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Forbes Mill Steakhouse - Steakhouse in San Jose, California

Forbes Mill Steakhouse

4.6 (701 reviews)

206 N Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos, CA 95030

Steak house

About Forbes Mill Steakhouse - steak house in San Jose, California

Upmarket chophouse purveys Kobe beef & other prime cuts in a stylish, fireplace-equipped setting.

Customer Review Summary

Forbes Mill Steakhouse has received mixed reviews from diners. Many praise the attentive and friendly bartenders and waitstaff, with special mentions of individuals like Zach and Mack. The appetizers, desserts, and wine selection are frequently highlighted as excellent, while the food overall, including steaks and seafood, is described as well-prepared and delicious. However, some guests report issues with orchestrated noise levels in the dining room and inconsistencies in steak preparation. Service has been called out as variable, with some experiences marked by inattentiveness or lack of enthusiasm from waitstaff. Despite high prices, some diners feel the quality does not always match the cost. Overall, Forbes Mill is appreciated for its ambiance and hospitality, but it also faces criticism for certain food and service aspects.

Key Features

Service options

  • Outdoor seating
  • Takeout
  • Dine-in

Highlights

  • Fireplace
  • Great cocktails
  • Great dessert
  • Great wine list

Popular for

  • Dinner

Accessibility

  • Wheelchair accessible entrance
  • Wheelchair accessible parking lot
  • Wheelchair accessible restroom
  • Wheelchair accessible seating

Offerings

  • Alcohol
  • Beer
  • Cocktails
  • Coffee
  • Comfort food
  • Hard liquor
  • Organic dishes
  • Vegetarian options
  • Wine

Dining options

  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Dessert
  • Seating

Amenities

  • Restroom

Atmosphere

  • Cozy
  • Romantic
  • Trendy
  • Upscale

Crowd

  • Groups

Planning

  • Reservations required
  • Dinner reservations recommended
  • Accepts reservations
  • Usually a wait

Payments

  • Debit cards
  • NFC mobile payments

Children

  • Kids' menu

Parking

  • Free parking lot
  • Free street parking

Pets

  • Dogs allowed outside

Customer Reviews

Rating Distribution

4.6 out of 5
5
490
4
151
3
31
2
15
1
14
Based on 701 reviews

Bruce S.

2 months ago

This was the first time that we've eaten here in a few years. We didn't have reservations, so we sat at the bar. The bartenders were excellent and extremely nice. Zach, who we knew in the past, remembered us and Mark V., there was one more, but unfortunately, I don't remember his name. We started with the Portobello Mushroom & Garlic Tart that was delicious, followed by French Onion Soup that was very good. For our entree's, we had the Australian Lobster Tail so delicious and Steak & Australian Lobster Tail. The steak was very good. I don't recall the name of the dessert.

Julie Wright

2 weeks ago

The food was wonderful and excellently prepared. We were there for a birthday celebration and they even had special versions of the menu for our event. For the quality of the food, the prices were very reasonable. The dining room is quite noisy, however.

Stephanie Leung

5 months ago

Food was ok. The oysters are bit disappointing. The waiter who served us didn't smile at all not sure if he had a bad day😕. Not aware there is a bar inside and was super noisy.

acut3triangle

1 year ago

We venture to this restaurant at least once a year, and it’s exquisite every time. Ben served as our waiter and Mack was our sommelier for the evening. Both were attentive and delightful. Short story; Mack was our waiter the first time we went to Forbes. He left such an impression on us that we started requesting him. Three years later, he is no longer our waiter, but the sommelier. A good sommelier recommends wine, but a great one truly elevates the entire experience. Mack, is a great one. I can’t explain it, but Mack and the entire staff at Forbes go above and beyond to ensure your meal is memorable and enjoyable. It’s echoed in several other reviews, but I feel it’s needs to be reiterated how great the staff is. The food, it’s phenomenal. I’ve never had a bad meal. (Please, don’t skip dessert.) The people, the hospitality and the ambiance keep drawing us back in. I wish I had more friends to bring, I really enjoy every dinner we have here. I can’t wait for our next dinner, cheers!

Nic Geefay

Appetizers and desert were fantastic. Service and the hostesses, as well. Our biggest issue were the main courses. Both were overdone. For $100 steaks I expect better. We didn’t complain or send it back so I’m not sure how they would’ve handled it. I’m sure they would’ve taken care of it since everybody was nice. Just a little annoying that we had to even think that way.

Maribell Gonzalez

2 years ago

This place needs to be good for what they charge for the food. Meets are good and you can find better places in the Bay Area. Sides are the best part in this place. Potatoes and spinach are the best Thing better. Service is good could be better. They have tables outside and they are pet friendly. They a really good wine selection.

Lucy Bennett

2 years ago

We managed to get a late booking here, and boy was it worth it. Incredible steaks, with delicious sauces and sides. There's a great wine list with plenty by the glass. It is on the expensive side, but the ambience and service are really great. Our server Jeffrey was so fun to talk to, he really made the evening special!

Thomas Lenherr

Food was pretty good, but we ordered 3 steaks medium rare, one was spot on, one was rare, one was medium to medium-well. Service was really poor, kept having to flag the waiters down to get to place orders (after they said they'd be right back 30mins before), and then throughout seemed like waiter didn't care and just wanted us to leave. E.g. taking empty glasses away without asking if the person wanted another, bringing the check without asking if anybody wanted anything else like coffee, etc. Atmosphere was meh, it was a big room and incredibly loud, you could barely understand the person sitting next to you without shouting. Not worth the cost by any measure.

Location

Contact Information

Hours of Operation

Friday 5–9:30 PM
Monday Closed
Saturday 5–9:30 PM
Sunday 5–9 PM
Thursday 5–9 PM
Tuesday 5–9 PM
Wednesday 5–9 PM

Price Range

$100+