0 Followers
Staying sane in Oakland
I am a San Francisco kind of guy but I have been exiled to Oakland. Here are the places, in the East Bay, that keep me from going crazy.
- 13
- 195
47 Places
-
Seamus’s 4-star review: We came by after watching a movie at the Grand Lake Theater down the street. The food was very good even if it came out in an odd order. I think they need someone to explain pacing to them. That an order goes in and they make everything at once. So things get a bit mixed up. Service was fine this is someplace between fine dining and casual which is always a tough niche to fill. I am certain we will be back at this great neighborhood joint. -
Seamus’s 5-star review: As my waistline proves I love my carbs. I am also that most hated of minority groups, a morning person. So it is Sunday at 8:30AM, I have gone for a bike ride, showered and am running errands. The Arizmendi Bakery's Manchego and sundried tomato scone hit the spot with a cup of coffee from the Peet's across the street. Their pizza, bread and all of their baked goods are of great quality. I particularly like the english muffins, these are not your store bought muffins, but made just like the nice English Auntie we should all have would make. Join me in my new effort with these folks and start asking them to make soda bread... I am sure that would be phenomenal... -
Seamus’s 4-star review: I need to go get my lunch... If I don't then I might not leave my desk all day and by the end of the day I will be angry and bitter. Well I am always angry and bitter, I will just be more angry and bitter. On A Roll is a real surprise. They serve fresh custom sandwiches and salads along with nearly every type of soft drink on the planet. When I only have a few moments to get lunch this is my standby. -
Seamus’s 3-star review: So sometimes you just need a burger. This an outpost of the growing local chain of burger spots. The burgers are fine, nothing particularly amazing about them, but then not screwing up something simple can earn you three stars. Sometimes, when I am tired, hungover or having a bad day-well not that often-I need a burger and come here. Can you get a better burger sure, but then I might have to walk another block or two and that just won't do when I am tired, hung-over or having a bad day... -
Seamus’s 5-star review: This is an all or nothing kind of place. Either you are going to like having just a few choices but very fresh ingredients and well prepared food or not. If you don't know that going in to at Camino you will probable be disappointed. But choice is sometimes overrated. We had a great meal, butter lettuce salad and the sardine salad were both perfect. Then the white sea bass and the veggie gratin, which had the best polenta I have ever tasted. Ending with the peach tart. Who needs half a dozen more choices? -
Seamus’s 4-star review: So I have a confession, I am not a movie person. I am not one of those people who read reviews, watch Ebert and Roeper and then go see a movie or even two every weekend. I am not one of those people... But my girlfriend is one of those people. Me I like to Mountain Bike, trail run and ski. But her activity is easier for both of us to enjoy than making her tag along on an epic bike ride. What does this have to do with the Piedmont Theatre? Well I have been there time and time again, they are usually showing some plot driven movie with subtitles that is very well reviewed. I go, try to stay awake, sitting in the very comfortable seats and get a dose of culture. I do like the raffles on Saturday nights, I have never won anything but they are friendly. -
Seamus’s 5-star review: I am concerned that on a Saturday night only four of five groups were enjoying this great new addition to the Temescal neighborhood. Get off you butts people and make sure this place can survive. Cozy, cute friendly, a nice selection of wine. We popped in and had a glass of wine the other night. But it looks like we are going to have to keep going back, it is our duty to the neighborhood... -
Seamus’s 5-star review: As I have written before Oakland is about the hidden nook and the unexpected cranny. The Wine Mine is both hidden and unexpected. A great selection of reasonably priced wines from around the world. They have some real unexpected finds. That wine you had on your trip to Spain, the one you can't find anyplace else... They might have it. That unusual varietal they probable have... Nice knowledgeable staff they have them. -
Seamus’s 5-star review: A friend told us about this place awhile ago and it sounded great. Then it got a stellar review in the Chronicle and it moved onto the must go list. Don't do what I did, try and call to get a table. Just go and sit at the bar. It is much cooler and you get to watch the very talented bartenders make their potable potions. I love alliteration... The food was great I would recommend making a shared meal with the starters. Many more interesting selections on the appetizer menu than the entrees. Even though I had a very nice steak and the girlfriend had the lamb. We had dessert but after a cocktail and bottle of wine, I was a bit too numb to remember how it tasted. -
Seamus’s 4-star review: No health food here. Good greasy fries, cheesy cheese steaks and hoagies. I like the pepper steak but can't take the hour it takes on the treadmill to burn it off. So I walk by with my turkey sandwich smelling all that glorious grease. The owner is a good guy we had a nice chat about the Raiders and east bay football the other day. Just wish I could eat his food with out ballooning. -
Seamus’s 4-star review: A cute, friendly place to get lunch in the Oakland Civic Center. The woman who was working the counter, must be one of the warmest people I have ever encountered. The food was good, I had the pesto crepe which was stuffed with tasty vegetables. -
Seamus’s 4-star review: Finally made it to Pizzaiolo and could not be happier to finally hit this great restaurant. Probable some of the best pizza in the Bay Area, the crust is crisp and has that great char flavor you only get from a wood fired oven. The space is well design and we walked in and got a seat at the communal table. Where it is almost more fun to listen into other peoples conversations than to have your own.
-
Seamus’s 5-star review: So I can't really review Happy Hound, so we will leave it up to my dog. Since she can't talk this what I have observed, she perks up when we make the turn onto their street, she is excited when we go inside, she comes home happy and tired. They are a bit expensive but the constant supervision is reassuring and that is what you are paying for, I was annoyed at first by having to pay an assessment fee but found the time with Don useful and informative. With our busy schedule somedays we need a place to leave our pup and Happy Hound fits the bill -
Seamus’s 4-star review: So a new reason to like the East Bay, 15 minutes after leaving work I am peddling my Mountain Bike along a trail in the East Bay hills. And it could've been ten minutes if I did not have to pump up my tires. I am knocking off a star for no single track and poor signage or perhaps that was my own lack of navigation skill either way a great resource. -
Seamus’s 4-star review: The one closest to the entrance, usually with a line is the best. Not sure how two trucks with the same name and the same graphics have different food. But they do... Anyway this is very good taco truck fare. I like to sit on my hood and watch the street scene, better than television any day of the week. -
Seamus’s 5-star review: This is beertopia. A charming, cozy pub serving the best of the Belgian style beers. We stopped in on New Year's Eve and I almost did not leave. The staff is friendly and very helpful. Get the tasting if you are not familiar with these beers or even if you are. It will help guide your beer choices on future visits and after the first time here you will be coming back. This place is tiny so I would recommend hitting it at off peak hours. Otherwise you might get jammed into a corner. -
Seamus’s 2-star review: The Oakland Airport used to be a hidden spot, a place where you could walk to your terminal from long term parking that cost $8 a day. Now it is over crowded, dirty and unfriendly. I fly out of here at least once a month and do everything I can to minimize my time in this pit of an airport. The security lines can be brutal especially in the mornings. Since I am that most loathed type, a morning person, I would just show up earlier. But the lack of a decent place to get a bite to eat, the continuous announcements--which make talking on your cell phone impossible and lack of free wi-fi make me get here with the rest of the world and wait to shed my shoes and get wanded with everyone else. Of course I have a trick for avoiding the lines in the Southwest Terminal. But I am not giving that up here. Then everyone would do it and I would be stuck in line again. Also why didn't they build BART so that it went to the airport? The Air Bus shuttle is worse than Muni and being trapped with a group of tired cranky travelers is almost worse than the 14 Mission... Southwest flies everywhere I need to go so unless something changes, I am stuck at the Oakland Airport.
-
Seamus’s 5-star review: I am starting to learn the difference between San Francisco and Oakland. San Francisco is out in the open working to get your attention, Oakland is a surprise spot in an industrial neighborhood. After a long weekend of family, we went to an open house at Dashe Cellars, and I was impressed. I am no oenophile so I won't try to review the wine other than to say I liked some a great deal others were only okay. But the entire event was fun. Met the chief from Incanto who was on the next Iron chef and chatted with the growers of the grapes. It was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon, especially with how bad the Raiders are playing. -
Seamus’s 5-star review: I was on a mission this morning, driving along the streets of Oakland to the actual home of Boccalone. Not the fancy surroundings of Noe Valley but the gritty industrial heart of Oakland. My roommate in college worked at the Columbus Salami factory and I have an uncle who is a pig farmer I know my pig. We had mortadella on rolls today for lunch. This is not the fatty bologna tasting mortadella you are familiar with, spiced with fennel it was excellent. I can't wait to work my way through the rest of the salty tasty pig products... -
Seamus’s 4-star review: "The path to enlightenment is as sharp and narrow as a razor's edge." One of my favorite quotes is by Somerset Maugham. This is a nice place the atmosphere is great dark woods and dark lighting. The service was great, the waiter was helpful but not overbearing, the bus staff kept water filled and plates moved. We started with the Frito Misto, then had the bavette steak. All was good, none of it blew my mind but it was enjoyable. We ended our meal splitting the apple crisp, which was very crisp. I am looking forward to trying this place for brunch.
-
Seamus’s 4-star review: A great place to catch a game, have a beer and just hang out. Absolutely with out pretense, the bar staff is very nice and put up with way to many obnoxious drunks. Come on by grab a burger watch some college football, not a bad way to spend an afternoon. -
Seamus’s 4-star review: This is not a grocery store in the traditional sense, you can't buy Diet Pepsi, no cold medicine and pretty much not major labels. But that is both the strength and weakness of Whole Foods. They source great produce because they only need to buy for a few hundred stores rather than for thousands like a larger chain like Safeway. The butcher counter here has very high quality beef and I nearly swooned in the cheese section. You pay for all of this quality, I would say 20% more on average than at Safeway. But as a single guy, it is not a huge difference, that said I doubt any but the very well-off could afford to shop here on a regular basis for a family. Nearly half of this store is taken up by prepared foods, I tried their roast chicken and it is no better than Safeway's. But since this near my house I am sure to sample many of the offerings. -
Seamus’s 4-star review: So I am the big, white guy whose only experience with Vietnamese food, was hanging out in in Ho Chi Minh City, with some embassy liaison, at Quan An Ngon. With her ordering dish after exotic dish and me eating and also paying the ridiculously cheap bill. That is the role of the big American. Wandered into Binh Minh Quan this weekend and had a very good meal. The salad rolls with peanut sauce and lemon grass chicken did just fine and the total cost was less than $10. Hard to beat that price. -
Seamus’s 4-star review: At the corner of Oak and 2nd is a random hot dog cart and it is good. Right out there in front of Peerless Coffee, not sure if it has a name and it certainly does not have any fancy website or phone number. The dogs are good, I like the polish, and he has this great tomato salsa like concoction that goes great with a spicy sausage. A hot dog, bag of chips and soda is $3.50 making this one of the better meal deals in the region. I have now had three dogs from this stand and no stomach related incidents, which is the true test of street food, so if you are in the 'hood give them a try. -
Seamus’s 4-star review: I have no interesting anecdote or fun story to tell about visiting Tamarindo. Our house was in its perpetually food less state and I was starving. My girlfriend mocked not only my suggestion that she rustle up some grub, she questioned my manhood when I said she should go shopping. So I had two choices 1) sleep on the coach hungry or 2) find a place to eat dinner. Tamarindo is on the list of places that I walk by and think, I should go there, but then forget about. Fortunately it popped into mind just at the right moment. The food is good, I had the meatballs in a spicy chipotle sauce, very nice. My girlfriend's chicken tacos where a bit bland, but a little hot sauce fixed that right up. This is a nice place a real Mexican restaurant as opposed to another taqueria. Interesting fact: neither chipotle or taqueria are in the Yelp spelling database. -
Seamus’s 4-star review: To B or not to B, that is the question. Well for months now it has been not to go to B, no reason just in a rut. But yesterday, I texted the Director, from the ferry back from SF, to meet me at Heinhold's for a beer out on the patio. While sitting in the sun watching the world go by we started discussing dinner. After she laughed at my suggestion of her cooking, I suggested B and with some trepidation, she agreed. Showing up we were immediately seated by a very nice host, our server showed up moments later to take a drink order... Just perfect. As was the service all evening. They staff even got the little things right, replacing silverware after courses, refilling water glasses, rare at these mid-point places. The space is fantastic large windows, high ceilings and a very nice bar. We split four dishes, the broccoli salad, which was nice and fresh, the chorizo pizza which was average (we went to Pizzaria Delphina last week and it is a poor comparison) and the short ribs which were perfect. I have often complained that desserts in the bay area are an after thought, but they are phenomenal at B. We have the blueberry cheesecake. The cheesecake portion was light and fluffy, the lemon ice on top was perfect and the blueberries fresh. I almost forgot the best part of the meal, the truffled French Fries. These are excellent get them and horde them from your dining companions. So the food is way above average, the service was excellent. This is now officially part of the dinning out rotation. -
Seamus’s 5-star review: I tapped into my inner teenager last night at the Parkway Speakeasy by watching Transformers. This movie was created for thirteen year old boys, but since I was one once it was not too much of a stretch. While I indulged my inner teenager, I was able to feed my adult body with pints of Boont Amber and pizza. I am not sure if I am cool enough for the Parkway, but I just ignore all the hipsters and try to get along. The Parkway expects you to know how things work, but does not bother to explain anything, so I will try and give you some direction. Buy your tickets, which are very cheap, as you enter you will see a stack of menus, grab one and decide what you want to eat. Then step up to the snack bar/ bar and order. They will give you your drinks and number, place the number on your table and someone will come by with your food. The food is pretty basic, with fewer fried items than you would guess. The pizza is better than average and the salads are fresh. As with anyplace like this focusing on the more basic items on the menu is a good strategy. -
Seamus’s 3-star review: My flight landed late, my ride was late, it was getting late and I had no food at home. So what to do? I have been meaning to try this Breads of India for awhile so we stopped in for dinner. Parking nearly right out front and I am feeling like things are breaking my way. The food was adequate, the samosas had the density of lead and where a little bland, the chicken tikka masala was fine. I am not sure why I was just not that enthralled with this Indian place. But then again it was not terrible, in a place like Omaha, Breads of India would be the best restaurant going, in the Bay Area it is just average. -
Seamus’s 3-star review: "I really like Indian food and I have been making an attempt to suppress my inner carnivore lately. So the Director and I headed off to Udupi for our weekly, I am too tired to cook, dinner outing. I liked the food but the service was terrible, we got our food before receiving any silverware, and they don't serve beer. Man, on a I am too tired to cook night, you really need a beer." -
Seamus’s 5-star review: This is a great market, a real working farmer's market not a fashion show like the SF Ferry Building's Farmer's Market. The people at this market are so nice, I forgot I was in a city, this felt like a small town. Samples, samples every were I looked where samples... Bakesale Betty's was giving away what amounted to whole cookies as samples, bread samples, fancy spread samples, fruit samples, why did I have breakfast before coming to this market? Anyway picked up some very sweet strawberries and other veggies for dinner. Had a great time, I am so happy we visited this little, neighborhoody farmer's market.
About
Discover
Languages
Countries
Copyright © 2004–2024 Yelp Inc. Yelp, 
, 
and related marks are registered trademarks of Yelp.