123 Bolinas

Since this restaurant became chef owned I cannot rave enough. Before it was a good spot to go enjoy a couple glasses of wine and indulge on some of the seasonal plates but now it’s the best place to eat and enjoy with good company. Five stars to the new chef and owner! I plan to go back every week.

the main course was fantastic! we split the steak and the scallops. Both were about as good as we’ve ever had. The fennel fritter was good, but not really much of a fritter. more like just battered and fried fennel, not much breading to it at all. Overall, really cute and lively place with a very friendly wait staff. Bathrooms are shared, not ideal, with the sink outside. I’ll leave the door knobs to your imagination.

People still date, don’t they?
Were I in the business of setting up dates #1 — 4 this Fairfax wine bar would be high on my list. The combination of location, ambiance, and menu say some things about the person who takes their date here:
* The location says «I know this area. I know what’s worth seeing and doing here. I didn’t just drive by a place on the main drag and select it. I’m the type of person who seeks out what’s good in a place and most of all? I thought you were the type of person who could appreciate something a bit off the beaten path».
* The intimate ambiance — mid-​century suspended fireplace throwing off heat, sensual wood seating areas, cozy little two-​person tables by the fire — is Fairfax-​meets-​San Francisco and I mean that as a high compliment. It’s stylish, clean, and artsy with an upscale vibe. It says «I have good taste but I’m not pretentious».
* The farm-​to-​table menu seems designed for sharing. A cheese-​board features local offerings like Nicasio Foggy Morning which may hint lightly at your desire to wake up together on another day. Knives will collide over the spicy mustard on the Charcuterie Board. Your fingers will touch as you both reach for a piece of Charred White Bean Flatbread. And then there’s those wine accompaniments and recommended pairings. This menu might seal the deal. You’re clearly someone with excellent, refined taste. You’re someone who appreciates and partakes in the goodness of life. Who wouldn’t want to be with you?
The stylishly casual adult crowd here has already realized what this place says about them and they don’t really care. They’ve just embraced this artfully designed, perfectly located wine bar with its good food and drink. You can stop on by for a glass of wine or stay for a meal. Whichever you choose for your date I think you’ll make quite an excellent impression.

I have eaten here now a couple of times and the food is great — super fresh. Last time I had the butternut squash soup as a starter and it was so delicious! I don’t drink much, but I wanted a small amount of wine and asked the waitress, she has dark, corkscrew curly hair cut into a bob style — she was so helpful and nice! She told me that they have just small amounts of wine and recommended a Pinot — best wine I had in a long time and just the perfect amount!
I like the atmosphere — especially now that they have real chairs — so comfortable!!! Instead of the wooden blocks they had before.
Really sweet spot, with great service, good food and delicious wine!

A little pricey for what it is, but we enjoy going there often.
Definitely not kids friendly.

I would give this 4 stars for the food, but can’t go there because the service didn’t quite measure up and it was so cold in there that I came home wanting a hot bath to warm up. I am never cold, but sat throughh the meal with my coat on. Lovely wine list and fresh, delicious food. We will try again in summer.

I’m a San Francisco resident and it’s pretty hard to impress us when it comes to farm-​to-​table slow food goodness, and this one definitely did!
We were there on a Friday night, so it was packed, but all the warmer a vibe.
For an appetizer, we had the fried pickled carrots, which we had to try because, well, where are you ever going to get that again? They were great! The braised lamb was perfectly cooked. A delicate dish. And finally, the pudding, which had so many layers of flavor it deserves a better name than «milk chocolate pudding.»
I feel like in this «chef as super-​star» world we live in, he/​she is not put front and center. But whether the «snufalupagous» effect is intentional or not makes no difference, because his/​her food does all the PR needed!
Worth the trip to the country!

Pork cheeks with shaved horseradish and a lovely gnocchi dish, with well paired wine and beer, really impressed us in quality, beauty and flavor. Sitting at the bar for drinks is fun, too.

Five stars for a restaurant that has delicious food, relaxed/​clean atmosphere, and great service. My hubby and I brought our son here for dinner and loved the flank steak. Cut and cooked just right so that it was flavorful and tender. Cooked with shallots, thin slices of brussel sprouts, and other veggies, delicious. We started with the corn fritters and aioli sauce, tender and not oily, great. The pastry tart was a nice ending to a perfect meal!
With a very good selection of wines and good service, we’re coming back soon!
Cheers!

After a tremendous inaugural The Jensie Gran Fondo we decided to splurge and check out 123 Bolinas. From the moment we sat at our reserved table (only one remaining) we had a fabulous dining experience. Everything is truly artisan! Not to be missed and the highlight of our family style sharing of small and large plates were the pork cheeks. The combo meat and cheese plate was top notch as well. The duck confit on the plate was the best ever. Great wine list featuring many unknowns. Very special place in a really cool town! Would return in a heartbeat!

So amazing. The pork cheeks… the gnocchi the peppers to start ! Great ambiance and love the décor. Nice spot and the staff is epic.
Amazing chefs — need to shout them out as they know how to cook !

I love the décor of this place. High top seating to low benches that nestle you in. Whimsical lighting and a very cozy environment. The wine list has a nice selection. I wish they would have more riesling options. It was my first time eating at this establishment. My friend and I shared the combo board (cheese and meat) this was a bit of a disappointment. The server first off just dropped it off at the table with no explanation of what cheese and meats were presented. Lucky, I was able to know some… The prosciutto was good. But the other meat, which I could not detect, was a bit grizzly and not the best flavor. I wish the board would have come with some sweet component, whether it be honey comb, figs, etc. I felt the cheese really needed a contrast. I also have to note that you are served 4 tiny pieces of bread… when you have a huge board of cheese and meat for 2 people you need more. I think it was ridiculous that we were charged for 2 additional slices — I wish I had have know this because I would have never ordered it.
We then ended the night with gnocchi. I have had this dish twice in my life and I have never been a fan of it. I decided to give it a third shot — simply because I love peas and the sauce sounded enticing. I am so happy I got this dish. It was wonderful! The pasta was cooked perfectly — those beautiful airy pillows complimented in a hint of citrus sauce and perfectly vibrant green peas. It really was a beautiful, tasty dish and it has turned me into a fan of gnocchi.
So all in all a mix emotion on this place. But if they provided better service, explanations of what we are served, and tweak a few things this establishment could easily be bumped up to another star.

Great wine flights with heavy pours, well worth the price. Food is uninspiring, I would stick with cheese plates and wine here. Ambiance is great, cute location, casual friendly spot.

Adorable spot! I came in last minute with a group of girlfriends in town for the weekend and got a table immediately. The food was excellent and the wine flights were awesome! The service could have been better, but since the place has such a relaxed vibe and we had plenty of wine, I didn’t mind waiting a little for water refills and the check.

The seating arrangements are pretty cramped. Very limited food menu.
The charcuterie was not bad at all (liked it quite a bit), but the waiter spent 5 minutes gesturing his hand an inch from the cheese and meat, practically grazing it, and admitted he didn’t know what any of it was.
After eating, we mentioned to waiter that we were done, as our plates hadn’t been cleared for a while. He didn’t clear the plates and just brought the check. They offer dessert.
The restroom has 2 signs about how fragile it is.
Ever wondered where the Marin anti-​vaccers hang-​out? Didn’t take a poll, but the smart money’s on here.
Sorry, as it seems like they’re trying for something interesting, with some hand drawn welcome signs for reservations and farm-​to-​table offerings and a selection of local wines and beers. But not headed back.

Arrived early on a Saturday evening. From the beginning the service was a bit spotty and seriously deteriorated through the night. The food was 2.5 star as flavors were not there or flat; in the polenta it lacked interest and the fig and pig pizza was less than expected with dried figs (needing some hydration) and average salami with basic cheese as a base. Wine list about 1 star but beers (but hey this is a wine bar!?) had 4 decent beers on tap.
Here is the worst part, the server/​ownership added an extra bottle of wine to the tab. Sure could be a mistake, yet the irreverent attitude upon calling attention to it seemed to suggest otherwise. AND our server took over 30 minutes to correct without apologies. No surprise our credit cards statements have the original and new charges on it.
I’d avoid this restaurant given the poor business practices, actually fraudulent behavior and better options in the hood.

Been here quite a few times and it’s a perfect, cozy little jewel on the edge of downtown Fairfax. Love the hanging fireplace! Not an enormous amount of seating — some seats at the bar, intimate little seating areas, and a few fun outdoor perches, but they do take reservations. I love the feel of a friendly neighborhood place that I get here — the service has been great every time I’ve gone — friendly and attentive. Terrific wine list, with both beer and wine flights, and the food choice may be small but all of it is wonderful! Cheese, charcuterie, and veggie plates, pizzas, small plates, and a couple yummy desserts. Nice place to relax on a Friday evening, sipping good wine.

I’ve only been here once, but am excited to return soon! We had a cheese board and a charcuterie board. The server happily substituted gluten-​free crackers (no extra charge or annoyed attitude).
The wine and beer selection is exceptional. Also, they source from some of the best dairy farms, farms, butchers (I love Zoe’s Meats!), and bakeries in Northern California. It is worth the price for the quality.

The Great:
+ Impressive wine list and we appreciated the 3 different pour sizes.
+ Some lovely beers on tap (think local, and mostly on the rare side)
+ Service. The lady visiting our table was friendly, quick to smile, and helpful. The same goes for the bartender.
The Average:
o Prices were in line with most of the dishes.
o The nuts were a bit over toasted (some were borderline burned), but the majority were delicious and we enjoyed the subtle spices.
o My pizza with pear, arugula, and prosciutto was a-​ok. The dough was a bit undercooked to my personal taste, but I suppose I could have asked for it «crisp» or «well done», so that’s on me. Speaking of the dough, it was chewy and had nice texture.
o Salt levels were mixed. My pizza was a bit over salted, and the fish was a bit under salted. Weird.
The Poor:
— The fish dish we tried was the dreaded combination of «fishy» and «mushy». Very disappointing.
— Over the top pricing on the Charcuterie plate and cheese plate. While both were tasty, they weren’t worth $ 14 each. Not even close.
— It was Sunday at 5:30pm and they were already out of 2 major dishes. Please erase them off the board or plan better.
In the end the good balanced out the bad and we had an A-​OK experience. If we lived nearby we could see this cute little wine-​bar be our happy hour go-​to, but we’d probably stick to the snacks and small plates.
Heads-​up! NO AMERICAN EXPRESS!

Loved this wine bar in Fairfax.
I loved the overall feel and vibe of this wine bar. Very relaxed feel yet it has this modern/​chic décor. Love the wooden tables and the light fixtures. The music isn’t too loud so you can just sit and have a conversation with your party or just sit and enjoy the overall vibe.
Their wine list was a bit limited but I enjoyed my glass of cabernet. They can definitely work on their food menu. We ordered their baked brie. It was pretty much your brie heated up and drenched in raspberry jam with a side of toast… We also had their Eggplant Pizza and it was a bit dull. I wish they used a stronger cheese and also went easy on the dough. The crust was a bit cardboard like… I like my crust to be more chewy…
The food was a 3 for me. But I liked my wine and overall atmosphere of the place. And I would definitely want to come back here, hence the 4.