Saltbreaker

The PASTA! The FOCACCIA! The COCKTAILS! Saltbreaker, color me impressed! While not everything was a homerun, almost every dish we ordered was good, and there were enough standouts that bumps this review to a 5.

Would come back for the pasta alone - best pasta I've had in the east bay, especially at this price point! :)

=== Amazing, must try (5/5) ===
- FRESH MADE PASTA - Finally, a restaurant that makes great pasta in the east bay! This pesto cream pasta was PERFECTLY al dente, the ingredients were fresh, and everything was well balanced. Still dreaming about this, only wished they had more pastas in rotation!
- HOUSE MADE FOCACCIA - perfectly chewy texture drizzled in a flavorful olive oil. This bread is elevated further by its lightly salted creamy butter and roasted garlic accompaniments. Only note - we were a party of 4 and the bread was sliced into thirds; would have appreciated if the serve notified us of this ahead of time
- COCKTAILS - LOLO's WISH - Unique, well balanced, and refreshing without being overly sweet. More like a 4.5/5, but still a particular hit amongst the 3 cocktails ordered!

== Good, would consider reordering! (4/5) ==
- Caesar salad - refreshing! I usually ask for half dressing but this miso Caesar dressing was light enough to not be overpowering. Accompanied by a perfect half soft boiled egg
- Steak Frites - Solid choice, good texture, and flavorful when paired with the tarragon aioli. "Shoestring" fries were good, but I was slightly disappointed they were were just maybe a smidge thinner than McDonald's fries
- (Cocktail) Peanut butter old fashioned - just the slightest hint of PB! Interesting and light for an OF
- (Cocktail) Hey there, Delilah - Clean and spicy, this drink felt like a tequila drink but with vodka instead (my personal presence since agave based drinks do not sit well with me!)

== Fine, but would not get again (3/5) ==
- Burrata (without the bread) - closer to 3.5 maybe? Fine, but this is just your run of the mill burrata.
- Crispy potato gratin - personal 3 star, but 4 stars if you love horseradish; the gratin texture was good, I don't love horseradish and the sauce was quite heavy on that flavor profile. Comes in 3 pieces
- SB burger - the Challah bun was great, texture of the patty was fine, but something about the rest of the burger felt almost bland, lacking in uniqueness and flavor
- Salmon belly crudo - it was fine, but I consume a lot of sushi and am quite picky, so this was incredibly lackluster to me as a result. The citrusy white shoyu ponzu was also not particularly special. The lotus root crisp was a nice touch though!

Other notes
- Plenty of parking, even on a busy Friday night
- Some appetizers were portioned into thirds; would ask your server about that if you come in a party of 4
- Good friendly waitstaff
- Single stall bathroom that was decently maintained
- I thought the portions were generous but my husband left hungry haha

Overall, bravo and would definitely come back! Hope they can add more pastas to their rotation :)

So we came here with a big group. Got a nice table which was on corner so that was great. I must saw very nice ambience. They have varieties of cocktail and it seems Grapefruit Rosemary Lime (Boozy) was hit as many folks ordered. I went with local hop but I like the way they serve the beer in a chilled glass. Beer is not a beer if it is not chilled. So 5 star on getting it done right.
I went with steak and fries and they were done perfectly.
Plus I am a big fan of their chipotle aioli we ordered it more to go with fries and it had that extra mustardy flavor which i like very much.

Finally the deserts. I am not huge desert fan but since we were large group we ordered all 3 of their deserts and all I can say is people who said they will just take a bite ended up eating a whole lot.

In short great place, great service and more importantly the food is great.

We were in Alameda for an event and wanted to grab a bite before heading home. Saltbreaker was conveniently located to where we were so we decided to try it. Without a reservation even early in the evening we were unable to get an inside table, but they had a couple of outdoor tables available so we snagged one. Reasonably nice patio seating and we were lucky to get a place at this busy spot.

I was a bit underwhelmed by the menu and by the server, who didn't really engage or add much to the experience. I had a chicken sandwich which was adequate but not remarkable. The cocktail I ordered was pricey and again not amazing. The fries WERE amazing.

Saltbreaker has all the right ingredients to be a top-notch experience, with just a few tweaks. I'd give it another try if we're in the area. Hoping for some more creative offerings next time, along with a server who really seems like she wants to be there.

Dinner!

So, our friends invited us to dinner. They suggested Saltbreaker in Alameda and we met them there on a Friday night. There's plenty of parking out front but you have to ignore the Restricted Parking Signs that say a permit is required. I parked in the area south of the restaurant which was probably parking for the building next door. Whatever.

The place was hopping when we walked in. Staff and customers were all apparently smiling which is always a good sign. We took our seats, ordered drinks and perused the menu. We also looked at the specials board which offered one app, one entree, one dessert and one beverage. There's one photo below that is unlabeled because I can't remember what it was but I'm reasonably sure it was the Special Appetizer of the Day.

Service was great. It was definitely a team effort. Ambiance was appropriate for a place with a full bar and lots of diners. The meal flow was excellent.

Portions were not huge but sufficient for sharing. Pricing was reasonable. Flavors ran from good to excellent. There were no failures. I found the Crispy Potato Gratin to be particularly good. It looks like three simple blocks of potatoes, but the outside was super crispy and the inside, super fluffy. Add a little onion and chive cream to the bite and it's a winner! The Chicken Thighs and Salmon were also well prepared.

This is a great place to have an after-work meal and just chill for a bit.

We've recently visited Saltbreaker Restaurant and had an amazing experience. The hospitality was top-notch, thanks to the outstanding service provided by the host, Scott. Cannot forget Ceecee, who added a positive touch to the welcoming note and overall stay. They were both incredibly attentive and friendly, making us feel right at home.

The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the burger, accompanied by the round on the house (THANK YOU, Scott). The burger was cooked to perfection and bursting with flavor. Every bite was a delight. The fries was something not to forget - crispy and perfectly done. The inside of the restaurant has a cozy seating, cute little bar with wide selection of spirits of your taste. The in-house recipe of Manhattan, preferred by an awesome bartender, gets a shout out as well.
I highly recommend Saltbreaker Restaurant to anyone looking for a memorable dining experience. Five stars all the way!

I had no idea this gem was here in Alameda. The space is cute and to me a bit unexpected. We sat at the bar and the bartender was nice and informative. We got the focaccia, cheddar gougeres, steak frites, and the broccolini. The steak was cooked just right to medium rare, and I really liked the broccolini. It seemed that there were a lot of regulars, which to me was a good sign. The peanut butter old fashioned was yummy.

Came here with a friend to celebrate my bday and was pleasantly surprised by this quaint hidden gem.

First off, they greeted me with a complimentary birthday glass of Prosecco which was so unexpected and a nice first impression. It's not a celebration without something bubbly right?

We shared the trout appetizer, which reminded me of tuna & crackers but elevated and nicer obviously. It was so tasty!

I had the steak frites for my main. Everything was prepared perfectly and was so delicious. The cocktail list was cute and had quirky names. I really enjoyed the one I got, though I can't remember the name anymore.

To round out the meal, we shared the dessert which was chocolatey and satisfying. Overall, a really pleasant experience from start to finish and I am looking forward to my return!

**Visit: 12.29.2023**

My cousin and I visited prior to NYE... it was raining and it was a nice mellow vibe coming into the restaurant. We managed to catch the last few minutes of HH so of course, we made it count. Due to time (my bad) I forgot what we ordered but will share the photos in here for reference. I did remember ordering Lolo's Wish (we asked the owner if its Filipino and he said no it's about his daughter so we explained what it was in our culture). The drink itself was super strong... definitely well worth trying it out.

Our server found out that we were celebrating my cousin's birthday so she gave us complimentary champagne on the house. That was a nice touch!

We ordered the burrata (it was good, but I wished it came with more bread), Ora King Salmon for me (it was light and good, perfect size) and my cousin had the fresh made pasta with chicken (she said it was a lot of portion for her but she liked it, ended up taking it home!)

It's a nice addition to the restaurants around the island. I would recommend making a reservation due to the size of the restaurant and the buzz around it.

Will definitely visit again...

We had a wonderful time at Saltbreaker for our 10 year anniversary. Everything was great! The stand out dishes were the tomato salad on special, shishito peppers, dessert, and excellent mixed drinks.

We are very happy to have a restaurant like this in Alameda. We will be back!

It's a semi-fine modern set American restaurant with cosy and relax atmosphere. Service was really good from the reservation till the end with welcoming and accommodating attitude.
Food was tasty and fresh. I'd for sure be back for both burger and chicken sandwich!
Didn't much like the Oysters and the lemon tart tbh!
Cocktails were not like sugary juices in many places and with real alcohol!
Ask for specials for the day or night!
Plenty of parking available.

First time here since we had a giftcard. It's right next to Firebrand Bakery. This seems like a go to place for the 30-50yo crowd to get a drink and dinner. It's got Portland-esque vibes like the old Tasty and Sons.

1. For the steak frites, the steak was well-cooked but under-seasoned, the same for the fries-could just use a touch more salt. For $33, the amount of steak was a bit scant.

2. The Trout was chunky and well-seasoned, tasted like good quality seafood like that from the Oregon coast. The toast paired well with the trout.
The crème fraiche was a nice finishing touch.

3. The pesto pasta was creamy yet lightly rich. This would be a good vegetarian option.

For 3 of us, with the steak frites, two pasta dishes and an appetizer it was just over $100.

Overall, for all the hype, the food was underwhelming. It's an option to consider if you're meeting friends at around Point for a drink, but definitely on the pricier side. We probably won't be back.