Food was giving fine dining vibes with the small portion sizes, but everything is delicious and they really put their own twist on basic dishes. We got the ceviche as a starter, which for $32 is pretty much 4 bites, but it is really fresh and delicious. For my main, I got the burger special which had strawberry bacon jam, toasted shallot aioli, Pt. Reyes blue cheese, basil, and mint. It was so unique but delicious! My only complaint is that it's a wet, drippy burger which I don't prefer, but it tasted so good I pushed through anyway lol. They rotate the burgers they serve too, so next time I go I get to see what's new for that. My husband got the lamb meatballs with the lentils and he enjoyed it very much. His only complaint was that there were only 4 of them, but this is just a good note for next time to order more. All in all, I give it 5 stars. The staff is welcoming and our waiter Oliver was so nice, personable, and well-versed in the menu if you need help ordering. We liked him so much we're gonna ask for his section next time we come. Just as a heads up, it's a semi-casual vibe, but it's Albany so you're always gonna get a mixed bag of attire with some people a bit more dressed up. The place is also kinda tight, so I wouldn't come here if your party is bigger than 4 people, and it's definitely best to make reservations like we did since it can get pretty packed. We had a great time and will definitely be back! read more

Juanita & Maude - Lamb Meatballs & Lentils - New American Near Me - Albany, California

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Amazing, just amazing. Cocktail program is next level. Food is exquisite and creative. Loved everything about this place! Service is professional and warm, small intimate dining room is energetic and cozy. We tried the pork belly bun, lamb meat balls, and the flatiron steak. And added a side of French fries. All of it was 10/10, highly recommended. For dessert we tried a fenugreek meringue pavlova with Meyer lemon ice cream or sorbet. Weird and wonderful! The merengues were crunch, chewy and herby. The ice cream was sweet and so delicious. Together it's all perfect bites. Street parking was fine on a Friday night. read more

The team at Juanita and Maude deserve five stars for their service: our waitress (had a red sweater dress) didn't let our water glass stay empty and was exceptionally professional in the way she removed dirty dishes between courses. . We shared the roasted chicken and the risotto. The chicken had an scrumptious crust and was a decent portion with potatoes and an amazing sauce. The risotto was flavored perfectly. My partner tried a mocktail (That's not All) and it was extremely smooth and unusual. We shared dessert (pavlovas with a fruit sorbet) which was only so-so as the meringues were tough and not pillowy as we expected. All in all Juanita and Maude is a great romantic spot for date night or fun for Moms-Night-Out. read more

If you haven't tried Juanita & Maude, you're missing out!! The restaurant is so cute and perfect for a small gathering with friends or a romantic date night. I came here a little late on a Thursday, and the bar and kitchen were still open. I started with an espresso martini and it was made to perfection! It was extremely aesthetically pleasing, I did not want to drink it! But when I did, I was quick to order a second. It was delicious! I had several desserts that paired well with the espresso martini. All desserts tasted extremely light and had great flavoring. I definitely want to come back and try some entrees on their menu! Definitely stop by if you are in the area!! read more

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Love their cocktail menu! Their "oops did I do that" is a fun tiki drink with a lil' meringue. Sneaky how strong these are. To start we ordered crispy noodle salad, crab on homemade cracker appetizer, and shrimp tempura appetizer. Our mains were the oxtail and gnocchi - gnocchi was super rich and buttery- a few bites are heavenly and then it becomes almost too much. Loved the oxtails though- they were so tender and fell off the bone easily. For desert we had a banana caramel flan- more on the savory side but it was really delicious and unexpected! I'd love to come back again- it's a perfect place for a date night. read more

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This is my second time at the restaurant and seem to come every time we have a big celebration. If I lived closer to here, I would definitely be here more often because the menu does change from time to time. Everyone who works here is super kind and we have not had a bad experience at all Take a look at some of the pictures I posted for the latest menu and what we got. The highlight for me was the duck confit and banana flan. Oh I can't forget the steak and fruits perfectly cooked. The gnocchi with mushrooms was also very memorable. Let's be real. I pretty much liked everything I ate. Drinks I tried something that was supposed to remind you of nacho cheese. It was interesting for sure. Probably not the drink I would go for, but you do actually get reminders of sitting at a ballpark eating nacho cheese. Try it if you're feeling adventurous. Def will be back! read more

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Fantastic flavors here! The pavlova dessert was one of the most interesting dishes I think I've ever had... Sweet, tart, spicy, savory all on one! And the rest of our dinner was equally delicious. read more

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I had such a high expectation coming to this restaurant, but unfortunately I only can give this place a three star rating. Our party of four came with a prior reservation and we got seated right away around 5:30. The place was a bit empty when we arrived on Wednesday but it got busier after 7 PM. We each ordered some different cocktails to start the evening and everyone loved their drink. I personally think this place makes some great cocktails as I really enjoyed my honey badger cocktail. For the appetizer we got: 1. Chicken liver pate that came on top of saltine cracker (3/5). $20 for two small portion. In my opinion it should have come with a separate pate and crackers on the side. So it can be shareable for the table. Our party of four had to order two portions of this. 2. Shrimp tempura (4/5). I thought the tempura was good, but nothing really special as you can easily order this at other restaurant. 3. Little gem and Asian pear salad (4/5). It was also good with some refreshing ingredients and dressing, but again it didn't blow my mind away. 4. The bread that came with Meyer lemon dill butter. (3/5). I prefer the bread a bit warmer or toastier. The butter I can easily make it at home too. So, nothing special. For the main course, each couple ordered the steak frites and fried catfish. 1. Steak frites (3/5). I am steak lover and always on a hunt for a good steakhouse place. However the steak frites they served a bit lack of flavor. The meat was tender but I found it a bit boring in taste. I enjoyed the fries that came with it more. 2. Fried catfish (3/5). The fried fish was just okay but the rice grits that came with was so bland. It needed more seasoning for my palate. I also thought the hot sauce on the side came from just a bottle from the store (Frank's RedHot) not homemade For the dessert we ordered some pistachio cannolis and beignet. I thought the price for two small cannolis ($18) was too overpriced. The beignets tasted more like donut holes with filling than beignets. All in all, I gave this place a three not for the food as I was expecting the food to be more creative not just ordinary. The service and the cocktails, on the other hand, were wonderful! read more

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I am drooling just thinking about my last meal here. Do yourself a favor and treat yourself at least once here. I get that it's a pricey place, but with food this good I'd give them whatever they asked me for. I happy danced the entire time from the app to the drinks to the main course... LOVE at first bite. I might ask the chef to marry me. read more

I was so amazed to find that this is a black owned establishment!!! The food is very authentic I enjoyed my entire experience at the restaurant. The food, drinks and the staff are 10's all across the bored read more

Juanita & Maude - Catfish and fries - New American Near Me - Albany, California

This lovely restaurant is in the El Cerrito California area. It has great food service and ambiance. The service workers there are very polite, fast and helpful. I often send my son gift certificates and he is able to cash them in for a quick gift. If you live in that area, I had to recommend you go in there. Delicious food. read more

"It's a Spanish dish. It's a mlange of fish, an meat with rice. Very tasty." - George Costanza, Seinfeld da Scene: Another special occasion dinner w/ my girls and this spot NEVER disappoints. When we cross the threshold and see the beautiful bar, I know we're in for another good night. Barkeep/Mixologist greets us like Norm @ Cheers, waves and gets a host to check us in. da Grub: Libations are always fun here, I mean, how can you resist a Bulgogi spiced rye or a Pandan punch w/ banana foam? Then the starters of the familliar Ahi tartare, lively Baba ganouch, and savory Asparagus w/ pecorino fonduta (soooo good!). For mains, the girls did the Ribeye and Halibut, I went Pork chop. All delicately prepared proteins, w/ perfect temps; melty med-rare beef, tender & flakey fish, and a beautifully juicy-brined chop. Attention to detail of the sides, as well as wine pairings. da Service: Great timing, things flowed from check-in to check-out, wine glasses filled, attentive, but not overly so. Like meeting up with a good friend, each time you pick up where you left off, just like you saw them yesterday. See you soon! read more

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Ditto the other reviews that the food is fantastic though pricey for the area. Never had a bad meal or even a bad dish here. But if you're wondering if you should order "the burger" (there's 30+ reviewers talking about it, as if there was a single burger consistently available), be aware that J&M has offered 20+ different versions of "the burger" over time so while you might have loved #7 you would have had less luck with #13 or vice-versa. If you like the ingredients on the burger du jour, you'll probably love what J&M does with them. Also, this is not the place where a light bulb goes on in your head and you go. To paraphrase Boromir: One does not simply walk into Juanita & Maude's. Unless you're ok with seating at 5pm or 8:30pm (and reserve with a per-person credit card deposit), you'd best plan your adventure a week or two in advance. The menu changes with the seasons and fresh ingredients, but if there's a raw tuna appetizer we get that for sure. The wine-by-the-glass menu has imported varietals that I always have to google. Fun to experiment but maybe ask for a small taste before committing. There's indoor seating as well as a patio with heat lamps. Romantic, fun, and worth the splurge. Oh, and OK to park in the Mechanics Bank lot (north, on the same block). read more

i saw a reviw that touted a "Michelin Star" burger at Juanita and Maude's. My burger-loving friend and I had to check it out. Street parking wihtin a block or so. Reservations are tough to get so went on a Tuesday around 6. We were seated in a corner on the covered patio. Heat lamps helped for the chilly Carl the fog. Service was nice and attentive. Real nice vibe on the patio. Of course, my buddy and I both had the burger. Our wives both had the fried chicken. Burger was good, altough somewhat unremarkable. Same with the fried chicken. We also had iced teas and desserts. Good food, but didnt knock our socks off. Bottom line: Very expensive for slightly above average food. Doubt we'll be back. One other thing. My wife had some leftovers which they offered to box up for us. When we got home they only boxed to fried chicken and left out the sides. A little thing, but for the price, was expecting better. read more

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Juanita and Maude is a wonderful restaurant. Good food, good service.Sometimes hard to get a reservation due to its popularity...

This place is so good. I have now been twice and the food and drinks are just amazing. Everything we've eaten here has been top notch, but the burger! The burger is everything. Come here with friends so you can try multiple dishes. Also I like sitting in the back patio area. It's covered and they have heaters but you can still enjoy the outdoors. read more

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4.5 stars Who woulda thought this lovely gem existed in Albany. Now when I think of Albany Bulb, I think, yes, lets go to Juanita & Maude, great idea *lightbulb*. I wore a dress, just for kicks, but after stepping out of my car, I was hit by a breeze and questioned my outfit. Luckily, the back patio was covered and heated lamps were laid out across the room. Sweet. Little Gems - I love a good salad and this was a good salad. Simple yet delicious. Portion was huge, veggies were fresh, vinaigrette was right Steak w chimichurri - The side of salad was good however, looking at the plate, it kind of took over the dish. There were three pieces of steak, very good i might add, however, just a tad small portion IMO Ribs and Brisket - i'm not really a ribs girly but this was really good. The meat was tender and had lots of flavor. Brisket was not bad but the ribs won me over. The side of beans had a kick. Beignets - Nothing special, I would pass on this. Overall, great service, nice ambiance, good food. read more

Wow I'm so glad I came across this place! I sat at the bar because I was eating solo and I love when restaurants are super welcoming to solo eaters. There is seating for 2 to 6 people I believe at tables. I loved the style of the bar and the restaurant is cozy and has a delicate trim of unique paintings. I got a gin cocktail with cherry foam that was perfectly sweetened and made. I started with the freshly baked bread with dill butter that was so nicely baked. I then got the beet salad with mandarins with a thin peel that you can eat. This was topped on some chèvre and my gosh, this was amazing. The mint and hazelnuts paired perfectly with it. I finished my meal with a kingfish that was deliciously seasoned, with an amazing hot mustard sauce on the side, king mushroom, and gai lan. Everything worked so well together. I ate it slowly to savor the unique flavors. The staff were incredibly nice. I really enjoyed my experience here and plan to come back again! Great food, good staff and lovely environment. read more

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The food NEVER disappoints. Perfectly balanced dish. Oxtails were tender and so well seasoned. Our waiter suggested the perfect wine pairing. Always a bit noisy, especially since the woman at the next table screamed through our entire dinner. Try for the back room. It's romantic and quieter. One of my local faves. read more

Juanita & Maude - Oxtail curry - New American Near Me - Albany, California

Spectacular food and sweet service! Our first time at Juanita and Maude. OMG. The flavors! Our favorite was the ahi tuna tartare, but everything was awesome, and superb service by Oliver (who made great menu suggestions) and all the other staff, too. Thank you for a lovely evening. read more

Juanita & Maude - Ahi tuna tartare nori chips at Juanita and Maude - New American Near Me - Albany, California

Food is fine but prices are insanely high- out of touch with other restaurants of the same type Ambiance is cute though read more

Delicious food, good service, awesome holiday drinks! The best restaurant in Albany, CA - hands down. read more

Juanita & Maude - New American Near Me - Albany, California

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Great food, but very expensive with $30-50 items on the menu. Fabulous wine selection and amazing flavors. A high-end restaurant worth the visit! read more

Juanita & Maude - Desserts! - New American Near Me - Albany, California

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I realize it's somewhat "apples to oranges" to compare The Little Hill to a major city, but this place just did not meet the mark for fine dining. The ambience (both inside and outside) and service was 10/10 and if only the food had been worth the exorbitant price, this place would be 5/5. They either need to lower the prices or up the quality of food. I ordered a cocktail, Charlie Bit Me, which was a bit watered down and the Steak Frites which came out to $80 + tip. The steak was uninspired; I could cook it at home. The Brussels were flavorless; they were soggy (blanched maybe?) but felt like punishment to eat. I prefer mine roasted, crispy and spicy and/or sweet. The only thing that felt semi-special was the tarragon Béarnaise sauce but certainly not worth this price point. I want more top-not restaurants in Albany/El Cerrito, so I hope this review will inspire some change in their dishes. read more

A fantastic meal just slightly off-the-beaten-path that is serving fresh (literally just picked fruits are a highlight) food in an upscale restaurant. Every dish is perfectly balanced. Service is excellent and very familiar with the menu - and offers great guidance on just what to eat, what's freshest, etc. The restaurant can feel a bit crowded, but that's just the reality of the low-margins restaurant industry. And while everything was lovely, nothing truly stood out. It's an excellent neighborhood spot with incredibly-seasonal cooking. read more

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Always 5-star service at this place, but I weight the food most heavily and it dragged my rating down. It used to be a favorite. I hadn't been in a while but we went last week for a birthday celebration. It was not as I remembered. The entrees did not live up to the price tag - not even close. I ordered Steak Frites. It was perfect medium rare, but with each piece I had to chew, and chew, and chew, until I was left with a lump of gristle - rather than spit it, I forced it down... with a price tag north of $50 I was sorely disappointed. My companions had similar experiences with their lamb dishes. Well cooked, but a challenge in the mouth. I'll stick to fish if I summon up the courage to return. read more

Great service. Patio vibe pleasant. Ordered four main entrees.Dishes were good not great and one was ok. Price higher than most so we expected more. Our party of four joked that dessert was the best part! read more

Love Juanita and Maude. It is often my go to place when I can afford it. Always something delicious to try even if you think you won't like it. Nick, always welcoming, Julia, michael make this a wonderful place to be. read more

The service and food was excellent. A little pricey, but you get what you pay for. Truly worth it.

We've been meaning to try this place for a long time and many folks we know speak highly of it. Well, we went, and, well, it's ok, but honestly, we'll go somewhere else for the money next time. The food was cooked well, and the plating looked nice, but the whole time there just felt lacking a certain something. Plus, my lamb was not well trimmed and had not insignificant gristle in it, and service, while fine, was, how can I put it, impersonally friendly. And we noticed the table next door getting things we didn't: an amuse, and bread (you have to ask for it maybe?), and a mini-dessert when they didn't order an actual dessert. I mean, it's a nice touch for the guest to get a little sweet at the end if they didn't order dessert, but we did order their pretty expensive dessert (which was very tasty), and maybe we could have got that little sweet as a pre-dessert too; that would have been nice. Bottom line: disappointed. read more

This is a really cool spot. The service is beyond excellent. The food itself was average at best for an upscale spot. I like that the restaurant has a lot of different origins of food, and the pairings are very interesting and atypical. Unfortunately, although the proteins were cooked beautifully, the taste profile just didn't really appeal to me or my family. I will say the highlights were the drinks and service. I will definitely come back for those two factors alone. read more

Juanita & Maude - New American Near Me - Albany, California

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This place was incredibly mid and I'm not sure if I'm reading into it too much, but felt like other customers were attended to better than me and my party. I started to wonder if it was because we were the only people of color in there. Waiter kept checking in on the people next to us but not my group. Food was okay. read more

Juanita & Maude - New American Near Me - Albany, California

Enjoyed this restaurant, but I thought the burger was overrated. The menu is a bit expensive , this is more of a fancy date night place. High end for Albany and high level service. Check out if in the area. read more

Juanita & Maude - Steak - New American Near Me - Albany, California

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Service was good. The carrot dish was disappointing - carrots were as hard as rocks. Nice ambiance though

It's New Year's Eve and my friend flaked on me so I had dinner alone. I was feeling pretty disappointed and was cursing 2025 under my breath. Then I cried in my Cassoulet at Juanita and Maude because it felt like love...I dunno...I felt cared for eating it. It was hearty, but delicate. It felt like home. I finished dinner feeling overwhelmed with gratitude. I wish I had the vocabulary to describe how incredible Juanita & Maude truly is. Back of the house and front of the house are equally passionate about delivering a memorable experience every single time. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Juanita and Maude. read more

I had an evening planned for some rock and punk music at The Ivy Room with my bestie. Our friends' bands were playing and we always have a great time there. Anyway, we didn't plan on where to eat and were just wandering around. Lots of restaurants right there. We stopped in front of Juanita and Maude and checked out the menu. We weren't looking for something quite this pricey, but the menu looked intriguing, so we went in. It was Friday night and the place was packed. A din of happy conversations. Good vibes. Staff moving about quickly, but efficiently and with purpose, taking care of everybody. Two bartenders banging out cocktails at the bar with some style and speed. The host greeted us with a friendly smile and asked if we had a reservation. We did not, so he said he could have something for us in about five minutes. No problem. We were seated at a cozy table in the back area, which was perfect. Quiet enough to hear each other talk. A waitress was lighting nice votive candles and placing them on each table as the evening service was getting into full swing. The atmosphere was comfortable and romantic. Looking over the menu, which the host said is newly printed every day, there were lots of interesting choices. I'm not ashamed to say that I picked the hamburger because it was the cheapest entree on the menu at $27, but it did look like an interesting choice. Ginger aioli, fresh pecorino, jalapeno, curry-pickled onion, mango, and cilantro. I gotta try this thing. Ok, listen. I am not shi**ing you. This is the best effing hamburger I have had in my entire life. I am a burger snob and the best burger I had ever had prior to this was in 2013 at Underwood in Graton (Sonoma County). But this burger. This burger blew my mind. It was the prefect savory umami psychedelic acid trip for the taste buds perfectly comforting hug of burger love. Again, I must remind you. I am really totally not shi**ing you. The star here was the way the mango interacted with the heat of the jalapeno to create this perfect mystical lost chord of taste, but without overpowering the rest of the ingredients. The rest of the ingredients were there to support the mango-heat note, but still came through on their own. It was still a burger. But an elevated, enlightened, nirvana burger. Ok, whew... Breathe... But I do have to mention the French fries. I appreciated that they were served with both ketchup and mayo, so I did not have to ask. Perfectly crispy on the outside and everything a fry should be. As good as Bobby Flay's in Vegas. Yeah, the ones that made Bourdain cry from jealousy. That good. My bestie enjoyed a miso-grilled asparagus dish as well as some pork belly buns. She said they were both amazing. I rounded out my meal with a Bellingham English Brown Ale. I should mention that the beer menu itself is pretty interesting here. It's a really good thing I don't live near this place or I would need a second job. Or two. Service was perfect. We joked a bit with our excellent waitress. Everyone on the staff was on point and professional. Busy and focused, but not stressed. All in all, a wonderful dining experience. That burger, though. read more

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Loved the food. I'd recommend the steak and frites. The fries will be the crispiest you've ever had and I don't usually like non-shoestring fries. Service was exceptional and the food was top notch. read more

Im gonna be real and direct on this one: average food that is extremely expensive in an average environment. The menu changes often, but for this recent menu, it left me unimpressed with this restaurant. The slightly dimmed stars of the show were the apps: the eggs and the ahi handroll. But that's where it really stops. We were unimpressed with the $16 cocktails. We just went to Michelin star Niku in SF whose $18 cocktails were some of the best I've had. These were not made well, especially hitting at that $16 mark. The pasta was cooked well and great texture, but bland. It needed one more flavor to bring it home. The ahi tuna at $40ish with three small circular pieces. It was prepared well, but not very substantial. We ordered a bbq meal of ribs and brisket, beans and coleslaw to go for $50 thinking it would be dinner for 2ish. It was 3 ribs, 2 tiny portions of fatty brisket and 2 tablespoons of beans and slaw. It was fine, but nothing warranting the price:food ratio. To be fair: this was not eaten on-site but at home. And now we get to ambiance. It's fine, albeit generic. They gave us a 2 top inside, by the window. No music vibes to speak of, no fresh flowers. Ultimately, you're paying Chez Panisse prices without the craftsman home, heath plates, and upscale service; you're paying Wood Tavern prices and lacking the quality and quantity. Overall, a pass from me, but solid enough for a try if the current menu looks enticing. read more

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Service was great, warm and professional. Drinks were interesting, explained well ( I don't like sweet cocktails) and delicious. The food was also variable and all delicious. I've been twice. Once with a big party and we all had fun the other for a serious conversation which went well. The staff read the situations and were perfectly appropriate. read more

A seemingly small restaurant on San Pablo near Solano in Albany. Not so small when you realize they have an entire back yard area with lighting and swell ambiance. Everything on the menu sounds great but really you can only eat so much! Right? The four of us shared everything. From appetizers and drinks to entrees. There was literally no room for dessert. So I guess we need to go back! Our server was attentive and yet gave us space to chat in a relaxed time frame. We were second round and almost closed the restaurant. Savoring every bite while sharing and discussing the properties of the recipe. So much fun. Just us girls. read more

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