Nibblers Eatery and Wine Bar

Um, sad face. I really want to like this place– I mean I’m a sucker for cheese and wine, but I wasn’t impressed.
Came in here of a Friday night around 8:30 which is really not prime time in these parts. The server was frantic and wouldn’t let the host seat us even though there were open seats and no reservations (I know this because they were discussing it right in front of me). Ok, we’ll wait at the bar, NBD. And wait we did! After feeling rather ignored, I was stoked to find out they had a sherry flight, which was excellent and my favorite part of the meal.
The cheese we ordered was really dry– and I know some cheese is dry or hard, but this one seemed to just be sitting out too long. The salad we shared was nothing amazing.
I love that they use local ingredients, and hope to give them a third chance.

Place is near home, though I never knew it existed until I went.
Ordered some drinks, not all of them came.
Ordered some food, 80% of it was very good.
Ordered flights, all the grape was delish
Servers are sometimes forgetful
Servers are sometimes talkative (in a good way).
Server comp’d us 4 homemade lemoncello’s.
I dig free stuff.
Ya feel me?

I didn’t personally go to Nibblers but after the horrible experience my two friends had there, any interest I had in doing so has completely diminished. They came home tonight complaining about how they’re date night was ruined by the rude service staff at the above mentioned restaurant .
Even though they had made reservations, they waited 40 minutes to be seated (a party of 2) whiled a party of 12 was ushered in right past them. Upon being seated they waited an additional 45 minutes to receive their food, and were regarded curtly.
I was so shocked by the story they shared with me I had to tell others.
Though on the upside they told me they were given free champagne and wine, though I don’t think that makes up for the experience

Wow! We had another outstanding meal there! Brought 2 friends who had never been and they were very impressed! The food that Chef Daniel comes up with is so amazing. Things I’ve never tasted, the way he prepares it. I am a true foodie and I love experiencing the delicious nibbles he creates. Wonderful, huge wine list as well and cozy, warm atmosphere. He is very talented.
In my opinion, this is, by far, the best of the small plates restaurants around! The menu changes every 2 weeks and there are always new things to try. I’ve NEVER had anything I haven’t liked. I also like that that he always uses sustainable food!

Nibblers sponsored a food and wine event I organized for a non-​profit organization a few springs ago and I couldn’t forget their food. Their little bites were so darn tasty! We dropped by their place to experience more of their stuff in-​house and weren’t disappointed by the taste, but a little by the slow service, small-​SMALL portions, and high prices. The ingredients they use are high-​end, so I think prices match. Nevertheless, if I didn’t have 2 little ones under 3 in tow, I’d probably frequent this place more often.

got here for a dinner and the moment I set my foot in, felt a nice vibe.
interior seemed like I’m somewhere in Europe. Very pleasant
Everyone was nice: waiters were quick and to the point — not hanging over you but not disappearing :)
Food started good but than went totally south :(
Olives, scallops, lamb were testy (even though black truffles added to lamb seem not to add any WOW flavor). Red fish — was okay, but i found flavors not very working together. Duck — did not like it, fatty and row. International cold meats platter — brrrrrr, got to change the vendor, sorry. But they were VERY nice to give duck on the house and bring some turnovers with cream cheese (free) to smooth out :)
Overall: Service is very nice and and food is acceptable after a bottle of wine :) Hope you’ll have a better experience here

This is another place close to my new home that I was excited to try out. I came here on a Saturday night with a group of three, and was pleased to see such a lively group of patrons both inside and on the patio outside. After we were seated, we immediately took a look at the wine flights. Having just eaten at Va De Vi in Walnut Creek, and reading about the great drinks here, I was a bit disappointed in the selection, but decided to try the Pino flight. I haven’t had a «bad wine» at a restaurant in a long time, but i did here. The wine tasted like it had been left in the sun for a few days. When I complained, they quickly replaced it with another one. The flight was okay — nothing to write home about. Probably the first wine flight I’ve had where I didn’t take note of at least one of the bottles to buy later.
For food, Nibblers offers a great selection of tapas from all over the world, so we decided to try out a bunch.
We ordered the Spanish tapas platter, that included various olives, cheeses, meats, grilled bell peppers and eggplant; Chicken sliders; Beef and beans; and a cheese plate. The food was pretty mediocre, I’m sorry to say. What I didn’t mention above, was the tapas platter came with oil cured tuna on a piece of toast. There was so much oil that it got over everything, causing everything on the plate to taste like fish. I’m giving the place 3 stars, instead of 2, because I loved the atmosphere, and the service was fantastic.

I really enjoy going here. The food is great and tapas style. But I love their knowledgeable staff. They really know how to pair wine with cheese or food. I always have to get their bread and cheeses (anything blue is my fav) and their cheese is always accompanied by something like a chutney or a special cookie. I also always have to get the lobster purses.
What is also great about this place is that it is off the beaten path, so it is not ridiculous to find a table like Va Di Vi, its just quiet and delicious.
They also seem to be very conscious of their community, they promote the farmers market and have jazz nights and special tastings.
I just love them!

Does it still count as exercise if you:
***have tennis shoes and sweats on
***you walk on a trail to…
***drink a generous glass white while eating appetizers?
Well stop judging me, in my book it still counts. So as part of my exercise regimen, a couple of my walking buddies, went on a «walk» and ended up at Nibblers. We didn’t intend to, but somehow discussions of food and wine got the better of us, and none of us had ever been to this restaurant/​wine bar conveniently located near a trail in Pleasant Hill.
The experience was pretty okay for me as there were things I loved and things I didn’t love.
Loves:
1) Woman that brought us water asked if should bring a dish for the puppy… how nice is that?
2) Reasonably priced bottle of chilled Riesling (I think it was $ 24) – very delicious
3) They have options: At most of the wine bars I go to, you have an option of «small plates» OR entrees that are really just tiny portions served on small plates. Here they have lots of «bites» and tapas style apps, but they also had pizzas and a 4 course price fixe menu.
Things I didn’t love:
1) Service was friendly but slow… that wasn’t our server’s fault as she had 4 tables outside, a bunch inside and a bunch of folks at the bar.
2) We were told that they were out of the pizza, which broke our hearts a little because it was the only thing we were all excited about. And then I saw it… my pizza, on the table next to us.
3 things I loved against 2 things I didn’t, makes this place A-​OK in my book. Will come back and see if after eating the peach and goat cheese pizza, the scales tip up to make me a fan.

Like finding a needle in a haystack, this place is a hidden gem.
Found out from my gf co-​worker and decided to try. I think menu region was eastern european when we went, cant remember, but the experience was unforgettable.
Great wine flights. Small sharable portions so you can experience more dishes. Cant wait to check them out again.
Plus, read they have a pretty sweet happy hour menu.
A good destination if you are thinking about exploring a new cuisine and want to ‘test the waters’ first.

Stopping by yesterday on Mom’s Day, our family of four was turned away. The waitress cited that we didn’t have reservations and Nibbler’s would be too full on Mother’s Day, unless we had a reservation. Ok, no harm, no foul… we figured that even though the restaurant was completely empty aside for one table in the «patio» and one four-​top inside, perhaps reservations were for shortly thereafter. We didn’t exactly appreciate that the hostess made us feel foolish for dropping in without reservations on Mother’s Day with her «you have to realize that this is one of the busiest days of the year,» but we figured that all restaurants were bound to be busy if Mom wanted a day off from cooking. No big deal.
We went next door to Kobe Japan and had a perfectly leisurely and lovely Mom’s Day meal. When we left, I couldn’t help but notice.. . NIBBLER’S WAS NOWHERE NEAR FULL. No one was dining in the «patio,» and only about half the tables inside were occupied (we peeked).
While we refused to let this ruin our evening, I’m astounded. How can a restaurant blithely (and somewhat rudely) turn away business and hope to stay in business?
Nibblers, your loss. Both on this $ 100-​ish we spent on Mom’s Day AND money from future trips, that’s what you’ll be losing.
But I think you just don’t care.

Eating at Nibblers is like eating at home if you have a talented gourmet yet down home chef at your home. The atmosphere is cozy and comfy, not snobbish.
Chef, Daniel Clayton, has the skills of any very well educated chef but he also has huge amounts of creativity and curiousity about cuisines and wines around the world. The menu of small plates gives you safe as well as adventurous options. The menu changes with seasonal produce and featured countries.
The wines are perfectly matched to the fabulous food. I highly recommend springing for a flight or the chef’s suggestions, you’ll try things you never thought of and enjoy how the flavors play off each other.
Chef Patissier, Trace Leighton, believes the taste of sugar shouldn’t overwhelm the other flavors in a dessert so I happily break my usual no dessert rule at Nibblers! Trace was our server one night when a staff member was out sick and it was a joy getting the opportunity to converse with her.
We don’t get to eat out as often as we’d like but Nibblers is always high on our list when we turn in the change from the tub where my husband throws his coin leftovers every night.

First off, let me say, that any establishment that can handle a Holiday crowd, is aces in my book. Nibblers was packed to capacity on Xmas Night and made our meal very enjoyable.
We had a fixed menu with different choices for each course. Their wine selection is extensive, so I asked my server to pick for me and she did a great job.
On the down side, I hadn’t eaten all day and was pretty hungry, I knew this would be tapa style (Spanish for you will go home hungry). Well the food was good, the chef even came out a few times and delivered our meals himself, which was a nice touch, should have slipped him a few $$$$ to get some more duck on my plate.
All in all a pleasant experience, would I tell my friends, yes, would I return, probably, but just for an after-​dinner drink or one of their theme evenings.

General comments — it seems that the reviews for Nibblers are all over the place… I think some of the previous Unilocalers don’t understand the concept and what the Chef /​Owner is trying to accomplish… This restaurant is all about creativity and trying new things… If you’re not into that then you’re better off going to some chain in Walnut Creek…
Food — Menu changes monthly based on cuisine and geography… If you’re a foodie, my suggestion is to talk with the Chef and have him guide you into the best dishes…
Service — knowledgeable waitstaff… Very attentive and helpful… Staff can be a little overwhelmed if the restaurant is full…
Décor — good not great but that’s not why you’re eating here…
Misc — Wine list has good depth and is reasonably priced… Cheese course is not to be missed…

Gayle and I had a nice dinner here last Friday. Actually, Gayle beat me to the Unilocal «punch» and her well-​written post (see link below) leaves me speechless!
Well almost… I am bumping up my rating to 4 stars, as our combined 3.5 average is a fairer representation of our dining experience.
In general, I like small plates places and enjoy the synergy of interesting lite bite choices and wine and sometimes beer. And the bill seems to add up faster! Yet, there always seems to be a point during the meal that I wish that they would have as least 1 go-​to larger dish (like a good burger), that would allow me to skip the «appetizers» and move onto a «main course». And since I understand that the owner has Kansas City routes (and the delicious pork sliders prove it), how about a larger signature BBQ dish that goes well with your excellent beer selection?

I live in Pleasant Hill and work in Walnut Creek, and sometimes get a little weary of the assumption that PH is the lowly stepchild, particularly when it comes to restaurants. So I was very optimistic after reading a number of Unilocal reviews on Nibblers that I’d found a hometown eatery that could hold its own against the Creek.
The plus side, and it’s significant, is the wide array of food and wine choices and the intelligent, just-​friendly-​enough server who helped us make our way through the cleverly written menu. A highlight was the separate listing of artisan cheeses … we went for a crumbly Minnesota Big Woods Blue, a creamy, deliciously stinky Fleur de Lys, and an amazing goat cheese whose name escapes me (It was recommended by the previously mentioned server, and she was dead on).
The small plates choices were plentiful … after living in Spain for more than a year, I’m good with tapas although don’t quite understand why small plates still come with fairly BIG prices here in the States, while tapas in Spain are inexpensive bites to go with beverages.
The pulled pork sliders were scrumptious; the battered shrimp cakes were pretty good (the outside delicately crunchy, but the inside a bit too full of what tasted like a flour-​based filling not unlike Spanish croquettes).
As for the beverage choices, lots and lots of good wines from small vineyards, and I loved the wine flight choices. Eric tried Nibblers’ homemade White Sangria and pronounced it perfect for warm summer days.
So why the 3 star rating if the food, wine and service were so good? Like the realtors say … location, location, location.
Nibblers is part of a strip mall on Oak Park Road. The owners have created an outside eating area that abuts the parking lot. It’s a valiant attempt, and might work with a little extra decorative effort such as bistro-​style, non-​plastic seats (and a clean-​up of old trash and cigarette butts before opening time … someone had obviously used the planter by my table as an ashtray the night before, and it was off-​putting to look at an array of soggy butts as I was noshing on yummy artisan cheese). We would have eaten inside but the room was too chilly. Next time, I will bring a sweater and try the indoor experience.
Definitely, there will be a next time. The food and service was too good to write Nibblers off, despite the lackluster outdoor ambiance. Here’s hoping the second visit proves to be at least 4-​star worthy … or I’ll be resigned to sticking with Va di Vi in Walnut Creek whenever I crave small plates and wine flights.

This place is within walking distance from my house so I really wish I loved it.
I’ve been three times now. The first two times were okay, I guess good enough to try again. The third time was not good at all. The chef spent the entire time we were there talking to people in the dining room. Although he seemed very nice, I would have much rather he spent some time in the kitchen doing quality control. Our food was not prepared well. One of our dishes was actually burned on the outside (steak). The other food was just unimpressive.
We left with empty wallets and still very hungry.
They do, however, have a nice wine selection. I may return just for that.

We spent Halloween evening here and again they impressed me. The chef even comes out to talk about his dishes. We ordered: Pimientos de Padron which is the classic «Russian Roulette» peppers, blistered in olive oil with coarse sea salt, Saag paneer of heirloom spinach with caramelized onions, garlic, masala spices, Brandy infused blue cheese fondue heirloom apples, Rose Lane dragon’s tongue beans, focaccia and everything was fabulous.
Great wine selection and flights.

Uh… what she said:
Don’t you hate it when you go somewhere with a Unilocaler friend and they write the perfect review before you even get your second cup of coffee in the morning? Nothing useful left to say. Dammit, JC.

A mini getaway. The setting was nice despite the strip mall look on the outside. Quiet and cozy.
We had four tapas (caprese (good), calamari (good), figs wrapped in prosciutto (good), squash veggie mix (ok)) between the two of us plus dessert, the cheesecakey one and a chocolate gelato. I definitely recommend the gelato!
A great assortment of wine flights so my wino friend was very pleased. I had the white wine sangria and that was very tasty, not too sweet.
Our only complaint was that they brought out the dishes one-​by-​one, so it took awhile until we told them to pick up the pace. Also the veggie mix plate we ordered required us to spit out the tough artichoke parts so that wasn’t good (or romantic).