Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen

Cindy's Backstreet, a block off St. Helena's main street, has been one of Napa Valley's best restaurants... more

Decided to find a restaurant off main street and we lucked out by trying Cindy's. They have small patio dining where we met wonderful dog owners enjoying dinner with their pouches. Pros: Great wait staff and food Cons: none found..maybe tight walk around bar more

Cindy's was a resite at the end of a long day in he tasting rooms. We asked for privacy and they sat us upstairs, even though we were an hour and a half early. Service was top-notch (thanks, Colin!) and the food was perfect. Two in our party had the duck, I had the meatloaf and the fourth had the ribeye special. Everything was cooked to our specification and was the tastiest meal I'd had the entire trip. It was a little crowded, even for a Sunday, but the people cleared out by around 10pm. They gave us a break on corkage (we brough four bottles) and accommodated every request, like desserts to go, etc. I'll definitely be back! Pros: Prices, great food, friendly staff more

I was recommended by a foodie and Cindy's did not disappoint. The steak with fries and arugula was just wonderful. We also had the grilled calamari appetizer (a bit short on the calamari) and the apple crisp a la mode for dessert *yum). Pros: Great food Cons: ??? more

Mmmmmmmmmmmm! What a cozy little place to have a stupendous meal in. I was recommended to this place by my... more

We were turned away by Tra Vigne of their bad service, and ended up here. But I think we were lucky! It was the most amazing service we had. The day were were there, July 5th, had sizzling heat and sweat dripping waiter and waitress were in and out checking on us many many times, making sure we had what we needed. I had the pork chop and my husband had the quail. The pork chop was the softest ever, and the watermelon and quail combo was very delicious as well. The appetizer Oyster Pablo was to die for! I have never tasted baked oysters still so tender and juicy, with the right amount of seasoning and garnish. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! We had our dog with us and everyone was very accommodating of that as well! Great place for people who travel with dogs. You will not feel any different than anyone else. Visit them if you can, you will not regret it. Pros: great sevice, amazing food, clean and simple ambience. more

I ate at Cindy's over the weekend as a party of 12. There were not many places in Napa that could take a large group, and we had heard good things about Cindy's anyway. When we arrived we were taken to a private room upstairs. It was large enough to accommodate us, but it seemed the waiter was overly busy with his current tables. It took about 30 min for him to come take our drink order. And then it took about 20 min to get those drinks, and they came in waves. The appetizers and salads were brought out together, instead of as 2 separate courses. The special pork tenderloin of the nite came out raw in the middle and had to be sent back after we insisted it should not look that way. The rest of us ate on so our food would not get cold, but overall the mood was diminished. Some beverage orders were forgotten, we had to follow up on many requests, and after all that- nothing was comped! We were there to celebrate a birthday and not even that dessert was taken off the bill. And they were out of the famous campfire pie we'd heard such great things about. At least we were not charged the standard 18% for large parties. The food was mostly good, but they are not set up to take large parties. Groups, be warned! Pros: Menu was inventive and the food was seasonably fresh Cons: Horrible service, was not worth the $$, Cannot accommodate large parties more

My husband and i went to Cindy's last week for dinner and were surprised after all of the great things we had heard-- that is was....well........ When we arrived 5 minutes before our reservation, the place was packed. The (very nice) hostess told us it would be a minute and the minute turned into a half hour. The hostesses were very apologetic and we were comped 2 glasses of wine at the bar. The room was lively and warm, so it wasn't a big deal. However when we were finally sat, we couldn't get our waiters attention for a good 15 minutes, despite rather desperate flagging and waiving. When we finally asked our busboy to read us the specials, our waiter came over and REPRIMANDED us for asking the busboy! We're we supposed to use ESP? Smoke signals? He was not pleased and definitely let us know. Our appetizers were great....chicken salad was amazing and my husband's main of duck was really good, but I was really put off by the waiter's attitude, which, hah hah changed dramatically around the time of the bill, just in time for the tip which I stupidly (due bartending my way through college) left 20%. This is a really nice environment and the food was prepared with thought and passion, but with service like this and a multitude of restaurants in the valley, it's hard to return. Pros: food, ambience, price Cons: service, bah! more

We had a wonderful meal at Cindy's. The food was fantastic, fresh and original; the service friendly and knowledgable; the ambiance and decor sweet and cozy. Where else can you enjoy gourmet food and wine while listening to reggae in a classy place? Cindy owns a few other awesome restaurants in wine country and clearly understands the elements of a successful restaurant. BTW, the campfire pie is deadly, it's soooo good -- I have been dreaming about it ever since! Don't miss it! more

We liked Cindy's instantly, upon walking up the path to their door. The outdoor seating area is adorable. A bit early for our reservation, we sat at the bar where we were greeted by a free tasting of 2 wines from a local vineyard, both excellent. By then, our friends had arrived, so we sat at our table and what followed was an amazing meal accompanied by terrific, friendly service. The roasted artichoke appetizer was amazing as was my duck entree. My friends enjoyed their meatloaf and pork tenderloin as well. But the highlight of the night was the Campfire Pie, which was one of the most divine things I ever tasted. Prices were reasonable, especially if you bring your own wine ($12 corkage fee per bottle). We will definitely visit Cindy's again (and again and again). Pros: Food, service, atmosphere more

We loved the place. Their cold grape soup was very unusual but very good. Beautiful out door seating, great service, great dishes. The dessert was so big, taste was good but so big... we couldn't finish even girls have different stomach for sweets. I really want to go back for dinner. Pros: Beautiful out door seating, great service, great foods Cons: Bees... more

I took my girlfriend to Cindy's last evening and was pleasantly supprised. Our calamari served with basil aioli was a fun treat, but what really set the night off was the Poblo Pollo Pepper it felt like a dish that my grandmother would prepare and the porsion was quite generous. I'll definetly be back. more

After visiting a couple wineries in Calistoga we headed south and decided to have lunch in St. Helena. What a pleasant surpise Cindy's was. Everything was delicious. We especially enjoyed the backstreet fry appetizer - fried bits of calamari, okra, peppers and onions served with a great aioli. We drank ""no-heat-os"". Non alcoholic mojitos and found them to be quite nice too. The restaurant has an upscale feeling without any pretense - good value, nice people, varied menu. Lots to love. I'm sure we'll visit Cindy's again the next time we're in the valley. Pros: varied menu, nice atmosphere more

Meatloaf?! Yes, you'll find meatloaf on the menu at Cindy's. I didn't order it but wished I had. From what I learn, it's one of the signature dishs of Cindy. I had the nightly special - grilled lamb chops fusioned with hoi-sen sauce. It tasted like bbq lamb chops but it wasn't. It's a distinctive taste that worths remembering. Cindy knows her stuff, obviously, but I should have that meatloaf. Next time, next time... Pros: Creative dish, Prices reasonable more

Cindy's was recommended by a few locals who raved about the food. We thought the food was okay and could have used a bit more seasonings. Each dish we ordered was just a bit off. more

After spending a weekend in Sonoma and Napa, we fortunately ate at Cindy's. The food was fantastic! We had the calamari and then the Duck and Pork Tenderloin for main courses; both were delicious and highly recommended. Although it was busy when we arrived, the hostess was polite and the service was great and honest. We found the food and service to be better than Bouchon. We will definitely be back here everytime we are in Wine Country!!! Pros: Great food, Great Service, Great Value Cons: , Wait for table more

I have dined at many places and this is my favorite in the valley. It leaves a lasting impression that makes you want to come back for more. I have been here several times and it is so great. The service needs help at times, but it is new. We were all new once. The food is remarkable. Try the meatloaf or the burger or better yet the fish of the day. But overall I don't think you can go wrong. Cindy does a great job with everything. Trust me on this one, it is a keeper. Let me know what you think. Pros: moderate price, great atmosphere Cons: bad parking more

Very poor service for a restaurant in this class. Host told us our party was upstairs in their private room and pointed us to the stairs and told us to walk up and make a few turns - they don't even do that at Fridays ! Waitress was a soft talker, and took her 30 minutes to retrieve a bottle of wine she claimed was locked up and noone could find the guy with key. Appetizers were decent, main dishes were good although 2 of them in our party of 7 were burnt. Cool looking restaurant and the famous chef/owner tell you that if they get focused this place could come around. Pros: atmosphere Cons: service more

Disappointing...overpriced. Our papaya salad featured refrigerated, overripe fruit ready for the compost pile...other food average at best. The busser was efficient, otherwise staff seems like a bunch of rookies accross the board. Pros: serves all day on Sun Cons: inconsistent food, awkward waitstaff more