Alameda (Forbidden Island) dining options - Tiki Travel

T thejab Grand Member (1 year) Tradewinds Apartments, Alameda, CA Joined: Mar 25, 2002 Posts: 2992	T thejab Posted posted on Wed, Apr 26, 2006 6:36 PM Since people from far and wide are going to be coming to Alameda to visit Forbidden Island, I thought I would give my picks for dining in Alameda. I have not tried all the restaurants on the island, so this is just based on my personal experiences. I have often been disappointed with moderately-priced restaurants in Alameda, and since there are so many great restaurants in San Francisco, I still haven't tried many in my town because I would rather spend the same money for a far better meal in the city. That said, there are just three excellent restaurants in Alameda that I go to over and over again: Speisekammer 2424 Lincoln Ave. (510) 522-1300 Excellent traditional and lighter German cuisine, great beer and wine selection, simple decor, good service, moderate prices. http://www.speisekammer.com Toomie's Thai 1433 Park Street (510) 865-8008 Great thai food, excellent service. Try the flaming beef, seafood casserole (served in a coconut shell!), curries, lemongrass barbeque chicken, etc. Mmmm. Sushi House 2375 Shoreline Drive 510-865-0999 Big restaurant with excellent fresh sushi, large portions, not very expensive, always crowded, waterfront setting across from beach. http://www.e-sushihouse.com/ The best of the rest: Breakfast - I never had a great one in this town. Albert's Cafe 1541 Webster (510) 523-4600 Small classic diner, super friendly, great Peet's coffee served, good food. Tillie's Coffee Shop 1500 Webster St (510) 523-1737 Remodeled 1950s coffee shop with nice long counter still intact, good food and service. Ole's Waffle Shop 1507 Park St. (510) 522-8108 Great neon signage, just OK food, atmosphere a bit too cutesy. Hamburgers Burger Orchard 3211 Encinal Ave (510) 769-9933 Classic 1960s burger joint, good burgers but not much else. Steak and seafood Pier 29 Waterfront Restaurant 300 29th Ave in Oakland (510) 261-1621 Cool 1950s nautical restaurant with views of harbor and bridge between Oakland and Alameda, cross Park Street bridge from Alameda and make first right into parking lot, food is good but not great. Early bird specials. Mexican Acapulco 2104 Lincoln Ave (510) 523-4935 Classic dark sit-down Mexican restaurant from the 1960s or before, food is traditional style combination plates with beans and rice, unhealthy but tasty. Mmmm, lard. Italian C'era Una Volta 1332 Park Street (510) 769-4828 Pretty good food, classy decor, little Italian market next door, service is hit or miss. Sunday brunch served. Tomatina 1338 Park Street (510) 521-1000 It's a small chain, but their food is decent and inexpensive, if not as good as most of the Italian restaurants that I have been to in San Francisco. Chinese Never had great Chinese food here, and most of the Chinese restaurants have gut-wrenching decor, so I usually order to go. New China Hut 642 Lincoln Ave (510) 523-6461 I find this place consistently good, and cheap. Their wor won-ton soup is the best I've ever had anywhere, with many huge won-tons, big shrimp, and chunks of smokey pork - $5.25 for a large container! Late night La Pinata 1440 Park Street (510) 769-9111 Open until 3AM, so-so food and service, and usually crowded. I much more prefer the Guadalajara Restaurant 1001 Fruitvale Ave. in Oakland (510) 533-7296 Just across the Fruitvale bridge from Alameda, open until 3AM, mariachi band on Fri and Sat night. Juanita's 1324 Park Street (510) 865-2588 Open until 3AM, but food is generally lousy. When drunk at 2AM this may not be an issue. Nikko's 340 23rd Ave in Oakland (510) 533-1425 Just across the 23rd. Ave bridge and open 24 hours, so-so diner food, but bacon and eggs always taste good at 3 in the morning! Those are just my personal favorites. The rest I have tried and didn't like or have not tried. Others, feel free to add to the list. But be willing to take jabs from me if I disagree. :wink: Oh, don't forget that you can always eat fried treats at Forbidden Island. Later I'll add some good Oakland places that are close to the island, like a restaurant with live sea chanteys perfomed every Thursday! But right now I'm off to Forbidden Island! [ Edited by: thejab 2006-04-26 18:37 ] [ Edited by: thejab 2006-04-26 18:38 ]

Since people from far and wide are going to be coming to Alameda to visit Forbidden Island, I thought I would give my picks for dining in Alameda. I have not tried all the restaurants on the island, so this is just based on my personal experiences. I have often been disappointed with moderately-priced restaurants in Alameda, and since there are so many great restaurants in San Francisco, I still haven't tried many in my town because I would rather spend the same money for a far better meal in the city.

That said, there are just three excellent restaurants in Alameda that I go to over and over again:

Speisekammer 2424 Lincoln Ave. (510) 522-1300
Excellent traditional and lighter German cuisine, great beer and wine selection, simple decor, good service, moderate prices.
http://www.speisekammer.com

Toomie's Thai 1433 Park Street (510) 865-8008
Great thai food, excellent service. Try the flaming beef, seafood casserole (served in a coconut shell!), curries, lemongrass barbeque chicken, etc. Mmmm.

Sushi House 2375 Shoreline Drive 510-865-0999
Big restaurant with excellent fresh sushi, large portions, not very expensive, always crowded, waterfront setting across from beach.
http://www.e-sushihouse.com/

The best of the rest:

Breakfast - I never had a great one in this town.

Albert's Cafe 1541 Webster (510) 523-4600
Small classic diner, super friendly, great Peet's coffee served, good food.

Tillie's Coffee Shop 1500 Webster St (510) 523-1737
Remodeled 1950s coffee shop with nice long counter still intact, good food and service.

Ole's Waffle Shop 1507 Park St. (510) 522-8108
Great neon signage, just OK food, atmosphere a bit too cutesy.

Hamburgers

Burger Orchard 3211 Encinal Ave (510) 769-9933
Classic 1960s burger joint, good burgers but not much else.

Steak and seafood

Pier 29 Waterfront Restaurant 300 29th Ave in Oakland (510) 261-1621
Cool 1950s nautical restaurant with views of harbor and bridge between Oakland and Alameda, cross Park Street bridge from Alameda and make first right into parking lot, food is good but not great. Early bird specials.

Mexican

Acapulco 2104 Lincoln Ave (510) 523-4935
Classic dark sit-down Mexican restaurant from the 1960s or before, food is traditional style combination plates with beans and rice, unhealthy but tasty. Mmmm, lard.

Italian

C'era Una Volta 1332 Park Street (510) 769-4828
Pretty good food, classy decor, little Italian market next door, service is hit or miss. Sunday brunch served.

Tomatina 1338 Park Street (510) 521-1000
It's a small chain, but their food is decent and inexpensive, if not as good as most of the Italian restaurants that I have been to in San Francisco.

Chinese

Never had great Chinese food here, and most of the Chinese restaurants have gut-wrenching decor, so I usually order to go.

New China Hut 642 Lincoln Ave (510) 523-6461
I find this place consistently good, and cheap. Their wor won-ton soup is the best I've ever had anywhere, with many huge won-tons, big shrimp, and chunks of smokey pork - $5.25 for a large container!

Late night

La Pinata 1440 Park Street (510) 769-9111
Open until 3AM, so-so food and service, and usually crowded.

I much more prefer the Guadalajara Restaurant 1001 Fruitvale Ave. in Oakland (510) 533-7296
Just across the Fruitvale bridge from Alameda, open until 3AM, mariachi band on Fri and Sat night.

Juanita's 1324 Park Street (510) 865-2588
Open until 3AM, but food is generally lousy. When drunk at 2AM this may not be an issue.

Nikko's 340 23rd Ave in Oakland (510) 533-1425
Just across the 23rd. Ave bridge and open 24 hours, so-so diner food, but bacon and eggs always taste good at 3 in the morning!

Those are just my personal favorites. The rest I have tried and didn't like or have not tried. Others, feel free to add to the list. But be willing to take jabs from me if I disagree. :wink:

Oh, don't forget that you can always eat fried treats at Forbidden Island.

Later I'll add some good Oakland places that are close to the island, like a restaurant with live sea chanteys perfomed every Thursday! But right now I'm off to Forbidden Island!

[ Edited by: thejab 2006-04-26 18:37 ]

[ Edited by: thejab 2006-04-26 18:38 ]

Post #228876 by thejab on Wed, Apr 26, 2006 6:36 PM