It had been a while since we had been to St. Michael's Alley. We really enjoyed it. We had a nice, quiet table in the back room with excellent service and very good food. While not inexpensive, the menu pricing was very fair for the food quality and experience.
Amanda
We reserved an inside table in a quiet location. They gave us an outside table in the pouring rain. We were wet and frozen. Our server could not speak English so no one could understand the specials. The service was INCREDIBLY slow. This was a terrible experience for everyone.
CamIam
After reading so many positive reviews, we booked our date night here instead of our usual restaurant with high hopes. It was unfortunate that the table next to us were having inappropriate dinner conversation but we got past that as the restaurant filled up and it got louder. I ordered the Scallops and they were forgettable. Incredibly bland, could not detect any seasoning at all. And what's worse, only three scallops with about 1/2 cup of lentils. It was really an appetizer. My husband ordered the Blue Crab Ravioli and he couldn't taste any crab. He said there was too much sugar/sweetener in the sauce. His pasta was dried out at the edges, having sat under the heat lamps they use. There were big parties there who had their food served before us even though they arrived after us. We waited a long time for our meal. I was still hungry after we left, thank God for the Whole Foods across the street!
DanielaM
First visit at St.Michael's Alley. I had reservations but we got there early and to our nice surprise made it the dining room right away. A beautiful, romantic dining room with perfect ambiance and beautiful art work on the walls. The waiter was perfect, the food beautiful and very fine! I felt as I was in a European Restaurant. We had the most beautiful dinner experience!!
cfh1
Very nice experience. Mussels, soup and scallops were well-prepared, tasty, and courses were presented in the requested order and very timely. Service was friendly and responsive to my dietary needs (gluten-free). Highly recommended.
RobW
This time, the wild mushroom fricassee, roasted beet and endive salad, Thai red curry carrot soup, grilled fillet, and chocolate mousse with KY bourbon sauce were all excellent. Highly recommend this Palo Alto staple with its frequently changing menu and cozy, neighborhood feel—and a great patio as well.
soccerdad
This is our go-to "special occasion" restaurant in the area. Just consistently great food, very nice service and a nice collection of menu items to choose from. Always great seafood options too.
Kingdmmc
Party of 4 on a wet stormy night. Every dish was excellent and the service was exceptional. St. Michael's Alley is a real gem with great food at very reasonable prices. Wish we had discovered it a long time ago!
This is a little gem of a restaurant. The host was so lovely and accommodating. The menu has wonderful choices and we all thought our food was delicious. We really look forward to going back.
We have been frequenting St. Michael's Alley in all its iterations for decades. Never a disappointing meal nor service. The food is always wholesome and unique. The vibe is wonderful for all types of people, young and old. We recommend it often and invite our family and friends to join us there a lot.
HenWeigh
Always a favorite when I'm in Palo Alto. Outdoor dining is well done with proper heaters and a protective canopy. Food was fantastic. Even better than I remembered. They may have been a little short handed since the service was uncharacteristically slow. Overall a longtime favorite and will always try to go when in Palo Alto
R C
Went for NYE - it cost about $400 for a prix fixe dinner for two and it honestly just wasn’t worth it. While the food was fine and the restaurant had a nice ambience, we didn’t walk away thinking anything about the food, presentation, or experience warranted it being $400. We came home and still felt a bit hungry. Extremely pricy for what you get.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
RenB
Food was tasty and well presented, but there were no “wow” moments throughout the meal, which was a bit disappointing for the price point. Perhaps outside of New Year's Eve the standard menu prices represent a more fitting value proposition.
Kimberly Scott
I walked in on a Sunday evening without a reservation. Lots of tables available. I had the halibut and a glass.of sancerre. Everything was delicious. The restaurant is cozy and there would be a good date night location.
It had been a while since we had been to St. Michael's Alley. We really enjoyed it. We had a nice, quiet table in the back room with excellent service and very good food. While not inexpensive, the menu pricing was very fair for the food quality and experience.
We reserved an inside table in a quiet location. They gave us an outside table in the pouring rain. We were wet and frozen. Our server could not speak English so no one could understand the specials. The service was INCREDIBLY slow. This was a terrible experience for everyone.
After reading so many positive reviews, we booked our date night here instead of our usual restaurant with high hopes. It was unfortunate that the table next to us were having inappropriate dinner conversation but we got past that as the restaurant filled up and it got louder. I ordered the Scallops and they were forgettable. Incredibly bland, could not detect any seasoning at all. And what's worse, only three scallops with about 1/2 cup of lentils. It was really an appetizer. My husband ordered the Blue Crab Ravioli and he couldn't taste any crab. He said there was too much sugar/sweetener in the sauce. His pasta was dried out at the edges, having sat under the heat lamps they use. There were big parties there who had their food served before us even though they arrived after us. We waited a long time for our meal. I was still hungry after we left, thank God for the Whole Foods across the street!
First visit at St.Michael's Alley. I had reservations but we got there early and to our nice surprise made it the dining room right away. A beautiful, romantic dining room with perfect ambiance and beautiful art work on the walls. The waiter was perfect, the food beautiful and very fine! I felt as I was in a European Restaurant. We had the most beautiful dinner experience!!
Very nice experience. Mussels, soup and scallops were well-prepared, tasty, and courses were presented in the requested order and very timely. Service was friendly and responsive to my dietary needs (gluten-free). Highly recommended.
This time, the wild mushroom fricassee, roasted beet and endive salad, Thai red curry carrot soup, grilled fillet, and chocolate mousse with KY bourbon sauce were all excellent. Highly recommend this Palo Alto staple with its frequently changing menu and cozy, neighborhood feel—and a great patio as well.
This is our go-to "special occasion" restaurant in the area. Just consistently great food, very nice service and a nice collection of menu items to choose from. Always great seafood options too.
Party of 4 on a wet stormy night. Every dish was excellent and the service was exceptional. St. Michael's Alley is a real gem with great food at very reasonable prices. Wish we had discovered it a long time ago!
This is a little gem of a restaurant. The host was so lovely and accommodating. The menu has wonderful choices and we all thought our food was delicious. We really look forward to going back.
we really like the food here!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
We have been frequenting St. Michael's Alley in all its iterations for decades. Never a disappointing meal nor service. The food is always wholesome and unique. The vibe is wonderful for all types of people, young and old. We recommend it often and invite our family and friends to join us there a lot.
Always a favorite when I'm in Palo Alto. Outdoor dining is well done with proper heaters and a protective canopy. Food was fantastic. Even better than I remembered. They may have been a little short handed since the service was uncharacteristically slow. Overall a longtime favorite and will always try to go when in Palo Alto
Went for NYE - it cost about $400 for a prix fixe dinner for two and it honestly just wasn’t worth it. While the food was fine and the restaurant had a nice ambience, we didn’t walk away thinking anything about the food, presentation, or experience warranted it being $400. We came home and still felt a bit hungry. Extremely pricy for what you get.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Food was tasty and well presented, but there were no “wow” moments throughout the meal, which was a bit disappointing for the price point. Perhaps outside of New Year's Eve the standard menu prices represent a more fitting value proposition.
I walked in on a Sunday evening without a reservation. Lots of tables available. I had the halibut and a glass.of sancerre. Everything was delicious. The restaurant is cozy and there would be a good date night location.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5