Stone House - Nevada City, California

Derek

What a great location with plenty of history and stories that abound! Drinks were tasty and although rustic, open and mostly rock/cement. Still feels quaint and is quiet. Great for a romantic dinner upstairs or a big party down stairs. Or just a few drinks at the bar.

Dat N.

The wife and I are in Nevada City to celebrate our Anniversary. Downtown has been rated one of the best downtowns in America and from what I've seen of the selection of eateries alone, it is very likely true. This particular establishment is literally in a Stone House building which was a former brewery and was chosen for its high ratings and the desire of my wife to have pizza tonight. The restaurant is at the far end of the bottom of the hill of Nevada City's downtown business. Although they do have a parking lot it does not hold many cars and you should be able to find a newly constructed lot not far across the street.

When we arrived it seemed the house was popular and busy as all the spots in the parking lot were full and people were headed in and through. When the door opened, we were surprised to see that the main room was not crowded at all and was more of the bar space as folks were being shuttled through the adjacent room. We learned that the upstairs seating was booked with reservations for the night and we opted for the lower floor which had minimal seating and served as the floor for live stage music where two guitarists played their offering of Hawaiian influenced and styled fingering music. Very nice. I believe we were told that live music occurs here 4 days a week and that most of the musicians are local. Very cool.

We ordered a margherita pizza and a new bone marrow menu item which had only been on the menu for a week. The wife had always wanted to have restaurant Marrow and we saw that this was on the menu so we ordered. Instead of getting what we thought would be steakhouse marrow on a cut bone, it came out in 3 cubes and a sauce. Apparently the marrow was cooked into a ... rice and cooked in beef tallow...(?) and came out crusted and served with a sauce. The waiter that brought it out told us we were in for a treat. The wife absolutely loved it. The pizza was good. Nice thin crust and quality cheese. My only remark was that I would have preferred a stronger tomato sauce. This is personal comment as I don't think anyone should judge this pizza based on my preference. This pizza was large enough for my wife and I to share and both be satisfied. I paired this with a draft lager called the Taco Truck which I felt was on the light side of flavor but good enough. Chosen because it was the only lager they had on tap.

This is a quality establishment. Good service, good food, great atmosphere. I don't think you will be disappointed if you come through.

On our way out we had a conversation with the lovely French hostess who informed us that tomorrow there will be a Mardi Gras parade in downtown, so guess what we're doing next?

Fitrie R.

Just had the Christmas set-menu dinner last night. The building is amazing! Fantastic historic ambiance. The food unfortunately was substandard "Hungry Joe's" chain restaurant style. Terrible! We really want the Stone House to survive and do well! I hope they read this and improve so we can continue our support. You need to work harder Stone House we are behind you! ✊

Aileen R.

Having recently relocated from Los Angeles—a city renowned for its vibrant culinary scene—my expectations for dining experiences are unapologetically high. Stone House not only met these expectations but exceeded them, offering a delightful and memorable New Year’s Eve celebration that my family and I will cherish.

The ambiance of Stone House is truly enchanting. The historic building, with its charming stone walls and warm, inviting decor, evokes a sense of understated elegance that perfectly complements the serene setting.

As for the cuisine, each dish demonstrated thoughtful preparation and creativity. We began with the tots and caviar—a harmonious pairing of playful comfort and refined luxury. The golden, crispy tots were a hit with my 15-month-old, while the creamy sauce and caviar elevated the dish into something truly exceptional—an indulgence I would never attempt to replicate at home.

For my entrée, I selected the truffle pizza, a dish that struck all the right notes: rich, fragrant, and utterly satisfying. Each bite was a testament to the kitchen's mastery of flavor and balance.

Dessert brought a delightful surprise in the form of their rice pudding. Traditionally a sweet conclusion to a meal, Stone House's rendition leaned into tartness with the addition of fresh raspberries. I found this creative choice both refreshing and inspired—a perfect counterpoint to the carb-forward nature of the meal, providing a "soft landing," as it were.

As a new mother, dining out often comes with challenges, but Stone House made the experience seamless and accommodating, a detail I deeply appreciated. Their mocktails deserve special mention as well; the sage-infused drink was a standout, with its savory and herbaceous profile offering a sophisticated alternative to more saccharine options.

Stone House has firmly secured its place as a cornerstone of culinary excellence in our new hometown. I eagerly look forward to future visits and fully intend to make this exceptional restaurant a staple for celebrating good food and great company.

10/10 experience.

Nicole W.

Food isn’t good. 65 dollar steak is like 10 dollars street flat iron, fat and thin cut. very bad choice of meat Costco is better. Lamb dish sounded good but we don’t see its ground lamb from menu. Appetizers are jokes, including fried fries and nuts….. it’s a rip off ugh. Sad it was better before. Plus our wine bottle is chipped , we couldn’t finish the bottle from the food pairing and saw this. Ugh, we didn’t want to cross this off the list but….

We actually went in to the first floor, seated and no one served us, so we walked up to get served ourselves.

Overall experience isn’t there, a lot of work needed for a better management

Lisa S.

The atmosphere and the history of this building are quite incredible. I think it would make a great venue for events and receptions too!
Pistachio tiramisu doesn’t look pretty, but it was delicious!

opportunities:
-our server asked us if we wanted flat or sparkling water when we arrived and we all just wanted flat. We were charged $8 a bottle for flat water without being told there was a cost for water, after we looked around the room and other tables had different jugs of water which we assume was free. This is just so odd to not even mention a cost or option for tap and try to up-charge for water!
-there’s maybe one salad and one entree (which I couldn’t even figure out what it was by the description) that didn’t have dairy. So not many food options if you have a dairy allergy.
-there’s only a few wines on the menu by the glass and when mine came out from the bar there was clearly less than 6 oz in the pour (see photo).

I think this restaurant could thrive and is beautiful to sit and dine in. Just not my favorite outing (especially at this price point) unfortunately.

Briana B.

Came here for the NYE menu with a few friends and had an amazing experience! The food was delicious and creative. I felt the portions were generous for the $100 / person price point. I particularly enjoyed the tots with caviar and wild king salmon. Grateful for a restaurant in the area that values quality ingredients

Erika H.

Lunch & drinks were delicious, thoughtfully displayed and high quality ingredients. I recommend the Smokin' Rose Mezcal it is a dream come true in a glass. 🌹