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Meals
Dinner
FEATURES
Reservations, Seating, Table Service
Reviews (16)
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Reviewed 26 August 2019

We decided to try Prelude before going to a recent concert. Thankfully we made reservations at 5:00 - two hours before the show started. We were seated at 5:00 and then waited a half hour before being acknowledged. We were looking all around so the...manager finally came up and asked how we were doing. When I asked where our server might be the manager said that they were still excited about school just starting and that they tended to be late. Ok? Our waiter finally showed up and took our order. It took forever to get our drinks/food etc. When our food finally came it was very mediocre. It was the quality of a mall restaurant. Nothing special at all. We barely made the start of the show at 7:00. Dinner for two came to over $100 and it wasn't worth it - the only positive aspect of the meal was that the dining room was very pretty. I will certainly eat a large and late lunch before the next concert so I don't have to worry about eating dinner. I can't imagine ever going back to Prelude.More

Date of visit: August 2019
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Reviewed 21 January 2018

We were not expecting much more than a drink and convenient meal before a show. The restauraunt is large and airy and equally as attractive as the rest of the concert hall. It is a simple prix fixe menu that is relatively inexpensive by Bay...Area standards. There is a nice lounge and bar at the entrance to the restaurant which I made note of for future visits. I do not know if there is a separate bar menu. The potato leek soup was cold and too thick but still tasted fine. The onion tart starter seemed better. The filet mignon was very good and cooked medium rare as requested, although I was not sure why you would serve it with root vegetables and two types of potatoes and not another type of vegetable like sauteed greens. The deserts were of ample size and very good. The restaurant hostess was friendly and helpful. She reseated us in a nicer part of the restaurant which was still empty without our requesting it. She checked back often and seemed proud of the restaurant and staff. The wait staff are students with campus jobs so their skill will run the gamut. We had a very sweet, dilligent young woman who tried very hard. It was painful to watch her try to balance two martini glasses as she walked the length of the restaurant. I like the fact that the students are involved. Just don't expect high end service that matches the setting or food (e.g., plate being removed early, plate being presented from the wrong side, etc.). Staff should offer to take coats when you enter which they did not do. There seems to be an annoying trend in all restaurants these days in that the greeting hostess is also manning the phone for reservations and other calls. It is not uncommon to end up standing awkwardly at the hostess stand for 5-10 minutes waiting to be acknowledged because they are tied up on the phone. I have had this happen at incredibly high end restaurants too. We had cocktails this visit so did not order from the wine list. It is relatively small and heavy on the Sonoma wines of course. After dinner you can head into the concert hall without stepping outside which is nice on cold rainy nights. The convenience and decent quality food at reasonable prices will probably have us returning. It does seem popular, and with limited dining options in the area, I might suggest making reservations well in advance if you are going before a concert.More

Date of visit: January 2018
Helpful?1  
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Reviewed 8 November 2017

We recently attended the symphony at the Green Center and had dinner first at Prelude. This was our second Prelude visit prior to the symphony and every bit as delightful as the first. First of all the space is casually elegant in a very sophisticated...way. We had a reservation and were seated immediately. Our wait staff couldn't have been more pleasant or attentive. They are students at Sonoma State and obviously well picked for their roles. Some of the other things that impressed us were that the glasses of cold water had lemon slices in them. Always nice. The bread basket had a variety of wonderful, obviously home made breads and delicious butter. They have a pris fixed menu with three or four choices in each category. I had the most delicious spinach salad with melon and prosciutto. My husband raved about his mozzarella and fresh tomato salad. I had an excellent ciopinno for my entrée and the broth was fresh and flavorful. The mixture of fish and shellfish was very fresh. My husband enjoyed the thickest, most tender veal chop he has ever had. The timing of our service was perfect without hovering or any delay. We couldn't have had a better experience and consider it the icing on the cake for the Green Center. The two are a combination that can't be beat.More

Date of visit: November 2017
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Reviewed 15 August 2017

We stopped by Prelude prior to the Gabriel "Fluffy" show. We sat in the bar area and waited to get drinks, the bartenders were too busy chatting with each other to recognize that their empty seating area now had patrons. We ordered and it took...quite awhile to simply get our wine. We did notice the bartender sniff the bottle of wine and even got a second opinion to determine whether the wine was any good before bringing it out to us. All right in front of us, never did she check in again with us. The restaurant must not get a lot of Hispanic patrons as a regular at the table next to us asked the staff why there were so many "mexicans or hispanics or whatever you call them". Within 10 minutes another table within the bar had two hispanic gentleman sit down at a mixed table, the first question they received was "what part of Mexico are you originally from"...I mean seriously, this is a restaurant on the grounds of a higher educational institution. The waitstaff and the bartenders were frazzled, people were rushing around all over the place to a dining room that wasn't even at capacity. We watched, what we assumed was a manager or host as she wasn't in a uniform, pick up glasses and carry them to a table versus using a servicing tray. And no not by the step or base, but by the bowl. Hint...no one wants your finger prints on their wine glass...but then again it might detract away from noticing that your wine glasses don't get cleaned often (we had numerous marks on our around the wine glass lip). People go to restaurants to relax and dine, not watch the servers/managers freak out. The manager was just as frazzled, in fact it would have been humorous if he didn't watch a near miss occur. The manager watched a pen roll off the register right onto the floor and land in the middle of the restaurant. He looked at another server to pick it up. Neither of them picked it up. The manager then proceeds to deliver food to a table and then come back, BUT NOT PICK UP THE PEN. It took about 5 passes before another patron shook his head, got up out of his chair, and picked up the pen so no one would trip on it. We counted about 5 near misses. Who knew that going to a comedy show would have such a comedy of errors in the restaurant prior to the show. Needless to say, no way will we ever return.More

Date of visit: August 2017
Helpful?1  
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Reviewed 14 August 2017 via mobile

We went for dinner prior to 'Fluffy' with friends. We we're treated to great service, amazing food and a very friendly environment. The shows at SSU are a great way to enjoy time with loved ones. Make reservations at Prelude to round off your event...along with ordering pre-food and wine for your table. You can enjoy dessert after the show at Prelude [on the same tab], which is great. Thank you Prelude for making it easy and wonderful at the same time!!More

Date of visit: August 2017
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Reviewed 15 February 2017

Prelude is awesome! It has a serene, elegant ambiance, and wonderful food! We have been attending the symphony for 2 seasons, but this is the first time we have dined at Prelude. We will be back! The menu is upscale, interesting, and reasonably priced. The...dishes are beautifully presented and delicious. It is so very convenient to dine here prior to a symphony. Especially since Rohnert Park is kind of a dining desert - we always felt odd and overdressed at our prior pre-symphony dining spots.More

Date of visit: February 2017
Helpful?1  
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Reviewed 4 October 2016

Yes, the restaurant does seem like a testing field for aspiring servers. They are well trained by the host. As for the chef, Alex Purroy is perhaps one of the most versatile chefs in Sonoma County. His background includes years in Maui and most recently,...the chef at Doce Luna's in Kenwood. Tweeking the menu at Prelude now reveals his ability to work with California produce, from organic mushrooms to fresh cod. The wine list reflects Sonoma County vintages and sold by the glass or bottle. The servers are willing to make whatever substitutions they can, and are often dividing courses so that diners can share salads, desserts, and even main courses. My only concern is at the beginning of each symphony season when the restaurant turns over new help. But the ability of the servers to improve timing and pacing reflects a team that wants and is willing to get things right. At the end of the season, everything is in sync.More

Date of visit: October 2016
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Reviewed 22 September 2016

Visited Prelude for the first time last Friday evening prior to a concert next door at Weill. The restaurant is not only stunning but the food is extremely good - prix fixe with many options and quite reasonable in price. The staff was just about...perfect - attentive without bothersome and made us feel so welcome and definitely committed to a return visit.More

Date of visit: September 2016
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Reviewed 2 August 2016

This is a training restaurant for students interested in the hospitality field. Menu is outstanding, food is sourced from local farms. Great wine choices... The ambience inside and out is delightful. I love the outdoor patio near the fire pit. You can also enjoy the...concert from the restaurant.More

Date of visit: July 2016
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Reviewed 4 December 2015

We had lunch before a 3 PM concert in Weill Hall at the Green Music Center on the campus of Sonoma State University. We were most pleasantly surprised at the high level of sophistication. The interior is attractive and spacious. We all had the mixed...green salad with goat cheese and then the vegetarian lasagna. The lasagna used potatoes rather than noodles which made it very flavorful. The service was excellent, attentive and helpful.More

Date of visit: November 2015
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Reviewed 23 August 2015

The Green Center at Sonoma State University has a terrific restaurant tucked away outside Weill Hall; open before and after concerts depending on the time of day. It's a Prix Fix menu with several starters, four or five entrees and a couple desserts. $39 for...two courses and $49 for three courses. I had the Filet Mignon, cooked to perfection at medium rare and this was a large filet. One of the ladies had a pork chop that was tasty and huge. My wife had the Rock Cod and that was great, too. The prosciutto and melon salad was large and the mixed green salad was generous. There's a full bar and my Rob Roy was done to perfection. A glass of Arrowhead Cabernet was $14 -- a bargain considering its a seven ounce pour. An added benefit is that by being an early arrival for dinner before the evening show, you score a "close in" parking space. Student servers are well trained and kept us posted as to a slightly delayed show start. THE PLACE to dine before entering the gorgeous performance hall.More

Date of visit: August 2015
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 23 May 2015

Dinner last night before last S.F> Symphony concert. Lovely setting and wonderful service but our meals were very poor - three of us had the halibut, barely edible. The rib eye was at best average especially for the price. I know its hard to run...a restaurant in such a setting but the Green Center can do betterMore

Date of visit: May 2015
Helpful?1  
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Reviewed 20 May 2015

This lovely restaurant, located in the Green Center at Sonoma State offers fixed price meals after concerts. The pricing is ok and so is the food. The service is very good. I enjoy having dinner here after the concerts and the choice of comfortable, elegant...seating inside or outside is attracting. The quiet atmospher is condusive to chatting and sharing a glass of wine.More

Date of visit: May 2015
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Reviewed 14 April 2015

This is a great and unique location. It is within the Music Green Music Center, Weill hall. Imagine a gourmet meal served before a concert. The story I was told is that Mr. Weill insisted that this venue have a quality restaurant, if he was...to donate the money to build the Hall. I am very appreciative. The menu is limited and changed frequently. There a 2 course menu and a 3 course. I had a mixed salad and my husband a baby greens salad made from locally grown produce. For a main course we both has Alaskan Chard beautifully cook for the most part. The skin was very crispy the risotto creamy and well seasoned, The mushrooms were strange and not particularly good. There have been better menus and selections more to my taste. All is all I love the idea of this place and change in menu and will eat here frequently before performances.More

Date of visit: April 2015
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 10 August 2014

Limited menu, but the food was terrific. Staff was very attentive. Can't beat the location if you are attending a Weill Hall concert.

Date of visit: August 2014
Helpful?1  
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Prelude is rated accordingly in the following categories by Tripadvisor travellers:
  • Food: 4
  • Service: 4
  • Value: 4