|
Root 246
420 Alisal Rd, Solvang
Phone: (805) 688-9003
|
 |
 |
Reviews by the General Public
Tuesday night specials, 7/8/2010
Reviewer: Rick
from Solvang, CA
Have to share with everyone the special oyster night on Tuesday.
$1.00 for great tasting, very fresh oysters. Have made a little Tuesday night visit several weeks in a row. Patio seating is perfect. We have oysters, some wine, usually their calamari and rock shrimp, and we like to try one other appetizer off the bar menu. Have never been dissapointed.
Several times Chef Ogden has been there, and has even invited us back to see their kitchen. Amazing!
Great for a mid week visit!
|
Hands down one of the best meals and best service in the Co, 4/2/2010
Reviewer: Liana
from Santa Barbara, CA
Had dinner Saturday night, it was truly one of the best meals ever. Service was excellent, i have never had a steak seared so perfectly! Save room for desert because it is not to be missed.
I will definately be back. The fresh squeezed lemonade was also a plus.
|
one of the best in SB County, 3/5/2010
Reviewer: Arthur
from Santa Barbara, CA
Root 246 is amazing in nearly every category - quality of food, healthy choices, freshness, amazing variety of flavors, price - value it's one of the best of the best in the County. I've eaten there with two different groups of people, once for Sunday brunch and another time for dinner. The service needs a little more work but overall I give this very high marks. My residence is in Cito and it's worth the drive.
|
Truly the best restaurant in the area, 1/16/2010
Reviewer: Laurie
from Santa Barbara, CA
Last night had dinner here - my second time, hubby's first. Everything about our experience was perfect - from the invitation to come into the kitchen when I was showing hubby around to the terrific service (Jennifer), wondrous food, and outstanding wine suggestions from Mel. My veal stew was such an inventive and delicious combinations of flavors and textures- veal short ribs (heavenly) with crispy sweetbreads and crunchy root vegetables. My husband had a smile on his face the entire meal, from the blue cheese souffle to the lamb shank. I wish we lived closer but worth staying next door just to be able to indulge in their food. Thank you Root 246 team!
|
Best dinner in SB!, 12/23/2009
Reviewer: Jocelyn
from Santa Barbara, CA
Last night four of us went to Root 246 for the first time. The food and service far exceeded our expectations. The menu gives a variety of seasonal and interesting choices, and every dish and cocktail were perfectly prepared. Our server, Jennifer, was so friendly, personable, and attentive. Santa Barbara claims to have fine dining, but Root 246 is the only location that actually delivers on that promise.
|
The New Best Restaurant in Santa Barbara County, 12/15/2009
Reviewer: Jim Melillo
from Santa Barbara, CA
I am a tough reviewer, just look at what I have written about Cava, Breakwater and Giovannis. I love Downeys and Olio and Bouchon. This is just better. First they have the money to build a kitchen that is beyond belief. Second we ate in the kitchen at the Chef's table (although here it is called the kitchen table) which is always fantastic. We were lucky Bradley ogden the Signature chef was there. He has put together a group of people in his kitchen and from observations 1/2 of them could run their own restaurant. We had a wonderful Risotto with white truffles and the white truffles were the biggest I have ever seen. The artisan cheese plate was a bit light and I would pass on it in the future instead going with another appetizer. The salads were excellent as they blended not only different combinations but also had a little extra in each one making it special. I had the Iowa Pork loin chop with creamed corn. This was not your mother's pork chop. It was very moist and tender, they have their own grill chef. In addition the creamed corn was made with fresh corn and cream and it exploded with taste. The chop was not glazed but was accompanied by balsamic glazed cabbage which when you combined was an amazing combination from something so simple. The other entrees were equally as great. I have read some reviews that were so so and I am sure this happens. But for the 6 of us it was one of the best dinners I have had in this entire county. Enjoy
|
Great Food and Good Service, 11/8/2009
Reviewer: Glenn
from Buellton
Went at 5:30 when they opened and hostesses were a little disorganized on seating. Once the host came by and we "rechecked" in every was fine. The food here is some of the BEST I have had in my life, a fine addition to SY Valley.
They apparently don't do anything out of the blue for you for special occasions like a Palace Grill does like a dessert or something(do they have dessert here? Maybe you ask for a dessert menu?) so that was a small letdown. Hit Rocky Mountain chocolate down the street(open until 8) for some goodies if they don't have dessert. The decor is really nice, the tables are not as intimate as they could be. Definitely a place to try, it can get a little pricey(about $100 for two with drinks & appetizers) but its worth it. We had the Shake/Bake Chicken(don't let name throw you, really good!) and the ribeye steak which was cooked perfectly to order. Pick up some Garden type salads off the starters menu also. They bring by small samplings out of the kitchen sometime as you wait for your food too! The bar(in the middle of the dining area) can attract some drunks unfortunately but it was not too bad. Other nit they need to work on is their small waiting for table area queue which had a cold winter wind blast through it when a door was opened. They do have both indoor and outdoor seating.
|
Itsy's amazing birthday dinner!, 10/25/2009
Reviewer: Barb
from Santa Barbara, CA
Jen is the best server!! She knows her food and treated us amazingly. The food is fresh, tasty and beautiful! This place is sexy!! It is the Best place to eat in solvang!! Have the pork belly, chicken or steak! I love the wine list but for our party of 13 bringing our wine was the way to go!! This place has floated to the top of my list and in the top 3 including all of Santa Barbara! We were treated like royalty and I love that! Thanks to the manager jens and jen and mr. Ogden!!
|
Great Food!! Great Service!!!, 10/21/2009
Reviewer: Alan & Patricia
from Santa Barbara, CA
We took a 24 hour mini vacation last week just so we could try Root 246 and we were not disappointed. The food was fabulous and the service was just as good. Our server, Jen, was attentive and informed and Chef Odgen was a gracious host. After dinner Jen gave us a tour of the impressive kitchen, no freezers, everything fresh and mostly locally sourced. Our only complaint is that it is an hour drive from our home.
|
what a (bad) joke, 9/28/2009
Reviewer: Jack
from Santa Barbara, CA
first the positive- decor/atmosphere is very nice and lively- a great spot for drinks/apps. We had the flatbread and the fig/goat cheese with proscuitto and both were very nice and proportioned well. For main, we both had the rack of lamb- what an embarrassment to serve! a piece of lamb sausage and ONE rack that was cut off bone and sliced into three paper thin pieces with small pieces of goat cheese and grape tomatoes- THAT"S IT. Also, the lamb was cold as in not even warm. It was basically a salad without lettuce. I ate mine in minutes after tired of waiting for waitress to come back to send it away. My wife sent hers back and the actually charged us for a third one! i did get a free salad ( whoopie). The waitress was not accommodating and we did not even try to argue. She was rambling about it and i finally said- I DID NOT ASK YOU FOR A FREE MEAL< JUST BRING IT AND GO AWAY. I felt bad but 2 minutes of telling me how I was wrong was enough of enough. DO NOT GO! if you must, load up on apps and skip entree and save the frustration.
|
Great Drinks and Service, 9/13/2009
Reviewer: NikNik
from Santa Barbara, CA
This is a review of the bar and drinks only. We wanted to go back there to dine but our trip was ending and we had to get back. We sat at the bar and there were many people there trying to come up with drink recipes and experimenting. I think they had just opened. It was so cool to see that they had a huge selection of unique liquors and handmade syrups and "cellos" (limoncello, and many other different fruits, all handmade). The cocktails were absolutely fantastic and the people behind the bar were friendly and excited about their products. I would love to go there again and try the food which looked amazing! Their bar lounge is really beautiful too. Very modern, kind of an LA feel. They have a huge selection of wines in a see through wine room so that's neat too.
|
Fantastic Food, Lacking Service
Reviewer: Margaret
from Goleta
Made a 10:30 am reservation through "Open Table" for Sunday brunch. Restaurant telephoned about an hour prior confirming reservation, however when we arrived, daily menus not yet printed, bread was still baking and wait staff obviously not prepared. Had to flag waitress for drink orders, request bread, request butter. Felt ignored. It was not busy.
Food fabulous!!!! Oysters, Caesar Salad, Quiche, Open faced Omelet, Benedict preperation superb, as the souffle pancake with Peach Compote. Bloody Mary's appeared to have fresh tomato base and Peach Mimosa also lovely.
Nearly entire time of our lengthy meal, the bartender was juicing limes, so had the annoying noise of the juicer, behind us. No music.
Will certainly return for the wonderful food preparation with outstanding ingreients, but sure hope they can be a bit better prepared for the brunch. Had mentioned in the "Open Table" reservation that it was a birthday celebration, however that was not acknowledged. May have been overlooked, or they do not do special event acknowledgements? Regardless, cudos to the chefs and kitchen staff for delicious food, perfectly prepared!!! Restaurant decor lovely also.
|
Wonderful Meal With A Wonderful Staff
Reviewer: Justin Yott
from Solvang, CA
This restuarant is AWESOME! An incredible epicurean delight that is only improved by the fantastic service. As a local, I have been waiting years for a restuarant of this caliber to open, and it's literally just down the street! The chef was Johnny Church (standing in for Bradley Ogden) and his artistry in the kitchen is definitely going to build a reputation for this young talent sooner rather than later. He was kind enough to give us a tour of the new kitchen and come out to check on our table later on. If I could give them 6 stars, I would! I've already started eating here at least twice a week.
|
An orgasmic meal
Reviewer: Patricia
from Camarillo,CA
My friend and I had the most delicious dinner of Asparagus soup with Salmon Croutons in it .... braised shoulder of Lamb and magnificent fresh vegetables. Topped off our meal with the small dish of butterscotch pudding, whipped creme dollop and small oatmeal cookie. Just right! We returned the next night and had the very same meal again! Incredibly satisfying experience! Thank you, Chef Bradley Ogden.
|
Wonderful food, excellent service
Reviewer: David Yogore
from Reseda, CA
Root 246 is an incredible restaurant. The people are very friendly and welcoming, eager to help or answer any questions. The food is phenomenal- my nephew had the burger, and he was at a loss for words, he enjoyed it so much. The chef even came out and we got a chance to talk to him and take pictures.
The outdoor seating area is particularly lovely. Definitely consider stopping by if you're in the area.
|
Great Creative Meal
Reviewer: Marna
from Toluca Lake, CA
My friend & I had dinner for the first time last night & it was wonderful. Very creative dishes ... my favorite was the citrus salad/magtag blue cheese dish. For our main selection we both had N.Y. steak with lemon mashed potatoes (I never thought of putting lemon in mashed potatoes) ... it was very good. Wonderful atmosphere & excellent service too.
|
Wonderful Birthday Party experience
Reviewer: Erik Hildebrand
from Santa Barbara, CA
I had my wifes 40th birthday party at the chefs table for 18 people and we had the greatest time. We had gone wine tasting all day and brought in the wine and they allowed us to drink it for a 10 dollar corking fee which saved us alot of money. The food was excellent, the service was great, and everyone really tried to make sure we had a good time. They even offered to arrange flowers for the table center pieces for me. The fried chicken was very good and the maytag souffle was to die for. Food presentation was world class
|
What an amazing treat!
Reviewer: Jacki Lachinski
from Minneapolis, MN
Visited Solvang. Stayed at Hotel Corque - superb. Had dinner at Root 246. Impeccable service and extraordinary food! Jeremy, our waiter, was very familiar with the menu and helped make our dinner choices so much eaiser. From the unique cucumber martini to desserts, everything was beyond words. We were honored to meet Chef Bradley Ogden and hope to dine in one of his restaurants again.
|
Great food and wonderful mixed drinks!
Reviewer: Amanda
from Santa Barbara, CA
A few friends and I went here for dinner last night and we decided to sit in the bar and eat dinner because of the fun chairs and lounge atmosphere. We started off with their signature drink for the night and it was one of the most delicious drinks I have ever had, cucumber vodka, basil and lime juice, so yummy! We ordered almost all of the starters on the menu and they were all wonderful and beautifully presented! Can't wait to go back and see what they will have next! A very welcome addition to Solvang!
|
Great Birthday Happy
Reviewer: S. Harris
from Santa Barbara, CA
Went here last night with some friends for a birthday happy hour and sat in the lounge. We started out with some Herb Garden Martini's- very good, with basil and lime! We had the flatbread with goat cheese, mushroom, and chicken apple sausage, and it was all homemade, even the sausage. Highlights included the pork belly with pineapple and tamale pancakes, garden party salad with cheese and spring onion croquettes, a killer BBQ chicken sandwich and great deconstructed banana split. Low notes: the asparagus soup was all but 4 bites, and way overpriced for the quality. Our server was a bartender, Melissa, I think, and she really could care less about us, she walked by several times after we requested menu's, drink lists, we had to catch her attention every time we wanted something and even then she seemed annoyed. She even visible rolled her eyes at one point. We should have been there for 2 hours, but it easily turned into a 3 1/2 hour happy hour because she ignored us completely. She was only nice when she ran the credit cards for a tip. The rest of the waitstaff was excellent, bringing us new silverware when the bartender could not be found. They saved the experience! Would go back, just hope we get a different server!
|
Wonderful meal!
Reviewer: Bob Walsmith Jr.
from Santa Maria, CA
My girlfriend and I thought that we would try this new restaurant (last Saturday April 11) because of Bradley Ogden's reputation as one of the best chefs in America. We were not disappointed in any way! When we arrived, we were given a tour of the restaurant (including the two bars and even the kitchen) by the hostess. After we sat down, Bradley Ogden himself came over to our table to introduce himself (He also came over during our meal to check on us.). That was a very nice touch! The service was attentive but not obtrusive; from the server to the buspeople to the sommelier. And they were informative and very friendly. The decor was very nice and the atmosphere was very pleasant. We started with a wonderful Maytag Blue Cheese Souffle, then we enjoyed our entrees (My girlfriend had Morro Bay Black Cod and I chose a Rib-Eye steak). They were both absolutely delicious! Our dessert was a trio of house made ice creams with bananas and and three different sauces. A great way to finish the meal! We were very pleasantly surprised at the cost (inlcuding our wine corkage fee of only $10, our bill was just over $90. Given Chef Ogden's reputation, we expected to pay much more). The restaurant, given the fact that it has only been open for one week, can only get better and better! We definitely look forward to coming back!
|
A local's dream
Reviewer: Bob Tucker
from Solvang, CA
Beyond our wildest hopes for a new local restaurant. We've eaten there 3 times the first week it was open and plan to go there time and time again. Thank you Bradley.
|
Have you eaten here? Write a review of this location!
Terms of Service
|
