Great food. I tried most of the small plates and they were all good. Highly recommended.

We will be back for brunch! We were on our way to SF when we got hungry and the first place that came up on Yelp was Shakewell. It had me at fried chicken, Spanish tapas and lamb and beef kefta! But the kicker winner was the fried chicken and churros! It wasn't on the lunch menu but our server told us that we can go ahead and order it... in short, we ordered a second serving of churros! They were served with this buttery caramel sauce that I would for sure do my sauce shot! The churros has a slight crunch on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside...the perfect pairing with the fried chicken. I also ordered the lamb and beef kefta which was called the Shakewell wrap...sooo flavorful! Our server said we should be back for brunch so yes, we will be back! read more

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Having a favorite restaurant is not like having a favorite child (that's easy). It's more like having a favorite pair of shoes. Depends on the occassion, the mood, the season. But the same way I'm convinced that my favorite pair of floppy pink loafers go with everything, I feel that Shakewell goes with just about every occasion, mood, and season. I'll take any excuse to visit, or emphatically insist you should. Simply put: the menu is super creative. The ambiance is chic but comfy. The service is top notch, down to the last detail of splitting our plates, knowing we would share (or attempt to). If you think you're bored with "small plates" give the Spanish-Mediterranean bites at Shakewell a chance. They're complex and artsy without being too dainty. Portions are substantial. Flavors are bold. And if small still isn't your thing, go for a main course. All dishes come with a side of ooooohs and aaaaahs (you can quote me on that). We had the BEST grilled calamari of our lives, with olives and saffron aioli. Then, the fried sausage and sage leaves, and some squash blossom fritters. My eyes lit up all greedy-like when they filled my little wine tumbler up to the rim. Is this normal? I hope so. We love eating at the bar, and Shakewell is a primo place to do so. Whatever happens, DO NOT skip dessert. Just as much attention is given to the sweeter side of their menu, with decadent combos like bittersweet chocolate torta + pistachio + cocoa nibs And yes it's true: Shakewell is run by two Top Chef alumns. Not sure if they won or not, but I'm sure they're fine being known for cooking up some of the best grub in all of Oakland. For reals. read more

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9/3/15: It was my gf's bday but we were leaving for France the next morning... what to do what to do!? It was a certainty that many culinary adventures await us, and so some fancy ultra-expensive dinner would probably not have the lasting memories the price tag would deserve. So, I really wanted to find a beautiful place but at a reasonable price, and Yelp delivered again! 1. Creme de Jalisco Flip $13.00: Looks pretty with a nice design of a branch painted onto the foam. Sorry, forgot how it specifically tasted, but it was good. 2. Mule With No Name $13.00: Somewhat plain presentation with a twig of rosemary floating on top. Sorry, again, forgot the specifics, but it was good. 3. Bacalao Croquetas $12.00 (with squid ink aioli.): Was fluffy and very yummy. The squid ink aioli was perfect!--it tasted a lot like balsamic sauce, but obsidian in finish. 8/10. 4. Chick-Pea Flatbread $14.00 (with creme fraiche, zucchini, blossoms, parmesan, truffle oil, sea salt, rhcf): This was the only big disappointment of the night. It looks really beautiful with the blossoms splayed out like a great flower arrangement. Unfortunately the bread is some of the worst pizza-ish crust I have ever tasted in a restaurant. So plain and the texture was horrible. The toppings just didn't have enough flavor to overcome the amateurish bread. 2/10. 5. Fried Chicken $16.00 (with fenugreek yogurt, chili sauce, za'atar, fried basil.): So, if you've read enough of my reviews you might know I've been on the huge life-long quest to find the greatest gourmet fried chicken, and still haven't found any better than good KFC Extra Crispy. And well, yeah, this one didn't complete my quest. It was okay. Meat was somewhat dry despite being dark meat!, and crust was dry too. The roasted pepper chili sauce though... that was amazingly good--full of flavor! Might be the best chicken sauce I've ever tasted! If only they got the chicken right. 6/10. 6. Wood-Oven Roasted Whole Fish $30.00 (with spanish olive oil, lemon, herbs, choice of side.): It's kinda rare to find whole fish served at fancy places cause they tend to take up a lot of space, and well, you know, many typical Americans don't like seeing heads staring at them on the table. So, we were more than happy to order this when we saw it. And I'd have to say, this fish did not die in vain! The fry was great--nicely browned in areas, and all the skin was crisped and a little charred. The insides were stuffed with lots of herbs which added great flavor. The flesh was tender and relatively juicy. Doesn't get much better really. 10/10 6a. Cucumber Salad as a side to the fish: The cucumber was very fresh, but my gf felt the dressing was overly sour. Honestly I don't remember much, but it was good to me. 5/10. 7. Schofferhoffer $5.00: So, continuing with the girly drinks.... I just wasn't in the mood for my typical rich stouts or IPAs, and just wanted something tasty. I remember this "beer" was like 2% alc!!! or something like that!? Saw that and I went, that's totally perfect, ha ha. Anyway, sure enough, was like drinking juice with maybe a hint of alcohol complexity. More like a wine cooler. Anyway, hit the spot. 8/10. 8. Gianduja Chocolate Torta $11.00 (with figs, cocoa nibs.): Well, gotta have cake for a bday right? I liked it. Plating was pretty, and I thought the taste was great and the texture really silky. They called this a "torta" but really, it isn't cake at all. It's just straight up ganache/fudge. Very dense. Extremely rich. The figs and white sauce were lovely too. If you're a chocolate lover you'd love this. If not, you might consider something else. 8/10. My gf looked radiant, the meal was great, the restaurant beautiful, and we were heading to France the next day!... was a perfect night. 4/5 #fusion #mediterranean #spanish #american read more

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Great food and drinks. Nice, friendly atmosphere! Really great food selections like Paella! Great brunch place too! Definitely worth it!

Their cocktails are delicious and their paella is top notch. They get that nice crust on the bottom without overcooking or drying out the top. We go here quite a bit. Nice people working there too. It's a nice cross between a neighborhood place and somewhere fancy, in all the best ways. read more

Yes, yes, yes!!! Had an amazing brunch, chicken dishes are the star attraction. Both the churros & chicken as well as the chicken solo with yogurt, perfect hot sauce, and zatar were large portions that got devoured. No take home lefties ): Just a great experience. Highly recommend. read more

New "Cali-Med" type of place in the Grand Lake area. I'm a fan. From what I saw online, they were started by 2 Top chef alums - one from regular top chef (cooking) and top chef just desserts (front of house) Right off the bat, I love to decor in the place - they did an amazing job. Clean, modern yet classic - lots of stone and wood. Just feels like a great space. Food was also solid. We got a bunch of small dishes: - Fried olives - tasty, hot, briny goodness - Croquetas - Baccalao/Salted cod - super tasty, 4 to an order - Falafel - also 4 to an order, and super moist and flavorful. Not fried too hard. - Sardine toast - pretty solid - Grilled broccolini - a little too charred for my tastes, the only real miss Also got the black squid ink bomba - which is basically a paella in a clay pan. Super flavorful and delicious. read more

The Well - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

This place is fairly new. Shakewell isn't what I'd expect to be the name for a Spanish Tapas place but the food was really good. We went on a Friday night around 9:10pm, they close at 10pm and we were able to get seated right away. I went with a friend and we shared three dishes: the pork shoulder, squash salad and a chicken & shrimp paella. They were all pretty tasty and decent sized portions. We also sampled some of their signature cocktails which are $10-12. The service was pretty responsive. Staff would come by to consistently to refill our water jug, change plates in between courses and see how we were doing. I'd go again! read more

What an amazing addition to my neighborhood! My friend and I went for some drinks and apps, last week. You immediately know that they're doing something right because it was packed! This will definitely be my go-to place when I want a good glass of sangria! It's not overly sweet/fruity like most places. The tapas are so yummy! If you love seafood, you will not be disappointed! We shared several things, but my favorites were the Bomba (Paella) and the fried sausage. The service was impeccable! My friend and I were honestly surprised at how great they were. Our waiter, Andrea, was the sweetest, most attentive waiter and he gets extra points because he had the most adorable Italian accent. :) The decor and overall vibe was fabulous. Great mix of people! I'll be a regular here, that's for sure! read more

The Well - The bar. - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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This is now our go-to for comfort food in Oakland and on Lakeshore Avenue. Either for brunch or dinner, we are always happy with their extensive menu of food and very tasty cocktail, beer and wine menus. Their staff is always very helpful in making sure we get seated quickly, either at the fun bar, at one of the dining tables, or even outside dining is always fun. Thanks to Jen, Tim and staff for keeping up the quality of fine dining along Lakeshore. p.s. Thanks for introducing us to your Churros and Fried Chicken, and delicious Bomba dishes. read more

My Mom likes paella and well made cocktails so I chose Shakewell as the restaurant for her Birthday dinner, we visited on 7/9/16. Some context for this post: My wife and I have been exhausted due to recent events #altonsterling #philandocastile #orlando etc. etc. (we're Black and Queer), being up till 2/3am prepping food for events all week (my wife is a chef), and school work etc. We were especially drained today. We arrived at Shakewell uncertain of what the experience would be like and really hoping to be pleasantly surprised. We were. We were greeted immediately at the door by both the hostess and the restaurant owner, and from there on it was a wonderful experience. Our waiter suggested a drink that none of us thought we would like (who drinks habenero juice?!), let me do you a favor and suggest the Fair Lady. Ignore the ingredients, just drink it. Thank you to Ben for making all other cocktails for the next two weeks pale in comparison. We ordered the duck liver pate, octopus, salad, and chicken and shrimp bomba (2). Everything exceeded expectations. During our time there both owners stopped and wished my Mom a happy birthday, and our server was right on time with everything. They took great care of the cake my wife made for my Mom, and asked the type of icing so they'd know if it needed refrigeration. We shared some slices with the jovial table next to us also celebrating birthdays, and long review shorter; when I requested the check, Ben said "no", turns out that table paid our entire tab. Crazy right!? Amazing service, delicious food and great company. All around amazing night. Thank you to the owners and staff at #Shakewell and to the table next to us. You were all mindful, beyond kind, quietly supportive, and wildly generous. XoXo Joy & B read more

The Well - Fair Lady - So Good! - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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2nd time in 2 weeks that we ate here. First time we sat at the bar and had mostly appetizers: Roasted cauliflower, falafel, salt cod. All these items were OK...has potential. The sauce with the roasted cauliflower had a hint of something that was off...not sure if you use red peppers in it but don't. The squid ink aioli was good but a waste under the potatoes since you really have to drag it around or use your finger to get it all. I'd adhere the potatoes to the plate with a little for contrast and presentation then put the rest on the side to apply with your knife. Falafel: cook it all the way through. First and last night were not cooked and had raw bean taste. On our first visit with my husband, I noted the pile of clams at another table and looked up what that was about when we got home. So, last night my daughter and I split it. If this is your signature dish, please do a better job. The rice had no flavor. Half the clams did not fully open. The shrimp were overcooked. The fish did not taste of good quality...too buttery but not in the right way. A flaky white fish is much more appealing. My kids are spoiled since I am an good cook and both agreed...first bite the 17 year old said, "rice has no flavor." It needed more saffron, salt and pepper or some smokey paprika along with perhaps some fish stock. The duck pate: Leave off the jam. Way too much. Put on the side. Overall solid. Smoked salmon: The toast was too crispy and did not contrast well with the smoothness of the fish...needed to have a little softness to it to meld the flavors and textures. I saw the table next door had the squid Bomba and it had a ton of squid on it yet based on the marrying of flavors and quality of seafood, I can only imagine that unless that squid was chargrilled to add a smokey flavor that it was probably too much rubbery stuff on top. Sorry. I was hoping to really like this place. Also, when I asked about a drink our waiter said, "when were you last here?" I said, "2 week ago." He said, "the drink menu is completely different." No help. No welcome back...glad you came in again, etc. Like I said, I'm a good cook and use top shelf ingredients and was hoping to be blown away. I wasn't. The average Joe will be I'm sure but if you want to draw us back as a regular, I suggest you look into what I am saying. FYI: The BEST meal I have had in a very very long time was at "Stones Throw" in the city last weekend. Check them out. Amazing meal from beginning to end. I'd like to have this within walking distance of our home; you can reach higher. read more

Slow start, but the food mostly came through. I was brought to Shakewell for my birthday dinner. Before I get too the food, I have to rant about something. So you can't get a reservation for parties of two and while you can sit at the bar, (which includes some tables not exactly at the car), it is sit yourself. See, I don't mind waiting a bit, but when it is yourself there are no guarantees. You have to float around like a vulture for tables that will be finished soon or someone else might grab the table. This happened at least twice so we decided to be more aggressive. It is fine at a casual bar, but this type of restaurant is really not suited for it. If you don't take reservations for two then at least have a list for seats at the bar... Not a big deal, but it really made the dinner experience start on a sour note. End of rant. Onto the food. The menu is really really interesting. I would call it playful, modern Mediterranean. A little Spanish, a little Italian, a little Greek, a little North African, and more. The cod croquettes were not bad though a little more potato-ey than necessary. The highlight was the ingenious squid ink aioli. The fried chicken with yogurt sauce was also very interesting. The chicken was not super crispy, but it worked really well with the yogurt sauce. The favorite of the night was the chili chocolate braised beef short rib. It was tender and very tasty. They have a section of 'Bombas' on their menu. They are basically paellas not made on a paellera pan. We got the pork belly one, which had a lot of flavor but unfortunately the rice was completely overcooked and mushy. The saffron panna cotta was not bad, but it did not stand out. I ended up having a good time, but I have some reservations. Getting a table was annoying, not all of the dishes were flawless, and it was definitely not cheap. That said, I recommend you check it out for their very fun and creative menu. I definitely look forward to coming back. read more

Came in for brunch. Had a poached egg and chorizo number that knocked my socks off. Friendly service at the bar, great interior and fantastic signature cocktails. My girlfriend wanted a cocktail but couldn't decide so we asked for the "dealer's choice." The bartender asked a series of questions and came back with a custom drink. While the brunch I ordered was amazing, I feel like I could have ordered anything on the menu with the same results. Shakewell? Shakegreat is more like it. read more

The Well - Garnish. - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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Amazing food, awesome staff, outdoor space with heaters, happy hour. It is a dream come true and a treasure of Oakland. Cheers!

Really Liking this place. It's in the Lakeshore district in Oakland. Great place for lunch and dinner and their menu is varied and offers something for every pallet. Full bar and the lunchtime bartender is one cool dude. I've been here several times and the food and service is very consistent... meaning great! read more

The Well - Deviled Eggs. - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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Absolutely love shakewell. Have come here for dinner and drinks, their cocktails are my favorite in Oakland especially the coconut jalapeño cocktail very good flavors not overly spicy at all! Have enjoyed the lamb skewers (favorite dish) and grilled octopus with chorizo. The skewers were tender and are covered with a tasty sauce while the octopus is cooked perfectly not rubbery at all and charred nicely. Definitely recommend this place for dinner and drinks although my least favorite dish the first time I came was the paella. It was over cooked and didn't have as much flavor as expected. read more

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Okay, I admit it, I came here because of the Top Chef hype. And I didn't even watch their seasons! We walked in off the street and had no reservations. The host staff was very accommodating, despite the full restaurant and found us a space at a communal table after a very brief wait. My original review was TL;DR. Here's the condensed version. Shakewell has promise. Service is extremely slow, but very friendly. The food here will not fill you up unless you are ready to spend lots of money. The food itself is a mixed bag. The "small" plates really fit the description. They are one bite per person. The melon and serrano ham small plate was really good. The deviled quail egg was cute, but didn't taste like deviled eggs. The brocollini was not for me, I felt it was a really confused, muddy tasting dish. The beet salad was good, but everyone is doing a beet salad these days and it was nothing special. The albacore entree was the standout dish of the evening. Fish, eggplant hummus, lemon juice, sesame seeds and snap peas. Cooked to perfection. We also had the bittersweet chocolate torta for dessert. I'd eat that again. After being seated, it took 20 minutes to take our order. It took 40 minutes for us to receive our first drink. It was super crowded for a Thursday night. Shakewell has an interesting Mediterranean / North African inspired menu. It's worth another shot, but you may want to pre-eat at McDonald's before hand. read more

The Well - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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First time having dinner there. Shared everything with 2 friends. We had Chicken skewers- good Stuffed mushroom- only one- not the best item and not good for sharing. Beet salad- really fantastic Brussel sprouts as a side dish- really good Lamb kofta- delicious Squid bomba- delicious Cornmeal short bread- good Churros- good Would definitely go back. read more

Went there for brunch, and the food was so good that we came back the same day for dinner! At both meals, we were able to be seated 10-15 minutes before our reservation time with no wait. The service was prompt for both meals, and the food came out very quickly. The chicken and churros were incredible - our party agreed it was easily one of the best brunch meals we had ever had. Both the chicken and churros were delicious on their own, and amazing together. The portion size was perfect. At dinner, the fried stuffed olives and jamon croquetas were very tasty, and the paella was absolutely wonderful. Being able to pick our proteins for the paella was a nice touch. The sangria was lovely, and we also tried the Fairlane cocktail at our server's recommendation, which was creamy, spicy, and overall a unique and tasty drink (which we had to restrain ourselves from ordering seconds of). Five stars is an understatement, and we will definitely be returning. read more

Brunch was amazing & so was the ambiance. Great portions of food. This place is amazing, Full Bar & delicious menu. For great food that taste & looks good in Oakland, check Shakewell out. I ordered the Chicken & Churros! Man was it good. They have a great crafted drinks menu. Drink up & eat up. Stay a while it's just that comfy & fun. Plus watch Sunday football while sitting at the bar. read more

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

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Super friendly staff. Amazing cocktails and the sunflower seed hummus they gave us at the bar was amazing. Although the portions are hearty, the salads and entrees themselves were meh. I had the tri tip steak and the beef was chewy and flavor dull. Food was lukewarm. Bottom line: Go to the bar and stay there. Go elsewhere for your meal. read more

A very smooth start for a brand new restaurant. We had a 6 p.m. reservation which we pushed back to 6:30 but were still greeted warmly and seated promptly by the host. We started off with two cocktails -- Blood and Sand for him, El Matador for me. Both were tasty and balanced though I much preferred my later Berry Fling (lavander!). Service was friendly and efficient (again rare for such a new place). The atmosphere had a pleasant buzz (as did I). Food was good though nothing truly blew me away. But then, we failed to order a paella and judging from the other diners' plates, that was the thing to try! We had the melon, luxardo, Serrano ham "bite", a delicately sweet corn bisque with dungeness crab, the bacalao croquetas and, the true stand out, the albondigas which were smoky and tender. With reasonable prices, tasty food and a hip ambiance, it is likely that we will return. read more

We were passing through town after a day at the lake and weren't planning to eat out. We showed up in our athletic gear with no reservations and our 2 young boys. In spite of our unprepared looks we've never been made to feel more welcome. They made room for us at the counter, seated us quickly and offered our son a coloring page. This is by no means a kid hangout & they don't have a child's menu but that's not a problem for our sons who are adventurous eaters with good pallets. I would go back next time without the kiddos but am so grateful to the staff for making us feel so welcome as a family. Their hostess & manager are seriously the sweetest people on earth. We orders to smalls & four entrees. Everything was conceived by a true talent. It was eating art. We had the squash blossom first. It's fried and stuffed. Could have licked the plate. Then the falafel, best ones I've had in ages. My sons ordered the chicken (which is actually meatballs with an Indian inspired flavor). My 8 year old ordered the squid with artichoke. He are the while thing and lived every bite. I had the Albacore tuna. Cooked perfectly!!! I just hate when people over cook tuna. No worries here. My husband had the braised beef. All dishes were so perfectly done the hardest thing about eating at a place that prepares such good food is deciding whether you'll have something new next time or order the same thing because you've been craving it ever since you left. Fed a family of four with 2 appetizers for under a $100. Nice! read more

The Well - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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WOW!!! This is a fantastic food event that is instantly addicting. Stop reading this and just GO! Fried stuffed olives are explosions of yumminess. Bacalao croquetas are creamy and dreamy. The grilled flat bread and summer squash salad were culinary adventures on a plate. I can't find words to describe the joy of the calamari negro bomba. My only complaint would be that they don't warn you about needing a side of ice cream with the churros with spiced bittersweet chocolate sauce. The chocolate sauce needs a buddy! I'm truly sad I can't live there! read more

Made a reservation here for restaurant week; Open Table didn't have a lot of spots, but it was pretty empty on a Sunday night. I think I could have walked in easily. My friend did RW, but there wasn't a vegetarian entree option so I just ordered a la carte. I had the braised greens and the fried cauliflower. Both were awesome and I was plenty full. What do you need to know - fry anything and it will taste good. The cauliflower was brown, tender and delicious. The braised greens were in a tomato based sauce, had chickpeas and were tender and warming. I also tried my friend's apple and blue cheese endive/arugula salad which was bright and delicious. The only downer was that the dessert, billed as salted caramel gelato, was a chocolate gelato since they ran out. Unfortunately, my friend hates chocolate (unreal, but we're still friends. Even more unreal - I have two of these crazies in my life). Our server was extremely friendly, helpful and attentive. We got some weird/sexy side eye from one of the food runners which was strange, but my friend and I had a good laugh about it. Really like the restaurant , would definitely come back if I needed a place close by to go. read more

Finally made it to Shakewell, and it's a great spot! Brunch time is not that crowded and you can make a reservation though if you stop by before 11am, you'll prob have no problem getting a seat. I've been here for brunch twice and ordered the same thing both times. I don't usually do that, but I'm on a restricted food regimen at the moment so my options are limited. I had the 2 eggs + sausage + potatoes. The first time around, the sausage lacked flavor and was under-salted. I was not impressed. But the second time around, it was perfect! The crispy potatoes are delicious too. The coffee is nice as well. First time around, the service was wonderful and our server definitely tried to accommodate everything, given my food restrictions. He double checked to make sure there was no dairy, etc. The second time around, the service was okay. Server didn't want to accommodate a substitution but finally did. Overall, I like Shakewell and will be back. The long bar seating looks fun too. Maybe I'll come by in the evening one day. read more

Went Sunday evening with a friend. We decided to come here at the last minute so had to choose between a 5:45pm and 9:45pm reservation. Service: Very friendly staff and waiters. Everyone was excited to be a part if your dining experience at Shakewell. Food: We ordered 2 small plates, 1 salad, 1 bomba for two people. The grilled octopus was the best octopus we've ever had. The deviled quail egg received glowing reviews on yelp but was not particularly memorable for us. The paprika added too much smoky flavor in my opinion. The beets and burratta salad was superb. For our entree we ordered the clams and chorizo bomba. Bomba is a type of rice used in paella. The bomba was delicious! Drinks: my friend ordered the lakeshore cooler and said it was nice and refreshing. Our waiter was also the resident sommelier so we asked him to pair a wine with our entree. He brought a really tasty Spanish red blend. The wine came in small narrow tumblers. Our only wish was that they came in wine glasses so we could swirl and get the aromas of the wine. Overall: Fantastic dining experience! I'm so glad such a fabulous establishment hS opened up on lakeshore. read more

The Well - Manila clams and chorizo bomba - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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Having lived in the Bay Area most of my life, I know brunch is a big deal. I don't mean to brag but I know a thing or two when it comes to brunching on a Sunday. I chose Shakewell because of the tempting Yelp photos and great reviews as well as it's location to Lake Merritt. I am SO happy I gave this place a try because it was one of my favorite recent brunches I've had! First and foremost stop what you are doing and order the chicken and churros. The fried chicken was crispy and juicy with just the right amount of seasoning on the breading. The churros were fluffy and just sweet enough to compliment the savoriness of the dish. They drizzle a maple buttermilk sauce on top that brings everything together in perfect flavor harmony. At first I almost didn't order them but when I looked around almost everyone had a plate of them and I knew this wasn't a fluke and must be legit! It was legit. Ok back to reality. I ordered the omelette with goat cheese, tomato jam and leeks and was impressed by the size and perfect cook of the eggs. I scarfed it down while stealing some of my brother's crispy potatoes (if you love potatoes crispy this side dish is for you). I had a bite of the salmon flatbread and the shakshuka. Both were full of flavor but the eggs in the shakshuka were slightly overdone. They have bottomless mimosas here for $24 and the staff is friendly and attentive. It gets pretty busy here so we made an online reservation and were seated in no time on a Sunday at 11:30am. Street parking can be difficult on a busy day especially when farmers market is right around the corner on Sundays but after 10 minutes we found a spot. I will be back and until then I will brag to my friends about this place from now on. Yum! read more

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Me: "So what do you think of it? Bf: "A LOT OF OLIVES" Me and the bf are fans of the top chef series. So when I discovered a contestant had opened up a restaurant in Oakland, I figured we might as well try it out! We had no reservations, but were able to score 2 seats at an open counter. We also saw a glimpse of Jen Biesty in the kitchen *fan girl moment* I started with a glass of the sangria. It was ok, but nothing phenomenal as to what some other reviewers were saying. We ordered the sausage sage leaves, octopus, and beet salad to start. The fried sausage leaves we're cooked well. The octopus was super tender, but a small portion with an abundant amount of olives. We both enjoyed the beet salad, simple and clean. We split the chicken and prawn bomba. It was ok, a bit on the salty side. Probably due to more olives! I do wish there was more meat though. It seemed skimp. We were debating on which dessert to order, and our server was saying how mind blowingly amazing the Greek yogurt dessert was. I was a bit apprehensive. Really? Half a peach with some Carmel and Greek yogurt? But I decided to show some faith and we ordered that. Ehh. Should have went with my gut. While it was fine. It could have easily been made at home. That was my fault for not going with my instinct -___- The food? It was okay. Definitely not recommended if you don't like olives! read more

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I've enjoyed Shakewell. I've had date night, dinner with friends, client dinners, and just drinks at the bar. I will I wasn't as impressed with the paella as I would have hoped. I do t think I'll be ordering it again, but there are tons of other great things on the menu. read more

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Love you Shakewell! So does my belly. It's SORTA expensive but, hell..... I was happy. You get what you pay for. Everything was on point from food to environment to service. I thoroughly enjoyed myself here! The drink menu was particularly awesome! They had a fire AF mezcal drink that I'll be heading back for (if it's still there and when I can amass more €£¥$) read more

Food and ambience was great! Service was also amazing. Get the papas bravas or churros and chicken. You can also put tequila agua fresca.

Me and my dude shared the arugula salad and a shakewell wrap. We loved the flavor of the falafel and its texture. We left feeling full and energized, especially from the salad. The beer and mixed drinks also paired well with our meals. Next time we will be back for their paella and chicken! read more

One word, Shakshuka! I also love a few of their herbaceous cocktails. Definitely a fun spot to go to with great brunch options. It's the perfect pit-stop for a meal after hitting up the shops on Lakeshore. read more

So we were having breakfast with two good friends and they picked the place. We didn't know this was the place they picked. Kinda funny. So apparently the owner is a neighbor and all they did was send a text "hey we're walking down" and we're in! In my first review I said the greeter was a nice guy with a good smile... Well that was the owner. lol. He sat us down again and chatted a little. Our friend Amy said we have to try the pastries. Well the owner said his pastry guy was sick that morning so he made the pastries for the day himself. Okay, I'll give it a shot. I ordered the banana bread and really loved it. Hit it out of the park. So good and so tasty. Our friends ordered potatoes for the table. WOW! Loved them. Cooked to perfection! So tasty! Last but not least I ordered the Rib Sandwich. It was sooo good you'd want to slap YO Grandmama! And I loved my Grandmama but this sandwich was memorable! So because of those three items I changed my rating from 4 to 5! This place is the real deal when it comes to food and drink. It's a must have. I'll be back here! read more

Love at first sip - perfect drink. The only downside is the glass is too small. Cannonball - a little tart, heavy passion fruit flavor, and just the right amount of rum. Blind tiger - hints of orange was nice, but too strong. Bacalao - liked the crispiness of the fish and potatoes croquette, didn't care for the squid ink sauce. Lamb and beef - tender and not overly lamby Clam and fish bomba - nice aioli sauce on the top, fish and clams are fresh, crispy rice on top and bottom of the pan. My favorite place to get paella. Whole grilled snapper - meat was tender and not over cooked. The skin was crispy and the salsa that came with the fish added a nice tart touch. Churros with chocolate sauce - crispy on the outside, nice and soft on the inside. I love churros and have had them from different churro trucks, filled and non filled - so far this is my favorite place to get them. read more

The Well - Favorite drinks - cannonball and love at first sip - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Shakewell's Fried Chicken and Churros should make the top 10 list of Best Fried Chicken in the Bay Area. Yelp just released a top 30 and it missed this awesome tasty "must-have" at Shakewell! read more

The Well - fried chicken and churros - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Haven't been here in a little while but they're fried chicken and churros are the BEST! Everything here has been great, super cute place as well. But the chicken...so, so delicious. read more