Best Romantic Restaurants in Orinda

Lovely dinner to celebrate a friend's birthday. We sat out on the outdoor patio which was nice and cozy despite the chilly weather that evening. Our server Arlene was friendly and gracious, providing the right level of attentiveness and interaction. The food was delicious as well. I love a good moules frites and the mussels were nice and plump and the fries were perfectly salted. It appeared there were other parties also celebrating birthdays the same night so if you are looking to have a good meal in a nice atmosphere, Reve Bistro is a great choice.

Locanda Poitano Keeps raising prices for the same dishes. My favorite dish has gone from 17.95 to 26.95 in past months. 2023-2024. Where does it end? When doses this restaurant start to give value to its customers? Sitting outside in the rain recently was not a GREAT experience. Water was not being controlled around the edges of the entries into the restaurant.

Excellent all around. Savory chanterelles with pasta dish went well with other starters. Drinks well described and delicious. Appreciate the flow of conversation enabled by the sound panels in the ceiling.

Your prototypical neighborhood restaurant and bar that’s achieved something of a landmark status over the years (thus, attracting patrons and actual tourists from greater distances) for serving hearty meals, providing warm attentive service (by waitstaff, some of who have decades of tenure) and by offering a level of conviviality, bonhomie and ambience that makes you feel as if you’re dining with family and friends. Please forgive the evident bias in my review. I’ve been a proud “member” of The Casa (as it’s known by we locals) Family since 1971.

One of our favorite “neighborhood” restaurants for a dinner that is classy without breaking the bank. Great cocktails, wide selection of appetizers, pasta, and entrees — well prepared and nicely presented. The bacalao (salt cod) appetizer tonight was outstanding, the cod like little puffs of cloud on top of polenta cubes. There’s something for everyone, whether they like meat, fish, or vegetarian stuff. The vibe is casual but you definitely feel transported out of daily life (to an Italian trattoria?) and well taken care of. My one caveat is that the pasta servings are on the small side, but I guess that’s better for my health. 😆