Absolutely beautiful place and lovely owner Ms. Debbie , great working with Ms. Debbie from beginning to end . Everything was perfect for my milestone birthday, I would definitely rent this facility for any event. read more

See all

Had our wedding here last month and we loved this venue! They don't provide anything besides the space, chairs and tables which I loved as we were able to make it our own. Was the perfect size for our guests and was affordable which was hard to find in California! I highly recommend it for any of your future events! read more

See all

Maybe, if you want to tout the quiet neighborhood aspect of your venue, you should make sure guests don't violate state law, risk setting fires (like the one that severely damaged one of your buildings that you've still not repaired), and that disrupt the neighborhood by launching fireworks. read more

Went here for a celebration of life and the venue was perfect, inside and outside seating, bar area and the food was delicious. Hidden gem in an unexpected place. read more

Beautiful place for any event especially if you are on a budget ! The staff were incredibly accommodating and attentive, ensuring everything runs smoothly from start to finish. I'm definitely booking this place ! read more

I love this place. Went here for a wedding just yesterday and it was such a cute outdoor and indoor venue! Ample space outside, half the area where the garden/Secret garden vibes was empty or usually just used for a place to sit and relax and photo-ops of course. I think all the staff were so great. Everyone worked as a team. I remember seeing the bar tender collecting plates and cups then a minute or two later he's back at the bar. The staff is very friendly and always takes seconds to help. The food was great. Lined up was bread rolls, two choices of salads, two salad dressings, veggies, mash potatoes, chicken Marsala, and prime rib! everything was soft and delicious. My only con is that the bathroom always smelled and it needs a remodel. I'd definitely suggest this place to a few of my friends. It's tucked in between residential and somewhat business area. Parking isn't too bad when you're early but theirs a lot of street parking too. read more

Rockefeller Lodge - how pretty is their night time set up! - Party & Event Planning Near Me - San Pablo, California

See all

Wow! Jonathan and Deborah are lovely people, the food is delicious, and the Rockefeller Lodge is just magic. Thanks for everything. You helped make our wedding so special! read more

See all

Now that our wedding date has been set, Gayle and I have started to look for the right venue. All we're really looking for something cozy and pretty and within easy driving distance of the Bay Area. We also expect that our wedding will just include immediate family and a few friends. Plus, we'd rather spend our money on a nice trip to Europe than splurge on a "destination" wedding. Gayle and I took a drive yesterday and visited several places, including the Rockefeller Lodge. The Lodge and grounds are very pretty, cozy, and well kept. My web research also indicates that this historical location is a very good value for the money. However, we just couldn't get past the neighbourhood, especially the outside noise and music that could and probably has interrupted a very special ceremony. We also wondered about the safety of our parents in trying to find this place or navigate their way out at the end of the celebration. And that is very much a part of our "package". read more

"The Rockefeller Lodge is simple yet elegant." The Rockefeller Lodge by far met my expectations. Debbie the manager and the staff are so easy to talk to. My guest raved about how usually at weddings you never have a great wedding with great food, so they ranted about how wonderful the food was! The staff was so courteous, and at the wedding you didn't even realize they were there... The lodge is great especially if you are on a budget and want a simple wedding. For the ceremony and reception can easily say I spent a little over or about $5000. Everyone loved it! My wedding day turned out perfect! I loved every minute of it! read more

Rockefeller Lodge - Party & Event Planning Near Me - San Pablo, California

We've been married for almost 2 years and I still have people ask about this venue. It's unassuming, and very affordable, but you can really transform this venue to make it just the way you like it. It's an intimate venue but you really don't notice, especially when you utilize the outdoors. We had about 5 tables outside and it worked perfectly. Food was great, though I do wish we had a chance to sample it before the big day. But, a HUGE perk was us being able to take the extra food home. I definitely recommend this venue as Debbie and Jonathan are easy to work with. It makes a great indoor/outdoor venue. read more

See all

I attended a friends' wedding reception here last night. They seemed very pleased with the process of reserving the location and planning their party and, as a guest, I thoroughly enjoyed my evening. The ambiance is lovely, with a large fireplace in the entrance and hard wood floors. The food was delicious and the service was great. I don't always expect delicious food at weddings but their's was actually very good, especially the appetizers and scalloped potatoes. There are separate areas for the bar, live music/DJ, and dining but everything flows well from one space to the other. It maintains a cozy feel even with room for 80+. It was too cold for us to utilize the outdoor areas but I'm sure they are nice during warmer weather. Most likely a symptom of an old lodge, the floors are a bit uneven from one end of the lodge to the other. I just took this as a test. If you can make it safely from the dining area to the bar, then you can get another drink. read more

I am so thankful that we found this place! They were wonderful to work with and I loved the look of the venue. We had about 70 people and it felt great. I really wanted to find a venue where I was not going to spend hours setting up tables and breaking down afterwards and this fit the bill! Wedding are what they DO here, and from my first meeting with Johnathan I had complete confidence in him and the rest of the staff. I was able to make small changes to the food items (veggie lasagna with more cheese and less veggies for example) and even added baked brie for a per person cost. We really were able to come in, put out our decorations and then just focus on getting ourselves ready. They have so many lush green areas that just look amazing for photographs. I was so happy to have the wisteria blooming for our day. I couldn't' be happier with how my wedding went, and picking the right venue is a big part of that! read more

Rockefeller Lodge - Back seating area with round tables. - Party & Event Planning Near Me - San Pablo, California

See all

I had my wedding here last month, Rockefeller Lodge is a beautiful venue; my ceremony was outside reception inside. The food was amazing, the staff was beyond friendly and my photos came out great in their outdoor setting. I have since recommended this venue to a few people and would consider having another event here in the future. Debbie is awesome and very helpful!!! read more

Rockefeller Lodge - Party & Event Planning Near Me - San Pablo, California

See all

I love this place. The venue is very homey and friendly staff. Also good /enough parking spaces. The foods were great and wide variety of selections. The garden is aso very nice . read more

We got married here on Friday and it was perfect. Debbie was lovely to work with throughout, the food was delicious, the space was beautiful, and the staff the night of the wedding, Devon and Angel, were so professional, attentive, kind, and really on top of everything. We loved them! Thank you Rockefeller Lodge and all involved for a beautiful night - we highly recommend you! read more

This venue completely made my husbands and i's dreams come true. I am beyond grateful to the coordinators and the workers. Deborah and Jonathan were very easy to work with and everything came out perfect for our big day. This place is just like a little oasis in Richmond, never thought something like this existed in my own town! And it was completely affordable and absolutely hassle-free. It was so hassle free that I was able to pull off planning our wedding in 5 months stress free. read more

See all

I had my wedding reception here last night! I would definitely recommend it. It is an event venue with an on-site catering service. Debbie is very professional and really knows what she's doing. I felt like I was in good hands the whole time. Johnathan, Debbie's son, also helps plan events and bartends. He did a great job mixing my signature cocktail and slinging booze all night. My single girlfriends thought he was extremely cute. I hear the food was excellent, although I didn't really get to taste it because I was trying to cram in bites in between talking to guests. I remember the scalloped potatoes being really good, and I loved the orange and red onion salad. The stuffed mushroom appetizer was delicious. We also had chicken breasts, salmon, ravioli, green salad, grilled veggies, and passed appetizers that many of my guests said they enjoyed. The only thing I wouldn't recommend are the chicken skewers with peanut sauce appetizer. They were OK but not as impressive as the other appetizers. We picked this place because it has some history (used to be John D. Rockefeller's hunting lodge), and because it had a wintery cabin-like feel to it. They built a big fire in the fireplace, which is original to the building and from the early 1900s. We liked that it is in San Pablo where you wouldn't expect to find a nice venue. Rockefeller Lodge is sort of hidden and magical. A diamond in the rough, if you will. Mostly we picked this place because they don't charge a rental fee Monday through Friday, and we had the wedding on a Friday night. You just have to pay for catering. That saved us over $1,000! Take away one star for two minor annoyances: -The floor is uneven. Make sure people watch their step. Follow my good friend and wedding guest Emily J.'s advice. If you can make your way from the dining room to the bar without tripping, you can have another drink. -The sign for the venue doesn't light up at night, and is impossible to see. People had a hard time finding the place. read more

I am so, so, so glad I had my wedding here. San Pablo doesn't immediately jump to mind when it comes to wedding locations, but this venue is perfect. We wanted something outdoorsy with an indoor component since it was the winter and could easily rain on our wedding date (02/23/2013), and the lodge was the perfect solution. They have a tent set up perfectly to the side of the venue for months during the winter and they can put it up quickly even if it rains quickly in the more traditional months (which happened to an acquaintance of mine in 2010) The tent is a pretty area with a traditional podium set-up, so your pictures would still turn out beautiful. And you should just see this place lit up at night. My friends told me a few of them walked out with their significant other and had a little moment under the gazebo, with the trees surrounding them and the sparkling lights twinkling off the lodge overhang. My brand new husband and I took a moment to sit outside there, ourselves, and just... wow. It really was breathtaking. Both Jonathan and Debbie are very helpful during the whole process. The rates are super cheap, too! The only downside (for some people) is you have to use their catering and they don't do taste tests beforehand, but their food is delicious. My photographer has been there multiple times and said they had some of the best food she's has at weddings, and all of our guests liked the options. It's buffet-style with quite a few different salads and cars and entrees, as well as bread and fruit options, as well. And that was just for the cheapest option! This venue was SO comfortable with the 60+ people we had attending. On a sunny day, it could easily comfortably fit 120. If it's rainy season, you may want to keep it at around 100. Honestly, I love this venue. I'm in love with it. I hope to be renewing my vows there in another 10 years. read more

My fiance and I came here to see this venue in person as a possibility of celebrating our upcoming wedding next year 2017. We loved the pictures we came across of other weddings on this site and other websites. The lodge is cute and rustic looking. We loved the outdoor lighting on the patio and the bar inside. However, we had a few concerns regarding the location of this venue. It is not in a nice area of San Pablo, CA. It is nestled between a low income apartment complex and homes. The parking is right next to this apartment complex and we were concerned about guests vehicles possibly getting broken into. Also, while browsing the outside patio where the cute gazebo is located we heard loud music coming from across the street and a loud voice booming through a PA system. There was a field across the street that appeared to be hosting a game. This definitely will not work for us. We cannot afford to have our ceremony interrupted with background noises. Again, the lodge is really cute and very affordable. However, location is the the huge minus for us. read more

Service: 10/10 stars. They soothed my mother in law, quickly changed the seating arrangements when it became clear we needed to all sit inside, arranged all the drinks and food incredibly well, were so accommodating with our decoration needs, and were a pleasure to be around. Food: 10/10 stars. Bonus to any place that has gourmet Mac and Cheese on the menu. Prices start at 17 per person. With drinks and dessert service ours ended up being about 25 a person--so reasonable! And they do cleanup! Pricing: They had a second wedding scheduled the day of ours (ours was in the morning, theirs at night) so they WAIVED the rental cost. On a Saturday. So we only paid for food. 15/10 stars. Venue: 10/10 stars. Tons of parking. Very quiet and peaceful. Two fountains, lots of greenery, ability to sit inside or outside, perfect for small weddings like ours (50) but able to accommodate much larger groups of people, fireplace for ambiance, beautiful old-timey bar, gazebo, patio, sparkling lights--so gorgeous. Lots of places for gorgeous photos. Thank you Rockefeller Lodge for making our beautiful wedding possible. read more

Ever heard of "the myspace angle"?? That's pretty much how this place took every single picture of their events that they put on the website. I can't even express how run down the building is. The gardens are *meh*, and have tons of areas where there are no flowers, grass, groundcover etc and it's just hard packed dry ass dirt. The stones/bricks on the ground are cracked in many places and do not match throughout the area (one type is brick and one type is like concrete looking). The building itself is questionable at best. Worn out wood surfaces, floors and door jams make this place look outdated, not "rustic" or "antique". The drapes are...*shudder* hideous. Old old floral patterns and the white is now cream-ish. There are literally 4 types of chairs inside. So basically none of them match and you'd have to use all 4 kinds to seat all your guests. Very very little is included in the package other than basic white linens and food. You bring your own liquor, floral, decorations, music, dj, cake etc. You have to pay for chair covers like $5-7 each which is RIDICULOUS considering the chairs don't match AT ALL and you MUST cover them so your guests don't know how ghetto this place is. The seating area next to the patio USED TO BE THE PATIO that they had covered so the floor goes from sh*tty old non polished/maintained hardwood to red brick. Nice. The menu is pathetic. They are CRAP at communication. Basically, I'd rather go to city hall or my fiance's backyard. read more

It's been said before, but I don't know if it's been said enough: The Rockefeller Lodge is a hidden gem. We've been to the Rockefeller for numerous events over the years: a cousin's cotillion, a bunch of Rotary Christmas parties, another cousin's wedding, my friend's grandma's 90th birthday (complete with Mariachi)--the whole spectrum. When we had to choose a venue for our own wedding, the Rockefeller was near the top of the list. Yes, we checked out other venues. Yes, we had to consider cost. Sure, San Pablo isn't a "destination" for a wedding. In the end, and after meeting with Debbie & Johnathan, we really felt comfortable and were glad that we picked the Rockefeller Lodge. Venue: Homey and historic. This used to be John D. Rockefeller's hunting lodge and has much of the same functional-yet-ornate architecture and decor of a home from the early 1900s. When you walk through the gates, you're amazed at how hidden away, private, and woodsy the location feels. The inside of the building and the outside garden are already beautiful, so we didn't even need decorations, aside from the flowers on the tables. The outdoor area comfortably sat the 100 guests that came to watch the ceremony. We had the ceremony in front of the gazebo. Later in the evening, the gazebo became the location for a full photobooth with curtains, photographer, and a table for props. For dinner, we had 175 guests filling the main room, the adjoining room, and the outside tables. We have a big family and everyone was happy, even if they didn't all get a close-up view of the sweetheart table. There's plenty of space for dancing (or, for our wedding: the electric slide), which can happen both inside or outside (with heaters if it gets chilly). Coordination: Debbie is a wonderful mix of friendly and "football coach." She wants you to have a memorable day, but also needs you to do your homework and does a great job of breaking down exactly the things you'll need do the job right. Johnathan works a lot with the brides and did a great job of keeping my wife-to-be from becoming a bridezilla. He is also great about answering those last minute, panicked phone calls and coordinating the rehearsal the day before. No question is too stupid for him. They were always very personable, didn't make you feel bad, but also made sure you were on track and doing your homework, because it's a very big day and they want you to be successful. Food: They say that nobody remembers the food at a wedding. Not true--you'd remember if it was bad. After the wedding, we were told by a lot of our guests that they loved the jalapeno poppers (who doesn't?!), the tri-tip, the fish, and the pasta salad. Robert (one of the in-house caterers) was great and even had a little plate of appetizers saved for us newlyweds since we were busy taking photos during the cocktail hour. Drinks: The Rockefeller gives you the option to supply your own bar, which was a great money saver. If you mix enough dollar store green mouthwash with club soda, it kinda tastes like a mojito! The lady who tended the bar was friendly and patient and accommodating of our guests' tolerance to alcohol. Overall, we were blown away by our experience at the Rockefeller Lodge, and we won't ever forget it. We're looking forward to our next celebration at the Rockefeller Lodge. Thank you! read more

My mom got married here back in 2004 I think, so it's been a while, but I was recently reminded of the experience and felt the need to add my tid bit. The place is cute, small, lends itself well to a low key and small wedding. You can't throw rice, so we had people throw bird seed - it was cute. There are plenty of spots for photo opportunities, and it's pretty in the garden at night. My two complaints are as follows: They painted the inside of the venue the day before the wedding. It still had the odor of fresh paint. It wasn't too bad, but a bit annoying, plus they didn't want us to tape any decorations up as a result. They make you use their catering, and the catering service was TERRIBLE. The food was decent enough, but at one point they actually TURNED AN ENTIRE TABLE OF GUESTS AWAY from the food table saying that it wasn't their turn yet. Their staff then proceeded to EAT THE FOOD. I've worked for a catering company before as a server, I get that your people get hungry, but it is never acceptable to turn guests away in favor of feeding your staff. Guests went hungry while their people pigged out. Unacceptable. read more

Attention brides on a budget! Are you looking for a venue for a max of 100 people in the Bay Area? You have to go SEE Rockefeller Lodge. Last year, I was a bride on a budget in the East Bay. So many places were so expensive, and I was super familiar with the area since I'm not originally from up here. Anyway, I got on YELP and I Googled like a mad woman, and I found Rockefeller Lodge. At first when I looked at the website, I was like, there is no way this place is this cute. My husband and I made an appointment to go see it, and it is better than the pictures on the website. 4 star review for the following 1) Debbie was our wedding coordinator at the site. From the first time we met, to our various meetings before and after the event, she was calm, courteous and so informative. She is not an upseller. She will give you what you need. 2) The venue is beautiful. You would never think such a beautiful place exists across the street from a baseball field. Parking is ample for guests. Guests also have a choice to hang out outside or inside. Either way its beautiful. 3) The food was good. All of my guests loved it. They especially loved the appetizers. 4) Service is great. Everyone at the Lodge was so helpful on the day of, and it made my wedding planner happy. 5) You can bring your own booze! All you have to do is pay for a server to hang out behind the bar! 6) All of our pictures were great at the Lodge, and our guests found it comfortable and beautiful with the twinkling lights. 7) The price is right. I was not in a position to break the bank. There are many options for you to keep it affordable, and you can pay it off little by little. The deposit isn't too bad either. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because the DJ has to set up inside the venue. It is kind of an awkward set up. My family and friends were so hot from dancing inside that we had to dance outside, which was fine but a little awkward. I would have my reception here again! It is beautiful and a steal! read more

I would like to thank Jonathan and Debbie! I had an event there this past Friday and it turned out just lovely! I worked mostly with Jonathan and he was really on top of things. The lodge is very nice and the staff was very out of the way, but there when we needed them. The grounds at the lodge are nice they could use a bit of updating inside to the restrooms but over all you get a bang for you buck, from the garden alone. My only wish was for longer hours, having to end the music at 10pm is kind of a bummer and it would have been nice to have to leave the place by midnight and end the party at 11pm. read more

I got married here about 4 years ago but just recently saw a few reviews written for this place and thought that I would express my gratitude for the amazing staff at this venue. Everything about this place is a brides dream: - Amazingly friendly, knowledgeable staff there to assist you with your every need.. these people are event planners that know what they're doing! - Simple and elegant venue, doesn't take much decorating to beautify - just enough to give it your own personal touch. - Great price - and if it is still the same as when I got married there, their prices are cut in half during the winter months. - Great food with a good variety in their selections... my guests were raving for weeks about how great it was to leave a wedding and not have to stop at McDonalds on the way home. - Tons of help on the day of the event and they set up everything exactly the way I requested.. I had three different favors for each guest that I wanted set up in a very particular way at each place setting and I just dropped of the favors the day before and they handled the rest!!! In conclusion - I think that whether you are on a tight budget or have a couple grand to spare, the Rockefeller Lodge is a beautiful venue and the amazing staff support will ensure that your big day goes seamlessly and allow you and your hubby to focus on what's really important - EACHOTHER!! read more

Just had my wedding here a few days ago and I must say that it's one of the best decisions that my husband and I made. It's a beautiful venue and the food was delicious! I've seen plenty of our guests' plates empty and people going back for seconds. The service staff were wonderful and very attentive. Johnathan and Debbie were very flexible and easy to work with. The entire booking process was smooth. Any questions we had were answered promptly and whatever we needed, they were able to accommodate. It was the perfect place to hold our 90+ close friends and family. The price is very affordable and the menu options were pretty good. From the hors d'oeuvres to the entreés and the sides, it was just great! They even packed the leftover food for us to take home which took us by surprise. I was so impressed with their hospitality and service. Parking spaces are limited but it's within a residential area so street parking won't be so difficult to find. I never knew this place was here and I use to live right next to it, until we were looking for a venue within our neighborhood. Definitely a hidden gem. Simple, rustic and amazing! read more

My Mother had a wedding reception here 12 years ago and I had mine at Rockefeller on 10-13-12. This location is magical I loved every minute of my reception. The staff was amazing. Debbie & Johnathan have been in party planning business for a long time. Trust me if you choose Rockefeller as your venue for any event you will be greatly satisfied. read more

Rockefeller Lodge - By the gazebo... Perfect setting, - Party & Event Planning Near Me - San Pablo, California

See all

The staff were so nice and very professional. The place is so homey . Food were delicious and well prepared thanks Jonathan and all staff

I was going to wait until after our wedding to write a review, but after checking back on their reviews, I figured I should jump in now! We are having our wedding here at the end of August, and I am so excited that we found this place. It is rustic, and totally charming. The best selling point in my mind, was that they charge no rental fee for Friday nights. We rented a bus for our guests to take them to and from San Francisco to the lodge, and we still saved money (and now they don't have to rent cars). Debbie has been awesome. She is available, quick to respond to emails, and really helpful. I'll update again in September. read more

We were looking at wedding venues and had been told about the Lodge by a friend. When we drove up, I didn't think much or it. We walked in through the fence and got to see it, and WOW! I had no idea a place like that would be hidden away in the middle of San Pablo! We were planning on looking at other sites, but somewhere between leaving the venue the first time, and arriving back home, we had decided that Rockefeller lodge was perfect for us. We had our wedding at the end of August. Debbie and Jonathon were great to work with and helped us figure everything out. There were some late changes in our numbers that caused a minor invoice issue, but nothing major and it was cleared up without much fuss. The venue was beautiful! When we arrived the staff was making last minute adjustments to make sure that everything was how it was supposed to be. By the time our guests showed up, all was ready. When we were told we would have to use the lodge for our caterer, we were a little skeptical. The food in the pictures looked nice, and the reviews were good, but we wanted to be sure. On top of it, my wife is a vegetarian, and we wanted to have food options that were both veggie friendly, and carnivore friendly. Most importantly, the food needed to be flavorful - we didn't want to be serving rubber chicken or over steamed veggies. We didn't need to worry. My wife and I don't remember eating much, but the guests have told us the food was great and there was lots of it. We added in the chocolate fountain which our guests really loved! We had about 90 people at our wedding. There was room for them to be dancing all night without feeling crushed or like they were in a giant warehouse, but there were also plenty of places for people to sit and talk if they needed a break for the party. If you are looking for a place to hold your event, its worth the trip to San Pablo to check out Rockefeller Lodge. read more

I rarely write Yelp reviews, but I can't help but give a shout out in favor of the Rockefeller Lodge and Party Time Catering for providing the ideal spot for a memorial service/ celebration of life, as well as an excellent meal. The food was ample and delicious and the grounds were impeccable and allowed for children to run around and adults to mingle comfortably. The neighborhood may not be where you would expect to find a venue of this caliber, but that just added to the charm. We look forward to working with Debby and Jonathan to celebrate both happy (and hopefully not too many more) sad events. I wish I knew about this place when I was wedding planning- central to the Bay Area, fresh food, affordable - and parking included! Thank you Rockefeller Lodge for providing the perfect venue for our gathering, as well as a fine meal. read more

We had our wedding on 09/04/2015. A friend of mine recommended Rockefeller Lodge. We visited the premises and my fiance and I loved it. We met with Debbie and she was extremely welcoming. We decided have our wedding here and it's the best decision we made. Debbie was very helpful. She recommends what you need, nothing extra. She doesn't try to up sell. The venue is so beautiful, and indoor/outdoor location. And they cater on the spot. The food was delicious. Our guests left bragging about the venue and the food. I definitely recommend Rockefeller Lodge to anyone looking for a wedding venue. And if you need catering, call Party Time Catering! Thank you Debbie and team for making our day so special! read more

See all

I have attended many functions at the Rockefeller Lodge in San Pablo. The venue is beautiful, the food excellent but..... I was happy to hear that my friends had rented the lodge for a gala 60th anniversary part y. This was done about 18 months early. One year before the date reserved he died. The people at the lodge wouldn't refund the deposit. It seems rather mean spirited to withhold the deposit when someone dies and there is still a year to rebook the date. read more

We got married on September 3 at the Rockefeller Lodge, and we do not have high enough praise for the venue! Debbie and Johnathan immediately put us at ease, and were very pleasant and easy to work with throughout the entire process. The food was remarkably good, and the venue is picture perfect. The gazebo was a wonderful backdrop for the ceremony and photographs; the tables looked lovely; they were able to accommodate a number of requests that we had. Seriously nothing went wrong at all. The staff the day of was wonderful and helpful. Parking is plentiful. This place is seriously a diamond in the rough. We fell in love with it the moment we arrived. Best deal in the Bay Area, hands down. And don't listen to other reviewers complaining about the neighborhood--it's just fine. Tell your friends! read more

Got married here last night. The place is ridiculously super duper awesome. Especially when you have a picnic wedding with mac 'n cheese and bbq'ed chicken. When we first signed up, we were a little dubious though because they don't let you taste the food. Yup, no tasting. Which is kinda freaky if you're one of those people who likes to actually plan stuff. Happily, that's not us. But here's the thing: the place is super affordable. And one of the ways they keep the price down is by not spending your money to hire a whole kitchen staff to cook one meal for you to test out. So yeah, it's a leap of faith, but it's also a nice little adventure that adds some much needed unpredictablity to what is often an over-planned, over-choreographed event. Besides, the food turned out to be amazing! So take the leap, and trust it'll be delicious. Oh, and my wife (whoa!! wife!) wants me to say that Debbie, the woman who runs it all, is fantastic and attentive and will work with you to accommodate all your plans. read more

The redwood garden at the lodge makes for a surprisingly intimate wedding venue for the neighborhood this is in.

What a lovely venue. First of all its not the Ritz and as others have stated the floors are rather uneven but nothing you can't live with. I found it to be romantic, quiant and cute. This place is old but I think that adds to the charm. The gazebo is pretty and a good place to hold a ceremony. Its a bit hidden from the street but parking is pretty good. If you want something practical for an event I would recommend this place. The food was good and the service very attentive. I had a great time at our friends wedding and could see the bridal party had a wonderful time. read more

Had my wedding on Saturday. Debbie is great she really works with you. The weather was suspect and she helped get me a tent to cover up the uncovered seating. I was freaking out and she calmed me. The place is beautiful and the perfect size for our wedding. Its a hidden gem in san pablo. You may even pass it if you don't know where you are going. Thanks Debbie read more

I can't believe I haven't written a review for the Rockefeller Lodge! It's about time, we just celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary this weekend so our wedding day has been on my mind. ::kissy face:: ::winky face:: We had our wedding, the ceremony and reception, at the Rockefeller Lodge in February 2014. It was the most absolutely perfect wedding ever. Debbie and Jonathan were a delight to work with through all the details of our wedding day, they definitely know their stuff and made sure all the important things were taken care of. Our top priorities for our wedding day were for it to be fun (check) easy (Check) and have twinkly lights (CHECK!)... everything we wanted for our wedding day was provided by the Rockefeller Lodge: easy seating arrangements, they set everything up and took everything down (save the decor), food/beverages provided by on site caterers and we were allowed to provide our own alcohol, the scenery is one of the most important aspects that sets the tone for the whole day and the Rockefeller Lodge does not disappoint. The garden with the gazebo was perfect for our ceremony surrounded by redwood trees. The interior of the lodge is quaint and lovely, a familiar scent of firewood lingers in the air (FUN FACT: The fireplace is built from rubble of the 1906 earthquake!), creaky wooden floors, and whimsical wooden filigree accent the Bar and the Wilkommen doorway. The food was super delicious, I wish I had known they were going to box up the leftovers (how awesome is that!?) on my plate or I would have loaded it up even more. Gratefully we were able to actually enjoy the food on our wedding day too! That Chicken Marsala, pasta salad, scalloped potatoes, yum yum yum! The price points are what really made our experience so worthwhile, we were planning our wedding on a budget and we were able to accommodate all of our needs and wish-list items and then some since they are able to provide so many services (such as linens, seating, etc.) within one vendor... also, talk about the convenience of not having to call a "Chair person" or your "linen guy" when needing to coordinate your wedding day plans. Debbie and Jonathan are all you need to have a wonderful event, even if it's an anniversary party, birthday, wedding, anything. Needless to say, we really enjoyed our experience with the Rockefeller Lodge and appreciate the thought, love and care that goes into keeping the place running smoothly. read more