Spirits & Tales

I was in town and decided to stop by for a meal. The food was quite nice, some of the better vegetarian I've had in Pittsburgh. Views were lovely, although they were a bit busy at sunset.

Unexpected Delight. Food, drinks, service, view and more were outstanding. Even if you are not staying at the hotel…I would highly recommend dining here or grabbing a drink.

We had such a lovely evening here! It was a beautiful day to sit on the top floor and the food was not only delicious, but reasonably priced! Our server, Mikayla, was lovely and attentive. We can’t wait to come back!

We put ourselves in the capable and friendly hands of our server, Christopher. We tried the lychee martini, the blue crab beignets & Charleston pickled shrimp appetizers. Very well balanced with flavors, and the presentation was on point. The main courses were very well flavored, and the sizes are very good. The dessert, Creme Brulee was absolutely wonderful. I have always enjoyed my time here!

The salon I work at had our Christmas Party here and I absolutely loved everything about this place. From the food, the view, the vibes, and top tier service! They had a menu with our company logo on it and what was on the menu. The lighting was awesome! I had their mocktails, which were so tasty! The 12 oz NY Strip was made to perfection with the creamy spinach, so delicious! Dessert I had the Butterscotch Red Pudding, I recommend you try...chefs kiss!! Perfect date night spot, very romantic vibe! I will definitely be back!!

Great atmosphere! Beautiful glassed in outdoor patio, swanky indoor space, and a wrap-around bar with comfortable seating. The servers were sweet and attentive and the VEGAN OPTIONS WERE AMAZING!!! I knocked one star because the cocktails were average. They could have a more creative list that would add to the ambience of the space. My bf and I went here for my bday dinner and I'm happy we came here!

We had a wonderful time here. Super tasty breakfast, probably one of the better places in Oakland. Awesome view. Very friendly staff. Got the S&T breakfast, honestly from the eggs to the potatos, the sausages and dips, just felt like fine dining experience. Super delicious, will come again.

This was my 3rd time there and we had lunch. I say skip lunch and try dinner or brunch instead. The 1st 4 pictures are from lunch. The lunch menu was limited and not impressive. I had a lox sandwich and the bagel was clearly thawed from frozen and not fresh. I was disappointed. My husband and my mom didn’t enjoy their food either. The place is beautiful and has good views. Brunch and dinner were awesome!

Unexpected Delight. Food, drinks, service, view and more were outstanding. Even if you are not staying at the hotel...I would highly recommend dining here or grabbing a drink.

This is a nice ambiance and generally friendly staff. The food, however, tries to be high end but fails to deliver in my experience. I ate here for dinner one night with a couple coworkers, dessert at the bar another night, and breakfast one morning. Dinner We tried a couple appetizers that were pretty decent - the Carmel onion thing (similar to quiche) was very good and the beignets were overdone but tasted ok - but 3 was too few to pair with the bowl of dip. My coworkers enjoyed their salmon, but I was less impressed with my scallops on angel hair pasta. I felt the pasta was overdone done and the scallops were chewy when they should (IMO) be buttery smooth. Dessert The next night I figured I'd give them a shot a dessert. There was not many options on the dessert menu (3) and nothing with ice cream/gelato/custard/etc. I decided to try the Crème Brulee. It came with a macaroon and was generally a decent option. Breakfast I got the breakfast sandwich and asked for the bacon extra crispy so it would snap when bent. When I received my order, I wasn't impressed - you'd think you'd get a more impressive sandwich for $17... anyway the bacon was not crisp as requested (it is a very thick cut) and after a bit of a wait, their brought replacement bacon that was more cooked but still not crispy. I figured I'd give it a go anyway and then found the egg to be way overcooked (it is specified on the menu as over medium which typically means runny yoke and cooked egg white). It was more the consistency of a flat hard boiled egg. Also, for the size of the sandwich, they really should have 3 eggs vs 2. I did potatoes in lieu of the salad and they were about what you'd expect. I wasn't a fan of the taste of the breakfast sandwich - I'm guessing it was the lemon aioli that soured it. OVERALL, this is a pricey establishment that fails to deliver at the prices they ask. I wanted to like it (and have had great experience at other Autograph Collections Hotels), but was disappointed. I'll look for another option next time I'm in Pittsburgh.

Staying in The Oaklander for two nights, the front desk gave us two drink vouchers to enjoy at their hotel restaurant/bar. Because of that, this review is for drinks only. Both nights, we ordered their house white wine- chardonnay one night and pinot griot the next. Both were fine. My wife ordered the Vieux Carre with cherries. She loved the cherries, but found the cocktail average. In terms of space, the restaurant/bar is simply designed and comes with a small outdoor terrace with a beautiful view of the Cathedral of Learning. If you're a hotel guest and have a voucher, use it. If you're not a guest, I'd skip this place. Pittsburgh has much better drinks elsewhere.

I was staying at the hotel from out of town so decided to eat breakfast at Spirits & Tales. It was fairly empty so we asked the hostess if we could sit by the window, as we wanted to see the view. She mumbled something then sat as a far away from the windows as possible. The tables by the windows sat empty the entire time we were dining. Then we waited forever for our server. Several groups next to us were served and finished their meals before we could even place an order. Finally we got our food. The pancakes were extremely dry. Waited forever for our check. Food was very expensive for what it was. I recommend others go elsewhere. The staff here do not seem happy or helpful.

Was staying at the Oaklander for work. Nice hotel and had dinner here. Its a nice hotel restaurant with upscale modern american fare and drinks. I had the salad and scallop pasta. Decent, but the pasta was a bit in the salty side. Service was great and had a nice view.

Spirits and Tales now offers espresso martini flights, and it's a brunch game changer!! They are located in Oakland, right near Cathy, on the top floor of the Oaklander hotel. My sister and I shared the flight and I'm glad we did. The drinks were normal sized, not smaller, and it's only $30 for the 3 cocktails which is not bad at all. For brunch I ordered the eggs benedict (classic). My boyfriend got the hamburger and wine. My sister ordered the breakfast sandwich. My eggs benedict was really delicious. They drenched it in the hollandaise sauce; I loved it!! The espresso martini flight came with 3 flavors: Chocolate Raspberry Espresso, Cafe Bliss, and Simple Indulge. My favorite flavor was the chocolate raspberry espresso. My sister got the breakfast sandwich and she really liked it. My boyfriend got the hamburger and said it was really good as well. I have my eyes on that spritz flight next

Spirits and Tales is such an underrated restaurant. I think it doesn't get as much attention because it's hidden in a hotel, but it has some of the best fine dining dishes in this city. I was a huge fan of the branzino, one of the best versions of the dish I've ever had but it's since been off the menu. The half roasted chicken with truffle wasn't bad. I liked the combo but it was way too salty. The team was nice and served a new dish when we commented on the saltiness. Service is always great here. It is always never busy thus a great place for last minute dinners. It's right on campus so also super convenient. The place is really nice and quiet at night. Their drinks and dessert menu is amazing. I've never had anything I didn't like here. Thus, I always thought it was a great spot when I needed somewhere to chat with friends but wanted a nicer environment. I always loved coming here with friends visiting out of town to catch up on life. Their food and atmosphere never disappoints.

I have been several times with different groups for breakfast lunch and dinner. It's a treat every time I visit. The service is great and the food is delicious. I enjoy the uniqueness of the menu items. The atmosphere is wonderful with all the windows to see outside the hotel on the 10th level.

An inviting space on the top floor (10th floor) of the Oaklander Hotel in Oakland. Huge window views at your table, a bar, and around the corner more comfy seating sans tables. Even the ladies restroom is swanky. No hand blowers here. Plenty of paper hand towels Our server was extra helpful. Prior to him coming over we were busy looking up dishes and ingredients since there were so many words on the menu alien to us. He made it simple for us, answering all our questions. My friend and I ordered drinks. I had the dragon's breath -- mezcal, chili ancho liqueur, luxardo, lime juice, habanero bitters. Presentation was with a bubble on top. We ordered a starter -- the labneh- zataar, pepita, grilled flatbread. For my entree, I ordered the bucatini -- roasted acorn squash, pine nuts, fried sage, brown butter, grana purana. For dessert I got the chocolate, hazelnut, and poached pear tart. You can probably see why we were busy looking up words. All was excellent except the pear. It was a bit too firm in texture. Price was fair. For the two of us, each ordering a drink, A shared starter, two entrees, and 2 desserts, we split the tab down the middle and half was 68.00. That was a lot of food for the layout. I'm happy, especially getting ambiance and great service.

Beautiful atmosphere, and pretty nice view of the surrounding area. Servers are kind and the food is great! I got the Spinach Artichoke Scramble for a nice brunch. It was Deeeeeelicious! Highly would recommend!

The espresso martini flight was so good! Normally served during brunch, but they did let us get It for dinner. The charcuterie board was also such a good appetizer. Great atmosphere and views. Highly recommend!

I came here for a private event on a Wednesday evening around 5pm. My friends who got there before said that the staff seemed confused and didn't seem to know about the private event but I was able to get in contact with the event planner and we were able to find our private room. Our private room was spacious and had a lot of natural light. The venue in general had a lot of great seating and ambiance. There's a few private event rooms, a bar area, a casual lounging area adjacent to the bar, quite a few tables, and even a small outdoor area. The small balcony has an amazing view of the Cathedral of Learning. The bread came out nice and warm and there were a couple of different varieties in the basket. The soup was good - nothing to write home about but hot and perfect for the chillier weather. The main entree that we got had a nice foundation but could use work on some details. The beef while cooked perfectly was a little cold so I think it was sitting out. The sweet potatoes and veggies were a little bland - I saw multiple people put salt on theirs. The ravioli had excellent flavor but the shell itself was a little hard and undercooked. Our server was very friendly but when I asked for a to go container, I was told that I couldn't get one because it was a "health code violation". I didn't want to just throw away my entree because I still had a substantial amount left. I was confused because I've never been to a restaurant before that didn't have takeout containers. I ended up going to the bar and asking for a takeout container to see if they even had them and was given one promptly and went back in the room to box up my own leftovers. The almond cake dessert was delicious. My friend who is allergic to nuts was told that she would be brought fruit as an alternative but it never came. I didn't get a cocktail but my friends that did had no complaints. Overall, it was a mixed experience and I don't think I would necessarily come back of my own volition but I would go for happy hour/drinks or if it was convenient to do so and we didn't have a lot of nearby open food options.

I absolutely do not recommend Spirits & Tales. We came over-- excited to try the Wicked themed cocktails-- after a charity event, and the bartender refused to serve us. No one in our party was intoxicated, but we did look like we had come from a party, so the bartender was operating purely off of assumptions. She was not pleasant, and we will not be back. There are better places to drink in Oakland anyway.

The service was pretty good all the times we dined here. The food is really good although I feel like it was a little overpriced for what you actually got. It was really convenient though because we were staying in the Oaklander. The views are fantastic, I highly recommend getting some drinks on the terraced you have the chance.

Came here for happy hour but ended up staying for a meal. Great ambiance and view overlooking Pitt/Oakland area. Unfortunately the day I was there, they were understaffed.. servers were mostly grumpy and had to wait for more than an hour by the bar to just put an order for food and drinks. Food wise, my burger was served well done when I asked for medium rare. The outer part of the burger was also kinda burnt. Truffle fries were good. I would give this place another chance but would definitely want to make reservations prior.

Our server, Taylor, was lovely and knowledgeable about the menu. We ordered the omelette with breakfast potatoes, the breakfast sandwich with breakfast potatoes, and an espresso martini. Everything was absolutely delicious. The bacon on the breakfast sandwich was to die for and we would pay big money for the recipe for the breakfast potatoes! The espresso martini was fantastic and beautifully presented as well. The view of Oakland and Pitt's campus is a beautiful complement to the city. We can't wait to come back!

I have gone for dinner and brunch. The service was not bad when I went for dinner but maybe because they were training a new staff member that night. I went to brunch a couple weeks after having dinner there because it seemed more people posted about the brunch so wanted to give it a try. The service was terrible and they were not busy. The staff all kept disappearing into the back. They took forever to wait on us and didn't check on us once we were given our food to see if we needed anything. While at brunch it was so quiet in the restaurant you could have heard a pin drop. They needed music playing. It just felt very awkward and uncomfortable. I wish you can a better view of the Cathedral of Learning. You do get a nice view of Soldiers and Sailors. The food is okay. For dinner I split a charcuterie board with friends it was good. Then I got the Waygu burger and fries which I liked. When I went for breakfast I got the spinach scramble. It was okay but I needed some hot sauce. The drinks were good both times I went.

The overall ambiance is nice and great for professional gatherings. We went on a Friday around noon time and it was surprisingly understaffed. There wasn't any bartender so we could only order either beer or wine. The service as expected was so slow and it took forever to leave but everyone was nice. Drinks are also so overpriced but you get the nice view of Oakland. Food was also meh meh, nothing crazy but decent enough. I like coming here for events where there's catering and an open bar but on its own it's nothing too special.

We waited 20 minutes to have a server offer us anything. I had to ask for a server. Felt unwelcome and my 6 year old was super hungry so it was stressful.

First off - great food. As in some of the best food I've been served in quite a while. Service was at best marginal. Having said that, the food was so good the stars went from 3 (because of the service) to 4 (because the food was so great). Ordered for the table was the salmon and the scallops. Both were superb. Also ordered was a salad, that did not come. A dessert was ordered by one patron, while the second was never even asked if he wanted one. WTH? Ask both diners! Nice looking venue, well set up. A little pricey, but the food quality justified the expense. Owner - train your wait staff better. Compliments to the chef, though.

We enjoyed the best happy hour here last night! I made a reservation for 5pm, right as they opened, and was seated promptly by a host who also brought us water right away. Our server, John, was friendly and checked in on us just the right amount. Our party of four each tried a different cocktail and they were all fantastic - delicious and you could really pick out all the flavor notes described on the menu. We ordered the Truffle Parmesan Pomme Frites to share and the serving size was great for snacking. My partner also ordered the burger and said it's one of the few burgers he's had where the $17 price tag makes sense. I love that we could make reservations, and that we were in and out in about an hour. I'll definitely be back for my next Oakland happy hour.

3.5 stars. Drinks were decent. A little expensive. Food was decent. Nothing great. Atmosphere is decent. Nice view. I've been here twice for brunch and both times were not busy. Drinks come out slow also. It is aesthetically pleasing though.

Was having a day date at Pitt and decided to lunch here. Despite school not being in session, there was a reason the restaurant was empty. No wait staff. We stood for almost 8-10 minutes before someone showed up. Overpriced lunch options included $18 for a burger and fries and $23 for a kale salad with grilled chicken - which was barely room temp. The ipa beer my husband ordered was actually a Pilsner, and the totally egregious part was no more than a 3-4 Oz. pour of rose for $16 when the entire bottle retailed for $30. I actually asked if it was the end of the bottle, having assumed that they really just didn't want to open another. Water refills were not to be had despite placing my glass off to the side where our sever was replenishing at the adjacent table. The food was okay and the views of campus were lovely. Some lunches are worth $80; this was not one of them. No need to return.

This restaurant is on the tenth floor of a hotel in Oakland. You have to valet park ($12), or park on the street. The place was dark inside when I was there, but had a nice ambiance and floor to ceiling windows. Two of my friends had a really hard time reading the menu because of how dark it was. The service was a little slow and lacked personality. The charcuterie was pretty basic. I ordered a few raw oysters that were good and fresh but not the best I've had. The highlight of the meal was the French onion soup, it came in the perfect deep bowl and was delicious. The short rib meal was slightly dry and the "haricot verts" turned out to be undercooked, crunchy green beans with a tasty sauce. I'm picky about my Old Fashioned cocktails and they did a good job with the single square ice cube and maraschino cherry. I would not recommend the poached pear dessert unless you're trying to lose weight and want a pear with some crushed graham crackers with a smear of Nutella. My bill was outrageous and I will not be back.

I wanted to love it here.... But it was mediocre. I was so excited about the mezcal cocktails, but they were unable to make two of the cocktails. I settled on a third mezcal option, but it had to be made without the pineapple pepper syrup so it ended up being a little off... I ordered the house salad, it was served with pecans, cherry tomatoes and a few slivers of radish. The pecans were a little large and hard to pick up on the fork. The dressing was average. It was my husband's birthday so he splurged for the $95 steak, it was all gristle and bone. The steak itself has no flavor. I had the crab and shrimp stuffed branzino. It was better than the steak. This is a hotel restaurant with a great view - the end... maybe breakfast would be better.

The entrance and ambiance is really nice. The service was great too. I really enjoyed my toast. It's also beautiful and inviting. I just wish they had more stuff on their menu. Smoothies and other healthy options would have been great. Tasty food and great view for sure! I would definitely go back again.

Had a fun night of drinks and appetizers on a recent weekday night after my daughter's graduation. The outside patio was shut down for a private event, but we were offered an intimate table inside their bar area and it worked out great. Their bar area had an extensive array of liquors, especially their bourbon and rye section so of course I ordered a Black Manhattan which was savory and unique in flavoring with grapefruit bitters. For snacks we ordered a cheese board, whipped ricotta and I had my own bowl of French onion soup. All of the dishes were very satisfying and artfully presented. I cannot speak to the larger menu as we only noshed and did not have a full meal. Have to save that review for another time!

Very good quality food! Tried their duck, crab ravioli, salmon, French onion soup, crème brûlée, bourbon cake, smoked salmon toast and breakfast options - all very good. The drink are on a sweeter side so had to ask to make them less sweet. The service was a bit slow a few times (stayed at the hotel for a week) but not too bad. Staff is very pleasant. And the view is great!

I had been wanting to go to Spirits & Tales for food and drinks for a long time now. What drew me in was the ambiance, decor, and of course, the view! It's a gorgeous space on the 10th floor, and they even have a patio (it was too hot for that so we stayed inside in the AC). The cocktails were outstanding! Some of the best, if not the best, cocktails I've had in Pittsburgh. Jada took care of us the whole night and was very helpful with suggesting some substitutions for the drinks. I had the daily special, the Tom Collins, made with vodka instead of gin since I am not crazy about gin. My second drink was the old fashioned made with black rum. So delicious! The food was awesome as well! We got oysters (the west coast ones were my preference as they were more flavorful and briney), radish toast, and the roasted chicken. Omg the sauce for that chicken. I could have eaten it like soup! It had local roasted mushrooms and potatoes, and the chicken skin was seasoned to perfection and very crispy. I will honestly be thinking about that dish for awhile. If you want a classy but yet relaxed atmosphere (maybe to go for a first date!), Spirits & Tales is a great choice!!

I came here to grab brunch on a Sunday with friends while home. The plus it has a beautiful view of Pitts campus the only thing I did not like is the kitchen closes at 2, so it's kind of hard to experience a late brunch feeling rushed. We made reservations at 1:15 so we felt rushed. In my experience, brunch is done by 3 and you don't feel rushed out. Also the bar closes at 2 with the kitchen. For a hotel on a Sunday, that's a little unusual for the bar to close as well. Especially when it's graduation season. You would think they would capitalize on being next to soldiers and sailors being open longer. My friends and I wanted to sit and continue talking and would have liked to order more drinks while sitting outside. This was a miss for me as well. Anyway, the area is very beautiful with lots of natural lighting for photos and ample space for big parties. The menu had a nice selection and fair pricing. I got the brioche French toast. It was good not too eggy a nice flavor. I got the cold brew as well. I would have liked to see some music to set the vibes because the decor is great. They could do more for this place to make it a brunch spot. They have the atmosphere but the vibes are not there. Pittsburgh needs good brunch day spots they have an opportunity here.

Bar located at the top of the Oaklander Hotel. They have a terrace which is wonderful for summer days but limited with only fourteen seats; could be opportune for an intimate dinner though it's not exactly a romantic spot. Nevertheless, I greatly enjoyed the terrace and it will likely be a spot that I revisit in Oakland. Fair selection of beers and a nice whiskey selection. They have Suntory Toki on a chilled draft which was my go to during my stay on a hot summer weekend.

Great happy hour experience! Our waiter was very attentive even though we were seated outside on the terrace. There is plenty of seating inside, on the terrace, and at the bar. We sampled appetizers which were all very tasty. The blueberry weekly cocktail was sweet and refreshing. Plus the atmosphere and views were amazing!

Great atmosphere, great staff, beautiful view on the 10th floor, and most of all fantastic food. The food y'all! I had the Jail Island Salmon with crispy brussel sprouts, and truffle fries and it was delicious. The salmon was cooked to perfection with this crust on top. I cleared my plate! Then we finished things off with the bread pudding dessert that was warm and gooey perfection. Then the staff - our server John was so kind and took care of us. Andrei, the sous chef, came out to check on us and we couldn't sing his praises enough. There was another gentleman, I'm assuming is the GM, also would regularly check that our meals were just as we expected. I wish everyone at Spirits & Tales the best. Thank you for a wonderful evening. I'll be back and will be sending my friends there asap.

Really overpriced bad food. Burnt woody asparagus, lebnah under flavored, patatas bravos over salted with blobs of bland mayo. Also- one vegetarian option was out when we arrived so we ordered the other only option and were told after a while that was out too. Changing the menu and just don't care to see the old one through. We were told that tomorrow though, we could be the first to try out the new menu. Great. No.

Visited for cocktails before an event at Petersen Events Center nearby. The bar was quite crowded, but we were able to get a seat at the bar. The bartender was very nice, prompt getting us set up with water. Cocktails are pretty pricey, but on par for the quality, atmosphere, and location.

I have been staying at the Oaklander Hotel since it opened. And before Covid, I always looked forward to eating at Spirits & Tales. But since Covid, the quality and actual preparation of the food has declined to a disappointing degree. I understand that there was a change in chef which has been for the worse. The menus promise good quality ingredients and interesting though sometimes strange combinations of ingredients and preparations. Last night I ordered a duck confit salad. I was served a CHICKEN LEG, not a duck leg! They actually tried to pass a chicken leg off as duck! I asked to speak to the manager. He was professional and took it back. But he said that the chef in duty said it was duck. As Food and Breakfast Manager, he should know the difference. They offered me a "wagyu" beef burger instead because it would take 25 minutes to prepare a new "duck" and it was almost 10 pm. (I had already waited a very long time for the CHICKEN LEG.) I ordered the burger rare. After over 30 minutes, it came very WELL DONE! At that point, I was starving and ate it but did not enjoy it, it was ruined. The manager came back to check on the burger and I showed him that it was well done. He apologized and told me he would cover the cost of my meal and "email the chef." I told him he needs to find a. new chef. What I don't understand is he was not troubled in the least by the fact that his restaurant is deceiving their customers by serving chicken and calling it duck! Maybe most people wouldn't know the difference but there is a huge difference and as someone who is very involved in the food and wine world, who is an accomplished French cook at home, I was not fooled. The waitress was sweet and handled the situation well. The ambience was lively, much too loud for my taste but it is a bar and a restaurant. Another interesting thing is that one of the only French wines on their list is Whispering Angel Rose. They list it as from Washington State, not France on their wine list! But at least it is available by the glass, though they offer a very short pour by the glass. It's a shame to see a once very good restaurant deteriorate as it has and I am not sure the management knows the difference nor cares.

Beautiful views of Oakland area. I was in town for a few days and my nieces treated me to breakfast. Heather was our fabulous waitress and answered any questions we had. I had the buttermilk pancakes with fresh blueberries, so delicious! One niece had the breakfast sandwich with wedge potatoes which she really enjoyed and I tried her potatoes and they were cooked perfectly and flavorful. My other niece had the smoked salmon and she loved it! The ambiance is hotel bar with comfy chairs and I particularly loved the black and white bathroom! Everything was sparkling clean.

This won't be my most jam packed review because I was so in the moment of being with my friends I forgot to snap a few pics SMH! Parking: pay spots on the street, valet, or the garage at Soldiers and Sailors We went for brunch and had a lovely view of Oakland from the 10th floor of the Oaklander Hotel. There wasn't a separate cocktail menu for brunch but I opted for a latte. To start I ordered the baked ricotta and it was amazing! Warm with some hints of black pepper and drizzled with honey, served with toasted baguette slices. My entree was a simple but delicious breakfast sandwich with a side salad. It was bacon, egg and cheddar on challah with a garlic aioli.

We had a great waiter, the inside seemed clean, and the food was good (very good scallops) except it seemed as if the truffle fries lacked any truffle. No issues with bringing a baby & stroller inside either. We were there right when it opened for dinner so it wasn't very busy, which I prefer.

We dined here for Christmas Eve and had a nice lunch. They serve lunch from 11-2 but were accommodating in allowing our group of 12 to order at 215pm. They then switch to a Snack menu until Dinner hours. The restaurant is located in a hotel on the 10th floor and was nicely decorated for Christmas. The bathrooms were very nice down a hallway with meeting rooms. We parked on the street which was paid parking at $3 an hour. I ordered the Hot Smoked Chicken Club. It has lettuce, tomato, cucumber on a roll. I enjoyed it but would have loved some sort of sauce to add a bit more flavor. My husband had the Lamb Merguez which had more flavor and was a sandwich covered in French fries. The fries were a little hard in my opinion. We also ordered drinks but my husband was brought an Old Fashioned instead of a Manhattan. Unclear if it was the waitress or bartender with the mistake. He drank it anyways to not cause an issue.

Well, this was a bit of a mixed bag. My boyfriend and I have been excited to try this bar for a while. We finally decided to stop by for Happy Hour Friday for a pre-dinner drink. The bar is in the Oaklander Hotel, part of the Autograph Collection, so it is really nice. The bar is on a top floor, with beautiful views of Oakland. I really liked the atmosphere. We sat at the bar and started looking at the menu. The bartender didn't tell us it was Happy Hour, and we specifically had to ask for the Happy Hour menu. Ultimately my boyfriend decided on the Could You Be Loved, a perfect fall cocktail with apple cider, rum, and a cinnamon stick. I ordered the Pour Some Sugar On Me. The drink I received didn't match what I was expecting, but I took a sip. The drink was sweet and summery -- not at all matching the bourbon chai drink I ordered. I knew it was the wrong drink for sure then, and mentioned this to the bartender. She said she had the other drink on her mind (what I received, the Bartender Please) and laughed. She didn't offer to make me the correct drink which I ordered, and didn't apologize. It was awkward and I didn't know what to do, so I figured I wouldn't cause an issue and would drink it. Then, she charged me full price. As someone who loves bourbon and fall drinks, there were many drinks on the menu (their seasonal drinks all sounded amazing!) I would have rather had than a drink I didn't order for $15. Though the atmosphere is nice, and my boyfriend enjoyed his drink, this was a really disappointing experience for me.

Great place for drinks and small plates with a date, a friend, or work colleagues. Excellent views as the sun sets, with attentive staff. The four of us enjoyed the whipped ricotta, the charcuterie board, Caesar salad, butter lettuce salad, smoked trout, and French onion soup. No one left hungry, and in fact we struggled to finish quite everything. High quality for sure, which is why I was disappointed by the meager serving size and "meh" flavor of my $14 Paper Plane (they were out of the Brown Butter Pecan Old Fashioned).

Came for brunch on a Saturday. Atmosphere is nice with great view of Oakland. It's on the 10th floor of the hotel. Bloody Mary was average (make sure you get the bacon in the drink, it was really good!) but the omelet was delicious. Bloody Mary and omelet was $30. I would come again.

Went for Sunday brunch with a dear friend and can say the food was absolutely delicious. I had the French breakfast and later ordered a country ham melt. I was hungry y'all! I loved the presentation of the food as well as the general atmosphere. I went around 10:30 on a Sunday and was shocked to see there were still plenty of tables available, but that is not to say there was no one there. There was a live band playing very lovely jazz music while we dined. It was not very loud and perfect for conversation with a close friend. I was not up to drinking that day but the drinks on the menu and bar area looked spectacular. I would have no qualms about ordering a drink here. Service was very average despite the food. My coffee kept arriving lukewarm and the food took forever despite it not being at full capacity. Hence why I knocked two stars from this review. The real silver lining here is the view of the Cathedral of Learning from the balcony area.

Arrived for a 6:15pm reservation on a Thursday night and found that they were overwhelmed due to having a cocktail hour private event. They were clearly understaffed, with only two bartenders to handle that whole event plus the restaurant. Dirty dishes sat for 30+ minutes with no one to bus them. The thing that staff did best was total avoidance of eye contact or acknowledgement when trying to order a drink while waiting. We gave up and left. I received a phone call at 7:15pm when a table was finally ready but declined.

Romantic setting on the 10th floor of The Oaklander Hotel. The view was good, service attentive and food hit the spot. Start with dessert - the chocolate crème brûlée to be sure. It will feed 4. It's a cross between a mousse and crème brûlée. The vegan bolognese was good; so was the labne. Cocktails were clever, but a bit light on the spirit. Enjoyable meal. Unexpectedly nice setting.

I'm a frequent guest at this hotel. My colleagues and I decided to eat at Spirit & Tales this past Tuesday night. One of my colleagues and I decided to order the Waygu burger. We both asked for our burgers to be medium-cooked. We received our orders, and both our burgers were well done and cooked. The order also came with fries. The fries were rubbery and not crispy. My colleague couldn't finish his meal, and I powered through to finish my burger.

Extremely disappointed with the quality of the food along side the service. Given the price of the menu items the food tasted very bland, stale and old. We order truffle Parmesan frites and there was hardly anything on it. It was more or less just plain old fries. Furthermore, we were treated very poorly by our server to a point where we were pretty much chased out of the restaurant. They were so rude and showed no courtesy towards us. Extremely disappointed given the expectation we had towards this restaurant.

Excellent !! The atmosphere was electric . Charles and The team that served our party of nine were world class. Will return soon to try the new menu offers and of course enjoy the best cocktail in the city!