Wence's Restaurant

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Address:
1922 Oak Park Blvd
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523

Neighborhood:
Pleasant Hill

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Cuisine:
Californian

Price: $30 and under

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Wence's Restaurant Details

Dining Style: Casual Dining
Website: http://wencesrestaurant.com
Email: services@wencesrestaurant.com
Phone: (925) 566-8971
Hours of Operation:
Lunch: Daily 11:30am-4:00pm
Dinner: Su-W 4:00pm-9:00pm
Dinner: Th-Sa 4:00-10:00pm
Brunch: Sa-Su 10:00am-4:00pm
Payment Options: AMEX, MasterCard, Visa
Cuisine: Californian
Executive Chef: Gerardo Wence
Dress Code: Casual Dress
Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
Additional Details: Counter Seating, Farm to Table, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking Restaurant, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Personal wines welcome (corkage fee applies), Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine, Wine Bar
Catering: Please inquire at the restaurant about off-site catering.

Getting there

Cross Street: Patterson Blvd
Parking: Private Lot

A word from Wence's Restaurant

WENCE'S Restaurant is a family owned business where we believe even the smallest details matter to ensure every customer is pleased and eager to return. Our friendly staff will provide you with impeccable service and in the back you will find Chef Gerardo Wence and his highly skilled staff… preparing you an outstanding meal!Continued

Foodspotting photos

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Awards voted by OpenTable diners

Diners' Choice WinnerCalifornian
Diners' Choice WinnerNeighborhood Gem

Diner Reviews

"As we were driving up to the place. we could hear the diners inside! I thought, "Uh Oh, this is gonna be ear splitting." But we went in anyway and enjoyed the meal even if we did have to shout at each other to hear. We ordered crab cakes to start and they were very good. I got a cheeseburger with a salad and it was very good. The salad was extra delicious because the dressing was so fresh and flavorful. For desert we ordered bread pudding. It was ok. Should have ordered tiramisu. I will go back and try something else and hopefully it will not be so loud. BTW, our server, Courtney was great."
Dined on 4/12/2014
"The food at Wence's is always creative, beautifully served, and delicious. Service can be a little slow, but it's worth the wait. I really wish they would expand the wine list."
Dined on 4/11/2014
"Great salads just the right dressings. Relaxing time not rushed.excellent service.Caesar salad delicious"
Dined on 4/10/2014
"So the food was OK. Don't bother making an RSVP because even with a reservation, they run VERY late. Also, the owner gives people the menu while they are waiting so that they can quickly order. Then after a 30min wait (past reservation) she walks around looking at everyone to see who will finish quickly...Waitress asked us as we sat down what we wanted to order and drink...then checking back every minute, THEN brought us our bill as we were still eating our entree. Very rushed. Not very kid-friendly or date night. BUT the food for the price was reasonable (like $23 entree, special of the day - Halibut $28, Appetizers $8-$10. Overall, not a great experience mostly due to the way its run."
Dined on 4/4/2014
"Fish tacos seem like the fish was fried but did not say that on the menu. Pretty greasy. Tuna melt was good flavor but there was minimal tuna on the sandwich, mostly bread and lots of lettuce. Fries were supposed to be done crispy but they came pretty soft. Not as good as previous visits. Hope it is not going downhill. Service was ok but the music is loud and no response to repeated requests to lower it."
Dined on 4/3/2014
"I chose it when it first opened because it is close to my camera club meeting place. But after going there several times I realized how much I like it, and convinced other camera club members to meet me there sometimes. It has become so popular now that I have to make a reservation. I'm glad. One downside - the menu doesn't change much over time. Of course, that's an upside too, because I know I get things I like."
Dined on 4/3/2014
"Dinner was excellent. Wine list so so and tables are way too close together. But our dishes were so good it almost didn't matter"
Dined on 3/27/2014
"The food was excellent. Our appetizers included white truffle Mac N Cheese and pan fried crab cakes filled with Dungeness crab meat. For entrees we chose seared white sea bass and chicken scallopini. All were delicious. The menu offers a wide selection with a number of other meat, poultry, seafood, and pasta dishes. Service was friendly and efficient and prices reasonable We dined here on Christmas Eve, so the restaurant was not real crowded and thus not noisy"
Dined on 12/24/2013
"My wife and I usually drop in for dinner on Friday nights, but decided to grab lunch on Saturday instead. As usual, the food was great, service awesome and as a result, we will dropping in for lunch more often."
Dined on 3/22/2014
"Been here a number of times. Great food at reasonable prices. Last time seated 45 minutes after our reservation time (we were early). Ordered entrees only and another 45 minutes. That was probably the slowest experience to date but it always slow. It's a small and pretty loud place when busy. Although I heard they are moving next door in the strip mall to a larger location."
Dined on 3/7/2014
"Wonderful dinner. Recommendations- Wence's Chicken Gorgonzola, Cajun Chicken Jambalaya-perfect blend of spices & just the right amount of "heat", Special Grilled Lamb Chops in Cabernet sauce- perfectly cooked with crisp green beans and potatoes. All good size portions. Caesar Salad huge. Presentation of the food was beautiful, you could see the care given to the wonderful food. The waitress was terrific. It was a treat to be able to sit and catch-up with friends without feeling rushed. Great wine list. YES we will be going back there soon."
Dined on 3/5/2014
"Treated us great. My father is not very mobile and the took very good care of us. Food was incredible. Our group of 7 had 7 finicky eaters. All were happy with their selection which was a first for us."
Dined on 2/28/2014
"We shared a delicious artichoke salad, then my husband had salmon and I had swordfish. The vegetables were particularly amazing!"
Dined on 2/15/2014
"The waitress was slow and unresponsive. Refilled my water one time. Never asked if I wanted a second drink. The appetizer was a crab dish with avocado and some sauces. The crab was the most bland thing I have ever eaten in my life. It was like textured water. Very disappointed. The biggest thing was the time. It took 45 minutes to get our ap and another 30 to get our main. I had sea bass and my girlfriend had the pork chop. Mine was fine, the mussels and clams with it were cooked well. The broth was tasty . GF's pork chop was pretty mundane. not bad, not good. Given the price tag (which is what we expected) $85 for 1 ap, 2 mains and a beer we were very disappointed. Maybe we're just not quite there yet out here in Pleasant Hill."
Dined on 2/17/2014
"We were seated promptly when we arrived. The food and service were excellent, as always! They had a special Valentine's Dinner menu, which made it all the more special. This was a perfect choice for a romantic Valentine's dinner."
Dined on 2/14/2014
"We were there on St. Valentine's Day, for which Wence's had a special menu. Lamb chops were quite good and prepared perfectly; the sauce was a bit heavy. My wife's filet ordered rare came medium, but the server quickly corrected this error; the steak and lobster were quite good then. Crowded (although we were seated promptly), noisy, mediocre wine list at best. Clearly a neighborhood favorite, but I've now been there and that's fine."
Dined on 2/14/2014
"My wife and I were thouroughly impressed with every aspect of our late afternoon lunch time experience on Valentines Day. The menu choices are varied and can please any palate. We focused our menu choices around seafood ordering the calamari and coconut jumbo shrimp for appetizers, and we shared the fish tacos and prawns tacos. My wife had a wonderful Russian River Chardonay. We would recommend this dining experience for all of our friends. We will return!"
Dined on 2/14/2014
"It was Valentine's Day and the waitresses were dressed in black with red heart ties, and were friendly. The roasted artichoke was divine, had a smokey flavor and was very tender. The chicken scallopini was tender and flavorful. It was served with an individual portion of scalloped potatoes that were creamy and delicious. The vegetables were fresh and cooked just right. The chicken pasta gorgonzola was very tasty. The sauce was creamy and the chicken was plentiful. The food was excellent. The wine on the other hand was not. We ordered a zinfandel by the glass and thought it tasted to tart, maybe a bottle would have been better. Overall a good experience and we would go there again."
Dined on 2/14/2014
"Creative dishes, beautifully prepared, with enjoyable flavors. We enjoy the small Outdoor seating area."
Dined on 2/13/2014
"Overall I was very disappointed with my meal. We've been to Wence's on a couple other occasions and really enjoyed it, my hope is they were just not prepared for a Valentine's Day crowd. -- 8pm reservations and we were seated at 830pm -- Our initial bread basket was thrown together with only three heels of bread -- My chicken saltimbocca was wrapped in a thick piece of breakfast ham (maybe I missed it on the menu, but I assumed it should be prosciutto) -- Chicken and potato came out piping hot, while the vegetables on the plate were luke warm (at best) -- Servers all seemed frazzled and rushed Again I hope this was an aberration as we've enjoyed ourselves in the past. We'll probably be back, just not at a busy time."
Dined on 2/14/2014
"First time there went after reading reviews. The sea bass with shrimp, chorizo, clams and mussels was Fabulous"
Dined on 2/7/2014
"Have been here a number of times. The hostess recognizes us when we come in. The menu is varied and the food is good. Friendly service, just a bit loud. They are planning to expand the restaurant and say the new room will be quieter."
Dined on 1/25/2014
"We decided to check out Wence's which replaced another neighborhood restaurant. The food was outstanding. The lobster chowder special was as rich and filling as advertised. The sea scallop special was also very good. Who'd have thought of brie with the apples on pork chops? Delicious. Lots of other items on the menu that we want to try. We'll probably return sooner rather than later. BTW, it is a little loud, but word is they are looking at expanding into the adjoining space and are hoping that will help."
Dined on 1/25/2014
"We enjoyed our first time at Wence's. It is a casual restaurant in a small strip mall. The service was amazing, and the food was good. The portions are generous but not too much. The nightly soup, a lobster chowder was delicious. We will go back. Only drawback... a little loud in the middle of the restaurant."
Dined on 1/25/2014
"Food was good, however, went for cioppino as advertised and found that it was only served as a special infrequently. Noise level is very high and difficult to hear anything!!"
Dined on 1/11/2014
"Lots of bland food except the fries, my favorite, wine was pricey for Wente. Service was excellent Very noisy place"
Dined on 1/9/2014
"My wife and I have tried several restaurants in the Walnut Creek & Pleasant Hill area. Wence's has become our new favorite. The food is delicious, the service is quick and the staff is always very professional & courteous. It does get very busy and tends to get a little loud. I figure it's because everyone is happy with their food. If in the area, definitely check it out."
Dined on 7/2/2013
"The food service and atmosphere were quite enjoyable great options on menu and the house sangria was very tasty"
Dined on 1/3/2014
"We celebrated my birthday here this past Saturday. It was our first time to the restaurant. We had made a reservation for our party and was seated promptly when we arrived. The service was good and the staff was helpful and friendly. The food was good and reasonably priced for the portion sizes they served. Our table had mostly seafood (salmon, halibut, sea bass, & seafood pasta - everyone loved their food). One person had the rib eye steak (he said he thought that was good as well). My husband ordered the surf & turf...he said he thought it was just okay (the lobster tail was a little over cooked and the sirloin was a little tough). Over all 5 out of 6 people loved their food. I would definitely go back."
Dined on 1/4/2014
"We have been to Wences a number of time and the food is always excellent, as it was again this time which was New Year's Eve. We dined early - 6:30 reservations. Just one oddity. We had finished out main course and ordered desert. We got the waitresses attention to order decaf coffees with out desert. She came back in a couple of minutes and said "we're out of coffee". I thought she meant the pot was empty and they would need to brew a fresh pot, which would have been fine. We weren't in any rush and it was still early. She said "No, it's not that. We don't have any decaf to brew. We're out of coffee." It is hard to imagine how that could happen, given coffee is not a "perishable" like dairy items or meat. Very odd."
Dined on 12/31/2013
"Wence's is a local small business that provides a much needed change from large chain "themed" restaurants. Food is cooked fresh - not reheated as in so many chains. The menu provides a nice variety including fresh fish, pasta, fat pork chop, steak, great hamburger, great wedge salad (I just wish the price was lower on this item), mussels, and more!!! Let me just say there is something for everyone including my 83 year old mother, 3 year old grandson and 30-something kids. It truly is a neighborhood gem!"
Dined on 11/23/2013
"Went to Wences on Christmas Eve with my mother in law and my husband. Our table was ready right when we arrived. Service was excellent. Our waiter was helpful and knowledgeable. My water glass was never empty for more than a minute (which is impressive b/c I drink A LOT of water!) Food was outstanding! We shared the fish tacos (highly recommended!), sliders, fish and chips, onion rings and a bowl of Chicken enchilada soup. We also enjoyed a sake margarita. Too bad they don't have a liquor license - only beer and wine available. So exciting to find this little place right in our backyard!! We will be back for sure."
Dined on 12/24/2013
"We keep bringing new friends to eat at Wences and it never disappoints. The food is delicious and the service is the right amount of attentive."
Dined on 12/21/2013
"We had a very nice anniversary dinner at Wence's on Friday night. We had 7:00 PM reservations, but they were quite busy and we had to wait about 20 minutes for our table to be ready. No big deal, as we ran into some friends that by coincidence had reservations and had to wait, so we talked for a bit until the tables were ready, and we were in no rush. The food exceeded our expectations as always, and the wait staff is always so friendly. We will definitely continue to return to Wence's. We are so fortunate to have a gem of a restaurant like this right here in Pleasant Hill!"
Dined on 12/13/2013
"We went here with some out of town guests and they are looking forward to visiting again and going to Wence's."
Dined on 12/14/2013
"Have eaten here before. Food is terrific. More common items are done with an unusual flair (e.g., fish and chips, pasta dishes). Some items, particularly seafood dishes, arrive with the entire table saying "wow". That happened the other night with the "crab stack" and the sea bass. Portions are very generous. All round the food is wonderful and the wait staff very attentive without hovering. The one significant problem is the noise level, very noticeable whether the restaurant is totally full, as it was when we arrived, or has few diners, as it was by the time we left. Not sure if it is the hard surfaces, the closeness of the tables or what, but there is substantial ambient din making conversation -- even with the wait staff -- a challenge."
Dined on 11/30/2013
"I continue to recommend this wonderful neighborhood restaurant! The food and service are always fantastic!"
Dined on 11/22/2013
"Was really looking forward to trying this place and am so disappointed. Everything was great, food, service, wine prices but the NOISE !!! We met some friends who we wanted to catch up with and couldn't talk at all.... granted it was a 6 o'clock seating so we knew we would run into the kid factor which was ok because we all love kids but the acoustics are just horrible... outside dining would probably be quieter but I don't like to eat with car fumes wafting over me and the tables are really close to the parking lot which is busy. It's really a shame..... the owners need to get some sound experts in there to see what can be done to the walls and floor to absorb the noise...will maybe try a mid week lunch sometime."
Dined on 11/22/2013
"Restaurant was so loud at dinner that 4 people couldn't talk without yelling across the table. Food was great but generally I like to be able to converse when I'm out at dinner and on this night, that was impossible."
Dined on 11/22/2013
"So glad we have a local restaurant that has great food and wonderful service."
Dined on 11/20/2013

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