Black Sheep kitchen & Cocktails

One of my favorite local spots. Love the turkey bacon chipotle melt it’s my go to. And they have the GOOD fries ifykyk. I love and would go back just for their Dark Horse seltzer it’s my favorite! Also a killer espresso martini. Kristen was a great bartender! Can’t say enough good things. Nice atmosphere, kid friendly, beautiful patio. 90s playing on the radio. Amazing

First time visit for us last night. Had a fantastic musical 1-man act up front. The space is sort of divided in two but it’s open enough to where you still feel part of the story. A dozen taps with very local and fresh beers. I consider myself “in the know” in this category and was really impressed. The food- first of all, I couldn’t decide on which of about 6-7 things I wanted to try. I decided on the “Elevated bacon sandwich” with onion rings and was very pleased. My wife got the Birria Ramen, and the kiddo got chicken tenders and fries. I tried all of em, and was the most impressed with the ramen. It was my first time trying any sort of ramen and decided to do so strictly off the smell and appearance (hint: both fantastic!) I can’t wait to go back. DT Riverbank is a better place with this restaurant here. I just hate that it’s taken me this long to discover it.

friendly-ish, understaffed. dirty table. gnats. had to ask for utensils (given just forks, no knives) after dropping off food and running away. food was meh. tater tots were overcooked. we wanted to like the place, but it wouldn’t let us. if you like mid, this is your place.

Great atmosphere, very friendly service. We were surprised at the portion sizes and quality of the food for the price. Drinks were amazing too!

Oh my Yum!! Shared the linguica topped fries with added portuguese beans, and the adult grilled cheese. So good! The drinks were on point and the service was great! Will definitely be coming back!

I really wanted to like this place, and I must preface this review with there was a community event going on outside which probably made it busier than normal. It took a while to get the drinks which I kind of expected and it was about a normal wait. Do not expect quality drinks here as the final product doesn’t match the description. They are just average. The bigger problem was the wait time to get our food. The kitchen, which I could see people walking in and out of there seemed very disorganized. It took over an hour to get our food after a long time just to get the order in. I’m hoping I just caught them on a bad and busy night.

Wonderful atmosphere, amazing food and the cocktails are delicious. The service has a much to be desired, but I commend the food staff.

Friendly service and the food menu is definitely creative and delicious. Atmosphere is nice, tho it was a little sparce and echoey. I wouldn't call it a cocktail bar - the menu was a bit remedial and drinks definitely needed additional shaking for aeration and chilling (especially given the hot evening). All in all a great spot to stop into.

I have been here twice. Not only did the bartender remember my name.... Pretty sure hers started with an "S" not really sure, but her name isn't important here. She also remembered what I had last time I was here. I never had to ask for anything. Hands down some of the best service I have had in a while. She not only provided top tier service, she also only tipped herself a modest amount. Not bad for someone who relies on section 8 housing.

We were the first people inside the restaurant on Sat morning when they opened. We sat at the bar and Dina was the hostess, waitress and bartender. We ordered mimosas and bloody Mary's but the bloody Mary's were more Tabasco forward. Mimosas were good. We had the eggs Benedict and the breakfast sandwich with fruit and potatoes. Everything was delish! We will def be back!

Save your money. Very slow service. Food was meh. Had to return my ramen because my yolk was overcooked. Finally came back and didn't have any birria in my ramen. Tasted like store-bought ramen. Major disappointment. My friends' sake bombs were cold. Portuguese beans were cold. It's a one and done with this restaurant.

There are so many flies here! Folks are talking about how it's gotten better but there were still so many! The food is a little too greasy for me. Drinks are good and the place has a ton of potential. Hopefully they fix those things. I'll try back later.

The food here is absolutely amazing. I was so excited that each plate surprised me with how tasty it was. My favorite was the jalapeño popper burger which did not come with jalapeño fyi. I really enjoyed the pickles that were added on the side i would say they sit on the fence between sweet and not sweet. The loaded fries were good recommended by Dena who was our server. She had all very good suggestions and even brought water over for our dog baby. The bathrooms were clean and we'll stocked. Personally the dessert really did it for me. The brownie cheesecake was the bomb. We will definitely be back to try the other items. Lastly the Margarita did not disappoint it was the perfect treat for the warm weather.

I stopped in to watch a college football game and Kirsten the bartender/hostess/waitress couldn't have been more helpful. After allowing us to search for the game on the many TVs in the bar area, we were able to find the game. Kirsten went out of her way to make a pot of decaf coffee for me and also made a very delicious old fashioned. Not only was the front of the house impressive but the food from the kitchen was delicious. All in all and wonderful experience in a very welcoming environment. I will definitely be back soon

This place is top tier very accommodating, me my dad and brother and nephew came for father's day the oysters on the grill was to die for ,randy the owner is very nice and kind I would definitely come back my family really enjoyed it.

Great service great cocktails and the birra tacos were amazing. Loved the decor and paint inside.

Decent little dive bar. We ordered a couple of drinks. Didn't try any of the food. Maybe next time we visit.

My wife and I came here while visiting the area. We wanted something light and quick. We got seated and had to wait a while to get our order taken. We advised the server that we were in a hurry. In spite of us telling her our situation, apparently, there is only one speed....sloooowwww. we ordered two beers and the grazing board. I have to say that despite things coming slower than we liked, the beer and the food were outstanding. I would recommend for anyone that is visiting to give them a try. Hopefully you won't be pressed for time like we were and casually enjoy your experience.

We went there for a drink and not only was the drink great but service was fast! The ambiance is perfect to hang out and the food menu seems amazing even though we didn't eat there since we had just ate. I recommend this place!

Was the Saturday before Christmas, they were very busy, but for the most part this was a pleasant experience. The live band had the right volume for the venue size. Most behind the bar were nice and helpful. Unfortunately one young lady has a slight negative attitude and as my food was being served she walked the length of the bar and sprayed fabreze which tainted my meal. Would try again.

Had a really good time celebrating my good friend's graduation. The food was amazing, especially the oysters and animal style fries. My favorite drinks were the summer fest and hazy ipa. Shoutout to Dina, she was our server and really was a vibe catering to our every needs. The space is really comfortable and we chilled outside where it was a great atmospheres

Stopped in for a drink was a crazy karaoke night, bartender was spot on made for a great night. Highly recommend stopping in for a drink.

Our friend group came here for dinner and drinks on 12/28/2024. I made reservations but we ended up sitting in bar area. Great atmosphere. The food was delicious. Customer service wonderful. Food was priced well. Leslie was our Server and she is outstanding. Big shoutout to her for her professionalism and all around good vibes. Very attentive. On top of things. If you're looking for a cool spot, check out this place.

Amazing place with great drinks and wonderful people! The energy is great and I highly recommend I believe it's called, The apple cider margarita! Parents just moved to town and have already brought me in twice! Great place to go whether it's food drinks or football on Sundays. Can't wait to come back over Christmas break!

Came here for girls night, the cocktails were yummy and the food was delicious! The outdoor atmosphere was amazing.

Service was perfect and the food was really good. It was a fun place to have lunch with friends!

Food service and ambience has always been A1 Blonde waitress is fabulous. I'm sorry I didn't get her name.

I have mixed feelings about this place. Appetizers: They were pretty good. We had the Linguica Fries, Sushi Bombs and the Flaming Linguica. We were missing the Portugese Beans on the fries and thought the Sushi Bombs would have a crunch exterior based on the picture but they were still great! Entrees: This was an unfortunate experience. Two in our party ordered the Birra Tacos. The they were overcooked, dry and the tortillas smelled like their grill needed a good cleaning. The Pork Belly Tacos were decent. The Pork Belly was super dry but the sweet chili sauce saved that dish. Drinks: A hit and miss. The Blueberry Mojito was amazing. Ordered a second and it was like a completely different drink. Reluctantly asked and our waiter said he thought it was but would ask them to remake it. The remake came out and it was better but defined not like the first. The Paloma was good but the strawberry drinks were a pass Atmosphere: The vibes were great! Live music and the staff was friendly. They have a nice outdoor area that looks very inviting for when the weather warms up Would I come back? Maybe, probably...purely for the atmosphere and the appetizers. Would probably stick to the ciders and beers on tap though

i absolutely love their outside patio! the drinks and food are also pretty good. the dark horse drink/cider is the best.

Excellent breaded artichokes the best I've had. Nice place, relaxing and comfortable. We tried the birria tacos, Portuguese beans and linguicia sandwich. We will be back to try other menu items. Thank you for the nice experience!

Always a fun time! Lots of fun with Music Bingo on Wednesdays and there's always a live band or DJ every weekend. Good vibes!

Food is just ok. Had the 14.00 old fashioned to drink, they added a lemon instead of an orange not sure why. Drink was 6 out of 10 at best. For having the label of a cocktail bar you would think an ole fashioned would be spot on. Not impressed. .

Went in on Saturday night. They weren't super busy but it definitely looked like a spot to be in the local area. We sat down in the dining room portion. The dining area was organized and clean. Our service was great and they were very attentive to us. Everything we tried on the menu was delicious! We definitely will be returning!

They can improve everything. We ordered a 35 charcuterie board that took an hour to make and literally had " meat " that was literally sausage and zero vegetables, which were in the description. The hummus tasted like Costco . Just look at the bowl of olives with basic jack and cheddar with some brown drizzle, however, the Moscow mules were good. I'm quite literally going home to cook something for dinner.

Stopped by for a quick Lunch. Not super busy and friendly staff. Food was great and beer was cold. I got the French dip, but the garlic fries were what made it for me they have a separate brunch menu I'll be coming back to try

Great bar, eclectic menu options and everything we've tried has been really good. We've done lunch a few times and I'd like to check out the nights with live music.

As much as I wanted to love this place I was pretty underwhelmed. The service was spotty- when they came around they were nice but they didn't always come around. They asked us for our order just two mins after we sat down and we weren't ready but then they never came back. We waited for several minutes but had somewhere to be after so went to get our server. The servers and manager were all congregated in the kitchen area chatting. They had some nice live music that added to the liveliness of the ambience. However the AC was either not working or had something wrong because they had huge fans in 1-2 areas but yet it was uncomfortably warm inside. Strangely enough with the fans it was also pretty Smokey inside when we arrived. So after seeing this place was new and had good reviews we offered to give it a try. We ordered the birria ramen and the house burger with aperol spritz and Jameson on the rocks. The ramen was unfortunately the worst meal I've had , it was extremely salty and left me salty with this place as a result. I felt pretty gross after leaving this place, with the amount of salt I'm thinking the chef maybe added it twice or something. The brunch looks interesting but I'm not sure if I'm ready to try this place again anytime soon.

Amazing Food & Service, Everything on the menu is super Delicious. Breakfast on weekends WOW !!! Breakfast Burritos, and the Steak & eggs my favorites !!! You Must Try This Place... you will Love it

I would frequent this place when it first opened, but after coming in and seen the owner drunk at the bar and giving out free liquor, I thought it was funny. I came another time and the owner was drunk again, but this time yelled at his staff with obscenities and customers as well. I'm really disappointed because this was a great place to have a good time at. The owner should just sell the place and get some professional help. I felt embarrassed, even being there and felt bad for all the employees who had to put up with that behavior.

Walked in at 9:50pm on 2/14/25 and the older lady asked if we were gonna eat and meanly and rudely rolled her eyes... like it was a bother to have dinner there. Young hispanic gentleman was nice. But would never go back. Hate your job find a new one or dont work in customer service setting. Only adding a star because i have too other wise NONE AT ALL

I know they've been open just a short while but felt like something different so decided to give Black Sheep a try. Glad we did!! It's Cinco de Mayo and they had an extra menu just for the day. My wife and I will sometimes do just appetizers and their appetizer menu (they call them "social plates!") looked pretty tasty so that's what we did. Off their Cinco de Mayo menu we got the corn ribs and from the regular menu we got the "blind dates", the lamb lollies and the Portugee beans. The beans I'd say were average - have had much better before - but the others were excellent. The beans I felt were a bit too sweet and, at least locally, you'd expect some good size chunks of linguica or other sausage and bacon. But I expect they'll tighten those up a bit. The big surprise were the dates!! Bacon wrapped, stuffed with blue cheese and a brilliant dipping sauce. If you're not a fan of blue cheese, these may not be for you, but as I am, these blew me away. It all went together so nicely - sweetness of the dates, punch of the blue cheese and smokiness of the bacon - a lot, but not too much going on! I'll eat these every time I come back!! The lamb lollies looked similar to ones I've had elsewhere but this batch of lamb chops was especially flavorful and tender!! The greens and vinaigrette that were served with them was a nice way to get a bit of roughage in the meal. The corn ribs were a really neat take on Mexican street corn - i personally have not seen it done this way. The ear war cut so that about 6-8 rows of kernels were on each rib. I don't recall having street corn served with limes but as they were there I decided to give it a squirt. If you haven't tried it before, you gotta!! What an amazing extra punch it gives. It had been a long week and as I didn't see any dessert offerings on the menu, I thought I'd ask. Our server - who was delightful and attentive all night said they didn't have a dessert menu yet but were experimenting with their own churros. She asked if we'd mind being their first Guinea pigs - with everything else so good, we agreed. A short while later she brought out a plate with six, 4 to 5 inch churros. She said they were looking to serve them with ice cream but didn't have any this night. In our opinions, not having ice cream was a good thing. These were the best churros we'd had in a very long time! My wife said they reminded her of the ones she got as a kid at the San Jose flea market. Just the right crunchiness on the outside and beautifully soft on the inside. They were so good, we both agreed, and told our server, that ice cream would have taken away from the experience. Looking forward to what they decide to do when the do offer them! All in all, a great Friday night experience. A great addition to the things they're doing in old downtown Riverbank. Will definitely be back!!

The ambiance was okay. The servers were spread pretty thin running around trying to manage the tables and drinks etc. but that was fine. I had the fish tacos which were mediocre at best. We also ordered oysters which were okay until the 4th one. The 4th one was bad and tasted horrible. Not sure why but we certainly decided not to eat the rest. I don't think I would order any seafood from here again but the burgers were looking pretty good and probably a safer bet in my opinion. 3 stars because I would go back for a drink and try a burger. Hopefully when I do, the overall experience is better.

Food was a 4.5, thank you to those hardworking Kitchen staff! You came with your A game and it showed. Had the birria tacos and bacon wrapped shrimp. Service was unenthusiastic and nonexistent. We heard the kitchen bell being rang multiple times and it turned out to be our food. Food was lukewarm but flavorful. Sucks it didn't come out on that 1st or 5th ring. I won't call out the waitress/ or waiter but it was a disappointment experience because of them. It wasn't a busy time as multiple tables were empty and the ones that weren't had servers that were attentive to their guest. To help owners or staff, my visit was 12/9/23 @ 330pm with 4 guests in main dining area. Try the food as it's delicious. 1.75 for service and 4.5 food!

Me and my fiancé stopped in riverbank for a bite and discovered this place the pictures made it look good but the bartender didn't know how to make a proper old fashion the michelada was good for the food.... the lolli lamb chops were over cooked and dry we were going to order more but after that we asked for our tab and a box for my salad The waitress made a "mistake" and shorted me my change back by $5 and some change... my fiancé went to correct it but she still kept the 80 cents.. just odd never been to a restaurant that doesn't give back the change maybe she needed it more than we did ‍ anyways has potential wouldn't go back.

I heard Black Sheep Kitchen is pretty new to Riverbank so I decided to make a visit while in town. The restaurant is decorated nicely and looks very modern and chic. However, the food was a bit disappointing. I ordered their French toast off the brunch menu and it was honestly a bit dry. Also, their breakfast bruschetta looked a bit interesting, not at all like bruschetta and more like avocado toast! I understand the restaurant is new so I think there is plenty of time for improvement with the menu!

It's more of a loud bar than restaurant. The food was ok / the waiter was good. There is no separation from the dining area & bar. You had to talk over the loud music, people yelling, cussing, sexual jokes & a guy yelling, " There's no masterbating on Sunday's " all while your trying to have dinner & a conversation with my wife. It's your typical bar environment, which is ok if you're going for 2 drinks but not a place to enjoy a meal. We may stop by for a drink but definitely not to eat in the dining room. We definitely recommend, " Do not bring your children here !! You will hear all the foul language we are all familiar with in a bar setting. The bar isn't separated from the dining area, so you hear everything.

Came here for a date night as the reviews were good. Food was mehh... service was just, ok. I got a burger and my husband got the Philly sandwich which he didn't like. Probably wouldn't go back... design and layout was off... is it a bar? Is it a restaurant? Is it a cafe?

We went out for a double date with our friends yesterday (Sunday) night. Unfortunately, they were out of quite a few things, but they made up for it by providing us with THREE crab roll appetizers. They have signature cocktails which I would like to try next time. Most of the food was really great. We got the bacon wrapped dates (OMG DROOL) and the artichoke hearts to share. Both of these starters and the crab rolls were all delicious. The portions are kind of small, however. The crab rolls come with two per plate. The bacon wrapped dates and the artichoke hearts only came with 5, so we each only got one and there was one left over which kind of stunk. Everyone else in my party thoroughly enjoyed their main dish. The guys both got pork belly tacos which they said were AMAZING. My girlfriend got the chipotle chicken sandwich with garlic parm fries which she also said was delectable. I got the clam and mussels boil and I was kind of disappointed. It had nothing but mussels and clams and small chunks of beef sausage with pita bread on the side. I was expecting something more like a seafood boil with potatoes and corn and bigger chunks of sausage, and maybe some rice on the side. I was left wishing I had ordered something else. Like I said, everyone else was very pleased with their choice. The service was decent. The decor and feel of the place was new and different. I will go back, but would not order the mussel and clam boil again.

Great vibes and great food! Always a good time. Live music and events are so fun! The patio is so nice and a fun place to hang out with a group. Service is always good. Highly recommend!

First time there...loved the vibes, food, service, live music..will go there again. It is a cool place to go Friday night.

Definitely a bar vibe. Got the Birria ramen and didn't even eat it, just not very good. It's cute inside, but lots of bar crowd/loud. Not the vibe I thought it would be.

I went for a drink and was surprise that the management was yelling at his employees and told the patrons to vacate the premises because the owner had a 5150 episode. I think he needs to get help for his drinking problem. Get some help !

Riverbank needs to explore outside of city limits. This bar was pathetic. I will never go back. Instead of tips they just steal your money. All the bartenders are drunk. The menu is paper. Truly Black Sheep Kitchen is not worth anything.

Service was great cocktails were good. Food was OK cool place downtown Riverbank to hang out.

This place is awesome. Service on point, food is great, drinks are legit. Make this place a regular stop.

Came here for Sunday Brunch and the food, atmosphere and service was fantastic!!! My wife had Huevos Rancheros eggs over easy, zesty pepper jack cheese, corn tortillas, topped off with a tantalizing chipotle and ranch sauce and served with a side of portugeese beans! I had the Pancake Tacos which was three fluffy pancakes 1 filled with Portuguese linguica, one filled with sausage and the third with bacon. Scrambled eggs, mixed cheese and a side of seasonal fruit topped of with with powdered surgar any maple syrup on the side!!! It was so good!!!

What a wonderful addition to downtown Riverbank! Amazing and friendly service from start to finish! We ordered all the social plates and each of them were fresh and delicious! We can't wait to come back!! Cheers!!!