Seriously, it's almost a joke to post anything other than 5 stars. I don't know how it's possible for Casa not to have at least a Michelin rating, much less a star. It's just shockingly good - EVERY SINGLE TIME!!! Pretty awesome bar too... read more

My family has been coming here for generations. There is nothing on the menu that isn't good. Best fried chicken in the East Bay, hands down. Comes with a fresh biscuit and local honey. Prime rib is amazing as well. The interior makes this place what it is. Guns and saddles all over the wall is just perfect. Always great service. Will forever return. read more

Have visited this establishment for years. The last time I enjoyed their hospitality, I was well impressed with the wait staff. Visited on a Friday evening and was glad for the week to be over. Nothing is more frustrating than to be ready for the week to be over but have an issue with staff. Never been the case with Casa Orinda. Food has always been delivered hot and plentiful. Prices?? At almost eighty years old, I have accepted the fact that one gets what one pays for. Whether it's a stop for a cold one at the bar with apps, or a leisurely dinner service, you will like Casa Orinda. Try them.... You will like them. read more

We looked for last minute dinner reservations and remembered Casa Orinda. Nothing was available online, but we called and secured a spot for 5:15. This rustic restaurant captures the feel of the old days. It is a great spot for dinner or a drink at the bar. The specialty chicken dinner with the biscuit n gravy was excellent. My wife loved the Petrale sole. We enjoyed a glass of wine and a great meal. The staff were friendly read more

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They're specially is fried chicken and well worth it. The atmosphere is pleasant.The staff is always very curtious. read more

My husband and I needed some time to kill while the kids and their friends were watching a movie. I hadn't been to this part of Orinda before and just Yelp'd what might be open within walking distance. Not only was it Saturday night, but it was also Valentine's Day so I expected there to be no reservations... but lo and behold there was one! We quickly invited a couple friends to make it a party of 4... What we walked into was like pure movie-set magic!!! This is the kind of place you WISH you'd find on a road trip down Route 66. Multi-roomed restaurant with 1930s decor, replete with a huge roaring fire, a gun room, museum quality paintings, and rustic decor all around. And yet, was NOT dusty or unkempt in the least. This play is HUGE!!! No wonder they could squeeze one more table in for the night. They have a full bar and you can order just about anything for a drink. The service is warm and you feel like family. Best of all the food was GREAT! We will be back with more friends and family. What a find!!! read more

Casa Orinda - Pan Seared Chicken Breast - Italian Near Me - Orinda, California

Homey, retro-style classic East Bay restaurant that serves a lot of the "classic" American dishes for many decades in Orinda. While the western decor may not be for everyone, it's just a part of their style that has endured. We've found Casa Orinda to be pretty consistent in the quality of their dishes, and they continue to have hearty portions and offering some American dishes not always easy to find elsewhere in the East Bay. Their fried chicken dinner is their signature entree and includes crispy, seasoned, juicy chicken served with creamy mashed potatoes (with gravy on the side) and a vegetable of the day, as well as a biscuit which is usually pretty crusty on the outside but has a softer and fluffier interior that definitely is better with a dollop of butter. We also liked their prime rib served medium rare with a loaded baked potato and vegetables. If we are really hungry, we'll grab their dinner salad with a good bleu cheese dressing. The valet parking area isn't large and can get congested so be aware of other street parking options as well. Reservations are also recommended especially when going on the weekends. Service may not always be the fastest but it's always friendly, so recommend giving Casa Orinda a try! read more

Casa Orinda - Prime rib dinner with loaded baked potato and sautéed vegetables (Aug 2023) - Italian Near Me - Orinda, California

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What a place. I've been hearing about Casa Orinda for so long, especially for the fried chicken, ambiance, and drinks. And welp, my girlfriends took me out to celebrate my birthday and Casa Orinda was the spot to be. Arriving a bit early for our resy, the vibes were set..love the atmosphere of dim lighting, Western feels, and a vibrant setting/full house. We found a seat at the bar and ordered drinks ~ highly recommend the Manhattan, Martini, or even Coffee Martini. The service was quick and efficient, fun and friendly. Right on time for our reservation, the amazing staff came over to let us know we could settle up at the bar and they would take us to our special seating to get cozy by the fireplace. After the rest of our party arrived we enjoyed another round of cocktails while hearing the specials. I love the mix of comforting classics and Italian flare (they have a whole veal section, perfect for the Italian fam next time they're in town). I had to go with the Casa's Famous Fried Chicken ~ served with veggies, mashed potatoes, gravy, and a biscuit. Pro tip, put butter and honey on the biscuit and keep the honey to pour over bites of fried chicken. Delicious. The pieces of chicken included white and dark meat, great for sharing or indulging alone :) Another pro tip, even if you don't have room, order the carrot cake..two giant homemade slices will arrive and the second slice is perfect for later. All in all, I couldn't have asked for a better night. Make reservations ahead of time, grab a ride share, and enjoy getting cozy. This spot has been around since 1932! And I can't wait to go back. Would love to try the chicken parmigiana or really any of the chicken dishes, pastas, and meats from the broiler. Pricing is fair for the experience, parking available in the surrounding area. read more

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After hearing positive things about Casa Orinda for years, we decided it was finally time to see what all the buzz was about and try something new. We visited on a Saturday evening with a 6:00 p.m. reservation. Upon arrival, the host apologized and explained they were running behind schedule. While we appreciated the communication, we weren't seated until 6:30 p.m. In the meantime, my husband ordered a margarita from the bar, which came with a surprising $21 price tag. We were seated in the dining room behind the bar, which was noticeably quieter than the front room. Unfortunately, it was also quite cold, with the air conditioning running full blast despite the mild evening temperatures. We started with the fried zucchini appetizer, which was crispy, flavorful, and served with a delicious side of ranch dressing. However, we noticed that this dish--and many others throughout the evening--were lacking seasoning, particularly salt. The complimentary bread and butter were enjoyable, and we were grateful to receive a second basket since our entrees didn't arrive until nearly an hour after we were seated. While every staff member we encountered was friendly and courteous, service was consistently slow for both food and beverages. Our group ordered a variety of entrees, including fried chicken, a hamburger, veal parmesan, chicken parmesan, and chicken marsala. Highlights included the flavorful meat sauce served with the pasta, generous portion sizes, crispy fries and fried chicken, and the nicely prepared side vegetables. There were also several disappointments. Many dishes lacked seasoning, and the chicken marsala bore little resemblance to a traditional marsala. The sauce was unusually light in color, somewhat sweet, and reminded us more of a frozen entrée than a restaurant-prepared dish. The pesto sauce on the side of pasta didn't taste any better than the pesto sold by Costco. The veal parmesan looked and tasted remarkably similar to chicken, and the recurring appearance of zucchini on multiple plates felt repetitive. We also found it odd that grated parmesan cheese was portioned out by the server rather than being available at the table for guests to use as desired. We had originally planned to order dessert, but given the pace of service, we decided against it. To make matters worse, several desserts we were excited to try--including the crème brûlée and pineapple coconut cake--were unavailable that evening. Overall, the experience was average at best. We're glad we finally had the opportunity to try Casa Orinda, but nothing about the meal or service stood out enough to make us want to return. read more

We love this hidden gem in Orinda for not only the ambiance but the great food and staff. A very warm welcome from the person who delivered our bread and water to our nice waiter. We both ordered the fried chicken and shared the calamari. The calamari is the best I have ever had! It is lightly floured with seasonings and cooked perfectly. So tender! Calamari is very easy to overcook and this was expertly cooked and the served with their homemade tartar sauce and cocktail sauce. The waiter said they make their own mayo for the tartar sauce. Okay, the chicken dinner! Very nice fresh veggies which featured baby bok choy, asparagus, fresh corn and carrots. Really nice touch! The mashed potatoes with side gravy! Very butterfly and light. Okay, the chicken. You get a full half chicken that is seasoned only with flour and cooked perfectly. The test for me is the white meat because I'm a dark meat gal. So juicy and tender! I love how there is a container of local honey serves to the table. I use it for my chicken and the homemade biscuit. All desserts are homemade and today we took home the coconut pineapple cake. Very tasty and moist with all of the pineapple. Can't wait to come back with the family next week. How do I order anything other than the chicken??? There is a small parking lot next door but also a parking lot across the street. Yay to this local institution!! read more

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Love this place! Charming interior. Delightful and attentive staff. Great food. There is no place like it in the Bay Area. The Mexican specials on Wednesdays and Thursdays are always terrific. read more

Celebrated my dad's 100th birthday at his favorite spot and could not of been happier. The gun room holds special memories of past celebrations and was the perfect spot to celebrate his special day. Our waiter Marty was the absolute best!! You could not have a better server. Ask for him if you want someone who knows how to treat his customers well!! Food and drinks were excellent. Hats off to the bartender too. We missed out on the prime rib, so next time will have to reserve a few slices ahead of time, but besides that it was a perfect evening. Highly recommend for any celebration, they know how to do it right. read more

Casa Orinda - Celebrating dad's 100th birthday in the famous gun room! - Italian Near Me - Orinda, California

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Charming ol'school type of spot esp decor. It's dark but not subdued as its pretty loud in there with all the people trying to talk over one another. It's a solid place esp when you have a reservation. Welcomed warmly and great service all around. We had the famous fried chicken. The serving was huge-pretty much 1/2 of a chicken. The biscuit was great with the local honey they gave u. Generous bread basket which is unusual. Lots of mashed potatoes, gravy and veggies. You get your money's worth! They're near the parking garage and have a valet lot. read more

Casa Orinda - Casa's Famous Fried Chicken - Italian Near Me - Orinda, California

Hmmm. Ambience: it was nice in there, but I experienced cognitive dissonance with the fact that it is decorated like some kind of western place and the food is Italian. Just kind of odd but clearly a hold over fromof from the previous owner. Food: it was a solid three. I just got spaghetti and it was drowning in way too much sauce. They only have one kind of pasta, which is a linguine, no other choices. Honestly, there was too much of it. It wasn't even good enough that I wanted to take the leftovers home. My husband got the fish and he liked his better than I liked mine, but he didn't finish his either. I would say generous portions, but a lack of care in the preparation. We also ordered the crabcakes which were probably the highlight. Cocktails were decent. Service was outstanding. We got a really solid server Prices were typical of something like this in this kind of a location. They were crowded, but there's not a lot of competition in Orinda. I don't have any plans to return. read more

Went there based on some great reviews and their fried chicken speciality. Upon entering, it was very dark inside and had to adjust my eyes. Not a window in the place. Their theme is western and many photos of their location in the 1920s etc. I ordered the fried chicken (now $28.95). Service was decent. The plate came out with a breast piece. leg, wing and thigh. Bland to the taste. Nothing special in the crust. Just plain. very disappointing. Mashed potatoes were runny and watery and the gravy to pour over them was also bland basic. Fresh steamed veggies were good. You also get a biscuit and honey. Just not a very good experience for this diner and no repeat for me. read more

Conflicted. Service was excellent on a very crowed Saturday night. It's loud, to be expected. Appetizers, crab cake and burrata, and drinks were good. The main dishes while plentiful portions were just so-so. Fried chicken was kind of dry and I had a sole that was bland and just sort of lost in the butter sauce. If I tried again would get different main dishes. read more

A legendary spot in Orinda that has been around for almost a century. The bartenders really know what they're doing, as a group of regulars will tell you at the bar. But the food is great too - highlights include thick, generous cuts of prime rib and excellent fried chicken. But why you really come here is for the old school, fun atmosphere and because half the town of Orinda is in here on any given Friday night. Try for a seat at the bar or by the fireplace to enjoy the gorgeous front room. read more

I don't get it. People rave about the chicken, so of course we tried it. At best it was blah. The chicken somehow managed to be dry and under cooked at the same time. Completely flavorless. The vegetables were overcooked and the mashed potatoes were on the runny side and also flavorless. Way over priced. Oh and the caesar salad was terrible. read more

Well, there was only one person to do the valet parking, so parking was out of control. We landed up parking on the street a block away. My bride had trouble finding the entrance! The hostess is kind of tucked away and it is dark inside so give yourself a minute or two to adjust your eyes. The place was pleasantly humming on a Thursday night! We were seated in a room towards the back. Soon, it was quite packed with about 30 customers on 7-8 tables. Unfortunately, there was only one server and one helper. Both of them were working very very hard but the ratio made it hard for them to keep up with the breads, water, drinks and orders. We ordered drinks and the mains. My scotch on the rocks had too many small ice cubes. Need to upgrade to a large ice cube. The food came out quickly. Pasta, fried chicken, shrimps, eggplant parmigiana. Good food. Large servings. Overall an ok experience but I doubt that we will return. read more

Classy restaurant. The food was great but nothing innovative or exciting. We sat at the bar and the service was excellent.

Been a minute since we've had dinner here. Surprisingly able to get a last minute reservation for two on a Saturday night. Walked in and it was packed. Looked like they had some issues seating folks ahead of us, but once that was handled, we were quickly seated. Friendly, but busy, server greeted us. Warm sourdough and our drinks came quickly. We ordered the double cut pork chop special, the veal cutlet entree, and a Caesar salad. Entrees took a bit but the salad came out quickly. The Caesar had more of an oil based dressing than a creamy one. My veal was fried nicely and the home style gravy was very good. The sautéed veggies were tasty and not the usual zucchini and carrots. Wife's pork chop was good but slightly dry. The pickled red onions were a nice touch. Didn't get the usual fried chicken but we were happy with our choices. One con was the place was packed and it was so loud, we could barely carry on a conversation. Good for business tho! read more

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Oh my gosh--We hadnt even eaten yet and we were making plans to return! Impeccable food, entertaining atmosphere, epic bar. Walking distance to the Orinda Theater. read more

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Everything was great except for the service. The calamari was wonderful, cocktail delicious and when the special salad had Gorgonzola on it he should have redone it because it is so strong. For $24 with no protein that the least he could have done. read more

Fried Chicken is great! Chicken Saltimbocca not so much due to it being very salty - had to send it back bc it wasn't right. Our server did a great job handling it and brought out another option. Overall positive service experience and great food. read more

First time here.. restaurant tooo dark for me,, cuz I'm right eye totally blind n left eye is 60 percent has sight,, front desk lady very helpful,, guide us to bathroom, n let me turn on my flashlight, it helps lots with my flashlight,,,this restaurant it's like Westlake Joe's,,, it's my family gathering, but my cousin didn't seen it n invited her two friends,,she always manage to do this during our family gatherings... what's the meaning of family ,,,if they are not even our family makes me so mad.... I won't be attending whenever she host these family gatherings.!!!!!! This time I had to take uber all the way to eastbay cost me about $52 each way.. an another $100 for dinner,,, she also bought a sorted bottle of wines ,, which I do not drink at all so hope it's not under the part of My Bill ,,,I only ordered lamb,,,with hardly any family interaction !!!! Food wise is excellent for what I ordered,,, rack of lamb n that sauce wow yummy, but bake potato came out dry,,, scoop of zucchini, good.. my other cousin and his mom got the prime rib. It came out, medium rare woo hoo... it's also one of the signature dish of this restaurant. surprise my auntie was able to eat most of the prime rib.so good... it's just that they pick a restaurant so far away from me which I unable to drive anymore,, but yet is good choice ... read more

Okay I can't hold back no longer. My hat off to Cynthia and staff as well as the guys doing the valet parking. Your eyes will need to adjust when you first walk in, but after a bit they will adjust. I was told to try this place by someone else who frequents Casa Orinda when I am was at another one of my favorite restaurants after I mentioned how much I like fried chicken. There's no frills or anything fancy smanchy, but what really counts ""THE FOOD" tasty down to earth great food the way it's supposed to be. I even noticed the chicken enchiladas were ordered a lot and the desserts are a must. Must come with more people next time to try more variety. Check out my pic's. read more

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Casa Orinda is one of my favorite restaurants. The staff are old school professionals. The ambience is western and has an old time feel. The food is first rate. Everything I have eaten there has been perfect. The fried chicken is the best. Portions are very generous. read more

Services okay? Food boring. It is so noisy in there. I can't hear myself talk and I complained about it several times. Been to that restaurant several times. We'll never go back read more

We love this restaurant. Everything we order was amazing. I personally recommend the Tournedos of Beef! Additionally the service here is amazing. This place doesn't disappoint! I can't wait to come back again. read more

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Hey kitchen-side bartender tonight, 3/28, some advice. Don't call a woman "sir" and then apologize only to her husband. You, bartender, when you fuck up, realize that you fucked up. I'm sorry my husband (birthday, wanted to sit at bar) transferred the tab and you got some money from being thoughtless. I'm sorry my husband didn't get his birthday dinner at the bar because of your lack of grace. I'm unsurprised that you didn't apologize to me. I am so sorry that you made a crappy whiskey sour and that I paid for that watery drink. You have SO much to learn. Do better. read more

Came here on Christmas Eve for the first time. What a beautiful festive decorated restaurant for the holidays. It felt very welcoming from the moment you walk in. The host, the waiter, and the table bus person were all so friendly. Now, let's talk about the food. The menu has many options and wonderful choices. I ordered the veal piccata and it was wonderful, my other guest ordered the fried chicken, and veal Parmesan. Everything was delicious. They make all their deserts in-house. Can't go wrong with anything you choose from. I had the NY Cheesecake with berries - very good way to end my wonderful meal. I highly recommend this restaurant for the ambience, the affordable prices, the friendly staff and most importantly the delicious food. Give them a try, they won't disappoint. read more

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Fav place for special occasions. Great business with exceptional customer service, delicious food and fun atmosphere. Yesterday was no exception. Best place to find THE BEST fried chicken in the Bay Area!! Try it...you will LOVE it just like our family does every year in September and other months in between. read more

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Honestly looked pretty unassuming when I first looked at pictures. However, the marinara sauce was the best I have ever had. Very garlic forward and complex. Cute place. Old school with many couples out together. Quick and kind service. Interested to try more of their menu. read more

Casa Orinda - Vegetarian Pasta - Italian Near Me - Orinda, California

Went to Casa Orinda and had thee Bestest fried chicken dinner I've ever had. Usually I would shy away from fried chicken (all that grease!) but theirs was REALLY flavorful and not at all greasy! And with homemade mashed taters and gravy? Oh Lord! You simply cannot miss this! The servers looked happy as well. Service with a smile every time. And the homie feel was just like supper used to be at grandmas on Sunday! A real feel good vibe! Gotta check it out. Yummie! read more

A staple in the east Bay Area for decades. I lived and heard about this place for 5 years before I came. Bummer I waited that long. All things merge here...outside is subtle, no windows or huge sign. Inside it feels like you walked into a classic Texas western restaurant with vintage guns on the wall, wagon wheel chandelier lighting, huge western bar, and the coolest room with a gigantic fireplace. The people inside are older blue hairs wearing iwatches with their Teslas parked outside. This is not a bad thing these folks know where to go for a good meal! This place is just such a mix of everything unexpected in a great way. Food...have your pick of great Prime Rib, Honey Fried Chicken, and my fav Chicken Parmigiana! See what I mean, you think it's Italian food, but in a western themed interior surrounded by hip older tech folk all wrapped up in a no windows casino feel. Then the kicker...you find out it's been here 100 years and the highway you drove to get there "Rt24" was actually a two lane road when it was built. Advice while eating for food. Walk around the rooms and admire the classic vintage hand guns in cases in every room. read more

Fine dining experience, with great service and commensurate prices. Perfect place for special occasions. Really great for meat and alcohol lovers. read more

I had the fried chicken and it was the right choice Drinks were good Great service And I loved the atmosphere read more

So much history and charm in this local favorite. And the food was FANTASTIC! Service was quick and friendly.

I had been meaning to try this old-school, family-friendly restaurant for a long time but just never did. Then Jamie W. had an alumni mixer up in the hills, so I suggested we come here for dinner afterward. We've never been to the restaurant up close, so we were surprised how nondescript it was from the outside. No windows and such a small parking lot. At 5PM, there was already a crowd of people waiting for the veteran hostess to seat them. I made an OpenTable reservation, and we were seated in the second dining room where the Western motif translated to wagon wheel chandeliers, heavy wood beams, and a massive painting depicting a stagecoach robbery. The tables surrounding us were populated with restless kids. The menu was unsurprising - a lot of all-American blue plate favorites mixed with old-school Italian dishes. They're famous for their fried chicken, and despite the availability of prime rib, I went with the $26.45 Casa's Famous Fried Chicken. It was a gluttonous portion, a full chicken half accompanied by mashed potatoes, a boat of gravy, a side of steamed vegetables, and a big biscuit with honey (photo: https://bit.ly/3vU4bCS). I have to admit the chicken was not that exceptional mostly because it was overcooked with the breast meat particularly dry. Jamie decided on the $29.95 Veal Cutlet which was a bit bland as it was pan-fried to a crisp with the same gravy providing the only lubricant. Steamed vegetables and mashed potatoes came with that dish as well (photo: https://bit.ly/3IG4R6s). We decided to share the $5 small plate of Sautéed Mushrooms which were sliced buttons swimming in melted butter (photo: https://bit.ly/3W3iFuH). Oh and I forgot to mention the complimentary French bread loaf with the requisite individually wrapped butter pats (photo: https://bit.ly/3Xshl5Z). All in all, our anticipated dining adventure at Casa Orinda was not that adventurous, but it was a lot of calories. FOOD - 3 stars...predictable old-school food executed for the masses AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...the cowboy vibe is certainly different at least for these parts SERVICE - 4 stars...the best part of the experience TOTAL - 3 stars...if you're hungry in Orinda RELATED - Exploring the Highway 24 corridor? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2x1rlsD read more

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Had a fabulous date night at Casa Orinda. It was our first time visiting and even though all the online reservations were booked, we arrived early at 5:00 and they were able to seat us right away. The decor is charming western, with many cool things to look at. They even have a rifle collection. Our server was friendly and helpful, giving us recommendations. We started with a cocktail and the Beet Salad. For our entrees, my boyfriend had their famous Casa's Fried Chicken, which was fried golden and crispy. There were four pieces, equaling half a chicken, so plenty of chicken, served with mashed potatoes, veggies and a buttermilk biscuit. I ordered the Filet tornados; two petite filets, cooked to perfection, on a bed of fried eggplant, served with a baked potato and veggies. Good size portions. We took about half home for the next day. Their Prime rib was also a big hit with the guest next to us, thick (over an inch) and juicy looking. I may have to try it next time. Casa Orinda has been open since 1932 and the crowds of happy guest show its doing something right. read more

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