Drakes Sonoma Coast

Review summary

1. M

   Molly

   Seattle5 reviews

   5.0

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   This was our second visit to Drakes. Our first visit was midweek in mid December. Very quiet. Almost no people in the Fireside Lounge. Everything was lovely. A near perfect night. This second visit occurred on a Friday the end of March. The place was packed by the time we arrived at 5:30. We hoped to sit outside by the fire pit & enjoy a cocktail and some of their delicious house made chips & french onion dip. Despite there being available seats, none of the wait staff told us to sit; they merely said "someone will be along shortly to help you." It was not short & when that someone showed up, there was no apology re: the delay. And rather than the attitude of "Let me get you seats, let me make sure a server takes care of you immediately", it was very laissez faire and more "someone will be along shortly" which, of course, they were not. All of this seemed very odd; our first visit we had been doted on; this time we were watching other receive stellar service, but we were ignored. We finally had to request a server! By the time we had placed the order, we needed to go inside for our reservation. Then we encountered a little quirk. We were to pay for the order we'd yet to receive! I commented to the maitre d regarding this and he agreed we'd been treated poorly but did nothing as the server handed me the credit card slip for an order we hadn't received. All of this was so strange! We were also told to wait while they figured out our seating?! We had checked in when we'd arrived. We did get seated and Kelsey served us. And at that point everything began to turn around and we began to experience the same phenomenal service we'd had on our first visit. Without disparaging anyone, Kelsey made it clear we had not received stellar service & that Drake's wanted to own up to that- which they went on to do. We had a delightful time. Everyone has a bad moment; Drake's owned it and made amends. They are a five star restaurant. We will be back.
   

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2. K

   Ken and Lynda VIP

   San Francisco120 reviews

   5.0

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Superb as always. Our go-to place for special occasions. Great food and service. Thanks Kelsey and Kyle for an awesome experience!
   

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3. W

   Wayne

   San Francisco1 review

   4.0

   Dined 5 days ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 3

   The door open to the bar allowed people to roam back and forth through otherwise nice ambience in the dining room to be degraded. Kids roaming thru in sweatshirts, families going who knows where made it distracting. Also, bar sound coming into a relatively quiet dining area was annoying. If you want to be a top rated restaurant, treat your customers better and respect their dining pleasure. Waiter was very pleasant and gave attentive service. Lastly, people that order a bottle of white wine should be brought ice bucket automatically.
   

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4. W

   Wendy VIP

   San Francisco14 reviews

   3.0

   Dined 6 days ago

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 4

   Drake’s has a fantastic view of the bay for a unique dining experience. The Manila Clams are a signature dish that are consistently delicious. I ordered the Rock Cod and was very disappointed in the dish. The fish was served with beets and crème fraiche. While the fish was ok the sides were unappetizing. My husband ordered halibut which was prepared nicely. Overall a pleasant dining experience minus the Rock COD dish.
   

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5. J

   Jane

   Atlanta3 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on 21 March 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   What could be better than a table looking out towards the Pacific? The food and friendly service at Drakes. I enjoyed my evening at Drakes. The marinated beets were sublime. The presentation alone was a work of art! Taking simple ingredients and elevating them by wonderful preparation seems to be a hallmark of this restaurant.. My server Lizette made helpful recommendations that made dinner perfect. This is a lovely place to dine while at Bodega Bay
   

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6. M

   Meridith

   Sacramento16 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on 13 March 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Our server Thomas was absolutely amazing and the food and drinks were perfection. The raw oysters, beet salad, clams and ribeye were all amazing. Complimentary champagne for our 14th year wedding anniversary was the cherry on top!
   

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7. J

   Joseph

   San Francisco5 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on 9 March 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Great food, ambience, service, and a view…what more can you ask for? The bar area and outdoor patio with a fire pit is equally as good.
   

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8. P

   Peter C. VIP

   San Francisco5 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on 8 March 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We so enjoyed our dinner experience at Drake's Sonoma Coast. The food, was delicious. Our service casual and attentive. The views and sunset memorable. We drove over an hour and it was so worth the spectacular journey. There is no question, we will repeat and return!
   

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9. D

   Daniel

   San Francisco8 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on 6 March 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Lovely view of the Bay from any table. Gracious service, and wonderful food. A romantic spot for a special occasion.
   

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10. B

    Brian

    San Francisco21 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 2 March 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4

    Excellent food and service. Noise level is loud. One can hear conversations across the room clearly. Noise buffers are needed. Prices are fair. Wine list is expensive. Good draft beer on tap selection.
    

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