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The Wolf

4.2 (545 reviews)
Open • 11:30 am - 9:00 pm

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THE WOLF ATMOSPHERE

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Intimate
Romantic
Classy
Upscale

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Recommended Reviews - The Wolf

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Edison H.

Came here for Valentine's Day dinner. I like their take on duck liver pate and octopus leg. A good changeup from how they're usually served especially the fried octopus leg. The Cornish game hen was a bit too salty for me though, but wouldn't say it was a deal breaker. The food alone was 4.5/5 for me. The plating and flavors are both great. The service was pretty okay - they may have picked it up after seeing I was on Yelp (maybe it's in my head lol). The price tag is a bit on the steep side. Overall, giving this a solid 4*.

Oysters
Luciano Z.

Came here for a friends birthday and enjoyed everything we tried. Although we didn't get to sit inside the restaurant, they still had a nice patio area that felt like we were inside. The star of the show for me was the risotto. From the presentation to the taste, it was absolutely delicious. We shared the bread, oysters, Spanish octopus, and Brussels sprouts for appetizers. As a seafood lover, I loved how fresh oysters tasted, as well as the octopus. Definitely a spot to check out if you're looking for an upscale vibe and amazing food.

Egg tagliatelle with braised rabbit. Delicious!
Elena C.

Vibe: 3.5/5 Service: 5/5 Food: 3/5 Drinks: n/a Value: 3.5/5 First off, shout out to the wonderful hostess and our waiter, Eric. They were trully the highlight of the night. Unfortunately, the food was quite disappointing. Duck liver pate (3.5/5): It had a mousse-like texture and good flavor, without minerality, which I liked. The green peppercorn added a lovely crunch and worked quite well with the mousse. BUT, the parsley garnish and its flavor were overwhelming. It could have benefited from a bit of sweetness. It was fine, but nothing worth going out of your way for. Wild boar pappardelle (2.5): Every single review was raving about this dish, and the pasta was beautifully cooked. However, my dish seemed to have some other meat (my guess is chicken because it was light) mixed in with the boar pieces. The boar was quite dry. The sauce had zero flavor and lacked salt. The only few good bites were those that had some of the pecorino on them. I didn't finish it. My husband's burger and fries also lacked salt. Maybe we came on an off night, but it was definitely not the culinary experience we're used to from The Wolf.

Duck pate with endive
Wendy S.

I popped in here just to have a drink. I tried their French 75 and asked for St. George Gin. It was delicious! As I'm now on a low carb diet it's tricky finding things to eat when I'm out and about. Not so here. I ordered the duck pate and they substituted the toast for endive. Spectacular! I paired it with a glass of their Laurent-Perrier Brut. Heaven. The pate is almost as good as foie gras. Could be my new hang out!

Robbin R.

I don't have time for an in-depth review, but everything from food and drank to service to ambiance was GREAT! Never had octopus so perfect...I can't consider having it anywhere else now.

2023 Evesham Wood Pinot Noir ($78)
Wayne H.

The last time we ate here was probably two decades ago when the restaurant was still called Bay Wolf. We had any early dinner reservation at 5:30pm and it was quite easy to find street parking within a block of the restaurant right on Piedmont Ave, though by 6pm, most of the empty spots had been taken so leave yourself time to find a spot and walk (if needed). We found the ambiance quite casual and relaxed. There was definitely a buzz in the place, especially as it filled up for dinner service, but it was never so loud that we couldn't hold a conversation. I really enjoyed the laid back atmosphere, which was a great way to unwind after a long day working. Our server was fantastic - knowledgeable about the menu, he was efficient and courteous even while juggling 6-8 tables. He was awesome with the wine service as well - bringing us extra glasses and always checking if we wanted another splash. I'm used to servers that open bottles and then are never seen again but that wasn't the case here at all. Overall, the food was excellent. We enjoyed some dishes more than others, but everything was well-executed and really showcased the fresh ingredients sourced by the restaurant. We started with the duck liver pate toast and the Spanish octopus. The pate was delicious, but quite a large portion for two people. I'd highly recommend splitting this between four people as it's quite heavy and contains quite a lot of bread. The octopus was incredible - we both commented that this was the most tender octopus we've ever had and we really enjoyed the slight crisp batter on the outside and the fried chickpeas, which offered some textural contrast. I had the branzino as my main and my wife had the pork chop. I have to say, 95% of the time when I get fish, the skin isn't crisp or doesn't stay crisp by the time the plate comes out, but that absolutely wasn't the case here. The skin was super crisp without overcooking any of the flesh - absolutely perfectly cooked. The quinoa was swimming in a bit too much olive oil for my liking though. The pork chop was perfectly cooked. If you're not a fan of medium pork, you might want to mention this when you order because they didn't ask for the temp for us. The chop was so juicy, flavorful, and tender. If I had one minor complaint, I would've liked slightly better trimming to remove some of the larger chunks of fat, but totally recognize that some people love this. To end the meal, we shared the peach hand pies. The crust was so delicate, buttery, and flaky - you could wrap anything in this pastry and it would be delicious. The wine list is pretty good. They have about 40-45 labels of all different varietals, styles, and price points. The less expensive bottles (under $60/bottle) all had pretty large markups, easily 2.5x+ wholesale cost of the bottle, but this is fairly standard practice these days. Overall, we had a very enjoyable dinner. Excellent food and service, wonderfully relaxing ambiance, and great wine! What's not to like?

Chanterelle & cheese quiche w/mixed green salad
Martha G.

We enjoyed a delicious lunch. An interesting menu, good food and great service. The quiche was the fluffiest I have eaten; I thought I was eating a soufflé. And the dessert was sophisticated, nutty, salty-sweet; complex. We were both very satisfied with each of our meal.

Sakura pork chop
Abigail N.

I had a lovely dinner here! The service was attentive (our water glasses were kept full), and the whole restaurant felt classy without feeling oppressive. And the food and drinks were great! Here are the details: I'm once again thrilled to report that I encountered a wonderful non-alcoholic cocktail menu. Feeling bold, I ordered the thyme after thyme. This drink was delicious and refreshing and not at all soapy (which sometimes happens with astringent herbal flavors). In fact, this drink was so wonderful that my boyfriend switched drinks with me! He ordered the aperitif spritz, which I also loved because it was so full of bitters. This spritz tasted like all the best bitter elements of a fresh cut grapefruit. It was fun to nurse this drink all through my meal. For appetizers, we got the popover and the duck liver pâté toast. The popover was perfect and the boyfriend and I playfully argued over every last crumb. The pâté was tragically disappointing. Sure, it was absolutely beautiful coming out, but the only thing you could taste on the toast was the peppery chutney drowning the pâté. I don't actually like duck liver and thought the toast wasn't so bad, but the boyfriend who LOVES pâté did not care for this dish at all. The entrees were roaring successes, however! I love duck confit and will order it given half a chance. This was a great duck confit: the meat fell easily off the bone, the tartness of the stone fruit balanced the natural savoriness of the duck. The cornbread soaked up all the juice on the plate. It was a perfect dish. The pork chop was also wonderful! I love a pork chop with a sweet sauce and still this pork chop exceeded my expectations. The flavors were totally on point. Perhaps the pork chop was a smidge on the dry side, but it was almost impossible to tell underneath the figs and sauce.

Menu
Tania A.

I recently had dinner at The Wolf on Piedmont Avenue, with my aunt and cousins - it had been a long time since we all had the chance to meet up, so it was definitely a celebratory dinner of sorts . The restaurant definitely strikes a good balance between upscale and approachable/relaxed dining. The décor is a very elegant, elevated California style and it was a busy but intimate ambiance. The food was ALL delicious. We started off with the oysters on half shell , house made buttered naan bread & a beautifully composed cheddar and black pepper popover. The short rib sugo rigatoni, which I had for my entree was cooked perfectly; it was tender short rib, and a beautifully subtly flavourful sherry porcini sauce. The cocktails we had were all well-balanced and creative - I recommend the Kiss from a Rose. Overall the service was good and our server was attentive for most of the evening, although there were two big tables and we were told that the kitchen was super busy and our food would take longer than usual. This certainly didn't take from (or ruin) the experience - but it is something to consider if you're in a rush or are tight on time. It's not pushing culinary boundaries per se, but if you're looking for a reliable, elevated neighborhood spot for a date night or small celebration, The Wolf delivers. I'd definitely go back again to try more of the menu.

Wagyu steak
Jef B.

All the food I ate was solid. Came here in a Tuesday Evening around 8:30pm and there were still many people in the restaurant. We started off with the octopus over chickpeas and hummus. The octopus had a nice a bite and the creamy hummus paired well with the octopus. The steak was perfectly seared and very tender. I loved their sauce! The service was also very attentive and made sure our water was never empty.

Burger
Yvonne F.

Love, love, love! The Wolf is the perfect spot to celebrate a milestone, or if you're looking for an intimate environment. I came with my partner to celebrate our 3 year anniversary and we sat on the patio; the windows are sliding panes depending on the temperature but they also have outdoor heaters on the ceiling. For appetizers, we had the Spanish octopus which was cooked perfectly with a light char topped on a bed of crispy chickpeas and a yogurt sauce. We also had the duck liver pate toast which I don't think it's for me, but I know it's a fan favorite. My partner had the burger which he raved about. I stole a few pieces of his fries with their house made aioli which was so yummy. I had the Manila clam spaghetti and the pasta was cooked Al dente and the sauce was extremely flavorful. Afterwards, we opted out of dessert because we were too full but our server surprised us with a small dessert which was extremely rich and delicious. It was such a sweet gesture, we can't wait to come back!

Flatbread
Adrian V.

Celebrated my MIL's birthday having dinner here it was her choice. They were busy at 5:30 when we arrived for our reservation but were seated quickly. It did take about 10 minutes to order drinks but after that the service was as it is expected to be at a restaurant like this fast and frequent. The menu had a nice selection of meats like beef, pork, chicken and fish. We ordered 1 of each and were happy with our meals. What they didn't have was vegan choices. They only had a fresh pasta option which is made with eggs and a flatbread which is what my FIL ended up ordering because he didn't want to eat a salad. Casual vibe with muted decor.

Hostess table
Lisa C.

The Wolf's hot pressed pastrami sandwich is literally to die for! I mean the perfect about of pastrami, mustard, house-made sauerkraut, Gruyère cheese with Dijon mustard on New York rye bread, grilled to perfection. Completely legendary and absolutely kicks Wood Tavern's pastrami sandwich's ass. If you know, you know! I also would recommend the pan fried rock cod sandwich for a lighter option. Very delicious as well. This is the second time I've eaten at, The Wolf and I need to add this restaurant to my monthly rotation as the customer service was perfect. I stopped by on a weekday afternoon and walked in with no reservations and they were booked solid but they were able to accommodate us with very little wait at a table near the bar. The bar has plenty of space to dine at if there are no reservations available and are open seating. Only downside is parking can be challenging because this restaurant is located in the popular Piedmont Neighbourhood of Oakland. They are near Kaiser Permanente and so a lot of people take up the street parking and there isn't a lot of street parking right in front of the restaurant. There is a small parking lot a block away that they share with another Mexican restaurant, Dona. But don't let the parking situation deter you from trying this delicious restaurant. Perfect for date night, happy hour and especially lunch since they have several yummy sandwiches to choose from.

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2 months ago

Great service and food. Farm to table which was delicious. I tried the duck. My friend tried mushroom risotto. Loved it!

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The Wolf Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - The Wolf

Does the sandwiches come with fries?

What's the dress code for solo dinner TUE?- like: what is too casual and what's perfect?

With a good amount of patio seating the atmosphere is more casual. Jeans would be fine with a polo or button-down shirt.

Is there patio dining?

They have a couple of tables on the sidewalk but strictly speaking, no. The front part of the restaurant is a "porch" that while fully enclosed gives the feel of a a "hybrid patio."

Do they offer gift certificates?

Yes

Do they charge a corkage fee?

Yes. $25.

Has anyone been here who's asked for vegan menu items?

They always make me the Brussels vegan and I get A salad and they normally offer pasta or risotto vegan... dinner is better for vegans then lunch as far as flexibility.

How dressy is the attire?

It's perfect! For a special occasion, you can go dressy and not be out of place or you can go casual. The decor is wonderfully crafted that suits all types of dress.

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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