Chef Michael Mina’s New Bungalow Is Your New Hangout
For more than three decades, the first thing visitors saw when they arrived in Tiburon by ferry was Guaymas, a Mexican restaurant and happy hour hangout that closed in 2018. But the two-story waterfront building has been gutted and facelifted and reopened in November as Tiburon’s newest ‘it’ spot --- the highly-anticipated The Bungalow Kitchen by award-winning chef Michael Mina of San Francisco-based MINA Group. Along with hospitality hotshot Brent Bolthouse, founder of The Bungalow Hospitality Group, the duo has created a vibey, 300-seat restaurant anchored by good food in a setting that evokes a chic bohemian clubhouse. Filled with natural light, city and bay views, and cushy furnishing and fabrics, the Bungalow Kitchen aesthetic fits right in with Tiburon’s elevated but easy-going, indoor-outdoor lifestyle according to interior designer Martin Brudnizki, whose international design studio has beautified spots in London, Paris, Athens, Miami, Las Vegas, and now, Tiburon.
Thanks to a coveted location just steps from Tiburon’s Main Street boutiques, wine bars, and cafes, visitors can easily make an afternoon of strolling and shopping before heading to Bungalow Kitchen for dinner on Wednesday through Sunday evenings, or to weekend brunch. Night owls can roost in the upstairs lounge, called Salon, to shoot games of pool, sip vintage wine in the moonlight, or linger over hand-crafted cocktails such as the Bungalow margarita or City Lights, made with chamomile infused vodka, honey elderflower, lemon and agave. Salon stays open until 2 a.m. on weekends (make sure your Uber driver is on speed dial), with a late-night snacks available too—a first for normally sleepy Tiburon.
Warning: The Bungalow Kitchen is already a tough reservation to secure, though you could try for an open seat at the bar. When you do finally sit down, you’ll not only be rewarded with gorgeous interiors and patios, but also with Mina’s beloved menu of upscale American comfort food. Not to be missed is the tuna tartar, mixed tableside with chili peppers, mint, garlic, pine nuts and habanero-sesame oil. You’ll also find pasta dishes such as hand rolled burrata agnolotti, local Hog Island oysters, and oak-fired steaks. Mina fans, don’t worry---his signature lobster pot pie, featuring a whole Maine lobster and truffle lobster bisque (swoon!) made the cut and is on the menu too.
“The Bungalow Kitchen was designed to feel like an expansion of guests’ homes, so the menu is familiar yet elevated, made up of California cuisine that reflects Tiburon’s beautiful waterfront location, fun history, and charming sensibility,” said Mina in a press release. “We look forward to establishing an inviting community hub for locals and visitors to catch a vibe and gather to dine, drink, and play for years to come.”
The Bungalow Kitchen
5 Main Street
(415) 366-4088
HOURS
Wednesday and Thursday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday, 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Sunday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.