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    Skates On The Bay

    3.5 (3.4k reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 1 week ago

    Order Skates On The Bay Takeout or Delivery

    Skates On The Bay Photos

    SKATES ON THE BAY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Romantic
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Happy hour specials

    Recommended Reviews - Skates On The Bay

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    A
    Harry M.

    A hazy sunny Bay Area day while dining at Skates on the Bay. This is our second time visiting this spot while tripping to Berkeley. We were seated all most immediately in the restaurant's bar area. As I had remembered from our previous dining experience here the place is very popular, probably a result of the water views and views of downtown San Francisco. The view of Frisco is amazing from this location. We began the experience with a half dozen oysters and a couple lobster bisques. This was a nice start! Next up were our entrees, a lobster tail with asparagus, roasted potatoes, and clarified butter, and a romaine Caesar with fresh crab. Both were tasty. We ended with dessert, key lime pie and chocolate molten cake with caramel and vanilla ice cream. Our server Domnick was attentive and welcoming and also provided excellent service.

    Monique W.

    This is a Berkeley staple and I haven't been since I was a kid! I came here after a Cal Berkeley graduation and I love how their menus had the Cal logo on it to congratulate the new grads. The restaurant is still beautiful and it was nice to see my children enjoy the stunning view now. I mostly munched on appetizers - crab and artichoke dip, calamari, a sushi roll, and a lemon drop. I'm a little picky about my crab dips so I thought it was just okay. But everything else was 10/10. The staff was in a great mood and they were attentive to our large party.

    Mary H.

    Wanted to try a nice place for lunch and this popped on Google when searching for places in the area. Beautiful scenery from all of the windows when walking in. We had a window seat which was great Menu had a variety of items for everyone to choose from. Pasta dish with Shrimp very good, a little spicy from the red pepper flakes. Garlic bread very good Calamari very good Chicken with Couscous was not good. Chicken was dry and we sent back and tried again and second piece just as dry and flavorless Sirloin Steak-Good Cesar salad with Crab very good. FYI side of crab $15 Chicken sandwich-Good

    Bay bridge to the left
    Chris T.

    This is still one of my favorite restaurants to visit when I get a chance. It's two hours away from home so it's not often. I love the view of the water and being able to see all three bridges from the restaurant, the Bay Bridge, Golden Gate Bridge, and Richmond Bridge from the same spot. The soup wasn't as good as it usually is but I still like it. I also had the pasta with prawns which was really good. I loved the rich creamy sauce but it was overshadowed by too many red pepper flakes, and took away from nice flavor. I told the server, who said she'd let the cook know, but it wasn't acknowledged or redone with less heat, so I just took it home to see what I could do at home. Not sure about paying over $40 after tax, and $7 tip and not able to eat it. Our favorite is the bread with the buttery garlic sauce on top. My daughter had the prime rib dip, which was a little dry. The service was adequate. We got everything we asked for (ice for our water, horseradish, etc). I still love this place but I hope it gets back to the level it was before, which was 5 stars.

    Crab and artichoke dip

    They Treat you like family. No improvements from me. They were that great! The ambience is so beautiful you're not gonna find a restaurant like this anywhere just the building itself.

    Salmon Poke Salad Bowls
    Jed N.

    Staple restaurant in the Berkeley area. Beautiful water views, plenty of parking. Highly recommend coming for weekend brunch. The menu is reasonable, and they offer classic breakfast plates as well as more 'adventurous' fare like poke and sashimi. The poke was surprisingly very good. Pass on the sushi. The servers are patient and nice.

    My table for 10.
    Denise Y.

    My family and I (party of 10) had a 12 noon lunch reservation last Saturday, 7/11, for my 65th birthday celebration. My husband and I arrived at 11:30 am and the table was ready and one of the hosts promptly put the menus on the place settings. I like the fact that the tables were far enough apart so noise from other tables was not an issue. Dominic was our server and he provided excellent service. He promptly took drink orders when our party arrived, followed by the appetizer and main course orders. We never had to wait for service. He always came over at the right time. The drinks and food all came out promptly. After we finished eating, Dominic then asked if he could bring out my birthday cake that they held for me. Finally, he brought out my goodie bags that were held for me after the cake. We couldn't have asked for a better server. Despite a packed restaurant, he clearly anticipated our needs and we never had to search for him. The food was very good as well. I definitely recommend the shrimp and lobster roll, the salmon and the calamari and rainbow roll appetizers. For drinks, the exotic mojito was delicious. Skates is an ideal nice occasion restaurant - white tablecloths, great food, great service, full height windows with gorgeous views of the bay and plenty of parking. I highly recommend Skates!

    Private party
    Rachel M.

    Skates on the Bay did an overall nice job with my in-laws' 50th anniversary! There were some snafus with the initial reservation due to staff turnover but we eventually got the contract finalized. They have beautiful bay views, tasty entrees, and a private event room in the heart of the restaurant. The day of coordinators/servers were also very helpful during the event and brought everything out in a timely fashion. The guests raved about the event and had a lovely time. I also liked my prawn linguini and key lime pie. I also enjoyed the happy hour with friends in the past. Recommend having your event here!

    Beautiful Bay View
    D. Reneé B.

    Skates on the Bay - Berkeley, CA Beautiful views, but the service didn't match the setting. I visited on a Monday evening with my cousin who always makes it a point to come here when she's in town. Since we didn't have a reservation, we sat in the bar area. After being seated, it took about 20 minutes before we were able to order. The bartender was kind and helped get things started, but service throughout the visit felt slow and a bit unwelcoming. Water and bread weren't brought out until we asked, and after placing our order, there was very little follow-up. We ended up waiting over an hour before asking for the check. We ordered The Unveiling, which had a beautiful presentation but leaned heavily on the tequila. The Crab & Avocado Roll was a highlight -- fresh Dungeness crab and great flavor. The updated focaccia-style bread was also a nice touch. The view of the bay, with both bridges visible, continues to be the standout here. One thing to note: parking is now paid. Overall, while the food and views still have their appeal, the service during this visit took away from the experience.

    Ellexus H.

    Came and had lunch with my husband. We got the crab dip to start. Very yummy. I got the lobster roll and he got an open faced crab sandwich but ordered it with an extra slice of bread to close face it. The food was yummy. Service was pretty good until we finished our food and then it took forever to get boxes and the check. Nice quiet lunch with a beautiful view of the water.

    Lobster Bisque Bowl
    Maria M.

    First of all, the ambiance here is always so beautiful. Sitting by the bay with the big windows just feels so nice and relaxing, definitely a first-class vibe. The food is always amazing, and the service today was excellent . Our server, Jonathan, was super attentive, professional, and just made us feel really taken care of. We come here a lot, but today was extra special, we were celebrating my dad's 91st birthday. Jonathan made it feel really special and they even brought out a creme brulee with a candle, which was such a sweet touch. We ordered the fish and chips, prime rib sandwich, a lobster dish, and the Asian fusion filet tacos everything was so good and cooked to perfection. We also had a few glasses of wine, it was just a perfect lunch. This place never disappoints. Always a great experience. If you're in the area, you should definitely check it out and ask for Jonathan, he's the best!

    View from my table
    Sandy N.

    The restaurant is beautiful. It's literally on the bay. There's plenty of parking. I came by to get food to go. I had a $25 bday coupon to use. So I got the fish and chips. And a bowl of clam chowder. The fish stayed crispy and it was cooked perfectly. It was served with some lemon wedges and house made tartar sauce. The soup was good. I didn't really care for the fries. They were ok. There's a lot of happy hour/lunch specials. I've never been here any other time. This would be a great place to go to before the sunset. Great service from the hostess who took my order. She also brought me my food and asked if I needed utensils. On the way to the restaurant, you'll probably see a bunch of wild turkeys running around.

    Micah M.

    Excellent view. Attentive service. Private parking lot. The food was good but not great. I would return and try something else.

    Grilled Mahi Mahi with tomato and asparagus relish

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    Page 1 of 84

    Skates On The Bay Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Skates On The Bay

    Is there garage parking nearby?

    No garage nearby. Lots of parking in their lot. A sign says do not leave valuables in sight. Lock your car.

    What kind of cooking oil(s) used?

    I'm not sure. If you call the restaurant, they should be able to tell you.

    Is fish and chips still on the menu?

    It is on the lunch menu.

    When does dinner menu open?

    Our dinner menu is available all day.

    Hi I'm looking for a place to have a birthday party for my dad and was interested if you can provide information and pics of space for private events?…

    Hello Carol, please visit https://www.skatesonthebay.com/private-events/ to inquire about hosting a private event. Thank you.

    Do you accept Discover?

    Hi Andrea, Discover cards are accepted at our establishment. Thank you!

    Do staff wear masks?

    Hello. The health and safety of our guest and staff is our top priority, however here at Skates we do not require the staff to wear masks as we stay following the local county regulations, it is the staff and guest's choice to wear a mask or not.

    Does the restaurant still require proof of vaccination?

    Nope. They didn't ask.

    Are you open during week? I'm trying to make reservations for Monday 5/23 but am unable to. Just want to confirm you are open on 5/23.

    Yes they are open during the week for both lunch and dinner.

    What is the parking options....private lot.,,street parking?

    They have an unsecured parking lot but I wouldn't feel comfortable parking there at night. They haven't figured out that having a guard would actually increase their business. From the amount of broken window glass in the lot, you take your chances.

    Does this restaurant ask for vaccine records or other private medical information as a condition for dining?

    We were asked for proof of vaccination and identification on our last visit on February 19, 2022. Figured I would include the exact date since information is always changing.

    Thanks for the replies. We made a trip there and they are booked until Tuesday after Valentine's Day. Luckily we caught sunset. -…

    I can not confirm if they are open, however I can confirm that there is no outside porch seating. I suggest trying Scott's in Jack London. Better food, pretty view, outdoor seating.

    Is there a dress code? Would someone be turned away wearing a baseball cap?

    Nooooo! This is California! 😆 I would recommend dress smart to please yourself but that is it.

    Does skates have outdoor seating?

    No, it does not but it doesn't need it because the views are great!

    Do you do $1 oysters for happy hour or on a certain day of the week?

    New update on covid requirements?

    Proof of vaccination required and masks when you walk in until seated.

    Is there outdoor seating?

    Hi Peggy, We do not have outdoor seating at Skates.

    Do they require proof of vaccination for dining?

    Yes alameda mandated the proof of the vaccination card and it is required to have your I.D

    Do you have a brunch menu?

    Yes they do! I think there were about 7 items on the brunch menu.

    Do I need make a reservation ahead of time?

    They do prefer reservations, and I would suggest so because they can get pretty busy. Sometimes it's a long wait without reservations.

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    Kirala - Lunch special Bento box

    Kirala

    3.9(1.9k reviews)
    2.8 miSouth Berkeley
    $$

    Still all these decades later, Kirala meets the mark. We sat at the sake bar in the back with two…read morekids and it worked well. Service by Taka was great - attentive and quick. Only lag was when we ordered 2 nigiri at the end and it took a really long time but I think the sushi chefs lost the order or something. Delicious sukiyaki, chicken skewers, cold tofu, salmon rolls, hamachi sashimi, Ikura and uni, tuna and Ikura nigiri, and hamachi Kama (not sure why they charge $21 and then $7 for a large when it is two small dollars that came out though). Decent wine selection - Chardonnay was good. Restaurant itself is fairly loud, especially with a baby that kept crying. But it might have been crying because it was loud. Owners should consider the Constellation System by Meyer Sound to make the dining experience more enjoyable for patrons. As this is a longtime bastion of Japanese food in the Bay, they should really invest in the sound portion of their restaurant. Prices have gone up since the last time I was here but it's not totally unreasonable. Good quality food and service. Love this place.

    Kirala isn't just another Japanese spot for us--it's a reminder of how far we've come. My wife used…read moreto only treat herself to Kirala when she was younger--on special occasions when a bonus check came in. Now, we get to dine here as a family, and that nostalgic treat feels all the more satisfying. Food (4 stars) + Ribeye teriyaki was a hit--tender, cooked to perfection, and the kids loved it! + Lamb chop was a standout--one piece, but perfectly grilled, juicy, and tender. I could eat 2 of these with a bowl of rice and it would be a hearty meal! + Chicken karaage was solid--crispy, good portion, and a nice appetizer. It's basically a Japanese version of chicken strips that is way better than nuggets. + Salmon sashimi for the kids never disappoints. ~ Chirashi bowl was fresh and filling, though standard compared to other spots. There was a lot of rice which if we knew that we probably would've skipped the extra bowl I ordered to eat with my lamb chops. For the somewhat premium pricing, I wish they provided fresh chopped wasabi. ~ Stuffed mushroom skewer was just okay--tasty but nothing special. I guess for mushrooms it does taste kinda like a chicken meatball which could be a good thing. Service/Ambiance (4 stars) + Attentive and thoughtful service, especially accommodating a broken foot. They let my family wait at the bar instead of standing. + Ambiance is that classic Japanese vibe, busy but comfortable. Maybe not high-end, but definitely a place that feels special--especially now that we can afford it!

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    Kirala
    Kirala
    Kirala

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    Skates On The Bay - seafood - Updated August 2026

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