Strolling through the neighborhood on my way to a meeting and I had some time to kill. The…read morestorefront caught my eye and when I saw vinyl I had to look. So glad I stopped in. The vibe is very relaxed. A great place for a mental break. Gabriel the bartender greeted me warmly. The music was good. Vinyl selection is The wine selection is exemplary. I had enough time for lunch and opted for the Cheese sandwich ( I do not recall the menu name) upon Gabriel's recommendation. I was not disappointed. Warm beef with melted cheese and accompaniments on a sandwich roll. It was reminiscent of my youth when my friends mother would make lunch for us. It was just sloppy enough to make it delicious without it splattered on my shirt. My new go to spot for a mental break and smiles.

Love this space. Just visited recently for an early scene before it got crowded. I absolutely loved…read morethe way it is done up. There is a warmth and comfortability that sweps you in as soon as you enter. Staff is so warm and friendly. They have some kick ass cocktails and also non alcoholic drinks which is great for those who want to keep it light. The vibes are very cool and chill type scene. I loved spending time here. I need to return for a girls date night or friends get to gather to experience the full night scene. Bathrooms are clean and very psychedelic scene with the lights effect :) If you want to experience something different that is comfortable and relaxed while having some lovely drinks and listening to sick beats then this is the place for you. Its location is super convenient right by downtown very close to bart and bus if you fancy public transportation:) Love couchdate and can't wait to be back for more Love

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.

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 had brunch here with three of my friends for my birthday! One of the friends knows the owners, so…read moreit was his recommendation. The brunch crowd is really chill and the ambience is lovely! We shared all of the food we chose. We even split a mushroom sandwich into four pieces! The coffees were awesome! We ordered four different ones, so we could try a majority of the menu choices! The main dish I ordered was Tiradito Maracuyá (Flambéed ahi tuna, passion fruit sauce, avocado, cilantro, corn). That was so good! I noticed that I didn't talk a lot during the brunch cause I was busy eating everything! The desserts- Alfajores Soft cookies filled with dulce de leche. Made by Fabiola. El Turrón Anise cheesecake topped with golden anise sauce and Peruvian candies. The owner gave us an extra piece! Because we had to go to an event, we boxed an extra piece of El Turrón and all the cookies! After the event was over, when are my friends and I went walking around Lake Merritt, sat down, and ate the rest of the desserts! I really love the food and I loved that the dishes are so shareable! I know I'm going come back for dinner with the friend that recommended this place because he said the dinner menu is even more bomb!

The restaurant was clean and decorated beautifully. Overall amazing experience through and through…read more I lived in Peru many years ago and have since been searching for Peruvian food that is comparable to what I had in Peru and I'm excited to say Lucuma hit the mark! Everything looked and tasted so good I forgot to take photos but trust that the plates all look incredible. Only downside is the price, it's rather expensive but you get what you pay for! We tried as many different dishes as we could including the Cremoso Ceviche, Yucca Fries, Papa à la Huancaina, Coliflor, Conchitas à la Parmesana, Chicken Empanada, and Chuletas. Everything was delicious and we will definitely be going back for more! The House Pisco Sour was delicious and the El Picaro was very unique. We also ordered an off menu spicy margarita that was to die for. The owner/host and our server were kind and efficient. Everything came out quickly and hot. Absolutely amazing all around! Definitely recommend giving it a try.

This place was literally empty when we came here for lunch…read more Like it looked like it was abandoned kind of empty. Like haunted restaurant kind of empty. Thankfully the server was nice and the food we had was surprisingly good. I say this because we honestly weren't sure if their seafood cioppino would be any good given the majority of their menu featured Vietnamese dishes. Interesting combination. Like Fisherman's Wharf merged with a Pho restaurant. You can get your oysters and deviled eggs and bahn mi sandwiches here. For realz, look at the menu. Anyways I liked my cioppino. Didn't have a lot of seafood but the flavor profile was spot on and the garlic bread was decent. That's why I never want to judge a Vietnamese Fisherman's Restaurant based solely on their menu--because the food just may surprise you! My coworker liked her bahn mi sandwich and the view of the boats and the nice weather made this a great place to catch up on old times.

Please Please please just bring back the original menu!! It all started in 2001 when I took a ride…read moreon my new bike and Istumbled across this cool little place once called LJ Quinns Lighthouse, found the upstairs outdoor patio and it was just the coolest place to hang out, grab a bite and brew with a view!! I then started going there all the time..bringing my co-workers, friends and family any chance I could get. Driving from Fremont wasn't too far of a trek as it was worth the drive every time! What once was an amazing Ciopinno that came in a little iron skillet to this burger that opened my mind to different meats, the Bison Burger!! Then the amazing penko fish n chips with the awesome slaw and dressing! They would always bring me extra dressing sauce as they knew I was a fan!! The Baby Lobster Pasta! No it wasn't real lobster, it was langoustine, but still awesome!! Not the mention the salads they had!! then the brews!! A page long of beers from local to Germany!! My go to was usually the Racer5, but then a good ol' Sneijder Weise was a cool option too!! I have been allergic to peanuts and they used to have them for free at your tables! Thank goodness I didn't get sick unless I ate them, so it was always cool for me to go there. Staff was always awesome and one of my favorites servers would let my daughter use his personal Cholula hot sauce!! (trying to remember his name). Everyone always made you feel welcomed. The was another server back in that day named Chuy was a cool cat too!! We had birthday parties there and many times I just drove up for a quick meal and views as it was a favorite spot especially for my daughter and I being a single dad back then, was our cool hang out spot. Well then came the news that it was closing... I was able to go the Friday prior to them closing to enjoy one last time. Sad day!! Then some time past and a friend sent me a message that they would be opening back up and I was thinking heck yes!! My mother ended up going there before I had a chance to and she let me know that it had changed.... I really wasn't interested and it was just a few months ago I was in the area and decided to drop in....well, right when I walked up I was not sure if they were even open!! Well, the door was unlocked so we went in... headed upstairs and it was a ghost town!!! I couldn't believe it...I have never seen this place ever like this before...ever! I was just about to change my mind and leave but by buddy said lets just grab a snack and a beverage, so we ended up staying. The lady was nice and I felt bad for her since I couldn't imagine how she is still able to keep this place open with such little business she had. I kept thinking, man, just bring back the old menu and get this place back up on its feet again. So please Quinn's please back the old vibe and I'll come back with friends and family!!

Very tasty, Southern inspired foods. I loved the spicy chicken sandwich and their cornbread. There…read morewas a wait list on a Saturday morning, but the text to let us know our table was ready came fairly quickly. Our server was very prompt and kind. The restaurant is beautiful, with a full bar and view of their grand oven. Highly recommend to make a reservation here for brunch.

Came here for lunch with a friend at 1 PM on a Saturday. We came 15 minutes late after our…read morereservation because of parking and they were understanding of it. As soon as you walk in, you're hit with the smell of a campfire from the oven. The restaurant is absolutely gorgeous with an Art Deco design. The ambiance is cozy but elevated. Benedict (buttermilk biscuit, dungeness crab cakes, marinated swiss chard & beet greens, herbed hollandaise, poached eggs & mixed greens): I'm not a huge benedict person because they can feel heavy, but this one was fantastic. I loved the textures and flavors of the crab cakes pairing with the greens and vegetables. It felt balanced and not too creamy or exhausting to eat. It definitely stands out from the run-of-the-mill brunch benedict. Vegetable Hash (roasted sweet potatoes, garnet yams, sunchokes, cauliflower, cremini mushrooms, celery root & onion, savoy spinach & poached eggs): This was also delicious and also set itself apart from the standard brunch hash. I loved the different vegetables in it besides being just potatoes and onions. The mushrooms and root vegetables worked really well together. Everything was well-seasoned. I'm glad we ended up choosing these dishes even though neither were my original top choices (I decided on the menu with my friend). It made me feel like you can choose anything and it'd be a banger. We were quite full from these dishes, and we forget we also ordered beignets to come out last. They were fluffy and mostly air (but not in a bad way). The service throughout the meal was good. We were checked on from time-to-time and our waters were refilled, although I wish the water glasses were a little bigger. One small thing to note was that we were given the check while we were still eating, even though the restaurant was still seating people despite it being close to closing time. Unsure if/why we were rushed like this. Overall, this was a memorable brunch spots I've been to in the Bay (dare I say one of the best?). We left smelling like a campfire. I would recommend it.

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.

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

After a holiday lunch, we stopped here for a drink. It has been a long time since I stopped at a…read moredive bar. I really enjoyed myself. There seemed to be few changes in this type of bar, but many things are just how I remember them The most significant change to me was the jukebox that connects to the internet so you can play any music you want. You can put extra money in and your selection will move to the top of the playlist. What hasn't changed are friendly people. The evening we were there some guy brought his new puppy. The bartender danced, to a song I had selected, with the woman sitting next to me. In the backroom, he put out pies he had bought for the holiday. People were friendly and talked to me. It was a nice way to end the day.

The ambiance is super sexy. It's open seating so we chose to sit upstairs overlooking the…read morerestaurant. I love how well-dressed and grown everyone was. It reminded me of being out during the 2010s when downtown was poppin'. Food and drinks did not disappoint: catfish bao (crunchy and flavorful), spare ribs (soft and moist), lamb chops (rich and cooked to perfection). My fave drink was the spicy margarita. We also tried the key pie bread pudding for dessert which was super rich. Took forever to come to us because they got really busy. But honestly, not mad because I am happy for them. Overall the visit was lovely. We hope this business continues in Oakland!

Came here on a Thursday for a happy hour and I was definitely happy! They have a great, vast…read moreselection of appetizers to choose from for good prices! I got one of everything. The drinks they serve too are delicious and affordable! The staff is extremely kind and friendly too. They are great at engaging with you and making recommendations. It's nice to see Oakland uphold a bar with a classier feel to it. I hope Lucy Blue stays successful, and I look forward to returning soon!