Tasting House - Los Gatos, California

Van

Wow! What an amazing gem this place is. Friendly welcoming professional tidy service with a flare of art and style. And I just used their bathroom..... After I used the bathroom and washed my hands, i noticed they have a lovely basket with rolled up white cloths to dry your hands with, and I could have sworn they were heated. What!!!!!!!?!? amazing next level. I will definitely be making a reservation to come back and really experience this wonderful spot. Jazz music playing in the corner. Low dim lights, friendly servers. Wow, just wow.

AO ?. D.

Excellent dining option! The small menu has a wine pairing suggestion for each dish, the plates are really well executed and presented. The service is really good and so the ambience. They do have a piano and a singer some days, which really is a pleasant experience. The wine list has variety from grapes and countries, totally an enjoyable Dining experience.

Johnny

I had the Chef's Tasting Menu Experience, and the food was excellent—each dish thoughtfully prepared with locally sourced California ingredients. I loved hearing the brief stories behind each dish, which added a personal touch. While most of the dishes were outstanding, the sorbet was my least favorite due to its numbing, bitter/sour flavor.

The service was top-notch, and the live romantic music created an intimate and rare ambiance you don’t often find in the South Bay. While the music was a bit loud for the smaller space, it didn’t take away from the experience.

Next time, I’ll explore the menu and try some wines. Tasting House is truly a gem—highly recommended!

Justin L.

I've dined at Tasting House 4 times & experienced Chef Julien's tasting menu (2024 Spring, Summer, Fall, & Winter). I have yet to come for their a la carte dinner menu.

This review is for Chef Julien's tasting menu for Winter 2024. Pictures are interspersed with items from the other tasting menus mentioned above.

Tasting House is gunning for Michelin stars; that is evident. Chef Julien's tasting menu is clear in its vision & has a deeply personal & warm execution to it. All of his dishes are grounded in family & heart (just have him explain the backstory of his dishes to you table-side) & are reflections of his playful, laid back, & chill demeanor while also having fantastic balance, depth of flavor, & eccentricity in combinations.

His menu reaches far & wide with Swedish, Japanese kaiseki, "I'm drunk in Lower East Side New York at 4am & want something fried," classic & nouveau French, Indian, & Californian.

While this may sound like a smattering of cuisines, it is deeply reflective of Chef Julien's training, background, & travels. Rarely have I come across a tasting menu that is based in a chef's eclectic travels & experiences but captures the "moment" so perfectly with a clear, linear story without reading like a "greatest hits compiliation" album of disjointedness. This is cooking at a higher level. Every course feels like an intimate 1:1 conversation, learning more, & peeling back another layer. Truly special.

You may be treated with:
- Smorrebrod from the Baltics with a lovely smoked fish
- Venison pani puri
- "Caviar on a pillow"
- Pumpkin curry
- Possibly the best "gunpowder" pigeon I've ever had
- Coconut curry Mount Lassen trout
- Geoduck, fennel, & husk cherries
- Chicken pithivier

Many of the front & back of house hail from Michelin starred pedigrees (since Manresa closed, many have come here) so you're experiencing the knowledge & execution of a 3-star Michelin restaurant but with the "I'm hanging out at the neighborhood bistro" environs.

The entire front of house - Bryan, Juan Pablo, Mary, Dani, & more treat you like old friends & family.

Bryan, Juan Pablo, & Mary whip up absolutely wild wine pairings that are eccentric but also grounded in classics. Fancy a out of left field orange wine from Portugal? Yup. Or a lovely Mount Eden pinot noir? Or a wildly fun Jura chardonnay to pair with the aforementioned coconut curry Mount Lassen trout? How about a high acidity & freshly cut bouquet & florals viognier to accompany the geoduck? Or an anfora bianco with its gorgeous texture to accompany a sweet tomato & hamachi?

The wine program at Tasting House is truly fun, eclectic, wild, & playful. The pairings not only complement each course but elevate them without overshadowing.

I'm very excited to see what the future holds for Tasting House. In my opinion, it's shining & full of star(s).

Katie H.

I don’t know where I’ve been or how I’ve missed this place but we stumbled in there last night as we killed time waiting for our daughter’s flight to arrive at SJC. No doubt some of the best food, service and ambience I’ve experienced in a long time! The live piano music, 5 star service, and adorable french bistro look and feel made us think we’d been whisked away to a little cafe tucked away in France. Prices are moderate but reasonable considering the level of service, cuisine and ambience. Had one of the best steak frites of my life! All this to say if you haven’t tried this gem of a restaurant/wine bar yet, please do it! It’s going to be a new staple for us!

Theresa S.

An absolute treasure in the heart of downtown Los Gatos. We love everything Chef Julian is sending out of the kitchen.

Incredible wine selection and excellent food, in a fantastic atmosphere! Wonderful ownership/management and staff.

Most recently, we are enjoying the raw bar selections. Everything is super fresh - uni, abalone and scallops are favorites.

Barry P.

Great local gem. Parking was a little tricky. Great atmosphere. You can definitely tell it is a local hot spot. Many people seemed to be on a first name basis with the staff. The food was amazing. Service was a bit slow. I understand this type of place you expect to stay for a while. But at the same time, there are not many tables.
My biggest complaint is the staff. No one seemed to know what was going on. Our server kept having to ask what to do. One person would leave the water bottle on the table, and then someone else would come over and take it away. Overall, fun experience. Give it a go if you have money to spend.

Gabby G.

Such a wonderful spot for happy hour. The inside ambiance is incredibly cozy, the wine list is extensive and impressive, but the best part was definitely the service. Shout out to the som, Curtis, you can tell he is genuinely so knowledgeable and passionate about wine. We will absolutely be back to the Tasting House soon to try more of their menu!