Grand Lake Kitchen - Dimond

Have eaten at Grand Ave location several times and loved it. This was our first visit to the Dimond location. Food was excellent, service was so-so. We had a much longer wait for food than expected. The best deal on the menu was the Fried Half Chicken, which came with 2 large sides. I split this with my daughter, but it could easily have fed 3 people. The side dishes, especially Cauliflower salad, were fantastic as expected. My wife had a great lamb sausage and polenta. She said it was fabulous. The grands had the French toast and loved it...the side of peachs was excellent. My son in law had the turkey sandwich...his go to. It had lots of meat and cranberry spread on it. This location is roomy and comfortable. Would 100 % recommend.

Been here a few times usually just for food to go and just stick to the same things. Very chill, not to uptight. I finally had a night to hang out and decided to dine in and try out a couple of dishes. (We sat outside which was nice eat and people watch) Sadly I wasn't to happy with the food. But the drinks👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾 ( can't tell you what I got because it was a off menu special 😁) but I've had a few different beverages and they all have been great. Now food for me all the sandwiches don't disappoint (veggie, yadi, beef burger) And the donuts are cooked to order and are amazing. However all the entrees I feel all needed to just be cooked longer. Overall still great, and would definitely go back.

Went here for brunch with a reservation and it wasn't overly crowed. Our waiter was really nice and attentive. Food was excellent with fresh ingredients, some recipes were unique, but got the Breakfast Sando and added prosciutto... amazing. Magically found parking out front, so 5 stars for the full experience.

Love love love this place!! I went there with a group, which is definitely the way to go because you can get multiple dishes and share. First of all the Bloody Mary is spicy and absolutely delicious! It is also strong!! Then we shared a bunch of stuff, including chilaquiles, a Reuben, a burger, the French toast, and the mini donuts. I can't even decide which was my favorite, it was all outstanding! Definitely make a reservation, this place gets really crowded on the weekends. I will be back!

Fist time at the Dimond location. More spacious, friendly good service and awesome food. I had the savory French toast with poached eggs. 😋😋😋 First time having a savory French toast and it was the bomb! Ordered a side of cauliflower, capers and fennel salad. Both were fresh, healthy and tasty. Friends had the pastrami breakfast sando with poached eggs. The toast was hard to cut through or chew. Next time, ask for it over English muffins

First time here, but we'll be back. My husband ordered the Reuben Fries and couldn't stop talking about them the rest of the day. I got the Florentine Eggs Benedict. A twist on traditional and a wonderful surprise. With the sourdough baguette crisply toasted, a garlicky hollandaise vs. lemon-forward and eggs perfectly poached, this is a dish I will look forward to having again. The typing of a few green olives set it off nicely. Great atmosphere. Our server was attentive without being intrusive.

The drinks were different in the best way, we ordered the clementine spritz (orange) and the blood orange spritz (red). If you’re a fan of a sweeter drink go for the clementine, if you want something more on the refreshing side go for the blood orange. The fries were delicious and fresh. The wings are not something you’d order on a first date as the excess garlic maybe divisive for your company. But aside from that, the sweat and savory blend of the sauce is undeniable. Overall 9/10.

Great spot for breakfast, brunch or a sandwich! Service was spot-on, food was delicious, and the prices were as expected.

This is my go-to neighborhood restaurant. The food is great but what I really like about this place is how friendly the staff are. Favorite meals include the Yadi sandwich, bahm mi sandwich, and Cali bowl. Today I had their seasonal heirloom tomato eggs benedict and it was my favorite meal yet. I often sit outside because I bring my dog but the inside is delightful. It's a really nice space. Go! You won't regret it.

Came to this Grand Lake Kitchen recently as our first choice brunch spot was closed. Never again, even though the breakfast potatoes are incredible. I vaguely recalled liking how queer and friendly the staff were when eating here during the pandemic. But dear me, the service has declined. Kind of knew something might be off after the greeter (white ginger man) tutted and rolled his eyes when we arrived without reservations--there were multiple empty unreserved tables and space at the bar inside, so why the drama about seating us? I nearly left then. He sat us at the very back behind a large table of birthday celebrators, and their energy helped lighten our moods a little as we waited and waited for service. An older white man took our coffee orders... and didn't return. So we had coffee served by a busboy and no waiter looked our way again. The older waiter kept serving other tables, including next to us, but never looked over. So weird. Eventually we just had to go and ask another server to take our order. Didn't realise as I've only eaten outside previously, but the inside is a big old echo chamber and being sat right in its far corner seemed to make the noise worse. Bear this in mind if you want to hear your companions. Anyway, our food was really slow to arrive and delicious once it came but overall was spoiled by the weird vibe. The breakfast potatoes here are incredible, and about the only vegan thing on the menu. The birthday table eventually left and it quietened down, but the damage was done. Way after we'd finished eating, our apparent server came back to ask if we wanted desserts! No mention of totally forgetting us earlier, completely giving no Fs, but still expecting a tip! Won't be returning to this spot, it had such a weird atmosphere and terrible service. The merchandise store seems kind of classless too.

I am a frequent GLK customer; I live in walking distance to the Grand Ave location, and the Dimond location is on my daily commute route. I get takeout at least weekly, so needless to say I'm a fan! I thought I'd review the Dimond location because it's really a gem. If you've ever eaten at the Grand location and wished it wasn't so crowded, just head on over to Dimond! It's a much bigger space, and it's usually easy to park nearby. Inside there is plenty of table space, and they also have a dedicated takeout counter with its own entrance. Now for the important part: food! The Savory French toast is amazing and unique. I always recommend it to people going to GLK for the first time. I love their take on Chilaquiles as well. Those are my go-to brunch items, but you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. And it should be said that the crispy fried potatoes are truly crispy. Moving into lunch/dinner fare I have enjoyed the scallop risotto, roast chicken, chicken pot pie, and roasted butternut squash with spinach, ricotta and hazelnuts (yum!). Also a shout-out for the fact that, if you order the chicken pot pie as takeout, they will give you the filling in a separate container so that the crust stays perfectly crisp -- genius! My favorite lunch item used to be the Vicious Salad from their sister restaurant Carbona Pizza. Please bring that back to the menu! I'm also addicted to the Carbona-groni. Thankfully that is still available, and you can even take it home in a little jar. Finally, service here has always been timely and friendly. I haven't ever hosted an event here, but they do have a private room at this location, FYI.

Food is fresh and so hearty/tasty! Love that it's a busy spot but can still hear the people I'm sitting without anyone having to yell. Also appreciate the high ceilings and how well lit the entire restaurant is. Service is so good. Our server checked in on us just the right amount and never had us waiting. There is a little "shop" up front with various merchandise (bags, greeting cards, etc.) that's also worth checking out!

Stopped by with an appetite after exercising at Dimond Park. Had apprehension about the smoked tofu banh mi sandwich but tried it anyway. Not a fan. Also sat outside so had to deal with flies.

Food ia very good. Professional and courteous hostess and servers. Nice ckean and large interior with madern furniture. But you really pay for it. $5.50 for a cup of drip coffee?

I love this place. A great variety of menu items to suit all tastes. High-quality food. Great wait service. Comfortable establishment. Nice outdoor space. Only down side is the parking sometimes. They also have another location on Grand by the lake.

My favorite addition to the diamond district. Best French Dip sandwich in town! I also highly recommend the chilaquiles. Great atmosphere, friendly staff, good music, live sports, and unique drinks. A must try!

I'm not typically a brunch person but GLK does it right. The egg benedicts are a hit and don't disappoint. This time especially good was the Florentine with the green sauce on top. Unfortunately they seemed to get rid of the arugula salad for regular lettuce salad. GLK bleu cheese burger was grubby, seasoned very well, and packed with flavor. The cooks hit the temp of the burger as requested so kudos Bloody Mary was bold with lots of spices, definitely didn't taste like standard bottled stuff. The picked veg was fine, not very briney which I prefer.

I'm embarrassed to say that I've lived near this place for a long time and just never noticed it. I've gone to their other location and always liked it but parking is a hassle there. I had their salad with hummus, which was fresh and fine, and beyond reasonably priced . I sat on the dog friendly patio with my friendly dog, and they brought out water without even being asked. I've been to a lot of the restaurants on MacArthur on the other side of Fruitvale, but for some reason hadn't crossed the road. Will be back.

I came in for a quick cocktail. I ordered some pickles. They were great but only had one bean. You can order pizza to go on your way out. I recommend going to the counter to order. The app will tell you it's going to take an hour. I like the relaxed feeling of this location vs the cramped feeling of the lake location.

Kudos to this staple expanding and opening this newer location. This is solely a dinner review and the moral of the story is... ehhhh, stick to brunch. My group of 7 was all disappointed with dinner. The place is super cute, large and takes reservations - all great things. They're going for that upscale, hipster diner with some classic diner eats and some elevated options. Their famed brunch menu looks awesome. The dinner menu has a bit of everything, but nothing landed. And it's not cheap, mind you. From the healthy chickpea stew to the various pastas and the pastrami sandwich; the sentiment was all the same... "pretty uninspired." Even the donuts for dessert were eh.. to the point that our group of 7 left 1 of the 4 behind. The perfectly fried fries and brussel sprouts were the two dishes that stood out. It wasn't busy and service was slow and unengaged. Overall, dinner was a pass for the price point, keep it to brunch.

The family has eaten here several times and we've frequently gotten take out from here, but this is the first time I actually sat down and ate a meal here, and it was Mother's Day, I usually stay out of restaurants on holidays like this, but Grand Lake handled everything with aplomb and gave our group an excellent experience. The food is consistently excellent. Decor is tile, wood and glass, open with modern touches, but early 1900's craftsman charm. Libations for the adults and homemade mini donuts for the kids. Jodi menu and crayons for the kids upon seating. The wait staff was pleasant, attentive and extremely considerate of the kids. In a very active, vibrant Oakland Eating scene, Grand Lake Kitchen stands out, from good take-out to an elegant sit down meal. Treat yourself and give GCK a try.

I had a great meeting with our Haas Alumni Forum (HAF) at Monique's home in the Oakland Hills. After an afternoon, of updates, a presentation, and time line fun, we all retired to the Grand Lake Kitchen (Dimond) down the hill in Fruitvale. GLK also has another restaurant on Grand Lake and their closeness makes it relatively easy to mix up locations. I had made a previous Open Table reservation for 7, and afterwards was pleased that I had made a very good decision, only based on that listing. We all sat at the same table and comfortably enjoyed the evening with little noise interference or other distractions. Parking is in the neighborhood, which I found pretty easy to find a spot. I was also pleased that access back "home" (via I-580) only required driving down Dimond a short way to the entrance ramp. I really enjoyed our time together and although I didn't love GLK, I did like it quite a bit. Here's a few observations: - GLK has a separate Take Out entrance on the Dimond side. The main entrance is on the MacArthur side. - When the maitre d asked me how many children's menus I needed, I knew right way that GLK is very family friendly. - The Dining Area (including a separate party room) was casual, roomy, and unpretentious. Very Midwest in my opinion. The bar area and bottle rack was impressive. - The menu was somewhat eclectic with lots of "appetizer" choices (including matzah ball soup!), decent burger/sandos, and tempting entrees. At the same time, I felt that there should maybe be more variety between the sandwiches and the entrees. For example, maybe a Reuben could be offered in addition to a most interesting Reuben fries choice? - The Mocktail choices were interesting (and tasty!), as I enjoyed my Grand Lake Luau. Other drinks ordered at our table included: Aperol Spritz, Hazy and Rotating Draft IPAs, Ginger Julep, and a Banjo Manhattan. - Our group stayed on the sandwich or salad side of the menu, with choices being the GLK Burger, Reuben Fries, Cali Mixed Bowl, and Brisket French Dip. - 2 group members had enough room for dessert, with those choice being a Carmel Pecan Tart and a Thin Mint ice cream dish. - Overall service was good and what our group needed at the right times.

I got the hanger steak and my partner got the penne bolognese. The steak was cooked medium rare and it was served over a bed of polenta, onions and brussel sprouts. The steak was well cooked and very juicy. My partner's penne bolognese had lots of meat and was well-seasoned. The service is attentive. The restaurant is tastefully decorated with teal blue seats and stylish mirrors. I'd recommend the restaurant for a quiet dinner.

Visited a friend a few months ago who now lives in the neighborhood with this location. We walked over but there were a few parking spaces available out front. It was a weekday and early so we snagged seats at the bar. I imagine this being a bit more challenging during the weekend. Service was quick and the food filled me up but wasn't amazing. The drinks were good tho. If nothing else, I'd come back for a cocktail. Maybe it's just me but this chain is a bit underwhelming. I did a review for the one at Lake Merritt a few years ago and my experience was similar. Definitely a bonus for being quick and convenient but I wouldn't go out of my way for a meal.

Oh I had a happy day. Grand lake kitchen has a bar... I need a beer and a dirty martini. I was greeted by Diana my bartender. I sat at the bar. Not a lot of bars have good martinis. My expectations were low. I started off with an Almanac kolsch. Let me tell you, it was the coldest, crispiest kolsch that has touched my soul. I also ordered ruben fries. The ruben fries were decent, a good pair with my beer. I had asked one of the other bartenders if they even made martinis here. She kindly said yes. Diana (my bartender) brought me my filthy martini. Like i said my expectations were low... she brought me my drink with some olives. I do the taste test and sipped it slowly. Hands down one of the best dirty martinis I've had in a minute. Diana did not let your boy down. We had an interesting conversation about drinks and life. Her service is the reason why I spend money. The only complaint I have is we need more Dianas in this service. Three thumbs up. I'll be back soon.

A true diamond in the very rough Dimond District. The dining space is sprawling with lots of seating. This is the kind of place that normalizes Oakland and makes you forget about all the craziness happening right outside their beautiful designer doors ...but craziness does exist, and don't you forget it. BB

So far I'm unimpressed with the service, I asked for my eggs to be cooked over hard and the waiter told me they're "not allowed" to do that and that the only options are scrambled or poached.... I'm confused, is there some sort of health code I'm missing ? Why can't my eggs be cooked over hard? Before our food came the waiter brought us a cookie apologizing for the "long wait" (it hadn't even been 10 minutes) and then asked if we wanted a drink, particularly in that order I assumed the drinks would be comped but they definitely were not and I felt like that was sneaky. My partner said "just leave them alone"

Had a delicious meal with friends. Hearty portions, light ambience, and great service made this a wonderful experience. Nolan and David made sure we had everything we needed. Highly recommend!

My review definitely would've been higher if I had ordered something else. I came with a group of five and they asked if we had a reservation. We didn't but they still seated us right away, so I'm not sure if it's required or not. Grand Lake's interior is casual/classy. They have a little gift shop area where you can shop and the place is decorated very nicely! I ordered the donuts (which everyone seemed to be raving about in the Yelp reviews) to share. I also got the Savory French Toast. Although small, the donuts were fresh, warm, and had the perfect amount of sweetness! The Savory French Toast, on the other hand, was disappointing. It's literally ONE piece of toast (cut in half to look larger) with egg on it, topped with a bunch of arugula, mushrooms, and cheese. The eggs were cooked to perfection, and they were very flavorful! Taste overall? Just okay. Portions? Unbalanced-- the regular French toast comes with three pieces. I left hungry. Our server couldn't really answer questions about the menu and had trouble splitting the bill. She was very nice though!

Big space so possible to get a table for weekend brunch without a wait for a table which is huge. But the wait after you sit down to order and get your food is very long - about 45 mins the last two times I was there. Food is hit or miss. Some dishes are excellent and some are not very good. But it's a nice place to hang out for brunch so I still go back in spite of some issues. Savory French toast and BLTA are standouts - and the French fries, breakfast potatoes and fresh donuts are excellent.

First time eating at this location. I used to go to the Lake Merritt Location when they had this polenta pork for brunch, but stopped after that was taken away. Now, there are definitely worthy sandwiches and salads, definitely drinks. However I don't feel like the price is really worth it. Had the Cuban sandwich, it was cool, not gonna say you must try, but it's decent! Their drinks always hit the spot. I appreciate that they let my dog be at the patio. The vet is right there, so a convenient spot to go to when waiting for Dr. Tan.

Great stuff to nosh on no matter what time of day it is. Full bar, comfy seating inside, and a small patio for when the weather is nice. Only been for brunch and lunch, but I think I need to make my way over for dinner soon!

I'm a fan of the ambiance, and appreciate their small outdoor patio as well. This place is great for brunch with family or friends, and the food is always consistently delicious. My favorites are: the savory French toast, chilaquiles, and their Benedicts. I'm a big fan of house made pickles in general, and love theirs, which include cauliflower and green beans. The golden latte is delicious if you're wanting a coffee along with your meal.

This was my first time at the location in Dimond. I think it's so important to keep this busy alive and thriving because there aren't many great restaurants in the area. I loved this location because it's spacious and comfortable. The service was great. I ordered the fish dish which was hearty and satisfying. The donuts for dessert are a must!

Parking was a little difficult to find on a late Sunday morning, but everything else about this was great. We sat on their outdoor patio and ordered the strawberry French toast and the chilaquiles, which I think was the best version of that dish I've tasted yet. The chips were so crispy, and the rest of the flavors were bright and fresh. I also loved that they had a section of their menu for fun mocktails. Our servers were friendly and the energy was relaxed and fun. Also love their little gift store inside - I bought a few really great greeting cards!

Bro do not sleep on Grand lake kitchen! The food is solid! For the last 3 weeks we've ordered door dash and everything has been the chicken salad, burgers are delicious! If you're in the area stop in! Service good!

All these years, I've been going to the Lake Merrit's Grand Lake Kitchen. I can't believe it took me so long to finally come to Grand Lake Kitchen - Dimond, the restaurant is beautiful, roomy, and less crowded. Great customer service and the food is delicious.

Joined a friend for brunch. Despite making a reservation on Open Table, the hostess was unable to locate it, no worries, she was able to seat us within 5 minutes. Loved the openness and the bar and gift shop area was filled with amazing eye candy. For drinks we had the Cucumber Collins and Espresso Martini. Both came with a kick, but were meant for different moods. For nosh, I tried the chilaquiles. Huge portion and flavorful but a bit dry. Service was excellent, attentive but not overbearing. I can't wait to come back and explore the dinner menu.

The food is excellent, and not overabundant! I really don't like the places that just pile it on! The service is great. Full disclosure - my son is currently employed there. He is a very attentive server, but not hovering. The milieu is very nice - modern, clean, spacious. I certainly recommend you try this place, but do make a reservation.

We've been here a couple times and it's a good spot in Oakland for breakfast. It's so pretty inside -and spacious. I like that they serve breakfast until 3 so extra points for that. My only gripe is that I wish they had more non-pork breakfast meat options. They have a hash made with pork and my husband really enjoyed it. The basic breakfast comes with bacon would be nice to add a chicken and sage sausage or something. This is a kind of an elevated menu for a diner, but they really have curated the menu nicely. I have gotten the Hanks plate a couple times simply because it comes with the crispy potatoes! The service isn't amazing which is why I took off a star, they don't go above and beyond but they get the job done. All in all, the food is good and the restaurant is pretty especially for the neighborhood it's in.

Great location, friendly staff, and spacious indoor and outdoor seating. This location gets busy, but it doesn't seem as packed in as the Lake Merritt location which is preferable. I've only had the chilaquiles verdes here so far and it's definitely delicious enough for one person, flavorful and one of the better versions of this dish that I've had in the Bay Area. I would try more things but I am stuck on the chilaquiles, but either way this is a great breakfast/brunch spot.

The food here is very good. Not sure I understand why the service was slow. Maybe an issue in the kitchen? We were here on a Wednesday night. No one at the bar and only 5 tables with people. Not full at all. I had the pan seared chicken with mashed potatoes, broccoli rabe(not a fan) , niece had penne bolognese that was excellent. My wife had warm prosciutto sando which was really good. We very much enjoyed the food, just wondering why it took so long.

Love love love this place!! I went there with a group, which is definitely the way to go because you can get multiple dishes and share. First of all the Bloody Mary is spicy and absolutely delicious! It is also strong!! Then we shared a bunch of stuff, including chilaquiles, a Reuben, a burger, the French toast, and the mini donuts. I can't even decide which was my favorite, it was all outstanding! Definitely make a reservation, this place gets really crowded on the weekends. I will be back!

Great service, great food. Try their amazing porkchop/bokchoi. Chicken breast was superb. Broccoli rabe could have been cook a little more to tender. Fabio and Nolan were woderful servers/hosts. I live in the neighbor hood and we really appreciate busnisses likeGLK in our zip code.

One of the best brunches in Oakland! They serve up some of the yummiest crispy potatoes I've ever had...

A treat is the French toast which is the best in the East Bay. It's a sour dough crispy bread covered with fresh peaches. The lattes are delicious.

First experience was wonderful. Food and service were on point. We had chilaquiles and french toast. Today, we returned and had a totally different, negative experience with a huge drop in service. Our server brought our brunch dish, which was tepid and missing prosciutto. He returned at least 30'min later with now freezing cold eggs Benedict. We called the manager and told him, he proceeded to touch the egg and said "hmmm, I can take it off the bill but I need to take it away". No objection there! No apology. He returns with the check and again, no "sorry about that" or anything to make his hungry, disappointed customers feel slightly better. We are sad now. Not sure about returning.

Came here by a friend's recommendation! They have both indoor and outdoor dining, but at the time we went, outdoor dining was full and would have been a 30 minute wait. They checked all of our vaccination cards and IDs. We were quickly seated indoors. Their menu had a lot of unique offerings! I opted for the savory French toast. It had rye bread with porcini mushrooms, egg (poached or scrambled), and fresh arugula. I got my eggs poached, which was a great choice. It was like having a benedict with my French toast. The dish was well balanced in terms of texture and flavor, not too salty (could have maybe added a bit more salt on my own). I thought I was eating sourdough bread because of the bread texture, but it was indeed rye. I heard their dole whip is pretty good, and it looks like their alcoholic drinks are popular. Service was friendly. The restaurant is very clean and pretty. They also have a little gift shop area, but I didn't get to check it out. Parking wasn't too bad...it was free street parking. Would definitely come back!

My husband and I have been here a couple times now. The first time wasn't great. Not sure who our server was, but he seemed annoyed that he had to wait on us. This last time we went though, we had a completely different experience. it was on a Sunday for brunch so we thought it was going to be slammed, and weren't expecting it to be amazing. Huge shout out to our server, Dave. He was enthusiastic, eager to share the menu, and genuinely seemed excited to have us there! Next time we go, I think I'll see if I can call ahead to see if Dave is working. Whichever Owner or manager reads this review, please acknowledge Dave- He's awesome

Not enough options to choose from. Brunch here, is pretty disappointing for a foodie. I did not enjoy this place.

Always a good choice!!! They are so nice and accommodating and the food is really good. Last time we were here, it was a big family affair with 4 adults and 2 toddlers. Everybody was famished and excited. The kids were running around while we waited for an outdoor table and nobody seemed annoyed by them, thank god! We had a few dishes between the 6 of us, including the fish appetizer and the whole chicken (which is a fantastic deal by the way) with various side dishes. The bill was surprisingly low and there were enough leftovers for another lunch for two the next day. I loooove the farro salad and the fried chicken. And the fish tower was divine! Servicewise, it would have been nice to get asked if we wanted more drinks after the food arrived. We basically had to fight for ourselves to organize water for the table etc. But all in all super happy with the experience and the family friendliness!

Meh. I had high expectations based on the reviews and was a bit disappointed. We came here for dinner and my son ordered the fried chicken for us to share, with a side of the cucumbers and fries. The texture of the fried chicken was great, but I found the flavor to be non-existent. The cucumbers were underwhelming... my son described them as almost korean tasting but never quite making it there. The fries were the best part of the meal (besides eating the bits of fried chicken skin). I did order the grand luau mocktail which was quite delicious.

Just ok. Service was ok, food was ok. Probably wouldn't recommend it but I wouldn't discourage anyone from going either.

Lovely restaurant, it's new and nice and has great dining space. Food is pretty good, not always consistent, but good when they food is on. Bar drinks or bartender could improve esp for bar price points.

Where do I start?! The food is AMAZING! My friends and I went here for NYE. Everything they had brought out was cook perfectly and tastes so good that our eyes rolled back! I had ordered the brisket with poached eggs served over broccolini and sweet potatoes and bread. I ordered the side of 4 piece garlic bread OH MY GOOOODNESSSS! I ripped that and dipped it in the Matzoh Ball chicken soup they got. ORGASMIC AF! Laaawd. The dumpling itself though, isn't what I'm normally used to but it's still edible. It's too soft in texture for me like you get the bread and rolled it into a big ball. My friends had the Chile queues verde OH GOOD DELICIOUSNESS! Their scrambled egg isn't in bits and pieces, it's a nice soft consistency blanket over the tortilla chips . We also ordered the mimosa flight! THE HIBISCUS LAVENDER was definitely my favorite out the 4. Let's talk about the staff: THEY ARE INCREDIBLE! Very attentive, friendly and amazing. Not only our server checked in on us but other staff members came to check in on us. We felt the love! Ambiance is cool. They got the bar area and then tables for other parties. A bit chilly that day because a leak had happen and they had to leave the back door open to dry the floors up. It's fine though understandable things happen and it was a storm that day! Definitely coming back again. Hopefully one day their Hibiscus lavender will be served as a whole glass on the side

*Open for indoor dining, outdoor dining, and takeout* My friends and I wanted to try Grand Lake Kitchen, but assumed the Lake Merritt location would be busy from the farmers market on Saturday. We took the risk of trying this location and we're pleased considering we hadn't heard much about this location. Service and staff: - Everyone orders online via QR code (can order individually or as a group) - All staff wears masks - Tables aren't 6 feet from each other, but they're spaced out - Food was fairly quick to come out Food and drinks: - We got the seasonal pomegranate Bellini, which was tasty (pomegranate seeds included) - The chilaquiles are massive! Definitely didn't expect the serving size to be as big as it was (2 meals worth of food) - The donuts (ordered 4) were tasty as well - a little more on the dense side, but the flavor was good - The Persian cucumbers were delicious - reminded me of Japanese cucumbers with the flavor of sesame oil Miscellaneous: - There's a cute store within the restaurant as well for local shopping - There were a few flies that kept coming around the tables, which was not the most fun - Great sunlight, holiday decorations around the restaurant, and full-stocked bar - Street parking isn't that bad (depending on timing)

Really loved the sandwiches, salads, and sides from Grand Lake Kitchen. Traditional dishes were elevated with quality ingredients and their own spin on them. The menu had a contemporary diner feel to it with brunch, lunch, and fried chicken or brisket family dinner meals. I've been looking for a restaurant like this in the East Bay for a while, so I'm a fan! The Yadi sandwich was packed with ingredients and flavor with turkey, cranberry, swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, avocado, along with pickled onions that brought it up a notch. All was served on an fresh Acme roll and was super filling and a lil messy, but in a good way. I've had a number of turkey sandwiches and this one stood out. The Cali Mixed Bowl came with a lot of fresh arugula, pickled onions, grilled pita bread, avocado, (requested no cheese on this one) and your choice of either chicken salad, tuna salad, egg salad, or hummus. The lemon vinaigrette was tangy but the arugula needed that kind of dressing. Very simple and done right. Their fries were yummy and so was their potato salad. Simple sides that were on point. I'd order lunch from here every day if I could. Next up will be ordering from their breakfast and dinner menus!