Wappo Bar & Bistro
- Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
9 reviews
Calistoga, CA
"I LOVE this place. Really fresh pastas, great meat dishes and nice service. In fact, some of the best service in the valley. Attentive,…" read more »
23 Reviews for Wappo Bar & Bistro
I've dined here a couple of times while traveling through wine country and it's always been good, but not great. It is, however, very cute and a bit romantic, so it already has it over so many of the other restaurants in town, hey, all of the other restaurants in this town.
If I am in Calistoga for any reason, going to the Wappo is foremost on my mind - forget mud baths (they creep me out), forget wineries (temporarily), and to hell with shopping (I don't shop, I BUY stuff,).
For me, the Wappo is all about the magical outdoor patio when the trellised vines are full, providing shade from the daytime heat. At night, the vines provide a canopied backdrop for those little twinkle lights, which are a delightful substitute for stars.
The menu is ambitious and wanders across many continents. It may seem strange, but we always start our meal with the chile relleno as an appetizer. It is awesome. I have read several reviews that indicate people were less than happy with the Wappo, which is fine with me because that makes it easier to get a great table on the patio. Over the course of 9 or 10 visits to the Wappo, I have never had anything less than a wonderful experience. The staff is very knowledgeable about wine.
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We went to Wappo as the designated spot to have a romantic, 30th Birthday dinner for two. Wappo hands down has the best water we've ever tasted, the infusion of cucumbers, citrus and mint... so refreshing! Mind you we went in the July, around the time of the Northern California fires so even though the temp was about in the 90's at 8pm, it felt more like 110 degrees!
We started off with the ahi poke with black sesame wafers. This was a great play on textures: avocado, fresh tuna, peppers... YUMMO! However, one small issue we had was the tuna cuts were a bit too big and didn't allow the marinade to cut through. Also, we would've loved the option of getting more wafers or had them offered to us.
Next course we had separate entrees: Range Fed New York Steak with Caramelized Shallot and Zinfandel Sauce, served with Potato Galette. for the gentleman and a thai-inspired marinated pork ribs, sprinkled with cilantro and over a bed of curry noodles for the lady. The Steak was cooked to perfection, though slightly a smaller portion than one would believe to be the industry standard. The ribs were also cooked perfectly, and the spiciness of the dish to a level that most restaurants wouldn't dare to send off but it worked for me!
For dessert we had the ice cream sandwich, with fresh vanilla ice cream and flambe' bananas. Sounds delicious right? WRONG! It was a diabetic's nightmare. WAY too sweet. Not sure if the pastry chef looked at us and assumed we were young and had sweet teeth, but there was way too much chocolate and caramel on the plate to the point where neither of us were able to eat very much. Also, the coffee there tasted burnt.
As far as service, we'd say that for a Tuesday night, our service was definitely lacking. There weren't too many people there but it was difficult to get what we wanted. Granted one of the ladies there did offer us some great advice on wine pairings. All in all, we would go back but we might have to make sure that it was during the weekend, otherwise during the week we'd make an effort to stop by Wappo for the water!
I have had some of the most fun meals of my life at Wappo Bar, sitting in the sunny patio, laughing with friends. This restaurant is a real treat... the food is good, yet the pretentious Napa Valley vibe is nowhere to be found (except maybe with some customers).
The food ranges from Asian to South American to whatever the chef feels like cooking. The menu changes fairly often, however I am a fan of their curry and have never eaten anything here that I thought was terrible. This restaurant is a nice low-key place to relax, get a comfortable meal, and enjoy Calistoga. It's probably my favorite place in Calistoga, in fact. For some reason (perhaps the side-street location), Wappo manages to evade a lot of the tourists.
PS. Frequent Robert Redford sightings. (He's a local)
Kind of disappointed with Wappo's. The servers are very nice and the outdoor patio is large and comfortable; however, the food was not up to the standard that I expect in the valley. There are tasty items to be found such as the Moroccan tangine chicken so it's an acceptable place to eat if you are staying in downtown Calistoga. I would go back again but I wouldn't make a special trip to eat here.
What a lil' slice of heaven! This intimate and casual restaurant is off the main street in Calistoga (only a block walk, though) so you have to really search it out!
There is indoor and outdoor seating. I always choose the outdoor garden setting. LUV'D IT! Another time that I wished this was my backyard! It's just darling. Nice background music flamenco guitar-ish. They served a wonderful water infused with orange, lemon, lime, cucumber and mint. Perfect combination for a spa-like thirst-quenching experience. The menu was fabulous --- delicious lunch treats (even for angel baby). Service was perfect by a server who had worked here for 14 years, Athena.
Anyway, be one of the 'few' to discover Wappo's. It's simply darling and yummy!
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This place was OK. I enjoyed my Brazilian fish stew, but our appetizer was vietnamese rolls with mango and shrimp and there was no mango in them at all. I had also asked our waitress if a tea I wanted to order did indeed contain tea (I needed some caffeine). She said yes. When it was brought to the table there were no tea leaves in it-it was an herbal infusion. Mr Q had to remind the waitress that he had ordered a beverage, so it didn't arrive until midway through the meal. Overall the impression we walked away with was that the kitchen and waitstaff weren't very good at all. It came to about $60 for lunch for two w one appetizer, a pot of herbal tea and a limeade. I don't think we'd go back.
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I had the most memorable fish stew of my life here. I believe it was a bouillabaise, but I could be wrong. At any rate, when they set down the bowl and I took my first spoonful, time pretty much stopped. The broth tasted like it had been simmering for days, and the seafood was incredible. I remember something with antennae -- a crayfish, perhaps? Anyway, I don't remember anything else about that night but the stew. I've never had such a good fish stew since.
When I got married in the area a few years ago, I recommended Wappo to many of our guests who were coming in from out of town, and they were really pleased with it. A guest who went to culinary school still remembers her meal there as well.
This place had a great variety of tasty foods including a very nice chile relleno dish.
Great open air patio.
I understand that dinner for 24 is not the same as having six tables of four each . . . and I understand the need for a "special" menu -- limited in its options -- for a party of 24 . . . . so perhaps I will give Wappo another try some day. Maybe. Perhaps. If I'm three sheets to the wind and forget where I am . . .
The salad I had was overdressed . . . drowning, in fact . . . and the "tandori chicken" was not only dry but TOUGH!
The waitstaff was right on top of everything, however, including not only refilling water glasses, but checking to see if we needed more wine, etc., etc. They are the reason for the two stars; not the food.
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We're not ones to give the owner a "piece of our minds" but this place blew and we let him know that (or my wife did it. I pretended to tie my shoe). Did we have to make a second reservation for someone to take our drink order in the first thirty minutes after we sat down? They were also completely unwilling to accommodate any special requests, which seemed strange because we had confirmed such an arrangement over the phone. Boo.
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As mentioned in other reviews, it has serious cute to it- grapes hanging above you, nice airy seating. Very romantico. Unfortunately this is truly the kind of place to relegate to pre-dinner drinks & apps, or just dessert. The food was seriously some talentless schlep. No bones about it.
My salad- overdressed. As though each piece of field greens had been dipped in dressing. Disgusting.
Rosemary Scented Rabbit, served with Potato Gnocchi with Mustard Cream & Baby Spinach & a Peppery Rabbit Liver Crostini. (22)
This was rabbit in mustard soup. Gross. I really adore a good rabbit dish, so I was pretty let down. It actually looked more like a Thai soup, so we wondered if it was actually ----------
Vatapa - Brazilian seafood Stew thickened with Peanuts & Coconut Milk, served with Black Beans, Rice & Grilled Bananas. (website says 17, last night it was 22- So apparently prices vary) Generic seafood soup and everything was under seasoned. The peanuts were more of a garnish.
The waiter was also painfully lackluster and seemed embarrassed at how boring the food was. Maybe that's why he never came back to see how it tasted.....
We didn't even want to see dessert menus, so you know we were nonplussed. Go see for yourself- it's not really that expensive if you really need the ambiance for an entire meal.....but I think you can do better for eats in Calistoga.
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We saw this place on our way to the hotel. After we checked in and swam for a bit we were ready for some dinner! We walked down main st. and decided to go off the main drag and came back to Wappo. It was a hot night and all the seating was outdoors. There was a little jazz band playing, a nice arbor covered in grapes covered a lot of the dining area. We were seating towards the back, facing into the restaurant.
We opted for several small plates rather than main courses. The salad, poke, shrimp, and hummas were all very good! They paced it out well.
For desert we had the fruit crisp with vanilla ice cream, so GOOD. Oh-and we had desert with ROBERT REDFORD!!!!!!!!!(http://www.imdb.com/na...)
Well ok we really didn't have it with him, more like were eating desert when he arrived and was seated directly in front of us, not 5 ft. away!! So we enjoyed our desert at a leisurely pace, then ended the evening with a night cap.
It was funny to hear the buzz spread across the room.
Stopped here on the way home from a weekend up in Mendocino and Clear Lake - we stumbled upon it walking around Calistoga reading menus. Absolutely LOVED it...perfect romantic ending to a weekend get-a-way.
Their menu is very eclectic with Asian, Indian, Mediterranean, European as well as many other flavors on one delicious menu. I had a hard time choosing my appetizer and entree and ended up with no room for dessert. The food was very nicely presented and served by knowledgeable and polite staff that was very attentive without being in your face.
I got a grilled salmon dish which was phenomenal - I devoured it whole and wasn't even too happy to share. Critical detail, I don't normally like cooked salmon!! Sushi salmon I love, smoked too, but cooked - this was amazing. I tried their soup of the day and it was a perfect balance of broth and vegetables and a bit of spice. I also had half the ahi tuna poke served in a martini glass - it had these huge chunks of super tender tuna...amazing flavors.
My boyfriend had the scallops which were buttery and very flavorful and I forget what as it's been almost two weeks but I know he ate all his plates clean and he's a very picky eater. I definitely cannot wait to go back...their courtyard outdoor dining experience was perfect on a warm summer night.
Menu changes...always excellent. Wappo is the best and most consistent restaurant in Calistoga. Try to sit out on the wisteria covered patio on a brooding Summer evening.
Had a few meals here... all good.
Sitting in the patio under the arbor made the evening.
We'll go back
More like 3 1/2 stars. Good choice for dinner if you are staying in Calistoga. I have eaten here at least 4 or 5 times and always enjoyed it. The food is an eclectic ethnic mix with a nice wine list. There is a lovely outdoor patio with heating lamps and the interior is warmly lit and cozy. Service is a bit unpredictable and can be slow and attitudinal.
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The place is really cute, and the menu sounded really good, but somehow the flavors were not present in any of the food. I will give it one star just for accommodating us without a reservation(bc 2 stars might be a stretch for this place). We started with a salad that was drenched in dressing. From the previous reviews this sounds like a common theme. For dinner my husband had the cassoulet which was a medley of duck, lamb sausage and beans from what I saw. It was overcooked and tasted pretty bland. I had the duck confit with arugula salad(drowning in dressing) with hazelnuts. It sounded pretty good, but so bland. To start the evening, mind you it is Saturday night and we sit down at 7pm, we order a bottle of wine that is not available. So, all and all, take a ride down to Yountville and eat at one of the restaurants there, because it seems to me that Calistoga is seriously lacking.
This is one of my Mom's favorite places, and a perfect place if you are going for a spa day.
Wappo Bar does most things very well. I believe the menu is seasonal and therefor changes often, because the three times I have been here, there was a different menu each time (that could also be because it was over a 3 year span). The cuisine goes from Italian, Mexican, Asian inspired, and Californian.
The service is usually pretty good but depending on the server and your table, can be slow. Like mentioned earlier, there is a good wine list both by the glass and by the bottle for those who have not had enough already.
The outside patio makes this restaurant, especially on lazy warm afternoons or if the night is nice. It is very intimate and the warm air feels great. If it gets cooler they have heat lamps, and to me it is worth a few goosebumps.
If you are a larger party, sit in the same room as the bar (it is detached from the main building). You will have privacy, the ability to be loud if you wish, and your drinks will arrive faster.
The best thing I like about the Wappo Bar is that the food is really good and priced well, the vibe is laid back and unpretentious, and it can either be a great place for a relaxing lunch or dinner.
everything that is great about california is here : weird rich people, cucumbers in water, african-spanish-american fusion cuisine, outdoor seating, unexpected rain, great wines.
I love lingering over wine on the patio under the vines at Wappo (well, I love lingering over wine just about anywhere, but Wappo is a particularly attractive spot for this). There is something about the sun peeking through the vines, all of the flowering plants and the water quietly splashing from the stone fountain that make me feel like I snuck into someone's secret garden. Except this little garden has waiters and a kick ass wine list!
The service is always excellent and the menu's pretty unconventional, even at lunchtime. I could make a meal of the roasted chili relleno starter, stuffed with basmati rice, unidentified yummy cheeses, pine nuts, and a walnut pomegranate sauce that will make you want to shamelessly lick your plate in public after the last currant is gone. The thai shrimp curry with sweet and sour cucumber salad is also extremely good. The wine list features some wonderful small producers from the region and a decent selection of half bottles (which don't really lend themselves to lingering, so I try to stay away from them). A perfect Calistoga afternoon should definitely include Wappo.
If your out in Spa Country, stop by this restaurant and order the Masaman Curry it's delicious.
Though not authentically Thai, whatever they do it is wonderful. Their take is to have lots of veggies, and potatoes and, the curry sauce though not spicy is delicious.
We go there just for that when we are staying in Calistoga.
The food we had wasn't great....not bad or anything, just not remarkable. We ordered the steak and the miso salmon. However, it has by far the best atmosphere of any restaurant we saw in Calistoga, which is why we decided to eat there. Cute patio with twinkling lights, flowers and a fountain....perfect on a warm summer night. Also, the water they serve is the most delicious water ever! As good as the wine! They flavor it with fruits and mint. If you're looking for a romantic atmosphere go to Wappos.
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