I should have paid attention to the reviews. This used to be one of my favorite restaurants and I was SO sad when it closed. We tried again today, despite the crappy new reviews. We got filet mignon pho, seafood pasta, spaghetti, a banh mi, & some appetizers. The two seafood apps were a little extra fishy tasting, but we were excited about the rest. The banh mi and pho meat were gamy as hell. The seafood pasta was also extra fishy and otherwise flavorless. The entire ordeal cost almost $200 and we're all still hungry and mad because we barely ate anything. It's really sad that they destroyed an Oakland institution like this. The whole experience was aggressively bad. read more

Well, I have been working across the street from this restaurant for over 15 years. There's not much in the immediate area and Monday was definitely not my first time eating there. Honestly you almost think you're entering an upscale establishment. It's on the Oakland Estuary... boats line the bay line on both sides of the restaurant. Actually, I am happy that this place withstood 2020-2023 and now we're back in the office so we will be back patronizing the eatery. The location itself makes you believe that it's a seafood restaurant and it is. I was so hungry that until this moment I didn't even realize that I didn't take a lot of pictures. Years ago they used to have peanut shells on the floor lol. They deck seemed appealing so I decided to have me and my daughter dine in the evening sun. We had the fried oysters for an appetizer- 5 stars She ordered the blackened catfish and I had one of the daily specials- open face crab salad sandwich with fries. Ok... the catfish portion was huge, well flavored however very wet. Usually this dish is seared more... and she described her sides as ok. Mines... tooooo much bread. The palm-size portion of crab salad that was a little too wet with dressing presented on a French roll with American cheese-yikes!!! My shoestring fries were moderately warm. I took most of my meal home- minus the toasted French roll. I did remix the crab the next morning into a omelette. I'm not going to completely waste my money lol! My daughter took half of her fish home. Overall a decent experience for $90 with tax and that's with dessert. I just spent $200 on dinner with my sister last week so this is a bargain. I might stick to the fried oysters next time we roll over there after work and happy hour. read more

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

Sooo. Yeah. Just don't come here until they make some major changes to their food quality, cleanliness, and their customer service. The stairs and floor are dirty. The place was super slow so there's definitely time for staff to do some cleaning. The calamari portions and taste were a disappointment. The cheeseburgers were just bad. I would say that if you're not going to focus on improving your kitchen by maybe focusing on less menu items and their quality then just don't offer food and just offer drinks. The place has so much potential but definitely needs work if you want returning customers. read more

Definitely not the same. Won't be returning. Read others reviews. Restaurant needs a deep cleaning. The service was ok. The food was not good. I had a chicken Cesar salad. Cheap croutons, thick ranch like dressing, and the chicken was not quality chicken. For the same price, within a few miles, there are much better options. read more

The food is good. Service is good. Love the ambiance Ofcourse you're by the water. It's so beautiful.

I came in and had dinner here a couple nights in the same week. I sat at the bar, the service was pretty good, but it felt like the staff was stretched a little thin. I tried the fish and chips the first night. It was a healthy serving of beautifully breaded fish. When I came back I got the fish sandwich. It was the same great fish, light and flakey. I would gladly eat here again! Great food, fun location, good service! read more

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Loved Quinn's when it was a seafood/ pasta restaurant and am not disappointed by the new ownership and menu. I got Chapeno, which was savory delicious lightly spicy with a Vietnamese take on the Italian recipe. Side of fries, crispy, and delicious and soft inside. Wife had the tofu garlic noodles. The tofu was so flavorful the way that it sucked up all the sauce and the garlic was amazing. Same great bar menu and the weight staff was on point & very friendly. Will definitely be back. read more

I love Quinns, and I'm bummed they closed permanently today! I have stopped in many days to sit at the bar and chop it up with the bartenders. Great food, drinks, and location. Positioned right on the scenic Oakland estuary. The absence of Quinns will definitely leave a void in the area. I wish the employees all the best moving forward! Long live Quinns!! read more

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Ah always delicious when we come here. Honestly the server was mediocre meh... but with this beautiful view eh... who cares!! On nice days the deck is beautiful!! Love the shrimp cocktail yummy!! read more

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

Just had lunch here with the hubs.. New Owners and some amazing new food items.. We tried several menu items.. The servers were attentive and so friendly! We've been coming here and bringing people to this place for 10+ years and have never been disappointed.. The view is amazing! Such an incredible menu- something for everyone.. Of course, we'll be back. There a lot more we want to try! read more

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I first came here with my father in the 1980s. The old building, the view, and the food was great--but it was the music that I loved the most. I'd beg my dad to take me to see "the singing sailors". Fast forward to this year when new owners took over and the sea shanties returned on Thursday nights. I'd bring my friends and we'd all have the best time. The food was "meh" but the beer and music were always great. Then we were told that the shanties would be every other Thursday... One night the owner showed up drunk with a similar story to mine: coming there as a kid and loving the sea shanty group but adding "now I own the place" and kissing all of the band members he could. I found this encouraging but alas.....the sea shanty guys were just given the boot! After 40+ years of tradition....I now have no reason to return to Quinn's and will tell my friends to avoid this place that doesn't respect its own history and doesn't want to pay the musicians that have been a part of it for as long as anyone can remember. I must add to this review: one waitress here was very kind, but complained about how the patrons needed to buy less food and more alcohol. "When the people buy food," she said, "we have to go to the store and buy more. It's a hassle and we don't make any money. We make money from alcohol so we want to have more DJ nights." You're a restaurant.....sigh. read more

Finally Quinn's has capable ownership. Immediate vibe change from last time I was here and new menu with new owners. Came here for a quick banh mi to go. Super attentive staff (unlike past), saw them doing a birthday slice for a family sitting down (doubt old owners would ever do that). Place is much cleaner and it feels safe to eat here finally. Grilled pork banh mi hit the spot. Excited to try some of the new seafood things on the menu and actually bring people here. Kudos to new staff and ownership. I will be back. read more

Quinn's Lighthouse - Grilled pork banh mi - Seafood Near Me - Oakland, California

Great service loved the menu was very relaxing will go back as it's rich in history and once again service was amazing

I decided to go by Quinn's Lighthouse for an after work drink and appetizer and I'm grateful I did. First off the restaurant is super cute with phenomenal views. I walked in to 80's music and knew I found the right spot. I LOVE 80's music!!! Even though there was music and a lot of people talking, my experience felt peaceful. I ordered the wings and was surprised over how fast they came out. Normally, that concerns me because I like my food freshly prepared and I know that takes time, but the wings were incredible. Just the right spice and good texture. The were just delicious! The wine was good and the service was excellent. My server was pleasant, very nice and efficient. I can't tell whether I liked the vibe or view more. I honestly felt like I was in a multicultural Cheers, which makes me want to return. I'm looking forward going back for a full meal. read more

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What can improve? Everything!!!! Over priced barely edible food, poor service, and cold cold dining area. Ordered a chicken Cesar salad because frankly everything else on menu was way over priced. Chicken was not chicken, but Vietnamese flavored pork. Asked the size of salad because it was $18 so I thought good hardy salad she would not say, just said 3x's..."that's enough for you" Nope, barley edible like I said. The pork (supposed to be chicken) had a fish flavor... asked for diet coke, so she brought cans...that's fine $5.00 was the charge, never did they say we had a choice for can or fountain ($3) not any place on menu. We just wanted to pay and get the heck out of that cold place....had to literally yell for someone to come and charge us, because no one brought us our check. Needless to say NEVER AGAIN DO NOT RECOMMEND!!! read more

I ordered basic fish and chips. I received 2 medium sized pieces of fish and a small handful of fries. $25 out the door. They taste good but you'll still be hungry afterwards. Oh and these are British style and they don't offer malted vinegar, Just tartar sauce. read more

I was hoping for better at the rebranding and reopening of this place. It opened up last March under new management within more of a Vietnamese style while keeping some of the traditional dishes. Came on a Wednesday evening around 7:00 p.m. there are two other diners however, there were six people at the bar extremely loud/ rowdy and drunk which caused the done-in experience to be not that great. I ordered the prawn fettuccine alfredo and that was good, not delicious. Ordered the jambalaya and that was good. And my friend ordered seafood pasta special. She said it was just okay. This was once enough to know that we don't need to go back. At least the drinks in the bar were delicious. Tried the lychee Martini. read more

Great food. Vietnamese sandwiches are delicious. People are really nice but can be understaffed if they're really busy but worth the wait. Really good oysters. read more

I hadn't been to Quinns lighthouse since before the pandemic. At that time it was busy. People in the lower dining room, the upstairs bar, outside and the upper eating area full. Last week we were in the area and I told my husband we should go and eat. We should have turned around and walked out when we seen that it was dead. Dining room not opened. 2 couples out side having drinks, 1 couple at bar watching game and us, "4". Order consisted of 2 overly cooked hamburgers, 1 pork belly sandwich which my husband said there was hardly any meat. My fish & chips were just okay although the fish was not as firm as it should have been. I thought it was going to be a fish restaurant although they seem to have more Vietnamese food on the menu. Won't be going back. read more

The location is everything. Right on the water w a great view. There's no one to really greet you so you kinda just walk upstairs and hope someone seats you and then hope someone remembers to take your order. The service kind of seemed all over the place. The poor servers had to use their phones as tablets and it seems they can come up with a better system for the employees. The food was everything we were looking for. To fuel up before a night of drinking. The oysters were good somewhere I could definitely go to get oysters again. They had a caper/brine salsa to pair and it was very good. The lemongrass clams were fresh but lacked flavor so maybe try the New England clams. The eggs rolls were crunchy with alittle kick. Spring rolls were refreshing and peanut butter sauce was creamy with out being overpowering. The prices are great for the amount of food you get. It was a great place to relax and have a chill dinner if you're not a snob. They just need to get organized! Would definitely come again to give another try. read more

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Food was good. Service was a little slow especially when it was a slow time, The ambiance was typical waterfront style. Views of the boats docked and seagulls squawking. read more

Today my food was average. Caesar salad was bland; fried oysters slightly over-cooked (I'm being kind). Fries were excellent - crispy. Service was "leisurely". Been here at least a few times before and will go back. I thought I enjoyed Caesar last time. I know for sure the fish-n-chips is spot on!! Great location; chill atmosphere. Mixture of all kinds of East Bay types. read more

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I really liked this place. I loved sitting on the deck enjoying the water views. The service was great! The food was very good. I had fish and chips, which was light and flakey and very tasty. It was strange meshing of Asian and American food, but this worked out well for our group. One person had garlic noodles, which were awesome, another had a cheeseburger that looked delicious and the third had a curried chicken sandwich. We all got what we wanted. read more

It could use a face lift. We had reservations and they looked surprised, even though there were no customers. The food was ok.

First off, the location is great, right off the water, with as good of a view of the area as you can get in Oakland. The service was five star. Helpful, pleasant, and efficient. My dish was the Curried Chicken Sandwich. It was fine until I bit into the jalapeño. Please, remove the pith and the seeds before slicing them up and putting them haphazardly into the sandwich. The heat, which I usually like was way too spicy. It ruined what would have been a decent sandwich. Aside from that, it is a nice place to have a meal, just beware of the jalapeño's read more

Ok first of all I want to say I was in Oakland on business for the week and this place was close to my room so we decided to check it out, first time I had gumbo and a beer and my friend had ravioli and cheese bread!! Food was really good and the guy that served us was so great we told him we'd be back the next day!! So we did come back and both of us had the rib-eye with mushrooms and asparagus omg!! Very good!! This place ambiance was good and quite a bit of people!!! If you are in area come check it out!! We will be back!! I will put picks up!! read more

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Quinn's has been in Oakland a long time. The lighthouse was built in 1890; the restaurant was established in 1984. They have been around for a long time, they must be doing things right to stay a popular destination. There was a time when I went here often but that was long before Yelp. Downstairs there is a quiet dining room; the upstairs is more a pub that usually has a floor covered in peanut shells. The deck and patio are both great places to enjoy the views; My most recent visit was for a Christmas lunch with friends. We started the meal with poppers and a bottle of Chloe Pinot Grigio and poppers while I took my time to decide on what I wanted. I usually order an appetizer for my main course. After vacillating between mussels and crab cakes, the waiter suggested the crab cakes. So I went ahead and ordered them. I had the mussels that last time I was here but that was several years ago. The crabs were great they were full of crab and very little, if any, filler. My complaint is not about the food. They brought me a dinner with rice and salad. Which was more expensive and more food than I could eat. I had told the waiter I would have the appetizer as my main. I am not sure how the disconnect happened, I wasn't pleased. Happily, the food was good the next day and I enjoyed my meal again. My friends ordered a hamburger and a Caprese sandwich. These were both served with fries and a small salad. They were happy with their choices. I had a wonderful time: the food was good, the location is great, and best of all was spending time with friends. It was a wonderful day. read more

I am beyond impressed with the food! No one is here?! How is this place not busy on a Friday night is a mystery that remains to me because this food is top tier! Walk in and go upstairs for service. We ordered steak bites as an appetizer for 2, huge mistake, these were so unbelievably good we should have ordered one for each of us! We also had calamari which was great and came over a salad which we also shared and was just a cute appetizing portion. They got me with the Lobster Ravioli dish, I have no choice, I will be back. The only advice I can give is to be a bit more tentative to customers dining, but really the food was so good I can't even knock them a star and that's saying something for how long I had to wait for a refill! read more

Quinn's Lighthouse - 67. Seafood Ravioli - Seafood Near Me - Oakland, California

The location is great we had a lovely view quite enough to actually have a conversation i hadn't been there for years so i was pleased it's still there new menu new owners the food i was not memorable and arrived cold drinks fine server overwhelmed i hope they are successful but they will need to shorten their menu upgrade service and hire a cook that knows what a caesar salad its... the place feels scattered trying hard to do everything but missing some important things food and service for starters little things like napkins read more

They are very Vietnamese.. Just to let you know... Some dishes I was not enjoy it. But, the fact of they are dogs friendly will lead me there any days if I am close by. Good view. Not much happening there Overall, we enjoyed there for 2-3 hours, dogs too :0) read more

Quinns is an Oakland institution and if you were to ask where to take an out of town guest this place is always on the top of my list. On the first and third Thursday of the month there is a sea shanty band that plays here, which is an absolute delight that you can't help but join in and sing. The drinks and food are also delicious. My friends enjoyed their banh mi sandwiches and I ordered the fresh spring rolls. So fortunate that this place is still around, I will be back. read more

I had no idea there was a change in ownership. Once a thriving, vibrant restaurant found me and my guest the only patrons. Loud music no one would turn down. A menu with pictures. Gads. I knew something was off. We left. I Googled and found, after 40 years, Quins is no more. Sad. Won't return. read more

I don't want to bash this place because I know they are struggling but I went in here with my wife at 8:30 pm on Friday, October 4, 2024. It was DEAD. So DEAD. There was a table of 2 inside and a table of 5 outside. That was it. It's Friday night so no idea what happened to this place. Here is the kicker, not a single person was working though. No one was behind the bar. No one was hosting. No one was serving. No one was cooking in the kitchen. The place was an absolute ghost town. I asked the table if 2 if anyone was working and they said "not really" so we left and went to Alameda where everything was lively. Probably won't be back. read more

Quinn's hosted a large group lunch for a retirement party. Communication with Nathan and Nick via email was excellent leading up to the event. Service was great with Viet during the lunch. We ordered off the menu and all our the guests were happy with their meals. I had a burger, and it was good. Food did come out periodically, as we were over 20 people, so cool food (fries in my case) was expected. Overall, all our expectations were exceeded, especially with a large group. I highly recommend Quinn's for any occasion. I'll be back for sure. They made my coworker's retirement extra special. read more

Hope they survive so here a few suggestions. Make fish and chips a meal instead of an appetizer The fries were cold and not homemade. Rather have fast food fries. Serve the meals together so one person doesn't have to wait. Hire professional staff and not just family- experience matters There is so much on the menu that has a TGI Friday look to it. So she got nothing special and probably not fresh. We'll give it at least six months and try again. Really hope you can make it work. read more

Bill our waiter is the man! We can appreciate when customer service is full on shining like Bill! He was so honest, friendly efficient and just on top of Everything! He even took awesome pictures of our group of 7. Bill has been here for 19 years and he still is so enthusiastic gotta love it! Wow, never knew Quinn's serves up mostly fresh seafood except a few items like calamari and something else. Most of us ordered fish and chips and fish sandwiches which were deelish! This is such a nostalgic place on the water where you can watch a nice sunset which we did! The homemade coleslaw and warm bread they serve is yummy as well. Bill let me sample their clam chowder which is pretty good as well. We stayed a few hours since my family came to visit from out of town and never felt rushed. Such a hidden gem we cant to return! read more

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

We always have a nice time. The deck is very enjoyable in the mid day sun. Fish n chips is also very good

Quinn's wins on location. They sit above a small marina overlooking the back side of Coast Guard Island. You can dinghy there from nearby marinas, which makes it ideal for boaters. It seems like Quinn's was a cool place in its heyday. The decor is fun and irreverent. A bit like a pirate's cove. Even the parking lot has a nautical feel, and the dozen or so feral cats outside give this place a neighborhood vibe. The back balcony is definitely where to be. Inside is pretty dark and a bit drab. Sadly, the food is meh. We've given Quinn's a try both pre and post COVID, and each time, we've been disappointed in the food quality as well as value for money. We want to like Quinn's, but the kitchen needs a reboot. The rice is like Uncle Ben's from a packet. The veggies seem rushed and lack seasoning. The Parmesan cheese sprinkled on the Caesar salad is that stuff that looks like off white sprinkles on ice cream. And who puts a fistful of capers in a Caesar salad? The crab cakes were just ok. It's the one dish my dining companion orders every time they're on a restaurant menu, so there's plenty to compare to. Overall, we want very much to like Quinn's but at $23, a Caesar with a protein at lunchtime should be exceptionally good. As locals, we'll surely forget that the food is meh and try again, in the hopes that the chef finds their passion and their pride in authentically scratch cooked foods and doesn't rely so heavily on frozen stuff that can be dropped into the fryer or packet rice and sauces. read more

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

This place used to be amazing! Over the pandemic, quite a few of their classics disappeared from the menu. Peanuts no longer covered the floor & the patio attendance dwindled. New ownership took over recently and its Vietnamese food with very few items from the old regime. The food & drinks I had there last month were no bueno & most of the old staff was gone. The charm of the place is still there, just not the quality or vibe. Below is a sticky chewy tuna appetizer with a bland foam & cilantro on top of a stale tortilla chip. There are so many better options for a waterfront meal or Vietnamese food in the area! read more

Quinn's Lighthouse - Questionable Ahi Tuna Nachos - Seafood Near Me - Oakland, California

Quinn's Lighthouse turned out to be a good choice after popping into Scolaris on the point where they were out of food. We hadn't been here in ages. The main dining room was closed when we were there but the bar and casual dining in the bar and on the patio were open. It was a beautiful day and the wind that was whipping up at the point was blocked by the estuary, thank goodness. We grabbed a table on the patio overlooking the boats and estuary. The sun was shining, the waitress was friendly. We ordered Fish & Chips and a burger and beer. The menu was very small & not many choices. We were pretty impressed by the bar food it was tasty. Although it was expensive my husband's burger was amazing, my fish was frozen but the slaw & fries were very good. Inside the bar baseball was on all the TV's. The beer & cocktails were flowing, masks were off nearly every one of the customers and everyone looked like they were having fun! Pro tip for the handicapped~ This place was built in the 1800's there is a lot of stairs and no elevator. There is handicap parking next to the front door though for your convenience. read more

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