Revised review after a few more visits. Maybe I'm just getting old, but this place isn't nearly as good as I want it to be. It's too loud, too crowded, service isn't too friendly, food is too small, too many kids, prices too high. Good beer. I like the idea of this bar in my community, but not enough to keep patronizing it. read more

Can some sound engineer please explain to me why this is the LOUDEST restaurant in the world? The food is good but for heavens sake, the ear splitting acoustics are unbearable. read more

Nice ambiance but pricey for mediocre food and drink. Previous reviews said service was not friendly, but I found workers to be fine. This is not a restaurant where you are seated and served however. You stand in line and give your order at the bar, then are given a large anglicized lotería card for a server to find you and deliver your food. That is the extent of service. You have to find your own seating, indoors or out. I was meeting others and we planned to meet outside. We found enough table space but not enough chairs so some stood for an hour before finding an available chair. There was no check in at anytime by staff to ask if we were ok, or needed water or anything. If you needed something, you have to walk inside and stand in line to ask. The food was ok. I had the flautas and they were cooked fine and tasted fine, though served topped with lettuce and cheese with nary a utensil in sight. I used my hands to eat what I could, which wasn't very sanitary considering everything I touched there and the absence of sanitizer. I felt fine at the time but about 6 hours later I felt sick and tossed some of the flautas and all the green salsa they came with. The beer I ordered might have been perfect had it been served colder. It wasn't room temperature but it wasn't very cold either, about 60 degrees. These two items were over $22. Lastly, parking. There IS parking on site, however Google and Waze will take you to the Macarthur entrance, which is pedestrian only. I parked on the street and walked in. After i ordered and went outside searching for a table, I saw a large parking lot open to High St! So if you want to park on site be sure you enter from the High Street side. On a positive note, it was great that it was a space that allowed people to bring their dogs and children and it felt like being at a backyard party in that sense. Casual and comfortable. Not sure if I'd return since there are many beer gardens to choose from in the East Bay (I'm preferential to Drake's) but if friends were going there again I'd probably try it one more time and bring my own sanitizer and spork! read more

The crowd in the Laurel continues to bring overpriced values to undervalued restaurants. Stop complaining about how precious your dollars are and how big it makes you feel to leave a tip. I'm happy to have the living wage shoved in my face. We all NEED to pay more for stuff. Really rich people won't, so us in the middle need to make sure restaurant workers at least get a chance to live the same life as some programmer out of college paying 60% of his income to rent... libertarian values can suck me like a... beer at Degrees Plato. While I rant: the crowd in the Lauren is like Williamsburg folks right after the Duane Reades moved in. Snotty and cheap. But at least this place is very cool to get drink hella good beer and get all on my high horse. I've been sober all week. I need a new pastime. get off of my godammned lawn! read more

So happy to have Degrees Plato in the neighborhood! Austin and Manny are super nice, helpful bartenders. There is always a solid, unique beer selection. There is plenty of outdoor space for large groups. The food is solid! It's also a great spot to go to after yoga at Left Coast or before hitting up Jo's Modern Thai. read more

I've given this place a few more shots after a break and I have to say it's improved. The menu is better and so is the food. I've resolved to only go later in the evening to avoid most of the kids, which still seem to run amuck in the afternoon and early evening. read more

I'm so glad Degrees Plato is in the neighborhood and that the food is delish! Thank you Katie (girl w the #22 Jersey) for all your help! Nachos, tacos, rose vino and beer are definitely something to go back for! I'm looking forward to tasting the tacos, quesadillas, dessert and other items on the menu! Yummy and fun environment! Definitely recommend this jewel of a restaurant! read more

Great Mexican food and a wide assortment of beers. Nice to have in the neighbourhood.

I like this place. Not necessarily a destination place for me, but a good stop if I'm in the area place. Went in last night with friends, ordered draught beers, then switched up to cans for onsite consumption. Wasn't informed, but they automatically added gratuity? Which isn't the end of the world, but it would be nice to be told. Did I miss a sign or something? read more

I don't know what the hype is all about, but their food is tasteless and expensive for what it is. Looks like someone just decided to take Mexican food to next level but failed. We ordered 6-7 things and 3 beers, $138.00 - wow. Mind you, these are 4 different tacos and 1 torta., 3 regular beers. On top of all this money being spent, I asked for 1 extra sauce to dip the 10 pounds of chips they give and they charges $1, lol - talk about customer service. I will give it to them, they have a very big selection of beer that is tasteful. Service was good, nothing special but nothing bad. Btw, they charge 15% tip if you spend over $10, what? Don't get me wrong I always tip 15-20% but I don't like to be forced. And the best part they say it's to enhance lives of employees, hahaha, what a joke. Anyway, first time and last time there. read more

Good to see Degrees Plato is holding strong through COVID-19! And now that the weather is warmer, the outside dining lot (doubles as a free parking lot) is a really comfortable place to hang out with friends! Pick a table (each has its own paper towel roll and bottle of sanitizer), scan the Que and then go inside with table number to order. Food will be brought out to your table. Enjoy some delicious food (mostly tacos, flautas and tortas priced about $12-14 with excellent red and green salsas fir the tortillas and a great fresh quacamole! Lots of good choices for beers on tap and a few nonalcoholic drinks as well! Great open space dining under large tents with large well-spaced tables set against a backdrop "Love the Laurel" mural and a fifties aluminum-clad trailer! All in all, a fun, convenient place for lunch or dinner and brews. Bill includes 15% "living wage" add-on. Degrees Plato has been a welcome addition to the Laurel since 2017 and it's great to see they are still going strong! read more

I just wanted to put a shout out to Emily, Austin, and Andrew. They are the reason that we like to sit at the bar. Great group of people with wonderful service, and knowledge of the beer that they serve. Also, the newer girl who knows her Ciders....She's awesome too.... Thanks to all of them! read more

I like the idea of having a casual taproom in Laurel. I they're still working out some kinks though. It is way too loud in there, and the food is just not quite there, especially for the prices they charge. The bottle shop is dope though. read more

Great place for tacos and beer. They have a large selection of beers and a couple ciders. Tacos are small but really flavorful. Since there's absolutely no good tacos in Alameda, we take a short drive up here to get some. Free parking in the lot on the corner. Great service and nice ambiance. Order at the counter. read more

Want to like this place, great beer list and pretty good food. Been here with my daughter once or twice, but the last time I was in they were blasting metal at 6 on a Sunday. Is this a dive bar in the Mission or a beer hall in the Laurel with a kid's book section? Mixed messages, not sure I'll be back, at least not with my kid. read more

It's nice to have a beer spot within walking distance to our house - something that the neighborhood has been missing. That said, I wouldn't go out of my way to come here. We refer to it as "the kiddie bar" since there are always so many kids running around. In the cavernous space, the noise can get deafening. Going after 8 PM cuts down on this. I understand that it's probably wonderful for parents to be able to get a beer and have toys ready for the kids - not my demographic. Some carpeting, or curtains, or other soft surfaces would help a lot with dampening the sound. Ordering is weird. There's a point of sale right when you walk in, but not in view of the beer list. There's another one at the end of the bar, which we usually go to, but sometimes we have to squeeze past the big line queuing up where you can't see the beer menu. And it's inconsistent. Sometimes the taquitos are out-of-this-world, and sometimes they're barely average. I'm sure that it's the growing pains of opening a restaurant, training staff, and balancing tastiness with cost-effectiveness. But I would think that for the prices they charge, they should be able to get decent margins on their food. Finally, the bar has these weird benches that are bolted too close to the bar and aren't big enough to get your whole butt on. They're also really long (feels like they are designed for 3-4 people, but who would want to sit in the middle?). All that said, they are always pretty busy. So hopefully they can keep it up. read more

Great food. Nice, modern use of space. Kid-friendly. Very good Milanesa torta! Once you're at a table, the food runners are really helpful and sweet. Almost a little too sweet. The kid that delivered our food was inexperienced and naive and asked how we were doing about seven times. It was cute but overkill. Some aspects of the experience some may love or hate: 1. They tack on a 15% service fee on every order. This means you have no choice but to tip. I always tip no matter what but tipping is a choice and should not be forced. Due to automated charge, I feel the counter employees don't try as hard/ very hard at all to provide decent customer service. For example, I ordered a Topo Chico to drink with my meal and they forgot to bring it to me. I had to get up, walk over to the bar while the counter employee was having a long personal conversation with another employee, and ask for my beverage like a dumbass. He gave me a phony apology, but the fact is he was distracted and didn't care. Why? Cuz he'll get a tip regardless! 2. The food is overpriced. Not too bad but each item could be $1-2 less 3. You order at the counter and they give you a number. I don't care but some may not like this type of service model. read more

Good tacos and tapas. Great seleçtion and knowledge re beers . Way too noisy when full though, Difficult to hear conversations. Definitely a great place otherwise. read more

Lots of good beer. The food is delicious but this is not the type of place to go if you want to fill up. Small space with limited seating and very loud when there are lots of people there. read more

I would go here often with my girlfriend and would normally have great experiences until I was spoken to soo rudely on the phone over a confusion with the order and was hung up on...friends and I will never come here again. read more

These guys just opened and are currently the only tap room in the Laurel as of writing this review. I came in on day 3 and the place is already super crowded! Not all the taps are functional yet, and the menu is small since it is in an experimental stage. However, the beers they had were awesome. I had two very fresh and unique IPA's from henhouse and my mum had a lovely Kolsch from Alameda. We also had a zucchini torta, which was enough to share between two people. The space is airy and modern with really cool line art on the walls. It was an energetic space, if a bit loud. The owners are super nice and at this stage are eagerly eliciting suggestions. I am really looking forward to enjoying this spot in my neighborhood for years to come. Best of luck Degrees Plato! read more

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The folks who work here are nice and helpful. They do seem incredibly over staffed though. More workers than guests. The fast food order at the counter concept is played out though, especially given the number of employees floating around. The floor design of this place is awful, too. Endless and difficult to decipher beer and wine menus are listed on the chalkboard, but the board isn't facing the cash register so ordering is a confusing mess. The space is huge but it was clearly designed for some other purpose. And unfortunately, as many have already noted, the food is bland bland bland. Looks fresh, but there is just no flavor to anything. Really disappointing start. I doubt we'd bother to go back. read more

I'm from San Diego CA. My mother is the best Mexican cook there is so I can say this place serves good real Mexican food. The ingredients are fresh and simple. Great job Degrees Plato! read more

Great bottle options and so many on tap it makes it hard to choose. Love the kid friendliness too. It is a bit too loud tho is my only complaint but I know that is a hard one to fix. The food is good but not great. Choriqueso torta was good and the refried black beans are really good. Guacamole could be bigger. Coco flan was amazing. Def coming back! read more

Self-designated as a new "third space" spot in Oakland. Interesting Mikkeller-like decor (I think the owners are connected to the chain.) but it doesn't seem to have worked out all the kinks. Staff weren't very welcoming and food was pretty overpriced, given the location. Though it's listed as a brewery, they didn't have any of their own beer on tap when we went. Beer selection was actually pretty limited. read more

I'll be honest. I get that they're in the "soft opening" phase, but the staff just weren't friendly. I received minimal help with selecting a beer. Despite getting looks from them, no one greeted me till I was leaving. Seating was also a bit limited and set up awkward. In looking down the long bar, I'm sure the draft selection will grow, but the overall experience didn't seem worth a second visit. Maybe I'm one of those people Milk A. says should "should stay far far away from here" or maybe I go against the ways Kyle G. says this place makes "the neighborhood grow in a better direction." All I know is that the service provided could have made the experience a lot better. read more

Amazing craft beer menu, with tons of draft options, and delicious Oaxacan food!! Great vibes from the staff as well, highly recommended!!

The staff hasn't gotten it together here yet. They were completely unorganized and forgot about us. We had to remind them about one of the dishes we ordered, as they hadn't brought it out with any of the other food. The food was way to spicy (with no warning). The ceviche was over priced and terrible. The quesadilla was also awful. The Cubana torta and the beer, were not too bad. To top off the bad experience, they charge an automatic "living wage tax" to bills over $10. I mean I always tip, but it's a different feeling when you're forced to tip, especially with such bad service and overpriced bad food. read more

We had fantastic beers. The food was great once it arrived...after at least 30 minutes. The staff felt bad about the delay. They tried to give us free beer, but we didn't want any more. They offered our order on the house, but we had already paid. Finally they just brought free food b/c they felt really bad. I appreciated that they kept trying to make us happy. We will definitely go back. I am sure they will work on getting the kitchen faster. The vegetarian food was really great and we loved being able to walk there. Yes it was also very loud in there. I hope they might do something about it. My ears are still ringing from the noise. read more

This is a great establishment. I have been looking for a place where I can casually meet up with friends, have delicious food and drinks while my kids play. We ordered the flautas, tacos, chips and salsa, refried beans, fried potatoes and flan. Produce was fresh, food was flavorful, meat was tender. It was all very delicious. Our kids loved the refried beans and the tortillas that came with it. We enjoyed a delicious cider on tap. There is a great bottled beer and cider section on the backside of the restaurant where you can buy bottles to go or to enjoy there. Plenty of seating and parking too. There's a kids area as well. Reminded me of the breweries in Portland that I have been hoping we will get here in the bay. I don't want a jewel like this to close so I will be frequenting it. It was also extremely clean. read more

Been here a few times with my neighbor. Good beer selection and the tacos are delicious. The employees are very nice as well. The crowd seems to be mostly in their 30s. Definitely has a hipstery esthetic, something that stands out a little from its surroundings. Tips are automatically included in the bill, which makes me think they treat their employees well. I definitely will be going back. read more

I didn't really like this place. I was excited to have a new family-oriented brewery close to my home. I had high hopes. The location was convenient, the food was OK, and the murals inside were nice. But as soon as you walk in the voices echo off of the high ceilings and concrete floors. IT IS WAY TOO LOUD. They need soundproofing really, really bad. Also, they got publicity for being kid friendly, but the kid area seems like an afterthought. It's just a wall under a window with a few toys. That's it. The kids don't even have room to run around and really play with the toys. It's way too narrow of an area. The loudness and lack of space for the kids make this place NOT kid friendly. They were a little stingy with some of the food too. Everyone got like 12 tortilla chips with each dish. They could be a little more generous with some of the portions. Some food was good. I liked the refried black beans and the tortas. If this place had a bigger kid area, soundproofing inside, and an outdoor area with picnic tables it would be close to perfect. Zocalo Cafe in San Leandro is a good template for what a quiet, soundproofed, kid friendly restaurant is like. That play area is awesome! EDIT: I just realized my expectations for a kid-friendly pub were high because I've been to Three Forks Bakery & Brewing Company in Nevada City. That place is so chill and perfect for kids. Their food is amazing too. read more

Great beer selection and the food is very well made - glad to have such a relaxing place in our neighborhood!

Nice neighborhood eatery with KILLER TACOS and libations to welcome you home. I enjoy their guacamole and salads but the menu is always evolving. read more

Great selection of beers and ciders plus tasty food! There's plenty of seating options so even when it's crowded you don't feel squeezed. The folks who work there are wonderful and super knowledgeable about what they have. I'm a big fan of sours and they never disappoint. Def check them and snag a growler to get you through these weird times. They're a wonderful neighborhood establishment. read more

Three stars for existing as a kid friendly drinking establishment. I'll add more stars when I get to actually stay. We tried to go twice but with two kids, needed to have a spot near the kid area and both times, the table was full with no opportunity for a waitlist or reservation for the future. Hopefully one of these days we can get a table so we can try some of their beers and bites. read more

19 beers currently on tap and some pretty decent food. The pours on some of the beers is a little light but I like the place.

Incredible family friendly addition to the neighborhood with an artsy vibe. Excellent tacos and impressive beer menu. Also a couple of wines by the glass, which I appreciate, as I'm gluten free. A few toys for kids and a super chill environment overall. Love DP and we'll be regulars for years to come! read more

A more than welcome addition to the Laurel district. A huge selection of craft beers on tap in a variety of styles as well as a large refrigerator selection which you can drink in the restaurant or take home with you for later! Been coming here for a few months now and I have to say it's my new favorite local. Friendly and knowledgeable staff rounds out the experience. Family friendly too, so bring the kids if you like. read more

I have to agree with an earlier review-the food here lacks flavor. My husband had the pulled-pork torta. Bland. How do you make a bland pulled-pork sandwich? Chicken tacos, were okay, but not great. Quesadilla, same. My black beans were tasty though. And it's air-conditioned-nice break from this 100-degree weather. Service is just okay, which kinda rankles when you're paying an automatic 15% gratuity to order at the counter and have someone from the kitchen bring your food out. All in all, not good, not the worst.I hope they get better at this. read more