Skates On The Bay

Skates has a nice, laid back, upscale feel. The weather was perfect, the sunlight hit the glasses just right, I think heard some Frank Sinatra playing in the background. I had some peach side cars, perfectly made, lobster bisque to start my meal with fish and chips for the main. The food was not spectacularly tasty but the combination of the the service, ambiance and food put together makes it a quality experience. Thomas was our waiter, I believe he also was tending the bar, a prompt and polite server. 2👍🏾

We visited Skates on the Bay for Christmas lunch, so it wasn’t the typical dining experience - but from what locals say, this restaurant tends to be busy no matter the day. The setting is undeniably stunning: perched right over the water with sweeping views of the Golden Gate Bridge, it’s hard to beat the atmosphere. The food was good overall, and while the presentation was fine, the experience had a bit of a “factory output” feel during this high-traffic holiday period. One detail we really appreciated was the elegant glassware, which added a nice touch to the table. Service was friendly and knowledgeable, though interactions were minimal - likely due to the holiday rush. Pricing leans toward the expensive side, which is worth noting if you’re planning a visit. In short: beautiful location, solid food, and courteous staff, but expect a bustling environment and premium prices.

We dined last night because I had out of town visitors. The location of Skates is so special, and they have a large parking lot that is free of charge. They also have a driveway for uber/car pick up/drop off near the door. Unfortunately, they did not offer any valet services. The ambience was spectacular, the dining room was clean and spotless. I ordered the filet mignon, and the crab sushi roll. Both were absolutely cooked to perfection or delicious, or both. Our waitress was very friendly and personable, but we never really saw her. She took our drink order, and we asked to order food at the same time as we know it would be a while before she returned. Our drinks were never refilled or asked to be filled the entire meal. No one checked on us after the food was delivered to the table until we were finished eating and trying to make eye contact with a staff member. The service is utterly disappointing, but other than that we will be back! I will be sure to tell my friends to come here, with a fair warning of the slow/melancholy service. I was aware this may be the case from other reviews I had read, so it was not surprising, just a little disappointing for the cost and expectation you bring. Thank you Skates for a memorable night with family and delicious food.

Enjoyed the options on the lunch menu (served until 3pm). I enjoyed the blackened rock cod, green means and rice. Simple but delicious, generously portioned and well priced. The view of the Bay is spectacular. The service was Outstanding, the waitress knew the menu well and made excellent suggestions.

Skates on the bay is a must stop for me whenever I’m in the east bay. You cannot beat this view, the food, the service, and ambiance is all top notch. Sandwiches and steaks are all cooked deliciously.

We made a reservation ahead of time to celebrate an anniversary. We were seated quickly. Our server Ivan was kind, patient, and easy to work with! The food was AMAZING! Everything we tried was 10/10 -pacific oysters -lobster bisque -Wagyu Steak -Cod -lobster mac and cheese A surprise dessert was offered and was amazing!!! -creme brulee Will definitely come again! Thank you 😊

My friends from San Francisco brought me here, and as a Canadian I hate to say it, but this place just isn’t it. The food lacked flavour and was very underwhelming. For over $40 a dish, I expected something memorable — but it fell flat. The bathroom was unacceptable: no toilet paper and water covering the floor. Service was mediocre at best, with us needing to repeatedly ask for refills despite our server walking past several times. Definitely not worth the price.

Portion sizes were adequate for the price, however, service was a let down. One of our drinks never made it to the table, and no apology was received. The sea bass was excellent, but the green beans needed to have the fibrous string removed. I would definitely recommend the clam chowder- very meaty and hearty. The shrimp was big, and the trio was good to the last bite.

One of my all time favorite restaurants! The view of the ocean is dreamy. Drinks were superb.

We popped in here after shopping on 12/21/2025. We were greeted by the friendly hostesses and we went into the bar. It was quiet when we arrived, but soon after it picked up quite a bit. The waiter was prompt and friendly and took our beverage order. We ordered the lobster and shrimp roll and a glass of red Merlot. The sandwich was excellent. I loved the dressing they made to go with it. The size was perfect too- not too small, or too big. The only thing that would have been better was that the roll was still warm. It was grilled, and that was acceptable as the sandwich was better than I expected, and the French fries were served hot. The Merlot was excellent too, although I can't recall the name. It was a very nice experience and will definitely return again!

On Christmas Day, I decided to dress up and take myself on a solo dinner date. The holidays can be hard when your immediate family is out of state, so I was really looking forward to a peaceful meal with a beautiful waterfront view. Although I arrived about 20 minutes late, I called ahead and confirmed that I would still be seated by the window. I was told yes. When I arrived, I was seated quickly--but unfortunately not by the window. Instead, I was placed near the kitchen, where it was loud with constant clanking and servers rushing back and forth. There were plenty of open window tables, and I arrived about 40 minutes before closing. When I asked the host for a better seat and pointed out the open tables, I was told those were reserved for larger parties. That was disappointing, especially since I had already confirmed the seating over the phone. Once seated, service continued to fall short. No water was offered, and I waited for quite a while before finally stopping someone walking by to ask for it. My waiter didn't come to the table for another 10-15 minutes and seemed rushed and anxious, offering very short responses when I asked questions. The timing of the food was off. My Caesar salad came before my appetizer, then the appetizer, then the bread. The wine I ordered didn't arrive until I was halfway through my appetizer, even though the bread and wine should have come first. The calamari was the highlight--zesty, flavorful, and honestly a 10/10. The salad was fine but unremarkable; I expected something more elevated from an upscale restaurant. The steak and mashed potatoes arrived lukewarm, and while I cleared my own plates to make space, no one came to remove them. My water glass sat empty until I asked for a refill. The main course was very mid--honestly comparable to something you'd get at Denny's or IHOP, not a higher-end restaurant. With an appetizer, three-course meal, and crème brûlée for dessert, the total came to $115. Despite the poor service, I still left a $30 tip. Maybe solo diners don't get the same attention. Maybe the seating location made it hard for staff to notice me. Maybe my waiter was having a rough day. Whatever the reason, the experience didn't match the price point or reputation. I wanted this to be a special solo holiday dinner, but unfortunately it fell short. Do better.

A beautiful evening with great people at a wonderful location. Food was delicious, service was 'spot-on' . Many great food options for land and sea lovers. A kind of cloudy evening couldn't enjoy the sunset but it was a beautiful setting.

We had open table reservation and got a beautiful view of the bay from our table. The place was busy with holiday gatherings. We had their delish buttery garlic bread and a humungous dish of crispy calamari so light and crispy, crab and artichoke dip with bread. For entrees two ordered the shrimp and crab linguini, seared kalbi bao buns and I ordered the steamed clams and split a caesar salad with one of my friends. The clams were fine except they added chili flakes to the broth and it was too much kick for me. For dessert we shared creme brulee delish, key lime pie and the fried banana split that came with yummy toppings! Service was somewhat attentive but only one server in our area and he was quite busy

Skates was already busy when we arrived for our noon reservation, but we were seated immediately. The dining areas were full before 1pm. There was set 3-course holiday menu for $72.00. We received menus, ordered drinks, then were brought garlic bread and water. The garlic bread was very garlicky and salty. Before our drinks arrived, we were served the first course! The beer was fine. I ordered a glass of Roederer champagne, but received prosecco. It was sweet and the bubbles were too large for Roederer. (I didn't say anything to our server. It wasn't critical, I knew the prosecco was cheaper and wanted to see what appeared on the bill!) The prickly pear margarita was a pretty magenta color. The person who ordered it didn't like it, but didn't want to make a fuss, she just didn't drink it. The server did not notice that her drink wasn't consumed. We started with Caesar salad and clam clowder. The salad croutons tasted stale, the romaine was chopped into 1" squares, and the dressing tasted overwhelmingly of garlic (to the point that it tasted bitter.) Having this after the garlic bread starter, our tastebuds went into "garlic overload!" The clam chowder was hot, but bland, with a few chopped clams at the bottom. Unfortunately, the entrees weren't any better. We had the Dungeness crab and shrimp linguine (garlic cream, white wine, clam broth, tomato, spinach, parmesan). The crab and pasta were ok, the rest of the dish was not great. We also had the "off the hook" grilled salmon and the swordfish (both with market vegetables and yukon gold mashed potatoes). The salmon, although a nice-sized portion, had very little flavor; the swordfish was mushy throughout (frozen and incorrectly thawed?) Both entrees came with french green beans, small, whole roasted carrots and plain Israeli couscous; not the Yukon gold mashed potatoes specifically printed on the holiday menu! The couscous had no seasoning at all, it was a flavorless carb. We had to wait until our server was in the area to ask about the couscous. He checked with the kitchen, said and returned saying the chef told him that those entrees are on the regular menu and are served with couscous. He said the kitchen got confused?! [By the time we received our entrees, it was already an hour into lunch service, enough time to clear up any "confusion!"] With the answer to the menu query, our server did bring two portions of fresh, hot Yukon gold mashed potatoes with skins! (I checked their menu on the website and he was partially right; the menu states those entrees come with "herbed" couscous, which is not what we received...herbs would have definitely helped!) We ordered a side of asparagus with bernaise sauce. The roasted asparagus had bernaise dolloped over the spears and tasted predominantly of vinegar, with the faintest hint of tarragon; it congealed rapidly. The creme brûlée dessert was ok, a very thin sugar crust and overly sweet custard beneath. The key lime pie was also ok. As the restaurant filled up, our server became increasingly difficult to locate. It took about 10 minutes to clear the table after we'd finished our 1st courses, then 10 minutes to bring the entrees, another 15 minutes after finishing the entrees before they were cleared and desserts arrived; finally, another 10-15 after finishing desserts, to get the check. (When bill arrived, the drink was confirmed to be prosecco, $6 less than what I had ordered, their loss) Finally, as to why didn't we let the server know about the meal quality? It was Christmas day, the restaurant was fully booked and busy. We did question the entree couscous choice. Our numerous other complaints would have only slowed the meal down even more, and created more problems for our server. Our issues were (mostly) kitchen-related; any resolution would have been difficult during a busy holiday service.

David is our server. He came over and instantly made us feel welcome. I could see he really enjoyed his job. He had a certain amount of energy that he shared with the table and it was very pleasant. Made us feel like we were at home. We ordered the prawn and crab linguine. It was absolutely over-the-top delicious. I like the fact that they give you quite a bit of fish on there. I would've loved to ace more crab, but that didn't take away from the delicious sauce that came with it. And that crispy garlic bread that was there Just made it so easy to clean up our plate at the end of the meal. We left nothing on that plate. With the big smile on our face. Madi closed our bill. She was a very charming and informative young lady that helped us. It was nice getting to know her a little bit and she reminded me a lot of of my own family and made me a tiny bit homesick because she was so sweet. My wife and I enjoyed taking a minute to talk with her. She obviously loves her job as well. She totally is people people. Just as David is. When we're out in that area, this is our go to restaurant you cannot beat the San Francisco Bay view especially it's sunset and the place is crazy fall. We came on a Sunday and it was packed, but the sunset was a five star sunset. If you wanna have a nice romantic dinner over the San Francisco Bay This is the place.

Food: 5 stars Ambiance 4 stars Service: 5 stars My partner and I came here for his company's holiday dinner. Our party of about 25 people was set up in a private room. An appetizer buffet was set up with coconut shrimp, sushi rolls, bruschettas, artichoke dip, and a cheese/fruit platter. There was a three course menu for the evening with a couple of choices for each course. First course was choice b/w Lobster bisque or wedge salad The second course was a 13 oz prime rib, fettuccine alfredo with shrimp and crab, or rosemary chicken with couscous. The dessert course was eggnog crème brûlée or a mint chocolate cake. We had the lobster bisque, prime rib, and crème brûlée. Each dish was very well prepared and delicious. The bisque was a bit salty but still tasty. The service was excellent, rent attentive and responsive. Based on people's ratings I didn't give skates a chance but I'm glad we got to experience it. I'll be back for the prime rib!

Came here with the wife to celebrate our anniversary. Made a reservation through OpenTable and requested a table next to the water in the comments. And much to our delight, they actually sat us at a table with a magnificent view of the bay! Additionally, I had selected on the OpenTable reservation that this was celebrating an anniversary, and the server actually noticed that detail without any prompting and congratulated us several times throughout our meal for our special day. There are some mixed reviews here on Yelp about the food, but thankfully this was not our experience as everything we ordered was delicious! I had the Dungeness Crab & Shrimp Linguini, which consisted of garlic cream in a clam broth, with tomatoes, spinach, chili flakes, parmesan, and lemon. Plated with 4 large shrimps, nicely seared with a crispy tail shell, and topped with bits of Dungeness crab. The shrimp was cooked perfectly, the linguine cooked al dente, and the crab meat was fresh. My wife had the Grilled Seafood Trio, which consisted of 2 very large scallops, jumbo shrimps, a nicely cooked salmon filet, mashed potatoes, veggies and capers. She really enjoyed her selection as well, and was quite stuffed by the end of the meal. To top off our meal, we ended it with a Chocolate Raspberry Rendezvous for dessert. A molten chocolate cake topped with raspberry mousse, and accented with a sugar cone tuile cookie and fresh raspberries. Thank you Skates on the Bay for making our special day that much more memorable! We look forward to visiting a lot more for both future events as well as just to try out their happy hour menu.

Great food and excellent service by (Marc) Warm,romantic ambience with a view downtown, Golden Gate Bridge, etc

First time ever coming here , yes a surprise for me too being that I'm a seafood addict . It's been on my bucket list for years I finally got to come so let's get into it ( dine in review ) First of all , highly recommend making a reservation. I came with a party of 6 on a Saturday and we should have known it'd be busy in there . They told us they couldn't accommodate a table of 6 but the bar side was open for seating . So we sat at the bar and had a table right next to us that sat 4 . At the bar I was able to order . I started with a Bloody Mary which was made perfect the right amount of everything . I got a dozen oysters and the waiter kindly told me about the difference in seasonal and pacific oysters so I got half and half . They were very fresh and delicious. The bigger oysters melted like butter in your mouth so yummy . I also got a bowl of clam chowder and I was highly impressed. It was rich and full of clams and they weren't chewy at all . Half way through eating what I ordered a table actually ended up being open for us to sit at and it was window side right by the water ! Nice ! David was our waiter and he was very nice ! We moved to the table and everyone else ordered oysters as well . Table side view was nice we literally watched the sun set behind the hills . At the table I got the crab artichoke dip and it was delicious. You can taste the crab it was rich and the garlic butter bread they give for the table goes perfectly with it ( not pictured ) Everyone including me was very satisfied with everything we got and definitely will be coming back again to try more things off the menu . For my first time I was satisfied and would recommend giving it a try just make a reservation!

We took a trip down to Berkeley for lunch today and made a last minute decision for Skates on the Bay. We've not been here in years but it is still a spectacular spot for lunch (or dinner) with an unforgettable view across the Bay. And the menu is just what you'd hope for. We had clam chowder, the bib lettuce wedge salad and fish and chips. Everything was perfect. The clam chowder hasn't changed in 40 years and the salad was a surprisingly nice twist on the classic wedge. The fish and chips were delicious. Perfectly crisp fries and the fish was really fresh in a crispy light batter. I was at Skates when it was a new restaurant, just about a year after it opened. I can never remember why we don't go there more often. It is a must do unless great food and a breathtaking view aren't your thing.

We requested a window seat and they were kind enough to save one for us. It was a beautiful day and the view was amazing. Our server, Carrie, was wonderful! Attentive but not intrusive. Pleasant and had good recommendations! We ordered some drinks and the burrata to share. Came out very stylish with lots of options. Could have used a little more burrata! We ordered a French dip and the linguine pasta. Both were large servings and we took 1/2 home. As we were celebrating a birthday, they brought out a complimentary crème brûlée with a candle! Nice touch! Highly recommended!

I haven't been here in years and came here recently for a birthday party. Highly recommend coming during happy hour because that's when you're gonna get the best for your buck. Delicious drinks. Highly recommended service does take a little bit so make sure you order an advance or order a bulk ahead. All the food was delicious and the drinks are really good as well. Service was OK a bit hard to fly someone down to be honest, but can't complain as many places suffer at the same problem. Parking is ample there's a lot of room outside. Great time to come for sunset!

Fancy spot that's massive. Seemed like everyone was celebrating something here. Plenty of parking in the lot and didn't take long to get seated. Views all around so overall venue is pretty impressive. Drinks came out on the sweet side but I liked the presentation of the old fashioned. Oysters are ok. Their bread is awesome. And the swordfish was well seasoned but pretty tough. Feels like this spot is priced for the location and views, and I'd probably try something different than the seafood next time.

I came here for dinner and WOW... this place absolutely blew me away! From the appetizers to the main course, everything was so good that I was honestly shocked at how consistently delicious each dish was. We started with the fried calamari, which was perfectly seasoned, crispy, and not oily at all. The portion was huge and it came with great dipping sauces. Then we tried the crab dip, and let me just say--SO creamy, rich, and packed with actual crab. The toasted bread it came with was fresh and buttery. For my entrée, I ordered the filet minion and a lobster tail, and it was PERFECTION. The steak was tender, juicy, and seasoned beautifully, and the lobster tail was buttery, flavorful, and cooked just right. Even the sides were on point--the asparagus was tender and the seasoned potato wedges were crispy and flavorful. The overall experience--from the quality of the food to the presentation--was way better than I expected. You can tell they really put care into what they serve. I would 100% come back and definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a great dinner. Totally worth it!

We had an outstanding experience at Skates. Although I've eaten here many times, my friend had never been here. I took him for his birthday and he enjoyed it a lot. Thank you Skates! Your excellence showed up yesterday! The food was very tasty, the service was superb. I wish I could remember our servers name as she was the best. Never had to ask for anything as she anticipated our needs in advance.

Loved my Christmas dinner at Skates! The beautiful host Madi made me feel like a part of the family. She provided great recommendations, and as someone who doesn't like artichoke, she convinced me to get the crab and artichoke dip. Safe to say I was amazed and when she told me about the Fiery Ahi Tuna I was unsure but that recommendation made my night. I wish she was my server so I could have kept talking with her. Congrats on the graduation, Madi you have a bright future ahead!

This restaurant is very scenic - lovely view of the Bay. It's perfect for celebratory meals, which is why we went here. However, the view was the only redeemable factor for me. Customer service was alright, but nothing fantastic. They seemed like they had no energy and dreaded working there, but they did their job well so that's okay with me. Everything we asked for was delivered in a timely manner. The food lacked a lot in quality and taste. Nothing really stood out that made me want to go back here again. I had the salmon and it was just mediocre. Their dishes are not unique, so you can definitely find a better seafood restaurant elsewhere.

Never been here except for a few days ago and the view was so beautiful. Perfect for a date or just to hang with friends for the holidays . Definitely would go again

When chewing the stem of vegetable and the teeth got a paper staple size wire in it, we told the waiter, and were offered free deserts, we refused it. Very serious dangerous food hazard!!!

Haven't been in awhile but food was good I used to go watch the game by the bar drinks wings and the crab dip !! I

Come here for the stunning views and the seafood! I see a wrote a scathing review in 2011 and I'm happy it didn't take more than an hour to feed my hungry family. I'd only stick to the seafood dishes as we ordered a steak which was pretty lackluster. I thoroughly enjoyed the Boubon & Smoke cocktail, the Lobster Mac & Cheese, and The Seafood Tower. This is definitely a bay area restaurant gem and I hope it sticks around forever. I am certain I will be back someday! Ten points if you actually see a skate in the bay while you're here!

Enjoyed Christmas Eve dinner at Skates on the Bay and had a great experience. The food was excellent--I had the seared prime rib, which was cooked perfectly, and my wife really enjoyed the seafood. We loved getting a window seat with a beautiful view of the bay, which made the evening feel extra special. Our server was attentive, friendly, and made sure everything ran smoothly. A lovely spot for a special occasion.

This was our 3rd year in a row of holding our Mastermind and Connections Holiday Dinners at Skates! The location, staff, food, service is beyond expectional. Big shout of to Arliana Rojas the Sales and Event Manager. We are already reserving the Bay room for our two Holiday dinner for 2026! Thank you for scheduling the BEST Sunsets ever!

Ok food, good service, and great ambiance is how I can describe Skates. Being on the water and the service makes it 3 stars. Drinks were decent. I had a Moscow mule. Appetizers, ordered the crab artichoke dip and Thai Curry mussels. The dip was ok, the mussels were small but the curry base had good flavor. Main entrée I ordered the seafood trio, scallops, shrimp, and salmon. I asked what the seasonal veggie was, I was told mixed veggies. They brought out green beans. The entire plate was completely flavorless with the exception of the mashed potatoes. This is hospital food in a fine dining setting on the water. Nothing special.

Skates on the Bay has and will always shine as one of elite dining experiences in the bay area, the food, the service, ambiance, there is no doubt Skates on the Bay is supremely the entire package, place your reservation and enjoy being a part in The Skates Bay family. let's Dine

I waited so long to come here only to be disappointed Made reservations for Vday and it was just a huge disappointment Reservations where for 11:30 am. When we arrived there was hardly any customers inside . I ordered the lunch pack that comes with a salad and an entrée I never got the salad I had to ask for a refill of water I had to let them know I didn't get the salad that comes with the meal I ordered I had to WAIT on my server and to pay for a sub par meal Parking lot has tons of potholes Not impressed at all with the food and or the service

Went there a couple weeks ago and was super disappointed they changed the menu. I was excited to get the kung pao calamari and teriyaki tenderloins. They don't have either on the menu anymore. Please bring them back!

First of all, you cannot say that you were in the city of Berkeley and you have not been to this restaurant nor have you even heard of it. A true staple-piece in Berkeley, and it's located right on the Marina. I went there on Thursday for lunch. My guest and I walked in and were greeted by the hostess, and we were seated immediately. We were then greeted by Ernest, who by the way provided exceptional customer service! He was super attentive to myself and my guest, even offering suggestions on the menu . Our glasses stayed full with Mr. Ernest. We were seated by the window, which was a huge place for me! Now let's get to the menu items. I chose the lunch box option. This included soup or salad choice. I chose the clam chowder with an entrée choice. I chose the salmon pesto pasta. My guest had the shrimp pasta. We shared the crab roll as an appetizer. I have to say with all of the food that was presented to us that it was great portions, and the presentation was on point. The food was seasoned to perfect perfection no complaints whatsoever. I was super full after having my soup and sharing the appetizer that I barely could eat my entrée however, I did have it for dinner later. I would definitely make sure that I come back sooner than later to this restaurant. I did not take a lot of pictures because of the fact that I was too into my meal. I was almost in a trance. It was so delicious! Last I have to mention this, Ernest made sure I had the best French75 I've ever had in my entire life!

Hidden gem. Very lovely interior with excellent service. Our waitress split the family salad for the four of us,and gave comped us 2 desserts for celebrating 2 birthdays. She kept our drinks filled. Food is delicious. We started with an appetizer of fried calamari with two different dipping sauces. Yummy. Our table all had seafood that was expertly prepared from the sea bass which was not over dine. The pine encrusted fried shrimp was delicious atop the linguini. We appreciate the wonderful service and delicious food and will be back.

The places is right on water nice views the food was amazing and I'm picky the service was so great I felt like she paid attention to us like we was only couple There food came out hot and very rich tasting 5 stars I'll be back for the stuff fish Mac and asparagus plus the wasn't like hella pricey

Where else can you get this incredible view of the bay?! While other nearby spots have closed, Skates is still standing, switching things up with a streamlined menu and a refreshed cocktail selection to keep up with today's mixology trends. Hits & Highlights * Hand rolls, artichoke dip, calamari, sliders, and open-faced sandwiches--all solid choices! * Long Island? Super strong. If you like a well-made, boozy cocktail, this one delivers. * Carrot cake was... interesting. Not bad, just an unexpected flavor profile with fruit that I wasn't anticipating. If you want classic waterfront dining with a killer view, Skates is still holding it down. It's worth a visit, especially for drinks and small plates!

This place is so amazing, the food and view is so perfect. Service is wonderful, price is so reasonable, I recommend to make reservation ahead of time if you want window seats.

This was a mixed lunch experience. Service and restaurant were very good. Food and pricing were not good. It is positioned well on the water and the noise level was low. Salad portions were very small and the beef dip sandwich lacked meat and the bun did not hold up well. Doubtful we will return.

The ambiance is always great - the bay views and fireplace make it cozy. Our server wasn't friendly initially but warmed up after a bit. He was wearing a boot so we thought maybe he was in pain. The food was good. We tried the shrimp & grits which were hot and flavorful. The fried green tomatoes were a bit tart but were fried perfectly. We shared an appetizer containing crab and artichokes - delicious! The clam chowder and lobster bisque soups were hot and hardy. The chowder did not have grit. Thank goodness. Overall a really good dining experience.

Wow the food was excellent! Drinks on cocktail list greatly executed. View is fantastic and happy hour menu looks good. Prices ate good for the Bay Area. The service was just ok. I felt like I knew more about serving than they did. I ordered a cold crab appetizer, soup, entree and dessert for me and my friend. They tried to serve us soup first! Server would not come by for very extensive times. Took drink orders, didn't see him forever. Then after drinks were given, took a long time to even order! Took a long time for the check. He didn't really check in when we had our food either. Good thing I wasn't in a hurry. Ended up being 3 hr dinner. I definitely would go back though. Food and ambience was totally worth it.

The waitress did not come to the table until after 30 minutes after I was seated. Once she did, she stated that she just missed our table due to the layout. After we were all served drinks and apps after an hour or so, she proceeded to ask me and another friend if we were good enough to drive (prior to asking us for our lunch orders). When we did get our dinner (because by this time, the menu had switched from lunch to dinner), my medium rare steak was well done and when asked to get it re cooked, the new steak came back rare and blue. I could barely cut through it. Service is horrible.

Celebrated a Retirement Luncheon for a longtime coworker with our Company. I had never been to there and realized I had missed out. The large window offers an expansive view of the Bay. It is simply incredible. I could see Skate being a destination place for anniversaries, birthdays, promotions, etc. Wow. Our menu was Prix Fixe, but offered enough variety to please our party. I had the clam chowder appetizer and salmon with strings and rice. Very good. I didn't take pictures of everyone's dishes because I didn't want to be THAT GUY. So, here are mine and mine alone.

Appetizers: 5/5 Entrees: 3/5 Dessert: 5/5 Service: 4/5 SERVICE: scheduled reservation for 6:45pm on a busy Saturday night, didn't get sat until 7:20pm. Placed orders because we were starving maybe 10 minutes after being seated. Got bread 10 min after that. Appetizers came 20 min after that. Entrees came 15 min after the appetizers. Appetizers starts off with the garlic butter bread. Holy shnikes this was so good. I had to control myself cuz I woulda ate the whole thing. Bread was soft and the garlic in the butter was fresh. CRAB AND ARTICHOKE DIP 5/5: fresh, delicious. You can taste that the crab was fresh. Sometimes restaurants have spinach and artichoke dip that's warmed up in the microwave or oven. KUNG PAO CALAMARI (5/5) gave me a new preference for how I want to eat calamari -- WITH FLAVOR! Highly recommend. PRIME RIB 2/5: mashed potatoes were great! Prime rib was originally presented as medium rare (my ask). However, the entire cut of prime rib was cold. Felt like it was just sitting on the counter before being expedited. The server took it back to the kitchen and the chef threw it back on the grill to warm it back up? I would think of a fresh plate if I got something sent back to the kitchen. As a result, the prime rib was more medium. Crust on the prime rib was good. Probably would not order it again, though. AMERICAN WAGYU 2/5: definitely American, not Japanese lol. My dad just said it was just another steak. Nothing special about it. Didn't melt in your mouth as you'd expect a Wagyu to do SHRIMP LINGUINI 4/5: wife enjoyed it, said the shrimp was overcooked though. LOBSTER MAC & CHEESE 1/5: don't order it. Tasted as plain as it looks. Extremely underwhelming. The meal redeemed itself with the dessert. CARROT CAKE 10/5: you HAVE to try this. I don't typically eat carrot cake but this was so freaking good. Great way to end the extremely savory meal I had. I would've given Skates 3/5 stars but the dessert saved it. Still undecided on if I'd come back or not. We'll see..

Growing up, Skates was always the restaurants you took family too from out of town because of the beautiful bay views. It's a little pricey, so this was my first time visiting since now, we were the out of towners, now living out of state. The bartender was super friendly and we bonded over my Larsen baseball cap, since he said he came from there. He was quick to serve us and since it wasn't too busy because it was the later lunch hour on a weekday, he took our order. I had a blackened cod or something and it was delicious. The cup of chowder that came with it was also solid. Loved the bread service, since they slather it with hot garlic butter. The restaurant has high ceilings and gigantic plate glass windows which bring in so much light. I'd come here for lunch again. Let's of parking too.

Impeccable experience from beginning to end. Eddie and another member of the host staff (she went to Berkeley!) accommodated us despite not having a reservation. Antoinette was our server and she was personable and professional. She anticipated our needs with a smile. Timed our service perfectly. Everything we ordered was perfectly prepared. Prime rib, Cioppino, Clam chowder, steamed clams, Savory Burrata plus Prosciutto, creme brulee. All outstanding. Couldn't ask for a better experience. Thank you Skates on the Bay staff, we will be back.

Me and my wife came to skates for a birthday dinner party. We were seated and the waiter served us immediately. We ordered the kung pao calamari. The calamari was very tasty and very flavorful. I also ordered the golden fields salad and spicy teriyaki beef tidbits. The salad was very fresh and delicious. The beef tidbits were cooked to perfection and very tasty/tender. The bread was soft and had a wonderful garlic flavor. The ambiance is very customer friendly and a very pleasant ambiance. This is a very nice celebration dinner restaurant.

We came here on a Sunday for brunch/lunch. The restaurant is stunning and the views of the bay are spectacular. This place has so much potential to be an excellent restaurant, but it's grossly mismanaged. There were several large church groups there, 20+ people a table and not enough staff in the dining room or the kitchen to handle this many people at once. After we were seated it was 25 minutes before anyone came to our table and acknowledged us. The server was very nice but she was overwhelmed by all the tables she was trying to take off. The food took forever to come and was very much a disappointment after waiting so long to get it. I had an open face crab salad sandwich, which was horrible. There was hardly any crab in it and it was smothered in mayonnaise. I left most of it on my plate. This sandwich should be a hard pass and not worth the amount of money being charged for it. A couple of people in our group had salads that they liked. I can't recommend this restaurant and I will not be returning here again.

This was honestly one of the most disappointing experiences of service at a restaurant. My husband made a reservation at 6:30pm on a Saturday, and we arrived early to check in. It was busy inside but my husband was basically shoo'd away after he gave the hostess his name to get checked in. 30 minutes go by and our name was not called and we watch many groups get seated before us. When I approached the desk, the hostess told me they didn't have us marked down as "checked in". I've always like coming here and it was supposed to be an early birthday celebration for me, but this miss in service really soured our visit.

Food was good! Service was ok. Our soup arrived cold. We got sat next to the bar and you can imagine how loud that was. There was also a nasty wet rag next to our table emanating a not so pleasant wet dog smell. But besides that it was good.

Deserts were incredible. Entrees and mains were average. Service was great, we reserved a large room for a private event.

Okay, in keeping with our explore the Berkeley Marina theme while visiting relatives, we visited Skates On The Bay. This Berkeley spot has a commanding view of San Francisco Bay and nice view San Francisco's downtown. We decided to do lunch on this visit. On entry we were greeted by the front house staff who were welcoming and sat us quickly. We had a table for two with a tremendous view. We started the lunch off with glasses of Sauvignon Blanc and Old Fashioned. We added Calamari and a Shrimp Cocktail which were tasty. I noticed on a previous review of this spot the reviewer mentioned the dipping sauce was too sweet, that was not an issue for us, the sauce was not sweet. There were two sauces, mustard-garlic aioli and Bloody Mary cocktail sauce. For entrees we chose the Lobster & Shrimp Roll which included a lobster & shrimp salad, green onion, tarragon, on a hoagie roll. The Oven Roasted Honey-Peppercorn Salmon with a Red and green honey peppercorn glaze, Yukon Gold mashed potatoes, asparagus, and beurre blanc sauce. We sampled each and both were excellently prepared. The Salmon was so moist and delicious! We ended our lunch date with Key Lime Pie and a massive Creme Brulee. The food was tasty but the view was amazing! I'm not sure what was happening for some other reviewers but our visit was not disappointing. We will return when we're in the area again!

We came here to celebrate our 3 year anniversary and could not be any happier with the service by J.R. The lighting and the mood of our dining experience was great too! We will be back