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    Quinn's Lighthouse

    3.4 (1.1k reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated a few days ago

    Quinn's Lighthouse Photos

    QUINN'S LIGHTHOUSE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Dogs allowed

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    Tbd F.

    Please Please please just bring back the original menu!! It all started in 2001 when I took a ride on my new bike and Istumbled across this cool little place once called LJ Quinns Lighthouse, found the upstairs outdoor patio and it was just the coolest place to hang out, grab a bite and brew with a view!! I then started going there all the time..bringing my co-workers, friends and family any chance I could get. Driving from Fremont wasn't too far of a trek as it was worth the drive every time! What once was an amazing Ciopinno that came in a little iron skillet to this burger that opened my mind to different meats, the Bison Burger!! Then the amazing penko fish n chips with the awesome slaw and dressing! They would always bring me extra dressing sauce as they knew I was a fan!! The Baby Lobster Pasta! No it wasn't real lobster, it was langoustine, but still awesome!! Not the mention the salads they had!! then the brews!! A page long of beers from local to Germany!! My go to was usually the Racer5, but then a good ol' Sneijder Weise was a cool option too!! I have been allergic to peanuts and they used to have them for free at your tables! Thank goodness I didn't get sick unless I ate them, so it was always cool for me to go there. Staff was always awesome and one of my favorites servers would let my daughter use his personal Cholula hot sauce!! (trying to remember his name). Everyone always made you feel welcomed. The was another server back in that day named Chuy was a cool cat too!! We had birthday parties there and many times I just drove up for a quick meal and views as it was a favorite spot especially for my daughter and I being a single dad back then, was our cool hang out spot. Well then came the news that it was closing... I was able to go the Friday prior to them closing to enjoy one last time. Sad day!! Then some time past and a friend sent me a message that they would be opening back up and I was thinking heck yes!! My mother ended up going there before I had a chance to and she let me know that it had changed.... I really wasn't interested and it was just a few months ago I was in the area and decided to drop in....well, right when I walked up I was not sure if they were even open!! Well, the door was unlocked so we went in... headed upstairs and it was a ghost town!!! I couldn't believe it...I have never seen this place ever like this before...ever! I was just about to change my mind and leave but by buddy said lets just grab a snack and a beverage, so we ended up staying. The lady was nice and I felt bad for her since I couldn't imagine how she is still able to keep this place open with such little business she had. I kept thinking, man, just bring back the old menu and get this place back up on its feet again. So please Quinn's please back the old vibe and I'll come back with friends and family!!

    Arnie Palmer. It needs more lemonade.
    Carol C.

    Date: 1/9/2026 Time: 7:20 PM 50° Cold Updated review. The last time I dined at this restaurant was on Mother's Day 2023 for lunch. My daughter brought me here for the occasion. The cioppino was great and delicious. My Arnold Palmer was refreshing. Thereafter, Quinn's Lighthouse closed. I'm not sure when they opened with this new ownership. Prior to entering this restaurant, I perused the menu on this site to see what they had to offer. Some of the menus posted were from a year ago. The grilled salmon with rice and veggies looked appealing. I can go for that entree. The price seemed reasonable. However, upon arrival at the restaurant and after perusing the menu, the grilled salmon entree was no longer available. I'm disappointed. When I had my heart set on a certain item and it was not on the menu, my deciding what to order took a bit longer. Since this dining experience was a date night with my male companion, I kept glancing at the menu over and over again. I finally told the restaurant employee just bring me the vermicelli bowl with grilled chicken, two tiny egg rolls and the usual items of lettuce, bean sprouts, sliced cucumber, and an Arnold Palmer. My companion had the whole carp with rice and salad. He asked for Louisiana hot sauce. The owner brought out Tabasco sauce. (Uh, no thank you.) I usually order Arnold Palmers as a taste test to determine if the quality of food would be tasty and to my palate. Did the Arnold Palmer pass the test? Barely. I had better Arnold Palmers elsewhere. AAMOF, the previous owner's Arnold Palmer was much better and had a nice balance of lemonade and iced tea. The current one was meh. The lemonade overwhelmed the tea, weakening the strength of the tea. The vermicelli bowl was okay, except I did not ask for two shrimps added as a meat along with the grilled chicken. One bite of the shrimp was tough. Me thinks the shrimps were cooked too long. I have no complaints about the service. The drawback is the pub is not handicap accessible. The restaurant on the first floor is closed in the evening. The pub is on the second floor. My male companion and I are in our 70's. Climbing up the stairs was problematic for me, as I have sciatica issue. If one is elderly, better hold onto the rail heading downstairs to exit the restaurant. According to the owner, the restaurant on the lower level is for events such as birthday parties and other celebratory occasions. Return visits: might, then might not. In my book, it is a hit or miss. I have downgraded the rating from a four star to a three star, which I believe is reasonable and fair.

    Grilled Chicken rice plate
    David L.

    Quinn's Lighthouse is a classic Oakland waterfront spot with a lot of character. The first thing you notice is the décor -- it still has that old-school lighthouse and nautical vibe from the original Quinn's, which gives the place a cozy, nostalgic feel that longtime locals will appreciate. The menu is an interesting blend of the past and present. You'll find familiar seafood dishes from the previous establishment alongside newer Vietnamese-inspired additions, which makes for a surprisingly diverse lineup. Food-wise, everything we tried was solid and satisfying. The salt and pepper calamari was crispy, well-seasoned, and a great appetizer to share. Quinn's burger was hearty and filling, cooked nicely and served with classic comfort-food vibes. The banh mi sandwich was a welcome newer addition -- fresh, flavorful, and a nice contrast to the traditional pub and seafood offerings. The prawn fettuccine alfredo was rich and comforting, with plenty of prawns, and the grilled chicken over rice was simple, well-seasoned, and dependable. They have a decent beer selection and they come in very nice steins. Overall, Quinn's Lighthouse feels like a place that honors its roots while slowly evolving. The food is decent and comforting, the atmosphere is unique, and the mix of old seafood favorites with new Vietnamese dishes makes it stand out. A relaxed spot to enjoy a meal by the water with a bit of Oakland history built in. The place was not busy at all for lunch on Friday and the food was a little slow to come out but it was a good experience and a nice meal. They even gave each of us a little thank you bag with treats in it.

    Spoiled oysters

    We recently visited Quinn's Lighthouse and had a very disappointing experience. The oysters we were served were clearly spoiled and had an obvious bad smell and taste. Seafood, especially raw oysters, should never be served unless freshness can be guaranteed, so this was extremely concerning. We've included a photo because the condition of the oysters speaks for itself. What made this worse was that this is a serious food safety issue, not just a minor service complaint. Raw oysters that have gone bad can make people very sick. We expected much better quality control and handling from a restaurant serving seafood. Unfortunately, this experience completely ruined our meal and left us uncomfortable about eating there again.

    64. Seafood Linguine
    Xochi A.

    Parking is on the street, and it's a little walk to the restaurant (not bad! just setting expectations that you can't pull up to the door). I ordered the Seafood Linguine and a cocktail. The linguine was *chefs kiss*. Sauce made fresh & flavorful, you can taste the freshness. Comes with prawns, mussels, clams and a type of fish that was so flavorful!! I caught myself doing the happy food dance three times. I cannot stress enough that this was super fresh and flavor was on point. not too salty or cheesy or watery. Nothing overcooked, the clams and mussels were just right! Clams are easy to be tough but they tasted clean and fresh. Good portion! This place has been around a while. It's now classified as Vietnamese, seafood and cocktails. I would definitely try a lot more based off of what i had today. The server was super attentive and accommodating and that goes a long way! Said I might need a box to go, and it's a great sized portion but I can't stop eating.

    4. Clam Chowder with Bacon

    Best Clam Chowder I've ever had, Owner told us it's made fresh daily and you can definitely tell. Ribs were also pretty good. We sat outside and it was a great!

    Chris L.

    It only took me 23 years to get to this hidden gem. Didn't realize it's Vietnamese food, a bit different than the pub we expected. But we were pleasantly surprised! Sat outside for happy hour (3-6pm), $3 off cocktails and $2 off draft beers. Kinda pricey: Blood orange margarita for $18 (minus $3 for happy hour) but it was tasty. Summer spring rolls for an appetizer and we had a lovely time, outside on the water. Go visit!

    Shaking Beef over Garlic Noodles
    Jim P.

    Old school New England style lighthouse pub turned Vietnamese bistro overlooking Coast Guard Island. Very flavorful Shaking Beef over garlic noodles. Great food and friendly attentive staff made this an excellent lunch.

    entrance
    Anthony H.

    Quinn's Lighthouse is on the Oakland Embarcadero, right along the estuary and across from the Alameda Coast Guard island. We decided to check it out as we were intrigued by the concept of a waterview marine-themed seafood restaurant that also offers Vietnamnese food on its menu. Parking is along the street, and you walk across a charming garden in front of the restaurant to get to the entrance. On a Sunday noon we were directed upstair and given a choice to dine inside or out on the patio with a nice view of the harbor. We decided on the outdoor patio. Apparently the Vietnamnese menu was added by the new owner after the restaurant changed hands over a year ago. However, many of the favorite seafood specialties from the old restaurant were retained. We looked over the Vietnamnese menu and decided to try a few dishes that were not typical in a traditional Vietnamnese restaurant. I had the Banh Mi Chao. This was an up-market version of a traditional Vietnamese breakfast dish, comprised of a large toasted baguette, and a skillet filled with two sunny side up eggs, some Vietnamese ham, filet mignon beef cubes cooked with scallions, and a Vietnamese meat ball. The warm toasted baguette dipped in the gooey sunny side eggs and soaked with the juices from the filet mignon was very comforting and satisfying. It really hit the spot for me. There was also a small side dish of salad with a light and sweet citrus vinaigrette and that was very complimentary and helped to clean the palette. My wife had the filet mignon pho noodle. The broth was not like the beef pho you may be used to at a traditional Vietnamese Pho place. This was creamy like some Thai noodles using coconut milk. The filet mignon came in a separate plate and were raw fillets drizzled with some kind of light oil and top with scallions and herbs. The raw fillets get cooked in the hot broth as you put them in the noodle. However, as we were sitting outside, the noodle broth cooled quicker so we ended up with leftover raw fillets that we decided to take home. For appetizers we ordered the salt and pepper shrimps. These were generous portions of plump shrimps laid on top of fresh greens and sliced green chili pepper. We drizzled lemon juice on the shrimp and they were succulent and delicious. Our server also provided bottles of ranch dressing (one white and one pink) should we decided to have other dipping sauces. Our server was pleasant, but checked on us kind of late, just before we were finishing, and forgot about the hot tea we ordered. That was the only snafu we encountered. Otherwise, we enjoyed our meals with the view and would come back. After lunch we enjoyed the BayTrails right along the restaurant

    Top deck

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    11 months ago

    Horrible food, service was terrible don't bother going here. Should have thought twice to bring a menu that can't deliver.

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    Cute place, bar upstairs and lookout deck was great. Good service, good food. Had the martini and jambalaya and it was a nice little time.

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    Page 3 of 29

    Ask the Community - Quinn's Lighthouse

    Do they still bring live music in on Thursday evening?

    no. it is quite different now. no peanut shells on thefloor and they put a canvas on the fence outside so you can't see the boat activity. We were disappointed -

    What are the vegan options available for dinner?

    Yes!!!

    Is the pirate band still showing on Thursday evenings upstairs?

    YES!!! They're back. I'm so sorry my old answer was up here (just removed). I was in mourning -- but they're back. Right now it's every other Thursday - hope for every Thursday if enough come. YEA!!!!!! (New owners, re-opened!)

    I'm curious if dogs are allowed?

    On the deck, yes! And in front, but not inside.

    Lunch on Sunday, should I make a reservation for 2 people?

    Depending on the time and what's going on, better safe than sorry. It's a big place but Father's Day sunday it's probably packed.

    I am having problems reaching them. Is Quinn's still opened? Marlene Getz

    Yes... open today 01/10/18 from 11:30 to 9:00 p.m. GOOGLE them. It will show hours open, address, phone number. Sometimes the phone will ring awhile as they get very busy.

    View All 9 Questions

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    Forbidden Island

    Forbidden Island

    4.2
    (1.6k reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $$

    Forbidden Island is one of those rare neighborhood gems that somehow manages to feel both special…read moreand effortlessly welcoming. It's a longtime local favorite of mine and my go-to spot for meeting up with friends--equal parts escape and comfort. The cocktail menu is impressively deep, full of beautifully crafted, fancy tiki drinks that practically beg to be explored, and so far every single one I've tried has been delicious (dangerously so). Inside, the bar nails the classic tiki vibe--warm, immersive, and transportive--while the outdoor patio offers a lovely, relaxed option with plenty of extra seating on warm days. It's the kind of place where you can linger, laugh, and lose track of time. The staff deserve a special shout-out: genuinely friendly, attentive, and accommodating, which only adds to the overall experience. A quick pro tip: if you're planning to stop by during popular after-work hours, definitely make a reservation--it fills up for good reason. The food menu is on the smaller side, but the bites are tasty and thoughtfully done, perfect for sharing alongside a round (or two) of cocktails. All in all, Forbidden Island is a standout spot that keeps me coming back again and again.

    4++ Tiki bar that feels like it's been around for a long time, located in Alameda…read more As soon as you walk in, the place feels a little diver, and I mean that with utmost praise. It feels comfortable and if you're regular here feels like you're just going to something familiar. There's a backyard area with seating as well. I came here with my brother and my sister-in-law for a drink after having dinner in the area. The people were friendly and helpful. We ordered a few of the tiki drinks. I got the banana hammock, lol. It was tasty and refreshing. Overall, great spot, and I hope to return in the near future. Parking on the street wasn't too hard to find. We parked about a block away in the residential area.

    Photos
    Outside patio area
    Outside patio area
    The two mugs that they have available. The mug on the left is a special edition mug and $150. The mug on the right is $40.
    The two mugs that they have available. The mug on the left is a special edition mug and $150. The mug on the right is $40.
    More of the atmosphere of the forbidden island, and I love all the money hanging from the ceiling

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    More of the atmosphere of the forbidden island, and I love all the money hanging from the ceiling
    Almond & Oak

    Almond & Oak

    4.4
    (428 reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$

    Very tasty, Southern inspired foods. I loved the spicy chicken sandwich and their cornbread. There…read morewas a wait list on a Saturday morning, but the text to let us know our table was ready came fairly quickly. Our server was very prompt and kind. The restaurant is beautiful, with a full bar and view of their grand oven. Highly recommend to make a reservation here for brunch.

    Came here for lunch with a friend at 1 PM on a Saturday. We came 15 minutes late after our…read morereservation because of parking and they were understanding of it. As soon as you walk in, you're hit with the smell of a campfire from the oven. The restaurant is absolutely gorgeous with an Art Deco design. The ambiance is cozy but elevated. Benedict (buttermilk biscuit, dungeness crab cakes, marinated swiss chard & beet greens, herbed hollandaise, poached eggs & mixed greens): I'm not a huge benedict person because they can feel heavy, but this one was fantastic. I loved the textures and flavors of the crab cakes pairing with the greens and vegetables. It felt balanced and not too creamy or exhausting to eat. It definitely stands out from the run-of-the-mill brunch benedict. Vegetable Hash (roasted sweet potatoes, garnet yams, sunchokes, cauliflower, cremini mushrooms, celery root & onion, savoy spinach & poached eggs): This was also delicious and also set itself apart from the standard brunch hash. I loved the different vegetables in it besides being just potatoes and onions. The mushrooms and root vegetables worked really well together. Everything was well-seasoned. I'm glad we ended up choosing these dishes even though neither were my original top choices (I decided on the menu with my friend). It made me feel like you can choose anything and it'd be a banger. We were quite full from these dishes, and we forget we also ordered beignets to come out last. They were fluffy and mostly air (but not in a bad way). The service throughout the meal was good. We were checked on from time-to-time and our waters were refilled, although I wish the water glasses were a little bigger. One small thing to note was that we were given the check while we were still eating, even though the restaurant was still seating people despite it being close to closing time. Unsure if/why we were rushed like this. Overall, this was a memorable brunch spots I've been to in the Bay (dare I say one of the best?). We left smelling like a campfire. I would recommend it.

    Photos
    Almond & Oak
    Baked strawberry rhubarb French toast
    Baked strawberry rhubarb French toast
    Eggs Benedict

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    Eggs Benedict
    Town Tavern

    Town Tavern

    4.3
    (198 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$

    Favorite place to grab a drink on the island!…read more I love grabbing a spot by the windows to people watch while sipping on a well made cocktail. If you want to grab a bite, my go-to is the sliders with tater tots.

    I stopped by here for happy hour and had a really pleasant experience! They offer $10 classic…read morecocktails and discounts on appetizers like chips and salsa and guac, French fries, nachos, and other bites. I ordered a classic martini with a twist, it wasn't my favorite drink ever but it was made well, just not my usual. After that I ordered a classic margarita which was super good and came with a black salt rim and dehydrated lime. The margarita was super tasty and both drinks were made right away! For food, I ordered the chips and salsa and guac. The guac was very good, it tasted fresh and was a good size portion. The salsa was really good, it was chipotle tasting but had a lime tanginess to it that was unique and refreshing. They were generous with the portion of chips and the chips were thick and crispy and seasoned well with just a little bit of salt. I also ordered the impossible taquitos which came with guac, sour cream, and salsa on top. The presentation was beautiful and the food came out fast but the taste was a bit weird, it wasn't bad but it just tasted like burger meat in a taquito. I really appreciate that they offered a meat alternative but wish it tasted better, like maybe use potatoes instead of fake meat, or use fake chorizo over a burger seasoning. It would also be nice if there was a vegan version not just a vegetarian version. Despite my critiques of the food, I have no critiques for the service and atmosphere! My server was phenomenal and attentive and checked in often! I had a great experience and look forward to coming back but would definitely be more eager to come back if they updated with more vegan options!

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

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    Pick your specials

    Quinn's Lighthouse - seafood - Updated June 2026

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