Lakehouse Restaurant at Calistoga Ranch

40^th birthday dinner, my husband surprised me with this elegant and fabulous dinner experience. Definitely for true foodies, the Lakehouse offers a 4 course set price menu with 3 – 4 choices per course. Everything we tasted was outstanding and like nothing we’d ever tried before. Truly an experience, we were very impressed. Our waiter was also top notch!

Excellent. Loved it. The flavors were so remarkable. We had dinner here and liked it better than French Laundry. We are just finishing breakfast here and our waitress suggested we get the huevos rancheros but we are from Boston and not fans of anything spicy and therefore not interested in trying — but did anyway because they said it was a favorite. Well despite it not sounding appealing it was my favorite breakfast ever! Not Spicy and so fresh tasting. 5 out of 5.

Since we were staying at Calistoga Ranch, we made a reservation here on my birthday for dinner. We had stopped in earlier in the day for lunch after a hike, and I am still thinking about the fish and chip I had there. We also ordered the Cobb Salad and you can just tell the ingredients were fresh.
Dinner was great and all the staff wished me a happy birthday when they saw me. I loved that we were just one of two parties at the restaurant at the time, because it really made for some great conversations with our waiter and the manager. The 4 course prix-​fixe proved to be too much for me and I ended up doggie bagging most of my main course back to the room.
We came back the morning before we left and breakfast was great too. All in all, this restaurant really delivers regardless of what course it is.

Great breakfast with a nice ambiance when you’re staying at the resort. The pineapple/​basil house juice was refreshing and creative. The french toast and omelette were both well prepared and delicious. The staff were friendly and attentive.
My only complaint is the exorbitant price for some basic items, like an English muffin (not made on site) or the coffee (which is free elsewhere at the resort).

If the restaurant were open to the public, I think it would easily have one or two Michelin stars. The food is exquisite. Letting my fiancé order for me, I had the venison, which was absolutely delicious (surprising since I only eat red meat 1 – 2 times a year). The staff was also very friendly and knowledgeable. Of course, the wine selection was very broad, and I loved the ipad at each table with a listing of the wines, their origin and tasting notes. For a memorable and outstanding dining experience, I highly recommend the Lakehouse.

Husband surprised me and brought me here for dinner.
Ambiance was quiet, intimate and romantic.
Although it was chilly outside, it was warm inside with a fireplace at the end of the room.
Upon recommendation of server (who was attentive), we ordered the 2008 Mueller Pinot Noir. It was excellent.
Menu is 4 courses.
I had the:
Autumn Garden Salad
Tai Snapper
Sonoma Duck Breast
Cheese plate
No need for me to review everything separately. One word: Excellence.
Husband:
Hot Pea Soup
Scallop
Filet Mignon
Apple
He enjoyed every bite of his.
Bonus, waiter complimented my new clutch; which was a sore point with my husband, but the compliment forced him to accept it was a good choice. Haha!
A fantastic dinner and would love to go back.

Excellent all around. Four courses of deliciousness, house is happy to accommodate your desire. Through and through fine dining and superb flavors. Looking forward to breakfast. Rib eye and ravioli are outrageous ly delicious. Service was very professional and caring.
Diver scallops had a destination in mind and they take you there.
Squash ravioli is a dessert in a sence, sweet, thoughtful and a reminder some people are better than other. (Chef)
Don’t hesitate to have the soup. Find yourself swimming g in your favorite chocolate.. it’s almost as good as having three lifeguards feeding you strawberries, two ensuring you have enough wine and one focusing on keeping the brain feeling it while you lose your mind in the wow yeah babe! Yes.
Wine is what you tell yourself it is. Go for it, they won’t let you do anything you don’t want to do while your sitting. The gents in the front like the front of house at the resort are fucking shy but this small luxurious property holds a standard of excellence most places wish they could.
Drink up and enjoy. They act like your the boss however no one needs to do much, ask for something and you’ll enjoy it enough to send back mommas cooking next Xmas.
Thank you for the delightful

The Lakehouse at Calistoga Ranch was exquisite! I was lucky enough to have lunch at the Lakehouse with a special menu prepared by Aaron Meneghelli, the executive chef, and his staff. My girlfriend and I enjoyed a three course meal with wine pairing. The food was delicious and honestly some of the best cuisine we have ever enjoyed. We were treated to a tasty autumn garden salad as an appetizer, organic chicken breast with vegetables and potatoes as our entrée, and huckleberry filled dessert. Moreover, the service was second to none.
Everyone from Aaron to our servers Hector and Jose were superb. They were extremely delightful and made sure our experience was enjoyable.
Joel Gordon, the food and beverage manager made sure that our experience was EXCELLENT! Not mentioned previously, he helped me plan a special event/​day in my life for my fiancée. He and the staff couldn’t have been more accommodating. It was as if we were being treated like royalty. We LOVED it!
The atmosphere and setting at the Lakehouse was serine and heavenly. It was as close to paradise as possible. If you are planning a trip to NAPA, believe us, definitely stay and dine at Calistoga Ranch. You will not be disappointed!

Dinner reservations are only available to guests of Calistoga Ranch, Auberge du Soleil, or Solange. We enjoyed dinner here for my husband’s 30^th birthday on our most recent trip to the valley, and had the absolute best evening of the trip. The service cannot be beat. Our server was extremely attentive and knowledgeable without being pompous. The menu is prix-​fixe and at $ 100, quite reasonable for the options given. If you have the chance to experience this restaurant, do not pass it up.

This restaurant is exclusive to guests of the Calistoga Ranch and its sister properties. We enjoyed two breakfasts here and both were outstanding. The room is rustic-​luxe with wood burning fireplaces all around and an outdoor seating area that overlooks the lake and canyon floor. The staff was incredibly friendly and accommodating. The food was outstanding. One morning I had huevos rancheros, and the other was house-​cured Wagyu corned beef hash. Delicious. Probably the highlight though were the freshly baked English muffins from a local bakery called Model Bakery that were soooo good. Who knew English muffins could be so light and airy?

I’ve always wanted to eat here but I was told that in order to make reservations, you needed to be an overnight guest at Calistoga Ranch, which is about $ 600/​night. The boyfriend, however, surprised me one morning and took me here for a beautiful brunch. Just like I expected, the food was phenomenal.
The bread basket is a MUST, which is an assortment of warm scones and muffins. We ordered several items on the menu but the item that stood out the most was the Crab Eggs Benedict. It is a simple dish but executed to perfection by the chef.
I recommend having breakfast on the patio deck. We were lucky enough to see a deer wandering bellow us.
Last, you have to valet your car at the bottom of the hill and they will escort you to the top with a golf cart. We are planning to stay overnight in one of the gorgeous cabins in a few months. I look forward to eating dinner at this amazing restaurant.

We have the luxury of living nearby and have eaten at the Lakehouse three or four times… I have to say, that something is going on here… Every time we eat at this AMAZING local it gets better and better!
The view, the location, the staff and the food are all outstanding. The most memorable course was the green gazpacho with crab — WOW!
They’ve really upped their game too on sauces, deconstructing foods and don’t even try to leave without desert!
All this in a setting of complete relaxation. There were four of us who has an hour massage at their spa before dinner, so our meal here was a perfect way to watch the sun go down over the lake and enjoy Napa Valley’s natural landscape with great food, great drink and great friends. A must!

Amazing food!

It is ideal for a romantic dinner with perfectly executed new American fare with emphasis on local and seasonal ingredients (like the rest of the wine country ;)). I can’t say enough about the excellent service here, attentive without being stuffy, it is a hard balance and the staff did a superb job. A special thanks to Richie for his jovial and knowledgeable service, much appreciate it!
Now, don’t go expecting a «lake», it is a pond. But I guess Pondhouse Restaurant just don’t have the same ring to it ;). The restaurant is an upscale wood cabin with subtle nature modern décor and a meandering path to get there, the décor sort of reminds me of Post Ranch Inn — always a good thing in my book. There are spaces between tables to allow for quiet conversation.
Now for the food, at a $ 95 prix-​fixed 4 course menu, I think it is very reasonable. The food here is uncomplicated and showcases the ingredients. It isn’t the most imaginative menu but it is exactly what I like, expertly prepared food with some interesting twists. Lakehouse did not go off the deep end with molecular gastronomy, no liquid nitrogen here :). The standouts for me are the crispy pork belly, crispy salmon and the lamb, each came with thoughtful and complementary sides. The Dungeness crab gazpacho was also unique and delicious.
I personally enjoyed the Lakehouse more than the prix-​fix at Meadowood, La Folie in SF and Keiko Nob Hill in SF. Meadowood was too creative for the food to taste good — shell fish + foie gras sound good? anyone? La Folie’s execution falls short, several dishes were over salted and the service is on the stuffy side. Last time I went to Keiko, after a full tasting menu, I had to get a slice of pizza… The Keiko portion has definitely shrank since it first opened.
Dinner reservation is only available to guests of Calistoga Ranch and 2 sister properties, Auberge du Soleil and Solage.

I would give this restaurant 5 stars for service and atmosphere, but the food was over worked and really not enjoyable. The bread in the bread basket was dry and with such great bakeries around, I would have enjoyed fresh bread or bread with a more tender crumb. I really wanted a nice steak and the option was a sirloin which was really mediocre, in fact I only ate a small portion of this entrée. The staff was nice and asked if everything was good, but it was my anniversary dinner and I didn’t want to complain and ruin the mood. The breakfast was good, but I would not recommend this place for dinner. Sorry Lakehouse, I wish you were better — fabulous room accomodations.

The views from the Lakehouse are quite simply breathtaking. You are overlooking more of a pound than a lake (it’s really small) but it has a very dramatic backdrop of mountain peaks and trees.
The setting is like a slightly dressed-​up wood cabin. No need to dress super formal, but I’d avoid coming in sneakers during dinner. It will most likely be very, very quiet. There were only 2 or 3 other tables while we were there, because it’s only open to members and hotel guests. It’s quite relaxing. The wine list is presented on an iPad! Funnn! Why don’t more places do this? Their wine list — like every other restaurant in this region is quite impressive.
You can order a 4 course or a la carte. We did the four course. I started with the beet salad and then moved into scallops followed by venison and a peanut butter chocolate mousse dessert. Everything was pretty good. Nothing was phenomenal, but nothing was disappointing. It seemed like the other 2 – 3 tables were on a similar ordering pattern and things weren’t evenly spaced all evening, but we had no where to go, so it was no real bother.

I go to 3 – 4 new 4.5 star and above per week so I am VERY picky. This place will not disappoint. We ate there 2 evenings and both times left very impressed. The quality of the food here is outstanding and the food creations are impressive. A sign of a great restaurant is when they add two items that don’t sound good together on the menu, but are amazing to taste. We also had breakfast here 3 times and all the items were delicious and fresh.

Usually, the stars that I like to hob nob with are the ones in the sky.
Originally a campground, The Calistoga Ranch is a private wooded resort and spa. Its famous guests include our Governor and John Mayer, who recently serenaded wedding guests by the lake. (Wow, that must have been a fabulous wedding!) If you’re not staying here, it’s hard to even get past the 1^st gate. With those kind of A-​List people on the guest list, you’re probably thinking: how in the world did this random Kira W. get the Inside Scoop? Well, I sneaked in here through Solage’s wonderful hospitality services. CR is a «sister property» of Auberge de Soleil and Solage, and they happily (and luckily for me) welcome these guests to also dine at Lakehouse Restaurant.
As someone who is a fan of camping, I immediately LOVED the gorgeous surroundings! Much of it is still untouched by the resort, with original trail heads and campground paths still in tact. The buildings are rustic and delicately built into the environment with private outdoor showers and low profile architecture. And the wine cave, where members can do tastings and make their own wine, is so discretely built into the side of the hill that, at first, I didn’t even notice that it’s man-​made. A part of me, tho, couldn’t help wishing that I had discovered the campground pre-​resort days, in a simple pair of shorts with a tent folded up in my backpack.
After a quick ride along the paved trail in a motorized cart, we arrived at the Lakehouse. During the Spring, the small lake (I’d call it a pond) fills up in the area beneath the restaurant giving way to its quaint name. Much of the dining area is outdoors, but complete with warming lamps and upholstered furniture. This isn’t a woodsy cabin with bear skin rugs and a grizzly bearded lumberjack as your waiter. This is 4 star dining in an elegant rock faced room with plush couches that mimic the texture of granite.
I’m sure that Mr. Schwarzenegger can easily gobble down a 4 course prix fixe dinner here. Call me a wimpy little Asian chick, I’m no match for The Terminator! I decided to go with a light starter of the Japanese hamachi and orange cured salmon. I don’t usually like smokey flavors, but I found myself enjoying something new. My 2^nd course of decadent bacon wrapped veal loin, with a sweet plum sauce and a swirl of pureed squash, became my favorite dish of the weekend. What really impressed me beyond the food, was the exceptional service. We were helped by at least 4 separate people and the Executive Chef, Erik Villar, introduced himself to each of the tables at the end of the evening. He was so warm and friendly that it made me appreciate the meal even more.
Whether you plan to stay at Calistoga Ranch, Solage or Auberge de Soleil, the food and experience is one of a kind.

The breakfast wasn’t like, dropdead amazing delicious but it was good and high quality. They brought us more toast after we all devoured ours early on. I like the seating arrangements outdoors and would definitely go to just relax on one of the comfy couches if our hot tub and the pool weren’t even more inviting.

This is an exclusive spot, only being available to hotel guests or members. A wonderful hideaway in a beautiful setting off the beaten path in Calistoga — you would never know the «frenzy» of Napa is not far away.
A strong focus on seasonal, organic ingredients from local farms and ranches. Starter course of a salad was fine, but, I must not waste time here. I looked at the entrees and after hearing everything about the chef, once I saw venison on the menu, I knew, if I were to order venison, this would be the place. Boy, was I right. Wow. Lovely. I was initially a tad frightened as the filet seemed quite rare, but it was perfect. Velvetty mouthfuls of a very tender steak, served with a blackberry reduction. I frankly have no recollection if anything else was on the plate this was so lovely! The lamb a friend has was also great, but, I was so fixated on the venison. I am sure dessert was also great, but my tastebuds only recall the venison (only a week later!). Food and wine pairings are a nice addition to the meal, however, wine appreciation really does depend on your palate. I was not overwhelmed by all of the wines, but overall was pleased with the pairings.