Luma Bar & Eatery — Restaurant in Petaluma

Went there for dinner Saturday 5/13 as a birthday/mother’s day dinner for 6.

We had 3 appetizers for the table: the caponata ($8), olives ($8), and the pickle plate ($12). There’s not much to say about these except that they’re exceptionally disappointing portion sizes for the prices. The caponata tastes good, but came with one single piece of focaccia bread which feels like a slap in the face. Put at least two pieces of bread on there or something. The olives, before complaining, were a single ramekin of about 15 olives. For $8 that seems insane. No crackers, no bread, nothing to fill the plate out. Just a ramekin of olives, an empty ramekin for pits, and a plate. The pickle plate was slightly more full, but for nearly the price of an entree anywhere else, the pickles were just mid. One small salad plate half-full of house made pickles barely allowed each person to get a single bite. The flavors of the appetizers were okay, but that’s kind of where that ends.

For mains we had the bucatini ($22), tomato flatbread ($20?) beet flatbread ($22) gnocchi ($28) hen of the woods steak ($28) and patatas bravas ($10). Everything but the hen of the woods steak needs so much work to be worth anything near that price.

Everything was severely under seasoned. No salt, no pepper, very bland approach to spices across the board.

The bucatini was completely over cooked and had no bite, definitely well past al dente. It’s brave putting a pasta dish on the menu in a town full of so many great Italian restaurants and missing on every mark, but charging more than everyone else. The sauce was an extremely plain tomato sauce with barely any basil, oregano, or any other spices or herbs for that matter. It was described as “chef boyardee.” The cashew cheese was acceptable but there’s no way that could bring this dish up to or for the price.

The beet flatbread was underwhelming. The dough was good and the dish felt “fresh,” but that’s the only descriptor I have for it. There was not nearly enough oil or salt in any part of the dish to carry flavor around. The beet sauces were okay and the faux cheese was okay but nothing stood out to describe it because none of the flavors could be tasted individually. Again, severely under seasoned and plain. The beets on top were also just plain raw beets grated and placed as a topping, but with no additional flavors.

The tomato flatbread was much of the same. Under seasoned and underwhelming sauces with not enough herbs and spices. Not sure why it’s so hard to find some fresh oregano or basil when charging over $20 for some pizza. Make it feel worthwhile.

The gnocchi was a bit over cooked, then pan fried. I could accept that approach to gnocchi, however it just had nothing to tie the dish together. The gnocchi was dry, the mushrooms were acceptable, but everything was under seasoned and there was no sauce or (even just a tiny bit) to carry mushroom flavors into the gnocchi, so they were just bland potato pasta balls. It needs more fats, more salt, and some kind of sauce to draw it together. Definitely not better or worth more than the gnocchi sold at any other restaurant in Petaluma, but priced significantly more expensively.

The patatas bravas were unfortunate. The potato wedges were so large and the sauce so unseasoned that it felt like once you got through the very thin layer of sauce on the outside, you were just eating a baked potato without any extra flavor. The dipping sauce was also under seasoned and challenging to recognize through the immense amount of potato. 4 potato spears for $10 also seems a bit absurd when you can see through the presentation and lack of flavor to notice it’s just a $0.50 potato with $0.25 of sauce on it. Do better.

The hen of the woods steak was okay, still probably under seasoned, but the only dish of the 6 we ordered that we felt was close to acceptable. Even then, one cooked mushroom on a bed of other veggies with some sauce doesn’t feel like a $28 plate.

The drinks were good and service was okay. No reason to return, too many other good Petaluma...

Tuesday Date Night with my wife: side-dish sage, green goddess whisperer, lamb convert (for now)

My wife — the planner, the palate, the woman with impeccable taste in both salad dressing and husbands — made us reservations for a quiet Tuesday evening, and let me tell you, this place had me at “harissa marinara.”

Don’t let the shopping center zip code fool you. We rolled in expecting casual. We got modern warmth, glowing bar lights, and bottles lined up like they’re auditioning for a Netflix cocktail drama. The vibe was laid-back but elevated — like your cool cousin who wears linen unironically.

We started with wine because we’re grown-ups who pretend to understand tannins. My wife: a crisp ‘22 Gundlach Bundschu Sauvignon Blanc — bright, citrusy, and so good she ordered a second. Me: a smooth, fruit-forward ‘23 Land of Saints Pinot Noir that hit me with the kind of finesse I usually reserve for describing smoked brisket. Yes, we both doubled up. No regrets. Don’t judge.

Then came the Lamb Meatballs. Y’all. Four perfect spheres of savory, spicy lamb, lovingly drenched in harissa marinara and flanked by garlic pita that was so soft it should’ve come with a warning label. Spicy. Smoky. Heavenly. I love lamb. My wife? Historically lamb-averse. But even she took a bite, paused mid-chew, and said, “Wait, this is lamb?” Reader, she KEPT eating. Miracles happen at Luma.

We followed with the Green Goddess Salad, which was her idea (naturally). Baby greens, crispy chickpeas, pickled shallots, and green beans so fresh they probably had voting rights. Dressing came on the side, per my wife’s eternal crusade against overdressed leaves. She declared it “refreshing.” I declared it “not BBQ but shockingly enjoyable.”

For our main, we split the Margherita Flatbread — San Marzano tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella arranged like edible artwork. Crispy crust, gooey cheese, and that sweet-tart tomato punch that made me briefly close my eyes like I was in a Mediterranean film montage. No extra toppings. No meat. And yet… it was perfect. (Yes, I’m a BBQ guy praising a vegetarian pizza. Put it in the record books.)

We skipped dessert, but not by choice — just too dang full. The only thing sweeter than the service was the realization that my wife was right. Again.

Would I come back? In a heartbeat—and next time I’ll bring friends so I can pretend I’m sharing while secretly planning to steal their meatballs.

So if you’re driving past that little strip center by the Petaluma River and think, “Looks plain”—don’t you dare keep driving. Pull over. Walk in. Order the lamb meatballs.

TL;DR:

Luma is the kind of place where a BBQ-loving, lamb-craving Texan finds joy in chickpeas and flatbread — and where his wife subtly steals the spotlight one composed bite at a time. Don’t sleep on it. Order the meatballs. Sip something good. And thank whoever made your...

Incredible Rehearsal Dinner & Welcome Party – Flawless Experience at Luma

We hosted our rehearsal dinner and welcome party at Luma Bar & Eatery, and I truly cannot overstate how wonderful the entire experience was. From start to finish, working with Jazmine (the owner) was a dream. She was incredibly responsive, thoughtful, and creative—always ready with helpful answers and great questions that made the planning process feel smooth and stress-free.

We decided on a family-style dinner, and the food was absolutely divine—plentiful, beautifully presented, and full of delicious options. Every guest left raving about the meal, and Luma handled all dietary restrictions seamlessly, without any fuss. Jazmine and her team made it all feel effortless.

We did a partial buyout of the restaurant and started the evening with an indoor rehearsal dinner for a portion of our guests. Later, the space transitioned into an indoor/outdoor welcome party for everyone. The transition was handled so smoothly by the Luma staff—it never felt disjointed or chaotic. We also served desserts at the welcome party, which were a huge hit, and the bar kept the energy going with excellent cocktails. They even crafted custom specialty drinks for the night, and one guest told me it was the best Paper Plane she’d ever had!

The ambiance, the service, the food and drinks—everything came together to create a beautiful, memorable evening. So many of our guests complimented us afterward, saying how much they loved the atmosphere and how perfect the event felt.

A special shoutout to Jazmine, who was not only a fantastic partner in planning, but also incredibly accommodating—she even let my dad and I rearrange tables during a site visit to get the layout just right. Her attention to detail and genuine care for our experience made all the difference.

If you're considering Luma Bar & Eatery for a private event, do it. You’ll be in amazing hands, and your guests will be talking about it long after the...