Bungalow Kitchen presents itself as an elegant clubhouse.
Sofas, throw pillows, a pool table—if these elements bring to mind a comfy neighborhood clubhouse more than exquisite fine dining, don’t hold it against Bungalow Kitchen. That’s partly the plan.
Bungalow Kitchen opened on the Tiburon waterfront in 2021 as the latest in chef Michael Mina’s Mina Group portfolio of now more than 40 restaurants in the U.S.—and the first in Mina’s home county of Marin. The restaurant, located in the Main Street space formerly occupied by Guaymas—markets itself as a “social dining experience and lively community clubhouse”—and the design by Martin Brudnizki of AD100 manages to capture that essence in creative and eye-catching ways. Fireplaces, armchairs, bookshelves with titles ranging from Melville to Margaret Atwood set the mood, while wood floors, wicker baskets, potted plants and natural fibers make for relaxed, comfortable spaces, many replete with sprawling views of the San Francisco Bay. If smoking jackets and capris were still in fashion, you’d see them here. (Mina’s partner in the venture is Brent Bolthouse, who’s opened other clubby-style Bungalow restaurants in Southern California, but with more of a beachy flair.)
While Bungalow Kitchen’s ambience can be described as laid back, its service and kitchen are anything but. Caviar “bites” have their own section on the dinner menu, while the house burger ($25) is made with ground Wagyu, the Japanese-originated beef widely considered the tastiest available. Mina’s restaurants don’t take their eyes off cuisine—and Bungalow even features some of its namesake’s signature dishes.
Speaking of which, we started with a plate of Michael Mina’s Ahi tuna tartare ($31) and a bite of his signature “mini” caviar parfait ($56)—both deliciously showcasing his reputation for deftly balancing spice with sweetness. The tartare features mint, pine nuts and Asian pear and was prepared right at our table with our server dicing the raw Ahi up with garlic and a peppery sesame oil, shaping it all into a neat, center-plate triangle alongside the several accompanying pita wedges.
The parfait, meanwhile, offered a dizzying array of flavors and textures. The multi-layered concoction featured tiers of crispy potato pancake, smoked salmon, quail egg and crème fraiche topped with the sea-saltiness of the sturgeon eggs—a genuine conversation stopper of a starter.
The wine list is a worldly mix, with labels ranging from nearby—Napa Valley, Russian River and the Sonoma Coast are represented—to Rhone Valley, Tuscany, Spain and other historic wine regions of western Europe. One Riesling available on our visit was from Maximin Grunhaus, a German estate dating back to the time of Charlemagne.
Still, the overall vibe at Bungalow is less Charlemagne and more Charles Mingus—with rooms within the two-level building dedicated to private dining events that require its own sound system (the Listening Room), a lounge for cocktails and billiards (the Salon), a light bayside nook for brunches (the Sun Room) and more. The weekends offer late-night events with DJs, dancing and drinks.
On that, the drinks menu is a deep dive into pretty much everything stocked at the bar—dozens of vodkas, gins, rums, tequilas, not to mention a tally of American and international whiskys too long to count (the Japanese mash alone number nearly 20)—in addition to a selection of “signature libations.” From those, we sampled the D’yer Mak’er, a crisp jolt of Jamaican rum mixed with Thai iced tea, cinnamon, allspice and lemon. The drink is pronounced like the word “Jamaica” spoken in a cockney accent, a subtle reference to a reggae-ish Led Zeppelin song from the early 1970s—one of many points or reference to Seventies AOR strewn throughout the Bungalow clubhouse, where various walls are lined with framed photos of the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Patti Smith and other icons of the era. It’s all very Marin.
The service for our table was largely flawless—with spot-on recommendations from our helpful server, short wait times between courses and a good rhythm of check-ins (neither too frequent nor too sporadic). At one point, a server mistakenly refreshed our table glasses with flat water, instead of the sparkling we’d been drinking—and a glass of sparkling replaced it literally within seconds.
Our entrees arrived with similar expedience. The King salmon ($42) was served atop toasted farro in a red-wine reduction—a generous portion, crisply seared on the top and seasoned liberally. The New York strip ($82), meanwhile, featured oak-grilled American Wagyu in a smoky pastor sauce that managed to liven up the already intense flavor of the beef. The dinner culminated with a slice of 10 layer white cake, sweetened by orange peel zest and a tangy lemon compote—an exquisite end to the meal.
By the time we departed around 9 p.m., the Bungalow clubhouse was just getting started—a group of women were celebrating a birthday in the Salon Room, chaise lounges near the bar were buzzing with tipsy chatter and a server at a table behind us was wheeling in a piping hot Lobster pot pie (another Mina signature dish) to a foursome of wide-eyed patrons. Groucho Marx once quipped: “I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member.”
It’s a funny quote. But I’ve a feeling he’d be hard pressed to turn down this place.
Bungalow Kitchen by Michael Mina
5 Main St., Tiburon
415-366-4088
Bungalowkitchen.com/tiburon
Parking: Valet and street
Open Wednesday and Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m.; Friday, 5 to midnight; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. to midnight; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 to 10 p.m. (Closed Monday and Tuesday)
