Sola

Nothing horribly wrong here but nothing horribly right either. Unimaginative food prepared in adequate fashion served in a space that smells vaguely musty while slightly too loud lounge music plays in the background. If it were a snowy night and you couldn’t get a seat anywhere else then I suppose it would do. But for the money (this place isn’t cheap) the food isn’t good enough and the place is dingy.
–An uninspired arugula salad, a «wagyu» steak that was stringy, tasteless, and prepared in a completely dull fashion, and horrible chocolate mousse made with bad chocolate and way too much sugar. Other people’s meals were no better. Ultimately, this is «protein and a starch» kind of cooking. When that’s the case, the protein and the starch better be pretty satisfying. Or reasonably priced. None of that was the case.

This quaint BYOB is terrific! Our foursome had starters, entrees and deserts. We all know each other very well and shared each other’s dishes, ALL the servings were prepared perfectly!
While I don’t live locally, I will definitely be returning to Sola!

This place is seriously one of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to in my life and the meal I had last night on New Year’s Eve was absolutely phenomenal. Everything was cooked perfectly and tasted delicious and the service was absolutely outstanding. Our waiter Tom was one of the nicest waiters I’ve ever had and Dave the owner was one of the most personable restaurant owners I’ve ever met. Dave came to our table numerous times checking on us and asking how the food was and we really appreciated that. The hostess was even sweet and helped a lot too. I absolutely LOVE this place and will come here many times in the future.

Good food. Warm, cozy environment. Staff/​service is very nice.

Absolutely amazing. I am so glad I decided to come here. Such a small and nice place to dine. This place is a perfect spot for a date night. The atmosphere is very chilled and relaxing. The owner was very attentive and friendly. The food is so good that I don’t know where to start. I did the prefix menu ($ 39). It was a good deal considering how much food. Each dish was presented very pretty. I attached some pictures so you can see for yourself. Try this place out and you won’t regret it.

Haven’t been in a while but returned on the night that the fall menu was unveiled. As usual the food was superb and the service was great. A thoroughly enjoyable evening

Sola was a fine dining experience but I personally would not provide this establishment with a five star rating for the following: a very pricey bill disproportionate to my satiety. I was still starving following our New Year’s Eve meal. The portion sizes were underwhelming considering the price tag.
All in all, the food and service was above average. I simply cannot justify the price for such a skimpy meal, though.

After reading a broad range of reviews, my wife, daughter and I decided to have dinner at Sola. Knowing it is a BYOB, we brought along a nice white wine from the Gainey vineyard.
Our meal was on Saturday, a little on the late side, so getting a table was not a problem. There are previous reviews that indicated some concerns about the service but for us, the attentiveness provided was very satisfactory.
My wife started with the stuff peppers with crab meat whilst my daughter had the mango coconut gazpacho. Although the stuff peppers were good, a little more spicing of the crabmeat could have been provided. The gazpacho was refreshing with a balance of both fruits.
Main courses consisted of the fettuccine with peas and broccoli; a filet mignon with green beans and one of the evening’s specials of black bass served over black rice. All the meals were unique in taste from similar fare from other restaurants. The white sauce was light although being a cream based sauce, not feeling heavy on the freshly made pasta. The filet was cooked to request with the beans being cooked while remaining very crisped. And the bass was garnished with a wonderful sauce the added to the flavor versus competing with it. Even the chef Keith visited our table as I had to find out his secret to the white sauce for my fettuccine.
I have already written too much and will let you discover the deserts. It only gets better. I do recommend visiting Sole which I will the next time I am visiting my daughter at college.

My husband and I went to Sola last night for our second anniversary. I was desperately looking for a nice BYO near our place and almost missed this gem!
Place was not busy so the owner Brian took care of us. I was very glad the temperature in the restaurant was very comfortable since I was wearing a dress and didn’t wear a jacket. I started my meal with foie gras with figs (amazing) and my husband ate the caprese salad. The chef sent out a melon and procciuto appetizer as a compliment for our anniversary which was delicious just like the appetizers. Then we had the Cornish hen with risotto and the steak with mashed potatoes. Everything was cooked perfectly. We had to have dessert since they are all home made. My ice cream trio was creamy and my husband ate chocolate gâteau which was perfectly warm. Will definitely be coming back!

It’s been a while since I’d been here – given that I no longer live in the area – but my parents mentioned a reasonable prix fixe menu, so off we went. When we arrived, there was one couple dining, but it was quite early and eventually it filled up. The room is pleasant, with some well-​chosen art and cool lighting fixtures. The owner was doing service on his own initially, and so it took a few moments before he came out to seat and greet us. Another server arrived a little bit later. On that note, service was very friendly, but it didn’t seem as polished/​skilled as I remembered. Despite constantly checking on us (almost too much so), water glasses were never refilled, and the first three courses came out at lightning speed – for a little while I was worried we’d be done our four-​course meal in an hour.
The first course was a Shrimp Mary, which was a pair of large shrimp arranged like a shrimp cocktail over a non-​alcoholic version of a Bloody Mary. To be honest, this was my least favorite dish and just felt ill-​conceived. While the shrimp were plump and tender (except for the fact that my mother and I both got veins in one of ours), it wasn’t really clear what you were supposed to do. Even if you dipped them, the drink wasn’t really thick enough to cling to the shrimp, and so the flavor didn’t carry over, and who really wants to dip shrimp in your drink and then drink it. It just didn’t work for me. Next came the lobster with a corn-​cucumber risotto. This could have been a very good dish, but unfortunately mine was a bit oversalted – not quite enough to send it back (and the problem is that you hesitate to send it back after a bite or two, and after a few more bites, it’s too late), but it needed to be pulled back to be fully enjoyable. Right on the heels of the lobster came a petit filet mignon with truffle mashed potatoes, haricot verts and an onion fritter. Again, verging on too salty (the steak in particular), could have been hotter, and the other problem which only seemed to affect my particular piece is that my steak was quite rare in places (instead of medium rare). My father very kindly traded a piece of his with me (his was cooked nicely), but he ended up leaving most of what I gave him, as it was too tough.
Dessert was the best course of the night, largely for the cookies ‘n cream ice cream, which was original (it’s usually a white ice cream with Oreo, but this was a slightly different spin) and delicious. I also had a coffee ice cream (solid) and a cheesecake ice cream (the weakest of the three – didn’t have much flavor to me).
I realize that Sola has had some chef changes in recent months, so maybe they’re working some things out, and maybe the a la carte menu is better. But it just didn’t feel like it was quite at the same level as before. Still A-​OK, but it wasn’t the really great – at least not this night – that I remembered.

Wonderful place that epitomizes a great neighborhood restaraunt. Never though we are from out of state Brian treated us like regulars from the moment we walked in. The caprese starter was perfect. The lobster special entrée was accompanied by an incredible corn risotto. Great service. Great food. Nice ambiance. Highly recommend. Wish we had a place like this in our area

well, i had a great experience at Sola 3 years ago, thus had it on my list of BYOB to go back to. My perception on previous visit was quality offerings, creative recipes, a bit over priced, but overall good experience. this recent visit was a real disappointment. the bathroom was dirty and smelled, the dining area looked run down, furniture and paint was in bad shape, service was on par with what you would expect at a chain restaurant but not a mid/​high value restaurant. my ahi tuna was good, but two others had the lamb chops and they could not eat because they were chewy. the prices are on the high side ($$$) and inline with a high end quality restaurant, unfortunately this restaurant quality is what you would expect from a ($) low end restaurant. I have taken this restaurant off my list for good.

I have to say, since Sola is now under new management and owner and chef, it is absolutely superb! The food is delicious, varied, inventive, beautifully presented, and the service is outstanding. Bruce, the owner, always makes it a point to stop by each table near the end of your meal to ask how you enjoyed it. He’a always willing to accommodate special request, as in seating, or food restrictions/​allergies. Most importantly, they have foie gras on the menu every single night that I’ve eaten there. Recently it was served with a hazelnut praline crumble and a squash salsa. Incredible. The Filet Mignon was cooked to perfection – a nicely sealed light crust with the Medium rare just perfectly red/​pink hot and Juicy. The veal chop was amazing. It looked like the slab of beef that Fred Flinstone put on his car roof in the opening sequence. They even, at my request, served me a side of fiddlehead (paired with a different entrée) with garlic, delicately salted, and a kiss of butter. Thereby enhancing without hiding the freshness of them. We also had the wild mushroom and leek soup drizzled with a touch of crème fresh. Decadently rich. Apparently you they tinkered around the recipe for a good 2 – 3 weeks until they found perfection. It shows.
If possible, ask for Victoria as your server. She is knowledgable about the food. Always remembers your name and preference and is just plain intuitive to the needs of (I hate the word customers, so we’ll say) Patrons. She is a breath of fresh air with an infectious smile hiding a dedicated air of making sure everything is perfect for you. I could go one for hours… they are often pictures of the dishes under my handle ‘ArtistCharles’ on Instagram. Check them out, you won’t be disappointed.
Thanks for reading this the whole way through. I think it is the best BYOB (only 5 $ uncorking fee, which generally ignored and not solicited by the staff. ENJOY!

We’ve eaten here twice in the last month and have been longtime fans! Brian is always attentive and on the lookout for whatever his clients need! The food is delicious — I had the steak special one night with truffled mashed potatoes and was absolutely tender and cooked to perfection. Seared sea scallops are always a hit as well!
One of the things I really appreciate about Sola is that our service is never rushed and it’s a wonderful place to actually enjoy dinner and good conversation without feeling like the clock is running out.

Sola is a fairly expensive cozy restaurant on the mainline. The food is pretty high-​end but still has a homey feel to it. They don’t have a lot of gimmicks at sola In preparing their food but all in all it’s a pretty decent experience. I was disappointed that the foie gras was not on the menu or on special because in the past it’s been delicious. They didn’t have a lot to choose from on their minimalist menu so, I settled for a carrot tomato bisque that had a hint of ginger. It was delicious for what it was although nothing to write home about. I usually order Fish or something exotic when I go out to eat but this time I decide to go out on a limb and order beef. I had a nice piece of hanger steak with tasty potatoes and a bitter Green that’s in the broccoli family. I enjoyed the dish but didn’t think it match the price. Two other diners at my table order the tile fish, one ate the whole thing while The other left half of the fish on the plate leaving me to question whether it was good or not. The table next to us had the signature dish of braised short ribs it looked delicious I have had that dish before at Sola and really enjoyed it… I think I’ll order that next time and hope for the fois gras to make a comeback. Sola is a very crowded restaurant on the Saturday and my parting thought was it was almost too crowded and could use an expansion. It’s nice to have a BYOB to keep the price down especially when the prices at sola are so high.

Either the chef changed or we had a bad night, but our experience at Sola for a large party was very disappointing. The quality of food was not up to its usual standards and the presentation wasn’t either. Flavors were neither here or there. With the many new mainline restaurants opening, this place has a lot more competition and unfortunately, we will it be returning.

Ate here recently with another couple (our 3^rd visit, their 1^st). We were all happy with our meals and I’m always happy with the BYOB option. Three of us got their fish dishes — mine was halibut, my friend and my husband both ordered salmon. They were prepared perfectly seared, nice complementary sauce, and accompanied by a green vegetable (I forget what it was) and I think a root veg. My friend’s husband got the skirt steak, which he declared a winner. We had no room for dessert, and no complaints!
This is a restaurant that doesn’t exactly feel like a special occasion, but it’s nicer and more expensive ($ 28 ish entrees) than an everyday go-​to. Overall it’s a great choice to go with friends when you want solid, not too unusual fare — and BYO.

My wife and I have been dining at Sola for several years now — visiting about 6 – 8 times a year. I must say that I cannot recall having a single bad experience there. The food is always delicious and the staff is has always been friendly and on top of things. During the time that we have been dining there, the restaurant has changed ownership. We have talked to the new owner, Brian, on several occasions and he too is always friendly and polite.
Their menu is pretty well covered, offering a mix of red meat, poultry and sea food. It is a BYOB but the corkage fee is minimum ($ 2.00). I would definitely recommend eating at Sola.

Wonderful food!
The atmosphere is great and the service is top notch. It’s BYOB, which has its ups and downs, but there are SEVERAL liquor and beer shops close by. The décor is a little «Huh?,» but, the food is the main attraction.
FYI, the men’s bathroom is probably the smallest space I’ve ever volunteered to enter. However, it was very clean, even when I used it later in the evening.
I would highly recommend Sola!

So, My husband and I went to Sola last night for a date. It was honestly just okay. After being seated, we were asked if we had a bottle of wine for them to uncork. We responded, no, we’re really not wine drinkers. We chose regular ice water, instead of sparkling water. The server, who was very attentive and kind, then walked away and let us peruse the menu.
We decided to share a cheese plate and the ramp and asparagus caesar type salad as an appetizer. I ordered the Salmon off of the specials menu and my husband decided on the rack of lamb. I then mentioned to my husband if he wanted anything else to drink, and the server interrupted, wondering if we were unaware that it was a BYOB. I said, no, we are aware, but thought my husband might like an iced tea. He responded that they don’t have iced tea, but do serve Coke or Sprite. My husband said he’d like a Coke– which was never brought to the table.
The cheese plate arrived, with the salad, and while the salad was very good, the cheese plate was the highlight of our entire night. It was presented with sliced asian pear, crackers as well as honey and candied pine nuts. We throughly enjoyed it.
My salmon arrived and it was honestly just okay. I feel like while it was cooked nicely, it lacked seasoning and the corn and scallion mashed potatoes that it was placed on were cool, not hot. The charred onion was a nice touch.
My husbands lamb was nicely cooked, although could’ve been butchered a little cleaner. The beans on his plate were also a little too much on the al dente side for his liking.
I was a little disappointed that the only beef option on the menu were braised short ribs. I was hoping they’d have a nice filet on the menu, but it wasn’t an option.
We also passed on dessert because honestly, nothing really screamed at us. Most things were paired with Raspberries or raspberry sauce, and it’s the only berry that my husband isn’t a fan of.
Overall, while it was a good meal, for the cost, I feel that there are several other restaurants that I’d rather go to than Sola. I’m glad we tried it out, because I was wondering how it was, but know I know that we probably won’t return again.