Been there for business meetings many times and a dinner couple of times. Good for business meetings but disappointing during dinner. The seafood ceviche was weird tasting, borderline awful. Rib eye steak was good but looked different each time ordered. The homemade white cheese was bland and nothing special. It's a hit and miss. Good wine selection but with a huge markup, with a friendly and experienced wine director. The menu really needs some work and keep it simply delicious (too many weird things being added (do you really need weird stuff on a beautiful for gras? What ever happened to a simple seared for gras?)

Dinner for 4, around $500. Typical dish around $40. Wine markup is huge!!

I would pick another place next time,food was good but a lot of money

Our dinner at Madera was the best that I have had in well over a year. My wife and I have been fortunate enough to eat in a number of good restaurants and the meal at Madera was one of the rare ones that left us highly impressed. The selections were all outstanding with interesting combinations of ingredients and flavors without getting too cute. The duck breast was the best I have ever had anywhere. The setting is spectacular and the service flawless. In fact, I was able to use the dinner as an occasion to show my daughter, whose graduation we were celebrating, how good restaurant service is supposed to work.
I will also comment on the wine, since they have a 100 page list (thankfully on-line so diners can sort it out in advance) and the wine will usually cost more then the food. I noted a great price for Guigal Hermitage blanc and asked the sommelier to confirm that the price was correct. She confirmed that it was the correct price, but when she brought us the wine, it was the incorrect wine. Rather than the Hermitage on the wine list, they had Crozes-Hermitage in their cellar, an inferior and cheaper wine. I am sure there are errors to be expected on a list this long. We also had a superb California Syrah with dinner, which was too warm (it was 96 degrees outside that day). The sommelier, a very pleasant and sincerely helpful young woman, put the wine bottle in ice for a short while to cool it to the correct serving temperature. She also remembered to return to pour it at the appropriate time. Warm wine always makes me wonder how a restaurant is storing their wine collection. These minor gripes did not detract from what was overall a really exceptional dining experience.

Our meal at Madera was before a graduation event, and the overall experience was delightful! As we ate early, there were many spare waitstaff and my family felt we were being specially catered to. The food was delicious – the watercress soup was perhaps a little too bitter – but the dessert was by far the highlight! My tiramisu might have been the best dessert I've ever eaten! Additionally, I would compliment my server on a perfect wine pairing with my roasted asparagus entree.

My wife and I dined here for her birthday/five year anniversary of our engagement. We arrived early for our reservation and sat in the lounge, where they provide service, which allowed us to avoid the crowds in the bar. The drinks were excellent, and the staff was friendly and professional. Once seated, we were offered a complimentary champagne toast to mark the occasions for which we were celebrating. We order a couple of appetizers, and two entrees. The table bread is baked in house and fantastic. Overall, the quality of food was incredible, and only matched by the level of the service. We lingered for over three hours and never felt rushed, but never felt neglected either. We felt like the staff went out of their way to make our night as special as they could, and they completely succeeded.

A lot of hype (including the irritating phone call a day before "just to confirm your reservation") for a totally underwhelming experience. I could have probably got a nicer omelette at a local breakfast dive. Only hot sauce was Tabasco, so sixties. Coffee didn't seem that fresh. Underwhelming all round especially given steep prices.

The bar was very slow in serving us. But the restaurant service was excellent.

Very accommodating, pleasant hostess and staff. Bartender also very friendly and accommodating. Impressed by the lack of urgency/turnover- felt very welcomed.

Very professional service without being stuffy. Great food, though portions are on the small size. Beautiful, carefully maintained premises. I am looking forward towards another visit, even driving from San Francisco.

The restaurant and the food served by isn't what the reviews suggest.
I ordered a baby kale salad which was not special but was satisfactory. The main dish that I ordered was the Halibut and it was taste less and dry.
The beer selection is nothing special. You get those beers at any cheap restaurant.
Overall, My whole experience a dot better than a regular fast casual restaurant, but the price is much much higher.
The view from the place is gorgeous, so if that justify the price for you , then go for it.
As someone who was raised on top notch food, I am yet to find good food in this area. There is a myth that the restaurants are good but so far, I have found nothing great.
The service is mediocre.

Great restaurant, deserves the Michelin Star. The service and food were both top-notch.

Every dish was great except a new duck entrée was very tough and not very flavorful.

Seating was awful, not what I asked for or hoped. Dark and noisy.

Very pleasant on the outdoor patio — quiet, with a nice vista on the Santa Cruz mountains. Exquisite small dishes with imaginative combinations of ingredients.

Made one request for a table area which could have been easily accommodated. Instead seated in the one area I specifically asked not to be. Quite a bummer, and the area was unfortunately as expected - with kids running around, no heat lamps, etc.
Key is that you shouldn't bother to make a request for this restaurant when booking since they don't look at it ahead of time.

It was cool and foggy in Pacifica on Memorial Day. I was not very motivated to get out and do anything. Then I thought about a late lunch at Madera. It was perfect. We sat out on the patio and enjoyed the nice weather, the nice view, and excellent food and wine. The service was outstanding. I did not catch our waiter's name, but IsraelC is listed on the credit charge receipt. What a very nice afternoon.

Charming place. Wish they had gluten free options and better coffee. Overall, it was a pleasant dining experience and our server was sweet and attentive.

It has become way too expensive. Lunch for two without dessert over $200 + tax and tip. Also, there aren't any small appetizers; most of them are entire lunch size. Where is a nice shrimp cocktail? They used to have tempura which was fantastic. My guest didn't like the burger - larger than a mouth - and not seasoned very well at all. The ambiance is best out on the deck. The whole trout was very good, but $48? Or maybe it was $45. Anyway, it was a lot. The vegetable bowl was unsightly, with sort of greens and tomato mashed together.

The staff was welcoming and top notch. The food was excellent and view lovely. I was there for a work luncheon, but this could easily be a great date spot, wonderful for special occasions.

Beautiful location. Great service. Good vegetarian options.

Overall amazing restaurant. Would recommend to anyone. Service is impeccable.

Decided to give this restaurant another try. The food was tasty but the portions are small. The variety on the menu is low. Would've been better to have a broader range of foods. We had the salmon and the ribeye. The portions were small and nicely presented on the plate. The vegetables were tiny. The price was fairly high. The bar area is quite nice. On my next visit, would probably eat only in the bar area. Restaurant not really worth it.

Worse experience ever. Came to celebrate my 75 birthday and they did nothing to recognize it, even after being called and asking about ordering a cake and they said they always give a piece of cake with a candle and they did not.. I am only 75 once so will not get a 2nd chance ..Talked to the manager and said when we come again she will give us wine and hor'dourves. She should have invited us to dinner instead To bad. So unbusiness like. Never again.

We loved it! We went for my wife's birthday and we were not let down. There was a beautiful view, great service, a nice ambiance, and delicious food. It's expensive, but worth it, especially when you're looking for a fancy/upscale experience.

They do a couple special things for birthdays: put a special message on the menu wishing a happy birthday and give you a free dessert with a candle. Our server also referenced my wife's birthday a few different times.

The high level of noise distracted from the overall experience that was very good.

Five of us dined at Madera for Mother's Day, and had a lovely evening. We asked to move to a different table, to avoid a frequently opened door to the outside dining area, and they accommodated our request quickly. The sommelier was helpful in picking out a wonderful (although pricey) Chardonnay to accompany the meal. The first course selections were very good, although none was exceptional. Garden salad and Asparagus were quite nice and the Fois Gras was an interesting touch. Mains were very good - the trio of lamb was delicious as was the Halibut and special steak. Overall, the meal was quite enjoyable.

Very good service, but truly mediocre food, except for the desert which was exceptional. It seems the chef trying too hard to be creative and forgetting fundamentals.

Good attentive service, food was excellent. Upscale ambience.

Food is ridiculously small for price - great desserts though.
Also the price for a really bland easy salad is also a horrible value

Impeccable service and excellent food.

I took a new lady friend and she was impressed. It was a good "lady's lunch". Something different.

Eddie was the best waiter we have had in many restaurants- he knew all the dishes - we had a great time 🎯

This food told an Alice in Wonderland story of imagination and perfection. We all loved it! Take at least four people and try everything! Can't wait for another special occasion.

2 salads w chicken, water and 2 cappuccinos for $90 w tip is a bit much. I won't be bringing clients here very regularly.

A bit pricey - but not crazy, given the location and the clientele. Pretty amazing views and wine list. Bar is very nice - especially outdoors - but very busy bar scene and sometimes hard to get a seat. Great place for a business meal.

Not much for serious eaters. No steak, limited menu. Keep Foie Gras and some steak for real foodies. Have someone redesign the menu please.

Truly disappointing business lunch

I've eaten at Madera 8-10 times in my life and always had a good food experience, but not this time. The cobb salad they served me was perhaps the worst I've ever eaten. Unripe avocado (which was replaced by more unripe avocado when I explained that the avocado was inedible) and totally bland watery dressing. The quality of the ham and chicken was fine, but the dressing and avocado just ruined the salad. I will say the bread they served was delicious (which is why I rated the food fair instead of poor) and the waitstaff did what they could to rectify the matter (but apparently all they had in the kitchen was hard avocados) but I will not return to Madera again for lunch if I can help it.

Server was difficult to understand, but otherwise effective.

The food was very good, but somewhat uninspired. The corkage fee is $50.00, which is ridiculous, for where we are, and the service was not up to par with what one expects when dining in a high end restaurant.

Our experience at Madera was not what one would expect from a top rated restaurant. The service oozed with a fake deference that became annoying after fifteen minutes. My entrée was lukewarm and tasted rancid. I was told that it was impossible that the fish was bad because it comes in fresh every day. It would have been nice to hear something like, “I am so sorry madam, what else can I offer you?” Staff was rushing all around but not so much at our table. We had to directly request for our wine glasses to be replenished from our bottle and ice buckets are shared. Our waiter offered our wine to the guests at the next table. Oops!