Hotel Sutter

The restaurant at Hotel Sutter was pretty noisy. We shared the crispy Brussels sprouts, which were very tasty, then finished with a pretty good rich dark chocolate lava cake. My chicken Caprese was underwhelming and lacked flavor. At $34, I expected better and wouldn't order it again. My husband liked his NY steak and thought $39 was a good deal. It came medium rare as requested, and while he could taste the peppercorn in the whiskey peppercorn sauce, not the whiskey.

At the restaurant, expect a wait for weekday lunch if you haven't made a reservation. You can browse the shops while you wait, so the time goes by quickly. We liked the calamari and soft pretzel best.

Robert and Casey were amazing. They were on top of everything, and their outstanding service helped make our meal fantastic. The food was great, and we loved the balcony view. The woman at the front desk made us feel unwelcome and was unfriendly, even though we approached her lightheartedly. Her attitude was so unpleasant that we canceled our dinner reservation, which was a shame since we were there for our friends' 50th birthday. Update: We talked to management, who quickly sorted things out and encouraged us to come eat. We did, and it was amazing. I still don't love the front desk lady, but everything else was great.

The balcony overlooks a small town, and we had appetizers out there. The main street may be short, but there's plenty to do, from wine and bubbly tasting to homemade chocolates and coffee, plus a small theater, arts, and antiques. This century-old hotel has been beautifully renovated. The rooms keep their authentic feel while looking great, and everyone working there is committed to serving you.