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Tommy's Restaurant & Lounge
Categories: Restaurants American (New) Nightlife Bars Lounges Restaurants Steakhouses American (New), Lounges, Steakhouses
130 N Encina StVisalia, CA 93291
(559) 627-6077
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 9 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 10 pm
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dessert, Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Wed, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Classy, Trendy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
22 reviews for Tommy's Restaurant & Lounge
Review Highlights
"Dessert: Bread Pudding $7 ( all desserts are $7."
(in 10 reviews)
"Oh and the sweet potato fries were the best I've ever had."
(in 4 reviews)
"Service was great, our steaks cooked to perfection."
(in 2 reviews)
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22 reviews in English
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Review from Steve M.
Visalia, CA
11/22/2011 2 Check-ins Here
One of the top 3 eateries in Visalia. Have been here many times over the last several years, and I have not had a bad meal. I seem to always stick with a Ribeye or NY strip; but ventured out to try the meatloaf dish...yes, you read that right; a meatloaf. Believe me, this is not a Marie Calendars meatloaf special
Tommys really knows how to transform your grandmas meatloaf into something amazing. Im going to find it hard to NOT order the meatloaf every time I come here now. It was totally juicy, meaty, and had a delicious glaze. Besides amazing, the other word that comes to mind is succulent. Waygu beef in the mix, possibly?
JR was a totally laid back and attentive server, and appreciated that he made my birthday special. JR is a cool cat transplant from San Diego, if you get in his section he wont disappoint.
Oh, and like others have said, the Bread Pudding cant miss.
Steve out -
Review from J. Pablo B.
Clovis, CA
11/1/2011
I have to say it took me a while to finally go pay Tommy's a visit. It looked undefined and I wasn't sure if it was a trendy "California grill", or a steak house in disguise. However, I finally committed and took my dearest out for her birthday. It was nothing short of amazing. Service was great, our steaks cooked to perfection! Finished with a to-die-for bread pudding dessert, compliments of the house! It is not often my dearest tells me "you can bring me back any time"! Needless to say, I will be paying Tommy's future visits.
I do have to say one thing...what's up with the chile verde in the menu? -
Review from Simone A.
Bel Marin Keys, CA
9/11/2011
I decided to give this a 3-star rating based on everyone in our party's experience. If it was just based on mine it would have only received 1 star.
well where do I start..........
Restaurant has nice ambiance............but it started to go down hill from there. When our waiter approached the table he TRIED to tell us what the special was (yes only one "special" but he couldn't pronounce anything he was trying to say) He said suuuward fish (swordfish) and said it came with palenceea.......I was like what? He said you know........grits? I said PO-LEN-TA? he said yes..........How do you spell it? seriously? Then he wrote it down in his book because he couldn't remember the special or anyone's order. Come on.........even Cheesecake Factory waiters memorize the menu and your order..........Appetizers......we ordered the sweet potatoes which deserved 4 stars. We also ordered the coconut shrimp which I did not care for.........shrimp was over cooked and rubbery. Salad..........Caeser Salad............it was ice berg lettuce with Caesar dressing and FETA cheese squares..........WTH? what happened to the Parmesan and the romaine? I ordered the filet for my entree. Medium rare. came with garlic mashed potatoes. The steak was tough (yes I know how to cut against the grain) potatoes were so dry. I felt like it was made at lunch. My friends ordered Prime Rib, Lamb and Coffee Filet which they seemed to enjoy. Remember when I said ambiance was good earlier? ........well that's because we got there before anyone in the restaurant ordered their "Cedar Plank Rib Eye"..........I use a cedar plank to cook my fish regularly so I get the concept...............BUT the waiter come running out of the kitchen with a cedar plank completely engulfed in flames 3-4 inches high throw the steak on your plate and run back with the flaming plank. I'm not talking embers..........FULL FIRE here folks. a few of those orders and the whole restaurant was so smoky they had to open the doors. When we left we all smelled like we were sitting near a campfire not a fine dining establishment. I didn't notice any smoke alarms because they would surely have gone off
The kicker was the waiter again............he came to our table and said "you ladies look like the Housewives of Orange County"......hahahahaa I was dying. He said we looked classy...........I think Housewives of OC and classy dint mix..........then he proceeded to tell the host to come meet the housewives. Really?
Dessert..............that was good. We had the bread pudding..........enough to share with everyone at your table.
I wont be back for dinner. I don't mind paying over $300 for a nice dinner and wine.........But I do mind paying $300 for sizzler quality meat and smelling like I was at a campfire. I'll stick to the lounge next time someone suggest going to Tommy's. -
Review from Jeff R.
Fresno, CA
1/29/2012
Great food and great service. The manager JR was awesome and very helpful. Would recommend to everyone.
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Review from Lee V.
Los Angeles, CA
9/6/2011
(Actually I give it 4.5 stars) The woman at the front desk was very helpful and attentive. She answered every question we had.
The food taste was great but I have some comments about it.
I ordered the prime rib (outer cut?) and only vegetables because I have some potato allergy. The vegetable serving was small even though I asked for double vegetables instead of a potato. I can't imagine how small a single serving of vegetables is! Everything had tons of flavor although the beef had a hint of teriyaki beef jerky - it almost tasted artificial because it was so strong. The vegetables were good but not the freshest. I'm not saying they were bad at all but they weren't right from the garden.
My Grandmother and her friend ordered the steak and salad and the chicken breast and salad and they both loved it. We all shared a bite of food and it was great. They LOVED their food. The price was also good on their dishes since the steak and chicken were add-ons.
I don't like the fact that their sides pretty much consist of garlic mashed potatoes and baked potatoes. It's a little cheap IMO and a lazy way to put content on the menu. It's almost like they have 5 ingredients (not seasoning - I mean actual meats and vegetables) to work with and everything on the menu is made from them. "We have potatoes - check. We have garlic - check. We have meat - check. Now let's put 20 items on the menu and see if we can put it past the customers that everything isn't made from these ingredients."
I know that sounds scathing-but I have to be a little critical of Visalia's most upscale restaurant. It's like they had a fresh graduate from the culinary academy come in with a great (but overeager) taste for food but only paid him to come up with half a menu selection. The restaurant doesn't have the clout to be able to pull off the ultra simplistic menu and get away with it without people seeing their food come and realize that the difference between the Asian salad and the regular is a different color dressing (I'm exaggerating).
I feel this place has wayyy too much show than go and wouldn't quite impress the finest critics. That brings me to the decor. As someone else said it seems stuck in the 90's - I wouldn't say that but it seemed like the place was not professionally designed but pieced together from Target and Ikea. I didn't get the feeling I was really in an upscale restaurant. Things weren't hidden enough (like Disneyland - you never see the stuff behind the scenes) to match the design they are trying to achieve. Asian inspired paintings on one wall and then wood "steakhouse" paintings on the other wall.
Our waiter was nice and also attentive like the owner(?). He had no problem going to the back to ask about how the food was made or whatever else we asked about.
Our margarita drinks were a bit watered down- hardly any alcohol. But still tasty!
Don't get me wrong - this place is great. It seems like I'm tearing it to shreds (and maybe I am) but this is just how I felt.
I wouldn't hesitate to come back here but only after a trip to the other nice restaurants in town to see how things taste. I have a feeling I wouldn't find something a good as Tommy's in Visalia but I would have to try.
If the owner reads this - please try to interpret my harsh comments in a constructive way and read through the lines. Your restaurant is great, clean, and the service and food is excellent. How could someone write a review like the above and give it 4.5 stars? Because it's good! -
Review from Tara L.
Visalia, CA
6/20/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Food here is always great!!! Only problem was they got the cooking of my steak and someone else's at the tables mixed up so mine was overdone and hers was underdone, but there were a lot of us ordering two different kind of steaks so it happens, the flavor was still awesome!!! Would love to come back more often but it is so pricey!
Oh and the sweet potato fries were the best I've ever had!! -
Review from Ruth A.
San Pedro, CA
2/25/2011
Nice variety on the lunch menu here. Some our group's favorite dishes:
Homemade Individual Pizza - looked and tasted beautiful, served artfully with a small salad.
Sweet Potato Fries - strips the size of regular fries seemed to be dipped in a very light tempura coating, fried just right, and served topped with a delicious honey, and jalapeno dressing and a drizzle of a cream sauce, perhaps aoli.
Asian Chicken Salad ( also available w/ Seafood, or meatless ) was beautiful, plentiful and had a lovely sesame soy dressing on the side.
Homemade Pasta ( of the day ) today: Penne Pasta with Grilled Vegetables and an "Alfredo Sauce" that took on the flavors and color of the vegetables.
"Green Salad" added to entree was replete with baby greens, tomatoes, diced zucchini, carrots, purple cabbage, sliced almonds and served with a delicious homemade ranch dressing. It was a joy to the eyes as well as tasting great.
Homemade Desserts were fantastic:
Chocolate Cake with a delightful ganache filling, dipped in chocolate coating and topped with whipped cream
Strawberry Cheese Cake with an "Oreo" crust, drizzled with strawberry reduction, and topped with fresh strawberries and whipped cream
Bread Pudding with Praline Sauce - This was the best of the best ! Light, well blended, fluffy, served warm with a wonderful praline sauce that was creamy. The combination of flavors was incredible. When we requested the recipe ( I know, "fat chance!" ) the waitress said they would be sued as well as fired for revealing it !
The lunch menu also offered Prime Rib sandwich among many other great sounding choices. This is considered a fine dining restaurant and is fairly expensive, but I still can make a few suggestions that can help with the cost:
Recession Fighting Tips - for a very pleasant lunch for Two:
__________________________________________________ _____
Appetizer: Sweet Potato Fries w/ honey jalepeno sauce $9
One Entree of your choice ( around $8 - 15, many come with a large serving of perfectly cooked fries )
Add a "Green Salad" - very abundantly serves two $3
Dessert: Bread Pudding $7 ( all desserts are $7 )
You won't feel stuffed, but will have enjoyed a very delicious and varied meal without much of a dent in your wallet !Listed in: Vegetarian Choices, Bakeries, Donuts, Desserts,…
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Review from georgia y.
Fresno, CA
1/8/2011
Simply yummy. Came over on new years eve for a dinner with the fiance and sister and it is by far one of the best dining experiences ive had here in visalia.
Food:
Appetizer: Calamari: Fried calamari that isnt greasy and has a thick yet light tasting batter coating around it topped with some kind of mixed olive salad coated with a vinaigrette dressing that just compliments the dish very well. I dont even like olives but this was sooooo good with the calamari!
Entrees: I had the ny steak with chile relleno. The steak was the best steak ive had in a while, and im going to pretty much admit that im a self proclaimed steak whore and that i get around with the local restaraunts steaks. This steak was cooked TO PERFECTION, seasoned expertly and had a slight crust on the outside. I also ordered the garlic mashed potatoes which were creamy and yummy though nothing too "omg wow!". Okay, now as much as i am going to rave about most of the meals here, i will admit that if u like chili rellenos, you should stick to ordering those at actual mexican places...this one was...meh.
My sister and fiance both got the kobe beef burgers. Best burger ive had in forever!!!! The beef practically melts in your mouth as u picture all those cows getting thier daily massages so that this meat ur tasting can be so moist, juicy and delectably delicious. Its really giving your palate the ultimate orgasm as your chewing and expierencing such quality. The burger if i recall correctly, comes with cheese, lettuce, bacon, and a gaucomole spread.....and the bun is from an onion loaf thats toasted.
Dessert: Bread pudding was pretty awesome. I wont say it was the best as ive had others that in my opinion exceeds whats served here, but it was pretty good and def worth getting. The bread putting is thick and dense with a yummy praline sauce thats surprisingly not too sweet of over powering.
we also got the s'more dessert which is super fun to do and eat! It comes on this huge platter with a cup of marshmellows, a cup of melted chocolate and a little bowl with wood thats inflammed with a cute little fire theyve started up for u. Also on this huge [latter were grahm crackers dusted with powdered sugar and little cute mini forks for u to roast ur marshmellos in and dip into the melted chocolate. Very fun. Nothing special or secretive about making it but def a fun expierence to try for the whole crowd. -
Review from David R.
Santa Barbara, CA
12/14/2010
Based on the previous reviews, I was pretty excited to check Tommy's out.
Atmosphere: no real complaints, dining room is sorta okay looking, but nothing special. I was sort of thrown off by the pink/violet lighting in the lounge; I think I saw Sunny Crocket and Tubbs drinking Heinekins.
Dinner: was there for a friends birthday; Menu: Ok, I was disappointed not to see a Sirloin steak on the menu at a steakhouse. Like a big 'bone in" sirloin for example.
There were some apps on the tables: I don't think Gordon Ramsey would be pleased. But I'm no Gordon Ramsey, so I ate a few things, enjoyed them, but they didn't seem to reflect what I perceived to be the quality of the restaurant. The apps were more "pub" food. Talking stuffed mushroom, fried Wings w/ Blue cheese, some sweet potato fries.
I like a 'beefy' flavor steak, so Sirloin not being an option, go to the NY. I'm not a fan of ribeyes because often they're hit or miss. I order the pretty straight forward NY (no sauces) cooked Medium Rare to Rare.
Waiter says: "Do you want it Medium Rare, or Rare"
Me: "I'd like it Medium Rare to Rare, or more to the rare side, how does the kitchen cook?" (some waiters know the guy on the grill can be a bit off)
Waiter: "they cook spot on perfect"
Me: "Ok, I want it Medium Rare to Rare"
Waiter: " that would be Medium Rare"
Me: "Fine"
Arrives: standard 12 oz NY slapped on a pad of mashed potatoes (nothing special, green beans (nothing special). It looks hot; I cut into it to check done-ness, and it's frickin medium. Oh well. I don't want to cause a big scene b/c were at a large table with friends for a celebration. I really should have just sent it back and gotten a steak that was Medium Rare to Rare.
Service: Attentive, proficient, generally good.
Ok final review: I've had better steaks at Outback. It certainly ain't Ruth's Chris or my local favorite in SB Holdren's. Seems stuck in the 90's. Might be great for Visalia. -
Review from Mike K.
Austin, TX
7/11/2010
Best restaurant / lounge in Visalia. The food is always good and the lounge is probably the most relaxing spot to unwind in town - not to mention the best bartenders around.
Never disappointed when I go to Tommy's. -
Review from Chris F.
Visalia, CA
8/23/2010 3 Check-ins Here
Tommy's never ceases to amaze me on how good their food is. There menu is always creative with fantastic deserts. Best place to get a steak in Visalia if not the whole Valley.
Try their signature burger for lunch, Amazing! -
Review from Stephen S.
Visalia, CA
5/31/2011
Delicious food especially their kobe beef hamburger. If you sit in the room with the bar sometimes it can take a while to get your drink. But its not the bartenders fault he was working hard.
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Review from Jan Jan B.
Visalia, CA
5/26/2011
I went on a Monday night and was disappointed. It is usually so amazing! But I guess the dining room is closed on Mondays, the bar is open and they serve food, but in my opinion, either serve the same quality food or offer a menu with non of the regular stuff on it, the food should be the same every time.
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Review from Jen H.
Fresno, CA
2/11/2011
went for G's early birthday celebration.
service was good. our waiter did a good job (although he did talk a lot) and our glasses were never empty.
started off with a calamari app. everything tasted great minus the very chewy calamari. that was the only downside. otherwise the flavor contrast was great.
kobe burger was big and juicy. fries were amazing. overall kobe burger was pretty good, nothing that will make me crave or go back. although those fries were pretty damn good.
G's steak covered in what looked like chili verde i didn't care for. it tasted burnt.
Bread pudding was pretty legit. i'd say it's pretty close to cracked pepper's. but the plus was we got it for free do to G's birthday.
Overall good place. -
Review from Glenn A.
Hanford, CA
2/22/2009
Where will you spend you stimulus money??? I will spend mine at Tommy's. My wife and I have eaten there several times and each time it was yummylious! I have tried several steaks but my favorite is the rib-eye cooked on a cedar plank. I mentioned to our server that was my favorite item from Emerils restaurant in Las Vegas, and then was told that Chief Tommy was from one of his restaurant.
There are some very similar dishes on the menu that I have seen at many of Emerils restaurants around the US and this place nailed them as good or even better! Based on what I have ordered as well my wife and friends you cannot go wrong on any main course, but make room for Bread Pudding with the whisky sauce, your taste buds will thank you. Make sure to get your own, trust me your wife will not share!
Bring your AMEX of a lot of cash, this place is not cheep, but worth every penny. But remember, you can go to Apple Bee's for lunch; this place is where you want to tell your friends that you had dinner and watch them drool from your experience. Living in Hanford that the best restaurant in town is Chili's we have to drive to Fresno or Visalia for a great meal, so no matter where you live you need to try Tommy's. -
Review from J. C.
Visalia, CA
Updated - 4/12/2010
Wow! This was our second time having a meal at Tommy's, this time in the dining room and Wow!! Fantastic!!! Our server was insanely good - attentive without being buggy, super in tune with our likes and dislikes and just plain "on it". The dining room is so classy and romantic, quiet and intimate. The menu was full of wonderful selections and everything we ate was so tasty and well prepared. Love the chef here and love what Tommy's is doing. This place is so worth check out for date night. They even sat us without question even though we didn't have a reservation which it looks like they might prefer - thankfully it was a quiet night.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/8/2009
Went here last night for date night with the hubby and was greatly impressed. Though, I would… Read more »
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Review from Frances M.
San Francisco, CA
7/25/2011
Fabulous restaurant. Great place for a special occasion, a bit pricey for weekly visits. It says attire: dressy, but you'll be comfortable going casual too. Suggest reservations for weekends. You haven't live if you haven't had their bread pudding!
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Review from Truc N.
San Jose, CA
1/9/2010
The boyfriend and I decided to spend New Years in Visalia since his family and my favorites are in town! The debate was between Harris Ranch, Vintage Press, Fugazzis, and Tommys. It turned out to be an easy final decision. Harris Ranch was too far and the 1800 crew was not being very helpful. Then the boyfriend called Tommys. Michelle answered the phone and provided excellent service. At first they said they were booked and the only time they had available was 530 for dinner. That was too early for us so we wanted to try a couple other places. He told her to please call him back if anything comes up. We then called Vintage Press and the lady was not helpful at all. She was actually quite unpleasant. They had 9:00pm available so we reserved that time. Thankfully, awesome Michelle called us back and told us they have an 8:30pm slot open! She actually moved some things around just to fit us in! So super duper sweet! We were nice enough to call Vintage Press back to cancel. Anyway...on to the main item: FOOD!!!
To start off we had:
Stuffed Mushrooms: Very good! My favorite of the night!
Sizzling beef: Good, the taste wasn't too spectacular, but the presentation and the deliverance was good. They came in a sizzling plate, cooked the beef, and poured on the secret sauce :D Very nice touch!
Butternut Squash Soup: Good, although it tasted like the butternut squash soup from San Francisco Soup Company.
Main Entrée: Surf and Turf. 8oz mignon and lobster tail served with green chili mashed potatoes. The mignon was good. The lobster tail was really good. But the winner on the plate is the mashed potatoes! UMMM....kinda sad to say but I like it the most because it's a taste I haven't had before and it was really good!
Dessert: we had to have the Tommy's Bread Pudding. It was pretty good. The bread was a little bit too dense for me though. A little bit fluffier with pudding oozing out would be a lot better!! :D I'm still in love with the bread pudding at Fly Restaurant in Tampa, FL.
Overall, we had an awesome New Year's Eve at Tommy's. The staff was great and super friendly. Our server was Ian and he great. Gotta give major props to Michelle though to make it happen for us! -
Review from Christina M.
Visalia, CA
5/16/2010
I've only been to Tommy's once but it was excellent! I had a steak sandwich and fries. The fries were the type that were so fresh and hot that you didn't know if you were even going to make it to the sandwich. My friend got a hamburger with green chile which she and other girls refer to as the "orgasm burger." So I think next time I go I might try that.
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Review from John C.
Sacramento, CA
10/15/2009
probably the best dining experience i've had in,.. well, ever.
the service was excellent, the food was better and the dessert was freakin awesome!
ordered a glass of wine from the bar and the bartender, who wasn't very busy, handed me a dripping glass of wine. seriously wine was running down the side of the glass, all over his hand and onto the bar. no big deal, i just wasn't really expecting that.
honestly do not leave this place without trying the bread pudding. -
Review from Mona H.
Visalia, CA
1/18/2011 2 Check-ins Here
kinda a pricey but oh so worth it! stuffed mushrooms are a must! my friend order the rib eye and that thing was huge, I've never seen a cut so big...bring your appetite with you!
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Review from Alexandria R.
Visalia, CA
6/24/2009
Love this place. Great lounge, perfect to go and relax after work, or even during with business professionals. Bartender Steve is great, always attentive and makes great drinks. Make sure you try the tacos, they are delicious as well as most of the food. They have happy hour drink specials almost everyday of the week with great prices. One of my favorites, hands down.
