“Delicious meal.Although seemed odd that there was an effort to slow things down and enjoy the farm to table food style yet forced to use a frustrating QR code menu. Perhaps that made sense during covid, but didn't add to the experience“
“We had a great dinner here for our first visit. Emma and staff were great. Food was legit. Price points are very fair. Will be back. One thing. I would love to see a tip line on the credit card receipt. I know there is a service charge included in the bill, but if I have a solid experience, and want to leave a little extra $$, I have that option.“
“We kind of ended up here on a fluke and with empty stomachs. We weren't into the experience just wanted the food. Our server, Toni, was accommodating about all of our reasonable ( and less reasonable) requests. We sat in a corner quite close to our neighbors but it wasn't too bad. The sound quality in their space makes it so you don't get bombarded but a lot of loud clanging. It's pretty upscale and the food is Michelin level amazing but also has a chill vibe.Goes without saying, we will certainly be back.Vegetarian options: The veggie options are just as amazing as the non. They are also good about accommodating veggie diets in any part of the menu.We got the peshe- Chilean Sea Bass which was so on point. As we are pescaterian“
“Yes!! Tarocco is the restaurant that we all needed but didn’t know! So fresh and healthy and delicious. Upscale enough for a nice work lunch but you can also show up as you are. Bravo!Dietary restrictions: Gluten-free and dairy-free friendly.“
“I am going to be generous and give it a five, the coffee I do like quite a lot here. There's a place not too far across the way for coffee as well but this place has it going in terms of atmosphere for sure. I very much enjoy the fact there's live DJs or music in general, while still a laid back and nice place to get from and go. I go every time I have morning shifts and it hasn't let me down since I started visiting. While I haven't explored it myself, I'm aware this also does wines in the evening.“
“Finally tried this little gem on San Pablo Avenue after passing it for years saying, ‘I gotta try that little gem’.A couple friends and I managed to get a same day reservation at the corner of the bar, which worked out perfectly.We ordered exclusively from the tapas menu, and I’m glad we did although I’m sure their paella and mains are equally exquisite.Everything from their BIMI to cheese platter, to croquettes and churros for desert were a delight. Each plate had its own distinct and satisfying flavor, and nothing we ordered disappointed.I suggested the octopus which sounded splendid, but my friends protested that octopuses (octopi?) were too smart to eat, so we compromised on their dumb cousins, squid. Dumb maybe, delicious certainly!Being a dedicated carnivore, I had little hope for the mushroom croquettes , but they were also scrumptious. Better yet were the chicken and crab croquettes, with each of us expressing a preference for one or the other. If you have to chose, I say go for the crab and my friends would say go for the chicken. The best solution is to order them both!The atmosphere of La Marcha is ‘classy casual’, and very lovely. Every table seemed to be celebrating something, much like you’d expect on a warm summer evening in Barcelona.As the saying goes, “You can judge a person by the company they keep” and I think this can be applied to La Marcha’s ownership. He/She/They must be remarkable people to attract the kind of talented chefs and servers who made our evening complete.I was too shy to ask our server her name, but I think one of the other (regulars?) called her Seejay (which isn’t a real name… I Googled it), or Cindy (a name I haven’t heard since the Brady Brunch). I’ll go with Seejay because it is as uncommon and unexpected as this young lady. Anyway, you’ll know who I am talking about when you go there. Seejay fills the room with her beauty and charisma, and she seemed to be one-person army. I don’t know if they were understaffed that day, or if Seejay just takes on the responsibility for the entire restaurant, but she seemed to be everywhere at once, and yet the level of service she provided my party made us all feel like we were sitting in the VIP section of some swanky club. I hope and trust that the ownership recognizes what a blessing they have with Seejay (or Cindy… whatever).Well, that’s about it. If you are still hesitant to give La Marcha a try, then all I can say is thatyou are more squid than octopus.“
“This wonderful place is my other office. It's cute and cozy, has strong wifi, the staff is super friendly, and the food is delicious. It's not cheap, but they use lots of fresh, healthy ingredients and it's beautifully presented. I've recently had the winter lentil salad, the French grilled cheese, and the tomato bisque. Yum.“
“We went to see Kymie and Sweet Soul there. Beautiful place. Great ambiance. Woman owned business done first class. Band great. Singing angelic and instrumental's invigorating. Food simply presented and good choices. Very nice place to stop for a drink downtown Oakland.“
“Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious, though expect small portions. The service was exceptional too, but I especially wanted to write a review because the bathroom was so amazing! At the end of the night it was still sparkling clean, and it has a bidet (!), free sanitary products (!!), and a hilarious & adorable toilet paper dispenser that made me laugh out loud. If you're a foodie or you want a fun, quirky place to share a drink and snack with a friend, definitely add Snail Bar to your list.“
“Uber hip but unpretentious; crisp execution on everything silenced my usual grumbling about "SaaS-like gross margins" on hip Bay eats. Also they seem to treat the staff well, giving back some of those margins on OpEx, including gratuity and covering health care, etc. The cutely lo-fi menu even reminds you to use they/them pronouns with the Zoomer staff, so bring your conservative parents to trigger them and have a laugh. Deeply appreciated the lack of choices on the wine list, cutting my cognitive load, and the curation did not disappoint. After I praised the place to the skies, the server even closed the deal by inviting me to leave this review, which made me wonder if the staff gets equity or just has mad hustle. Either way, respect. Go here.“
“We had the Doro Tibs, Beg Alicha, Azifa, and Vegetarian sampler. The injera fermented bread was amazing!! The food was excellent, service was great, and the servers were very friendly and fast. Multiple spice levels are available (the normal options are not very spicy for those with lower tolerance). Indoor and outdoor seating is available. Highly recommend to anyone!“
“Wine So Cru has been on our list to check out for quite some time, and we were finally able to go a few weeks ago. Overall, it was a good experience, not without its cons (see below), but generally, Wine So Cru offers an elegant and intimate environment to enjoy wine. The staff in particular are extremely knowledgeable about wine and very attentive.What I really liked about Wine So Cru is that they offer not only some very high end wines (to drink or take away - more about this later), they also have very affordable options, including some geekier (for wine nerds) options like lesser known varietals or wines from lesser known regions. All this is to say that whether you know what you like and you like what you know or if you're a bit more adventurous and open to learning, Wine So Cru has options for you. Bottle prices ranged from as low as $20-30 to well beyond $200-300+. They seem to be reasonably well stocked up on champagne if that's your jam! They also have some interesting flight options if you're in the mood for sampling a few different wines.While browsing the selection, the staff was extremely helpful and knowledgeable and I truly get the sense that they want to help you find something you're going to really enjoy, rather than being hyper-focused on upselling you on more expensive offerings. Don't be shy and tell them your price range.The bottle prices are retail prices, i.e. for you to take the wine home. If you want to enjoy the wine on premise, there's a $20 corkage fee, which I feel is quite reasonable since they'll be providing the stemware, ambiance, service, etc.There are so many positives about Wine So Cru, but it comes with some negatives as well. First and foremost, of the few wines I was familiar with, their retail price is quite a bit higher than you can find elsewhere. For example, the 2019 Louis Latour "En Chevret" Volnay 1er Cru sells for under $150 retail, even from places like wine.com, which is not necessarily known for offering the best prices. In the shop, the retail price was over $200. Let's say you were in the mood for a Napa cab and chose the 2018 Groth Reserve CS - it'll set you back $180 (retail) vs. $120-140 from other retailers. So although there's "only" a $20 corkage fee to drink in the shop, chances are you're going to be paying 20-30% more for the wine to begin with.Lastly, the location leaves something to be desired. It's on University very close to the 80 overpass, under which there are frequently unhoused members of our community. The juxtaposition of sitting in the wine bar enjoying $200 bottles of wine while meters away, people aren't even able to meet their basic needs - it's not lost on me. Now of course, none of this is the fault of Wine So Cru and I only mention it because you may feel unsafe walking around the area at night. After all, there's a reason the front door remains locked during business hours and you have to be let in by a member of the staff.“
“I love it here! The food is fabulous. As you can see from my photos, I have been here more than a few occasions to eat chicken and waffles in different ways! Breakfast, snack and dinner versions! I also love the white flights, the karaoke was a hit! And outstanding service by Kyle and Ryan! I feel like this is a little home away from home“
“We have been to Millennium several times and have never been disappointed. Their 4 course fixed price meals on Friday and Saturday are incredible. You have a large selection of each course. At $70 per head this is expensive but it is well worth it! It is important to make reservations. They also have a pizza night on Mondays and we celebrated a going away party their for the Rancho Compasion Sanctuary manager that was wonderful!“
“It's a VIBE...If you want a VIBE!! It's a VIBE in this beautiful black owned winery! The sad part is that I didn't even know this placed existed in the heart of the Bay Area (Alameda). I was asked to join my partner in celebrating a friend of his birthday and wahla, this is where we landed. There was a live singer (and boy could he sing his a$$ off), lots of people, wine flight options and more. The ambiance is so culturally beautiful, I just couldn't stop looking around. I would love to go back with some of my girl-friends and check it out for ourselves. I didn't get an opportunity to take any pictures (sad face) so I do apologize for that. But if you near or in the Alameda area do not pass this beautiful gem up!“
“We had a wonderful dinner last night. We tried everything from the snacks to the deserts. All pasta dishes were outstanding. The pork chop was excellent. And the dessert sampler is the way to go. Our service, from the owner, to the wine steward to the server were all great. Hope to return soon.“
“I love this little bar, it's hidden on the side of some corporate building but has such cozy vibes. I wish I knew of it sooner. I got 2 cocktails although not gonna lie I can't remember the names but they were both super tasty. Everyone in my group loved their drinks. The bartender was so friendly too. We also got their empanadas and honestly kind of fire. It was the perfect after work drink type of bar.“
Wine Bar • $$
“I have found my new go-to favorite bottle, right here at Cordial Bottle Shop! When they first opened at the Castro Valley Marketplace, they were located in the cellar which was downstairs on the lower level. They have since moved on the main level to a smaller section, but they still have a wonderful array of curated beverages customers can browse through. My new found fave is their 'Love You Bunches' from Santa Barbara, it is one of their only orange wines they have on the floor. Danielle was very helpful and personable, great to talk to. If you find something on the floor that you want to drink same day and it's best chilled, don't hesitate to ask if they have one that is in their fridge. They have a few high tables on the perimeter of their wine displays, they're used for their wine tasting events that occur Wednesdays 5pm-7pm $15 and Saturdays complimentary tastings from 5pm-7pm. A wine club is also available to be a part of - $54 / mo. for 2 curated bottles they'll select and provide notes for you. Wine isn't your thing? They also have other spirits, beers, and liquor available.“
“Can you find wine almost anywhere today? Yes.Should you make the effort to check out Minimo? UH YES YES!!Every time we've been in Minimo, they have knocked the recommendations out of the park. Not only are they great at matching what you're looking or, they almost always have a recommendation that you weren't thinking about and will be blown away. They have a great rotating selecting and everyone there always has a smile on their face.You (and your guests) will love what you find here.“
“We checked out this place for the first time on a recent Sunday afternoon. The place was hopping with wonderful live music (The Lost Cats - jazz / R and B), and the brunch was delicious. Please keep the live music coming on weekends - such a good vibe!“
“great place. friendly staff, great and quality drinks, and great and quality food. only downsides, not the biggest place and easy to miss if you're driving by. also, small place so you may leave smelling of fried food. guac and chips, nice. avocados super fresh queso and chips, fire. haven't had queso this good in I dunno how long shrimp with asparagus with rice, bold flavors. very savory dish, recommended if you want garlic, saucy, and shrimp. overall, highly recommended and would frequent often if I'm in the area.“
“Nice little gem in Hayward, owner was very friendly and in the business for 30+ years, nice to visit a local tasting room from grapes just up in the hayward hills! Reasonably priced and I got a free bottle with a purchase of a full priced bottle.“
“Best hidden Thai restaurant that I just found out about this year! I celebrated my birthday here earlier in the spring and I was able to reserve a table for 6 with no problem. I was specifically looking for a restaurant that had a lot of vegetarian options for my vegetarian friends and was amazed to find they had so many on their menu. Overall, my experience at this restaurant is superb. The customer service was excellent, friendly servers, and dishes passed out in a timely fashion. Food was excellent. My party ordered a variety of dishes from soups, to salads, to noodle and meat dishes. The portion of the food were huge, quality was definitely delicious! All my friends enjoyed their dishes and had leftovers. I also like the intimacy of this restaurant. It's on the smaller side, though they still had plenty of tables. Though there were a good number of people also having dinner, the noise level of the restaurant was not too loud. It was perfect for my group because we could have conversations and hear each other very well without competing with loud noises or other people's conversations. After my excellent dine in experience, I ordered pickup from the restaurant twice and had a good experience as well.“
“The Elbo Room has been great to us! We as a band have played a few shows so far and it's always a fun turnout! Jimmy and Dean have created a vibrant space with amazing music and tasty cocktails! Most of all, the staff is extremely friendly! Thank You for having us and for sharing your space with us!! We can't wait to be back!“
“Vegetarian options: I had the Mount Etna salad and it was one of the best salads I've ever had! Really colourful with interesting textures and flavours, and warm ingredients were welcome on a cold rainy day! There were lots of other vegetarian options that looked tempting too.“
“The coffee is good but $6 for a 12oz? (Regular latte with whole milk no syrups). I have been twice and the first time there was a long line out the door and the second time a much shorter line. The coffee is super good and I think it's a great place to go on the weekend and sit outside if it's nice! I don't think it'll be my go to coffee place though because of the price. The scones were also $6 just a little high.“
“I really dig Prima Materia wines -- particularly the cab and Grenache. I also like buying the variety pack cases, which brings the cost per bottle down to about $22. And it's fun to learn about varietals with which I'm unfamiliar, like agalianico.“
“I really enjoyed this wine bar! The wine options were great and I found out all they only carry natural wine so that was a plus! I actually just went back again today and bought a whole case and it was so reasonable. Will definitely be coming back when I need more wine!“
“I come up from San Jose to this place all the time. Definitely a spot worth visiting when in the area. The ambiance is chill, everyone is friendly. The drinks are constantly rotating and are top notch. Above all there's the awesome and amazing Bob: super friendly, really knows his stuff and makes the best drinks known to man. Highly recommended“
“Updated April 2024Food is excellent and some very creative dishes based on Italian classics. Although the menu may seem small there were more than enough options that appealed to myself and my wife. Menu could maybe use some regional focus as it seems to be broadly Italian but dishes were hard to pinpoint their exact origin.Great wine and beverage options as well.The space was very inviting and much bigger than the first time we dined here due to an expansion pre pandemic.“
“A long overdue review as I came here in May for BRW to go. We got 4 BRW prix fixe menu for $40 each for us and my parents and added a lamb shank from their regular menu as well. The mushroom soup was light and flavorful with every sip due to the porcini broth. Since I rarely fry things myself, anytime I see arancini available, I almost always get them and these definitely did not disappoint. Three of us got the crab raviolis which just like the soup was delicious from the first bite to the last. The porchetta was good but personally I preferred those crab raviolis instead. Since my dad loves lamb shanks, we had to order one to try and it was dad approved. For dessert, it was 50/50 chocolate torte and blood orange panna cotta. For chocolate lovers, that torte is decadent and satisfying. For non-chocolate lovers, that panna cotta was a great alternate, but again for me, chocolate was the way to go.“
“BJ the owner is very nice. The pizza is awesome. We have had the garlic chicken and the 11 toppings. Both are very good. The pizza crust is soft and warm but crispy on the bottom. Service is usually pretty quick. Definitely a great pizza and happy to support a local business.“
“Flight delayed equals wine flights. Am I right? Yep, our flight was delayed by a ton in terminal one. So we decided to check Vino Volo out. We tried the red and white wine flights. I love how they have this option. It's great for indecisive people like me. Had to enjoy some meats and cheese of course. Our server was awesome and attentive. Such a great way to end a beautiful weekend. Ambiance is obviously loud af.“
“East Bay Provisions is a lovely breakfast & lunch restaurant at The Carriage House Entrance of The Claremont Hotel in Berkeley. The staff is wonderful and they actually remember their customers by name! We had delicious breakfasts and lunches as well as delicious coffees, lattes and tasty cookies.“
“We were looking for a coffee and decided to stop here to try the brunch. The food was deliciously amazing, it was a special prix fixe menu for Easter. Service is great. One thing I'd like to see improving is the tables outside; with such amazing dishes, it is below expectations to have these tables that take so much dirt. Either change the tables or put table cloth please.“
“My husband and I spent our birthday dinner here in the Victorian house basement of this restaurant and had a wonderful meal. We ordered the chicken entree and the steak. We split the salad, had wine and a hot fudge sundae for dessert. It was delicious, wine was fabulous and the restaurant is cozy and quiet. Would come again!“
“GREAT PLACE FOR HAPPY HOUR!!!! If you are looking for a happy hour spot, this is your destination! They have affordable bites: wings, oysters, fries, deviled eggs, Brussels sprouts, and they have reasonably priced wine and spirits! This will always be my recommendation for happy hour in the bay. The fries were good, and they give you a large/shareable portion. The wings were tiny and almost looked like chicken nuggets, but my friend ordered though and I didn't try them. The deviled eggs are topped with a pickled radish. I didn't try that either, but it looked good. The drinks were good and staff was friendly. Love it here! Great location, but you have to find street parking or park in the lot across the street. I took Lyft.“
“We come here every year for my cousin's bday so he can order plain fettuccine Alfredo lol. But honestly pasta pelican is actually quite good and has a wide selection of tasty pastas for a reasonable price. The service is also great and let you have as much house baked bread as you want and it's not difficult to get a reservation, even with a large party as the restaurant is pretty large inside. The interior design of the restaurant could and a little face lift--it's giving old ship. And maybe that's on purpose for the theme but regardless I don't go there for the ambiance but go there to enjoy delicious food.“
“Natural wine and snacks in uptown Oakland. They have a good wine selection and sell bottles to go, even my favorite Tessier from Berkeley! There's a miso sample plate from Shared Cultures and other little salty snacks and food with good bread. The service is great, they know the wines and give good recommendations. It's a nice place to have a wine or cider and chill.“
“Such a gem! The ordering system is streamlined, and the cashier was incredibly helpful, even describing the dishes to help me decide. The grilled cheese with shrimp and arugula was so flavorful, the cheese perfectly melted and the arugula added a fresh bite. They even recommended an IPA that went perfectly with the flavors. loved the private outdoor eating area; the weather was perfect for it. If you're looking for a delicious spot in Oakland, this is it!“
“Best brunch I've ever had!!! We tried many things off the menu and they were all amazing. We had a very large group and they were super accommodating even as we couldn't all fit at one table. Still felt together in a sense. Everything from food to drinks was made with care and even the food at other tables looked amazing. Service was responsive but not superior. Food was so good we forgot to take pics- but you can't go wrong!“
Recommended
“Awesome and quaint tasting room with excellent cider. The owners are usually working and very into their craft. If they're open and I'm in the eastbay I stop in.Vegetarian options: Cider is naturally vegetarian and gluten free.Dietary restrictions: Cider“