I had a bday lunch here with my sisters over the weekend. The place was lovely with both indoor and outdoor seating. Service was professional and friendly. We got several different dishes and desserts which we shared, including the white truffle mac n cheese with crab, dungeness crab avocado benedict, a dozen $1 oysters (as we came on a Sunday), chocolate chip banana bread pudding, and a cookie melt. Every single item was amazing, cooked perfectly and full of flavor. The mac n cheese was particularly enjoyable, a tasty cheese sauce and melted cheese combined with delicious crab in every bite. The desserts were beautifully presented, the cookie melt with a warm decadent chocolate flavor and the banana bread pudding delightful with the gelato. They offer both a brunch and lunch menu on the weekends, so there are plenty of tantalizing options to choose from. We had a good time, and I highly recommend this place if celebrating a special occasion or just looking for a satisfying meal. read more

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I heard great things about this place from a coworker who lives locally and goes here quite often. I planned my birthday dinner here with my family and we went with a group of 9 and had no problem getting seated on a weekday during dinner hours. The staff was very friendly and all the food was delicious. I'll definitely be back to try their lunch out. read more

Food: We ordered the oysters and mussels, and both were outstanding. The seafood was exceptionally fresh, plump, and high quality, making for a delicious and satisfying meal. Service: Excellent customer service throughout our visit. The staff was friendly, attentive, and made us feel genuinely welcome. Ambience: Fun, lively, and energetic atmosphere that added to the overall dining experience. A great spot to enjoy fresh seafood with friends or family. read more

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Food is great! The ambiance is nice. The service is great as well. 10/10 a go to spot if you're in the area. read more

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For my bday, I chose Wence's to try out because of the mussels and calamari. If you follow me, you know that we are always on the hunt for the best mussels and calamari. We sat out on the covered patio and got to enjoy some World Cup during dinner as well. Our meal: Non alcoholic cucumber pineapple drink sounded good but was lacking in flavor. Didn't get the taste of any juice. The fried calamari was very over cooked and we should have sent it back. You know it's over cooked when the tentacles have to be spit out and the body parts aren't chewable. Beet salad wasn't bad. Generous chunks of red and golden beets at the bottom, topped with arugula, a quarter sliced avocado and some candied nuts. The flavors were solid. The mussels were good with a little kick. The mussels were cooked perfectly and the beard was gone. It's served with 4 points of a cheese type bread. The bread wasn't toasty. It would have been better with fries. The tempura oysters were our favorite of the meal. Light breading served with cocktail sauce and a soy based dip. We liked the soy based dip. Service was good, parking convenient. Because of the location, the place appears to be more of a locals hangout which is nice to have. I'm going to pass on returning here for now. You give it a try please. Support this local business. read more

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Absolutely recommend this place. Great place to celebrate any occasion. Great place to just enjoy a meal. Loved the cozy ambiance. Everything I tasted was delicious. I tasted the crab cakes, crab and Gruyere fondue, tempura green beans, and the smash burger. The waiter was very pleasant and friendly. The food was brought in a timely manner. read more

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We have been going to Wences for years and years. Birthdays, special occasions, great happy hour on the patio too! Daughter was in town. Wanted to take her and friend out to a nice dinner. Service is always fast and friendly. Food delish as always. We order calamari to start, it was perfect, lightly fried served with 2 yummy dipping sauces. For mains we had gilled salmon, lobster pasta, pasta carbonara, the special halibut wrapped in bacon. For dessert, the pizzookie topped with ice cream. A lovely dinner at one of our fave local spots! I will advise that if you like a quiter spot, sit outside or ask for a quieter corner. It was lively but a little load (yes, I am getting older so this has become one of the things we rate when dining out.) All in all, a great place and fantastic food! read more

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I'm updating my review I've been back twice since Mother's Day and Sunday I came for dollar oyster day ! They did not disappoint! I was expecting maybe smaller oysters for the deal but no ! They were big creamy fresh oysters that you'd get any other day but for a dollar ! It's only for Sunday Monday while supplies last ! Wences you guys will be seeing me more often . We also tried the seafood grill which comes with salmon halibut scallops prawns topped with a creamy lemon sauce . Grilled veggies and polenta . First impression I was skeptical of the polenta because it looked like corn bread but you take one bite it melts like butter in your mouth . So creamy . The flavor amazing ! Fish was cooked to perfection . I would have liked the sauce to have more of that lemon in there but nothing a squeeze of lemon yourself can't fix . The citrus habanero scallops .... Were also cooked to perfection . Not chewy at all . A little underwhelming with the flavor description though . There was not a lick of habanero or any spice whatsoever or citrus . It was a very sweet sauce . Wasn't bad just not what was described my only complaint . And being they come by themselves maybe six instead of four would be nice ?? Besides that there are soooo many things I'm excited to try from the menu . I think my next choice will be the lamb chops !!! Waiters are always supper friendly and I'm not sure if it's the manager or owner but he too is always around when I come and is very attentive as well always checking and conversing with the customers . Wences is nice for indoor or outdoor seating ! It's family friendly or even date night . Pretty much if you and your crew love a nice vibe with good quality seafood i definitely recommend this place . read more

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I had for lunch the Shrimp Louie. It was excellent. Everything was fresh and the lettuce was very crisp. There was lots of shrimp and dressing was served on the side. I think the price was fairly good. We sat outside on their covered front patio and it was cozy and protected from the sun and wind. It was nice. Staff was very friendly. read more

Wence's - Shrimp Louie. Very good. - New American Near Me - Pleasant Hill, California

Dined here for Happy Happy. We were seated outside of the restaurant. They have a cozy parklet with TVs, shade cover, lights and plants. Parking is available and shared with several other businesses. We enjoyed the following HH appetizers: Fried Calamari - lightly breaded and not oily. 5 Stars Truffle and Garlic Fries - small-size, but packed with flavor - 5 Stars Fresh Oysters - nicely chilled - 5 Stars Early Bird Dinner 3-Course Special: Lobster Chowder, Carbonara and Vanilla Ice Cream... all 5 Stars This is one of our favorite restaurants. read more

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This place should have more than 2 $. It's expensive and the portions are small. Generally, I found everything to be over-seasoned and salty. Food was not bad, but I expected better with all the great reviews. The lobster rigatoni I ordered was good, but salty. It also hardly had any lobster. Sashimi of the day was just ok. Calamari was cooked well. Seafood was cooked well, just wish there was more. My husband ate his dinner in like 8 bites. The kids enjoyed their kids meals, but again-- 3 pieces of shrimp, fries and fruit is pretty skimp, even for a kids meal priced at $16. Garlic cheese bread was good. The lemon cheesecake was TERRIBLE. It was like eating a block of cream cheese. The texture was not right and there wasn't even a hint of lemon. The bread pudding was good. Ambiance is cute and cozy. Service was also very friendly. But again, food was inconsistent and overpriced.. read more

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Christian was our server .EXCELLENT!!!!! Food fresh and hot !Desserts are great .I will go again. read more

Had our Mother's Day dinner at Wences. Made an online reservation and only waited a few minutes to be seated as they were packed. Hostess was friendly, bussers had our water out quickly, our server took a bit to greet us and get our drink orders. He was a bit subdued. We started with the Tomales Bay Gem oysters, Brussels and crabby garlic bread. The Brussels were way too salty and we couldn't finish the dish. Asked for a Caesar to split but got one plate. Bo biggie. Ordered the lobster rigatoni, filet Diane (?), seafood fettuccine, and sea bass special. Our dishes came out without much delay and the food was good and presented nicely. Lots of chunks of lobster in the rigatoni. Ended with a couple desserts. Had to ask for drink refills several times, but it was busy. read more

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Mother's Day weekend menu! Beautiful place settings. Nice ambiance, doors were open so flies were inside that was the only downer. Drinks were made to the measurement and were tasty. Not strong. Service was fantastic. Checked on us often and watched drink levels. Started with the crabby cheese bread. Delicious. Not too much cheese or butter so you could really focus on the taste of the crab and bread. Needed more balancing in my opinion for the flavors. Fish and chips were wonderful. Crispy and a good tartar sauce with dill instead of sweet relish which I prefer. Shoestring fries were hard to stop eating and seasoned well. They did forget the ranch. Jambalaya was a no go. The sauce was sweet and tasted more like a spaghetti sauce, so I was not a fan. I want spice and Cajun flavors. The shrimp in it was cooked perfectly. This is our second time here and we'll be back. Thank you! read more

Wence's - crabby cheese bread - New American Near Me - Pleasant Hill, California

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Service: 4 stars Food: 3.5 stars Decor: 3.5 stars Wanted to try a local restaurant with my mom and son. Had really high hopes but unfortunately the entire experience fell a little short. Food was just okay. Mom ordered the cioppinno - she was happy with the different kinds of seafood in her dish. I had a wedge salad and French Onion soup which was just fine. And my son had the grilled chicken sandwich. We started the meal with garlic bread (highly recommend for garlic lovers. I considered myself a garlic lover until I had this dish and it was a little overpowering for even myself) and indulged in a couple glasses of wine. Dessert was likely the best thing we ate. Service was fine. Not great. Not bad. Just ... fine. Overall, I wouldn't return however, I say try Wence's at least once to support your local businesses and come to your own conclusions - my experience could be different from yours! read more

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I chose to go to Wence's for a celebration on Friday. It was the perfect ambiance, patrons were well-dressed, each table had a nice warm table light, and there was live music. My cousin-in-law and I shared the seafood cioppino. It was good! I'd say, there wasn't a wow factor to it but I did enjoy it -- especially the bread that came with it. But I'd love to come back and try other dishes. The service was great as well, we actually arrive a little earlier than our reservation but they went and sat us immediately. We were tended to often, which was awesome. We wrapped up the night with a dessert to share, we ordered a seasonal cheesecake & a cookie with gelato. The cheesecake was decent, it was room temp for some reason but still enjoyed it. I absolutely plan to come back for a date night or celebration! read more

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Came here for lunch with hubby. We thought the food was pretty good and so was the service was. It's a bustling place with lots of patrons. I had a French onion soup and a prime rib French dip sandwich. The soup was basically OK but usually in a French onion soup you're supposed to have a toasted large crouton or toasted piece of French bread on it. They didn't do that right, they put a slice of white bread into the soup which was all soggy and weird. But the prime rib French dip sandwich was excellent! Very thinly shaved pieces of prime rib so soft and tender in a really nice toasted roll. The dipping au jus was very good, it was not salty unlike most of them. Hubby had a fried calamari appetizer and the Aji tuna tower. The fried calamari was delicious, crispy light and non-greasy. But the tuna tower was a big disappointment for him. It was small, no bigger than the size of a can of tuna whereas most places a tuna tower would be a tower built up high. That particular dish wasn't worth our money. read more

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I really don't have anything bad to say about this place! Came on a not so busy night so we got to our reservation on time and easily. Sat in a booth/chair table combo. I felt like our server was attentive and friendly - didn't catch her name but she was very good. The food we ordered were two types of pasta, one was the Cajun jambalaya an the other was seafood fettuccine... OMG my date got the seafood one and it was BOMB! I wanted to trade plates. LOL. He ordered all three sauces and it was perfect. My meal was great too, just enough spice and some huge prawns. Definitely filling and definitely enough that if you are a social eater you are going to have hefty leftovers. I had a prickly pear drink (I cant recall what it was but was suggested by our waitress) and yum! Just enough in the strong category and was huge! We ordered the beignets which came with a funny tasting applesauce but the beignets were nice and warm and came out as little donuts. How cute. I was expecting the fluffy square beignet but this was also cute and good. I don't have a bad thing to say about this place. We stayed well past closing and they didn't give us an indication that we needed to leave. read more

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Had a reservation and was seated immediately upon arrival. We made it in time for happy hour. They have some good deals on there. Went for their 3 course menu with the salad, carbonara and strawberry gelato. The carbonara lacked flavor and salt, with large chunks of fatty pork belly. The noodles, while hand made, were overcooked; making for a mushy bite. My daughter had the lobster fettuccine. She said she enjoyed it. There was a lot of lobster meat in and on the plate. My best friend went with the chicken piccata. She enjoyed it- stating that the sauce was very flavorful but the vegetables were overcooked cooked and soft. The oysters were good. You get 4 in an order. The crab cakes are thick and are more meat, less filling. The service was good. The staff was very attentive read more

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Its been a few years since I e been here. They place has had some upgrades. Very nice atmosphere when you walk in. A bit loud, and with the live music it can be hard to converse with your companion, but overall I like the vibe. The food: this is the let down.. we ordered the crab cakes..and they should have been labeled pepper cakes..with a little crab filler. All you could taste was peppers. Very disappointing, especially for the price. I ordered the Smashburger. It was good. Messy! The bacon jam gave it a bit of a sweet flavor, which was different. Fries were fries. Nothing special. I wasn't mad at this option. MY sis had the lobster pasta. She wasn't happy. The pasta lacked flavor and seemed as if it had been watered down a bit. She requested salt n pepper, ultimately she brought it home added parmesean and red pepper to get it to her liking. Ice cream was a complimentary addition to an underwhelming meal. Service was OK. The restaurant was quite busy, so understandably our server was all over the place. He tried to be attentive..but he really only stopped by our table twice. We asked other waiters for our drinks. We wanted to mention the issues with the crab cakes, but he didnt return to our table until after the plate was taken away and our main meal was already out. All and all it was an OK dining experience. Id come back, but order something different from the menu. read more

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My friends and I had our annual holiday dinner here, and it was a wonderful experience. We all thoroughly enjoyed the food, the ambiance, and the excellent service. The dishes we tried were the following: -Garlic Artichoke -Tempura Green Beans -Calamari -Crab and Gruyère Fondue -Chicken Piccata -Bleu Cheese Ribeye -Carbonara -Chocolate Torte -Lemon Cheesecake Having visited before, I can also vouch for their fresh oysters and other pasta dishes. This has become my favorite Italian restaurant in the county! read more

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had a bad experience at Wences last night, ordered the fish grill $36 and lobster chowder, the service was a bit slow and the food wasn't good, the shrimp tasted very off and couldn't eat it, and the chowder had more potatoes than lobster manager did come over to check with us and offered to get another dish, chose the artichoke chicken and it was smothered with sauce and had large tomato slices, we also asked for bread that came in a large chunk, unsliced and not warmed, the bread seemed stale we have had good experiences before but not sure we would go back again other than replacing the fish for chicken, no other accommodations were offered or made.... disappointing dinner to say the least read more

Oysters: steamboat, fresh and tasty 8/10 Ceviche with yucca chips: a little bland but still good. I enjoyed all the seafood variety 7/10 Sautéed clams, good 7/10 Lobster chowder, delicious! 8/10 Lobster rigatoni alla vodka 5/10 Chilean White sea bass 7/10 Bleu cheese rib eye, our steak was undercooked for medium rare 7/10 Lemon cheesecake 2/10 Beignets 0/10 Crème brûlée 7/10 read more

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Excellent service, drinks, food, ambience! The fries were a little over salted but other than that we have always enjoyed our time here. Bartenders are friendly & attentive! read more

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Wence's was a surprise gem that hit all the right notes for a memorable meal. The atmosphere is fantastic, boasting a wonderful decor that sets a perfect stage for really any occasion. Our family came here for an Easter Brunch, and the experience was flawless. The service was impeccable, attentive and professional from start to finish. Food & Drink Highlights included fresh oysters which seem to be hard to find these days and were exceptionally fresh. We sampled a variety of dishes, including Burgers, Shrimp Scampi Alfredo, and Eggs Benedict. Every plate arrived hot, fresh, and delicious. We also had the Mimosas which included a nice selection of peach, cranberry, or orange mimosas. We opted for the traditional orange, and they were the perfect accompaniment to the meal. Final verdict, I saw very little room for improvement. Whether you're looking for a casual happy hour or a formal family brunch, Wence's is highly recommended. read more

Wence's - Oyster bar- yum. - New American Near Me - Pleasant Hill, California

An incredible happy hour! Wence's offers great deals with speedy, awesome service. We went on a Friday, and everything we had "hit the spot." I believe their happy hour is from 3-5 pm. Wence's has that busy San Francisco vibe, right in the heart of North Beach. We had three items: the mussels, calamari, and truffle fries. Everything was delicious! The service was also great and very attentive. Parking in the lot is a little tough, but there's plenty of street parking available. Overall, it was an amazing experience, and we will be back for sure! read more

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Met up with a friend of mine for Sunday brunch in Pleasant Hill and she recommended Wence's. Great choice! We were seated right away. My friend had eggs Benedict and I had the BLT. Portion sizes are huge and we both enjoyed our meals. Great service. Would definitely recommend Wence's for brunch. read more

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My husband and I went out for a date night but didn't want to have to deal with the traffic and parking in Walnut Creek, so we made a reservation for Wence's. Our waitress, Olivia, was great and we never felt rushed. The manager came out to ask us how we were doing. Most importantly, the food was great! I'll be dreaming about that garlic cheese bread! So happy to have a gem like Wence's in Pleasant Hill! read more

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You know I've been to this restaurant many years and have had a great experience but today it was just ok....for what we paid, it wasn't really worth it. here's a more raw, stripped-down version of my review. No fluff, just being honest: I come here because the vibe is great and it's usually a solid spot for brunch. We got seated right away, and it was nice being able to bring our dogs with no issues. Chill atmosphere, no complaints there. I ordered a gimlet and asked for it to be on the sweeter side. It came out super sour. Had to go up to the bar and ask for some simple syrup to fix it myself. After that, it was okay, but still not great. My partner got this really nice-looking gin drink (it's in the photo), but it tasted like a flat gin and tonic. Nothing special. Asked the server for recommendations and had no idea so gave us the menu to choose. He was around maybe twice... order and pay our bill... Prices have gone up, which whatever, but the quality didn't match. I got the bacon BBQ cheeseburger asked for the bbq on the side and never came. Don't get the blue cheese dressing... really ruuuuuny! My partner had the Niçoise salad. The salad looked great, tuna portion was solid, but the dressing was basically just oil. Flavorless unless you dump salt and pepper to it. Barely had potatoes or green beans. It was a surprise when you got it! The olives were probably the best part, but very fewwww. I usually have a couple drinks when I go out, but between the cocktails and the food, I just wasn't feeling it. Kind of a letdown overall. The reason it gets 3 is because the manager brought our pups water!! read more

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I came here yesterday with a friend for lunch. It was 102° outside. But it felt super cool in the outdoor seating. Order an appetizer of the calamari it was yummy. And I ordered a bacon jalapeno cheddar burger. It was delicious! Cooked perfectly to medium. Just the right amount of sauce. Service was amazing. read more

Wence's - Bacon Jalapeno Cheddar Burger - New American Near Me - Pleasant Hill, California

We had dinner at Wences on a Monday night and were surprised by how lively it was! From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with a warm and friendly welcome. The weather was perfect, so we sat outside and enjoyed the evening . We started with the watermelon grilled prawns salad--so refreshing and flavorful. I had the steak and scallops, and the steak was cooked perfectly medium rare, just how I like it. My husband had the fish and chips, and it was crispy and satisfying. I sipped on a Tito's with soda, and he had an old fashioned--both were spot on. We wrapped up the night by sharing the beignets for dessert. Great food, great service, and a perfect evening! read more

Wence's - Watermelon grilled prawn salad - New American Near Me - Pleasant Hill, California

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A tale of two tacos at Wences! Another great fast lunch. I got my fav- the mahi mahi tacos which can be grilled or fried but have to be the same (my only complaint!). Luckily my mom also wanted the fish tacos so we had one order of grilled and one order of fried and traded. Both tacos are served on soft corn tortillas with a good amount of slaw, salsa, guacamole, onions, and a charred jalepeno to add to it. Both tacos were full of fish. The grilled fish was light, fresh, and flavorful. The fried tacos were huge hunks of mahi mahi in a crisp batter. We couldn't decide which we liked better! And of course an order of truffle fries to split! read more

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Great ambiance, always great drinks and fresh seafood. The parking lot can be tight, but otherwise there should be no problem finding a park either on the street or in the parking lot. We tend to enjoy sitting at the bar and chatting with the bartender. Sometimes it can be hard getting a seat without reservations. But the best seats are at the bar, it's alive and great conversations with other guests. The food is always on point, even on the busy holidays. read more

Very good food, great service. Acoustics inside are not great on a busy night... will sit outside next time.

Place is a bit fancy, that's Ok every now and then! Food is excellent and a good variety of it too. Drinks are good, you can taste the spirits that are in them! Some places you can't. read more

Wences is a beautiful restaurant with an amazing atmosphere from the moment you walk in. The inside is very elegant with low, dim lighting that really sets the tone and creates an intimate setting. The décor is great and the whole space feels warm and welcoming. Outside, they have a full open patio that connects right to the bar with a barn-style door that lifts up, which is such a cool feature. You can sit outside, enjoy your food, and people watch while you eat. There are TVs throughout the outdoor bar area as well, so it's a great spot to catch a game. Overall, the environment is just excellent. It's also the kind of place that works for any type of occasion. There were plenty of families celebrating and enjoying big dinners, couples having date nights, and smaller families like ours just enjoying a great meal together. It's truly an all-around great setting whether you're celebrating something special or just grabbing a nice dinner. I just visited Wences for the second time, and it was every bit as great as the first. The first time I came here was with my fiancée and our family to celebrate her birthday, and the experience was so good that I had to come back to see if they were truly consistent. I'm happy to say they absolutely are. This time I came with my family of four. We had a reservation and were seated right on time. The service was excellent from the start -- our drink orders were taken immediately, followed quickly by our food orders. Everything moved smoothly and efficiently, and we never felt like we were waiting on anything. To start things off, my lady ordered the wedge salad, which was absolutely great -- fresh toppings and perfectly prepared just like you'd expect. I also ordered a dozen oysters, and they were excellent. Freshly shucked, clean, and incredibly fresh -- exactly how oysters should be. For our main dishes, I had the lamb, which was outstanding. My fiancée ordered the special: halibut with prawns served over a medley of vegetables, and it was fantastic. My son had the mac and cheese and loved it so much that he finished the entire plate. My toddler ordered the grilled shrimp with mashed potatoes from the kids' menu, which was also a big hit. We also ordered the tempura string beans as an appetizer, and they were incredible -- easily one of the highlights of the meal. The beer on tap was great as well. To put it simply, everything on my plate was eaten, and everything about the experience was top-notch. If I could rate it higher than five out of five, I would. But since I can't, Wences gets a solid 5/5 from me. Consistent food, excellent service, and an amazing atmosphere both times I've visited. read more

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Definitely my favorite restaurant in pleasant hill. If you're ready for a new experience that will NOT disappoint, then pop into Wence's! They have beautiful Friday night experience with a live band. The service is excellent! From the moment you're great by the host, to ordering with the wait staff, their attention to the customer experience is phenomenal. They have an extensive wine selection. One of my favs is the New Zealand white haven Sauvignon Blanc. It pairs so well with the fall ciopinnio special. It's a seafood stew that contains calamari, prawns, clams, crab and fish, with a few slices of fresh garlic bread. It's the perfect dish to enjoy on a Friday evening, while seated in the outdoor patio (heat lamps included) with a few friends and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. You'll thank me later! We also enjoyed the artichoke starter, fresh herb salad, oyster shooter and the seafood grill. All pictured below. read more

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Just moved to the area and went at the recommendation of a handful of people. It was an anniversary dinner; we were seated quickly and in the perfect spot. Drinks were spot-on: so balanced and frothy (we got a drink that had foam on top). We each ordered from the specials of the day. I got lobster paella and it was amazing. I was worried that the price might be ridiculous because it was the special and it was lobster, but when the bill came, it was price-wise on par with the rest of the menu. The place is nice: the patio outside was quite busy but indoors was quiet--almost serene. It is pretty there without being opulent. Will One hundred percent go back. read more

Wence's - Lobster paella. It was really delicious. - New American Near Me - Pleasant Hill, California

Love their $1 oysters on Sundays and their omelettes are delicious. Make sure to ask for 2 cocktail sauces if you order 2 dozen oysters because they will bring you 1 no matter the amount of oysters you order. read more

Fantastic happy hour- Monday-Friday, 3-5 PM. Service is consistently great. They offer up interesting and well-made alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage options and we have a few favorite happy hour food items. The oysters are a great deal at only $11 for a half dozen and the grilled artichokes are delicious on their own, even without the accompanying dipping aiolis, thanks to whatever their cooking style and seasoning entail. My honey and I have had the house and wedge salads, both tasty. (They also have a caesar.) During a recent visit, we shared the chicken sliders which are fairly simple grilled chicken with tomatoes, lettuce, and onion and a light sauce, topped with a perfectly crispy onion ring. With regards to their full happy hour and regular menus, this honestly only scratches the surface. read more