Great spot in downtown Orinda. Came for a late lunch with 5 people and we all loved our meals. The salads are gorgeous and delicious. The burger was also very well liked. I had a tasty espresso martini too. Good service. Would definitely recommend! read more

Lunch today. Vegetarian black bean chilli And a chopped salad. Both were fresh - pretty good Chilli needed more flavor and salad was small. Nice guys who I think are the owners. read more

Shelby's - Chopped salad special - New American Near Me - Orinda, California

I have never in my long life been to a restaurant with such a rude waiter! Unbelievable. We were a group of 7. It all started when one person in our group took out her phone to show a picture of her grandchild. The rude waiter came over and told her she wasn't allowed to use her phone in the restaurant! She wasn't talking, or messaging, she was just showing a photo. And....there were hardly any other customers there at the time! Then when we asked if we could get separate checks, he said 'no more than 4 checks'. That was fine, as we were 3 couples and one single. However, when it came time to pay the bill, the single person's check included someone else's food. She told the waiter she was leaving the amount for her own meal, which she did. She even included a tip. As we were leaving the waiter yelled at us that he could only give us 4 checks. I said 'that's all we asked for' but he insisted we asked for more. I asked him why he was being so rude to us, and he said WE were the ones who were rude! The guy was totally nuts. Someone thought he might be the owner but I don't know. He had an accent of some sort. Others in our group had experienced his rude behavior before. Anyway he's losing customers. We'll certainly never go back! I will mention that a second waiter (younger) who also helped us was very friendly and helpful. Update: after the owner's cynical response to my post, I noticed that he posted the following in more than one earlier review: "we have lately been hit with some fake reviews". Let me assure you mine is not a fake review! read more

Sorry Shelby, but that is one place you should be avoiding. The service manager has an attitude unfit for any service establishment. Rude from start to finish. The food is mediocre as well. Chicken wrap salad consisted of 10 leaves of romaine letters and a tablespoon of chicken salad (about 1 oz) priced at $18.99. Avoid this place. I'm surprised we have not seen a vacancy sign in their window. read more

Love this spot in Orinda! It's pleasant with a yummy menu and the homemade desserts are just awesome- especially the bread pudding! Service is great too! read more

Really enjoyed our meal here tonight! We met with friends for dinner, and the food was delicious with excellent service. Honestly have walked past it a bunch of times, but never went inside. Friends suggested it for dinner, and so glad they did! What a gem to have in Orinda, and with validated parking, a great menu and nice atmosphere. Will be back soon! read more

Ordered takeout goulash. Delicious! It was very smooth and easy. Will definitely go to the restaurant when I'm visiting again. read more

ALWAYS excellent service, original and tasty food, fine wines and cocktails. Neighborhood gem! Been dining there for years and have never been disappointed. read more

We came if a cheeky dessert and a perfectly delicious cup of Jasmine tea. Even thought it was super quiet and almost closing time , we were served with a smile, did not feel rush and the food was beautifully presented. Our respective tea pots got refilled as much as we wanted and I was most pleasantly surprised by the yumminess of my chocolate lava cake. I must come back for more. read more

Shelby's - Dessert - New American Near Me - Orinda, California

Not great not terrible. The food was acceptable but nothing special IMO. For the price wasn't a great value. And I'm not a fan of the 3% credit card surcharge. Plus the glass of wine was pricy and not a generous pour whatsoever. They also charged me extra for the fries that were supposed to be included with the salmon burger meal. Why the nickel and diming? Plus the bathroom is outside and shared with the entire complex. Not a great experience overall. read more

First time at Shelby's. Originally opened many years prior to the pandemic by a local resident and her daughter, I understand Shelby's is under new ownership with a great menu. At lunch yesterday, we received both a special's menu and regular lunch menu. Entree selections ranged from $16-high $20s with salads, quesadillas, sandwiches, etc. We ordered two of the specials which were salad of grilled chicken/grilled peaches/goat cheese/avocado/tomato and assorted lettuce with a light Dijon vinaigrette. Very light and delicious; a definite re-order if available again. We also had a pulled pork quesadilla with a side salad and freshly made salsa. Friend said it was very tasty too. Indoor and outdoor seating is plentiful. Service is friendly and parking can be validated (if you park in the garage under Theatre Square shops and restaurants). Otherwise, street parking is only for 1 or 2 hours maximum. Enjoy! read more

Shelby's - Grilled chicken salad - New American Near Me - Orinda, California

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Great food, even better service. Chill spot right down town. I've been here like 5 times it always hits read more

I love Shelby's and so does my whole family. My boyfriend has lived in Orinda for decades, and when he first brought me here, he told me he considers Shelby's the highest caliber restaurant in Orinda, (and he's a very particular guy when it comes to food, atmosphere, and service). And I can see why: I've never had a dish here that I didn't love, (and the suggested wine pairings are yummy too). In my experience, the food has always been consistently excellent and fresh, and we've never had trouble being seated here, (even without a reservation!) A real gem read more

I had an excellent experience at Shelby's last night! My friends and I arrived and were promptly seated at a clean and quiet table outside. The staff were so kind and took care of the kids immediately, as well as our much needed drinks! The selection of wine was very long which was so nice to be able to have a lot of options for our different tastes. We started with the Burrata which was a huge hit. I think the Coq Au Vin was the table favorite. From start to finish they were very attentive and kind (I know a lot of places get annoyed when they see kids arrive!) Shelby's will definitely be part of our rotation of restaurants from now on! read more

I love this restaurant.... the owner, the waitstaff, the food, the proximity to BART, the parking, the everything! I can't stay away and I live 20 miles away - in San Francisco. read more

The food was good and the service was also good. The ambiance is just north of a university cafeteria. All the glass and tile is great in the summer but feels a bit cold during the fall and winter. Still a go to for consistency. read more

Vibe: 4 - nice clean simple cafe style place, with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Food: 3 - I had a terrible mexican salad special. It was small and flavorless and the chicken tasted undercooked. Fries were fine and a generous portion. French onion soup had no cheese in it and tasted oddly like turkey soup - maybe they were using leftover thanksgiving food to make it? I don't know, it was not great. My fellow diner had the BLT salad which she thought was ok and was a good sized portion. Service: 4 - server was very nice and on top of it. Value for price paid: 3 - Meh. it was alright. So really I should give them a 3.5 but you can't so am rounding down because, well the food is kinda important at a restaurant. read more

Great service and the food was served hot and delicious! Maria was fantastic. We came with a group of 7 after a movie. We had separate checks. No problem at Shelby's. We will be back ! read more

Shelby's restaurant in Orinda is pretty good. We go there for launch at least ones a week It's one of the best ones in the area Good service and super convenient location. Plenty of parking read more

The food and service is outstanding. Very nice ambiance for outside seating. Would definitely come back! Affordable and high quality! I had the California omelette, the plate was beautifully arranged. Everything tasted amazing. I also had a few bites from a friends plate. The sweet potato fries are top notch. read more

I really enjoyed my first visit lunch here. I was dining alone. I felt welcomed and the customer service was great. Attentive but not intrusive. (I had had a particularly grueling work day the day prior (7:45a-11:45p) and had to go into the office early the next day. I was a zombie and feeling low. On the way home I thought of the convenience of Shelby's at the Square. I'm so glad I went in. It was especially pleasant to find Flowers Chardonnay by the glass. I knew I had found a good spot. I indulged and ordered the west coast carbonara. It was a carb day for sure! The food was savory, creamy and comforting I only wish the Parmesan on top was freshly grated or shaved. Overall though just what I needed to turn my frown upside down. read more

Shelby's - West coast carbonara - New American Near Me - Orinda, California

Excellent food! Terrific service! Lovely ambiance. We have been twice for lunch with friends. We really enjoyed the food and atmosphere. Easy parking too. We will be back for more! Delicious menu choices. read more

Food Service Ambiance. Always accommodating. Food is great. Food choices good. Love the root beer float.

We didn't want to sit inside since we are still worried about the Covid, we asked heater for outside and they said no heater:( We wanted fries instead of side salad, they charged $2 while we ordered full size salad!!! Penny wise, pound foolish! I cannot come back since I have not bern appreciated to choose this place to eat. Next door Indian Cuisine people were very helpful when we requested heater in their busy moment they did anything they can make us happy and feel appreciated read more

Shelby's - Glass of water - New American Near Me - Orinda, California

the food is ok . Not the best , but not bad.it's actually nice to sit for launch on a sunny day outside. It's a nice vibe . The location is convenient, a lot of parking around read more

We came to Shelby's to enjoy a reunion lunch which was fabulous! The staff was gracious with our timing and the 'Shelby' burger was delicious. Thank you for making this a memorable experience which we have shared with other locals. read more

Enjoyed brunch here this weekend. The breakfast quesadilla was good. The portions on the French toast were rather small on both the croissant one and gluten free ones. Wasn't speedy, so go when you have time to enjoy the nice outdoor seating in the theatre square. read more

Shelby's - Breakfast quesadilla - New American Near Me - Orinda, California

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Walt from Walt's Adventures here. I went to Shelbys in between my adventures. As you can see... It earned 5 stars. This is because I was not able to give it 6. The crab cakes were awesome, the entrees were perfection not only in their appearance but in their tastes, and their desserts were like tasting heaven. read more

Food, service, ambiance, noise level, lighting. Such a great find. My luscious piece of salmon over a beautiful vegetable medley. Will be dreaming about our return. read more

Shelby's - Just a luscious piece of salmon over a beautiful medley of perfectly cooked veggies. I hardly ever clean my plate but I did today. - New American Near Me - Orinda, California

My favorite dish here is the grilled romaine salad. Yum. I have tried to replicate it at home to no avail. I think Shelby's is a solid restaurant that you can count on for good creative food. The dishes have fresh ingredients and are cooked to perfection. I have eaten at this restaurant numerous times over the years since moving to Orinda 12 years ago both with friends and with my partner and two daughters and it is always a wonderful experience. read more

Enjoyed an early afternoon dinner on the patio. The brussel sprouts had a little too much fontana cheese on them and the crab cakes serving was paltry and they were just okay. But both the paella and short ribs were great and the peach margaritas were perfect. read more

Slider's are the Best in The Bay! Thinking of it ,= ordering now, home, consuming sliders plus Caesars salads with homemade dressing as good or better than you can make yourself! I give Shelbys in Orinda @ Theater Square a solid 5 review, my husband agrees, next time I might think about order up to 3! We make a pretty good brisket at our home this might be Better! Sorry no photo, maybe next time‍PS, I know how much effort goes into reproducing a quality meal as mentioned anove, it was worth every penny read more

Didn't know Shelby's was under new ownership and went for lunch with two friends. We each had a different lunches; duck leg, tuna salad that appeared to be dumped from cans of tuna, and 3 iinch "specialty" hamburger; each was served on top of a large clump of undressed lettuce that covered the plate. Asked for separate checks, got all lunches on one, had to ask againfor separation. Unbelievable and so disappointing! Another standby gone! read more

I love Shelby's. The wait staff is efficient and friendly. The food is top notch. Last night I had the Mushroom Risotto with Mahi-mahi. It was delicious. I started with the Chorizo and shrimp appetizer which is a favorite of mine. My friend had Wiener Schnitzel and he is always pleased with this choice. This continues to be one of my favorite restaurants. read more

Unfortunately I didn't get to eat here. We live in Orinda and have been wanting to try this restaurant for a long time. I finally went here with an old friend I hadn't seen in years. We asked for a table for two and the man working there (who appeared to be the manager or owner) started getting the menus together as two other ladies walked in behind us. My friend and I were excitedly catching up and chatting and the man started walking to the table so we started to follow him. But then he abruptly stopped us and waved for the two ladies behind us to follow him instead and told my friend and me that we weren't paying attention well enough to him so he was seating the other ladies first. My friend and I were totally confused and the two ladies behind us awkwardly told us that we should go first since we were there before them, but the host was clear that he wasn't seating us. It was the most uncomfortable and rudest encounter I've ever had with a host. I'll never go back here. read more

Great food and kind service. Lots of fresh ingredients and very flavorful. I especially like the pickles and the lamb and beef are terrific.

I would give this place 5 stars if it wasn't so darn expensive! The food is so delicious and perfectly satisfying, and the staff is kind. I would come more often, but I can't justify the lunch price on a workday. Great food! read more

When I pay $16 for a Chinese chicken salad for the ones who say they have he original and I get lettuce, some wontons and chicken I am not impressed. There should be cucumber, tomatoes and other unique ingredients for this price. I know I have high standards and I think you can do better, right? read more

My review for Shelby's is only for their take out / Door Dash Delivery service as I have not yet been to Shelby's. I heard about Shelby's when our office crew ordered take out (via Door Dash) and several colleagues suggested I try their Chinese chicken salad... most especially since Shelby's is "known for their signature Chinese chicken salad"! At first, I was extremely disappointed when my Chinese chicken salad arrived..... it's literally a takeout container filled with greens, topped with shredded chicken breast, a few wontons, green onions, and sesame seeds. To me, this was in NO WAY a Chinese chicken salad.... I have seen better looking salads. In fact, the bag of salad mix inside my fridge looks better! I grudgingly poured the salad dressing over it...mixed it about.... And took a bite. What the heck?! Did I just enjoy that bite? Did I actually like it? One bite after another..... until it was all gone. To my surprise, I actually liked the Chinese Chicken salad. I was shocked. A week later, the office decided to order from Shelby's again. I went with the Chinese Chicken salad because I needed to know if I truly enjoyed it or was it a fluke? I also ordered a helping of their sweet potato chips. The verdict, you ask? Let's just say that I ordered the Chinese Chicken salad on my own for lunch yesterday =) Surprisingly, it's quite delicious read more

Worst dining experience I can remember. Valentines Day, so we were prepared for service problems. But waiting 80 minutes to get one of two appetizers ordered and after 100 minutes receiving a tableside visit from the self-identified owner of the restaurant who told us to "calm down, the food will get there when it get's there" was enough, so we got up and walked out. Hospitality business owners that show such contempt for their customers should try another line of work. read more