Madrona Manor

10 stars!!! Our 3 day wedding and family/​friends celebration were amazing thanks to Madrona Manor and especially Arielle. Arielle is the epitome of a what a wedding/​event planner should be. There is nothing negative to say about our experience at Madrona. From the planning to the actual wedding, it was positive, fun and an amazing experience. We have wonderful memories that will be with us always. Thank you also, Sarah, for helping with all our reservation requirements; Chef Jesse for the delicious dinner; and Pam, the fabulous mixologist. Also, for any staff not named… thank you all. We will be back each year to celebrate our anniversary and cannot wait.
Beautiful, elegant, perfect.

Wow, we recently met another couple up there and had an amazing time. Food was wonderful as always, and used this opportunity to explore their very reasonably priced (and interesting) wine list. The food and wine did not disappoint! We were seated outside and had a mosquito visitor or two, and upon asking a member of the staff if they had any repellent, they were kind enough to provide us with some OFF towelettes. Flawless food preparation and very interesting presentation. Can’t wait to come back.

This review is for the restaurant only.
My husband and I first discovered Madrona Manor and the chef’s tasting menu many years ago when I was given an extravagant night out as a bonus from work. I don’t think it’s something we would have splurged on all on our own, as we had never had a multi-​course tasting menu paired with wine like the one offered here. I think it speaks volumes about the Madrona Manor that we’ve been back year after year on our own dime, and that my husband asked me to marry him in the orange grove behind the restaurant. It is always a fascinating experience — combining delicious flavor with unexpected textures, beautiful presentation, and a little bit of humor sprinkled throughout. I think you’ll enjoy the experience more if you’re an adventurous eater, as I’ve found myself trying things I would never think to order on a menu. There is an alternate tasting menu for vegetarians (we have not tried it). I would highly recommend that you NOT skip the wine pairing; it’s such a fantastic part of the meal. For a pre-​drink cocktail, their mixologist has some amazing creations, often taking advantage of the ingredients grown on the property. Expect to spend hours here enjoying the wonderful atmosphere, service, food, and drink.

We came for a friends wedding and decided to make a weekend of it. The main house is lovely and our room on the third floor was exactly what I hoped for. I definitely appreciate any lodging that doesn’t offer TV since it gave us a chance to pay attention to each other. This alone would be a 4 star rating. The 5^th star comes from dinner.
We opted to eat in the lounge instead of the set dining room menu and Pam was our server. She invents and makes the delicious cocktails on offer and her excitement for the cocktails and dishes was infectious. Everything she recommended was perfect and she took the time to arrange a table right in front of the fireplace for us. Can’t say enough about the food and our dining experience, except it was made all the better by having Pam to chat with!

My husband and I had a wonderful dinner here while visiting the Russian River Valley. The restaurant itself is full of charm and well maintained. I selected a vegetarian menu with wine pairing and my husband chose the land and sea menu with the wine pairing. Everything was exquisite and the pairings were perfection. The staff was wonderful at meeting our needs without being distracting. I would highly recommend. It was a delicious and wonderful experience.

This is one of our favorite restaurants in the area for just ourselves or with others. We often recommend this to visitors to the area for the menu as well as the ambiance .
I still remember the wonderful time we had at the Dickens Diner in December. The pace was relaxed, the service excellent, and the music in the background added to the enjoyment. The entire dinner was excellent. The most memorable was the salmon entrée done perfectly and paired with a local Pinot Noir. The Skewis Pinot Noir the wine steward recommended enhanced the salmon so well just had to visit their tasting room in Healdsburg the next day.

My wife and I went to Madrona Manor with another couple to celebrate our anniversaries.
We found a bottle of champagne and cookies on our arrival in our room which was immaculate.
The dinner was an amazing three hour affair that was perfect from the first course to dessert with no rush from the staff. They just seemed to appear when when you were ready.
The next morning at breakfast, the owner introduced himself and wanted to make sure we were happy with our stay.
The entire experience, the staff, the food and the grounds was very special.
I highly recommend Madrona Manor for that special occasion!

I spent a lovely evening with my wife about 2 years ago. We were staying at a B&B nearby, in search of restaurants in the neighborhood, we found this lovely michelin 1 star restaurant. The website mentioned during the christmas holiday, they would only serve the Dickens Dinner, which consist of a prix fix menu created from the chef. It would be our first Dickens Dinner so we were very excited about it. We arrived about 30 minutes before the reservation. We were invited to the lounge to have a drink. They covered the patio and they had heaters around. We grabbed a table and ordered a few drinks. As it was our time to be seated, they will invite the guests to join in the living room.
Madrona manor’s dining room is modified from an old victorian style mansion. Each room has a fireplace, each room has a few tables insides. We were seated next to the fireplace, it was very lovely.
The meal overall was pretty good, I had pictures uploaded to Unilocal.The servers are well trained and well manor, it was a lovely evening.

A quaint destination restaurant if you’re in Sonoma county. Set in a beautiful historical manor complete with its own gardens a scenic view of the valley.
Tasting menu is really nice and just the right amount of creative. The minimalist aesthetic reminded me of Commis in Oakland, but not quite as focused. One of the few restaurants with a pick your own cheese cart course (yes!). Liquid nitrogen ice cream prepared table side was fun.
Caviar, honey poached artichoke heart, beef courses were our favorites.

Wonderfully comfortable rooms! Late check in was easy and I especially loved the linens.
Very nice service too. I had left my FitBit behind and didn’t realize it until we were about an hour away. After we called, they were able to locate it and mall it to my home.
Thanks for a great stay! We will be back next time we’re in area.

My husband and I had our dream wedding at Madrona Manor in June of this year. We instantly fell in love with the stately Victorian Mansion with its elegant wrap around porches and lovely gardens the moment we laid eyes on them. Our friends and family all agreed that it was the most beautiful wedding they’ve ever attended, and they could not stop talking about how good the food was (which isn’t surprising considering the Michelin ranking of the onsite restaurant’s Executive Chef Jesse Mallgran).
I cannot say enough good things about our onsite coordinator, Arielle Larson, and the rest of the Madrona staff, who made every aspect of the wedding from meetings to tastings to ceremony and reception a complete joy. Arielle really knows her stuff and provided so much guidance throughout that we didn’t need to hire our own 3^rd party coordinator (big cost savings). She was so fun and professional! I was also shocked at what an amazing value it was. We saved so much money by not having to rent tables, flatware, glasses, etc., hire caters or coordinators.
Special shout our to Pam Bushling, the Manor’s incredible mixologist who designed our awesome signature cocktails, and Eric Mercer, the Maitre D/​Sommelier, who went above and beyond to make sure things went smoothly throughout the night.
This truly was the best day of my life, not only because I got to marry my soulmate surrounded by our loved ones, but also because we had a gorgeous venue with an amazing staff that went out of their way to ensure everything went smoothly.
I would absolutely recommend this venue for weddings. Thanks Arielle, Pam, Eric, Jesse and the rest of the wonderful staff for making our dreams come true!

When the Madrona Manor first opened as an elegant bed and breakfast offering first class dinners, my husband and I booked a romantic anniversary weekend that was truly memorable. A quarter century later we returned with friends to celebrate more milestones. Built in 1881, this spectacular estate has expanded offering 22 guest rooms and suites all with luxurious bathrooms with lovely Lather products, priceless antiques, and fascinating framed art. Most of the rooms have fireplaces (19), many have balconies, and all have high speed internet. We booked the Schoolhouse East Suite, a newer addition to the Manor in the former schoolhouse. It has a private garden with fountain, a large two person Jacuzzi tub, separate sitting room, gas fireplace in the bedroom, and a comfortable deck with two lounge chairs, patio umbrella, and two chairs overlooking the forest. Although large, the bed was a bit too hard for our tastes and the room could use more lighting. There were two fresh baked cookies on the night table each day and upon learning that we were celebrating a special occasion, courtesy of Jason, the engineer on the property, a bottle of champagne plus two chocolates were delivered to our suite on the second day, making us very happy and grateful. There are acres of glorious gardens, including a succulent garden, herb garden, rose garden, cutting garden, vegetable garden, and a heated pool. There is plenty of parking. The restaurant on-​site has one Michelin Star and has been considered one of the best restaurants in the SF Bay Area. Because of 3 digit fixed price, we did not dine there but have heard rave reviews. Served in the stylish, but dark dining rooms, a simple breakfast buffet of muffins, croissants, popovers, yogurt, fruit, cheese, quiche, and ham is included in the room rate. With such lovely weather, we would have appreciated the option to sit outdoors overlooking the landscaped grounds and fountain. Considering that the restaurant has a Michelin Star and room rates are high, our group was expecting something more imaginative at breakfast.
The Manor has a no-​host bar available but does not offer a hosted wine and cheese hour in the afternoon as most upscale B & B’s do. THREE SUGGESTIONS TO THE HOTEL to bring the rating to a 5: 1. Based on the high rates for rooms and the fact that this beautiful Manor is smack in the middle of wine country, a glass of wine needs to be offered to guests upon check in (although not far in mileage, it took us over 3.5 hours to arrive coming from the Bay Area in bumper to bumper traffic). Better yet, a bottle of wine would be a nice touch in each room with note of «Compliments of Madrona Manor!» 2. Please consider serving a more inventive breakfast on the porch overlooking the gardens. 3. The card in the room advertising massages needs to be re-​worded to advise guests that services may not be available on the day they request. Massages are advertised as available, however, there is not an on-​site spa nor are there available massage therapists. The front desk has to call therapists from a list. We really enjoyed our stay and I particularly loved the gardens. We thank and commend Jason and the front desk staff for being truly friendly, professional and helpful.

I’m not sure where to start because our wedding at Madrona was out of this world and it was a unique experience that can’t be had anywhere else but Healdsburg. Madrona represents everything I love, victorian-​styled manor with wrap-​around and double decker porch, innovative farm-​to-​table menu, dining room with two walls completely open to the South lawn and gardens (makes diners feel as if they are dining in a secret gardenscape), antique furnishing carved from dark wood, and majestic views of Sonoma vineyards.
Service:
Arielle (on-​site events coordinator) delivered above and beyond expectation. She consistently answered promptly every neurotic question we had prior to the big day. Every detail was taken care of AND she was constantly stopping by to see if things were okay or if we needed anything else. She supervised the Rehearsal on the South Lawn, exercised flexibility when necessary with our requests, and directed the grand production on our wedding day.
Food:
Madrona’s chef Jesse Mallgren has free rein in the kitchen to do what he wants with the menu. We had the estate turnips and oranges as the first and second course — both exhibit Mallgren’s skill in experimenting and putting together innovative combinations of spices and ingredients from their vegetable garden. Madrona had rows of these blood-​orange trees that produced the ripest fruits (a guest happened to steal one that had fallen for a taste). Guests had a choice of the black cod or short-​rib for main course — both were melt in the mouth!
Their Sommelier Eric helped us select several of the exquisite wines from the surrounding vineyards to accompany our meal.
Experience:
The setup of the wedding was kind of like a hotel party /​wine&food fair /​elegant Victorian ball. We set up the bridal suite in the two main guestrooms on the second floor of the manor which each had these connecting spacious balconies with gorgeous views of the vineyards.
We had the entire first floor of the manor which consisted of an interesting layout of 5 or 6 different rooms. Guests started out with garden cocktail drinks on the Oval Terrace with residing mixologist Pam. Then they were led to the South Lawn for the ceremony. Elegant white umbrellas and chairs were set up by their staff and Arielle had the perfect entryway for the wedding party and bride from behind the manor where we could surprise our guests. We had LED lanterns lining the paved terrace on the ceremony lawn. What I loved was, you could see the lanterns throughout the night from the Palm Terrace where we dined. Passed hors d’ouvres and a 6-​ft bar was set up outside. Guests were then led to the Palm Terrace for the sit-​down portion of dinner. The last 3 hours of the night were spent dancing in the Music Room /​Rose Room, trying on costumes and taking photos in the Amber Room and tasting Pam’s conconctions in the Poppy room. We were worried that the Rose room would be too small to fit our 6 person New Orleans Dixie band, but it was perfect — beats having an awkwardly large ballroom dancefloor in a hotel. A late-​night soirée took place in the bridal suite with a dedicated staff tending to us.
I could not imagine a more perfect weekend — all our guests agreed that this was the MOST unique wedding they had experienced. Thank you Madrona!

Oh, my dear Madrona Manor, I wish I was a poet, so that I could wax poetic about you.
Loved my meal here. Did the Dickens Dinner. Lovely décor. Stellar service and entertainment really helped set the mood.
The food was spectacular!
Upgraded to the truffle risotto, and omg., while I cannot imagine ever doing something bad enough to be on death row (but hey, aren’t they all innocent anyway?) this would definitely be my last meal request! Hint, hint for all of you on death row.
This meal will stick in my memory banks. Excellent food, stellar wine list, corkage is currently 36.00.
Highly recommend this dining experience!

One of the best food experiences I’ve had in my life.
Came here with my boyfriend for my birthday back in August per the recommendation of friends who live in the area and was lucky to get a table last minute. Our reservation was at 8p but we got there a little bit early to have a cocktail on the front porch. What a lovely experience to watch dusk creeping up on Healdsburg Valley and all of the surrounding vineyards.
Boyfriend and I both got the grand dame tasting menu with the split wine pairing. Expensive but so worth it. I couldn’t have asked for a better birthday dinner. It’s been 3 months and i can still remember some of the incredible textures and flavor combinations of some of the things we ate like the Nitro Caprese and the candied sugar peas in our desert course.
Definitely one of the dining experiences I wish I could relive over and over again!
Highly recommend.

Despite a few oddities, I would be remiss to rate Madrona Manor any lower than 5 stars, as it is certainly cooking some of the best, most creative food in Sonoma County.
Let’s get the oddities out of the way. I found it a bit strange that the setting, which is (very) traditional Victorian with equally traditional interior design, played host to such an esoteric, post-​modern menu. It feels a little weird to be eating a tiny leaf with a tiny piece of bacon and lemon zest off of a steaming rock while looking up at old-​school chandeliers and faded paintings on the walls. I am sure this kind of incongruity is more common in Europe where ageing architecture is the norm, but in California it felt strange.
Also, though our service was very good, it did seem the staff stumbled over each other a bit on the floor. Not a big complaint, because by the time they reached our table they did a great job, but also a bit distracting.
However, that said, the food ruled the day, and the food was outstanding. Outrageously creative in both composition and presentation, each dish surprised us while managing to express the purity of its ingredients.
The cocktails, which were created in house with interesting fresh ingredients, also impressed by balancing classic ingredients with unusual ones to create complex, unique drinks.
The wine list was nice mix of old and new world, with lots of local gems. Too many Napa Cabs on the list, but this is true of most American restaurants. Akin to way too many whiskeys behind the bar. I digress.
Fancy food, expensive, but good for a splurge. Don’t come expecting large portions or comfort food — they don’t exist here. But you will get culinary creativity, exceptional beverages and competent service.

Listed on the 2013 Michelin List (1 Star).
Madrona Manor is about a 10 minute drive from downtown Healdsburg. We came for dinner and made reservations a few weeks ahead of time. We opted for the 5 Course Prix Fixe ($ 91/​person):
–Amuse Bouche 1: Rice Crisp w/​Roasted Sun Choke, Cilantro (
): I loved the rice crisp, but the sun choke was too acidic.
–Amuse Bouche 2 (Smoked Egg Saboyan w/​Diced Potato, Prosciutto Sherry Syrup,
): Delicious. The saboyan was rich and creamy, and I loved how this was served in the egg shell.
–Amuse Bouche 3 (Oyster Leaf w/​Cured Ham, Lemon Zest,
): Ok, but not memorable.
–Carbonated Jicama (
): Tangy and tasted like pop rocks.
–Hamachi Crudo (Ponzu, Radish,
):The fish was really fresh, but otherwise forgettable.
–Roasted Brassica (Pears, Pickled Cipollini, Charred Onion Sauce,
): Again, good, but forgettable.
–First Bread Course: Buttermilk Biscuit (
): Damn good biscuit– buttery and flaky, and I wish they gave you more.
–Intermezzo 1 Radish Coated in Kombu,
): I loved the freshness of the radish.
–Intermezzo 2 (Toasted Jasmine Rice Broth,
): Not my favorite, and would skip it if given a choice.
–Seared Japanese Mackerel (Kabocha Squash, Jalapeño, Daikon,
): This wasn’t bad considering I don’t normally like mackerel.
–Onion Veloute (Slow Cooked Egg, Banyuls Vinegar, Parmigiano-​Reggiano,
): Really savory, and I loved the richness the slow cooked egg added.
–Bread Course 2 (Focaccia w/​Fresh Rosemary, Salt,
): Just ok.
–Chard Agnolotti (Egg Yolk Pasta, Cauliflower, Lemon,
): Ok– agnolotti in general is cooked too al dente/​hard for me, and this was no exception.
–Palate Cleanser (Lemon Granita/​Lemon Shaved Ice,
): Really refreshing.
–Roasted Beef Tenderloin (Fingerling Potatoes,
): Surprisingly really good, and I actually preferred to the wagyu. It had great flavor and was cooked perfectly.
–Japanese Wagyu ($ 35 Supplemental,
): Disappointing for a wagyu, and not worth the $ 35 supplemental. It wasn’t as tender as I expected.
–Pre-​Dessert (Bubblegum Bite,
): Yuck, this was really gross since it tasted exactly as described.
-«Coffee and Toffee» Trifle (Coffee Ice Cream, Crème Diplomat, Hazelnut Jam,
): Really good– The coffee ice cream, crème and hazelnut jam all worked well together.
-«Orange Creamsicle» (Old Fashioned Mousse, Blood Oranges, Estate Citrus,
): Just ok.
–Complimentary Homemade Honey Marshmallow & Blood Orange Pâté de Fruit (
): Yuck– I didn’t like either.
–Complimentary Madeleines (
): Eh, dry and over baked.
Overall, Madrona Manor is a solid restaurant where you are showered with amuse bouches and extra dishes. I would definitely recommend coming for a special occasion.

Best. Meal. Ever.
My husband and I went for the grande dame tasting menu as we were on our honeymoon and this was our first Michelin experience. For the record, our trip also included the likes of Farmhouse Inn and Auberge du Soleil and the above statement still holds. The price was eminently reasonable given the upgrades (caviar, wagyu, truffle risotto, and many many amuse bouche). I’ll agree that some of the courses were a little «overdone» in presentation (eating food off a leaf was a little weird to me), but the flavors were simply perfection. We’re still talking about the egg dish we had as an appetizer, and the pop rocks and compressed cucumber amuse that was the cleanest intermezzo I could ever imagine.
The bartender deserves her own review, as Pam was not only fantastic company during our wait (we showed up 30 minutes early due to construction being not nearly as bad as expected), but also an incredible mixologist, creating two off-​menu cocktails based on our tastes that started the meal off on an amazing note. Pam is a font of knowledge and clearly passionate about her work, as are the rest of the staff at Madrona Manor. If we make it to the West Coast again, we will certainly be back.

Madrona Manor is an interesting restaurant.
The location is stunning and the food can be on par with the best restaurants in the north bay. However there are a few really odd things going on…
The service staff is atrocious. Uneven and absurdly pretentious.
The food is served and you wonder what is going on with the plating Why are there river rocks on my plate? Is that an amuse bouche or one of the rocks? Another plate with rocks? Now a plate with less rocks but the food looks like rocks and the lights are so damn low… Am I on a hidden camera show, or is this maybe a strange dream?
Foams. Amuse Bouche. Haughty waiters. Very good and good food. Weird plating. Interesting menu options. Large bill.
Nothing I haven’t had before, sans river rocks. One more star than I would have given simply because I stole a rock.

***Madrona Manor has a dated dining room, but the food is contemporary and they do a great job cooking premium proteins like lobster and squab; Madrona Manor though does not showcase vegetables as well as other Bay Area fine dining spots***
Madrona Manor is a nice inn in a great looking, historical building in Healdsburg, but it is also a destination restaurant. Madrona Manor’s historical exterior extends to the interior, which is very traditional luxury. The look of the restaurant was a little old-​fashioned for my taste, but the look does match the surroundings very well. The outdoor patio, which can be very hot, provides a much more Californian and less dated dining experience.
While the décor is very traditional and old-​fashioned, the food is very contemporary. Lots of modern techniques are utilized including a tableside sundae where they make the ice cream in front of you with liquid nitrogen. They offer two menu options at Madrona Manor. You can build your own 5-​course menu with a variety of starters, fish entrees and meat entrees (you can also add additional courses at a supplemental cost) or you can go with their tasting menu. Their tasting menu sounded good so I went that way.
The tasting menu started with a series of amuses that were very The Restaurant at Meadowood-​esque. There was a great egg course with great ingredients like prosciutto, sherry vinegar and watercress soup.
The first savory course was really good caviar atop squash blossoms. The squash blossoms were just okay; they were not fried like I am used to with this ingredient.
Next came a light salad of summer beans with good goat cheese, tarragon and cocoa nib.
Butter poached Maine lobster followed and the lobster was great – fresh, sweet and very soft. There was not much in terms of garnishes and I think the vanilla flavor detracting a little from this course.
Monterey Bay abalone was the next course and I really liked it. The abalone had a great flavor and was tender and there was a great crispy exterior like trenne pasta. The abalone was paired with fresh vegetables including sea beans and radishes.
Squab followed and it was a lot like the other courses where the protein was exceptional – both in quality and the kitchen’s handling, cooking of it – but the garnishes were not that interesting or particularly memorable. There was a squab breast that had flavorful, moist and soft meat as well as a very crispy skin. There was also a squab confit leg. The sauce was good, but the fingerling potatoes were very simple.
The final course before cheese and dessert was just okay. It was dry aged New York Strip with nettle purée and really good chanterelles. With the dry aging process, you can sacrifice the steak’s juicy center for a much more flavorful beef and that was the case here. The beef felt slightly dry, but the flavor was very good.
The cheese and dessert courses were highlights here. The cheese course was a very creamy and freshly made soft cheese with really good housemade pretzel pillows, sticky and sweet honey, and crunchy candied nuts.
The first dessert course was a Brooklyn cheesecake. It was not a dense cheesecake; it was a very light and airy one, but it still had an incredibly strong cheesecake flavor, which was very surprising. The garnishes were really good. There was good fresh fruit (peaches), pistachio streusel and cool and slightly tart sour cream dippin’ dots.
Next came their tableside sundae and it was good. As they make the vanilla ice cream with liquid nitrogen, they talk about how the process achieves a smoothness and creaminess that you do not get with ice cream machines and that was exactly my experience here. The ice cream had an incredibly smooth consistency. The toppings were very traditional stuff (dark chocolate sauce, fresh whipped cream, almonds, Italian cherries), but each ingredient was high quality and each contributed to making the sundae a satisfying end to the meal.
The dinner ended with a variety of mignardises as well as a to-​go bag of their excellent housemade caramel corn.
Service was good. The staff was pleasant and attentive and despite the many courses, the food came out at a mostly quick and even pace.
Prices are high, but you do get a lot of premium ingredients like caviar and lobster.
There were some very positive things about Madrona Manor. A lot of the proteins (lobster, abalone, squab) were nicely prepared and cheese courses and desserts were delicious but also whimsical, creative and fun. While the dining room and some of the restaurant’s other touches may feel a little dated, the food at Madrona Manor is much more exciting and contemporary than traditional fine dining Bay Area spots like La Toque and Gary Danko, but it is definitely a significant notch below the likes of Manresa and The French Laundry.
Free parking is available.