Posted By: EX Willlowood Lover (06/10/2008 12:59:27 PM)
Comment: Great points here. I can attest: 1. Wait staff ignores small parties 2. Food overpriced and over-rated 3. I can make my own Market Plate, Egg sandwich, polenta, salads at home! 4. Overpriced 5. Overpriced 6. Overpriced 7. Did I mention overpriced?

Posted By: Lauren W (28/09/2008 3:14:42 PM)
Comment: Good point, Occidentalite, sorry your feelings are hurt. Always wondered how Willow Wood pulls the poll off year after year. Considering the place is so overrated. Maybe a little greasing of the palm some where at the Bohemian or the local poll super delegate is not casting his vote with the people. Who counts those votes anyway? Bottom line, bad experience sticks with folks a lot longer than a good one. Food is O.K. but I really hate to inconvenience their wait staff with by my presence.

Posted By: occidentalite (26/09/2008 10:23:49 AM)
Comment: Don't you people have anything better to do than bash a really great restaurant. The same people write in over and over and really, who cares what you think. Willowwood and Underwood are fabulous restaurants and have been voted so year after year in local polls. I hope that these comments don't deter those who love either restaurant to keep going back. Maybe if some of you had this much compassion for politics, we could actually change the world.

Posted By: localyokal (25/09/2008 5:26:01 PM)
Comment: So sorry, not on an "angry bandwagon." I have had more bad service at Willowood than good. Belive me, I am just disaapointed (but, have been many times attempting to eat there.) The food used to be good but, lately it arrives under cooked (after a long wait.) Why continue to patronize a place that leaves one feeling worse off? When you leave upset that you spent your precious time and money, why go back? I did not say the owner was lazy. I just don't understand how they could ignore the obvious, that the place was swamped and understaffed.

Posted By: Susan (25/09/2008 3:16:35 PM)
Comment: to clarify...my comments relate to Willow Wood/Underwood not to Boon Fly as I've only eaten there once (yummy)

Posted By: Susan (25/09/2008 3:15:09 PM)
Comment: After eating here regularly since the restaurant(s) opened...I mean all the time...several times per week as I live and work in town...I will proclaim that I have had only one meal that did not light up my life at either restaurant. Any statement that the food is not consistently wonderful should be viewed with skepticism...most of the food on both menu(s)is exceptional and always worth waiting for. Service and attitude can sometimes be an issue...I've heard that complaint...but I think it's improved a lot in the past few years. As far as those of you on the "angry bandwagon" and slamming the owners as being lazy...whatever. It's a fun place to eat with wonderful food.

Posted By: xtinaznap (25/09/2008 9:00:36 AM)
Comment: Wow, Sweet Pea, that's pretty awful! I take your word for it...I was hoping that those few posts were isolated experience b/c I've never had that experience, but it sure sounds like it is not. I hope Willow Wood reads this and makes some changess, because reading these comments makes me think twice about supporting an establishment that is at best inconsistent, and at worst, horrible when it comes to service. Great Market Plate or not, there are tons of great breakfast/brunch places in Sonoma County that we could choose to go to instead and not be disappointed. What a bummer.

Posted By: Sweet Pea (24/09/2008 9:01:06 AM)
Comment: I agree Willowood's service is horrible. My date and I had to wait for a "table for two" to come up when groups of three or more were walking right in an getting seated. Just becuase you're only two people doesn't mean you'll be spending less than a group of 3 or 4 - especially if you are wine drinkers as we are.

Posted By: localyokal (22/09/2008 9:19:53 AM)
Comment: I had dined at Willowood then Underwood for many years (10+) sometimes weekly. I assure you the bad service was/is not an isolated incident. In fact, I went back many times hoping for better treatment (and still tipping well, I might add.) When service is consistently bad, and the food - well, inedible - I have waited an inordinate amount of time for food that was uncooked - undercooked runny (gross)eggs, potatoes without and browning, cold white toast, etc. I have taken the food home and cooked it further because I could not wait any longer and I wanted a decent meal(this is after hunting the wait person down to pay the check and being told I would have to give her a second, excuse me?) I might as well stay home and save myself the aggrevation and money. I do not have time to detail it all here and this is not the forum. I was reluctant to post a comment but, could no longer hold my tongue. There must be somewhere better for brunch, lunch, dinner, drinks, etc. and I (and lots of other locals) will not continue to spend money there if treated badly. I have brought people there from out of the area only to be ignored and talked rudely to, AND served unedible food. Will they forgive me for wasting their time and money? I see the owners sitting there enjoying their food but, never lifting a finger when the place is clearly swamped and customers are ignored and I scratch my head because I worked in the hopsitality industry for 20 years and I know that an extra hand at the right time can really turn things around, the question now is "will they?" (turn things around that is) Perhaps their success and radio advertising is bringing so many people in that they do not care, if so then success ruined the place and it used to be my favorite, too bad, so sad. Goodbye

Posted By: Sarah (21/09/2008 1:58:45 PM)
Comment: Went to Willow Wood Cafe this morning for the first time. Food was excellent and service fast and friendly. We'll (my husband, 4 yr old, 16 month old and I) will go back. I had the Market Plate-delicious, my husband had the hot egg salad sandwich-also a winner. My latte was superb! It was a perfect stop after picking apples this morning at Gabriel Farm (local oranic farm about 1 mile from downtown Graton).

Posted By: Laura (21/09/2008 3:17:03 AM)
Comment: What a pretentious load of crap. The Willow/Underwood's time has come and gone. Lulu et al. need to try something else. The food is overpriced and marginal at best. The service is shockingly bad, quite possibly the worst in West County. And, to top it all off, both restaurants are disgustingly filthy.

Posted By: xtinaznap (19/09/2008 6:39:39 PM)
Comment: I've been to Willow Wood MANY times over many years. It is one of my favorite places for brunch and lunch. I LOVE the market plate! Nobody makes polenta like Willow Wood. The prices are higher than some other places, but you get what you pay for...I'll pay a bit more for quality ingredients and creative menu items anytime. In my personal experiences there, the service has always been fine. Given the comments here, perhaps they do need to improve their service, but...that just hasn't been my experience at all, so maybe these were isolated incidences? Based on my experiences, I don't think it is fair to say that the staff there is a bunch of arrogant, so & so's, etc...

Posted By: rAs (19/09/2008 1:40:00 PM)
Comment: The market plate is my favorite breakfast in the county. Haven't had the same issue with service as others. I disagree on the prices as well. A dish like the market plate is filled with labor intensive, high-end ingredients and it's well worth the extra money from my standpoint. BTW, we love riding our bikes from the trail that starts in Forestville (or Sebastopol if coming from the south) to hit the Willow Wood.

Posted By: Vicky (19/09/2008 10:32:36 AM)
Comment: Below comment is about Willowood

Response: You know, I'm really surprised to hear about the rude service. We were there last Sunday in the heat of the rush and though they were a bit hurried, the service was quite acceptable. Now, I won't say it was overly friendly, but certainly considering the amount of people there and the limited staff, it wasn't at all rude. Sorry to hear about the bad service. Hopefully we'll see a little improvement.

Posted By: Vicky (19/09/2008 10:31:52 AM)
Comment: I love the food. It is so overpriced though which is ridiculous. Also, agreed that the service sucks becuase they are very unfriendly!

Posted By: Localyokal (19/09/2008 9:57:22 AM)
Comment: I used to frequent both Willowood & Underwood but, after the HORRENDOUS service and so-so food, I don't any longer. Too bad they don't seem to care.

Posted By: Jay (18/09/2008 2:51:17 PM)
Comment: Some of you have it spot on, the service there is horrendous, bunch of arrogant self centered so and so's. Unfortunately, I love their overpriced sandwiches...

Posted By: Jean (18/09/2008 1:46:05 PM)
Comment: Heather, are the donuts in the top photo from Boon Fly Cafe?

Response: Yep. Mmmmm. Donuts.

Posted By: Max Wilmarth (18/09/2008 1:23:35 PM)
Comment: Please, please, please stop referring to Graton as an "artist's hamlet" like I've see here and elsewhere. Yes, there are a a good number artists and it's great. But, there are lots of other real people doing other real things here. The inference I draw is that Graton is an artificial enclave and I don't like it. Thanks.

Posted By: DeeDee (18/09/2008 12:41:12 PM)
Comment: My posting below was regarding Willowood, to clafify.

Posted By: DeeDee (18/09/2008 12:39:46 PM)
Comment: I ate there recently. Food is outstanding. Service is awful. I mean, REALLY awful. We were ignored, they lost our ticket and we waited 45 minutes for lunch. No apology. Nothing. At best, I think a "I'm sorry" and a free ice tea would have been nice.

Posted By: Jo (18/09/2008 10:41:56 AM)
Comment: Love, love, love Willowood for Brunch. I have dreams about their Market Plate with polenta, cambozola, salumi,spinach, and the just right soft egg. But, gotta tell you that the service is terrible. Be forewarned.

Posted By: Vince (18/09/2008 10:40:00 AM)
Comment: I was pretty let down by Willow Wood after all the rave reviews it got here. We tried their brunch once and it was just so-so. I do agree the ambiance is nice, but what is that without good food? I guess I should have had the Monte Cristo. One other place I tried because of that breakfast post a while back was Carlos' Country Kitchen and that place is the bomb! Thanks to whoever suggested that back then.

Posted By: kudzu (18/09/2008 9:51:57 AM)
Comment: Glad to see that at least one of these offers Saturday brunch. Recently I tried to arrange a group's meal on a Saturday midday to include those who needed breakfasty things and those who wanted -- well, lunch. I was almost stymied, here in Marin. Someone could obviously do everyone a big favor by recognizing the weekend has more than one day.

Posted By: katie m (18/09/2008 8:32:30 AM)
Comment: Ravenette (on North street) in Healdsburg has great Sunday brunch - huevos rancheros that are the best, as well as the various versions of benedict.

Posted By: occidental life (18/09/2008 7:26:48 AM)
Comment: the best benedict in sonoma county is, hands down, the southern benedict at rocker oysterfeller's in valley ford. i lived in graton for years, and willow wood is no slouch, but it's the concoction in valley ford that i dream about for sunday brunch (and only sunday, too; no saturdays). perfect, light and bright hollandaise, plus the southern twist: housemade biscuits, black eyed peas, caggiano ham... oh, yum.