Flea Street CafeA really great, classy restaurant.This is a great restaurant with a cozy atmosphere, great food, and great service. It is one of the best in Menlo Park and probably the entire Bay Area. Great for special occasions, delightful dinners, and relaxing ambience.5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMWe have enjoyed the Flea StreetWe have enjoyed the Flea Street Café for many years and we continue to use the restaurant as our bench mark for rating restaurants. The greeting is excellent as is the seating. The service is excellent in all respects as is the food. The waiter continually removes finished dishes and service wear. The service wear is replaced with clean appropriate wear. The table cloth is kept clean. Jessie, the owner, may seat you or make rounds to insure that all is well. Enjoy!5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent, tasty and creativeExcellent, tasty and creative food from local sources. The portion was just perfect - not too much.5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat local nightWe had a great time. The decor was very nice. The waiter was most pleasant and attentive. The food was very nice and the presentation was lovely. We will go back again for sure.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat, beautifully presented foodI have been going to Jesse Cool's restaurants for more than 30 years. The food and attention to detail have never been less than stellar. The dishes are unusual without being fussy and the more standard fare (e.g. short ribs) is prepared with special sauces or accompaniments. There were four of us - we each ordered something different and each of us was completely satisfied. I had the vegetarian plate - not because I am a vegetarian but because it sounded so good - and I was not disappointed. We had a wonderful server as well. We stayed at our table for hours and never felt rushed. Fantastic experience.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of the Peninsula's highlightsExcellent place in the Peninsula area, one of a kind.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMDifficult to find parking.Difficult to find parking. Difficult to find a place to wait at the restaurant for rest of the party to find parking, since they won't seat guests until the entire party has arrived. Hostess/owner? kind of had an attitude. Waiter was excellent! Food was very good. I had wanted to go here for a long time. Now I'm not in a hurry to go back.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of my favorite restaurantsOne of my favorite restaurants in the Bay Area. I've never had a disappointing meal, and the staff is always really friendly. It's cozy but classy, and the food is delicious. Really love that the ingredients are local and organic. It's a great place for a special occasion or a nice night out. Save room for the chocolate truffles at the end!4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMwe came to celebrate our weddingwe came to celebrate our wedding anniversary and the food was wonderful from start to finish. They are able to make the simplest vegetables taste delicious. We had the filet and the lamb and both were cooked perfectly. Also loved the smoked trout starter and asparagus and stinging nettle soup. Dessert was a chocolate brownie,ice cream, peanut combo that was outstanding.
Only minor flaw was the waiter did not ask if we wanted coffee before bringing the check but it was getting late....Excellent dinner!4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMMy short ribs were the bestMy short ribs were the best I have ever had, but my husbands vegetarian sampler did not excite him. The ravioli had a doughy tough skin. The service was outstanding, we loved the warm biscuits, and a zinfandel the staff selected was excellent and typically all the food is also -- but tonight just the veggie sampler not a hit...4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMmini mini reviewquiet = good for me; wine prices a bit too high; hope to return.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of the best resturantsOne of the best resturants in the Bay Area that desreves a lot more credit than it gets!4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMThe proprietors here do aThe proprietors here do a great job of serving the freshest local ingredients possible with emphasis on sustainable foods and healthy preparations. The outdoor seating is very romantic for a Summer's night and the variety in the menu and daily specials always makes our visit here a treat!4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMFavorite Date Night placeFlea Street Cafe is our favorite date night dinner destination. The staff is always very attentive and personable yet professional.4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMWOW! We never knew this placeWOW! We never knew this place even existed. Our friends took us here and we are so glad they did! The food was Michelin Star Quality and the service was top notch without being stuffy. They helped us with our wine selection expertly and helped decant it for us. I was blown away by the Strawberry-Jalapeno Margarita that I was served from the bar and each dish that I ate was just amazing. I had the vegetable tasting menu which offered five tantalizing dishes in one. My wife and dining friends couldn't stop talking about how wonderful their food was as well. We loved that hey had oysters on the half shell and that they made their own sorbets. We look forward to our next adventure.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways excellent. One of theAlways excellent. One of the very best on the peninsula.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food is very creativeThe food is very creative and tasty! Service was top notch! Ambiance very romantic/sweet4/9/2013 12:00:00 AMI started with the hibiscusI started with the hibiscus mojito cocktail having read about it recently in Scene Magazine. What a great way to begin a lovely dining experience. We ordered the mushroom soup, spinach salad, short ribs and vegetarian tasting plate.The pureed consistency of the mushroom soup was too our liking. And my husband was pleased that the short ribs were nicely sauced. He's had short ribs that were either drowning in sauce or too dry. These were just right. My vegetarian tasting plate was lovely with a variety of textures and nice mix of vegetables. This is my new "go to" restaurant.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMThis restaurant surprisesThis restaurant surprises with many in-house made goodies, including its own cured meats and hand-made desserts. Nicely selected wines for its menu. Eclectic menu offerings are each done very well. Lively but comfortable scene. A neighborhood gem indeed.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMFlea Street Cafe offers theFlea Street Cafe offers the best of Californian cuisine highlighting farm fresh ingredients, grass fed beef, and fish elevated to the highest taste sensations. Our meal was pure perfection. Flea Street offers an Intimate setting with terrific service. I can't wait to dine here again.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMBest halibut and garden saladBest halibut and garden salad I've had in a long time.4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious food, creative combinatioDelicious food, creative combinations, elegantly presented3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMFlea Street Café – A Menlo Park GemSimply outstanding restaurant. My wife and I have enjoyed it for over 25 years. It consistently pleases, serving unique, outstanding foods with a selection of outstanding wines that truly complement the ever-changing, seasonal cuisine. I usually can find a modest, excellent wine ($60/bottle), but I wish their sommelier would add more great values in the $30-#60 range.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMFlea St Cafe - a must for foodiesGreat food every time along with a great agave cosmo!3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMIt would have been nice toIt would have been nice to have some reasonably priced wines by the glass available. But overall, this place is wonderful!3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMA Wonderful Peninsula RestaurantOn Sunday night, we reintroduced our friends to this restaurant as they had not been here in many years although they live fairly close by. And what a pleasant night we had . . . great food, wonderful unpretentious service and a quiet, cosy atmosphere for great conversation. We didn't even notice that hours slipped by. Flea Street Cafe is really one of the best restaurants on the Peninsula. The fresh, organic locally supplied ingredients stand out. The daily special . . . sliced chicken topped with a poached egg and the artichoke soup were outstanding. You can't go wrong dinning here.3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMMy first visit and I was impressedThis was my first visit to this restaurant and I was very impressed with all things, particularly the quality and care of the food as presented. The service was top notch and the experience will lead me back again when I am in and around Menlo Park,3/21/2013 12:00:00 AMChez Panisse of Silicon ValleyL O V E this place and it's commitment to delicious, yummy, local, organic food. Owner Jessie Cool and Executive Chef Carlos Canada are both deeply committed to fresh, California cuisine. It's not an overstatement to say that Flea Street is Silicon Valley's answer to Chez Panisse.3/20/2013 12:00:00 AMDon't let the home-like entranceDon't let the home-like entrance of Flea street fool you. Inside, it's charming and inviting! I was eyeing the plush pillow-cushioned seat but unfortunately the couple before us got it. We were greeted by very friendly maitre d' and was served by attentive servers as well. The food was delectable except the salmon which bordered on being too salty for my taste. The asparagus salad with burretta cheese was exquisitely presented and we could taste the farm-freshness all the way through. And the appetizer of the day - hamachi crudo was truly exceptional! Can't wait to go back again...3/19/2013 12:00:00 AMFlea Street has wonderfulFlea Street has wonderful food and ambience. The night we were there was more noise than usual coming from a few tables. The server was very apologetic but also utterly professional about it. Honestly, it made me appreciate Flea Street even more.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMHaving dined here severalHaving dined here several times through the years, we are always happy to return.
The food is excellently prepared & presented, and the overall experience has always been very good. There is no hesitancy in making a recommendation.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMThe original California cuisineThe original California cuisine restaurant - and still the best. Everything on the short menu is a delight to the senses, yes comforting and emotionally satisfying. Our "go-to" restaurant on the Peninsula.3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMWe've been here a number ofWe've been here a number of times before but it seems like outs getting better. We loved the appetizers, oysters and sardines, as well as the main courses, duck two ways and grilled filet, as well as the dessert. Definitely in the top 5 in the bay area.3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMI feel like the prices haveI feel like the prices have gone up into the stratosphere, and yet the food wasn't as outstanding as it has been in years past. Everything from the amuse bouche to the soup, salads, entrees - all just fair or good. Could have been an off night?3/13/2013 12:00:00 AMExemplary! Food, service,Exemplary! Food, service, ambience - and the fact that we were NEVER rushed! Such a delicious and satisfying dining experience!3/12/2013 12:00:00 AMJesse Cool rules at Flea StreetJesse Cool rules at Flea Street Cafe. Inspired spring menu. Beautiful preparation and presentation.3/12/2013 12:00:00 AMDinner was exceptional. JesseDinner was exceptional. Jesse Cool stopped at our table to say hi which was nice. I think she is the "Alice Waters" of the Peninsula. I highly recommend Flea Street.3/12/2013 12:00:00 AMNever a disappointment andNever a disappointment and our travels from the East Coast earn a visit to Flea Street each time!3/12/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food, great taste!A good experience by all in my dinner party. A little expensive, but worth every bite. Our waitress did not naturally share the specials, we had to ask, a little disappointing. My advice to future visitors, make sure you hear the special and good idea to select a dish from each course to share. Keeps cost down while enjoying the richness that Flea Street Café has to offer. Great food, great taste!3/2/2013 12:00:00 AM