Alameda (Forbidden Island) dining options

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 ]

Thanks for the post, are there any places in walking distance of FI? What kinda of food do they have at FI?

I need to make it over to FI soon....

thanks

On 2006-04-26 20:33, Tiare wrote:
Thanks for the post, are there any places in walking distance of FI? What kinda of food do they have at FI?

FI serves about a half a dozen different deep-fried treats, such as coconut shrimp (I had some last night and they were delicious), sweet potato fries (mmm), fish and chips, etc.

On the next block of Lincoln from FI heading west (towards Webster) is

El Caballo Wraps 1108 Lincoln Ave (510) 521-6257
I just went there on Sunday for lunch. They serve Mexican food in the healthier California style (like with wheat and spinach tortillas) for those that like that kind of Mexican food. Being from San Diego I prefer border style burritos without beans and rice vs. San Francisco Mission style burritos with everything but the kitchen sink, but the food was fresh and tasty and the people there are very friendly. They even gave me a free sample of their tortilla soup. They close early though (at 6 or 7).

There is a Filipino restaurant at 1216 Licoln but I have not tried it. There's a Domino's pizza across the street from FI.

About 1/3 of a mile away at 1410 Encinal is Little Joe's Express, a Chinese restaurant that I have not tried. Webster Street is about 2/3 of a mile away and has numerous food options: several fast food chains, many Asian and Mexican restaurants, and Albert's and Tillie's that I mentioned above.

There is a Filipino restaurant at 1216 Licoln but I have not tried it.

Don't do it!

Trust me.

Gurgle!!

Good list, Jabbo. Here are some of my recommendations:

Jim's Coffee Shop 2333 Lincoln Ave, on the corner of Lincoln and Park (510) 523-5368.
Great breakfasts, good burgers, excellent pork chops. Probably the best diner on the island. Did I mention the pork chops? Try 'em!
http://www.jimscoffeeshop.com/

Linguini's Cafe Pasta & Vino 1506 Park St (510) 865-5101, and 1508 Park St
2 locations next to each other. One is more casual and focused towards pizza, the other is more of a traditional pasta restaurant.
http://www.linguinisrestaurant.com/

Bacci's Italian Delicatessan 1118 Lincoln Ave, two blocks from Forbidden Island (510) 748-0321
Traditional Italian deli. Warm panini sandwiches!
http://www.baccideli.com/

Kamakura 2549 Santa Clara Ave (510) 521-9121
Traditional Japanese dining. Sushi too.
http://www.kamakurarestaurant.com/

Sandwich Board 2412 Webb Ave (510) 521-3366
Try their turkey cranberry sandwich.

Nations Giant Hamburgers 1432 Webster St (510) 521-8888
Not to be confused with the 1/4 Lb Giant Burgers Chain in the East Bay, which kinda sucks. Nations makes a pretty good burger (fried though, not char-broiled), and good fries. They also serve breakfast all day and night, and have a great selection of pies (banana creme, coconut creme, fruit pies...). Open until 3am!!!
http://www.nationsrestaurants.com/

Loard's Ice Cream 2265 South Shore Mall (next door to Applebee's) (510) 521-0873
An old fashioned ice cream parlor, although this one is much smaller than other Loard's locations. They carry some great tropical ice creams and sorbets, such as mango, coconut pineapple, etc. TikiHula's favorite ice cream!!! :)
http://www.loards.com/

On 2006-04-28 22:02, Mai Tai wrote:
Jim's Coffee Shop 2333 Lincoln Ave, on the corner of Lincoln and Park (510) 523-5368.
Great breakfasts, good burgers, excellent pork chops. Probably the best diner on the island.

I second that!

I have had nothing but bad service at Jim's Coffee Shop. It's always too crowded, and the food is overrated in my opinion.

Other then the Sandwich Board (I like) and Nation's (I don't) I have not tried Mai Tai's other suggestions.

I forgot one:

Tucker's Ice Cream 1349 Park Street 510-522-4960
The best ice cream in the Bay Area, super creamy!

[ Edited by: thejab 2006-04-29 10:35 ]

I dig Jim's omelletes!! Huge and tasty. Also my breakfast venue of choice. I like the "retro-ness" of Ole's on Park St, but find their breakfasts to be the usual "Denny's" type options (and portions). I haven't tried the ones on Webster yet.
I must say, for as small as Alameda is, the sheer amount of amazing places to eat is mind-boggling.
Sushi House, Bacci, Toomies Thai, La Pinata, Oteaz, Jim's the pies at New Zealander...great stuff.
Oakland has tons of choices in each dept but they're all much of the same, None really stands up above the rest. For example, nearly every Sushi place in Oakland/ Berkeley serves the same thing - mounds of rice, with specs of fish. The Suhi rolls at Sushi House (where Park St meets the beach) are simply incredible - mounds of FRESH fish inside and on top!!
The same is true for Thai food etc...except pizza. Most that I've seen on the Island looks pretty standard fare - haven't tried them though.
Bacci Italian Deli 2 blocks from FI is also mind-boggling. A 6 month old deli that feels like it's been there for decades withthe most delicious hot panini's I've ever tasted. Take a hike A.G Ferrari!!

I agree with you Mike there are many good options in Alameda, but still no great restaurants that Oakland has like Bay Wolf, A Cote, Le Cheval, and Pizza Rustica!

On 2006-04-29 11:06, thejab wrote:
Pizza Rustica!

Thanks Jab. I too agree with you.

On 2006-04-29 10:34, thejab wrote:
I have had nothing but bad service at Jim's Coffee Shop. It's always too crowded, and the food is overrated in my opinion.

I thought you had never been to Jim's before. At least that's how our last conversation about it went? And, c'mon Dean, overrated?!? What exactly did you order that was overrated? It's DINER food - no one is trying to put it on the Zagat list next to Aqua or The French Laundry or similar. Still, it's way better than Tillie's - their food basically sucks except for their breakfasts, and also better quality than Ole's, which usually takes longer to get seated because it's smaller. If you had a bad experience, I highly suggest you try it again - they do make great omelettes. I'm going there right now to have their Chile Verde omelette - mmmmm, mmmmm, good!

*On 2006-04-29 14:50, Mai Tai wrote:*What exactly did you order that was overrated?

I can't remember exactly, because it was several years ago, but it was breakfast. We waited about an hour, then waited almost as long to get our food, and then the food was mediocre. I just don't understand their popularity.

Today when going to pick up my car near Forbidden Island I picked up a sandwich at Bacci's Deli. It was excellent! I will go back again. I just wish they were open later so I could stop by after work (they close at 6). I still think Genova Deli in Oakland is the best, but Bacci's is good too.

Ya gotta go try the place again, Jabbo. I know that you'll like it. :)

Mmmmm, Genova Deli - pretty damn good. It's good to see some traditional type deli's still scattered around the East Bay. And now we can add Bacci's to the list.

Dean pretty much has it covered but just my two cents when it comes to prioritizing: LA PINATA is my #1 favorite restaurant on "the island" (love saying that, landfill and all). Monica and I both LOVE THE FOOD (and she's actually Mexican! well, by way of Union City....), way better than Acapulco (which does have a nice homey atmosphere) and I also recommend OTAEZ, which opened recently on Lincoln and Webster (a close second to LP but no dice.) Best of all, the tequila bar at LP is OUTSTANDING. Absolutely the BEST margaritas we've EVER had! Never thad a bad meal there either, and we've been there a lot - the cool, copious shrimp cocktail, super-tasty grilled veggie burrito and the scrumptious chicken quesadillas are my favorites, while Monica swears by both the meatball and chicken soups - all portions are really generous, too). Sushi House is our other favorite restaurant (but it's everyone's), perfect location with a view of SF and they recently added live jazz too. High five to Mai Tai on Jim's though I also dig Tillie's right near us for that good old fashioned Hopperesque Americana experience. And there's that new L&L BBQ in the Marina Village where both Martin and Mike have been dining before heading to FI - they even have malasadas though they're not on par of course with Leonard's on Oahu, which is an impossible standard. Still, friendly service and authentic Hawaiian meals -with two scoops of rice and a scoop of macaroni salad on the side! - enfuse it with suitable aloha atmosphere.

For sushi I also recommend KAMAKURA on Santa Clara, good food but I really just dig the friendly vibe. TOOMIE'S is no doubt the best for Thai.

For walking distance from FI, you can't beat the Italian deli BACCHI, which is getting ready to expand from a little hole in the wall to a full fledged cafe. It's run by young guys who do it old school - terrific sandwiches and soups and a wide variety of meats etc. A little bit of Jersey in Alameda. Just down the block from FI next door to Pagano's hardware.

As for Chinese food, totally disagree with the Jab once again - THE ARK on Park (can you remember that?) is an excellent place, sort of Chinese fusion but what the hell. Plus we recently went to the new CHING HUA restaurnt in the ALAMEDA MARKETPLACE on Park - really good food, especially the dumplings, and even surprisingly strong and decent Mai Tai to wash it down. There's a little takeout hole in the wall joint right near me on Webster near Lincoln I really like too, can't recall the name though.

THE BEST PIZZA ON THE ISLAND IS NEW YORK PIZZA ON PARK ST. Absolutely hands down fuggetaboutit. Of course I was raised in Jersey so I like my slices big, juicy and THIN. The Flatbush Fold, baby. I probably eat there more than anywhere else, for a quick bite anyway. Also love the sandwiches at the this little hole in the wall burger stand right next to ALAMEDA BYCYCLE (which had a tiki logo before they renovated!)on Park, can't remember the name of it but the best turkey burgers w/fries combo I've probably ever had.

Of course, you could head straight to FI and eat the fries, wings and spring rolls for cheap...

[ Edited by: AquaZombie 2006-06-12 11:05 ]

[ Edited by: AquaZombie 2006-06-12 11:07 ]

Oh yea, this may've been mentioned but I'm supposed to be booking movies right now and didn't notice but have to give a shout out to THE GOLD COAST GRILL on Park for that old school film noir smokey steakhouse experience (though it's actually Greek), they even have a piano player. Maybe the best martinis on the island too.

I like Kamakura a lot.
I've been there a dozen or so times when I make my treks out to Fruitvale and beyond.

They make a marinated sushi that is sublime.

They have some great "non-label" sakes as well.
You have to ask for the real thing and even then you may not get it if they're in a mood.

Oh man.
I can't wait to get back out there.

Doesn't anyone need a really good cameraman with his own gear for a few weeks out there?
Uke player?
Drug mule?

I'll even try my hand at puppetry if there's a few nights at Forbbiden Island and a plane ticket in it.

Hope you can make it soon Pablus! We'll head over to Quinn's Lighthouse in Oakland for some sea chanteys! Aaargh! (the sound your friend made after having one too many at Trader Vic's)

Quinn's Lighthouse Restaurant 1951 Embarcadero Oakland (just across the Park Street bridge from Alameda, left after 7-Eleven, immediate right on 23rd Ave., and left on Embarcadero), 510-536-2050

2-story nautical restaurant in a historic 1890s lighthouse overlooking harbor; dining downstairs; pub upstairs with outdoor and indoor seating; 8 beers on tap and 58 in bottles; free peanuts and you can toss the shells on the floor; great burgers with Niman Ranch beef or lean buffalo or ostrich meat; weekend prime rib special ($21.99); Thursday night sea chanteys with the "Sons of the Buccaneers" starting around 8:00!

http://www.quinnslighthouse.com/

On 2006-06-12 10:53, AquaZombie wrote:
As for Chinese food, totally disagree with the Jab once again - THE ARK on Park (can you remember that?) is an excellent place, sort of Chinese fusion but what the hell. Plus we recently went to the new CHING HUA restaurnt in the ALAMEDA MARKETPLACE on Park - really good food, especially the dumplings, and even surprisingly strong and decent Mai Tai to wash it down. There's a little takeout hole in the wall joint right near me on Webster near Lincoln I really like too, can't recall the name though.

Will: I guess you would have agreed with me if you had read my whole post. The hole-in-the-wall takeout place is the New China Hut (which I named in my post), and I like it too! I have not tried the Ark or Ching Hua yet but I will soon.

[ Edited by: thejab 2006-06-13 14:12 ]

I stand corrected. Let us know what you think of Ark and the other one.

Just got back from lunch at L&L with CongaMike and The Tiki Goddess. First thing - the malasadas. Good, but not crazy good like in Oahu, of course. The simple difference: I can eat one at L&L, a whole one, while standing up. One bite into one out of Leonard's and I just gotta sit down, it weakens my knees, man.

The best thing I've had at L&L is what they're famous for, the BBQ chicken. Mike agrees though he wasn't nuts about the musubi (basically a big sushi roll), though Monica loves 'em. Just a matter of taste.

Bottom line: there is a variety of food to suit all palates in Alameda. Thanks again Dean for the thread, great idea.

I think sushi house food is horrible. The best place for sushi in alameda use to be sushi sue's but she has passed on. A Decent replacement has taken it's place is Yume.

yume
1428 park st small place 8 person sushi bar and 2 - 4 person tables

as far as Chinese goes

East Ocean on 1713 webster st
hong kong city 1425 park st

Hinn Tha burma bistro 1345 park st

My personal Chinese restaurant favorite in Alameda is Harbor View. It can be pricey if you go gonzo and order a table full, but it's GOOD. While I've done takeout, it's definitely a dine in place. You'll find it a short trek away on Bay Farm Island.

Next to it is Enricos Cafe which used to have kick ass awesome Italian food. Haven't been there since moving back, so can't vouch for it at present, but probably STILL good. Went to Linguines on Park Street a while back and their pasta sauces are really good.

For years, Chins Garden on Santa Clara was fab. Unfortunately, the new owners have taken it downhill very quickly and it now sucks. One of my friends swears by Van Seng Restaurant on Santa Clara, but haven't tried that yet. Went to East Ocean on Webster and met with the owner...and had a meal. I can vouch for the food.

Bacci Deli is mind blowing good! Best sandwiches around!

In concur with AquaZombie that Kamakura on Santa Clara has good food and tasty SAKE. Also agree with the THE GOLD COAST GRILL recommendation. The GCG been a consistently good dining venue for a number of years.

Final two recommendations: Tomatinas for exceptionally good thin crust pizza AND Speisekammer for top notch German food and beer. Great to sit on the patio during a sunny day!

[ Edited by: Coco Loco 2006-07-13 19:42 ]

Awesome topic here! I found this while searching around online for new places in Alameda.. here's some of my favorites!

Best places I've had on the Island while living here:

**SUSHI:

SAKURA [On Santa Clara next to La Piñata] **
BEST sushi I've ever had.. period. The chef knows what he's doing, really creative with is rolls and the fish he brings in is amongst the freshest I've ever had. Seriously, this place is starting to catch on and it gets more and more packed when I'm in there, MILES beyond Sushi House, Kamakura, Yellowtail, or pretty much any other sushi I've had, although Kamakura has it's days too. I'd recommend everything at Sakura, but if I had to pick I'd go with the Kamikaze roll as my favorite. Try it, you won't be let down!

**MEXICAN:

LA PIÑATA [Santa Clara and Park Street]**
Really good dishes, a killer cheesecake chimichunga, and awesome margaritas! Seriously, there's a reason La Piñata is always packed, and that's because they make really good food, and treat their customers very well. I'm a big fan of everything here, but I'd recommend the Pollo Ranchero or the Pescado, along with a margarita!

**HAMBURGERS:

ALAMEDA GRILL [On Park Street next to Alameda Bicycle]**
When they're open, I don't think you can get a better hamburger on the Island. They make it absolutely fresh, which means you often have to wait 8 minutes or so, but the end result is a damn good hamburger. I'm always a fan of the standard cheeseburger with some added jalapeños.. seriously grub! My only gripe about them is that they aren't open longer.. they close at 6 every night and aren't open on Sundays.. but everyone needs a day off I guess!

**THAI:

TOOMIES [Santa Clara & Park Street]**
Unbelieveable Thai food! Need I say more? Almost everyone who appreciates Thai and has been to Toomies knows how good it is, so I really don't need to say more. I love the flaming beef and the pineapple fried rice with chicken.

**PIZZA

BOWZER'S PIZZA [Park and Alameda Street]**
You know.. I had a helluva time finding a good pizza in Alameda, until I found this place! Really unique specialty pizzas, plus all the standard pizzas at fair prices. I went with the not-so-standard BBQ Chicken & Potato pizza for my first shot, and it was nothing short of amazing! Excellent unique tastes, and their crust and sauce is damn good!

I'm new here and am reading through some of the older posts. I plan to check out a few of these reco's (eg the Thai place). I can second the Burmese place.

I didn't see India Palace listed, it's quite close and has yummy cheap food for pre/post FI
737 Buena Vista Ave (it's off Lincoln back towards Webster) http://www.indiapalacealameda.com

[ Edited by: Sgirl 2007-09-05 14:16 ]

Time to remove one, and add one to the list.

Sadly, Bacci Deli went out of business. That place was awesome, and I'll really miss it. Anyone that had ever been there knows that although it was new to Alameda, it felt like it had been there for ever. The guys that ran it were from Genova Deli, so they knew what they were doing. The thing that really sucks is, they were in the process of opening up a gelato shop next door! I don't know if the cost of remodelling the place next door got to them, or if it was their weird or non-existant hours that they kept. Sometimes that place really felt so Italian that they kept Italian business hours - like, hey, it's baseball season, so we were closed for most of last week, ect.

I don't know if they plan on re-opening anywhere or anytime soon, but their doors are shut and their phone number is already disconnected.

But here's a great place that I'd like to add to the list - Lois The Pie Queen! It's not in Alameda, but in Oakland - well, technically in Emeryville, on the Oakland/Emeryville Border. It's at 851 60th Street, Emeryville, (510) 658-5616, at 60th and Adeline, one block from 60th and Martin Luther King Jr Way. If you drove up Powell Street from Trader Vic's, Powell would turn into Stanford, and then when you cross Market St Lois the Pie Queen would be on your right. So it's a good breakfast/brunch place to go before hitting Trader Vic's! Here's a map to find it.

Anyways, they only do breakfast and lunch. And it is one of the best southern/soul food breakfasts around the bay area, period! Reggie Jackson used to eat there daily when he played for the A's, and he used to help bus tables and serve coffee when they were busy. His favorite dish is now the Reggie Jackson special - two pork chops and two fried eggs for $7. Other specialties include Salmon Croquettes or Fried Chicken, or steak with your eggs, or Chicken and Waffles! Hash browns and grits come with most meals. They have brewed sweet iced tea! And their Lemon Ice Box pie is fantabulous! This place has been around for more than 40 years, yet I had never been there until recently, and none of my East Bay pals had ever been there either.

They close at 2pm on weekdays, and at 3pm on Saturday and 4pm on Sunday. Lois The Pie Queen! Be there, or be no-where!!!
(Much thanks to Tiki Kaimuki and his girlfriend for pointing out this place to me).

your makin' my mouth water again Bill,
Damn you all to hell.....

Jeff(bigtikidude)

[ Edited by: bigtikidude 2007-09-05 21:09 ]

We tried Twoomies tonight. The Pad Thai was different (in a good way) - more savory, less sweet. The Peanut/yellow curry my husband tried was only so so.

On 2007-09-05 18:15, Mai Tai wrote:
Time to remove one, and add one to the list.

Sadly, Bacci Deli went out of business. That place was awesome, and I'll really miss it. Anyone that had ever been there knows that although it was new to Alameda, it felt like it had been there for ever. The guys that ran it were from Genova Deli, so they knew what they were doing. The thing that really sucks is, they were in the process of opening up a gelato shop next door! I don't know if the cost of remodelling the place next door got to them, or if it was their weird or non-existant hours that they kept. Sometimes that place really felt so Italian that they kept Italian business hours - like, hey, it's baseball season, so we were closed for most of last week, ect.

I don't know if they plan on re-opening anywhere or anytime soon, but their doors are shut and their phone number is already disconnected.

But here's a great place that I'd like to add to the list - Lois The Pie Queen! It's not in Alameda, but in Oakland - well, technically in Emeryville, on the Oakland/Emeryville Border. It's at 851 60th Street, Emeryville, (510) 658-5616, at 60th and Adeline, one block from 60th and Martin Luther King Jr Way. If you drove up Powell Street from Trader Vic's, Powell would turn into Stanford, and then when you cross Market St Lois the Pie Queen would be on your right. So it's a good breakfast/brunch place to go before hitting Trader Vic's! Here's a map to find it.

Anyways, they only do breakfast and lunch. And it is one of the best southern/soul food breakfasts around the bay area, period! Reggie Jackson used to eat there daily when he played for the A's, and he used to help bus tables and serve coffee when they were busy. His favorite dish is now the Reggie Jackson special - two pork chops and two fried eggs for $7. Other specialties include Salmon Croquettes or Fried Chicken, or steak with your eggs, or Chicken and Waffles! Hash browns and grits come with most meals. They have brewed sweet iced tea! And their Lemon Ice Box pie is fantabulous! This place has been around for more than 40 years, yet I had never been there until recently, and none of my East Bay pals had ever been there either.

They close at 2pm on weekdays, and at 3pm on Saturday and 4pm on Sunday. Lois The Pie Queen! Be there, or be no-where!!!
(Much thanks to Tiki Kaimuki and his girlfriend for pointing out this place to me).

Yeah, Lois the Pie Queen is everything Mai Tai mentioned. We are glad that you feel as passionate about the pie queen as we do. Anyone with tastebuds would feel the same.

I would sort of like to recommend Yokohama on Webster to everyone for sushi/Japanese food. I say "sort of" because it's a small place and I don't really want you taking my booth. The food is consistently good and the atmosphere is cozy and friendly. Fresh fish and nice sake selection. It's not the cheapest, but it's the best in Alameda.
Right in that same area(and another location on Park) is Dimitra's Sandwiches. FRESH sandwiches at a fair price with nicely chewy bread and a fine alternative to subwayquiznotogo conglomerates.

If you want an upscale meal try Pappo.

With many Alameda restaurants having opened, closed, or relocated in the past year or three, it may be time for an update to this thread. I'll also throw in some of my takes on the good and better places to eat in town, though tastes may vary as to whether it is time for that.

I heartily second two of the Jab's top three. Speisekammer is excellent, and the patio is fun on a warm day. I'm always biased toward places with outdoor seating, especially if they have views of the water [Speisekammer doesn't have that, but you can't have everything]. I love to bring my dogs out with me, so patio seating where they can sit by the table is a Big plus. By the way, Skip Henderson and the Starboard Watch, the same group that performs on pirate night at Quinn's Lighthouse [another favorite of mine; thumbs up to Jab's praise of them] plays semi-regularly at Speisekammer; used to be about monthly, currently seems somewhat less frequently.

I'm not as much into sushi as I was when younger, dunno why, but I do like Sushi House at South Shore a lot, as do my fiancee and others who are more sushiphilic than I. Haven't been to Kamakura in a few years, but it was very good then and I assume it still is.

Not really a Thai guy, so haven't tried Toomie's and prolly could comment with much authority even if I had.

Alas, Orchard Burger is no more. Jerry Orchard has passed away, but the location is now the home of Bip's Broiler. Still very good burgers [I'd say better than at the Orchard, but I'm biased -- the proprietors are friends of mine]. A more varied menu than the Orchard with daily specials and a few dinerish items in addition to the basic burger joint fare. Best burger in town in my opinion, though the new Burgermeister [an outlet of the SF-based chain] isn't too bad, and my in-laws would strongly second Tronic's recommendation of Alameda Grill.

Jim's Coffee Shop [which we oldsters still call "Jimmy the Greek's"] is still the best breakfast place and diner in town. Of course the three main diners in town, Jim's, Tillie's, and Ole's all have such intensely loyal followings that there is an almost religious quality to any discussion of them. Jim's now has a second location at the Alameda golf course. Similar but less extensive menu, and a more institutional decor. Unlike the original, it has a bar [not a feature for me at the times of day that I hat a diner] but otherwise, it's a pale copy and for most of Alameda it's an unnecessary extra trek.

Pier 29, long my parents' favorite restaurant, has moved. It is now actually in Alameda, but at the far end of the island. In fact it's actually on another island altogether, an artificial one off the west end of Alameda. Still the same menu, huge selection of solid basic seafood, meat entrees not quite as good. Great servers. Excellent view, either of the yacht harbor on the shady side, or across the parking lot to the bay and the SF skyline on the other side. My family have been regulars at the Pier 29 and its sort-of predecessor, known as the Ark, since my dad and my mom's late husband tried to buy the Ark together in 1946.

The old Pier 29 location is now the home of Tiki Tom's on the Oakland Riviera. See the Tiki Tom's thread for Tikibars and my somewhat divergent takes on this place. Short form: he disliked the food, I like it a lot but the quality is uneven. The drinks could and should be stronger, and the rum selection should be much larger in a self-proclaimed tiki bar, but they are well made and the outstanding bartenders are often willing to adjust the recipe to your taste. The view, long a major asset of the old Pier, is still a lot of fun, and Tom has reopened a couple of the portholes in the floor to watch estuary flow beneath your feet. The entertainment is excellent, from the Hawaiian musicians and dancers on the weekend early evenings to the Alameda All Stars and other rockers from back in the day who sometimes close the place on Saturdays; of course watching patrons who have had a few extra drinks try to step over the portholes because they think they are open is its own form of comedy.

For very good Caribbean food in a moderately upscale setting, Havana, located at the corner of Park Street and Webb Ave. [next to the Sandwich Board and across from the Alameda burger joint and bicycle shop, from other posts in this thread], is a great addition to the Alameda dining scene. It is an even better addition to the bar scene, with a very nice selection of rums [no competition to FI in that respect, but who is?] and some knowledgeable bartenders who like to experiment with new takes on mojitos and daiquiris and the like.

La Pinata is my favorite of the Mexican places cited previously, although I love the Acapulco as well, and Juanita's is much better than Jab indicated. I like the food there; the seasoning is lighter [blander?] than the other two, which is not really my preference but many may find it desirable for that very reason. The late hours are important to me, especially when La Pinata is still crowded at 2:00 am. Oteaz is okay, but the three old time standbys still do it for me.

Speaking of late night, I'm a regular at Nikko's and the manager and servers are wonderful, but it's very ordinary diner food and I wouldn't go when Jim's or Tillie's is open.

See you all at Tiki Tom's or FI or the Conga [or Pinata or Nikko's if the hour is late.

chiwito

Agreed, with many people trekking to Forbidden Island, it good to keep this thread up-to-date.

I will, though, humbly disagree with you on many places.

The best breakfast place is The Hob Nob (at 1313 Park St), especially for weekend brunch, when they have all-you-can-drink Mimosas and a Bloody Mary Bar.

Sushi House has gone down hill in the last few years. Kamakura (at 2549 Santa Clara Ave) and Angelfish (at 883 C-2 Island Drive -in the Harbor Bay Landing Shopping Center over on Bay Farm Island) are better for Japanese. Also on the Asian front (and vegetarian, if you're into that) is Central Vegetarian (at 1613 Park St.)

Hinn Tha Bistro (at 1345 Park St) is great, but it's been a while since I've been in, so I don't know if it's still as booming as it used to be (hands down, best friggin' garlic noodles).

For a nicer, more upscale dining experience, I can wholeheartedly suggest three places:
BarCeluna (at 2319 Santa Clara Ave.)
Asena (at 2508 Santa Clara Ave)
and Pappo (at 2320 Central Ave.)

This is great! AceyTiki and I will be heading down there in August. We LOVE sushi and will go to one of the places recommended before hitting FI. We need to lay a good ground work before all those drinks, right? I will make sure to check in here, again before we go. I will also ask for recommendations of the other places we will be visiting. Tiki road trip for Portland, OR to San Diego for Tiki Oasis! Making tiki stops all along the way!

I give my vote to the Acapulco as the best Mexican anywhere. I love their echilada sauce!! I've been eating there since 1970-72. Have never found anything as good yet! Dang, it makes me hungry just thinking about it! When I do head back to Alameda, I do eat at the Acapulco and then head over to FI. Just can't pass up either place. But alas, it has been about a year since I've made the pilgimage home.....

:drink:
Tacky

On 2008-12-31 19:15, Tacky Tiki wrote:
I give my vote to the Acapulco as the best Mexican anywhere. I love their echilada sauce!!

Actually, for the food, Acapulco is my favorite as well. I've been going there since I was a kid [my dad did the legal work when the family who owns it first started the place] and I love the burritos. There were two main reasons I gave the bigger thumbs up to Pinata in my previous post: First, Pinata's menu is much more extensive and more varied. Acapulco has fewer items and they tend to use a couple of distinctive sauces which make different dishes more alike. I happen to love exactly what they do, but others might find more to choose at Pinata. Second, Pinata is to margaritas what Forbidden Island is to rum drinks, with a world class selection and great recipies. Acapulco has only a beer and wine license. Of course the bar selection may be less important to someone stopping by on the way to FI.

Juanita's' food seems lighter in style to me, and perhaps less authentically Mexican. It's just different enough that it could easily be an individual's first or last choice depending on taste.

Hope to see a few of you at all three places.

chiwito