Best Neighborhood Gem Restaurants in California

I’m always amazed at the consistency and high level experience at Zaytinya. We had the lunch tasting menu. Probably a total of 15 small plates. All were delicious and creative. Service and timing also impeccable.

Christmas Eve dinner at OEG is a 24-year tradition for my daughter and me. As always, the food was awesome. My daughter and I were quite surprised and disappointed by the lackluster greeting and overall experience when we walked in. The word "dismissive" comes to mind. Because our previous experiences were fabulous, I will look at this visit as a "one-off" one. Merry Christmas and a Happy 2025!!!

We were greeted with a big smile at the front stand and promptly seated. This vibrant spot featured fresh, well-prepared sushi and an array of American and Italian selections. Every dish we selected was excellent. Though the place was packed and the noise level was predictably high, I had requested a quiet table when reserving and we were seated in a private booth complete with a door and coat hooks - the closest thing to our own dining room. The star of the evening was was our server Brian S. He was cheerful, informative, professional, welcoming, and everything one wants to insure a good experience when dining out. Kudos to The Hamilton - everyone got everything right!

We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner at Succotash. We had a nice table in a corner and the service was exceptional. Our server was very attentive, polite and professional. He made sure that the food flowed at an appropriate pace and that our water glasses were always topped off, and the table was kept clean. The food was delicious! I had a salad, catch of the day and hummingbird cake all of which was fantastic. My husband had corn bread and shrimp and grits, which he also thoroughly enjoyed. .

The food and experience were excellent! The ambiance was lovely, and the drinks had a great taste. Highly recommend!