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  • Tamarine

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Tamarine
Tamarine

Tamarine Details

  • Dining Style: Casual Elegant
  • Website: http://www.tamarinerestaurant.com
  • Phone: (650) 325-8500
  • Hours of Operation: Lunch: Monday - Friday: 11:30am - 2:30pm; Dinner: Sunday - Thursday: 5:30pm - 9:00pm, Friday & Saturday: 5:30pm - 10:00pm
  • Payment Options: AMEX, MasterCard, Visa
  • Cuisine: Vietnamese, Asian
  • Executive Chef: Tammy Huynh
  • Dress Code: Business Casual
  • Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
  • Additional Details: Banquet/Private Rooms, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Menu, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking Restaurant, Personal wines welcome (corkage fee applies), Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Private Party Facilities: To experience Tamarine in a private setting, the restaurant is pleased to offer three elegant private dining options that can seat from 10 to 155 guests.
  • Private Party Contact: Charles Chen (650) 325-8500 x104

Getting there

  • Cross Street: Tasso & Webster
  • Parking: Street Parking
  • Parking Details: public free parking directly behind building at the Cowper/Webster garage.
A word from Tamarine
Tamarine is a contemporary Vietnamese restaurant that features the light but flavor-intensive culinary delicacies of Vietnam. The restaurant offers a menu based on small plates, promoting the Vietnamese tradition of the 'shared' meal in which food is shared and enjoyed with those close. Tamarine's… small plate entrees are enjoyed with the pairing of a variety of aromatic, flavor infused rice, designed to be mixed and matched to create a truly unique flavor experience. Along with culinary delicacies of Vietnam, the restaurant showcases the works of emerging artists from Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries. Semi-annual exhibits will close with a cocktail event to auction the art. Proceeds will be donated to La Maison Chance, an orphanage in Saigon, Vietnam.Continued
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Awards voted by OpenTable diners
  • Diners' Choice WinnerBest Food
  • Diners' Choice WinnerHot Spot
  • Diners' Choice WinnerMost Booked
Diner Reviews
  • "Have eaten here a number of times, but the last visit was among the best. Consistently impressed by the character of the food every time I visit."
    Dined on 7/26/2014
  • "We really enjoyed the food and drinks that was served to us, but it took forever. We had a gift card for this place, which was the only reason we went out to eat here. The tables are squished so close together, you can't even walk through the aisle to leave. The waiters were sucking in and squeezing through. We had to walk all the way around towards the back to even get out the door. Not to mention, we also felt we were involved with our table neighbor's conversations because our tables were only inches away. Our food took at least 30 minutes to arrive and we were pretty hungry, so the waiting felt even worse. We did notice that our neighboring table got their food less than 10 min after they ordered. Very inconsistent!"
    Dined on 7/24/2014
  • "Had lunch with a client. He chose trout and I chose the prawns, the traditional signature dish. Both were average. Based on these two dishes, the restaurant needs to freshen up a bit... Won't return too soon."
    Dined on 7/24/2014
  • "Tamarine has the best Asian-fusion food on the Peninsula. It is consistently high quality. I have had dinner many times and it never disappoints. Try the Hoison lamb chops with Bok Choy and sweet potato fries."
    Dined on 7/23/2014
  • "Really enjoyed our first visit here. Food was delicious and nicely presented. We didn't understand that the food was served family style and would have ordered differently had we known."
    Dined on 7/20/2014
  • "I had recommended this for a business dinner to the non-local hosts. They were from East Coast and were very impressed. When I arrived they were enjoying wine at the bar and had already struck up a friendly conversation with a local. We got our table immediately, an excellent location right in front in a booth by the window, where the ambiance was lovely but it was quiet enough for serious business conversation. The server was attentive and prompt, but did not interrupt conversations. The hosts enjoyed several food recommendations, including the house specialty beef and the bass. They said I could pick the restaurant anytime. I would return with business associates and be confident it would be a perfect backdrop for business discussion."
    Dined on 7/17/2014
  • "I was very disappointed as this is one of my favorite restaurants. Our waiter was no were to be found. We just left to ask other help and waiters for anything. The food was great as usual except for a new dish of wrapped duck that was tasteless and the wrap was doughy."
    Dined on 7/17/2014
  • "We discovered Tamarine years ago. It never fails to disappoint. Very good for small groups. Best to share dishes. The pumpkin curry dish was my favorite at our recent visit. And it is quiet enough to carry on serious conversations. Works well for job interviews."
    Dined on 7/16/2014
  • "It was my second time to take dinner at Tamarine with friends, and I was very satisfied again with its authentic Southeast Asian foods, great wine list, and nice service. We, group of six, do not have any plan to order expensive wines, targeting 50-60 $, and for this price zone they recommend nice bottles of white and red. Meals are excellent. I love the plate with assorted appetizer. Tamarine is not the one where we can go very casually, but like for having a good dining with close friends, I really recommend this one."
    Dined on 7/11/2014
  • "Tamarine is a high qualiity Asian fusion restaurant that consistently hits high notes. They change the menu just enough to keep it interesting but keep all-time favorites available. It is one of the best restaurants in Palo Alto."
    Dined on 7/7/2014
  • "The food was good and interesting. Standouts included the kale salad, clay pot cod, empress rice, and garlicky noodles. Peach crisp was soggy and underwhelming. Our server was too cerebral for the service industry. Otherwise, a great experience."
    Dined on 7/5/2014
  • "Tamarine is classy, very flavorful food. Family style dining. I had the Alaskan Black Cod and the. Brussels Sprout salad, both were delicious with delicate tastes. For dessert, it was the coconut, tapioca sorbet. Refreshing and not too sweet. Dessert portion was too big for one person, but other portions are on the smaller side. Service was great."
    Dined on 6/28/2014
  • "Waiter with Australian or UK accent very rude. Near end of his shift I guess but hostile. We asked to move to different server. Second waiter much better and nicer but the evening was spoiled. So go but be ready for rudeness from tall guy who really wants to be doing something else ..."
    Dined on 6/27/2014
  • "Over priced for what it is. Inside room sticky and stuffy."
    Dined on 6/26/2014
  • "We went there with a group of colleagues. Was a little noisy, which made it difficult to understand others at the table. They also forgot my entree, so I was the only one in the group of five waiting for food"
    Dined on 6/25/2014
  • "Was in dire need of something to really tickle my tastebuds. The work fried beef noodles with crunchy vegetables, slippery rice noodles and tender beef slices in a salty sweet sauce certainly did it! Admittedly an expensive version of noodles I could have got for less $5 back home in Singapore but the fresh ingredients, higher level quantity and quality, and the whole atmosphere in Tamarine took the humble noodle dish to another level!"
    Dined on 6/25/2014
  • "We found the table to small when the food arrived. Since one shares the plates it was very uncomfortable passing and positioning the dishes. It made a dining evening uncomfortable and it just did not live up to expectations."
    Dined on 6/23/2014
  • "It was my husband's birthday, and we were celebrating the occasion with friends. Tamarine made it very special."
    Dined on 6/22/2014
  • "Dinner at Tamarine is always a treat! The food is delicious and the wait staff helpful and friendly. The wine by the glass always seems to compliment the delicious Vietnamese food served. I adore the Vietnamese coffee and order it every time we dine at the restaurant. Try the peach crisp!"
    Dined on 6/21/2014
  • "We had a great shared meal with four of us. Outstanding was the clay pot black cod but everything was excellent."
    Dined on 6/19/2014
  • "Service, attention, ambiance all good. I was a little disappointed in the spring rolls----a little bland."
    Dined on 6/13/2014
  • "great food, great atmospheres, nice wine list…perfect dinner"
    Dined on 6/12/2014
  • "I came in from out of town and met with several clients for dinner. We were early, so we sat at the bar, and were served by a delightful bartender. When our table wasn't ready quite on time as other guests were still seated, our drinks were topped off, and we were assured we would be seated as quickly as possible. Our waiter was knowledgeable and gave us wonderful recommendations. I will definitely come back when I am in town again!"
    Dined on 6/10/2014
  • "The service was superb and the food excellent. We have dined there four times and it has always been a memorable evening."
    Dined on 6/10/2014
  • "Visiting Palo Alto for an occasion, we went to Tamarine for a special dinner. The food was really good - particularly liked the caramelized cauliflower, salmon, and the scallops. Service was slow -- promises of returning with water and to get the wine order were forgotten. When the water arrived, the glasses had a very strong smell of bleach/chlorine, which was unpleasant to say the least. However the food was good enough to make us overlook these issues. Quite expensive."
    Dined on 6/7/2014
  • "The treasures on the menu are plentiful -- try the long beans without the chile, the eggplant and the virgin mint and cucumber lemonade!"
    Dined on 6/7/2014
  • "I have been coming to this restaurant since its opened. The Vietnamese food is still great, and the prices have gone considerably up. However, the level of service was particularly bad this time: a. Our table was rickety with extending edges that could not hold a plate or a glass. b. It took ages for the server to arrive at our table c. Glass of wine that we ordered was only half full (When I did comment on that - they took it off the bill, claiming it was the last bottle) d. Our table was at the deep back end of the restaurant, with hardly any light or ambiance."
    Dined on 6/6/2014
  • "The Tamarine Scampis were a delight !Would recommend this place to all my friends. Nice ambiance, good service. Excellent Strawberry Mojito. Only negative points : even with reservation, you have to wait (something I don't appreciate) and the tables are , in my opinion, to close to another. A bit more space would provide a little more intimacy"
    Dined on 5/31/2014
  • "Food is very tasty but many of the dishes are heavy on oil for my taste. Ambience is lively and decor is very nice. However, tables are small. We were in a table of 6 and we had our dishes right next to us, dishes were touching our right and left wrists/hands; there was no space to put dishes at the center of the table. "
    Dined on 5/31/2014
  • "Met a friend that I haven't seen for 30 years. It was a nice place to catch up. Many business professionals meet at this place. Food great. Service is great. Wine was excellent – Pinot Nior, Fog Dog 2010 – outstanding!"
    Dined on 5/29/2014
  • "Everything was exquisite - fusion of flavors, sophisticated ambiance, great service, outstanding vibe. Best of Palo Alto and new favorite on Peninsula!"
    Dined on 5/24/2014
  • "What a fantastic lunch - as we celebrated a birthday over lunch. A envelope with words of wisdom was on the table when we arrived, service was top-notch, dessert was garnished with a candle and a chocolate happy birthday sign; fun touches along the way. The waiter was super attentive and pleasant."
    Dined on 5/22/2014
  • "This food here is fabulous. Highly recommended. However, our server was extremely inattentive. We had to get him summoned to our table. When we later asked for a wine list, he disappeared altogether for 10 min and never came back to take our wine order. I had to get up from the table, find the sommelier/floor manager, and ask him to bring my wine selection. Also a long delay in ordering dessert."
    Dined on 5/21/2014
  • "As usual, an excellent meal- the Shaking beef is so delicious - everything was exceptional"
    Dined on 5/17/2014
  • "I love the ambiance friendly and fun. This is one of my favorite restaurants. The food is delicious. I recommend trying the Lemon grass sea bass and the basil tofu. The bartenders are amazing and creative with their drinks. Service was impeccable!"
    Dined on 5/16/2014
  • "Cocktail: Cosmo with Jalapeno (men will like this), Starter: Salt and Pepper Calamari, Wild Mushroom Rolls, Main: Clay Pot Cod, Hoisin Lamb Chops, Empress Rice, Dessert: Beignet with coconut Ice Cream. Of course this meal was pricey but worth every penny. We eat here frequently. "
    Dined on 5/12/2014
  • "This restaurant is quiet! What a treat in this day and age! The food was delicious, my only complaint is the dishes were not timed. The server knew we were sharing, and instead of timing the food, there was a long delay, and then everything came out at once. The table was quite crowded, but more importantly, some of the dishes had cooled. The eggplant was downright cold and we sent that back. If I go again, I'll ask to have the meal timed. "
    Dined on 5/11/2014
  • "Tamarine is my favorite restaurant in the the Peninsula. My favorite foods: clay pot cod, empress rice, lemongrass sea bass, sweet potato fries and the brussel sprouts (no bacon). I typically share the same thing every time. This time, upon recommendation, I ventured away from my typical order and swapped the lemongrass sea bass for the catfish and I added the tapioca for the first time. Both were awesome. And, thank you Mary Ann and Mickey for always going above and beyond with service."
    Dined on 5/10/2014
  • "This is hands down my favorite restaurant on the Peninsula, if not the whole Bay Area. Every dish I've ever had here is wonderfully delicious, but my go-to ones are the sea bass and the shaking beef (and the crab glass noodles when they're in season). Service is always terrific and professional. It's become an annual event to have dinner here for my birthday, and the restaurant takes extra steps to make it special (e.g., complimentary champagne toast to start, card and small box of cookies waiting for you at the table)."
    Dined on 5/10/2014
  • "Tamarine's chef is a food genius, able to blend and match flavors in extraordinary ways. Each dish is special. There are no bad items on the menu, just ones that you may prefor over others because of cost or time. But all are truly excellelnt. Go! You will be glad you did."
    Dined on 5/9/2014
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