Came here on a Wednesday night for a solo dinner and sat at the bar. It wasn't particularly crowded but there were a few people. They were playing the basketball game at the bar which was nice, but it wasn't intrusive to the tables in the dining area. Service was great! The bartender Jamie was friendly and personable and made great recommendations. I was pleasantly surprised with how reasonably priced menu was especially these days and they didn't skimp on the portions. The mustard sauce served with pork chop was delicious! I almost didn't order a drink but I'm so glad I did because the cardamom espresso martini (with orange bitters) was uniquely delicious! A couple other good things to know is they do happy hour! They also have live music on Tuesdays and sometimes on weekends as well. read more

See all

First time here and visiting Oakland. Here is what we ordered with price and rating Chicken & pasta $25 5/5 Hanger steak + Mashed Potatoes $32 5/5 Cheeseburger + fries $15 2/5 Mixed Greens Salad + add steak $11 + $8 5/5 The food was delicious and was presented beautifully! Music playlist was good as well. Cheeseburger was a safe choice of mine but I was very jealous of the other dishes that was ordered. We came in as soon as they reopened again ( 4pm ). Waitress was very attentive. Thank you for the great experience! Grand Total was $100.33. I feel this price was very good compared to my city , the portions here were big and shareable. read more

See all

Absolutely fresh ingredients, I still wanted an extra shrimp bowl for my self however I was full. Service is fast and friendly, owner is there to comfort you. The selection of wine and liquor were fantastic. I ordered dry sparkling wine. Super tasty with higher quality as well. Ambiance is modern and fresh air make this place so desirable to spend time and drink handmade drinks. Love this place , coming back soon Highly recommended read more

See all

Sooo if you're looking for Spanish food, this no longer is the place. Shakewell is now The Well. The menu appears all over the place and seems more American than Mediterranean as described on yelp. They have wings, pizza, and burgers. My husband and I wanted paella but decided to stay and try out the new place. We got some wings and pizza. It was good and the place still had a good vibe to it. The customer service was great as well. However, when we were paying we noticed one receipt and thought maybe the tip is automatic. We left and didn't think much of it after. Now a week later we noticed in our credit card payment that they charged us an additional $20. If this was an automatic tip then we should know in advance, otherwise this is crazy. We only spent $40 and were surprised to see the extra charge. I called the Well to figure it out but they don't have a direct number to talk to someone. So be warned, if you come by to the Well check your receipt or ask for the itemized receipt! read more

The Well - Pepperoni pizza with hot honey - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Came here for brunch on a Sunday. We had reservations so that definitely made it easier ! It was quite packed, but didn't feel too cramped. I liked how lively it felt We sat down and placed our orders, and the food was brought out quickly. Our servers were very kind and refilled our waters often. I ordered the fried chicken sandwich and my friend-- the shakshouka.i wish there was just a little more. I honestly think the star of my dish was the potatoes though. Perfectly crispy and pillowy. The Bloody Mary was very tasty and enjoyable, read more

The Well - Fried Chicken Sando - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

It's crazy what a few years and a change in management can do. Shakewell was my go-to suggestion for brunch in the Lake Merritt area, but I'd be hesitant these days to recommend. It's not the place I once adored anymore. My husband and I stopped in for breakfast and the change was evident. The warm, friendly welcome we used to get when we stepped i to the door was completely gone. We literally stood there for 2 minutes looking g at the bar/wait staff walking g back a d forth with no acknowledgment. Not even the friendly, "we'll be with you in just a moment." I was prepared to wait for a table, but not to be acknowledged. Once acknowledged we were offered any available table. The majority of the restaurant was available. That is foreign here. I flat out asked, did something change? And the server told me that Tim was no longer the manager and that he was missed. I ordered the baked grits with a side of scrambled eggs and I'll tell you this... the food is still top tier. It was delicious. My husband ordered the Chicken Sando and although skimpy on the potatoes it was delicious too. I pray they're able to return to the fun, hip, friendly neighborhood jewel they once were and that the people return. read more

See all

I'd say it's a fusion Mediterranean place with good vibe / atmosphere specially inside. There are indie and outdoor seating. Could be kids friendly outdoor. Location is good though street parking could be challenging. It's recently with new management (maybe in a year or so). Service is good with attending responsive waiters. Food is fine and tasty but pricy. For sure there are other places in Oakland with same or better quality / taste / options with more reasonable price. read more

The Well - French toast + side scramble eggs - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

Went there on Valentine's Day. Was a special prix-fixe menu but the food and service were great. Left feeling stuffed and had to take half my entree home, the portions were huge (which never seems to be true in the Bay anymore). I was a fan of Shakewell too but I'm enjoying the pivot to neighborhood restaurant. Highly recommended! read more

The Well - Chicken "Wellagio" - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Ummmm...what happened. Went to dinner not realizing the menu had completely changed. My friend and I were super confused. We looked at the front of the menu expecting to see a new name. Didn't catch that it went from Shakewell to The Well. The logo looked the same. Let's start off with the good. The food was quite yummy and prices great too. Caesar was of the best I've had. Will I order it to-go in the future? Yah probably. The whole night was weird though. As much as I want to say first impressions shouldn't matter, they just do. They get stuck in your head. We were greeted by a guy we thought was a customer. Dressed in an oversized sport jersey. I'm all for casual dress - I live in leggings. But this isn't a sports bar. It was just weird that this was their front of the house representation. Even once we saw the menu it didn't make sense to us. Once seated we asked him about the menu change and he explained it, albeit in a somewhat unpolished way. Something about seeking the advice of AI after the post Covid business slump. Also said that ppl no longer wanted to share plates because of covid. Does he really believe that contributed to their downward business slump? Sigh. Ppl don't care about that anymore. Not to mention sharing plates are often plated to one's own plate for eating. After that we had a waiter who couldn't speak to the wine list. He explained he didn't drink. It was more than that though. He didn't know what was on the menu let alone anything about wine. He told us "this one is popular with customers." Look, I was in no way expecting a sommelier but this was just....odd. Then I went to the bathroom. I've been to a number of establishments with all gender restrooms. They make sense to me. Why have 2 different ones? But what's different about every single other place, it's a bathroom for 1. Someone goes in, comes out then the next person goes in. This was just a bathroom with multiple stalls for all. I honestly wouldn't have thought it would have mattered till I found myself in this small space with a guy. Even he was a little shocked when he came out to see me washing my hands. Honestly it was just awkward. I think it just added to the strangeness of the evening. Not once during our meal did someone check on us. After waiting a bit we had to ask for our bill. Our server was outside smoking. I went there frequently pre covid. After Covid things seemed to slip...service and food, while prices went up (service was so bad a couple times I wondered why I kept coming back). I understand that restaurants have to pivot and I really hope they survive. Maybe part of my experience was that I went in expecting one thing and got something totally different and what felt like out of left field. Perhaps they should have used a consultant to help them make these changes. read more

This is a Happy Hour review only. My husband and I stopped here for a quick drink. They have a $7 drink menu which includes beers, wines, and four cocktails. However, none of the fun, creative drinks from their regular menu are included, only a few mixed drinks of spirits with soda. Why not have a bit more variety in the offerings? Also, there is no food on the Happy hour menu. The only light bite we found ( from the regular menu) was roasted cauliflower which was lacking seasoning but improved a lot with some lemon, salt, and olive oil. our server Saba was great, very attentive. Saroush, the owner appeared responsive to our suggestions on food but for drinks he referred us to the bartender whom we didn't bother. The ambience here remains refined and convivial as always. read more

Happy . Happy hour. 4-6 pm So cool.Easy relax in hot day. Friendly service by owner..and food so fast combined with drink. Love it. after long day come here with different things.. read more

The Well - Rose Kennedy - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Lovely restaurant on Lakeshore. I remember eating here many years ago and really liked the churros (and they still hold up!). I went for brunch right when they opened and they had sat us along the wall with other patrons. I understand why restaurants sit everyone in the same spot, but after COVID and everything, I thought maybe they would space the patrons out a bit more. We asked to be seated by the window and they were flexible about it. Shakshuka was a pretty good entree - I wish I had one more piece of bread though! Churros were nice and fluffy - my favorite for sure. My husband ordered The Mahalia and really enjoyed it! Service was attentive. Would love to come back for dinner next time! read more

The Well - Shakshuka - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

-High quality food -Friendly and fast wait staff -Casual, cozy ambiance of mostly 30 and 40 something's I've been to Shakewell a few times for brunch. You can make reservations, but most times it's not necessary. It's conveniently located in the Grand Lake neighborhood near cute shops, grocery stores, and banks. There is ample seating indoor and outdoors. The potatoes are amazing, but all the food is fantastic! read more

The Well - Breakfast Plate - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Made a reservation for brunch and thought the patio would be lovely... except the weekend was FRIGID! Luckily they were able to accommodate us inside! Phew! Great service with staff checking in with us every so often to make sure our water glasses were filled and that everything was okay. So many things looked good that we decided to share instead of us all getting chicken and churros. Chicken and churros: A must order. Old bay-esque seasoning on the chicken and some of the most delicious churros I've ever had at a restaurant. Crunchy on the outside, light and fluffy in the inside, and the caramel sauce is just the chef's kiss. Chicharron nachos was exactly like you'd expect. Probably not the healthiest option and you can't eat a ton but it was tasty with the guacamole and bacon. Paella: I loved the flavor but thought it was a little undercooked. All in all, another place to recommend to my friends. read more

See all

This was my first time dining at Shakewell. My new friend in the area says she always bring her out of town guest here. I know why now. The food was excellent even though the service was a bit off. To make up of the slow service our server brought out olives and almonds so we weren't just waiting and drinking up our wine. Food: Falafel bites ... 5/5 Crispy calamari 3.5/5 Frisée salad with shrimp 5/5 Fried chicken 5/5 Chocolate cake 3.5/5 served by mistake Churros / butter sauce and chocolate sauce 5/5 Vinho Verde wine 5/5 I would most definitely come see again and highly recommend. Chef Jen Biesty a Top Chef winner still keeps carrying-on read more

See all

I'm so happy I was finally able to try this place! I live in the area and have always wanted to stop here. I came here for a late brunch on a Saturday around 1:30 pm. We are able to get seated quickly with a party of 2. Super cute inside! Host was very friendly and our server was awesome. I ordered the cocktail with mezcal. It was 8/10. For my entree I had the Dungeness crab soft scramble with a side of bacon. It was 10/10! I cannot wait to come back here and try their dinner menu. read more

The Well - Dungeness crab soft scramble with toast - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Ambiance - 4/5 Service - 5/5 Food & drink - 4/5 Had a good brunch at Shakewell. Max was our waiter and took great care of our party of four. Sad to hear the restaurant no longer serves shakshuka. Sweet potato hash - tasty meal that was well seasoned. Espresso martini - good. No complaints read more

The Well - Sweet potato hash - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

We stopped in with some friends to try out Shakewell's brunch. We didn't have reservations, just walked in on a Saturday around noon. We were seated outside as we preferred. Our waiter came shortly to take our orders. We tried the French toast, Chicken & Churros, bacon, avocado, and two old fashioned. Everything was good, fresh. The French toast was huge, like 2 servings huge! I could only eat one. The churros were perfection! They were crispy and light with a moderate amount of sugar. Overall, service and food were great, but we felt nausea a few hours later. Our friends were fine though. Still would love to come back and try the dinner menu! read more

See all

Fun local tapas place! Love that they had outdoor seating and heaters. The inside looked so cute, with a great bar. We came in time for happy hour, the jamon croquettas were our absolute favorite, those are a MUST. I loved that the papas bravas also had sweet potato. the brussels sprouts and flank steak were good. And who doesn't love a sangria! read more

The Well - flank steak - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Over all was great food wise... but service is standard.... So slow for iron chef status!... season 4...negative 1 star for that... it wasn't even busy.... The menu is à la cart, pretty much by portion sizes... We shared 3 starter/sides with grilled sea bass. Sea bass was supposed to be with capers, BUT I don't like capers.... I thought the grilled version was tasty anyhow with the sauce provided! The poblano sauce with jamon croquetas... superb!! Every bit was a surprise! The flatbread was overly flavored for me, but my date loved it!! The sweet Brentwood corn had a little spicy with a lime after taste... a lot of vegetables in every bite!!! They have a full bar and their own cocktails, which everything is tasty! I enjoyed this place! Gender -friendly restrooms. Street parking only. Walking distance from Lake Merritt. read more

The Well - Cocktails, beer and wine menu - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

phenomenal, just phenomenal. I had the house burger and it delivered in every way possible. I could taste the quality and love put into this. The staff were incredible, checking up on us in this chill modern home ambiance. read more

The Well - House Burger - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

I've been to this place 3 times already. Amazing comfort food including tender slow cooked beef with mashed potatoes and the desert was also delicious. Well lit family friendly dining and the service was above average. Not a big fan of putting honey on pizza but that's just my personal taste. Also, a few times that I was there they had live music played by a real life jazz band and it was quite good. I hear they have music on Tuesdays so if you're into hearing live music without a cover charge then I would recommend going on that night. read more

You won't ever go wrong, choosing Shakewell. They have an amazing bar with really beautifully craft drinks. The food is beautifully made, and carefully decision. Honestly, I wish I could eat here more often If you're looking for a new place that has a really really great food and atmosphere, as well as the staff look no further. read more

Service was great, they keep a few my favors from the previous Shakewell menu, including papas braves and churros. read more

See all

The food and service here were great, very friendly and we always had our water refilled and the food came out fast. I've tried papas bravas a few places and this was my favorite one so far and the fried chicken was even better. It was boneless and flattened with a tomato-y thick sauce and yogurt sauce. I would definitely get both again but I would also want to try something new. It was also nice and clean inside but I didn't get any pictures. read more

See all

Great concept of Mediterranean tapas. Not the usual combination of words that I expect to find, but works so well. Hearty range of food including not overly salted paella (the Bay seems to love salty paella) and not greasy fried chicken. Love that you view the menu and order via scanning the QR code but the staff/service is still attentive and friendly. Best of both worlds. They have both indoor and outdoor options. Definitely worth coming back to try the rest of the menu. read more

The Well - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

This is no longer shakewell... I wish they hadn't kept the branding as it implies from the outside it's the same place. I won't go back, easy to make better food at home. I was told the menu had been changed to be "more American" which feels like pretty strange, coded language for...bland? They also said the menu was more geared for catering...ok, so should we eat here? The service was great, no disrespect to the people working there. But as someone who lives nearby I really wish they'd bring back the old menu or otherwise switch up the concept. read more

This is a nice spot with outdoor seating. We sat on a hot day and the waitress made sure to give us ice and to give our dog ice water. Appreciated the service. Food was okay. read more

I'm a big fan of this place. I went back recently to check if it was a lot like the old Shakewell and was pleased to find that it's basically the same as with a different menu. The barbecue chicken pizza with jalepeños I had was amazing! Also, the Tuesday jazz night is a real hit, highly recommend. read more

This was an outstanding experience! The food was delicious, and the wine list hits the right marks. Try the falafel bites with tzatziki, baby arugula, and fresh mint; the refreshing watermelon and feta salad with fresh mint; the papas bravas and the wood-fired paella! Rioja Blanco and Rias Baixas albarino offered by the glass, too. Really great place. Highly recommend. read more

See all

Took my mom out for her birthday, needed somewhere that was open late enough on a Tuesday that we could enjoy and take our time with dinner, and this was honestly the only option with the stipulations I was provided for a nice dinner by my mom. In my search I decided on Shakewell. This was overall a solid experience, not bad at all, but it just didn't stand out and I feel absolutely no desire to ever return here, it's just not very interesting. We ordered the Flatbread (price on this Yelp page says 6 but the Flatbread is 7 now), the seabass, fried chicken, and the papas bravas and a few cocktails. Flatbread, it's literally 1 flatbread (absolutely nothin special) with za'atar (it was bitter for some reason), and olive oil, looked and tasted like the pita u can get at TJ's down the street, where you can buy all the ingredients for this flatbread for cheaper than what you pay for for 1 single flatbread kind of an SMH moment imo. Truly not worth the value. Fried chicken, they give you a sizeable portion to be sure. It's got some stuff on it like tomato sauce and on a pillow of sour cream I think? Tasted like a Tyson Chicken Cutlet from Costco honestly. I was really not impressed. I ate maybe half of it. They really just out here serving mains with no side or nothin, it makes no sense. Their menu is really limited which I normally appreciate, but this place is more like an overpriced lunch spot. Seabass was really good actually tho, I quite enjoyed it. Cooked perfectly and the simple capers and lemon juice were a classic choice, the piquillo pepper sauce doesn't pair well imo and I straight up avoided it. Papas bravas were tasty, but I feel like it takes a lot of work to mess up potatoes. They went arrite with the entrees we ordered but just over all such a weirdo move to have entrees standalone with no side or garnish to round out the experience of eating a main. Cocktails were arrite, nothing special with the standard price tag of 12-13 and weren't especially strong. We got a tequila habanero cocktail (not spicy at all), cosmo is a cosmo, and a moscow mule. I feel like this restaurant was simultaneously doin too much and not doin enough. Maybe for an out of towner or someone not native to the strong food culture in the Bay this would be a good time but if ur a snob, a la mois, then nah this don't cut it. With a 150 bill after tip this just honestly it not worth the value. Also you have to order from a QR code and there is no room whatsoever when adding to your order to make an sort of request about anything. Not a single spicy thing either on this menu which seems damn disrespectful considering all the spices and peppers mentioned on the menu items. read more

The Well - chicken front, seabass back - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

Got Shakewell for takeout and was blown away by the food. Their sauces and flavors are amazing here - they are not afraid of using spice and seasoning, but in a good way. Their tahini has a great herby tartness, and the spicy aioli that came with the calamari was amazing. I'd buy a bucket of either/both. Will definitely have to visit in-person to check out their drinks, service, and ambience. Portions were a bit small for the price, but we got takeout so I'll see if it's different in-person. We got: * Falafel bites - I already told you about the tahini, but the falafel bites are really nice too. Great texture and even better with the tahini. * Calamari - came with broccolini and sweet potato. It was almost like a mediterranean style tempura mix, very cool. And yes, the aioli this comes with is amazing. * Frisee salad - They uh, forgot the vinaigrette for this one so it was just a box of veggies. I'll reserve judgement on this one - not worth docking a star since it's takeout. * Baked dates - small portion of like 4 dates for $10, but very tasty. * Norwegian halibut stew - a big bowl of seafood (fish and clams) in a saffron coconut broth that's almost reminiscent of Thai or Burmese, but mellower. Pricy, but tasty. We dipped our pita in the soup and it was a great pairing. read more

Cons: Extremely average and incredibly bland. Pros: Service was good and the inside of the restaurant is cute. read more

The Well - Shakshuka (top right) Cornbread with pulled pork and heirloom tomatoes (bottom left) - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Good food and it was nice to sit out (inside looked good too). Service was great as well. I don't know a lot about paellas but it seemed a little expensive ($46) for the amount given to us. It tasted pretty good though. Churros was ample and in fact too many read more

The Well - Chicken and shrimp paella - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

I hosted a baby shower with 17 women in the semi-private area of Shakewell. It was lovely and easy to work with Nicole to coordinate and plan the event. I gave her a hopeful budget and she did her magic. We opted for family style food and enjoyed various paellas, watermelon salad, green salad, coca bread, chipotle hummus, and marinated olives. They also made a delicious pineapple agua fresca. The bar was just steps away for anyone who wanted a non-hosted alcoholic beverage. The guests all raved about the food and the experience. I would absolutely host another event there in the future. read more

See all

Usually come here around dinner time when I really want to treat myself myself to great food and chat it up with the regulars. And the owners don't come up short. They are warm, welcoming and very censer when greeting and asking about your day whenever you walk in I came Last Week on a weekend and holy smokes I realized that they have a brunch menu. I tried the shakshuka I hope I spelled it right, and boy it was out of this world as well right for the cold weather of the day read more

i have to start with the service, the staff was amazing since we walked in they dis everything to accommodate us (didn't have a reservation), founds a place inside to wait and enjoy a cozy drink while the table was ready, tolds us 20 mims but sat us in about 7 minutes. the food we order the papas bravas which was good and different to what Im used to, they come a mix of sweet potatoes and regular ones whihc was really interesting. the fried chicken was extremely good, not what you will expect when you think of fried chicken, it came with a yogurt sauce and tomatoes whixh made it incredibly good. the short ribs was my favorite but a though choice, it was juicy and extremely tasteful, soft meat with bow pasta. the paella was really good made in the oven and with a combination of shrimp and chorizo to make it a bit more authentic. definitely a lot of flavors mixed together but balanced to the point that made it taste incredible. atmosphere of the places was good even as a small place, not too much privacy as ths tables are really close but definitely a perfect spot for a really good dinner. probably the best restaurant i have been in 2022 read more

See all

Yum. I've been meaning to try Shakewell for years and finally had a chance to pop in for an early weeknight dinner. No wait on a Wednesday around 5 pm. Looks like they're no longer doing happy hour but our meal was still a good deal. Our bill for two people was around $50 and we left with some leftovers. You can order and pay using the QR code on your table through Toast. It was pretty easy but staff can help you if you're having trouble. Open for indoor and outdoor seating with heat lamps in a street parklet. We started with a beer and a cocktail. My cocktail was fresh and fruity but seemed light on the alcohol. I still enjoyed it. For dinner, we shared some small plates but it was more than enough for two people. We ordered the chicken and churros and the papas bravas. Both were delicious. The papas bravas are smothered in a not so spicy aioli but might be spicy if you have a low spice tolerance. The chicken was freshly fried and crispy and served with a maple dipping sauce. I think the sauce was meant for the churros but it was just as delicious on the chicken. I can't wait to try their brunch. The line is always out the door! If you're in the Lakeshore/Grand neighborhood definitely give Shakewell a try. read more

The Well - Chicken and Churros - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

Great service from Spencer and REALLY great food. The staff all seems happy to work here. My goodness it's so delicious. The indoor space is gorgeous and the outdoor park let is spacious and airy. read more

The Well - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

Came here for a late Saturday lunch. The food was so so so good! Loved the crispy fried batter on the calamari, the buttery pasta and delicate veggies that came with the beef short ribs, the peppery marinara sauce accompanying the fried chicken. To top it off, they also make really good cocktails here. Loved the poppy buttery sweet finish of the lemon fig cocktail. read more

See all