Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant at The Culinary Institute of AmericaAmazingPossibly one of the best meals I have ever had, so fresh and innovative!5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMHit and missGreystone on the whole is fabulous. But the menu changes and old favorites are often gone the next time you dine.
Our experience this time was great except for the dessert.
We ordered the sampler which included 4 tastes from the menu.
Except for the ice cream they were awful.
We visited the culinary center the next day and saw amazing
Desserts there. Not sure why these were not served in the
Restaurant.5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMBucket ListI have been wanting to visit Greystone Restaurant at The Culinary Institute of America for as long as I can remember. I finally had my chance and was not disappointed. Everything was superb. The service was excellent. We were able to sit at the bar to enjoy a cocktail before our meal, where we enjoyed watching the chefs work their magic. Our meal was fantastic and we completely enjoyed our evening at Greystone. I'd highly recommend it to anyone visiting the Napa/St. Helena area.5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMPerfectionOne of the best dining places in the upper Valley!5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMService was ExcellentWe "got" the CIA teaching experience. The food was creative, but not quite on par with some of the finer restaurants. Our waitress was very friendly and knowledgeable about the food and food prep. The bus people and food expediters were all over the place and very efficient. There was very little "personality" or "warmth" from the people working there. No real greeting at the door, etc. The staff seemed intent on providing good service, but did not interact with the clientele very much. Overall a "good" experience, but not a "great" one.5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMBeautiful Grounds, Wonderful LunchWe visited the culinary institute on a Sunday. Unfortunately, our lunch reservation was right when a demonstration at the Spice Islands Market was about to begin ! Our lunch was a wonderful Price Fix menu with crab cake appetizer, soup ( chilled pea) or salad, Chicken Skirt Steak or Trout, and a deconstructed Blueberry Cheesecake or Strawberry Salad. The dining room is part of the mansion, with stone walls and wrought iron window bars.
The food was excellent, but there was a lag between courses. It was almost an hour and a half experience. I would recommend that anyone visiting St Helena drop in for a visit. Unfortunately, the Illy cafe Bakery is undergoing remodeling for the busy season. It will be welcome, the center was not very busy .5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMLunch was wonderful!We try to visit the restaurant when we get to Napa. I find visiting for lunch is normally a good time to visit. The food was very good as was the wine we selected.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMWine swapI was not happy with the first glass of wine I ordered, so I requested a different wine. The waitress was happy to replace my wine, no questions asked. Then the manager came over and apologized for the fact that I did not like the first wine. I had been worried about how they would handle it, but it couldn't have been handled better!5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMWhat a great experience.....watchinWhat a great experience.....watching students finish their semester on the job, preparing wonderful dishes. The service was attentive and friendly. Food was wonderful.....the short rib was delicious and so tender, no knife needed. Definately will revisit!4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMMost of the cooking and waitingMost of the cooking and waiting is done by students, so don't expect a Michelin star experience. Having said that, I loved it! Everyone was extremely attentive and polite, and the food was delicious. Plus the price is very good considering what you get.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was deliciously uniqueFood was deliciously unique and wine pairing was perfect. Service was outstanding. I commend you on your training. The staff is wonderfully responsive and accommodating. I live out of state, but am a return customer to Greystone. A visit to the wine country is just not complete without dinner at Greystone. Kudos to you for your continued high standards over the years.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMOverall fun experience withOverall fun experience with open kitchen.
Scenic drive to restaurant. Enjoyed the food experience. Very pleased & not overly expensive.4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMBeautiful food excellent serviceFood was excellent. Presentation was outstanding from the soup to the dessert. Servers were very enthusiastic and answered our questions about the menu completely and to our satisfaction. It was noisy not energetic, but with such a large room and so many people, I suppose that is to be expected. When I am in the area again I will make reservations for the CIA.4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMThe patio was quiet. ExcellentThe patio was quiet. Excellent view, especially if you sit near the railing. The inside area was extremely noisy and the place was not even filled to capacity. The food was savory and creative on every count! Unfortunately, the coffee was extremely disappointing. That is the only thing that wasn't up to par.4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMQuiet dinner at the instituteFood was great! We went for a late dinner in the off season of the Napa Valley. Little quiet but very nice to be able to speak to the students about their program. Would definitely recommend for a meal, maybe better for lunch between wine tastings.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMI've dined at the Hyde ParkI've dined at the Hyde Park CIA which was a wonderful experience. Dining at Greystone was just as wonderful, perhaps even better since we were seated at the the table where we could observe the chefs-in-training! Fabulous food; fabulous experience. It was really a treat for all four of us; one lactose intolerant and another who is gluten intolerant!4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMGreystone at the CIA is justGreystone at the CIA is just an incredible experience from driving up to the castle itself, the food, service, ambiance - everything. Their meals are always top notch and innovative. You can't possibly go wrong.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMSuperb service and great ambiance.Superb service and great ambiance. Food was very nicely presented and good, but not great.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMSite was beautiful, serviceSite was beautiful, service was great, food was okay. Disappointing based on reputation and expectations. Ordered from professional chefs portion of menu, not student's prix fixe, so there really aren't any excuses. Took an hour and a half to get entree, delivered to table by manager, no explanations, no apologies...4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMHaving been to a culinaryHaving been to a culinary school myself, I understand what CIA is all about. The food and service are well worth the money. Wine list was expensive by Napa standards but overall the experience was great.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat meal, and our serverGreat meal, and our server was attentive and very knowledgable of the items on the menu...it was great to be ab le to sit outdoors and enjoy the scenic view of the vineyards across the street.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMAs you would expect, the knowAs you would expect, the know what they are doing and they do it well. Had a wonderful meal, service and experience from start to finish. They menu was varied enough to offer everyone in our party what they wanted.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMevery aspect of the food wasevery aspect of the food was excellent. lovely service. definitely on our repeat list.4/10/2013 12:00:00 AMA Gem of a getaway for food loversMy wife and I dined at Greystone for our honeymoon up to Napa. It was recommended by her cousin as a great place for food, fantastic price, and a beautiful experience. I cannot even say how much better than that was our experience. The atmosphere is absolutely amazing - open concept with the students cooking in the middle of the restaurant, students serving the tables, and a fabulous wine list. We had the staff recommend a few wines to taste with our meals and it was delightful. They showered us with complimentary glasses of champagne to celebrate our wedding.
We will definitely be going back here on our next trip to Napa. What a wonderful design and an affordable meal even for those on a budget for a nice meal.4/10/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food & kitchen viewingNice menu good. Mix of great and good food. Given the kitchen can be viewed my dinners, it is great fun to watch the staff and students in the kitchen. One of the highlights of our trip to the Napa Valley.4/10/2013 12:00:00 AMSpectacular. Perhaps becauseSpectacular. Perhaps because it is a working professional school, the focus and joy evident on the faces and demeanor of the staff permeates the entire experience. Almost every dish was on point, and obviously made with care and devotion. Although pricey, one gets far more than the normal sometimes indifferent service and culinary artistry of most fine restaurants. Here the students are a wonder to behold, and their work very praiseworthy. I would eat here every day if I could afford it!4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMCapt. Jack's food adventureWith ever changing "student" specials, the Greystone is an enjoyable adventure in dining.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMFive Star ExperienceTruly an amazing place. Five star service and dining without the price. Our service was excellent - some of the best I ever had. They know how to make you feel like you are their only customer. The food was excellent and the serving portions just right. We enjoyed talking with the students who served us and hearing their experiences as students (we asked them to share). Overall it is one of the best dining experiences I've had. I highly recommend going here. While I said the noise level was energetic - it was not loud. We could carry on a conversation with ease. The ambiance is very welcoming and warm. Definitely a must go and experience place.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMWhat an outstanding experience!What an outstanding experience! Not just great food and excellent service, we got the opportunity to meet our student chefs and thank them personally for the wonderful meal!
There is no doubt in our minds that a future visit to Napa will include another visit to this fine restaurant.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMWe have been to GreystoneWe have been to Greystone several times and have yet to be disappointed. These up-and-coming chefs and restaureurs are AWESOME. Kudos again to Wine Spectator's Greystone Restaurant!!4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMThe CIA is always wonderful.The CIA is always wonderful. Thursday was no exception.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food and service wereThe food and service were outstanding! The Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant is a must visit!4/2/2013 12:00:00 AMThe appetizers were good;The appetizers were good; all of our main entrees were excellent. Our server. Crisandra, was friendly and professional. A very enjoyable evening.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent overall experience.Excellent overall experience. Outstanding food and service. Great overall setting. Really fun time with family!3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful experience. WeWonderful experience. We had the 4 course prefix with wine paring. It was so good we went back the next day for lunch and brought friends!3/27/2013 12:00:00 AMNice dinner!entrees took a long time and no one came to apologize otherwise nice dinner. Not very happy about the service charge they have now imposed. We were only a party of 3. We considered it a tip even though we were told it wasn't.3/27/2013 12:00:00 AMMy daughter and I had oneMy daughter and I had one of our best dining experiences here. I would come back again without hesitation. The staff were great. The food was amazing. As you looked around the restaurant you could tell everyone in there was having a heavenly culinary experience. The atmosphere was relaxed. We didn't feel rushed. The waiter was attentive to our table needs without being overbearing. Only wish we lived closer so we could come here more often. Thank you to the students for making our culinary experience a very memorable one.3/26/2013 12:00:00 AMwe had the students prix fix.we had the students prix fix. this was the first night it was offerred.
the student staff was excellent. the food was devine the wine was excellent. we had a bit of a wait in between the appetizer and main, but you could tell they were doing their very best.
i think considering this was a new menu all in all we had an excellent evening.3/26/2013 12:00:00 AMThe only part about the wholeThe only part about the whole experience that needs to be improved is the size of the entrees.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent! The food choicesExcellent! The food choices were inventive and the preparation was spot on. The food was brought to you in a timely manner. The staff was friendly, courteous and very efficient. The wine list was varied with a nice price range of wines. The ambience was good. We would definitely return and recommend it to our friends.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMI'll miss not eating here anymoreI've dined here many times and now reguardless of the number in your party they add gratuity. Don't get me wrong I always tip and tip well for good service but I am NOT a fan of this. Everytime I've dined out where the tip is included I lose out on good service. If the staff is guaranteed a good tip then what is there to work for??? Before I knew the tip was included I mentioned to the other party with me, "wow the service isn't what it usually is" when I got my check I knew why. I always in courage proper tipping and support good tips for great service but somewhere some how this place forgot it is optional. Anyway, I've eaten here at least 10 times in the last 1 1/2 years and sad to say my last time because the food really is good.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMI've eaten many times at theI've eaten many times at the Greystone and always had a good meal. The menu changes and has plenty of choices. Try the sampler appetizer with 5 little samples that changes daily.3/20/2013 12:00:00 AMNot inexpensive, but nothingNot inexpensive, but nothing in Napa is! Food and service was business like. The only negative was that there were a couple of children that were screaming and running around.
This was my second trip there and I would still go back, but I have to say that there are other restaurants in the area that are suberb.3/20/2013 12:00:00 AMCIA - great food for all.What more can you say about CIA that hasn't been said before. Outstanding food,service and selections. Special features - go and enjoy
Something for everybody. Truly an enjoyable afternoon.3/19/2013 12:00:00 AMJose is an amazing host.Jose is an amazing host. He has been our server several times and we always have a fabulous experience with him.
We also love the annual wine auction special.
thank you!3/19/2013 12:00:00 AMWe really liked the attentivenessWe really liked the attentiveness of every employee in the restaurant. They were alert and actively making sure everything was taken care of for the diners. The food was delicious and its presentation was excellent. The dessert sampler was not up to par. We look forward to returning and trying other menu selections.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMThe trio of appetizers andThe trio of appetizers and the ending trio of sweets were beautifully prepared and elegantly presented. My entree was a little late, and the manager bought my dessert! Wine carefully chosen in the pairing for the menu of the evening, and delicious. Portion sizes allowing to leave feeling satisfied and not stuffed to bursting, which is a major plus for me!3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMCIA is just a must experienceCIA is just a must experience for any wine country traveler. Servers are actually chefs-in-training and they are very cordial/chatty/pleasant. Preparations go on right in the same room with about 5-6 chefs cooking at the same time so it's quite noisy, but worth it.3/13/2013 12:00:00 AMHave been many times and alwaysHave been many times and always had a GREAT meal, but this time was not the best. It wasn't bad, but two of us ordered the Swordfish and it just didn't have any flavor, another ordered the abalone and expected it to be seared (warm) but it was ice cold so that was a bit of a dissappoinment. The dessert was outstanding - pumpkin spice cake3/13/2013 12:00:00 AMWe absolutely love it here.We absolutely love it here. They were out of our first wine choice but the second option was just as good. We were a tad disappointed with the duck, but for the most part it was excellent.2/3/2013 12:00:00 AM