Parkside Grille - Portola Valley, California

Tee P.

A wonderful restaurant embraced by nature! We went there at night so the weather is nice and crisp. The restaurant inside is warm and festive. We enjoyed the service and the quality of the food. Of course the price tag is relatively high but it is expected. What we didn't expect is how big the food is! We particularly impressed the lamb chop cooked to perfection. The chocolate lava cake is a bit overcooked but the flavor is top notched. Usually in my family people just tried to be courteous and mindful of the sugar intake. However, we can just kept digging in until the cake disappeared lol. Highly recommended for a date night or a special event. Come hungry!

Sankha H.

An excellent restaurant near the Woodside area with some outdoor seating arrangements under the redwoods. It is better to make a reservation as I did not see an empty table until about 8:15 pm. The food was delicious and sufficient, but the service was a little bit slow. But we thoroughly enjoyed the evening under the tall trees.

john W.

4.5 really.
Some wonderful dishes (the lamb chops stood out), but all were good - best described as modern takes on high-end comfort food. Friendly enough service, although we had to ask for obvious things (forks, knives) a couple of times.

$40 corkage fee is a bit steep.

Anne H.

A great restaurant in a serene setting. If you can get a table amongst the redwoods it’s worth it. We’ve been here to celebrate birthdays or just go out with friends and family. We’ve liked just about everything we’ve tried. Only once was the service slow, but they were super slammed that night. The wait staff has always been cheerful and helpful.

Jennifer S.

My family and I celebrated a big group birthday here and the food was great. The staff were very attentive and quick with taking orders and bringing the food. The kids got their food first, which was nice because they are used to eating dinner pretty early. Everyone had a great time.

Iben S.

We went on a Friday night at 6pm and it was fairly quiet. Very nice atmosphere. We sat outside on their lovely patio. Had a burger and a roasted beet salad with a side of broccolini and sweet potatoes fries. All delicious.
This place is definitely on the higher end price wise, so be prepared to pay at least $25-30 for a main dish. The drinks were fairly priced (draft beer was $9 and a glass of white wine was $13).
The service was good and we had a lovely experience.

J J.

My go to spot whenever I am in town. The BEST restaurant in the area! Excellent service and food. Try the asparagus appetizer, pasta dishes, and arugula beet salad with pears!! The staff and hostess are top notch following COVID 19 protocols making me feel safe and comfortable. Can't wait to go back.

Wook C.

This place is a true gem. It's hidden within the windy roads of Portola Valley so only those who "know" and "care" would ever find this place. The restaurant is in a corner, sort of a steakhouse feel, but then with rustic yet somewhat modern finish. Fits the redwoods surrounding the village.

Let's start with the fresh baked bread that comes out. Oh my god, this is so good. No garnish needed. Just bread and butter. It already puts you in a fantastic mood and we had a tough time resisting to dig for more lest we fill our stomachs.

We tried the margherita pizza, linguine vongole, ceasar salad with anchovies, chicken tenders and spaghetti with fries. All the food is prepared "home-style". It definitely is not garnished and visually overdone. It stays truthful to the dish and you can definitely feel the chef's love. The chick tenders are freshly hand-made as one can tell by the irregular yet non congealed texture. The linguine was made with fresh clams, but again, staying truthful to the ingredients and bringing out its flavor. The pizza was simple, yet effective.

This is Californian / American high-end comfort food at its best. It does not get better than this - starting from the atmosphere all the way to desert. The staff is friendly and professional and the food is cooked with a degree of professional homeliness. Top all of this with not-too-bad prices. Again, not cheap. But very reasonable.

We'll definitely return!