Willi's Wine Bar on Memorial Day for dinner. They were hosting a bachelorette party for 20 in the front room. Large groups often overwhelm a restaurant the size of Willi's, but that was not the case. We were outside on a perfect evening and the experience was first rate.
Service was attentive. They waived the corkage on the bottle I brought when we bought a bottle from their comprehensive list. Thanks!
Food was terrific. We shared everything-the best way to enjoy all the small plates.
Thanks for the fine evening!
I'd give this place 2.5 stars, somewhere between "Meh. I've experienced better" and "A okay." I get the whole little plates thing, the service was great, and the atmosphere was good, but really, the prices for the ACTUAL MEAL were a bad value.
We asked the server what his last meal would be, and he mentioned the tuna tartare and little sliders. The tuna was good, but the flavor wasn't very complex - mostly just sesame oil. We've definitely had better elsewhere.
The little steak sliders were  basically three tiny nubs of steak each on a dinner roll, slathered with a yummy spinach sauce. It was actually a little greasy/sloppy.
The truffled fries weren't worth it - we seemed to get the end bits and pieces, and they'd absorbed too much oil. They were crunchy in a hard, not crispy way.
The baked oysters were cheesy and yummy, but the raw oysters were a bit briny.
The meal doesn't live up to the expectations set by the menu, prices or the hype. I'm actually glad for them that they can get away with it - hey, if you can charge what they charge for what they actually serve up and people like it, good for you:) If we could do over our dinner in the area for the night, we would go somewhere else.
Every yuppie and want to be yuppie who knows...knows that his is the best high priced place in town to eat! Its basically a tapas style food. You don't get much but man is it great! This place makes you feel like a millionaire which is why it is so popular. The service is excellent. food presentation excellent! food excellent, oyster bar excellent, food selection excellent, atmosphere excellent! I can't knock it. If your starving don't come here. But if you want to be pampered and pamper your taste buds, this is the place but don't forget your wallet and ..."BETTTER not bring your Kids!"- Dave Chappelle
Review Source:Oddly, Willie's came up on a Google search for Santa Rosa Nightlife. Â Since I was there yesterday, I will add my review. Â Obviously, nightlife in this town means dinner restaurants, because Willie's closes its doors at only 9:30 PM! Â Now, on to the food. Â We ordered many menu items, some with quite exotic descriptions, and shared little tastes of them in a tapas bar dinner style. Â Everything was tasty and everything was well-presented. Â Each dish delivered to the table was a presentation of its serving platter, garnish, and arrangement. Â It has been mentioned in these reviews that the service was poor and in some cases rude, but in my experience the service is like most in the USA; performed by non-professionals. Â I guess the question is if I would return to Willie's and the answer is definitely yes.
Review Source:Can't say enough for this place. Every dish we tried was fantastic, and we can't wait to go back to try more of the menu!
My girlfriend and I split 6 of the tapas-style, appetizer-sized (larger than normal tapas) dishes:
Curried Crab Tacos - refreshing, but could have used a little more crab meat. this was the only dish we wouldn't order again
Ahi Tuna Tartare - perfect, just perfect. tons of tuna and avocado, what more can you want?
Black Truffle Risotto - doesn't photograph very well, but don't be dismayed - get it!
Moroccan Style Lamb Chops - cooked perfectly and couscous was delicious
Truffled French Fries - crunchy, salty, truffly, and went great with the sliders
Filet Mignon Sliders - $16 for only two sliders, but they're the best things on the menu, totally worth it
Charming place with very good food. However, the restaurant failed in a way that ruined the evening for guests in an entire patio area. An out of control diner (at a table with very intoxicated friends -who continued to be served alcohol) repeatedly screamed and yelled at the top of his lungs, banged an outdoor heater and intimidated the guests at other tables for well over an hour. The situation was a hundred times worse than anything I have ever witnessed. It was absolutely crazy and a little scary. At one point, he turned around and stared right into my eyes for about half a minute as if to say, I dare you to say something. Yet, no one in the restaurant said one word to the perpetrator other than to continue to take his drink orders. This sociopath did everything in his power to destroy the evening for every other diner. Evidently, he is a regular, so all I can say is BEWARE.
BTW: even though it went without saying, we let our waiter know that we found the situation miserable . I even mentioned that it was my birthday dinner, but, it was literally shrugged off. It would have been a more peaceful evening if our table were situated on a jumbo jet runway.
LOL....Writing a review for this place would be a joke. Look at those 5 stars down the board!
This place is above 5 stars and is amazing all around- staff, food, location, environment,music playing, etc. Also has a well versed fusion appetizer menu leaning more on the french side-a huge plus for me!
We stopped by Willi's Wine Bar for a light lunch before some Dry Creek wine tasting. They serve "International Small Plates" (aka fusion tapas) in a older building that has a roadhouse feel. Outdoor seating is great on a nice day which is what we chose to do.
Curried Crab Tacos (<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/willis-wine-bar-santa-rosa?select=oDs0CRHjbarGKE0a4mN0iQ#oDs0CRHjbarGKE0a4mN0iQ">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>) were packed with crab. Didn't have much (any) curry flavor, but were very good nonetheless. The pickled onions added a nice tart flavor contrast.
Mac and cheese with leeks and ham was served in a mini-mason-type jar with toasted breadcrumbs (<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/willis-wine-bar-santa-rosa?select=XkMy07ae6OSpzVbCVpzwRQ#XkMy07ae6OSpzVbCVpzwRQ">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>). The breadcrumbs made up for not having a toasty, crispy top. Nice chunks of ham in the more creamy than cheesy sauce.
Brussel Sprouts with  blue cheese and apples (<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/willis-wine-bar-santa-rosa?select=YS63db7IaoGNzFBq2ITZIg#YS63db7IaoGNzFBq2ITZIg">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>) had a great seared flavor. At first wasn't sure about the combo with cheese and apples, but they went well together.
I discovered Willi's Wine Bar through its high rating on Yelp. Â I went for my birthday this year and was not disappointed. Â We ordered the chilled oysters, black truffle risotto, truffled french fries, arugula and endive salad, roasted bone marrow, Moroccan lamb chops, filet minion sliders, creme brulee, chocolate and banana croissant bread pudding, and of course wine. Â I can honestly say that I enjoyed everything we got. Â The oysters, risotto, lamb, and sliders especially stood out.
The staff was friendly and helpful and gave us great recommendations. Â I didn't get a chance to see the outdoor seating but the inside was nice.
I ate here today and I'd have to say it's probably my favorite "nice" restaurant in Santa Rosa, so far. Pretty pricey, but I'd recommend going here for a romantic ambiance and good quality food. I had the grenache wine flight and my bf and I ordered: bone marrow, roasted carrots, lamb chop, and BLT soft shell crab sandwich. I felt so indulgent after I left the restaurant! The carrots tasted soft and delicious, almost sweet potato-like.. bone marrow was rich and indulgent as it is at most places.. soft shell crab was amazing and unique.. the biggest surprise was the lamb chop. My bf ordered it sort of facetiously because I had just told him that I don't really like lamb, but figured I'd try it anyway. I was totally having a love affair with that lamb chop... so juicy and savory. My mouth waters just thinking about it now. I even sucked on the bone afterwards to squeeze as much as I could out of it (too gross? too sensual? w/e). Really cute and romantic place; would definitely go back.. but not all the time. We spent like $40 each before tip.
Review Source:Absolutely amazing! Great food, service, and wine selection. A great place to order a few dishes and share. My favorites are the warm spinach salad, the heirloom salad, the filet mignon sliders and the shrimp. I also recommend doing a wine pairing as well. One of my favorite restaurants in the area. Outside seating is a must...You won't be disappointed! :)
Review Source:What we ordered:
Wine and Cheese pairing: exceptional
Maine Lobster Creamed corned: amazing
Arugula salad: Decent
Trout: Could've done without
Lamb Chops: Regrettable
Bone Marrow: I've had better, way better
Spicey Shrimp: Great; wished we ordered these in lieu of lamb chops and trout
Thing is, Yelp still did us right by attracting us to this place. Â It's cute and romantic for our anniversary date. Â They honored our Open Table request even though we came in a little early and sat us outside. Â The out door patio is so adorable.
Overall, the food was just ok and forgettable. Â Our waitress and service staff was exceptional and paired our wine selection perfectly with the cheese that we chose.
Yelp really delivered on this one. Â Exceptional food and pleasant atmosphere. Â
My boyfriend's parents were visiting from Italy for the first time and wanted to go somewhere nice for dinner near Napa. It was up to me to make the booking. If you know anything about Italians from the old country, they are extremely particular about food quality, especially in America where food is more expensive and often not as good. Â It was such a relief to me, then, that they were impressed with this place.
They especially enjoyed the oysters and the cheese selection. Â The oysters tasted very fresh and I'm really not a huge fan usually -- I would have ordered more had the rest of my dinner not come soon after. Â The cheeses came with an assortment of bread and crackers, honey and an onion jam (I can't eat onions so I didn't try the latter). Â In combination with the wine pairings for the cheeses, I was reminded of that scene in Ratatouille where the flavor combinations were visualized as fireworks -- sooo good.
We also ordered the charcuterie -- the wild boar was particularly good, but I recommend against the chorizo. Â The filet mignon sliders were incredible.
Overall, everything tasted great and Jason was an excellent waiter. Â A+
Visits: Once, on vacation recently.
Apps to try: Crab tacos, truffle fries, filet mignon sliders. There is a six wine and six cheese sampler...get it! The cheese was delicious, the wine paired well, and it comes with crackers and delicious jam.
Entrees to try: We ate a bunch of small plates (see apps above).
Desserts to try: Creme Brûlée.
Service: Fantastic. The server was on top of everything, came back several times, gave great recommendations, and was very friendly. The other employees were very friendly, refilled our drinks multiple times, and cleared our empty plates almost immediately.
Establishment: Very nice. Great outdoor seating with a nice fountain, nice decor, and good seating.
Restroom: I actually didn't use it!
Parking: Small parking lot in front/on the side...watch out when you back out onto the busy street!
Stay away from: Other restaurants? I would recommend everything I ate here so don't stay way from anything.
Special notes: RASPBERRY LEMONADE! Order it. Drink it. Love it. Thanks Willi's, for making our mediocre Napa/Sonoma vacation so much better :D
I brought a client and some of my staff to Willi's for dinner and drinks a few years ago. The waitress was obviously in a bad mood. Â She looked pissed off. Â I wish I could remember her name. Â I don't believe she even greeted us when she approached our table to take our order. Â Definitely extremely poor customer service. Â I was actually embarrassed. Â I did not tip well, so the bartender decided to come up to me, with his muscles hanging out and his tattoos to ask why I tipped the waitress poorly, yes, loudly and in front of my client. Â I was shocked and humiliated. Â Being put on the spot I said I must have made a mistake and I added more to the tip. Â I actually lost sleep over this event and wish I would have called and spoke to management. Â I will never go to this establishment again.
Review Source:Went to Willi's Wine Bar on Mother's Day 2013 to celebrate Mother's Day and a friend's birthday. Â I had made reservations on Opentable about a month prior because I didn't know how busy they would be for Mother's Day and I appreciated that they didn't jack up the prices on their menu for just that one day. Â Ou experience didn't start out to well but ended up being amazing.
We got there a little early and headed to the bar for a martini -- DUH ! Â Wine Bar = No hard alcohol! Â So we ended up being seated at our outside table and ordered a bottle of the Hall Sauvignon Blanc $30 which was the least expesive in the category on the menu but ended up being a wonderful bottle of wine. Â We were all pretty chilly and the waiters didn't hesitate to light the heaters for us and then about 10 minutes later lower the heat for us.
There were four of us and we started off with 6 small plates (figured we would order more if we needed to) although the waiter recommended we order 2 or 3 plates per person -- which would have been too much food because we also wanted to share a few desserts.
We ordered:
Ahi Tuna Tartare with Lemon, Shiso & Pine Nuts
Goat Cheese Fritters with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes, Smoked Paprika & Lavender Honey
Warm Spinach Salad, Goat Cheese, Dates, Cracked Almonds, Pancetta Vinaigrette
Pork Belly Pot Stickers with Five Spice & Shiitake Mushrooms
Crispy Pork Riblets, Pomegranate BBQ, Thai Basil, Pinenuts
Charcuterie with Coppa, Duck Prosciutto and Wild Boar Creminelli
For dessert we ordered:
*Warm Scharffen Berger Flourless Chocolate Cake, Peanut Butter Caramel, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream & Sea Salt Peanuts
*Crispy Pear Springrolls -Goats Milk Caramel, Rum Raisins, Pinenuts, Mascarpone
That chocolate cake was TO DIE FOR especially the Peanut Butter Caramel!!!
I can tell you that everything we ate was incredible! The restaurant was impeccably clean and nicely decorated. Â All of the staff were very nice and if you ever get a chance to eat here, don't hesitate, you won't be sorry. Â There were 4 of us eating but only 3 of us paying and the bill came to $50 each. Â
I would have gladly given Willi's Wine Bar 5 stars except for this one thing. Â When we were being seated I told them that it was my friend's 70th birthday (in fact it could have been in reservation too). Â I also made sure to hint about it when the waiter was at our table too. Â However when dessert arrived they didnt do anything special for my friend -- I find that horrible. Â They of course, also charged me for both desserts. Â But despite this I would whole heartedly recommend Willi's Wine Bar. Â
I already have a reservation for next month!
Food was served tapas style which made it fun. Atmosphere was tasteful and cozy and the food was more than delicious... It was EXQUISITE! I don't think there is anything we tried that we didn't devour. Don't be afraid of the menu, be brave and try something different, you will not be disappointed! I also had the Italian flight of red wine with dinner... Truly the best wine I have ever had! Thank you Willie's Wine Bar!!! We will return!
Review Source:Our intent was to stop in for a quick bite before the trip from Santa Rosa to Sonoma. Â We got in and did not want to leave.
We sat in the heated and seasonally enclosed patio which was very nice.
It is a very cool little wine bar with a great menu, food and wine. Â
My wife and I grabbed a glass of wine and started the food choices, and there were plenty of choices. Â
We started with the Ahi Tartare. Â This was the biggest miss for us. Â That being said, it was still pretty good. Â The problem was they overloaded it with roe. Â It was bit much and we had to pick most of it off. Â They paired with well with avocado.
We then got an order of the roasted asparagus with herb and Meyer lemon aioli. Â These were cooked perfect and the aioli was served in a hollowed out egg. Â It was bright and rich and I needed more.
We also got the Goat Cheese fritters. Â They were dusted with a little smoked paprika and lavender honey; which the gave crispy, creamy bites some heat and a sweetness. Â They were also served with blistered cherry tomatoes. Â
I also ordered the charcuterie plate served with caper berries and shaved fennel and parmesan. Â I got the duck prosciutto, Toscano salami, and pork shoulder. Â Nothing was over salty and the meat was tender and fatty, oh-so good.
The one thing I think we missed was the truffle fries; they looked amazing and I overheard the table next to us say they were the best they had ever had.
Our server was very knowledgeable about the wine and food menu and gave great suggestions. Â She was unsure if I would like a specific wine that sounded good to m, so she brought out a taste... I did not like it and saved me the hassle of sending it back.
Willi's is a great place and has a great menu for a quick bite, romantic dinner and a get together with friends.
I chose this place based on the Yelp reviews and it was fantastic!
I wanted to do something special with my boyfriend that was a little different and away from downtown. Â This place is beautiful and the outdoor seating is very romantic. Â The food was excellent;I loved the small portions so you could try a variety of what they have to offer. Â
Overall, it was so wonderful and special.
Went to Willi's this past weekend with my mom and we had a lovely time.  Of course the weather was incredible, but the entire experience at Willi's was great.  We sat in the outdoor patio area which was so beautiful.  The service and food was wonderful.  My most favorite tapas was the pork belly pot stickers and the grilled asparagus.  We both had wine flights and ended our meal with the butterscotch creme brulée.
Review Source:Loved willi's wine bar. We went for lunch and sat outside. The staff were very friendly and helpful and had good timing on the flow of lunch. It was great to just sit and relax and take our time before grading up to rochioli. Everything was fabulous. We enjoyed the mushroom shooter soup with mini paninis, curry crab tacos (oddly couldn't taste any curry, but good nonetheless), Mac and cheese with leeks and ham (holy smokes this was great , even though I had my heart set on trying the Mac and cheese with uni, apparently unavailable season), pork belly pot stickers and lemon pudding with huckleberry.
Enjoyed it all with a nice Riesling glass. Highly recommend Willi's
First time here the other day for a late lunch with a friend from out of town. She picked this place out based on reviews and they were right.
The server recommended 3-5 of the "small plates" for two people, I'm sure we could have eaten more but three plates seemed to be enough for us.
She ordered the Filet mignon sliders. ($16) Â
My friend said they were good, a little dry or "well done" as she politely put it. Looked pretty good, although they didn't look like traditional sliders but more like steak on rolls with the spinach and mustard sauce. She did seem over all pleased with them.
To share we got the Caramelized pear & cambozola flatbread, with apple wood smoked bacon. ($11)
It was pretty good, there seemed to be quite a bit of honey but was fine when we added a pinch of the table salts they provide. All and all good, filling, probably will go with something else next time though. She enjoyed the flatbread as well, but also thought there was just a touch too much honey.
I ordered the Organic "brick chicken" with tzatziki sauce and fried onion salad. ($12)
It was wonderful, the chicken was very seasoned and flavorful, not dry at all. The tzatziki was very good as well, they serve it with a side of harissa which the server informed me was spicy so I didn't use it. The fried onion salad is more of an arugula salad, which I am all for. Yum. I shuffled off most the fried onions to my friend though, they were crispy and delicious.
The service was fairly well, our server was informative and didn't judge me when I had stupid questions about the menu or couldn't pronounce things...lol. It was a little wait to be seated, I think everyone was setting up the patio but we finally got our seat, out on the patio. Very nice.
I'm a fan, I'm sure I'll be coming back to sample more of the small plates.
I may just need to go to Santa Rosa again just to eat here. Phenomenal Small plates, many wines available by the taste, glass, or carafe, fun cozy atmosphere. This place is one of my all time favorite BEST places to eat ANYWHERE. The lamb chops, bone marrow, dungeoness crab tacos (in season) and too many more to fit in my belly unless I bring friends to share with. And you MUST bring friends to share with. Â I cannot understand anyone not having a fabulous experience here. This is the stuff cravings are born from.
My favorite way to experience Willi's goes like this. My sisters & I book a room for the weekend, some spa treatments etc. After some shoe shopping, we get all dressed up, (bonus points for new high heels) and head to Willi's. We sit outside under heat lamps. We order a carafe of wine, a few small plates. We pass them around trying bites of everything. We order carafe #2, another round of small plates including a repeat of that first one we didn't get enough of. Finally we order dessert and lovely little French presses of coffee. The place is crowded, there is a buzz of energy. We leave happy.
(For a similar lovely experience, visit Willi's Seafood & Raw Bar in Healdsburg!)
Busy night without reservation so we sat at the bar. Â Great service from bartender.
Flight of chardonnays [Dutton being the winner] to accompany warm spinach salad [pancetta! Â just the right amount of goat cheese, almonds and few date pieces -- simple & delicious] then mac&cheese [phenomenal].
Flight of Bordeaux varietals [amazing merlot bested the malbec, surprised a couple malbec lovers] with rabbit rillette [good, but not great -- maybe not what we were in the mood for] and pulled duck bbq -- which Jen inhaled, so I think she liked it.
Dessert of pear spring rolls with rum raisins and goat's milk caramel with a glass of the Dutton chardonnay was just fantastic(!).
We look forward to returning.
Lackluster service almost spoils the quality food. Have not been to Willi's in many years and may not go back in many more. Server A asks us what kind of water we want BEFORE we even sit down. Water & Bread arrive. A good while later Server B comes back later to fill up water, and I ask him if I can ask a question about flight serving sizes so he gets Lead Server (female) who comes over and says, can I help you? No welcome, name, niceties or review of how Willi's works, but she did answer our question and take our wine and dish 1 order.
Dish 1 arrives before wine. Wine arrives. At least 25-30 minutes later when we are ready to order additional dishes my husband tries for several minutes (to no avail) to make eye contact. with Lead Server. As she --and another female server-- are leaving our room, I hold up my finger and say (in normal tones) "excuse me."
The second female server walks toward my table me and with no smile says: "are you talking to me?" I have never had a server be that rude, and I was so flustered I did not even get up and complain to Lead Server or management.
Should have, obviously. At this point Lead Server does come back to our table, says something but it was not very gracious or hospitable. The rest of the dinner went well but having a wait-person get in my face with the "are you talking to me?" instead of "can I help you" or "can I get your waitress for you?" or something from hospitality 101 would have made it a much more enjoyable evening.
Perfect place to find tasty bites to go with your vino in the wine country!
Verdict: Â Tasty small plates (Some of the dishes were greasy) but it goes well with our wine. Will visit again if in the area
Best bite: goat cheese with truffle honey and walnut wine cracker!!!!
Service: Friendly staff. We were indecisive and I like that the staff made recommendation for us.
Order: Â Â half-shell oysters, curry crab tacos (yum), tunisian roasted local carrots, fish & chips (whole mackerel, we didn't like it as much), goat cheese fritter (yum) and cheese plate
Be still my heart! I've had the pleasure of dining at Willi's Wine Bar before, and just as the other time, I immensely enjoyed feasting on the most scrumptious of small plates and enjoyed the hyggelig atmosphere.
The food speaks for itself here. Between the perfectly cooked filet mignon sliders and the almost unparalleled chilled oysters with cilantro mignonette, my tastebuds were in heaven. Beyond this, I'm a little spoiled in Sonoma County where it's always a bit difficult to choose just one wine for a meal; there are, dare I say, too many great options (for little ol' me in one evening anyway). So, the knowledgeable and attentive server always has the best libation to recommend on the tip of his tongue that pairs perfectly with the meal. As usual he didn't disappoint.
If you haven't been here yet, what are you waiting for?!
Still good, but the menu has changed and not for the better. Â They replaced my favorite item, the delcious cauliflower soup shooter / black truffel grilled cheese with a mushroom soup shooter / ham and cheese. Â The mushroom soup was okay as a dip but certainly not "shootable" and the bread they use on the ham and cheese was too crispy as opposed to the melt in your mouth bread they used to use on the truffel grilled cheese (think it was maybe brioche). Â
We also tried the bone in pork riblets which had good flavor. Â The first one I ate was delicious and the bone was in a standard place but my second and third were weird pieces with too big of grissle and strangely placed bone cuts. Â too much work to find the edible chunks and had to use a fork which I hate doing with ribs/riblets.
The pork belly pot stickers were the highlight, and my wife really liked the pulled duck on polenta.
The black truffle risotto was just ho-hum. Â Maybe it was slightly undercooked, either that or I just prefer it cooked longer and really soft. Â The flavor was ok. Â I liked the large mushroom chunks.
Got the flourless chocolate cake with caramel and peanut butter sauce. Â It also had some ice cream and peanut brittle. Â Great dessert. Â I really want to give this review 4 stars but with the two big misses right at the start I have to go with 3. Â We will be back in a few months to see how things progress.
Sliders were good but the sauce was a little over whelming and took away from the flavor of the meat 3*.
Mac and cheese and scallops were really good 5*
Duck BBQ, bone marrow, and lamb were better than average but not the best i've had so it a 4*
Pot stickers = yuck a duck 1*
Service spotty and waiting area was a joke. I was standing next to people trying to dine which made it very uncomfortable for me and them!
All in all this place is not really a 4 star but it was cheap so I rounded up.
"Beyond excellent" food and out of this world deserts! They server REALLY creative small plates and we loved their pot belly pot stickers, bone marrow (!), pear with cheese on flatbread and their signature truffle fries.
However, their pear spring rolls were out of this world, serves with mascarpone cheese and goat milk-based caramel sauce They also have an impressive wine list with some rare Greek and Spanish finds (as well as a full battery of local i.e. Sonoma and Napa wines). Â Strongly, strongly, strongly, recommended!
A great dining experience. Â The food was excellent.....highly recommend the tuna, lamb and riblets and the cake dessert.
We started with two flights (one Chardonnay and one Boudreaux)...and then a couple of glasses. Â The wine was fantastic.
The service was very attentive, friendly and professional. Â
On a busy Friday night, they were able to get us in 30 minutes before our reservation. Â I'm sure that is not normal given the popularity of this place, and we certainly didn't expect them to be able to...but they were gracious enough to do so.