Diners' Choice: Neighborhood gem restaurants in Marin

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for the best restaurants that are the best neighborhood gems in Marin? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Valenti & Co. Ristorante

4.9

4.9 (845)

$31 to $50

Italian

San Anselmo

About the restaurant

Welcome to Valenti & Co, Northern Italian Restaurant and Wine Bar in San Anselmo. Farm-fresh Italian Cuisine, thoughtfully sourced local ingredients and wines.

Top review

Joseph

Dined 3 days ago

Wonderful warm service. Used to live in northern Italy for years and this reminds me of many good meals I had there in hill towns and Milan. A place to remember and return to.

Amélie Café and Wine Bar

4.8

4.8 (51)

$30 and under

French

Fairfax

About the restaurant

the Marin edition of Amelie
with large patio, enjoy our baked organic French goods: croissant baguette tarte
our french chef prepares a farm to table brunch, lunch and dinner
and a wine list curated by French sommelier and winemaker offering many options by the glass and bottle with a focus on French wine

Top review

Sarah

Dined on Nov 26, 2024

Super, we love this little spot of france in fairfax

Piazza D'Angelo

4.7

4.7 (2073)

$31 to $50

Italian

Mill Valley

About the restaurant

Piazza D’Angelo is a family run Italian trattoria located in the heart of downtown Mill Valley. With a bustling bar scene and a natural light-soaked dining room, Piazza D'Angelo evokes a Southern Italian dining experience with a unique sense of home comfort.

Enjoy a variety of fresh pastas, wood-fired pizzas, antipasti, as well as fresh fish, prime meats and our signature tiramisu.

We offer two patios for al fresco dining, a wood-burning pizza oven, a full service bar, and private dining spaces for your social or business gathering.

Named after the restaurant's location right on the piazza of downtown Mill Valley, Piazza D'Angelo is an ode to Southern Italian trattorias - family owned, rustic neighborhood restaurants that serve fresh, unassuming, locally-sourced delicious food.

Grazie!

Top review

Tina

Dined 4 days ago

Always a great local experience that feels a bit like being in Italy.

Marché Restaurant

4.6

4.6 (1686)

$31 to $50

Farm-to-table

Ross

About the restaurant

Marché is situated in the quaint town of Ross in the heart of beautiful Marin County. We are named for the farmer's markets of southern France where chefs and restauranteurs visit seeking inspiration and ingredients for the meals they will serve each day. We are a French/Italian inspired, California contemporary farm-to-fork restaurant and feature produce, meat and seafood from local purveyors to help us create our delicious seasonal dishes. We have a diverse wine and beer selection sourced from local and international small production wineries to accompany your meal.

Dining is available inside the cozy dining room and on our charming open-air patio.

Reservations are recommended. For parties of 7 or more people, please contact the restaurant by emailing info@marchemarin.com or by calling 415-925-9200. We look forward to seeing you!

Top review

MarieVIP

Dined 7 days ago

Charming neighborhood restaurant in Ross. Dan Baker’s food is absolutely outstanding, top notch! Love the patio during good weather…it’s the best one in Marin County!

Discover more

Popular dish

Roasted Whole Cauliflower

4.6

4.6 (2156)

$30 and under

American

Larkspur

About the restaurant

Perry’s on Magnolia brings Larkspur an outpost of the Union Street original, following the same combination of all-American favorite fare and comfortable, welcoming service that Perry’s first made a San Francisco hallmark in 1969. The décor is warm – featuring the trademark blue and white checked table cloths, framed memorabilia and rich mahogany bar.

Perry’s is known today, as much as ever, for its classic American food, its warm personable service and its fun, bustling bar. Perry’s traditional yet innovative menu includes a wide variety of sandwiches, salads, pastas, steaks and grilled fresh fish.

Top review

Casey

Dined 1 day ago

We had a wonderful waiter!!! He just made the whole experience so enjoyable. That feeling actually started st the front when we checked in. As always, Perry’s looked festive and beautiful. I took my 6 year old granddaughter and the crayons and coloring menu were a big hit.

Discover more

The Speakeasy/Boardroom Novato

4.6

4.6 (35)

$31 to $50

American

Novato

About the restaurant

Situated in Novato, The Boardroom harks back to the Old Chicago Restaurants, serving as a favorite spot for locals to dine, drink, and socialize. Our menu, crafted from the freshest ingredients, promises to introduce bold and inspiring flavors to your palate. Join us today.

Top review

dan

Dined 1 day ago

Wonderful hidden gem in Novato. On Friday and Saturday nights they have a pianist. The atmosphere is very glam! Feels like old Hollywood. Food is wonderful. Service is wonderful. Highly recommend.

The Lighthouse Bar & Grill

4.5

4.5 (463)

$30 and under

American

Mill Valley

About the restaurant

It all started in 1992, when Annette and Gerner Andresen opened the Lighthouse Café in Sausalito in its present form. The Andresens, both born in Denmark, had recently immigrated to the U.S., and along with them they brought the Scandinavian flair for simplicity, good quality and tasty food. The café has over the years become famous for its breakfast and lunch, with American classics like good old-fashioned burgers and a great selection of omelets, along with Scandinavian classics like Danish Meatballs or Norwegian Salmon. Now with four restaurants, The Bar & Grill offers Brunch Lunch & Dinner.

Top review

Samuel

Dined on Dec 7, 2024

A fun evening with karaoke. The service and food were exceptional. A fun place to dine.

Monk's Kettle Terra Linda

4.5

4.5 (53)

$30 and under

American

San Rafael

About the restaurant

The Monk’s Kettle Terra Linda is a neighborhood tavern and bottle shop, offering upscale pub fare, a broad and balanced craft beer list, and a smaller food-friendly wine list.

A place where all are welcome, where the mission is simply to create a place people want to be.

Featured on Check Please, Bay Area. And also named as one of the Best Burgers and Best Fried Chicken Sandwiches in the Bay Area.

For reservations of 8 or more, please email Christian@monkskettle.com.

Top review

Melina

Dined on Dec 12, 2024

The staff was very accommodating to our holiday get together group: kind, attentive and flexible. We highly recommend the happy hour draft menu and small plates. Great to hang with friends or watch a game.

Discover more

Experience

Weekday Happy Hour

Tiburon Tavern

4.3

4.3 (188)

$30 and under

Californian

Tiburon

About the restaurant

Tiburon Tavern is on a mission to support our community located in the beautiful seaside town of Tiburon. Our menu showcases simple, delicious cuisine; using the finest, fresh, seasonal ingredients many of which are grown by local farmers. From our outstanding patio seating, fireside dining and lively bar atmosphere Tiburon Tavern is the place to be for comfortable surroundings, exceptional value and genuine hospitality.

Top review

MarisaVIP

Dined 2 days ago

Always a pleasure to dine at the Tiburon Tavern! Delightful food, great service and ambiance! If there was 6 stars I would oblige!

Explore Diners' Choice best of Marin

Explore more Diners' Choice lists

Italian