"When I chose this restaurant I didn't really recognize the name. And what a surprise to find that it was Cindy Pawlcyn. When you 1st arrive you walk thru the outside dining area to get in. That area is other wise quite, secluded & intimate (great for a date). Then u get inside...such a quant place. Undecided I asked the server the pork tenderloin or flat iron steak. I went with his choice of steak & his selection of accompanying wine. My guest had the special mahi. Both perfect! Then we opted for the special brownie with strawberries & icecream. Again, homerun! The servers were very helpful to visitors/selecting wineries & places of interest. Summary: LOVED IT!"
Dined on 6/17/2013
2009
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, notable wine list, romantic, neighborhood gem
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"We like coming here. The food is always tasty and interesting. There is a wide variety of wines by the bottle and by the glass. Service is fantastic...if you want to eat at a leisurely pace, they comply. If you are in a bit of a hurry...they comply."
Dined on 6/16/2013
2012
Special Features: fit for foodies, vibrant bar scene, great for outdoor dining, notable wine list, neighborhood gem
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"To start off, the waitperson made note of my note on Open Table that I would like an outdoor table and since it was quite warm, gave us the one table that was totally in the shade -- very impressed. The service was continual but not intrusive. The food is inventive and quite delicious. Had a wonderful experience."
Dined on 6/16/2013
2012
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, romantic, special occasion, great for lunch
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"We have been to Cindy's dozens of times... It is one of our favorites in the valley and the particular draw were always the Oysters Pablo (Now Oysters Bingo). Almost always a hit unfortunately this time a miss... Probably just a fluke but this time not served hot on a bed of rock salt more like warm and thrown on a plate. Kind of unfortunate because we always plan one of our treasured dinners around Cindy's."
Dined on 6/08/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, notable wine list
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"Just off the main street of St. Helena is Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen. It is well worth venturing off the beaten path to find this airy, light-filled, casual and sophisticated eatery. It feels like home and tastes like gourmet heaven."
Dined on 6/04/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, great for outdoor dining, great for brunch, notable wine list, romantic, neighborhood gem, great for lunch, special occasion
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"We have dined here before, but this was our first Wed./Thurs. fixed price dinner, which was excellent and a bargain. As usual, the food was great Mexican-inspired cuisine (the theme this month is Mexican, but there are always Mexican dishes on the menu). Mixed drinks were great, and there is a good wine list. Wait staff is attentive, friendly and not overbearing. One of our favorite places to dine in wine country."
Dined on 6/05/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, great for lunch, kid-friendly
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"When heading to Wine country, booking Cindy's for lunch or dinner is a requirement. I just had the Adult grilled cheese for lunch and want more. My husband had Cindy's special, Hot Monte, their version of a Hot Brown. He almost didn't speak while enjoying his meal and I think it was because somebody would have asked for a bite!"
Dined on 6/03/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, great for lunch
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"A pretty unique (very good) taste in the curry chicken salad and my friend, a major foodie, said it was 'the best meatloaf I've ever had"..hard to beat that review."
Dined on 6/02/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem
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"I asked for my hangar steak to be cooked medium--what I got was quite rare---I should have said so at the time---since the staff was great and I'm sure that wouldn't have been a problem. Everything else was good."
Dined on 5/27/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies
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"The food was very good as well as the service. The Calamari was one of the best I have ever had and the Camp Fire Pie was a great twist on S'Mores that was amazing."
Dined on 5/31/2013
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"This place is wonderful! The food was all so great! I cannot say anything but great things about the food and the ambience! Our waiter Tim was so fun and very enthusiastic about the food and menu. He made it even better! What a great experience. We will definitely be back."
Dined on 5/24/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, hot spot
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"My first visit to any of this chef's restaurants. Based on the reputation I'd say it didn't quite measure up. Nothing was bad just not memorable, fairly basic standard fare with little flair or imagination. Our waiter, Dylan, was fantastic and frankly the only thing that made a real impression!"
Dined on 5/26/2013
Special Features: great for outdoor dining, notable wine list
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"Overall, I would recommend CIndy's. It's the perfect ambiance for St. Helena, it makes you feel like you are going over to grandma's for dinner! However, the food fell just a tad bit short for us (granted, I was so excited to try it and my expectations were high):
Oysters Bingo - 4/5. Too much sauce for us, covered up the taste of the oyster. Roasted Pork Tacos - 4/5. Almost perfect, it it had a little more sauce. Wood oven duck - 3/5... We thought it was overdone. When you think duck, you think medium. This duck was completely cooked throughout. When cooked all the way it just didn't seem to be gourmet enough to demand $26. Grilled pork tenderloin - 3/5. Also overcooked, so seemed a bit dry. The sides were great though!"
Dined on 5/26/2013
Special Features: good for groups, great for outdoor dining, kid-friendly, neighborhood gem
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"Game is the special treat. Duck and Quail are what I stop for. mm :-)"
Dined on 5/25/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, vibrant bar scene, great for outdoor dining, great for brunch, notable wine list, kid-friendly, romantic, scenic view, late-night find, neighborhood gem, hot spot, great for lunch, special occasion
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"Without a doubt the best meatloaf I have ever had. I have ordered it the last three times I have been there. The beet salad is awesome. After hearing the people sitting at the table next to me rave about the duck burger I am going to give it a try."
Dined on 5/26/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, notable wine list, neighborhood gem, great for lunch
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"When we go to St Helena to shop with visitors, we often include a relaxing lunch at Cindy's! Their options are creative and always tasty! They have a nice selection of wines and we enjoyed the server very much. They are as personable and unique as the restaurant. It was, once again, a delightful experience!"
Dined on 5/24/2013
Special Features: great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, great for lunch
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"Found location on internet. Deserved every bit of rating. Wish we had one like this in Hawaii. Simply awesome & creative food. No wonder locals love this place.?"
Dined on 5/22/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, hot spot
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"We enjoyed a beautiful day in Napa and had a wonderful dinner in their garden. We started with Cheesy Melty Polenta Fries which was delicious. Then we had the special of the evening which was salmon and the Herb marinated hangar steak with grilled yams, sweet potatoes, onions, pimentos, chimichurri sauce & watercress salad.. The service was excellent."
Dined on 5/19/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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"We haven't been back to this restaurant for a while, but we had always enjoyed it. We were not disappointed! Our waiter was very attentive, the food was excellent, and over all we just really enjoyed ourselves."
Dined on 5/18/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, great for lunch
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"We brought our friends from Maine, as we knew Cindy's would be a wonderful choice for dinner. We arrived early for our 6:15 reservation and were seated immediately (we chose to eat outdoors). The service was fantastic - order taken as soon as we were ready, water glasses refilled constantly - and the food was great."
Dined on 5/18/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, notable wine list, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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"As with all Cindy's past and ongoing restaurants, CBK delivers great food and a warm and homey ambiance. Cindy's chefs KNOW how to cook and present fish. We have been to this restaurant before (2 yrs previous) and the quality, presentation, and service was the same high quality. We live in Napa and our favorite restaurant is Mustard's Grill, another of Cindy's jewels."
Dined on 5/17/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, great for lunch, kid-friendly
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"So many great offerings and at prices well below surrounding restaurants of comparable food quality and ambiance. Had both dinners and lunch there during our stay in St Helena. Never once disappointed. Great service, too!"
Dined on 5/13/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, romantic, neighborhood gem, great for lunch
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"The food is always done spot on here, the winelist is interesting and fairly priced, and the service is friendly and expert. We liked the waiter so much that we tried to bargain for him in a game of rock/paper/scissors, but fortunately for the diners who will follow us, we lost. Dwight will remain at Cindy's.
Whenever we're in the valley we must stop here or feel as thought we've been cheated somehow."
Dined on 5/11/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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"Third time at Cindy's and every time they get it right. Food, Service, were spot on. Pricing and portions are in line with my expectations. I will most definitely return."
Dined on 5/11/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies
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"I always love going to Cindy's but I may limit that to dinner only since it is very expensive for lunch!! Wish they would have a separate lunch menu with less expensive choices. Also it got very loud when the dining room filled up."
Dined on 5/08/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem
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"My partner and I have had lunch at Cindy's 4 or 5 times. Last week I had 36 hours in the bay area, and we planned the time especially to go back to CBK. The food is amazing, the service is precisely the balance I like of friendly and knowledgeable, and the setting is perfect. It's the only one of Cindy Pawlcyn's restaurants we've ever been to, because we can't bear to miss it when we're in wine country.
Most recently, I had a fried okra appetizer, a standout with very fresh okra that had been roasted before a very light cornmeal coating. It came out just from the fryer with a lemon aioli. We've also loved the house special grilled cheese that changes weekly, the duck burger, and one of the best caesar salads anywhere."
Dined on 5/02/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, romantic, neighborhood gem, great for lunch
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"We always visit Cindy's when in Sonoma for lunch. Their backyard patio is a terrific place to spend 2-3 hours eating and drinking. Obviously, the wine selection is exceptional, very well thought out. Cindy's also has top notch mixologist who makes outstanding cocktails."
Dined on 8/24/2012
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining
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"The duck was good, but the orange marmalade was not very good at all. The herb marinated hanger steak was chewy. The halibut was just average. We don't plan to return to Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen any time soon."
Dined on 04/23/2013
2006
Special Features: great for outdoor dining
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"This is the second time that we have visited Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen and we have not been disappointed. The food, service and atmosphere are all great along with the overall friendliness. We will definitely go back again when we are in St. Helena."
Dined on 04/16/2013
2009
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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"We've always had great service. Unfortunately, Michael, the fantastic General Manager has moved on and while the service is good, the food portions and the quality of the food isn't the same. We loved the Pineapple Upside Down cake but the cake was soggy, not the crispy cake we enjoy. The condiments have been changed as well. We'll try Cindy's Grill next time."
Dined on 04/20/2013
2008
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, special occasion, great for lunch
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"We love coming here and it's always on our list when we visit Napa. I didn't rate the food so high this time as we ordered a curried mussel appetizer that was really tasteless and the mussels were mushy and old, it was a dish someone should have caught in the kitchen and never let out. Our main entrees were fabulous."
Dined on 04/19/2013
2012
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, romantic
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"We felt rushed. Appetizers, bread, drinks all arrived same time. Then dinner came before we were finished and it was lukewarm, like it had been sitting. Had a great meal a few nights before at Mustards."
Dined on 04/14/2013
2006
Special Features: notable wine list
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"Clearly the most creative and innovative menu. When you can't stop talking about the restaurant you know it's good. Service excellent. Look forward to going back."
Dined on 04/06/2013
2007
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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"The food was "ok". A lot of salt. The mussels were just ok. Not many mussles and the sauce was ho-hum. The ahi salad had way too much salt and the sauce was not a good match for the fish. The bread was great."
Dined on 04/05/2013
2013
Special Features: kid-friendly, great for lunch
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"This is our local favorite and a spot we can always rely on for good food, at,osphere and great service, especially if we happen to have Mike as our waiter. He is fabulous fun, knowledgeable and attentive."
Dined on 04/03/2013
2004
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, great for lunch
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"Cindy Pawlcyn has another gem in her Backstreet Kitchen. The menue is not as extensive as Mustards but every item is prepared with care. The servers are very helpful with the extensive wine list and their enthusiasm for the food enhanses the dining experience. This is a restaurant that is not to be missed."
Dined on 04/03/2013
2008
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, hot spot
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