If you've ever been to Les Deux Magots in St. Germain, this is the spot to check out, hang out,…read moresip, while snacking on something freshly made in front of you. The ambiance will get you first, the attention to detail say's a lot about the love put into La Loulou. The service is fabulous, they will remember your last drink. I'm a quirky 'orderer' and they remembered the nuance of how I like my drink. Also, don't forget to checkout the bathroom. Merci!!!

I visited La Loulou several months ago and wanted to give it some time before writing a review…read more After recently having a wonderful experience at another wine bar, I realized the difference in hospitality was too significant not to mention. I really wanted to like this place. I'd walked by several times and loved the interior design, and the videos on Instagram made it seem like such a great spot. I stopped in one evening by myself, ordered a glass of wine and the warm olives (which were delicious), and was looking forward to a relaxing night. Unfortunately, the service was the biggest disappointment. The restaurant was packed, and the atmosphere felt more concerned with maintaining an image than making guests feel welcome. I understand some restaurants embrace a more reserved European style of service, but this came across as cold and pretentious rather than intentional hospitality. As a solo diner especially, I didn't feel acknowledged or valued as a guest. It also didn't help that the dining room had a noticeable body odor smell that took away from the experience. On a positive note, the bathroom was clean and beautifully designed. I originally thought this would become my go-to place to grab a glass of wine while waiting for a table at the ramen spot next door, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. Reading through other reviews, it seems I'm not the only one who had this impression. Oakland's charm has always been its people. You can open a French-inspired wine bar, but hospitality translates into every language. If you're going to bring a Parisian aesthetic to Oakland, don't mistake indifference for sophistication. Guests should leave feeling welcomed, not judged.

Books and wine in a cute location with velvet, green, and gold touches. Really my dream place!…read more I liked the library card self-service pour system. You can choose a taste, half glass, or full glass from about 8-10 selections (at least one non-alcoholic). It was a pleasant way to spend time without any sales pressure (or not even a tip option). All three wines I tasted were really good. I went with a friend, but I can imagine coming solo to read books. Note when I first walked in, it seemed really intimidating because I had never been in a place like this, and my anxious brain was telling me spin around and leave. But the woman working there was very helpful. I am glad we stayed.

This place is adorable! I would have loved to stay for my friend's book launch but had to leave…read morebecause I had my 7 year old in tow. I was sad to leave but understand their limitations as a business with a liquor license. I will definitely be back with friends and no kids.

Everything about this place is perfection. Great food. Fantastic staff and a charming ambiance…read more Great selection of wines from Spain and beyond and also a wonderful menu! Make sure to order the linguica sandwich - it's phenomenal!

$18 for a simple sausage sandwich and $18 for a glass of Pinot Noir. Perfectly nice place, but, at…read morethese prices, I don't know why I go out anymore. It's become a luxury I can't afford anymore.

Brief Summary: - Located near the BART station…read more- Unique coffee, tastes like there is noticeable fruit notes - Coffee is not sour - Interior and exterior seats available - Simple and super tasty dishes that are perfect for breakfast or brunch What I loved most about this cafe is the food dishes, so I'll start here first. When I go into a cafe, dishes usually include sandwiches, baked sweets, pancakes or waffles. But there are times when I look at the menu and I'm trying to wake up, so I want a simpler menu. Here, they have the toast with butter. Yes, this is the perfect dish for the moment that I tend to have when choosing the first meal of the day. I also love their other menu, which is the toast with a canned fish. The cafe also sells these alongside coffee beans. The toast is sliced thick with a generous smear of butter. The toast surface has a golden shine from the melted butter. Every bite has a juicy butter taste. On the side of toast is a side of a beautiful semi-boiled egg with a runny yolk -- my favorite type of way to eat yolks. Next time, when I visit here, I will definitely try the canned fish and eat that for breakfast. That is another good breakfast menu I would love to have and try with a cup of coffee.

I've been here a handful of times over the years, usually for a meeting or because I desperately…read moreneeded caffeine before entering Trader Joe's. I'll give it to you straight. The good: Their vanilla latte is genuinely good. Flavorful, balanced, and not overly sweet. The food is decent too. The bad: Why is a vanilla latte pushing $7 these days and still arriving nowhere near the top of the cup? When I asked about it, I was told it's just one ice cube short of the normal volume. But consistently? Maybe that's what they mean by Ain't Normal. My bigger issue is the service. Maybe I've caught them on off days, but the staff has consistently come off with a bit of attitude. Nobody needs a parade when they order coffee, but a little warmth goes a long way, especially when you're charging specialty coffee prices. At the end of the day, the coffee is good enough that I've come back more than once. I just wish the cups were fuller and the customer service matched the quality of the drinks.

This is an incredible wine shop. It's small in comparison to some of the larger stores like K&L,…read morebut they've got some incredible options spanning all price points, countries, and varietals, including a pretty stellar selection of Champagne and sparkling wines. A lot of the labels are from smaller producers, well known for making high quality wines. I've been to many wine shops in/around the Bay Area and I struggle to think of a shop that has as great of a selection as Wine on Piedmont. Additionally, prices are very competitive! In the back of the shop is a small tasting room where you can enjoy wines by the glass from a rotating selection, as well as open bottles purchased from the shop for just a $10 corkage fee. The staff are also incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. We aren't over on Piedmont Ave often, but this shop gives us a reason to stop by the area more often.

The staff are really nice & informative. It's a comfortable atmosphere. Has a large selection of…read morewines. Has wine tasting & by the glass.

Received amazing service and experience in this cozy Rockridge restaurant. The servers were very…read moreknowledgeable and if they didn't know, they were quick to find out for us. We asked so many questions but they were so patient with us! Much appreciated. You can move around and watch the chefs prepare in the open kitchen, too! Contrary to what I had believed for a long time, the price point is not as pricey as I thought considering Italian in Rockridge. So if you're like me and stayed away, so give them a try and fall in love with this neighborhood gem.

Came here because the Italian place down the street had a long wait. Next door is a Mexican place…read moreand that was also full. This place seemed empty- only 2 other tables. We were sat quickly and by the time the appetizers came out, it all made sense. The cheese plate was so bare I was shocked. Then the gem salad came out and it was so sad looking I almost chortled when she placed it on the table. The broccolini pasta was super bitter -- way more bitter than it should be. Also for some reason the olive oil tastes rancid. They did offer free bread that I saw them cutting from what looked like a baguette bought from Safeway. We also got the pasta ragu. The pasta itself was aldente but the sauce did not have much depth of flavor. Really seemed like something I could make at home. Decor was bare. Lots of seating though. I would recommend this place if you're wanting a cozy quiet dining experience.

Intriguing shoppe with unique items to explore. Plus a chill spa e to hang and enjoy a cup of chia…read more Worth a visit.

The photos here misrepresent and should be updated. I was expecting a beautiful bar/cafe store…read morespace but they moved to a tiny spot in Temescal. The chai was quite weak/milky/sweet and $$$$ for what it was. I enjoyed browsing records and the smell/vibe of the place. But pls update photos as I rode my bike out of the way to check it out.

Fun spot! Great service and beats…read more Snails, veg crudite with koji dip and the banana bread with caviar - a revelation!!! Love all the natural wine and local Den sake! Be aware if you make a rezi - you have a 2 hour limit (2 people).

3.5 STARS True to…read moreits name, Snail Bar moves at a decidedly leisurely pace... It is a wine bar after all so maybe the slow service is intentional so make sure to go with peeps who you enjoy spending time with. With national buzz and a Michelin Bib Gourmand, Snail Bar is known for natural wine and creative, chef-y small plates. Its Saison alum founder has since moved to France, with an Atelier Crenn and Verjus alum now leading the kitchen. I don't drink wine, so it wasn't on my radar until SF Chron raved about their steak frites. We happened to be at 51 & Tel for HH less than two blocks away, spotted a last-minute rezzy and figured - why not? If you want to sit inside, rezzies are a must. The outdoor seating is more readily available. M E N U Globally influenced Californian cuisine with a hyper-seasonal menu that changes weekly. Mainstays are the crudités, snails, and ham & cheese sandwich. Beer, natural wine, sake, and non-alkie drinks available. 20% service charge added to bill which counts as gratuity. D R I N KS * Den "Blanc Nama #12" Sake (Glass - $14) * Berry Kombucha ($9) F O O D * Creole Pork Cracklins ($7) Light and crunchy, these lowkey remind me of chicharrón de harina, cracker-like chicharrónes that aren't pork skin. Fine to snack on but in hindsight, we should've ordered the Acme sesame levain instead. * A La Isla Tuna Tostadas w/ brokaw avocado, pineapple, charred salsa (2 pc-$30) IHMO, very steep pricing for the size. The tuna was fresh and sat over a thin layer of mashed avocado but the tostada seemed like it had been sitting for a bit and had lost that peak crispness. The charred salsa surprisingly didn't have the flavor and punch as I expected. * Ham & Cheese Sandwich ($17) My fav part of our meal, simple but done incredibly well - King's Hawaiian sweet bread is spread with dijon mustard and kewpie mayo, layered with comté + gruyère. Sweet, salty, and savory with nutty molten cheese oozing from the crunchy bread. The pickled peppers add the perfect acidity to cut through all that richness. * Snail Bar Steak Frites ($38) - Default: Rare Beautifully rosy red, the two slices of steak is lean and tender with a nice beefy flavor. While a bit too aggressively salted for me, I enjoyed the lingering black pepper kick. The hand-cut frites were incredibly crunchy with a fluffy soft interior. They remind me of Trick Dog's addictive thrice-cooked fries. BUT, Snail Bar only gives you seven small fries. Shrinkflation is working OT here! * Snails w/ cashew miso, gooseberry ($24, taken off bill) Sadly, we never got to try it. After two follow-ups and an hour wait, the snails never arrived so I cancelled it. Bummer. S E R V I C E Friendly and warm staff but painfully slow service, the pacing of the courses seemed to have dragged on longer than we expected... def not ideal if you're hangry. A M B I A N C E Intimate and cozy hipster bar vibes with moody lighting, retro checkerboard floors, and open kitchen. On the night we visited, they had a good house-centric playlist giving it a buzzy energy. Overall, I can see why Snail Bar is popular with wine enthusiasts seeking a cool space to romance the bottle and nosh on chef-driven small plates. I probably would've enjoyed the experience more if the food arrived at a better pace and the prices weren't so break-yo-wallet steep for such a casual setting.

i went to their thursday night hungarian wine tasting. grace was over-the-top with her…read morehospitality extended to this first-timer ! she didn't pretend to be the know-it-all wine-snob of many wine shops. the tasting area is casual and welcoming, sit-down or stand-up . . . ps: they've got about a million other wines . you'd have to try hard not to find a wine you like !

drew was very nice and help a lot and taught us about wine! it was very cozy in the wine tasting.read more

A beautiful little dinner at Belotti! I loved everything about this place…read more Arrived on time for our 9pm reservation and were seated near the front of the place. Absolutely perfect for people watching. To start I had the Manhattan. Perfectly strong and delicious. Really nice to have while eating appetizers. For those appetizers, we had the beet and arugula salad + the beef tartare. The salad was fresh with tiny cubed beets and so many toppings. The tartare was incredible. I could have easily had my manhattan and this. It was really great. Had one of the ravioli dishes for my entrees. Ravioli was awesome and perfect. Great dinner! I loved everything! Such a cute charming restaurant and meal.

Found this cute Italian bistro restaurant when looking for a nice date night spot. Plenty of street…read moreparking around the area, and the location was very easy to find. Battuta (beef tartare, carasau bread, Parmigiano Reggiano, balsamic, truffle caviar, and a quail egg yolk) - great appetizer, it's light but also savory. Loved the toppings that really complimented the tartare. Casoncelli Bergamaschi (pasta stuffed with beef, prosciutto, pork shoulder, cheese, and smoked pancetta) - felt a bit dry, I think I would have liked it more with a sauce Anatra (seared duck breast) - my favorite dish of the meal! The duck was savory and sweet, which is my favorite combination, especially for this type of meat. The sauce actually paired well with the pasta as well^ Fragolotti (strawberry filled chocolate pasta) - pasta as a dessert! It was like chocolate-covered strawberries in pasta form. Loved the creme anglaise that went with it but would have loved more of that.