Ad Hoc

"At this, chef Thomas Keller’s other Yountville restaurant, a four-course, family-style dinner is de rigueur, chef’s opportunity to cook the American comfort food of his childhood. Well, not exactly. His mixed green salad is gussied up with raspberries and pickled red onions, the pork chop with whole grain mustard cream and buttermilk whipped potatoes. And the cheese board comes with a pretzel from Keller’s Bouchon Bakery. Wrap it all up with vanilla panna cotta and the $64 price tag may feel as comforting as the cuisine." - Christina Mueller

"If you’ve ever wondered how Thomas Keller cooks at home, Ad Hoc is your best bet. The most casual of Chef Keller’s restaurants, it offers accessible fare served family style in a bright and inviting wood-paneled room. Waits are inevitable without a reservation, but the engaging staff keep things hopping. The dining room feels like a country home, with that iconic blue awning and a sign that reads “for temporary relief from hunger."The food is worth the wait and while dishes may sound simple, the crafting is not—come every other Monday for the outstanding fried chicken. A salad of sautéed red bliss potatoes tossed in Sriracha aïoli is beyond par; and even the humble cheese course dazzles. Generous portions may warrant sharing chocolate mousse for dessert." - Michelin Inspector

"Picture that Sunday night dinner when the family decides to go all out and put together a menu of all their favorite dishes. Well, that’s what’s happening every day at Ad Hoc, but Thomas Keller runs the kitchen. No offense to your brother, mother, or grandfather, but that’s likely to be a reasonable upgrade. The place oozes hospitable happiness and that special juju that makes a restaurant legendary, and always gets us excited to eat here. Every day, there’s only one thing on offer: a set menu of family-style share plates that could be centered around crispy duck confit, baby back ribs, gnudi or (if you’re lucky) fried chicken. There’s always a vegetarian option, you can add on some additional bonus elements (which we suggest you do), and dessert is mandatory. Go hard. Go home. Take a nap. " - christina julian, andrew steinthal

"Picture that Sunday night dinner when the family decides to go all out and put together a menu of all their favorite dishes. Well, that’s what’s happening every day at Ad Hoc, but Thomas Keller runs the kitchen. No offense to your brother, mother, or grandfather, but that’s likely to be a reasonable upgrade. The place oozes hospitable happiness and that special juju that makes a restaurant legendary, and always gets us excited to eat here. Every day, there’s only one thing on offer: a set menu of family-style share plates that could be centered around crispy duck confit, baby back ribs, gnudi or (if you’re lucky) fried chicken. There’s always a vegetarian option, you can add on some additional bonus elements (which we suggest you do), and dessert is mandatory. Go hard. Go home. Take a nap." - Andrew Steinthal

"These giant, overflowing buckets of fried chicken were inarguably the hit of the festival. It was the first time (hopefully not the last time) chef Thomas Keller brought Ad Hoc and his famous buttermilk fried chicken to BottleRock and anyone carrying one of these around instantly had 10 new best friends. Though best eaten hot and fresh, this superbly salty chicken (the sea salt flakes were easily visible to the naked eye) could continue to hit the spot hours later. Sure, sixty dollars may seem steep, but with 12 pieces, these buckets were made to share." - Jess Lander