Candi and Byron at the Terrace Room helped make our wedding reception a memorable, elegant, and easygoing event. We started the process early (18+ months), and they supported us in navigating meal options, laying out the floor plans, and creating an atmosphere filled with warmth. Everyone involved in our reception was exceptionally professional, passionate and dedicated to creating a memorable (even if ephemeral) night. We are so thankful to Candi and Byron who shepherded us through every micro decision (linens, hors d'oeuvres, music, decorations, vendors, etc). Without them the reception wouldn't have felt unique to us. If you're looking for a venue that brings history, classic architecture, unbeatable views, and a dedicated staff, this is the place! read more

The Terrace Room - Evening walk-in view - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

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What a beautiful venue for a formal wedding or reception, for us it was the icing on the cake for a grand ceremony. The atmosphere here is amazing with its old Lake Merritt antique flavor. We were greeted with class and charm by the staff at all times,and the food was delicious and the bar staff was very polite and welcoming. Located on the corner across from the lake in a nice neighborhood of Oakland. As for parking there was no problem with the street parking it was ample for a Saturday afternoon. read more

We went to a reception last night and it was absolutely beautiful!! What a perfect setting for a celebration!! Unbelievable panoramic views of Lake Merritt. Very clean and elegantly furnished. The food was good and the customer service was excellent. Highly recommend if planning a wedding or any type of celebration. read more

The Terrace Room - A perfect setting for a celebration! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

We held our wedding ceremony and lunch reception at the Terrace Room, and couldn't have been happier with the result. We went with the Madison room to better suite our party size and budget, and elected table service for food. Planning: Candi and Byron were able to provide useful advice on what layouts and food options might be best, and the booking process was pretty straightforward. We were able to reserve slots for onsite meetings and tours, which made it easy for us to keep in touch and visualize the space accurately while planning. They also worked closely with us and our coordinators to make sure we were aligned on the schedule for the day. Meal Service: Portions were way larger than we had expected, and felt like a good deal for the cost. Guests were able to select from 3 options (we chose beef, fish, or vegetarian), and lunch service went at a great pace. Their staff were very attentive and service of everything, from snacks to main plates to champagne, seemed to go exactly as planned. Day-Of: Transitions between set up, the ceremony, lunch reception, and clean up felt super smooth. One of my favorite moments was walking down the aisle, and I distinctly remember seeing their team's happy faces when they waited to pull back the curtain to the entrance of the main room. Every interaction with their staff felt friendly and I appreciated how well organized they were. Atmosphere: The space is gorgeous! Our guests loved seeing all of the details of the interior design, and Lake Merritt looked stunning through the windows that day. I also personally really enjoyed the atmosphere of the venue, which felt elegant and intimate, but also really bright and lively with all the natural sunlight coming through the windows. read more

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We recently held a community swearing-in of a newly minted County Judge. What a great experience. Candi and Byron tended to every detail and made sure we were more than prepared. They took time to host us on-site ahead of the event and walk us through options and even offered recommendations when we were in need. The venue is charming and overlooks the lake. The chef and team went above and beyond. Our even involved dignitaries and the facility has a cute and convenient suite/green room off the main area which was a nice addition without any upsale. The venue is truly a gem of Oakland and we are already talking with family about the next event we can host here! read more

The Terrace Room - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

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We had our wedding at the Terrace Room in March and absolutely loved it. Candi and Byron were great to work with from the start and the whole team on the day of the wedding was friendly and professional. We liked the way the Terrace Room functions like a restaurant, meaning they handle the food and beverage and provide the tables, linens, etc. It was great not to worry about finding an outside caterer, hiring bartenders or dealing with rentals. Candi and Byron had lots of suggestions for how to make everything go smoothly and they coordinated well with our other vendors. The food was delicious and our guests enjoyed the bar. The space is so beautiful it hardly needs any decoration, which was great for us because we did our own flowers and decorations. The view over Lake Merritt is beautiful and we even had a double rainbow appear during our ceremony! Not sure the Terrace Room staff can be expected to make perfectly-timed rainbows happen again, but I recommend this venue anyway! read more

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We held our wedding reception at the Terrace Room. It is such a beautiful space, it made it so easy to have a gorgeous wedding without having to spend much on decor. The team was so helpful throughout the entire planning process - Candi and Byron were great and so easy to work with! The food was delicious, the service was amazing, and all of our guests had so many nice things to say about the location. We highly recommend the Terrace Room for a wedding celebration! read more

The Terrace Room - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

My wife and I had our wedding and reception at the Terrace Room, and it couldn't have been more perfect! Candi and Byron are lovely people and were so easy to work with throughout the planning process. On the big day, the food was delicious, the servers and bartenders were on point, the view was unbelievable, and everything went off without a hitch. All of our guests had a great time, and we received many compliments on the food and the venue. To everyone at the Terrace Room, thank you so much for being part of our special day! read more

Bottomless and Benedict's Bottomless is always a win in my book, and then adding good food to accompany it completes the experience for me. I decided to stray away from my usual and go with the smoked Salmon Benedict, and I was not disappointed. The hollandaise sauce was so good I almost asked for an additional side of it for my potatoes. Can definitely see myself coming back here the next time I'm in the area to enjoy another breakfast/brunch with that great view over looking the lake. read more

The Terrace Room - Smoked Salmon Benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

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Our dear long time friends were celebrating their 26th Anniversary, so we wanted to take them out to dinner. I looked for a place in Oakland with a view, good ratings and feedback. It definitely had a beautiful view, the food was delicious and the band was great. We had a great night full of laughter. The service was good as well. This particular night the bartender made some strong drinks. I ordered a lavender tonic. Really pretty drinks but oh my it was strong. Our friend ordered a drink with elderflower in it. That was the best drink, delicious and refreshing. We were all satisfied with our meals. I definitely want to come back. read more

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The decision to book was easy. In addition to great views and a gorgeous venue, Candi went over all of the details and options and answered all of our questions (I'm a wedding and events director, we had a lot). We waited 2+ years with pandemic delays but it was well worth it. They stayed in communication with us the entire time and we picked up where we left off afterward. The day of the event was executed perfectly- Jose (the banquet captain) and all of the staff at The Terrace Room were warm and accommodating, the food was great, and we couldn't have asked for anything better. All of our guests were blown away. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend The Terrace Room to anyone. We did have to ask for the remainder of our wedding cake and boxed food they said they put aside for us as they were kinda rushing us out in the end. read more

Yasss first to enjoy the opening day for 2019 oakland restaurant week . We've been eye stalking this restaurant for a few years - I mean who can deny the awesome view of the newly renovated Lake Merritt, Supper club vibe , and the gorgeous hotel interior. Here's the scoop : - $40 pre fixe menu /// 3- course meal - highly recommend the dungeness crab cake with creole remoulade sauce ( yes , singular , you'll Get 1 but it was delish) - pass on the California yellowtail and the weird polenta cake (Uber dry and tasteless but I loved the creamed spinach) - YASSS to the moist sticky toffee pudding (less sticky and more spongecake-like ) AVOID: - pear Apple walnut crumble with vanilla gelato (tasteless not working the calories) - dry yellowtail and polenta Keep in mind : - street parking is limited - be cautious with your check - our server got real confused with splitting our checks and the calculations were wrong - lots of older people enjoy this place :-) - like music (you may not care for the screeching mic OR the musical genre but c'est la vie - happy Hour only on Wednesday and Thursday All in all- pleasant evening with my friend, enjoyed my cocktail, loved the appetizer, but I'm still on the fence about the entrees - seems like this place could be hit or miss ! read more

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The Terrace room is event only now and throws a fantastic party. We had our wedding reception here in May for 100+ guest and it turned out wonderful. The food, service, venue, staff, view and everything in between is top notch. Best wedding/party venue in Oakland. Check them out in person if you are interested in having an event! read more

3.5 stars. My fiancé and I passed by Terrace Room several times on our walks around Lake Merritt. I always remarked how pretty it looks, so on the day he proposed, we went there for lunch! What a fun spot located inside the Lake Merritt hotel. Upon walking in that Sunday morning, there was a pianist playing lovely jazz music. We were seated without reservations. We could see the beautiful Lake Merritt in all it's glorious construction. Service was friendly, though actual production of food was a little slow. I started with a Bloody Mary and asked for it spicy. Not bad! Then I saw they had bottomless mimosas, but it wasn't a mimosa kind of morning. The burger caught both our eyes. It had comte and gruyere cheese, butter lettuce, red onion, cherry tomato, cornichon, dijonnaise and came with a side of potatoes. It was one of the most unique and delicious burgers I've ever had! The patty was juicy and fatty, though it had chunks of what felt like tendon that I had to spit out. But the remaining ingredients were on point. I'm glad my fiancé satisfied my curiosity to come here. It lived up to all my expectations, and I'm relieved I wasn't disappointed. Now when we go on our regular Lake Merritt walks, we'll look at the restaurant with fond memories of a special day. Looking at their calendar, I love that they have music and trivia nights. Sounds like so much fun, whether or not you're staying at the hotel. read more

The Terrace Room - Burger and Bloody Mary - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

Hell of a service from Bartenders Kay and Ginger! will never go anywhere else it was a beautiful event and a beautiful space. We loved it. read more

The ol' neighborhood bar kinda feels like a cliche of the past these days, especially in a big city sorta place like Oakland. Friendly neighborhood vibes are alive and well at Wednesday trivia nights at the Terrace Room though! To be honest, the food is pretty hit or miss. I've ordered the garlic fries a few times and had them come out gross and floppy sometimes, and other times crispy and delicious. The drink offerings are limited but adequate. I can usually find at least one good beer. It seems the beer rotates, so some days are better than others. Whether it's a good day in the kitchen or not, I keep finding myself having a great time here. The employees and the other clientele are friendly and the trivia questions are clever and fun. The old-timey art deco aesthetic and view of the lake are also welcoming. In addition to trivia, they have live music pretty often. Haven't been yet but looking forward to checking it out soon! Just gotta make sure to check their event calendar for cover charges read more

The Terrace Room - Trivia every Wednesday at 7:30 :) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

So randomly (during a night where maybe quite a bit of drinking was involved), the brunch crew and I talked about doing a bottomless brunch in the East Bay. (Most of us live in SF, but one resides in Oakland.) After looking around, we decided on The Terrace Room. (Partly cuz they take reservations.) I made one through Yelp about two months prior for a party of 8 on Saturday, April 20th at 12 noon. A few of us arrived early around 11:15am, so we started our unlimited bubbly in the bar area. *The Town Breakfast: 2 eggs any style, country potatoes, toast, choice of applewood smoked bacon, country ham, country pork sausage or Canadian bacon ($15) *Summer Scramble: seasonal local vegetables with white cheddar and of salad or country potatoes ($15) *Dungeness Crab Omelet: baby spinach, heirloom cherry tomatoes with salad or country potatoes ($21) x2 *Eggs Florentine: 2 poached eggs, sauteed baby spinach, tomato, English muffin and hollandaise sauce with salad or country potatoes ($15) *Classic Benedict: english muffin, hollandaise, Canadian bacon and choice of salad or country potatoes ($14) *Smoked Salmon Benedict: wild salmon, english muffin, chive hollandaise and choice of salad or country potatoes ($18) *Belgium Style Waffle: mixed berries, chantilly cream, and raspberry sauce ($14) *El Cubano: Smoked ham, roasted pork, Emmental cheese, pickles and American mustard with fries or salad ($12) *The Merritt Burger: with secret sauce, lettuce, tomato, pickle, red onions with fries or salad ($14) *Country Ham ($6) *Chicken Apple Sausage ($6) *Bottomless Mimosas ($15) x5 *Bottomless Bloody Mary's ($15) x2 *Irish Coffee: Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey, Bailey's Irish Cream & Coffee ($9) For the five of us who were early, we started with the bottomless mimosas and marys, a cubano, and a waffle in the bar area. They were also nice enough to give us complimentary mini muffins which were loved by all. The bar is kinda small and dark since it's away from all the windows, but the servers were very attentive and sweet. Once in the dining room, there are beautiful views of Lake Merritt. I was a pescatarian at the time, so I wasn't able to try the meat dishes. But they have plenty of seafood and veggie breakfast / lunch options, so I wasn't left hungry. All were pretty tasty and satisfied my hunger. Our server was also very good about keeping our drink glasses full which was much appreciated as sometimes bottomless refills can be a little slow. A fun place to grab brunch. And great views. Plus, I can never say no to a bottomless boozy brunch! read more

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I really wanted to love The Terrace Room and give them a glowing review, especially after eyeballing the menu for so long and attending a Yelp event here a couple of months previously. My Husband and I returned for Brunch that I can only describe as a ''Womp womp'' experience. Great views yes but sadly not worth the price tag nor the drive. As it was nearing 1pm and I had just ran 15 miles fueled by just Greek Yogurt and a Banana I was freaking hungry and tempted by the Local Summer Fruit on the menu, described as ''local Apples and Plums, toasted Almonds, Pomegranate, Molasses, Mint'' it sure sounded delicious, what I got: EH. (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-terrace-room-oakland?select=2SEjcUG-nPsEE1AeyyueYg) To give an idea of side that is a SIDE plate it is served on. I'm not sure if I just got shorted or it was just bad Fruit but it all tasted the same.. Like Apple, overripe Apple to be precise. There was no hint of Plum nor the Pomegranate it described whether it be in the Molasses or otherwise, the menu was a little misleading. The Mint was the little sprig decorating it. Sorry, really not worth $8. The Brunch dishes we ordered were of a better size yet still a little pricey. My Husband had the Country Breakfast and asked to add a Sausage - $21 total (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-terrace-room-oakland?select=KCIPe3-hJh1YOlLNkdy2dA) The Muffin came with no Butter or Jam and the Potatoes were overcooked but otherwise my Husband said it was ''ok''. I had the Croque Madame - $16 (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-terrace-room-oakland?select=4R69PJyDdBLsgbONvIk6Kw) with slightly less crispy Potatoes and a huge amount of sauce. The sauce was good albeit overpowered the overall flavor of what should have been the star and I had to scrape half of the sauce to the side. The filling inside was ample yet not evenly distributed simply all pilled in the middle so that half of the Sandwhich was just Bread and Sauce. Service was passable and yes the view is nice but I'm afraid not somewhere I'm likely to return. 2.5/5 read more

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It is right on Lake Merritt and the room's views are stunning - the room decor/furnishings are a little dated. All brunch items were in the $17 range (also the bottomless mimosa's were $17-ish). My man & I split the mushroom and Boursin omelet and the French toast. Also a side of bacon. The French toast was a dud, my 9 year old niece could have done better (small portion too) - they also forgot the syrup. The omelet was decent if a bit overcooked, but the potatoes were VERY good and crispy, also the bacon was plentiful, thick and well-cooked. The bloody mary's were quite good as well, I think the two gals that had them got through 2 1/2 each. Our server Alicia was a doll and did everything she could to accommodate our many requests read more

Everybody loves a great view, and the Terrace Room has one of the best! Located on the corner of Madison and Lakeside Drive, the Terrace Room provides a stunning view of beautiful Lake Merritt! I came here some months ago for a Champagne tasting event, and while the event itself was fun, the wait staff seemed to be a little disorganized and the bar food was mediocre. The Terrace Room is located inside of the historic Lake Merritt Hotel which was built in 1927. Upon entry, you will easily be swooned by the timeless and elegant decor. It's reminiscent of an old Victorian home from the late 1940's. The interior has been immaculately maintained over the past 90 years! There's a small bar area with a TV and a large dining area that boasts one of the best views of the lake. Our group was a mix of young and older, and all different types of races. Unfortunately, I can't really say the same about the rest of the patrons. I found that most of the other patrons dining there were much older. There isn't anything wrong with this, but it just made me feel like I was in a senior home. Just a tad bit uncomfortable, but I guess with its' history, this place attracts more of an older crowd. Maybe I just came on an off night? Either way, I just made myself fit in accordingly. When I went to the bar, the bartender was kind of pushy and I felt a bit rushed. I eventually ended up moving to a table with the rest of the group and ended up being helped by another server. She was much more pleasant, but she did confuse our orders a few times. To her defense, there were quite a few of us there and some of us still had tabs open at the bar. The happy hour here is really awesome! They have happy hour from 5-10 Monday thru Thursday which is a happy hour lover's dream! I practically live off of happy hour deals, so this immediately drew me in. I ended up having a glass of Pinot Noir while I was there before I started the Champagne tasting. Our group ordered garlic fries, chicken wings, and a shrimp salad. I didn't taste the shrimp salad, but I enjoyed the garlic fries. They weren't overly seasoned, but they weren't anything super extraordinary. The chicken wings were a bit too salty for my taste. They served them with jalapeños which I thought was a bit different, but it did provide a bit of a kick. Aside from regular dining, the Terrace Room often has many different weekly events such as Trivia and live Jazz performances. I haven't yet attended an event here (other than the Champagne tasting), but I would like to in the future. I am looking forward to coming back soon to try them out for brunch and dinner. According to other reviews, it seems like that is where they truly shine. Overall, it was a pretty good experience and I will be coming back again! read more

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EXCELLENT service. We arrived before most of our party so we stared with bottomless mimosas and bloodys. The best part is that you can switch between the two and it's the same price. We had a party of 6, and to be totally honest, the food took almost 45 minutes to arrive. However, our waiter was hustling, he was literally running sometimes. He was super friendly and gave the non-bottomless mimosa drinkers free refills since we had to wait so long. The mimosa was HUGE and not messing around, definitely strong but worth the money for sure. Really good spicy Bloody Mary too! Once the food came it was absolutely delicious. I got the Florentine scramble, it had a huge amount of garlic sautéed spinach, broiled cherry tomatoes, and delicious Hollandaise. The potatoes were also excellent. The lake View was beautiful and the complimentary muffins were really good too! We'll be back if we ever want a nice brunch. It's a little expensive maybe, but good price for great service and beautiful scenery. read more

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I have been going over to The Terrace Room for years now, but quite recently feel slight different in the services being provided by the management. Granted the location is great and restaurant is beautiful but restaurant service has been extensively compromised. Last night was halloween night; and according to The Terrace Room, a local band was schedule to play from 7PM to 10PM. It took us half of day running around while looking for costume attributes, and 2 hours to get ready. We left work early and pushed away other plans to be at the Terrace Room and to enjoy the food, drinks, music and dancing. We reserved the table for 7:30PM and arrived on time. Upon arrival, we did notice the restaurant was not too busy but the band was amazing. We enjoyed our dinner and danced a little. In the meantime, the restaurant decided to close the restaurant early and asked band to finish at 9:10PM instead of its scheduled end time of 10PM. I am eye witness of the said incident, and band did confirm that the manage has asked them to end early. Here is how we feel with this whole adhoc based change of plan. A transaction is a mutual agreement between a customer and the business. The business asks for certain payment for the services that they are going to provide and customer pays to receive the services that the business has promised to render. We paid per the listed price on your menu, we also ordered drinks from your menu; We did not bargain down your asked prices, and we also expect you not to serve any less than what you have promised. How is it any of customer's fault if your restaurant turn around was not as anticipated. Upon my request, Manager refused to come outside and listen to my complain. However, we were offered a voucher for a free drink for next visit. Now I will be honest with you; I felt disrespected, where manager did not want to listen to my complain and zip my lips with $10 drink. This was cheap and insulting remedy. At this point, I told the assistant manager that I have a right to raise a complain and voice my opinion, and that I can certainly afford to pay my own drink and I did not come to the Terrace Room to obtain a free drink voucher for my next thrilling experience. We were there to enjoy music till 10PM per what you have promised. Perhaps you should not advertise that the band will play till 10PM. Perhaps you should advertise that band will play till 9:10PM with a possibility to play till 10 depending upon the business need. We feel that the Terrace Room tricked us into coming and failed to keep their end of the bargain. That the Terrace Room failed to listen to our complain, acknowledge their mistake and simply say something like "we will try to make it better next time", but instead a quick, cheap and insulting fix of $10 drink was offered. We also belong to a vast groups of Tango and Swing dance community and have hosted tens of events and brought hundreds of dancers to the Terrace room over the course of past few years. I for one will no longer be going to the Terrace Room events any more and will host our events else where, I will also be discouraging other dancers from hoping a pleasant experience from the Terrace Room. And as for your business strategy, perhaps you should know by now why your restaurant is no longer busy. read more

The Terrace Room - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

My son's wedding was at the Terrace Room. Fabulous venue!...Great service, excellent food, courteous and friendly staff.

The Terrace Room was 4stars for me until I found out that the restaurant had charged us an 18% gratuity on top of the tip we left (about 30%.. in cash) when the waitress had clearly stated "I didn't include any gratuity" as she handed us the bill. A call took care of it, but I was really disappointed with the mistake, especially for how large a party we had and how much tip we had left. I came here for a birthday brunch with a party of fifteen and was drawn initially by the bottomless mimosas (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-terrace-room-oakland?select=I8vSc8_AF6v0GIMlqysf4Q#A4r6WZEQ4WmpYdECA594YA), which were super strong and tasty (in case you were wondering). The food and view surprised me, and service was friendly as well. Our waitress was nice and pretty attentive, especially considering that they had a full house and "bottomless" is always somewhat an arbitrary word. The actual restaurant is located within a hotel, but it's quite easy to find. The ambiance is lovely, and there are beautiful glass windows that let in the sunlight and frame the lake like a painting. The tables are rather spaced out in the dining room, which I loved because it yielded a sense of privacy for all parties. I did think our party of fifteen was a little cramped (I wish they had added just one more small table), but it was cozy and I understand that space is limited. Complimentary muffins and jam: (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-terrace-room-oakland?select=I8vSc8_AF6v0GIMlqysf4Q#Evp9x6LYVrZgGOlgq7EQig) (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-terrace-room-oakland?select=I8vSc8_AF6v0GIMlqysf4Q#ZxVa-6mBDRxjzJFkkeH57w) These complimentary muffins were delicious, and I'm usually not a fan of muffins because they tend to be somewhat dry and tasteless. These mini-muffins were moist and had just the right amount of sweetness, and I seriously could have eaten two more basketfuls of these. The jam was really good too, although I wasn't sure what flavor it was. It was a little more watery than normal jam, but it paired beautifully with the muffins. Original Joe scramble with potatoes and rye toast: (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-terrace-room-oakland?select=I8vSc8_AF6v0GIMlqysf4Q#UYhg-DY8yJLXdQkC7oiizA) I only had a bite of this, but I thought the scramble was very well done, although I feel like the presentation could have been a little better. The scramble itself looked very scattered, and I thought it might have benefited from the eggs not being so beaten when in the pot. The ingredients were paired well and the flavor was good though. The potatoes and rye toast were ordinary, nothing memorable. Chicken and waffles with syrup: (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-terrace-room-oakland?select=I8vSc8_AF6v0GIMlqysf4Q#XPlRl36zZjWGIYr822dpTg) If you've had the chicken and waffles at 900 Grayson, this doesn't really measure up in flavor, although overall it was a good dish. If you haven't though, you might like this version of chicken and waffles. The chicken was a tiny bit overfried so that some parts were slightly blackened, but the boneless meat inside was still juicy and tender. It was a little bland, and I wish there had been syrup in addition to gravy, as the syrup made the dish a little one-dimensional. The waffles were lackluster and definitely lacked flavor; the batter could have used some more butter, vanilla extract, other flavoring.. something. The cook on the waffles was good though; crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Overall, I think The Terrace Room is a solid brunch place, and I would venture back for a classy morning or for a date. I would definitely check my credit card bill twice though, just to make sure there's not another error. read more

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We were here last night again for the Y's yearly Annual Campaign Victory dinner and I was looking forward to the beautiful view, spending time with friends and having a wonderful meal. I can say that I had all three but there were some rude glitches along the way. Dinner wasn't served until around 6:45 or 7 so we had a chance to have something to drink at the bar and chat with our friends. I used my yelp check-in and noticed that I could get $3 off any happy hour food or drinks so I showed the bartender my yelp check-in. She indicated that if I was part of the Y event, that I could not use my happy hour check-in; however, I was paying for my alcoholic drink and it was not part of the banquet we were attending as other patrons were in the bar. That didn't seem fair to me. However, I was able to get my discount for my drink. Then later during the dinner, one of my friends at our table, asked for some ketchup and the waiter rudely indicated that ketchup was not part of the banquet menu, what???? Then when the delicious dessert was being served, the waiter was asking us who wanted coffee, another friend asked for his cup to be filled but he only had his cup filled 1/4? I asked the same waiter for some coffee and mine was full. This is the same waiter who refused to give another friend at our table ketchup. I didn't know the wait staff was so rude. I have never had a bad experience with the wait staff here at The Terrace Room. read more

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I love the fact that The Terrace Room's Happy Hour makes an appearance on Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 5 PM to 9:30 PM (when they close), that they have a great Wednesday evening trivia night, and abnormally nice art deco restrooms... but I think the food options leave a lot to be desired. It's not nearly as bad as the places featured on Bar Rescue or Kitchen Nightmares, but Gordon Ramsay could spend a couple of hours here. I stuck to rum and coke for the evening and decided on the Terrace Burger with cheese. It was a pretty heavy, substantial meal, but lacking in the flavor department. The presentation was also pretty haphazard (see photo) - I appreciate the fact that there were a variety of toppings, but the fact that they couldn't be bothered to slice the grape tomatoes and that they dumped an overbearing amount of sauce was somewhat disappointing. Again, this is a great spot with a beautiful interior and prime view of Lake Merritt, but it's missing an inspired menu on par with the ambiance. read more

The Terrace Room - 5.23.18 - Terrace Burger - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

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Bottomless mimosas/bloody marys with a view! Service is a bit slow, but who's complaining when there's always someone filling up my glass. There are other bottomless mimosas in the area, but I like coming here when I have guests in town. read more

The Terrace Room - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

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Although this place shares a building with a senior living center, it doesn't smell like old people. Lol! They have a lounge area before entering the restaurant part with a piano which was dope. Esp since there was someone there playing. The view of the lake is really what you're paying for here. Our waitress, Brittany, was very professional and friendly. She was upbeat and prompt with anything we needed. Loved how our champagne was never empty for too long. $17 for bottomless mimosas and bloody marys. The + about this place is you can switch off between the two. And they had a bloody mary bar for you to have fun with. The food was a little disappointing. The brunch menu was a bit limited and the quality of the food was below what it's worth. However, they had a cute basket of mini muffins that were tasty and moist which was different from other brunch places. All in all it was good to try this place out. I wouldn't mind coming here again but it would be for the view. While the food wasn't horrible, there's nothing exciting about it either. read more

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We came here for the Mother's Day brunch buffet. Yes, the views are great ... of Lake Merritt, yeah, not as good as the Cliffhouse in SF with views of the Pacific Ocean, but it was close by and it was Mother's day. The price was $70 per person ... with tax and some tip (15%), that's almost $90 per person! $90 per person is just a little too much I'd say for what you get here. Prime rib was offered, but no King Crab legs like you get in Reno or rack of lamb. But OK, it's a holiday and everybody seems to jack up the prices. The food was decent and it was a buffet, so we stuffed ourselves! Mom was happy so that's the main thing. Service was OK, nothing over the top but nothing to complain about. Parking could be tight as it's street parking only. read more

I really wish I could rave about this place because I like to root for the underdog, but The Terrace Room just doesn't quite hit the mark. The chef uses local and sustainable ingredients which I am in support of. But the food is only mediocre. They make a decent burger and the blue cheese fries were good. Another evening, I ordered a New York Strip steak, asked for it rare and it came out medium well. I ended up sending it back to the kitchen and asking them to try again. The second time around was better. My two sides were sauteed mushrooms and polenta. The mushrooms were bland and the polenta was undercooked so some of the grains were hard and crunchy. Needless to say, the polenta went to waste, but I didn't want to send my food back again. The service is often spotty because there seems to be only one waitperson on staff for evening dinner service. Even though that one person is trying their hardest, sometimes there is just too much going on for one person to handle, especially now that they have a promotion on restaurants.com that I am sure is making this place busier than usual. I attended their most recent wine tasting which featured the Rodney Strong vineyard. Although I was interested in learning more about the wines being sampled, the wine rep didn't have any tasting notes with him so the most information I could glean was the name of the wine and the vintage. Not much to go on. Since it's free, I would go back and try it again. Beware, the appetizer pairings advertised with the free wine tastings are not free. On the night I was there, the appetizers ranged from $5 to $7. So what keeps bringing me back to the Terrace Room? The scenery. Diners are treated to expansive panoramic views of the northern part of Lake Merritt, which is stunning during sunset. The view would be even better if the restaurant would power wash the large picture windows could so one see the view without impairment. The dining room interior could also use some sprucing up because the room is starting to look a little tired. read more

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Coming to celebrate a graduation, we came to The Terrace Room for brunch as a big group on a Saturday. With the exception of the view, I'd say the place is pretty average. Part I: The Untrained Waitress. Although the waitress was nice, she had no clue about the menu, how to properly pour a champagne and the fact that water should be refilled for clients. Not only did she overpour the champagne glass, but managed to hold the bottle as if she is pouring vodka after a day at a Russian sauna (holding it with a grasp at the neck). Didn't leave the cork on the table either. Anyways, she didn't even know that Mumm sparkling wine was on the menu and I had to point her directly to it. I mean, it's a brunch restaurant, there are 3 sparkling wines on the menu, does one really need a curriculum to learn them? Unacceptable. Part II: The Standard Menu Moving on, the menu is pretty average and the food was good. It wasn't anything to make me brag about this spot to a friend, but it was good. I had the Crab eggs Benedict and it was fine. Another person at our table had the chorizo omelet and had similar impressions. Part III: The Shining Yes, there is an area where they shine and I am confident they already know it. The view from the table is killer, overlooking the lake, it just adds a relaxing feel to the whole establishment. Good spot for family pictures. Conclusion: Would I come back? Perhaps, if I ran out of other options to try, but it's an average restaurant with an above average view. Had the waitress been better versed in the service industry, I would have given 4 stars for the view and food. read more

The Terrace Room - Crab Eggs Benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

Everything here was perfect. Came here for the bachelorette party a few years back and came back for a brunch date. The crab omelet was inhaled The mimosas and coffee were bottomless and ever flowing The mini muffins with jam were gone in 30 seconds The biscuits..... it was breakfast lunch and dinner... the gravy was amazing and the biscuit was light, fluffy and huge. I think I won the awesome breakfast in the group award. Service was stellar.. the view killer.... One of my favorite places to eat brunch. Recommend making a reservation (open table) read more

Jonny is the best waiter ever ! He will fill up your bottomless mimosas all the way to the top and make sure you are having a GREAT time ! I can't wait to be back. read more

We came here for Mother's Day brunch. My mom was greeted with a long stem rose of her choosing. Nice touch. Big ice carving stating "Happy Mother's Day" too. Cute. It was half buffet, half served. The served dishes were fried potatoes, pancakes, bacon, eggs, eggs benedict, and cheese blintz with strawberry topping. The fried potatoes were ok, the bacon was served extra crispy (like I like it), but the eggs benedict was a bit too runny for our tastes (Clear egg is never a good thing) at the table. The cheese blintz and pancakes were good as well, although your average pancakes and cheese blintz so nothing to write home about. The buffet was nice. They had an assortment of pastries, cereals, an omelet bar, a carving station of roasted turkey and prime rib, and little desserts. They also had assorted pastas and a plate of lox with all the fixin's. The lox was extremely tasty and the cream cheese had a perfect whipped consistency, topped with capers and red onions, it was the highlight of the brunch (other than the bottomless mimosas). The omelets were good but they were just an egg flap with your picked fixin's stuffed inside, most of which was falling out. I like my omelets with the fixin's mixed in so.. I wasn't impressed with the flavor. The prime rib was good, although the 'horseradish' had no flavor, it was more like sour cream than anything else. The desserts were very tasty (I had one of each small cheesecake, the pecan pie and top of a blueberry crumble muffin). We thought that maybe they played it 'safe' with the food, being that the majority of the food was pretty bland and had no flavor, except for a few items. We thought maybe due to wanting to err on the 'safe' side with some older mothers being there for Mother's Day? Whatever the situation, pretty average food for the price. But the view was nice and it was a great day so... anything for Momsies, right? Three stars for the food. One extra star for the bottomless mimosa, the great view, and for treating my Momsies right on Mother's Day, read more

The Terrace Room - View on Mother's Day - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

You've left us to eat Lake Chalet's overpriced Sizzler-esque cuisine. When are you opening again?

Rating for our April 2022 wedding: We will forever remember our gorgeous Oakland wedding at the Terrace Room. This venue highlights the beauty of Oakland, especially at night. It's absolutely stunning. Candi (the event coordinator) was super sweet and worked with us faithfully, even through two COVID-19 postponements. After hearing about all the horrors couples went through with unaccommodating venues, Terrace Room made it easy to stick it out with them to have the wedding we originally wanted. Their food is fantastic as well! We keep getting compliments on it from our guests to this day. Choosing Terrace Room meant knocking out many to-do's off our wedding planning list, as they provide a lot of services in their pricing. Speaking of price, this place can't be beat. You get a lot for your money. Take a look at their preferred vendor list as well, they have some winners! Thank you eternally to Candi and Terrace Room for hosting the most beautiful night of our lives. read more

I was full after coming here but the satisfying kind. Made reservations here for my mom's birthday. Although my groupon was for dinner.they still honored it for brunch. Theo was absolutely helpful and friendly; I really appreciated his service and kindness. :] We were seated at a corner table by the window. The view was amazing! This restaurant was a bit fancier than the normal place family would go to but what the heck its for my mom's birthday! We were all excited for the food! Here's what he had: BLACK FOREST BENEDICT - $12 w/ CRAB CAKE - $5 This was ok...the poached egg was a little overcooked. The potatoes looked almost burned. I didn't mind it too much since I like my potatoes extra crispy but no one else seemed to even bother with it. THE BUNNY BENEDICT - $15 This came with a rabbit and mushroom sausage that had just too much herb in it. I think it was rosemary, but that's pretty much all I tasted. Herbs should give off a subtle taste in my opinion. I did not like it at all. However, the hollandaise sauce had white truffle in it that made the meal smell absolutely fantastic. THe potatoes were over cooked here too...or extra crispy. FRIED CHICKEN AND WAFFLES - $14 I was excited about this until it came out all covered in...GRAVY? Noooo....Why is there gravy covering my tower of fried chicken and waffles? And whats this...collard greens??? NOoooo....I don't care if there's bacon in the gravy I just wanted fried chicken and waffles! The parts were there was no gravy and greens was yummy...the waffle was buttery and had syrup. Unfortunately they only do white meat for fried chicken...so it tasted super dry. Sigh.... SHRIMP 'N YELLOW GRITS - $16 Winner of the day! The only good meal at our table! The shrimp was HUGE and flavorful. I"m no fan of shrimp but everyone though it was yummy. The grits were fabulous, it had cheese and a bit of Cayenne pepper...I think everyone had half their meal and starting picking off of this plate hehe. ORANGE JUICE - $4 Fresh sweet and yummy! Yay! GRAPEFRUIT JUICE - $4 We had the waitress mix in a bit of OJ into it so it was sweet ad not so bitter :D Yay! CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKE - $6.50 I"ve had better but this was still pretty good CHEESECAKE - $6.50 VERY YUMMY!! LOVED IT!!!! OH yeah, their complimentary carrot and zucchini muffins that came with strawberry preserves were really yummy! :] read more

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Delightful brunch! This is a great spot for a celebratory brunch. The food is good when fresh and it's your basic brunch/breakfast fare. With that being said you, are pretty much paying for the view when you come to this spot. There is nothing particularly amazing on the menu to write home about but the mimosas are good and not made with super cheap champagne. I greatly appreciate that they offer chicken sausage breakfast options but it doesn't seem to be house-made or particularly special. With that being said, the service is lacking. The restaurant is located in the hotel and the service staff seem to be confused as to what they should be doing. You have to ask for a table and to be seated as well, once seated the service can be slow, or maybe they are under staffed? Either way this is a beautiful location for photos, to gather a crowd for brunch or to bring a visiting guest to admire the views of Lake Merritt. read more

The Terrace Room - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

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The Terrace Room venue is a hidden gem at Lake Merritt in Oakland. We are so glad we found this place for our sons wedding. We were able to do the ceremony and reception all at the same place. Wall to wall windows with beautiful views during the day and all lit up at night. It was beautiful. Doesn't require a lot of decorations because it's so pretty. The sound systems was great. Lovely bar area and waiting area. Food was great. We highly recommend this venue for a wedding or party. read more

My husband and I had our wedding reception at the Terrace Room on 9/30/2017. We loved everything about them. From food to the fabulous event staff, we had a magnificent time and so did our guests. We had 192 guests seated and still had plenty of dance floor space to get down! With the Terrace Room's Art Deco, my husband and I honestly did not need much to decorate the space. I highly recommend couples to invest in uplighting as it transformed the beautiful venue to another level. We used amber color lighting and it turned out beautiful for pictures. Thank you Candi, Tommy and Matt! Vincent and I had the best wedding ever! read more

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