L C.
Yelp
I visited RH Yountville on December 7, 2024, excited to enjoy succulent culinary experience set against a beautiful architectural and landscaped backdrop the way that I have enjoyed at locations in CHI, SF and NYC. While the ambiance lived up to the hype, the food experience was shocking, unacceptable, and quite frankly, dangerous.
I was seated at 12:18 PM PST in the gorgeous surroundings, soaking in the impeccable design and aesthetics. My food arrived at 12:44 PM PST: a side of eggs and 3 skimpish Swedish pancakes, which seemed lackluster in both portion and presentation--disappointing, considering this was my first meal of the day.
The real shock came with my first bite. As I cut into the pancakes and took a bite, I immediately noticed a chewy, unbreakable object in my mouth. Alarmed, I swept my mouth with my fingers and pulled out a doughy substance. I flagged down the waiter who was helping me, but he was unavailable and sent over a manager, Elias.
In front of the manager, I tried to identify what I had just pulled from my mouth. The foreign object couldn't be cut, torn apart, or broken down--it turned out to be plastic. The batter had merely coated the plastic object. Elias watched this unfold, then swiftly wrapped the plastic in a napkin to whisk away, apologized, and offered me a replacement plate of pancakes (which, at that point, felt both tone-deaf and insulting). He offered to help by allowing me to order "anything on the menu." While that was a kind gesture, something more practical, like a ride to the ER, was more appropriate, given the severity of the situation.
I declined the offer, still in shock. I sat at the table for an extended period of time, struggling to stave off anxiety due to my severe allergies to both food contaminants and plastic, especially when ingested. The incident ruined not only my meal but also my sense of safety and trust in this establishment.
Adding insult to injury, I've yet to hear anything from RH Yountville corporate about this incident--no apology, no acknowledgment, nothing. The only positives takeaway from this nightmare experience was that I survived it, the honesty of the waiter and the managers genuine, yet grossly insufficient, attempt to remedy the situation. They also informed me they wouldn't charge me for the bottle of water or the plastic pancakes. How charming.
Dining at RH Yountville is supposed to be a luxurious experience. Instead, it turned into a nightmare. Now, I must proceed with caution.