Carabao — Restaurant in Napa

⚠️ WARNING ⚠️ This is NOT your Asawa’s cooking, nor your Nanay at Tatay’s, and definitely not Lolo at Lola’s either! If you’re expecting that homecooked comfort from our family kitchens, manage your expectations. This is their own take on Filipino food—so please don’t quote me or blame me if your taste buds don’t agree. Everyone has different standards when it comes to our beloved dishes, so try it yourself before passing judgment. I’m just here to share my own experience, with a breakdown of what we ordered, plus thoughts on the ambience, service, and price.

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Ambience: Exactly what you’d expect from a spot in Napa—beautiful, cozy, and inviting. Friendly staff, a lively atmosphere with just the right amount of noise, and an open kitchen you can see into. The vibe? Definitely there.

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Service: Staff were great—very attentive and warm. They checked in on us every few minutes to make sure we were okay. But… when it comes to speed? Let’s just say, waiting for your food is like waiting for brown rice to finish cooking. 😅 We didn’t get our appetizers until about 20 minutes in. The main course took even longer. I get it—they just opened two weeks ago—but with a full house, the kitchen needs to find its rhythm. If you’re short on patience, mentally prepare yourself for a long wait. They seem to know this is an issue, or else the waiter wouldn’t be checking in so often.

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Appetizers: Chicken Wings Inasal – Not bad once dipped in soy sauce with calamansi, but when you hear “Inasal,” you expect that smoky, tangy Bacolod flavor. This wasn’t it. Lacked punch and came out cold. Price? Fair. Vegetable Egg Rolls – Reminiscent of the ones from Chinese restaurants. Only two pieces? That’s it? For the price, I expected at least a few more. Also served cold.

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Main Course: Sizzling Pork Sisig – First off, it wasn’t sizzling (or hot) when it arrived. That said, I liked it. Good flavor, crispy chicharon bits added nice texture. But for my boss lady? Too much liver and too spicy. So it depends on your palate. No serving spoon was provided. Price is fair. Pancit Palabok – Presentation was nice. Taste was okay. Priced reasonably. But—again no serving spoon was provided. Minor detail, but still.

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Drinks: Plenty of wine and imported beer to choose from. Would’ve loved to see some Filipino-inspired cocktails or a little fusion twist behind the bar.

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My Verdict: I’m glad I tried it—especially since it’s the first Filipino restaurant in Napa! Will I go back? Maybe… maybe not. Just keep in mind: they’ve only been open for two weeks, and clearly there are kinks to work out. My advice? Make a reservation if you’re curious and want to support them, but come with patience—and a...

My family was so excited to see a more fine dining Filipino restaurant open up in Napa! My brother and sister in law made reservations for 7 (including 2 kids and 2 grandparents) right when it became available on Resy for a Thursday evening. Located in the same plaza as the Napa movie theater, there’s plenty of parking.

We had a 730pm reservation and arrived a little bit early and they were able to sit us in the larger dining spaces. They were short 2 servers that day but the workers were so hospitable, shout out to our server Noah (or Noel?).

I was a little nervous for my nephews and my traditional older Filipino parents and if it was going to be too modern for them but I feel like Chef Jade kept the traditional components of the Filipino dishes that everyone enjoyed.

We practically ordered everything on the menu, they even have a Riesling that paired well with the meal. We got the lemon water, Pakwan (watermelon juice), Pipino (cucumber juice) pipino is def more sweeter and better for the kids, the watermelon had a stronger basil taste to it.

Appetizers- pork lumpia, vegetable lumpia (with vinegar), pork bbq (had achara, pickled veggies on top), and the tortang talong (nice Smokey char to it). For the kids I’d recommend asking for a side of rice in the beginning to come with the appetizers to give them a meal they would normally eat. My dad enjoyed all of the appetizers.

Main dishes- Kare Kare (Star of the show, a must that everyone recommends. Braised ox tail for over 10 hours and every dish is the same, we loved the crispness on top), with white rice, pork Sisig (with garlic rice), palabok, aloha smashburger (hella good), siarsiado (siarsiado traditionally is a fried fish with tomato and egg sauce, this dish was the most modern that my dad was surprised with and wasn’t expecting). The bistek I heard was good but $72 and prepared like a NY style steak so we didn’t get that.

Dessert- we got everything, cassava cake, mango float, halo halo, and the traditional Barako coffee for my parents to end their meal (was strong like how they like it). All of the desserts were so good to share!

I loved how they played OPM Filipino music going on, felt like home and a taste to share with the modern Napa Valley community. I can’t wait to go back and try the rest of the menu that I...

Dining at Carabao in Napa was such a memorable experience! From the moment we stepped inside, the ambience was warm, inviting, and full of charm. The space has a welcoming energy that makes you want to sit back, relax, and truly enjoy the evening.

The food was absolutely delicious — a creative and flavorful take on Filipino fusion cuisine that exceeded all of our expectations. Each dish we tried was thoughtfully prepared, beautifully presented, and bursting with flavor. It’s clear that the menu was crafted with passion and pride, and it offered a wonderful balance of tradition with a modern twist.

What made the evening even more special was the incredible service. Every staff member we interacted with was kind, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. We even had the chance to meet Chef Jade Cunningham, whose talent and heart really shine through in her cooking. Meeting her and the other partners behind Carabao gave the whole experience a very personal touch — it felt like we were not just customers, but guests being welcomed into something truly special.

From start to finish, Carabao delivered on every level: ambience, service, and food. It’s not often you find a restaurant that makes you feel both at home and transported at the same time, but Carabao accomplishes exactly that. We left with full hearts and happy stomachs, and we are already looking forward to our next visit.

If you’re in Napa and looking for a unique dining experience that blends incredible flavors with outstanding hospitality, Carabao is a must-visit....