Martini House

02/15/2007 Posted by st707

Had dinner at Martini House for the first time and throughly enjoyed it!!!! We had a party of three and started with drinks in the bar. The bartenders were really friendly and a pleasure to talk with, not to mention the great drinks they made!!!! Went upstairs for dinner and had an incredible time. The hostess was friendly and the somm. was extremely helpful picking wines to accompany our dinner. My two companions had the tasting menu while I chose to dine ala carte. I love the fact that you dont HAVE to have everyone at the table do the tasting menu and if you would like you can order any of the tasting menu items, ala carte. Food was incredible and the service was not rushed but in fact a perfect pace. Would highly recommend Martini House to anyone visiting the valley!!!!!!

Pros: bartenders and drinks, service, food

12/21/2006 Posted by gyb123

We planned our company's annual luncheon at Martini House and made reservations over a month in advance. Upon our arrival, on Dec 15th, we discovered that we had been seated OUTSIDE! Imagine the surprise. We were surrounded by emtpy metal tables, with no chairs, a giant heater blasting hot air onto the head of the table, and a lovely view of not only the entire heating system, but also a construction crew taking measurements right next to me, and then proceeding to have a meeting in the courtyard about 10 feet from our table. What lovely ambiance. The reason we chose Martini House was for the experience and ambiance one gets when INSIDE the restaurant. Our table seemed thrown together, and even though I confirmed the number in our party 36 hours in advance, the table was set for three too many - and the extra place settings were never removed from the table. It's really a shame, because the food was wonderful. Clearly these folks need to rethink accepting parties in the winter months. The final straw was when management apologized for putting us outside, offered a round of drinks to us while they tried to work something out, and then charged us anyway. Even when we pointed this out, the floor staff's only reply was, " Yeah, we should have comped that." Ugh! Everyone in the party had been to the restaurant before, and the experience was so under par for our expectations, I fear they have lost all of us as future customers.

Pros: Food is great

Cons: Can't handle larger parties

11/20/2006 Posted by erikasf

I have had lunch at Martini House twice while visiting wine country. Both lunches were excellent. The atmosphere is pleasant and the seating is comfortable. The halibut entree was both healthy and delicious. We had an early lunch at 11:30 AM on our most recent visit, and enjoyed some french press coffee and fresh squeezed juice before ordering food and wine. The service was good on both visits. The only drawback is the price. Lunch entress were in the high 20s. The $15 glass of Schramsberg Mirabelle was delicious, but I could have bought an entire bottle of it at the winery for just $5 more. It may be the high prices that have made other reviewers here leave unsatisfied. Still, the quality is high and the restaurant is an esquisite large property, so I can understand the mark-up. I would happily return again, hopefully for dinner.

Pros: food, atmosphere

Cons: expensive

01/29/2006 Posted by martinihater

I recently tried Martini House for the first time and was appalled by the horrendous service and overpriced food. I was seated on the inner corner of the stairwell where during the course of the meal, several waiters bumped into me and my chair. My server recommended the duck to my date who could not eat it as it was extremely sweet. I tried it too, and it honestly tasted like a pancake with syrup. I don't like to make a fuss, but I expect any half decent waiter to show a little intuition when they see their guests clearly not enjoying their food. She did not care at all that my date had not touched her food, she was too busy with the group of four behind us who looked like they would tip more, and had it cleared away and brought us desert menusRidiculous!!!

Pros: Atmoshphere

Cons: Service, Food, Price

06/14/2005 Posted by neener24

Eight of us recently had dinner at Martini House-it was magical. We sat outside and had a fabulous meal. If you are looking for a quintessential Napa experience, this is it. Our only complaint was that we asked the sommelier to pick out two moderately priced wines-a pinot and a chardonnay. She began by picking a $75 chardonnay. Everyone in the group are experienced wine tasters but felt that $75 was not moderate for a bottle of chardonnay-it would have been an appropriate suggestion if it were only two of us there for a very special occasion but not for such a large group. Once we shot down her suggestion, the sommelier deserted us leaving us to our own devices. Our recommendation if you do not want to spend an arm and a leg on wine is to bring a nice bottle of wine and pay the $20 corkage fee.

Pros: food, ambience

Cons: sommelier's attitude

03/25/2005 Posted by malia707

Martini House has a great combination of food, service and ambience. They have the best cream of mushroom soup and sonoma duck breast that melts in your mouth and for dessert I recommend the warm rum tapioca. The portions are pretty big so you can savor the flavor and be satisfied. The romantic ambience and the friendly and attentive staff makes this restaurant a destination in itself when going to the Napa Valley.

Pros: Food, Service, Good Parking

11/09/2004 Posted by pjhatl67

Great food, great service, fun atmosphere! Great wine selection. The cauliflower mushroom appetizer was great. Duck was wonderful. I recommend this as one of the best.

09/14/2004 Posted by vishenka69

Had to wait 15 minutes for a table even though had reservations. Don't bother with their specialty drinks and just stick to wine. While my Ahi Tuna was very plain and rather blah, my husband's duck was excellent. Just have to know what to order.

07/14/2004 Posted by kidstolondon

aybe we weren't playing by the rules as diners at Martini House. After a full day touring wineries, our wed hit our limit for alcohol and excess calories. So, we committed what appears to be a cardinal sin: we didn't order wine or dessert. Our waiter was not amused. After the sixth time he bumped my wifes chair, we knew there was a problem. Yes, I know this is hard to believe, but there really was no other explanation his actions. Fuming, my wife left her seat after finishing her meal--then I dealt with trying to get the check from the waiter. That task took 15 minutes. How was the food? Quite good, really, but not stellar. The atmosphere? "Upscale rustic" best describes it. The wine list IS extensive. Dozens of wines in the $50+ category, many much more expensive, and even a short list of $25 bottles.

Pros: food

Cons: , cost

06/28/2004 Posted by randyo

I've been to Martini House twice, and both times have been phenomenal. The staff, from the hosts to the bartenders to the wait staff, are knowledgable, helpful, and very friendly. The food is simply incredible -- on my last visit I had the most amazing peanut butter cookies (of all things) I've ever tasted. The outdoor seating area is perfect for a summertime dinner. I could rave on and on about this place...it's become one of my all-time favorite restaurants.

Pros: the food!, the service!, the ambiance!