La Foret

We did a search on OpenTable for romantic restaurants in the San Jose for our weekly date nights. This came up and we were looking forward to a French menu with a sweet ambiance. I ordered the second tasting menu with prawns, salad francaise, scallops, elk, lamb and lava cake with vanilla Gelato. I had the pear ginger mocktail. My date had the mushroom tortellini, the prawns and the steak diane with a glass of Grand View Syrah. Overall the food was good. We especially loved the prawns, the tender elk, the lava cake and our drinks were divine. Unfortunately the bread was basic, tortellini sauce was not to my dates liking, the salad was 95% lettuce, the "scallops" was just one scallop (tasting menu, I know, but still a bit of a letdown), the lamb was over seasoned and the steak diane was just okay. While the waitstaff was pleasant and attentive - they must have changed out our forks at least 6 times - the biggest disappointment was the lag in time between the 5th course and the main course. Then it took forever for the lava cake and espresso to come out. Felt like 30 minutes. By the time we left, we had been there for 2 and a half hours and the bill (with tip) was $430. Considering we didn't try the caviar, the wagyu, or the Louis XIII cognac, the dinner felt a bit steep. Ambiance was classy and intimate, with red wallpaper, chandeliers, and a red rose on every table. But by 6pm, there was no longer a view to be had. Nice little hidden gem but we will not be back due to price and extended wait times between courses.

Very warm, cozy and inviting. Their menu included exotic meats like elk, wild boar, venison and bison (just to name a few) … wow right? Unfortunately the rack of lamb, and ribeye we were hoping to get were unavailable (something about electrical issues they were experiencing the week before? 🤷🏻‍♀️) Luckily, we started and enjoyed feasting on beef tartare, sea scallops and salade francaise (yummilicious 😋). We decided to try tournedos of beef chanterelle, american wagyu and wild boar. Every dish we consumed … simply delicious. If you want to enjoy a well appointed dining facility, extensive wine selection, world class cuisine while being attended by professional staff, look no further … La Foret is quite an experience.

Came here for my birthday dinner and had a wonderful experience. We opted to sit outside by the creek which made for a lovely evening. Everything on the menu looked very good but we decided on the steam and lamb which were very delicious and the temperature on the meats were just right.

We ate at La Foret for Valentine's Day. It was a 6 course price fix dinner. My husband had the soup and I had the salad. Just OK. I had the scallop for my next course, fabulous. The following course we both order the lobster in a butter sauce. Both lobster tails were "off". We couldn't eat them, They substituted quail, just ok. He ordered steak Dyan and I ordered rack of lamb, medium. Both came purple on the inside they were so raw. The waiter took them back and recooked them. Both were still too rare. The owner came over and said "I understand your meat was too rare". MY husband said, yes. That was the end of it. No, compensation no sorry. The bill came to $868.00. Was it worth it, NO. We will not be going back.

Love this place! We were visiting my brother and wine tasting in Morgan Hills. I suggested French food. He took us here and BAM! The service was excellent. The food was well seasoned and sauced. The atmosphere was quiet elegance and it was easy to chat with each other. I wish I lived closer so we could visit more often.

Even the food was good I give a one star just to get your attention. I made a reservation for 2 for my birthday and left the note that one of the guests (which is me) has celiac disease and we ask for gluten free options. When we arrived nobody had idea about my request. That is fine. I asked to guide me through the menu and got an answer that almost everything on the menu is gluten free except desserts and we shouldn't worry about. We got two different tasting menus and guess what? Already on second course I'm getting tartar with toasts on the plate. I asked if it is gluten free (I had concerned as I know how gluten free bread looks like and that baguette definitely looked like gluten. I got an answer that it is gluten free, but... they need to double check. And sure it was not gluten free. Each course was delivered by different people and was difficult to track if my request is actually went to the kitchen. Next was scallop with puff pastry and I believe that some sauces were thickened by wheat flour. Nobody cared. Now I'm suffering with the reaction and can't sleep. If I could give minus 10 stars I would. You can't do that to people! That is the worst experience i ever had at such level of restaurants. And why do you ask about occasion for reservation if nobody even said me happy birthday while i herad that there was no problem to say it to other guests? Service minus 10.

This was my first time experiencing dinner at La Forêt. La Foret offers a very nice dining experience. Our group had varied offerings, including the tasting menu. Everyone enjoyed their meals. I had the prawns, and they were good. I also had the shrimp salad with butter lettuce. It was very refreshing. I also had the "I can't decide" dessert platter. I suggest skipping this and just choosing a dessert. The creme brulee was delicious. The restaurant is a bit off the beaten path, but it is a very cool concept. If you're in the area, I would suggest giving it a try.

Very food, great service, great ambience. Enjoy on special occasions.

We try to go to La Foret for our anniversary every year and the food always amazes us. We love the ambiance and the staff. We noticed the same staff there which makes it more welcoming where most restaurants, you usually see new faces after a few years. The staff also helped take photos of us before and after dinner. We usually order 3 appetizers when we eat there and we ordered our go to appetizer which was the prawns meuniere. It is so rich in flavor with the buttery sauce. It comes with 3 prawns so better to order 2. It's that good. I decided to order the escargot over the mushrooms for appetizers since I forgot how they tasted. The escorgot came got so be careful when eating it. I am use to escargot being baked in pesto sauce so this was a nice switch. The escargot texture is similar to clams but a little tougher and the garlic butter sauce added a good flavor. They offered a special sliced raw tuna with jalapeno and mustard and pickle. This was a really good dish. I hope they add this to the menu instead of offering it as a limited time. I wish the jalapeno was a spicy but the mustard gave it a good kick and the jalapeno was crisp. Adding that pickle in the mix somehow worked pretty well and gave the dish a very unique taste in a very good way. My wife ordered the mushroom soup and I took a taste and was amazed that I had to order one for myself. The texture reminded me of clam chowder but not as thick. The flavor was amazing and I highly recommend it if they offer this soup during your visit. I ordered the wild boar and flavor was good. This is my first time trying wild boar. I usually order the venison, lamb, or elk. The meat was tender at first bite but as I chew, the meat was tough. The sauce that cane with the wild boar complimented it pretty. I ordered the mushroom soup to eat with the wild boar meat so i dipped the boar meat into the mushroom soup and wow, that was amazing. The flavor of the mushroom soup with the boar went perfectly well together. I will definitely order this again with the soup. My wife ordered the pasta fruit de mer. she was full off the appetizers and bread so she had to take some to go. I was able to sneak a taste of the boodle and it had a lot of flavor. My wife didn't let me try the scallop or the shrimp though so can't tell if it's good. My wife killed the scallop and said it was really good. She also liked the shrimp and she's not a big fan of grilled shrimp. For dessert, I ordered the souffle. It was very fluffy and light. Taking the bite I can taste the hint of alcohol which reminds me of rum. The sauce that surrounds the souffle was very good. My wife ordered the creme brulee which is her go to dessert here so she really likes it. The fact that the portion wasn't big made it more appetizing for her. If you have a special occasion and want to take ur partner out, I highly recommend this place. You can't wear shorts or sweatpants, just fyi. I recommend setting a reservation on Yelp to ensure you get seated just in case it gets booked by walk ins. Be prepared to stay there for at least 1.5 hours. They really make sure your food and drinks get prepared to perfection. My wife and I enjoy this time to relax and talk in between dishes and drinks. It also gives us time to soak in the view and enjoy what's around us. If you want to come here for Valentine's day, make sure you book way in advance. This place gets fully booked during that day. They do need you to provide a credit card to hold your reservation just in case you cancel. So make sure you can make it when you set your reservation.

This place was darling! Their patio presented right next to a beautiful creek while the restaurant was off the beaten road in a shaded wood. What a magical place. We thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance. If you want to get away and enjoy some natural peace and quiet, this is the spot. The service was good, we were way out on the patio, probably very hard to get to for the server, but they still made sure we were cared for and my water glass stayed full. We got delicious food. It was a little pricey, but worth it. The steak was huge and we got full immediately. Thank you for having us, La foret!

The food was good. The ambiance is stunning. I would say this place is great for a Date night, Business Meeting / Get together. Please has great options for alcohol and non-alcohol drinks. The pictures is some of the food that my boyfriend and I order. We went here for my boyfriend's birthday. I do recommend buying Costco gift cards for this business and then come here and have a romantic dinner. The prices will explain the atmosphere and I loved spending time looking around. I will be coming back.

We visited La Foret for our anniversary and it was the best dinner I've had in quite some time. The food was exceptional, and the service was wonderful. The dining room did get a touch loud, causing us to lean in in order to hear one another, but that is no fault of the restaurant or staff, merely a few rambunctious older groups catching up and enjoying their evenings. We played it safe with salmon, and wagyu this time (which was incredibly soft and melt in your mouth delicious), but as La Foret has bison and elk on the menu, I've been informed that we will be returning soon to "sample the other beasts" and I am very much looking forward to our next dining experience here.

Nice ambiance, they add roses to the tables and overall a very romantic place to go. I took my boyfriend here for his birthday and they brought a small birthday treat afterwards with a candle which was sweet. The service is pretty attentive and overall happy to pack anything in boxes for you even if you're doing a 5 or 6 course meal. Food was okay -- pricey for what it was but also just pricey considering some of the dishes were okay and not amazing, but I did love the final steak dish I had as well as the quail dish. My boyfriend had an elk dish which was decent too, and I tried the steak tartare appetizer which was interesting too. Lots of good options and I recommend trying this place at least once!

My boyfriend and I came here for our anniversary and it was delicious! It's tucked very deep in the woods of San Jose- there's no service but it's right next to a river and it's beautiful! Waterfront was super friendly and very nice. Our dinner was delicious. It's definitely great for a fancy special occasion. There are seats inside and outside, we got lucky to be seated outside right by the river! The inside vibe is also really cool. I loved the decorations.

Quite overpriced for what they offered. Definitely meets expectations but dishes were either a hit or a miss and even the hits lacked that extra umph in flavor, creativity, and cooking execution. Disappointing to spend this much when you could eat elsewhere and witness culinary art. Even the service here, although cordial, it lacked the Michelin esque of someone who craves fine dining. Dishes from best to least best -------- * Scallops appetizer (Sea Scallop, Light Saffron Herb Cream, Puff Pastry) - OH MY GOSH. The Scallops were cooked to perfection in tenderness. The Puff pastry was a little tough and not flaky not enough. The saffron herb cream sauce had hearty character and was such a clever but subtle savory blend. Could not get enough of this. Only 2 pieces but Best dish of the night. * Escargot - nicely done. Flavors were subtle but flavorful and well balanced. A hidden predictable hue. * El di mar - surprisingly a great smokey flavor. Seafood was cooked just ok. Good, one of the top entrees for what it was. Technically more enjoyable than the venison but the venison was definitely worth a try. * Elk - cooked to perfection. Great flavor highlighting the taste of elk as opposed to other flavor notes. Flavor was slightly better than the venison especially if you're not a sour cranberry sauce kind of person. However cook wise the meat was a bit tougher than I expected but still softer than the venison. Delicious mashed potatoes (that was a bit too heavily creamed but still delicious) to compliment the meat. The elk and the venison were both a close call but I think the Elk was done slightly better as a whole so I'd go with that. * Venison - was a bit turned off by the uneven cook. When I did get a bite of medium rare it was delicious but the other bites were quite tough and dry. The server even brought out a large steak knife for me to cut through whereas she said the other dishes were tender enough to not need a steak knife. The cranberry sauce was a bit too tart but if you only grab the cranberry fruits with the meat it was a good pairing. The wild rice hash was so bad I took one bite and couldn't finish the rest. Had a bad aftertaste. I wish I ordered this more rare than medium rare as the chef cooked it too tough on some portions of the rack. * Rack of lamb - not gamey. Cooked to perfection. I wish the flavor was a bit more unique in its pairings but still an excellent straightforward lamb cut with no sear. * Beef tartare - did not perfer this as much. Felt like it was puréed raw beef instead of finely chipping with spices. The accompanied bread was rock hard and it was not a great spread. Would not get again. * the desserts were so bad which was surprising for a French restaurant. I would not get these again but if you need to finish off a sweet note, then the sampler plate aka the I can't decide was perfect because it only gave you a tiny bite of each. The creme brulee was not as creamy or custardy the bruleed top didn't integrate with the custard and you could still taste the granular sugar that hadn't fully carmelized yet. The chocolate tart's crust was so hard that a spoon/fork couldn't break into it so the chocolate mousse part fell off as we were trying to dig into the crust. The cheesecake had such a different texture which was amazingly simple and light in its flavor if you line that kind of non sweetness. Overall there was no umph to any of it and the fruit were tart so it was probably more of just decor as opposed to intentional pairings. ---------- Overall a fun night out as the ambiance was beautiful but not "lavishly beautiful." There's still a long ways to go for this restaurant to be on the $$$$ tier but lack the finishing finishes of a true fine dining restaurant. Free parking lot in the back of the restaurant.

One of my favorite date night spots. I've eaten outside and inside..This time was outside and went around dusk. It was beautiful during the meal but be advised that the bugs come out quickly. During our meal, we had very kind servers trying their best with an area change. Our food got slightly delayed because servers didn't realize our table was added. The food itself was delicious. I usually get the ribeye and husband always gets the wild boar. Maybe one day he try something else but probably not. Till next date night.

I had an incredible experience here, all thanks to our server Sean, who was both attentive and knowledgeable. My partner and I visited on a Saturday night. We thought it would've been extremely busy so beforehand we requested for side-to-side seating since we would be able to hear each other talk better compared to sitting right across. When we entered, it wasn't really busy so we asked our hostess if they can move us to a nice quiet table next to the river. We were able to hear each other talk and even hear the water flowing through the river. Although it was a cold night, the heat lamps were enough to keep us warm. We honestly didn't want to order anything out of our ordinary nor did want to try something new that night so we didn't order from the course menu, just really here for the ambiance and experience. We ordered the ahi tuna as an appetizer which I honestly wish I ordered as a whole entree cause of how delicious it was. Everything served was quite delicious and made with love and delicate care which all that matters!

A Lovely First French Dining Experience La Forêt was one of the first French restaurants I had the chance to try, and overall, it was a great experience. The ambiance was absolutely spectacular, even though we visited on a rainy day. We celebrated my wife's birthday here, and the staff went above and beyond--welcoming, attentive, and making us feel like part of the family. While the food was enjoyable, it didn't quite leave a lasting impression on me personally. That said, I'm still glad we got to experience it, and I can see why so many people love this place!

My husband and I have been fortunate enough to have dined at many amazing restaurants. This is the best meal we've had in our lives! We had the chefs tasting menu and the additional wine pairings. When you pull around the corner and park do not let the surrounding area throw you. It doesn't look like a street for a fine dining restaurant! The building is a historic building. It was a mining boarding house previously. Love the history. We also had fantastic service from Michael who was attentive and knowledgeable. After dining here nothing compares. Incredible!

Came here to celebrate my birthday. We made a reservation for a Friday night at 5pm. They require a credit card for a reservation as they are a nicer restaurant. They open at 5pm so when we were greeted and seated we basically had the restaurant to ourselves. Our host was very friendly and helped serve us a bottle of wine as well as open a bottle we brought with us. Corkage fee is $50/bottle which is a fair price if you're planning on doing a couple of glasses. We had the escargot, quail, boar, elk and a sampler of the desserts. We really enjoyed our time here. The staff is really nice and not snobby like you might expect. Parking is great and the bathroom is big and really clean! They even have a cute little bar area that you can do cocktails at. Overall it was a very romantic vibe and I would love to come back.

4.5 STARS Date: Friday, September 6th, 2024 Time: 5pm Meal: Double Birthday Dinner Party of: 3 Reservations Made: via OpenTable about 2.5 weeks prior Tasting Menu 1 - Five Course ($115) *La Foret Salade *Tortellini La Foret *Quail *Tournedos of Beef Chanterelle *Creme Brulee Tasting Menu 2 - Six Course ($150) *Prawns Meuniere *Salade Francaise *Sea Scallops *Elk *Rack of Lamb *Chocolate Truffle Torte Tasting Menu 3 - Seven Course ($220) *Tsar Nicoulai Caviar *Beef Tartare *Ahi Tuna *Lobster Tail *Wild Boar *American Wagyu *Souffle Grand Marnier *Barrel Aged Manhattan ($19) *Jordan 2017 Cabernet Alexander Valley Bottle ($120) *Full Glass Bella Union 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon ($30) For my birthday this year, I was turning a very large increment of 5. I was originally going to do a solo dinner here, but my parents said they wanted to join, so we made it a family affair. Also, my Dad's American bday is the day after mine, so why not have a double celebration?! What I love about this spot is that they let you do different tasting menus. Most restaurants make everyone order the same thing, so it's awesome La Foret does not. We were able to try all three tastings. I'd say we tried about 80% of the menu because we did one of each. And they coursed it out really well. If I had to choose one tasting, I'd say the middle one is the best. The salad francaise was bright and fresh. The lamb was juicy and tasty. I actually enjoyed the torte, even tho I don't really care for chocolate. It was the best dessert out of the three. For the 7 course, I enjoyed the caviar and wagyu. The wagyu was not A5 obvi, but I don't like my steaks too fatty, so it was nice for me. Meaty, buttery, but still a slight chew. For the smallest menu, I think my fav was the quail. Nice flavor and texture. It's been a while since I've had quail. The menu reminded me of my dad's old french resto. He had buttery rich sauces which I don't see much any more. Overall, the dishes were pretty good. Most were a good portion and plated nicely. I did find most of the seafood heavy on the citrus. So there was a sour element to everything. To me, it overpowered the delicate seafood and sauces. The meat dishes all seemed to have a very similar brown sauce. I guess that would have been fine if we didn't order three different tastings. But it got a little repetitive since my fam shared everything. Dessert wise, the brulee was eggy and the souffle wasn't fluffy since it wasn't served in it's cooking vessel. A little bit of a bummer since these are two of my favorite desserts in general. Service was amazing. Our server was the sweetest. Friendly and attentive without being overly so. In fact, everyone was great. From the host to the sommelier. Made for a fun night. Although I'd give the food about 3-3.5 stars, the experience was lovely. And being able to order different tasting menus makes it a huge plus. So bumping up due to that. Definitely a nice place for a special occasion meal. REVIEW #3556

Great spot for date night, great ambiance and very kind staff. Got the tortellini with a glass of wine and everything was delicious. The 'I can't decide' dessert was a mixture of everything on the menu. Would come back!

First of all, special thanks to Sean/Shawn for his hospitality and friendliness! It was our first time here and he really made the experience to be extra special. Easily one of the best smoked salmon dishes I have ever had. The pasta and ribeye was delicious, "a little surf and turf combo", as Sean/Shawn had stated. It was our first time trying a Soufflé as well and was really new to us but we really enjoyed it. Overall the restaurant is a great spot to go on a fancy date or celebrate an occasion. Can't wait to come back in the future!

Excellent service and food. I dined here with my group, 26 girls in all and overall, it was a great experience. They accommodated our needs, some on short notice. Thank you La Foret, I'm a regular and will definitely be back!

Went here for my partner's birthday. We started with the tortellini app. He ordered the quail, and I ordered the veal. They also brought out a complimentary creme brûlée for his birthday and did not sing happy birthday, which he much appreciated lol The food was good but not outstanding for the price point. The ambience very nice and quiet, which made for easy conversation. The outside area looks like a little garden which added to the peaceful ambience. We were seated outside near a little stream, and the sound of trickling water was relaxing. There were some insects flying around but that's to be expected with outdoor seating and greenery surrounding you. It wasn't too bothersome but something to be aware of if you are sensitive to that. Service was very friendly and attentive. Parking was easy.

Unfortunately very disappointed. Michelin prices without the Michelin experience. This restaurant has potential for an exquisite experience. The Occasion: We came to celebrate my partner's birthday. The experience: Upon arrival, 7:30pm, we were sat next to a table with a loud child. I requested to sit on the opposite side of the restaurant as we were hoping for a more intimate experience. The manager said, it would put us against a wall and suggested our current table. We selected the six course tasting menu with wine pairings. The pace of each plate and wine pairing was extremely slow. At the end of the meal we sat and waited . . and waited. We hadn't seen anyone in quite sometime. I had to go looking for our server or even a manager at that point to bring our check. The check: $768 - My partner and I left feeling very underwhelmed and disappointed.

Service was beautiful. Our server was so friendly and helped us on the menu. It was my birthday and my partners (yes we share a birthday), they gave us two individual crème brûlées for the occasion! Every item we ordered on the menu was immaculate. I felt like Remmy from Ratatouille when he visualizes each and every flavor in the food. Our favorite was the prawns and the asparagus from the Rack of Lambs seem to use the same juice so it was nice getting that flavor again in my entree. 10/10 experience for a special occasion. It is pricy but worth it. The creek and setting is also a special and unique touch on everything.

We went here back in August 2024 for our 13th year wedding anniversary and we have no regret. The food was sooo good. I been wanting escargot and I was so excited to eat it and was not disappointed. Like picture said we were happy with everything. It's such a cute place and intimate. Just a gorgeous restaurant. The service is amazing! Everything was just so good and perfect way to celebrate our wedding anniversary.

Food - I had the five course and every spare of my meal was delicious. French cuisine and the best Crème Brûlée I've ever had! Service was amazing- Water always filled, never needed to ask for anything. Everything was just there - but i never noticed the servers. We had a party of 13 and had the private room upstairs. There were major traffic delay with our part and dinner started an hour later than planned. The managers were so gracious for our entire party. Excellent - Highly recommend

The ambiance is beautiful even despite being seated at a not great spot in a seemingly empty restaurant. The service was great however and our waiter made sure to explain every course to us, and check in consistently. For a multiple course meal a lot of these courses did not satisfy, the escargot was the only dish that I left feeling good about and I feel that is only because it was drenched in butter. I'm not sure if I see myself coming again.

Date: February 8, 2025 Time: 7:30pm Party: 4 Reservation: Through OpenTable (1 week prior) I recently visited La Forêt for my grandmother's birthday. Here's how the evening went: Wait-time (2/5 stars): Our reservation was for 7:30pm, so we arrived early at 7:15pm to check in. Unfortunately, we didn't get seated until 7:55pm, which felt like a long wait. It was a bit frustrating, and my family and I even considered leaving. However, the servers were kind and offered us a complimentary drink--my grandmother enjoyed a glass of champagne as a nice gesture. Ambience (3.5/5 stars): The atmosphere was cozy and elegant, though a little dimmer than I expected. For the rest of my family, it was just right. Each table had beautiful flower arrangements and lamps, which added a lovely touch to the mood. The noise level was moderate--pleasant but not overly loud. Service (4/5 stars): Our server was friendly, attentive, and very knowledgeable about the menu. He described each dish in detail and gave thoughtful recommendations based on his favorites. He made sure our courses came out at the right times, ensuring all the dishes arrived together. We appreciated his efforts, though the meal did take about two hours, which felt a bit slow. Food (3.5/5 stars): We opted for the 5- and 6-course tasting menus, 2 of each, which offered a great variety of flavors. All the dishes were tasty and tender, though some leaned a bit on the salty side. The presentation was beautiful. Nothing that really blew me away. From the 6-course, the rack of lamb was the standout for my mom and me--it was perfectly cooked and flavorful. From the 5-course, the tournedos of beef with chanterelles was a favorite for my grandmother and sister, as it was more tender and less gamey than the other options. Both were excellent, though the rice served with the lamb was a bit too hard and salty for my taste. The desserts, particularly the chocolate truffle tart, were delicious, though it was a little firm towards the end of the night. Still, it was rich and creamy--a perfect finish to the meal. Portion Size & Pricing (3.5/5 stars): Portions were decently sized. Initially, I thought the portions might be too small, but by the time the entrees arrived, I was already quite full. The prices were reasonable for the quality of food. The 5-course tasting menu was $115, and the 6-course was $150--still pricey, but it felt worth it for a special occasion. Overall Experience (4/5 stars): Overall, La Forêt is a lovely spot with great French cuisine. It was a wonderful experience, even though the meal was a bit slower than expected. The service was excellent, and the servers were thoughtful and kind. If you're planning to visit, I'd recommend booking an earlier reservation to avoid a long wait time. Expect to spend around two hours enjoying the full experience. It's a great choice for special occasions!

First time ever trying French cuisine. We started with the escargot and romaine salad as our appetizer. The escargot was really flavorful (dip your bread in the leftover garlic butter!) and the salad was great, dressing seemed very fresh. If you like clams or muscles you'll probably like the escargot. Would I get again? Maybe not but I'm glad I tried it. For our entrees we shared the pasta fruit de mer and the Ribeye. The pasta was really tasty with a hint of sweetness I did not expect. The shrimp and scallops were nice and plump. The ribeye..... cooked perfect MR, I looove truffle so the truffle butter on top gave a great flavor full of depth. I think the side was a rice pilaf or something, not a huge fan of but also not something I would typically eat anyway. Worth a try though! The asparagus and carrots were really nice, with again a bit of sweetness to them. For dessert we ended with the creme brûlée. It was very smooth and not too sweet which is my favorite part. Our server gave us some background of the chef who makes it which was really cool to hear. The whole time the server was giving us detailed information about our food and recommendations of what to try, so I loved that. He was super nice and gave great service, I wish I remembered his name! Overall it was a great first time experience. Food was delicious, service was great, and it was such a nice romantic spot. Sitting outside next to the creek is a great choice if you're taking someone for a date. There's heaters outside so it's not too cold during the fall season and it's so peaceful hearing the creek stream flow next to you. Might have to come back for a second visit so I can enjoy the ambiance inside. The bar area was so cute and they had a little seating area at the front of the restaurant. Again great experience overall!

I've eaten at La Foret a couple of times, and in my opinion it's a place that is living on it's reputation. The decor is dated and a little run down. The menu is classic French - no surprises. The food is very good, but I've yet to have a dish that really blew me away. Which brings us to the service. It is, in a word, terrible. It is very, very slow. On one visit, we wanted to get another round of drinks, and our waiter had disappeared. We flagged down another waiter, and he said he'd tell our waiter that we needed help. When our waiter returned several minutes later, he asked "How are you enjoying everything?" He clearly had not gotten the message. We gave him our drink orders, and by the time he returned, we'd finished our meals. The last time I was there, our waiter seemed annoyed when my friend had questions about the menu. La Foret isn't a BAD place... it's just not the really special place it pretends to be. And for the price, they should do a lot better.

AMAZING. From the ambiance and the view and the professionalism of the staff, everything was enjoyable. The only thing I was a bit confused about was that we had thought there was a dress code upon entry, but we saw a lot of people in casual wear and they weren't turned away. So I guess for a restaurant being upscale, they aren't too strict with your attire where they'll turn you away if you're not "dress to code." We had a fulfilling time in Alan's section, and he made recommendations I'm definitely glad I took the "risk" to try: VENISON! The scallops were so tender (I wish they were cooked a little bit more so that they had a bit of a crunch to it rather than having it soft/melt in your mouth). The prawns were delicious. And the sauce? Ohhhhhh the sauce... it tasted so good with seafood and with the protein dishes we had. I wish I had more. The venison (cooked medium-rare) was extremely moist and absolutely not gamey as you'd expect. The ribeye was superb (though I wish it was a bit less fattier) and so juicy. I LOVE dessert and couldn't decide which to get (and I still think about the deliciousness of it all to this day)... so we had the creme brulee, souffle, and chocolate torte. Do I regret my decision? ABSOLUTELY NOT. But I do wish they had a take out option where I can just order the desserts to enjoy :') Definitely a place for a "big" celebration, or just to try! You definitely won't regret anything.

Nice looking and historical restaurant, classy and all that stuff....Yawn... This place is VERY expensive and in my experience, isn't worth it. (it's not Michelin star!!). It's simply just good, straightforward cooking. No transformation, nothing creative, normal flavor profiles...just normal cooking. This is the place you go to for one of the following reasons: You have discounted gift cards from Costco, you want to try some interesting "gamey" meat you can't find anywhere else, or you just have so much money that it just doesn't matter and you want to drive your nice sports car up into the Almaden Valley to impress someone. Bread service was nothing special. For the price, I was expecting spectacular bread. $28 for two scallops! Really? Nothing special. They're seared and served with a bland creme sauce and crispy overcooked pastry puff. The chewy undercooked tortellini la foret was (for almost $20), about 6 tortellini with a tiny bit of a stiff filling that had absolutely no flavor. And the mushrooms? rehydrated dried mushrooms. The $69 tournedos of beef medallions (you get two of them), were cooked to a nice medium rare, very tender, had great flavor and was good quality beef but the mushrooms again, seemed dehydrated and chewy, which makes sense, since chanterelles aren't yet in season. The lamb was the star for us. Nice sear, warm pink middle and very tender. I would get that again, but never for $70!!. For dessert, we tried the very "eggy" and heavy soufflé with a very thick creme sauce. Again, a nice location and good service. If I'm gonna spend almost $300 for a meal, I'm going to a Michelin restaurant.

La foret is my bestie favorite dating restaurant with her husband so she recommended it to me. I came here for celebrating my work buddy birthday. What i felt about this restaurant is Food 4/5 Service 3/5 Ambiance 3/5 The food here is absolutely delicious! From appetizers to desserts, this restaurant exceeded all our expectations. Only one dish I quiet doesn't like is tortellini la foret. My server of the night is very friendly and helpful. However, sometimes its hard to find her maybe she is too busy with other tables. The entire staff kinda ignore my table. We have to wait for our drink more than half an hour the food is more than an hour. Nobody came to our table for check in or refill water. It is very lacking of attentiveness. Ambience is alright. My table is very near to other table. And the family on other table keep staring at us the whole time and making us feel uncomfortable. All in all, i might give it a second chance for the food but I hope they improve more on the service.

The most romantic restaurant I've been to in a while! When we first arrived, it didn't seem like such a great place as the restaurant is nestled in a residential area. Parking wasn't too bad considering we were there on a Friday evening. Once we checked-in, they showed us to our table (I had requested outdoor seating near a space heater) and this is when I was blown away by how cute this place is! It's placed right next to a creek and you can still hear the water flowing beneath you. The water isn't too close to you so you don't have to worry about mosquitoes which is nice. For our appetizer, we ordered the Tortellini La Foret, it was delicious! We instantly wanted more, and to be honest, their portions are kind of petite so we wished we had ordered more. Then we ordered our salads; I ordered the Salade Francaise, my husband ordered the Soup Du Jour and my best friend ordered the La Foret salad. All three of these were very tasty and well balanced. For our entrees, my husband and my best friend both ordered the Ribeye and I decided to try The Rack of Lamb... my goodness, was it delicious!! The red wine reduction sauce our dishes had complemented the meats perfectly. We all ordered medium rare and it was cooked to perfection. Hats off to the chef! My French 75 cocktail was delivered to me pretty quick and once I sipped it, I only wanted more. I wish I had taken his name down, but the older gentleman that walked us to our table had a great warm presence to him. Elondra, our server was very kind and attentive to our table and they were both friendly to us. I absolutely loved my dining experience. Thank you to the staff for making our evening special.

Disappointing. I took my husband here for his birthday as I had heard from a couple of friends who ate there a couple years ago how great it was. We had high hopes as we are both foodies and appreciate fine dining. We got the 6 course tasting menu plus an appetizer of escargot. Bread in basket- very basic nothing special Escargot- pretty great Prawns- good seasoned nicely Salad- ok Scallops- my husband's was good. Mine was rubbery and inedible. Elk- drenched in sauce and you couldn't taste the meat. Poor presentation. Rack of lamb- overcooked and drenched in same sauce. Came with rice pilaf that was burnt and crunchy with no flavor. Asparagus was the only good thing on this plate Chocolate lava cake ( waiter's description)- there was no lava of fudge. This was a dry flavorless brownie with a scoop of ice cream on top. Super disappointing. We hardly ever complain but when the waiter asked we told the truth. The waiter revealed people had given feedback about meat being overcooked and the chocolate torte being dry. Then a manger came up and also asked for feedback and then asked what we would like to drink. We said we had enough to drink but he kept insisting so I said champagne but giving me champagne wasn't going to make things better. He came back with a half bottle of champagne and half bottle of red. The bill was full price. No discount for anything. So when you're paying $155 for one person and the meal is a complete disappointment and the main dishes tasted badly, I thought at least they may take some off the bill. But they didn't which solidified that we won't come back. With 20% tip we walked out of there paying $500+ for the two of us which included a couple drinks. The service was good. Our waiter was attentive and the bus boy was working hard, but we went for the food. Much better at The Plumed Horse or Le Papillion.

Since this establishment describes itself as fine dining, I am going to be reviewing it based on such. My husband and I went during the the weekend after Valentine's Day, so they were still running their multiple course Valentine's Day meals. The place is stunning for sure, and the whole ambiance felt very classy. Our server was friendly as well. However, I have stars docked off because (1) The food really does not compare to other fine dining restaurants I've been to for its price, and (2) We stayed there for a total of 2.5 hours, which is a looong time... For the food, I actually had to stop eating the salmon ordered at one point because it was tasting a little too slimy to not trigger a gag reflex. I don't know if we just went on an off evening or what, but the food was not that impressive and this restaurant had one of the most ridiculous wait times ever for food to get to the table when the restaurant was not filled with customers. Not entirely sure if I would return again, as nice as the place was. I got some nice photos though !

We went for our 37th Anniversary, special occassion. We arrived at 6:30, no wait, seated at a very nice table with a view . I love the atmosphere there wasn't a lot of people yet so it was very quiet. I had an appetizer, scallops w/ puff pastry and a shrimp salad for dinner and my husband had a seafood pasta dish. we enjoyed all the dishes but my husband noted the pasta seasoning / sauce was not quite what he expected, i tasted it and i didn't care for it. We will return and try different things.

My boyfriend took me here for my birthday and everything was fantastic. I believe our server's name is Allan or Adam, but he was very friendly/helpful and even wished me a happy birthday once seated. We ordered the grilled Prawns Meunière, Tortellini La Foret, Pasta Fruit De Mer, Rack of Lamb, Caramel Custard, and Crème Brûlée and everything was well portioned and delicious! From the food, ambiance inside and outside, as well as the service, everything was great and I look forward to coming here again.

Have lived in the neighborhood for over 20 years, we finally came for a special occasion. Despite having a reservation, we had to wait a couple minutes at an empty podium before the bartender decided to inquire if we had been helped. We were lucky, the bartender was able to switch us to an outdoor table by the creek; he left his 2 bar patrons and showed us to our table. The spot was quite cute and tables well placed alongside the creek, our specific location allowing for a more intimate experience. Critique: the railing should be dusted for cobwebs at first evidence at any time between guests, and the outdoor lanterns were full of cobwebs. Bugs do come at night, but that is to be expected along with being outdoors. With the sight and sound of the creek, it's worth it. Besides cobwebs, an ambiance killer was the use of fake plants and flowers in the flower boxes above and around the tree and planter boxes. Maybe not a killer, but disappointing. The restaurant is named La Forêt. Additionally the exterior of the building which is adjacent to diners needs a deep clean. We ordered Syrah and French 75, good. We ordered the smoked salmon and tortellini apps. Tortellini was very good, they do not skimp on the qty of mushrooms. I used the bread to drink up the remaining sauce. I cannot tell you how the salmon was because we were served the ahi in error, but it was tasty so it made us forget until on our way home. The spinach special salad with beets and goat cheese was like any other. Spouse had the rib eye, they liked it despite the pilaf not being their favorite, but I tasted it and thought it was yum. I had the special of Steak Diane using filet mignon. The portion was hearty. Although the veggie medley was rich in textures, it had nothing distinct to it, but I did enjoy the sweet carrot for its flavor and the much needed vibrancy. The mashed potato it came with was a delicious concoction of I don't know what. Very creamy but also a gritty texture that I loved. I don't know how to explain the contradiction, I'm not a foodie. We finished off with a crème brûlée to share and it came with a complimentary mini for our celebration. I liked the less eggy smoother consistency of theirs and would order it again. Service was good despite receiving the wrong app. Will come again in less than another 20 years. Part of the 4 star rating is because of the quaintness, ease of parking and being away from any other establishment.

The ambiance at this restaurant is fantastic. It gives you the feeling of fine dining. The food is awesome and a great selection. I have dined here since 1969. Plenty of parking The staff is professional, knowledgeable and their recommendations are the best.

I will have to update this review later, but the server we had was the same server. My parents had on their anniversary night, and she was simply wonderful! Very understanding of my teenager son, who was semi bored out of his mind, but loved the menu!! Ambience felt really home and cozy and the food Was so flavorful I literally am salivating just thinking about it! I would also say that the seafood platters were beautifully presented, and the scallops I had tasted like butter! My son was not into the escargot. He said it tasted too grainy, or like a chewy pear, but the garlic butter herb sauce was simply divine with bread!! Also the area in which this restaurant is is gorgeous!! Beautiful, hiking grounds nearby, that I've actually hiked at and had no idea this restaurant even existed! I will definitely be back here again! There was also an array of different types of meats and seafoods for my carnivore family to enjoy! Sadly, my brother could only eat the mushroom ravioli since he's vegetarian. My mom and I are both pescatarian, so we quite enjoyed ourselves to see the least!

I rarely write reviews, but I had a disappointing experience here. The food was average, but what really stood out was the poor customer service. The manager was extremely rude when I brought up a simple issue with my orderno apology, just attitude. I expected more professionalism. I won't be coming back.

I absolutely love La Foret, it has become a staple for my family! We have celebrated countless accomplishments, birthdays, graduations, etc... and it has never disappointed. The food is always fenomenal! We have tried almost everything on the menu, including the tasting menu, which comes with multiple course. Everything is great! They have amazing drink options, and the bar can always make special requests. Desserts are also a must try, you really can't go wrong here. The service is amazing, I've only ever had pleasant exchanges with employees. Ambiance is also great, it's lively, friendly, and comfortable. There is a big parking lot in front of the restaurant, so parking shouldn't be an issue. There is indoor and outdoor seating, both options are great! Overall, I can not recommend this place enough!! Love it

I made a reservation at La Foret to try out the restaurant and celebrate our anniversary. We went for a late Wednesday night dinner which was not a very busy evening. It's located in the quaint Almaden foothills and is situated in a quiet area. After scanning through the menu and hearing their daily specials, we decided to move forward with the six course tasting menu, which came highly rated from our server, along with a tuna starter to share. We also got a suggestion to pair a Bordeaux with our meal rather than going through the wine pairing. Overall, the tasting menu is well balanced, nicely presented, and tasted great. Our server was wonderful all evening and a highlight of our evening. I would agree that La Foret is fine dining, though not terribly French. I would say it's upscale dining with a focus on local, California foods and fine detail. I would love to return to try some of their other items on the menu as we knew wanted to try more but simply couldn't fit it all in one meal.

Be prepared to be impressed. The service was impeccable. The prices were to be expected to an outstanding restaurant of this calibre. Great waiters. Wonderful menu. We are certain there are dozens and dozens of five star reviews for this amazing restaurant. Recently dined there with another couple and were highly impressed with every aspect of the meal. Yes, tres cher.

Service was great and the dinning environment was great too. The food was meh. I am not even comparing to peer $$$ restaurants. * The bread - definitely not freshly baked, and I personally even prefer Trader Joe's bread. Yes, it is that bad. Not to mention the butter was rock hard * Sugar alert - their mocktail is tooo sweet. I didn't drink real wine because I had to drive * Ribeye - medium well tasted like well done. What is worse, they added too much salt and sauce. * The scallops were the only disk that was great * Prawns were ok, but not the highest grade shrimp and had cajun taste (from a French restaurant, btw I love boiling crab, and the same dish price can get you a full table of fresh and tasty shrimps!) Anyways, won't come back, very disappointed

Nice romantic dinner. Good food. A bit expensive but worth it. My wife and I enjoyed the food and ambiance

We enjoyed a pleasant dinner here last Saturday night, the 18th. Food was delicious, especially the American Wagyu and Prawns Meuniere. Service was professional and solicitous. We were seated at a scenic window table overlooking the patio and creek.

The restaurant location is a bit out of the normal hustle and bustle. But it is charming. I have lived around the area for thirty something years and never been here! What a gem! My husband and I made reservations for our wedding anniversary dinner. We were seated at a cute little table,which was by a lovely window with a view of the trees and the creek. Our waiter, Alan, is very knowledgeable in the cocktails and was wonderfully funny. The tasting menus 2 and 3 were worth the price! Each course was its own entree! The scallops, prawns, elk, wild boar, American wagyu and rack of lamb were amazingly delicious. We will definitely return just to see Alan again!

Everyone was so kind, always making sure we were comfortable and had everything we needed. It's truly such a beautiful atmosphere and the food was delicious. Definitely worth it especially for special occasions.

My BF took me to La Foret for my birthday dinner. We did 7-course tasting menu. I would give "B" for over all experience. The place is very charming, especially with Christmas decorations. Our server did not provide any insight or recommendation how to go about food. The food itself, each component was very nicely cooked (perfectly poached lobster, perfectly cooked filet, nicely cooked wild boar). But everything was over sauced, over seasoned (frankly too much salt), and very heavy. Playing and presentation was lacking. A little thing like saucing the steak at table side or smaller plate for caviar (only two blinis on a large plate) would have elevated the entire experience.

Excellent place for a date night! The servers were incredibly quick to respond to any requests and the desserts were just the right touch of sweetness. I will coming back here for occasions to come.

Let me start by saying that the 2 stars are for the food, not the service. Service was great and everyone was very professional and friendly. The place was beautiful, surrounded by trees and had a great vibe. However, the corner that we were seated at had a spiderweb + a spider, seems like it has not been dusted for a while. Tortellini came out way too fast- within 2 minutes of us ordering. The sauce tasted of burnt garlic and the pasta was dry and hard. We also ordered the pasta fruit de mer as well as the wild boar. The pasta- best part was the shrimp, it was well seasoned & cooked. The scallop was huge but was bland while the pasta itself was just heavily seasoned. The sauce, like the tortellini, tasted of burnt garlic. The wild boar- ordered medium rare but received it more well- done. It was the better tasting element of the night but the roasted garlic sauce on the plate also tasted of burnt. It was very nice of the restaurant to give me a plate of sampler dessert for my birthday- super sweet and I appreciated it! Unfortunately, overall it was very disappointing. It was definitely overpriced for the experience and personally won't recommend to friends and family.

Food was delicious but for the most part I didn't get to enjoy it for reasons I will detail below. The cuisine seemed to be a fairly classic French style cuisine. The wine pairing seemed good. The tasting menu is well curated and the courses were well thought out with a good variety of game meat, seafood and wagyu steak. Wife took me here for my birthday yesterday and there was a big event in the patio and that might have caused the venue to be overbooked. When we came in there was already a table seated to our left that had 6 people and they were clearly already a little drunk. They were projecting their voices the entire night and the dining hall was too compact and their voices reverberated through the space. About 4 courses in, the table to our right left and is replaced by 9 drunker and louder people. The noise was so unbearable, my wife started to get a headache and I'm starting to lose my hearing exposed to that kind of noise level. We had to rush through our main courses because we didn't want to be there anymore. Literally did not care what it tasted like at that point. We were ready to go. The wait staff noticed that we were just not having a good time. They can tell the noise level was too much and moved us to the cocktail lounge area and it was infinitely better. But as it happened the drunk people from the first table came out and started harassing us saying we were in their picture that they were trying to take with their Christmas tree. All while we were still enjoying our dessert. Mind you they were absolutely impolite. No "excuse me can you move so we can take picture". They accosted us like they were the center of the universe. I've never seen such rude patrons before. Either way we ignored them and continued our final course. The service manager of the establishment felt terrible for our time there and comped us a bottle of wine. I think they felt truly sorry for our ordeal. Their wait staff is the only bright spot of the night and I'm usually good with names but I couldn't really hear a thing when they introduced themselves. Not sure what else they could have done but maybe space out the tables better and maybe stop serving alcohol to rowdy people.