Ubuntu Restaurant

this is one of the best restaurants in california! i went here for my birthday dinner and had one of the best meals of my life. we all had the tasting menu and were blown away at how delicious and satisfying the food was. besides the fact that they do not serve meat, it is a amazing place to go. i would recommend this to any foodie in the bay area and the drive is definitely worth it.

I did not know food could be made to taste SOOOO good. Subtle, divine flavors on dishes made with locally grown organic produce that are in-season. A little expensive. But worth every penny in my opinion. This restaurant has inspired me to cook food with subtler flavors.

Did not miss meat. At all. Everything tastes amazing and delicately cooked. However, you will get hungry about an hour or two in.

Beautiful plating. Flavors and vegetables that you normally won't encounter. Nice decor as well.

Wow.

surpisingly good

Went for restaurant week last night and had the artichoke velouté with a fancy mini grilled cheese topper (absolutely delish!), the black cod (yummy sauce with choice mushrooms) and the red velvet cake (the presentation made me think the cake fell apart when cut... maybe it was intentionally deconstructed but it any case it hit the spot). All were very tasty and washed down with two NA Seedy Thai Margs since I'm doing Dry January -- I gulped those down quickly since they were so damn good. Wish they weren't $15/each though and the second would have come out in time for my main but c'est la vie!

The three of us came here for dinner after wine tasting tonight. Let me say that the food was good. The low star review is for service. We had a 7:00 reservation and were seated promptly. The waitress told us about the specials and we ordered 3 entrees and a side to share. Then we proceeded to chat away, we even chatted with the wonderful lady next to us and we saw her getting her wonderful appetizer, then entree, etc. Another couple came after us at the bar also got their food. After 45 min wait we were pretty hungry. I checked with the waitress and she said food should be coming up. The restaurant was busy but not full. We finally got our food afterwards after 7:50. There was no apologies or mentioned about why the delay. Is that because of skin color that we were not treated the same as the other patrons? I am not sure but the service was definitely different with our table vs the ones around us. I want to make sure everyone knows that the food was actually great and definitely at a fine dining level. However the service was far from it.

A nice Napa restaurant. We had heard about this restaurant before, but our first time trying it. We were 3 couple who ordered different appetizers and different entrees. Everyone loved their food as we all thought it was excellent. Portions were all adequate, Not too small and not too big. Our service was good and attentive. We will all come back again.

First time to visit Torc and had a wonderful experience. We were able to choose upstairs to r downstairs for our dinner and chose downstairs which was a little more lively. Had to wait a big longer than normal to get a server to our table but other than that the experience was very nice. Great drink menu, nice menu selection, and nice ambience. I will be going back again. Forgot to take pictures of my NY strip as well but it was delicious.

Came here for dinner with a friend. Had never been there before, although I had walked by for many years. What a wonderful experience in terms of the food service the ambience and the overall experience of being there. We started with a couple of appetisers which included the Tartare and the salad. Both were beautifully refreshing and a great way to start dinner. We had brought some of our own wine and we started with a southern France blend - great wine pairing. We then moved onto the intermediate meal, which was the risotto special of the day. I'm not a big risotto fan, but I love the way that they cooked the risotto and the texture. Very well worthwhile dish. Entree was the 60 day Porterhouse cooked to perfection. Medium rare large size New York strip and fillet sides very well prepared and very gamy. The wine for dinner was appropriate Napa cab 2007 and worked exceptionally well with C gaminess of the steak. wonderful combination We continued. We continued with a, couple of desserts and as I'm not a dessert fan that's not something I can comment on although the Panacota was enjoyed. After dinner drinks included port tawny I highly recommend this place.

I was told that this place serves "Napa" food by a local friend. I interpreted that to mean farm to table, elevated dishes at an elevated price... and I wasn't wrong on that. The menu is full of unique dishes, many of whose ingredients I needed to google. Lol! The drink menu is several pages long so you'll have plenty to choose from. I wasn't drinking ETOH tonight since I was solo and get buzzed too easily. After waiting over 15 minutes for a server to come to the table to take my order, I was just about to leave. There were many many servers working the floor and there were a lot of empty tables so it's not like they look short staffed to me. I don't know if people just assume someone else was going to take my table and I'm a pretty patient person but I was seriously about to get up and walk out and until a waitress came over. I mentioned to her that I was about to leave because it had been at least 15 minutes. But I decided to give this restaurant a a chance, but this is the reason I'm only giving it 4 stars. I did enjoy the Sweet Potato Pakoras... that yogurt dipping sauce was the perfect accompaniment. They weren't overly fried and the seasonings were very nice. For my entree, I went with the Rigatonicini and really enjoyed the fresh crisp sugar snap peas, lightly creamy sauce and surprisingly sweet beef ragu. It was the perfect amount of food. The taste of the food is a 5 star , being ignored for 15 mins is a 3 star thus an overall 4 star review.

valentines week! Zoe our waitress made this dinner date special because of her love and passion for wine, culinary arts and customers. Clients remember her and come back to see her! Food is always stellar here! Detailed. Professional. Attentive. high quality ingredients; ever changing seasonal menu; a very involved chef O' toole who will not let a detail go unmissed... Not even a sprig of mint or a tiny micro ringlet of onion. Love love love Torc

4.5- we waited a bit for our reservation, however the service definitely made up for it! They gave us two glasses of champagne on the house and an app too! Torc was such a unique culinary experience. The deviled eggs were so surprising, I never would have picked it but so happy we did. So many interesting flavors in one bite. You have to get the NY strip for two- it's expensive but SOOO tasty and delicious!

This restaurant is fabulous! It is very unassuming from the street and you could easily walk past. We had several appetizers, each one was terrific. The steak had a very unique taste, we enjoyed it very much. Everything we ordered was delicious. Great full bar with friendly bartenders and the overall service was great. This restaurant is a must when you visit Napa. Looking forward to our next visit.

Came here for dinner but ended up having to leave pretty abruptly bc my sister wasn't feeling well from all the wine tasting earlier in the day (not from the food). I did very much enjoy the little wedge salad, which was incredibly fresh and light. The cod wasn't bad either, though very heavy on the butter. If my sister had been feeling better, would've totally gotten the large Dungeness crab! They have a couple other large format options also (that night they had an 8 lb lobster and a large steak option I am forgetting at the moment).

If you're a connoisseur of high-level cooking, Torc in Napa is a destination that will exceed your expectations. This extraordinary restaurant, situated in the heart of Napa Valley, offers a dining experience that epitomizes culinary excellence and innovation. From the moment you walk through the door, it's clear that Torc is a haven for those who appreciate fine dining. The menu is a masterclass in high-level cooking, showcasing a blend of locally-sourced ingredients and sophisticated techniques. Each dish is meticulously crafted, demonstrating a deep understanding of flavor, texture, and presentation. One dish that particularly stands out is their Truffle Grilled Cheese. This isn't just a grilled cheese sandwich--it's a sublime creation that embodies the restaurant's commitment to culinary artistry. The use of truffles elevates this classic comfort food to a new level, offering a rich, earthy aroma and an indulgent, umami-packed experience. The perfectly toasted bread, combined with the luxurious, gooey cheese, makes each bite a testament to Torc's expertise in high-level cooking. The ambiance and service at Torc further enhance the experience, with a team that is both professional and passionate about delivering an exceptional meal. Whether you're a local or visiting Napa Valley, Torc is an absolute must-visit for anyone who values top-tier cuisine and innovative dishes. Their Truffle Grilled Cheese is just one example of the restaurant's dedication to culinary excellence, and it's a dish that will leave you eagerly anticipating your next visit.

Has potential, but missed the mark. The hamachi tartare was easily the highlight of the night, and a really standout dish. It had the perfect combination of flavor and texture. The scallops were also good. The prices are higher than many Michelin star restaurants though, and unfortunately, a lot of the other dishes left quite a bit to be desired. Pasta was overcooked, morel/goat cheese side was a miss, and the salad was also disappointing.

Really good California cuisine with fresh ingredients; would definitely recommend! We tried: - deviled eggs were a playful take on green eggs and ham. Really fun and tasty, great filling with bacon bits for salt and texture - sweet potato pakora with truffle sauce; really well fried, sweet and salty bites - hamachi tartare was an eye-catcher, it was bright, acidic and quite tasty with nice texture from the sesame cracker. Avocado sauce lended nice creaminess to the dish but I did find myself wanting additional salt / richness - beet salad was beautifully plated and really tasty. Well balanced in terms of textures and flavors, definitely a memorable dish - ziti carbonara was absolutely great. The sauce was rich and flavorful and coated the noodles well. Snow peas were also a pleasant bite in there - campanelle mushroom bolognese was great as well. Great mushroom and umami flavor throughout the sauce. Pasta was well cooked and tasty - beef was perfectly cooked and very flavorful. Great crust and demi-glace and came with potato in two forms - chocolate marquise was good as well, very rich chocolate-y flavor with nice texture from the wafer as well - red velvet cake is deconstructed and fun to eat. Really moist cake with delicious cream cheese frosting Very attentive and friendly staff. Everything was honestly delicious!

Ambiance: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Food: 5/5 Overall: amazing and will 100% be back DRINK: I had the Shanghai rum drink that was absolutely delicious. APPETIZERS: Pakora, bread and fries. All amazing! MAIN DISH: 60 days aged ribeye (medium). Scrumptious! Came with veggies DESSERT: salted caramel ice cream with crumbles (tasted burnt too me, my least favorite thing I tasted 2 cookies (so good). OCCASION: birthday Absolutely amazing experience and would 100% recommend when next in Napa.

Great restaurant. Great food and wine. So many wine country business dinners here. My last meal here was for our anniversary. Subpar happy hour but the rest is great

Good but pricy wine list. We enjoyed a few shared plates and fish and steak entrees. One appetizer had a sauce that was so burningly spicy I could barely eat it (but I worked around it- lol). Seemed to be an anomaly because all other flavors were delicious and balanced. Service was great at first, then we sat talking over dirty plates for almost half an hour. If you go, try several plates to share- you'll get a nice range of flavor, texture, and eye-pleasing goodness.

For our last dinner in Napa, we chose TORC. The sommelier we spoke with earlier in the day while on a winery visit recommended it. The vibe of TORC is very warm and welcoming. We were seated at a small table/booth combo and were promptly greeted. We chose a bottle of wine to share, then decided on our entrees. We selected the Dungeness crab Risotto and the Fettucine. Both were vey good. We perused the dessert menu, but after a bottle of wine and two filling entrees, there was just no room!

We dined at TORC last weekend before heading to a concert, and it was a wonderful experience. The tomato tart we tried was absolutely amazing. I ordered the mushroom risotto, which was rich and flavorful. The restaurant has a nice rustic atmosphere that made our meal even more enjoyable.

Came here over Memorial Day weekend for a girls trip and enjoyed our experience here! We started with the Jamon Iberico appetizer. It was good, not much else to write about it haha. For dinner we ordered the Filet and the Ziti Carbonara. Both were quite good! I don't care for sugar snap peas in my carbonara, that was a bit unusual. It wasn't bad but I could've done without it. For dessert we wanted cookies and ice cream so we asked them if we could get the cookie duo and instead of the berry cookie, we replace it with ice cream. We even said we don't mind if we're upcharged, and they still said no, which seemed a bit stupid. They only offered to replace the berry cookie with another chocolate one, which we agreed to. The cookies were good but not GREAT and given their richness, they really needed ice cream, hence our request.

We celebrated valentines day last weekend by having the most amazing steak dinner for two. But first my wife had a life changing gin martini. When we got home my wife realized she had left a wine bag at our table. She called and spoke with the Manager Scott. Scott let her know he has our bag and offered to drop it off on his way home since he lived in the same area. And, He Did! What can you say other than, "Thank You" & we will be back.

The first 30 minutes were great, service was great , food was spectacular. Then about an hour later our dinner never arrived nor were we attended to. Finally we asked for our bill and they said well your food's almost here we will box it up. The food was still on our bill. At this point it's not about money or price. I would happily pay 2x for the food and a service that would actually check in on you every two minutes. Supposedly one of the best food spots in Napa. It might be. Service spot was bad. Server acknowledged a shortage of staff I kindly asked them to remove or mains. Our bill came out to 107 and I still tipped over 60% because that is how much we appreciate our service industry. I think most of us would fall into the same category. Restaurant owners Or managers especially in Napa seem to rest on there laurels and forget that aspect.

Food was so good and the staff were very informative and helpful with our requests! Great ambiance and easy laid back but very classy.

Wonderful experience! Food was fresh , seasonal and delicious. The service was impeccable, on point from every staff member . We felt well taken care of . We thoroughly enjoyed the pekora appetizer , the filet mignon and the lobster Fiorentini . Great wine selection, relaxing ambience and would definitely recommend to others ! Thank you for a delicious meal !

For a fancy restaurant in Napa, the wines by the glass were very fair - Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet all were just ok. We were disappointed after tasting nice wines all day! The service was nice, the setting was pretty but WAY too loud upstairs. They were nice about moving us downstairs- sound baffling is needed! Overall this missed our expectations.

The ambiance is pleasant and quiet - good for carrying on a conversation. The staff are friendly, helpful and attentive. The grilled cheese with black truffle at $46 was delicious and a good experience but not a great value. Would have preferred an entree at that price but definitely wanted to try the comfort food with black truffle. The other entrees (fettuccine, risotto) were delicious, well-seasoned and served at hood temperatures (warm to hot, as expected). The desserts were unique and that comes at a price. Just not a good value. The experience was pleasant and overall we were glad to go when we did since reservations are difficult to nab at TORC.

This was my first time eating a Torch and I will definitely be going back. We started with the Truffle Grilled Cheese. While on the pricier side, it was delicious! We also had the Hamachi Tartare and the Beef Short Ribs, which were very good. The flavor combinations were just right. The restaurant is nice on the inside and has a great atmosphere. Overall the service was good and the staff were friendly.

Amazing dinner. Great service. Really unique flavors and dishes. Not sure how it could have been any better.

Was our favorite for many years. On Oct 5th, we were seated in patio, the music was very loud rap music. We asked the manager to turn down and they said Chef's choice and they could not adjust. We should have left, but it's not easy to get into restaurant with party of 6 in Napa. Our Special chicken & fish were dry & over cooked and at end of our dinner the sewer stench hit us! Not the best experience. Won't be going back.

Long overdue review on one of my favorites restaurants in Napa. The ambiance is great and the food is amazingly great. Every time we come here we enjoy our meals. Different menu, different creations. Prices are on the higher side but that's what you pay for good quality food now-days. Overall a great location great service great food great ambiance

Great food, poor experience. For a place that charges these kinds of prices, you would expect the experience to rival the food quality. Alas, that was not the case with us as we suffered from pretty spotty service. We had made a reservation for 7:15pm and were greeted and seated promptly, although the table we were given was probably the worst in the restaurant, right next to the kitchen. After waiting about 10 minutes I finally flagged down a server to take our drink orders. We did order our appetizers, which were delicious, but really didn't like our table. They did manage to reseat us, but after getting a much better table, it took another 10-15 minutes to get someone to take our order. The food again was excellent, but after we finished and were given dessert menus, the server never came back and after about 20 minutes of waiting we gave up and just asked for the check. The manager apologized but made no effort to recompense us in any way, and we were even charged for the extra olives my wife asked for for her dirty martini! The poor service and the really awful music they were playing means we will certainly give this place a miss and advise our friends to avoid this restaurant in the future.

We enjoyed everything we ordered! Food and service were both excellent Thank you for providing gluten free options as well.

I'm not gonna lie, I feel like I should rate this 3/5. First, going to give a little bit as to why this place deserves the rating I'm giving it. The service is top tier. The waitress knew the menu, knew how to explain it, and gave details about everything. That right there is 5 stars. I don't know her name, but she was great. All other servers seemed like they were just as good. I'm not a super-fancy-restaurant-type-of-gal. I honestly feel intimidated being in places like this. I don't know why. The menu looked so confusing, the portion sizes were so bizarre and yes, the prices are higher than they should be for what it is. There were six of us, and we did mostly split everything. The 3 guys devoured the steak, it was the biggest plate on the table. I don't even know how they were, but they ate it all so must have been good. The pastas were very small looking servings. The appetizers were also very small servings. None of that made sense. It was like here, have a few bites, but that's all you get and that's your meal.

They had a really good drink selection, but the cocktails were a little weak for my preference. There was no miss with any of our selection. The stone fruit salad was really nice to start off with. All the protein we got- the scallop, pork shop, and the beef filet- were really well cooked and had a very nice twist on traditional proteins. I don't really like risotto to start off with but the artichoke risotto may have just changed my mind.

Made a reservation, waited for it, and found they were closed. They should've never allowed it to go through and it's my first time in Napa. Such bullshit

This place did not live up to the hype in my opinion. We booked based off OT reviews and this place got a good recommendation from one of the pourers at a tasting room. The squash blossom appetizers were the best part. The pork chop did not carry a lot of flavor and neither did the short rib. The bib salad was interesting but seemed like a deconstructed sandwich with the bread and butter pickles. For the money there are better places.

They have some really tasty and uniquely flavorful vegetarian options. I particularly enjoyed the mushroom bolognese pasta & the morel mushrooms. The creamy basmati rice was also yum! On top of this, the service was excellent. I haven't come across such competent and attentive staff in a long while. We had a lovely time.

Went upon a recommendation from a friend. We were promptly seated and provided water. Our server greeted us but spoke softly and seemed like always a step behind where we were in our meal and decision process. Their wine list has a unique section for some nicer wines by the glass that use the Coravin wine preservation system. So you can have it without buying the bottle. We had the bread appetizer. It was great with the whipped butter. (It's actually listed as a side not an app) We ordered the filet and the ziti. The ziti is described as a smaller dish and it was (a nice size to not be over full after eating). It tasted good. Would likely order that if returning. The filet was served with a gravy that resembled pot roast gravy with some pot roast shreds under the steak. It tasted good however I feel it took away from the steak. The grits were good and even better with some of the gravy. Maybe it was more intended for that anyway? The steak was tender and good flavor (without the gravy). Ordered it medium and it was med rare. Not a big deal as I can do either just fine. The restaurant is in a neat old stone/brick building. There's plenty of room so not overly crowded at your table. The assistants for the server were probably more attentive than our server- always keeping our waters full. All in all for the price, it seemed a little overpriced for the quality received. Maybe that's par for the course for Napa.

It was hard for us to get someone on the phone to make a chefs menu/wine pairing reservation. But once we did I was able to ask about making gluten free options as I am celiac. We arrived and were greeted... the staff was so friendly and our waitress was adorable, so excited to explain each course/pairing. The wines were delicious and the food was amazing and even my husband was pleasantly surprised on how they made all these gluten free options delicious on his palate! My highlights were the fried sweet potato(in chickpea flour), carrot carpaccio and the truffle risotto. My husbands were the duck and beef and chocolate dessert. I really loved the pear sorbet! Let's just say we had the best experience and recommend the chefs menu and wine pairing to everyone! Oh and the wine pictured below is amazing!

Superlative. The in-house made pastas are not to be missed. The wine selection superior. A great visually stunning location with relaxed vibe. Our favorite of several during our NAPA Yountville visit.

Very underwhelming, we had such high expectations for this restaurant. Decent space, although upstairs is very generic and bland. Service was so average at best, wonder how they train their folks. Must be difficult to hire good people in Napa. Cocktail was just normal, nothing to get excited about at all. Food, eh it was OK. I can't even give much more description than that really. We would never make an attempt to come back, just nothing to write home about. Not even worth going over any of the food we had, just not worth the attempt.

Everything was delicious as always! Well done Torc. We got the sessional tomato tart and it was amazing!

Beautiful ambience and excellent food! For starters: Deviled eggs with spinach / yolk smooth filling topped with pickled red onion - 10/10 Tuna Tartare 10/10 Entree: Duck Breast 10/10 Beef Shortrib 10/10 Dessert Fig Tart 10/10

Don't go. They don't respect you as a guest. We walked in on a busy night, the front desk told us it is fully booked but asked us to wait 10minutes for a table to finish and they will seat us. So we wait, and we saw the table was cleared up, and we approached and asked, but the two people from the reception obviously chatted about shifting some other waiting party to the table, simply to tell us that the table is no more available. We are very confused and asked why they asked us to wait and then just denied us like our time is of no value. We feel very disrespectful from their service because they obviously treated us as some "backup" to their revenue stream. What's worse is when we tried to inquire about the decision, they responded arrogantly with words "you walkin on a busy Friday night and we will respect other reservations", "we are a very popular place that expect people to make reservations" and showed no empathy on us waiting outside on the street for ten minutes just because you previously agreed without honoring. They kept finding excuses, showing off how popular they are that makes no sense while all we want is a simple "sorry we messed up the scheduling and sorry for your inconvenience". Instead we treated like some poor couple begging them for food. Very very sad and disappointed that Napa has such a horrible place in its nice downtown area.

what an amazing restaurant! came here to celebrate my dads birthday and had a wonderful experience. The ambience was warm and welcoming, and the service was on point. For our starters, we had the della fattoria breads with sweet butter, the bengali sweet potato pakora, and the house made fries. The bread was tasty but nothing super special. The pakora, on the other hand, was out of this world. It was rich and creamy and had a crispy outer surface that then melted in your mouth. It came with a yogurt-truffle dip that was the perfect complement. We also enjoyed the fries! The 'kewpie' style mayo was unique but delicious. It was thinner than regular mayo, and had a slightly sweeter and tangy flavor that made it even better than regular mayo. The tomato syrup wasn't as good though. For our main, my family and I shared the aged ribeye. It was cooked exactly to our specifications and was extremely juicy and tender. It came on a small bed of kale and squash which were very tasty as well. All of us were pretty happy with the dish. And finally, for dessert they brought out salted caramel ice cream for my father's birthday and we ordered the cookies as well. We found both of the desserts to be just okay and probably wouldn't get them again in the future, but would come back for the rest of the meal, especially the pakora!

Open concept restaurant allows for visually inviting surroundings. However it's very loud. The service was terrific! Very attentive staff. Did I say it's loud? The deviled eggs and filet were delightful and drinks good enough for more than one round. Also it's loud.

Fabulous!!! Such good food and amazing service....we started house shopping after our 3rd meal here...must live in walking distance. The waitress remembered both us and my husband's beer order after we hadn't been there for months--wow! Don't miss the short ribs, the devilled eggs, the veg....all amazing! There's indoor, outdoor, bar, upstairs and downstairs seating. A lovely space inside, with high ceilings. Eating at the bar can be delightful also. We've been there more than 10 times and always leave happy we chose Torc....and in Napa, that's saying something! I believe there was even a happy hour, though all hours spent eating and drinking here have been happy. I wish I had photos, but you'll just have to go and take your own. Seriously, we may have to retire to Napa so we can eat here more regularly!

Chef Sean O'toole did not disappoint!! Everything we tried was impeccable! Finger licking, plate licking, drop it on the table pick it up licking so good! This establishment has been around for about 10 years but this was my first time to experience these amazing flavor bursts! If you're in the Napa valley it's a must try!! It's so good I think we will go back while on this visit. Either way, we will definitely be back. Nice job! Btw the service was fantastic too

The food was great and the ambience was fine. The service was good until the end when we have already paid the bill and we're about to walk out that they came back and slapped us with a cork charge of $35. We paid it, of course, but it seems a little tacky that we were stopped as we were leaving to pay for something they forgot to charge and honestly, we weren't aware of. The bill was well over $200 for two people... You haven't made enough money? I have a problem with corkage charges in Napa Valley....

Torc is overall good, and has the potential to be great if they can improve their service. Most of the food was delicious-short rib, pasta, squash blossoms, ice cream. But some fell flat- like the snickerdoodle cookie lacked flavor. Also nothing that we received was hot, just warm. They all split their tips so no one went above and beyond and the service was slow. When we ordered drinks at the bar before dinner the bartender wasn't even listening to us. He had to ask us twice what we wanted. What was most disappointing is when we received an espresso martini that was bitter and had no sweetener in it. We told the server who said, "you don't have to drink it" and then charged us for it. The sommelier was good too, but disappeared and never came back after we started with glasses of wine rather than ordering an expensive bottle of wine. Overall a good experience, but I wish the service matched the food quality.