Best Restaurants for People Watching in Palo Alto

Sat at the bar and Stephen was awesome. The food was flavorful and interesting while being very down to earth and approachable. We came on Valentine’s Day so it was a set menu but the stand outs were scallop stuffed mushrooms, salt and pepper octopus, milk bread and wagyu sirloin. Can’t wait to come back.

With a name like The Village Pub you might envision a loud, local, low-dining experience but that couldn’t be further from the truth. With a great menu, helpful staff, and beautiful but intimate dining room, The Village Pub is a high-end dining experience without the bougie baggage of haute establishments. The cocktails are fun and balanced and the menu has some real knockouts: The plating and flavor on the Sunchoke Veloutê was very appealing. The Seared Hokkaido Scallops might have been the best scallop dish I’ve ever had. My wife loved the Crab Risotto. What made the experience special is connecting with staff, talking about dishes and recommendations, and having the kitchen send out some samples of things to try. Thanks Village Pub for a great night out!

Food and service were wonderful, but the noise level interfered with our conversation. We will definitely go back but will insist on being seated at a booth.

We recently dined at this wonderful gem in Palo Alto and had an unforgettable experience! As a party of two, we kicked off our evening with the Xinomavro wine and a refreshing Kickstarter cocktail. To our delight, the chef sent out a small corn soup as a complimentary starter, which was absolutely delightful. For appetizers, we ordered the tarama and keftedakia. Each bite was perfect, and we were happily enjoying them alongside our drinks. We also had the Greek salad and saganaki, the latter of which was flamed right at our table — a fun and impressive touch! The staff was friendly, professional, and very meticulous, taking the time to explain the ingredients of each dish. Our server, Andres, took exceptional care of us and ensured our experience was nothing short of perfect. A big thank you to him for making our evening special! For the main course, I opted for the Psaraki whole fish, and my guest had the Mousakka. Both dishes were exceptional and absolutely worth trying! The portion sizes are thoughtfully designed so you can enjoy a variety of flavors from the menu. This restaurant provides a top-tier dining experience that suits any budget. It’s truly a hidden gem in Palo Alto, and we can’t recommend it enough. We will definitely be back!