It was my first solo date night as a brand spanking new bay area resident and after a few drinks, I…read morewas ready for a nice dinner. Alley&Vine was the first recommendation via yelp, so off I went. Arrived at around 8pm and was greeted by the wonderful Janet. She was super kind, warm, and welcoming and gave me the option to sit at a table or the bar. Being a solo traveller, I opted for the bar which was honestly great. To Start, I had a Singapore sling. Its rare I see these on the menu so I had to try. It was strong and delicious! So happy with my choice. For food, I had so much meat. The lamb chops to start were incredible. This was served with a little mozzarella + tomato salad with all of the balsamic glaze. Super yummy and perfectly medium rare. Next time, I can just have this on its own. Definitely a star. Next, I had the duck breast which sat on a bed of spinach risotto. Very delicious and also cooked perfectly. Being Taylor, I had to finish out the dinner with another cocktail (lemon drop) that was great and finally I had a little glass of port as my dessert. All in al a great little dinner at Alley & Vine. Thanks again to Janet and the team for some excellent service and incredible food.

My friend and I had stopped in here many moons ago for a dessert, but upon seeing the menu, we…read morevowed to come back, and we finally did! We came on a Friday and we were both starving! We were greeted warmly and we each ordered a drink to start. I got the blood orange sour, which was tasty, and my friend got the strawberry margarita, which she enjoyed. I ordered the seafood pasta, while my friend got the spinach seafood risotto. I will state the obvious, these are just about the two most expensive dishes on the menu, but man, they had heaps of seafood and were absolutely delicious! When I say heaps, I mean the shrimp and scallops were giant, there were mussels and clams and crab meat. 100% worth it! We finished the meal with the tiramisu and that was ok. Honorable mention to our server who was attentive without being overbearing. I would absolutely come back and would highly recommend!

Forbidden Island is one of those rare neighborhood gems that somehow manages to feel both special…read moreand effortlessly welcoming. It's a longtime local favorite of mine and my go-to spot for meeting up with friends--equal parts escape and comfort. The cocktail menu is impressively deep, full of beautifully crafted, fancy tiki drinks that practically beg to be explored, and so far every single one I've tried has been delicious (dangerously so). Inside, the bar nails the classic tiki vibe--warm, immersive, and transportive--while the outdoor patio offers a lovely, relaxed option with plenty of extra seating on warm days. It's the kind of place where you can linger, laugh, and lose track of time. The staff deserve a special shout-out: genuinely friendly, attentive, and accommodating, which only adds to the overall experience. A quick pro tip: if you're planning to stop by during popular after-work hours, definitely make a reservation--it fills up for good reason. The food menu is on the smaller side, but the bites are tasty and thoughtfully done, perfect for sharing alongside a round (or two) of cocktails. All in all, Forbidden Island is a standout spot that keeps me coming back again and again.

Forbidden Island is a usual pitstop for us after the Antique Fair in Alameda. The drinks are solid…read moreand the interior decor is fun, but fall short of its neighbors in the surrounding area. It's got a hybrid dive bar with dollar bills on the ceiling, mixed with Tiki. I have tried the Grog, Rum Barrel, and Sunday Special, all of which were solid, but not out of this world.

I stopped by here for happy hour and had a really pleasant experience! They offer $10 classic…read morecocktails and discounts on appetizers like chips and salsa and guac, French fries, nachos, and other bites. I ordered a classic martini with a twist, it wasn't my favorite drink ever but it was made well, just not my usual. After that I ordered a classic margarita which was super good and came with a black salt rim and dehydrated lime. The margarita was super tasty and both drinks were made right away! For food, I ordered the chips and salsa and guac. The guac was very good, it tasted fresh and was a good size portion. The salsa was really good, it was chipotle tasting but had a lime tanginess to it that was unique and refreshing. They were generous with the portion of chips and the chips were thick and crispy and seasoned well with just a little bit of salt. I also ordered the impossible taquitos which came with guac, sour cream, and salsa on top. The presentation was beautiful and the food came out fast but the taste was a bit weird, it wasn't bad but it just tasted like burger meat in a taquito. I really appreciate that they offered a meat alternative but wish it tasted better, like maybe use potatoes instead of fake meat, or use fake chorizo over a burger seasoning. It would also be nice if there was a vegan version not just a vegetarian version. Despite my critiques of the food, I have no critiques for the service and atmosphere! My server was phenomenal and attentive and checked in often! I had a great experience and look forward to coming back but would definitely be more eager to come back if they updated with more vegan options!

Favorite place to grab a drink on the island!…read more I love grabbing a spot by the windows to people watch while sipping on a well made cocktail. If you want to grab a bite, my go-to is the sliders with tater tots.

Came here to celebrate my friends divorced and it was awesome ! Our server was amazing and the…read moredrinks here were tasty !! Love the vibes here ! Definitely would come back again!

Went to Lemon Drop on a Saturday night for a girls' night out. The decor is really cute and I loved…read morethe ambiance--it has a fun, inviting vibe. We sat outside by the fire pit, which made it even better. The bartender had great energy and was definitely a highlight of the night. There were a few birthday celebrations going on, and he kept the energy up and made it feel lively. We ordered two rounds of the "Man at the Garden." The drink is aesthetically pleasing, but the taste was just okay--nothing special. The servers were nice, but service was a bit slow. We were left unattended long enough for the ice in our second round to melt, which was a little disappointing. We wanted to try another drink, but after waiting so long, we ended up just being ready to leave. Overall, I'd still give Lemon Drop another chance because the vibe and atmosphere were really nice.

Dive bar in the front, expansive backyard and gardens in the back. (But the backyard area…read morefaithfully maintains the dive bar vibe, with various old mismatched tables and chairs.) There is also a horseshoe pit! Staff is very friendly, and prices are reasonable. Highly recommended!

Friendly staff. Convenient location. Nice outdoor patio in back. Awesome bartenders!…read moreGreat place to hang out or just watch a game.

I love the location and outdoor vibes. when it comes to this being French food the cooks seem to…read moreneed training. Consistently the omelettes are overcooked, the toast is cold and dry it and appears to have been made hours ago.

This is a unique dining spot in Alameda. The seating is inside large tents, with a few seats…read moreoutside the tents. It felt very makeshift, but they are making it work. We came here on a Sunday and the seats were all filled. We put our names on the waiting list, and were seated within 15 minutes. The menu is brunchy with French influence. The food was very good. However, we made the mistake of ordering the beignets to be served at the end of the meal. They didn't put our beignet order in until after they cleared our plates, and it took about 30-45 minutes after our meal before our beignets came out. So if you want beignets, just order them the same time as your meal because they take awhile to make. What we ordered: + Sweet cream pancakes - these were cute in mickey mouse shape with a few strawberries. + Crab cake benedicts - very good + Salmon Lox Sandwich - very good, but would have liked the cucumbers to be sliced thinner. They were quite a bit thicker than the salmon and was a little clumsy to eat, but I'm just being picky. + La Campagne Omelette - lots of veggies and very cheesy + Beignets - long wait and was not bad. They were light with large air bubbles. Not the best we've had, but not bad. Overall, a cute spot for a brunch if you don't mind tent seating.

I just need to say this. I had reservations and when my woman friend and I arrived, we were…read moreautomatically shuttled to the worst seat in the house near the kitchen. There were numerous empty tables, so I requested one and the person seating us did not look happy about that. I don't know why restaurants always think that they can put women in the bad seats.

Went with a group of 6 ladies tonight and had a great family style meal with cocktails, beer, and…read moremocktails. Service was excellent and I love how the servers have all worked at this restaurant for a long time - staff retention is a rare thing these days. The burrata and prosciutto appetizer was very tasty and the beet salad was refreshing and healthy. We enjoyed the prosciutto pizza that had a nice truffle scent. The pastas were also excellent - we had the oxtail ravioli and the butternut squash agnolotti. The mixed seafood platter was very good and they added additional shrimp and scallops for us. The branzino and salmon were my favorite. Nice selection of cocktails, beer, and mocktails. The dessert menu has a nice variety. We got the zabaglione with berries and the chocolate cake with salted caramel ice cream to end the night. Def a nice place for large groups to get dinner and drinks.

Oh my goodness I needed some food stopped on my way home grabbed me their grilled cheese it was…read moredelicious . The service was so nice too! The ambiance was quiet and no weird drunk vibes just people eating food and heading on their way. What a hidden find definitely like the calm there.

I use the words "Neighborhood dive bar" in only the best possible way. Walkable with the dog and…read moreincredibly dog friendly, this place is the epitome of a neighborhood gathering place. On top of that, the food's really good! Their tacos are tasty, and the sleeper on the menu is the spicy tuna melt. *chef's kiss* from any of our friend group who've had it. The nachos, pretzel, and soups of the day also bring something homey. You can walk in and see island folks you know, or quickly start getting to know a friendly new someone. We love it here. Goose especially.

The Bureau 510 is a hidden gem in Alameda serving various burgers, gourmet sandwiches (soft shelled…read morecrab!), fish and chips, salads and a few Chef Specials of Thai, Korean and Japanese dishes. Review is for the London Bus Burger, Louie Louie (soft-shelled crab) and onion rings! The Bureau 510 gets their burgers right: lightly seasoned, not overly handled so you can feel the wonderful texture along with some major juiciness. Also a big plus is their meat-to-bun ratio so you get a nice bite of burger with the sturdy yet soft bun. The Louie Louie looked amazing. My 2 friends ordered that and devoured. It was lightly battered, not greasy and a nice size. Onion rings were house-made and equally light with a beer batter. Delicious! Staff very welcoming, friendly and checked on us a couple of times. Menu has plenty of options to choose from. The Bureau 510 did a great job (has me craving more!) this visit so will definitely return to try items like the fish and chips, clam chowder and Chef Specials. Pricing is in line with other like places. Plenty of metered street parking. Another location in Emeryville I'll need to check out :)

Located on the busy webster st, parking is always hard to find. We managed to find something a…read moreblock or two away in a residential neighborhood. We were seated right away, no wait. Only a few other diners inside. I ordered the beyond burger with onion rings. Onion rings were perfectly crispy. Beyond burger tasted good. No complaints from me! Service was quick and friendly, would come again!

Aaron's Birthday party was a blast. Thanks Siobhan! You took care of all of us top notch.read more

We went here for the first time in years. The bartender was great. He was friendly and helpful. The…read moreonly reason for not giving it five stars is because the jukebox on the wall was not working and unplugged. I had seen pictures here on yelp of the jukebox and that was one of the reasons I wanted to stop by here, but unfortunately it was not working. The bartender was playing music, but I would've enjoyed being able to play some tunes I wanted to hear. Hopefully they read this review and fix or replace that jukebox and give their customers the option to listen their choice of music.