I've always wanted to come to this classic and timeless restaurant. It didn't disappoint! There was a set menu which may not be for everyone but you can always dine upstairs for more options. Some things to consider before you go. The area doesn't have much parking, or valet parking, and wasn't as dressy as I expected. The food and service was unbelievable lots of attention to detail which was to be expected. Really excited to come back and try something new.

We had a lunch reservation in the upstairs cafe on a Sunday afternoon. It was pretty packed when we got there, and we did have to wait a few minutes, but service was very attentive and clearly a priority at this establishment. The staircase and the upstairs walkways seem pretty narrow but we didn't feel too cramped once we were seated at our table. I am writing this review a few weeks later and I can't remember all the names of the dishes, so I'll just have to summarize the highlights: - Everything was tasty and well-seasoned! Produce was clearly fresh and super vibrant. In particular, anything with tomatoes was incredibly flavorful. - Each dish came with a variety, which I'm a big fan of. I didn't really get tired of anything on my plate. - Plating is clearly important as well and everything was beautiful. - Portions were very filling, especially when ordering a starter + an entree + a dessert. Ultimately I think this was a very pleasant dining experience but I am not sure it wow-ed me enough to return for any particular dish or item. I know their menu rotates a lot, and the downstairs experience is different, so I'd still be open to returning!

Chez Panisse is a name that has long been on my list, and I finally had the chance to visit for a Friday lunch at their café. Located upstairs, the café offers a more casual dining experience compared to the formal dining room below, but the quality of the food and service is just as impressive. We were promptly seated by the windows, which was a treat on such a nice day--the breeze coming through the open windows added a refreshing touch to our meal. The experience began on a high note with their bread and butter, simple yet absolutely delicious. For appetizers, we ordered the Little Gems lettuce salad, wood oven roasted peppers, and two bowls of sweet corn soup, which our server kindly split into four portions for easy sharing. The corn soup, in particular, was a standout--rich, sweet, and perfectly seasoned. When it came to the main courses, each dish was a showcase of fresh, local ingredients. We had the local petrale sole, chicken al mattone, grilled pork loin, and a pizza with tomato sauce. While all were excellent, the chicken al mattone was probably my favorite--the meat was incredibly tender and flavorful. To finish, we shared Lindsey's almond cake and a summer berry sherbet, both of which were delightful and the perfect way to end the meal. Overall, the meal was consistently excellent, and the service was attentive throughout. I would definitely return, and I'm especially eager to try the more formal dining experience downstairs for dinner. Street parking is the only option, but it wasn't too difficult to find a spot. If you're considering a visit to Chez Panisse Café, I'd say go for it--it's well worth the experience.

I've always wanted to dine at Chez Panisse, and it lived up to my expectations. The ambiance, service, and overall experience were exceptional, and the summer set course left me very full! The salmon and the chocolate fondant stood out to me the most. The plating was beautiful for every dish that came out and everything was clearly well thought out with a lot of heart put into it. However, given the cost (around $200 per person after tax and service fee), I'm not sure if the food itself will stand out in my memory. This is more of a place you go to for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, not somewhere you go casually every couple of months. The price just can't justify that.

Reserved 2 months in advance. Needed to see if farm to table is all that. Pre fixe meals that change daily. Was it worth it? The one Michelin star establishment has a very cool vibe. The first floor is the main dining; the upper floor has a tiny bar, more seats and the cost/rest room. It's packed tight up there. Upon entering you'll notice right away the service is great and important to them. The open kitchen is in the back and you can see them making masterpieces. Each of the four dishes are beautifully plated. The waiter explains what you're about to enjoy. On our day, we had a small aperitif to kick it off and then an anchovy salad with squash tempura. Very delicately cooked and quite nice. The next dish was seared sea scallops. Also quite nice. Very well prepared; perfectly cooked in fact. The main was a rack of lamb. I truly enjoy lamb but this one had a faint taste of cumin which I don't think belongs with lamb. But I'm biased because I also don't like lemon in my food, which it also had. So I was not thrilled with this one. And for dessert was a fig galette with ice cream. Very nice sweet to finish off the meal. The ice cream had a Marsala taste which was, interesting. So is this place all it's hyped to be? I'm going to say it highly depends on what you happen to be served. I suppose you can cancel after you see the menu which posts on Monday, but after waiting so long for the reservation, who would do that? I enjoyed it quite a bit but certainly wasn't floored. That said, the diving experience was wonderful.

I have been wanting to eat here for years...make that decades, but the opportunity never arose. Usually it was because I was with family or had other obligations, and scoring a last minute reservation is next to impossible. But this trip to the Bay Area was different. Not only did I have the time to go, I lucked out and was able to grab a table to celebrate our anniversary. Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted by the host. Being that we were a few minutes early, we were offered seating just outside the restaurant or we could head upstairs to the bar. We opted to sit nearby since our reservation time of 8:15pm was quickly approaching. At precisely our reservation time, he seated us, something that rarely happens at restaurants these days. The interior of the restaurant was reminiscent of a Craftsman home and featured warm wood accents throughout. From our table, you could look into the kitchen which made it feel like you were dining in someones home. Watching the staff prepare the food was like watching a carefully choreographed ballet. Everyone moved with purpose yet no one was hurried. Our server was excellent! I found out he had been there almost 16 years and it showed. He knew every detail of the menu which is impressive given that their menu changes daily. His passion for their food was quite admirable and his attentiveness to our needs was spot on. Throughout the meal, he was assisted by another server who had only been there a couple of months yet she also knew every ingredient in every dish. Impressive! Our 4-course meal started with an amuse bouche and an aperitif. What a nice surprise! The amuse was a small crostini topped with ricotta, finely diced melon and anise hyssop, a delightful herb from the mint family. The aperitif was a wonderful glass of Prosecco that had been augmented with peach and something else that I don't remember. It was a great way to start the meal. Our first course was a gazpacho made with Early Girl tomatoes and topped with finely diced cucumber, slices of tiny cherry tomatoes and crispy fried squash blossoms. The gazpacho was light and watery, the result of straining the tomato pulp twice and the squash blossoms were fried to perfection. Our second course was pan-roasted rockfish served with a succotash of shell beans and fresh corn kernels. Alongside the fish was a romesco sauce and a roasted Jimmy Nardello pepper. As expected, the fish was cooked perfectly and the succotash was outstanding. But the star of the dish was that romesco sauce. I was ready to marry the chef just to get the recipe for that! LOL! Our third course was slices of grilled duck breast au poive served with pickled peach slices, romano beans, and zucchini gratin. The duck was also cooked perfectly and had a light kiss of smoke flavor. The romano beans were nice and crisp and the picked peaches provided a nice contrast to the fat of the duck. The zucchini gratin was another revelation in itself. It had layers of green and yellow zucchini in an almost custard like base that was simply cream and parmesan. I could have eaten an entire pan of it! Our final course was a raspberry frangipane tart with crème fraiche. They celebrated our anniversary by including a nice note alongside the tart. The raspberry flavor shined through and the buttery shortbread crust was one of the best I've ever had. What a great ending to the meal...or so we thought. After learning our table, they brought us a steaming glass filled with a delicious tea they made using lemon verbena and spearmint. It was meant to be a digestivo and certainly hit the spot. Then a small plate arrived with two small chocolate truffles and two small candied fruit pieces to officially end our anniversary meal. I went in with high expectations and they were exceeded. This was definitely as close to a perfect meal as one could have. From the outstanding service to the perfectly paired wines to the excellent food, this was a meal to remember. And to have it on our anniversary made it all the more special. We certainly look forward to returning in the future to this iconic restaurant. Kudos to Alice Waters and the entire Chez Panisse team!!!

Came here for a birthday celebration and had a wonderful dining experience! You can either book a reservation at the restaurant (pre-fixe 4 course menu) or at the cafe (a-la-carte ordering) They accommodated my vegetarian diet with each course, and the wait staff were attentive and friendly :)

This is THE farm to table. Really fresh seasonal ingredients, thoughtfully but not complexly prepared. No outrageously unique ingredients or stories, just simple good food. Very professional service and very festive ambience (lots of celebrations). I think I would like to try the cafe next time!