A gem of a place out in the San Geronimo Valley. Good food, live music, homey
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spaghetti Carbonara
tim stratton
Still good even tho it’s not 2Bird any more. Shame the old staff aren’t there.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Breakfast Sandwich
Marshall Bain
We stopped in for Sunday brunch. The food was delicious. We enjoyed breakfast burrito and
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Breakfast Sandwich
Donna R.
I recently took some friends out for Sunday dinner at Giaco's. We had a cozy table right next to the fireplace, delicious food and great service. Recommend the Osso Bucco, the Papardelle pasta and the Blackened black cod. So, so delicious. Wonderful warm ambiance. And...if you like Bloody Marys, theirs cannot be beat.
Tracey A.
Head west over White's Hill and you're in the Valley, where Giaco's Valley Roadhouse is located. You might be a mere 40 minutes away from San Francisco but things are different out here as my experience clearly demonstrated. The staff seemed ample and kind but basically clueless in the art of service.Coffee and cream were served without any silverware on the table. Five separate requests for silverware were made of multiple workers and still, the only way I got a spoon with which to stir my (now cold) coffee was by going inside and getting a spoon myself. I watched as a nearby table's plates were served and observed several minutes elapse before they were given tableware with which to begin eating. It was cold outside and getting a working space heater took time, effort, and finally, masking tape. A beer arrived, but it was just that, not the IPA that had been ordered. While experiencing all of this, my party had observed two separate menu notations:First, a "5% Marin mandate" is added to all bills. A "mandate" is an official order and Marin County has no such mandate in effect. So prices are actually 5% higher than the stated menu price. The menu also mentioned a 20% service fee for parties of 6 or more. Though not unheard of for large parties, a 20% mandatory tip for poor-to-middling service felt egregious and while we waited for the silverware to materialize after those repeated requests it became somewhat of a sore subject amongst those at my table. Food arrived, colorful, mostly tasty, and ample in portion, but foreshadowed by the service issues we'd already experienced. We were thankful to see that the 20% service fee had not been included and we tipped well regardless so I guess this is my way of telling these folks: your service levels seriously impacted my enjoyment of your restaurant. With the cost of dining out at an all time high the expectation is that food and service should be worthy of the prices being paid. Giaco's missed the mark on this visit.
Liesl Olson
Came here for a Halloween event, which in itself was excellent. But the fried chicken - the moment I tasted it I was simultaneously thinking “wow” and “oh no.” “Oh no” because it’s the sort of amazing irresistible flavor that haunts you and makes you seek it out again and again, and “wow” for the same reason. Seriously the best fried chicken I’ve ever had - juicy and flavorful (and not just the breading, but the chicken itself - they must brine it). And the owner and staff are friendly and personable. Warm, charming atmosphere too. I’ll definitely be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Bob Frommer
We dropped in on a wet Sunday morning for brunch. The big room was full of happy noisy patrons, and we were seated right away. I ordered the avocado toast topped with an egg over easy and it was delicious. My wife loved her Baja omelet and fresh-squeezed OJ. We will return!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lynn Brown
Celebrate fall (or any season, any time) at Giaco’s for an amazing seasonal menu executed with a keen sense of culinary style in flavors, textures, colors. The seasonal fig salad on greens with hazelnuts (and more) was an exquisite fall salad tossed with care in Dijon dressing. The pork chop on a plate of herb infused white beans, coupled with butternut squash and Brussel sprouts, could not have been more flavorful and juicy. (I appreciated the chef’s attention to the exact right balance of salt.) Dinner was topped nicely with shared desserts that included a poached local pear with Chantilly and a plate of rich crème caramel. All delicious. All A+. So good in fact that it took discipline to not finish our main plates and make take away possible for more of a good thing the next day. San Geronimo may be off the beaten path for many in Marin and the Bay but the experience at Giaco’s is worth the drive for friendly service, music, and the feel of home with fine dining inside and outside.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jeffery C.
This place exceeded expectations. The vibe was fantastic, we were there this last weekend and it was cozy and so many kind people. Perfect after a day of West Marin hiking. Great family feel!We came for dinner, and all the food was amazing. I had the steak and it was perfect. Couldn't recommend it more! Also looked like there were some rooms available, as it's an Inn. Looked at the pictures and they seemed great. Definitely will come back!
Dropped in for dinner right at opening after hiking with the dogs at Roy's Redwoods. Cute place, loved the ambience. Within 45 minutes the place was filling up fast. The outdoor patio looked great. If we're in the area again during lunch service we'd happily sit there. Service was good, Cristina checked in regularly to see how everything was going. Read some reviews where folks mentioned plates not being cleared but we didn't have that issue. Dinner menu had a lot of tempting items but we went with a few appetizers, the sausage pizza and shared tiramisu with cappuccinos each for dessert. It was perfect.The polenta fries with jalapeno and accompanying garlic aioli were delicious. The aioli was perfect. The fried calamari was tasty with the cocktail sauce and the tartar sauce. We ordered the steamed mussels in wine sauce with a hit of red chili flakes. The broth was one of the best we've had and we've had a lot. We let the grilled bread soak up the goodness, used it with the calamari too. The pizza with homemade sausage was tasty and rounded out dinner. Big piece of tiramisu was plenty for two, not overly sweet and the cappuccinos completed the meal.They had live bluegrass type music which was cool but we were done so only caught a couple of songs.We were right next to the band so it was pretty loud in the main dining room.Overall great dinner, enjoyed the vibe and we will return next time in the area.
Agustin Farias
Great hidden gem. Was staying at the Inn next door and came here a few times for lunch, dinner and drinks. Its worth a stop if you are in the area. Good food, good local vibe and great, friendly service.
Jessica R.
Never consistent. Never consistent.Front of the house staff is really kind. Kitchen staff is not consistent. I have favorites I ordered here out of desperation because I didn't have a place to cook and needed to eat! The frying is always overcooked...I asked if I could substitute my fries for onion rings and I was told yes, but I was charged the $7 onion rings price... So I paid for no fries and burnt onion rings that I ate one and threw away, shucks Also, I've ordered the carbonara at least 6x and only found out from the bar tender an egg is supposed to be placed on top? Not my experience.... Not that I want the egg, but the bacon on this dish can go from yummy to terrible. Each time I've had it the bacon had been from almost raw to charred, large to small, .... Just no consistency. I wish I could keep eating at this local place since we are in the same valley and I really want to support local businesses, but I've given Giacco's hundreds and hundreds of dollars and tried many things on the menu, but unfortunately I see no consistency here and I am sorry I won't be a patron any longer. I give up!
Stephanie T.
Came back for brunch today and I was again amazed by the food! The Crab Benedict was absolutely delicious. It was just the right amount of the flavorful hollandaise sauce and the egg was poached so perfectly. The crab meat was tasty and it went so well with the Brickmaiden sourdough bread (now I have to make a visit to this bakery). We also ordered the trout and eggs and the fish was well seasoned and thinly battered. This is now my go-to when I'm in the area!
Dean McCauley
Food is pretty basic breakfast fare. Omlete was good. Hash browns were both overcooked and lukewarm; maybe don't make them so far in advance. Lovely outside deck for dining but yellow jackets made it a bit unpleasant. Didn't see any traps to try to control them.
Very local with good
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Fried Chicken Sandwich
A gem of a place out in the San Geronimo Valley. Good food, live music, homey
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Spaghetti Carbonara
Still good even tho it’s not 2Bird any more. Shame the old staff aren’t there.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Breakfast Sandwich
We stopped in for Sunday brunch. The food was delicious. We enjoyed breakfast burrito and
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Breakfast Sandwich
I recently took some friends out for Sunday dinner at Giaco's. We had a cozy table right next to the fireplace, delicious food and great service. Recommend the Osso Bucco, the Papardelle pasta and the Blackened black cod. So, so delicious. Wonderful warm ambiance. And...if you like Bloody Marys, theirs cannot be beat.
Head west over White's Hill and you're in the Valley, where Giaco's Valley Roadhouse is located. You might be a mere 40 minutes away from San Francisco but things are different out here as my experience clearly demonstrated. The staff seemed ample and kind but basically clueless in the art of service.Coffee and cream were served without any silverware on the table. Five separate requests for silverware were made of multiple workers and still, the only way I got a spoon with which to stir my (now cold) coffee was by going inside and getting a spoon myself. I watched as a nearby table's plates were served and observed several minutes elapse before they were given tableware with which to begin eating. It was cold outside and getting a working space heater took time, effort, and finally, masking tape. A beer arrived, but it was just that, not the IPA that had been ordered. While experiencing all of this, my party had observed two separate menu notations:First, a "5% Marin mandate" is added to all bills. A "mandate" is an official order and Marin County has no such mandate in effect. So prices are actually 5% higher than the stated menu price. The menu also mentioned a 20% service fee for parties of 6 or more. Though not unheard of for large parties, a 20% mandatory tip for poor-to-middling service felt egregious and while we waited for the silverware to materialize after those repeated requests it became somewhat of a sore subject amongst those at my table. Food arrived, colorful, mostly tasty, and ample in portion, but foreshadowed by the service issues we'd already experienced. We were thankful to see that the 20% service fee had not been included and we tipped well regardless so I guess this is my way of telling these folks: your service levels seriously impacted my enjoyment of your restaurant. With the cost of dining out at an all time high the expectation is that food and service should be worthy of the prices being paid. Giaco's missed the mark on this visit.
Came here for a Halloween event, which in itself was excellent. But the fried chicken - the moment I tasted it I was simultaneously thinking “wow” and “oh no.” “Oh no” because it’s the sort of amazing irresistible flavor that haunts you and makes you seek it out again and again, and “wow” for the same reason. Seriously the best fried chicken I’ve ever had - juicy and flavorful (and not just the breading, but the chicken itself - they must brine it). And the owner and staff are friendly and personable. Warm, charming atmosphere too. I’ll definitely be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We dropped in on a wet Sunday morning for brunch. The big room was full of happy noisy patrons, and we were seated right away. I ordered the avocado toast topped with an egg over easy and it was delicious. My wife loved her Baja omelet and fresh-squeezed OJ. We will return!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Celebrate fall (or any season, any time) at Giaco’s for an amazing seasonal menu executed with a keen sense of culinary style in flavors, textures, colors. The seasonal fig salad on greens with hazelnuts (and more) was an exquisite fall salad tossed with care in Dijon dressing. The pork chop on a plate of herb infused white beans, coupled with butternut squash and Brussel sprouts, could not have been more flavorful and juicy. (I appreciated the chef’s attention to the exact right balance of salt.) Dinner was topped nicely with shared desserts that included a poached local pear with Chantilly and a plate of rich crème caramel. All delicious. All A+. So good in fact that it took discipline to not finish our main plates and make take away possible for more of a good thing the next day. San Geronimo may be off the beaten path for many in Marin and the Bay but the experience at Giaco’s is worth the drive for friendly service, music, and the feel of home with fine dining inside and outside.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This place exceeded expectations. The vibe was fantastic, we were there this last weekend and it was cozy and so many kind people. Perfect after a day of West Marin hiking. Great family feel!We came for dinner, and all the food was amazing. I had the steak and it was perfect. Couldn't recommend it more! Also looked like there were some rooms available, as it's an Inn. Looked at the pictures and they seemed great. Definitely will come back!
Restaurantji Recommends
Dropped in for dinner right at opening after hiking with the dogs at Roy's Redwoods. Cute place, loved the ambience. Within 45 minutes the place was filling up fast. The outdoor patio looked great. If we're in the area again during lunch service we'd happily sit there. Service was good, Cristina checked in regularly to see how everything was going. Read some reviews where folks mentioned plates not being cleared but we didn't have that issue. Dinner menu had a lot of tempting items but we went with a few appetizers, the sausage pizza and shared tiramisu with cappuccinos each for dessert. It was perfect.The polenta fries with jalapeno and accompanying garlic aioli were delicious. The aioli was perfect. The fried calamari was tasty with the cocktail sauce and the tartar sauce. We ordered the steamed mussels in wine sauce with a hit of red chili flakes. The broth was one of the best we've had and we've had a lot. We let the grilled bread soak up the goodness, used it with the calamari too. The pizza with homemade sausage was tasty and rounded out dinner. Big piece of tiramisu was plenty for two, not overly sweet and the cappuccinos completed the meal.They had live bluegrass type music which was cool but we were done so only caught a couple of songs.We were right next to the band so it was pretty loud in the main dining room.Overall great dinner, enjoyed the vibe and we will return next time in the area.
Great hidden gem. Was staying at the Inn next door and came here a few times for lunch, dinner and drinks. Its worth a stop if you are in the area. Good food, good local vibe and great, friendly service.
Never consistent. Never consistent.Front of the house staff is really kind. Kitchen staff is not consistent. I have favorites I ordered here out of desperation because I didn't have a place to cook and needed to eat! The frying is always overcooked...I asked if I could substitute my fries for onion rings and I was told yes, but I was charged the $7 onion rings price... So I paid for no fries and burnt onion rings that I ate one and threw away, shucks Also, I've ordered the carbonara at least 6x and only found out from the bar tender an egg is supposed to be placed on top? Not my experience.... Not that I want the egg, but the bacon on this dish can go from yummy to terrible. Each time I've had it the bacon had been from almost raw to charred, large to small, .... Just no consistency. I wish I could keep eating at this local place since we are in the same valley and I really want to support local businesses, but I've given Giacco's hundreds and hundreds of dollars and tried many things on the menu, but unfortunately I see no consistency here and I am sorry I won't be a patron any longer. I give up!
Came back for brunch today and I was again amazed by the food! The Crab Benedict was absolutely delicious. It was just the right amount of the flavorful hollandaise sauce and the egg was poached so perfectly. The crab meat was tasty and it went so well with the Brickmaiden sourdough bread (now I have to make a visit to this bakery). We also ordered the trout and eggs and the fish was well seasoned and thinly battered. This is now my go-to when I'm in the area!
Food is pretty basic breakfast fare. Omlete was good. Hash browns were both overcooked and lukewarm; maybe don't make them so far in advance. Lovely outside deck for dining but yellow jackets made it a bit unpleasant. Didn't see any traps to try to control them.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4