Wood Tavern has been my favorite restaurant in Oakland since I first visited nearly twenty years ago. In all that time, it has remained remarkably consistent. I've been here for date nights, holiday dinners, business dinners, and countless meals with friends visiting from out of town. It's one of those rare restaurants that seems to work for just about any occasion. The service is always great, the College Avenue location is hard to beat, and I've always had good luck finding street parking nearby. The ribeye is my personal favorite and what I order more often than not. If you're coming with a group, the cheese and charcuterie plates are a great way to start. The menu is varied enough that there's always something for everyone, and I've never had a bad meal here. I was genuinely sad to hear that they'll be closing at the end of the year. Restaurants with this kind of quality, consistency, and character are increasingly rare. If you've never been, make a point of going while you still can. I'll certainly miss it once they're gone. read more

$25 Pastrami Sandwich: pretty darn good but there is an excellent pastrami that I just tried elsewhere which dampens my enthusiasm. This one had some crispy edges and well prepared which was lovely though. $14 warm chocolate buckwheat pudding cake: definitely house made. Definitely very good but definitely a safe choice. I think I should have been more adventurous. As good as this is, I'm not convinced I got my $'s worth. read more

They failed us here because 35 minutes after us sitting down and ordering, they come to our table to inform us that they accidentally brought all of our food to some other table and now have to re-make it all. They did partially redeem themselves by comping our meals due to their error and additional time we had to wait, but you would think they would not make such a blatant mistake in the first place. Sloppy service for sure. It apparently wasn't our waiter's fault, who was super friendly, but some manager or somebody, who did completely the wrong thing without double checking, and grabbed our food and set it down on some other patron's table, who I guess then began eating it. Seriously? The food has always been good here but the atmosphere super loud and echoey, not good. So, needless to say, I'm glad they are closing. It's just unfortunate that they are leaving somewhat bad terms with me. read more

the good - the food is still good! the bad - the restaurant is closing at the end of the year the ugly - service may be declining . . . perhaps a who cares anymore feeling? (starters out in 20 mins = ok main dishes out 1hr 20 min later with no apologies, no explanations = NOT ok) observation... To Go orders still allowed so with restaurant closing, there may be a spike in these orders as reservations are hard to come by. Who suffers? The dine-in one's suffer with slower service - we sure did :( read more

Their food is curated in such a way that they've mastered their menu. All the way up and down the menu what you get is quality food that has stood the test of time. No more guessing on their part so what they serve you is skillfully prepared abundantly flavorful and is of the highest quality. Henry our server on this night, is a seasoned pro and dedicates his time to making sure every aspect of your dining experience is comfortable and enjoyable. And all of the supporting cast seamlessly moves about filling in the nuances of hospitality and It is always hopping especially the bar/counter seating which has about 15 seats where the bulk of the action happens. Front row seats to watch the bartenders do their mixology magic and also to watch the meat man cook all of the meat over an open flame! This is it tho they're closing at the end of this year so you better make your reservations now. Don't miss this opportunity to have a fabulous meal here. Thank me later! read more

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I've been meaning to try a sit down meal at Wood Tavern for years and finally got around to it. My friend and I ordered a few items off the "Butcher's Block" to start off. You can select between 4 different items should you choose this appetizer. We ended up selecting the smoked duck breast and chicken pâté. Both of these options were excellent with the duck breast coming topped with a small amount of flake salt. These starters were also served with crostini, mustard & pickles, and a fruit spread. The mustard provided some nice balance to the richness of the proteins. Additionally, we ordered a little gem salad which was solid. Nothing too out of the ordinary, but good. For my main, I went with the chicken thigh. The thigh was cooked to perfection with an excellent crust and rich sauce surrounding it. The meat was tender and flavorful. I also think the charred vegetables added an interesting bitterness to the meal. We both ordered dirty martinis which were also excellently balanced (extra olive juice of course). Overall, our meal was excellent. The food was good and the vibes were right. Our servers were attentive and friendly. I've heard word that Wood Tavern will be closing down soon unfortunately. Go check them out while they're still around if you want a solid meal on the fancier side. read more

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We came at 3:30 and had the small bite menu. The service was good. I do think the tables are way too close together though. I had the summer squash sandwich and my aunt had the tavern hamburger. I wanted fries but the waitress pretty much insisted that since my aunt would have so much fries with her burger, I should just have the coleslaw, but the thing is I don't like coleslaw! I'm not very confrontational so I just let her decide. It was true that my aunt had a lot of fries but I would've just been happier to have my own fries. I need to learn to stand up for myself too pushy waitresses. It's so was a good experience. read more

Wood Tavern - Summer squash sandwich - New American Near Me - Oakland, California

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We celebrated our mom's birthday at Wood Tavern. The food and drink were delicious and service was great. Five stars. For details, keep reading. Wood Tavern met the criteria for a relatively nice American restaurant in North Oakland. We visited for lunch and wanted to make this special for our mom, so we were perhaps a bit overdressed in business casual, but this is Oakland after all. On an ordinary Thursday, there were multiple groups waiting outside for the restaurant to open at 11:30 AM. That in itself should tell you how popular this place is. My wife and I dined at sister restaurant Southie next door a few years ago and really enjoyed it (I also rated it five stars on Yelp), so I was confident Wood Tavern would not disappoint. I initially booked our reservation using OpenTable to link it to my account and get 100 points. Since the max party size for Wood Tavern on OpenTable is four, I had to call to get it changed to eight. Due to the large party size, the restaurant also required me to give them my credit card info and be subject to a $25 per person no-show fee. Upon arrival, our tables were ready for us in the back corner near the open kitchen. The restaurant is true to its name with a shared bar and dining room space that evoke the feel of a wood tavern. Here's what we had: Wine of the Day * Rosé (100% Zweigelt), Stefan Pratsch, Niederösterreich, Austria, 2024 ($16) "N/A Libations" and other drinks * Cherry Bomb! non-alcoholic cocktail ($13) - Tilden Lacewing, Amarena cherry, lime, ginger beer, tall glass * Shirley Temple ($5) * Diet Coke ($5) * Iced Tea ($4) Soup & Salad * Red & Golden Beet Salad x2 ($16 each, one with fish added for $8) - frisee, castelfranco, pistachios, orange segments, Laura Chenel goat cheese, Cara Cara orange vinaigrette Sandwiches * The Hot Pastrami x2 ($25 each) - Emmentaler cheese, Dijon-horseradish dressing, La Farine baguette Old Reliables * Seafood Stew ($32) - rock cod, Manila clams, PEI mussels, calamari, butter beans, fennel, leeks, chili flakes, garlic toast * Pork Ragu Casarecce ($30) - Castelvetrano olives, Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano, chili flakes, parsley * Tavern Burger with French Fries on Acme Soft Bun with All the Fixins x3 ($25 each, two with cheddar added for $2 each) Everything was excellent. As for what to order, I recommend all of the dishes we got. It really just depends on what you like and/or what you're in the mood for. Everyone loved the food. The beet salad was fresh and flavorful, the pastrami was one of the best I've had anywhere, my mom raved about the seafood stew, my brother-in-law gobbled up all of the casarecce, and the burger was outstanding. Service was polite and speedy. Our server Sophia C was awesome. We split one of the salads and the stew, so they came out plated and served in half portions which was nice of the kitchen staff to do. read more

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Good experience. Good food and very good service and pleasant ambiance. The pork chop was amazing. The ribeye steak was good. The butcher block was mixed. Dessert was very good. read more

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Warm and cozy with a primo spot on College Ave. The staff is nice and attentive and offer great recommendations. Started with the soup which was so good, I think it could have been elevated with a nice sourdough or focaccia. I had the fish which was great, perfectly cooked and seasoned served with a tomatoey sauce and couscous which was a nice touch. God mom had mushroom pasta which was so full of mushroom flavor it was heavenly. Ended with the apple fritter even though I didn't want dessert, but not a crumb was left. God mom brought a bottle so I didn't try any of their wines or cocktails, but hope to next time I'm home. I do wish there were more non meat dishes, but the menu is pretty solid and should have something for everyone. read more

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Still one of the best hamburgers in the Bay Area. Ask for your burger to be served on an ACME baguette. It makes the burger come alive. Cooked to medium rare perfection and served with fresh condiments including home made pickles. Sometimes reservations are hard to come by. But if you saunter in at around 1 pm there usually is room at the bar Ohh and did I mention the fries? Like me, you may dive into them first. Hot, salty, crispy. Perfection. Matt says if you are taking a stroll around College and Claremont, stop by the Wood Tavern for some culinary perfection. read more

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I've always driven by Wood Tavern and finally got the chance to go for our fifth wedding anniversary. Because you're supposed to celebrate year 5 with the element of wood, what better place to celebrate than at Wood Tavern? The vibe here is warm, inviting, and familiar. You can tell there are many regulars by the happy greetings and friends saying hi to each other at the bar. The staff is super nice and sat us at a sweet tucked away table by the window that also came with a heater. It was nice to people watch while we sipped our drinks and ate. The highlight of our meal were the drinks and the charcuterie items. I got the espresso martini and the manhattan, and both are well balanced & smooth. The charcuterie boards are so fun to eat and I loved that we got to try four different items. The duck breast and burger was cooked to perfection and we even got a little sweet treat at the end of our meal to celebrate our anniversary. Thank you Wood Tavern for making our evening special! read more

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For years this place continues to be amazing! Thank you Wood Tavern! The staff is wonderful! Their food is delicious! And their drinks are perfect. Bartenders that know what they are doing, always! Wonderful use of space in this small, but mighty restaurant! read more

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Those who know me, know that I'm not a fancy guy. Which is why I always get the reliable pastrami sandwich at this place. It's good and a solid meal for the price point. The pastrami sandwich comes on a baguette, which I love. It's nice to sharpen my teeth on that crunch. The pastrami itself is made in house, and it's delicious. They cut it fresh. It also comes with a small side of coleslaw. They use a Dijon dressing that is absolutely fantastic. Be sure to ask for extra dressing. read more

This was our first stop on our trip to Oakland. We saw the yelp reviews and had to try it. It did not disappoint. We had a beautiful sparkling prosecco and the full butchers block and cheese board. The smoked duck breast was astounding and the whisky laced chicken liver pate just melted in your mouth. The Chees eboard did not disappoint either. The triple crème singe and the Roquefort were amazing. As we sat there for a late lunch we also saw some incredible sandwiches come out of the kitchen. This is a do not miss!! read more

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Came here with friends for lunch and we split the four sandwiches. The fried cod sandwich was the best. The bread on all of the sandwiches were amazing. Loved the flavors in this cod sandwich! The pork belly was flavorful but a bit dry for me. Always love pastrami and this one didn't disappoint! Generous portion of pastrami! And can't go wrong with the burger. The fries were soooo good. Will have to come back more often for lunch! read more

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This is my second review in a week. We couldn't get enough, so we returned a week later to try the pate and cheese platter, gnocchi and chicken. Five plus stars for the cheese platter, pan roasted chicken (to die for) and Sean our kick butt server! The gnocchi was good, but the bookends (starter and main entree) were the stars of our dinner. This time we had the pleasure of sitting at the Chef's Table and watched Farian work his magic on the stove. Never a dull moment at the WT. Thank you, all. The service and attention to detail is superb! Sean, you ROCK! read more

The best French fries ever, good wine and alcohol list!!the service was great and the ambiance is always nice as you are on college and it just makes for a great quick, easy date spot read more

Wood Tavern has been and will always go down as a classic. I am so sad to hear that they will wind down at the end of the year, but hope they know the place they hold in our hearts! Delicious food, great service, and a one-of-a-kind neighborhood bistro (with New American food). We have spent many girls dinners, birthdays, and celebrations here over the years and have never had a bad cocktail, meal, or experience. The pork chop will go down as one of the best ever. Thank you, Wood Tavern, for being a part of our happy memories. read more

Anniversary night still. After dinner down the street at Millennium and a one and done drink at Cask (see reviews) we ventured back to Oakland to Wood Tavern a 300 foot walk. We have here been here at least 3 maybe 4 times before for dinners with friends. The food has always been very satisfying. Steaks, pork chops, seafood etc. I recall the rib eye I've had here a few times was awesome. I think my partner did scallops or some other seafood or chicken back then. Veggie/Vegan nonsense sat in the back of the fridge those nights. But tonight it was all about our 12 year  anniversary and to a lessor extent washing out the taste of our recent downer encounter at Cask up the street in Bezerkeley. Back in the day I use to be here all the time since I lived close by and it was a  nice hippie peace kind of place except for a few end the war protest/riots. Back to the review. So tonight it was just drinks at the bar. First time at the bar and service was quick and drinks were great.  And get this, no attitude at all for being dressed nice and wearing a smile, unlike up the road 300 feet in Bezerkeley. Way nice vibe here. Nice staff and clientle. The same people own Southie next door and newly opened up Southie in Alameda in the new Park Station beer hall. It amazes me more and more when people are nice and respectful. Eventhough we try to stay out of Oakland as much as possible we will be back here. read more

The food is subpar at best now that they are closing! We have been coming here for years so we wanted to enjoy it one last time before it closes, but everything we ordered was lacking (tough pork chop, dry burger and the salad wasn't fresh). Not recommended! read more

This cozy tavern restaurant is a delicious find tucked away in Berkeley. They offer a seasonal menu, but there seems to be a structure or theme to it. So be ready for a delightful surprise everytime you visit. They had some meat / cheese board offering, which I highly recommend. You can pick and choose from the butcher block or cheese board section. We got the Whiskey Laced Chicken Liver Pate, Smoked Duck Breast, Le Braison, and Witherbrook Blue. They also came with biscuits, apples, almonds, pickled veggies, and apricots for pairing. So good and a great table opener. We also got the Grilled Ribeye and Grilled Porkchop. Both were super good and well made. The first bite into the edge piece of the ribeye was so good, slight char crisp brought out the taste. The porkchop was smothered in savory sauce. Both of which were fantastic!! The people here are so amazing. You can tell they want to make you have a special night! From booking the reservation down to wrapping up the meal, they made sure we enjoyed our dinner experience - and we sure did! If you haven't already, get yourself a reservation and have your next celebratory dinner with Wood Tavern. read more

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Fantastic food. Elegant. Service is nice but slightly slower because everything is cooked to order and it's a small kitchen. Perfect place for lots of great conversation. Fresh fresh ingredients. Lovely! read more

Great vibe and delicious food. Make sure to do a reservation otherwise you will be seated at the bar. The quality was phenomenal. Had lunch. Try the pate read more

Wood Tavern - New American Near Me - Oakland, California

I liked it! It's in a nice area of Oakland that I haven't spent time in, I'd like to go back and wander around during the day. The restaurant is modern and fresh. They don't have an extensive menu, I'm sure because they focus on making a few things really well instead of a lot of things. My kid had the prime rib and ate all of it. I had the pork chop and it was delicious. We also enjoyed the gnocchi and brussels sprouts as appetizers. It's really loud in there, that's the only drawback, so if you are looking for an intimate dinner or or with people who are hard of hearing, it may not be the place for you. Our waiter was really nice and even though they were shortstaffed, he went out of his way to make us feel welcomed. I would definitely go back for a nice meal. read more

The menu is pretty limited. I tried the Hot Pastrami sandwich. It was too fatty for me. I couldn't finish it. Their bar didn't handle sangrias, so I ordered the spritzer which was made with a pinot. Not bad, but not great either, and not cheap by any stretch. Four of us at lunch had two drinks and 4 entrees and the bill was around $170. That seems pretty steep for a very limited menu and bar. Our waiter was great. Very personable and helpful. He was the highlight of our lunch. We were there mid-week at opening and the restaurant was VERY loud. I found myself yelling into my brother's ear, who was sitting right next to me, so that he could hear me. read more

Wood Tavern - Hot Pastrami Sandwich - New American Near Me - Oakland, California

Always a great meal and wonderful experience! So sad this establishment will be closing

One of my all time favorite restaurants in Oakland. Been chomping on their food for a long time and like a great wine it gets better. The pastrami sando is my go to with a glass or f Turly zin to wash it down. The salads are seasonal as is the soup. The menu is solid from the fish to pastas. The staff are friendly and the bar staff are just awesome. It always a treat when I find myself here. I don't make it to dessert too often cuz the cheese plate is great to finish your wine with. read more

Wood Tavern - New American Near Me - Oakland, California

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TLDR; reservations are difficult to attain but worth it, delivers excellent all around experience in a subdued but classy and comfortable neighborhood vibe setting FOOD Bohemian Rhapsody Cocktail - 5/5 Saffron Risotto - 5/5 Pan Seared Maple Leaf Duck Breast - 5/5 Nebbiolo - 5/5 SERVICE Impeccable. Server heard that my wife didn't want spicy and went above and beyond to modify dishes to her liking (even more than she asked) AMBIANCE Low key but totally classy Its been a while since I've reviewed but sometimes an experience compels it. This restaurant is already well known and lauded but heck with it, I'm adding my voice. The Saffron Risotto was uniquely saucy, almost soupy and had non-traditional ingredients (Piquillo and Padron Peppers)...and it was the best risotto I've had in a long time. While eating the duck breast, I was reminded of a time decades ago at a fancy ristorante in Milan Italy where I had one of my first duck breast dishes, this one with a cherry glaze. It opened my eyes to the glories of good duck but sadly I've had many since and always thought to myself, "not as good, perhaps I'm not actually a duck person". This one reminded me that a good duck is a really good dish and when done impeccably well, I am indeed a duck person. This was actually my second time here, we came last week but got the mid afternoon nosh menu. Although it was excellent, the dinner menu is on another level. Find a way to get yourself there for dinner. read more

The Lamb Chops are back, but I heard it's only for a limited time only. The fixins alone taste great as well read more

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We tried to make reservations, but they said the earliest was 8 PM and it was only 530 so we didn't want to wait. When we got there, there were many open tables, but we decided to still sit at the bar. The restaurant has a nice old school charm. The wine and liquor list is expansive. We both got the pork chops and the bartender warned us it would be a good 35-40 mins so he suggested an appetizer. We got the brussels sprouts and it was so good. It had a unique mix of apple chunks, bacon chunks and apple vinaigrette. The pork chops is a hefty portion so be prepared to be super full or have take home. It was nicely prepared, tender and juicy inside and paired with the sauce with spinach, sausage bits, potato chunks...it was a very delicious meal! The prices were a little expensive but the quality and taste was worth the price. The bartender was friendly and served us very well. Great experience! read more

Wood Tavern - Fried Brussels Sprouts - New American Near Me - Oakland, California

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Service was fantastic! Food was delicious! It was me and my friends first time we wanted to try something new and we came across this place. Pricey but worth the price to me ! I give it a 10/10 across the board for me read more

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A beautiful meal and experience. Romantic setting, dinner was dimly lit plus candle light at our table, pleasant

I have been wanting to try this place for a few months and its so hard to grab reservation. I was finally able to after trying for a few months. The food in this place was good but the service was so bad at some point I felt like it was a torture. The place was kind of empty not too many table were full but the waiter just would be gone for long and wouldn't come ask if we needed anything. The wait between meals like appetizer and main course was so long not because of kitchen but the server was just gone for long at a stretch. I had to ask him to come and same with after our meal was finished he never came to ask if we needed dessert, The waiter on other table saw us a few times and he finally came and gave us a menu. I really wanted to try a dessert but was scared this will again take us another hour to even get the server to come and get our order. On top of really slow service there was an older man who sat in the table next to us and kept talking to us looking at our food. He literally was asking me if you support trump do you like him. He kept telling us how he knew the owner and his wife and has come to this place for 100 times over years and everything is free for him here. This was all ok but I wasn't sure why he wasn't letting us eat our meal in peace. At some point he became a little racist as well, when we tried to take our food goto he told us i won't take this goto. I never take this goto. And then was like ohh you are from India and it felt so uncomfortable. He was like do you watch fox, I watch fox. Then was like I have cable, I don't try to save money. Do you have cable.. omg never ending interrogation and also kept looking at our food and table and what we were eating and kept commenting on that. I understand this restaurant might have some old and familiar guest or important people come to this place but they should understand other guest should still be able to enjoy there meal without being bothered by the people who are known. It was one of my worse restaurant experiences, the service and on top of this man who somehow is VIP guest at this place made it so hard for us to have our date night meal in peace. I literally tried to run away from this place. This was almost 2 hrs long ordeal. We came a little before 6 and left at 8 and I never eat for that long. I'll NEVER go to this place again even though I loved the food. read more

Had a marvelous time celebrating my birthday at Wood Tavern. It's bustling in there, but the service and the quality of the food made it very special. I don't drink alcohol so I had a bit of a pout when I didn't see any mocktails on the drinks menu. Asking the server, he verbally listed off some very interesting options, and I asked for something citrusy, bubbly, not too sweet. It came to the table gorgeous with a little pansy flower in it, and was perfect for my tastes. Started with a seasonal salad of stone fruit, hazelnut and arugula, quite good! We had the ribeye steak mains. Amazing crunchy sear. Savory but not too salty. Although the horseradish potato side was a bit much on its own, it made for the perfect bite with the steak. Smoky seared asparagus alongside. Ample serving size that left me enough for two more meals at home. I begged off of ordering dessert because I had a gigantic homebaked chocolate cake waiting for me at home. The server kindly presented me with some free sorbet with a candle, calling it a palette cleanser. Somehow in researching affordable steak meals I happened upon a very old menu image that had the steak at around $35, so I'm providing a legible set of images of the current June 2025 menu for you. Also, I don't go to fancy meals often enough and I was unsettled when the busser took my leftovers and didn't bring them back boxed until we got the check. I'll know for next time. Outside of special occasions, I'd love to return for appetizers and mocktails or dessert and coffee on a weekday. I'm grateful for my experience at Wood Tavern. read more

Wood Tavern - Menu - New American Near Me - Oakland, California

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Been coming to Wood Tavern for over 15 years and it never disappoints. Small restaurant with full bar and decent wine list. Rustic elevated feel with a small menu including cheese and charcuterie. This time around we had the liver pate which is more like a mousse along with two cheeses and accoutrements. The arugula and frisée salad and the Pork Chop. Everything was delicious and the service is attentive. Will always try to come here whenever we're in the East Bay. read more

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Wood Tavern has not lost its touch after all these years. I had the most delicious birthday dinner celebration. Everything we ate was outstanding! I highly recommend ordering the Saffron Risotto, Ribeye Steak, Grilled Double Cut Pork Chops, Pan Roasted Half Chicken, Semolina Crusted Alaskan Halibut, and their hamburger. I tried everyone's meal and each entree was flavorful and satisfying. Our server was very accommodating and helped everyone select the best entrée. She also knew the wine list very well and could help us pair the perfect wine for our meals. The only downfall I would say is that it was very cold inside the restaurant. They have front windows that open as doors and they left them open and so it was very breezy and two of my guests and myself were quite cold. I asked if they could close the window and they said they will ask the manager but doubt they will accommodate us and close the windows. So bundle up if you go during fall or winter. read more

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Five stars for food. Service is still painfully slow. Our server was really kind and friendly it's just a long time to get your food in front of you. read more

Wood Tavern was an overall solid experience. Both my friend and I had the ribeye dinner. Both steaks were deliciously tender, flavorful and cooked to medium perfection. His was with a variation of au gratin layered with leeks and potatoes. Mine was with a variation of broccoli rabe. The broccoli rabe was too bitter for my taste, but the service we received made that detail less relevant. The restaurant space itself was dimly let without being dark. This created a warm atmosphere without it being too dark. The sound level was moderate to high, which made it somewhat challenging to hear conversation. We didn't have a reservation on a busy night, but the waiting staff was still able to seat us within 25 minutes. It was worth the wait! read more

Skip the dry blue cheese long-stemmed arugula salad drenched with overpowering (bottle tasting or simply over acidic) Italian dressing. The combo was just off, could not taste the bacon in it although it was there. The hamburger was tasty, but the load of fries piled on the plate was off-putting. No refills on Coke, very limited menu at 4pm - would not stop by between lunch & dinner again. read more