Stone House — Restaurant in Nevada City

I really wanted to like the Stone House, but unfortunately this place falls short in a number of critical areas for me. I will preface this review that I’m a restaurant & hospitality veteran by trade, education + career, and so perhaps my standards might be different from everyone else, but I’m also way more forgiving because I’ve been there. However, there’s basic steps of service that can’t be ignored, no matter your background or price per plate.

This was mine and my husband’s first time dining. We walked in to the downstairs bar area, no hostess only to be greeted by the bartender who was very busy.

We stood there awkwardly for a few minutes until someone appeared to show us upstairs. Would have been great if there was signage or better yet, a host stand upstairs, which there wasn’t. (-1)

We were intercepted by a young man who would be our server. We told him it was our first time eating there, and he sat us at a table that was leaning and wobbly. He was super nice in moving us to another table after we realized it was faulty (+1!)

The menus all looked amazing! Cocktails, a thoughtful wine list (some of the best I’ve seen in Nevada County), a very delicious sounding menu. We were jazzed! (+1)

That’s where it kind of ended. My mezcal cocktail lacked simple syrup or any kind of sweet-ish binder for viscosity, and was all alcohol, tart and watery. I hope they rethink the garnish, because the rose petals were in every sip and I’m so sorry, but I don’t want to eat tea in my cocktails.

We ordered entrees. My hubs got the fetuccine (+1 for homemade noodles!) but it lacked any type of discernible sauce, and salt. For $26, we expected more. We didn’t even add a protein.

I had the duck confit and it was super flavorful, but very grey. It needed a veggie to round out the richness of the meat, and to break up the tone of the dish. Not worth $32 IMO. I also ordered a Pinot noir which was great (+1), but took a while to arrive, and after I was done, that glass AND our spent cocktail drinks sat at the table forever, despite multiple trips back by our server.

We got dessert and a wine to share. The lemon crème brûlée came in a child size ramekin. For $12, I would expect a full oval shaped larger brûlée dish, which is usually customary later for this dessert. Not only that, it arrived after our dessert wines AND was burned to oblivion.

Our server was very busy with a birthday party which he focused his attention on, which I understand, I’ve been there! But, all he offered was “I’ll let the kitchen know” as he dropped our $120 check. He had an opportunity to really make it right and didn’t.

We left hungry, no thank you or acknowledgement for dining there, and no correction or sincere apology for the sad overpriced burnt dessert. This is how new diners are treated?

I also think they’re over reaching for price to portion sizes and what you get with food. I appreciate the local lean, but it has to make sense especially with this economy for diners to spend so much, yet get so little.

The play downstairs was loud and infringed on the last part of our dinner also, so while it’s amazing they have these events, maybe avoid on event nights unless you’re attending.

Also, leaving was a mess. There was a hostess letting guests into the theater area and a total bottleneck, and they didn’t allow for us paying restaurant guests (prob more than tickets!) to leave until 4-5 parties had gone through. Bad coming and bad leaving.

I think I’ll pass. It’s not difficult to train steps of service or adjust a check and empower your staff to make sure people’s experiences are great, even if there are execution errors.

I also didn’t observe any management or support staff (i.e. bussers, hosts) on the floor to assist with the evening and flow. Probably a critical inflection point that could alleviate a lot of issues.

I’d welcome any commentary from management and would love to try them again maybe on a less busy night if they trained staff better or had a better support...

In ‘06 I moved to the UK to do my MA, 12 yrs later I’m still living in London having never really made it back home. But it’s April and I’m back home in NC for 2 weeks to get married to a charming Irish man and we’ve brought with us a swarm of British and Irish to celebrate with us. I tell you this because our wedding at The Stone House was planned entirely over email with Dallas (event coordinator) in the 5 months leading up to our big day. We signed the contract without ever meeting in person or stepping inside the rustic, dreamy Stone House. We were 100% sure that Dallas’s team and The Stone House could host our wedding and give us the party we visioned. It was better than we could ever have imagined.

April 13 we hired the patio for our ceremony, the lounge bar and the dining room from 3:30-10pm with the tavern bar and music venue operating as normal. Our only complaint being we should have hired until midnight and kept the dancing and drinking go all night.

Organizing and planning our wedding was a team effort. We worked together (100’s of emails, spreadsheets, timelines) to ensure everything fell into place. Dallas worked tirelessly answering all my questions (I was a persistent emailer), dealt with me changing my mind a lot, fulfilled all of our special requests (sourcing a special champagne for toasts, getting us a spectacular selection of local craft beer). We were only in town for 1wk before the wedding and in this time she met with us twice to finalize things in addition to doing an evening of food and wine tasting. We understood the responsibilities that each side had for pulling off the day and we knew that Dallas was an event coordinator and not a wedding planner.

We chose the Family Style package and the Standard Bar package. My cousin designed us 3 cocktails to be on offer in addition to the beers. It felt like we were in a speakeasy with the candles and low light drinking our Spring Flowers, Whiskey Sours, French 75’s along with a full bar. This made our bar package feel luxurious and more like a fancy cocktail or wine bar. Our guests said it was the best wedding bar they had ever experienced.

On the day, we were responsible for decorating the spaces (flowers, greenery, candles, projector, music, decorations, menus, name plates, hired napkins) between 1:30-3:30. I had family and friends who were more than happy to do this for us. We knew from the start that decorating wasn’t part of The Stone House services. The whole thing was a beautiful surprise to me when I arrived.

Dallas’s team did a great job on the patio (they had the gardeners in during the week sprucing up the patio and replanting the pots). They also did the table settings; the lounge bar area; delivered the cocktail hour via waiter service inside and out; served the family platters; waiters brought drink orders from the bar; Dallas kept us to our timeline. The staff were kind, funny, helpful, and on point the whole night. Yes, guests were served dinner at slightly different times but it wasn’t a problem; ultimately everyone was eating at about the same time. The waiters served second helpings of the food to guests.

Feeding and watering our guests was the most important part of our day. Dallas worked with the chef to deliver an outstanding meal. Nothing was sacrificed, we had delicious food with beautiful presentation. The apps were perfect; better than restaurant quality. For dinner we had a spring salad; smokey chicken + kale; tender steak w/chimichurri + grilled asparagus; twice fried potatoes + aioli; vg/vegans had green pea risotto. They even boxed up all the leftover food for us and we had it the next day! They cleaned everything up and left all our stuff to collect the next day. I can’t say enough positive things about Dallas, all of the staff, and all of the services offered by the Stone House. They far exceeded our...

Having recently relocated from Los Angeles—a city renowned for its vibrant culinary scene—my expectations for dining experiences are unapologetically high. Stone House not only met these expectations but exceeded them, offering a delightful and memorable New Year’s Eve celebration that my family and I will cherish.

The ambiance of Stone House is truly enchanting. The historic building, with its charming stone walls and warm, inviting decor, evokes a sense of understated elegance that perfectly complements the serene setting.

As for the cuisine, each dish demonstrated thoughtful preparation and creativity. We began with the tots and caviar—a harmonious pairing of playful comfort and refined luxury. The golden, crispy tots were a hit with my 15-month-old, while the creamy sauce and caviar elevated the dish into something truly exceptional—an indulgence I would never attempt to replicate at home.

For my entrée, I selected the truffle pizza, a dish that struck all the right notes: rich, fragrant, and utterly satisfying. Each bite was a testament to the kitchen's mastery of flavor and balance.

Dessert brought a delightful surprise in the form of their rice pudding. Traditionally a sweet conclusion to a meal, Stone House's rendition leaned into tartness with the addition of fresh raspberries. I found this creative choice both refreshing and inspired—a perfect counterpoint to the carb-forward nature of the meal, providing a "soft landing," as it were.

As a new mother, dining out often comes with challenges, but Stone House made the experience seamless and accommodating, a detail I deeply appreciated. Their mocktails deserve special mention as well; the sage-infused drink was a standout, with its savory and herbaceous profile offering a sophisticated alternative to more saccharine options.

Stone House has firmly secured its place as a cornerstone of culinary excellence in our new hometown. I eagerly look forward to future visits and fully intend to make this exceptional restaurant a staple for celebrating good food and great...