Best Restaurants for Special Occasions in Santa Clara

Salvador, our chef, was incredible! He was very engaging with our family, and my toddler especially loved his fun tricks. Tracy, our server, was fantastic—attentive and always making sure our water was filled. She even went the extra mile to make my little one’s chopsticks easier to use, which we really appreciated! If you’re looking for a great time, mid-afternoon is the perfect time to visit for a delicious meal.

We went for a belated Valentine’s Day celebration and they still had their Valentine’s Day pre-fix menu, so we ordered that plus a few extra appetizers and drinks. The overall experience was fantastic — from the ambience of the dining room to the food and drinks, and the wonderful service! Appetizers: - Seared scallops with beetroot risotto - the scallops were delicious but a tiny bit tough to the bite. The red risotto was on point, especially the color for Valentine’s Day. - Maitake mushrooms - deep fried to perfection. If I didn’t know they were mushrooms, I would have thought this dish tasted like fried oysters from the famous Clam Box in Ipswich, MA. - jumbo cocktail shrimp - the shrimp was indeed jumbo; there were five whole pieces of shrimp Mains: - surf and turf - large lobster (delicious!) and prime bone-in ribeye (upgrade, totally worth it, so tender and well-cooked!) - side of asparagus - large pieces, boiled. - side of truffle mashed potatoes (upgrade) - portion isn’t large for the price, but it was delicious! Dessert was the pre-fix menu dessert - chocolate tarte with alcohol-infused blueberry. The blueberry was very interesting and unique. Drinks - the suggested drink pairing (berry bliss?) was fantastic!

We are a bit biased, we love Left Bank. We've had lovely meals here, with family from out of town, just the two of us on an anniversary or in this case, on Valentine's Day. We were there for lunch and the food tastes great. The only thing that was maybe a bit disappointing was that there wasn't any Valentine's Day decor. I would have expected a bit more ambiance for the occasion. I was pleased with myself that I reserved for lunch, to avoid the large crowd at dinner. It felt less rushed. The waiter was able to answer questions about the menu. I was also a bit surprised that there were no special Valentine's Day additions to the menu.

**A Wonderful Dining Experience at Il Fornaio - Santa Clara!** Our dinner at Il Fornaio - Santa Clara was made extra special by our fantastic server, John Orrock. From the moment we sat down, John greeted us with a warm smile and genuine friendliness. He was incredibly attentive, ensuring that everything was perfect throughout our meal. What truly impressed us was that he even remembered my husband from a visit a year ago—such a personal touch! The food was absolutely delicious! My seafood linguine was a standout—the prawns and scallops were huge, perfectly cooked, and bursting with flavor. Every bite was a treat! Great food, amazing service, and a welcoming atmosphere—thank you, John, for making our evening so memorable. We’ll definitely be back!

My new favorite spot in San Jose! The service is consistently excellent! Each dish is so flavorful and hand made! I had the lobster bisque and shrimp and crab Cobb salad. The bisque was perfectly flavored and not salty…the Cobb was a generous portion and excellent dressing. My server was so professional which made lunch even tastier! I will be coming back soon!