This is a nice place for breakfast and lunch (haven't had dinner here.) Good omelets, good salads and a hamburger that looks so damn good I almost stole it off porsche's plate when he took a client call (HA! That'll teach 'im!) Good variety on their menu, prices are Orind'oh-ish (and I'm on an MTown budget...) Nice indoor seating with windows everywhere so you can see all the action going down around town (i.e., rich people milling about). Nice outdoor seating in Theatre Square. I've always had good service here - fast, pleasant, courteous. read more

Had a wonderful dining experience here. We had the fried brie as an app. It was delicious, especially the slightly spicy, smokey strawberry sauce it came with complemented the cheese so well. As enterees we chose the sole and the asparagus risotto, also extremely good. Both dishes were perfectly seasoned, including the perfect shoe-string french fries. Desert: Espresso Granita with whipped cream and great bread pudding. Fantastic! The staff and owner were very nice and polite. The menu is great and innovative fusion of fresh california and european cuisine. As restaurant with a strong european flair, the waiters tend to leave you alone unless you call them which I love but always make sure you drinks are filled and you are taken care of. One of my new favorite restaurants in the Bay area. read more

We've eaten here many times. The owner and staff are very nice and service is generally good. While I have had really good food here, it's average over all. On the latest visit we had the lamb salad and club sandwich. The salad was fine but the sandwich was not great. It was overly toasted bread and dry. For a club sandwich to work given the amount of bread, the toppings and meat needs to be generous. Instead I had to cut off most of the bread as if I was making my kid a sandwich. But the kids menu is definitely improved and had some good choices. Overall decent but not my first choice. read more

Poor atmosphere and the signature Chinese chicken salad is some lettuce leaves with some boiled shredded chicken. Not good.

This restaurant has got a really broad menu. The Earth salad is a mixed greens salad with thinly sliced beef. Very tasty. With the option of inside or outdoor seating this is a great spot for a quick lunch. However the staff seemed disorganized and couldn't answer my straightforward questions ingredients listed on the menu. I'd still recommend it - particularly if you are hungry and on route 24, it's less than a minute off the freeway. read more

I've eaten at Shelby's more than a few times now and from the service to the delicious food have always had a wonderful experience. This last time we were introduced to their new cocktail menu.. what's that line? "you don't have to ask me twice!" ;) We decided on *Everyone Needs a Cosmo, a Cosmo so tasty Carrie Bradshaw would hike from NY in her Manolo Blahniks just to have one.. a Cosmo even a dude would be proud to sip! The *Shelby's Manhattan was as smooth as Mr. Big.. and just as delicious! (What the hell, I'm on a Sex In The City Role!) Check them out, they're sure to satisfy whatever the craving! read more

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

I know it was a holiday weekend and, boy did the staff make it clear they had no interested in working. We arrived at 2 p.m, were given menus and then ignored for about 20 minutes until one of our group got up, walked over to the bar and informed the waitress we were ready to order. Once we ordered, we waited until 2:45 for our food, even though we were the only ones in the restaurant. Twice, we considered leaving and going somewhere else. I shall say that once we were served, the waitress did check on us and even refilled ice tea and water and brought us our check saying there was no hurry. Well, not quite true, at 3:15 p.m., we were advised they were closing and we had to leave. Really??? Two of us had the 1/2 chicken melt sandwiches; one with greens, and sweet potato chips (which were crisp on the edges and soggy in the middle), and the other with greens and fries (the best thing in the entire meal). The third person had the mango salad with avocado which she did enjoy even though it was mainly greens. One person had the Paradise ice tea which had a very strong flavour. We were also given a type of bread stick which was underdone in the middle and with a spice on the ends which burned the tongue. Suffice it to say that this is NOT a restaurant to which we will be returning. read more

We stopped here while out for a Sunday motorbike ride. It was quiet - not a good sign for a Sunday morning. But, we didn't want to wait at the restaurant next door, so off we sat. Initial service was good, but as others have indicated, it drops off. WHile there didn't seem to be a lot of diners, it took a looooong time for our food to come out. It was hot, so I suspect its not the wait service, but something going on with the kitchen and timing. It's too bad - the food itself was pretty good, but the service made it difficult to be satisfied. Given the delay, we probably could have been at the busier restaurant and gone earlier. read more

So we like to try out the dinner locations before catching a movie and today we went to Shelbys. We had a Pasta dish and the asian ribs. Both were quite bland and somewhat off tasting. Service was nice, however for the price they charge, I'd go over the street to Table 24 anytime. I'll not come back. read more

Great service for the three times we've been there. It's now one of our local Go-To restaurants for a number of reasons: 1) First and foremost is that they serve ORGANIC beef! Yes!! Their burgers are awesome!! The best burgers always start with the best beef. Try the blue cheese on your burger if you like blue cheese. OMG good. At least for me. Not that thrilled with the potato fry's so I opt for the salad instead. Better combo - especially from a PALEO perspective, which we embrace to various extents. In addition they have Organic mixed greens an heirloom tomatoes. 2) Great outdoor sitting area on warm evenings, but can be a bit loud on Friday, Saturday, Sunday since Table 24 is across the patio as well as another restaurant located on the other side. So be forewarned if you are seeking a quiet outdoor setting. Inside sound isn't super loud though. Nice ambience. 3) GERMAN PILSNER!! OMG again! They carry "Rothaus Tannenzäpfle" or simply "Zäpfle" known as a "cult beer" throughought Germany in supermarkets and kiosks, as well as in various nightlife establishments. They do sometimes run out which is a disappointment for me as that's one of the big draws in addition to the Organic faire. It comes in at #3 on the list of German top-rated Pilsners at beeradvocate.com Aromatic, light, refreshing, exceptional mouth feel, complex AND bursting with flavor. The Rothaus State Brewery of Baden brewery was founded in 1791 by the Abbot of St. Blasien Martin Gerbert and is located in the Southern Black Forest. It is one of Germany's most successful and profitable regional breweries. From Wiki: "The labels of the bottles are printed with a likeness of "Birgit Kraft," a blonde girl in traditional dress for the region, bearing two glasses of beer. Birgit's name is something of a pun; in the local dialect of Alemannic German, "Bier git Kraft", ("Bier gibt Kraft") means "beer gives strength".[2] The specific variety of fir cones named as Tannenzäpfle grow upwards from the branches instead of hanging from them in spite of their depiction on the bottle; this is commonly explained as a reference to the position of the bottle while it is being consumed." read more

Shelby's is one of my favorite restaurants. I love the atmosphere, food, and the little bread sticks that come before dinner. I could eat plate fulls of those little bread sticks. I took my family here on their last visit to the bay area and everyone enjoyed their food. I've never had anything on the menu that wasn't delicious. The salmon is one of my favorites and the mango chicken salad. So Yummy! read more

Small portions for breakfast, and then everything rang up much more expensive than it was listed on the menu. Mexican scramble: menu said $11, bill said $15 Eggs benedict: menu $13.50, bill $17.50 Avocado toast: menu $14, bill $16 Tasted ok, but nothing that stood out. We won't be going back. read more

I came here with some co workers on a Friday during lent which for Catholics means no meat. I ordered the half sandwich combo with their tuna melt and sweet potato chips. I'm a little hesitant to order tuna melts because of the amount of mayo most places put in them but this one was delicious. If your a big meal kind of person this would not have been for you but for a tiny girl like me this was great. It was an open faced sandwich on an english muffin topped with tuna, a huge tomato and melted cheese. The two sides I chose were a green salad and sweet potato chips. There wasn't anything exceptional about the salad but the chips were so fresh. They didn't taste too oily and they were perfectly salted. I will be back again! The only bad thing is the service was a little slow. We came around 12 and sat outside. We had to try to flag down the waiter to get our waters refilled and the waitress took awhile to initially take our order. read more

Love shelbys! The food is always really good and their iced tea is perfection! Although I do understand why they have some bad reviews because the servers are kinda... Weird. They're rather slow, including the kitchen staff. The tuna melt is what I usually get but last time I decided to get a burger and man I was happy! So much flavor especially with the grilled onions on it. Definitely one of my favorite Orinda spots! read more

We had a horrible experience... I am appalled! We have been frequenting this restaurant since it first opened, when the orginal owner named the restaurant after her daughter, Shelby. We were shocked by the owner/chefs reaction to our comment that he serve the homemade jam with a spoon or spreader for health reasons. Since my son had his food handler's license we agreed that this should be mentioned to the owner as we left. The owner reacted hostilely and defensively, told my son to mind his own business, get the #@%# out of here, and told both of us, "I never want to see you in my restaurant again". I think my mouth must have dropped because I expected him to say something like it was an oversight. His behavior was appalling and certainly not what one would expect from a restaurant owner. Our family and extended family has been coming here for years, and it is unfortunate that such a simple comment could incur that kind of wrath. He can be assured we will never come to his restaurant again. read more

Three words: Chinese Chicken Salad. Unless I'm STARVING, I can usually save enough for a lunch the next day (order w/dressing on the side). We order these to go all the time - so delish! And everything else is great too. Love their salmon, burgers, and salads. read more

I will start by saying I ordered delivery from this place through door dash, I am sure what you get at the restaurant would be different. The French toast at $10.50 came with two pieces of Texas toast covered in strawberries and no syrup. The eggs Benedict had 4 bite sized pieces of potatoes as a side. Calling this breakfast "lame" would be putting it lightly. read more

We have had two lovely meals at Shelby's in the last couple of weeks. The food is excellent. We had the Wiener schnitzel, coq au vin, goulash, and Chinese chicken salad. The German dishes were so good and very authentic - tasted just like Germany! All were delicious, filling, and great quality food. The ambiance is cozy, and we were warm near the many outside heaters. Service was fast, friendly, and efficient. We loved speaking with Arno - he is full of stories and interesting information. It is also one of the few places with a full bar! Even if you've been to Shelby's before, it is definitely worth trying it out again. Very impressed! read more

Stopped in here for the first time today for lunch. I think something bad must have occurred... as in....servers not showing up to work. It is a bad sign when the chef seats you, the manager takes your order, the bus girl brings your drinks and the chef serves you. Not one single waitstaff in sight. The service, given the above scenario, is to be excused. Although everyone was friendly - it was clear they were understaffed so the wait times were quite extensive. Again - to be excused. The food was terrific! Interesting, fresh, well prepared. Highly recommend for lunch. read more

I absolutely LOVE Shelby's. Went here for a work thing with a few coworkers and two supervisors for the first time a couple of years ago. We were taken in awe by their slightly spicy cheesy bread twists. I wasn't sure what to order on the menu so I went with a classic--ceasar salad. But this was no ordinary ceasar salad, this was GRILLED ceasar salad. Two large hunks of romaine lettuce grilled with tomatoes, avocado, garlic, and a scrumptious vinegar/oil dressing drizzled on the top. I went back two more times within the next week just to eat this salad. I still CRAVE this very salad quite frequently. Even thinking about it just now while writing this review I'm starting to salivate like a mad dog. Highly recommend. read more

If it wasn't for the service at Shelby's I would definitely give them 5 stars. Today was probably my 4th or 5th lunch time visit and although they have really great food and a lot of variety on the menu I have to echo what many of the other reviewers are saying about the lack luster service. You are always greeted with a friendly smile and hello but that's generally where the attention stops. Be sure to ask for the yummy cheese breadsticks that you'll see some diners enjoying. They must be a closely guarded secret or an on-request only item because they aren't real consistent in offering them even though they are complimentary. The 2 ladies at the table next to us had to ask for breadsticks and they had finished theirs plus got a refill before ours were brought to the table despite our flagging down a random server to ask for ours. Drink refills are pretty much non-existent unless again you can make eye contact with a busboy or server, and you can sit for a good while after your plates have been cleared to get your check as it also requires some effort in getting someone's attention to let them know you are ready to go. You would think that 2 servers plus a busser would be adequate to handle the 15-20 tables they have but I always get the feeling I'm invisible here. Servers will walk right past your table and unless you literally call out to them they never check in with you. I'm a fan of their food, the Chef is definitely the strong point here, and I will most likely come back again (each time I think the service has got to be better than the last.) Who knows maybe next time I'll be pleasantly surprised! read more

I had a good experience the first time I was here so I suggested we come here to celebrate one of my friend's birthday and we were the first ones there when they opened. I had a good experience the first time I was here so they were interested in checking it out. The waiter was very gracious and the birthday girl and I decided to split the turkey and bacon club sandwich with a mixed green salad. Both were delicious. We each also ordered a cup of the tasty carrot soup. Our other friend ordered the green lamb chop salad and the meat was very tender. She came back a few days later for lunch on her own and had the lamp chop salad again! The only drawback was we were deciding on having dessert for our friend's birthday but the restaurant got busy and the servers got overwhelmed and since we needed to get out of there to go shopping with a time schedule, we had to forego dessert and it took awhile to get the check. Other than that, the servers were very nice. But we spent about 2 hours in the restaurant. read more

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If it were possible to give no stars I would. I left a lengthy review 2 days ago, which has disappeared. Now, I have to wonder if Yelp posts mostly positive reviews to establishments that pay them! read more

Walking around downtown and thought of trying a new restaurant. Shelby's has a great eye appeal when you first walk in even though I think the front area is just wasted space. Not sure how new the place is but all 13 tables were full so looks to be a popular spot. It took awhile for the starter salad, but I was pleasantly surprised by the presentation. The soy vinaigrette was different but very enjoyable. I had the pork tenderloin over potatoes with beets and goat cheese on top. The presentation was great but I must say at first I was a little concerned with the portion size being too small when it came out. Now my girlfriend got the bow-tie chicken pasta which was basic but good. So overall not bad, think I'll try another place in the plaza next time. read more

Great service every time! The menu is diverse, delicious and eclectic California cuisine. We really enjoy dining here for breakfast and lunch, and enjoy the outdoor dining with our dog. read more

One of my favorite spots here in Orinda. I love the menu, always something new, typically a European dish that you have never tried before. I have tried just about everything here and have been here close to 75 times in the last several years. Great service too. Make sure you get a table that has views of Loard's Ice Cream! People watch from a distance... read more

This is the worst food I've ever had -- mind you, I was in the military & had to suffer through eating MRE's daily. Taking one bite of the eggs, I completely lost my appetite. The potatoes look as if they're from WWII & there were only 5 of them included w/ my "meal." Stay away from this place. I'll never give them my business again. If there is a ranked system for Worst Restaurants in NorCal, I'd nominate this one as #1. read more

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

This place is a joke,food is bland.The owner trys to manage the place but I'm not sure what he does. The best part is the puppy they tie up to the front of the door cute dog. Need to work on the food,servers are cool. read more

Went here for birthday brunch with friends. They had eggs benedict on the menu so I specifically asked the waitress if the english muffins could be well toasted and she said "no problem". The eggs benedict was then delivered to the table on soggy untoasted english muffins! I sent it back and ordered a Reuben sandwich instead and it was delivered to the table cold with cold fries. I went home hungry. So disappointing. I'll never give this place another try but my friends who suggested going there, liked what they got. read more

My favorite dinner restaurant after going to a movie at the Orinda theater. Great service, good variety on the menu. An extensive wine list, and mixed drinks. Not too noisy. I had the Salmon, it was perfect. read more

I have been to Shelbys numerous times and always find their food to be of the highest quality. I especially like the pork sliders. Another nice touch is the warm cheese twists while you wait. The owners and staff are very friendly and helpful. read more

Great food! A local Orinda resturant with great food, very good service, and community minded! The Grilled Caesar Salad is amazing!

I'm really sad that I must write this review, because my husband and I have been dining at Shelbys for several years. In the beginning, we always felt the food was really good and also the service. Back then, they even had live music. The past year our dining experience has gone from good to disappointing. We have always been late diners, coming into the restaurant around 8:00 on Saturday nights. Last Saturday, we came on at 8:00. We ordered our drinks and our dinner almost immediately. But half way through our dinner, the staff began clearing the tables and even shut down the music. We were the only diners at the time and perhaps they thought it okay to start shutting things down. This is never okay....In fact it's just rude and not at all hospitable. On top of the rude behavior, my pork shop I ordered was overdone and tough. I couldn't finish it. The cost of dining here has gotten more expensive, and we don't mind paying over $20 for a main course if it's good and the service and ambience match the price of the menu. We eat out a lot, and frequent restaurants in Lafayette and many in Oakland and Berkeley. But Shelbys has always been one of our go to places because we could always count on friendly service and good food. Our bill came to over $100. last Saturday, but the food and service did not measure up to what it cost us. This is the second time we have been treated as if we needed to leave, but it will be the last. We will spend our dining dollars someplace else. Too bad, but we think Shelbys has slipped away from being what it once was. Mary H. Moraga read more

This is one of my favorite places to eat. I love their food. I have been coming to Shelby's for almost 20 years. I like it so much that we had our rehearsal dinner here the night before our wedding 15 years ago. Orinda Theatre Square is a lovely place. read more

We had lunch at Shelby's yesterday, and I do not know what was wrong. Maybe we caught them on a bad day, but the service was extremely slow and it was almost impossible to get a server's attention for any reason. Watching the server area from our table, I could tell something was going wrong, and later our server told us that their "system was down," which seemed to cause a problem for them in figuring out the checks. Additionally, our server was very sweet but her English was not good at all, and we had communication issues throughout the meal. OK, maybe it would have been possible to ignore all this if the food had been fabulous, but...no. I ordered the grilled cheese, which arrived with the bread looking ungrilled and the slices of cheese completely unmelted and still in slices. It wasn't even warm. The mixed greens that came with it had a delightful dressing that I really liked. The "Arnold Palmer" drink I ordered was definitely mango iced tea. We were there for well over an hour for just a sandwich and were late to our movie due to not being able to get the attention of the servers and a long wait for the food. To top things off, I was asked to pay in cash because the "system was down," and my change was returned to me with a ton of loose small coins that almost spilled out all over the table. I left wondering what would have happened if I hadn't had cash, since no one had mentioned this system problem to us until the very end of the meal. read more

Shelby's is Orinda's best restaurant. Fresh ingredients, creative presentation, and skillful preparation make it a reliable and very tasty choice whenever I have an itch to go out. Owner/chef Arno does not rest on his laurels, though: every time there is something new, or seasonal, or themed to explore. My favorite: the grilled Cesar salad. That's a full meal; tasty, flavorful, and healthy. Order it with or without chicken. Sometimes, Arno throws in a German specialty, like sausages and sauerkraut, or Wiener Schnitzel. Yumm! read more

Shelbys is a great place for great food every time I go. They have the best short ribs for dinner or short rib sliders for lunch. The salads are fresh and wonderful as well as the burger with shoestring potatoes in a stainless steel basket...very nice. All the food is great that is beautifully presented with great service. Convient location right in the Orinda theater square center. read more

I went to Shelby's with my wife. And I had one of the best hamburger in my life. Sauce in the patty was unique and tasty and meat was reallt juicy. My wife also really liked Salmon cream soup. Nice location, and beautiful interior. This restaurant has become one of my favorite place to take my close friends and family members. Thumbs up! read more

If you are looking for a casual restaurant with great food and good service, Shelby's is a perfect spot. We tried Shelby's for the first time and we highly enjoyed our dinner. We started off with the chicken/vegetable soup. It was more flavorful then most soups we have had. The beef short ribs were tender, flavorful and had mashed potatoes with it. The Chinese chicken salad had a ton of chicken on it and had a nice dressing on it. Service was attentive and friendly. We will be going back! read more

That's 3.51. Alan and I had dinner here tonight before seeing "MacHomer" at Cal Shakes. We had the choice of sitting inside or out and chose the latter. It was comfortably warm and made for great people watching. Several people ran into people they knew and there was much greeting and chatting. Theatre Square is like Orinda's piazza. It's an appealing place, which makes it all the more puzzling to see so many empty storefronts there. Businesses have always struggled. Shelby's has probably hung in longer than most. The menu was extensive and interesting. Two dishes appealed to both of us, the steak frîtes and the lamb kabob salad, so we ordered both and shared them. I had iced tea and Alan had water. Normally they have cheese bread twists but they were out and no substitute was offered. I started w/ the steak frîtes, which came medium rare as ordered. The presentation was interesting: fresh seasonal vegetables w/ the frîtes piled atop and around them w/ the steak resting on top. The steak was generously proportioned and flavorful, but had a bit more fat and gristle than either of us would have liked. It was topped w/ sautéed mushrooms and onions, which were luscious. The vegetables were plentiful and al dente and the frîtes were crisp and good, although their proximity to both the vegetables and the steak made them lose some of their crispness. The lamb kabob salad was terrific, a melange of chopped romaine, feta, pitted kalamata olives, tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, cucumber and the lamb kabob. We each ate roughly half of our dish and then switched plates. I was happy w/ both dishes. Service was casual and friendly. read more