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Flora Restaurant & Bar
Category: Restaurants American (New) American (New) [Edit]
1900 Telegraph AveOakland, CA 94651
Neighborhood: Uptown
(510) 286-0100
- Hours:
Tue-Fri 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Tue-Thu 5 pm - 9:30 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 11 pm
Sat 10 am - 2:30 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Hipster, Classy, Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
647 reviews for Flora Restaurant & Bar
Review Highlights
"For dessert, the caramel pudding is perfect."
(in 114 reviews)
"I love the decor---'30's art deco without pretension."
(in 102 reviews)
"Carter Beats the Devil is amazingly fantastic."
(in 28 reviews)
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647 reviews in English
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Review from Steven B.
Oakland, CA
2/4/2012
What a night I had here. I went here on a date and there was a bit of a wait for our table, so we hung out at the bar. They have quite a selection of mixed drinks, including something where the bartender crushed a cherry in a mortar and pestle for my drink. This older woman was flirting with me relentlessly in front of my date, even though I'm gay. Then her guy-friend came back and kicked me out of his chair and we tried to avoid them the rest of the night.
We got seated in a great corner booth and our server was this amazing character named Faith(?). They sat us next to this older gay couple who were having the most awkward, cute little birthday celebration... cupcake of humiliating and all. Faith just had this knowing look every time she talked to us and this booming laugh that is impossible to resist joining in on.
As for the food, my trout was the shit! Also my date's pork was enough to make me jealous. -
Review from Ty T.
1/21/2012
The luxe and polish of this place is completely surreal,
the staff impeccably apt in manners & over-all professionalism.
Almost every single one of them could easily be mistaken for screen extras from the infamous John Water's production, 'Cry Baby.' Ya' know, that slick 'Greaser' look, appeal, and charm.
I was definitely caught in a time-warp,
as I was latently sipping on my cremant de jura.
Both my drink, and the table conversation audibly bubbling as we sit amidst the soft ambient lighting.
This place is definitely more inclined towards great drinks, and descent appetizers..
But don't come here on an empty stomach, even if you don't on planning going home alone.Listed in: Places That Make Me WHET
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Review from Edward H.
San Francisco, CA
1/15/2012
We came in after visiting City Hall for a hearing, so we had briefcases, computer bags etc. The staff took care of us and put our belongings safe so we did not have to keep them under the table.
Great ambiance, although when the restaurant is filled, it can be somewhat noisy, so larger tables (we had 8) might find it an issue to speak with others at the end of the table.
The food was great, and we tried three appetizers, with the winner of Fois Gras - it was great. A friend had the pork shoulder and said it was great, but I had the trout which was fantastic and full of flavor, cooked perfectly and no bones whatsoever, which can be tricky for trout.
The service was excellent and they took care of us very well. I would go back if ever in the neighborhood. -
Review from Will T.
Mattabesset River
2/8/2012
The fifth star is for Scott. Best employee ever.
Good drinks, too! -
Review from Liss D.
San Leandro, CA
2/7/2012
Flora is a nice little place to go for a romantic dinner. In my experience, I'd say that they have the best and most creative drink menu in the East Bay (I suggest the Salt & Pepper) and the best gnocchi I've put in my mouth to date. Service and ambiance are wonderful as well, save the server we had on our last visit (who yoinked that last star from this review).
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Review from Rachelle A.
Oakland, CA
1/19/2012
Wow! This place has such a great atmosphere. Went on a romantical date with the bf for NYE - the food, the service, the ambiance were top notch. They also provided nifty hats and confetti poppers and champagne to welcome the new year!
Can't wait to go back and have another Last Tango cocktail - sweet, tart, and spicy oh my! -
Review from j j.
San Francisco, CA
2/9/2012
went here yesterday for dinner. had the steak tartar, lamb sausage, gnocchi, and lemon pudding cake. everything was well balanced and super satisfying. i was a little annoyed that our entrees took long to arrive. it took about 20 minutes to come out after we finished our starter and was warm, not hot. it seems like our dishes were sitting there for a while before they brought it out to our table. nevertheless, the food was still very tasty and the food runners very pleasant and courteous. i will definitely make the trip back to the east bay to try more of their dishes!
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Review from Chris M.
Oakland, CA
1/15/2012
Had a delicious selection from the New Orleans-themed cocktail menu while passing an hour at the bar (I haven't eaten here before). Things are high-brow: a lot of American whiskeys I've never heard of are behind the bar and they have Mexican Coke (sugar--not corn syrup) in the fridge but the service was friendly enough that I don't think they'd look down their noses on someone asking for something without bitters in it. Bartenders had a lot of style the night I was there--loved the long beard on one guy.
Other notes:
* ~$10/drink.
* Classy atmosphere.
* Wasn't busy at 10:30 on a Saturday night.
* No TV (a good thing, in my opinion) -
Review from elisabeth c.
San Jose, CA
12/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
I came here with a group of 5 folks and I was SO looking forward to it. Unfortunately, it didn't meet my expectations.
The menu itself had maybe 10 items to choose from. I wasn't feeling a sandwich so I was basically left w/ having a salad. The salad itself was just alright. Nothing to write home about.
I heard amazing things about Flora's cocktail menu so I decided to test it out. It was pretty good but be prepared to order a couple of them if you're wanting to catch a buzz. They're all served in cups small enough to fit in a child's dollhouse.
The biggest bummer of the day was how SLOW the service was. It was borderline ridiculous. The place was busy but not crazily so. We had to wait at least 20 minutes just for our cocktails, plus additional time for our meals and our check.
Overall, Flora's was a letdown. I have a feeling I'd enjoy their dinner menu more so I might make an evening trip just to see... -
Review from Todd C.
Oakland, CA
1/27/2012
I was dubious about going here since a few of the reviews complain about bad service and high prices.
We had the best waitress we've had in ages! SUPER nice, always checking on us but not too much, good with recommendations, sorry when the drinks took a second too long to come.
Interesting and STRONG drinks with cool complex tastes.
Dinner was very good although portions were a little on the small side. The carmel pudding was outrageous: rich, chocolatey and salty, and super filling.
It gets 4 stars b/c I feel like they can spruce up the inside a bit (ugly ceiling tiles, some plain walls) and parking is a bit tricky.
But a great addition to Uptown! -
Review from Summer S.
Berkeley, CA
2/6/2012
Food was really good. Noise was unacceptable. Would not go back on a weekend night, probably would not make the trip because of the noise. Would go back if in the neighborhood and hungry. Seriously too loud!
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Review from Lorrayne L.
Oakland, CA
1/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
They have good olives. And decent bread. That is all.
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Review from Kaitlin M.
Oakland, CA
1/23/2012
My boyfriend and I came here for Oakland Restaurant Week, and although it was overall a good dining experience, I had a few issues with it. The hostess was really great, putting us in an intimate corner booth. I ordered The Last Tango cocktail, which was sweet with a kick of spice at the end-- really delicious. We ordered the salad appetizer and chicken liver crostini, all of it was pretty good. My issues began when the couple that had sat down next to us 15 minutes after we had been seated received their entrees before us. When my entree did arrive (pork shoulder confit) it was barely warm, and it was evident that it had been sitting out for quite awhile. I told the waitress, who was very apologetic, and she brought me out a new one, but it was a significantly smaller portion. Kind of bothersome. The carmel pudding was good, but so rich we could not even finish it.
Overall, the ambiance of the place made it a great date restaurant and the food was good. -
Review from Linda L.
Oakland, CA
1/17/2012
Came in on a Friday night and there were no tables available but their bar was available. So reservations are recommended. I had their seafood stew which was delicious. The serving was a little bit light so glad there was bread. My boyfriend had their burger which looked pretty good. We ended the night with a peanut butter tart which tastes like a reeses pieces pie. I'll come again.
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Review from Eric K.
Oakland, CA
1/24/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Excellent service, great steak and awesome carmel pudding with sea salt.
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Review from Asija C.
San Francisco, CA
2/5/2012
I understand why this place consistently gets four stars - the food is delicious with the lentil appetizer, pork shoulder and seafood stew being standouts at our table of six. Unfortunately, we had an awful experience here last night highlighted by a waitress who seemed to be extremely inconvenienced by our presence in the restaurant. It started with her walking away as I attempted to give her my drink order because her friends (or regular customers?) walked in and she wanted to hug and greet them - it would be the first and last time we would see a smile on her face. When the rest of our party was seated she came back and took our orders. She forgot that we ordered a salad. She cleared an appetizer plate we were not finished with even after we told her twice that we weren't done. The food came out and she forgot to bring the second glass of wine that I ordered. We couldn't decide if we wanted a dessert as she stood around growing more agitated at our indecision she asked louder "would you like a sweet?" I told her that we couldn't decide and asked if she could come back. I guess that did not make her happy. I'm not sure what was going on with this woman but fortunately for her they included gratuity for tables of six or more - perhaps this is why she was so rude? Maybe it was because it was so late? Maybe she found us loud and obnoxious? I'm not sure and I don't particularly care but for the prices we paid I would expect much better service. I would love to go back because the food was so tasty but she left a bad taste in everyone's mouth.
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Review from William S.
Carmel, CA
1/10/2012
The advantage of not drinking I get to eat out for free being the designated driver If I drive e
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Review from Carolyn H.
Chicago, IL
1/13/2012
Food is good. Ambience is good. Service absolutely sucks. Really amazingly bad. But with a bit of attitude as if it doesn't suck. Whoever runs this place needs to train their staff and/or get a few more people on the floor. There is so much to love about this place but I won't be back.
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Review from Liz T.
Oakland, CA
2/1/2012 Seated via OpenTable
I booked a table at Flora because we were attending a performance at the Paramount Theater right around the corner and I had eaten there previously and it was a pleasant experience. Friday evening was even more than I expected. I had the strip steak (medium) and a creamed kale. I usually don't care for kale but this was delicious. My companion had the pork shoulder and it was also cooked to perfection and tasty. The overall experience was super.
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Review from Anne M.
10/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was looking for a place to take a friend for a birthday, and we decided last minute to try Flora. This isn't a jeans and a tee-shirt kind of place but I was happy they didn't turn me and my friend away at the door. I felt waay under dressed. Note to self: Next time make sure to put on makeup and something slinky!
While I didn't order a drink, the cocktail menu looked delightful and I will be back.
While everything on the menu sounded delicious, there was something that just sounded so appealing about blue cheese salad and a grass fed burger.
Flora did NOT disappoint. The burger was by far the most delicious thing I have consumed in a long time. Perfectly cooked, the burger was meaty and flavorful and the bun was not soggy or too bready--my pet peeve. The blue cheese salad that accompanied my meal was what I had hoped and dreamed. Huge leafs coated in a thick blue cheese dressing--but not to the point of overkill. Mmm. The salad was so wonderful it could have been served alone.
I can't wait to come back!Listed in: Favorite East Bay Bites
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Review from Dr H.
Oakland, CA
1/15/2012
Such a classy place for unique drinks. We typically sit at the bar and allow the bartenders to entertain us with their drink creations. I've had dinner there once and it was marvelous. My waiter, the young lady who wears a flower in her hair, was so attentive to our needs. But, I don't make eating there a habit because it's a bit pricey. Nonetheless, you can always find me there at the bar sipping on a nice drink.
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Review from Kev B.
Oakland, CA
12/31/2011
Our group of six (four adults and two kids) had breakfast here today and everything was top class. Great service, friendly, attentive and speedy. Awesome decor and ambiance, and most of all excellent home cooked food. Came on a whim with no set expectations and was truly wowed by the experience and will definitely be back. Top marks.
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Review from Nique F.
9/29/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I've been going through a dive bar phase lately, so the clean, classy, white-tableclothed look of Flora didn't much appeal to me during past jaunts through Uptown. Too fancy, I always thought.
Last weekend, I was finally persuaded to pop in for drinks before a (dreadful) show at the Uptown. Thank goodness Flora came into the picture, or the night would have been a total bust. Anyway, this is a bar review only...
My first impression was correct: it's classy. It's got that art deco/ empire feel to it, down to the pretty tiled floor, golden lighting, and the snazzy mustached bartenders wearing butler vests. Makes you feel kinda fancy, kinda special. Their cocktail list is huge! My friend ordered the Old Cubano, which was zesty, complex, well-made. I ordered a glass of Handley Pinot Noir, which was flat and oxidized. Yuck. I alerted one of the daintily-dressed bartenders to my wine woes, and he immediately opened a new bottle for me, no questions asked. That's what I'm talking about, people!
If you're looking for the beautiful people of the East Bay, they're here (though, they're all dating each other, so just admire from afar). The food looks excellent (again, fancy) and everyone seems to order the big, gourmet burger.
I dig the vibe, especially for an upscale date night. Boys, take note.Listed in: Date Night, Cocktailin' - Oakland, Uptown Girl!
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Review from meshell c.
Oakland, CA
10/14/2011
Went here on a date and I thought this was a nice choice. For a Thursday night, the place was packed and busy. It's got a old-school diner feel, but a little bit more classy. The only thing I didn't like about the place was that it can get a bit loud in there. It sounded like I was in a cafeteria or something...you literally can hear everyone.
Drinks were definitely yummy though! I'd recommend the Old Cuban.
Food-wise, we both had their sea bass...it was good, but nothing fancy. The fish was cooked just right. Wasn't too fatty even though the fish is fatty in itself.
Service: I love when they come by to clean the crumbs off the table. It's those little touch that counts.
Bottom line: Yup, I'd go back. It's kinda on the pricey side, but as a first date, I think it was a hit. -
Review from Anya K.
Oakland, CA
1/7/2012
I have been here twice and have not been very thrilled either time. I went for a birthday party the second time around -- so was willing to give it another try, but I don't think I will be back. The prices were generally very high -- main courses averaging $27-30 and hardly any glasses of wine under $10- 13 per glass with quite small pours -- and the food was only ok for a restaurant that should really be great ( FOR THE HYPE AND THE PRICE!) One person in our party was served their entree about 15 minutes after everyone else at our table -- and our waiter did not apologize or seem to do anything to remedy the situation. He was one of the snobbiest most affected waiters I have come across in the Bay Area -- which kind of put a damper on the experience. ( everyone in our group commented on it -- at least we could laugh about it once we left!)
One plus--They do have a large, creative cocktail menu.
Maybe lunch would be a better bet, but I'm not coming again to find out! Overall I felt pretty ripped off! With all the great restaurants sprouting up in Oakland these days who needs to come here! -
Review from Mike G.
Salinas, CA
11/1/2011
We made reservations at Flora for a light early dinner prior to a concert at the adjacent Fox Theater in Oakland. The menu differed from the one advertised on their web site, but we chalked that up to the fact that they were opening early for the concert crowd.
We were surprised by the waitstaff, who were prompt and very courteous, because they behaved as if they were trained to be serving in a 5-star restaurant. The prices on the menu were also 5-star level; however, the food was NOT 5-star. We had a beet salad that was flavorful, but definitely not worth the price. The calamari appetizer was only average in flavor and also was lacking in quantity and excessively overpriced.
Expensive restaurant, average food. -
Review from Susan F.
Oakland, CA
1/6/2012
I won dinner from the sweetie for the Ravens' victory over the 49ers on Thanksgiving and chose Flora as the site for the big payoff. I am happy to report that we both enjoyed it -- seemingly much more than many of the recent reviewers!
He's not a foodie, so I tried not to pick a spot like Haven where the portions are tiny and the bill is big. In this I succeeded. Even though Flora is expensive, you get a real meal for your money and don't even really need to have an appetizer. Also I did not want a stuffy or pretentious atmosphere -- and I loved the sort of retro feeling here, a very energetic French bistro-like ambiance although that description does not fit the food.
First stop, the fascinating cocktail list. They're pretty much all $10, which is better than at similar restaurants across the Bay, and my Creole (bourbon with other goodies) was both tasty and potent. We shared the "classic shrimp cocktail" because I like to check out restaurant execution on the classics, and this was stellar. Big, tender shrimp and a sauce with just a touch of something different.
His chicken turned out to be a better choice than my New York strip steak, which was quite gristley and, alas, oversalted along with the otherwise sublime friend brussels sprouts on the plate. A side dish worth the calories: fried polenta with blue cheese and honey.
And of course I had to have that pudding. Everyone should have it once, though the sweetie refused to touch it because he hates creamy luscious desserts, poor guy. I only ate half, cuz, wow, I had already eaten some of that polenta!
Many kudos to our server. I did not complain about the salty entree because I did not want to stop the meal, but I did tell her why I couldn't finish it. She said she would let the kitchen know, and when the bill came she let us know the pudding was on the house as an apology. That was classy.
And that's a good way to describe Flora. Next time I am going to have that burger you all salivate over! -
Review from Emmie N.
Milpitas, CA
10/9/2011
I tried making reservations for this place but there were no spots available at the time I wanted so we decided to just wing it and walk in. There were 2 seats open at the bar, we'll take it! And I'm very glad that we sat at the bar b/c the bartender was super cool and created some great drinks to my liking.
In a nutshell, I like the drinks, and appetizer, and the dessert here, but not so much the main entree. The short ribs appetizer is AMAZING, sooo tender and flavorful...finger licking good! Apparently they are very famous for their caramel pudding. Our bartender said it is "to die for"...so of course we had to try it. I gotta admit, the pudding tasted like...CLOUDS hahaha. How can caramel pudding be so fluffy??? Not only fluffy, but something about the consistency of it that I cannot describe in words. You gotta try it yourself to know what I'm talking about, but it really was the best caramel pudding I've ever tasted. -
Review from Allie B.
San Francisco, CA
11/18/2011
We come here for company parties.
Service is superb. And most of their dishes are good.
I like the fish and chips.
And the burger.
Menu changes all the time, but the two dishes above seems to always be on the menu. -
Review from Catherine A.
San Francisco, CA
12/28/2011
I was looking for a place to go for my birthday and had heard good things about Flora, so we gave it a try. It definitely did not disappoint! I'm giving 3 stars instead of four because the reviews were mixed in our party
I recommend going a little early to get some drinks at the bar before dinner - skip the bar bites - they're just so so and not really worth it. -
Review from Egan B.
9/11/2011 Seated via OpenTable 3 Check-ins Here
One of my favorite places in downtown Oakland for Lunch.
Flora is a little more upscale than your typical lunch fare, but not over the top. Lunch is usually between $10-$15 per person.
I've tried the turkey french dip, the burger, the pastrami, and the steak salad.
All of the dishes I've tried have been good, though my favorite has to be the pastrami. The meat is juicy and not too salty, and it comes with a nice heap of fries.
Make a reservation beforehand, it gets busy and you might as well earn100 Opentable points : )Listed in: Best Places to eat lunch if…
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Review from Tiffany N.
Oakland, CA
10/8/2011
I think there is a lot of unwarranted hype around this place.
Just ok for me....I think I just didn't get it. I couldn't figure out the decor, the menu, the location, the service.....It just wasn't working together to create an experience. -
Review from Amy H.
Berkeley, CA
12/12/2011
I'm so tired of this kind of food. It makes me not want to go out to dinner at a nice place. Boring, small plates, expensive. Pretty place inside...best part about it really. Nothing interesting or inspired on the menu. Really expensive and I was hungry leaving. We had the crab appetizer, which was supposed to be half a crab. No, it was 4 very small legs for $15. Then some spongy doughy "gnocchi" with really terrible mushrooms with no flavor. Um...that's was not gnocchi. The burger with cheese was going around $17! Gasp. This place just makes me really sad.
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Review from Gordon W.
Alameda, CA
10/25/2011
Flora is awesome! I love that they focus on getting things locally. I've been here for both lunches (x2) and dinners (x5), and I've never been disappointed.
The caramel pudding is a MUST HAVE! Don't miss it! They sprinkle coarse sea-salt on top of it, that gives you a sweet and salty taste. -
Review from Patrick S.
Oakland, CA
9/7/2011
I'd started a review at 4 stars a few weeks ago, then revisited this place last night. Bonus star for an amazing night!
Cocktails are of the finely crafted variety, I am a big fan of the menu and bartenders.
Apps were excellent and well priced. My favorite was the avocado and tomato toast. Simple but fantastic flavors and perfectly ripe tomatoes.
Both the ribeye and the grilled salmon were excellent, but the salmon's side of corn and bean saute was amazingly full of flavor (I think that there was a corn puree under the veg).
Love the atmosphere. -
Review from Anne R.
San Francisco, CA
1/20/2012
Absolutely love this place. My go-to place to wow people with low expectations of Oakland. Food and drinks are always spot on, perfectly cooked and the Caramel pudding is to die for. Only complant is their hot chocolate. Comes with a big homemade marshmellow, but hte chocolate is terrible and tastes like it came out of a machine. THey need to check out Elmwood on College ave to see how real hot chocolate is done.
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Review from Jade N.
Lynnwood, WA
My bff and I had our reunion dinner here on a Sunday evening and it was really nice. Maybe Sunday evenings are a bit more quite but the ambiance was really relaxed and easy. The service was definitively on point, although the water bottle is on the table someone came by to refill our glasses very regularly and take care of all the little details.
We had the halibut ceviche which came with a really refreshing gazpacho. The salmon with a basil topping and a corn/tomato salad was really light and delicious. The sea bass came with roasted tomato slices which were soooo yummy !
The salted carmel pudding had to be tried because yelp told me to- it's like if pumpkin pie filling and a salted caramel got married and had a kid. It was really good but too rich for such a warm summery night.
The something something pepper cocktail was super good-grapefruit and black salt tastes a lot better than it sounds.
Basically everything was really good and all I can remember is a warm fuzzy happy feeling.Listed in: Foreign Foods
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Review from Jenny Z.
Montara, CA
9/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Amazing drinks!
I didn't get a chance to eat the food here, but the menu looked fabulous. If the food is anything like the drinks, this place is top notch. Their drink menu is extremely vast and also very unique. I had a bulldog. Very tasty. -
Review from Rebecca H.
Berkeley, CA
9/12/2011
Cocktails at this place are amazing. I felt like I was in Mad Men or something, ordering and drinking very retro unique fizzy citrus beverages. Yum!
But the food was very average. I was disappointed about the menu, it seemed like every other "local, sustainable, blah blah" menu in the area.
The venue is so cool, so very up-and-coming Oakland, it deserves a unique menu. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't nearly as memorable as the venue and drinks. Average. -
Review from Linda M.
Alameda, CA
9/5/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Cool ambiance, good food but poor variety and horrible veggie selection. The waitress was MIA pretty the whole meal other then taking orders and bringing the bill and because there were six of us the 18% gratuity was automatically added in.
This place is over rated and very over priced!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also much smaller then it looks in pictures so it gets loud!
