Patrona — Restaurant in Ukiah

I had lunch here the other day with a friend. I had the steak sandwich. It was awful! It was more like chipped beef than steak; just a bunch of little pieces of meat. I ordered it medium rare and it came way overcooked. It was tough and leathery. There was some sort of balsamic vinegarette on it that made it way too sour as well.

My friend liked his burger. I've had them at Patrona's before and they are good, one of the better burgers in Ukiah.

Update: 7-1-2018:

I had brunch here with my wife today. The moment we entered, we were blasted with loud music. We sat as far away as possible, but I want a tranquil environment for brunch, not excessively loud music.

Right away the menu had red flags. It was apparent that Patrona's was more focused on being different than being good. It was hard to find something I wanted on the menu.

The waitress was helpful, informing me that the sausage on the omelet is actually chorizo. I'm not sure why they didn't list it this way. I would have been disappointed to expect sausage and get chorizo.

I asked if the orange juice was fresh squeezed and was told it was. It tasted like really cheap concentrate.

I ordered the omelet with avocado, bacon, three cheese (the only way to get cheese), and mushrooms. My wife ordered the Cornmeal Pancakes. It took about 30 minutes for our food to arrive. I've uploaded pictures of the food and the menu.

Our food was disappointing. My omelet wasn't awful but wasn't that great. As I said before, my only choice, if I wanted cheese on my omelet, was the three cheese option. This turned out to be a problem because one of the cheese was Swiss. I like Swiss cheese but it had an overpowering flavor on my omelet. I've had much, much better omelets at Crush and Elle's. The potatoes were greasy and filled with kale. My wife fared much worse. her cornmeal pancakes were dry and slightly burned. They tasted awful. She did like the Lemon Curd that came with it. We spent our time swatting at the many flies that tried to get on our food while trying to choke down this unappetizing but overpriced meal.

I will not be returning to Patrona's for Brunch. There are so many other places that are better in Ukiah and all of them are cheaper too.

I'm lowering my review...

Very very very slow service, menu hasn't changed in like 5 years, lack of customer respect. I fee like I've been treated so poorly for a returning customer.

Tonight patrona really showed me their true state. It was 1 of 3 places I visit in town to get fed. I walked in after calling twice. First time they said call back in 15 for to go order cause they were to busy. Then I call back and they hang up on me. So I walk in and ask if they want my money. The only person in there with some class, the bartender, says yes we want your cash. She takes my order. The chef says for 2 hrs we aren't taking Togo orders. I Guess they were overwhelmed due to lack of staff. Some how what I've seen over the years is that they are ALWAYS overwhelmed. They weren't even that busy this evening. So they make my order but now I'm sitting waiting for 45 minutes. The bartender finally asks what's up with my order and they say it's been sitting there ready. I saw it and wondered what was up. The bartender told them "next time please let me know it's ready." She said she would give me back the money for the desert. I didn't care. I just wanted to leave. So I drive home 20 minutes away only to find out that the desert I gave a deposit of $10 for isn't even in the bag. And then the sou chef comes out of the kitchen laughing. What the F&@k? Is this the way a business in a small town does business. I called and vetted to the manager they offered a $50 gift certificate but I have to be honest, when it comes to service, this place drops the ball every single time. I can never see myself going back to this dump! This WAS the last straw for me...

This was such a great experience of food, decor and service while my partner and I were visiting Ukiah and Vichy Springs Resort that after having a late lunch one day, we went back the next day as well. The restaurant was not very busy either day and we ate inside as a result, though it looked like they had a few more people on the patio as well. There's also a few places to sit at a bar near the back.

Day 1, I had the wine of the day (a Rhone, followed by a glass of Pinot) and my partner had a mango whiskey cocktail, which sounds way sweeter than it was (it was actually perfectly balanced). We shared a large number of appetizer, all of which were good from polenta "fries" to fried brussels and broccoli cheese croquettes. The standout was a fig and bechamel and gorgonzola flatbread that was amazing. I was a bit concerned that it might be over the top rich, but again, well balanced with great flavors.

Our server was the same both days and also mixed and poured drinks. Service was well paced and attentive, friendly and relaxed.

Day 2: My partner had the mushroom melt sandwich and I had a salad, both of which were enjoyable. Again, cocktails (we were on vacation) were had. Mine was a whiskey drink called a purple orchid (or was it black?) In any case, I ordered it and requested the blackberry part to be a little bit lighter to adjust the sweetness down and it came out perfect.

As a vegetarian (my partner eats meat), there was plenty of options for both of us on the menu. I would definitely go back if I'm in...