The Restaurant at Wente VineyardsLovely locationFood was excellent, wait staff was efficient, outdoor ambience was perfect.6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMWente is back!We have loved Wente for many years. For the past few years it seemed that they kept missing out on the changes happening in the restaurant industry. Many offered fresh produce from onsite gardens, sustainable local items. My husband and I had our aniversary dinner there recently and things have changed! Wente now offers many of the things some diners have come to expect when eating at this level of restaurant. Our dinner was excellent. The menu offers a wonderful variety and what I have always thought they were lacking was a nice finish to your dinner, very tasty desserts.
Fabulous service and such a beautiful place. Wente, we are glad you are back! Thanks!6/13/2013 12:00:00 AMSpecial BirthdayThanks so much for the special touches for my friends birthday. In the reservation comments I wrote that it was a Birthday and the staff went out of the way to present a beautiful dessert that said Happy Birthday. It was a special moment. thanks!6/12/2013 12:00:00 AMSpendy, but worth itThis restaurant is pricey...but not over the top pricey, so for a special occasion, this is a good spot. I have been coming here for years and the food is always fantastic. Seasonal, rotating menu with a few staples (like the pork chop...definitely my favorite). The wine is obviously going to be top flight considering it is a winery. Their signature cocktails are worth trying as well. Brunch, lunch or dinner, it's all good.
The ambiance is unmatched in the Livermore Valley. Definitely a romantic place. Especially on a nice day or night sitting outside.6/9/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat for special occasionsWe went to the restaurant at Wente Vineyards for our wedding anniversary and really enjoyed it. We sat outside on a nice evening, and the food was great (I had the beef carpacio and duck, and my wife had the greens salad and wulu). Our waiter had to be reminded about a few requests (my wife wanted a little extra dressing for her salad and the ice bucket for our wine), but that was offset by his cheerful personality and knowledge of the menu. We weren't rushed and our waiter took his time answering our questions about the winery and upcoming events. Overall a very enjoyable evening.6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat as AlwaysWente's never fails to deliver outstanding food. I go once or twice a year for special occasions. The service was a little off in that they forgot the appetizer, but when we pointed it out, they quickly recovered. Still very good on the service, and the ambience outside on the patio was outstanding. Table for four and two had the ever-present pork chop (excellent), one had bacon wrapped whitefish (good), and the other had the chicken dish which was also excellent. The four of us split two salads (Wente split them for us) and that is more than enough for everyone when you are having a full meal.6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMWente Somewhat DisappointingThis trip to Wente was not the usual stellar experience. Service was much slower than usual and the food quality was not where it usually is. Two guests ordered iced tea at different times and the server had to do into a dialog - twice - about how it "isn't tea" but they might want to try it anyway - gingeng and ginger. Although the "non-tea" was good, the restaurant should offer traditional brewed iced tea. The pork sandwiches - new to the menu - were just OK with the pork not tender enough to qualify as pulled pork. While the server was accommodating and took time to explain how dishes were prepared, it took a long time to receive food. Desserts were excellent.6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMBeautiful winery location, but...We were only in the Livermore area for a couple of days and the Wente Vineyard was highly recommended in several publications so we put it on our list. The setting was beautiful-- especially the outdoor seating, but we found both of our entrees to be bland and overpriced. If I were to go again, I would get a couple of appetizers and wine and skip the pricey entrees.6/3/2013 12:00:00 AMawesome foodWente did it again...we dined on an outstanding gluten and dairy free meal.6/2/2013 12:00:00 AMLovely lunch on the patioWe really enjoyed a wonderful lunch on the patio. Food was great, our server attentive but not hovering and the setting is gorgeous. Loved it!6/2/2013 12:00:00 AMThe Pork Chop is Brilliant!I have been going to Wente for the past few years and the quality of their service and the flavor of the pork chop is unparalleled! Definitely recommend it!6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMVery enjoyable dinner. ItVery enjoyable dinner. It was warm night so we had dinner on the patio which is always a treat. The food was very good. The wine list has gotten quite pricey. It would be good to see more wines in the $50.00-$60.00 range.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMWeekday LunchI lunched on the outdoor patio with friends. What a perfect setting! The day was beautiful, food very good and service was great.5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMI like this restaurant becauseI like this restaurant because of it's location and ambience. The food is good with a somewhat limited menu. However, the prices should indicate truly superb food; and sadly, they do not5/29/2013 12:00:00 AMBrunch was excellent!We always go to Wente for Mother's Day Brunch. The food is always to die for and the service is great too! I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a fancy dinner or an upscale brunch!5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMThe Restaurant at WenteThe food and service never fail to disappoint. All of the dishes ordered were great, including the pork chop (always a favorite!) sirloin steak and walu Hawaiian fish. The ricotta dip starter is outstanding as well. Wine list is very extensive, with quite a few choices at both the high and low end of the scale. The service was consistent without being intrusive and our server was quick to hear about the birthday we were celebrating and dressed up the dessert for the birthday boy. Very fun! All in all, another great experience -- we will keep coming back to Wente for special occasions.5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMNever fails to pleaseWe have dined at Wente many times - brunch, dinner, special events - doesn't matter, the restaurant never fails to impress. It is one of the places where you could chose your meal completely at random and still be completely happy. I don't think it's possible to get a bad meal here. But it isn't only about the food. The service is consistently excellent and the ambiance outstanding. Highly recommend for a special occasion.5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMWorth the driveEverything is fresh! From the pasta to the herbs to the desserts - its all fresh, most of grown on site and it makes the difference in the flavors and enjoyment of each dish. Couple that with the wine and excellent service staff, this place is worth the drive from San Francisco!5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of my favorite placesI've traveled the world for 30 years and had many fine meals, but Wente remains one of my all time favorites. The flavors are always balanced, with subtle touches that make you want to savor every bite. As you would expect from a winery, the recommended wine pairings are spot on, which can turn a great meal into a very memorable one. The service here is also top notch. Highly recommended!5/23/2013 12:00:00 AMBeautiful setting. One dinerBeautiful setting. One diner liked the smoked pork chop and another was disappointed in it. The crab salad was too salty for our taste.
The caramel flan is outstanding. The fresh fish was good. The setting was relaxed and unhurried.5/23/2013 12:00:00 AMCreative menuEnjoyed the waiters recommendations: Smoked Pork chop and Chicken Panzanella- both amazing! My husband ordered the Pork Chop and after his first bite said he will never be able to order Pork Chops elsewhere- I took some bites and agreed, nothing like ANY Pork chop you've ever have had in your life- trust me on this. I ordered the Panzanella- rarely do I order chicken at a nice restaurant but so glad I did. Perfectly cooked and juicy, the croutons underneath we're soaked in chicken juices, herbs and butter- thought I might die. Dessert was also delish! Service was excellent, and paced perfectly. We were celebrating my husbands birthday and enjoyed every minute.5/20/2013 12:00:00 AMAs a Wente Employee I loveAs a Wente Employee I love coming to the resturant. I always recieve the best service and my friends and family love coming with me.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMAn excellent and pleasantAn excellent and pleasant find for romantic dining in Livermore as well as an opportunity for wine tasting.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AM5 Year AnniversaryWe went to Wente for our five year anniversary dinner. We had our car valet parked and were pleasantly greatly by the hostess. Being a few minutes early for our reservation was no problem and were seated immediately. The sever gave us ample time to review the menu and answered any questions we had. The appetizers, main course, and dessert were excellent. I notified the restaurant that we were celebrating our anniversary and they incorporated that into our dessert. The dessert plate had "Happy 5th Annuversary" written in chocolate syrup. I am eager to go back to this restaurant.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMWente was fantastic as always.Wente was fantastic as always. I walked in with my 10 food allergies and the staff and Chef were great. They prepared the food that best could be altered based on my allergies and it was all delicious! I always feel safe and well cared for at Wente. It is truly a huge treat for me. Two requests: 1. Never take the lamb pastrami off the menu - it's amazing. 2. Please bring the duck confit over potatoes with egg and hollandaise back to brunch - it was literally the BEST meal I have ever eat in my entire life. Thank you!5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMThis restaurant always providesThis restaurant always provides a pleasurable dining experience. While the menu is limited, it is always interesting and constantly changing, with tasty and unique pairings of foods and ingredients. The ambience is always low-key and mellow and service is uniformly high.5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMA hidden gem!Tucked away in the rolling hills sits a beautiful winery with a restaurant; Wente. Arrive an hour before your reservations to walk the grounds or visit the tasting room. We sat outside just before sunset and had the pleasure of seeing 2 deer stroll right in front of our table. The food was superb and the staff was very friendly. Not sure if our waiter was new, but we saw the other wait staff more than him, but we were still well taken care of. We will for sure be returning when we are in town again! Thank you for a wonderful experience.5/13/2013 12:00:00 AMDining in a vineyardThe restaurant is in a beautiful setting, a vineyard at the base of hills. It is a wonderful and relaxed place to have dinner after a round of golf, sipping fine wines and eating good food, with attentive service to match.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMHad a tour and dinner withHad a tour and dinner with my son for Mother's Day ! What a terrific time we had, everyone was so friendly and caring.
Thank you so much, will be back next time I visit from the east coast. The food was so fresh and delicious . Great weather
So we ate outside on the patio with beautiful views.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMThere's not much to say exceptThere's not much to say except that this is a wonderful place to visit and enjoy. Our food (a pork pate and duck/pork pasta) was first rate, well served, attractive and perfect with the chardonnays we ordered (I also had a fine Riesling). The only down side is the fact that the Wente Brothers website, which many of us would consult before driving from some distance, as we did, should really make it very clear that the restaurant is several miles away from the address at the top of the web page, which I used to program my GPS. Fortunately, the restaurant was indulgent when we arrived a bit late.
If you're in the East or South Bay areas this is a great and easy bet, much easier than hoofing it up to Napa/Sonoma.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious delicious deliciousExcellent food, service and local. :-) A bit expensive.5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways a special eveningWente offers always outstanding food at a charming locale with a great wait staff. I usually look at the changing menu online before I go so I can look up what they're fixing...can be a bit pretentious in that way. But the food is always delicious.5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMExceptional DiningThe Restaurant was a great place of dinner. The Food was wonderfully prepared and beautifully plated. The flavor was exceptional. I would recommend it for a lovely anniversary meal.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMNice evening for our anniversaryThe only noise problem was a family with 3 small children who were allowed to scream and holler at will, with no obvious control of the parents. Fortunately they left half way thru our dinner and the restaurant became very quiet and calm, as it usually is. Food and service was excellent as always. Food is always varied, complex and served attractively. Wine and drink list were more than adequate. Our server, Daniel, was very professional, efficient and friendly.5/6/2013 12:00:00 AMWente Sets the Bar Very HighWente continues to set the standard for the ultimate in fine dining. The food was tremendous, but, even more so, the service was beyond amazing. We sat outside and had a great view.
If you want to have the ultimate dining experience, I highly recommend you visit the Restaurant at Wente.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat date outMy girlfriend and I went out for a relaxing dinner in Livermore and have found our new favorite spot. The service was great and the food was amazing. I would definitely recommend the lamb pastrami appetizer. It was delicious.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMPatti's PickI always enjoy the ambiance of Wente's for special occasions as well as lunching/dining with friends. As a retired Livermore Lab employee, I had the pleasure of attending group functions in the restaurant and training sessions in the tasting-room facilities; we were always so well accommodated that we continued to return. I frequented Wente's concerts in years past because they were so accessible and always featured notable artists. For upscale dining, Wente's has always been a local favorite, and I never hesitate to share it with others; and, I will continue to be a devoted patron.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMAnother great dining experienceFood was fantastic, service was good. Can't wait to return for another great dining experience.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat winery restaurantIt's a freestanding building with indoor and outdoor seating, sources a lot of its food locally, and is right next door to it winery tasting room. It's a great setting with great food and pretty good service. Try the signature pork chop if that's something you would enjoy. You can buy Wente wines at the tasting room next door (check operating hours) and ask for a "free corkage" card to bring with you to the restaurant. The restaurant has an excellent winelist of its own consisting of Wente family wines, other local wine, and natoinal/international selections. The setting is spectacular looking out on the Livermore hills, vineyards, and the golf course which comprise the valley floor.5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMmemorableWe had a terrific meal at Wente after we visited the onsite tasting room. My husband had the pork chop which he enjoyed (I loved the polenta and fava beans with the dish.) My duck was tender and delicious. Pastry on the strawberry/rhubarb crostate was tough but the beautiful weather out on the patio made up for any shortcomings.5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMWe have been to Wente manyWe have been to Wente many times, both in therestautant and in the grill, at the golf course. It is ALWAYS a perfect experience and the food is definitly four star plus.
Lunch on the deck under the shade trees is worth going there and the food is a bonus.
Breakfast in the grill is also wonderful.4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMSlightly disappointed thatSlightly disappointed that there was no acknowledgement of the fact that this was a special occasion. 25th wedding anniversary. I mentioned it in my open table reservation, to the receptionist, to the waiter. Wait staff was young-ish & not experienced perhaps. Although it may not be related, at the wine tasting, i noticed that virtually everyone was offered an extra pour at the end of the day except us to empty the bottles. We were also the only non-whites. The wine servers walked around greeting everyone except us. :-(4/28/2013 12:00:00 AMjason was so knowlegable aboutjason was so knowlegable about menu and just very pleasant. The scenery was beautiful and the food was very fresh tasting.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMlocal fave and love outdoorlocal fave and love outdoor seating when weather is nice; food has greatly improved in last couple years. quality from the chef is very, very good and some creative very fresh entrees and salads.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was amazing! TheThe food was amazing! The service was exceptional! We took our kids (13 and 5) and they loved it too. We had a wonderful experience and we will be back again.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMBirthday celebrationWente NEVER fails to provide a beautiful setting with exceptional service and a mouth watering menu. Our waiter, Jason, brought charisma and humor to our birthday celebration not to mention knowledge of the food and wine with helpful suggestions. Our 70 ish birthday girl felt "29" again as indicated on her dessert plate. The birthday boy will eat nothing but the smoked pork chop each time we visit. Thank you for creating such a wonderful experience We will be back and tell all our friends.4/24/2013 12:00:00 AMWe ate outside. It was lovely.We ate outside. It was lovely. The service was great and the food delicious. What more could you want?4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful Anniversary DinnerWe celebrated our anniversary and enjoyed the beautiful scenic views, amazing service and wonderful meal (especially since it was made with local produce and sustainable in mind) and great wine list.4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMCan't miss with this oneGreat food, great service, scenic location and grounds, great place for any occasion.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful atmosphere. LessWonderful atmosphere. Less stuffy and uptight then our last visit. Food was very good (iced tea was slappin). Our servers we great! Can't wait for next time!4/20/2013 12:00:00 AM