Love this place. Everything we've had has been great, except the "chips". I know they are supposed to be traditional and not actual chips but they are so hard and burnt. Hope they listen to the reviews and change them or just add some regular chips. read more

Amazing food and amazing vibes. Came from the soccer game and it was the best choice. From the chips and salsa and guacamole to the Chamorro al pastor with soo many choices as sides. Everything I tried its was amazing.! Full bar and great staff. Friendly and fast. Teresa and Jocelyn are the best. Alameda needed this place..! Thank you so much for bringing this to our neighborhood. read more

We were looking forward to trying this restaurant. We went early, about 6 pm. But even then the live music being played was incredibly loud. I mean super loud, to the point where we couldn't even hear the person seated next to us at the table. So we left without ordering. The decor was pretty. Maybe I'll go back someday and try the food - if they cut the noise. read more

I'll start by saying it has a nice atmosphere and the drinks look good. Service was average nothing extraordinary. The thing that jumps out at you first and foremost are the prices! Outrageous!! BUT after the sticker shock I kept it to myself and wanted the food to warrant those prices. We ordered the Pork belly, Ox tail birria, appetizer and 2 kids tacos plates. Pork belly was drenched in oil and made my mom sick, Ox tail was good but def not worth what they are asking for. Kids tacos were good. So for 2 entrees, app and 2 kids plates we ended up spending $200!!! They tacked on a 20% "large group" for me, my wife, mom and 3 young kids. The food was decent but forgettable. If the prices were lowered we might consider going back. We really wanted to like this place because we live around the corner but safe to say we won't be coming back. read more

Went for a birthday celebration-my husband ordered the steak, my son the pork and I a veg meal. All of the favors were balanced, full and very filling. So filling that I'd suggest ordering family style with one less dish for a party of four. Margaritas were wonderful. And to top it off birthday dessert with a candle and a song. Just enough to properly embarrass the birthday boy. read more

Just finished our meal and we are already planning our next night out. From the tamales, to the, drinks, sauces, and sides everything was on point. You could tell that the food was made with a lot of love and served with pride. This is truly a new gem for Alameda read more

I had an amazing experience here! This was my second visit, and once again, everything was excellent. The service was outstanding, and one of the owners was especially kind and welcoming. The food was absolutely delicious 10/10 and the margaritas were incredible. I highly recommend this place and will definitely be coming back! read more

Well - that was amazing. Two of us walked in on a Saturday evening at 7:30 and we were seated right away. The food blew our minds. It was really delicious. AND out server Theresa was so attentive, friendly and considerate. All of the staff was pleasant to be around. You should go, it's worth it! We shared the Jefitas Mole and we still had to take some home. We'll be back. Also I enjoyed the unique and authentic decor. read more

Delicious mole Cornish hen and a pork dish. I bit pricey. Very good service. Highly recommend.

This is a fun new place and the food was good. The waitress we had was rude, though, so I'm on the fence about returning. We hadn't gotten our drinks and we inquired about them and the waitress was clearly irritated when we asked. We also asked for something later in the meal that she forgot and she actually stopped in her tracks and stared at us with look of sheer annoyance for several seconds. I've never seen anything like it before. It's too bad because this place has promise. Once I see reviews saying that the service has improved, I'll consider returning. read more

The way this place is decorated had me staring at the room for a while. It is rustic, classy, and cozy. The staff were friendly and the food made me extremely joyful. I'm particular about my chilaquiles and my mole, so I got both combined and I am coming back to try more dishes; it was crunchy and mole was sweet yet savory. My husband and I came there to celebrate our anniversary and left extremely full. We also did try the waffle churro which straight up tasted like a delicious churro. He also got the breakfast pambazo. Delicious. read more

My wife and I had dinner at Lena yesterday and the meal and service was outstanding. I highly recommend this restaurant. I had the pork shank and my wife had the stuffed poblano pepper and the tamales. All where wonderful. The menu had so many items that looked wonderful, we will be going back. read more

Excellent food and the service we received from Teresa was amazing. The reason for the 3 stars was because the hostess was indifferent and clueless. She seemed to not really care about her job. Lastly the place is extremely loud. Between the customers loud voices and the blaring music, it is not a pleasant dining experience. We probably won't return. read more

It's new so we didn't get our food at the same time but that's fine. They're working it out. For my taste the music was a little too loud lending to a loud atmosphere. The food was very tasty. Not a good spot for kids yet but again I'm sure they'll work that out. read more

I had a very disappointing experience at Lenas The customer service was terrible from start to finish, and unfortunately the food did not make up for it. The restaurant tries to "elevate" authentic dishes, but the execution completely misses the mark. For example, the mole and ceviche was strange and unbalanced -- I have never had ceviche with oregano, and it simply did not work. The mole itself tasted inauthentic and overly simplified. Their "grandma's recipe" seemed to contain only guajillo chile and cumin. Authentic mole is complex and layered, made with a combination of chiles, seeds, spices, and other ingredients. The chicken was also full of bones, which made the dish unpleasant to eat. The drinks were equally disappointing. They seriously need to hire an experienced mixologist because the cocktails lacked balance and flavor. Even the rice was bad dry and hard. To make matters worse, the pricing was outrageous. We ordered two plates, two appetizers, and two drinks, and the bill came out to almost $300. The quality and experience did not justify the cost at all. Overall, I would not return or recommend this restaurant. read more

If you are looking to eat authentic and delicious mexican food do NOT come here. To start off customer service is not up to par. You walk in and employees do not greet you and basically ignore you. Ive been to a bunch of Mexican restaurants where they have been super welcoming and pleasant but not this spot. The food portions do not match the ridiculous prices!!!! My party ordered a variety of their dishes. The rib eye was well done and basically burnt to a crips after I asked for it medium rare. We got some chilaquiles and they forgot the extra protein i asked for on the side (which was an additional charge that was NOT removed from my bill after not receiving it with my food). Two of the pambazos we ordered were extremely greasy which grease is expected because its dipped in oil to cook but the amount of oil they had was disgusting. Not to mention we had to wait around 45 minutes for our food to be ready. No one came to apologize for the significant wait. All of my party but one person had received their food and we had to wait an additional 15-20 minutes for them to finally get their food. Honestly save your time and money and actually go to a place that actually serves AUTHENTIC mexican food. Saw this place online and everyone raved about it but it is a HARD PASS for me. read more

Customer service is terrible. I understand this place is fairly new but it needs some serious work. We waited 10 minutes before anyone even acknowledged our presence. There was a long line of people waiting for the host to manage the crowd. The host was clearly inexperienced and had no idea how to manage the crowd. When we were finally addressed, the host was very unhelpful and had a terrible attitude. This place needs more staff or a better host. The host was clearing plates and setting tables while the line of people waited for service. After 30min, we were finally seated. There were several empty tables so the wait was due to poor crowd control. After ordering a drink and appetizer, we were informed that almost half the menu of entrees was out for the night. That would have been nice to know before waiting 30min to be seated. Not a great first impression. To be fair, our appetizer and drinks were very good but the service and experience were poor. Would be willing to try this place again but they need to do some work to fix these issues. read more

Amazing food. Ambiance was incredible. Excellent customer service. We went for the brunch and had the most tasty drinks. 10/10

Food was amazing, authentic mexican food ! Delicious and fresh!! Customer service was top tier . Loved the ambiance and the cleanliness of the restaurant. Lastly very family oriented and kid friendly we went with a 13yr old, 7 yr old and 1 yr old. Definitely will be going often for date nights and family day out !! So happy to have this new addition in Alameda. read more

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We have eaten here twice and it was outstanding both times! Everyone in our group loved their food and the drinks are delicious. Special mentions to the margaritas de la casa, banana whiskey drink, and bidi bidi bom! Truly a gem and the decor is so unique and true to the vibe. Our server Theresa is so friendly and welcoming that we immediately felt comfortable. Recommend 10/10! read more

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Such a cute place! Love the exterior and interior decor. The food was wonderful! Satisfying portions and tasty. Our server Mayte and everyone we interacted with were friendly and attentive. We asked for recommendations and Mayte was helpful and knowledgeable. It's a bit pricey but we think it's worth it. 2 Appetizers, 2 entrees, 1 dessert and 2 alcoholic drinks over $200 incl tip. There were 3 of us. But we will definitely be back. read more

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My husband and I were excited to try this new place. We had brunch there yesterday, and it was outstanding! Very lovely menu items that exceed other menus in the area. Sophisticated and innovative cuisine. Great service, terrific food and wonderful ambiance! They did a great job in decorating and murals on the walk up are great! We can't wait for the outside patio to open! Will be back for dinner! read more

Wonderful food and service and overall atmosphere. Lucky to get a table as a walk in around 5p on a Friday night before it got busy. Already thinking about what to have when we come back to try brunch. read more

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Ambiance was cozy, felt like Walnut Creek. Tostadas were just okay. The pork belly and tortillas were good. Drinks were good. The issue is the service. They are a new restaurant and busy but we shouldn't have to track down someone for water and to order after 25 minutes of waiting. Food came out in random order. No one came to check on us until the very end. She appeared to be a manager. They never recognized the birthday celebration. Simply put, front of house needs more training. read more

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If I could rate lower I would...I have 6:30 reservations and it's now 8:00 and still have not received our food...took an hour for the chips and salsa to show up at the table...family restaurant that probably not going to make it....food is not so good to wait for the crappy service read more

Good food (small portions on some of the dishes) but extremely overpriced. Drinks are good. This is more of a date night vibe and once a year type restaurant. read more

I recently went to Lanier restaurant as part of a group dinner for the Alameda pulse dinner group. My drink order probably took about 20 minutes. The server didn't seem to really care about getting it to me even though I asked her three times. I wanted a blended margarita, but the blender was broken. The restaurant is very noisy when full. I had the Abuelo's Carnitas, which was one of their recommended dishes that I found not very delicious. I've had better Carnitas at some of the Oakland taco trucks. The Carnitas were accompanied by two sides. I chose rice and beans. The servings were tiny. At this point, I probably wouldn't return, but it's a new restaurant give it a try. read more

Best mole ever I could taste all the spices and flavors. So good. Service was great. Tacos so good. Can't wait to try more!

this restaurant is so beautiful! the ambience inside was perfect and the bar is so cute too. we ordered the carnitas plate, el pastor plate and the ceviche which were all so delicious. our server treated us great and i definitely recommend supporting this family owned restaurant read more

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Service is terrible, as others have said. Food is overpriced. I had the little tostadaditos...pretty flavorless to my surprise. Basically it was an appetizer for $19. A side of quacamole was equally without discernible taste. Discovered on my own they have a drink or dessert that is a trio of slushies...they got the order wrong...with a long wait for a correction that never happened. They need more experienced waiters. I highly DO NOT RECOMMEND this restaurant. They don't have it together yet. read more

A late, light dinner at Lena this evening. Couple of the best fish tacos I've ever had, a house salad with perfectly fresh veggies, and a great Tierra Madre lager. Mayte, the server, was friendly, efficient, informative and made the excellent meal even more so. The owner, Yesenia, stopped by the table, which I learned they actually made by hand out of Redwood. The design, look and feel of this new restaurant are a terrific success. I'm already looking forward to brunch tomorrow:-} Congratulations to Lena for being such a great addition to Alameda. read more

Love the Food! ¡Authentically Mexican ! Great cocktails with an upscale experience and an amazing cuisine. read more

Beautiful ambience inside -- can't wait until the patio is ready for dining. The food was delicious! Enjoyed the chilaquiles very much and their horchata was the best I've ever had. I'll be back! read more

We made reservations, and they were on time, and very friendly. The cocktails are excellent, but no grenadine for shirley temples, so that was a disappointment for the kiddo. The kiddo ordered the street taco sampler and really liked it. Great variety of meat and tasty. I ordered the mole dish and the meat was very tender and juicy. Not a big fan of the mole. I prefer the creamy, mild chocolate moles and this one was more a tangy mole. I think it's tasty, just not my style. It was also a bit salty for my taste. My husband ordered the oxtail dish and enjoyed it but it was a bit more fatty than he likes. Overall, though the flavor was tasty (probably because the fat!). I will come back and try something else. For sure for a special occasion because it was EXPENSIVE, and not your weekly treat. Check this place out! read more

Went for dinner with group of 5. Service was good. Food was amazing. Highlights were the mole and short ribs/oxtail birria. The pork shank was also very good. It's pricey but worth it. Will be going again for dinner but also want to check out the brunch. read more

We wanted to try this restaurant. Three of us went. One person got a glass of water and the other two ordered drinks so they didn't get any water. We ordered the appetizer of guacamole with four salsas for 18.00. It was good, but the chips were so brittle that you really had a hard time using them. We ordered our food one order of ribs, one poblano chili and one shrimp. The food with Excellent. However, we only got a fork when we asked to get a knife first we were told that everything was so tender. You didn't need one. Then they gave us one. I couldn't have eaten the ribs without them unless I wanted to pick them up and chew on the bones which I didn't want to do. The corn was in a soupy kind of sauce as well as the black beans and that is hard to eat with a fork so I asked for a spoon again why wasn't this just given to begin with? Additionally, there was no salt or pepper on the table, and the food could've used either or both. And there was one napkin served with food that was kind of messy. I think the decor that they did is beautiful and the quality of the food is excellent. The prices are high and that's all right because we knew it to begin with however, the little things made the experience kind of negative. Additionally, we were given corn tortillas and they were not properly cooked. They were half raw. They need to fix those things. Why aren't you giving out silverware? Why not better napkins why not water and why not refilling glasses simple things but they change the experience. I wish them very well in their new endeavor. read more

Just NO! This place thinks that an elevated dining experience is taking an everyday tamale and cutting slivers off at an angle and serving you 1/6 of the tamale as if it were truffle pieces . I am not a big eater , you will leave with a big bill and hungry . The stylish waitress walks over to our table with some kind of attitude and casually puts her right pinky into her nose and asks us if we would like something to drink . Chips and guacamole ? You will get roughly 4-6 small chips and half of an avocado , the salad was somehow normal size . They are serving the most absolute basic Mexican food and trying to be avant-garde with attitude and presentation . The bus girl could not have been nicer . One and DONE . Never again wil I pay $150 for portions Costco gives you as samples read more

Went to the grand opening yesterday and found an elegant and spacious but crowded first night event in what was a former comedy club plus other businesses.The decor was bright with wood paneling along the wall to reflect the leña image which in Spanish means "Firewood" . Plenty of servers for the first night festivities and I enjoyed a tender and tasty order of pork ribs with tamarind BB_Q sauce along with my choice of side orders , I passed on the rice and beans for nopales (cactus) and Mexican Slaw , plus a side of garlic bread accompanied by an unknown pilsner which I enjoyed . My buddy had a lobster with rice , beans and tortillas which he rated as execellent . For first night entertainment there was traditional ballet folklorico , Mariachi and a young Banda group. It was lot for one night but we all had a great time and I'll return to taste somme oof the other dishes they have . Not one burrito on the menu which makes me like it all the more read more

Prices are ridiculous for small amounts of food served. $35 for 7 x-small tortillas tacos. Not worth it. Better places elsewhere. Ride over the bridge to East Oakland and get some REAL food. read more

Leňa was a great surprise from the entrance with a beautiful mural of the owners' family to the warm ambience within, the friendly service and the high quality food. Everything was tasty, and we'll be sure to order the perfectly seasoned grilled branzino, the smoked-turkey black beans and the bread pudding again. As someone who has high expectations when I eat at a restaurant, I enthusiastically recommend Leña. It is a great addition to the Island! read more