster and martini bar) in Sonoma now, as well as a sprinkling of nearby places. Of these, I prefer El Dorado Kitchen, which is odd because it seems to be the most unrecognized of all while Cafe La Haye and Girl & the Fig receive lots of hype.
According to the winemaker we talked to at Loxton, El Dorado Kitchen was taken over by a former French Laundry chef. The quality of the food really shows. Everything is delicious, and while not cheap it's not as expensive as Cafe La Haye. Cafe La Haye is sturdy... we had a good steak, nice red wine, and a sinful wedge of chocolate tart with sea salt. Oh, and I almost forgot the radicchio salad, which was seared with fennel, pancetta and a fried egg. The vinaigrette was awesome. We asked what was in it... apple cider, apple cider vinegar (i think), a touch of balsamic. Mmmm. That was the highlight for me.
Bottom line for me... if you're willing to spend a bit, and want to throw another restaurant into the mix during a longer stay Cafe La Haye is very good (but not great). If you're there for a short weekend, go elsewhere, like El Dorado or Fig Cafe (in Glen Ellen, no corkage, better than Girl & the Fig in my opinion). -
Review from Alan M.
San Francisco, CA
6/28/2010
After hoping to dine here for years, I finally had to settle for a table at 5.45p on a glorious summer Saturday afternoon, which forced me to cut short pool time at the local inn. I should have slathered on more suntan lotion and kept baking.
Although the food was competent, it was not memorable. The impression that remained, however, was of having been processed through a human feedlot, as the principal goal of the restaurant was to rush us out within 60 minutes so they could turn the table.
After a bit of a lag in uncorking the bottle of champagne we ordered, the starter and entrees came so rapidly that we barely had time to catch our breath between courses. Haste wasted what could have been a pleasant, if undistinguished, dining experience. -
Review from Janette W.
San Jose, CA
5/17/2010
The line between "intimate" and "crowded" is very blurry and Cafe La Haye did fall in this grey area. People kept bumping into me and a woman's giant purse lurked very close near by head, swinging like a scary pendulum the whole time I ate so this was my first impression.
But one I let my hunger overcome my fear of death by a gigantic purse, I dug in. We had the:
House smoked trout crèpes, roasted chicken and hangar steak. The crepes seemed like a good idea, but there was no smoky flavor as you would expected from a smoked fish, only blandness, but the trout caviar on top was a fun touch.
The chicken came with an amazing leek and fontina cheese bread pudding with was perfectly savory but the caramelized onion flavor gave it just the right amount of sweetness.
And really, can you ever go wrong with hangar steak? The horseradish mashed potatoes and fresh vegetables were just right with this.
We ended with the warm apple crisp which was pretty good as well. -
Review from Alison Bly S.
San Juan Capistrano, CA
9/28/2011
I had the chopped salad (just right!) and my husband had the soup of the day, cheddar broccoli (nice, but under seasoned) and we both had the hanger steak. It was perfectly cooked with a nice char texture on the outside and rare on the inside. He loved the corn smashed potatoes and I loved the green beans. I wanted to finish the steak so the corn/potates had to be left behind for the most part. Very nice service and atmosphere.
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Review from irwin s.
San Francisco, CA
11/10/2008
The food is good. My experience this past Saturday makes me shutter. The open kitchen is in full view of most of the diners. Ther was a chef and two assistants. My dinner companion and I watched the salad maker rub his mustach and nose with the back of his hand three times during the hour we were there. He did not wash his hands and used them to mix the salads. The forth time we even had the sound effects from his trying to clear his nostrils and using the back of his hand to help with the task. His hands went back in the food..
The second complaint was the arrogant service and the rush to make us order. We had an 8:45 reservation and planned to have a relaxed dinner. Our server wanted to know the entire dinner order. We ordered the appetizers and informed her that we hadn't decided on the entree. She appeared every three minutes while we were eating and talking. She would interrupt and ask us if we had decided on the main course. The fifth time I informed her that I did not like the constant interruptions. She answered that the kitchen closes at 9:00 pm. I was upset that they listed the 8:45 reservation time on Opentable. -
Review from Lawrence T.
Mountain View, CA
5/11/2010
This is an absolutely delicious find. The smallish restaurant is friendly and inviting and the service is amazingly prompt.
The gnocchi was great and light... I am not a big fan of typical doughy lumps and here the gnocchi is light and flavorful.
The organic green salad was refreshing and quickly devoured.
the pork was succulent and a sizable helping. yum
The hanger steak was perfectly cooked but the horseradish drizzle kind of over powered the rich flavors of the steak... I would have wished for the drizzle to be an option next time.
For dessert the fruit crisp with a dollop of ice cream was perfectly crispy and the pudding was decadent but not overly rich.
A great place for a nice casual meal. -
Review from Joel H.
Sonoma, CA
10/21/2010
I loved our meal here. I felt that they did an excellent job making food taste the way it's meant to. The trout on polenta was great, a perfect fall soup and an apple crisp that had a distinctively local taste. The atmosphere is cool--interesting art work, good lighting and a nice layout for a smaller restaurant--not overwhelming and not boring. I'll definitely come back.
I'm baffled by the one-star reviews, but to each his own. -
Review from Jonathan D.
Boston, MA
7/17/2011
Cafe La Haye is a small place but worth the wait to get in. We had a great meal a few weeks ago in there. We started with the carrot soup, a very nice start. My wife had fish and I went with the hand torn papardelle with pork and was not disappointed. We saved room for dessert and both enjoyed our butterscotch pudding and almond cake.
We had a half bottle of the 2010 Tempier Rose--if you like Rose's you will like this one. Very refreshing and a good complement to the fish. -
Review from Tina L.
Boston, MA
4/17/2009
Cafe La Haye was just OK. The service started off great, but got progressively worse. Our server barely gave us the time of day. My biggest pet peeve is when I am sitting at dinner with friends and, because we are all female, we don't get the respect/attention deserved. I tend to dine out at least once a month with my girls and everywhere we go, the staff assumes that we're celebrating something. Why can't a group of girls get together for dinner to enjoy food and each others company?
There aren't many tables in this place, so I think that the servers are in a mad rush to turn over tables - at the expense of excellent service no less. Our server gave us no attention, eye contact, etc., but she did seem to "yuk it up" with the old couple sitting next to us. A note to all servers out there - DO NOT think that because you have a table of women who are in their 30s that we do not have the wallet to rack up a good sized bill.
Food was ok, nothing spectacular & was overpriced in my opinion. I ordered the grilled radicchio & spinach panzenella...the radicchio was WAY too bitter, I know that it is bitter by nature, that is why you are supposed to shock it in some ice water before you cook it...I guess they haven't got the memo on that. My entree was fine, hanger steak, but it did need more salt.
Overall, I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone traveling through wine country... -
Review from Arno V.
San Francisco, CA
1/16/2010
Pretty good gnocci
Incredible pasta - sausages + goat cheese.
Excellent oysters.
To die for Almond cake.
Excellent service. -
Review from Susan M.
Sonoma, CA
3/1/2011
This is, by far, our very favorite restaurant in Sonoma. We consistently have a fabulous meal with every visit and the servers are fabulous! There are a lot of choices in Sonoma and we've tried them all but there isn't a restaurant in town that can compete with Cafe LaHaye!
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Review from Julie B.
Corte Madera, CA
4/12/2006 3 photos
'This ain't no tired-ass French Laundry,' eloquently stated by our good friend David Harris who insists on visiting Cafe la Haye every time he's in from NY. And he's right. Cafe la Haye's menu is simple, fresh, and innovative. I like to start with a glass of sparkling (NV Gosset 'Grand Rose' Brut) to reinvigorate the otherwise wine saturated buds before diving into either the Robert Foley Charbono or better yet, Saul's own Blue Farm Pinot. We've been fortunate enough to buy several cases of the Blue Farm from Saul and have enjoyed it immensely.
The carnivores in our traveling wine country caravan always go for the seared lavender filet mignon with gorgonzola-potato gratin. While I, unafflicted by their tiny cow addiction, am free to roam the menu from the daily fresh fish to the daily risotto or pasta special. We often share one of the cobblers for desert along with an incredible espresso. Start to finish, Cafe la Haye is my favorite dining experience in California. -
Review from Tracy D.
San Francisco, CA
8/8/2006
Excellent food in a casually elegant setting. If you can snag the highly coveted outside spots, you're in luck.
Their pork was so tender it was falling off the bone, and the salmon was grilled to perfection. The sauces were light and flavorful, and I'm a huge fan of them not overdoing it in that regard. Highly competent and friendly service. -
Review from Yale G.
Santa Monica, CA
8/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
The food is incredible and only matched by its impressive service. You shouldn't miss eating here if you visit!
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Review from Yoddha Y.
Redwood City, CA
12/31/2006
The place is busy and a good reason for it too. We reserved it through http://www.opentable.com and it was worth it.
Located in the heart of Sonoma and frequented by locals, thats a good proof.
Salad of endive, bosc pear, pomegranate & caramelized walnuts with buttermilk bleu is delicious, wakes up your taste buds. Make sure to check out the soup of the day, they have some creative things there.
Red wine braised flat iron pot roast over horseradish mashed potatoes is tender and flavorful. Make sure to check out their pasta special, they make it to the perfection.
I highly recommend this place, but make sure you reserve in advance and best is online. -
Review from bob b.
Bangor, CA
8/16/2010
This is a quaint little place in downtown Sonoma...We had dinner there a few nights ago and although the food was good I believe it is overpriced!
the special fish which was a fresh trout was $24.95...on a bed of polenta!
Not a big portion either...The pours on wine were really small barely reaching the middle of their tiny glasses...
Overall a decent place but not much value for what you pay for...pretty much the norm in this area with Napa as well!
