Hurley’s Restaurant (Closed): A Californian-Mediterranean Eatery in Yountville

Update 2018: This restaurant has closed.

While Yountville is full of great options for food, Hurley’s is my go-to spot for California cuisine. Located right across the street from the popular V Marketplace, Hurley’s has been making great food since 2002. The menu itself is incredibly unique, with highlights being any of the wild game dishes that they prepare, such as Texas boar. They also have a killer amount of fish options with my personal favorite being the horseradish crusted salmon; but don’t just take my word for it, here is all the info so you can try it yourself.

Details

• $20-$30 (Napa prices)
• Location: 6518 Washington St, Yountville, CA 94599

Getting There

Hurley’s is located on the main street of Yountville, called Washington St, right across from V Marketplace. There is street parking around and a decent size lot near the marketplace itself.

The Restaurant

The exterior of the restaurant is beautiful, with massive stone pillars covered in crawling vines. The interior is a white table cloth dining room with lots of tables, a fireplace, and large windows to let in the natural light. I had a table right next to the window so we could watch the sun go down and the world goes by outside.

The Food

The menu has so many unique options that it can be hard to choose if you are into trying new things like I am. I usually go with the boar though, as it is hard to beat. Here is all the info on what we ordered.

To start, they have house-made focaccia that comes out with oil and vinegar. The waiter told me that they make five loaves a day as they go through it pretty fast. It is an excellent way to start the meal.

For an appetizer, we ordered the calamari, which has a nice light breading, and it comes with shrimp, veggies, and calamari. The sauce that comes with it is lemon herb aioli, and it pairs well with fried food.

The other appetizer we ordered was the mac and cheese with honey-cured bacon. The mac and cheese is rich and decadent with bread crumbs sprinkled on the top for a nice crunch. The bacon has a slight honey flavor, and the salty taste goes perfectly with the delicious cheese. We had to get it on the side as my wife is a vegetarian, but it usually would be mixed in.

The scallop dish comes with gnocchi and fantastic seared scallops that are tender with a crispy edge. The dish is mixed with a brown butter sauce that is decadent (brown butter is always a good choice). This was a fantastic dish and one that I highly recommend if you are a scallop fan.

The chef’s signature dish is the wild boar, so that is what I ordered. It comes with a great red wine sauce that smothers the boar and vegetables. It makes the vegetables have an almost caramelized taste, and I found myself just as excited about the carrots as I was the boar. The polenta it is sitting on has a grits like texture, and I enjoyed the way it was presented with the boar. The crispy onions they have on top, and the truffle oil seal the deal. This is a great dish in Yountville, one that holds its own with many of the other popular restaurant’s best.

For dessert, we decided to have the pear crustado, which is a baked pear “pie” with fig ice cream and huckleberry sauce drizzled over the top. It was decadent and fantastic, a great dessert to order.

In a city with excellent food, Hurley’s easily carves itself a place among the others. I enjoyed my time here, as the staff, food, and atmosphere were top notch. My wife and I plan to return next time we are in the area, and I would love to hear what you think in the comments.