Barone’s Restaurant

YUMMMMMMM!!! Recently went for dinner here. Service a little slow but it’s that kind of place — you don’t want to rush through.. . waitstaff was nice and accommodated my request to open the back door as it was pretty warm. I ordered the coconut prawns for appetizer — DELICIOUS — really big flavorful prawns, delicious dipping sauce. Then I had the short ribs — which were also delicious, as was the polenta it was served with. Seriously one of the most delicious dinners I have had in a long time. My dinner companion had the scallops but she said they were just good, not the best and wished she had ordered mine — that’s why only 4 stars instead of 5 :-) The server was nice, all in all, great place (and yes, a little pricey).

Went here for Mother’s Day brunch. Staff and food were amazing. Place is cute and looks like they have an outdoor section in the back.

I guess this review all depends on what you are looking for…
IF…
1) You want a great restaurant to have a birthday or anniversary dinner then this is a great place for you.
The menu has a lot of great food to choose from and has a great drink menu with a lot of wines to choose from. I have had a few different plate options and have never left disappointed. I have had the Rock Shrimp Risotto, Barone’s House Made Ricotta Gnocchi, Blackened Sea Scallops, and Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass. Don’t be afraid to start with an appetizer or side salad as well. Quality of food is great!
2) You are single and looking for «some side action», attend the outdoor event every Thursday night during the summer. MEN: You will be attacked by a lot of women that have had medical enhancements done to make them feel like they are in the 20’s again… lots of low cut tops and mini skirts. WOMEN: The men are using steroids to make them look bigger and do some research on what steroids do to a man before you think you can take him home for some action.
Now, if #2 doesn’t fit your style, just don’t go on Thursday nights during the summer.
Looking for a nice night out on a date, birthday, or anniversary, this is the place to go!

I’m afraid that those who read what I write about food will believe I’m doing a «Best of the Bay Area» column for some foodie magazine. Truth is, I’ve been going to various fine establishments (More to come) mostly on the generosity of others.
That’s certainly true of my most recent visit to Barone’s.
While not my first visit (I came here years ago to have lunch with one of the former Mayor’s of Pleasanton) the cause celeb was the celebration of my birth. A few kind-​hearted friends wanted to celebrate and Barone’s gave us the perfect excuse to gather.
Let me just write that the beverage selection here is very good. They didn’t bat an eye when I asked if they had my favorite well drink. And while the seating was not expansive the décor had nice touches and service was prompt.
We began with appetizers ranging from Scoozi (The now defunct Girasole was the only place in town that I knew had this oozy-​rich bread. Good on Barone’s for having it too!) to a wonderful seafood platter that had oysters, salmon pâté, shrimp, and more.
The soup of the day was outstanding (Split pea) and the sea food selection was superior than just about any place i know in P-​town!
Better still, this was an unhurried event and the staff did everything possible to make us feel relaxed, at home, at ease. Accommodations were made gladly and everyone left pleased with the night.
I certainly will return with friends in tow!

His is our first time here at this restaurant, love the ambiance. The waiter john was amazing! Ask for him. I had their halibut special and it was wonderful. Do yourself a favor and treat yourself!
Linda

Used to love going here and have a drink at the bar with family and friends. As another reviewer shared, the small bar is overly noisy with men slamming down dice cups. The bar is too small for that type of thing. And to top it off, an average rated Merlot goes for $ 19 a glass at the same time other local Pleasanton restaurants are having happy hour. Unfortunately we won’t be back.

Surprised to walk into an upscale restaurant, and finding the noisy, drunk guys at the bar, slamming down dice cups, apparently golfers, by their attire. Luckily, we were seated far enough away in another room, so it wasn’t much of an issue. Duck, steak, are good, ambiance can be romantic, intimate, we always had a nice meal, and service was good, but went down a bit as the place became more busy. We might go back if we were in the area, as we have returned a few times.

I have been to Barone’s two times. Both experiences were excellent! We had delicious food and excellent service. The waiters serviced our table promptly and our food was brought to our table quickly.
My first time there I had the Chicken Marsala with mushrooms, red potatoes and vegetables. It was cooked just right and was delicious. I also tried the Filet Mignon my second visit. It was cooked just the way I like it. I would definitely go back and highly recommend!

Outstanding meals!!! Our group had the grilled salmon, Ahi tuna, Chilean sea bass, and Californian crusted sea bass (special). We were all raving about our food… tasty, made exactly to order, and hot.
The crumb fruit dessert was good, but not out of the park like the meals.
The total was $$$, but this is a case of you get what you pay for.
Also, the service was excellent!

Nice fine dining Italian restaurant with good ambience and great food. One of the better rack of lamb I’ve had. Bought rock shrimp with truffle risotto for an appetizer and we loved it. The tempura calamari was very tender and was the best. Enjoyed the Camus cab with our meal too.

I’ve only been to Barone’s once but I definitely had a 5-​star experience! It wasn’t perfect: we did wait longer than I would have liked for our orders to be taken and food to arrive. BUT two things really made this experience outstanding:
1) One of the diners in my party ordered a dish that he didn’t enjoy (after the first bite he regretted ordering it); our server took it back and brought him something new which he ended up enjoying very much. He wasn’t charged for two entrées; just the one he ate. Excellent customer service!
2) I asked for something that wasn’t on the menu last night, but I’ve seen it on the menu in the past so I knew they could make it. The chef’s complied and made me what I wanted! It was fantastic :)
In addition to the excellent customer service and awesome chef’s the wine I had was very good; the ambiance was lovely. This restaurant is a little pricey but well worth it. I definitely recommend Barone’s and will be going back in the future.

My wife had the shrimp cocktail and I had the smoked salmon for appetizer. Both were prepared excellently, and presented beautifully. For entre’s we had the grilled sea bass and rack of lamb. Again, super size portions and delicious. Best I’ve ever had.
Our server Carlos, was super attentive, and met our every need. The owner, stopped by our table to check on us.

Only went on Thursdays for the patio parties and it was always fun! Better wear comfy shoes if you don’t have a table reserved, beacuse it gets packed! The drinks are cool, not as strong or tasty as I like, but it’s something to hold while you mingle. The food was just alright (not worth what they charge). The crowd is a great mix of mature people (I love it). The bands are cool, but that crowd dances to just about everything anyway. Lol Great place to go and just chill.

Expected better from this well established Pleasanton dining destination. My wife and I were celebrating our 20^th Anniversary and invited our very best friends to join us. We made reservations for 7:45pm and were seated promptly — in the east porch with a party of 12 very inebriated patrons celebrating a birthday.
They were much too loud and made dinner conversation difficult. Our waitress seemed to be distressed that she was given our party to wait on — she continually tried to «push us along».
After serving our appetizers and assuring us that she would pace the serving of our dinner entrees — she was noticeably absent for the next 30 minutes (cigarette break??).
Our entrees arrived — with the noticeable glaze of food left under the heat lamps. SHOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING … But the prospect of waiting another 30 minutes for food was a wait I was unprepared for.
Our party was complementary as to their meals but I suspect they were holding back. All in all the food was average at best and certainly not worth the $ 350 we spent for a dinner for four — almost $ 90/​per person.
My work experience is over 50 years in Food Service. with close to 30 years in Fine Dining … BARONE — need to tighten up and pay closer attention to service and guest expectations … at no time did anyone ask us — «How was your dinner? — how did you enjoy your meal?»
I would have told them …:)

It’s a great place for parties or for taking your girl there. Food is very good and the parties every Thursday nights are awesome.
It’s kind of expensive but it’s worth it.

The summer outside series is what I went to. Cover charge 10 dollars plus what ever you eat/​drink. The live music was great and dancing. The service horrible!!! Literally and hour for a drink, food same thing. The tuna tartar was great. Lots of people trying to «hook up» with someone. LOL cougarville.

I went here with a large group of friends last night, on a Thursday night. The music was good. We all had fun dancing.
The biggest problem and what a disappointment it was for us from Barone’s were the food & service! The server was no where to be found. So, we started to get our own drinks & ordering our own food. They have a $ 10 cover charge on Thursday nights & it gets packed. A few food items on the menu: 3 little sliders (no FF, salad or anything else accompanied the order) $ 15…tasteless; 3 soft tacos $ 15…pretty pathetic (no onion, tomatoes… tasted disgusting!). Worst of all it took 45 min for two orders! Ughhhh…
We’re a group of 25 – 30 friends who decided to find a different place next time and wont be back here, again!

We love their Thursday nights! They have huge outdoor space in the back with cabana’s, tables, stage with bands, dance floor and few bars.
The band last night was great. They played lots of different songs. You’ll see all ages there, singles, couples, young, old and everything in between. It’s great place for people watching. Some people should look in the mirror before they go out the door. Woman please stop wearing «forever 21» clothing if you are 45+. It’s not looking good on you! It’s usually hot out and lots of overweight women put on shorts and tops — OMG! Very unattractive. Shame on you to go in public like that.
The service was great, fast and very attentive. We tried few of their appetizers — tuna tartare (it was good but should have more avocado and dressing on it), shrimp cocktail (excellent), chicken quesadilla (also pretty good). The bartender lady (outside main bar) was super nice. We didn’t know which table we wanted and she navigated us through.
Everybody danced and had a great time. It starts around 6pm and ends at 10pm. Most people wish it would go till at least midnight. I’m not sure why Pleasanton can’t give license for this type of activity. It looks like that’s what people want!
They have valet parking in the back for $ 10. Admiration is also $ 10. The outdoor bathrooms are very clean and spacious. We will come and try the restaurant next time.

I’m glad I went with my gut and tried this place out instead of relying on the wildly varying Unilocal reviews. Well, actually, more like my sister’s gut. You see, my sister loves a good wedge salad (as do I) and, though the menu seemed dated, I could hear my older sister say, «Missy, they have a wedge salad» while raising her eyebrow at me and giving me a look. Because, even though that can be a signifier that a restaurant may have seen better days and higher times, it can also signify legitimacy. Morton’s has a wedge salad. I rest my case.
So I promptly ordered my salad before even looking at the wine list. When it came, I could see this place did not mess around on this salad. It was served with homemade fried onions (not those nasty things from a can), candied pecans, dried cranberries, a few random carrot pieces, two cherry tomatoes, and and entire sea of Maytag blue cheese dressing, rife with actual cheese icebergs. (Sorry, that analogy went overlong, it could not be helped.) From my first bite to the last, it was heaven.
I only wish the wine list had been assembled with equal care. From the gas station Pinot Grigio to the laughable $ 60 bottle of Conundrum (seriously?), the wine list seemed assembled partially from a fire sale and a sale out of someone’s trunk. And even I tend to have nicer wine in my trunk. This is not the first restaurant in the area that I have seen this phenomena. Maybe it is the proximity to America’s wine country that causes restaurants to stock such predictable wine? I’m sure homogenizing the choices helps with the sales to certain clientele but drinking an $ 8 glass of wine you could buy a bottle of for $ 8 at the corner store with a $ 40 seafood entrée is no way to live. Give me nicer wine, please. Not having a decent glass of wine to go with the entrée I wanted led to me ordering just one glass of trite California Chardonnay and the shrimp cocktail with dessert to go. Nicer wine, I might have gotten the special, and a second glass, and had the dessert there with a coffee.
The shrimp cocktail was good (they might call it «Prawn Salad»). Big «prawns» and a cocktail glass full of very horseradishy cocktail sauce with a big dollop of, what I would soon realize, «atomic» horseradish. Yep, that will get those sinuses going!
And as I write this review, I’m nibbling on my Lemon Curd on almond tart crust which is pretty good, if not just slightly dry and not quite lemony enough. But the real star of the meal? The bread and butter. I low carb and typically have one bite of bread and say, «yeah, I’m not missing much by not eating bread» but at Barone’s, you better believe you’re missing out if you skip the crusty bread with the pipping hot, doughy, airy center, slathered in fresh, room temperature butter. I ate all the bread they brought me but had enough will power to decline a second batch. Miracles (and bread and wedge salads) do happen…

SO fantastic!!! «Music under the Stars» every Thursday nights in the summer!
High end demographic, sprinkled with a little bit of cougarville, but definitely draws a younger crowd towards the later hours.
Great live band, fantastic food, and a great time!
Although a full bar, my only critique is their lack of a full wine list.
($ 10 cover, $ 400+ to reserve a table.)