Brix Restaurant

11/10/08

Don't Waste Your Time

by symantix

My family loves eating out. I wouldn't consider ourselves French Laundry types, but we certainly appreciate a good Michelin starred meal and don't mind paying $100++ per person for top notch food. Unfortunately, 25 Brix failed miserably in almost every aspect.

The atmosphere is lively and loud; better suited for intoxicated groups of obnoxious wine tasters than a romantic dinner with your loved ones.

Let's start with the service. Our server was a super tall guy (I forget his name). From the onset he seemed bitter and unhappy to be working (or perhaps he was overworked). He took FOREVER to bring us our cocktails, and did not bring us our bottle of wine until 7 minutes after the entree was served. He only checked back on us about 15 minutes into the entree, and he pretended not to see us flailing our hands back and forth to get his attention. Seriously, I think everyone in the restaurant saw us except our waiter. We finally had to stop the sommalier to get a few last minute things.

On paper, the menu sounds enticing. Unfortunately, the execution was far from perfect. The appetizers ranged from average to excellent, with the best thing on the menu being the smoked sturgeon pizza. The entrees were underseasoned and served room temperature at best. They must have been sitting in the kitchen for several minutes before they were brought out. My dry-aged New York (the most expensive thing on the menu) was so cold that I sent it back with the sommalier to be heated up. Thankfully the sommalier was gracious and caring; he actually took my steak off the bill.

We were there celebrating my mom's birthday and we didn't even receive so much as a congratulations from ANYONE, let alone the traditional dessert that is usually served at most restaurants.

Would our meal have been better with a different server? Certainly. But no server in the world can make up for mediocre food.

• Pros: Nice sized wine list.
• Cons: Horrible service.

03/28/08

Avoid..Don't go there....

by elizabeth32

I was in Napa last Saturday with a group of friends and we had THE WORST experience at Brix...and it was totally unrelated to our server!

The wait time on our food was close to two hours, the manager came by the table 3 times and did not apologize once but instead was passive aggressive trying to blame the open patio, the weather, and many other things for the long wait time, instructing us to "enjoy the sunset".

The sunset and company saved the evening no thanks to the horrible dining experience and very mediocre cold food. You would be better off going elsewhere.

03/22/08

Very overrated...and disappointing to any discriminate, experienced diner.

by rrboyle1947

I visited for a lunch with two overseas guests with whom I wished to share a bit of "wine country, USA." I chose Brix from the Internet as it seemed to be well reviewed with an interesting menu. After dining there, however, I would never go again. I paid $198+ for a lunch for three, and while the food was generally passable, I have dined equally well in my hometown of Berkeley, CA., for a good less than half the price. The setting on the patio was, indeed, lovely, but the service was atrocious; cold, brusque bordering on impatient and rude. I actually noticed other customers, ("regulars" perhaps) being treated in a manner entirely different from my party, and out of order -- i.e., before us though we were seated earlier; so obvious and awkward that even my guests asked, "are they always this way in America?" The waiter brought an expensive bottle of wine to our table, and, instead of properly presenting and pouring a sample for tasting and approval, actually dropped it on the table, with the words, "Here is your bottle," and then proceeded to immediatley leave for another table to present and open wine...what was that??? Personally, since I was driving, I did not order wine, but rather a sparkling water. I waited until my entree was served before it finally showed up! No apology nor explanation was offered. Overall, I'd call this a snobby, overpriced, physically beautiful restaurant which is a bit "too full of itself," and easily fools people into thinking it is a "fine dining experience," because it has high prices, just the right setting, and "people talk about it." Frankly, next time I have guests, I'm staying in the City (San Francisco) or Berkeley, which is always an adventure in dining with down to earth prices.

• Pros: Setting; patio
• Cons: Service, service, service!!! Food good but really way overpriced.