The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards

I ordered the 8oz burger as medium which is lightly pink, but instead received a mouthful of blood. The burger was great on the outside, but started leaking blood like a faucet into my mouth after biting in the center. It soaked into my fries and buns and I was in disgust. After the burger was cooked a bit more it was great! I will give this restaurant one more try, but if they don’t succeed I will never return again. I expected more from this place because of the price.

First, I have to say that the service was great, and Wente was experiencing a problem — their order system was down– so I’m not giving them low stars for ANY of the rather funny elements of the service. The 2 stars are for the horrible bread and the hamburger– cold and not very tasty.
So here’s what happened. We rolled in for a birthday lunch at 11:30 (but were seated later than that). I ordered soup (sweet onion) and my husband ordered salad (caesar) for starters. We were also served potato rosemary bread– which was horrible. Wente used to serve a variety of delicious rolls– but this bread was gluey, and became even more gluey once you tried to eat it. It would probably be fine as toast, or croutons, but it’s just awful as bread. My soup was very good– though the rice croutons were weird– I’d lose those– but everything else was fine, and my husband liked the salad. After these were cleared we waited, and waited, and made those little jokes you make about the chef having to go kill the cow… Then our meal arrives– one burger, and more soup and salad (caesar and sweet onion– part 2!). At this point, I decided to just eat the soup and salad– because we had to be somewhere, and I couldn’t afford the wait while they cooked another burger. After I’d just about finished the salad (which was delicious– I couldn’t eat the soup because I didn’t have a spoon) a burger arrives. I am NOT a fan of the new burger. It’s way too smokey, and though I gave my husband the pastrami, some of the taste remained in the burger– and the rest of the burger didn’t really have much taste at all. To be fair, the burger and fries were almost cold by the time they got to me, and that doesn’t enhance the taste of anything (except food that is supposed to be cold).
Our server was very kind, as were the waitstaff, and I know it’s tough when your system goes down. Since I hated the burger, I’m kind of glad the restaurant screwed up (because our server generously took it off our bill). I’ve had some great meals at Wente– but if I’d paid full price, and gotten that horrible bread (which I thought was inedible– I did not eat mine) and the awful (cold) burger– I would have been really, really unhappy. I think we’ll go back for brunch next time– we’ve had good luck with that.

We had a get together from work at The Restaurant at Wente right before Christmas. It’s a great location in the middle of the Wente vineyards, away from the City. If you are not familiar with the area, you may get confused driving to The Restaurant through the curvy dark road at night… but keep driving… you will see The Restaurant entrance to your left on Arroyo rd right before the golf coarse. It was a chilly winter evening, so outdoor seating wasn’t an option. I can imagine in summer it must be very pleasant.
I tried the pomegranate sparkling drink that was not too sweet just the way I like it… had couple refills. For appetizers, we ordered Deviled Eggs, Artisanal Cheese and Hamachi Crudo. Eggs and cheese were good, the Tuna Hamachi Crudo was great! For dinner, I had the Moroccan lamb loin… this was a bit disappointment, because half of the loin was just bone, wasn’t enough for a foody like me, so I tried some Sea Scallop as well. :) the flavor of the lamb was decent, but the scallop was just great, perfectly grilled and flavorful.
Great ambience, great location, service is a bit slow, but overall a good experience. Won’t mind a future visit during summer time.
#comebackmaybe
#Airwolf

I haven’t eaten at The Restaurant for awhile and, since it was a cloudy day, decided to eat there instead of the Grill where we usually eat for lunch.
My GF and I decided to have a «light lunch» and passed on the entrees. Instead we ordered a bottle of Wente’s sparking wine (which was fine) and a variety of small plates. We shared the Hudson Valley foie gras torcon, «Bacon and Eggs» pork belly confit and the Ceasar Salad.
The foie gras with apple purée and a pickled pear frisse w/​truffle oil was great! Just which there was more. As for the «Bacon & Egg“s» (actually only one egg), the pork belly was crisp and well cooked, but the pickled onions/​mushrooms were too strong/​off putting, the chicharron that came with the dish was flabby/​not crisp and the poached egg was ok but it seemed odd that the white appeared under-​cooked while the yolk seemed too overcooked (not runny enough). The dish would have been better w/​the egg, pork belly and the accompanying mustard alone.
The Caesar Salad was was the best caesar salad that I’ve had in a very long time. Far better than the one I was served at Harris’ recently. The romaine leaves were extremely fresh and crisp and the dressing tasted freshly made the way it should be made (with a mixture of of mashed anchovies/​garlic, egg yolk and grated parmesan cheese) and some freshly baked croutons. It was excellent!
All too often, restaurants (like Harris’) will serve a caesar salad decorated with a hulking piece of anchovy on top of the lettuce. This is a major red flag and tip off that the person who prepared it does NOT know what a caesar salad is and how it should be made. The anchovy is just a seasoning, it is the not raison d’etre of the dish. Fortunately, the chef at The Restaurant knows this and knows how a proper caesar salad should be prepared.
For desert we had the cheese platter a selection of 3 «artisanal» cheeses (cow, sheep and goat) which came with a fruit spread (think it was apricot), some honey comb, some nuts and thinly sliced and crisply backed dark nut bread. It was delicious and the cheese portions were generous (larger than you’d expect, about 2 oz each is my guess). The server didn’t adequately describe the cheeses but I probably would have immediately forgotten what they were even if they were described to me. It only mattered that they tasted great w/​the sparkling wine before we finished off the bottle.
All in all, I’m very happy to report that The Restaurant still deserves its 4Star rating and IMO remains the best restaurant in the Livermore Valley.
BTW, our server was great too!

Priced fairly considering the atmosphere and quality of food. Overall great place to dine.

In a last minute invite, we had the opportunity to dine at Wente. I should have checked Unilocal or the internet beforehand because I got sticker shock upon reading the menu. But what the heck, you only live once. Since it is a little pricey, I set the bar very high and have big expectations.
Since we were in the area, we ordered the 2013 Livermore Valley Wente Vineyards Charles Wetmore Cabernet Sauvignon. Reasonable priced, ready to drink. The four of shard the deviled eggs (spanish chorizo, crispy potato, mustard seed, cilantro) 6 pieces and very tasty.
For the main entrée I ordered the Heritage Berkshire smoked pork chop (with red pepper quinoa, pomegranate piccalilli, frisee). I sent it back because I thought it wasn’t cooked right. As it turns out, it was cooked right. The waitress later explained that all their pork is smoked for four hours and for this type of pork and the way it is cooked, the color is pink. I should have been forewarned while I was ordering the dish (I hate sending dishes back to the kitchen, we’ve all heard the stories when you send things back). Nevertheless, this pork dish ranks up in the all time best list, very smokey, very tasty, generous portion.
Two people had the roasted Striped Sea Bass (with spanish chorizo paella, mussels, saffron aioli, pickled cabbage). This dish was cooked to perfection, but the portion of the fish was pretty small (quality over quantity???). The fourth person ordered the wild mushroom Risotto (white truffle cream, italian black truffle, parmigiano reggiano). My friend only ate half of it, although he said it was delicious, it was very rich (in a good way).
We all shared the lemon Orange Upside Down Almond Cake (pomegranate sherbet, coconut pearls, white chocolate mousse), good, but I give this dish three stars.
As I mentioned before, high menu prices dictate a few things, i.e., great location (preferably with a view), great atmosphere, great service, great food (in taste and in quantity). Wente hits a few of these items, but these prices aren’t warranted yet. Very good experience/​food, but not great.

Had dinner here for our anniversary. Love the food. The atmosphere was great. Wonderful service and kid friendly.

We celebrated our 22 wedding anniversary at Wente last week, and we’re delighted with the food and the service. It made for a perfect evening. We mentioned to our Waiter that Wente is our favorite restaurant for special occasions (btw-​if you want a casual lunch go to the restaurant at the gold course across the parking lot. Best hamburgers ever) and he took time to explain new menu and he made great recommendations. The Sturgeon appetizer with egg was amazing. Courses came to the table in a relaxed pace. Out waiter knew just the right moment to stop by and refill our wine glass. The main course was prepared to our taste, and the Happy Anniversary message on the dessert plate was an appreciated touch. The restaurant has such a unique look every time that we visit, which makes the drive out to southern Livermore even more special.

I have dined here on multiple occasions. Wonderful wine list, interesting seasonal menu — but service needs improvement.
A nice Saturday evening place to take your wife, significant other or the entire family.

Went to Wente and now need to vent! (pardon the pun).
The occasion was my wife’s 50^th b’day and my son’s graduation from college. Just a party of 4. with a reservation for 7:15 PM. At the time of reservation, we had informed them of the occasion for the celebration and were looking forward to a classy evening to celebrate as a family, such important milestones in our lives as these.
But alas, when we got there, we were told that there was a 15 minute wait because guests were still «lingering» and not moving out! Have you heard that excuse before? Surely restaurants worldwide know that guests are wont to do that, nothing new or strange, just plan for it damn it! Don’t overbook like the airlines.
Anyway the worst was not yet over. The wait turned out to be 50 minutes, not 15. Us four were huddled in a corner near the bar at a round table barely 2 feet in diameter, wondering what to do. Gone was the ambience for us. We thought of leaving and heading out to Blackhawk to try and make the best of the evening, but after the nearly 45 minute drive from San Ramon, along winding roads that leads to Wente, I was reluctant to go back looking for an alternative place. We finally got a table an hour or so later. The main course took long to arrive, not sure why, since most other table occupants had finished their dinner and we were the only ones eating. Not fun at all — eating alone.
This whole thing makes me extremely unhappy and angry. The wait staff was gracious and apologetic, but it wasn’t their fault — it’s the restaurant management that I would fault. Fire the bugger at the top I say, or at a minimum cut his/​her bonus! Even good olé’ In-n’-out burger does manage their crowds better.
That ruined it for us. Never again and we will make sure our friends and family hear about it. If you want a guranteed reservation where the word «reservation» means something, then look elsewhere. Goodbye Wente!

We returned to the restaurant at Wente Vineyard not knowing what to expect, as my last review from July reflects. We were invited back by Manager Jennifer Lyons to try again, and I am so glad we went!
The room was so festive, with holiday decorations, and people opening presents at their tables, which added to the celebratory mood. All tables inside were full of happy diners, full of good cheer on a Monday at lunch. This was unexpected, and I worried that the service would not be able to keep up, but I was completely wrong.

Starting with our warm welcome from Tracy Marie, and the great service Jason provided us at the table, the staff was attentive, friendly and helpful. Plain whole wheat bread was provided as we looked over the menus, and Jason told us the specials.
The food was excellent, and I wish that I had been able to also enjoy the festive cocktails I saw served around me, but, since I was driving back to the Silicon Valley afterwards, I stuck with a moderate amount of wine. This was no hardship as the wine at Wente cannot be topped. My mother loves the Riva Ranch Chalcedony, so that is what we drank with our lunch and it was excellent.
The food was sublime. We couldn’t tell if the menu had been revamped, but we were not disappointed at our selections. The only short fall is the lack of selection for vegetarians, but I am sure the chef could modify and whip up something if asked. I had the truffle risotto, and I wasn’t that thrilled. There were a lot of ingredients, but the taste did not really work for me.
When Jason saw I wasn’t eating, he took care of me, by offering another dish! Our WW2 vet had a smoked and grilled pork chop which he devoured, and said was wonderful. Mother had the Hanger steak, also a winning dish! She said she could have just eaten a plate of the hash it came with, it was that good!
The only short fall was it was very cold outside, and a cold breeze was on us at our window table the whole time, so I had to keep my down coat on. The cozy convivial atmosphere all around me though, was very heart warming, and I loved the view of the large flower decorations and tree.
Afterwards, we went to the tasting room and bought wine to take home, toasting our wonderful experience and food. The restaurant at Wente has done a great turn around, in service and cuisine, and is worth a trip to the Vineyard.
Thanks to everyone who made our afternoon so special.

Had a lovely evening last weekend at Wente. My family went to a holiday concert in San Ramon and decided to take our chances in getting a reservation last minute. We were told over the phone that we could sit at the bar since there weren’t any tables available. We eventually did get seated at the bar and I enjoyed a lemon drop cocktail and my son had an aged Irish whiskey. They even offered us bread, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. After about an hour we were seated in the restaurant and leisurely had a lovely dinner.

Wente is the best continental restaurant in Livermore and among the finest in the East Bay. We have dined there several times and the cuisine and wine list is consistently outstanding as is the service. The ambience is particularly pleasing when seated outdoors along the beautiful and spacious greenery. Given that Wente is also among the best and oldest wineries in the state, the wine list is extensive. With that said, if a good cocktail is your preference, there are many artisanal and seasonal varieties to choose from which are often complimented with fresh ingredients from the garden on the premises. We started with appetizers of deviled eggs with chorizo and the cheese plate complimented by honeycomb, cranberry hazelnut crackers and roasted cinnamon pecans. Next, we enjoyed the kale salad complimented with cranberry pecan and goat cheese. The long standing traditional entrée is the delicious bone in chop roasted in a wood fired oven. What is non-​traditional, however, is the way it’s prepared which rotates based on the seasons or chef’s creation. On the particular night the chop was paired with an outstanding Italian faro with Parmesan and pear. I was less enamored with the lamb shank which had more bone than meat and not as flavorful as I would have liked. Overall, an excellent experience.

We didnt have reservations, and we were a group of six and we did a walk, initially they said they may not be able to accomodate us. Then once I spoke to the manager, they were able to seat us right away. It was my bro-in-law’s birthday. The meal and service was very good. Dessert was amazing as well.
I reccommend going here for a meal or just go wine tasting. They have a beautiful property.

Very disappointing! Firstly, beware of multiple wedding venues with competing DJ’s. And when you do complain, they don’t accommodate you at all! The food was overly rich, uninspired, and mediocre. Service was inattentive (had to ask for bread 3x, never was offered anything past initial cocktail, etc) and slow (waited an hour for our entrée). Valet was also too distracted to notice us walking out. WILL NOT RETURN AND WILL NOT RECOMMEND!!!
P. S. Crispy duck wings made us sick!

We went for a quiet weekday lunch. The area is beautiful, and we chose to sit outside. We started with the hamachi crudo, which was light and delicious. I had the beef burger with beef bacon. Both items were outstanding. The service was impeccable. I’m already planning my return visit.

Second visit to the Restaurant and it was still pretty good. This time, we just parked outside. There was no valet on duty. We were running a bit late, because we accidentally went to the Vineyard instead. Darn you Google Maps!
Service was excellent. We were seated right away and got the wine list. I told DH I’d save him some money and not order wine this time. LOL! They brought out herb bread rolls and a lovely, bright, grassy olive oil for dipping.
We decided to split 3 appetizers again, which was good for us light eaters. My opinion: the apps were NOT as good as last year’s. Could the new chef be to blame? Who knows. We got the beef tartare ($ 16), which came with thick, mild rye bread. DH complained he couldn’t taste the Point Reyes Blue Cheese in it. Nothing spectacular there. The lime cured kampachi crudo ($ 16) was nicely plated, but there wasn’t much food. Each piece of fish was seriously the size of a fingertip. However, the flavors were delicate and I liked it. It came with plumcot and radish slices. There were bites that were spicy, but I loved the citrus notes. Did I mention that there wasn’t much of it? LOL. The r&d farms peach salad ($ 15) was a nice idea. The peach was perfectly ripe and delicious. I like the toasted hazelnut slivers and the tart dressing.
They made a comeback on the main dishes. Starting with the best: Mom got the Tenderloin fillet with chanterelle mushrooms & sauce ($ 44). Well worth it. Good portion size, PERFECT, delicious crunchy crust, meltingly tender on the inside. Cooked rare, as she specified. Just PERFECT. Everyone raved about the chanterelles.
Next best was my llano seco ranch pork chop with toasted farro, parmesan, corn relish and bourbon-​mustard jus ($ 33). Big, thick slice of pork with the bone in. Nice char on the outside, super juicy and tender on the inside. Big, bold flavors. Awesome corn relish. So fresh and yummy! I wondered if they sous-​vide the pork… I’m never able to get it so juicy at home. :) The waiter said this is a favorite of many people, a signature dish that never leaves their menu. Now I know why.
DH really liked his 38 north duck breast with chocolate-​cherry mole, quinoa, piquillo pepper, smoked duck leg and chicharones ($ 32). I thought the mole sauce was a bit funky, but DH enjoyed it. The duck was cooked just right. Plating was artsy.
Dad ordered the sea scallops, which came with roasted cauliflower, beluga lentils, greek yogurt and radish ($ 32). The scallops were perfectly cooked, but seemed kinda small. Even Dad complained about the quantity of scallops. There were just 4, about 1″ in diameter. Seriously?!? The sauce streaked under the plate was stuck there. Sides were tasty, though.
The desserts were okay, but nothing to write home about. They did write «Happy Birthday» and put a candle in Mom’s tuscan orange cake with vanilla sabayon, orange, almonds and clove ($ 10). That was a nice touch.
We also split a chocolate torte with cherry, hazelnut, honeycomb and panna cotta ($ 10), which was tasty. Dad ordered a sheep cheese plate, which came with a tiny sliver of cheese, dried fruits and nuts, and toasted honey wheat bread-​crackers. It was only $ 7, but it was a seriously thin slice of cheese. I think they should have charged a little more and included a bigger slice.
Overall, still a good place for a fancy meal in the ‘burbs. It ran us close to $ 75/​head with tax and tips included. $ 10 less than last year, since I didn’t get a glass of wine. Remember to buy the gift cards from Costco ($ 200 worth of cards for $ 150) to get a discount!

I enjoy going to Wente for the great atmosphere and scenery. My first dining experience was amazing, but I was a little disappointed when I returned this past Mother’s Day.
The service is great… our server was a little awkward though. Seems like she was really shy, which as a server, is something that she’ll need to overcome. However, service was polite and prompt so I don’t have many complaints about it.
I was a little disappointed with the appetizers. The crab deviled eggs sounded delicious, but they were the worst deviled eggs I’ve ever had. There was barely any yolk or crab in this, so it was like eating cold eggs whites with a smidgen of yolk and crab. Really mediocre. We also got the asparagus and the beet salad, which were both good, but the portions were pretty small.
For our main dishes, my mom got the steak and I had the pork chop. Steak was okay. My mom orders it medium well though, which is most likely why I didn’t like her steak. The pork chop was so succulent and perfectly cooked. However, I really didn’t like the bed of whatever it was served on. Bleh.
We were bothered by the man little gnats that were flying around. I suppose they’re difficult to control, but it was still bothersome and took away from our dining experience.
Lastly, I appreciated that they gave all of the Mothers roses. It was a really thoughtful touch and it brought a smile to my mom’s face. Because Wente is so professional and has such a great vibe, I would love to come more often, but I was really disappointed by the menu that was offered this time.

Two of my girlfriends and I came here on a Friday midday. We originally had reservations for a private tasting but it appears that is actually at a different location than where the restaurant and the golf course was. Needless to say, we were disappointed.
The lady at the front tasting room was very nice about and gave us a regular tasting. She also was nice enough to let sit in the outside patio and came out to us with the pours. We had 5 tastings for $ 15 each before we went to the restaurant. We a bottle of wine to the restaurant and the restaurant waived the corkage fee which was great.
On entrance we, the hostess was very polite. She checked weather we wanted the indoor or outdoor seating. Since it was gorgeous out, we opted for the patio. It was perfect day to to outdoor with a great view of the golf course hole #18.
The food was very solid. I adjusted couple of the salads they had on the menu in one salad and they were very accommodating. We all had something different and all were very good. We had deviled eggs and Brussels sprouts as an appetizers, a Chilean Seabass, a truffle risotto, and a freshly made pappardelle. Since it seemed like a lot for 3, I asked if we can have half of a pappardelle and again they were very accommodating. Although the server was not really ultra friendly, she was very accommodating.
The bathroom was ok too just was a hike from the outdoor seating. But that’s ok. Of course parking is no problem since we ubered. Make sure you give yourself 10 minutes for Über since there’s not always drivers in that area.
Overall experience was a true 4 in all areas. Will definitely be coming back.
Until next time. Bön appetit! Ciao!

I went here for a holiday party on a Sunday evening.
The waitress attending to our table was very attentive in terms of water refills, wine refills, checking on us, and changing out utensils between courses. She was also very knowledgeable about the wines, hors d’œuvre, and menu items.
Here is what we ended up ordering:
–Ribollita: Essentially a vegetable soup that was absolutely delicious
–Salad of grains and apples: Didn’t look all that appetizing, but tasted pretty good.
–Mesquite grilled filet of beef with fingerling potatoes — filet was perfectly cooked to medium rare and was delicious
–Hawaiian walu (fish) — texture was good, according to my dad (and he’s big seafood snob).
–The roasted heirloom squash ravioli: too rich and sweet for my taste. Plus, I wasn’t a fan of the chewy texture of the chanterelles.
–The ginger beer parsnip cake with mascarpone ginger and parsnip ice cream: Really liked the ice cream. It’s refreshing! I avoided the cake and mascarpone since it was too rich for my taste and I was pretty much stuffed at this point.
Overall, great service, lovely atmosphere, and for the most part, delicious food!