I know, everyone LOVES Zachary’s. I love it too! I love their locations, I love the service, I love the big crazy posters on the walls. Most of all I love the Chicago style deep dish pizza. I love it when the server pulls off a slice and has to sever the stretch of cheese that clings to the pie. I love the thick sweet tomato chunks on top of said cheese, and the crisp edge that holds them back.
What I don’t love is a limp Caesar salad. And that’s what you get. Every time. It might not be so bad, if we didn’t live in California where the produce should be the freshest. I might forgive if the dressing were good enough to cover the pathetic romaine. But it wasn’t. Not enough garlic, not enough cheese, not enough dressing really.
I still love Zachary’s, but the next time I’m starving and can’t wait 45 minutes for my amazing pizza to arrive I’ll just ask for more of those long crispy bread sticks.

Having a smoothie here is a nice way to tell yourself that you are having a healthy snack, but you’re really just drinking the equivalent of a milkshake with a little less fat and a lot more sugar. I worked at a smoothie place as a teen, ask them for a nutritional information sheet, then go get a salad if you want healthy. That said, this place is cute with its light interior and attempts at health food status. The service is spotty, often young people more interested in flirting with each other than helping customers, but sometimes very cheerful and helpful.

I used to eat here a lot, but I have moved on to cheaper better Mexican food at Taqueria El Favorito on Sebastopol Road.

Jalisco could be so good, they have their high points, but their low points are too low. I’ve never had anything inedible here, but they’re too pricey for what they are serving and the chips and salsa are mediocre. Dont let them put guacamole on anything you order, it always tastes rancid and ruins the whole meal.

The one bright spot on the menu is the Carne Asada. Get anything with Carne Asada in it and it will taste good. They do something special with that beef… its tender and flavorful.

This place is pretty small, maybe 18 tables tops. Dishes are served family style and servings are sufficient for 2 people to share. The decor is romantic, maybe a bit over done. There is a fountain in the dining room and the tables are often candle lit. The size of the restaurant gives a feeling of intimacy and there is rarely a wait for a table.
This is a great place to take a first date, not over-the-top expensive and not intimidatingly foreign but not “cheap” either. The food is approachable and is presented nicely with appealing garnishes that are meant to be eaten…really. They use fresh herbs in most dishes and the produce is always fresh, if not always in season locally.

Your best bet is to know what’s in season before you go and get whatever has that in it.

Make a day to go to Graton and eat here.
I used to live just up the hill and eat at this place all the time. Lunch and dinner are wonderful, the interior is charming and they have a shady back patio/ garden that is too often overlooked. Prices are from $10 for a filling salad of baby greens and trout or a delicious grilled sandwich on fresh bread up to $25 for a big dinner special. They are worth every penny, everything is as fresh as can be. The servers are always experienced and friendly. I’ve heard from friends who wait tables and work in kitchens that this is where everyone wants to work and that they only take the best.

Holy Macho Burritos Batman!
This place has a damn huge burrito called a Macho Burrito. Its 8 bucks and it’s enough food for two hungry guys to gorge on. This is not to be confused with their super burrito which is also big. The best meat here is the chicken in red sauce. I forget what its called in spanish. The grilled meats often come out dry or too chewy, especially if there is a long line, which happens twice every day from 12-1pm and from 6-7pm.
The chips here are okay, the free salsa is pretty good and rarely very spicy though you can ask them to kick up the heat.
The Nachos here are darn good, I’m a big fan of melted cheese and they don’t hold back, you get a medium pile of chips hidden under a blanket of melted jack and cheddar cheeses. Yum.

There is a tangible difference between the food at Jennie Low’s and the food at other Chinese places in Sonoma County. The difference is the freshness of ingredients. One can tell by the taste and texture of the vegetables that they have never been frozen or canned, and that they are not just the cheapest produce the distributor could supply. If you have been searching for good affordable Chinese food North of Marin it has arrived in Petaluma.
The decor is modern and simple, a nice green on the walls, black trim, plenty of table seating and a few comfortable booths. Our server was attentive and even though we drank only water and tea our glasses never went dry.
The dining area is one large open room, which may get noisy when crowded. We went on a warm Sunday afternoon and there were only a few other tables occupied. Overall it was a very satisfying experience and we will be going back for years to come.