Really disappointed about this time at Ledford House. Was once one of our favorite places, it is really hit or miss. This night was a BIG miss. We've been here 4 times and the first two were remarkable. We went for a special occasion last Saturday and got the Bistro Special which was a ground beef wellington. It was served lukewarm with the same tomato soup bisque as a sauce that was the tomato soup of the day. Too salty, and just a poor execution of concept. The salad served was insulting: there was no dressing, the cucumbers were messily chopped and not peeled, with giant unevenly chopped purple onion, and instead of putting an edible flower on both salads, only one had a nasturtium and the other had an inedible mini rose bud that was intended for the chocolate pot creme. The host poured water all over the table and the waitress was disoriented. This was definitely an off-night for the restaurant, but our experience was so poor that we will not be returning. Beautiful view
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 1
Yaekyum Lee
Beautiful place, just give it a try. But take time!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gnocchi, Eggplant Wellington
Alicia Boal
The food and ambience were top notch. And the view…holy moly! A lot of yum.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Monet Thomas
Went to Ledford House on our final night on the coast and it was a highlight of the trip. I had the Bistro Special which is a daily 3 course meal which changes every day. The fish cakes were delicious and I also enjoyed the roasted beets salad.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gnocchi
Liz B
Server was the best. Great view.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Tom Greteman
It was Mom’s 90th. My sister and I were going to take her to Harbor House; decided against it because of the ridiculously high price. We settled on Ledford. But in actuality “settled” is a poor word choice. The place was FABULOUS! It offered everything one could ask for: Outstanding ocean views, wonderful food options and exemplary service. Folks…. no need to look any further. THIS is the place. And let me add….you’re welcome!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
boeing377
Although I’ve been up in this area many times, somehow we never dined at Ledford House. The name made me think it was a restaurant associated with an inn but it’s a standalone restaurant. We had a great meal here and I will definitely come back. The owner is on scene and makes sure every guest has a good experience. The food was really tasty and the portions were very generous. In some of these trendy Mendocino restaurants featuring “California cuisine” you leave hungry. The generous spirit goes beyond portions. They bring you delicious home baked bread with olive oil and if you finish it, you don’t have to ask for more. They ask you if you would like some. There is no charge for this. The owner takes care of many little details. The ocean view is truly spectacular. And the windows are very clean which sadly doesn’t always happen at ocean facing restaurants. They get salt deposits on the windows and they get cleaned once in a while. Not here. They were spotless. The wait staff was attentive and friendly. Prices are slightly lower than the restaurants in Mendocino proper. It only took us 12 minutes to drive there from Mendocino so it’s actually a lot closer than I thought. We will be back for sure. Don’t miss this establishment. It has a fantastic view, great food and reasonable prices. I gave it a five star rating and you will too.
Sapphire Dooley
The bluefin special was perfect. Service was great as always.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
RedHP
We had two wonderful dinners here on a recent vacation to the Mendocino area. The view is spectacular and we enjoyed the complementary starter of olives and fresh bread. We had a delicious Provencal fish soup both nights (even better the second time) and also really enjoyed the lamb shank (large portion of meat). Our second evening we had a wonderful server named Carrie. We highly recommend this restaurant and hope to return someday.
We visited Ledford House for dinner last night. The setting is undeniably lovely — ocean views, a charming flower garden, and a tranquil atmosphere. We arrived at 6:50 for a 7:00 PM reservation and were told our table would be ready right on time, even though we noticed several empty tables. Not a problem — we enjoyed a short walk in the garden and took some photos. We requested sparkling water, but still water was brought instead. To their credit, the front man noticed and quickly replaced it. Soon after, we were served bread, olives, and butter. I noticed that my fork was visibly dirty. When I pointed it out, the server wordlessly replaced it with a fork from a nearby table — no apology, no acknowledgment, which felt off for a place of this level. For appetizers, I had the corn chowder, which was delicious. My husband ordered oysters — unfortunately, three of them were not properly detached from the shell, and each of them had shell fragments. Properly shucked oysters should be clean and effortless to enjoy. This lack of care in preparation is surprising at this price point, though the oysters themselves were fresh and flavorful. Things went downhill with the main course. I ordered the eggplant Wellington — the dish was enjoyable, but the garnishes (potatoes and broccolini) were served cold, and the bell pepper sauce lacked seasoning. A more refined plate would have arrived hot and well-balanced in flavor. My husband's steak, however, was the real issue. One side was severely overcooked and charred, while the other side lacked any sear at all — clearly, the chef had overcooked one side and avoided flipping it to maintain the internal temperature. Still, one-third of the steak was well done — and they served it anyway. In a fine dining restaurant, such a steak should never leave the kitchen. Quality control from the chef or expeditor should have caught this. My husband took one bite and left the steak on the edge of the table, cut side up — a universal sign something’s wrong. Yet, no one approached us for quite a while. The server, however, looked right at it, made eye contact with me, but did not come over. In professional service, servers are expected to check back within 3–5 minutes of delivering entrées to ensure everything is satisfactory — especially if there’s a clear visual cue that something is wrong. Eventually, I had to wave to get his attention. When my husband explained the issue, the server responded: "What do you want me to do?" That’s not an acceptable response in any restaurant, let alone a fine dining establishment. Staff should be trained to offer a solution — replace the dish, offer an alternative, or involve a manager — without placing the burden on the guest to propose a remedy. The situation escalated when the server took the plate and instead of going directly to the kitchen, he stopped at another table to chat. At that point, my husband chose to cancel the replacement, since I had nearly finished my meal. The server then commented: “Don’t worry, it didn’t ruin my day.” — an oddly self-centered and unprofessional remark. We ordered dessert and coffee to close the evening. Dessert was delightful, but the coffee arrived without a spoon, was not hot enough and tasted mediocre at best. Throughout the experience, the front man — who was stationed directly across from our table — never once checked in, noticed the returned plate, or addressed us. In fine dining, floor staff are expected to remain attentive and proactive, especially when things clearly go awry. In summary, while the setting remains beautiful, the level of service has dropped noticeably. A restaurant cannot rely on ambience alone — attention to detail, professionalism, and thoughtful service are the pillars of fine dining. Sadly, none of these were upheld during our visit. It was deeply disappointing.
Joe Lu
Ordered steak au poivre and it didn’t disappoint. The outside of the steak (filet mignon) was crispy and meat was tender and flavorful, thanks to the excellent pepper sauce.
Nice facility and location. Highly recommended.
Whit Fletcher
After being warmly welcomed and seated by a lovely staff, we had such high hopes. The starter bread course/olive oil was truly delicious. I ordered the baked oysters and my wife the soup of the day. Both were uninspiring, the oysters were bland with plain and over salted breadcrumbs on top. Our main courses were the Boulaird and Eggplant Wellington. Advertised as. Bouillabaisse broth, it was no more than a watery veg broth with a rather plain rock fish added. The eggplant had an under cooked pastry wrapping. To make matters worse both dishes were served luke warm on cold plates. The prices are not extravegent, and we would have happily paid more for better. I believe you can do far better than this.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 4
DorothyOM
I can’t believe I didn’t find this place sooner. We had a wonderful dinner: delicious food, great service, and a lovely view. We had the bistro special, which is a great deal with generous portions. Don’t miss this restaurant!
michaelbY5077BX
My wife surprised me with this beautiful ocean view 5 star restaurant with a simply delicious 3 course meal, champagne, baked oysters, and fine wines. The day was filled with love and the Ledford House was the perfect end to celebrate us.
A must go to
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Really disappointed about this time at Ledford House. Was once one of our favorite places, it is really hit or miss. This night was a BIG miss. We've been here 4 times and the first two were remarkable. We went for a special occasion last Saturday and got the Bistro Special which was a ground beef wellington. It was served lukewarm with the same tomato soup bisque as a sauce that was the tomato soup of the day. Too salty, and just a poor execution of concept. The salad served was insulting: there was no dressing, the cucumbers were messily chopped and not peeled, with giant unevenly chopped purple onion, and instead of putting an edible flower on both salads, only one had a nasturtium and the other had an inedible mini rose bud that was intended for the chocolate pot creme. The host poured water all over the table and the waitress was disoriented. This was definitely an off-night for the restaurant, but our experience was so poor that we will not be returning. Beautiful view
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 1
Beautiful place, just give it a try.
But take time!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gnocchi, Eggplant Wellington
The food and ambience were top notch. And the view…holy moly! A lot of yum.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Went to Ledford House on our final night on the coast and it was a highlight of the trip. I had the Bistro Special which is a daily 3 course meal which changes every day. The fish cakes were delicious and I also enjoyed the roasted beets salad.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Gnocchi
Server was the best. Great view.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
It was Mom’s 90th. My sister and I were going to take her to Harbor House; decided against it because of the ridiculously high price. We settled on Ledford. But in actuality “settled” is a poor word choice. The place was FABULOUS! It offered everything one could ask for: Outstanding ocean views, wonderful food options and exemplary service. Folks…. no need to look any further. THIS is the place. And let me add….you’re welcome!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Although I’ve been up in this area many times, somehow we never dined at Ledford House. The name made me think it was a restaurant associated with an inn but it’s a standalone restaurant. We had a great meal here and I will definitely come back. The owner is on scene and makes sure every guest has a good experience. The food was really tasty and the portions were very generous. In some of these trendy Mendocino restaurants featuring “California cuisine” you leave hungry. The generous spirit goes beyond portions. They bring you delicious home baked bread with olive oil and if you finish it, you don’t have to ask for more. They ask you if you would like some. There is no charge for this. The owner takes care of many little details. The ocean view is truly spectacular. And the windows are very clean which sadly doesn’t always happen at ocean facing restaurants. They get salt deposits on the windows and they get cleaned once in a while. Not here. They were spotless. The wait staff was attentive and friendly. Prices are slightly lower than the restaurants in Mendocino proper. It only took us 12 minutes to drive there from Mendocino so it’s actually a lot closer than I thought. We will be back for sure. Don’t miss this establishment. It has a fantastic view, great food and reasonable prices. I gave it a five star rating and you will too.
The bluefin special was perfect. Service was great as always.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We had two wonderful dinners here on a recent vacation to the Mendocino area. The view is spectacular and we enjoyed the complementary starter of olives and fresh bread. We had a delicious Provencal fish soup both nights (even better the second time) and also really enjoyed the lamb shank (large portion of meat). Our second evening we had a wonderful server named Carrie. We highly recommend this restaurant and hope to return someday.
Restaurantji Recommends
We visited Ledford House for dinner last night. The setting is undeniably lovely — ocean views, a charming flower garden, and a tranquil atmosphere. We arrived at 6:50 for a 7:00 PM reservation and were told our table would be ready right on time, even though we noticed several empty tables. Not a problem — we enjoyed a short walk in the garden and took some photos. We requested sparkling water, but still water was brought instead. To their credit, the front man noticed and quickly replaced it. Soon after, we were served bread, olives, and butter. I noticed that my fork was visibly dirty. When I pointed it out, the server wordlessly replaced it with a fork from a nearby table — no apology, no acknowledgment, which felt off for a place of this level. For appetizers, I had the corn chowder, which was delicious. My husband ordered oysters — unfortunately, three of them were not properly detached from the shell, and each of them had shell fragments. Properly shucked oysters should be clean and effortless to enjoy. This lack of care in preparation is surprising at this price point, though the oysters themselves were fresh and flavorful. Things went downhill with the main course. I ordered the eggplant Wellington — the dish was enjoyable, but the garnishes (potatoes and broccolini) were served cold, and the bell pepper sauce lacked seasoning. A more refined plate would have arrived hot and well-balanced in flavor. My husband's steak, however, was the real issue. One side was severely overcooked and charred, while the other side lacked any sear at all — clearly, the chef had overcooked one side and avoided flipping it to maintain the internal temperature. Still, one-third of the steak was well done — and they served it anyway. In a fine dining restaurant, such a steak should never leave the kitchen. Quality control from the chef or expeditor should have caught this. My husband took one bite and left the steak on the edge of the table, cut side up — a universal sign something’s wrong. Yet, no one approached us for quite a while. The server, however, looked right at it, made eye contact with me, but did not come over. In professional service, servers are expected to check back within 3–5 minutes of delivering entrées to ensure everything is satisfactory — especially if there’s a clear visual cue that something is wrong. Eventually, I had to wave to get his attention. When my husband explained the issue, the server responded: "What do you want me to do?" That’s not an acceptable response in any restaurant, let alone a fine dining establishment. Staff should be trained to offer a solution — replace the dish, offer an alternative, or involve a manager — without placing the burden on the guest to propose a remedy. The situation escalated when the server took the plate and instead of going directly to the kitchen, he stopped at another table to chat. At that point, my husband chose to cancel the replacement, since I had nearly finished my meal. The server then commented: “Don’t worry, it didn’t ruin my day.” — an oddly self-centered and unprofessional remark. We ordered dessert and coffee to close the evening. Dessert was delightful, but the coffee arrived without a spoon, was not hot enough and tasted mediocre at best. Throughout the experience, the front man — who was stationed directly across from our table — never once checked in, noticed the returned plate, or addressed us. In fine dining, floor staff are expected to remain attentive and proactive, especially when things clearly go awry. In summary, while the setting remains beautiful, the level of service has dropped noticeably. A restaurant cannot rely on ambience alone — attention to detail, professionalism, and thoughtful service are the pillars of fine dining. Sadly, none of these were upheld during our visit. It was deeply disappointing.
Ordered steak au poivre and it didn’t disappoint. The outside of the steak (filet mignon) was crispy and meat was tender and flavorful, thanks to the excellent pepper sauce.
Nice facility and location. Highly recommended.
After being warmly welcomed and seated by a lovely staff, we had such high hopes. The starter bread course/olive oil was truly delicious. I ordered the baked oysters and my wife the soup of the day. Both were uninspiring, the oysters were bland with plain and over salted breadcrumbs on top. Our main courses were the Boulaird and Eggplant Wellington. Advertised as. Bouillabaisse broth, it was no more than a watery veg broth with a rather plain rock fish added. The eggplant had an under cooked pastry wrapping. To make matters worse both dishes were served luke warm on cold plates. The prices are not extravegent, and we would have happily paid more for better. I believe you can do far better than this.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 4
I can’t believe I didn’t find this place sooner. We had a wonderful dinner: delicious food, great service, and a lovely view. We had the bistro special, which is a great deal with generous portions. Don’t miss this restaurant!
My wife surprised me with this beautiful ocean view 5 star restaurant with a simply delicious 3 course meal, champagne, baked oysters, and fine wines. The day was filled with love and the Ledford House was the perfect end to celebrate us.
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