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Flea Street
Category: Restaurants American (New) American (New) [Edit]
3607 Alameda de las PulgasMenlo Park, CA 94025
(650) 854-1226
- Hours:
Tue-Sat 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Sun 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy, Upscale, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
Greg A. said: "Came here with a group of six on Saturday night and all really enjoyed it. The place has a nice vibe to it with dark wood floors and leather club chairs and booths. Highlights from the group were: the roasted red pepper soup, polenta…" read more »
215 reviews for Flea Street
Review Highlights
"Started with a lavender lemon drop."
(in 5 reviews)
"Appetizer #1: Fried green tomatoes."
(in 10 reviews)
"Roasted strawberry upside down cake: nice take on the..."
(in 4 reviews)
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215 reviews in English
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Review from ken w.
San Diego, CA
1/6/2012
Everything I like about restaurants is embodied in this restaurant. Casual atmosphere. Premium local organic ingredients. Relaxing jazz soundtrack and interesting art. Lots of wood decor. Gregarious east coast owner. Great drinks. Dive bar across the street.
I had the trout salad and filet. The trout was hot smoked and was perfect. The filet mignon was tender and flavorful. The only feedback I have is that the filet entree was a little on the salty side, which was not necessary because the ingredients are so incredibly tasty.
The customers seem like a mix of youngish professionals and the oldsters who most likely live in the neighborhood.
Owner is super friendly and made me feel like I am famous (i'm not). Staff seems nice and they all speak at length about food, food metrics, food sourcing, food likes and dislikes, wine, wine pairings, cooking techniques, etc.
It's a little on the pricey side but considering the neighborhood and food quality, well worth it. I will be coming back on a regular basis. -
Review from Leddee H.
12/31/2011
It's my 100th review, so I wanted to review somewhere very special, and Flea Street was the one! Yay!
The entire experience was top notch ranging from the reservation process, the customer service, and most importantly, the food.
A couple of clicks through my OpenTable app on my iPhone, I had made my reservation only four days prior to dinner. It was too easy getting a 6pm reservation on a Friday evening. Star #1.
The hubby, godfather, and very young daughter accompanied me to the restaurant. By the way, this was my daughter's first "fancy" dinner. I was expecting a lot of frowns from both the restaurant staff and the other customers since my daughter is under 21 years old. Fortunately, the restaurant staff welcomed my daughter with open arms. For a fancy place, they even gave her an Etch-a-Sketch (old school iPad) and crayons. Star #2.
The biscuit deserves its own star...their biscuit with sesame seeds was divine especially when slathered with the butter and salt. The other bread was good too, but not as good as the biscuit. We got 2 servings of their awesome bread. Star #3.
Now onto the food...for starters, we ordered the butter lettuces with Half Moon Bay crispy sardine, crab cake, and the roasted Half Moon Bay sardine. Yummy to all. For the main entree, the godfather got the 6.5 oz filet mignon cooked medium, the hubby ordered the special of saffron fettuccine with grilled prawns, and I ordered the seared duck breast, medium rare. Honestly, everything was delicious. The filet and duck breast were cooked to perfection. The veggies that accompanied the meal were a perfect pairing to the protein. The hubby's pasta was "indescribable" aka fantastic. I brought a bottle of Trefethen Pinot Noir for the meal (corkage fee of only $20, yay), so the duck and beef paired well with our wine. Star #4.
The desserts were really good too, we shared the chocolate torte and the apple dessert with the rum spiced vanilla ice cream (I think I totally butchered the description of the apple dessert, but oh, well). And even the shot of espresso was incredibly yummy. Yes, a yummy coffee. Star #5.
Yes, a 5 star rating. It's nice that we don't have to drive to Napa Valley or San Francisco for fine dining. The customer service and food were impeccable. I highly recommend this place, so fellow yelpers, give this place a lot of love and check it out. I will see you here in 2012! -
Review from Cindy F.
As unappetizing as the restaurant name sounds, this hidden gem of a restaurant in Menlo Park is anything but! Flea Street is an elegant yet casual restaurant that serves up a three course menu fit for a foodie based on fresh, locally grown and organic ingredients. Seriously, you won't find Diet Coke or anything with aspartame here! I don't usually drink cocktails before dinner, but I absolutely love, love, love the lavender lemon drop! They also whip up a smooth, dirty martini with olives that I could eat for days (and I hate olives). Not to mention the warm homemade biscuits are completely worth the extra calories as well. For dinner, we ordered:
Half Dozen Pacific Oysters - Fresh, delicate and delicious with the mignonette and lemon, skipped the cocktail sauce
Roasted Half Moon Bay Sardines - Not your ordinary tiny little sardines from a can, these are fresh, larger sardine bites. They are pretty good, but a little on the fishy side. I probably would enjoy them more if they were smoked to mellow out the flavor.
Crab Cakes - Oh god these are good. The fresh lump crab meat on a bed of frisee and sweet potato cake with a touch of blue cheese sauce are not your ordinary crab cakes.
Honey Soy Duck Breast - The duck breast was very tender and juicy, just wish the skin was more crispy on the outside. Being Chinese, I'm always expecting Chinese roast duck crispy, but I've never found this at American or French restaurants. Otherwise, the flavor was quite good. My boyfriend loved it and ate it all.
Filet Mignon - I LOVED the grass fed filet mignon with cabernet sauce and truffled gratin. It is melt in your mouth delicious and you can tell they use really high quality meat.
Chocolate Hazelnut Torte w/Caramel Sauce - It's like a chocolate orgasm on a plate and worth every single calorie.
We were pleasantly surprised to find this kind of a restaurant in the south bay, and it was a nice change of pace without having to drive all the way to Napa for instance for an innovative twist on upscale comfort food without being pretentious. The service was all around outstanding as well from the host, bartender to the wait staff. Since it has been around since 1980 and located in Menlo Park, it is an older crowd, but it was surprisingly a little trendy and chic as well. Although it turned out to be a little pricier than we expected for a "cafe," the fresh, local organic food that actually tastes really good and the excellent service makes it more than worth it in my opinion. We had a great date night here, and will absolutely be back! -
Review from Michelle Q.
Santa Barbara, CA
Welcoming ambiance, extensive menu with amazing hummus. This deli style location serves delicious food, with incredibly friendly staff!
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Review from Peter B.
Menlo Park, CA
2/1/2012
This place failed to be special for us. It's not that the food was bad, or that the service was terrible, but for the price ($50/meal with wine), going to this restaurant is a disservice to all the better ones out there.
The menu has few options, which can be a plus, as it usually means that everything on it is good. We ordered the raw oysters, the roasted sardines, the beet variety plate, and the short ribs. We asked the waiter for a red wine suggestion, but her suggestions were for several choices not clearly based on the dishes we ordered. When the first two dishes came (the beets and oysters), the food was very beautifully arranged, so we had high expectations.
Yet, our opinion of a restaurant is based on its taste and service, not its looks. The beets were sandwiched with goat cheese and came with arugula, oranges, and pinenuts, but the flavor of the beets vastly overwhelmed everything else: the flavors of the peppery arugula, the slightly sour oranges, and the creamy goat cheese got completely lost. The oysters came with cocktail sauce and chili-chive mignonette; these were somewhat better, as we could control the flavor balance from the sauces and the oysters. Nonetheless, the sauces were uninspiring, and the oysters were on the small side, for an appetizer which costs almost much as a full main dish.
Before the main course, the waitress brought samples of cooked beets and guava, warning us that we might find a seed or two in the guava. The guava, as it turned out, was full of seeds, and the beets, although nice, were nearly identical to the ones which we had just eaten in the appetizer.
It was at this point that we learned that the waitress had forgotten our order for the sardines, so she apologized and said that she'd get it ready right away. Meanwhile, the main course arrived.
The short ribs were small and soft and quite bland by themselves. The horseradish cream also had only the faintest hint of flavor. In comparison, the vegetables were excellent, with the carrots and potatoes in our dish being excellently well seasoned, to the point that they outshone the meat, as well as the more delicate (although quite oily) flavor of the sardines which arrived later.
Judging by the other reviews, many other people were happy here. Maybe it was an accident that our food wasn't the best tonight. But, next time we spend $100 for a romantic meal together, we'll take it to one of many other restaurants which we can trust not to let this kind of accident happen. -
Review from Greg B.
12/16/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Flea Street is a very nice, upscale organic food restaurant downtown Menlo Park. The ambiance is very nice and the food presentation is great, though it comes at a price premium. The owner (we assume?) even came by to welcome us. Though we were caught a bit off guard when a nice lady started talking to us. Were we supposed to know who she was?
I have nothing against organic food, but nor do I see any real value in it. So, my reason to most organic foods is the same - it's really good, but why is it so much more expensive than equally good non-organic food. (Of course, I know the answer, but I'm not willing to pay that premium.) I think the last straw, though, was when they didn't have any caffeinated sodas. I mean, really, they are too good to carry Diet Coke? Now they've gone too far.
I had the House-smoked McFarland Trout, which was very nice and a surprising large amount of food. I prefer non-smoked fish, though, so I probably wouldn't get it again. I was trying to be healthy so passed up the delicious looking Marin Sun Farms Braised Grass-fed Short Ribs (or "short ribs" for short haha), and went with the Pan-Roasted California Black Cod. It was a bit on the pricey side - $35 for a small amount of fish, but it was very fresh and well seasoned with leeks, dungeness crab, and hoisin vinaigrette. For dessert, we shared the special Blood Orange Panna Cotta, which was truly delicious, light and fluffy, and a perfect end to a great meal.
Parking is quite difficult in the area, and you'll no doubt end up parking across the street at one of the local bars' parking lots.
A solid four star experience! -
Review from C N.
Palo Alto, CA
1/21/2012
Went here Friday night because I saw a delicious sounding crab salad on the online menu. To my disappointment the crab was not on the menu. I ordered the farm salad and steak instead. The steak was incredibly mediocre, and for $$$ certainly not worth the price. The wine was the only good part of the evening. Overall we will not be returning here for dinner again. For this price I would rather visit Mayfield Bakery in Palo Alto for much better food.
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Review from Anne B.
Redwood City, CA
1/14/2012
Fantastic.
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Review from Kenny J.
11/14/2011
Wow, what a great local spot.
I met a friend here for dinner as we wanted to try something new and catch up. Had sardines for appetizers, black cod for entree, and the poached apples for dessert.
Everything was delicious and reasonably priced. Service was fantastic.
Kind of an older crowd considering it's Menlo. I'm 31 and felt like the youngest person in the restaurant.
The parking lot is kinda small, but there's plenty of street parking. -
Review from Silvie P.
Redwood City, CA
11/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came here on a whim on a Tuesday night with my Mom. I called at 5pm and asked if I needed a reservation and they said yes, since they are packed by 6pm and all their tables are reserved. I was told I would have to sit outside or at the bar. When I arrived at 6pm the place was empty and we were seated at a nice table... indoors. Don't know why the person on the phone was so insistent that I would not be able to get a table.
Despite that annoyance, the service and the food was very good. I ordered the Artichoke Soup which was delicious. It came with some tiny bite size shrimp fritters... only 2 of them which was a shame since they were delicious. The soup was great. I also ordered the Webb Ranch Fried Green Tomatoes which were just okay. They covered them in some kind of chiptole mayonnaise that was gross. Ruined that dish for me.
My Mom ordered House Smoked Arctic Char. I was jealous! The fish was tender and smokey, the frisee was delicious and the crispy potato chips were divine. The owner popped out just in time to tell my mom to stack all the ingredients on the potato chip. Thank you! My mom also tried the Coke Farms Lettuces with Half Moon Bay Crispy Sardine, also a good choice although it only came with one sardine... I think it should come with 2 since the size of the salad was big but not enough fish for each bite.
And as we were leaving at 7:15... the place was still not packed as the person on the phone claimed it would be.
I do recommend this place, but apparently be sure to make reservations even on a weeknight! -
Review from Sunil R.
Updated - 10/16/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Have to bump up a star after going here a second time.
Fresh organic food including organic beer! Everything tasted delicious. We had all the specials. Beef tartar for appetizers, cobb salad for the entree and butterscotch bread budding for dessert.
Only tip, if you are not a fan of blue cheese, make sure you tell the waiter when you order anything with it in it. It has a very strong flavor and can overwhelm the dish unless you like it.
LOVED the service. The general manager Kira and the owner Jesse care a lot and it shows. Gem of a restaurant!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/10/2011
Casual but nice. I am trying to remember the names of the dishes I ate but am drawing a blank. The… Read more »
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Review from soulfultwinkletoes P.
Burlingame, CA
9/3/2011
Flea Street Cafe is another one of those places the community has made a part of its family. I could see many people at nearby tables, getting up to socialize with other tables as if they interacted with one another regularly. I was here for a birthday dinner. Interestingly enough, the owner sat right next to us. This retaraunt is something close to her heart and where her passion lies. She tells us she worked as the chef for 30 years and has recently retired and oversees. Our meal was delicious. Flea Street has been known for decades as a cutting edge eating establishment utilizing local organic ...before its time.
I highly recommend Flea Street Cafe. The menu changes seasonally.
Wine lists are unique and wait staff knowledgeable on pairings. -
Review from Linda M.
Santa Clara, CA
11/12/2011
We loved our dinner here. We began with glasses of wine and the fried green tomatoes as an appetizer. I had grilled halibut and it was excellent. Wonderful desserts as well. This is a delightful place for a dinner. We ate outside on the patio.
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Review from Vera S.
Mountain View, CA
10/4/2011
Wow! This was a fantastic meal. I came here with my family for my birthday dinner, and all of us loved (almost) everything we ordered. And I love that when we eat here, we're supporting a restaurant the serves local and organic food!
We were seated right away (we had reservations). The evening started out a bit slow - it was quite a while before a waitress came over to us. Then, after we'd ordered the wine, it was quite a while before she brought it to us. We also had to ask for bread... but once the bread and wine came, service was attentive and professional for the rest of the evening.
I started with the warm spinach salad, which was wonderful - just the right amount of dressing. My dad had the smoked trout, which I tried, and was fantastic. My sister had the curried cauliflower soup, which she liked. I can't remember what my mom had, but I do know she liked it.
For our entrees, I had the gnocchi with beets and blue cheese, which was unbelievably good. I order gnocchi a lot, because I usually like it, but this was one of the best I've ever had. Maybe the best. It had strong flavors, but it all worked together really well. I mopped up the sauce with their wonderful bread when I was done, when nobody was looking. My sister's steak was also good. It was a bit overcooked - she asked for medium well and it came out well done, but she still liked it. My dad loved the ribs, and my mom had the vegetarian tasting menu - that was the biggest surprise of the evening. In most restaurants, the vegetarian entree is there because it has to be, but it's usually bland and forgettable. This was wonderful! They had 4 or 5 different kinds of vegetables, all prepared differently, and every one of them was a delight.
As others have mentioned, the bread is delicious, too. We also ordered a cheese plate, which was phenomenal.
The only disappointment of the evening was the chocolate cake with peanut butter ganache. That was TERRIBLE. It might only have seemed terrible because we were comparing it with the fantastic other things we'd just finished eating - but the cake was dry, the ganache was too sweet, and the strawberry sauce it came with was pretty bland.
We will definitely be coming back here... we just may go somewhere else for dessert afterward. -
Review from Josie C.
Silicon Valley, CA
7/26/2011 2 Check-ins Here
What a fabulous little gem! I had dinner here recently and was treated to a beautiful relaxing experience. First of all, the service was perfect. Everyone (even the busboys) was genuinely friendly, helpful but not overreaching.
And then there's the food. Who knew a soup (sweet corn soup with shrimp fritters) and salad (with crispy sardine) could be so simply delicious? And who knew that I could enjoy a vegetarian entree without salivating over those gorgeous meat entress at nearby tables?
And then the desserts AND coffee. Yes, coffee deserves a special mention here because I was in awe at first sip. For those who don't understand why I hate Starbucks so much (and by the way there was one across the street), they should try the coffee here and have their souls renewed.
I am a little in love with Flea Street Cafe. -
Review from j h.
Mountain View, CA
1/13/2012
Definitely a fave spot on the peninsula. Their food is consistently fresh and local and the dishes are always creative. The short ribs are to die for!! :)
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Review from Randy F.
7/5/2011 5 photos
With a name like Flea Street Cafe, you'd think this was a rundown and grubby diner to eat oily classics cooked on the grill. Fortunately, you'd be very wrong.
Instead, Flea Street Cafe is an upscale restaurant that is a favorite of many Menlo Park patrons and serves a food-forward menu dedicated to organic and locally grown items.
On a warm summer night, we decided to give this place a try and having hung out at the nearby Dutch Goose (the much more casual hangout that could swap names with this place and not be out of place) were pleasantly surprised by the date night like ambiance and friendly service.
We chose outdoor seating and were one of many patrons that chose to do so. They had heat lamps for the chiller nights as well as lighting provided by ample flood lights if needed.
Our meal:
Caesar Salad - I ordered this to try the locally sourced sardine from Half Moon Bay and wasn't disappointed. It was meaty and generously sized and nicely fried. The salad itself was nicely dressed and not excessively covered with dressing.
Halibut Cheeks - another nicely deep fried item. We were surprised at how large the halibut cheeks were, but I guess that's what they are known for. It was served on a wonderful bed of organic vegetables and with some bacon. Mmmmmm......
Gnocchi - also served on a bed of organic vegetables. The gnocchi were filled with a ricotta cheese filling and I'm not sure I care for this filling as much as I did the traditional style. I've also had gnocchi served much hotter than this.
Organic Free Range Chicken - served with a farm fresh egg, this dish was a nice representation of the organic movement. The meat tasted lean and tender and the egg was fantastic.
Service was very friendly and we enjoyed our meal quite a bit. If there was one downside to Flea Street, it's that the prices are significantly higher than I would have expected. The ambiance is nice, but still casual and the decor is clean, but not too fancy. Nonetheless, most entrees were priced near ~$35 and the appetizers quickly added up.
It was definitely a good meal, but I was a bit surprised by my final bill. Other than that, it's a very good restaurant and the local ingredients live up to their billing. Just be aware that locally sourced food is often more expensive than it's counterparts. It's also made me want to hit up Chez Panisse and pay homage to the founder of this whole movement, Alice Waters. I'd expect prices there to be in a similar range.
Flea Street Cafe accepts credit cards, including American Express. -
Review from Bobbie F.
Mountain View, CA
12/4/2011
Oh, yes, yes, yes!
The food here is wonderful.
I've been here twice and both times it was excellent.
I tried the sardines on the appetizers, they were unbelievable. This isn't what you get out of a can. They say their chicken is pasture-raised, it tastes like it. Last time I had halibut, it was just wonderful, so fresh.
The salads are very fresh too.
All in all, the best food in Silicon Valley area. I really loved it.
A friend who grew up on a farm says this is what you get with home raised food.
About the fleas: Alameda de las Pulgas means "Avenue of the Fleas".
Park around the corner on Avy is usually wide open. Or on the Alameda itself. -
Review from schelly y.
Santa Clara, CA
8/29/2011
Cozy, low key, great service, and delicious food!
Everything is organic and very fresh.
Sweet corn soup with shrimp frittersl- Amazing! I could have licked the bowl.
Coke Farm Lettuces with Half Moon Bay Crispy Sardine- Light and fresh with wonderfully crispy sardines.
Langley Farms Grilled Pork Loin& Slow-cooked Pork Belly- The pork belly was delicious. Nice and crisp on the outside but melts in your mouth. The grilled pork loin was plain and lackluster
Marin Sun Farms Braised Grass-fed Short Ribs- Rich and tender
Farmer's Fruit Pie- We had a blackberry pie and it was the perfect combination of tangy and sweet.
Can't wait to go back again! -
Review from Frank Y.
Palo Alto, CA
9/24/2011
Just wow! Every element of service was exceptional. From the hostess, bus boys, bartender and especially Mike the waiter. Owner loves her employees and her restaurant and it shows. What an honor to meet her. She opened the restaurant in 1980 and still welcomes her guests with warmth and sincerity.
The food was amazing. Warm biscuits, roasted sardines and fried green tomatoes to start.
Entrees included the Albacore tuna special and the Alaskan Salmon. All cooked to perfection and served at exactly the right temperature.
Amazing dining experience and blessed we met such amazing people who love what they do and make their guests feel at home. -
Review from Kaori M.
Mountain View, CA
11/25/2011
Yummy but not enough for a big eater.
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Review from Yan G.
San Francisco, CA
5/17/2011
***4.5 stars, rounded down***
There aren't many restaurants that choose to evoke memories of annoying insects voluntarily. Fly Trap in San Francisco comes to mind, of course, but fleas? That's a new one. Of course when you realize that Alameda de las Pulgas, the street on which this restaurant is located, is loosely translated into English as Flea Street, it suddenly all makes sense. Flies and fleas aside, this place deserves your attention.
Tucked away in a nondescript location, this neighborhood restaurant is very deserving of your attention. It has been a Peninsula institution for over 30 years, and it continues to be a destination for venture capitalists and locals alike. Please note: if you are looking for a trendy place to show off your brand new Ed Hardy t-shirt, Flea Street Cafe is not for you.
The 30-year tenure is evident in the decor, which has not been updated in a really long time. While some may find it dated, I choose to think of it as classy and classy. It feels like you are dining inside a quaint New England cottage. The bar is small but welcoming. The hostesses are friendly and easy on the eyes. The bathroom with real cloth towels and battery operated flickering candles is spotless. The table settings are perfect.
I looked at the menu and decided to make it a 4-course meal.
I started with a cheese plate ($18). It was a nice selection of local cheeses, beautifully arranged on a cheese board with mixed nuts, apple jam and toast to cleanse the palate. I never order cheeses as a first course, but this time I had to make an exception. I liked the farmers cheese and the bleu cheese best, but they all seemed to work.
My second course was a very sizeable green salad with strawberries and croutons ($12). It tasted fresh and refreshing. However, I am glad my friend and I decided to trade our courses half way, because her asparagus, burrata and prosciutto course ($15) was a much better choice. I just didn't want to follow up cheese with more cheese.
My entree choice was the halibut ($34). It's normally served with clams, but I asked them to hold the vile shellfish garnish. Even without the clams, the root vegetables and the paprika reduction sauce gave my halibut an amazing flavor. The fish was flaky, juicy and flavorful. I also tasted the short ribs, one of their specialties. They were braised to perfection, but I am really glad I ordered the fish.
I was too full for dessert, but I saw the bread pudding on the menu, and I just couldn't resist ordering it. The orange currant bread pudding
($9) was my least favorite part of the meal. It wasn't sweet at all, and the orange peel overpowered absolutely everything. Despite being sufficiently moist, the pudding lacked creme anglaise, creme fraiche or at the very least some sort of condensed milk/dulce de leche concoction to give it flavor and sweetness. My friends encouraged me to send the dessert back, but I refused to do so. It's not like it was bad, it just wasn't the bread pudding I was hoping for.
The cost of eating organic is pretty high. Our total bill with tip for the four of us came to $310, and all we drank was plain old iced tea. Ouch.
If I liked stupid puns, I'd close by saying that I am itching to visit Flea Street Cafe again soon.Listed in: New Americana
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Review from Melissa F.
Sunnyvale, CA
11/28/2011
Long overdue review - I've eaten here three times and it's been phenomenal. I don't have the chance to go out for super fancy meals often, but when I do, this is my "go-to" place. The best cocktail I've ever had in my life was their lavender lemon drop. I've never been disappointed with anything there. I love the crispy sardines. I've had the salmon roulade, duck breast and a special quail cobb salad. All to die for. In fact, the only thing less than amazing was the veggie frito - not bad, just meh. Thinking about it, I am overdue for a anniversary dinner with the hubby .... now to line up a babysitter ...
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Review from Aileen A.
San Francisco, CA
6/19/2011
Came here for dinner after seeing this restaurant profiled on Check Please! Bay Area. The food was fabulous. I ate the vegetarian entree as a combined first and second course and the short ribs for my entree. Absolutely delicious! Even if I ordered the vegetarian entree alone, I would still have been very satisfied. But I really needed to try to short rib dish since it looked so good when it was shown on Check Please. :)
I am also impressed that this place relies on using local purveyors to create sustainable, yet very yummy food. And it was definitely yummy!
Our server, Ed, was very pleasant...thank you!
This is definitely a gem of a restaurant on the Peninsula. -
Review from Runip G.
San Jose, CA
8/15/2011
During the month of August when produce is at it's peak, I am always on the lookout for a restaurant which showcases the fantastic California produce. Flea St cafe with owner Jesse Cool's philosophy it's many organic vegetarian options fit this bill.
The dinner started with a whimper. The amuse bouche was a raw carrot and a green bean, apparently grown in the restaraunt's own garden. It quickly picked up tempo. The melon gazpacho was really good. The corn biscuit served alongside the bread was great. What blew me away was the peach and tomato salad with it's own magic dressing. The featured peaches were Elbertas picked from The restaurants "tree" located in Mas "Epitaph for a peach" Matsumoto farm. Outstanding.
The third course was vegetarian tasting menu which was good but could have used more creativity. The dessert was three house made sorbets, beautifully executed. Finished with a delectable chocolate truffle served at the right temperature, just vanished in our mouth.
This is my idea of showcasing our wonderful god given local produce leaving beautiful memories of our wonderful "Valley of the hearts delight" summer. -
Review from Elizabeth C.
Santa Clara, CA
One of my favorite place indeed. First of all they have the freshest organic ingredients, and they listed out where they got the ingredients.
They have really good drinks I must say! I had the grapfruit/ lemon juice cocktail and it's delicious! They also gave as free samples of appetizers! I love the sardine and the cheese platter. The duck was so soft juicy and filled with rich flavor!
The dessert were great too even though I forgot when I had, but they also gave us some chocolate truffles for free. I asked if I can take them home, they kindly packed them into a box for me with 5 extra pieces in it.
Happily I left the restaurant with more than satisfied stomach! and I was able to enjoy the delicious chocolate truffles the next day!
:) -
Review from Shay B.
San Mateo, CA
11/22/2011
Food: 3.5 stars
The food is tasty and the dishes are accurately cooked and served. It feels like a chef's place. Although the menu is unique and offers local and organic ingredients, I felt it didn't have enough options for vegetarians. The desserts were disappointing, nothing extraordinary.
Atmosphere: 5 stars
Great ambient jazz music. Intimate setting despite the large capacity (set up is of several small dining areas. Lighting and decore is homey, artsy, and warm.
Service: 4.5
Kind host and servers. Food was served promptly. The table service was upscale and by the rules of high end restaurants. -
Review from Radit T.
Menlo Park, CA
Updated - 8/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
This was our second time at Flea Street Cafe and it did not disappoint.
We opted for the proscuitto salad (my wife), the abalone special (me), pork two ways (my wife), and the dry aged rib eye special (me). My wife loved the simple salad and couldn't get enough of the pork loin. So juicy and cooked to perfection. For me, I had never had abalone before and I expected it to be more chewy and salty, but it was prepared very well and tasted more meaty than like seafood. And the rib eye was luscious. Yum.
Both my wife and I agreed that Flea Street is our favorite restaurant around. It's a gem in Menlo Park and we look forward to our next meal there.Listed in: Wanna eat here? Yes please.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/28/2011
We went for our first date night in ages and came away impressed with the food and service. Our… Read more »
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Review from Stephanie W.
Los Altos, CA
5/13/2011
Spectacular!
Made reservations via OpenTable for 4; a friend decided to join at the last minute and they graciously accommodated our party of 5.
Started with a lavender lemon drop. Best decision EVER. So good!!
Their bread/biscuits were fresh from the oven and TO DIE FOR.
Worst decision ever: their veggie fritto misto as an app. FYI - that means you get a ginormous pile of fried vegetables (not my gig). I sent it back, and they took it graciously. (They didn't take it off the bill - but when we pointed it out they did remove the charge.)
Main course was their filet mignon with wild mushroom risotto and a cabernet reduction. It was perfection.
The others had the strawberry salad (phenomenal), lamb meatballs (amazing), short ribs (melt in your mouth) and halibut (yummy). Wine & iced tea were hailed as delicious.
They finish off the meal with dark chocolate truffles that will make you whimper.
Total bill for 5 with tax & tip was $360.
Service was friendly - food came out very quickly after ordering, though they were a little slow on drinks. One of our $20 bills went 'missing' after the server took it away, so we had a little bit of stress with figuring that out amongst the credit cards, etc. While it worked out as we just put more cash in, it was a bit suspicious and next time I'll be sure to use a credit card.
The chef uses local ingredients, so you can feel good dining here. I can't wait to go back! -
Review from Alena B.
10/19/2011
We met some friends here for a nice dinner last spring. We all thought that it was amazing. Usually I am a very low-maintenance patron but at the time I visited I was pregnant and had some dietary restrictions due to gestational diabetes and they really made sure to work with me. The waiter didn't even seem frustrated to do so so I was very impressed. I would go here again! The food is great but it's the service that makes Flee Street Cafe excellent!
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Review from Maggie D.
Portola Valley, CA
8/7/2011
My favorite, my go-to place for a special occasion. We always order 4 courses. Victor gives impeccable and caring service - all of the staff are great. The best place to dine in town.
Ingredients are fresh, organic, sustainably and locally sourced. Menu items blend innovative with traditional. I have eaten here too many times to count and have always had a good meal. -
Review from Trevor T.
San Francisco, CA
9/22/2011
Great food. Great service. Great setup.
Overall solid yuppie restaurant. -
Review from Hoa N.
San Jose, CA
4/12/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Of all the highly praised restaurants that I've been too, I will always remember Flea Street Cafe. We went there a couple months ago and almost everything was excellent.
The main dish was extremely delicious. They change their menus every now and then so I don't know whether it's useful to even name the dish. But their dish was nicely presented with all the flavors blending together very well that you just want to take another bite after bite.
We order some appetizer but they were not as good as the main dish. The salad was very typically. The fried vegetables were actually a miss for this place.
The service was just very good. You know how you often went to a nice restaurant and they are over the top with their services that make you extremely uncomfortable? This one just gives you the right service at the right time without being intrusive in your conversation. Although at some point I did want to ask if the waiter was sick (look like he had stuffy nose) because I didn't want to be sick...(contagious germ) but I refrained from doing that because it could have ruined the mood.
The desert is definitely worth a try and you totally should try it. The chocolate cake was EXTREMELY delicious!!! I said only one bite but ended up engulfing the entire thing! It's that good! So guilty pleasure should be done correctly w/ the right food.
The atmosphere was very lively. You can bring your good friends and family members here to enjoy a well-cooked meal! I wish the lighting at the entrance could be better. I wish they had separated the men and women bathroom though. The sanity there was okie but it can be better. (okie I'm being picky!)
Enjoy your meal because it's worth it!!!
I will definitely come back here! -
Review from Rene C.
If you have not been to Flea Street. GO, GO NOW!
It had been a while since our last visit. And we have always been fans, but WOW, this place just keeps getting better and better.
Innovative, organic, creative, trend setting, relaxed atmosphere, sophisticated are just a few of the words that describe this gem of restaurant.
I booked a Sunday night table for two. Our weekend was booked full and we were in need of a date night out. So we skipped our usual night of 60 Minutes and dinner in front of the TV for an amazing dinner out. And I cannot stress the word AMAZING enough.
We arrived at 6:45 and seated in the back room. There are three distinctly different dining rooms at Flea Street. Each of them tastefully decorated. We were placed a nice intimate table for two along the wall. Our server soon appeared and took our drink orders. My wife started out with a glass of Champagne. As for me, I went off the radar a bit and ordered the lavender lemon drop. Not something I would normally get, but it just sounded tasty. And boy was it! Served up with a floating lavender on a nicely chilled martini glass. I thought for $11 this was an excellent cocktail.
Soon after the arrival of the cocktails, the bread basket appears. If you are not a bread before person fake it. Do it! Because the bread basket here is one of the best you will find anywhere. Flea Street is famous for their biscuits and once you take a bite of these delicious golden brown gems you will see why. Then our server brought over a "taste of the season". A few bites directly from the restaurants own organic garden which included beets, and another root vegetable which I do not remember what it was. Ok, I hear you. "ewwww beets". Let me tell you right now, I hate beets. I can't stand them. But the Chef here knows what they are doing. This is one of the few places I will eat them. They are amazing. OH! and the butter. How special can butter be? Served on a small stone a nice square of European butter at room temperature with a small mound of sea salt. Oh yes, now we are talking.
So far we have had drinks, beets, and bread and already it was an amazing meal! But there is more.
My wife and I split the warm spinach salad. This salad is awesome. It comes served with leeks, capers, shiitake mushrooms, feta, and
balsamic vinaigrette. For $10, the portion was quite big. But it was so good neither of us could leave a bite on the plate.
Our entrees were truly memorable. My wife got the cod. I am a seafood hater, but her dish looked amazing. Pan-roasted California Cod
winter hash of brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes and pancetta, sweet potato puree, coriander drizzle. My wife after her first bite looked at me said "This is as good as anything I have ever tasted at Gary Danko or Restaurant Daniel in New York". She hardly spoke after that as she made sure not a drop was left. I had intended to get the short ribs which I had heard are phenomenal, but at the last minute gnocchi came off my lips and this dish did not disappoint. This dish comes served with delicata squash, wild mushrooms,
Pt Reyes bleu, arugula, brandy cream. The cheese was the perfect amount and did not overpower the dish.
Even though we were both completely full, we could not pass up on dessert. One look at the menu it was one giant "yes please", but we did actually narrow our choice down to one and went with the caramel pecan bread pudding. It was the perfect way to cap off an amazing dining experience.
If you have friends in from out of town and are looking for something off the beaten path that will impress, this is the perfect place. I cannot wait to get back there again soon.Listed in: Medium Rare, Yelp's Bottom Feeder List of…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/9/2009
Once upon a time I used to be a regular here. To the point where whenever we dined here, the… Read more »
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Review from Kristyn W.
San Bruno, CA
5/19/2011
This is one of my absolute favorite restaurants. My boyfriend and I go here all the time.
My favorite things are the duck and the lavender lemon drops. And the biscuits, those are to die for!
I love the concept of this restaurant (sustainable food) and the food, no matter what you get, is cooked and seasoned perfectly. -
Review from Dave G.
San Francisco, CA
10/14/2011
Chef Cool has created a restaurant centered around local, organic, fresh ingredients. I enjoyed the creative juxtaposition of homemade potato chips sprinkled on top of the halibut steak - which was cooked to perfection. The portion sizes were just right - but order a starter and a first course in addition to your entree if you have a big appetite. Unique lesser-known beers and wine pairing suggestions completed the scene.
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Review from Jennifer L.
Belmont, CA
1/8/2011 9 photos
It's hard to believe I hadn't been to Flea Street Café in over a decade. http://www.yelp.com/us... Somehow it fell off my radar.
Tonight we rectified that with an early birthday celebration and I reacquainted myself with "my kind of place" that serves local, organic lovingly prepared food.
My parents took us out and we ordered:
* Cornmeal Crusted Winter Vegetable Fritto Misto chipotle aioli (similar to vegetable tempura) - fried goodness
* Half Moon Bay Crispy Sardines spicy seaweed salt, lemon - a miss for us
* Roasted Gold & Chioggia Beets goat cheese, pine nuts, celery leaves, lemon garlic vinaigrette - fresh, creamy, geometric, and sweet http://www.yelp.com/us...
* Bitter Greens, Fuji Apples & Parsnip Fritters asiago, shaved egg, golden balsamic vinaigrette - crunchy and good http://www.yelp.com/us...
* Honey Soy Vermont Pasture-raised Duck Breast savoy spinach, blood oranges, pomegranate, wild rice, walnut vinaigrette - beautifully prepared, delicious http://www.yelp.com/us...
* Winter Organic Vegetarian Tasting from local farms and gardens - satisfying and perfectly cooked vegetables http://www.yelp.com/us...
* Filet Mignon with crispy onions, brussels sprouts and potato gratin - tasty http://www.yelp.com/us...
* Pan-roasted California Cod winter hash of brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes and pancetta, sweet potato puree, coriander drizzle (minus the pancetta - no thanks) - fresh, but not light http://www.yelp.com/us...
* Chocolate Fondue with house-made marshmallows, cream puffs, dried cranberries, and Godiva chocolate cake - very yummy! http://www.yelp.com/us...
My top picks:
+ Cornmeal Crusted Winter Vegetable Fritto Misto
+ Beet Salad
+ Bitter Greens
+ Duck Breast (nice balance with tart fruit and leafy green vegetables - a lovely dish)
+ Vegetarian Tasting Entrée
Bottom picks:
- Crispy Sardines
- California Cod
We finished off the meal with Chocolate Truffles with a birthday candle for me, which was a nice touch. I appreciate that they were complimentary and popular at my table, but they were too sweet for me and not complex enough to be palate-pleasing. Less sugar and some Grand Marnier might fix that. The truffles are soft and dusted with cocoa powder, which caused me to sputter cocoa powder across the table (sorry, Mom and Dad). http://www.yelp.com/us...
Ambiance was pleasant and service was attentive. The house-made buttery biscuits were hard to resist. This is a feel-good restaurant for foodie types who like local and organic food.
4 locally-grown, organic stars.Listed in: Vegetarian Friendly, Organic Bites
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Review from Steve G.
Menlo Park, CA
10/23/2011
Lived in MP for many years and always heard great things about Flea Street. A bit worried that when I finally went that it wouldn't live up to the hype.
No need to worry.
The food here is absolutely outstanding. Fried green tomatoes, mmmmm. Short ribs as good as I've had anywhere.
The ambiance hits the right note, especially if you're on a date. Oh, and the service is top notch.
Go for the amazing food, but notice and appreciate all the other good things about this place, like the service. -
Review from brian t.
San Jose, CA
9/12/2011
I chose this place to celebrate the fact that my wife wife was crazy enough to say "I do" 11 years ago. First off, I have to say that it is nice to go to a place that still values the importance of good service. Our waiter was exceptional and the rest of the staff were exteremely attentive. How many times has the owner of a restaurant stopped by your table to welcome you? It'll happen here.
FSC focuses on organic, which is pretty cool. The fried green tomatoes were pretty damn tasty and the short ribs were smokin!
The bill was kind of hefty, but I didn't have to buy an anniversary gift, so no big. -
Review from Joanna P.
Redwood City, CA
10/9/2011
My husband and I went here for our anniversary. We were prepared to pay a lot and expected an excellent meal based on Flea Street's reputation and Yelp reviews. While there was nothing wrong about this place, there was also nothing special about it. The people were nice, but not amazing. We ordered salads, appetizers, and entrees (as they push you to do) and everything about the food was fine, but nothing special and certainly not good enough to justify the outrageous prices. A fly somehow ended up in my husband's drink (we were indoors), but they brought a new one without complaint. I have no complaints about this place, but also have nothing overwhelmingly positive to say about it. It was a nice meal, but I just can't give it more than 3 stars without anything to differentiate it from meals that cost half as much.
