I had a pretty great time here with my family a few days after Christmas. I'm allergic to shellfish but there were still tons of things I could eat without worry, including some very tasty spicy tuna rolls, which we got as a starter. I thought I was being borderline wild ordering a dish that contained salmon and "apple butter", which had actual chunks of apple in it. Turns out, it's actually a pretty delish combo. My husband got the cioppino and was very happy. As a final note I really appreciated that there was a kids menu, and the service was very kind. Definitely a great place to bring boomer parents! read more

Great food! Amazing view, seated instantly and take care of instantly. Outstanding waitress, she was very nice and fun! Definitely recommending to everyone! read more

Skates is the go to restaurant when I need to unwind and enjoy the ocean view. Today, it wasn't the case. As I was sipping on my latte waiting for my food, an older couple walked in with their granddaughter and a big dog. This dog was obviously not a guide dog. No animals should be allowed in restaurant unless it's a guide dog. The dog was well behaved but when he stood up to shake his hair everywhere I was done. I can't dine at a restaurant where non service animals are allowed. read more

Skates On The Bay - Non service dog in the restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Always a great time at Skates! Had the prime rib for my birthday today. Tender and tasty! My wife had the firy tuna filet and it was done to perfection and very flavorful. Staff was excellent! read more

We had a great table location, right next to the window. Our food was yummy! Jay was great! Thank you for your great customer service.

My husband and I used to love coming here and have taken our friends and visitors several times. The food quality and service used to be consistently good. Yesterday was our first time back since December 2019 and I was sadly disappointed. My husband took me there to celebrate my birthday and we had 8pm reservations. First it took a long time for us to be greeted not to get water. When we finally met our server, the water that arrived had a floater in it. Secondly, the blue cheese salad I ordered was missing the blue cheese so I asked them to take it back. Instead of whipping me up a new salad, I just got a teaspoonful of cheese tossed in the already sad looking salad. Overall, the other items we ordered were mediocre at best. At the end of dinner, our server asked if we wanted to see the dessert menu and my husband said yes. Instead he brought the check. Honestly, I think I'm more sad than mad about the service and quality of food, just because it used to be one of our favorite local places to visit and now, it doesn't even look like the same restaurant anymore. At least one thing is consistent. They still have the best views. read more

Skates On The Bay - View from our table - Seafood Near Me - Berkeley, California

Honestly, this place was better and far more classy than I had expected. We went with a group of 6. Parking: Easy. Free. Plenty of spaces outside at about 1pm on Sunday. Service: They kindly accommodated when we were going to be 15 minutes late for our reservation without any issues. Our server admitted he was new, and when he did not know answers to some questions, he was quick to ask and get the answers. Food came at a decently fast paced and was "coursed" well (with our appetizer coming first), but after our drinks. They also allowed us to split the check 6 ways, which was helpful. Ambiance: Much prettier than expected. Even if you aren't seated by the window, you are literally ON the water, and so it is beautiful all around. Because of the huge windows around the building, every seat is a good one with a good view of the bay. Tables with more seats are on the inner portion, so not by the windows. There is also a cute fireplace. Overall, I was expecting a casual, rustic feel like most bay restaurants, but this one was much classier, with monochrome colors, a modern interior, and leather seats. It was a good mix between refined and comfortable, with sports playing on a TV nearer the entrance. A good lunchtime spot for sure. Menu: Not very large, but basic lunchtime American fare. Food and drink: The Lavender cocktail was definitely the best. Everyone enjoyed their food, including the supposedly quite popular Carpaccio.. The table loved the Kung Pao Calamari. Prices: Sightly expensive for what the food is overall, but it all tasted good. Mostly, you're paying for the location and view, which I do think is worth it overall. I would come here again for sure, though perhaps at dinner to experience sunset with this amazing view of the water. Their real selling point is certainly the ambiance more than anything. read more

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My boyfriend and I came here during Berkeley's Restaurant Week and we were so impressed with everything! The food was so so good and the service was also really fast. We got seated by the water and the view was just beautiful! Highly recommend this place! Everything about this place is perfect, but I do wish the prices were not so steep. Nonetheless, we enjoyed our meal and loved the view! read more

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This place has best service for a non Michelin restaurant, great views, and amazing food. The price is around $40 per person but depends on what you like. I recommend going near sunset as you can watch it over the water and enjoy a scenic dinner. read more

Skates On The Bay - The food - Seafood Near Me - Berkeley, California

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This spot is overpriced for the food and service they provide. Service: We made reservations and were seated right away. The waiter took a while to arrive at our table. The first round of drinks and the appetizer came fairly quickly. After that we did not see the waiter for a while and we had to flag him down for drinks and to take our order. The waiter kept forgetting to check on us, and only came back once to apologize for our order being delayed. He also kept bumping into my chair and the chairs behind my husband even though there was a good enough walk space. The most attentive the waiter was towards us was at the end and it was simply to apologize for the wait of our main food. Food. We ordered the calamari as the appetizer and it turned out to be the best thing I ate there. For the main course I ordered the American wagyu steak, which was very under seasoned. The steak knife they gave me didn't work very well so it was hard to cut into it (steak medium rare). The best part of my plate was the potatoes and pickled onions. My husband ordered the burger which was ok, and my son order the seafood fettuccine which was also fairly decent. Overall, the food was not very good and the service was pretty bad. We chose this place to celebrate our 16 year an anniversary and frankly we expected better. Hanna Japan (down the street) has tastier steak and extremely great service. read more

Skates On The Bay - American Wagyu Sirloin - Seafood Near Me - Berkeley, California

Jay was our server and he was terrific!!! He was attentive and our food was brought smoothly and appropriately timed. He just has a great personality and we all enjoyed him. My husband had a special sodium restricted lunch and Jay identified my husband when taking our orders The food was delicious and it's a gorgeous view restaurant. We definitely will return! read more

Everything was great here. Food, ambience and our server Sean was awesome. I really wanted my birthday lunch with water views on the bay You would think there would be a lot more choices considering how large the Bay Area is. I was concerned about some the yelp reviews and because I had not been there in so long. But.. it was the best choice on the water without going into SF. It was the perfect choice.Views were spectacular. Food exceeded our expectations. Baby gem wedge with house made blue cheese and grilled salmon ( cooked perfect). Lobster and shrimp hoagie was really good. The prawns on the Salmon and shrimp Louie were jumbo. We asked for bread and got warm house made bread with garlic butter drizzled on top. The waiter, Sean, brought me a complimentary crème brûlée for my birthday. Sean is an excellent server. Really pleasant personality. read more

Great spot except for service. We sat at table uncleared for 10 minutes. Bartender served drinks. When we walked in another patron warned us there was noone serving. He was right read more

The view from the dinning room is really nice, it overlooks the city. The food and service is on point, highly recommend this for a nice dinner read more

Upon entering this establishment on a clear day you are greeted with a beautiful view of the bay that you can see the Golden Gate Bridge! The hostess was pleasant and welcoming asking if we had reservations, which we did, not sure if it's a requirement but I would highly encourage as that was the first things she asked after greeting us. We were seated by the window allowing us to take in the serene atmosphere then greeted by our waiter that was pleasant and took our drink order. They do have a nice children menu and my little one went with a cheeseburger with fries. We ordered the clam chowder that was delicious, the seasonal Oysters On The Half Shell which were the Kumamoto and they were tasty, the Pacific Sashimi Grade Ahi Poke , Kung Pao Calamari that is a must try! read more

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I had an 8:15 reservation for just myself. Saturday night so I figured the bar and high tops were going to be packed -- which they were. I got seated about 15 minutes after my reservation. I haven't been here in years and I forgot how beautiful it was. The food was fresh and delicious. My server was phenomenal. She had a lot of big parties in her sections but she always made sure I was okay. read more

Skates On The Bay - Crème Brulee - Seafood Near Me - Berkeley, California

We've been coming here for decades, usually for date nights. And it never fails, we love the food,the bay view, the drinks, and the service. This time we ordered the prime rib sandwich, I found it delicioso and the bloody Mary bar . I ordered the coho salmon it was delicious. I'll admit I added a lil salt and pepper but I almost licked the plate. Then we shared the bread pudding. Oh my it was fabulous. I wish I got our waiters name, he was tall, slender, brunette, he gave us excellent service. He was very kind, gave great suggestions and always had a smile. read more

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My boyfriend and I went on a romantic dinner date. We requested a window seat and it was declined. There were CLEARLY four tables that were not reserved by the window, again refused. Consider being insistent when asking for a window seat or else they won't give it. We were sadly sat in booth but we could still see the beautiful view. Our orders: 1. Thyme fire shrimp: amazing! The shrimp was well seasoned and the Tatar sauce was to die for, along with the salad. Although it was a small shareable it was good. $15 2. Cioppino. Crab, shrimp, fish, mussels, clams, all seafood. I tried it, everything was again, well seasoned and scrumptious. The tomato sauce was well-made. Compliments to the chef. $41 3. Shrimp and crab linguine. The linguine with the cream sauce was amazing! It was well cooked and had bits of spinach, tomatoes, and other veggies. The pasta was the best part. The crab, it was alright. Now the shrimp...it was the blandest thing on earth. There was ZERO seasoning, ZERO flavor, ZERO anything. Even after mixing and mixing my plate in hopes to get some sauce on the shrimp, it tasted bland. There wasn't any butter on it! Can you believe it? The shrimp killed the dish. I was looking forward to the shrimp after the appetizer, I had high hopes! It was disappointing. Please. PLEASE add something to the shrimp on this dish. It literally tasted like plastic. I could not believe this was the shrimp I ate. Do better!!!! Or DONT ORDER THIS PLATE IF YOU WANT GOOD SHRIMP. ORDER A DIFFERENT PLATE AT ALL COSTS. IT WONT BE WORTH IT. $31 4. Crème Brulee. AMAZING! Definitely recommend! A good desert size for two people. $9 After dinner, we walked around for the view. It was sunny around 7:30 still. I would check them out because of the view and romantic ambiance. They sell good wines and beer. Service was okay, nothing special. THEY WILL CHARGE A LIVING SURCHARGE. KEEP THAT IN MIND. read more

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4 to a 4.5 for food quality 5 stars for ambience, location, service --cioppino: MY GO-TO. they evolved from whole crab to peeled pieces of crab to soft-shell crabs (in addition to the other seafood)...I've seen it all --oysters: pretty good --clam chowder: must-order --cocktails: interesting combos! --other various entrees: you can't go wrong here, quality is always above average- just might not be the best you'll ever have even considering the pricepoint (average to above average) VIEWS: It's beautiful here during sunset. Large windows. It's calming to watch the icy cold waters outside brazenly clash against the prickly rocks...make sure to bundle up if you decide to take a brisk walk before or after lunch/dinner here. TIP: Make reservations (not required but highly recommended). Don't order any sushi rolls here. read more

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Food was pretty good, my family enjoyed their dishes. Though when I came home to heat up my leftovers I found this clam. I got the Skates Cioppino. read more

Skates On The Bay - Skates Cioppino - Seafood Near Me - Berkeley, California

Food was edible, the service in the other hand was some of the worst I've received ever!! We were there celebrating our Mom's 77th birthday. Upon arrival, I wasn't greeted by the host. So, I said, "Hello, I'm here for (I provided my parties name), her dry response was ok & proceeds to walk over to the dining area, then points to the area where my party was. Okkkkaaay, that was different. Upon my arrival to where my party was sitting, it was mentioned they had been sitting for at least 20 minutes before I arrived. It then it took another 20 minutes for our server, Laura to come over. (Note: this was not peak time - it was between 2-4 pm, so the restaurant was pretty empty.) Laura didn't seemed pleased while waiting on us. She was in such a rush to get our orders in & got one order wrong & a drink, too! The crab & artichoke dip was good, but everything else: lobster bisque; clam chowder, the whole "fresh" lobster & Louie salads were inedible and Laura could care less! Every time we tried to get her attention (while she was attending to other parties), she would zip off so fast without acknowledging us. Laura's callousness was the straw that broke the camels back & we all agreed we wouldn't return. We didn't take pictures because we weren't impressed with the quality of food. read more

Sneaky, dishonest business will charge you above and beyond the menu prices for everything they serve. The additional percentage added to each menu item should be reflected in that item's price, not added via fine print elsewhere. read more

The food is great. The customer service is horrible. Recently got engaged and made reservations for a window table for my fiancé and I. 45 minutes late we got our table but with a horrible attitude. The server we had named Brittney happened to help everyone else except us. My fiance ordered medium rare steak got well done. This spot is overrated overpriced and if you aren't dressed in a suit and tie you'll be treated like shit. Brittney if you see this work on the customer service read more

Kung Pao Fried Calamari was great. Fresh oysters were good. Mac and cheese lobster was good. Inside was nice and the view was great. I ordered the Wagyu medium cook but it was closer to well done and dry. They also over cooked my dad's prime rib. Seafood pasta was ok. read more

Skates On The Bay - Strawberry Shortcake was ok - Seafood Near Me - Berkeley, California

Went here to celebrate my friend's birthday. It was a little disappointing for the price of the food. We ordered the clams for appetizer and pasta for the main. The clams were good but not anything special, and it came with bread on the side. The pasta was very greasy and the shrimp tasted dry. What really made this place underwhelming was the setting. It didn't feel very clean and if you're not getting a window seat here it's honestly not worth it. The service was overall mediocre, we had to wait and ask just to get water. read more

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Incredible food, amazing service, and the best few around. Highlight over the last few months - for a date with my wife.

We love the warm artichoke and crab dip followed by fish and chips with a Bloody Mary for brunch. Good food, friendly staff and a beautiful view. There is a cozy fireplace in the bar area and we have rented the banquet area for larger events. Everyone is friendly and easy to work with. read more

Such a beautiful place! The service was great. Our server really treated us so well. Being our first time here we wanted to share most of the items we ordered. Without even asking him to the items we wanted to share arrived in separate plates which we really appreciated. Everything was delicious and we didn't have to fight over the plates, lol. I can't wait to come try this place again, perhaps during the day for a different take on the views of the bay. read more

Pretty good mid-level/upscale option in Berkeley. They are understaffed and closed the raw bar early (before 7pm.) when I visited. It was unfortunates as I came specifically for oysters and was seated around 6:15. When we placed food order at 6:35, they informed us that oysters were no longer available for dinner since the chef was off at 6:30. I switched gears and ordered some meat for dinner. I tried the prime rib, honey walnut shrimp, and my friend had the other steak offering. My favorite here was the caramel corn sundae with the chocolate lava cake. The drinks were also nice and strong. I love the vodka with butterfly tea! I would return for appetizers, oysters, and drinks. Incredible views of the bay up against their giant window! read more

1-27-2019...7p.m. First time dining here!! The sounds of waves crashing against the rocks as you walk in really sets the mood for your dinning experience. Just about every seat / table has a wonderful panoramic view of the bay. Self seating in the bar area and host seating in the rest of the restaurant. Reservations are advised. I was dinning alone so I perched myself at the bar and ordered a cold one, garden salad and a 12oz. prime rib. Everything was delicious. The warm bread that is brought to your table while waiting for your meal is addicting. read more

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Excellent service excellent prime rib so delicious creamed kale is tasty but too rich for my belly had some tummy problems later that night but nice views spacious restaurant lots of booth and window seating read more

Excellent experience for brunch with close friends! Wait staff very accommodating ! I love their Brunch menu I had the SF Gold rush (oyster) omelet creation, a friend had the egg Benedict dish, and the other the prime rib hash! Portions were huge by the way... I couldn't describe how well each dish was prepared! We saved room for dessert, 3 orders of the excellent cheesecake offered Oh and the Bloody Mary's were very well made. read more

Tbh, it's not worth the price of this place. The food is mediocre and pricey. Don't get me wrong, I understand inflation and how hard it is to manage a business with high costs. The service wasn't bad, but I did notice there are overwhelmed servers at every corner. I do understand that there's a need for servers in the hospitality industry, so I won't take a star away for that. It would be nice for servers to be organized and have a strategy to handle multiple tables. Despite the poor food and service, the ambiance was nice. To watch the sunset and eat dinner is relaxing. I won't be coming back to this place unless they have a better waitstaff and line cooks. read more

Great staff. Went on busy Mother's Day and graduation day weekend May 2020 for food was great ambience great excellent wait staff. read more

Atmosphere? Yes-one of the best views available-like being on a cruise ship! Food for lunch? Pretty good about 6 months ago. Dinner today? We got there at 3:15, so had to order from the dinner menu. We went family style since it was so expensive! The food was mediocre to say the least. The waitress we had had attitude and food splatters were all over her black attire. Very unimpressed. read more

Skates on the Bay is a classic, as a Cal alum I've celebrated grads here and other special events with family and friends throughout the years. Though I haven't been in more than several years, my family landed on to celebrating my grandmothers 90th birthday here for a planned in advanced brunch with the a pre-set menu (party of 12). We enjoyed a great time, but the stellar standout here was the service. Our server named Christian provided impeccable service and left us with a great impression. Thanks to the management who helped us plan the special event and especially to the hospitality provided by Christian. Hope to return soon! read more

I've been here one other time for the happy hour but not for dinner. I decided to take my partner here for our first dinner experience. I was able to make reservations for 6:45pm earlier that day (albeit, it was a Tuesday) despite it being Berkeley restaurant week. And at $35 for 3 courses, I thought it was a good deal. For the starter, we ordered the pacific sashimi grade ahi poke, which was a mix of sweet onions, avocados, soy, sesame oil, ginger, garlic served and wonton chips. I liked the balance of sweet and salty even though it was more on the salty side, perhaps, because of the soy and wonton chips. And the ahi poke was fresh and a bit chewy. We also ordered the clam chowder, which was a bit on the watery side. I prefer the chunkier kinds with loads of clams & potato, practically a meal in itself. As for the entree, we ordered the 10oz rock salt roasted prime rib. This included a side of mashed Yukon potatoes, creamed kale, herb jus and spicy horseradish. We ordered our prime rib medium, which made it slightly bloody and chewy. I was more impressed with the creamed kale to be honest. The prime rib was just okay. And for dessert, we ordered the burnt cream, a less sophisticated name for creme brûlée. It's essentially a custard base with a layer of hardened caramelized sugar. It's normally served slightly chilled even though the heat from the caramelizing process tends to warm the custard, but the center stayed cool. The custard was a bit on the thicker side as opposed to creme brûlée I've had in France. I still enjoyed it but definitely far from my favorite. What reigned supreme from our experience and bumped up the mediocre dinner to 3 stars was the attentive service. Our water glasses were never empty and our server promptly took our orders. Without even asking, she split all our dishes because we decided to share the 3 course dinner. I was most impressed by this. It's like she could anticipate what we wanted without asking. What I think you're paying for with this place is the ambiance and the sweeping views of the bay with SF as the backdrop (on a non-foggy day). So if that's what you're going for, I would suggest maybe a drink at the bar or a visit during happy hour times. Otherwise, coming for the food might leave you disappointed. read more

I came here for my birthday with my family and had a great experience. Our waitress knew it was my birthday and was very kind to me, and ended up bringing a free dessert at the end of the night. Portions were a little small for the price paid but the overall quality of the food was great. The crab dip was amazing and you can't beat the view! read more

Beautiful View. Meal was delicious everything came in a timely manner. Will definitely be coming back. Definitely make reservations and note the window seats. read more

Overall very nice restaurant on the bay. The location is definitely the best part of this place, they have a the killer view. There is free parking across the street which is convenient. My boyfriend and I had a reservation at 3pm but arrived 40 mins early and were accommodated with our requested window seating. The hostess could have been friendlier. We were a bit confused at first because we had 2 people serving us but it was just team work for the busy time of day. We started off with drinks, The Mango margarita (Smokey taste) & an Old Fashioned (best one my bf has had). We ordered the Braised Pork belly and Crab and Artichoke dip from the appetizer section, they were both unique and delicious. We also ordered the Clam chowder(the bacon sounded weird but was actually great) which was conveniently split into two small cups for us without having to ask. We ended off the course with the Caramel Corn Sundae and I absolutely loved it! We asked if they offered military discount and a manager actually came over to shake my bfs hand and thank him for his service and let us know that he comped our dessert. Our bill was in the $80s range which was great. This was an awesome experience. Cheers to the staff! read more

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