The Table — Restaurant in San Jose

Update: Went 4 Brunch; it's even better! Their menu is huge and fresh! Our waiter Tyler was phenomenal. Try the Spring Polenta, horchata, and scotch egg for sure. The Monte Cristo was also good! Enjoy!

Hadn't eaten at The Table for a while, since before COVID, but when I saw they were now doing patio dining and had stellar menu (updated for this Covid season) I hoped it'd be the perfect place for my wife and I to celebrate my 32nd birthday. Midway through the meal, she, a fellow foodie, declared that I had chosen well. It really was a perfect meal.

Now, understand that this is "slow food" not "fast food" and mean to be savored, sipped, and shared. We spent about two hours at the restaurant but we almost always had something to enjoy while waiting for our next of three courses. We took our time and we're glad we did.

Let me tell you all about our incredible experience:

We arrived at our reservation time, wearing our masks as required, and only had to wait about five minutes or so as they prepared a table for us.

The host, possibly also the manager, was busy but when it came time to seat us we had his full attention and he was super friendly. He checked in several times, including once when I was taking a picture for my review and he held up his cell phone light to help with lighting since it was dimly lit where we were. Loved his awareness and sense of humor.

Our server, Jacob, was a professional, witty, and kind. He affirmed and encouraged our choices as we went, which for someone as indecisive as I am is super helpful and reassuring.

We started with the Roasted Bone Marrow. This friendly set the bar high for the rest of the meal. It was buttery and smooth, had a playful kick to it, was complemented perfectly by the capers and peppers it was prepared with, and accompanied by plenty of crisp bread to eat it with. We will be getting this again, not every time so it doesn't get old, but we definitely recommend it. Word of advice: order either the Acme bread or the Roasted Bone Marrow, they are similarly both a fat on bread and there's plenty of both in either.

When I told Jacob, our wonderful server, that I was leaning towards the pork shoulder, he was so supportive, "an excellent choice," he said, and indeed it was. So beautifully plated within banana leaves, tender and flavorful, the spices and citrus braising was subtle and perfect, the onions and tortillas weren't just sides but also stars in and of themselves. Highly recommend it. Bonus: it was the cheapest entree on the menu. Remember, The Table is known for a rotational menu so get this while it's still here.

My wife couldn't put her burger down, the only burger that belongs at the table, mainly because it was a little messy. She loved it though from the bread, it was so light and fluffy yet stiff enough to be a bun, to the tender, juicy, and tasty burger in the center. Definitely be prepared to eat the whole thing because it would not save well, the juices would make it too soggy. As it was served, it was wonderful, she let me have a bite so I could be honest in recommending it. This one has always been on the menu and I expect it'll be sticking around.

The dessert we HAD to have though was their Sugar Dusted Ricotta Beignets with lemon curd. These were perfectly warm, the sugar wasn't powdery and messy but tiny, crunchy crystals, and they were balanced with crisp exterior and soft, fluffy interior. The lemon curd was also amazing and made a great pairing with the beignets. We tempted to order another batch, but we were so full already. With dessert, I had a Mi Abuelita cocktail, which was even better than the description sounded. A mix of tequila and mezcal, corn liquor, amaro, and chocolate. Incredibly nuanced, smoky with a hint of the chocolate, and sweet while also smooth.

What a wonderful way to celebrate! Can't wait to have another excuse to come to The Table. I wish Chef/Owner Jim Stump the best and pray Covid isn't being too hard on his establishment so they can survive it. If they keep this same impressive routine up, they should...

It was not an easy decision for me to leave a negative review, but I would be more than happy to revisit it if I receive a thoughtful response from the restaurant. My intention is simply to share my honest experience in the hope of helping this restaurant improve, and nothing more.

I enjoyed the food and the atmosphere, and I would like to feel safe and welcome when I bring my friends here, no matter what skin colors they are. Everyone deserves to be treated with the same respect and attention. I’ve lived in the U.S. for over a decade, and I honestly never expected that dining out would one day come with the worry of being treated differently.

Unfortunately, our experience with the service left us feeling uncomfortable. To start, the front desk initially didn’t want to seat us outdoors, despite plenty of available tables. Right after she seated the group ahead of us (a white couple), I pointed out, “there are plenty of tables outside,” which made her feel awkward and eventually led her to seat us outdoors.

Secondly, our waitress did not greet us at all throughout the entire meal. She only appeared to take our order, without any greeting or eye contact. She didn’t bother to refill our water or check in on us, while she spent time small-talking and joking with other tables. I didn’t even have a chance to tell her that my husband’s dish was cold. At the end, we tried to get her attention several times to ask for the check—my husband spoke to her directly, and I made eye contact twice—but we were consistently overlooked as she attended to other tables. Eventually, I decided to speak with the manager.

The manager was generous—she comped our bill and offered us dessert, which we truly appreciated. I could tell she wanted to make things right, and I’m grateful for her efforts. However, the interaction felt rushed, and she didn’t seem to speak with our server at all about our feedback. When she came to our table, she didn’t ask my husband for his feedback, which only added to our lingering feeling of being unintentionally dismissed.

I’m not sharing this to complain or seek anything more—we’ve already received compensation. I’m leaving this review in the hope that the restaurant will reflect on how it treats all guests, and especially how moments of discomfort can leave a lasting impression.

As I mentioned earlier, I would like to feel safe and welcome when I bring my friends here in the future, no matter what skin colors they are.

I look forward to hearing a response from...

Always spectacular! One of my favorite places to eat.

During our latest visit, my wife and I arrived on a Saturday night for dinner at 5:30 without a reservation and were seated immediately.

Service was excellent. Quick, friendly and knowledgeable.

For appetizers we ordered the beet salad special and the aguachile. They were both delicious. The beets were prepared perfectly and were so sweet. They were served with delicious soft goat/sheep cheese, chicharrones, (I think) pickled white onions and herbs. The aguachile was served with what looked like thinly sliced ahi tuna on a bed of mandoline cucumbers with green apple and chili oil. Very good.

I ordered the pork chop and my wife ordered the scallops.

The pork chop was cooked perfectly and was served with a dark coffee and cascabel chile sauce. The bitter chile was very prominent and delicious. If I had anything to add, I could have used just a touch of a sweet component for more balance like agave nectar or honey in the sauce. I substituted the succotash with the marbled potatoes from the lamb dish. The potatoes were perfect.

The scallops were also cooked perfectly which is a skill in an accomplishment in a paced commercial kitchen. They were served with ravioli stuffed with corn and squash with a mild corn butter sauce and topped with whole corn kernels, cheese and chives. It was a little odd to have whole corn kernels in the ravioli filling but the ravioli was delicious so it worked. The scallops were delicious and clearly the star of the plate.

The cocktails and service were excellent. The Table's whiskey menu is as, if not more, extensive than most restaurants' wine lists. They had Weller WLW and EC Barrel Proof on the menu which was so exciting to find but unfortunately I caught them on a bad day and they were out. I paired a smoky Islay Ardmore 10 (awesome) with my pork chop and a Stagg Jr with my dessert. Drink prices were super reasonable.

And of course, we had to finish with the pot de creme and always spectacular beignets with lemon curd. For fun, we also ordered the special, a peach apricot crumble which was delicious.

It was a great dinner, we visit often and I don't post every dinner but this place never...