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Prime Spot Bar and Grill
Categories: Nightlife Bars Restaurants Steakhouses Bars, Steakhouses [Edit]
3417 Grand Ave(between Elwood Ave & Mandana Blvd)
Oakland, CA 94610
Neighborhoods: Grand Lake, Lower Hills
(510) 268-1840
- Hours:
Tue-Sun 5 pm - 10 pm
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Sun, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
223 reviews for Prime Spot Bar and Grill
Review Highlights
"The prime rib is absolutely delicious."
(in 151 reviews)
"It went nicely on the bed of garlic mashed potatoes."
(in 27 reviews)
"Crab and artichoke dip is very good as well."
(in 20 reviews)
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223 reviews in English
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Review from Brandi W.
San Leandro, CA
2/7/2012
The chef Daron is great, the prime rib is Delish! This is just a little spot with no frills, nothing fancy and just good food. This place served food that made me feel right at home. My fave appetizer was the calamari. My husband loved the portion size which was pretty generous for the amount we paid. We will definitely coming back.
Oh yeah, and my coworkers loved it too! -
Review from Kristina L.
San Francisco, CA
I was looking for a steak house close enough to my home, with great reviews and open decently late and yelp brought me here.
Setting: good size place, very laid back with TVs to watch the game.
Service: EXCELLENT
The waiter was very friendly and joked around with us. He kept our waters filled and constantly asked how we were doing.
The cowboy steak:
I asked for Medium rare and I got just that. THANK YOU!!! not all the time do you ask for a particular way of having your steak cooked and the place gets it right. It was very flavorful and juicy. The garlic mash that came with the dish was tasteful. You can taste the herbs and garlic. I usually hate mashed patatos so it means something when I enjoy having the ones here.
Prime Rib:
Again another great Med rare taste! Just as juicy, flavorful and soft to chew. It was quite a big piece of meat, too much to handle, but always good the next day for left overs!
Overall:
Had a good time here, like I mentioned its more a chilled laid back place. Not a romantic dinner, but you can definitely enjoy this place with great company. If you just looking for a great place to have bomb a$$ steak for a reasonable price then this is the spot to be. -
Review from John M.
12/16/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Boy, have I gone too far with this whole voucher deal thing.
Fortunately, I quit cold turkey without needing an intervention. Back at the height of my voucher deal infatuation, however, I bought 2 Living Social deals for Prime Spot & the expiration dates for both were swiftly upon me.
The girlfriend & I ended up eating at Prime Spot twice in less than a week. Going & going back gave us a good feel for the place. It's a smallish, casual & homey neighborhood joint with a friendly staff.
On the 1st visit, we both stuck with the stated signature dish of this restaurant & got the Oven Roasted Prime Rib, which was accompanied by garlic mash potatoes and steamed broccoli.
On the 2nd visit, we explored more of the menu. We started with the Crab & Artichoke Dip. I got the Cowboy Steak, which had the same sides as the Prime Rib. The girlfriend got a half slab of the New Orleans Seasoned Baby Back Ribs, which came with fries.
Having now sampled the Prime Rib & a Steak here, I would say the beef dishes at Prime Spot are just OK. The quality of the beef itself didn't impress me as being top grade & the preparation, while also just OK, wasn't especially praiseworthy.
Aside from the beef, the rest of our food was either mostly better or downright delicious. The garlic mash potatoes were yummy. The Crab & Artichoke Dip was addictive-as-crack awesome. The girlfriend's New Orleans Seasoned Baby Back Ribs were nice & tender with a tasty sweet BBQ sauce. The steamed broccoli was the exception & was not that good.
Given the friendly service & some pretty good food, I'm inclined to rate Prime Spot as 4 stars. But, at a place like this, it's all about the beef. The name of the restaurant is Prime Spot & the signature dish is Prime Rib. Make no mistake, beef is the main attraction here & the beef I had wasn't as Rock Star sensational as it should have been for being the centerpiece of the menu. 3 stars. -
Review from Wanugee N.
Pleasant Hill, CA
I was thinking of getting some Prime Rib on a whim on a Sunday night, and was going to contact the fabulous Mad Hatrix Kim D to see if her entourage wanted to meet up with my entourage, and "meat up" in Oakland.
Things came up, however, so I never had my people contact her people, so I had Indian food in Emeryville instead that Sunday night.
However, a couple of days later, I had that whim to eat Prime Rib again. I am not a big Prime Rib eater, nor a big steak eater. I would be lucky to eat a steak once a month at the most. Maybe 6 times a year. But my entourage are meat eaters, and so is part of her entourage. And she is loosely known as a self-described chronic masticator, which engenders images of meat in the mouth to me. So my people contacted the Mad Hatrix's people, and we arranged to meet up with her entourage and my entourage at a prime spot for it, namely, Prime Spot.
The best laid plans of Mice and Men, and Entourages, sometimes go awry. The hopes of a wonderful meeting over juicy meat was not to be. We did order meat, a Prime Rib and a New York Pepper Steak. But our server was on his third day on the job, and I don't think he was an experienced server. He was nice, but seemed like a cross between a store clerk at Sears and a highway construction worker. Not very helpful, slow, and hard to find.
And the food was underwhelming. The Prime Rib was meh, and the NY Pepper Steak was missing the pepper, in fact all 3 peppers. I was expecting an encrusted steak a poivre, but they should have brought a pepper shaker, because like a twist on that decades old Wendy's commercial about beef, where's the pepper?
The garlic mash potatoes lack garlic, and the broccoli was meh.
The place is sort of like a sports bar that serves steaks. Which can be fine, except there is very little sports, there are no cute girls in short skirts and big smiles, and this place has seen better days. Like maybe the last time the Warriors won an NBA title.
(1974-75, if you didn't know!)
But my entourage enjoyed the company of her entourage. And next time, I'll have her people call my people for another suggestion.Listed in: Wanugee! Steaks, Wanugee! Oakland
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Review from Kim D.
An impromptu textvite to "eat prime rib" on the weekend with a few other carnivores was an offer I couldn't refuse. I am a gal who is fond of the ethnic, the esoteric, offal and humble but skillfully elevated cuts that Tony Bourdain refers to as The Nasty Bits. So, the idea of prime rib on a weekend that did not involve lots of relatives converging for a high holiday was kind of... weird to me.
Yes, I'm still stalling about what I said to Jane Wiedlin, but that's entirely beside the point. Can I tell you a really horrifying story about a celebrity that we all know and love, hometown girl Margaret Cho? Yes? Okay:
So, years ago I was asked to be a human clothes hanger for a runway fashion show for an event in El Lay, whose main sponsor was our very own Mr. S. Leather. I was traveling a lot, eating way too many French tasting menus in NYC and weighed in at a healthy 125 lbs., easily. I accepted, as a gal pal wanted to add me to her photo portfolio and another friend was a clothing vendor.
I vividly recall the stylists assigned to me being frustrated that the size S and XS they had were still too big for me. "We need more chicken cutlets!" and they bolstered my cleavage, cinched and cursed until it was practically under my chin.
At dress rehearsal, hair in curlers and wearing a bathrobe over my first look, we were awaiting our next instructions when a collective swoon/squeal/scream of excitement rippled through the room. The organizers brought in the Real Talent who was closing the show, previously unbeknownst to us: Diva Margaret Cho in the flesh.
Deafening applause peppered generously with omigod, omigod, omigod! I was swooning majorly, because I had in the CD player of my car her Drunk With Power Album. I gave serious consideration to running down Sunset Boulevard in thigh-high patent leather stiletto boots, curlers and a flimsy cover-up to retrieve said CD and implore her to autograph it. But all of the "models" were intimidated by Ms. Cho - I mean, serious star power!
I decided not to pester or admit what a fan I am - that goes without saying. So I focused on not sweating because of the silicone chicken cutlets stuffed into my latex ensemble.
Backstage, we all gave Ms. Cho her space. It was a bit awkward because we didn't want to smother her, and as a result, no one was talking to her. We're not worthy!
She approached me and said, "I love your boots!" The most witty thing I could conjure was, "Thank you. You look great" She leaned in and ran her fingers up and down the side of the outside of my right boot. "Now, what's this?" she asked me. "Uh, it's a holster. For the riding crop. See, it goes in like this," I stuttered. "That's so great - love that! Where did you get them?"
I totally blanked and I pray that she's forgotten our encounter because I was so star struck. Because I failed to be myself, and shower her with admiration and accolades, or engage her in any real conversation, she is forever lost to me. *collapsing into a heap of despair*
You're right: this has nothing to do with my review, but I did kind of promise to divulge the Jane thing(s). Still stalling.
Back to present day @ Prime Spot. Gal Pal and I split the Chef's Cut 16 oz prime rib, ($30.95) medium rare out of deference to the Gal Pal. When our order arrived, she was gracious enough to carve a small section of the bloodier center for me. Shockingly bland and not well trimmed, either.
Wanugee ordered the 3 Peppered NY Strip ($23.95) and it was nothing like the dry-aged steak au poivre I was hoping it would be. I got a snippet of that as well, and a few forkfuls of broccoli that bordered in the dreaded f-word: flaccid but because it had been blanched, the color was okay, but I care about the TASTE.
The Cadet had a mundane chicken sammich; I don't even think I bothered to take a picture of it, it was that unremarkable.
Our group sat in the back, and it was chilly each time the door opened. I didn't notice at first, but there were several flatscreen TVs, one right above our table in the corner. The formica tables and paper napkins made me feel like we were eating in a cafeteria sports bar off the strip while paying hotel resort prices.
Gal Pal demolished the Prime Rib; Wanugee made a decent effort but took half his entree home, and yes, there was a lot of gristle that could have been trimmed. Tragically under seasoned. The Cadet vacuumed up his sammich and had no real complaints.
I will put anything in my mouth twice before delivering a verdict, but the motivation to return and sample the highly recommended dishes will be difficult to muster.
Sadness. -
Review from Kelly C.
San Francisco, CA
12/5/2011
1. The prime rib is absolutely delicious.
2. You're going to get simple meat, potatoes, and veg. Kind of like eating at your grandmother's on a Sunday evening. Damn, it's satisfying.
3. Come for the meat, not the ambiance or service.
4. It's a laid-back, local place. It's not a place to bring a date.
5. You will go into a food coma after eating. -
Review from Sarah W.
Oakland, CA
1/6/2012
Enjoyed dinner here-the prime rib sandwich was excellent. The pork ribs were ok but a bit tough. The crab dip was very rich. The fries were excellent. Service was a tad brusque.
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Review from Carol L.
Oakland, CA
11/9/2011
Three words, gross, mediocre, & gross!
Lychee cocktail = nasty
Oven roasted prime rib = Bleh
No wait
Service = slow
Price = not worth it for the quality/taste of food
I don't know how this place got 4 stars... I was thoroughly disappointed. -
Review from Steve G.
Alameda, CA
11/6/2011
Came here on a Friday night with the wife and son and a 1/2 off Living Social coupon. Place is nice but not fancy. Busy, but had an open table so we were immediately seated.
Nice selection on the menu of fish, burgers and of course prime rib and steaks. We came here for the prime rib and had read the yelp reviews so we knew the portions were large. So, for the 3 of us we ordered 2 of the largest cut.
Sure enough, plenty of meat. Came with garlic mashed and steamed broccoli. Cooked perfectly, medium rare.
Our standard for prime rib is House Of in the City and this wasn't quite there. Also, the broccoli didn't light my fire, so -1 stars for all that.
Good service, bad parking, good food, great value, solid 4 stars. -
Review from wendy h.
Oakland, CA
12/5/2011
I am a frequent customer here and enjoy their food every time I visit. My friends and I visit this place maybe once every 2 weeks or even more. On Friday night, I was insulted by this gentleman that works there. He accused me of "scamming" the place and "wanting a free meal" because my friend had given me a coupon he had purchased from living social. My friend was there earlier that evening as well and used one of the coupons. The worker came to me and showed me both coupons and told me I was "scamming" them. I tried explaining to him that they were 2 diff ones and that the numbers did not match. He ignored me and walked away as I was trying to explain to him and proceeded to charge my credit card without my consent.
I was appalled that someone like him would accuse me of such thing. I am a frequent customer and would never try to "scam" a local business. My friends and I will not return. This is not how you do business. If you are not willing to honor coupons, you should not offer them. I was willing to pay for the meal if necessary, but the way he dealt with this "issue" was by all means very rude and unprofessional. It's the principle. -
Review from Rob A.
Oakland, CA
12/12/2011
Wonderful place to eat and relax. I love a place where carnivores can unite and partake in the gorging of huge cuts of meat. I love a place where you can ask for "medium rare" and actually get medium rare. The owners were very pleasent and made you feel welcome. I would have given this place a five but they had a waitress who looked like Kabuki and had an attitude that made you want to smack her momma for birthing her. Besides that the experience was very pleasant. Bring your appetite and some patience and you will have a wonderful dining eperience.
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Review from Jeff S.
Pleasanton, CA
12/11/2011
Ate here for dinner based on the Yelp reviews. Very casual atmosphere, almost a little divey but the service and food were fantastic. Between us we had the filet mignon, large prime rib and the cowboy steak. All the meat servings were large and cooked perfectly to our order. They are all served with fresh broccoli and mashed potatoes. Very reasonably priced for the size of serving. The service was very good and very friendly. I would recommend this to anyone wanting a casual steak or prime rib.
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Review from D C.
Oakland, CA
7/24/2011
L O V E!!!!!!!!!!!!! Come hungry or don't come at all ;o)
Prime Spot aims to please and delivers indeed! The portions are so plentiful, you can't go wrong and the food is amazing to boot!
Today was my first experience eating there, happens to be my birthday as well, and I couldn't have been happier! Have you ever gone to a place, order half a slab of ribs and were so happy that you did?!?!?!
Meaning... the portions are so hearty that if I had gone with the full slab, I would have been rolled out of the restaurant! HA! Now that's what I call getting more than your monies worth and also having the pleasure of enjoying every bite of food!
Everything from the appetizers to the main courses are incredible and you won't be disappointed.
Prime Spot has certainly made a new fan in me! -
Review from Quang T.
Updated - 7/5/2011
On my second visit, I added one star to my previous review. The service was much better this time.
We ordered the Prime Rib medium rare since that what most yelpers suggested. It's not House of Prime Rib type good but was not bad. I needed a lot of Horse Radish just to turn it up a notch. The cut was huge and it's piled with a mountain of garlic mash and steam broccoli. The garlic mash needed well more garlic it tasted like regular mash.
The theme of the place threw me off a little. It's basically a sports bar that serves prime rib which to me is a little on the upscale side. So not sure what the theme of the place is.
The price is fair for prime rib so it's best to find online deals for the place. A dinner for two will run about $40 each. Would I have paid full price? Probably not since I already have a favorite place to get prime rib. But if I'm looking not to cross the bay than this is the place to go.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/25/2010
Just ate there. Average at best. Service was worst. Would give it a three but service brought it… Read more »
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Review from Mariel F.
Alameda, CA
5/24/2011
Must Try:
- Crab Artichoke Dip
- Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon
Very flavorful.
The food is good.
I definitely recommend coming here. -
Review from Jenna L.
Berkeley, CA
5/16/2011 1 photo
This place has the most AMAZING Artichoke & Crab Dip for $14. Definitely the highlight of the meal and definitely worth trying.
Everything else of the place was mediocre... We ordered the sampler (which was 20$) which came with the Artichoke & Crab Dip, Wings, Zucchini sticks, and Mozzarella sticks, and I wouldn't bother ordering anything else again. BUT the artichoke & crab dip is ultimate melt in your mouth! The mix of butter, crab, whateverr is just perfect... NOMMMMMS.
We also both ordered a medium-rare prime rib-eye steak, which came with steamed veggies & mashed potatoes... which tasted ALRIGHT for a $23 steak. But, I wouldn't come again for the steak because it was a little bland.
The service and ambiance of the restaurant is very nice, which is why I am giving the place a 4-star rating (along with the artichoke dip!! -- YES, so good that I have to mention it again! LOL).
Nothing was bad at this place, so I would definitely go and check it out for yourself. -
Review from Grace C.
Fullerton, CA
4/5/2011
A guaranteed amazing rib eye bigger than the size of your face. It was my first time at Prime Spot, and even though I'm not a Norcal native, I'm just a tad bit jealous that I haven't found a place like this as of yet in LA or OC.
Cooked perfectly to my liking (Medium rare) and their crab and artichoke dip is good too. Simple foods done exceptionally well. 5 Stars. -
Review from Jennie P.
I don't see how my friends can rate this place 4+ stars.. really? As much as I trust their opinion on food, I can't bring myself to even give this place 3 stars and let me tell you why..
We were here for dinner and there was only one other table occupied - a family of about 5. We were seated promptly and given menus. After browsing for a few minutes, I knew what I wanted to try.. Prime Spot's Prime Rib (medium rare).. apparently what they're known for. My manly man ordered TWO entrees for himself.. he went for the Cowboy Steak (rare) and half rack of lamb (rare) and we ordered the Appetizer Sampler (crab & artichoke dip, zucchini sticks, mozzarella sticks and buffalo wings) to start.
After putting in the appetizer order, I requested the wine menu. Steak isn't the same without a little vino. The wine list was very limited. I usually go for the full-bodied Cabernet and there was only three to choose from. The waitress came back with the wine, poured our first glass and left several drops on the table.
Then came the appetizer.. or just 1/2 of it. The waitress brought over the crab & artichoke dip and said, "here's the sampler". Then I'm thinking.. where's the rest of it?! I was reluctant to start tasting thinking she may have mixed up the order. About 5 minutes into the crab dip, she brought the other half to the table. See, I don't think I've ever ordered an appetizer that came in two separate plates. JUST SAYIN'.
The crab dip was OK. There was a shitload of onions (and I don't eat onions) but it was still really good. A little too creamy but tasty. The bread that came with it was just like a baguette that you can grab at Safeway and cut up with a regular knife that leaves the bread squished together. I wasn't impressed. There was barely any room on the bread slices to actually slab some of the dip on there.
The zucchini sticks were overcooked and soggy. The mozzarella sticks were kinda cold and I didn't try the chicken.
After the appetizer was served, the entrees took forever. I kept picking at the appetizer until I stopped so that I can enjoy my steak. When our entrees were finally served, there was a mountain of garlic mashed potatoes and several broccoli pieces. (I thought the menu said vegetables.. I was imagining an assortment of veggies.. not just broccoli). Anyway, fast forward.. my prime rib was dry but flavorful.. A-1 sauce was a must. Dude said the lamb was better than the steak.. I think he ate half of each dish.
In the middle of our meal, the waitress asked if we wanted a box for the appetizer. Is that really necessary while we're still eating? We can wait until we're done eating then pack everything all at once. I just thought that was strange.
Overall, the food and prices were decent, service was average, but there wasn't anything spectacular about this place that would make me want to come back.
ON TO THE NEXT!Listed in: NO THANKS!
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Review from Angela S.
Benicia, CA
12/15/2011
The best thing about going to eat in a group is that you get to taste a little bit of everything..and my friends and I sure did taste a bit of everything when we came here one night for dinner...once you're seated..order a mojito for fun..once you have the refreshing beverage in hand get down to business. My friends and I ordered the sampler platter which included the crab and artichoke dip, buffalo wings, mozzarella sticks and parmesan garlic zucchini..nothing fancy shamcy...but still finger lickin good....For our entrée we ordered the Blackened Prime Rib, Annie's prime rib, Angus Beef Grilled Rib Eye, Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon and the Dijon Garlic Lamb Rack...all were sooo good..if you were to glance at our table that night..you would see all 6 of us cutting into each other's meats and bowing our head in homage to our dishes..before stuffing our faces...we were definitely not disappointed..who says we have to go to SF for good meats? Keep it local! The meats were juicy, tender and had the right amount of flavor. As if that wasn't enough we had to order dessert...we had the deep fried Oreo with ice cream, key lime pie and crème brulee..all they were delicious! Deep fried Oreo was a winner...Others had stated that service was bad..but we made reservations and even though we were late, they had us seated promptly. The staff were attentive and we had a great experience dining, ohhhhhing and ahhhhing...will be back again..and again..
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Review from Jenny L.
Berkeley, CA
I've been craving for good meat for a while..and I definitely had way more than I'd expected at Prime Spot Bar and Grill.
It wasn't a fancy place that I was looking for with candles and smooth jazz, but when my food came, nothing else mattered but the tender, juicy Annie's well-done-prepared prime steak that was ready to enter my stomach.
The portion was BIG! Ginormous! I should've saved some for late night but I couldn't stop eating because it was that good. Probably I'd deprived myself of steak for a long time.
I ordered the LakeCut (smallest size on the menu) that was around $19.95 and that was a pretty good deal. Sides came with my entree, which included rice (I gotta have my rice for dinner) and broccoli.
Subtracting 1 star because it did take them a while ~20 minutes to give us our steaks. The waiter/cook (I forget) was conversational and apologized for the wait time because they were short of staff. Hmm..giving back 1 star again for deliciousness and immediate seating!
Will come back for mouth-watering steak and the bread sticks with crab meat sauce dip. If you have a small to medium appetite like me, I would suggest splitting the entree in half with someone. -
Review from marlene s.
San Leandro, CA
4/6/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Love the food here! I usually stick to the steaks...the cowboy and the bacon wrapped filet mignon are my fave! Zucchini appetizer is always good. And deep-fried oreos and ice cream....??! OMG!
Service can be hit or miss. Last time we were here, our waitress called our orders out over our heads (we were seated pretty much right where the cooks stand and put plates out). Also, she initially gave me someone else's bacon wrapped filet. Oops! Thank goodness the food is sooo awesome!
My bf and I brought some friends for a double date and they thoroughly enjoyed it as well. Can't wait for the next date! -
Review from Christine T.
El Cerrito, CA
6/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Yesterday was my first time here and everything we ordered was amazing! We ordered the sampler appetizer, it came with artichoke and crab dip that is phenomenal, chicken wings (Cindy says it is the best chicken), cheesesticks (I love cheese), and fried zucchini. Everything on it was made to perfection.
We also got the peppered steak, medium rare and it really was medium rare, Tony said the best steak he had in years! I got the prime ribs, it was amazing! I can still taste it today.
The portions are huge! The location is cute, the restaurant is small and cute, the service was great. Everything about this place was GREAT! -
Review from Alexa W.
Alameda, CA
3/20/2011
OK atmosphere (although I am not too crazy about TVs hanging all around the place - since it's not a sports bar...), the facilities were not very clean.
Service was a bit slow, but extremely friendly! Food was good. I was not crazy about the mashed potatos and thought the fries of my fellow diners were the much better choice. The steak was the bomb! I got the grilled Rib Eye (12 oz) and had massive problems eating it all. The husband had to come to my rescue. My steak was perfectly cooked medium, the others at my table (who had also ordered medium) got theirs medium well.
All in all a nice casual place in Oakland to get a decent piece of meat. Will probably be back. Would give 3.5 stars. -
Review from Dwight A.
Oakland, CA
8/13/2011
How did this place earn 4 stars on yelp??? I bought the Living Social deal. Easily a waste of money. The food was not very good at all - it bordered on horrible and inedible. Prime rib was spotty. The pork ribs were not tender. Artichoke and crab dip were good but not amazing - I've had better.
GO TO ANOTHER PLACE IF YOU WANT GOOD PRIME RIB AND/OR PORK RIBS!!! -
Review from Jeff K.
San Francisco, CA
10/3/2011
We had not been here for a couple of years and after having dinner, we wondered why we had not....this place is great!
First of all, this is a small family type restaurant run by friendly, family, local people.
Secondly, the food is great. They specialize in prime rib and its well prepared, tasty, plentiful portion, and reasonably priced. The prime rib dip sandwich was also a good choice. We also had some baby back ribs and they are just as good. The fresh vegetables served with the meals was fresh, generous portion, and cooked perfectly.
No....it doesn't have the ambiance nor elegance of The House of Prime Rib (kind of my gold standard for prime rib).....this will certainly suffice....and we'll make sure we return more regularly to support this place. -
Review from Krystal C.
San Francisco Bay Area
2/7/2011 3 Check-ins Here
This is probably the best Prime Rib I've had in the East Bay. The meat is cooked to perfection and the portion sizes are HUGE. The French Dip is my fav:) Garlic Mashed potatoes are also on point! My husband ordered the lamb shanks on our last visit and they were full of flavor.
This is a small Ma & Pa style restaurant, so ambiance and service isn't the best. At the same time it isn't horrible, just feels more like a family run restaurant. -
Review from Shekinah S.
Oakland, CA
9/27/2010
Oh Beef, oh beef, you call to me!
How can I *resist* the awesomely HUGE, flavorful, oh-so-perfectly-cooked-to-order cuts of meet your espresso grounds rubbed and special spices Rib-eye introduced into my life this evening?! I shall have to, for even though a good Rib-eye is HARD to find - HARDER in OAKLAND - I'll be hard pressed to return here....
If only.... If ONLY this place actually cared about it's CUSTOMERS!! I have to echo the previous posts from Kathleen M on this topic!
WARNING:DO NOT, I SAY *NOT* GO THERE EXPECTING TO USE YOUR *PREVIOUSLY PURCHASED* RESTAURANT.COM CERTIFICATES! THEY WILL NOT BE HONORED!!!!!!!!
- The owner should have a big sign on the front that says: NO LONGER ACCEPTING RESTAURANT.COM CERTIFICATES.
- He should TRAIN HIS STAFF on the same!
- He should remember that REPEAT & REFERRAL BUSINESS is more valuable than the "loss" he'd take honoring coupons from before he & the company finally ended their relationship. Here's what happened to us tonight!
I am ALWAYS looking for a good beef joint, and wanting to support the Oakland based economy whenever possible. ESPECIALLY a sole-proprietor who is competing with the big chains! Too bad the owner of this place isn't as interested in repeat & referral business as he is in making a buck! short-sighted he is... soooo shortsighted! He also didn't seem to care too much about his staff getting their tips... sad, but true!
So, after a long week and a long day my guy & I remembered that we had a $25.00 http://restaurant.com coupon & decided to give this place a try. I was willing to overlook how HARD PARKING in this area can be for the thought of a tasty slab-o-beef on the tiny budget we had available to us for a special treat, coupon being the sole purpose for our visit!
We sat down a little after 8:00 pm this hot Sunday night. BEFORE we ordered - as we were reviewing the menu choices - I stated that I had the above mentioned coupon and asked if he "needs to see it now". He said he'd "take it" - which I understood to mean the coupon would be usable and to give it to him later. He never asked for it again, so I didn't think about it again.
Food - 5 stars! The food was PERFECT! If the food were all I cared about I wouldn't be writing this, because I'd go back. My guy had the Annies Prime Rib 14 oz cut ($24.95), substituted onion rings for the garlic mashed, and a side house salad. He gave me his seasonal veggies - all zucchini upon my request. Onion rings subbed for $1 buck more, salad another $3.50. My recently-returned-to-a-dedicated-low-carb-lifestyl e self had the 12 oz Cowboy's cut; as mentioned above, ($21.95, ESPRESSO GROUNDS COVERED & SPECIAL SPICES!! OMG, IT WAS *SUPERB*!!) No garlic mashed for me either, rather subbed a side salad for another $1 buck and clung to all the zucchini I could get! We decided another $5 bucks for 2 soda's wasn't worth the mark-up and stayed with water.
Table Service - 4 stars (he lost me at the end) - very good service till it came time to settle the bill.
So let's add that up....
$24.95
$21.95
$3.50
$1.00
$1.00
Total:$52.40 (amount 18% pre-added tip via coupon would have been based on....)
Subtract $25.00 coupon
TOTAL AFTER DISCOUNT: $27.40!!!!! PLUS tip!
GREAT, right? all told, we would have had all that for about $40 bucks, our budget for the night! that is NOT what happened though. :-(
Customer Service - 1 Star, because it cudda been worse!
Upon finishing our meal, I handed our nice server the coupon to settle up. He took it to cash out the check. a minute or so later, he comes back with "oh, I've got some bad news"....he THEN proceeds to tell us that the owner of the place "canceled his agreement with them last year on Nov. 11, but this certificate was purchased on Nov. 16th" so we can't take this".
and I'm thinking .... WTF?!?!!?!?!?!?? So, because THIS OWNER had a dispute with the coupon company who SOLD ME THEIR PRODUCT, he's going to punish ME, THE CUSTOMER?!? *REALLY*?!? Seems to ME that the dispute is between TWO BUSINESSES, not between him & I. But he doesn't see it that way.
In the end he adjusted the price of the Prime Rib to 50% - making it $12.48 instead of $24.95. Better, but NOT what we had planned or expected. As if that weren't enough, THEN our server made a mistake in calculations, resulting in giving us 2 DIFFERENT totals! Nor did HE make up for his mistake... so he basically lost his well-deserved tip!
Maybe I'll go back; more likely I don't. too bad, cuz it really WAS the best damn rib-eye I've had in a while! -
Review from Bobby S.
Oakland, CA
9/5/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Their ribeye steak is definitely my favorite choice. The price is right and the helpings are huge! I love the crab and artichoke dip as well. Better come with a big appetite. You can either dress casual or come in a suit. It works here. I love coming to this place! Bring your family and friends.
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Review from Matthew K.
Oakland, CA
2/24/2011
I was so hoping for better when I saw the reviews here, and in fairness the prices and quality were comparable to an Outback or Black Angus... I just don't think it lives up to its name or it's hype.
I was hoping for a high quality experience (or at least a B average steak), and while I wasn't totally disappointed, it just didn't meet my expectations.
In the future, if I'm looking for somewhere close to work then I might stop in here again but otherwise I'll keep searching for the GRADE A CHOICE STEAK in Oakland. -
Review from Thomas M.
Oakland, CA
Updated - 6/27/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Rebuttal! I came in yesterday for dinner and I was very satisfied. I didn't have a huge appetite so all I had is The Sampler and my lady ordered a cheeseburger. The sampler included crab artichoke dip, mozzarella sticks, chicken wings and zucchini and SOOO-WOW!! I am a huge fan of the crab artichoke, I was so amaze by the flavorful burst, and it was so perfect that I ordered another one to-go. The atmosphere is still the same, service may be a bit slow, but they really hustle to keep me satisfied by refilling drinks and asking me if everything was alright, so Kudos to the staff. This is my 3rd visit and so far everything I had on the menu is a class taste. Hopefully I can give this place a 5-star, we will see on my future visits. Will be back!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/28/2011
I've been craving for prime rib for the longest. I had a group of 6, we all ordered the prime rib. I… Read more »
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Review from K W.
San Francisco, CA
6/20/2010
THIS PLACE IS RIDICULOUS.
We had reservations and we didn't get seated until 30 minutes later. Our waitress, who is a sweet girl, took a while to come to us. She brought our drinks ONE at a time.. heard of tray? When the food was ready, a different server brought over a plate and didn't even know what the plate was. We got charged an additional hot tea because we asked for more hot water. A medium steak was cooked well done, so we asked for another one and it took the whole meal to get it the correct one. We had to keep flagging our server for everything! This place is small so I don't understand why everything takes so long.
This is the part where you should pay attention. When you pay, LOOK AT YOUR BILL. There were so many mistakes on it. We were overcharged not once, not twice, not three times, but four times! Their computer system added $0.50-$2.00 to foods. And I'm still irritated they didn't comp or discount anything from the wrongly cooked steak that took another 25 minutes to make.
The people are nice. The food is good. The experience was horrible. I'm so mad because we came here to celebrate a special event and it was just such a let down. -
Review from JP T.
6/29/2011
The first time Yelp has ever missed on a review and let me down! Came here on Father's Day with my family and needless to say, we were all a bit disappointed. For starters, it was extremely hot that day and this place was like an oven. It was hotter in the restaurant than outside, though I think this is because the kitchen is in plain view and pretty much a part of the dining area. The restaurant itself is not huge and looks a bit old, and they had the doors open, so I cannot fault the restaurant for the temperature in there, but the building landlord could possibly look into getting central air for the restaurant.
Onto the food! We started with the crab and artichoke dip based on the recommendations of fellow yelpers. This was pretty tasty, although I felt like the mayonnaise/cheese was a bit overpowering and drowned out the flavor of the crap and artichoke a bit. Nonetheless, it was tasty. Also, the pictures on yelp make the portion look much larger than it actually is in person. For our group of 12, we had 2 and only a few of us were able to get seconds.
Most of the group ordered the prime rib that they are known for and there were mixed reviews all around. Everyone who ordered their prime rib medium rare was satisfied with their meal. But everyone who got medium or higher, complained that the meat was a bit dry. Visually, I could vouch for this, but I had no intention of trying it firsthand. What I believe happens is that they cook one prime rib to medium rare, and when a customer orders something cooked more than this, they take the prime rib and throw it in the oven/skillet in order to acheive the correct level of cooking. Not verified, but just my theory. I supposed I couldn't expect House of Prime Rib type quality here, but for around $30, I've had better prime rib at some buffets. Portion wise, they are very generous. Most of my group did not finish their meal, including the mountain of broccoli that each of us received. haha The garlic mash was also a bit bland in my opinion, too much butter and not enough garlic flavor.
Overall, I would probably not come back here again. The average total was roughly $40 per person and for that much money, I would rather eat elsewhere. Parking is all street parking and if you do not have a problem walking 2-3 blocks, you will be ok. -
Review from David J.
Emeryville, CA
6/7/2011
It's a great little joint. Some of these reviews are hysterical. Anyone who thinks $20 for a piece of prime rib with potatoes and vegetables is "pricey"---must be living on another planet--certainly they don't reside in east bay
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Review from Mary P.
Oakland, CA
6/3/2010
Cool Joint. Got a night away from the children, so hubby and I decided to have dinner away from our usual kid-friendly haunts. I had read reviews of Prime Spot and even driven past it several times. Not sure why we hadn't stopped in before last night. Maybe because I look at Milano's store front or am always giggling at the Weight Watchers/Chocolate and Ice Cream Shop/ Personal Trainer triumvirate across the street. Read some reviews, some good, some not so good. Decided to give it a try.
We arrive a bit after 5pm, and are the first patrons. Yahoo! First! Warm bright orange walls and kitschy lamps lighted the restaurant. We sat ourselves at the direction of the waiter (Please come in and have a seat wherever you'd like). Immediately received water and menus, ordered a beer for the hubby. Thanks, cute waiter guy.
Appetizer Sampler platter was meh, so-so. Chicken wings tasted funny, zucchini and mozzarella sticks standard bulk restaurant fare. We didn't eat it all and took it home. It sat in the fridge and kids asked about it but no one would go near it. Not even the metabolism of a hummingbird/Mikey likes everything 8 y son. So it got tossed.
I ordered the prime rib-Grand Lake cut and husband had a steak, both looked and tasted great. I was not expecting much but I was very pleasantly surprised. Mashed potatoes were good just wished we'd gotten more veggies (broccoli on our plates).
So recapping: Nice, cute, hole in the wall on Grand Ave., waiter, bartender and chef were cool, steaks were great. After dinner take a nice walk around the lake or hit a movie at the Grand Lake.
We'll definitely be back soon! Another reason to shop/dine Oakland! -
Review from Stephen G.
Oakland, CA
4/25/2011
This is an interesting little family place, comprising perhaps a dozen or so tables, on a fairly quiet stretch of Grand Avenue. It's right near Milano's if you know where that is.
Anyway, a friend and I were in the mood for meat and we checked it out. Walking in, we weren't sure what we were getting into, in that it has formica tables and a few tvs going (though not at all loud, and showing an NBA play-off game, which I did not mind checking out). Plus the "bar" in Bar and Grill is a small, five-stool area near the back, used mainly by the staff and owners (most of whom might be from the same family) to hang out. So not a place simply to go for a drink. (And no beer on tap, by the way.)
Still the lighting is not too bright, contrary to the kitchen look that might come to mind when I mention formica. The service and atmosphere are relaxed and friendly.
And most to the point, the food is good. I had the largest prime rib selection--16 oz. for about $28. (I took the waiter up on his suggestion that the regular prime rib was better than the blackened kind.) It was just a little fattier than I would have preferred, and not quite the best prime rib I've ever had. But it still was plenty tasty. It came with steamed broccoli, which provided me with the illusion that part of what I was eating was some semblance of a healthy meal.
My friend had the full rack of ribs with a nicely tangy BBQ sauce (the regular sauce, not the five-spice option). Again, not quite the best either of us have ever had, but the meat was tasty, tender and juicy and the sauce was good. And the full rack is a very good-sized portion. We both had some french fries also. Not bad, and not greasy, but nothing special.
Even though we were there at 8 p.m. on a Friday, only a few tables were occupied. But maybe that's because it was Good Friday.
So...nothing fancy, and certainly not a romantic place for a date. But for a relaxing meal out with friends and/or family, quite fine. -
Review from jason g.
San Francisco, CA
1/17/2010
I have bookmarked this for 2 years, so I came here tonight to check out their prime rib and their five spice bbq ribs. This is not HOPR or even close, so I'm not going to try to compare the two.
The two sides, the broccoli with garlic and butter and their mashed potatoes were awesome. The sides were the ones that shined. The prime rib on the other hand was lacking quality. The seasoning was great but the beef itself was definitely a lower grade, chewy and tough to cut.
Their bbq ribs were great in taste but it was cold, the fat was getting coagulated. We had to send it back to get it reheated. If it was hot, I think it's probably one of the better bbq ribs out there today. It has a lot of depth in flavor and the bbq sauce was intense and flavorful.
The service is a little slow but they do aim to please and are very friendly. My friend didn't get his hot tea until after our first appetizer, which is like a good 10 minutes. I asked several times for our bill because we were late for a movie. Never came, so I went ahead and just gave them my credit card. It took another 5 minutes with no response so I decided to pay with cash because we couldn't wait any longer.
Total for 2 prime ribs, rack of lamb, a half rack of ribs, and a hot tea. 83.00
A solid 4 star restaurant if the food came out hot and the service was just a tad bit faster. -
Review from andy m.
Alameda, CA
11/1/2010
It's been a minute since I've been back.
First time there we had the cream of broccoli, a steak, and some other stuff I forgot.
DAMN! What a damn good steak that was. Small little joint with big personality. Price was cheap, food was good and HOT, and the mash potatoes was on point! -
Review from Michelle S.
Brookline, MA
1/15/2009
I get really crabby when I don't get enough iron. I eat my spinach and all. However, sometimes I really need a full serving of honest-to-goodess heme iron. (As in chelated to hemoglobin...eh...I'll shut up). Anyhow, I walk by this place at least once a week and I have always wondered about it. After a few of my Yelp friends reviewed it favorably, I decided tonight was the night to try it. I like taking myself out to dinner every once in a while and I am getting a little tired of my usual, Mezze. (Actually, I will never get tired of Mezze. It just isn't the same after my favorite bartender quit and after one of the waiters tried to hit on me at the Easy Lounge...risk you run when you eat out by yourself.) Prime Spot it was.
There is a cozy bar in the back right in front of a huge tv. This is a plus because I only eat out by myself if I can sit at a bar and feel like less of a loser. The bar was decorated with Obama and Warriors memorabilia. Big plus. There was a Baron Davis tribute. Sad. I mean, I miss him too...but you just have to let go. (Oh, who the $#@% am I to talk? I'm still not over my ex.) The wait staff was very attentive and friendly. The decor was odd (orange walls? ok...); but it was not offensive. The menu had a decent variety of food and seemed to be no more expensive than a Black Angus. (BA is totally a guilty pleasure of mine and I am so not embarassed about it. This shouldn't surprise you...I recently came out about being a closeted Neil Diamond fan. I suppose there is nothing else to be embarassed about after that.) It had so much that I want to like about it...
But I just cannot give it more than three stars. I will try it again and update my review accordingly. But here's what's up:
The bar was weird. Maybe I am shorter than I think I am. However, the bar stools felt way too low for the bar. I felt like I kid that was not ready to sit without his booster seat! If I weren't so fat, I would've grabbed one from the back corner that was just behind me.
The food was mediocre. My prime rib, though it came out mooing just like I like it (What good is eating heme iron if you cannot see the blood? Am I weird?), was tough...even for prime rib. I left a lot of spit-out gristle on my plate. (Hot right?) I don't know. I like chewing AND swallowing my food! Doh! The mashed potatoes were ok, creamier than I am used to, but decent. The side of vegetables was a serving of zucchini; this is nice because the veggies are usually stems of broccoli (I know that I am better than Bush Sr. because I actually do like broccoli; but it gets old). I gave them one more chance with the key lime pie...and the texture was very weird. Lumpy.
So, I have a mixed review of this place. I will try it again because I liked the servers and the idea; I just will not get the prime rib. Shame too. The prime rib had cute names for its cuts (The Lake Merritt Cut, The Grand Ave. Cut, etc.) -
Review from Justin L.
5/15/2009 1 Check-in Here
This place has essentially been hyped to the n-th degree by my cousins who know the East Bay well. Being an intermittent carnivore myself, I definitely wanted to see if my cousins were on point with their assessment of this spot.
After weeks of anticipation, I finally got a chance to sneak out of work at a reasonable hour to head out to Prime Spot. Our group of 4 ordered Buffalo Wings, a Full Rack of Ribs, 2 Ribeyes and a Prime Rib.
As I put forth my best Man vs. Food efforts...I ended up demolishing everything that made its way to my plate. I swear that my knife and fork were glowing red as I furiously plowed my way through every last delicious bite.
CONCLUSION: If you're being overtaken by carnivorous instincts, Prime Spot really hits the spot!Listed in: Tastebud Heaven
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Review from Numrin T.
Berkeley, CA
10/1/2010 1 Check-in Here
Oven roasted prime rib---yumm. I was surprised (& embarrassed) that I could gorge on almost the entire slab of meat in no time. The meat was nicely seasoned and super tender. My friend ordered NY Steak and it was good too....it's just that medium was a bit "too done" for me. Nothing special on their side dish...just garlicky broccoli and mashed potatoes.
Their wine selection was quite limited. They did not have the Cabernet we wanted and their Pinor Noir substitution just did not do a good job when paired with red meat. Overall, great service, ok place. With the price that we were paying, I honestly expected a little more "classy" atmosphere...and less of a "dinner" kind of place. But hey don't get me wrong, if you only come here for the meat and nothing fancy, this is definitely the place!
