The Exchange 1874

Review summary

1. K

   Kimberly

   Sacramento21 reviews

   3.0

   Dined today

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 4

   The menu has very good selections. The food, however was lukewarm. The service was sadly underwhelming as we were so excited to try this restaurant, which was new to us. While we did not plan on giving any critique, we were asked a couple times by the manager and we obliged with our true and tactful assessment. I really hope they take the constructive criticism because the ambience is beautiful and the menu is pleasantly varied. They need a bit more service oversight and guidance from the management with a focus on a quality experience all around. We chose to go to this type of restaurant (not a chain, not cheap) for the food AND the experience, and a relaxing evening. Of note, the manager was kind and receptive and said she appreciated the feedback. We will give this another try later down the road.
   

   Is this helpful?

2. D

   Debra VIP

   San Francisco18 reviews

   4.0

   Dined on 8 March 2025

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Service was VERY good. Lamb and beet salad were very good. Rigatoni was more like beefaroni, not something I would order again. We will return.
   

   Is this helpful?

3. J

   John

   Hawaii3 reviews

   3.0

   Dined on 17 February 2025

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 4

   Their website and online menu looked amazing. The Lodi wine region definitely needs a restaurant like this (as an option to Wine & Roses), and on “paper”, it reminded us of restaurants in Yountville, California. The staff we interacted with at The Exchange were extremely nice (host/busser, bartender, and server) and were obviously working hard, but it was evident they needed more resources to live-up to the “hype” that was generated by the descriptive language of the restaurant’s webpage. No fault of their own by any means, but the staff deserve to have some mentorships and trainings to aid in their career development working at fine-dining establishments. Overall we enjoyed the flavors of our cocktails, appetizers, salads, and mains. But, if you’re going to charge $68 for a 1”-thick ribeye, $54 for a rack of lamb, $28 for 6 half-shelled oysters, and $21 for a grilled artichoke, these are a few things you can’t do: * You can’t have menus that are falling apart; * You can’t have the bartender reading the recipe-book when the cocktails cost $16+ each; * You can’t have the host/busser cleaning tables with a spray bottle of 409 when there are customers at surrounding tables; * You can’t serve shucked oysters without detaching the muscle from the shell and not include a spoon on the tray for the mignonette; * You can’t have a wine list with a Pinot Gris listed under the Pinot Noir heading, and you can’t misspell winery names (Belle Glos, not Belle Gloss); * Your online menu can’t list a dish that you no longer offer at the restaurant (grilled octopus); and * You can’t be sold out of two main dishes on your menu (veal, and wild boar). The Exchange is an adventurous business endeavor. Food-sourcing, staffing, and scheduling can be difficult in a smaller-sized town. We would really love for the owners to fine-tune this project, as it has potential. In the meantime, they should probably remove Alice Waters’ name from their webpage. 3/5
   

   The Exchange 1874Responded 2 days ago

   Thank you for sharing your thoughtful review. We’re grateful for your kind words about our staff and the dishes you enjoyed. We also apologize for the areas where we did not meet your expectations, including the presentation of our menu, service, and some inconsistencies with the food and drink offerings. Your feedback is extremely valuable to us. We are actively working to address these concerns, focusing on improving staff training, fine-tuning our menu, and ensuring every detail aligns with the high standards we strive to maintain. We also appreciate your understanding of the challenges we face in a smaller town and we’re committed to refining our operations moving forward. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back soon and provide the exceptional experience we aim to deliver.
   

   1 person found this helpful

4. A

   Aprillynn

   Sacramento1 review

   5.0

   Dined on 16 February 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 5

   Enjoyed our stay. The only concern was we reserved VIP balcony and were seated at the ground floor near the back side next to the bartender where servers gathered and had conversations which was a bit distracting and took away from the ambiance.
   

   Is this helpful?

5. C

   Caryn

   Sacramento1 review

   4.0

   Dined on 15 February 2025

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 4

   The food was very good and service was fast even with it being Valentine’s Day.
   

   • 

   Is this helpful?

6. R

   Ryan VIP

   Washington DC6 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on 15 February 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Awesome farm to table menu. Service was very attentive and offered recommendations. Cocktails were delicious.
   

   Is this helpful?

7. R

   Rob Marilyn VIP

   Sacramento12 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on 9 February 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Nice menu selections with great variety. The Calamari was excellent - steak was a little under done and over seasoned - Chicken Marsala was good but not enough marsala flavor - veal scallopini was very lemony but tasty. We will be back!
   

   Is this helpful?

8. N

   Ninfa

   Sacramento8 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on 7 February 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   I met my friend for lunch at The Exchange and it was a wonderful experience. The food was great. I had the chicken Parm, and my friend had a lovely salad. Our hostess and server were very attentive, and very pleasant. We will be back!
   

   Is this helpful?

9. d

   doug VIP

   Sacramento16 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on 20 January 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 5

   Great food and a great place to enjoy a meal. Going here will not be a disappointment
   

   Is this helpful?

10. S

    Sharon

    San Francisco21 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on 19 January 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3

    Interesting place, delicious food, not warm enough! Waited 45 minutes for food, Sunday. One cook. Server great. French Toast very tasty. Will come back again. FYI, music was way too loud.
    

    The Exchange 1874Responded 2 days ago

    Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We’re delighted you enjoyed our delicious food and excellent service, especially the French Toast! We apologize for the wait time and the music volume. Your feedback is truly appreciated, and we’ll work to ensure a more enjoyable experience on your next visit. We look forward to welcoming you back soon!
    

    Is this helpful?