The Restaurant Wente Vineyards
- Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Attire: Dressy
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
15 reviews
Livermore, CA
"Livermore deserves this, and the Bay Area ought to give a big shout out to these folks. I was muy impressed with the extensive wine…" read more »
60 Reviews for The Restaurant Wente Vineyards
The one that must be obeyed (totmbo) and I went there for a nice Sunday brunch, and the restaurant at Wente did not disappoint. I had the braised beef hash and totmbo had the egg benedict. Both dishes were very good all though we both liked the braised beef a lot more than the benedict. We also had the chocolate cake but that was just so so. We did find a piece of plastic wrap still but the waiter did remove it from our bill. But was still a sore point since he also mentioned previously that the deserts were home made by their pastry chef. Who knows maybe they use a microwave to heat the cake. So that miss cue cost them a star. Overall was a very good meal, price was as expected, not cheap but not too bad either. Will definitely come back, maybe try lunch or dinner.
Great Food!
My husband and I had our wedding rehearsal dinner in a private room here. The food was great. I can't complain - the whole night - everything from the wine to the food - it was great (and I am not even a Wente Wine fan, but it was paired nicely with the food).
The staff went out to their way to make sure that we were well taken care of and the food was plentiful and wine was a flowin;.
This restaurant also have fantastic Suset dinners on Sunday nights.
Love it!
Oh yeah - BTW - Pork Chops are fantastic!
Had my outdoor wedding here...beautiful!! They assign a wedding planner to work out all the details and a coordinator on site for your wedding day. If you choose this location, your choice of cake is included since they have a pastry chef on hand. Everything went so smoothly, thank you Wente's!
This is a top notch restaurant in all of East Bay for sure! The food is the finest, especially their signature pork chop which was one of the entree that I selected for my guests. Everyone who ordered it absolutely loved it. You don't believe, read other yelpers.
I've dined here 3 times, prior wedding tasting, wedding, and with my hubby....just because...aww so sweet. We saw a wedding take place and it so reminded us of our special day!!! This place is really pricey so save it for a special person!
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Wente has a special place in my heart since my mom managed here when I was just a kid, so I spent a lot of time here growing up. The last time I ate there was a couple years ago, but the food was still very good. Their filet mignon is always premium meat and their caesar salad dressing is by far the best I have ever had. All in all, it's a bit pricey and I have heard the staff has gotten younger and younger, but I think that just means I am getting older and older! ;)
let's get this straight: there are vineyards in livermore.
I HAD NO IDEA.
this one serves something called a pea cake, which blew my mind, in spite of the fact that all it was was obviously mashed up peas formed into cake shape & fried. um, YUM. others in my party were equally impressed with their meals. but... service was little on the slow side.
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Love this place, and worth a trip as the location is everything. Yet somehow the food has suffered a bit based on my recent trip. The staff is nice if not young and not as attentive as at some finer dining locations. But hey you are way out in nowhere in Livermore. So not all that bad! But the wine selection is great and the outdoor views are amazing. Put it on your weekend list if you ever find yourself in Livermore. Cheers to hoping the food turns around for the better!
As a wedding location, this place is great. They worked with my cousin and now husband and it was absolutely a beautiful wedding.
They did have to pay a bit extra to bring in hard alcohol because normally they only allow you to use their wines.
The tour they gave our family the day before after the wedding rehearsal was a nice touch.
As for the food, I probably should have asked for the porkchop which they're known for as my fish was a bit cold and overcooked by the time I finally got it (shouldn't the head table be served first?). Then again, I had a bite of their famous porkchop and thought it was just okay. It's hard I suppose to crank out 150 meals all at once.
People were taking home the grape bunches on the tables. I suppose they're edible. Their wine was palatable enough and I actually liked their chardonnay when I don't normally like chards.
We did have some wedding crashers though! But staff was on it and it was taken care of. In fact, they were pretty diligent about carding as well and my 20-year-old cousin couldn't get any wine.
I went a couple years ago for my birthday, and had an awesome meal...This was shortly after they had lost the chef that worked there since the beginning(I am having a mind fart on her name!) The food was still executed by the staff that remained perfectly...
I did about 8 months ago have a chance to talk with the person they hired as the new chef, Chef Register, who made me excited about what he was bring to the place, and the plans that he had to expand the on property garden, and get it back on to the bay area top 100 list...Unfortunately I see on their website that they are yet again looking for a new chef....
I wish it the best...
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We had lunch today at the Wente restaurant and it was very beautiful. Since it was a pleasant 78 degrees or so, we sat outside and it was so gorgeous. The service is a bit inexperienced but overall it is lovely
We had the iced tea (which was infused with ginger and very delicious) which took over 20 minutes to arrive because apparently they had to *brew* it. A basket of fresh bread arrives. A half loaf of sour dough and a half loaf of walnut/olive bread. Olive oil is provided to dip the bread
We ordered the onion/fennel soup with pine nuts - very good. The duck salad (duck was a bit dry) and the salmon entree w/ basil oil sauce (which was excellent but the roasted vegis that came with the salmon were fantastic and our favorite part of the whole meal !).
Valet parking is efficient and would definetly like to go back.
This is one of the greatest places to eat in livermore. The food is always top notch and so is the service. You get what you pay for here.
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It's hard to find such a high class restaurant in this part of town that serves high class food! I love the relaxed atmosphere of the grounds which didn't make the dining experience so stiff. Almost every dish I've tried is good...but their pork chops are consistently a WOW. My new favorite drink is their pomegranate margarita. Perfect for the summer months!
Really its 4.5 stars...but I can't do that!
Went to a Bay Friendly Gardening class today at Wente and after smelling the restaurant warm up for lunch...it was mandatory to chow down. Needless to say...very good choice.
Sure, the reviews that say the portions aren't huge are right, but the thing is...the food is filling. Humongo portions are a plague right now in my opinion...I don't need 10 lbs of food to make me happy. I need good food...not a trough-full. :-)
We waited until after lunch to do wine...and splurged on the Nth Degree tasting. This wine-learner fell in love with the Syrenity! First red wine I've really ever liked...so of course had to sign up for the club. Thanks to gardening class...I'll probably become a wino...albeit a high class wino!
If you need a nice place to dine in Livermore...I can't think of anyplace more gorgeous and peaceful with great food and wine. Can't wait till the concert series is announced so I can see if I can spend more money!
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"Less is more? Sure, but so is more."
A saying from the 80's that I think applies to Wente Restaurant.
I first dined here about 15 years ago. My first two dining experiences were best described as "Excellent food, what little there was of it." Very good but quite small portions.
Since then the quality seems to have stayed the same, and the portions grew about 11 years ago to something of more substance. Definitely a plus in my book.
Everything I have had there has been very good (I usually get seafood dishes). I have been there for both brunch and dinner, plus dinner before one of the concerts out there.
It is a beautiful setting. Plus with the winery tasting room there, you can taste before dinner if your reservations are earlier in the evening. The problem with that is that there are more crowds around there early in the evening with the closing of the tasting room at 5:00.
The wine list is great. And actually I am always pleasantly surprised that there are a few reasonable values on the list.
I'm surprised because the restaurant menu tends to be on the pricey side. There are planty of very good restaurants in the east bay that are less expensive and the ambiance is just as good.
That is why only 4 stars.
I'd go back again. I do like it there. It's just not my first choice in the East Bay.
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EXCELLENT!
Don't forget to ask for the fresh garlic, vinegar & Parm cheese with your bread to start! YUMO!
I haven't had a bad meal there yet...
A little on the expensive side... We had a $100 gift certificate for the two of us and we ended up spending another $50 on top of that for dinner... but well worth it!
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Priceeyyy...
But hey you definitely get what you pay for! The decor/atmosphere here is beautiful. The food presentation here gets two thumbs up but no the best food, but still pretty darn good. The complimentary valet is a plus too. This is by far the biggest most spectacular winery in Livermore Valley. I think this is the only winery I know of that has a Concert Area, Golf Course, and Restaurant. Very nice!
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Went here for dinner for Father's Day. It was just OK to me. Yes, it's a beautiful place and is a nice environment for fine dining. The service was great, our waitress was really nice and knowledgeable and accommodating.But I guess I just had high expectations since the reviews were so great. I ordered the pork chop thinking it was going to be the "best pork chop ever" but it was hardly even good to me. I say that in the nicest way possible because I don't hate the place, I just feel like the food should've tasted better than that. The dessert didn't even taste that great to me, and I was really hoping that at least the dessert would be good to make up for the not so great entree I had. The place is expensive, but I wouldn't have a problem with the high prices if the food was better. The only thing I liked was the appetizer we got which was like some type of pizza thing. Maybe I just went on a bad day, but I don't know if I'd come back to eat here. =\
Great special occasion place.
I took my husband here for his birthday because all he wanted for his birthday was the smoked pork chop from Wente. I am serious. :)
He had been there for lunch and had been dreaming of the pork chop since....I was skeptical as I am not one who would order a pork chop when dining out (I am a steak or seafood person).
The service was great. The bartender and waiter were exceptionally friendly and took great care of us. The host was a bit on the aloof side.
So I gave in and ordered the pork chop....WOW! It was great. It is huge - about two inches thick and the smoky flavor was just right. We also had the Caesar salad and it was one of the best I have had. The desserts were also good - my creme brulee was also one of the best I have had and my husband's banana creme pie was good. Both were recommended by the waiter and he was right on.
This place is pricey, but worth every cent. We will definitely go back and look forward to bringing friends to enjoy this delicious place.
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The HR team at my company held their off-site at Wente Vineyards and it couldn't have been better. I'm on a special diet and the restaurant staff were amazing! They heated my special meal and served it to me as if they had made it themselves. The staff, especially Heather, were very friendly and helpful.
The entire experience was great and I will go back to eat as soon as I'm off this special diet!
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I have many occasions to eat here over the past years. I remember one holiday celebration, and a wonderful pairing of steak and wine...it made the season wonderful. Lunch in the summer is wonderful on their patio...yummy crisp salads with crisp white wine. Recently I celebrated my friend's birthday here, she had the salmon, and I had the pasta. I have always had good service, good food serveed in a beautiful way, and the perfect wine. The prices are not low, but this is definitely a place where the food is prepared for you. A go-to party place for me.
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For food, I would give 4 stars but service and atmosphere I would give 2.
Let's start with service. Very unprofessional wait staff, bar tender and host / manager (hostess was helpful and efficient). We arrived to at the restaurant 5 mins prior to our reservation. The host told us that we were early and should wait - even though the inside of the place was less than half full. The outside was approximately 3/4 full. My wife asked about sitting outside and he recommended against it due to the bees - but this was 8:30 at night and there were no bees still out... So he shuffles us off to the bar and the bartender who will ask you a question and then turn around to pick up tickets coming out of the computer while your answering. Not very engaging but not as bad as him slamming those tickets down and muttering under his breath. The hostess finally sat us outside, assuring us no bees were around. She also moved us - but that's part of the atmosphere 2 stars that I'll talk about in a second. Our waitress would have probably been a better fit at Denny's having a gruff attitude and no food / wine knowledge. Which gets to the wine taking approximately 30 mins to arrive. My wife made a comment that was overheard by a bus boy. She finally comes out and says the wine will be up shortly. She walked by our table at least 5 more times before it showed up - once she even held a menu up by the side of her face so she wouldn't have to make eye contact or make up another excuse. Someone else brought the wine - which was great. They have a great wine list that is not limited to just their wines.
The atmosphere. We moved tables (still outside) for two reasons. One, the wind was blowing pretty good making it a bit colder than it was and generally uncomfortable. Two, the table of 5 people a few over from us that were yelling and cursing. I never thought I would hear someone yell in the middle of a fine dinning restaurant "Wooo, go f*cking Corn huskers!" I kid you not. There was also a wedding taking place on the lawn about 200 yards from the restaurant. However, they had to come to the restaurant for the bathroom - and apparently they liked the restaurant bar better than what the wedding was serving. So wedding guests, drunk wedding guests, were constantly walking by our table to go inside. I also never thought I would eat at a fine dining restaurant with a wedding DJ providing the music.
The food I have to say was great. My wife's lamb came out too rare, but was quickly and efficiently corrected. The flavors were great - not the best, most refined food I have had by any stretch. But it more than met expectations.
The bottom line - it's OK. Expect unprofessional wait staff - not uncommon for a place this far outside of a major metropolitan area (most the good ones are in SF). The food will be good. But by all means, avoid Saturday night - unless you like to dine to wedding music....
Pricey but worth it. I've been 3 times and all 3 times I thought the food was great- very tasty and they grow all their vegetables in their own garden. The servers are very friendly and helpful- when asked they offered suggestions on food/wines saying what they'd recommend and why. Sitting outside can be nice in the summer when its warm- you can see gardens and hills and vineyard, but I suggest bringing a wrap/jacket just in case you get cold.
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I came here about a year ago to celebrate a girlfriend's birthday. We are a rowdy crew. We had taken a limo from San Jose to Livermore...drank the whole way...drank more at the winery...and we were ready for some food and more drinking. haha. We seemed a bit boisterous for the atmosphere there and we were told we were getting moved downstairs.
I was a bit irritated at first, but when we got down there, it was great! We had an entire room to ourselves where we could be as loud and as crazy and we wanted. Wow....the food was amazing. I was totally impressed. I can't remember everything that we ordered, but we were all trying each other's food. But as the others have mentioned, the pork chop is DELICIOUS. I definitely want to go back for more.
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Family, food, alcohol.
You really can't have one without the other (in my case, I really can't have the family without the alcohol). Okay, so call me a drunk - I don't care. Whatever gets us by, right (this is almost as good as talking to my therapist!)?
Anyhooo...the fams and I went to Wente yesterday for a nice brunch celebration of my brother's birthday. The weather was beautiful, so we sat outside on the patio. For our dining enjoyment, we were treated to a wedding reception being held across the lawn. I swear I saw a divorce lawyer passing cards out! But once again, I digress...
I started the morning with a nice Bloody Mary. It was perfect because a few sips into it, the disdain I was feeling for my family was soon melting away. I don't know if it was the situation, but this was the best Bloody Mary that I've ever had. It was so good, I had 2!
For starters, we shared plates of the heirloom tomato and mozarella salad and the carpaccio. The heirloom tomatoes were perfectly ripe and the cheese complimented it well. There was just enough fresh basil, salt, pepper and olive oil to tie all the flavors together without taking away from the tomatoes. The carpaccio was very good, with some thinly sliced parmesan cheese on top. Everything went well with my Bloody Mary.
I was having a hard time deciding what to have for brunch, so I asked the waitress. I was happy she understood me between my slurred speech. She recommended the applewood smoked bacon and mushroom frittata - I was not disappointed. The portion was large and it was sprinkled with crispy shredded potatoes. A little tobasco sauce on top, and I was good to go.
The service was excellent. The food was delicious and the weather was perfect. The only thing that would have made it better - other people to dine with. You can't pick your family, but you can pick 2 Bloody Marys - bloody hell!
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Wow, I am surprised that so many people rate this place so highly. I think the food was decent but not on par with the best restaurants in SF or even in Oakland/Berkeley area. For the price I thought the food was very average and uninspired. That was just the dinner, the desert was downright terrible. I ordered the chocolate cake with rasberries. There was one rasberry and the whole thing was dry and bland (i think the cake at safeway is better). The real bright spot for me was the great service but I really was disappointed with the food. Plus the atmosphere is pretty boring and at least the on the night I went the place was freezing cold.
I suggest that you save the your money and Gas (this place is way out there).
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We went to the restaurant for a special occasion for Sunday Brunch. This place was completely full but not crowded. The apple smoked pork chop was delicious! The burger was huge. At least the proportions are big for the price that you're paying for. The ambiance is upscale but not too stuffy. We went wine tasting afterwards, at a couple of the wineries in the area. (There are a TON of wineries by the way)
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My husband and I came here to celebrate our anniversary. We've heard a lot of positive things about it, and was eager to try it. The restaurant was quaint, loved the free valet parking and the evening we went....there was a wedding ceremony! It was a treat to watch! The food was great! For appetizers, We had a pizza and duck raviolis (YUM! The Duck Ravioli was a huge hit for us). My husband had the ever so famous "pork chop" and I had the prawns risotto. The pork chop was very tasty, paired with jalapeno polenta. Unfortunately, I felt the risotto was not cooked through...we told our server and she took care of it right away. Don't skip desert....their home made sorbet was freshing and mouth watering! I would love to go back just for the sorbet soon!
Wow! Such a beautiful presentation of food. It truly is artwork that they bring out on a plate. I sometimes feel bad for eating it and deconstructing the experiance.
Definately more of a special occasion place but I always see people in jeans. I would recommend a cheese course for dessert if the option is there. Definatly worth the price.
If you get lucky, you can bee a lookie-loo and see a wedding ceremony going on in the grass.
I like the food, wine, service, and setting of this place. We used to go here all the time for birthdays and Mothers/Fathers days. They hold weddings here, so that should tell you how beautiful it is here (hint hint). Brunch or a summer dinner outdoors is nice. I've gotten various steaks, but I loved the scallops. I calclulated it and they were $11 each scallop (4 for $44) but no wonder! They were HUGE and so juicy! Dessert never fails, and meal is complete with wine. While other places are too formal, or the food doesn't match the exorbiant price, Wente is relaxed and quite reasonable for a pleasant experience in return.
As a DJ's roadie, I've worked a large number of venues.
Wente is a bit pricey, but the location is good for large numbers and nice pictures.
I've heard the staff can be rude, or fantastic. It depends on which customer to whom you speak.
The food isn't bad, it's your typical wedding fare. I've never been served a cold plate, and the vendors are always served last.
The hall for receptions is just behind the concert seating. It's not laid out extremely well, there are a few human-traffic flow issues. The good thing is, the speakers from the DJ stand won't blow away the people at the closest tables because they are a room away.
It's a bit out of the way, but has good parking.
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Quite simply the greatest pork chop on earth.
I went to Wente Vineyards for a business "teaming event"...yeah, I know... In any case, it is a truly beautiful valley (like most vineyards) and it is designed for tourism (like most vineyards), replete with a tour of the caverns and the barrel-storage area thingy, and all that others good stuff. It's a good, if not predictable, time.
But this review is about the restaurant. The service was fantastic, the wine was good (but don't take my word on wine...I don't know much). Before ordering, my manager told me "they have the best pork chop I've ever eaten here, you have to get it!". So, I did...and he was right! The pork chop was cooked perfectly, tender and moist but not underdone. The key was how heavily it was smoked. It almost tasted like a bacon chop instead of a regular pork chop. It was ungodly amazing. I've never had anything quite like that.
So, seek out this vineyard for a predictable time and an unpredictably awesome pork chop. That's all.
I just don't get that excited about Wente anymore. It's still a treat to come here, but I don't feel the prices match the experience. Granted, this was at least five years ago, but I recall when the cheapest entree was about $15, not $25 -- and that's for a vegetarian pasta.
The setting is really nice. Whether you sit indoors or ourdoors, it's a peaceful setting. Outdoors a little more casual. From my past several experiences here (usually come here about twice a year for various occasions), the food is just slightly above average.
Most recently I went on a Sunday evening for dinner outside with a party of five. I wasn't super hungry and none of the entrees sounded very appealing to me (I'm just not that fancy when it comes to ingredients, plus I don't eat meat other than fish). I ended up getting a glass of Wente chardonnay, which was nice, but had to send back the first glass because there was stuff floating in it (the 2nd glass still had some stuff in it, whatever). Ordered a salad, which was good, but not great, and ended up sharing a pasta with my mom. The pasta was actually really good, so I can't complain there. It just didn't *sound* that good on the menu. I did get dessert, some sort of chocolate decadence, and it was REALLY good. So good.
It was our choice to sit outside, but it was evening and a bit chilly and breezy even though it was late spring. I feel like if there's anything reliable here, it's the service, but the service this time was sub-par. Our server was nice and friendly, but she seemed to disappear for 10+ minutes at a time. We were getting darn cold as the evening progressed and no one brought out any sort of heaters. I almost didn't order that dessert (meaning the meal would've been almost a total waste) because she took so long to come back after our plates (and table crumbs) had been cleared by other wait-staff. So we requested the check be brought out WITH the desserts so we didn't have to wait an additional 15 minutes after finishing (which would've been the case).
Anyway, if you've never been here, it's worth a go, but don't get your expectations up too terribly high. I definitely recommend the chocolate decadance dessert if you're into rich, dense chocolate (apparently some people aren't, but that is craziness). The menu changes frequently, but I got the impression the desserts are often the same.
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This is one of my favorite places. It's private, quiet, with beautiful grounds overlooking the vineyard. There's seating outside with heaters or inside in the dining area. Although I feel the service had dwindled down a bit, the food is still good, tasty, and bold...menu changes with the season but there's some mainstays. Wait staff are very knowledgeable of the menu and will give their personal recommendations. For a treat, you can smoke a good cigar outside on the terrace while you sip your favorite dessert wine, or if you are lucky that night, you might enjoy some outdoor music from an event or concert. You can't go wrong on either lunch or dinner. If you go for lunch, you'll have time to taste their wines located behind the restaurant.
Went for lunch here. The meal was excellent. The service was not very attentive, and depending on the dishes some are really good and some are just good. Wine recommendations by the waiter is awful... I suggest do your tastings first in the Livermore valley, then decide what you want to pair with your food.
Complimentary valet is a nice touch.
Wine tasting here is mediocre. But this review is about the food at the restaurant. 4.5 star if you pick the right dish from the menu.
My cousin was in town so my fiance, cousin and I decided to check out the Livermore Harvest Wine Festival.
We got there a little early and decided to go to Wente for Brunch. We were all hung over a bit from going out the night before, which could have possible set the day off wrong, but after eating there, everything was wonderful.
Their bloody marys are very tasty. That was a nice way to revitalize ourselves.
The service was very good. Everyone said hi to you and were all very friendly. One of the waiters even walked me to where he could point out the restroom when I asked him where it was.
The food was also good. My fiance and I both got the eggs benedict and my cousin got the French Toast.
We had never been to Livermore for wine tasting, but our waiter gave us a map with highlighted places that he recommended.
Overall, a very good way to start the afternoon. The food, the service and the beautiful winery around us was perfect.
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MEAT! It's what's for lunch! Started off with the beef carpaccio, pretty good. I ordered the burger...it was DELICIOUS! Humongous, must have been like a pound of beef. Perfectly well cooked and juicy. Gee, my mouth can still water thinking about it.
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The combination of atmosphere and food at this restaurant are very impressive. My wife and I visited about two months ago for our anniversary after moving to the area from the North Bay. However, I would disagree that it is comparable to the restaurants in Napa, Sonoma, and San Francisco. The main reason is price. Most of the entrees are around $40 per person. I'm not sure what other people's experiences are, but when I go out to a dinner that is going to be $40 per person, I expect a great meal. Instead I would say this would be classified as good. I had the pork chop, which was a tad bit overcooked and not very flavorful. My wife had the salmon, which was better than my meal, but nothing super special. The service was very good although we had to remind the waiter to bring us our wine about three times. Overall I think that the setting makes up for the food quality, but if you are looking for an epic dining experience you may just have to go into San Francisco or spend the weekend in Napa.
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I've come here for dinner twice now, and both times I'm surprised at the big numbers on the bill.
Yes, its a very nice place. And the food is good. I've had the lamb, the stuffed pork chops, the filet mignon, various salads and a dessert or two...
But why oh why must the two of us pay $140 for a two course meal with a glass wine?!?!
BTW, you can BYO, but there's a $30 corkage! If you share a bit of your special wine with your server, he might not charge you that corkage... just be sure your wine is a special one. I'm just not a fan of any of the Wente Wines...so we've brought our own twice--once we got charged the corkage, the other time, our server thanked us for sharing our wine with him and did not charge us
I think $37 for an entree is stretching it a bit and $12 for a glass of so-so merlot? I could have the whole bottle at that price!... Even for the fabulous decor and atmosphere, it's just a bit too pricey... After all, this ain't NYC!
But the service is superb, and the food is always well presented. So who knows? Maybe after a quaterly bonus, I'll make my way back for that wonderful lamb.
On a side note,
for lunch, try the restaurant at the golf course. Great sandwiches and a wonderful warm artichoke dip with chips!
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Went(e) here for the Sunday brunch with my wife and 4 other friends. We got there a bit early, so we decided to do a bit of a wine tasting near the restaurant.
What I like about their tastings is that there's something for every budget. We took the 1$ flight, which walks through some of their more basic and mundane offerings... a sav blanc, a fairly nice chard', a tepid merlot, disappointing zin, and a palatable cab sav.
We then headed over to the main restaurant - our waitress was ok... a bit fake (i.e. not genuinely interested in guiding us in our choices), but they were accomodating, and the service was fast.
We went for the local champagne (brut reserve) to start off... and it was great ! Perfectly chilled, dry, and went very well with our typical Sunday gossip stories... loosened our tongues in a jiffy ! ;-)
We ordered the artisan cheeses to share to kick start our appetite. It was very good... but beware: if you want to share this... and you're more than 4... make sure you order 2 servings !
I then had the eggs benedict... they are good... nothing to write home about, but they are good.
The star of the brunch for me was the pistachio creme brulee... which was divine. The cream was thick... almost slight grainy.... and very very tasty. Really enjoyed it.
I think I'd come back to Wente, if only to come for dinner. The brunch is good... but I'm not really a brunchy kinda guy anyway.... the dinner menu looks good, and seems like it's worth a try.
Will let you know when I've tried it !
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For those of you unfamiliar with Wente, they have a fancy 5 star restaurant, a casual restaurant at the golf course, a tasting room on Tesla Rd, the caves and tasting room on Arroyo Rd and golf course (did I miss anything?!).
I have been happy with my meals in the 5 star restaurant when I have eaten there, but it's not one of my top places to dine. The restaurant at the golf course is nice, with a peaceful outdoor eating area that you can see the Livermore hills and people playing golf from as well as good sandwiches, hamburgers, etc. The catering is outstanding (they did our wedding in 1999).
I've never been to one of their concert series, but have heard really great things from people who have. Pricey, but worth it evidently.
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