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Pizza Margherita - Golden Bear Station, Kenwood, CA

Golden Bear Station

5.0
5
386 Reviews
$50 and over
American

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 16 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Charming
Golden Bear Station is an Italian American restaurant that offers a unique perspective through the lens from the owners of Animo and Mu Ramen.

Mu Ramen and Animo owners Joshua Smookler and Heidy He have received exceptional recognition, including a prestigious 2-star review from the New York Times in 2015. The New York Times also dubbed them as the best ramen in NYC, while Eater named them the best ramen in America in 2016. Animo, on the other hand, has been praised by the San Francisco Chronicle and recognized as one of Esquire's Best New Restaurant in America in 2022. Both restaurants have earned a place and acknowledgement in the Michelin guide.

Golden Bear Station strives to encompass the essence of a local establishment and a haven for aficionados of wine and gastronomy. It serves as a gathering place where individuals flock to savor pizzas, pastas and seasonal delicacies.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    American, Italian, Asian
  • Hours of Operation
    Wed–Sat 4:30 pm–9:00 pm Sun 4:30 pm–8:30 pm
  • Phone number
    (707) 282-9148
  • Payment Options
    Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive Chef
    Joshua Smookler
  • Area
    Kenwood
  • Cross Street
    Please note that parking & entrance is on the front side of the buildin
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Additional
    Beer, Corkage Fee, Wine

What 386 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

5.0
5 based on recent ratings
  • 5Food
  • 4.9Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.6Value

NoiseModerate

Diners' Choice Awards

  • San Francisco Bay Area

    Best Overall

  • San Francisco Bay Area

    Best Food

  • San Francisco Bay Area

    American

  • Wine Country

    Best Overall

  • Wine Country

    Best Food

  • Wine Country

    Best Service

  • Wine Country

    Best Ambience

  • Wine Country

    American

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Golden Bear Station stands out with its "exceptional food and hospitality." Guests rave about the "outstanding flavors" of the pasta and pizza, perfectly complemented by a "great wine list." The restaurant's "warm and inviting" ambiance makes it a "must-visit" in Sonoma. Heidi and Joshua ensure a "friendly and professional" dining experience, creating a "wonderful community feel."
386 Reviews
  1. MARY

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful food. Two of us shared Buttercup ceaser, clams and special spaghetti carbonara with homemade pasta. And terrific cheesecake for dessert.

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  2. Cecele

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    2.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    I really wanted to love this restaurant and had heard positive reviews, but unfortunately our experience was sub-par and we won’t be back. We ordered 2 pizzas and 2 pasta dishes, which took over an hour to receive. Half the table was done eating before the other half got their meals. The margarita pizza was watery and soggy. I do appreciate that our server tried to salvage the experience with comped desserts and removing some wine charges off of the bill, but in my opinion, the limited menu options and overpriced, small (pasta) portion sizes, are just not worth it.

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  3. Felicia

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 23 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    High quality ingredients used in dishes in which innovation blends with a scrupulous study of culinary traditions

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  4. Lulu

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 23 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Highly recommend! Amazing food using quality and unique ingredients. Great service with cozy ambiance. We live in Napa and it's worth the drive!

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  5. Wayne

    VIP

    San Francisco

    79 reviews

    5.0

    79 reviews

    Dined on 18 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Another wonderful dining experience. It has been 4 months since our last visit. The menu has gotten smaller much more focused. Good to check menu in advance to make sure there is something for everyone. We started with the Bibb salad with herb dressing. This was absolutely incredible! Apparently it won a top 10 spot in Sonoma as one of the top 10 dishes. You are thinking what could be so good about a salad? It is served in a bowl with the leaves facing up and in the middle are a bunch of super fresh bite size vegetables. The dressing is lightly poured over the top. It sits on the bottom of the bowl and then you pick up the leaves drawing some of the dressing up. So you get just the right amount. The salad is huge! Easily feeds two and frankly 4 could try it and have a nice portion. It is so delicious the dressing is incredible. Natures bounty at its best! Highly recommend despite the $24 price tag. We shared the hen of the woods mushrooms that are also completely unique and something you never had before. Finally we split the 18 oz ribeye steak with frites. Can’t say enough great things about this incredibly tasty steak. Grilled over (actually besides) wood, it imparts an awesome flavor. Way too much for one person. The fries are ethereal- best ever. How do they make fries taste so awesome! Way too full for dessert. Only comment is the wine list has been greatly reduced. Like cut back what seems like 50-75%. There are now just 6 or so Pinot Noirs, one for $60 and then all the rest above $150. Would have liked to see a little more price points. Will definitely be back. Pastas and pizza we have had in the past were awesome. Recognize that good quality food (like the prime steak) are not cheap. You get what you pay for!

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  6. John

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 18 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food. Comfortable homey vibe. Attentive service.

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  7. Elise

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 16 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent menu options and service. The wine and the pasta were excellent! It was easy to get a reservation and they even let me know when my table was available early. I will definitely be going back!

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  8. Kelsey

    San Francisco

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on 12 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    The food is exceptional. The green salad is the best that I have EVER eaten in a restaurant. Superb.

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  9. Karen

    VIP

    San Francisco

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on 11 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Been twice and hope to make this a more regular weeknight happening. The pizza is amazing. Tried the hot honey - if it is on the menu, don’t hesitate. The salad for two is a cornucopia of delightful seasonal crunchy veggies and bib lettuce. Have had both the ribeye (steak frittes) and the porterhouse. They know how to cook a steak. The mushrooms are another must. And the pastas! Great wine list and solid by the glass offerings. Heidy’s recommendations are spot on. Worth going with four or more just to fully explore the menu. Sundae and cheesecake are worthy final bites. Thank you!

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  10. Stephen

    VIP

    Tahoe

    54 reviews

    3.0

    54 reviews

    Dined on 11 January 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Hostess was terrific. Menu is quite limited. Caccio e pepe clearly had high quality ingredients but had a very strong flavor. Good Italian bread would have helped, but they do not have any bread (really, an Italian restaurant without bread?). Monkfish was very good. Wine list by the bottle is extensive and expensive. Wine by the glass list is very limited. Ambience is very good.

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FAQs

Golden Bear Station is rated 5 stars by 386 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 16 times today
Google Map for Golden Bear Station

8445 Sonoma Hwy, Kenwood, CA 95452

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Please note that parking & entrance is on the front side of the buildin
  • Area
    Kenwood
  • Hours of Operation
    Wed–Sat 4:30 pm–9:00 pm Sun 4:30 pm–8:30 pm
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    American, Italian, Asian
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Payment Options
    Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Joshua Smookler
  • Additional
    Beer, Corkage Fee, Wine
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Impressum
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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