The ambiance is nice, however the service left could have been more polite. When entering the restaurant, rudely questioned concerning the number in our party, which was originally 2 but changed the day before and accepted the new reservation of 3. I was the 3rd wheel and did not feel welcomed. When our table was approached to take our order we were not asked if we were ready to order, I felt pressured to rush and order. The scallops were good however the purée yams were too sweet and did not compliment the scallops. Dessert menus were thrown on the table, however I order dessert the bread pudding which was very good and the flourless cake. I was introduced to this restaurant when a friend had her bridal shower here and it was excellent before the pandemic. However since then the quality of food is not the same. I would also recommend for sanitary reason do not use your bare hands to hold the bread for slicing, especially after touching menus and various other items. ( This was my Mother's Day celebration and I wanted a great experience). read more

I'm really embarrassed it took me so long to visit. Real fine dining in downtown Hayward. We loved the backyard patio filled with flowers and plenty of space. Fantastic service, five-star wine selection, on-point fare. We'll be back for sure! read more

Delicious! Not only a gem in Hayward, but an East Bay diamond! The atmosphere is quiet and romantic! The service was perfect! I had the best filet I have had in years, maybe ever! My husband had the rack if lamb, extraordinary! Everyone in our party was very happy and impressed with this amazing restaurant! read more

Took my hubby here for his birthday and we will be back. We enjoyed everything, the wine, the salad, the entrées, the dessert and the service. A place you must try. read more

Food was ok. Definitely not the same as good as the reviews claimed. The waiter is rude. Totally did not enjoyed the experience. I wouldn't go back. read more

I've been here twice in the past quarter as it's on the fancy side and good for business entertainment and dates. There was a customer's crying baby during my last visit but it feels like you're in somebody's house so it was acceptable. You can park in the street or there's parking in the back if you take a narrow driveway. They served complimentary sliced sour dough loaf bread with balsamic/olive oil. Decent wine selection but small beer selection. The olive starter was tasty for just $6. The iced tea was 90% ice but they kept refilling it with their responsive service. My first visit I had ribeye, it was cooked and seasoned well, didn't appear dry aged or anything fancy but was a generous portion. My coworker from Houston even commented on the ribeye steak size. I had bread pudding for dessert which was shareable, warm, and delicious. My second visit I ordered rosemary lamb rack medium rare. My first piece was medium rare and perfect, the second was equivalent. The third had a large purple center and pretty raw even after resting for 15 minutes on my plate. So the rack was perfectly seasoned but not cooked evenly. I think there were 4 pieces total on a scoop of rice and a few slices of potatoes. I had plenty of room for dessert ordering the lamb. The cheese cake was cooked to perfection and had no bubbles or cracks. The chocolate cake was also rich and creamy and the desserts were enjoyable. Atmosphere includes lower light setting with small candles and lighting is romantic. Clean white linens on the tables and white linen napkins. The crowd had people in their 50-60s and girls dolled up treating themselves to wine and the atmosphere. Also people dating and behaving with their first impression filters on. Service could be more engaging regarding offerings and I'd like to see more shareable starters. The reservation voicemail I left never received a call back so I made an open table online reservation which just showed every time slot available. Dinner at opening time of 5:30PM had many open seats, didn't get too crowded on a weekday. There's not many fancy places to eat in Hayward and this place offers a quality experience in what feels like somebody's house. The guys at the office call the place Luminati. read more

This is a great place to go for a cozy and quaint dinner. The host was very nice and attentive and handled everything in the restaurant. It's super cute, I love it. read more

Excellent service and food. I had the rack of lamb which was cooked perfectly. The roasted potatoes, heirloom grains and pomegranate reduction sauce complimented the lamb in just the right way. We ended the meal with the flourless chocolate cake with ganache, hazelnut truffle and caramel coffee sauce. The glass of Cabernet Sauvignon that the waiter recommended was a delicious pairing with both the lamb and the dessert. I will be back soon. read more

Tonight I had my first experience here, and I wasn't overly impressed. A friend graciously invited me to celebrate here so it's always slightly more difficult to be critical when someone has invited you to share a special occasion. Personally I feel like it's a bit like looking a gift horse in the mouth. Nevertheless, I'm going to give it my best assessment since I don't plan on going back anytime soon. We had reservations and there was no problem being seated promptly. As far as I could tell their only host and server were one in the same. During the duration of our visit there weren't any pleasant considerations save the drink refills. In a "fine" dining establishment I expect the server to introduce themselves, to ask if the seating is acceptable, to inquire about the quality of the food, and maybe welcome the party to return at a future date. Needless to say those courtesies were absolutely absent, in fact we only got a hint of a smile after the bill was settled. We had the Cesar salad, the wild mushroom bruschetta, the cioppino, rack of lamb, and the ribeye steak minus the horseradish. The salad had an unexpected spicy touch, the cioppino was too watery and slightly under-seasoned, and the sides accompanying the entrees were both disappointing (pilaf and potato, I think). The lamb, their saving grace, was cooked and seasoned well (cooked medium), and the ribeye was a generous cut with a fairly decent flavor (cooked medium). We both had the flourless chocolate cake, but honestly that dessert was nothing to write a review about....maybe another night?!? read more

A real gem of Hayward. I've driven past this place hundreds of times but never even thought it was a restaurant. The overall dining experience had subtle differences to other fancy dining experiences but spoke in great lengths of the thoughtfulness and experience. Hopefully the rest of this review can explain. Customer Service: The host (presumably the owner) was also our waiter. He wasn't overly emotional about anything. What I mean by that is sometimes you will get waiters/waitresses that will stare at you intently until you say something and other times you get service where the person has mentally checked out. Our host was there and ready to serve. He never stopped by our table without pouring us more of the wine we brought in or refilling our waters. He didn't bother us unless there was something that we needed or that he saw we needed. In fewer words: he was simple, direct, and purposeful which to me is the best dining experience. The Food: I ordered the ribeye and my GF ordered the lamb shanks. Both were excellent choices and highly recommended. I've been to fancy steakhouses where the steaks would come out greasy and would taste like nothing. My steak was probably 20oz and all of it was tender, juicy, well seasoned, and not greasy. This steak was prepared in a way that allowed me to enjoy the taste of what the meat tastes like and nothing extra was needed. The steak was served with what seemed like blanched spinach and scalloped potatoes. The spinach had a distinct lemon zest that really cut through the meat taste. The scalloped potatoes were crunchy and not dried out or clumpy. The lamb shanks were quite delicious. I usually hate lamb or do my best to avoid eating it. But these lamb shanks were something else. They were even more tender and juicier than my steak. There was flavors of rosemary and other seasonings before it got to the gaminess, which was not overwhelming at all. If you're able to come by and get a table; this is an absolute must dine. read more

Neumanali - Lamb shank - New American Near Me - Hayward, California

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I called and left a message to make reservations for Valentine's day. They called me back and said they were completely booked so I asked no if Saturday was available even though it's 2 days after Valentine's day since my wife and I don't mind celebrating late. We arrived exactly at our reservation time at 530pm. The door was still closed and lights dimmed. Normally I wouldn't mind waiting, but my toddler son and wife were freezing out in the cold so I knocked since I saw someone walked by and opened the blinds. He totally ignored me 10min later he opens the door and brings the sign out and with a very unfriendly tone says come in. We were the first customers there. He asks for our reservations. I told him my name and he said I wasn't on the book. I told him I called and spoke to a man to confirm. He waits then says I'll take you in a very creepy tone. The restaurant is dead silent. Then music turns on but it was still a very eerie feeling. I thought the waiter was upset at us for not being on the book and bringing a toddler to a small dining restaurant, but that wasn't the case. I observed how he treated everybody else and noticed that he has this monotone voice and he doesn't smile or have any personality. When our food arrived it was mediocre at best. My wife's ribeye was not really tender and my rack of lamb was just alright. It seems like they try to make all their foods with a little acidity on the sides or the sauce. Which is fine, to balance the richness, but it was still mediocre. We noticed he was the only person working the front doing everything. Host, server, busser, and taking calls. I give him credit for managing all that by himself, but for christ sake hire at least one more person. You're not going to lose that much profit with a little bit of help. Prices were about $32-35 for most entrees, which is is pretty competitive for higher end dining for this area, but it's totally not worth it. When we were done with our dinner, I kindly asked the waiter for the check and a to go box for my wife. He got the box fairly quick and packed it for us. We both decided to ditch dessert and go somewhere else instead. Check came, I paid and still tipped, but will never come back. I've always been a person who cared more about the food than the service, but when you're food is average and your service is that poor I honestly don't know how you're still running a business. I guess because Hayward desperately needs more competition for fine dining restaurants. read more

After orientation at CSUEB me and my sister decided to stop by and treat ourselves to some dessert! Loved the patio ambiance & old fashioned bread dessert! Our server was very sweet! Thank you! read more

Neumanali - New American Near Me - Hayward, California

Was invited to a friend's celebratory dinner in Downtown Hayward. I don't recall the last time that I've dined in Hayward, but I was looking forward to this dinner affair in Hayward. Arriving at the restaurant, the business is the first floor of a three story Victorian that was located across the street from the Hayward City Hall. The restaurant has about a dozen tables with an outdoor patio area. The dining room was quaint and was nicely decorated. Our server, Abren, which we noticed during the evening, was the only person working the floor. He was host, waiter and busser that didn't miss a beat. Service was not lacking and was attentive considering the tables were full towards the end of our meal. Abren mentioned how this Victorian was moved from another nearby location and that the restaurant floor was totally redone. We were served a French bread with a nice olive oil, balsamic vinegar and minced garlic for dipping. Seconds? Yes, we had seconds. After we reviewed the menu, we decided to dine family style and our order was: Caesar Salad with shaved Parmesan and house made croutons. Good, but not spectacular. Warm goat cheese salad with grilled pears and mixed greens. The goat cheese was prepared like a crab cake that sat on top of nice mixed greens and pieces of grilled pear. Delicious salad. Wild mushrooms on garlic bruschetta with truffle oil. If you love 'shrooms, this was delicious. Sautéed mushrooms on top of bruschetta. It was tasty. Just felt the bruschetta was a little too crisp. Steamed clams in a rich garlic, chorizo, white wine and cream broth with grilled garlic crostini. Probably my favorite dish of the evening. Clams perfectly cooked in a delicious rich sauce. The chorizo added a nice kick of flavor to the dish. Grilled rosemary rack of lamb with roasted potatoes, heirloom grains and pomegranate reduction. Four nicely grilled lamb chops cooked medium rare with a tasty pomegranate sauce. Old fashioned bread pudding with crème anglaise. It was good. Nice crème anglaise. Flourless chocolate cake with ganache, hazelnut truffle and caramel coffee sauce. If you love chocolate, you'll love this rich cake. Neumanali is a hidden neighborhood gem in Downtown Hayward. Very good food, nice service in a quaint dining room. I'll be back and will recommend. Also, street parking was easy and they do have a parking lot. BART is also close by. read more

I read the one star reviews so I was prepared for 'not so good' experience. Wrong! Everything was great. Great service with the 'front of the house' person taking care of all customers & we didn't wait for anything. Spot on service, friendliness & atmosphere. The food was delicious. We had salads and 3 different entrees, then desert. We decided we will be back - soon - and try other menu items. read more

My boyfriend took me here for my birthday! The food was incredible. We had the warm goat cheese salad, soup of the day (creamy chicken and rice), filet mignon, and pan-fried trout. They also served nice bread with garlicky, herbed olive oil/balsamic vinegar. Goat cheese salad was really great, featuring a breaded and fried cheese ball and perfect amount of vinaigrette. The flavors went together wonderfully. Soup was surprising--comforting with a great mouthfeel. It was a smooth soup without any pieces of chicken or rice which was very unexpected, but nevertheless achieved a strong chicken flavor. The filet came with green beans that had the most interesting flavors, kind of like balsamic vinegar and citrus. Mashed potatoes were good. I didn't like the filet so much, but my boyfriend enjoyed it. Trout was and INCREDIBLE. I was very impressed by the creativity of the thinly sliced, grilled cauliflower. The individual components blended to create really unique flavor and texture, and while I was wary of the slight char on the cauliflower, it ended up adding to rather than detracting from the dish. We appreciated the professional service and the warm interior. The dishes weren't especially picturesque, but made up for it in flavor. It was a little bit dark in the restaurant though. read more

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Awesome establishment. Great atmosphere, great food, phenomenal service. Small quaint setting, nice decor with a nice bar. Good wine selection and fair pricing. Would come back when in town again. Highly recommend. read more

Neumanali - New American Near Me - Hayward, California

Good ambiance, very friendly staff. My only complaint is that the wait time during peak hours can be....a little much but it is what is. If you're going to eat at a busy location, that's just part of the game. MY GOD the food is delicious! Just looking at the menu made me drool. read more

Neumanali is our " go to" spot for a quiet, relaxed, sumptuous meal. Date nights mostly! The restaurant is located in an old Victorian building in what appears to have once been a garage. There are apartments above. The food is quite good and reasonably priced for the amount of food served. Decor tasteful and modern. The real treat is Abran, the part owner who is a one man show. He efficiently and pleasantly serves as the maitre D, the bartender, the server, and the busser for the entire restaurant every time ! It's quite amusing and he doesn't miss a beat! Manages to be friendly and patient while doing it all! We have never had a bad meal there and service amazingly impeccable. Definitely a dining gem in Hayward! read more

Underwhelming Experience. I came into the place with a positive outlook & hoping to have a great night but the service quickly removed that. The waiter talked like he didn't know customer service basics, a lot of unnecessary rudeness. The bright spot was the food. I ordered a filet mignon w/ mashed potatoes & my fiancé ordered the Cioppino - no doubt about it, the cooks know what they are doing. The bright spot didn't last very long unfortunately - when it was time to pay the waiter returned with more unnecessary/condescending comments before bringing the bill out. In a summary, the food was worth the money but the service wasn't worth the time. Won't be back. read more

I love Neumanali. The scallops and the fillet mignon are my favorite main dish. The ambient is amazing for a romantic night out with the wife, or to have a beer at the bar after a long meeting. Expect a great wine list, and be ready to appreciate the great art that decorates the place. Definitely the hidden jewel of the bay. read more

Neumanali - Chorizo Clams!! They are a Must!! - New American Near Me - Hayward, California

I really wanted to love this place. A romantic hidden gem, right here in Hayward! That's what I was looking for. A special date night place, where I don't have to drive to Rockridge or across the bridge. Maybe my expectations were too high from the previous reviews. Or maybe our exceptional visit to Citron two weeks ago spoiled it for us. But we were unimpressed. Our server was very good. The clams appetizer was also good. But the $32 filet was overcooked and dry (asked for medium rare, got medium-medium well). The trout dish was good, but not great. The creme brulee was very good, but the chocolate/mousse/ganache cake was on the bland side... PW Market's cakes are twice as good as this, as are the desserts at nearby Buon Appetito. All in all, pretty spotty for what I expected, and for what we paid. We will continue our search for nearby excellence (haven't tried Rue de Main nor A Street Cafe yet...). But probably not before another trip to Citron. read more

I can't believe this has been around for 12 years and I just got around to eating here. A broad menu but not overwhelming. The Caesar's was good lots of Parmesan flakes and nicely dressed. They split it for no charge. My wife had the goat cheese salad which came with a hockey puck serving of goat cheese. No skimping on portion size. Our guests had the ribeye steaks. Perfectly cooked and nearly a pound serving each. They had to take half home even after sharing it with us. Wife had the rack of lamb 5 pieces cooked perfectly with potato gratin. I had the pan fried trout with wonderful fried cauliflower bits and peanut pieces to add a perfect crunch to each bite. They had a good wine list. Topped it off with hot fudge sundae. OMG wonderful! The only thing unusual is that there's only one guy in the front handling everything. Seating, water service, order taking serving and bussing the tables. In addition to the 12 or so tables there is a bar and he's also the bartender. He has no time to spend with you. He's a bit brusque but not nasty. I think he's the owner or one of them. We're definitely coming back. read more

Excellent place, the service and food was really good. My husband loved the lamb and I loved the salmon. read more

Neumanali - New American Near Me - Hayward, California

I always think of Hayward as it once was, when such things interested me, a home of nightclubs and after hour joints that rocked all night long. I have to update my image a bit; it seems that Hayward has at least one upscale restaurant and perhaps more. I met my friends P and LC at this lovely restaurant in a restored Victorian. The combination of traditional and abstract paintings and soft jazz added to the ambiance of the small dining room. A pretty room would be nothing if the food wasn't good. LC and I prefer red wine and P likes white. The red wine women arrived earlier and order a bottle of the Ghost Pine Cabernet Sauvignon, a rich, fruity, smooth wine. This wine has moved to the top of my list of favorites. P tasted it and ordered a glass of white which she seemed to enjoy. The short menu is eclectic and it took me awhile to make a decision. I had at least two pieces of bread tipped in the tasty olive oil before I finally decided and even then I hem and hawed about which salad to start the meal with. The chopped salad won out and it was a good choice, but the Cesar looked pretty good. We all ordered cioppino. The bowls were filled with shrimp, scallops, clams and a white fish swimming in a spicy red broth. Althought this was considered a small plate I was not able to finish it, perhaps the bread was filling, if so I am happy that I did have leftovers, the cioppino was even better the next day Full? Oh, I can share a dessert of chocolate mousse with raspberries. The perfect ending to the meal. A big plus, it was a rainy cold night and unlike other restaurants I have been to recently it was not cold inside. A small minus, they did not have change for $20 I guess everyone uses credit cards read more

Just got back home from the restaurant. Wanted to write down our experience. The food was great. I had the chicken and my wife the salmon. Both of us will definitely be back to try their other dishes. Prices are reasonable for the quality of the meal and the ambiance. The gentleman working the front of the house was very efficient and amiable.He took time to answer questions and made us feel comfortable . Jim Lofgren read more

Next to the BART station in a not-so-friendly neighborhood. My friend had his car broken into on this street before, so be careful! House turned restaurant, it had a homey feel to it, very warm and inviting. Dark light setting makes this a nice place to take your date. Pork chop: $28 Dry rubbed with mango salsa, it was okay, but not worth $28. Rib eye steak: $31 The cheddared scallion potatoes were worth eating, not so much the steak. Food here is way overpriced, wouldn't come back. read more

Neumanali - pork chop - New American Near Me - Hayward, California

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The reviews for this restaurant are pretty accurate. The food is good... Three stars, but the food comes out really slowly. The waiter played both the host/waiter. This place is overrated on yelp. I ordered the 3 small plates for dinner and thought the clams, prawns, and shrimp all tasted good. I started off with the warm goat cheese salad, but there was nothing spectacular about any of the dishes. I would've ordered dessert, but didn't want to wait another hour for my dessert to arrive. The owners should light the restaurant from the outside so the location would pop and they can get more foot traffic. Maybe then they can hire some help. read more

The food was ok but the service was average. It has a nice and quite ambience perfect for a dinner date for two, but too expensive for the experience being offered read more

I came here on a Friday night with my girlfriend a week or two ago. We were a little incredulous -- a fine dining restaurant in Hayward across the street from the BART? In an old converted Victorian house no less? Reservations were easy to make and when we arrived we sat down at a large two-top table. The house wine we ordered was decent, and we received very generous portions -- always a plus. We were looking to eat at a leisurely pace, slowly enjoying our shared appetizers and entree and our waiter obliged. We shared the prosciutto-wrapped prawns which were huge and delicious. For our entrees we had the Filet Mignon as well as the Day Boat Scallops. The filet was fantastic, and came out perfectly medium rare. The scallops were good, but too sweet for our tastes. This was more of our fault than anything since they're served with sweet potatoes and brown butter. We should have known better. All in all, it was a great experience. And we'd definitely come back! Thanks Neumanali! read more

If this were San Francisco or Berkeley, I would probably go four stars. But this is head and shoulders of any place along the 880 corridor between Berkeley and Santana Row. The ambiance is cozy and quirky, and is the building itself. However, the service is professional, and the food is unique and very tasty. If you find yourself looking for a nice meal in the Hayward area, you owe it to yourself to check it out. read more

Neumanali - New American Near Me - Hayward, California

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Love that Hayward has this beautiful Oasis just a few blocks away from us. It's like we went to Napa 3 minutes from the house. The service was fantastic and took car of our 1 year old daughter by giving her snacks and even a special dessert which we ended up eating ourselves....shhhh.... Food was amazing, but the steak was slightly more cooked that I had asked for. Next time order a rare if you're getting a medium...haha... Keep up the good work. read more

Living in the ever so amazing East Bay city of Hayward a nice dinner always means minimum a 45 min drive out of this culinary deficient town. Well the wife and I really do not feel like driving too far for dinner in the middle of the week so we turn to fellow yelpers to see if there is anything we've missed locally and lo and behold: Neumanali! I called up around 7:30 and asked if we could still get in for the dinner the very nice host asks my name and puts me down for 8pm. We make the drive and wow, what a beautiful Victorian House (see picture) as we go inside it feels like we are somewhere hidden in wine country! Very romantic low lit lights, nice art on walls, full white table linen (no ugly paper on top) and only maybe 2 other parties in the restaurant though I did see a few people chatting it up in the bar area in the entrance. So the very nice server/host/ owner? Abran gives us a little history telling us the restaurant was coming up on 10 years! (who would have thought?!) and that the original Victorian house was lifted in order to build the restaurant in the first floor/basement! Very nice story! Made us feel right at home and was very knowledgeable and attentive. Bread and olive oil balsamic are brought to the table and our wine is opened (we always prefer to BYI) however the wine selection they had seem very nice and prices were reasonable. Wife orders a house salad that had some feta cheese and I went for some Cajun shrimp appetizers, absolutely delicious the shrimp had the perfect kick to it. Main entrée she decides to go with filet mignon and I ordered lamb chops. The presentation was impressive and the taste was amazing! Her steak was perfectly cooked though they served it with some type of pasta (a little odd choice but didn't hinder the taste). Finished the night with shared bread pudding and were already making plans to return! Delicious! Some would argue it's a little price for Hayward but seriously what other nice restaurant do we have? I personally had absolutely no problem paying for a nice dinner 10 min from my house! Truly a hidden gem! We will be back! read more

Neumanali - Perfect Date! - New American Near Me - Hayward, California

The food was so so so delicious. The service was great! Abran was so nice. And it had a great vibe in there as well. 10/10 would highly recommend and I will be coming back. We had the mushroom bruschetta and spicy Cajun shrimp to start, for the entrees we had the lamb and the pork chop, and we had the bread pudding for dessert. All excellent choices! I never write reviews but this place totally deserves a glowing review! read more

This place has really nice ambiance, good menu, nice wine selection, and the benefit of being one of the few places like this in Hayward. The waiter was friendly and helpful. I took away a star because the lamb was overcooked and "wild" mushroom in the appetizer were just regular white mushrooms you find in Safeway. I took away another star because the portions were very small. My date and I actually went out for burgers afterwards. It was also quite hot, but I don't blame them for this as there's a heat wave going on. Maybe, this isn't the place to go during a heat wave. read more

I brought my neighbor here for a birthday lunch per recommendation of a co-worker. Reviews have been smashing so I was thrilled to check out this place. The restaurant is located across from the Hayward Bart Station. It is a beautiful Victorian-style home turned restaurant and it is quite charming inside. We were greeted by a host who seated us immediately. We were served bread alongside olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The server (who was also the host) noticed how I wasn't eating the bread crust and kindly came back with crustless bread. How sweet! I ordered the Cioppino and it did not disappoint! It was loaded with prawns, scallops, halibut, and clams served with two slices of grilled garlic crostini. Delicious!!! You must try this! Totally awesome! My neighbor ordered the linguini with prawns in a spicy tomato broth. At first she was taken aback with the spice, but over time she said the dish was fantastic. The ambiance is very relaxing and the server was gracious. Per host, there is jazz on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. Definitely a must-come-back to place for dinner! read more

Excellent atmosphere on the back courtyard, love the sound of the fountain. Rack of lamb and Ribeye steaks are excellent!

Came in for light dinner. The OLD guy was a total ahole. No smile no hospitality no personality. The place and it's energy was plain dead. Walked out immediately. I would never go back here. POS customer service. read more

The place is nice but... the food was ok, the shrimp unfortunately was served with shrimp poop still inside it (not de-veined). The glass wine Pinot noir was on the cheap side, from Oregon and a screw off cap not cork on the bottle. Overall not a bad place but I would chose a different place if you are looking for a true fine dining experience. read more

Great location off B street in Hayward, charming Victorian with the restaurant downstairs. Very intimate atmosphere inside, just a few tables and your host/server. The environment felt safe and clean and the server was great, knowledgeable and funny. He also did an excellent job serving the entire restaurant on his own. I had the filet mignon, extremely tender, buttery and accompanied by earthy mushrooms and fresh green beans. My partner got the rack of lamb and was very pleased with the seasoning and taste. We will be back soon! read more

Neumanali - Filet Mignon, mushrooms and green beans. - New American Near Me - Hayward, California

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This is a very small place with just one person, Abram, handling the dining room. It's near the newer, downtown area and it is in the bottom floor of a 3 story, wooden frame building with apartments in the upper floors. There is a small parking lot for the tenants and patrons. The menu is fairly compact with about 7 starters (including soup and salads, 9 entrees and 4 desserts. All the items seem to be well chosen and cover a wide base of dishes to satisfy most people. All are pretty standard with nothing weird/odd. It was just the 2 of us for dinner. We started with the Goat Cheese Salad. They split it in the kitchen for us and it was a very nice and fresh with a well balanced vinaigrette. For my entree, I chose the Spicy Fish Stew (their version of Cioppino). It was excellent with a nice tomato based broth and just enough heat to make it interesting. Again, the flavors were well balanced - not so spicy to dominate over the excellent seafood that was in it (generous scallops, fish and shrimp). I liked it a lot. My wife had the Steamed Clams (a rich White Wine Broth with Chorizo, Garlic and Cream), a starter item but plenty big for her. I had some and it was very rich, tasty and satisfying. A nice touch with her clams and my fish stew - came with nicely grilled Garlic Crostini - perfect for sopping up the delicious broths. We finished with a shared a nice Cheesecake topped with whipped cream and a fruit compote. We both had decaf coffee (very good and full bodied). She had a glass of Pinot Noir and I had Ice Tea during dinner. The whole bill came to $100 (included tax + 20% tip) and it was a lovely evening. We liked the service and loved the quiet, cozy ambiance. We'll go back, for sure! Jim read more