Animo

My group of friends and I enjoyed a fantastic meal during our first trip to wine country. The service felt like family having us in their home for dinner. We requested they choose the whole meal for us and they did not disappoint. From start to finish the dishes were timed perfectly. They were unique and full of flavor. The group favorites were the Talbot, Manila clams and Kimchi fried rice. The next time we make it back to Sonoma we will be back! Thank you, Animo, for giving us an experience we will never forget.

Had a fantastic date night at Animo (though the sharing format might make it better for groups). Excellent advice on the menu. The scallop was probably the best dish I've had all year - the fingerlime added crunch to the creaminess of the scallop. The lamb was fantastic for sharing. The kimchi rice got better from being left in the claypot to crisp as we ate.

Amazing flavors, great service. They do an amazing job deboning the turbot, great texture and flavor. Keep drizzling on the sauce that comes with it. The gulf prawns and calms are great starters.

Every meal is exquisite. The turbo and kimchi fried rice are a must have. Chef Joshua and his wife Heidi are the best! Def a fav and will go back every visit to Sonoma.

This is world class. Amino should have at least one Michelin star. A couple owns and runs the place. They care deeply about quality of everything. Heidi runs front of house and husband runs the open kitchen. She greets every guest like a family member and you can see him and his team working very diligently and delicately to perfect every dish. Menu had our name printed at top. Bill came in personalized thank you note at end of meal. Very touching. It’s not cheap but so worth it. Stands up directly to anything in New York, LA, Paris, etc - seriously, that good. There is no sign which is kind of cool and exclusive but a little annoying if you haven’t been before and go around it three times cursing Google maps who says it’s right here (and it is)! Two big palms out front, next to a McDonald’s and across from a strip mall which doesn’t sound inspiring but this restaurant is truly outstanding. Every dish was memorable. Got so excited we forgot to take photos of all of them for review! Wine list is strong. Wines by the glass are reasonably priced. Place is small but it works well. All good. Go for special night out. Reservations (maybe well in advance) are essential.

• A note on grades, a rate outwards from three stars. * TL;DR : Worth the drive. We landed a holiday weekend seating at this up and coming hip joint in Sonoma due to the diligence of one of our party. We are in his debt. If you are a party of three or more, expect tastefully-arranged communal seating. Also, listen to your wait staff's recommendations; they know what's up. We tried a variety of dishes of our own choosing and had to do a second order after seeing what the kitchen was slinging that night.

We had such an amazing experience at Animo tonight. The Turbo fish was delicious and so was the ribeye and the toast. The service was so personalized, it was amazing. We will most definitely come back again soon. We highly recommend Animo, only make sure to make a reservation well ahead. They book quickly.

What a fantastic experience and memorable birthday meal. Highly recommended. Low key location, with an open, wood burning dream kitchen (zero smoke noticed by us btw) We were warmly greeted by Heidi and her staff, the experience was great from the start. Delicious appetizers and shared plates (the Crudo and Manila clams were favorites), but the Summer Flounder and Flannery Beef Ribeye stole the show! Everything felt simple, yet perfect, and every dish was a delight. Thanks Chef Joshua, Heidi and the Animo team, we can't wait to come back! PS- I took a pic of the wine list (3/1/2023), as I couldn’t find it to browse in advance.