Such a charming restaurant!! Very romantic. It is a one man team doing all the seating, greeting and serving. The food is good but not great. But the value is truly there.
MattJ
Great for a special occasion. We had the prosciutto wrapped shrimp, dayboat scallops, and the rack of lamb. The food was very good. Service was very good. We plan to try the ribeye and and filet mignon next time.
Opentable Diner
Everything My Lovely Wife and I ordered was spectacular. The service was amazing. Starting with warm olives, bruschetta, and the clams in wine sauce, and led to an awesome filet mignon and terrific rib eye. Sorry, no room for dessert, next time absolutely. A unique dining experience in a renovated Victorian.
THOMAS
I have to give Neumanali a stellar review, but I almost hate to do so because it's one of those hidden gems that you want to keep secret so you can kind of keep it for yourself. I had been wanting to try this restaurant for quite some time and unfortunately had to cancel a prior reservation due to an unforeseen event. This time around, we were able to keep our reservation and were so glad to get to experience this fantastic restaurant in downtown Hayward. We drove out from San Ramon and I can assure you it is worth driving a lot further for. The service from the one man who was holding down the entire serving area by himself was excellent. The ambience and noise level were great; it was easy to have a conversation at our table, yet there was still some nice music in the background. The food was absolutely delicious. (Highly recommend the prosciutto wrapped prawns as an appetizer). We were also surprised to see a reasonably priced wine list which included some top-notch wines. I had a house salad, very tasty, and we both had salmon which was cooked to perfection. We ended the meal with the house bread pudding, which was just the right amount of moist. Overall, a really great experience. To provide a balanced review, if there is any negative, it is the tight parking in the back, but what can you do about that? Just be prepared for it.
Jeff
The restaurant is not open. Permanently closed. Doors padlocked. They take reservations but are not open for business
Felix Cabrera
Nothing about this location stood out. It’s a little overpriced.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
The food was, as always, great. Flavorful and prepared to perfection. Somehow the front of the house is managed with only one person, who did a great job. The pace of the meal was just right for us - not overly relaxed but not too rushed. This is my favorite place for a special event in the Hayward/Fremont/Union City area.
MauiCO
I had high expectations based on positive reviews I read before dining at Neumanali. Despite the consistently similar negative reviews OVER MULTIPLE YEARS regarding the 'host-server-busser' one person show, I kept an open mind. Unfortunately, the reviews were accurate. While efficient, he was snappy, curt, charmless and worst of all we felt that we were rushed in making our choices from the moment we entered the restaurant. I'll spare you the details; suffice it to say, that our special anniversary celebration, which was not even acknowledged, will be remembered in a not so pleasant way. Prices were reasonable for the wine bottle (Samuel Robert Pinot Noir, 2022), warm goat cheese salad, lamb chops, scallops, cheese cake and sundae. I was not happy with the overly sweet potatoes under 4 tiny scallops and the salad that needs more than one, bigger warm goat cheese. My husband enjoyed the tender lamb chops but did not like the chewy, roasted potatoes. Desserts were ordinary.
Stephen Moore
Very nice food. Really enjoyed it. Nice ambiance, too. But one thing was out of line for this place. The waiter was horrible. From the git-go, he treated my wife and me like he'd just caught us kicking his dog. And it only got worse from there. Way worse!
Parking: Ample parking in back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 2
Recommended dishes: Trout with Roasted Cauliflower, Grilled Filet with Whipped Potatoes
Caren Breschini
The food was delicious. The waiter seemed to be in a bad mood.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Trout with Roasted Cauliflower, Mushroom Bruschetta, Grilled Filet with Whipped Potatoes
My wife and I decided to try this restaurant for our 32nd wedding anniversary. We made a very good choice. My wife had the lamb chops that were so tender. You could cut them with a butter knife. I had the scallops, a top sweet potato purée and the scallops were cooked perfectly, the waiter was very friendly. We will definitely come back here for our next date night. I didn't think Hayward would have such a gem.
André T.
The food was fantastic but a bit too strong on the herbs and pepper (lamb). The server was on his own and seemed rushed but otherwise provided great service. This place is a hidden gem. It doesn't seat many people and that's a good thing. I would absolutely come here again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Rack of Lamb
RachelG
Entered restaurant with high hopes for special treat. Unfortunately I was met at the reception area by the Maître'd/Server's attitude. I didn't get the memo about how important the restaurant is. My medium/rare ribeye steak was raw on the edges and had to be sent back. I did not feel comfortable, as though I was troublesome to the server. I skipped dessert, and asked to take the remainder of my new, perfectly cooked steak home, and may I please have the check. I left cash, including a 20% gratuity. The steak came back in a box, no bag. I asked if the waiter had a bag for my box. His response was: “No, I don't “, and he walked away. I am sorry I left a gratuity! Overall, what could have been a wonderful experience turned out to be just another mediocre dinner.
Chris McManus
Nice hidden high-end gem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: French Bread Olive Oil, House Bread, Old Fashioned Bread Pudding with Creme Anglaise, Flourless Chocolate Cake with Ganache Hazelnut Truffle and Caramel Coffee Sauce, Pan Seared Boat Scallops on Sweet Potato Puree with Brown Butter and Apple Cider Reduction
jacksonjohn
Neumanali is has a unique setting in a beautiful old home, and it's a pleasure just to be in the space. This was our first time there and, to be honest, the wine we enjoyed (an Oregon Pinot and a California Cab) outshined both the food and the service. The rack of lamb was the highlight; we shared the prosciutto-wrapped prawns, which were a little chewy and bland. The warm goat-cheese salad was fine. Most of all, I'm hoping that our waiter was either subbing for a friend or having a bad day. If you don't enjoy being a gracious, welcoming host and an enthusiastic waiter, you shouldn't be in this line of work. (For a lot of people, it's the service that makes dining out an extraordinary experience. We'll hope for better if we come again.)
Such a charming restaurant!! Very romantic. It is a one man team doing all the seating, greeting and serving. The food is good but not great. But the value is truly there.
Great for a special occasion. We had the prosciutto wrapped shrimp, dayboat scallops, and the rack of lamb. The food was very good. Service was very good. We plan to try the ribeye and and filet mignon next time.
Everything My Lovely Wife and I ordered was spectacular. The service was amazing. Starting with warm olives, bruschetta, and the clams in wine sauce, and led to an awesome filet mignon and terrific rib eye. Sorry, no room for dessert, next time absolutely. A unique dining experience in a renovated Victorian.
I have to give Neumanali a stellar review, but I almost hate to do so because it's one of those hidden gems that you want to keep secret so you can kind of keep it for yourself. I had been wanting to try this restaurant for quite some time and unfortunately had to cancel a prior reservation due to an unforeseen event. This time around, we were able to keep our reservation and were so glad to get to experience this fantastic restaurant in downtown Hayward. We drove out from San Ramon and I can assure you it is worth driving a lot further for. The service from the one man who was holding down the entire serving area by himself was excellent. The ambience and noise level were great; it was easy to have a conversation at our table, yet there was still some nice music in the background. The food was absolutely delicious. (Highly recommend the prosciutto wrapped prawns as an appetizer). We were also surprised to see a reasonably priced wine list which included some top-notch wines. I had a house salad, very tasty, and we both had salmon which was cooked to perfection. We ended the meal with the house bread pudding, which was just the right amount of moist. Overall, a really great experience. To provide a balanced review, if there is any negative, it is the tight parking in the back, but what can you do about that? Just be prepared for it.
The restaurant is not open. Permanently closed. Doors padlocked. They take reservations but are not open for business
Nothing about this location stood out. It’s a little overpriced.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
The food was, as always, great. Flavorful and prepared to perfection. Somehow the front of the house is managed with only one person, who did a great job. The pace of the meal was just right for us - not overly relaxed but not too rushed. This is my favorite place for a special event in the Hayward/Fremont/Union City area.
I had high expectations based on positive reviews I read before dining at Neumanali. Despite the consistently similar negative reviews OVER MULTIPLE YEARS regarding the 'host-server-busser' one person show, I kept an open mind. Unfortunately, the reviews were accurate. While efficient, he was snappy, curt, charmless and worst of all we felt that we were rushed in making our choices from the moment we entered the restaurant. I'll spare you the details; suffice it to say, that our special anniversary celebration, which was not even acknowledged, will be remembered in a not so pleasant way. Prices were reasonable for the wine bottle (Samuel Robert Pinot Noir, 2022), warm goat cheese salad, lamb chops, scallops, cheese cake and sundae. I was not happy with the overly sweet potatoes under 4 tiny scallops and the salad that needs more than one, bigger warm goat cheese. My husband enjoyed the tender lamb chops but did not like the chewy, roasted potatoes. Desserts were ordinary.
Very nice food. Really enjoyed it. Nice ambiance, too. But one thing was out of line for this place. The waiter was horrible. From the git-go, he treated my wife and me like he'd just caught us kicking his dog. And it only got worse from there. Way worse!
Parking: Ample parking in back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 2
Recommended dishes: Trout with Roasted Cauliflower, Grilled Filet with Whipped Potatoes
The food was delicious. The waiter seemed to be in a bad mood.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Trout with Roasted Cauliflower, Mushroom Bruschetta, Grilled Filet with Whipped Potatoes
Restaurantji Recommends
My wife and I decided to try this restaurant for our 32nd wedding anniversary. We made a very good choice. My wife had the lamb chops that were so tender. You could cut them with a butter knife. I had the scallops, a top sweet potato purée and the scallops were cooked perfectly, the waiter was very friendly. We will definitely come back here for our next date night. I didn't think Hayward would have such a gem.
The food was fantastic but a bit too strong on the herbs and pepper (lamb). The server was on his own and seemed rushed but otherwise provided great service. This place is a hidden gem. It doesn't seat many people and that's a good thing. I would absolutely come here again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Rack of Lamb
Entered restaurant with high hopes for special treat. Unfortunately I was met at the reception area by the Maître'd/Server's attitude. I didn't get the memo about how important the restaurant is. My medium/rare ribeye steak was raw on the edges and had to be sent back. I did not feel comfortable, as though I was troublesome to the server. I skipped dessert, and asked to take the remainder of my new, perfectly cooked steak home, and may I please have the check. I left cash, including a 20% gratuity. The steak came back in a box, no bag. I asked if the waiter had a bag for my box. His response was: “No, I don't “, and he walked away. I am sorry I left a gratuity! Overall, what could have been a wonderful experience turned out to be just another mediocre dinner.
Nice hidden high-end gem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: French Bread Olive Oil, House Bread, Old Fashioned Bread Pudding with Creme Anglaise, Flourless Chocolate Cake with Ganache Hazelnut Truffle and Caramel Coffee Sauce, Pan Seared Boat Scallops on Sweet Potato Puree with Brown Butter and Apple Cider Reduction
Neumanali is has a unique setting in a beautiful old home, and it's a pleasure just to be in the space. This was our first time there and, to be honest, the wine we enjoyed (an Oregon Pinot and a California Cab) outshined both the food and the service. The rack of lamb was the highlight; we shared the prosciutto-wrapped prawns, which were a little chewy and bland. The warm goat-cheese salad was fine. Most of all, I'm hoping that our waiter was either subbing for a friend or having a bad day. If you don't enjoy being a gracious, welcoming host and an enthusiastic waiter, you shouldn't be in this line of work. (For a lot of people, it's the service that makes dining out an extraordinary experience. We'll hope for better if we come again.)
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