Oak + Violet

Great spot for summer evenings (or any other time of the year, really!) Their patio is truly welcoming, almost magical, and oasis in the middle of the town.Enjoyed the food, delicately crafted, the ambiance and how relaxing and elegant all the experience was.We came here a couple of t in es, one bday occasion and another time with friends, truly enjoyable

DO NOT GRACE THIS PLACE WITH YOUR BUSINESS; THEY DON'T DESERVE IT. We've lived in Menlo Park for many years and thought it was time to try it out. NOOOOO!!!!! The four of us went for THANKSGIVING DINNER. The service was OK but much of the food was a disastrous miss and some was outright not edible: not seasoned, dry, cold, burned at the edges... It was so bad that we actually laughed. OUR BILL WAS $530.A coupled days later I left a message for the Manager; I wanted to described our experience. I called again in a few days when I didn't hear from him, and I was reprimanded: he is a busy man, he will call when he can. After 10 days of silence I decided to write this review.

Tonight, we stopped by Oak & Violet to catch the live music. Ken, an acoustic guitarist and singer, performed, and his voice and guitar skills were fantastic. We liked him so much we asked for his business card for private events. We were impressed by the ambiance, and had a great evening enjoying cocktails, wine, and appetizers. The service was excellent, and the patio ambiance was cozy. While street parking is limited, the restaurant, located inside a hotel, offers free valet parking for two hours, with a $10 charge after that and additional fees for overnight guests.We'll definitely be returning for more live music!

We were a walk in for dinner last night at Oak + Violet. They were able to seat us right away. There was live music to enjoy on a Saturday night. The menu isn't very extensive but seemed to have options for all types of diners. We started to off with the hamachi crudo - nice portions of fresh fish. For mains, we order the steak and salmon entrees. Well presented with good flavor albeit my steak was slightly overcooked but not enough to send back. Finally, a flavorful and large portion of Tiramisu to end the meal. Our service was spot on.

Oak + Violet in Menlo Park has a lot of potential, but my recent solo dining experience fell a bit short. The atmosphere is fantastic - beautiful indoor and outdoor seating with live jazz music creates a truly relaxing and cozy vibe. The outdoor area can get chilly around sunset, but they thoughtfully offer heated lamps to keep diners comfortable.The staff was undeniably friendly. The host was very accommodating, especially since I was dining solo on a night with mostly larger tables. I offered to sit at the bar to make it easy, but the host told me that he could definitely honor my preference if I wanted to sit outside and that it wouldn't be a problem at all. I really appreciated that. Unfortunately, communication with my server could have been much better. After a long day, I was craving gnocchi and saw it listed on their menu. Here's where things went awry:Menu Miscommunication: The gnocchi dish was described as "Pan Seared Gnocchi | Arugula, Pesto, Cherry Tomato, Mushrooms, Ricotta Salata." The comma between "arugula" and "pesto" made it seem like they were separate ingredients. I requested the gnocchi without arugula, which the server initially confirmed was possible.Missed Communication: What wasn't clear on the menu, and unfortunately not communicated by the server, was that the pesto sauce itself contained arugula. This resulted in my gnocchi arriving plain, with no sauce at all. Only after it was already cooked and served did the server explain the situation.I did try the gnocchi but I dont want to review it By the time the miscommunication was addressed, my appetite had waned. While the server apologized and offered solutions, I opted to skip the meal altogether and leave.Overall, Oak + Violet gets 3 stars from me. The ambiance is lovely, the staff is friendly, and the live music adds a special touch. However, the menu could be clearer, and communication between staff and customers needs improvement. If they address these areas, they could be a great option for a relaxing and enjoyable meal.

Really cute hotel restaurant in Menlo Park! They have a nice outdoor patio. Their cocktail menu was amazing and we loved the Paper Plane, Southside, and Dragon Breath. We shared the truffle fries and the plum and burrata for apps which were delicious. I got the shrimp tagliatelle pasta which was delicious as well. For a pretty upscale restaurant, the prices were actually pretty reasonable. Definitely would come back for drinks and apps.

Good service unsanitary, workers not using gloves making the breakfast, touching their hair and pants, pretty gross, not coming back.

Restaurant was right off El Camino with ok parking in the neighborhood. I parked a block away behind ducky car wash next door, so took a couple min to walk to restaurant. Outdoor and indoor seating was available and outside was dog friendly. Waiter quickly brought a water bowl for the pup and a pleasant surprise was a special dog menu (similar to other restaurants like hamburgers party with rice and veggies or chicken). My friend and i both got the chilled soup, and salad and a Margherita pizza. Everything was tasty and pricing was the usual menlo price. Total came to approx $50/person.

Good vibes American restaurant that was pretty empty on a Wednesday evening. I liked the brussel sprouts, pan seared salmon, and new york steak. I've heard certain days feature live music so would love to time my next visit on one of those days. Would visit again for special occasions!

FOOD POISONING BEWARESpectacular ambience and lovely cocktails can't make up for horrendous bouts of food poisoning caused by the truffle fries. Two colleagues in our party had the fries, and both ended up vomiting (amongst other things) well into the morning hours. The incident was reported to the City and an inspection was performed with seemingly no problems, but our attempts to contact the restaurant were fruitless. The staff took a message for the manager, who didn't even have the decency call the sick individuals back. Shame on you Oak and Violet. You were supposed to be our neighborhood gem, not a hidden landmine.