Hazel

So very disappointed ! We have dined 3 times at Hazels. However we will not be returning again. In spite of the fact that the restaurant was not very busy the wait person seemed very distracted, un-​informed about the menu and provided very slow service.
Though the salad and fish entrees were okay (reason for 1 star), both pizzas were mediocre You also almost needed a microscope to find the scallops floating among the radishes and much too much lemon juice was in the dish. It was sad to see that Hazels charges $ 4.00 for for ordinary. No oysters on the menu?

Was headed to Occidental to eat at one of the usual places. On the way stopped to visit family and nephew told me about this place. Service was good and food was great. I really loved the menus. Easy to pick and order. We both ordered roasted chicken smashed potatoes and spinach salad. Also Brussels sprouts appetizer. For dessert the sundae was great. Traditional sundae with everything kicked up a notch. I will definitely be back I really want to try the pizza. Almost ordered one to take home but controlled myself (wasn’t easy)
Overall great food in a simple clean setting. Will be recommending this to friends and coworkers

The BEST food and the NICEST people!
Their online presence makes them appear a little more elegant than the café/​bistro that they are, so my first impression was a bit of a let down. Having seen the menu online, I was excited about the opportunity to explore lots of taste-​options. Upon receiving the menu, it was clear that there were «brunchy» items and then there was the dinner menu that doesn’t start till 5pm.
So I had a couple of preconceptions to get past before ordering. That’s partly me and that’s partly how they’re representing themselves online. For those reasons, this is a four-​star and not a five-​star review.
But why four stars? Because the greeting and seating were perfect. Our wait-​person was wonderful. And the food, oh… my… gosh… they know how to create!
Two of the four in my party had Benedicts. Fresh, flavorful, and filling. The Hazel team does not skimp on the add-​ons to the Benedict (crab or asparagus or…) and the eggs were cooked to perfection. And, the Hollandaise sauce was fresh, light, and flavorful, as well.
One in our party had a pizza. It was made with fresh dough, hand tossed, and covered with fresh cheese and pepperoni. A taste treat made with magical goodness!
Special Requests Were No Problem —
I wanted to go a little lighter on the carbs (even though I tried the others’ food for the sake of taste). So I ordered the Arugula salad made with beets to which I asked them to add a side of the crab that would be used in the Benedict. That was delivered as a large salad (yay) with a boatload of crabmeat (double yay)! I got my greens AND my lean protien. Because I wasn’t sure about the portions, I had ordered a side of the scallop appetizer to be delivered with my meal. (While that was an unnecessary addition, I’m glad I ordered that tasty little dish!) When I added the marinade (almost like a ceviche) from the scallops to the crabmeat on my salad, the taste blend was perfect. (I’d love to see this as a regular offering on their menu and jokingly suggested that they name it after me, calling it the «Dr P».) It’s light, crisp, and bountiful all at once.
As we were leaving, the fresh bread caught my wife’s eye and she bought a loaf. And though I don’t eat many carbs like that any more, it’s just too good to pass up.
The bottom line is that this was a delightful find and we’ll definitely come back when we’re in the area. The prices are modest and really, no one would complain if they all rose by 20%. Seriously. (Hazel, you could make more to reinvest in the facility and your team. Then, the customer experience could get EVEN better.)
We all found great food in this quaint bistro setting.
You’ll enjoy amazing fresh flavors and it won’t break your bank!

SO GOOD! My husband got the Gorgonzola pizza which and I had the red quinoa main entrée and we split the fried Brussels sprouts. Everything was absolutely wonderful! If ever in Occidental again we will definitely make sure to visit here again!

Hazel is the perfect addition to Occidental. It’s very comfortable and approachable while maintaining an upscale ambiance. The menu is thoughtfully created using fresh local ingredients. Fantastic and prompt service!

Delicious dinner! Probably the best pizza that I have had outside of Italy! The brussel sprouts appetizer was great! Packed on a Saturday night, so make a reservation. If you are in Occidental, eat here!

Very nice small restaurant. Excellent service and food. Tried the mushroom pizza, a bit oily and mozzarella pizza which was excellent. Great desert. Very friendly, prompt service. Had a great time.
Rufus & Martha

What a hidden gem… It’s like Occidental brought San Francisco into its small downtown. Just charming!
Came here for a team dinner and here’s my recommendations:
Everything. Everything is good. (Ok, I had the Short Ribs + Polenta… and that’s a must for sure. But everyone was oooh-​ing and ahhh-​ing all night long.)
Staff is so freindly and if you’re looking for a quaint, small town feel, with high quality dining, you’ve found it!

My soon-​to-​be husband and I planned at weekend getaway where we stayed at the Inn at Occidental just up the road from Hazel. We arrived late on a Friday night and we were very hungry. We walked in to Hazel probably around 9pm and the place was packed. Only seating available was at the Chef’s Table, which ended up being great because the chefs were very friendly with us. Our waitress was extremely pleasant and very friendly. The food was delicious! And the lemon blueberry pie? Don’t even get me started on that. I would make that 4 hour one way drive back to Hazel just to get another piece. Hazel, we will be back!

What a fantastic addition to the small town of Occidental. This place is a gem. It is a quaint small restaurant run by a husband-​and-​wife team. Most of the food is all locally sourced, and the menu is also based on the seasons. The menu changes often and there are always a great variety of amazing pizzas as well!
During a prior visit, I ordered a grilled octopus appetizer. It was cooked in The Brick Pizza Oven and it was phenomenal. We also ordered an heirloom tomato salad, with a special unique creamy French cheese, and it was one of the best heirloom tomato salads I have ever eaten! Although it is not currently available, I can’t wait to return and have it again when tomatoes are back in season.
My latest visit was during restaurant week and for $ 39 I ordered three courses. Grilled asparagus salad, seafood stew, and strawberry pie with three twins vanilla ice cream. My friend ordered the mushroom soup appetizer and said it was phenomenal. He opted for the sundae for dessert, which I tried and loved. Everything was fantastic.
Given that this restaurant is quite small, I recommend that you always call in advance and make a reservation. During the summer months it is also nice to sit on the outdoor patio.
Although this is only a small restaurant in the small town of Occidental, I believe that it can easily be ranked among some of the best in Sonoma County. The food is always fresh and tasty. I also really enjoy the fact that the wine list appears to be mostly representative of local wineries. I love to support local businesses whenever possible. They just so happen to have really great taste in their selection of wines, so it is quite fantastic.
Note: this is a great spot for locals on Thursday nights. They offer locals a deal of free corkage when you bring in a local wine.

Went here for my first time for restaurant week. Our reservations were at 7 place was almost full.
To start we ordered soup, and asparagus salad, main course we both ordered chicken and for desert we had a strawberry pie and a hazel Sunday.
Took about 20 mins to get the soup and salad. The soup was BARELY warm and didn’t really taste very good was pretty bland. The salad was really good despite the amount of olive oil they poured over it.
Then we waited… 50 mins goes by no one comes to our table. We had to flag our server down to ask about our chicken. He tells us we were the last ones to order so we are getting our food slow. Either way being left at a table for 50 mins with no service is bad. Chicken finally came out and the whole plate was again BARELY warm and also had about an inch of oil sitting in the plate. I’m assuming our food sat for a little before getting to our table.
Next was desert luckily we didn’t wait to long for it but my strawberry pie was pretty cold (was very disappointed) there were pieces of it that were kind of warm but even the ice cream wouldn’t melt on it. PIE’s are meant to be warm/​hot! The hazel sundae was okay, really filling couldn’t eat the whole thing.
So my rating goes based off the service and food quality. Service was really slow and our server didnt really come by our table and or even ask why we were there (me and the bro are foodies) The food most of it was cold :(tasted good but cold and very oily. Not sure if i will be back again or at least anytime soon.

Oh dear Hazel, you sly little Occidental Gem! How on earth did you remain hidden from our spoiled wine country taste buds? But, we have now discovered you and you may just have to get used to seeing us in the future! We so loved our visit to this quaint little bistro type restaurant in the quaint little town of Occidental. Service was exceptional for our party of four. reservations recommended, and we had no problem making ours through open table. Good wine list and reasonable corkage if you bring your own wine.
On to the food… The food shines here! our party all ordered different entrees on their daily changing menu, and every dish was ooh and awe worthy! not a one of us left disappointed. we will definitely be back! It is an ever changing menu based on season and available ingredients. Thank you Hazel, we were pleasantly wowed.

Went here for a work dinner and we we’re all impressed with every plate. I’m 6 months pregnant and never thought I’d crave brussel sprouts in my life and since that night I can’t stop thinking about them! Mozzarella pizza, farro risotto, chopped salad, roasted chicken (so moist) and then I had to order more brussel sprouts then pot de crème for dessert. Everything was delicious. Atmosphere was so warm and cozy.
We usually go else where for birthday dinners but I’m going to surprise my husband this Saturday and I’m sure he’ll love it as much as I did.

We really enjoyed our dinner the other night at Hazel. The restaurant is small and cozy with warm vibes. We started with the chopped salad which was different, but good. It had a lot of flavors going on which was a litttttle overpowering. We then had the brussels (AMAZING), and the cured scallops which were also really good. The scallops weren’t what I was expecting, but I was not disappointed by any means. We also had the sausage pizza which was to die for. The crust was slightly charred, and the sauce was so fresh and simple. The sausage had a little bite to it, but not too spicy. It also had two farm eggs and arugula which was the perfect combination.
The staff was so sweet and accommodating. Our waitress was a delight. She had perfect timing and was really on it. All in all, a a great place for a date night or even for a bigger group. Love Hazel!

This is my third time eating here as I’ve missed their cooking when the chef and his wife were at Zut! in Berkeley. The pizza, the short ribs, the steak, the scallop crude, the brussels sprouts, all so delicious, and the deserts are worth the calories! It’s like coming home to me.

My husband and I went here already disappointed the last restaurant in the location had closed. We were willing to give it a try though. Once we went in it was so hot inside we couldn’t possibly stay so we sat on the tiny patio. I am usually a very cold person and was disappointed at how hot it could be inside the restaurant.
I was pregnant and rarely ate steaks so I decided to get the ribeye. I figured it was a nice place so they must do a great job cooking it. Safe bet. It was a great steak but instead of coming out medium it was rare. Luckily my husband ordered a pizza which was fantastic and we traded meals so I could eat. My husband also had the scallops appetizer and absolutely loved it. I couldn’t try any raw seafood but it looked amazing.
Their wine selection looked good. I will definitely return since the menu does seem to change daily and I would love to give it another try. I am hoping I can grab a cocktail and more to eat without my food restrictions next time. If my steak had been cooked correctly or the dining room a temperature that had been comfortable to eat in it would have been five stars!

My boyfriend & I stopped in for brunch on Sunday and were pleasantly surprised by the amazing food we had. We started with the Beignets, which were absolutely perfect and that’s saying something since most places make an attempt to do them but never come close. I then chose to try the BLT&E which came with roasted potatoes that were just as delicious as the sandwich. My boyfriend had the French toast that was covered in fresh raspberries & strawberries & lightly powdered sugar. And a side of bacon and he said that every bite was very good! the portion sizes are enough that we could have split something but I was more than happy to take the other half of mine home and enjoyed it again for dinner! We both agreed that we will be back again soon and are looking forward to trying their dinner menu. Hazel is a great addition to Occidental and I wish them much success!

Delish gem in this small town. We went on a Tuesday and they were busy already. We had the octopus appetizer and the scallops. Both were very flavorful but the scallops were RIDICULOUS! Super refreshing with a bit of heat… I wanted more!
We had the whole fish and ribeye which were also really really good. The waitress was so warm and friendly and let us sample a few of the red wines since we couldn’t decide on one.
The finale was the sourdough bread putting which was also another great dish.
I love that for a small quiet town this restaurant did not hold back. Great job!
Best part was that we left feeling that we actually did not pay an arm and a leg for a three course meal with a glass of wine.

Found this great little place on the way home from ziplining at Sonoma Canopy Tours with my wifey. Awesome flat bread pizzas and the Hazel sundae was outstanding. Loved it. Will definitely be back!

Hazel is a new restaurant in the old Bistro des Copain space. It has been given a fresh coat of white paint and window treatments taken down. This gives a bright open feel to the space which is a big improvement.
Onto the food, For only being open a few weeks the kitchen turned out some tasty well prepared food. We started with the Fried Brussel Sprouts with bacon, lemon, Valley Ford estero gold. Also had the Roasted Octopus with cannellini beans, shaved fennel, grapefruit, orange and olives. Both were very good, the sprouts were especially addicting.
The entrees kept up the pace and were both very large portions. Local King Salmon with heirloom, summer squash, French green lentils and salsa verde. Other entrée was a grilled rib eye with blue lake beans, Yukon potatoes, olive oil.
Salmon was fresh, moist and very tasty with the lentils and squash. The rib eye was cooked a perfect medium rare, tender and full of flavor. Beans were crispy, just how I like them.
We were pretty full but decided to share Gravenstein Apple Crisp with Three Twins vanilla ice cream. Textbook apple crisp, made even better with the start of apple season.
Service was helpful and friendly all evening. We brought a bottle of Ceritas pinot noir which matched well with the food. Corkage is a reasonable $ 15.00 dollars. Free corkage on Thursdays for «local» wines. I assume that means Sonoma County. Bistro des Copain was a favorite of ours but after our meal at Hazel, they appear to be a worthy successor.