340 Ignacio Blvd, Novato CA 94949
(415) 883-0901
Parking: parking lot
Hours: Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm, Happy Hour Mon-Fri 4:30-6:30pm, Dinner Mon-Sat 5pm-10pm, Sun 5pm-9pm
Parking: parking lot
Hours: Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm, Happy Hour Mon-Fri 4:30-6:30pm, Dinner Mon-Sat 5pm-10pm, Sun 5pm-9pm
Last Visited: September 9, 2010
Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: Bar 2 to 3 stars, Restaurant 3 to 4 stars
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Price: Happy Hour $, Regularly $$$ to $$$$
Josh told me about the happy hour value of burgers and fries for $5 at Boca and that was enough to get me to take a look at their menu and website. While I've now been to Boca for lunch twice, the prices are a bit high for dinner, but the best value is going during happy hour and making a meal out of the numerous choices from their bar menu. I've also done this twice. If you love eating tapas, this is the perfect opportunity for you to have a similar experience.
Enter Boca, and while the dimly lit dining room and outdoor patio are available for regular dining, you can also enjoy some good food in their bar area, immediately left of the entrance. This smaller room includes several high tables and stools, regular tables mostly for two, and a sofa as well if you prefer a cozier feeling. While it markets itself as a steak house with Argentinian roots, they also have a lot of seafood available, much of which is offered grilled.
Prices for items offered during happy hour are listed following the regular bar menu price.- Empanadas - These come two pieces to an order in a basket with a side dipping sauce/salsa. Today, we tried lamb, pine nuts, onions, roasted red pepper empanadas. They are piping hot, with a very savory filling, and are very flavorful. Other choices of fillings include zucchini, tomato and manchego cheese; chorizo, potato, and sour cream, and there are a couple of other choices that may change by season. If you enjoy little pastries, while the dough is a little thicker than some, it's a good snack. $7.50/$3.75
- Classic Caesar Salad - If you love caesar salads like I do, this is a great one. Whole romaine hearts that are chilled, dressed, topped with lots of fresh parmesan, and two anchovies are served with a couple of croutons. It's a terrific salad and at the happy hour price, how can you not enjoy it? Delicious. $8/$4
- Roasted Clams & Mussels - Served in a smoked tomato and fennel stock, this is one of the biggest dishes I've ever seen for an appetizer plate - practically a meal within itself. It also comes with a few large croutons made of sliced bread served standing amidst the sea of clams and mussels. The only caveat is that you must like fennel. I wish this dish was available with a white wine stock or any other stock without the fennel because the bitterness was so overpowering that I almost stopped eating the clams and mussels - borderline unbearable for me. The portions are outrageously generous, especially at the happy hour price - when can you get this much seafood for under six bucks? However, get this only if you're a fan of fennel - consider yourself warned. $10.95/$5.50
- Boca Burger and Fries - As Josh said, this is one of the best deals in town. At $5 during happy hour, this ground sirloin burger topped with melted cheese, a grilled tomato slice, fresh pickles and lettuce served on a toasted bun is a steal. Don't forget those awesome duck-fat fries (normally going for $5 as a side when it's not happy hour) which are sure to please. Those fries are one of the best things about Boca - when they're hot, they're super crispy and wonderful. Good enough for a meal on its own. $10/$5
- Roasted Clams & Mussels - Served in a smoked tomato and fennel stock, this is one of the biggest dishes I've ever seen for an appetizer plate - practically a meal within itself. It also comes with a few large croutons made of sliced bread served standing amidst the sea of clams and mussels. The only caveat is that you must like fennel. I wish this dish was available with a white wine stock or any other stock without the fennel because the bitterness was so overpowering that I almost stopped eating the clams and mussels - borderline unbearable for me. The portions are outrageously generous, especially at the happy hour price - when can you get this much seafood for under six bucks? However, get this only if you're a fan of fennel - consider yourself warned. $10.95/$5.50
- Boca Burger and Fries - As Josh said, this is one of the best deals in town. At $5 during happy hour, this ground sirloin burger topped with melted cheese, a grilled tomato slice, fresh pickles and lettuce served on a toasted bun is a steal. Don't forget those awesome duck-fat fries (normally going for $5 as a side when it's not happy hour) which are sure to please. Those fries are one of the best things about Boca - when they're hot, they're super crispy and wonderful. Good enough for a meal on its own. $10/$5
- Crispy Calamari - I love calamari. This one is served on a platter with a lemon cilantro aioli. Lightly battered, nicely seasoned, it's a winner for me. Again, what a great value. $8/$4- Gambas al Ajillo - This is one of the most common Spanish tapas dishes. Five wood-oven roasted prawns are cooked in a spicy garlic-lime cilantro butter sauce and served with two large croutons. It's a bit weird to have both these prawns on the menu and the prawn skewers listed too. In my opinion, they should eliminate one of these from the bar menu and offer the prawns in order to earn the most revenue from their menu. Since I had eaten the caesar salad beforehand, I'm not sure if my tastebuds had already been overwhelmed by garlic, 
but while these tasted good, I wouldn't have said they were strong on the garlic flavor. More garlic flavor, at least after the salad, would have still been good. The first impression I had when these arrived at our table was that the sauce looked a little too shiny (all that olive oil). I probably would opt to try other dishes rather than get this one again if I went back. $12/$6
but while these tasted good, I wouldn't have said they were strong on the garlic flavor. More garlic flavor, at least after the salad, would have still been good. The first impression I had when these arrived at our table was that the sauce looked a little too shiny (all that olive oil). I probably would opt to try other dishes rather than get this one again if I went back. $12/$6Skewers
- Fresh Fish of the Day - Marinated in lime, cilantro, garlic, today's fish was salmon. It was served with a sweet chili sauce. The fish was cooked very nicely - tender on the inside without being too dry. A shaved cucumber salad is served with the skewers. The cucumber salad is refreshing, but not as good as the pickled cucumbers that you find in Thai and Vietnamese restaurants. Good. $8/$3.95
- Prawns - Marinated in lime, cilantro, garlic, the prawns were also served with a sweet chili sauce. Again, I think either this or the Gambas al Ajillo should be removed from the bar menu to maximize value and besides, they're seemingly a lot alike. These tended to come out a little dry, so I would opt for fish skewers instead of prawn skewers if ordering skewers again. These also came with the same cucumber salad described above. $8/$3.95
- Dungeness Crab Cake Sandwich - A crab cake is cooked and served on a toasted bun spread with remoulade along with tomato and lettuce. I was with a large party the day that I ordered this for lunch and while at least three of us had ordered the crab cake sandwich, each one was unfortunately not consistent. One of the crab cakes itself was slightly burnt and the bun was slightly burnt. Mine was fortunately fine, but the fact that they're not all the same shows that the kitchen could use some refinement in their cook times. In terms of flavor, I found it to be a good sandwich, but not wow. $12.95
- Grilled Flat Iron Steak Sandwich - During my most recent visit, I ordered this flat iron steak sandwich cooked until medium and then sliced. It was served with caramelized onions, lettuce, tomatoes, chipotle mayo and of course, duck-fat fries. All of the ingredients were fresh and the sandwich was good, but not wow. $12.95
- Grilled Flat Iron Steak Sandwich - During my most recent visit, I ordered this flat iron steak sandwich cooked until medium and then sliced. It was served with caramelized onions, lettuce, tomatoes, chipotle mayo and of course, duck-fat fries. All of the ingredients were fresh and the sandwich was good, but not wow. $12.95 During most of my visits for lunch, I've come to Boca with parties of eight or more people. Although service is attentive when they are with you, it tends to be slow in terms of the time between sitting down and ordering. It's also slow between ordering and serving of the food. During my most recent large group visit, the coffee was cold according to one dining companion. In general, it just seemed like they took their time in coming back which for me, isn't what I'm looking for during the lunch hour when we need to be back at work.
As for the bar service, service is always efficient, but the bar tends to get packed more the closer you get to Friday. Also, the closer you are to dinner time, the more people will be stuffed into the room. Since I like to order many dishes to try, the small tables are insufficient for the large plates that come and servers do not come frequently enough to remove plates, even when we sat near the entrance to the room where all the servers pass. The food does not come out at an even pace - it may take one dish a long time to come out, then you get a few more items, and the last item will take another 20 minutes or more to arrive. One thing I do like is that I have never felt attitude from the servers when I didn't order wine or spirits. That's certainly appreciated. In general, service could use some work, but try the happy hour at Boca and enjoy good food at a great value.
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