Great ambiance. Amazing wine list. Beautiful drinks. It's not pretentious. Some dishes hit better than others but we all left happy and content. Check out that bar downstairs. It's gorgeous
Stephanie C.
Came here for dinner on our last night in Napa and I was so glad we came. The service was top notch and the patio seating was very calming and beautiful. Our cocktails were great and my husband got the wings appetizer which were yummy. I had the pasta dish with shrimp and I cleaned the plate clean. My husband loved his burger and we ended our meal with the carrot cake, which was perfect! I can't wait to come back!
Carl Garcia
Love it food was the best and great service thanks Carl go there when in Napa
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Vincent Metayer
Their outdoor dining is really where to be. String lights, and heaters really warm the environment, and make for a really inviting dining experience. The pork ears were delicious, the cocktails were well-crafted, and they had a very impressive wine list. We were told this would be more of a 'tourist-trap', but we decided to check it out anyway, and I'm glad we did!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sangita Nichols
The bar is definitely the highlight. Amazing drinks. The staff is amazing. I like this place better the press.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sharen H.
We decided to dine here for dinner during our trip to St. Helena last Sunday, mainly because of the reviews. Parking wasn't hard to find. We parked right next to a church on the street. We made a reservation ahead of time, so by the time we entered the restaurant, we were immediately seated. The ambiance was dimly lit (I guess they're aiming for a relaxing vibe for their customers, but it made me rather sleepy, lol). For appetizers, we ordered the Sticky Pig Ears ($10), Wood-Grilled Octopus ($22), and Duck Fat Fries ($10). Despite the portion sizes being on the smaller side and the prices being relatively high, they tasted good. However, the duck fat fries tasted like regular fries. For our main course, my partner and I both ordered The G&G Burger ($24), while our friends ordered the Tomato Ragu Pappardelle ($28) and the Katsu Pork ($36). The burgers were disappointing; they were overloaded with toppings, making them difficult to eat. Additionally, they used a chewy bread instead of a good quality burger patty, which made it challenging to chew and cut. The bread itself did not taste good either. There was also inconsistency with our orders; despite both of us ordering the same burger, they forgot to include bacon in my boyfriend's burger. Only mine came with it. Furthermore, the meat inside the burger was dry. As for the Tomato Ragu, the pasta was acceptable, but the chicken breast served with it was overcooked and very dry. The worst dish of all was the Katsu. I'm not sure why, but the cook pressed the Katsu too hard, making it thin and overcooked. It was burnt and inedible; it didn't taste like Katsu at all. I wish we'd taken more pictures, but after all the wine tasting, we were too exhausted. Sadly, the food didn't live up to its appearance, so don't be fooled, guys. Overall, we don't understand the hype surrounding this place and will not be coming back here again.
Matt
I really enjoyed the atmosphere here. The food was delicious and they offer a wide variety of cocktails. The yellow fin tuna was excellent!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Skewered Octopus Bods Black Garlic Aioli
Friendofthevine
Extremely loud restaurant. We couldn't hear each other at all. The wedge salad was ok. The mushroom soup had too much sherry, the chicken was burnt and dry, the fries were good however. The bread pudding was way too sweet, and that was burnt too believe it or not. Service was not great either. We won't be back.
Jones G.
We have only been here a few times, but the food is amazing! The service is great and the ambiance rocks. The fried olives and pistachios are sooo good! The chicken -out of this world. We are returning from out of state in May and will be dining here again! (What we dislike and question on other reviews: if you had a good experience and loved the food and service, why are you not giving it 5/5 star reviews instead of 4????).
LisaB
I was disappointed that my filet was served with French fries and ketchup. I don't expect fries with a $65 meal. My husband and son ordered the Ragu pasta and had to ask for salt. It lacked flavor. The building and environment was really quaint and beautiful. The music was so laud that we could not hear each across the table. I do have to say that although my filet needed salt.it was cooked perfectly and was great quality.
food was excellent, the scallops & octopus, we had were cooked to perfection. service was great, we were seated at the indoor/outdoor bar section. the fountain with the koi was cute, overall the space was comfortable (heat lamp), and the plantings were nice.
DanP
Great ambience and vibe. Attentive, professional service. Exciting and original menu choices including the classic G&G Burger! Delicious! Huge wine list with some affordable choices by the glass. Loved our meal.
Millie B.
On a rainy Saturday night, my hubby and I braved highway 29 to try Goose and Gander. With no reservations for dinner, I figured maybe the bar would be open. To my surprise, this place is popping at 545pm. Luckily, there was a party just about ready to leave. I am not a big fan of dinner at the bar, but this is the only option we have and with Themis place so popular... what the heck. So here goes. Our waiter is Nicholas, he took awhile to get drinks but we were not in a hurry. He was pleasant and made a few recommendations. Most of what we ordered were delicious, my husband had a burger which was not on their menu and he absolutely loves it. I had the pork katsu which was good but I won't order it next time. There are other dishes to try. Rain or shine, this restaurant in St Helena is doing great business. Will be back in the future.
Jerry A.
We were excited to plan another meal at this wonderful place! We love the vibe and our server was really great! We decided to try the sticky pig ears appetizer, which was described as "kind of like candied bacon". I get the appeal, but it really didn't work for us. We were surprised and grateful to find that they took it off of our bill! My wife had the wood grilled chicken breast with blistered greens & black truffle chicken jus, a very good entree! My short rib pasta was disappointing - for $32 we expected a chunk of short rib but there were only a few small pieces in the sauce, good flavor but lacking substance. I'd recommend they rethink this dish. For dessert we split a Meyer lemon tart which we both loved. On our bill we discovered an unannounced 4% "employee benefit" fee. This deceptive practice cost them a star, and it must stop! Blindsiding your customers with a hidden fee is not ok. We we'll not return until they put a stop to it.
Sylvia J.
Goose and Gander is a gorgeous restaurant with a warm and cozy atmosphere. The ambiance and service is some of the best in Napa Valley. The wine list is extensive- you can get cult wines that are not available anywhere- the menu is less extensive. The food is good, for an appetizer we ordered the sticky pig ears. They are definitely an acquired taste and extremely heavy. I ordered the chicken, mashed potatoes and blistered greens which was a delicious entree. My husband ordered the short rib pasta ( I was expecting a piece of short rib over the pasta) but it had little pieces of short ribs blended in with the pasta. I was a little disappointed for the price. Although the flavor was nice. For dessert we got the lemon tart. The Meyer lemon dessert was both sweet and tart and had great flavors but a graham cracker crust would have enhanced the dessert. When we received the bill there was an added 4% employee benefit tax. All in all it was a great meal with fantastic service and the best ambiance.
Great ambiance. Amazing wine list. Beautiful drinks. It's not pretentious. Some dishes hit better than others but we all left happy and content. Check out that bar downstairs. It's gorgeous
Came here for dinner on our last night in Napa and I was so glad we came. The service was top notch and the patio seating was very calming and beautiful. Our cocktails were great and my husband got the wings appetizer which were yummy. I had the pasta dish with shrimp and I cleaned the plate clean. My husband loved his burger and we ended our meal with the carrot cake, which was perfect! I can't wait to come back!
Love it food was the best and great service thanks Carl go there when in Napa
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Their outdoor dining is really where to be. String lights, and heaters really warm the environment, and make for a really inviting dining experience. The pork ears were delicious, the cocktails were well-crafted, and they had a very impressive wine list. We were told this would be more of a 'tourist-trap', but we decided to check it out anyway, and I'm glad we did!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The bar is definitely the highlight. Amazing drinks. The staff is amazing. I like this place better the press.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We decided to dine here for dinner during our trip to St. Helena last Sunday, mainly because of the reviews. Parking wasn't hard to find. We parked right next to a church on the street. We made a reservation ahead of time, so by the time we entered the restaurant, we were immediately seated. The ambiance was dimly lit (I guess they're aiming for a relaxing vibe for their customers, but it made me rather sleepy, lol). For appetizers, we ordered the Sticky Pig Ears ($10), Wood-Grilled Octopus ($22), and Duck Fat Fries ($10). Despite the portion sizes being on the smaller side and the prices being relatively high, they tasted good. However, the duck fat fries tasted like regular fries. For our main course, my partner and I both ordered The G&G Burger ($24), while our friends ordered the Tomato Ragu Pappardelle ($28) and the Katsu Pork ($36). The burgers were disappointing; they were overloaded with toppings, making them difficult to eat. Additionally, they used a chewy bread instead of a good quality burger patty, which made it challenging to chew and cut. The bread itself did not taste good either. There was also inconsistency with our orders; despite both of us ordering the same burger, they forgot to include bacon in my boyfriend's burger. Only mine came with it. Furthermore, the meat inside the burger was dry. As for the Tomato Ragu, the pasta was acceptable, but the chicken breast served with it was overcooked and very dry. The worst dish of all was the Katsu. I'm not sure why, but the cook pressed the Katsu too hard, making it thin and overcooked. It was burnt and inedible; it didn't taste like Katsu at all. I wish we'd taken more pictures, but after all the wine tasting, we were too exhausted. Sadly, the food didn't live up to its appearance, so don't be fooled, guys. Overall, we don't understand the hype surrounding this place and will not be coming back here again.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere here. The food was delicious and they offer a wide variety of cocktails. The yellow fin tuna was excellent!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Skewered Octopus Bods Black Garlic Aioli
Extremely loud restaurant. We couldn't hear each other at all. The wedge salad was ok. The mushroom soup had too much sherry, the chicken was burnt and dry, the fries were good however. The bread pudding was way too sweet, and that was burnt too believe it or not. Service was not great either. We won't be back.
We have only been here a few times, but the food is amazing! The service is great and the ambiance rocks. The fried olives and pistachios are sooo good! The chicken -out of this world. We are returning from out of state in May and will be dining here again! (What we dislike and question on other reviews: if you had a good experience and loved the food and service, why are you not giving it 5/5 star reviews instead of 4????).
I was disappointed that my filet was served with French fries and ketchup. I don't expect fries with a $65 meal. My husband and son ordered the Ragu pasta and had to ask for salt. It lacked flavor. The building and environment was really quaint and beautiful. The music was so laud that we could not hear each across the table. I do have to say that although my filet needed salt.it was cooked perfectly and was great quality.
Restaurantji Recommends
food was excellent, the scallops & octopus, we had were cooked to perfection. service was great, we were seated at the indoor/outdoor bar section. the fountain with the koi was cute, overall the space was comfortable (heat lamp), and the plantings were nice.
Great ambience and vibe. Attentive, professional service. Exciting and original menu choices including the classic G&G Burger! Delicious! Huge wine list with some affordable choices by the glass. Loved our meal.
On a rainy Saturday night, my hubby and I braved highway 29 to try Goose and Gander. With no reservations for dinner, I figured maybe the bar would be open. To my surprise, this place is popping at 545pm. Luckily, there was a party just about ready to leave. I am not a big fan of dinner at the bar, but this is the only option we have and with Themis place so popular... what the heck. So here goes. Our waiter is Nicholas, he took awhile to get drinks but we were not in a hurry. He was pleasant and made a few recommendations. Most of what we ordered were delicious, my husband had a burger which was not on their menu and he absolutely loves it. I had the pork katsu which was good but I won't order it next time. There are other dishes to try. Rain or shine, this restaurant in St Helena is doing great business. Will be back in the future.
We were excited to plan another meal at this wonderful place! We love the vibe and our server was really great! We decided to try the sticky pig ears appetizer, which was described as "kind of like candied bacon". I get the appeal, but it really didn't work for us. We were surprised and grateful to find that they took it off of our bill! My wife had the wood grilled chicken breast with blistered greens & black truffle chicken jus, a very good entree! My short rib pasta was disappointing - for $32 we expected a chunk of short rib but there were only a few small pieces in the sauce, good flavor but lacking substance. I'd recommend they rethink this dish. For dessert we split a Meyer lemon tart which we both loved. On our bill we discovered an unannounced 4% "employee benefit" fee. This deceptive practice cost them a star, and it must stop! Blindsiding your customers with a hidden fee is not ok. We we'll not return until they put a stop to it.
Goose and Gander is a gorgeous restaurant with a warm and cozy atmosphere. The ambiance and service is some of the best in Napa Valley. The wine list is extensive- you can get cult wines that are not available anywhere- the menu is less extensive. The food is good, for an appetizer we ordered the sticky pig ears. They are definitely an acquired taste and extremely heavy. I ordered the chicken, mashed potatoes and blistered greens which was a delicious entree. My husband ordered the short rib pasta ( I was expecting a piece of short rib over the pasta) but it had little pieces of short ribs blended in with the pasta. I was a little disappointed for the price. Although the flavor was nice. For dessert we got the lemon tart. The Meyer lemon dessert was both sweet and tart and had great flavors but a graham cracker crust would have enhanced the dessert. When we received the bill there was an added 4% employee benefit tax. All in all it was a great meal with fantastic service and the best ambiance.