Spoonbar

What happened to their desserts! I remember having a wonderful quince tart with cognac ice cream that was to die for. Now, however, they have three excuses they call dessert; saffron chocolate semifredo, panna cotta and a forgettable ice cream dessert. Bring back the old desserts or hire a new party chef…

Absolutely the best bar in Sonoma County. Great team crew. Great service. Offers some amazing cocktails. You have to go there for the best!

This was our first time to spoon bar and we had a warm welcome and the food we found to be delicious. We had a variety of dishes. The octopus was crispy but tender and the roasted cauliflower ravioli melts in your mouth. We had the pan a cotta for dessert and it was amazing. We will definitely come back. And don’t forget to hit the cocktail bar which has a vast variety of specialty drinks.

Wow, I am so disappointed with my last visit to Spoonbar. And I express this disappointment with great sadness because it used to be a phenomenal restaurant. It used to be fun, trendy, lively, hip, and innovative. The food used to be amazing and it was one of my «go to» spots when I wanted to dine in downtown Healdsburg. Sadly, I can no longer recommend this spot and if things don’t turn around, this place will absolutely go out of business.
We arrived and after we were seated, we were served luke warm water with no ice. Yuck.
Next, we were given their menus… which were obviously newly revised menus because the menu was only a fraction of what it used to be. The entire menu was one page and one-​sided. There really wasn’t much on the menu. It was odd.
In spite of the menu, we ordered a few items to share. The first to arrive was an octopus appetizer. The octopus was horribly overcooked. We could barely chew it. What is even more dissappointing is that this fact, that it was overcooked, was easily observable just by looking at it. The octopus was so badly charred that it was black and shriveled up. Absolutely the worst octopus appetizer I have ever eaten. Inedible.
The lobster ravioli, which I’m sure sounds tasty, had no flavor whatsoever. It was served in a flavorless watery broth, pasta was overcooked and mushy, and the lobster flavor was not even discernable.
At this point in our dining experience we decided that it would be best to leave. The food was coming out so terrible that we didn’t want to waste another minute of our beautiful Saturday evening eating terrible food. We informed the server, asked that they cease delivery of all future food orders, and bring us the manager. I explained our experience to the manager (in a very courteous and kind manner), the manager basically just said ok well we do have a new chef. He then left and sent out our bill. The manager lacked any sense of «managerial skill» or customer service. He was a total dud.
Interestingly enough, the manager did not appear to be surprised by our comments or experience with the food. He gave us the impression that we were not the first to complain about the new «menu» and the quality of food being prepared by the new chef.
So after we were placed in a position to send back our inedible food, ask that they cease our dinner order, and tell the manager that we are going to leave… we get our bill and the entire bill is still on our tab. Nothing was taken off. No drinks comped. The food we sent back and didn’t eat, still charged. Shocking.
Unfortunately, we had to go another round of communications to make things right. We were not going to leave mid-​dinner service and pay a bill for food that was inedible and returned to the kitchen. We paid for our drinks (which should have been comped), and left.
Such a dissapointment, on all fronts.

An ok dinner but can’t say I would put in anywhere near the top of my list for a return dinner in Healdsburg. We had to ask for a waiter as the party next to us came in 5 minutes after us and were promptly greeted. Not a good start. The shelling beans (warm, mixed beans appetizer) was good and shareable for 3 or 4 as were the grilled Brussels sprouts which were delicious. They kept however refilling my wife’s still water glass with my sparkling and could not keep that straight so four glasses later… Our entrees took well over a half hour to come after the appetizers. My wife’s pork tenderloin was on the tough side, friends chicken was ok but nothing special, my scallops good and not chewy. Overall portions are pretty tiny but they run in the $ 25 range as opposed to $ 30+. Pretty limited menu with 4 apps and 4 or 5 main courses. Extensive wine and cocktail list.

Terrible service. The first time I came here one of our party didn’t get their food and even the manager didn’t do anything about it. They just asked «oh well do you still want it». From the food we did get, nothing was worth the money or even barely edible. Above that; tried this place again despite my first impression and they wouldn’t let our friends in with their 3 year old. So ridiculous. Talked to the manager and he laughed about this saying he was the «GM and owner» and supported this decision. Would never return.

The new chefs are killing it. Had the winter vegetable soup tonight, and it was one of the best soups I’ve ever had. Very Michelin star. Also loved the Meyer lemon gnudi pasta, roasted carrots with pancetta and sous vide egg and crispy octopus. Vegetarian sides were also excellent. The menu is very different from anything else you’ll find in this food centric little town, and I like that. Did I mention the bartender makes the best cocktails in Sonoma County?

Good place for drinks on Christmas Day — it was one of the few places that was open in Healdsburg.
They were busy at the bar so the service was just ok as it took quiet a while to get our drinks (second round– 2 drinks).
We would have stayed for dinner but their prix dice menu had a lot of items that we don’t necessarily eat.
Still overall it was a good place to chill before dinner.

I’ve been here for a couple of New Year’s Eve celebrations, and this seemed like the time to write my review. I was just there this past NYE (when 2015 turned into 2016) and 2 year prior. A lot seems to have changed since then. First off– the good. The number of courses has expanded to 8 plus a starter. I also enjoyed the wine pairing. Each course had a distinct flavor and the wine only enhanced that as it should. The tuna course was simply astounding, a bigger serving that I usually see anywhere, let alone a tasting menu. The quality and flavor were also top notch. I also enjoyed the caviar tart.
A few years ago, Spoonbar had a DJ in one part of the restaurant. Close enough you could return to your dinner table to give your heels a rest. But far enough it didn’t take away from your meal. This year, that party had been scaled back considerably, and not for the better. It was basically a large room, with a few dozen people. The DJ seemed to be mailing it in, since it was all requests. Some crowds can handle a request-​only playlist, by reading the room and catering to the crowd and mood. This crowd was apparently more suited for the end of a wedding playlist, i.e. stuff my Mom wouldn’t even want to dance to. They also stopped serving drinks at 12:30, which I thought was a poor choice on NEW YEARS EVE. All in all, good food couldn’t save a fairly disappointing NYE experience. For $ 155, pls $ 75 wine pairing, I expected better.

Wow. I don’t know why the mixed reviews for Spoonbar. This place is 5 stars all around. I really hate to say that these mixed reviews had influenced my expectations of our night here. I wish I wasn’t so surprised by how amazing the entire experience was. Dammit Unilocalers, when you’re wrong, you are sooooo wrong!
We booked the Healdsburg for 2 package at the H2Hotel which came with a $ 100 Food only credit at Spoonbar. This is a great deal and if they continue to offer it, I wouldn’t hesitate to book it again for my next visit.
Dishes: we loved every single one. Bold flavors and contrasting textures were a constant theme in each dish and it all worked so well.
Snacks:
— Rock shrimp, toasted sunflower seeds,
green coriander + black pepper glaze
— Fried Potatoes, Yuzu aioli, shiso
— Crispy chicken wings glazed with Aleppo
pepper, green papaya ribbons
Mains:
–Roasted chicken with creamy Japanese curry
farro
–Roasted Ribeye with cippolini onions
Dessert: Dark chocolate millefeuille, sweet milk
gelée, warm chocolate, cocoa nib tuile,
chocolate crémeux
Service: prompt, attentive but not hovering, polite
OMG I really want to have this meal all over again. I’m sure the menu changes but I would be more than happy to have anything here. I will definitely be back when I visit Healdsburg.

I came here this past weekend with some friends after a long day of wine tasting and was immediately impressed by the beautiful interior. It’s truly beautiful inside, especially with the Holiday decorations. The lounge is really convenient for a night cap and very spacious and comfortable. Drinks are fancy, fun, and good. The major downfall here is how unapologetically slow the service we experienced was. It’s 100% understandable and ok for a waiter to have to divide attention on a busy night, but when you don’t once check in on us for a whole hour, and then take another 30 minutes to pick up our check (ahem, we have to bring it to you)…that’s just downright frustrating. Not fair to speak for the restaurant’s service as a whole though, because this was only one experience.

I had the pleasure of coming here for Thanksgiving (Read: I was not going to slave over dinner and dishes this year!). The boyfriend and I decided to take a little trip to Sonoma since neither of our parents were going to be here over Thanksgiving. There weren’t many restaurants open, so it was a coup to find that Spoonbar was serving a 5 course meal (with Turkey!) for $ 68.
Parking was easy in the lot across the street. We arrived a few minutes late, but the staff took it in stride and we were seated at our table after a brief wait. Our waiter was attentive and professional — He immediately opened our bottle of wine for us and brought us water. Despite it being a busy day, the courses came out quickly and were still hot. The bf and I were both overall quite impressed. Here’s a breakdown of each dish:
1) Little gem salad — Solid starter. The chutney was a nice touch and made us feel like we were definitely at a Thanksgiving table.
2) Risotto with mushrooms and broccolini — Risotto was very creamy and the broccolini was slightly charred the way that I like it. I took this one down pretty quickly.
3) Salmon with celery root purée — Salmon was perfectly cooked, moist on the inside with a slight crisp on the top. Celery root purée is seriously my new favorite thing.
4) Turkey with side dishes of mashed potatoes and spiced carrots — The turkey itself was not amazing but was a requisite part of the meal (and I’m sure is not part of their regular menu). The potatoes were creamy and the spiced carrots were a nice touch, although I was getting a bit full by this point :)
5) Pumpkin flan with meringue and consommé — I appreciated the creative play on pumpkin pie. It almost worked. The flan and meringue were good, but the consommé really ruined it for me — it tasted like soap in my mouth. Skip or modify this dish.
Pro tip: Free corkage on wine bottles from Sonoma County region! More restaurants should offer this!

Came here for my wedding anniversary. The server was super friendly and the food was yummy. Dinner and drinks here are very pricey, so will only be coming back for special occasions. Had a great time.

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BravoTV Top Chef Season 11, Chef Louis Maldonado launched his culinary career in San Francisco as co-​executive chef at Cortez, where under his direction Cortez was awarded one Michelin star in 2006. Chef Maldonado has worked at top restaurants including The French Laundry in Napa Valley and Aziza in San Francisco. Now the executive chef of Spoonbar at h2hotel in downtown Healdsburg, where he was able to create a menu of contemporary, clean, and creative yet approachable American fare. The menu was impressive with many options for vegetarian and vegan.
— The chicken cracklings, duck liver mousse, celery, elderflower was crispy, tasty and delicious.
— The lamb loin grilled over charcoal, braised morels, spring onion, charred white bean with crystallized lettuce was beautifully presented, perfectly cooked, and it just melt in your mouth.
— The Thai inspired beet boudin wrapped in a crispy pastry, lime, cilantro, coconut, peanuts, shallots, was so much flavor at one bite, amazing.
— The tuna sashimi, fermented chili, shiso, serrano chili, and wild onion salsa was delightful.
— The grilled hamachi, nori layered rice, clam vinaigrette — this was quite a unique dish.
— Bown rice porridge, peas, braised turnips. porcini mushroom, and poached egg
— However, the roasted zucchini, pickled squash blossoms, beef bouillon, crispy buckwheat noodles was the winner of it all. It was refreshing with unexpected flavor, a perfect dish for a warm evening in the wine country.
DESSERT: If you love desserts, this is heaven on earth!
— Dark chocolate cremeux, banana fluff ice cream, toasted coconut consommé, delish.
— Dried plum and peach tart, preserved lemon, cajeta ice cream, yuzu
— Hibiscus and almond granite, vanilla bavarois, whipped honey, sesame, crisp
— Sweet pound cake and vanilla mousse, meringue, strawberry sorbet, macerated strawberries
— Ice cream and sorbet flight
Chef’s Tasting Menu is only $ 70 for 8 – 10 dishes. It’s a bargain. Check it out.
Sit at the big long Acacia Tree communal center table where you can mingle with others. If you are all tired from the wine tasting all day, Spoonbar is also a perfect place for a crafted cocktail, their menu is so delicious. And with a critically acclaimed cocktail program led by rising star bar manager Alec Vlastnik, the atmosphere is lively and vibrant. From plate to place, everything about Spoonbar is a rich alchemy of art and craft. After dinner libations menu is fantastic. Check out the Lavender Club if you love gin. Order Trust Fall if you enjoy Rye. If you love Bourbon, Morgenthaler Amaretto Sour might be your thing.
Manager Wade came from Healdsburg hotel is wonderful. If you need anything, just ask him. Service was fantastic from start to finish.
This is the only bar that opens later than 9 pm in downtown Healdsburg. It’s the most happening bar here as well.

After a day of wine tasting, we were looking forward to dinner at Spoonbar. The restaurant and bar is part of the H2 Hotel. The street front of the restaurant’s sliding glass doors were open which gave it a wide open feeling. The front room has the bar on the left and a dining area on the right. We were seating in the back dining area, which has floor to ceiling windows to a back greenbelt area. Dining area is spacious with a modern décor.
After ordering our drinks, we checked out menu and decided to order an item from the snacks, vegetables and mains.
Snacks:
Tempura soft shell crab with Kohlrabi sesame slaw, pickled mango. Tasty, wished for more crab.
Lightly grilled Hamachi, nori infused rice, warm clam and soppressata vinaigrette. Hamachi was moist and complemented by the flavorful rice and vinaigrette.
Vegetables:
Marinated beets, basil oil, rhubarb ponzu, Chinese eggplant, shaved carrot. If you like beets, this was delicious dish.
Chilled and marinated gem lettuce, horseradish vinaigrette, jicama, marinated leeks. Nice salad but felt that the vinaigrette was a little too tart.
Mains:
Lamb loin grilled over charcoal, braised morels and white beans, garlic shoots and olive oil. Lamb was perfectly cooked medium rare. Love the tasty morels and white beans.
Beef slowly braised in yuzu and ras el hanout, green tomato and onion pickle, quinoa, assorted peas. The braised beef was so tender that you cut it with your fork and you are supposed to eat it with the quinoa. Beef alone was good enough for me.
Dessert:
Sweet pound cake and vanilla mousse with meringue, strawberry sorbet, macerated strawberries.
Ice cream and sorbet flight. Includes strawberry sorbet and fresh berries, vanilla ice cream with pomegranate jam, toasted banana ice cream fluff, Cajeta ice cream and sesame, chocolate ice cream with olive oil. Favorites? The banana fluff with its intense banana flavors and vanilla ice cream with the tasty pomegranate jam syrup.
Overall, beautifully presented tasty dishes that utilized unique ingredients. Friendly servers too. A nice dining choice in Healdsburg.

Based on the bar alone, this place definitely deserves five stars! The bar tenders were so friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. The drinks were delish; they make their own Ginger Beer for their Moscow Mules for crying out loud!
The atmosphere is quite nice as well, the crowd is light, to match the décor. I can’t speak to the food, but this was a great choice to start off a weekend with the ladies!

Absolutely impeccable. One of the best dinners of my life.
My Grandparents most common complaint when eating out was always that it is no longer considered an ‘evening’ or event. They remembered when you would go to dinner, have a cocktail, appetizer, and so on and your dinner could last 2 – 3 hours of enjoyment and company. Now it seems more like in and out in a hour is the standard and while for a hectic lifestyle that generally works sometimes it is nice to slow down and truly have a meal event.
Enter Spoonbar during Restaurant Week 2015.
A cocktail to start. Ten perfect dishes. Cold wine. Amazing paced service with the emphasis on enjoyment, tasting the food, and digesting. Beautiful décor and comfort. This was an experience and one that I would like to have again and again. I am still thinking about the beets. BEETS PEOPLE! Two weeks later!
If you have some time and are looking to enjoy, relax, and have some of the most well prepared and delicious food that Healdsburg and Sonoma county has to offer in my opinion: Spoonbar cannot be beat.

Probably one of the best meals of my life. First time at Spoonbar and went with two girlfriends for restaurant week last week. Everything was delicious, the service was impeccable, and the décor was modern but comfortable. The multiple courses were explained and served and cleared smoothly. Each dish was incredible. Oysters, yukon gold potatoes with yuzu aioli, beet salad with lemon, trout and chicken. Choice of four desserts. Each member of my party was impressed with the quality and flavor of the food. I would go back in a heart-​beat!

This place is a mixed bag:
* Good with kids. Pizza was really good and it came quickly.
* This place actually has cocktails, contrary to so many other restaurants in Sonoma county. But everything is super sweet. When I asked the bartender to make a cocktail and go VERY easy on the simple syrup, I got a palatable Vieux Carré. 4 other cocktails (including a manhattan, which shouldn’t be sweet at all) all came out very sweet.
* The food was decent.
* Service was good.
* For what we got, the bill was one of the higher priced ones we’ve had in this county.
We walked away a bit disappointed overall with the food and the price at the end.

Came here for Valentine’s Day and have long been eager to try out the home for Chef Louis from Top Chef.
I was not disappointed.
Firstly, their drinks are so on point. I had two drinks — the first was something from their special Valentine cocktail list — it had cream and and egg white and was fruity and refreshing and was complimented with a pansy. Sooooo delicious. My second cocktail was some other cucumber drink (and although I normally don’t like cucumbers in my drink, I follow my waiter’s rec and was incredibly pleased).
We shared the crispy chicken wings glazed with aleppo pepper, green papaya ribbons for an appetizer. This was fine. Not amazing but not bad.
I ordered the gulf snapper, soft shelled prawns + manila clams, fennel, puntarella, coconut + shellfish jus. This was very tasty and the broth had a wonderful umami earthy tone and the seafood was perfectly cooked.
My only cons for the evening:
My fiancé ordered the slow roasted lamb saddle + braise, brown butter couscous, cucumber, herb salad. His salad was «so fresh» that a caterpillar crawled out from under the greens… Eeek! Our waiter whisked the plate away, but his quick return led us to believe that they just plucked the critter away and brought back the plate…
Also, service was a bit on the slow side. We had an early dinner so they weren’t packed yet when we arrived but it took a while to order and get fed. But the latter part of our dinner our waiter was more attentive. The servers and bus boys were very prompt and attentive however. Our plates were delivered and explained and once empty, whisked away.
We didn’t order dessert but were given complimentary shortbread cookies. We forgot them on the table and tried to return to get them… but aha… our bus boys were soo rapid. The table was already cleared and reset for the next group.

Cocktails? Hier bist du richtige! Der Barkeeper war der Wahnsinn, cool und sehr, sehr gute Cocktails!

Five stars for La Nuit de Maroc alone