I wish I could give this place a better rating. Last time I was here was 2011 and it was great! Now it's very different. The setting is awesome on the water, sort of an old time harbor that's cozy and friendly. I ordered the same I always get, clam chowder and prawn cocktail. The rest of the table ordered chicken nuggets with fries and Cobb salad. Prawns were tasteless and watery. The cocktail sauce tasted like tomato sauce. I added salt and Tabasco and it was just ok. The soup was so thick you could tell there was way too much flour used to thicken the soup and it was bland. The chicken nuggets tasted like they can out of a frozen box. I was told the Cobb salad was just ok. One thing I did like was the coleslaw, that was very good! We will try it again and hopefully I can update my review. read more

Quinn's Lighthouse - Seafood Near Me - Oakland, California

Nice restaurant on the waterfront. Good choice of foods, great staff One of my favorite spots read more

This place is mediocre. We ordered the whole fried fish: too small, full of bones and very oily. The crab soup had medium quail eggs?! Very odd.. The fried rice that went with the fried fish was old.. the fried calamari was not fried well enough and the mayonnaise sauce that went with it tasted fishy. The menu didn't have the full description of what you were getting with each dish. The waiter didn't know what was in their egg rolls (meat versus veggies). The Vietnamese kitchen workers were speaking loud to each other downstairs.. the waiter was yelling at his friend behind us. if you want your business to succeed you would correct these immediately or you will fail. read more

Quinn's Lighthouse has great food and atmosphere, with many options for seating on multiple levels. There are interesting and tasty choices for meals and there are gluten free options as well. It's a great place for a date, family gathering, or company meeting. There's also a cute and colorful community of houses and offices along a public walkway around the restaurant. read more

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Looking to have some good beers with friends while enjoying the gorgeous view of the Oakland Bay? Well, Quinn's is definitely the spot for that! Located off of Embarcadero East near the Tidal Canal, Quinn's Lighthouse offers some of the best views of the Oakland Estuary along with killer live music and some nice cold brews! I came here about a month ago for happy hour with friends and we really had a blast! Happy hour is from 3-6 Monday through Friday. We all sprinkled in between 5:15 and 6 on a Thursday evening. We wanted to sit outside initially, but we noticed that it started getting chilly, so we decided to just grab a table inside. Service was pretty slow and spotty, but we started off with a mixture of well drinks and beers. My friend and I both got well drinks to start since there were only $4 for happy hour. I got a whiskey sour and she got a vodka cranberry. Both were watered down like whoa! Not sure if it was watered down because it was happy hour, but I definitely would NOT recommend the well drinks here. For food, we ordered the shrimp cocktail, the sampler platter (calamari, jalapeño poppers, mozzarella sticks, and wing), a basket of fries, and nachos. Needless to say... the best part of our meal was the shrimp cocktail... and that in itself is saying a lot. The food here is just not good and average at best! Almost everything that we received came lukewarm if even warm at all, and everything was super bland and flavorless. The worst would have to be the nachos. It tasted like it had been sitting out for days! The cheese was hard, the salsa wasn't fresh, and the chips were a mix of stale and soggy all in one. Def won't ever get those again! The real winners here were the beers and the amazing live band that performed that night! I had the watermelon wheat by 21st Amendment which I SO enjoyed! My friends had a Racer 5 IPA, Drakes 1500 IPA, the Ballast Point Sculpin IPA and a Black Diamond Rampage double IPA (I tried this and really liked it!). They all really enjoyed their beers as well! I can't remember the name of the live band, but they were an old Irish group that was extremely popular with the crowd! We all sang along with them and cheered them on the entire night! We had such a blast watching them perform! The atmosphere here is really amazing! The crowd is very friendly and we met so many random people (the funniest was when my friend and I were in the women's restroom). They also have that Texas Roadhouse feel where you can pick up a basket of peanuts, eat them, and throw them on the floor! So cool! The upstairs area is where the bar is located and downstairs is used primarily for dining. They have a designated parking lot for patrons to use that is located right across the street, but I just parked on the side of the road right in front of the reataurant. Aside from the spotty service and the not to good tasting food, this place was really fun! I would come back with friends to enjoy the live music while having some beers! read more

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Quinn's is nostalgic and an Oakland icon. They have a great seafood menu and seating outside to enjoy the views.

Just no. Don't do it. The calamari came out somewhere between cold and not quite warm. There's no care in the preparation of salads or the caprese as evidence by large rind garbage pieces of tomato being served to customers at higher prices than the food, preparation, and service are worth. Speaking of the service, please explain to me why at a sit down restaurant I have to ask multiple times for more water and end up going up to the bar myself? Further, why is there shrimp added to everything unless it's justification to charge about 30-40% more than something should be? As someone with a shellfish allergy it was way more difficult than it should be to find something that didn't have shrimp in it. Chicken picatta comes with bay shrimp, every chicken dish except the Marsala comes with shrimp. Heck, even your standard hamburger is over $15 (add $3 to make it a cheeseburger) and it won't even come out hot. read more

This place might have been nice 50 years ago, but wow -- is it a dump now. The two stars are for the view of the bay. The food here is gross... and the restaurant is not clean and smells like bathroom. Like, everywhere. The entire restaurant smells like bathroom masked with cleaning supplies and bleach. They serve American food, beer on tap, hard alcohol, and "seafood." This is one of those places where you know you don't want to see the kitchen, because it will put you off your food entirely. There's an upstairs bar for even more casual fare, whatever that means. We tried a bunch of things on the menu, and were disappointed by everything. The garlic bread was stale and tasted like it was made with fake butter. (When you mess up garlic bread, you know you're doing something wrong.) Service is attentive, sometimes too much so -- please, dude, will you stop grabbing my shoulder?? -- but well-intended. It's a historic landmark, but I honestly don't think it's worth the gas to get there. Sorry, Quinn's. read more

We randomly stumbled across Quinn's one Saturday evening. The lighthouse immediately drew us in. We went upstairs to the pub where we were greeted by the hostess and then had a seat. As we were looking over the menu, we were given a basket of peanuts! Omg! Who doesn't love peanuts & beer? And better yet, being able to throw your shells on the ground!!!! :) I ordered a Double IPA and a cheeseburger with steak fries! Both were amazing!!!! Perfectly cooked. Seasoned. You name it! All the college football games were on to keep my bf happy as well. We'd definitely go back! But next time I'd love to sit outside looking at the water! read more

Quinn's Lighthouse - Seafood Near Me - Oakland, California

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Best clam chowder and friendly service! Had lunch outside and watched the yachts in the harbor ! read more

Went there a few weeks back. It was my first time eating there and we had dinner. We were prompted by a sign at the entryway to sit ourselves upstairs. It was open seating and only one other group was there when we arrived. The day was a bit breezy so we ate indoors. My son was thrilled to see the boats through the window. There seemed to be some sort of boat festival event and there was one particular brightly lit one that caught our eye before it set sail to join the others. Once our food arrived, I noticed my plate was not very hot. Neither was my dining partner's plate but they prefer it that way. I didn't say anything about the temperature of the food. Other than that, everything was pretty good. The seafood chowder was very good accompanied by the mixed bread basket, pesto and garlic flavored. I would go back for a special occasion or for happy hour if I'm in the area. The upstairs had a cool old-timey nautical vibe that I liked, not sure about the downstairs. There's plenty of parking on the street but make sure you clear any valuables out of sight. read more

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What a treat. Found this place somewhat by accident. Amazing history, but that's not why you want to come here. The food is awesome and very reasonably priced. I love places that have been around a long time and this one being established in the 1890s certainly qualifies. It has a wonderful bar with friendly locals that are regulars that make everything seem OK after Covid. It appears the employees are long time loyalists, which is always a good sign. I enjoyed the special of the night which was fresh swordfish with an amazing saffron sauce, but frankly everything looked amazing that I saw being served around me. Everyone was smiling and having a good time. My server was Kevin, a very pleasant and knowledgeable waiter that showed obvious pride in his workplace. If you're in this part of town stop by at least to see it and enjoy a cocktail, but I promise you will look at the menu and find something that will get your taste buds going. read more

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Food was okay. Our server was very nice. The chowder and calamari were bomb! The shrimp salad was $30 and overpriced and not even good. My partner had the monte cristo and it wasn't traditional and unsatisfying. It was his first one so he didn't know any better. I'll come back since it's close. They are just overpriced for quality. read more

Just got back from the restaurant. The food and service were excellent. We sat for a family dinner and everyone's food was superb! We started with the clam chowder which was by far better than what I've had in SF Wharf, Santa Cruz and rivals Monterey's. Yes, I'm a local. My mom had the crab crakes which were so good. I had the stuffed salmon that was delicious. I tasted the fried chicken and chicken fettuccine which were equally delicious. What a gem of a restaurant!!! read more

Came here with a friend on a Tuesday night. It wasn't too busy. Free parking around the area. We were seated and someone brought us waters and then a basket of bread & butter. We ordered... The Sampler Platter (jalapeño poppers, buffalo wings, mozzarella sticks & calamari) $22.99 Jambalaya (creole tomato rice with chicken, prawns, ham, green & red bell peppers & hot sausages) $24.50 The garlic bread wasn't that good compared to other places I've had it at. The parmesan wasn't melted into the bread; just sprinkled on top and the bread was kind of hard at the bottom. Think it's some type of sourdough? Sampler platter was okay too; pretty average tasting. The Jambalaya was good but I don't order it often so can't really say too much. Wide alcohol selection & great view of course. Overall, A-OK food but great staff & service! They have a little lighthouse display in front and the servers plugged it in so we could see the lights (see pic). read more

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The service staff are not happy. The staff share an unwelcoming attitude persistently. They don't understand the scope of their job responsibilities. The owner must not care. read more

Quinn's lighthouse is a great place to have some drinks, eat peanuts and enjoy the view of the Estuary. It's located next to the Oakland marinas, very easy to get off of the 880. The food selection is nice, a lot of seafood options as well as classic American dishes. The staff is always very friendly, and there is a downstairs more formal dining area, and an upstairs area where you can feel free to throw peanut shells on the ground. My favorite thing to order is a bucket of clams with Cajun sauce, and a bowl of clam chowder. The clams in Cajun sauce has good heat to it with Cajun spices, and I love to ladle some of the broth into the clam chowder to add extra flavor! Overall this place is a really fun restaurant to go to, and a bowl of chowder is pretty damn amazing! The view on the deck is really nice, totally recommend it to anyone in the Oakland area. read more

Server James made the night so relaxing. The clam chowder was perfect consistency. Crab cakes were good and the Cajun clams had the best sauce. I loved the carafe of Prosecco with ruby red grapefruit so much!!!! We found a small piece of broken metal in the bread which was scary but handled professionally by James just upsetting as we have a 1 year old that may have had it. read more

Quinn's Lighthouse - View from the outside right in the water - Seafood Near Me - Oakland, California

Quinn's is a hidden gem. The food is great! We ordered take out because the parking situation is bad. There is a good chance your car gets broken into in the area and the city let's all of those people live there at Quinn's expense. There is broken glass in most parking spaces. Great restaurant and atmosphere none the less! read more

Prices are on the high side, the waiter we had was fantastic. I will have to save up my food stamps to be able to afford it. However, it's a good place to eat. read more

Since the new owners took over we were hoping that Quinn's would be a local restaurant that we could support. They've shortened the menu (which needed to be done) and they added some Vietnamese items. If they could organize their dining room by having roll ups for setting the tables it would help expedite service and set up.as We only saw 2 servers working. Since they no longer serve the Pernod Mussles (which we loved), We tried their pork belly bahn mi and chicken bahn mi. The sandwiches were mediocre. I was hoping for a hint of pate on them and more cilantro..There were only 375 ml. bottles of Chardonnay and rose available. A limited selection of bottled beers (no beer on tap.) If they're going to be successful they need have their bar fully stocked. We would gladly help them start a minimal wine list to help them get started as we want them to succeed! We wish them luck and if they ever want our feedback we would love to help out. All the Best to you, KK read more

This place is the real deal when it comes to fresh seafood. This time at Quinn's I tried the crab cakes for lunch and they were delicious! They went great with a pint of cider followed by a delicious slice of cheesecake with coffee. It's also nice being next to the water. read more

I have great memories of Quinn's. They used to have great food, and great service. So when I came back into town for a visit, my wife and I decided to go back. What a disappointment!!! We started in the bar. The manager downstairs told us to simply tell the waitress to send our bar bill downstairs and it would be added to the dinner bill - no problem. The bar waitress looked at me like I had three heads when I asked her to do exactly that. She had no idea what I was talking about so we just settled the bar bill before dinner. The dinner service was awful. First off all, there were flies everywhere. Not a great sign. Then, the waitress was very rushed in taking our order but once she did that, it took forever for her to bring the food and never came back to see if we needed anything. She didn't offer any specials - didn't even know they had some until we saw a sign as we were leaving. The food itself was not great. My chicken and my wife's salmon were tasty enough but the mashed potatoes were dry as mashed chalk, and the vegetables looked like a frozen "vegetable medley" bag from 1978 that had been steaming since about that same era. Bland vegetable mush. We did ask for a to go box (more to be polite than anything else) and the box she brought us had been used! That was a first for me. It clearly had large crumbs and oil and flakes of Parmesan cheese in it. When I pointed this out, she didn't apologize, but rather just said "oh, ok, I'll get a different one" as if this happens all the time. It was my first time at Quinn's in about ten years and my last time in my life. Based on how busy it was (not) it doesn't look like I'm the first one to experience bad service there. read more

made reservations for 6 on New Year's Eve wanted to go local however it was the worst Chinese Vietnamese food I ever have had Service was lousy even the margaritas we ordered were bad! never will go back. read more

Had a reservation for Father's Day they didn't have enough servers said or over 20 minutes without even being acknowledged before we got up and left. read more

Had the Ciopino and it was great. Showed up during St Pattys day and they had the corned beef. Nice portions and the area was nice being on the water front. Will definitely come back when in town again read more

Great food, large plates and good service. The place has a great view from the upstairs patio as the sun set on the water behind the Oakland skyline. I would recommend it for a nice dinner or as a place to meet up with friends for a drink. read more

Under new management, very sketchy. Service was absolutely nonexistent, food was not good, & the cocktails we ordered was the worse I've ever had... idk how you mess up a classic lemon drop and the lemon garnish on it was borderline in the rotting stage.... I really wanted to like this place since they included a Vietnamese menu. read more

This place is literally a hidden gem I almost don't wanna write this review cuz I don't want it to be super crowded when I wanna go. During covid times they have outdoor seating on a balcony on a deck on the water. Come on you can't get any better than that. I tried a lot of their food and it was all good. Staff are really pleasant and they are super dog/animal friendly!! Can't wait to take all my friends here. read more

Quinn's is reinvented with some old favorites including their yummy pastas and now also Vietnamese food. Last time I had the vermecelli plate which was great. My fiancée had pasta primavera. We both enjoyed the new staff and the food. Fab atmosphere. You can see the boats now since they'll took the canvas down. We are upstairs and the menu is really reasonable 15-30. I really hope they make this work! read more

Fast & Furious Update! Clam Chowder Still Da Bomb! SITREP This will be quick since my original review says it all about the restaurant. However, my update is specific to the Clam Chowder which is outstanding. CLAM CHOWDER WORSHIP I love Quinn's Clam Chowder. It is rich, hearty and satisfies that urgent craving I have for Clam Chowder from time to time for only $9.95. [Pic with Sourdough Bread!] http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/quinns-lighthouse-oakland?select=iDsTw3ZATebThBm9v800NQ If I am ANYWHERE NEAR Oakland's Embarcadero, I do my best to find time to pop in here. And as you notice from this pic, when we are talking about a "Bowl" of Clam Chowder, we mean a DEEEEEEEP bowl of their most excellent Clam Chowder! (There is NO scrimping on this iconic standard here at Quinn's! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/quinns-lighthouse-oakland?select=IZ_MQo2GamII4gWmD2G2PA LOBSTER CHOWDER I will say though that it is a true toss-up as to whether I get the Clam Chowder or the Lobster Chowder! The Lobster Chowder is AMAZING: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/quinns-lighthouse-oakland?select=gmxsZkbFjFJDcnNjyV1QyQ MERMAIDS Yes. They are here....... http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/quinns-lighthouse-oakland?select=WdEHdY7pLcRTA_mj5rKaxQ SHOUTOUTS And besides the hearty supply of Sourdough Bread, I have to give major kudos to the unlimited supplies of Peanuts that Quinn's also throws my way. Thank you! [These are just for me, SRSLY!] ;) http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/quinns-lighthouse-oakland?select=B57A9p3mjfC0QDPhIiqFiQ THE LOWDOWN This is your stop for Clam (and Lobster!) Chowder, hands down! read more

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I've never done the whole sit down dinner thing here. It's strictly beer and peanuts up stairs, looking out at the view and throwing the peanut shells on the floor. It feels so messy, but everybody's doing it. We sat at the bar since outside was a little breezy. I ate way more peanuts than I probably should have and washed down the saltiness with ice cold beer. We ordered beers all around, a Boddington's Cream Ale for my mister, a St. Feuillien Saison for moi and a Sierra Nevada for our friend. Cheers! Next time we will be having the mussels, since they looked fantastic. read more

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In my mind's eye as I looked out the window of Quinn's Lighthouse, the scenery reminds me of a poor man's Port of Monaco. On a nice summer day the calm quiet water glistens along the Estuary with dozens of boats docked all around. Not the Oakland depicted in the media but I felt like I was 5,000 miles away south of France. But Quinn's inside has more of a pub/nautical theme, a nice dining area on the middle floor, a pub area on the top floor with peanut shells everywhere, and an outside deck to eat on if desired. The menu is classic pub food. From buffalo wings, to calamari, rueben sandwich, burgers, and steaks. I settled on: New England Clams and Mussels: this was served with a white wine broth along with hard roll bread. It was a tasty broth, the clams and mussels were fresh. A great starter for my meal. Gilroy Burger: this claims to be a 10 oz burger even though I question if it really is. A decent quality burger cooked to desired temperature. Served with a pickle and choice of fries or salad. A popular menu item from watching what others were ordering. The service was exceptionally friendly and helpful. Which makes coming to Quinn's much more likely, especially for happy hour. For an experience unlike the rest of Oakland. But a glimpse of what Oakland could be someday along the Embarcadero. Quinn's is a classic pub worth checking out. read more

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Love this place! My favorite part about coming here is seeing all the cats on the docks and that live under the businesses you can see where the people in the area leave food /water bowls out as it's been known that having cats around boats is good luck (if your nice to them) that out of the way, walking up to Quinn's, you can see the care they put into the outdoor ambiance the landscaping is lovely. The inside is cozy (right now there is outdoor dining only unfortunately) however eating out on the deck is Awesome as you have the fresh air and the beautiful view of boats, water gorgeous skies and other things (trees etc) been here numerous times and have never gotten anything I didn't like and my friends that have dined with me feel the same. The sampler platter is a must (so your not having cocktails on empty while you wait for your food) the lobster pasta is delicious and you will definitely have enough for two meals (unless you eat a LOT) the blackened catfish dish is delicious also as well as the Boogaloo and pretty much anything else you see on the menu. Extensive cocktail list as well as wine you will not be disappointed dining at Quinn's! (I try to remember to add this to all my current reviews, PLEASE REMEMBER TO TIP THE RESTAURANT STAFF!!!! just because it's limited menu or take out doesn't mean they didn't put in the work and they need our support more than ever with so many places shutting down, be generous. It's good karma!) read more

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Built in a turn of the century lighthouse right on the water's edge, Quinn's has a nice ambiance. I ordered the French Dip ($13.99, Slices of tender roast beef served on a French roll) with a side salad which comes with both the salad dressing and creamy horseradish on the side (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/quinns-lighthouse-oakland?select=wPdK52kIOvgwcAeX0LgsZQ#wPdK52kIOvgwcAeX0LgsZQ) There was a generous amount of beef which was on the rare side which may not be as obvious from my picture (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/quinns-lighthouse-oakland?select=etfkhiTMCHHV4ph3IzVyQQ#etfkhiTMCHHV4ph3IzVyQQ). Normally I like my steaks bloody so that wasn't an issue. The problem was the meat was not well trimmed so there was an excessive amount of fat and gristle. This in combination with the chewy, rare meat made the sandwich excessively difficult to eat and eventually had to resort to deconstructing the sandwich and eating the meat with a knife and fork. Thinner slicing may have helped. read more

Quinn's Lighthouse - French dip - side salad - Seafood Near Me - Oakland, California

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This is a great place to go to on a Spring or Summer afternoon or evening. If you want a meal with a view, this is a good place. I've only gone to the upstairs area which is more casual than the ground floor. There's a outdoor patio which overlooks the estuary and the ships passing through, good view. They have good food... I've had their clams, their reuben sandwich and crab louie salad. All of those are pretty good. They have unlimited peanuts which get all over the tables and shells on the floor, so I wouldn't bring folks that have nut/peanut allergies. read more

Luis the busboy was rude. I did not like the way he was talking to me . A very dry person. I was not happy with his attitude. So I decided to leave only $1.88 tip for him so that way he understands that I was not happy and he will get the point without me being rude back to him or say anything.. But on top of that he added a lot more tip that is more than what I left on the receipt for himself. This is fraud on top of the bad service . I don't appreciate that. Instead he added $10 tip for himself a proof of what I just said is included a copy of the receipt and a copy of my bank statement read more

Quinn's Lighthouse - A snapshot from my bank account - Seafood Near Me - Oakland, California

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Walked by here few times and finally stopped in. I was pleaseantly surprised to find a cool, hip and friendly place. I had the clams/mussels with the garlic bread burger. Food was really good, service was great. A lively friendly crowd on a Friday night. Definitely will be going back. read more

Had a very nice experience here as I have never been to this area before and was happy to find a fun restaurant to go to. The food was 3 stars but the ambience was 4.5 stars so I gave it 4 stars. The crowd is upscale and the views were great looking over the boats in the harbor. Loved the art made of a ling cod fish that is also an airplane hanging near the front door. The service is slower but decent. Tried the clams and mussels bucket and it was just okay. Would have like more white wine and spices in the broth. I walked the local art studios and warehouses selling wake boards and returned furniture nearby. Take a look at the bouy that they made into an art piece located across the street. read more

The wife and I went here on Saturday Night 3/30/19 and we really enjoyed ourselves. It was our 2nd time going here. David was our server and he was FANTASTIC. He really made us feel welcomed and attended to. Be sure to try the Anchor Beer Steamed Mussels and the Boddington's Pub Ale. Each was great - together was otherworldly. Avoid the Dinky Doo Seafood Stew unless you prefer food that is relatively bland. We prefer more spices / flavors in our stews. But the seafood in the stew was excellent quality. And the portions are generous here for the price. We will be back from time to time. read more

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