The Oasis Beer Garden
Categories: Sports Bars, Burgers, Pizza [Edit]
241 El Camino RealMenlo Park, CA 94025 (650) 326-8896
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:00 a.m.-2:00 a.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Lunch, Dinner
- Music: Juke Box
- Best Nights: Tue, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour: No
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking: No
- Coat Check: No
11 reviews
Mountain View, CA
"I'm raising the bar here and going with 4 stars. Lemme break it down for you one star at a time. First, Fred's has been around for 40…" read more »
109 Reviews for The Oasis Beer Garden
awesum place for lunch~yeah its another burger joint~but quality is good enough for me to review~chicken burgers/steak sandwiches is a muss at this hot spot...outdoor seating = good times here on a sunny day....the freakin chef salad is off the chain....huge portions = quality = good pricing....dunno about happy hr here...its dark/creepy inside....
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Went there today to cheer on the German team in the Euro '08 semifinals with the local German community. Yeah, they made it to the finals!
But I digress... I was floored when the guy behind the counter told me that my order would be delayed by up to 12 minutes (!) because the kitchen was backed up with other orders. I almost fell off my bar stool. I haven't had anyone manage my expectations in a restaurant in a loooong time. Usually, they just have you sit there and stew and defensively ask you to cut them slack because the cook just quit or is new or because they are unusually busy, extra sun spots, or whatever.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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03/15/2008
I gone on a bit of a burger quest after discovering Jeffrey's. And maybe my visiting here so soon… Read more »
It's important for me to point this out. My son and I watched one of the employees walk right out of the restroom without washing his hands. Believe me, I didn't just miss it. He was in view the whole time from our sink mirror. He pulled his junk out, peed, and walked out.
The food was ok at best (which is a compliment, considering it might have been made with crotch hands), and the beer was just beer.
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Oasis is the exact same menu (and menu board) as the Boardwalk in Mountain View and Trials in Campbell. The difference is the atmosphere of Oasis kicks ass and the foot taste a little better than the other two.
I have such fond memories of going here after Stanford soccer games and when all my friends parents came around. And love the fact that the floor is littered with peanuts
Cheap cold drinks, solid chicken wings, good burgers and pizza. I go for the wings and beer. Love the wing sauce as it is just hot enough to keep you continually refilling your pitcher.
They have a nice outside seating area to chill out in too.
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i should have known not to come here during a heat wave. should have listened to the wife and ate somewhere with ac but i wanted some place where my 2 yo son can spill shit all over the palce and scream at the top of his lungs without worrying about upsetting other patrons. he can do all those things at this kid friendly establishment. he loves the grilled cheese here...the wife and i shared the bbq chicken pizza. i have yet to try their burgers but they looked good on the pick up counter.
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Looking for a local burger joint? This place is better then Jefferey's per price and per pound!
Very casual and I like the tables out back where you sit next to anyone.
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do you have any suppressed hostility towards other, but still on your right mind knowing that making an assault or attack to a person will sent your arse to the brig???
OR
are you just frustrated about your work, family, friends or EVEN the lousy cheeseburger and cheese steak you ordered here???
if so....this is the place to be!
you are FREE to engrave OR etch with your swiss knife or anything sharp you have in your pocket or purse of WORDS or NAMES your "black heart" is shouting of anger, anxiety and dissatisfaction on the beams and inside the booths, though you are not allowed to carve on the tables.
so i had a nasty simple cheeseburger at this nook and he had the worst cheese steak!
the bun was doughy and the patty was bland...and yeah, you'll get a handful of potato chips instead of french fries. so i ordered a side of onion rings.
the onion rings ALSO had a doughy batter!
steak was unsavory, lifeless indeed. the "no fee" french fries that went with it was poor to fair. we smothered it with pepper, salt and ketchup to the max, which surprisingly was delish!
i wasn't impress with the food and the atmosphere.
i thought this place was a pleasant change from what is usual or ordinary, but it was the opposite.
i wished i had a pocket knife to carve the words: this place sucks!
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Sat outside on the bench tables and watched two guys installing a new television, in time for the Super Bowl (late review, sorry, I'm a newbie Yelper). Food was alright...this place didn't really stick out in my mind.
Food is always great and I like the casual booths to hang out and eat.
We got a couple of house salads and Garret Deluxes, cheese burgers with ham and fries.
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This place was so hyped, I guess that's why I was mostly disappointed. The burgers stink. Incredibly disappointing. They tasted sweet - not salty, spicy, juicy or...well...meaty. I've had the burger twice - thinking maybe the first time was just a bad day. And the second round tasted just the same.
The pizza is good, but not as good as their sister restaurant, The Boardwalk. But their beer saves them - always cold, great selection and good prices. They should add a couple more TV's and make this places a true sports bar - compete with The Old Pro. Stanford needs a good sports hang-out.
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I love being able to throw peanut shells on the ground, stomp over them and not get yelled at. You can also carve your name (or whatever you want) on the tables, chairs and walls (minus their new tables). I like the whole dive bar atmosphere turned in to family night. There were so many kids but they didn't get in my way at all.
Now down to the food
burgers- DELICIOUS! I didn't expect it to be this good. I like the whole pickles/relish garnish. YUM!
fries- not bad
turkey burger- you know what? I actually really like their turkey burger and it comes with salad!
beer- CHEAP CHEAP! loves it
so with good burgers, fries and cheap beer, this place can't go wrong
This place seemed like it would be good. Bugger.
Great atmosphere inside with the big wooden bar, the greasy open kitchen and the crazy wood benches and booths with tons of carvings. Would be a great place to watch a game or have a trivia contest.
Our burger, fries and steak sammich took a long time to come out, 'bout 20 minutes. It was busy in here that day but not *that* busy. My burger was incredibly dry and flavorless and covered in relish. Blech. Curly fries were pretty decent but there were a lot of big hunks of fries all stuck together and they were pretty greasy. Hubster didn't have any complaints about his steak sammich but he said that it was "nothing special."
Seems like a lot of yelpers comment on their pizza, perhaps we'll give it another shot and try the pizza instead.
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good atmosphere to drink and eat with friends, parking lot in the back so very convienient! Fries, pizza and burgers are good too!
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Came here over a year ago after the Stanford USC game. I love this kinda place. You order and pick up yourself. GREAT SUCCULENT WONDERFUL burgers, great fries and cold beer by the pitcher. Just a lively bar and grill with great greasy food. A must if you are in the area!
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The food is pretty lousy. It gets two stars for having a nice outdoor picnic area that's good for groups.
Yup, this place lives up to the sign "Oasis, Burgers & Pizza," proudly I might add. I've had both and both are great. The burger might be the best I've had since being in California and the pizza and toppings rock. Reasonable prices, order at the counter and sit on a picnic table while kids run amok.
The bar I must add sucks, and the last 2 times I was there I ate and had a few beers left 20% tips and the bartender didn't even say thanks. WTF is up with that? From now on I'll leave nothing (or next to nothing) since this kid doesn't seem to give a damn anyway.
I've only ever had the BBQ Chicken pizza and it was fabulous! The beer on tap is always a good selection and nicely poured. It seems like the crowd varies based on the time of day. Just went the other day after work and it was a mess of kids with their parents, mixed in with the college kids and old timers.
Cannot make a recommendation on anything other than the pizza, but kind of a nice change from the snooty bars of PA.
Best burger in Palo Alto and most likely within a 30 mile radius. The pitchers are very reasonably priced and do not forget to try the pizza, it is really good.
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This is a down home kinda place. The booths and walls are scarred from years of Stanford students carving their names. It's dark inside, with a bar on one side and a counter to order on the other. It's always hard to decide between a pizza or a burger...they are both done so well here!
I love going out to their patio in the summer, watching a game on the tv out there, fighting with the A's and Giants fans to see which game will be played....
Great place for families, friends, drunken co-worker parties or just plain hanging out.
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I love the fries, I love the beer, I love the random crowd...I hate the serious indigestion issues I got after eating a burger there. I suppose straight grease doesn't get absorbed very well. What's worse is that I didn't learn the first time. I had to have a repeat performance to realize "OH! I think it's the Oasis burgers."
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I know a lot of people obsess about this place, but I'm just not feelin it all that much.
It's a great place for socializing and drinking pitchers of beer (though last time I went there were a great deal of screaming little kids). But the food... I just don't think the quality is that great.
I guess having lived in SF for 6 years spoiled me with cheeseburgers. I'm used to getting a 1/2 LB Niman Ranch Burger with some apple wood bacon, not some skimpy little patty... places like Burgermeister and Burger Joint embarrass this place in my opinion.
These days, I'd much rather cook my own burger instead of heading to Oasis... or even Whole Foods - they make damn fine burgers from the hot foods section.
but come on people - 5 stars for this place?
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We went here for dinner 2-3 weeks ago on a Saturday night. The place was busy with a Stanford game on, the room was warm on a rainy, cold night, and the burgers, fries, and beer made for a good meal. We saw lots of buckets of their wings walking by and will try those next time! Patio looked nice - I think a private patio took it over that night, but we were okay sitting inside because I was cold (yes, I'm a wimp). Parking was kind of like trying to work your way out of one of those little metal puzzles, but we eventually found a spot. We'll be back.
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in the original "Official Preppy Handbook", the O is one of the few west coast establishments prominently featured as a place where "preppies" go to hang out.
I'm indifferent to preppies, but I have to say that it speaks to the longevity and history of the place.
Yeah, the food is mediocre. The waitstaff is gruff. But its the O. You can throw your peanut shells anywhere and admire the half-assed stanford memorabilia. Its dirty and greasy and you always leave feeling mildly repulsed by your self, but thats what its all about. If you aren't a local or a student the magic probably just isn't there for you.
This place rocks.
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This is one of those places that if they ever tear it down, the entire town of Palo Alto should just board up their windows and leave the country! Seriously some of the BEST burgers around (O Deluxe plain please!) and the atmosphere is unbeatable.
Where else can you sit in the midst of history...gazing at the carvings from the last 100 years in the tables and booths and walls surrounding you? I came here as a kid and I can still find carvings from then (the 70s)...though I think some newer folks have carved over a bit.
I just love the O...the spin-offs (Jakes, Garrett etc) have the same food and are a good fix for a craving, but the atmosphere at the O is one of a kind.
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You can't talk about the Oasis without mentioning the Dutch Goose. In my opinion Oasis has better food, and i like the crowd a little bit better. I think they are about even on beer selection (one may have more than the other, but they both have plenty of beers that i like). The Dutch Goose has the famous deviled eggs, which are great, but not enough to top the across the board better food at Oasis.
Burgers are great, so are the curly fries. Pizzas look awesome, though i have to admit i haven't had one yet, maybe next time. I also tend to like the seating layout at Oasis a little bit better.
Don't get me wrong, i love both places and frequent both of them, i just give oasis the slightest of edges.
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A few things I love about the Oasis:
1. Good for bachelors
- Personal size pizza is the perfect size for one person.
-Take out always ready on time
-Reasonable prices
2. Good pizza
-I like the BBQ chicken with onions
-Other specialty pizzas also quite good
3. Beer too!
4. You can bring your family or friends there
5. Eat outside, drink Sierra Nevada, watch TV, and read the newspaper....all at the same time!
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When I was a kid, I remember the excitement I felt when I was told we were going to the Oasis. I loved the pinball and the peanut shells on the ground and the carved wooden tables. I would go with a handfull of quarters that I swiped from my parent's change jar and play pinball all night while they put away a few pitchers of beer. I think I was about 10 years old the last time I was there.
Now that I have gotten back on my pinball kick, I have found this place again and we have gone three times in the last month. I would give it a full five stars until last night when we were out. Minus one star for having at least a dozen kids under eight years old running around the place. I really wish management would step up and address the parents on this issue. These little devils have the most piercing, shrieking voices I have ever heard. Screaming across the restaurant and throwing tantrums when they are out of quarters. And their stupid yuppie parents just ignore it. I was mid game and some brat toddler walks over and starts pounding on my left flipper button. After he makes me loose my ball, I look around for a parent of this kid, scanning all of the tables, then look back again and the kid is gone. Now he is crawling on the floor under another family's table. Unbelieveable! I should actually have deducted two stars for all this, but I did manage to snipe the pinball machine after a 6 year old walked away, leaving five credits in the machine. HA! There is justice.
And the bartender on Friday was rude, also. There was an empty stool at the bar so I walked up to the spot, had my money out and was ready to buy another round of beers. The bartender tells me flattly that If I want a drink, I have to wait in line. The "line" consisted of two guys standing in the server station. There goes the other star. This attitude pissed me off so we walked out of the place leaving 2 credits in the pinball machine. Hopefully some nice kid will find them.
The two weeknights that we have come here, the bartender was friendly, there were much fewer kids around the place, and the volume was a lot lower. I will return again but only MTW or Th.
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Money. Seriously one of the few treasurers in PA. Just like everyone else, this place and Dutch Goose are the best places to get a good burger and beer. I do want to say that the burgers here are particularly good. There is something about the way they cook the patty and just the right amount of condiments used in there that makes them so juicy. Many times, reminds me of a more wholesome innout burger. If you are working in this area, this is a place that you defintiely should be visitng regularly. No need for over fancy counter burgers, this is the place to be.
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I have gone here for lunch on many occasions. We call ahead, give our orders and they are always ready to go when we get there. Everyone is friendly and the food is good.
Probably the best pizza I have had in a long time!
I haven't been there in the evenings for a beer, but it looks like beer and pizza for dinner may be in my near future.
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Great burgers and fries. VERY casual atmosphere with cool, well-carved tables. Imagine all of the students who've had beer and pizza here over the last however many years. Nice patio area out back, too. They used to have peanut shells (and sawdust, too???) covering the floors but today we ate there and it was tile. How modern. Thankfully the burgers are just as I remember them: TASTY! :)
Hey just so you know that if a beer and pizza joint could score 5 stars this could be the place. I don't know but I just think peanut shells on the floor and pizza aroma in the air, sports on the tube - it just makes beer taste better, if you know what I mean and I think you do.
Very kid friendly also as they have video games and pinball for all the kids in all of you. Fun Times!
I really like the Oasis. Their pizza is great, especially the barbecue chicken, and I love the atmosphere. The carved-in benches and booths are comfy, and it's also a great place to grab a beer and some bites with friends.
Once upon a time (ok more like a half decade or ago) I would come here with assorted friends from nearby Menlo or Stanford. This place, although looking a little worse for wear, is one of those restaurants that screams "oh yeah, this place could withstand the presence of a screaming group of kids....AND a fraternity worth of guys (or if you are from San Mateo/ Foster City, one Berrini)". It's a place that despite having paltry signs imploring you not to destory the tables, you're going to hunt for keys, Swiss army knives, Sharpies, stickers--anything so that you can leave your mark before the first beer is poured. It had been a good 5 years since I'd last visited and the ambiance had remained the same. Nice to find a timeless place that doesn't require reservations in Menlo Park. (word of warning to those of you with peanut allergies....yes this is a place that dumps peanut shells on the ground)
The food isn't exactly standout but is passible. The pizza is a bit preferable to the burgers in my book. A small pizza can easily fill two people. I do dig that they have a side of dill pickle spears as it's own separate menu item (I love dill pickles--they are their own side dish, not just a condiment). Still unless you order fries, you get chips as the side to your burger and really unless it's a bbq at a friend's house, that doesn't fly with me. The beer prices are fair and for the drinker on a budget (broke student, broke adult, just flat out close to broke) small beers start out at about $2.50. As rowdy as the atmosphere inside is, the beer garden is really the main draw. The cluster of picnic tables just screams "fill me with people". For being in the heart of Menlo Park I have to give credit for being (a) young, (b) not pretentious, (c) comfortable enough for someone who doesn't have a 6 figure salary to come in and enjoy themselves. Cheers.
My one regret that I no longer live in Palo Alto is that I cannot frequent here as much as I'd like. BBQ chicken pizza, burgers, grilled cheese and fries, all yummy. $6 pitchers of Pils, you can't get much better than that. The homey interior and inviting benches are just what you need on a mellow evening. For now, I will continue on my saga to find a worthy equivalent in SF that can share the same space in my heart.
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The great thing about the Oasis is that it has been there forever. My Grandma grew up around here and met my went to the Oasis on several occasions. the last time she was her my little 87 year old Grandma ordered a beer and a burger and showed us where she engraved her initials into the wall. Very Cool.
Its dark, there is peanut shells on the floor, and the burgers are great - I love this place!
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Went with a friend, and met friends of hers. Got a double cheeseburger. Not the greatest burger, but pretty good. Service was reasonably fast.
Kinda noisy & dirty floor, but seems like that's the intended ambiance & I didn't mind.
my bf took me here bc he yelped nearby burger/pizza places around his area and found this place. the wait wasn't too long, but the decent portion of fries seemed dry, overfried, and left out. How do you screw up on fries?! it was busy enough to where i'd figure it be all freshly made. Now to the burger...the patty melt. The melted cheese, cooked diced onions (yum), beef patty, and wheat bread tasted good, but i still thought it was missing something. They did not even have thousand island type of sauce avail. on the counters..which would have made it taste superb. My bf said his burger which looked dry n plain, would rank '3' on yelp. The table was full of carvings so deep there were nasty crumbs n probably stuff decomposing in the crevices...sooo not appetizing but it's the 'look' theyre goin for but it doesnt suit me. On a light note, i'll give them another chance to try the pizza..hope thats as good as everyone says..But this place gets mad love from locals (from what i saw), so good for them to support, but when it comes to great food, i'll venture somewhere else.
owned by the Jake's restaurant chain, this lil slice of heaven is the sister restaurant to Jake's of Sunnyvale. It's literally the same, with the same wondrous pizzas and fried finger foods. Pour me a pitcher of bubbly and send me out a Gilroy Special or Combination and let me succumb to the "I'll start my diet tomorrow" diet.
This is a haven for Stanford students so the crowd can be kind of rowdy, and it gets docked a star compared to Jake's for being messier. I will point out that the messy aspect is part of it's flare. Peanut shells, beers stains, dark boards, are all part of what gives this place the college party feel. Almost Tavern-esque. It's just not really my thing. however I do like taking the pizzas to go : ).
Great for the young college crowd, good for family's with kids too. Those that want a quiet meal with their significant other, well....have you considered the delivery option?
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This is the BEST burger joint around - order the double cheeseburger on french with grilled onions! GREAT atmosphere for a casual gathering and very popular with sports teams. I had my first taste of beer here at 3 weeks old, celebrated my 21st here with family, and try to get to the "O" at least a couple times a month. Great beer selection, and the prices aren't too bad either. I think by now my name is carved in every booth! Don't forget to bring a pocket knife.....
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