Orchestria Palm Court Restaurant

Orchestria Palm Court is a hidden gem. One reason it's hard to find among all the restaurants available is that it is open only on Friday and Saturday evenings. However, it is worth making the time to enjoy a dinner there. Another reason it seems "hidden," is that it is listed as a relatively expensive place to eat ($$$ out of 4). The fact is, if you don't have a beverage with your meal and you choose a less expensive entree, it is more reasonably priced. That said, I must highly recommend the fish entree. I have had it 3 of the 4 times I have eaten there, and I have never been disappointed. In fact, I have been delighted with the preparation and the taste. The butternut squash pasta dish I had last week was good to very good, but the fish has been outstanding. Another tip: the sodas from the old-fashioned soda fountain are terrific. I would say they are better than the desserts I've tried. If you want to order a sweet something after your meal, you might try a soda. Note: you place your order at the back counter, and your meal is delivered to your table. You also pay for your meal at the back counter. I believe they add a standard "service" amount to the bill, so it is not necessary to add a tip. Another fun thing: in addition to the many player pianos and other automatic music-making machines (such as the player violin), there is an old-fashioned phone booth in the entryway. You can make a free call to any landline in the area (not long-distance) or simply call the phone at the back counter. While there are many amusing things to hear and see, this is not a great place for children who want to wander around. The tables are close together, and it is easy to run into someone who is moving from one place to another. If a child can sit at the table contentedly, he or she could be led by an adult to a player piano at some point. Adults should also be careful not to collide with someone when going to see the where the music is coming from.

I LOVE eating here! We like to go before we catch a play at the Stage or City Lights. The soda fountain bar is amazing. You just can't pass up having something from it. I have to say that I think they have improved their main menu in terms of the quality and presentation. It has always been good, but they have upped their game to truly wonderful, tasty meals. And don't pass up on dessert! They cream puffs are sent from heaven.

Liked some of the new offerings. LOVED the eggplant parmigiana. Hope you keep it on the menu👌😊

Always love the ambiance of this place with the many player pianos participating. Service can be a bit slow and uneven and can present a problem if you are trying to attend a performance.

Orchestria Palm Court was a hidden gem in San Jose that I never knew about until now, and I'm glad I found it. The food is excellent, and the ambiance and charm of the place take you back in time. The vintage player pianos, jukeboxes and classic soda fountains make you feel you're back in the early 1900s. I had the sampler trio, which was perfectly cooked, and the flavors were spot on. My wife got the ribeye, which was, in her opinion, one of the best she's had. The prices are reasonable, and since you order at the bar, no tipping is required (just a 14.3% service fee), but they serve your food at the table. We'll definitely be back. Thanks for a wonderful dining experience, guys!

Fabulous, one-of-a-kind experience! A virtual museum of historic mechanical musical instruments

One of the best and most unique restaurant experiences of my life. You must try this place!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Pesto Gnocchi

It's cute and kitchy but was not fancy. It's fine for families and casual attire fine but we were headed to a music concert and would have preferred something more upscale.Food flavor was good I ate the beef bourguinon and my friend gnocchis but mine was not hot and potato's a little undercooked. You order at a counter and they bring the food and drinks to your table. I did not like the fees rolled into the price it was like 14 and 9% added to the bill

This is a really fun, unique gem of a restaurant in downtown San Jose. Seeing and hearing the antique musical pianos and other instruments makes for a one-of a-kind experience and the food is both delicious and reasonably priced.

First time and we both really enjoyed our dining experience. Very cool atmosphere with an abundance of history. The food was presented beautifully and delicious. The drinks from the Soda Fountain so refreshing. If you are looking for a unique atmosphere with amazing food and service, this is the place. The phone booth was fun as well.

We had to get up and order our own food and drinks at a counter. Menu prices did not include the added gratuity of around 14 or 15% to each item which makes you tip even if you don't want to. I tip for service, not 1/2 service. Food was different

Great atmosphere for those who enjoy old fashioned player pianos, juke boxes, victorolas, etc. Maybe not a place to have a serious conversation, but a place to go with friends for a special occasion.

A very unique experience for sure. The restaurant is filled with player pianos and other automated musical instruments and other items. They'll start something up once in a while so there's background music from on of the instruments. The staff are dressed up like soda jerks and old time sodas area available. They were short staffed the night we dined so things were a little uneven but they have a system in place. You look at the menu and place your order at the bar. Your food is brought to the table. Speaking of the food it was excellent and the pricing was also excellent. The service fees are included so you don't have to worry about tips and pay at the bar when you leave. It's definitely worth a visit and something to experience. It was definitely the best dining experience that we've had this year.

My friend and I enjoyed the music from the antique music boxes and player pianos in the background of our dinner, It was fun to see all the old sheet music and posters on the walls. Her sea bass was fabulous. The meat in my beef bourguignon was a bit tough so I wasn't as happy with my main dish. Everything was reasonably priced. The table next to us had profiteroles - which looked good but we needed to get to our play next door. It's a great place to go before attending something at The Stage theater.

Went there with my family on a Friday night about 6:30 PM. Had the Caesar salad and beef Bergeron. The salad is sopping wet with dressing and the beef Bergeron was lukewarm. There was no burgundy wine flavor. we were extremely disappointed by the food. The atmosphere on the other hand was a player piano geeks dream come, true, which isn’t me. But if you are a player piano geek, you would love this place, as long as you eat before you come.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 2

Service: 4