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- 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:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Sun
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Kari C. said: "Thought we were going to an Italian place, but the menu features ahi, ceviche, paella? It's more of an American, fusion style restaurant. Close to Sunvalley Mall. Decent sized parking lot, but you'll still need the free valet. Uses…" read more »
25 reviews for Knoxx Restaurant & Bar
Review Highlights
"Mine was the tagliatelle and clams."
(in 4 reviews)
"...julienned fried potatoes wrapped with prosciutto and dill."
(in 4 reviews)
"...pasta was obviously fresh and the meat sauce was perfect."
(in 3 reviews)
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25 reviews in English
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Review from Steven P.
Pleasanton, CA
3/22/2009
Good points:
-Good food
-Portion size seems just about right
-Nice wine list and mixed drinks
-Desserts are not award winning, but good!
Bad points:
-Very loud inside (esp when there are large groups)
-Staff is nice, but not attentive to stuff like making sure your drink stays full and clearing out plates
-Getting seated on time
-Desserts are a little on the small side
In summary the Knoxx is a good place to get a quality meal. It's a little hard to get into since they made valet parking in the parking lot next to the place. (which is tiny!) Bad move. Priced a little too expensive, Knoxx tries to be something it isn't. It is not a Postino or some super fancy restaurant. It's more like a casual Italian eatery with some class. Knoxx and the management just don't know it yet!
In the group of 4, everyone enjoyed their meal from the limited menu. Will go again....but would like to see maybe a price fixed menu or bistro type section on the menu. -
Review from Nat H.
Lafayette, CA
11/26/2008 ROTD 12/20/2008
Brand new restaurant off of Mt. Diablo... described as Italian comfort food. They haven't even had their grand opening yet. It's on Dec 4. (They had a soft opening Nov 22.)
Being that it's brand spanking new, there weren't many diners in the restaurant. My fiance and I were the only people other than waiters and owners for the first half of our lovely meal. By the end of our lunch, there were four separate parties.
We both started with the celery root soup. Absolutely delicious. Creamy and filling, and garnished with julienned fried potatoes wrapped with prosciutto and dill. Yummy.
I dreamt of carbonara last night, so I thought it was an omen when I saw it on the menu. (Luckily I'm a workout junkie, because with my obsession with food I should be 400 pounds by now.) It was pretty good and very satisfying, although a little too salty. Plus the pancetta wasn't as browned as I would have liked. So I guess the dream was just a coincidence...
Even though my carbonara wasn't the best, my fiance's Tuscan tagliatelle with meat sauce was spot on! The pasta was obviously fresh and the meat sauce was perfect. Braised beef with hints of rosemary, red wine and vinegar. Normally you would expect ground meat in a sauce like this so the chunks of tender beef were a very nice surprise.
The service was very nice and I cannot wait until this place gets into it's groove. It should be a very nice addition to Lafayette.Listed in: Love Lafayette
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Review from Ivy R.
1/25/2009 6 photos
I am actually surprised that this place doesn't have more stars. We happened on this place on accident. My husband wanted to take me to Petars. Well I didn't do my yelp research very good because they were closed around the time we wanted to go today.
So we were totally lost in Lafayette and I saw this place off the side of the road. Actually I saw this place that said restaurant and bar on the sign. What more can I ask for?
We walked in and a girl opened the door for us. We expected to be asked how many and to be seated. She just smiled and said welcome and we stood there for a moment. Then obviously the owner, manager, came around the corner and said," You can sit anywhere". Well some direction would be nice. So we sat ourselves, sans menus or anything. I was only going to give four stars for this.
But once the owner, manager, took over and gave us menus and started talking to us I could tell they were new at this and that I should just take it in stride at this point.
Regardless of the disappointing hostess we had a wonderful lunch. I graded on service, food, drinks. The menu is written in all Italian but the descriptions are very good. For being in Lafayette the prices are incredibly reasonable.
They have a really amazing drink menu. I had the Pom Martini and my husband had the Fruitini. I know that sounds bad right.
Now to the food. Exceptional! The food makes up for the bad hostess situation. We shared the mussels for an appetizer. The sauce could have been more garlic flavored but the mussels were so fresh that just that was great. I had a piece of Salmon on spinach with grapefruit and dried cranberry's.
The food is so good and fresh. Having walked into this place with zero expectations I was incredibly impressed. We are going back for dinner. Drinks were very good and the food is above and beyond good.
Side note: They need a new sound track. The music was really annoying. -
Review from Brandon C.
San Ramon, CA
3/21/2009
This place was a great new find. Our table wasn't ready until a few minutes after the reservation so the manager (or a manager-type) offered us complimentary drinks while we waited. Very impressive.
The food was wonderful. I had the meatball and mashed potato appetizer which was very different and excellently done. A friend had the mussels, which he said were the best he'd ever had. Other friends had the Toscano salad which they said was so-so.
For entrees, two of us got the Tagliatelle which had lovely chunks of beef and was fantastically flavored. One friend got the Pork Chop which he said was great. The other got the risotto with scallops. He said the risotto was a bit undercooked and the scallops a bit overcooked, but it wasn't serious enough to make a fuss over.
I can skip the desserts next time. They were good, but not worth the price. The pear was very good, but small and the sauce around it on the plate looked like baby food (but tasted good).
Overall, a solid place. Food is great. Service good but not exceptional (water and iced tea was refilled only after prompting at the end of the meal). It's noisy too. When there are a few loud groups it makes the whole place really LOUD.
I plan to return in the future. -
Review from michelle g.
Walnut Creek, CA
12/22/2008
After shipping the kid off for the next two nights, my husband decided we should take advantage and go for a nice dinner. We decided to venture in to downtown Lafayette and see what we could find. Before leaving we checked the reviews for Postino and Knoxx and decided we would try out Knoxx.
Although we found parking, the parking lot itself was terrible. there are only a handful of spots which are so close together, my husband had to climb over my seat to get out of the car... not a big deal really, just annoying.
We walked in and were quickly greeted by a hostess which I could have sworn was a patron. Matter of fact, someone else seated us, and until we left I still thought she was a customer waiting for another person since she just stared at us rather than speaking to us.
We decided to split our meal, which turned out to be perfect portions for both of us. We started with the gem salad which included walnuts, prosciutto and pomegranate dressing... delicious! We then had the risotto, yummy. For the main dish we decided on the lamb with frittata center. the meat was mediocre and the vegetables underneath the meat was much different than any other produce we had been served. It was wilted broccoli and spinach from the bottom of the pile and BITTER. Yuck. When they took my plate I felt like that V-8 commercial, "should'a had a V-8?" I love vegetables, really, but YUCK.
We were asked if we would like dessert and chose the non traditional tiramisu, which was good. While eating our dessert, the waitress dropped the bill off without asking about coffee or espresso. Let me also explain that the restaurant was not turning tables. No one was waiting for our seats? Why such a rush?
Overall the food was good, although I would not have the lamb again, and the server was off. Most the other servers seemed more pleasant and interested in the customers satisfaction. -
Review from AJ N.
Lafayette, CA
1/12/2009
My wife and I walked into Knoxx, a little early for our reservation, and were graciously greeted by Jay. Jay and Gary are the owners of this new Italian restaurant in Lafayette. Jay took us over to the bar and poured several wines until we found a wine we both liked, a rich full Borello. And, all the time, Jay engaged us in a friendly conversation. This was the start of a very enjoyable evening.
The Highlight was the food. To start, I had the Little Jam e prosciutto toscano salad with the pomegranate dressing. My wife the Zuppa di sedano. The salad was good but the soup was extraordinary. Then I had a great hamachi arrosto con funghi (the yellow tail portion was a little small) and my wife had the Bistecca alla fiorentina. This was a steak house steak at half the cost. We finished with Pannacotta: a light, rich and delicious with the berry puree.
Best of all, we got out of there for a C note plus tip. Would I go back? Yes I would. -
Review from Betty D.
Walnut Creek, CA
8/24/2009
Apparently this review is a day late and a dollar short. My guess is that they're not closing down due to a family tragedy (although, if they are - my condolences).
This place was TERRIBLE! My date and I both had the veal saltimbocca and it was tough, dry, tasteless, and had some sort of "sauce" that I think contained carrots but not sure. The polenta it was on was ok which was disappointing because I LOVE POLENTA.
The wait staff was okay - we were only one of three tables so they couldn't have ignored us.
Glad they're gone ... wish them well. -
Review from Justin T.
Alameda, CA
1/25/2009
Glad to have a new restaurant in Lafayette and came for dinner with wife and a friend. Four top tables are a bit small but the new decore looks good. Hostess and table service was very good.
The food was lacking though and that's why the 3 stars. The best dish was the young rooster. The gnocchi was the worst.
I hope to try again when they update their menu. -
Review from Christina W.
San Francisco, CA
12/8/2008 8 photos
ok it took a lot for me to venture to this far off land call Lafayette, away from San Francisco...but i was bribed by a friend of mine to try this place because she knew the owners. so we hopped on bart and in 30 minutes we were at the Knoxx for the soft opening for family and friends. right as we entered we were warmly greeted and live music was playing in the background, i was pleasantly surprised that this place seemed cool.
but let's get down to the important stuff...the food, can i say Yum! Here is what i loved: bruschette (3 different ways - traditional, bell peppers, eggplant puree on different homemade breads), mussels, angus beef meatballs w/polenta, celery soup, tagliatelle pasta (homemade pasta with meat that they must have stewed for hours because it was just so tender) and the crispy young rooster. Desserts are also to die for and i don't say that lightly, the pannacotta was so rich and smooth (might be the best pannacotta i have ever had) and the tiramisu was interesting, not your typical kind and i loved it. yeah the desserts just hit the spot.
so maybe it was wine and the music, but i thought the food was awesome and i really liked this place. would definitely go back again, although it is a trek from SF since i don't have a car. but it was worth the bart trip. -
Review from Jimmy H.
Dublin, CA
4/6/2009
Came here for company Christmas dinner and had a great time. The restaurant was beautifully decorated. The mirror wall made the restaurant feel bigger than it actually is. It has been a while, so I don't remember what I ordered, but I do recall liking the main entree a lot. The only thing I didn't quite like was the dessert, because it felt like a fancy brownie.
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Review from Pam P.
Lafayette, CA
4/14/2009
We popped in wiht no reservations early on a Saturday evening and were seated immediately. Ambiance and service were excellent and the food was very good. We had a pork belly on beans that was interesting because here and there we'd encounter a bite of cucumber (with the beans). It was an interesting, refreshing dish. My husband had quail and we both thought it was outstanding. we would definitely go back!
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Review from Alison W.
Pleasant Hill, CA
8/27/2009
This place was eh. The service was really great, but the food just ok. The ambiance wasn't very exciting. I wish the owners best of luck- I just noticed that they are closed down as I'm writing this review, yikes.
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Review from Crystal C.
Portola Valley, CA
6/3/2009
We had reservations here on Sunday at 12:30 for a birthday celebration (party of 6). When we showed up, the restaurant was dark and empty, despite the reservation and despite the window signage saying they opened at 11:30. There wasn't a note on the door, and we weren't called. Apparently they bungled the reservation (somehow transposing it to Saturday for a group of 4 at 7pm???) and are no longer open on Sundays at lunch.
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Review from Ian F.
East Bay
5/6/2009
So this is a new Italian Restaurant in Lafayette that I wanted to try because I kept seeing crowds outside on weekend nights. I was very pleased going here, the food is amazing and everything we ordered was fantastic! I would definitely recommend this place. The bartenders and Wait service were very attentive and friendly, but my favorite part of Knoxx is the food. Authentic Italian cooking that will make you want more, and probably stuff yourself like I did!
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Review from Kevin C.
San Francisco, CA
9/7/2009
Not impressed. The food was passable, the service was slow.
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Review from Erin F.
Martinez, CA
4/24/2009
Recently went to this restaurant with a friend who is all about the wine list, while I am all about the food. Not impressive on either count.
I ordered the quail and was disappointed; my three bites afforded by the minuscule portion were bland and I kept thinking some roast chicken would be better tasting and filling. The meatball appetizer is tasty, but is only two meatballs and overpriced as it really is the size of an amuse-bouche and not a starter.
The wait staff was friendly, but made some major gaffes (I say this only as a former server). First, the place was empty, but for one table. And guess who we were seated next to (almost on top of)? This made neither table happy. Also, the wine drinker in our party asked some simple questions about the vino. Response: Oh, that's a very nice wine (repeat for each question). I asked about the food: Oh, that's very good (repeat several times). I blame management for that as it is their job to inform the servers and let them sample the food to better inform the customer. The menu is very limited and fussy, so we found ourselves perusing it for several minutes as nothing looked very appealing.
The only thing that bumps this from a two to a three star is that the waitress gave it her best college try, the manager stopped by to check on things, and someone else was paying for my food. -
Review from Susan R.
Lafayette, CA
5/27/2009
My husband and I finally had a chance to try out this new restaurant a few days ago. I want so much to have "good restaurant choices" in Lafayette but this place just did not hit the mark. The wine I ordered was tasty (and selection is good), but since they only poured me about a 4 oz. glass, it felt more like a taste. I had the pasta w/ meat sauce, not bad; but it was a little bland, small portion (for the price), and too light on the sauce.
My husbands seafood dish was cold and uninteresting. And don't go near the english split pea soup - not good...
Unfortunately I won't be back - too many little "problems" not to mention the overpricing for what it is. Adds up to "I don't want to try again". -
Review from Jerry B.
Walnut Creek, CA
8/22/2009
Booked a reservation tonight on OpenTable and arrived to find the restaurant closed.
1/2 star for http://OpenTable.com and 1/2 star for the poor management that led to the restaurant's closure. -
Review from Christine S.
San Francisco, CA
5/24/2009
Yikes, this was a mistake. We went here Saturday night because Antica, the restaurant nearby, was overflowing. Knoxx was one-third full by 7:30 and many people were already finishing their meals and leaving. We were seated immediately and ordered. First, the "House made mozzarella cheese served warm with oregano & "olio nuovo" What was this? It was two thick pieces of bread with a minuscule layer of mozzarella in between. I think they deep fried it to melt the cheese. The oregano was dried flakes sprinkled decoratively around the plate rim.; never did see the olive oil. It was served with some chopped tomatoes. Overall tasteless, and where did they mention bread in the description? Okay, the main courses. We both had one of the specials. Mine was the tagliatelle and clams. It was tagliatelle in a seasoned broth with eight small clams in their shells. It was awful. It was so salty. Though I ate it all (I was hungry, I paid good money for this, and I didn't want to offend the staff) I finally decided I had to say something to the waiter. The chef came over and explained something about the pasta water machine not working properly and concentrated salt water being left behind. What!? My husband's lasagna with duck ragu tasted good in a bland way. But he threw up that night. (I don't know if there was any connection, he never gets sick like this though.) Desserts were unexciting and not very good. Also, there was no bread served at the table. Come on guys, you can do better than this. We are very savvy eaters in No. Calif. We know quality food; and you, being in the business should know too. If you want to stay in business you have got to punch it up, be consistent with your dishes and never have a bad night. It's a good indicator that things are not going well when the restaurant is more than half empty on a Saturday night. I don't think any one there were repeat customers; and, I'm sorry to say, I won't be either.
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Review from Goldie M.
Oakland, CA
12/8/2008
Excellent. Really really fresh food. Would go there again for sure. The mozzarella was to die for!!!
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Review from Sarah D.
Martinez, CA
12/9/2008
After spending an exhausting Saturday in the city holiday shopping my Fiance and I decided to head back to the East Bay for a bit more of a low key dinner. Originally we had planned on going to Postino's in Lafayette, but after the large crowd and limited availability in the open bar seating we headed across the street to Knoxx. I had read a review in the Contra Costa Times and thought we should check it out.
Our first impression was favorable, and while there was no table seating available we were shown to two cozy stools at the bar. The service was awesome and our bartender was very friendly and helpful, even allowing us to sample three different wines, before I made up my mind.
We started with the little gem salad (not sure if that's the right spelling) which had lots of fresh prosciutto and an excellent dressing.
My Fiance ordered the Tagliatelli with his exact words being " I can not get this in my mouth fast enough, it is sooo good!" The pieces of meat were a nice suprise as we were expecting ground beef.
I ordered the shrimp risotto, which was also quite tasty.
With our glasses full of a second sampling of delicious Italian wine we took a recommendation from the bartender and went with the Chocolate desert. Also very tasty.
Overall we will definitely be returning to this new little Gem in Lafayette! -
Review from meeksy y.
Orinda, CA
1/23/2009
My fiance and I were excited to try this new restaurant in the neighborhood. It looked nice and upscale. The service was excellent however the food was a 1 star. We ordered an appetizer (mussels) - okay, my fiance ordered the pork chops which were decent but unexciting and i ordered the black cod (I would not recommend - it was drowned in oil, very bland over carrots, carrots and more carrots). We knew we weren't going to come back to this restaurant so we decided to order deserts. I had the chocolate and espresso cake which was okay...nothing to write home about. My fiance ordered the tiramisu. The waitress warned him that it was not the traditional tiramisu. Boy was she right. It was ice cream served with these tortilla looking things. Definitely not tiramisu. Our bill came to $75. If your hungry, don't come here and if you do, don't get what we ordered.
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Review from Peter G.
Lafayette, CA
5/10/2009
I thought I would give Knoxx a second chance after a mixed experience during their second week open - and was again disappointed. Went for Mother's Day brunch. 5 waitstaff, only 4 tables with people in the restaurant, and still a 10 minute wait before anyone came to our table after we were seated. Staff didn't appear to really care about the customers - just seemed to hang out and chat amongst themselves (the owner had just left the restaurant as we were arriving, maybe it's better when he's around). We asked what they could do for the kids as the items on the full Prix Fixe menu were not appealing and they offered to make a plain pasta and then went ahead and charged us for the full Prix Fixe anyway ($50 for 2 kids!). Food was solid, but a bit under seasoned for me - unfortunately combined with the classic arrogant chef move - no salt/pepper on the table. I definitely enjoyed the food enough to go back, but the weak service and IMHO outrageous overcharging for the kids will probably keep me away.
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Review from James M.
Orinda, CA
5/12/2009
I went for a light pasta dinner and ordered ravioli stuffed with crab on a pea puree base ($21). My dinner companion ordered an Italian noodle dish with a Tuscan meat sauce ($16). Both of us ordered iced tea ($3.50). The cost of this dinner, with a 15% tip, amounted to $55.00. Good food, but terribly overpriced for what was served. Imagine $3.50 for iced tea. I departed at 700pm and there were only four diners in the restaurant at that time. What a shame that the owners overcharge for their food. I will probably not return until I get another stimulus payment.
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Review from Barbara B.
Martinez, CA
10/14/2009
This place was terrible and very stingy with their food.
