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    Pier 29 Waterfront Restaurant

    3.0 (548 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Pier 29 Waterfront Restaurant Photos

    PIER 29 WATERFRONT RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Pier 29 Waterfront Restaurant

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    Outside Covered Patio
    Steve D.

    Do you know the way to Ballena Bay? Pier 29 Restaurant is located in Alameda's Ballena Bay. It has an extensive seafood menu, full bar, soups, salads, and some chicken and steak. It has a view of the marina on one side, and a view of San Francisco bay on the other. It's away from the busy downtown traffic, and offers lots of free parking. I was treated to lunch there recently, to celebrate my retirement. For appetizers, we had Shrimp Cocktail and Fried Calamari. All the seafood was fresh. I then ordered the "Fish and Chips Combo" featuring fish and prawns. It consisted of two pieces of fried cod, and two fried prawns. The fish was fresh, and had a nice flavor. The prawns were crispy, and not greasy. There was a generous amount of crispy fries. The coleslaw on the side was dry and bland. Service was good. There were only two servers working, and it seemed the young lady was doing most of the work. But service was attentive, and she checked on our table a few times. Pier 29 is a large restaurant, probably capable of hosting large groups and events. It also has an outdoor patio. Can't find Ballena Bay? The entrance to Ballena Bay is 1 block east of Encinal High School, along Central Ave.

    Salmon
    Con C.

    Hard to find a complete meal these days. Rich thick clam chowder, light salad and massive lamb shank with mashed potatoes. Salmon was well cooked. Green beans were a bit on the crunchy side. Private room was cozy and servers were attentive. First time here and had a solid experience

    Menu
    Pat C.

    Ample sitting outside facing the marina, huge reception room if you have a private function as it was the case today and another room. A vast menu that mixes hot sandwiches ($18) and basic entrees ($25). Service is pleasant but slow. I went for eggplant parmigiana with a side of steamed rice (you can also have mash, pilaf rice and a soup of your choice. We were served complimentary bread and butter. On paper , it should work. Maybe I chose the wrong dish. The food was not nice at all.

    Johnny R.

    Enjoyed coming here on a Sunday with my friends. Not super busy and we were seated immediately. The TV was showing the football game which was nice. Oysters were delicious and overall such great customer service.

    Patio
    Margarita G.

    This restaurant has a great location with plenty of parking and an outdoor patio area for dining. They have a nice looking bar area. We have had lunch and dinner here a few times in the past and it's always a hit and miss on the quality and taste of the food. Last night we ordered the clam chowder and my soup did not have any clams a few pieces of potatoes and large chunks of onion. I did not have one piece of clam in my soup. For my main dish, I order the ground round steak, it was OK, but I needed to add a lot of salt and pepper to give it that extra flavor that it was lacking. We ordered a few alcoholic drinks, and they were a little mild on the alcohol. They could've added a little more alcohol to the drinks. The women's restroom looks somewhat clean the stall walls really need to be clean. The stall wall has a lot of fingerprints and look dirty.

    Yummi N.

    Pretty ok food, the scenery was amazing! The service was nice! The drinks were nice and strong

    Shrimp and scallops
    Matthew L.

    Maybe on a warm summer night with sunset views over the bay, this place would be worth the price. But as it were, on a chilly mid-week spring evening, this place felt drafty and lonesome. It's clearly got its regulars, who were all on a non-name-tag first-name basis with the sole waiter/bartender. Cheers to all of them. The meal seemed like upscale theme park fare--an afterthought straight out of the freezer. With the exception of the creamy sauce served over the shrimp and scallops, the food was unremarkable. The seafood was not especially fresh, the steamed vegetables tired and dry. The place wasn't warm to outsiders. The bill was too high for what we got. I live here on the island, but I unfortunately won't be back any time soon.

    Side salad with ranch
    Super F.

    I'm sure Food here is great service is quality ambience is casual music chatter kitchen all of the above. Come here and try out and enjoy the view from San Francisco to Oakland.

    Sourdough Bread
    Mike R.

    Much, much better! I see there has been changes to the management, so we thought we'd give them another chance. At first we were to be seated in the larger dining area alone, but we asked to be on the bar side. They accommodated us without issue. To me the bar side is warmer in atmosphere and the Warriors were on the television. Thank you for that. Our server was attentive, friendly and had a great sense of humor. Our first surprise since our last visit, was the bread. Previously it was unappealing plain white bread, but now it is a very nice sourdough. It would have been even better warmed. We then ordered Clam Strips and Clam Chowder as appetizers. They were also much better than our last visit. While really good, the chowder needed more seasoning. We all hit it with S&P and it was great! One of my favorite appetizers was the crab cakes, If I have know they were that good, I would have ordered them as my entree'. We then ordered salad with our entree's. It was fresh and a nice companion to the main dish. I had the Cajun Scallop & Shrimp saute' and enjoyed every bite. My wife had the grilled prawns with garlic butter, also really good. And last, my son ordered the muscles. He said the muscles were good, but that he expected them in a cream sauce, whereas, the sauce was more of a light broth that needed to be doctored. That aside, a very nice dinner was enjoyed by us all. We will definitely be back!

    Shrimp/Fish & Chips combo
    Res S.

    We are repeat customers here. It's quiet and views are spectacular. Servers are nice good portions for your money. Quality shrimp and fish, as well as seasoned well. Seems to be family owned and love to support family owned businesses. A hidden gem in Alameda Fave dishes: Sauté Fish/shrimp & chips

    View of the SF bay

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    Page 1 of 14

    Ask the Community - Pier 29 Waterfront Restaurant

    Does this restaurant have high chair accommodations for infants?

    Yes all restaurants are supposed to as well as disable ramps,etc

    View All 3 Questions

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    Saltbreaker

    Saltbreaker

    4.5
    (334 reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$$
    Free parking
    Free WiFi

    The food was as visually beautiful as it was a party in my mouth. Emily was a fantastic server…read morewith her welcoming smile and positive demeanor that kept just the right amount of attention on us. We had the buratta, the mixed greens salad, the duck and the pasta. We finished up with the chocolate bar dessert. This was the most incredible culinary experience I've had in a really long time and I was so happy to have it. The fresh pasta with the fresh English peas in the carbonara sauce was so light and flavorful. The duck was crispy and moist. The salad was gorgeous with edible flowers sprinkled in. It was just a treat all the way around. Thanks so much. Heather

    I do love this place! We come here at least 2-3 times a year for special occasions with friends,…read morefamily and this time, our anniversary dinner. Usually, the food is perfection. This time it fell a bit short. The carpaccio was a fun addition to the menu, but the flavor profiles were off. The vinaigrette was a bit sour for my taste, the chips were too salty and the pickles were odd to be on top of the carpaccio. The Cesar salad is a favorite of mine, but a bit salty this time! I was genuinely surprised. Not sure if it was the dressing or if it was the black flaky salt. The burrata was fabulous. The duck was nothing to write home about. It was moist in some areas and then other parts extremely dry. The NA drinks were a fun selection. I recommend the blueberry cucumber one for sweet and the rosemary lemonade for tart. We will be back of course, but this round fell a bit short. I think I will stick to the steak frites next time which is always done perfectly.

    Photos
    Focaccia
    Focaccia
    Saltbreaker
    Salmon belly crudo - if you have a defined palate for raw fish, this was very passable. Nothing special

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    Salmon belly crudo - if you have a defined palate for raw fish, this was very passable. Nothing special
    Town Tavern

    Town Tavern

    4.3
    (201 reviews)
    2.5 mi
    $$

    Our go-to cocktail spot in Alameda. We've been here many times now, and it never disappoints. Great…read moredrinks, good service, and a chill, comfortable atmosphere. My favorite part is their collection thoughtful, balanced, complex drinks. If you want a variety of delectable old fashioneds with different spirits -- you're in luck! ---- Drinks ---- The cocktails are the main reason we keep coming back! Old Fashioned menu. They actually have several varieties and I've really appreciated how they use a different spirit for each! I won't review every single one, but you can't go wrong based on what flavor profile you want. They're all relatively sophisticated, balanced, spirit-forward, and consistently well made. The rest of the cocktail menu is equally thoughtful. Complex, creative, and well executed without trying too hard or going over the top with flavors or presentation. The food is delicious as well although we're usually just here for drinks before/after a meal. More small bites than full meals, but everything we've had has been tasty and pairs well with the drinks. We really enjoyed the empanadas; great flavor and execution. ---- Environment ---- Warm, cozy, and stylish -- but not pretentious or obnoxious. Music volume is always at a level where you can actually have a conversation, which I really appreciate! It does get busy, especially on weekends, but it's never been extreme. We've been seated immediately or only with a short wait most times. ---- Service ---- Friendly, welcoming, and attentive! Always had good experiences with the staff even when busy. Most of them have good recommendations. ---- Tips ---- Make a reservation if you can! Walk-ins are definitely possible, though you may end up sharing a larger communal table. We've done it before and honestly didn't mind. The bathroom can occasionally have a bit of a wait. ---- Overall ---- Love this place. It's become our go-to spot whenever we're in the mood for great cocktails and a relaxed evening and want a reliable experience. One of my favorite cocktail bars in Alameda.

    This spot has very good cocktails. This time I tried Georgia on my Mind, it has cognac and peach…read moreliqueur. My friend has the chicken sliders with fries. Good choice. Server was helpful and attentive. Cheers!

    Photos
    Toki, hazy IPA, Basil gimlet.
    Toki, hazy IPA, Basil gimlet.
    Nachos
    Nachos
    Pick your specials

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    Pick your specials
    Bar Shiru

    Bar Shiru

    4.3
    (311 reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $$

    This place is music nerd heaven. They have a section of their menu dedicated to their speakers and…read moreamps, ferchrissakes. I love the atmosphere in here. Staff are always cool, vibe is relaxed. Even the security guard at the door is a cool guy. The interior decor and lighting are gorgeous. Silent Sundays are pretty fun: they play an album from top to bottom, and everyone has to shut the hell up for the duration and can't order any shaken drinks. See? Music nerd heaven. I almost forgot to talk about the drinks: the menu is solid. Good cocktails, reasonable prices, well made.

    We were in Oakland for the night with friends and were trying to kill time while waiting for our…read moretable at another nearby restaurant. We stumbled across this spot on Google and decided to give it a try. Luckily, our party of four was seated right away. The cocktail menu is on the smaller side, but between the four of us, we ended up trying a good portion of it. Honestly, every drink we ordered was really good, and there weren't any complaints from the group. I think we ordered Actual Proof, Sun Goddess, High Heel Sneaker, and Moonglow (mine). My cocktail was definitely my favorite because I love sweeter drinks where you can barely taste the alcohol, and it was exactly that. The rest of my friends' drinks leaned less sweet with a stronger alcohol presence. While I could appreciate the flavors of those cocktails, they just weren't my personal preference since I tend to like sweeter, fruitier drinks. I'd definitely come back. Very nice vibe and ambience. I'd probably order the same cocktail again since I enjoyed it, or try one of the other drinks I had my eye on. Between my friends and me, we managed to try almost everything that initially caught my interest, and overall it was a great experience.

    Photos
    Negroni and mocktail
    Negroni and mocktail
    Mocktail
    Mocktail
    Velvet mood

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    Velvet mood

    Pier 29 Waterfront Restaurant - seafood - Updated August 2026

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