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Mon-Thu. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Fri-Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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Well, this has become my go to place in Napa.
We had the terrine of foie gras again=$20. This dish is rich, but soooo good. I prefer putting the foie gras on the warm bread that they bring you.
We then had the mushroom soup=$11 that they've had on the menu for a long time. It is soo tasty and I just wish that I could have a bigger bowl.
We then had the lobster and spaghetti=$38. There was a lobster tail served over the spaghetti. The flavors all blended well and was very enjoyable.
Our server Dan was super and all of the other servers were very nice.
I love the amuse bouche and wish I could have several more servings!
All of this for $107 with a glass of late-harvest chardonnay.
We arrived just before 6p last night which is a great time to go and we sat right in front of the… Read more »
Absolutely divine restaurant in the Napa Valley!
I came here on the recommendation of a coworker who went to culinary school in Napa. The occasion was my sister-in-law's bachelorette lunch.
We sat outside and the decor was perfect. Casual, but refined. Service was attentive and friendly. Everyone ordered the $35 prix fixe menu. What a deal for an amazing meal. The menu changes regularly, but we were served a fresh heirloom tomato salad, a clam bake of sorts served over something that resembled polenta, and panna cotta for dessert. (Apologies to Martini House for butchering the descriptions of all the delicious food we had.) All of us loved our dishes and agreed this was the best meal of the weekend.
I want to try so many other Napa restaurants, but we had such a great experience here, it will be hard not to come here every single time I'm in the area.
The Martini House is the real thing. In a valley stuffed with overpriced prix-fixe restaurants and sad pretenders, it's nice to find a place the locals "know" is a destination. This is our second time at Martini House. It did not disappoint, and in fact, made up for the fact I made my wife car-sick driving there (coming over the hill on back-roads, from Santa Rosa), the first time we went. She did not have the same excellent memories of it as I did, and I was determined to make it up to her. The Martini House did not disappoint.
If you go to the Martini House, remember, they always have a sommelier on duty for dinner (not sure about lunch). Take advantage of the "Som" as they call them. Our experience the first visit was something we both remember well, since we were introduced to Hope and Grace Wines by the Som.
When we asked for the Sommelier, a very young, lean man came up and I thought "could this guy really have enough experience to do his job?" His choice of wine and experience soon put our concerns to rest. When we told him I wanted the Duck Breast and my wife was trying to choose between the Scallops and the Clam Bake, but..that we wanted a red...he picked a particular Pinot he thought would bridge the gap between Duck and seafood, and proceeded to strongly suggest she then go with the Scallops, given the wine choice. Neither of us are huge Pinot fans, going more for bold Zins, but we went with his choice.
When the waiter came by, he had been tipped off by the Som and as well, suggested the Scallops with the wine choice. He only gave their collusion away when I asked. I think of this as being the mark of a good restaurant when the staff communicates.
The brought us an amuse-bouche, which we can't remember--but we remember loving, and we had the warm Chantarelle salad, which was fantastic as an appetizer.
Both entree's were great as well, and the wine went very well with both dishes, which made us even more happy we came back for a second visit.
At the end of the meal, we asked the waiter if we could keep the bottle, so we could remember the wine. He offered to do us one better: he took it to the back and carefully removed the label and put it on a Martini House, card, with a note from the Som thanking us, and the Som's business card. His name was Brian Penly. The wine was Cep, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir, 2007.
We'll be back for a third visit, next time we are up in the area.
Martini house is so homey, maybe because I think it was a house. But just FYI they do not specialize in Martinis. It is the name of a family. That being said, a few of us went to the Martini house and sat in a beautiful table right next to the kitchen. We ordered a great meal, even better wine and the kitchen suprised us with a few little things at our table. It was really a good night, until....
We saw a big giant burger with onion rings coming out of the kitchen. Where did that come from? We were all pretty sure that hadn't been on the menu.
We asked our very informative and perfectly attentive waiter about the mysterious burger and he said it is on the bar menu and can't be ordered in the dining room. We wished we had known.
Apparently that night and the following morning my meat eating friends had been dreaming and thinking and fantasizing about that burger to the extent that at 6 pm the following night we found ourselves back at the Martini house sitting at the bar. When they handed us a bar menu, we politely responded "no need" we want the kobe burger. I just had three bites and I was stuffed by my friends both polished it off as if they may never get such a burger again.
Now when they visit the bay area, we find ourselves back in the little comfy familiar bar in the Martini house, mouth watering over a Kobe burger.
I absolutely love this place. The food is consistently excellent and unique, the bar is always fabulous, and the staff are accommodating and friendly.
At the recommendation of fellow Yelper, Alison B., we had dinner downstairs in the cellar. We sat at the bar, ordered our drinks and pondered the menu. After a full day of wine tastings, I wanted some solid comfort food and ordered the Kobe beef burger. Wow, this burger was amazing. It was served with California swiss and wine stewed onions on a light, fluffy homemade bun. Absolutely, wonderful! The side was onion rings and they were excellent as well. Not too much batter, flavorful onions and served crisp.
We enjoyed good conversation at the bar with locals who stopped in for a burger before they went on with their Saturday night activities. A true testament to this establishment.
When back in the Napa area, I will definitely be visiting the Martini House again.
People thought this was:
3.5 stars.
Went for lunch on a weekend, and it was pretty slow and quiet.
We were seated by the fire place, chairs were really comfy and the setting very romantic.
Both the mushroom soup and escargot were good. The bf got duck confit which was good but a little too salty. I got ravioli with scallops. The ravioli was way too sweet and didn't go with the scallops. The scallops were good though on their own.
The service wasn't impressive or friendly. I was kinda dissapointed by the service and my ravioli dish. Otherwise it would have been a great dining experience.
Yum yum yum yum. We ordered a bottle of wine and also brought our own since they let you do that if you buy a bottle too. We each got different appetizers and even though I am not a HUGE mushroom fan I still went for the mushroom soup. I was not disappointed. Whoa. I ordered an entree that came with scallops and sweet corn pudding. Everything was so delicious. Also the chef sent out a mushroom mousse type thing on crackers for each of us to try. Yum. I don't fully understand why the chef loves mushrooms as much as he does but hey, it works for him and it worked for us too! It is expensive but not so expensive that you can't spring for it for special occasions. We went because all of our friends were together for the first time in a while and it seemed appropriate. We all had a wonderful time and would definitely go back.
People thought this was:
Above all, this is my temple.
This St. Helena restaurant is simply this best. It is my sincere hope that not too many people find this gem.
There is an upstairs and a downstairs. The upstairs area is refined, nice and classy. It's not my sort of thing. The downstairs is my sort of thing. Don't get me wrong, the upstairs is perfectly fine, it's just not MY thing. The same incredible food is served downstairs, as well as burgers and bar food. I love the way little chef thingy's keep arriving while waiting on my entree. "Here you go sir." Wow, pretty cool and it's all great!
In the bar you are sure to meet almost anyone you want to. It's mostly locals, but you never know who you will meet. Ask for Patrick (bartender) and tell him congratulations on finally marrying off his daughter!
Seriously, go here, it's where god goes to have a drink.
Our group of winos needed cocktails, having tired of wine. Everyone we talked to at Chase kept recommending Martini House so off we went!
The chef at Martini House is very focused on mushrooms, as almost everything featured mushrooms and their signature dish is mushroom soup. I had a Martini House Manhattan and a mushroom slider once I had returned from a critical mission to Bouchon Bakery.
The manhattan was good, served with "drunken cherries" that made it very unique. The mushroom slider was literally a patty made of mushrooms, served on a tiny brioche bun with a lot of herb mayonnaise. A little bit too much mayo in fact, once I scraped some of it off I enjoyed it thoroughly. The little amuse bouche of mushroom mousse topping a tile of puff pastry was very good as well.
After eating our treats from Bouchon, we needed a little more and the candycaps bread pudding was intriguing - we had nicknamed it deathcaps bread pudding. The bread pudding was creamy and fluffy, studded with currants and golden raisins, completely fragrant with the maple-y goodness of the powdered candycap mushrooms infusing the custard. Mmmm... very interesting indeed.
As for Rachel Ray and her stupid shows, I hope she chokes on EVOO with her big obnoxious mouth and dies.
People thought this was:
Here is a reality check for you fan's of Rachel Ray. She thinks an appetizer for $16 is cheap. She is rich. She does not understand the struggle of a wine student at the CIA who is looking for deals. For us $16 for a meal is cheap, at least in Napa County.
Martini House is a fine restaurant with an extensive wine list. It's the only wine list that I found an entry for Austrian Blufrankisch. Their staff is fairly good with the wine list as well. The wines by the glass to me seem limited especially in wine country
Lets talk about the food. The chef focuses on mushrooms and you can't go wrong with those dishes that include them. The mushroom soup, scallops with mushrooms, mushroom slider, cute little mushroom mousse. They also make one of the best beef carpaccio dishes I have ever had.
Let's talk briefly about the dishes that suck. The Foie Gras Terrine is just too much, too rich and overkill. A quarter of the way through I was considering getting a cardiovascular stent. The Kobe Burger is horrendous! It is covered in thousand island dressing to the point that you can't tell how long it was cooked or the quality of the meat.
They had a little sorbet dish which is sorbet in little cones stuck in sugar that is held in a martini glass. It is truly a treat but apparently there are some waiters that generously give this to you free of charge and others that don't care. When I went to dinner, ate in the dining room, and spent $200+ for my wife and I, the older gentleman waiter didn't not provide this. When I went with classmates, ate in the bar downstairs and we spent about $140 for the 4 of us a younger waiter generously brought it to us. Doesn't make too much sense to me.
I would go back but I would order carefully.
I recommend eating in the basement bar as it's staff is friendly and more wine smart. The Watermelon Martini is the bomb.
People thought this was:
We thought the food was wonderful, though only because we really like mushrooms. If you don't, you are in serious trouble with this menu because it is a mushroom FEST - I mean everything. Seems a little weird to have one flavor type dominate an entire menu, doesn't it? Again, if you like them shrooms, you'll likely be very happy because the food is wonderful, but still it strikes me as very odd.
The service was OK - our guy was very nice but a bit confused (had to come back twice to confirm our orders - just write it down already! - too many shrooms?)
Another warning - the wine list is ABSURDLY overpriced. For wine country it is especially offensive - truly ridiculous. Bring your own - no question about it - their corkage could be $50 and you'd still come out way ahead on just about anything.
Lovely setting and tasty mushrooms but there are so many nearby places that are better.
Martini House is one of Michael Bauer's top 100 and retains a star from Michelin. So, it must be really, really good. For me, not so much.
I found the service to be confused. I was ignored for some minutes after being seated. Finally, the hostess asked if I had questions. Yes. Could I substitute mushroom soup for foie gras on the tasting menu? No, no substitutions. " My waiter then arrived and offered that a substitution could be made. Not bad service, just confused. When I left the table mid meal, my soiled napkin was neatly folded on the table rather than being replaced. In a restaurant with pretensions to being one of the best, lapses such as these will not do.
The open kitchen was far noisier than I would have liked in a top-tier restaurant. The chef shouting orders like an expediter in a fast food joint. The timing of my meal was off; gaps between courses were far longer than I would have liked.
But, ultimately, my limited enthusiasm for Martini House relates to the food. A first course of mushroom soup was nice enough. But it was served in a plain bowl akin to what you might find in a school cafeteria. The crisp croutons over the soup were cut small, hence they became soggy too quickly. This nice plate of soup was the high point of my dinner.
New England Lobster and Clam Bake was composed of poached lobster, steamed clams, corn pudding, potatoes, sea beans and drawn butter. Rather than being a lusty plate of food reminiscent of Maine, this was an overly refined melange. The lobster was a bit mushy but still OK, the clams merely an ornament, the corn pudding nicely sweet, the potatoes a bit undercooked and bland.
Beef tenderloin, tasty and properly medium rare, came with a too-sweet red wine glaze. Sautéed mushrooms, pearl onions and bland smoked bacon were OK. The star of the plate was a ravioli, awkwardly perched atop the tenderloin, filled with potato and zesty horseradish.
A dessert of peach cobbler was pedestrian. Pedestrian would describe my experience at Martini House.
Not impressed. Martini House came fondly recommended by employees of upscale wineries. We made reservations, made the 30 minute trek, and were sincerely looking forward to experience this "amazing" restaurant.
Upon arrival, we were a little confused. I could be mistaken but it appears to be a remodeled house. Ok, fine. But for a restaurant that is supposed to be of a significant caliber....um...I think not.
We were immediately disappointed to discover they could not locate our reservation and even had trouble "considering" seating us despite the fact that it was basically empty. Trust me, we were the best dressed in the establishment - they simply did not have it together. But, alas, we were seated next to the kitchen - which I am not a fan of (depending on the venue), clanky and hot...hard to converse.
Perhaps the recommendations had set my expectation to something much more ...elegant. But I didn't exactly find it as charming as others. I thought the layout was awkward and the decor conflicting.
We had been tasting all day and were ready for a MEAL, steak in particular. We ordered cocktails and began to peruse. And peruse. And peruse. We finally had to stop the server to ask what steak they served. He actually told us the didn't have a steak on the menu because "it was not in season". I have never heard of such a thing. NOT IN SEASON? WT....? I have been able to order steak anywhere, any time. My friend (a North Dakotan) was flabbergasted and asked, "Why don't you go out and kill one we saw on the along the hillside on the drive here?". I don't think he appreciated the question.
So, we ordered overpriced apps (which I believe may have even been served on a doily - really? A doily? However, I give credit where credit is due...they were very tasty) and drinks to tide us over while we racked our brains for a "real restaurant".
The whole experience was awkward and we left hungry, irritated, and not at all happy.
The only saving grace was the delightful dinner we experienced at BOUCHON!
I've been here a couple times for dinner and it has always been delicious, but I never knew they were open for lunch. Now this is a fabulous, affordable lunch!
- Amuse Bouche - Mushroom Mousse with a poricini crisp. Great Start!
- Another surprise from the chef, to ensure that none of the guests were sitting at the table without a course (nice touch!) - truffle panacotta
- Mushroom Soup - would have preferred for it to be a little thicker, but I'm not complaining. I would have licked the bowl (if I was the one that actually ordered it). And forget the fact that it was 107 degrees outside. I could care less about eating a hot soup in that weather when it is that good.
- Beef Carpacio - OMG! Mind-blowingly delicious! And priced at only $13. Wow...
- Kobe Burger - Delicious! The bun was light and airy. The onions rings were some of the best I have ever had. This dish was also reasonably priced at $17!
Without a doubt this is the place to go for a nice lunch. Make reservations - they were packed! Minus one star - the server definitely showed his displeasure with the fact that some of us chose to share entrees or order an appetizer for lunch. Uncool!
I was prepared to blast this place until the bill came - $215, including tip, for (1) an appetizer, (2) an entree, and (3) the chef's tasting menu and wine pairing. The pairing included a $30 glass of Corison cab.
Service was decent, but the food was slow. Our dinner was 2.75 hours, but the tasting menu didn't have enough courses (4) to justify such a slow pace. Our waiter also kept forgetting to announce the wine pairijg before putting it on the table, forcing me to ask him again and again. (He eventually just gave me my own copy of the menu - effective, but also not excellent service.)
So what was good? Good pineapple sorbet with tapioca at the end. Filet was small, buy smoked flavor was great. Egg yolk and potato ravioli also was innovative. Scallops and foie gras terrine were just so-so, though.
Overall, three stars. Just OK food, but hard to complain because of the price. (To put it in perspective - the tasting dinner for two with one wine pairing at Meadowood was $530).
We didn't order wine and then we saw the waiter go back to the kitchen, gesture towards our table, all the cooks looked at us and then we heard them say, "well there's nothing you can do about it!"
He came back after our salad and said, "are you sure you don't want any wine?....
My dad ordered Lobster tail, which was raw, and about 1 ounce. He got up to use the restroom and a saw someone else with lobster tail 5 times larger than his.
I love mushrooms and the mushroom burger wasn't good.
Check was enormous.
Would not recommend unless you go downstairs and drink. That was cool.
People thought this was:
Me and a few friends went here for brunch on Easter. The weather was beautiful and we wished we would of booked a table in the outdoor patio - however, the table we got upstairs by the window was fantastic.
The restaurant is cozy, decorated in rich dark colors with splashes of color with beautiful lamps and hanging lights. Downstairs bar is very cool as well - I could see it being a cool place to get a drink in the evening.
The food was really good - we were all very pleased with our meal. I shared a lobster salad, mushroom linguine and mushroom soup with my friend. The boys had the Kobe beef burgers which were amazing - probably the best burger I've tasted in a long time - really juicy and flavorful.
We were so full from our meal we had to skip dessert. Although they ended our meal with some cookies which I thought was a nice touch.
Service, price, atmosphere, and food are excellent. We will certainly visit again on our next trip to St Helena.
I brought my friend here this past Sat. This is her first time (She's from So Cal) and my 3rd time coming here. I come here for the Kobe beef burger and onion rings.
My friend ordered the French Onion soup and Kobe beef burger. I just ordered a Kobe beef burger. The first thing that came to us was a complimentary mushroom cream button puff pastry. Yummm. The pastry was light and airy. The mushroom cream is very tasty and flavorful. The next dish that came out was my friend's French Onion soup. Now... I'm not a big fan of French Onion soup but I must say... this soup tasted very good. I guess the last times I've had French Onion soup was blah... My friend even said this is one of the best ones she's tasted so far. Now what surprised me was they brought out an espresso sized cup of Mushroom soup for me, complimentary!!!!!! I guess they didn't want me to feel left out while my friend enjoys her soup. How thoughtful. The mushroom soup was great!!
Next was our main dish which is the Kobe beef burger. All I have to say is yummmmmmm. The burger is pretty big. I had to cut it in half before I can eat it. We both couldn't even finish it and took the other half home to enjoy later. The onion rings that come with the burger were done just right. Thick and crispy and stacked like a little pyramid.
The staff was nice and friendly. The decor is nice. It used to be a house owned by Walter Martini, which he built for him and his wife hence the name of the restaurant. There is courtyard seating when the weather is nice. Downstairs has a very nice bar with some very high end alcohol. They serve a very high end Patron shot for $60. It's called Grand Patron Burdeos. The bartender said it's tequila but more like a cognac.
Whenever you're in the area, I say go check it out!!!
People thought this was:
Ah, this place is so cute and cozy! Perfect for dates and weekend getaways. The decor is kind of funky and quirky (water faucets sticking out of the ceiling beams, a long tree suspended from the ceiling carrying a raft of candles) but I like it. Service is very friendly, and the food is yummy. Only beef: it's pretty pricey for entrees and the size isn't going to overwhelm you but perhaps that's better anyway for all us gluttons eating away in Napa :)
I LOVED my cream of mushroom soup. Such intense mushroom flavor and I was in need of something to warm me up! My tenderloin was pretty good, but I have to admit I've had better. What was interesting though were the accompaniments: roast fiddleheads (it's a kind of fern, it looked like a curled up pig tail or a snail shell spiral - it was unique, a bit springy to eat, but I liked it) and pearl onions and a realy strong cabernet glaze w/ bacon lardons (great touch). The bf ordered a coconut curry pan roasted halibut - tasty, but I didn't love the almonds on top.
Dessert: panna cotta w/ rhubarb gelato and strawberry gelee. The panna cotta was sooo smooth and creamy. Yum. Bf ordered the hazelnut financier which I did not try - I did eat the bittersweet chocolate gelato on the side though (tres bien).
Anyway, good marks all around.
I sat downstairs at the bar and had an amazing meal. It definitely helps to love mushrooms. The service was fantastic and they have a great cocktail list. Highly recommended!
If you visit, sit downstairs at the bar or at a table. Upstairs is sort of stuffy, but still nice.
After a long hard day of wine tasting, we came here to end our day because we heard the mushroom soup is to die for. Oh my word, its true!
My bf and I ordered a bowl of mushroom soup and the Kobe burger. I also ordered a side of vegetables, which was also fairly impressive too (shallots, squash, caramelized onions, carrots and something other greens).
You'll get a complimentary mushroom pastry and dessert with your meal. What a great touch! The food was really good and the wine is good too. We tasted a glass of the "Volunteer", which was developed by a local fireman. Really good wine.
Made a reservation on through Open Table 2 weeks before hand for 4....got seated right in front of the hostess stand, so it was a little like sitting in a museum. (i.e., every party that walked in was looking and pointing at our dishes, wondering what cocktails we had, etc)
We all had a round of Bellini's to start, and they were AWESOME. The peach puree was super fresh, and the puree was in good proportion with the champagne.
As for the food, the complimentary mushroom pastry buttons were delectable, and a great way to get out taste buds prepared for our meal. I had the spring chickory salad with cherries (I've had a dream about this salad since Friday - it was that good) and my boyfriend and his parents had the mushroom soup. I was pretty sure that my boyfriend was going to lick the bowl, he enjoyed it that much. For the main courses, the plates were all pretty impressive - there was an order of lobster, duck, and steak , which were all pretty decently sized and came with some yummy looking side dishes. Being the lone vegetarian at the table, I had ordered the shitake mushrooms with basmati rice, which turned out to be little more than a cup of soup. I was disappointed at first, but it was quite tasty. (a little heavy on the ginger, but good none the less).
We had decided to pass on dessert, but was pleasantly surprised when another complimentary dish with mini-cupcakes and shortbread cookies appeared - they were brilliant!
Now, Martini House is beautiful, the service is impeccable, and the atmosphere is very romantic. That being said, its a little pricey, so it is more of a special occasion place. I know that there is a different menu downstairs for the bar, so I'm looking forward to going back and trying that. All in all, a wonderful place for dinner!
Yum! While I love the restaurant's sophisticated fare, I prefer to sit in the bar and get a burger. Although typically you can't order off of the bar menu in the restaurant, I have talked the waiter into letting me order the burger while sitting outside. Not sure if this is allowed on a regular basis or was a one-time exception. The burger is exceptional!
Our dinner at Martini House in St. Helena was exceptional. Tucked away on a quiet street in St. Helena, just walking through the garden into the restaurant makes you feel like you've found a secret spot. The ambiance is lovely -- lush dark rustic woods and candle light. On the the important stuff, though: cocktails and food...
Instead of going with our standard favorites, we started with some of their original signature cocktails and were not disappointed. I had the grapefruit martini (can't remember the exact name of it) and it was tasty, sweet and refreshing. Everyone else in our group was equally satisfied with their cocktails.
For our meals, the food was perfect. One of us (not a vegetarian!) ordered the mushroom tasting menu and was pleased he did. I enjoyed very much the fois gras terrine to start and the cream of mushroom soup. Both were amazing! (Please don't judge me for having two appetizers). For dinner I had the scallops, which I don't normally love, but which were exceptional -- perfectly executed.
The service was nice -- attentive but in a quiet and unobtrusive way.
This is one of those rare restaurants that is fun for a group (we had six) but which would also be equally enjoyable for a more intimate outing. Enjoy!
Let's see:
1. A hostess who can't find our reservation.
2. A crappy table along some kind of hallway.
3. Slow service.
4. Crap food.
5. Big bill.
Other than that, awesome.
Would've been better off going to McDonald's. You will be, too.
People thought this was:
Wonderful food! Every single item that my husband and I ordered was almost better than the previous one. Absolutely five stars in the food department. A long drive from SF but worth it. We have dined at fine establishments worldwide and this is definitely one of them.
Our service was excellent, professional, timely and courteous.
The only thing that marred our experience a bit was the location of the table. They have perhaps 4-5 tables right next to the kitchen and they are extremely NOISY. I suggest specifically asking NOT to be seated there when you make a reservation, unless you enjoy hearing "behind you" every two minutes, "fire" every 10 minutes (I assume this is a part of the flambe process in the kitchen).
People thought this was:
Mom had her best salad here, Spinach Salad with Laura Chanel Goat Cheese, Toasted Hazelnuts, Macerated Cherries and Hazelnut Vinaigrette! We also tried the
Crab spring roll Ginger dipping Sauce and she was happy with it.
I liked my Butternut Squash Ravioli but actually preferred what my mom ordered, the Mushroom Fettuccini in Parmesan Cream.
This restaurant's big thing is the mushroom menu and we actually were offered free mushroom appetizers. It's my thing!
The free desert is mint marshmallows, very special.
Service was excellent!. Our waitress was very attentive but not pushy, very considerate for my mom's request. The best service ever had in all Michelin restaurants.
The restaurant is in a craftsman style bungalow with great atmosphere. Dining was perfect here!!!
I had a really splendid time here once; the return trip, however, was extremely disappointing. I don't know if the chef changed, or I got the wrong waiter, or what.
The thing I recall most immediately from the first experience was the cream of mushroom soup. It knocked my socks off. The thing I remember most from the second experience was that I was paying too much.
When I was spending a lot of time in St. Helena, this was the restaurant I most frequented. Everything, from the food to the people, to the relaxed lifestyle that it represents appealed to me.
I have never sat upstairs, only downstairs among the locals and the people who were too relaxed to make a reservation. Sitting downstairs feels more cozy an intimate, with a fireplace and plenty of wine flowing.
In fact, when here, I could go without eating, as the conversation and constant flow of excellent wine were enough to satisfy my appetite for the evening.
That being said, the food is excellent. I was a constant orderer of the Foie Gras. That would be all I needed, maybe a soup or a lite salad as well, but the Foie is amazing. What most locals go there for are the pastas and the hamburger, which is also wonderful.
If you are visiting St. Helena or live in the area, the Martini House is a restaurant not to be overlooked. If all of your dinner plans are taken, a glass of wine by the fire, among the residents will be one of the highlights of your trip.
People thought this was:
I loved this place!!!! Was in Napa for a wedding last weekend and on a friend's rec we grabbed a romantic dinner here during the rehearsal dinner.
The atmosphere inside is cozy... like an old library. This is especially true downstairs (where we ate). The also have a beautiful outdoor seating area and I recommend making a reservation if you want to sit out there.
The wine list (not surprisingly) is extensive but I was on a mission and stuck to dirty martinis. Yum.
We were on a budget and Martini House is not cheap so we decided to split one of the tasting menus. Here is what we got:
Chef's Tomato Tasting
Chilled Cherry Tomato Soup and Salad
Poached Prawns, Ham Hock and Tomato Gelée
Lemon Verbena
Bonny Doon Vineyard 'Ca' del Solo Vineyard' Muscat, Monterey County, California, 2007
Stuffed Early Girl Tomato
Pan Roasted Monk Fish, Rice Pilaf and Chanterelles
Basil Pesto and Tomato Sauce
Five Vintners Syrah, Napa Valley, California, 2002
Beefsteak Tomato Tartare
Grilled CAB Tenderloin with Béarnaise Sauce
Crushed Summer Truffle and Fried Potato Croquettes
Gridley Family Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley, California, 2005
Tomato Curd Tart
Cinnamon Meringue and Orange Tarragon Syrup
John Anthony Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, 2005
86. with Wine Pairing 142.
We did not pair with wine although I am sure it would have been fantastic. Everything was prepared perfectly and frankly, I have never realized how yummy tomatoes can be. My tomato intake is usually limited to marinara sauce.
On top of outstanding food our service was impeccable. Our waiter was the best I have had in a long time. He was friendly without being intrusive and always seemed to know when we had a question or needed a refill. He actually came and got me when I was outside having a smoke to let me know the next dish was on the table.
In summation, Martini House is a very romantic place to hit when you are in wine country. It has a small but delicious menu, an extensive wine list and great martinis.
People thought this was:
Saturday lunch, the place was pretty quiet. We got a nice table by the fireplace, very cozy and (hehe) romantic. I like the decor of this place, it's like some kind of hunting lodge in Flagstaff, not what I would have expected.
Apps. The mushroom soup is very good, as advertised. The escargot were good, but a bit earthy. It's the first time I've had escargot that weren't drowned in garlic butter or spicy soup, so maybe I was just tasting them for the first time.
Entrees were duck leg confit and butternut squash ravioli with scallops. The duck was very good, with creamed spinach and potato rosti. I scarfed this down post haste. It was a bit salty, but that seems to be the order of the day at a lot of finer restaurants. The ravioli was good also, with sage brown butter. It was so sweet and seasoned with nutmeg that it almost resembled dessert, like pumpkin pie in taste. The scallops were cooked perfectly and were delicious, but didn't seemed married with the ravioli in any way.
Service was "professional". I don't know if we looked liked a-holes all day or if we had BO or what, but we got very bland service at both restaurants we ate at on this day. Here the server never once smiled or made any attempt to be congenial. I thought I was in a good mood all day, I guess I just didn't project it. C'est la vie.
5 stars for the carpaccio alone. i crave it big time. other treats included the mushroom soup and mushroom salad. the kuleto design/decor was warm and cozy, with interesting details.
Heaven.
This place is what I call a "grown up" restaurant.
With elegant and sophisticated staff who can pronounce "Terrine of Foie Gras", "Morel Mushrooms" and "Frisee" without batting an eyelash, and offer up a menu that is so good I am salivating simply thinking about it, Martini House is deserving of 5 stars.
It is a beautiful location in St Helena with white table linens and candles. I Ioved the romantic feel of the outdoor seating and think it is a fantastic place for a dinner date out of the city.
If you want to WOW your lady friend gentlemen, I couldn't be more confident in the service and the food of Martini House.
Two words: Wagyu Burger.
Go here, order it, be happy. All 3 guys in our group ordered it off the bar menu after we completed some barrel tasting and proclaimed it to be the best burger they have ever had. I was somewhat doubtful until I tried JP's and ohmygod...orgasm in my mouth, so good! My gnocchi was tasty, but honestly couldn't hold a candle to the burger.
The Martini House is adorable, seems like a little bit of Carmel in Saint Helena, sitting right off the main drag with a gorgeous patio area to soak up the CA sun. It was a great place to kick off our trip to the area and definitely let us know that this would be an expensive trip at that!
People thought this was:
Just reviewing drinks and service. Really nice property. Really shitty way of handling a botched order. Normally, as someone in the industry, I let little things slide... but there really was no damage control offered or sincerity in the apology.
Blah, blah, blah. Try it out and see for yourself. Expensive but decent wine list (I'm sure the rent ain't cheap). Not much else to do in St. Helena later in the evening if you want a good glass of wine.
Lastly, the music made me want to blow up a skating rink. When the coolest thing you've got going is Hungry like the Wolf, and 2 employees ask "What do you think of the music?", you can't help but to be nice and talk behind their backs...
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This is a must when visiting the Napa Valley! The food is EXCELLENT!
It's kind of dim and romantic if you're dining inside, but outdoor dining is beautiful. The Martini House is all about service!
I have only been here twice, once I was seated inside, another time, outside, both times my experience was amazing!
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As you enter this restaurant, I could tell this was a Pat Kuleto designed restaurant. It has lodge-like feel to it. The decor matches well with the cuisine served here. We were seated next to a fireplace. We had a table, which we sat on a single long bench, facing another couple across the way. Kind of uncomfortable looking up and another party while I took a bite of one of my courses.
Since this was our first time visit, we ordered the tasting menu. Everything was well prepared. The tasting menu consisted of Lobster, steamed tai snapper, beef tenderloin, finishing off with a coffee panacotta with butterscotch sauce.
We enjoyed dining here, and will probably visit again.
People thought this was:
Pretty, inviting restaurant with warm staff. Food is cooked in very clean open kitchen by chef. Excellent and professional service. Menu is creative if not well-rounded. Wish there was more of the pasta persuasion available.
Be prepared to spend a lot of dough in this Italian.
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What a beautiful space! I have eaten at Martini House around 15 times in my life, but the decor of the restaurant always impresses me. If it weren't for the fact that MH can get really crowded and over-run with tourists, I would say this was one of the most romantic spots in the area. Both the downstairs and the upstairs dining rooms are comfortable, however I prefer the seating arrangements in the upstairs. If you're with a significant other, the fireplace seating is a unique romantic treat. (Both diners sit next to each other... it's an interesting set-up).
The food is somewhat inconsistent. The quality never dips below a certain level, but it ranges between so-so and great. The chef likes to use interesting ingredients like fiddle-head ferns and rare mushrooms, which makes it a nice place to try something new. Reservations are recommended since there can be a lengthy wait.
People thought this was:
St. Helena, CA
Category: Steakhouses
Saint Helena, CA
Category: American (New)
St Helena, CA
Category: American (New)
Saint Helena, CA
Category: Italian
Rutherford, CA
Category: Hotels
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