Ad Hoc - Yountville, California

Lijia C.

First time at Ad Hoc on a Sunday and it was a delightful experience! They offer a unique prix fixe menu served family-style that you’ll be able to ask for seconds if you’re not satisfied. The menu is also updated daily, with day-of-the-week dinner specials (eg fried chicken every Monday and sundaes for dessert every Sunday), so there’s always a reason to return! The appetizer, broccolini with burrata, was stellar, and so was the short rib pappardelle. The short rib was very tender and just absolutely delicious. The dinner ended with a DIY sundae (because it’s Sunday!) which was very cute, but we had expected better quality vanilla ice cream considering that its a Thomas Keller restaurant. The service was also on the slower side, so that can be improved. Special shoutout to the restaurant for being thoughtful in providing separate plates that replaces the carbs with alternatives for my diabetic friend so that was greatly appreciated.

Overall, we had a fantastic meal and would love to revisit to try out the other dishes / menus!

Valerie

We sat outside, which was a bit chilly at first, but our server was kind enough to move a heater over for us, really appreciated that gesture. The outdoor seating felt more relaxed, whereas the indoor area was noticeably louder when I went in to use the restroom.

The food overall was good, and we enjoyed hearing the stories behind some of the dishes. That said, since there's no assigned server, the service felt a bit inconsistent. Some servers would have detailed explanations of the dishes (which we really enjoyed), others would just dropped off without a word.

The only real letdown was the dessert, it didn’t quite deliver the strong finish we were hoping for. Still, a thoughtful dining experience with a few highs and some room for improvement.

Sing L.

We heard a lot of good things about this place and finally had a chance to try this place. Coming all the way from Singapore, we are lucky to manage to make a reservation and get a chance to try this restaurant. It didn't disappoint us. The food was fantastic. It was certainly worth the drive all the way from San Francisco. Highly recommend this place if you are in the vicinity and do make a reservation ahead of time. It was busy when we were there and saw someone got turned away because they do not have a reservation. We ordered the meals for 4 adults, and since we had two young kids, the restaurant had prepared some kids' meals for them.

Andi M.

We had a really great brunch at Ad Hoc! The highlight was definitely the fried chicken—it’s truly next level and worth all the hype, especially paired with the waffles. The citrus salad was also fabulous, fresh, and flavorful. The meal ended with banana pudding, which was a bit of a surprising choice. While it was well-prepared, banana flavoring can be polarizing, and it felt like there were so many other dessert options that could have rounded out the meal better.

One thing to note is the set menu—while I appreciate the simplicity, it would have been nice to have some choice in what we ordered. The fixed menu feels a bit reminiscent of the Covid era, and some flexibility could enhance the experience.

Overall, Ad Hoc delivers on taste and quality, but a bit more variety in the menu would make it even better!

Erin H.

Everyone knows this place, always a long line in front of the restaurant! Highly recommend making a reservation before visiting!

If you visit only for fried chicken, you can order to go! Otherwise, the fried chicken is an add-on item outside of the pre-fix menu ($32).

If it is your first time in Napa, it will be super nice to grab a seat! The salad and protein are very impressive, the only thing I do not feel is from Thomas Keller’s kitchen was the pie with ice cream dessert. Other than that everything was perfect!

Erik S.

I’m from Kansas… we take our fried chicken very seriously. This is hands down some of the best fried chicken I’ve ever had outside of the Kansas State Line and my mother’s cooking. Crispy, flavorful, and cooked to perfection. Worth every bite.

Sean M.

Excellent family style dinner with a great Caesar salad and veal parm. The anchovies in the salad were great and we also added the caviar to the meal and it didn’t disappoint. They had a wine pairing which went extremely well with the meal as well for a reasonable price.

Chelsea B.

Absolutely wonderful. Of course the food was sublime, but what really made our visit excellent was our server, Brianna. I forgot to tell her about one my allergens and it was in the salad, and she was so kind and had it remade for me, and made sure the sauce that contained it was on the side for a later dish. She was also so kind to my 3 year old and got him his own special kids meal and ice cream. She went above and beyond with her excellent service (especially since it was my mistake!!!) and was so gracious that it made our meal so special. She’s a credit to the Keller restaurant group and I thank her for making our meal so wonderful. We’ll be back for sure!