George S.
Yelp
The latest "sure, I guess?" spot in Mill Valley from the trio of proverbial cooks whose track record includes Playa (sure, I guess), Bungalow 44 (come for the mashed potato, but expect to want to go and fetch it yourself to bypass the lousy service), and of course, Buckeye Roadhouse, a restaurant so hopelessly bad - and, judging by the message they print on their receipts about paying their staff an equitable salary, slightly evil - that I wince when I see it on my way into the city.
But I still went for dinner wanting to love the place. Mill Valley is long overdue a lively place for cocktails - or indeed any venue open after 8pm (which, I suppose, makes Corner Bar a qualified success).
It's all roughly as coherent as you'd expect it to be: Anthropologie divorcee interior meets enormous TVs showing sports behind the bar. Girl in workout clothes next to us chatting with the chef, glamorous couple two sea-oh god oh god another giant ass pressed into my shoulder because there's almost literally no room between the tables and people have to choose which orifice will definitely definitely definitely touch a complete stranger as they squeeze by. (I lost my appetite when another butt knocked over my glass at the exact moment a waiter appeared carrying a lank, rubbery, tubular piece of beef on a comically empty plate.)
The food is obviously totally incoherent with the decor and vibe and giant TVs playing sport and the constant sound of staff apologizing for the noise and asking people to repeat themselves (I am not exaggerating) - but apart from the rubber kebab, it is fair and might get better.
Having said that, in addition to forcing patrons to be ass-to-face with the inhumane table layout, it's one of those places where the chef has never, ever, seen anybody attempt to serve plated food at the table, judging by the size of the dishes (big!) relative to the tables they are served on (very tiny! With lots of asses in your face!).
Anyway, the bottom line is: 1) please can somebody else have a go at running a restaurant in Mill Valley now? and 2) sure, I guess?