I can't believe that I hadn't been to PJ's before. This restaurant has been around for over 40 years! It's a cute throwback looking place from the outside with ample parking. Convenient to get to from 80 or from Orinda taking San Pablo Dam Road. I went to PJ's with a group of eight. Service: the service is friendly from the time you walk in the door. Once at the table, water is poured immediately and the staff provides you with adequate time to review the menu. The staff is happy to answer any questions you might have regarding the items on the menu or the specials. Once you order, the food arrives in a timely manner depending on what you order Food: we started with the charcuterie plate which had a great balance of mortadella, prosciutto and other Italian sliced meats, olives, cheeses and toasted bread. So delicious! I was already full before my meal got to the table. For my main dish, I had the salmon in piccata sauce served with vegetables and either mashed potatoes or polenta. I had the potatoes. My dish was delicious. The piccata sauce had just the right flavor highlighted by the perfect tang of lemon. Others at our table ordered a variety of pastas: Fettuccine Alfredo, Capellini Pomodoro, fried calamari and a shrimp dish. Everyone enjoyed their dishes. For dessert, we shared the pineapple upside down cake and a berry cobbler. The dessert were outstanding as well. I want to go back to try their other desserts. Ambiance: it's a lovely restaurant. It's clean and feels like you're sitting around your own dining table with friends or family but with someone really nice there to serve you. I am looking forward to my next meal at PJ's. read more

We've been driving by PJ's on every day telling myself we have to go in since it reopened! Well we finally did and they didn't disappoint! It's beautiful inside! Sat at the bar with Sterling the bartender and felt right at home. They have a full bar with great cocktail menu! I had my go to Martini with onions instead of olives! Perfectly made and ice cold. My husband can't help but get a tequila & pineapple wherever he goes. Plenty of options for tequila which is awesome. We ordered the beet salad perfectly dressed. Homemade pickled beets & onions. The Rossettia appetizer. Think lasagna roll ups with prosciutto, mozz, ricotta baked in a pink tomato sauce! Deeeelish! Definitely get some bread to dunk. And couldn't forget the Margarita Pizza! House made dough! Thin crust, which is our fav, and the right balance of sauce, cheese, & basil. If you ask my husband, I never say "wow this pizza is good!" And I DID! Just delish. We're excited to come back & try more dishes on the menu and experience PJ's elegant and inviting vibe. El Sobrante is lucky to have such a great place so close to home. See you again soon! Cheers! read more

Good disco music. Service was friendly. Food was good. Can't complain about anything. read more

PJ's Restaurant & Cocktail - Pizza - Italian Near Me - El Sobrante, California

See all

A solid, classic, Italian restaurant with a welcoming staff and comfortable atmosphere! You can tell the restaurant has built a loyal following of regular customers - people who appreciate tasty, quality food and staff who know them by name. It's a welcome change in this day and age of anonymity and automation. Early on a Tuesday evening, the bar was full and giving "Cheers" vibes. I highly recommend the Bruschetta which was heavy on the balsamic vinegar, which I loved. The Shrimp Scampi with polenta was SO tasty - it is a must try if you like shrimp. Our table shared the house-made tiramisu for dessert and it was a perfect end to the meal. I had never been to El Sobrante before, but the restaurant is easily accessible from Highway 80. So, if you're in the Berkeley/Richmond area, give it a try! read more

5 stars food 5 stars service 4 stars ambiance Only one suggestion, please improve Parking lot, dangerous ground to walk on. Exceptional restaurant for area 7-19-20 26 read more

Service: 5 Stars Food: 4 stars Ambiance: 5 stars Value: 4.5 stars Don't judge this book by it's cover. The new owners have done a very good job of updating this establishment. The inside is clean, new, well designed, and classier thatn one would expect by looking at the outside. We came here for dinner on an early Friday evening. Only a couple of tables were occupied when we arrived but by the time we finished our meal, the restaurant was starting to fill up. Reservations on a weekend would be recommended. We were greeted quickly when we walked in the front door which leads into the bar. I was expecting it to be more of a neighborhood dive bar (in a good way) but it was modern and clean, as was the restaurant area. The servers were very friendly and just the right amount of attentive. We never had to track someone down. The menu is Italian inspired. We ordered the bruchetta appetizer which was very good! It had a balsamic glaze that gave a bit of sweetness to the toasted bread and vegetable topping. We ordered the Ossobuco and fettuccini alfredo with grilled shrimp for our main dishes. The Osssbuco was served with polenta and seasonal vegetable. The meat was tender (a little fatty but I like the fat) and the sauce very flavorful. The vegetables were extremely well cooked - al dente. There is nothing I like less than mushy green beans, cauliflower, carrots, or zucchini. These were perfect. If there was anything to nitpick about, I'd say that the polenta was a little stodgy. It would have been nicer if it was creamier. It tasted good but felt like it was stiff. The grilled shrimp with the fettuccini were cooked well and delicious. The pasta was also good. Again, a nitpick would be that the alfredo sauce was a touch dry. Other than that, the food was enjoyable. We will come back! Note to owners: Please put up some outdoor lighting in the back part of the parking lot. It was hard to see where we were walking. In the rain it's easy to stumble and step in puddles. Thanks! read more

See all

We love PJ's! Great renovation of the space and a great vibe. They serve fabulous cocktails and well-prepared Italian classics. I'm especially fond of the carpaccio and love sitting at the live edge bar. Owner Lorna Padilla Marcus is also a great community leader whose generosity and kindness are inspiring! read more

We heard that the place was just recently opened after being closed for a long time. Friends of mine knows who the owner is so of course we had to go check it out to support her. The place inside looks great, they did a great job renovating it. We all ordered the clam chowder soup to start along with a Chicken Sandwich, Cheeseburger, and the Steak Sandwich. The soup was just ok, a little to thin and could use some more clam taste to it. The chicken sandwich flavor was good but there wasn't enough chicken in the sandwich. My friends steak sandwich was the same way, they cut strips of beef and made the sandwich. As for the cheeseburger I was told that it was cooked perfect and had good flavor but lacked the amount of meat it should have. The fries were really good and cooked perfect. The prices aren't that bad and the bar has everything you need to sip on. read more

See all

I only have one stomach is my only bad thing to say. I've been passing by this place for a long time and thought it was a bar. It was but no more! As Lorna, the owner said, "It was a bar that served food. Now it's a restaurant that has a bar". If I didn't have to drive I would have tried a signature cocktail or two (I'm sure of an update soon). They looked delicious. But let's talk lunch menu. Bread and butter before the meal. Classic. Lots of choices but since it was just me, I had the clam chowder (white, thick with bacon). So good. Then the fettuccini Alfredo with shrimp. Al Dente divine. Every bite so consistent and delectable. Shrimp meaty and tasty. Nothing over powered anything. It was delicious. I heard chef was from Alioto's. I can neither confirm or deny but the quality is off the charts. Expect updates. Service friendly and surprisingly fast. Their restaurant game is tops. Outside, down home. Inside fine dining but casual. I was looking for an old school Italian place and I finally found it! read more

PJ's Restaurant & Cocktail - Fettuccini Alfredo with shrimp. Sorry. Looked so good I started eating before I remembered to take pic. - Italian Near Me - El Sobrante, California

See all

PJ's reopened under new ownership, and let me tell you the food is amazing. The place is completely remodeled and clean. The service and staff are amazing the owner constantly walks around making sure her guests are comfortable. I took my mom and sister on a night out and had the best Italian food we've tried in a long time. My favorite was the shrimp scampi but the chicken Alfredo, pasta carbonara, and calamari were also incredible. Make sure you save room for a slice of tiramisu. Will be going back for sure! read more

See all

Celebrating a birthday dinner with 12 people (with reservations). We were quickly seated. We ordered linguine with clams, chicken parmigiana with spaghetti and margaritas pizza, and other dishes. We all loved our dish, it was delicious . Since then we came back for dinner again and will definitely continue to come back to try other dishes! read more

See all

I was looking forward to their reopening, but the food was a huge disappointment. The basic spaghetti is not the same.

Dropped in for lunch and the godfather sandwich was great and service was perfect. I've been a fan of their dinners but now I can also vouch for their lunch. read more

The new owners are wonderful.! They made PJ's look updated, clean and the food is scrumptious! Definitely try this restaurant! There is something for everyone! read more

See all

Brighter interior than the previous iteration at least in the restaurant section and the white open shutters on the windows helped to make the interior seem newer. My daughter ordered the Alfredo with added shrimp and it was very tasty. My wife ordered the salmon with veggies and polenta and liked the flavor of the fish although thought that it was slightly overcooked. My shrimp was good but the scallops were not seared and were a bit rubbery. Wouldn't order that again. I had a Limoncello drink which was pretty good. We ordered a lemon rosemary cake for dessert but they didn't have it so we ended up getting the pineapple upside down cake which no restaurant should be proud to serve. Too thick, too dry and with no flavor at all. This is an example of them obviously not eating their own food because had they, they would know not to serve it. It needs a sauce or something not the tiny amount of whipped cream on the plate! It's a solid 3.5 * on this occasion and we will return. The Sunday that we came on got busy quickly at around 5:30. read more

See all

The service was quick and server's were friendly and patient. The menu was small, but trying to figure out what to order was hard because everything sounded so good then they also have daily specials. Choices, Choices! The food was delicious...what more can I say? We normally eat there after work (3ish) and it's nice and quiet and relaxing. We don't feel we have to rush. I definitely recommend PJ's. read more

I loved PJs very comfortable bar very clean. Service was great. Food is great. It's nice to have a new place to go to.

PJ's is a newly renovated restaurant and bar that serves very good Italian cuisine. They always have nightly specials. For the evening that we went, they had lamb chops on special. They were very tasty and not served with a traditional mint jelly but with a very tasty sauce. I don't know if it was a Bearnaise sauce or if it was something different but it was tasty. I enjoyed the charcuterie board too. It had several different types of cheese, served with grapes some raspberry jelly, toasted walnuts and these wonderful little homemade garlic toasts. I love them so much, I asked for a side of them to take home for which they charged me a nominal fee of two dollars. The only place I think that the restaurant could improve is to use shaved or graded Parmesan cheese on its Caesar salad, as opposed to shredded cheese. I think that would elevate their Caesar salad to be more in line with the other dishes that they take so much care to serve. All in all a very positive experience and I would return here again for a lovely meal. read more

Thank you all for the great service. No leftovers due to the delicious dinner. Love the bar selection no complaints at all. I recommend it, friendly, clean, great staff. read more

Went here on a Friday night to catch the warriors game and have a drink. This place is really nice! I hear it's been around for a long time but this is my first time and it was a good experience. I had a lemon drop and tiramisu. Both items were delicious. The bartender was very kind and personable. Tiramisu was so tasty too! read more

PJ's Restaurant & Cocktail - Tiramisu - Italian Near Me - El Sobrante, California

See all

Real nice and pleasant place, service is Excellent including the owner. we were there a few months ago and we had the Seafood Cioppin and we went back this past Thursday. it was the same as before. "EXCELLENT" We had to fight of the Crab legs! Lotsa seafood. Yes really tastie. They use Fresh Crab and on the end of Apri... Crab season is over. Thank You PJ read more

I heard PJ's had been remodeled and reopened under new ownership, so I decided to try it for the first time. I came for lunch and ordered the steak sandwich with mushrooms, while my wife had the fish and chips. The steak sandwich definitely impressed with its generous portion of succulent steak and fresh bread. I'm excited to go back and try the other sandwiches, and their dinner menu. The front of the restaurant is very unassuming with tinted windows that hide the beautifully remodeled and well-lit interior. Inside there is an impressive bar with TVs, as well as two separate dining rooms that are modernly simple and elegant. The server and bartender were friendly and the owner explained some of the renovations they performed. They kept some of the original wood paneling and skylights, while I believe everything else is freshly renovated. It's a beautiful space inside and I love how the renovation both modernizes and preserves the space. read more

PJ's Restaurant & Cocktail - Steak sandwich with sautéed mushrooms (Option of side salad or fries) - Italian Near Me - El Sobrante, California

Great bartender and drinks. Only had the bruschetta at the bar but that was good too! read more

See all

Hey Y'all It's me Mama Tea. As an El Sobrante Lyfer I've seen Restaurants come , go & A few have stayed. PJ's has been one.. But ba-bbbyy let me tell you this is not the PJ's of yester-year... We needed a Classy, Jazzy homie, Family friendly place for good Italian food. Everything we ordered was To Go.. Honestly we hoped for the best but we're prepared for a Mediocre meal..Because honestly there aren't any good ITALIAN restaurants. My family & I are so pleased we're going back very soon!!! Every single thing was SCRUMP-DA-DILLY-oshous!!!! My photos don't do the food justice but for take out it was hot & plenty of it!!! Shrimps were grilled with Hella flava!!! You are doing yourself a huge injustice if you don't run on down, sit have a drink fill your belly and enjoy the ambiance...We loved the take out!!!! Hats off to the owner Lorna & her Amazing staff!! read more

See all

Bar is beautiful Great beer selections : from draft to cans Fettuccine Alfred: add prawns ( to die for) Clam chowder: (fantastic) can be ordered anytime. (Not just weekend) read more

Service from our server Sterling at the bar area was excellent. Restaurant is clean with minimal decor. A little too awkwardly quiet for my taste so I would recommend turning up the music volume. Chicken parm with a side of fettuccini was slightly bland and the steak was a but too fatty but overall decent. Drink prices were some of the lowest Ive seen in a while which is a plus. read more

Really good food and service.Clean and lots of parking.Full bar with great cocktails.I will be coming back.Definitely worth a go if you're hungry. read more

Bar is beautiful. Jennifer is wonderful. Great bartender, super friendly, funny and knowledgeable. Food : calamari 10/10 Clam Chowder 9/10 Sirloin steak 9/10 This place is going to fo good. read more

Great setting, charming but down to earth at the same time. Food was delicious and the service was friendly but also professional and attentive. I had the salmon, with roasted vegetables and polenta, and really enjoyed it. My other family members really liked their dishes too (fettuccine Alfredo and linguine with clams) and the appetizers were quite good as well (beet salad and cheesy garlic bread). Will definitely plan to come back. read more

I've been there several times for both lunch and dinner and I swear each I go the food has gotten better than the time before. The atmosphere and service is fantastic! I had my heart set on an item that is only available on the dinner menu. When I mentioned my disappointment to the sever she said she'd check with the Chef to see if he could accommodate me. Without hesitation, the answer was yes, of course! Not only is the atmosphere and service stellar, the whole staff makes the customer feel very important! Try it, you'll love it! read more

Good delish food. Staff are so accommodating, great customer care. For sure will go back & reasonably priced menu.

Great food and service I ordered the classic Italian salad to go and water bacon and was told they could not do it.. the owner came and explained why and now I get it.. thanks for that read more

This is a wonderful addition to El Sobrante. The current incarnation of PJ's is excellent, nice decor, very good food and drinks, and a super staff, the kind of place where everybody knows your name. Great prices, too. The only reason I can think of for not recommending it is that it might become too popular! read more

Wow, it was really impressed. Enjoy the restaurant. I know there's a bar there. You can watch the NFL game at the moment which I thought was great! Our server was great. He was informative and he helped us Son out, which was great really enjoyed going there at the spaghetti. Meatballs are great. The salad Caesar salad was incredible. The wine was just the best. We are just so impressed. We haven't been there in a while since my son was younger and now we're there as as my son's an adult my husband loved the beer and loved his meal and we'll be back. Definitely will be back. Thank you so much good food. read more

Excellent service, our waiter was friendly, positive and quick. Food was delicious and the drinks were great.

I had a wonderful meal last night at PJ's. The food, drink and ambiance were superb! Great service, the wait staff are just top of the line! My go to whenever I decide to eat out. You can't go wrong no matter what you choose!!! 5 stars read more

We enjoyed it. The service was good. They fixed it up since it reopened. It looks very nice. The food was good.

We have eaten here many times in the past and were sorry to hear they had closed. Very happy to see they have returned and went for lunch today. The service was excellent. Our birthday girl got the special for the day which was risotto with seared scallops and it was delicious. They also gave a tiramisu that was made in house also wonderful. Would definitely recommend it to everyone. It was clean and bright for lunch time. Congratulations to the family! read more

Took my family here and really enjoyed the food and service. Such a great spot to have in El Sobrante and we will definitely become regulars! read more

SO cute inside. Charming, warm, elegant but not too much. VERY welcoming and professional and sweet staff. Food was great. The home made Chowder was delicious and the Chicken Marsala was perfectly done and a great wine/cream sauce. Will DEFINITELY come back... such a great find in the area!!! read more