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east bay dinner spot

Brokenlink

Brokenlink

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 28, 2004
Location
hangtown
Moto(s)
FZ-09

DRZ400SM
Name
Mike
So today is my birthday (yeah thanks everybody). I'm looking for ideas for dinner. I live in the east bay so not looking to go into the city. Anything from Concord to Oakland or up the 80 corridor works. I don't want some fancy expensive restaurant. I'm more looking for something where the food is good but not pretentious or douchy.
 
ha ha, you aint one of the cool kids/cheerleaders :twofinger

kidding, but hbd and chop bar in jls or pizzaiolo (dem meatballs, fageddabowddit) up on telegraph sound like they fit your bill.
 
Happy Birthday Michael !

There's some good food in Lafayette, but they're all kinda pretentious and douchy :laughing

Lafayette; Rustic Tavern, Pizzia Antica, Vino (trippy place) Reservations required for these places

All time fav: Scott's Seafood at Jack London Square.. reservations will get you a table overlooking the estuary.
 
asthmodeus said:
ha ha, you aint one of the cool kids/cheerleaders :twofinger

kidding, but hbd and chop bar in jls or pizzaiolo (dem meatballs, fageddabowddit) up on telegraph sound like they fit your bill.
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Apparently not. I used to be. It's funny, you can ride like a squid and people love you. You can be a complete troll and people accept you. But you call one guy a child molester......
 
Wally's Cafe in the back of the Bank Club on San Pablo near 40th in Oakland/Emeryville. It's Lebanese food with everything from felafels/gyros to burgers. He gives you a bowl of excellent soup as soon as you sit down and then at the very end you get a piece of the best baklava ever. Looks kinda divey but is amazing food!
 
Tribune Tavern in Oakland; get the guilty fries

Forge in Jack London; Get the cheese curds

The Cooperage in Lafyette; expect lots of rich white ladies in white pants

Sidebar Oakland; good food and good drinks

Chopbar in Oakland; small but good, also has good drinks

B-Side BBQ in Oakland; small, amazing BBQ, complete opposite of pretentious. While in the "ghetto" it's not ghetto BBQ.

Townhouse in Emeryville; Nothing special, but good food as well.
 
Casper's Hotdogs. Ain't nothing more East Bay than that. :D

Emil Villa's, Nations and Everett & Jones are acceptable alternatives. :twofinger
 
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Jack London has good choices these days...

For a nice Bday dinner you cant go wrong. Feelin fishy, hit Scott's. Feelin like a meat eater try Kincaid's.

Hit Plank afterwards for some bowling, music and what not.
 
For not pretentious, expensive or douchy, we keep going back to Tina's Place in Pinole. They had a personnel issue the other night when we went, but in general, they have good beer on tap, usually have a prime rib special (might be Friday, though).

Dead Fish doesn't charge corkage, claims my son, who buses tables there. I think it's a bit pricey but has nice views and feel. Just hold out for a window or patio spot for the view.

Shouldn't be too bad for a Tuesday. My friends just posted a pic at Hotel Mac and said they had a good time. They're regular restaurant goers so it might be a good choice.

Creek Monkey in Martinez has a great beer selection but their food is just so-so. But great beers. I had a Maximus there and they gave me the whole pint. Went up to Lagunitas itself and they gave me the tiny little glass bit for pint price.
 
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Wormwood said:
Jack London has good choices these days...

For a nice Bday dinner you cant go wrong. Feelin fishy, hit Scott's. Feelin like a meat eater try Kincaid's.

Hit Plank afterwards for some bowling, music and what not.
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Apparently plank is having some service issues. Which is to be expected for a brand new spot. But you may want to go in with patience or wait a few more months.

As far as Kincaids, I find it overrated for the price point. I was disappointed when I went in for steak.
 
Bay Arean said:
Dead Fish doesn't charge corkage, claims my son, who buses tables there. I think it's a bit pricey but has nice views and feel. Just hold out for a window or patio spot for the view.
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I was there a few weeks ago, they definitely don't charge a corkage fee. Food is a bit pricey, but really good IMO.
 
There's a Moroccan place in Pleasant Hill I've been wanting to try. They have belly dancers every night!
 
RightCoastBias said:
Apparently plank is having some service issues. Which is to be expected for a brand new spot. But you may want to go in with patience or wait a few more months.

As far as Kincaids, I find it overrated for the price point. I was disappointed when I went in for steak.
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Week days/nights are best for Plank right now.

Kincaids service suffers on weekends as well, even more so with Plank there now. Good dinner for the price when I stick to the menu has been my experience but drinks are pricey for sure.
 
I love barbecue as much as any normal soulful man, but frankly, the whole styrofoam plate, white bread sandwich order deal is not really a birthday night out. Rib joints typically are pretty basic on atmosphere, as in barely any. Usually the major sound feature is an industrial fan and the echoes of voices against steel and Corian. If yer talking about the EJ on University Ave, I don't remember much there.

And I'm sorry, unless they got a massive ethnic makeover, Emil Villa's is not my rib joint of choice. For suburbia, Kinder's has them beat. But once again, no atmosphere to speak of, at least in my local version.
 
The most non pretentious thing I can think of is the homeroom in Oakland. It's mac and cheese although very very good mac and cheese. Also they have beer. I can;t remeber a lot of other places I've been other than there and Zachary's. Which is awesome if you want deep dish.
 
+1 on The Dead Fish. It would be a great place for a b-day dinner.

Pinole Creek Cafe is nice.

When I'm in Oakland, I never miss the opportunity to go to Asmara.
 
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