Flavor Bistro

Flavor BistroFlavor Bistro
Flavor BistroFlavor Bistro
Bar, Eatery

7365 Healdsburg Ave
Sebastopol, California, 95472
United States | map
flavorbistro.com
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.29
Reviews:
39
Ratings:
44
pDev:
7.23%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 4.5 by 31Sam13 from New Hampshire

Mar 13, 2015
 
Rated: 4.25 by wethorseblanket from California

Oct 15, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by banger7 from California

Sep 21, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by strongaf from Washington

Jul 10, 2014
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Reviewed by ArrogantB from Colorado

4.59/5  rDev +7%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4 | food: 5
We stopped by Flavor Bistro because it was within walking distance of Russian River and they had Moonlight beers. We were not expecting to be so impressed by the food that we would return the next night! Beef caravaggio was delicious, the duck ravioli was pretty much perfect, the shrimp were some of the best I have ever tasted, the presentation was excellent and the amount of food was almost too much. The prices were extremely reasonable for the quality, entrees were around $18. oh, they also had liek six Moonlight Brewing beers on tap and served in Moonlight Brewing pint glasses. They also sold me a pint glass to go for $7. Service was pretty attentive , friendly and it was a very relaxed dining atmosphere. I would love to return and if this place were in Denver I would eat there pretty regularly.
May 09, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by hoppymcgee from Maine

Apr 15, 2014
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Reviewed by sholland119 from Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +1.4%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.25 | food: 4.5
We really enjoyed this stop in Santa Rosa after a terrific day of wine touring. Not really a beer bar, more a moderately upscale restaurant that happens to serve Moonlight Brewing's wonderful beers exclusively. Six beers on tap during our visit, including the delightful Death and Taxes.

Service at the bar was very pleasant and attentive. We were not very hungry so we stuck with the cheese plate. That was tasty. Everything we saw looked very good. Only sorry we did not get back there again as we ran out of time.

Really nice place, though.

HV
Feb 18, 2014
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Reviewed by Jodi215 from Arizona

4.34/5  rDev +1.2%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.75 | food: 5
This is a little Bistro in Santa Rosa that my son wanted to visit because they serve on tap beers from Moonlight brewery. It's a little upscale from most of the breweries we visit so I was feeling very spoiled eating there. Atmosphere while casual is very nice, small patio and a long bar with tables scattered around. No tablecloths so that kept the feeling comfortable. It has been called the unofficial pub for Moonlight brewing and has six on tap. The service was great, friendly and accommodating to my special requests (no dairy). I had the Quail which I've wanted to taste since moving to AZ. and being told by the construction guys working on our house how delicious it tastes. The taste lived up to their description but I'm still having a problem picturing them ( big construction guys) nibbling the meat off those tiny bones. It was so good though that I now not only think those little birds are so cute, well I'm now seeing them in a whole different way. Other things ordered were Singapore Noodles and Ravioli. When the meals were set down in front of us we all said Wow and while we were eating more wow's were heard. The value while a little pricey was well worth the cost. We will return for sure.
Jun 16, 2013
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Reviewed by SpdKilz from Illinois

4.2/5  rDev -2.1%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.25
Love coming here with the crew after a long day and/or night at RR for PtY release or if I happen to be in the area. The food here is fantastic, atmosphere a bit more upscale (so going in there a bit tipsy after being at RR is most likely not per-say frowned upon, but also not invited) and they have some great Moonlight beers on tap.

Recommended for sure if you have time.
Jun 15, 2013
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Reviewed by slander from New York

4.38/5  rDev +2.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
Ben drove back to the hotel, roused the Bethy, and the 2 of them walked back to some place for din they talked good on just a few blocks shy of here. Wasn’t so much waiting on the call, but trying to keep track of time so I’d know when to set out to meet them. Probs was, I was going to have to give up my mint seat at the bar to do so and they don’t come so easy at Russian River. Tough one, but these things you do for friends and food; I finished my ‘tion’ and got up and just walked away...

On the green, seemingly upscalier than I am on a good or any day; through the out front pen umbrella’d up and in. It’s a pretty big room, it is. Stucco beige walls uppers done with landscape prints and framed mirrorings, burgundy ceiling with blended ductwork, yellowy center columns, down, well, the center, with alternating buttercup drop lighting, and seemingly blueish carpetings. 3 dozen tables about in all, not so much sectioned off as riddled about; standalone and some on beigey leather seating on the stucco walls, below mounted upright bell lamps. And most of it to the rear as the room opens up, but there’s some up front amidst an oddly placed fireplace there.

“C” shaped bar to the left pleasantly tea candle lit with something glowy underside otherwise, and seating for a dozen on non-backed stoolings. Barback holds a center mirror on a wood unit, with wine shelved atop and to both sides over a coffee thing and baby oven. A smaller wood shelving unit with wine sits to the left side. Track spots and a single spinny fan over the bar for ‘cool off, man!’

6 taps, and they’re all from Mr. Moonlight; Death & Taxes Black Beer, Bombay By Bay IPA, Lunatic Lager, Special (Brown Ale), Twist Of Fate Bitter, Reality Czeck Pils. It’s said that this place is the unofficial brewpub of Moonlight, and that Brian Hunt’s amazing beers are the only thing they pour. I am sooo good with that. Drank the Death & Taxes Black Beer because it pairs well with life. Apparently, they have a small bottle list I’m disinterested in looking in on now or when, ‘cause did I mention there were 6, count ‘em, 6, beers from Moonlight on? And a wine list with about 6 dozen entries.

Foodings are apparently good Italian, and a variety of other things. They started with the organic spinach salad (caramelized onions, bacon, organic pear & local goat cheese) and the sauteed Dungeness Crab Cake (basil aioli & crispy shoe strings yams of total win), while I opted for the smoked salmon pizzetta, overlooking the capers; dysfunctional family to dirty olives twice unsuccessfully removed. The pizzetta was quite perfectly what I needed, and the crab cake did not suck. Didn’t get at the spinach salad but it looked most handsome.

As we’d gorged ourselves on meat, cheese & bread earlier, we then decided to split 2 entrees between the 3 of us; they being the Martin’s Ragu (boscaiola meat sauce with porcini & red wine, pasta ribbons), and the prawn pasta (slivered garlic, sweet basil, white wine, pomodoro, cream). I was thinking this was going to be awesome, and was correct, as usual.

And dessert for the fuck of it (because we could). Thought the black & white bomba (choc & vanilla gelato espresso, whipped cream, nuts) would be in order, as we saw it constructed earlier, barside. Oh, and a double espresso would be lovely, yes, thank you. And the crème brulee for Bethy, and a chai tea, too.

Good crowd, comfortable house. Must be that special place you go do dinner ‘cause I’ve heard ‘Happy Birthday’ sung here 3 times here tonight. The food was real goddamn good, and the beer, well it is the unofficial Moonlight brewpub. I am most happy here. I must note at this point how awesome Ben is at organizing vacations and procuring tables at bars. Wait! I said that?
Jun 12, 2012
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Reviewed by htomsirveaux from Texas

4.08/5  rDev -4.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4.5
Stopped in here on 26 Dec 2011 for dinner w A and other family. Arrived just before the dinner crowd hit.

Nice moderately upscale decor. Focus is primarily Italian, although they also have a high end burger menu. Beers included five Moonlight beers on tap, as well as a few others in bottles, Racer 5 and Bud if I recall. 12 oz of Moonlight for $4, or 12 oz of Bud for $4. Not a hard decision.

Food overall was quite good. We had the mussels and sweet potato gnocchi for appetizers. For main courses we had Molly's chicken, a couple of the burgers, duck ravioli, pork chop, and chicken strips for the kids. We tried the poached pear for dessert. The mussels and poached pear were the favorites, but nothing was less than good.

Waitstaff was extremely patient with the kids dropping toys on the floor. Apologies to the tables around us.

We tried all five of the Moonlight offerings. Reality Czech and the IPA we liked best.

Not strictly a beer destination, but apparently one of the few places to offer so many Moonlight beers. Would definitely go back, if only for the beer. Overall a bit on the pricey side ($200 for our table of five adults and two kids), but good food, beer, and atmosphere. Also the Moonlight glasses were offered for sale, but a little expensive at $7 ea for the 12 oz. ones (we passed).
Dec 31, 2011
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Reviewed by regsucks from Virginia

4.4/5  rDev +2.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
Been here a few times while in the area for wineries and Russian River. Essentially, a very good Italian restaurant with the added bonus of having 5 or so Moonlight beers on tap.

Atmosphere is obviously more of a casual/contemporary restaurant than a bar.

Quality of the food is very good. I've had a few different italian entrees. I especially enjoy the Gnocchi with chicken/sausage Ragu. They also have a considerable list of Burgers.

Service has always been top notch. Prompt, friendly, helpful.

Selection is very wide, mostly centered on Italian dishes, but tons of Pastas and entrees to choose from.

Food, as I said before, has always been very good.

Prices are reasonable, pastas range from $12-18, entrees around $20. Higher for items like lamb, lobster, etc.

Overall, a very solid choice for a good meal and good beers on tap.
Dec 28, 2011
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Reviewed by tjensen3618 from California

3.89/5  rDev -9.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 2.5
For BA's intents and purposes this place should be renamed to Moonlight Brasserie.

It seems when you go to Russian River you must come across the street to Flavor to get Reality Czech and the rest of the Moonlight lineup, and that is exactly what we did.

The place was pretty packed but we were able to quickly grab a couple stools at the bar and ordered the obligatory Reality Czech, that beer really lived up to the hype. Looks like a great Italian place we got some bread and oil/balsalmic which was good, but since I didn't get a full meal, I'll reserve judgment on the food.

Staff was attentive, we had a couple beers, enjoyed ourselves and went on our way.

If ever in Santa Rosa and wanted a more upscale dining experience I would definitely consider Flavor Bistro.
Dec 22, 2011
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Reviewed by emerge077 from Illinois

4.03/5  rDev -6.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Stopped in here for the expressed purpose of sampling the Moonlight lineup, and wasn't disappointed. Delivering kegs that day was none other than Brian from Moonlight Brewing, and it was great to meet and talk with him for a little while.

Tried Death & Taxes, Reality Czech, and Homegrown, and also sampled a couple small plates off the menu. The beer was the highlight, though the food was good too.

Flavor was a fairly large place, and pretty dead during the early afternoon. yellow gold stucco, red painted wood trim, carpet, and paintings hanging around the dining room. Upscale, sort of trendy but a little dated.

Service was quick at first, then they disappeared. It seemed like there were at least 3 different staff serving our table, and there were only a handful of tables occupied. They didn't do draft samplers, but did sell a Moonlight glass which was cool.

It's so close to RR, it would be hard not to stop in here and see what Moonlight seasonal was pouring when walking by. Overall a decent localvore restaurant that happens to sell some really great beers from Moonlight.
Oct 14, 2011
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Reviewed by avaldivia from California

4.38/5  rDev +2.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5
First time I came here was on a date with the GF because I knew they had Moonlight Brewing on tap. Since then, I have come here fairly often for either drinks or dinner.

This place is a great place to take a date. Whenever I come here, I have been seated relatively quickly and been attended to very well.

The food is fantastic. It is rather affordable for a nice meal. I usually go with the sandwich of the day if I get there for lunch, or I will go with the Pork Chops. Foods is fairly priced for the quality.

Now for the beer. This place only serves Moonlight Brewing on tap, and I love them for it. I have been able to try numerous of their beers here thanks to this. They are well priced and you can order a smaller glass if you do not want a full pint.

This is one of my favorite places. I will be coming back for year to come.
Aug 16, 2011
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Reviewed by Seanibus from California

2.95/5  rDev -31.2%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 1 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
This was a very disappointing experience, in large part because the service was just this side of catastrophic. We visited on a beautiful Sunday and the restaurant was busy, though far from overflowing. The host greeted us in a very slow and unfriendly manner, as if he was irritated by our presence. The place was swarming with waiters and busers, but they seemed consumed with doing side-work - prepping glasses, rolling silverware, carrying stacks of plates, all this at shortly after noon on a busy day. It was easily 20 minutes before we were even asked for our drink order, which was really the whole point of going. The one exception to the service was the water waiter, who whizzed through the restaurant filling glasses with lightning speed - I was on glass 4 before a waiter showed up. Even after he took our order, our waiter was so difficult to get hold of (he carefully avoided looking around at his station or making eye contact) that my wife attempted to set a trap, draining her water glass in hopes that the water guy would zip by on a refill mission and she could grab his wrist and restrain him until he agreed to bring us our waiter.

It didn't work.

We think the water guy sensed danger and hid, because we never got another drop of water after that point.

But anyhow.

The food, when it finally came, proved to be decent. The burger menu is fussy and over-thought (my Burger di Parma proved nearly impossible to eat without a ghastly mess), but the basic burger was delicious. The gnocchi was good, and the Romaine Lettuce Wedge was, well, romaine with dressing and bacon. I don't know what else we expected.

The beer is, however, very tasty and worth the trip if you're in the area. The Moonlight Brewing IPA was musky and rich, the pilsner was crisp, and the bitter was a good english pub bitter.

So go. But go with your expectations in check.
Jun 24, 2011
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Reviewed by drabmuh from Maryland

4.14/5  rDev -3.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4
Popped in here when I was in Santa Rosa to get some Moonlight Brewing beers, guess what, they have them all here. Very cool. Sat at the bar, not at a table, just ordered the beers and went back to Russian River.

The interior of this place is an Italian landscape, lots of plaster and the walls are busy with fake windows and vines. The place is a little dark and pretty nice on the inside.

We were served and paid our bill quickly and had a great time while we were there. No complaints about the service.

There were about 8 beers on draft, they all seemed to be moonlight beers. Pretty cool selection.

The beers were offered in half pours and full pours and it still was quite cheap, I would head back to try some more moonlight beers.
Nov 02, 2010
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Reviewed by SolomonGrundy from California

3.93/5  rDev -8.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 2.5 | food: 5
So, the reason this place rules is that it's a restaurant - I can't call it a beer bar - and they are strcitly locavore. Hence the beer selection limited to only local brewing phenom Moonlight Brewing. They have 5 taps that they keep kegged with only his beers. With Russian River and 3rd Street Aleworks within a one block radius, they choose not to cannibalise sales and instead stock a great brewers freshest stuff. Using only their beer selection as a barometer, it's poor - even though Moonlight rules. The food, however, is awesome and varied. The singapore noodles rule, as well as their pasta dishes. Service is somewhat sketchy on occasion - I've had a couple of times where I got the wrong order or sat for 10 minutes waiting for the bartender to show up - but they are great folks. It's not cheap, however, as entrees run $12 - $20 for dinner. Super family friendly and has outdoor seating where you can people watch in Summer. Overall an awesome place.
Jul 12, 2010
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Reviewed by augustgarage from California

4.63/5  rDev +7.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 5
Visited twice during my pilgrimage to Russian River -

The first time I came alone and sat at the bar. Despite having little money (the day before pay-day) and looking rather disheveled (I came in after a long trudge through the rain wearing my stale clothes from the previous overnight train-ride), I was treated exceptionally well by the staff. My bartender was an older hispanic woman who was quite friendly and knew quite a bit about the various Moonlight beers (and offered a free taster when I had a question about one of the taps), not to mention the rest of the menu. Neither rushed nor ignored, I was allowed to finish my various half-pints at my leisure while a quiet serenade of French and Cuban music improved my mood further. Even when I made it clear I couldn't afford a meal at the moment - free rosemary bread and olive oil/balsamic vinegar was generously offered.

The next day I returned with two friends in tow and we consumed an enormous lunch. Service was attentive but never overbearing.

I had crab cakes which were topped by a crown of tiny crispy sweet potato and surrounded by a sort of pesto sauce. Next up was a fresh mahi-mahi sandwich served with a perfectly dressed salad. I also tried some of their house-made pasta which was decadent and well made. Prices were very affordable (e.g. $10 for the lunch special; $~5 for full pints of Moonlight ales of which they always have about a 1/2 dozen to choose from).

The atmosphere is relaxed, warm, and sophisticated without being pretentious and attracts a diverse crowd of locals and tourists from many different age, cultural, and class groups.

A highly recommended you stop in when visiting Santa Rosa - though I prefer the espresso drinks at Flying Goat or Centro/Sawyer's News.
Feb 09, 2010
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Reviewed by Bubba83 from California

4.7/5  rDev +9.6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
Had a post Pliny the Younger release day brunch here on 2/6/2010 with alfrantzell and largadeer.

I ordered the Sausage and Eggs, which comes with thick cuts of tasty toast and these amazing roasted homestyle potatoes. The sausage is also made there and was sort of pattied but had a crumbly texture. The sausage wasn't greasy at all, and was quite nice. My eggs were cooked over medium just like I ordered.

For drink, I had to go with a Moonlight Twist of Fate. I am so happy this place has a good variety of Moonlight beers on tap. The beer was of course excellent. Selection is pretty much just Moonlight beers, which I still rate pretty good because it's hard to find.

The prices were reasonable and the service was really good.

Also, the atmosphere in the place is really nice! Relaxing, cozy, and easy on the eyes.

One of the better places for beer and food I have been to in a while and enough to wake me from my beerfly review slumber. You're doing yourself a disservice if you don't stop here while in Santa Rosa.
Feb 09, 2010
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Reviewed by corby112 from Pennsylvania

4.56/5  rDev +6.3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4
I stopped by this place on a recent trip to Santa Rosa. I was going to Russian River and some local BAs recommended this place to me because of their access to Moonlight Brewing Co. beers.

I was shocked when I walked in because this is a really nice restaurant and I was expecting a gastropub or beer bar. It's basically a fine dining(/) restaurant with a large open dining room with white linen tables. There in a medium sized bar to the left when you walk in and this is where I sat.

The bartender that served me provided excellent service. He was very friendly and prompt and made sure I was happy with what I ordered and that I had a drink in front of me. I didn't really talk to him much about beer so I'm not sure how knowledgeable the staff is about beer.

As far as selection goes they get major points for having about six Moonlight Brewing Co. beers on draft butloses points for not serving anything else. They had on Reality Czeck which I've wanted to try since I first heard about it when I joined this site. Also on was Lunatic Lager, Death and Taxes, IPA, and one or two others.

This was a really nice place with a great selection of a very rare brewery. I'm really happy that I stopped by and would do so any time that I'm in the area. I would like to go for dinner next time. Highly Recommended!
Jan 16, 2010
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Reviewed by brokensail from California

4.22/5  rDev -1.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
I was lucky enough to be told about this place by some BAs while at Russian River. After having several beers at RR, we took the very short walk over to Flavor and took a seat at the bar.

They have six taps, all Moonlight beers. They had Reality Czeck, IPA, Death and Taxes, Twist of Fate, and two more that I can't remember for some reason. I enjoyed an IPA and a Reality Czeck, both top notch.

The beers are great here, but the real attraction for most people is the food, which is great. The prices are a bit high, but the food really is worth it. A lot of local and fresh ingredients are used, which is something I like. I had the Duck Ravioli and they were phenomenal.

The service was quite good, but that is no surprise at a restaurant such as this.

It's not necessarily a "destination", but it's a great place to go to get to try Moonlight beers and with it being so close to Russian River, it's an easy spot to check out.
Nov 28, 2009
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Reviewed by HopHead84 from California

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
I visited Flavor Bistro at the beginning of February when I was visiting Russian River. I wanted to drink some Moonlight and I was told that this was the spot. The restaurant was quite nice and had a lively and friendly atmosphere. It was also clean and well lit. I was able to try 5 different Moonlight offerings while here, and the staff was very enthusiastic about them. The food was good as well. I don't recall what I had, but it was some Pasta dish with chicken. The desert was quite good as well. Again, I don't remember what it was, but it was pretty damn good. If you visit Flavor Bistro, be sure to pick up one of the nifty Moonlight Pint glasses as I'm unaware of another place to obtain them. Check this place out.
Feb 20, 2009
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Reviewed by John_M from Washington

4.2/5  rDev -2.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
In some ways, this place reminds me of Higgins in Portland. Like Higgins, it's a fine local Santa Rosa restaurant, that just happens to have a nice selection of bottled beers and 5 or 6 beers on draft from Moonlight brewing. The atmosphere is fairly informal and laid back, and the dining room is large and airy. It has warm colors of gold and wood, and there is a good size bar area off to the left when you walk in. Although the beer list is not huge, what they have is excellent and well thought out. There is also an impressive wine list here, should you prefer wine to beer with your meal. Table service was fine for what it was. Didn't have to wait overly long for anything, and I would describe service here as polite and restrained. As for food, I just had lunch here, but what we had was very, very good. This is clearly a place that takes its food pretty seriously.

A very solid place and a good alternative should you be tired of the cuisine and beer at Russian River (it's no more then a block away). That's hard to imagine, I'll admit, but I guess if you live in Santa Rosa it could happen. Impressive.
Jan 28, 2009
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Reviewed by DefenCorps from Oregon

4.45/5  rDev +3.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
A two minute walk from the Russian River brewpub lies this very elegant restaurant. The Sunday morning that I went there, it was quiet with a few families having brunch at the tables and a couple of locals at the bar. Relaxing.

Quality and selection wise, this place is top notch - there are 6 Moonlight beers on tap with glasses available for sale (grab one if you go). I really like that they chose to have _only_ Moonlight beers on tap with a decent bottle (and wine)list. Beers are always fresh and served in pints/half-pints, maybe a touch too cold

Food-wise, the emphasis is on fresh ingredients and where possible, local. Their cheese plate was quite exceptional, and their soup for the day (a tomato soup) was great as well.

Service was pleasant and friendly. While not intrusive, the bartender made sure I was never wanting. Plus, he did tell me what else to look out for.

All told, this is a great place to stop by for a beer and great food. Next time I'm in Santa Rosa, I'm going to make it a point to swing by again.
Jan 10, 2009
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Reviewed by xhcadamx from Maine

4.9/5  rDev +14.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
From notes...

A - Not a brewpub!!! This appealed to my wife and me. Elegant and classy but not snobbish. The outdoor seating is in the Old Courthouse Square in Santa Rosa which is great for people watching.

Q - All that Moonlight has to offer. It doesn't get any better than this.

S - Always good. The bartender knows a good amount about beer. The wait staff - not so much.

S - Again, all that Moonlight has to offer. It doesn't get any better than this.

F - Amazing food. A bistro menu which is a good change of pace from the regular brewpub fare.

V - My only complaint is they don't have a happy hour.
Dec 27, 2008
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Reviewed by Offa from California

4.53/5  rDev +5.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
This is a regular restaurant rather than a bar or beer-oriented place. In fact, it pretty much has only one brand of beer on tap.

The good news (beer-wise) starts with the fact the beer on tap is Moonlight and it has the full range of the regular Moonlight beers plus the current seasonal.

As a result, this is one of the best places to get Moonlight (in fact, it's the best place of all the places I've been - and Moonlight is right outside my hometown). Moonlight is a very small brewery, has limited distribution, and does not bottle its beer, making it rather hard to find. A lot of places around here will have one Moonlight beer on tap at any given time (usually just Death and Taxes). Moreover, Moonlight beer is generally highly regarded and full of character.

The food is also very good, varied, and well-executed, with a good kids' menu, etc. It has a focus on local ingredients and influence and also has a good wine list with a lot of local wines.

The atmosphere is great; the place itself is nice, with a high ceiling, a bar, fireplace, etc. It's also right in the heart of downtown Santa Rosa on Old Courthouse Square, with patio seating right on the square.

The biggest downside is that service, while generally friendly and well-meaning, is usually rather slow and sometimes quite slow and patchy.

In any case, this is the place to go for Moonlight.
Oct 30, 2008
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Reviewed by USCTrojanBrian from Maryland

4.33/5  rDev +0.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
This is a must-stop if you make it to Santa Rosa. Just down the street from the great Russian River Brewpub, I've been here for a late breakfast twice this week.

They've got a small outdoor seating area as well as a classy, clean interior with plenty more seating. The menu is small but with plenty of quality choices.

As noted by many people, the BeerAdvocate highlight angle to this place is its selection of Moonlight beers (about five when I've been there). Death & Taxes, Reality Czech, and a few others including a special offering that varies.

Great fun to sit outside and people watch along a busy plaza in the morning. Delicious and reasonably priced food. Very relaxed yet classy atmosphere.
Jun 13, 2008
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Reviewed by MiScusi from California

4.65/5  rDev +8.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
Went to the Flavor Bistro about a year ago in Santa Rosa and forgot to Beerfly it till now. I plan on going back in June anyway and plan to update if needed.

When a place that is a block away from the Russian River brewpub makes you forget about the Russian River brewpub for a while, they are doing something very right. After our first night in Santa Rosa drinking away at Russian River we got up the next morning for a little food. We made it over to the Flavor Bistro because I had heard they carry a bunch of Moonlight beers I've been dying to try. We got there right when it opened at 11am and we're greeted by the man I believe is the owner, at the door. He welcomed us and we were seated.

The place really is nice, very clean, almost with an upper class cafe vibe to me. There is a little section to sit right outside the door covered with lots of greenery.

As for our lunch, I had a turkey/lettuce/tomato/avacado sandwich which was excellent, if not a little too much for me at 11am. I had a couple Moonlight beers, and the nice thing is you can order them in a small size (10oz), or large size (I forget but probably a full pint).

The whole ambience of this place is just really cool. Nice people, great service, great food. I guess the best word to describe it would be "Classy." On our way out we talked to the same man (who I assumed was the owner) for a few minutes about his unique beer selection. Great experience overall and if in Santa Rosa you have to hit this place.
May 17, 2008
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Reviewed by spazaru from California

4.56/5  rDev +6.3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4
After reading all the good reviews, my wife and I stopped in on our trip through Sonoma county, and we're glad we did.

I had the Moonlight IPA and she had Moonlight Death and Taxes, which the menu called a black beer but was really a porter from what I could tell. Both were excellent.

The restaurant itself is a beautiful Italian villa style place, despite the purple neon sign on the outside that looked more like it was advertising a bar and grill.

Our bartender, Noah, had just moved to Santa Rosa from Maine and was very enthusiastic about the Moonlight beers, as well as the other Sonoma County craft brews, Lagunitas and Russian River. Nice surprise to find a beer lover working the bar at this restaurant.

If you're in the downtown Santa Rosa area, definitely stop in. Classy place with great beer; what more could you want?
Apr 06, 2007
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Reviewed by Talisker from California

4.28/5  rDev -0.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
Beer aficionados visiting Santa Rosa must include three places on their list - in no particular order...

1) Russian River Brewing Company
2) Bottle Barn (wine shop)
3) Flavor Bistro

Flavor is a restaurant - an excellent one - with a small bar near the front door. They have an excellent low/mid-price wine selection - all California, with a surprisingly high number available by the glass.

They've also got a few beers available in bottles - Bear Republic, Lagunitas. No liquor.

But the glory of Flavor is their 5-6 beer taps - exclusively from Moonlight Brewing. Reality Czeck, Death & Taxes, Bombay by Boat IPA, Stoney Fingers. Whatever's available you absolutely must try. They'll pour 10oz glasses ($2.75 as of Feb-07) or full pints ($4.00). And the bartenders are happy to pour a taste, if you like - but you won't need it, because everything from Moonlight is worth drinking.

Only about 12 seats at the bar - this place is primarily a restaurant. Food is well-made wine country fare. Despite the name, there's some nod toward Italian pasta-ish fare, but the menu's all over the place in a good way.

Nice atmosphere. Casual, but a couple of notches above a brewpub. They don't take reservations. Can get loud inside. But none of that matters - you might find 1-2 Moonlights on tap at Toronado in San Francisco, but you have to come to Flavor for the full lineup. And you'll be glad you did.
Feb 19, 2007
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Reviewed by Goldorak from Canada (QC)

3.88/5  rDev -9.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
What can I say about the Sonoma and Napa valley? Nothing wrong with the weather, that’s for sure. Beautiful scenery, nice enough people, most wines we sampled were good or even great, vinification processes were interesting and innovative (you Yanks are a crafty bunch, although I suppose not having restrictive regional appellations, not to mention the crushing weight of 50+ generations of your forefathers who produced wine the same exact way for hundreds of years can’t hurt either), but I really didn’t like the whole Disney-fied way the industry seems to showcase itself. Paid tours? 10 bucks for 3 1oz samples and you get to keep the glass? Some places had so many people around I felt like cattle. In others I felt like they cared more about selling corkscrews and T-shirts than the actual wine. But the thing that really put my nuts in a vice was the ridiculous practice of selling the wine on-premises at a higher price than at the liquor store two towns over. Thankfully, there are places around like the flavor bistro.

I didn’t give much detail about the place to my girlfriend, who followed me half-heartedly expecting yet another serving of pub grub burgers and fries, I totally caught her with her pants down, she even scolded me a bit saying that she was underdressed for such a nice looking restaurant. Local artists’ paintings and photographs sparingly set on the walls, the look of the place was pretty refined.

Our waiter was in his twenties, and his friendly, easy-going attitude helped to make the place seem a lot more casual. He helped Mel pick out her wine, and gave me a taster of one the Moonlight Beers I was hesitant on trying. He was spot on with his advice, her wine and my Beer were very good, tasted totally fresh.

Great looking menu, focusing on regional products, like the bread made by a local bakery, I even think the olive oil was from the valley. I had to restrain Minou from eating the whole thing, she has a tendency to spoil her appetite. I ordered the fish special, which was salmon served with barley and a ratatouille veggie side, she went for the risotto. My food was perfect, hers was a little too peppery and couldn’t finish it, but I think the bread played a role in it too. Deserts looked great, but I having dusted off both my plate and part of hers, I didn’t dare. Prices were quite reasonable for what you got. It’s not cheap, but it’s reasonable for the quality of the food you got. And it’s a short walk from Russian River, too.
Sep 28, 2006
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Reviewed by Georgiabeer from Georgia

4.18/5  rDev -2.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
Only six taps and as everyone has already mentioned, its all Moonlight. The place is pretty nice, with pretty well dressed people having nice wine country dinners. The back of the place looks a little busy with all the serving people congregating there and had a little bit of a chain Mexican restaurant feel. The middle and front of the restaurant had a more appropriate wine country decor and feel. The place is shockingly inexpensive for this kind of place in wine country. Most entrees are in the $12 range, and the most expensive thing on the menu the evening I was there was a combo grilled prawns and halibut served over mashed potatoes and with a fennel broth studded with various vegetables. This was $17 I believe. The service was quite good and attentive, and the beer was kept well. A great place for dinner in Santa Rosa and/or to have a few Moonlights. Btw, they serve by the half glass as well. Especially helpful if you are continuing on to Russian River.
Aug 22, 2006
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Reviewed by TheLoneGunman from Illinois

4.63/5  rDev +7.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
Flavor Bistro is an outstanding restaurant on the square in Santa Rosa. Their name suits them well. Bold flavors and high quality ingredients will rock your taste buds with some of the finest beer in the world to wash it down.

That's right, as you all know by now, Moonlight on every tap! I think it was every tap. Like six of them or so. My God I was in heaven. By just glancing I noticed others decided to try the butternut squash. I feel the same way, outstanding. Everything was outstanding AND reasonably priced.

The service was excellent and the place has a very comfortable feel to it. High ceilings and a rather casual attitude considering the quality level we are dealing with. Great prices! Get there!
May 10, 2006
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Reviewed by VegasBill from Nevada

4.4/5  rDev +2.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5
This is more of a restaurant than a bar, with a small bar in the front corner. As stated previously the beer is from Moonlight, but their beers are outstanding and somewhat difficult to find so they are a treat.
On my last visit I tried the Butternut Ravioli which was wonderfull. The food is more Bistro style than pub fare and the menu is large so it would be hard to tire of the selection.
Russian River is one minute away so a stop there before or after your meal makes for a great afternoon or evening.
If you park in a metered spot be carefull as they watch the meters and tickets are easy to come by.
May 03, 2006
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Reviewed by carln26 from Missouri

4.08/5  rDev -4.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4.5
Last time I was in Santa Rosa, I couldn’t find Flavor (don’t ask). There was no way I would miss it this time. It’s well located in the Courthouse Square in downtown Santa Rosa. Nice high ceiling with an open feel. The bar is a bit small, but the bartender and management are very attentive.

The only beers on tap are the Moonlight beers. I had the Czech Pils, and the APA. Both were wonderful, exactly what I hoped they would be. What other bistro do you know of where they blow a keg, and call the brewer directly to have a fresh one delivered?

The food is bistro fare. Everything from light salads to sandwiches, soups, and pasta. My first dinner I had a cup of tomato soup, and some pasta. My second trip I had some spicy thai noodles. All of the food was fresh and delicious.

My only knock on the place is the noise. The first night I was there at a peak time, and the voice levels were quite high. Other than that, this is a wonderful spot.
Apr 07, 2006
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Reviewed by RoyalT from Michigan

3.95/5  rDev -7.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4.5
Atmosphere – This place can be difficult to find, but once inside you won’t be disappointed. It looks relatively new or freshly remodeled, kind of like a nice hotel lobby. It’s very clean, well lit, open, and more like a restaurant than a pub. It’s a good place to take a date – no “backroom bar” atmosphere and plenty of people watching to be had.

Quality – This is one of the strong suits of the place. It’s got a lot of class and, again, seems like a great place to bring a date (or date night for the bewedded). It looks a lot more expensive than it is since everything is of such high quality.

Service – The table service was good enough and the bartender that kept us in beers while we waited for a table (no reservations taken) always seemed to be right on queue.

Selection – The house beers provided a modest selection in number but a nice variety of styles. There are some limited commercial beers for sale as well and, because it’s Santa Rosa, plenty of good wine.

Food – I was here with Rap and my wife. I think two of us got pizza and someone ordered the gnocchi.

The gnocchi just melts in your mouth. This is high-quality food, and it was seasoned just right. The pies are super-cheesy with plenty of mozzarella and a bit of a spicy kick.

Value – It’s not cheap like a pub but it’s far from expensive. It’s probably the epitome of the “reasonable” rating.
Mar 27, 2006
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Reviewed by TheLongBeachBum from California

4.47/5  rDev +4.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
After a few brews at Russian River, I took a quick trip back to the Hotel to wash and brush up for the evenings New Years Eve festivities. Heading back into Santa Rosa for the Russian River Big Blue Ball, I first met fellow BA Rapapoda at the Third Street Aleworks for a few brews and then a trip to Flavor Bistro before hitting RRBC again for the NYE Big Blue Ball.

Interior is nicely laid out, a large rectangular room works back from the entrance. A smattering of tables at the front to your immediate left offers an airy view outside through the large windows. The small bar runs off to your left and seats around 8 in reasonable comfort. Working back the last third of the room has a regimental look to it, neatly laid out and furnished. Dark reds, gold’s, lots of dark woods and some pastel colors all add a warming atmosphere, as does the fireplace that I noted. The interior had a very European feel to it, like a cross between a high end Belgium bar and French Café, with the focus on quality, and with a relaxing but smart comfortable environment.

Principally a restaurant, it thankfully sports a small dark wood bar with a limited number of stools. Up to six different Moonlight brews are on sale at any one time. All the beers I tried here were top-notch, on-form, fresh and of the highest quality. It is noteworthy that the Owner-Brewer of Moonlight personally delivers and ensures the beers quality himself it seems. All of the Moonlight libations are served in rather cool Stange-type cylinders with the Moonlight moniker, which I have not seen before. A small but half-decent bottled beer range which is on display behind the bar is also on offer, but why on Earth anyone would stray from the Moonlights is beyond me!? I had the Death and Taxes as well as the IPA and both were damn tasty, the former holding up well to its legendary status.

I didn’t eat here but the Menu was impressive, great prices too, the food I saw was drool worthy. I did however have an Appetizer, we started with a plate of freshly made bread and a dish of virgin Olive Oil with a touch of Balsamic Vinegar (which I think was free gratis), quickly followed by a stunning Pear Bruschetta.

Service was at all times incredibly professional, friendly and attentive. The bar keep was busy with other tasks but always made sure that our Glasses were kept filled.

Despite the excellent food, and equally great wine, this place really is all about the Moonlight brews, but what an establishment to find them in! An environment which is far from pretentious, with a very friendly smart casual feel. I really took to Flavor Bistro from the moment I sat at the bar and sampled my first Death and Taxes here.

I think it is also fair to say that there is definitive 'hidden' synergy between Russian River Brewing Company and Flavor Bistro. They are both without doubt in a completely different league from the other Santa Rosa beery establishments. But with the best will in the World it is hard to get worked up and excited about the fare at Russian River, and as much as it is a pleasure to drink there all day, you may find yourself finding the food a little wanting. So having the ability to “pop” round the corner (except Sundays when Flavor is closed) to drink a solid range of up to 6 Moonlight brews whilst enjoying a reasonably priced high quality meal is a real bonus. Then afterwards you can go back to RRBC to finish the night in style.

What I also really enjoy about Flavor Bistro is the way that Beer and Wine complement each other here, now that is very cultured indeed. THE place to drink Moonlight.

Last Visit: Saturday 31st December, 2005 and Monday 2nd January, 2006.
Jan 09, 2006
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Reviewed by axisjones from California

4.3/5  rDev +0.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 3 | food: 5
I had a late lunch with Brewbacca at Flavor after visiting Russian River Brewery around the corner. Flavor is much more of a restaurant than a beer bar. The atmosphere is classy, subdued and very welcoming. We sat by the window next to the open patio during the late afternoon and it was simply gorgeous. The setting and weather were perfect. The service was top notch, the waitress even fulfilled an odd request for raspberry hot chocolate. Everyone was welcoming and prompt, with the owner/manager (?) checking in on all the tables. The beer menu is very small, with Moonlight as the obvious highlight. This is a venue for Moonlight and they have about 5 or more of those on tap. All the moonlight beers are fantastic and that makes for an awesome beer menu alone. The also had some bottles, maybe about 10, ranging from macro to decent. I had ravioli with prociutto in a cream sauce and it was really damn good. The food was a clear five. This is a great place to visit after (or before) Russian River for some delicious food with a glass of Moonlight perfection.
Aug 20, 2005
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Reviewed by pjwilson from California

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 5
First things first: this is a fancy restaraunt. No it's not prentious at all, but on the other hand, one could feel out of place with a stained grey t-shirt and cutoff jeans that would be fine in a place like Russian River.

Atmostphere: industrial chic? Wood on cement look. I liked it. It is a refined causual. People in bussiness suits, to newspaper reading old men. Equal wine and beer drinking.

Service: nothing out of the ordinairy but good.

Selection: Beer wise the only taps they have is 6 moonlight beers. This is the oviously reason beer drinkers would want to come here, as these beers aren't easy to come by. They also had bottles of Bear Republic and a few others you could order.

Food: The food was fanstatic. I had a mahi, mahi sandwhich which came with some pepper creme soup. See had a chicken salad. Both had some many "flavors" it was great. Might be smaller portions than some are used too. At around 10 dollars a plate it's good value. Beers are 4.25 pint though. Well worth a trip to for dinner or lunch.
Aug 20, 2005
Flavor Bistro in Sebastopol, CA
Place rating: 4.29 out of 5 with 44 ratings