If you've ever been to Les Deux Magots in St. Germain, this is the spot to check out, hang out,…read moresip, while snacking on something freshly made in front of you. The ambiance will get you first, the attention to detail say's a lot about the love put into La Loulou. The service is fabulous, they will remember your last drink. I'm a quirky 'orderer' and they remembered the nuance of how I like my drink. Also, don't forget to checkout the bathroom. Merci!!!

I visited La Loulou several months ago and wanted to give it some time before writing a review…read more After recently having a wonderful experience at another wine bar, I realized the difference in hospitality was too significant not to mention. I really wanted to like this place. I'd walked by several times and loved the interior design, and the videos on Instagram made it seem like such a great spot. I stopped in one evening by myself, ordered a glass of wine and the warm olives (which were delicious), and was looking forward to a relaxing night. Unfortunately, the service was the biggest disappointment. The restaurant was packed, and the atmosphere felt more concerned with maintaining an image than making guests feel welcome. I understand some restaurants embrace a more reserved European style of service, but this came across as cold and pretentious rather than intentional hospitality. As a solo diner especially, I didn't feel acknowledged or valued as a guest. It also didn't help that the dining room had a noticeable body odor smell that took away from the experience. On a positive note, the bathroom was clean and beautifully designed. I originally thought this would become my go-to place to grab a glass of wine while waiting for a table at the ramen spot next door, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. Reading through other reviews, it seems I'm not the only one who had this impression. Oakland's charm has always been its people. You can open a French-inspired wine bar, but hospitality translates into every language. If you're going to bring a Parisian aesthetic to Oakland, don't mistake indifference for sophistication. Guests should leave feeling welcomed, not judged.

Came here on my own after being in the area for something else…read more Good: - There is a large selection of books - it's beautiful inside too! - The staff are super friendly and attentive. - A good place to rest after a lot of walking all day - I liked the non alcoholic sparkling water and having a drink while reading books Bad: - The place is a bit smaller than expected and can get a bit noisy when too many parties are inside Overall this was a super unique concept! I liked how it was a safe haven but differentiated from a library and more upscale

This place is so cute! This is like a dream spot and I wish I lived closer so I could visit more…read moreoften. We went for Halloween as they had some themed activities/books out. There were cozy seating options but since it was fairly packed, we sat at the bar. Loved to see such a big turnout but this place feels like it only has space for ~20 people comfortably. We got the popcorn and I tried out some of the wine tasting on the wall. They give you a tap card so you can control how many tastes you want. They offer 1 oz, half glass, or full glass pours for each of the wine on tap. The wine on tap is mostly their wine pairings for the month. I love the concept and definitely tried a couple wines to decide which book I should read! Overall pretty cozy and intimate. The book selection is pretty small and curated. The shelves are tall and they have the moving ladder! Very beauty and the beast library-like! Would be good to come with one other person or solo to have some cozy reading time. I could only imagine this place would be a dream for a small book club! I know they have a couple events like that every month and would love to come check one out someday.

What a charming place. I've been here a few times now and it's one of my favorite spots when I'm in…read moreAlbany/Berkeley. Perfect to relax and converse over good wine selection and tasty bites. Pups are welcome! Grab a book or a friend, bring your pup and enjoy!

Found this gem on Google because I really wanted a charcuterie board lol. They do not gave tons of…read morereviews, but what is there.. made me want to try it out. My wife and I entered and it was not crowded. However, there were 2 groups of people there and they seemed to be enjoying themselves. We were immediately greeted and seated. Once seated, we were greeted by the owner (Did not know she was the owner at the time..lml). She informed us of what came with the Charcuterie Board and we chose Fontaine over Goat cheese (My wife does not like goat cheese). We ordered the codfish cakes. She provided us with some wine selections and even offered some to be tried (Free) to help with deciding. My wife chose a Rose and I chose a Malbec. When the Board came, we were amazed at the presentation. When are tasted it, we fell in love lml. Everything went together so well.. including the wine we decided to pair with it. We complimented every bite to once another. The codfish cake was seasoned, lightly battered and full of fish. It was served with olive oil and lime. So so so good!!!! We enjoyed 2 glasses of wine during our time. The Board was enough to share between 2 ppl. If it is more than 2 ppl, you will need to add/pay for additional items. We received great conversation from the owner. My wife at some point asked her she was the in fact the owner and she did yes. Her name is Diva (Might be misspelled...def get real name, but that is exactly how she is). She was so personalable, honest, transparent, and full of smiles. Oh.. they have live music on Saturdays beginning at 7pm. They rotate the genres. They spay have a heated outdoor patio with seating that we will try next time. I think we found out wine bar joy. Thank you for an exceptional 5 star treatment, without even trying. It was so natural!!!

Brief Summary: - Located near the BART station…read more- Unique coffee, tastes like there is noticeable fruit notes - Coffee is not sour - Interior and exterior seats available - Simple and super tasty dishes that are perfect for breakfast or brunch What I loved most about this cafe is the food dishes, so I'll start here first. When I go into a cafe, dishes usually include sandwiches, baked sweets, pancakes or waffles. But there are times when I look at the menu and I'm trying to wake up, so I want a simpler menu. Here, they have the toast with butter. Yes, this is the perfect dish for the moment that I tend to have when choosing the first meal of the day. I also love their other menu, which is the toast with a canned fish. The cafe also sells these alongside coffee beans. The toast is sliced thick with a generous smear of butter. The toast surface has a golden shine from the melted butter. Every bite has a juicy butter taste. On the side of toast is a side of a beautiful semi-boiled egg with a runny yolk -- my favorite type of way to eat yolks. Next time, when I visit here, I will definitely try the canned fish and eat that for breakfast. That is another good breakfast menu I would love to have and try with a cup of coffee.

I've been here a handful of times over the years, usually for a meeting or because I desperately…read moreneeded caffeine before entering Trader Joe's. I'll give it to you straight. The good: Their vanilla latte is genuinely good. Flavorful, balanced, and not overly sweet. The food is decent too. The bad: Why is a vanilla latte pushing $7 these days and still arriving nowhere near the top of the cup? When I asked about it, I was told it's just one ice cube short of the normal volume. But consistently? Maybe that's what they mean by Ain't Normal. My bigger issue is the service. Maybe I've caught them on off days, but the staff has consistently come off with a bit of attitude. Nobody needs a parade when they order coffee, but a little warmth goes a long way, especially when you're charging specialty coffee prices. At the end of the day, the coffee is good enough that I've come back more than once. I just wish the cups were fuller and the customer service matched the quality of the drinks.

This is an incredible wine shop. It's small in comparison to some of the larger stores like K&L,…read morebut they've got some incredible options spanning all price points, countries, and varietals, including a pretty stellar selection of Champagne and sparkling wines. A lot of the labels are from smaller producers, well known for making high quality wines. I've been to many wine shops in/around the Bay Area and I struggle to think of a shop that has as great of a selection as Wine on Piedmont. Additionally, prices are very competitive! In the back of the shop is a small tasting room where you can enjoy wines by the glass from a rotating selection, as well as open bottles purchased from the shop for just a $10 corkage fee. The staff are also incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. We aren't over on Piedmont Ave often, but this shop gives us a reason to stop by the area more often.

The staff are really nice & informative. It's a comfortable atmosphere. Has a large selection of…read morewines. Has wine tasting & by the glass.

Received amazing service and experience in this cozy Rockridge restaurant. The servers were very…read moreknowledgeable and if they didn't know, they were quick to find out for us. We asked so many questions but they were so patient with us! Much appreciated. You can move around and watch the chefs prepare in the open kitchen, too! Contrary to what I had believed for a long time, the price point is not as pricey as I thought considering Italian in Rockridge. So if you're like me and stayed away, so give them a try and fall in love with this neighborhood gem.

Last night we attended a private party at Enoteca Molinari and we were all really impressed - from…read moreappetizers to desserts, every single dish was absolutely delicious! The pastas and gnocchi were clearly made onsite. The service was fantastic, the wines were excellent, and the vibe was cozy and delightful. We had never eaten there before - but we will for sure be back. EM made it a wonderful evening. It's a smaller restaurant and it was so fun to have the whole place to ourselves for this special event. We can't wait to return!

Intriguing shoppe with unique items to explore. Plus a chill spa e to hang and enjoy a cup of chia…read more Worth a visit.

Always enjoy checking out this spot when in Temescal primarily for the cool/relaxed vibes and…read moreassortment of offerings in the shop. There is a small but might set of records; primarily Jazz, African and some R&B available for purchase. Especially like the album listening area and have picked up at least one album over my last two visits.

Fun spot! Great service and beats…read more Snails, veg crudite with koji dip and the banana bread with caviar - a revelation!!! Love all the natural wine and local Den sake! Be aware if you make a rezi - you have a 2 hour limit (2 people).

Visited Snail Bar for an impromptu dinner plan. Despite it being a Monday, it was still pretty busy…read morebut luckily, we managed to snag a table for two. To start, we shared the "perfect vegetables" which were every bit as flawless as the name suggested. The assortment of veggies were incredibly fresh, and the soy dip accompanying the vegetable array was simply divine. A crossbreed of aioli and soy, unlike any creamy dip I've had before. We also had the pan con tomate, which was soggier than the typical renditions of this Spanish dip Ive personally had but delicious all the same. We also shared the tuna tostadas and ham and cheese, uniquely delicious and very decadent but not excessively so. Service was a tad slow, a forgivable gripe given how eclectic and delicious the food was. Truly a one of a kind dining establishment. I'd imagine this being a great first date spot!

We had an 8 PM reservation and had to wait a little bit, but the food came out quickly and…read moreeverything was delicious. Our favorite was actually the house-made vanilla ice cream in the affogato. Shoutout to Paige for answering all our questions and being so patient with us. We've been here several times now and the food and service have always been great. Sitting out on the patio was nice for these summer nights. Definitely a place we'll keep coming back to for date nights and special occasions!

my uncle recently treated us to a nice meal here in Belotti…read more Can't tell you enough how authentic this meal was The ambience was an indoor and outdoor seating italian restaurant! The food here was great. The service was awesome.

What can I say?! Sapphire Hill just charms my little socks off! Every single time that I stop into…read morethis tasting room, I'm always left wondering why the hell I don't come by more often. Busy summer Shayla is in full effect, but you BEST believe that I will NOT be missing visits to this gem (and neither should you). First things first; the wine is just gawd damned FINE here, ladies and gents! As a self proclaimed certified wino (BAHAHAHA! Please take that title with a grain of salt), I will say that these wines can rival any of those big named Napa/Sonoma wine labels. The difference?! I ain't gotta drive all the way down to Napa to get this goodness (and I'm saving the big bucks)! Plus, the service is impeccable and them Oakland vibes are simply unparalleled. We love us a town gem, oh yes we do! ;). Okay, so back to the wine: I'm kind of hooked on a few of them. You can't go wrong with anything that you try here, but you CAN fall in love with the Vivant like I have. As someone whose wine of choice has never been a Cab, I am obsessed with the Vivant! It's bright, it's fruity, it's lucious and it's easy drinking for a Cab. I just love how they've changed converted me to a Cab lover... correction; a "Vivant" cab lover ;). Other notables that are not to be missed here: their fruity and floral rosé, their crisp and refreshing Chardonnay, and their succulent barbera. Again, you won't taste a bad wine here ever, but these are my current and recommended faves. I love coming in and trying the newbies on the list! I tasted a chilled red the last time that I was in, and it was quite delicious! Aside from the wines, what makes this place golden is the PEOPLE! It's a combination of the people running the place and the people who come in to enjoy it. Hallie and Tony are friggin' SPECTACULAR!!! Personalities on fleek (do people even say that anymore?!) and knowledge times a million. You should be there when we're having the most random convos ever. No really... you SHOULD! It's what makes things so fun enjoyable. I alwaaaays meet the BEST people here. We are always having the time of our lives and then I have to leave because... ya know. Work and bills and health and stuff! HA! But seriously, I can't say enough great things about this little gem. I am truly so grateful to have this wonderful place in my neighborhood. Pay them a visit! I promise you'll be back for more.

You'll find this down a small alley next to the jewelry shop…read more A cute little wine tasting spot. When I went, I was visiting for a small event - they were having a wine tasting, ha. They had turned part of the alley into an outdoor patio. They used bistro table and chairs and had portable heaters and a E-Z ups (I went back when it was cold outside and potential rain. The interior space has a few seats at the counter and a few at the window. The owners of the spot are super kind and their wine is divine! I took a couple bottles home and they were a hit with my family.