One of the North Bay’s best restaurants is off the beaten path in Sonoma County. But this hideaway isn’t at the end of some rural country road, it’s just two minutes off the 101 corridor amid the bustling nightlife of Rohnert Park. 630 Park Steakhouse is the culinary diamond at Graton Resort, the fine-dining highlight among a handful of options within the hotel and casino.
Top-end restaurants are no strangers to luxury casinos. But located at the gateway to Wine Country and its many Michelin-starred kitchens, 630 Park warrants more attention from local haute cuisine aficionados than it probably gets.
Located a 30-second walk through the casino floor, the inside of the steakhouse feels miles away from the ching of slots or the whir of the roulette wheel. Soft overhead lights and white-linen tables create a cozy ambience, cooled by a wall of wine bottles backlit with bluish hues. Our table was surrounded by plush bench seating, beneath a flickering electric fireplace that stretches the length of the wall. It was a Saturday evening and the place was buzzing with parties, large and small.
While the menu certainly leans steak, there’s a healthy mix of options—lobster, scampi, tuna, scallops and salmon on the seafood side, while truffle risotto and an ever-trendy buttermilk fried chicken round out the non-red-meat entrees. The starters menu features several classic steakhouse pairings—shrimp cocktail, crab leg, coconut shrimp. We went with the crab cake ($25), composed of blue crab and a delicious Cajun remoulade; on the lighter side, a sweet golden beet salad ($18) was livened by a rich goat cheese mousse and ground pistachio. Starters are generously portioned, perfect for sharing.
The restaurant’s wine menu is extensive with a mix of labels both international (France and Italy heavy) and from these shores, where local AVAs abound. (Note to steak lovers: The cabs appropriately tilt Napa Valley.) James Hernandez came aboard as house sommelier in October with a professed focus on Sonoma County’s vineyards. Formerly of the Laurel Heights favorite Spruce in San Francisco, you’ll see Hernandez making the rounds and warmly chatting with (and pouring for) guests.
For entrees, we went with steaks (natch), where the “steak & chops” menu ranges from A5 Japanese Wagyu and prime rib to bison long bone and pork and lamb chops. Guided by our friendly and attentive server, we shared the New York strip steak ($95) and the Angus filet mignon ($58)—the former topped with a three-peppercorn crust, the latter served under blue cheese and onions. (Optional steak toppings are from $5 to $30.) The strip was 10 ounces of American Wagyu, which wholly lived up to that breed’s tender, textured reputation—the peppery crust spicing up each bite without detracting from the buttery flavor of the beef. The filet mignon, meanwhile, is a cut matched perfectly with blue cheese; we also ordered a cup of red wine dem-glace for dipping ($5). A side of truffle fries ($14) proved a worthy, salty companion. Hernandez paired our entrees with a velvety 2022 Napa cab from winemaker Jesse Katz of Aperture in Healdsburg. A shared dish of warm butter cake ($16), with a chilly scoop of vanilla bean, topped off the meal.
Though 630 Park Steakhouse is located within Graton Resort & Casino, it’s not just for patrons of the hotel and gaming tables—it’s an excellent restaurant, centrally located right off the 101. North Bay foodies looking for a memorable dining experience should consider 630 Park a sure thing (probably the only sure thing at Graton!)
630 Park Steakhouse
288
Golf Course Drive, W.
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
707-588-7115
Gratonresortcasino.com
Sunday to Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5 to 11 p.m.
Did You Know?
630 Park Steakhouse’s cocktail menu offers both traditional and house takes on various classic concoctions. The Desert Rose is a margarita with both tequila and mezcal (look out!); Old Soul, New Spirit is an old fashioned made of tequila. The Paper Crane, meanwhile, is a Japanese version of the modern favorite Paper Plane.
