The Lake Chalet Seafood Bar & Grill

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ An unforgettable experience at Lake Chalet! This was our first time visiting Lake Chalet Seafood & Grill, and everything about the experience was top-tier! The atmosphere is unmatched—with breathtaking views right on the lake, it’s the perfect spot to unwind, snap a few photos, and soak in the beauty of Oakland. We came for the vibes and stayed for the drinks, which were absolutely incredible. Our bartender Christian truly had the magic touch—each cocktail was crafted to perfection with flavor, balance, and presentation. (If you’re into craft cocktails, this is the place to be!) I brought my boyfriend here for his first visit, and he was blown away. We even had a spontaneous little photo shoot on the patio—it’s that gorgeous. Looking forward to coming back soon for the full food experience, but based on what we’ve seen so far, this place is a must-visit for locals and tourists alike.

Great service and great atmosphere. That's why I gave 4 stars. Lovely seating everyone was nice . The food was pretty average. I enjoyed the appetizer the best calamari was fresh and fried just right. I order a dish without fish and the cook decided to replace it with another fish. Can't hurt him for trying however the fish would have nearly killed me 😆. The manager was ultra nice about it. Kevin was his name, great way to make up for the mix up . We left smiling and happy The hamburger that replaced the fish item was a good size and alot of toppings. I'd come back because everyone was so kind.

Went to lake chalet on a Friday afternoon the food was good and the service was good as well, I wanted to do outdoor dining but there was an event going on that day so it wasn’t possible but the inside dining area still has good views. I got the chipotle wings and half garlic crab with potatoes and corn, they were both delicious and my girlfriend got the blackened catfish and grits and she said it was good as well. We both also got the butter cake desert and it was very good as well. I would come again so I could experience the outdoor dining.

We came here for lunch to celebrate our arrival in the neighborhood, what a nice way to start something! We really enjoyed the lunch in the sun, the delicious dishes, very tasty and we were able to pair well with the chosen wines. There were happy hours and we didn't like the martini very much, but the atmosphere made everything nice. The waitress is very attentive.

Watering hole for professionals at any point in time in your day you will find the mayor of the City Of Oakland here and associated members of her cabinet. Dress code business attire or linen lounge. There’s an array of alcohol here they can make any drink and have created a few themselves.For them to be a seafood and grill I do not recommend the trio as they don’t serve a mignonette with their oysters. It’s very basic cocktail sauce and horseradish, which is disappointing. Their fresh seafood is exactly that fresh not seasoned no garlic, garlic sauces or anything anything like that so make sure you get a cooked full entrée. Definitely recommend their happy hour. Everything is between seven and $10 and you’re able to try the menu before committing. This place is best for after work drinks and a quick bite.

One of my favorite lunch or dinner places. I’ve been coming to Lake Chalet for years! Food is always good and i love how the menu seems to often have a new item I’ve never tried! Today was the Salmon BLTA, delicious with an espresso martini on a perfect sunny day by the water. Me and my partner did have to wait about 20 minutes when we arrived because we decided on patio seating so there was a small wait but it was no big deal we relaxed by the water and waited.

Great looking place with wonderful service and nice views. Event food itself was average, like wedding food. I'm sure the individual meals are much better. Cocktails were made perfectly!

This place has a great vibe, the service, food and drinks were great. Highly recommend for happy hour or a nice dinner spot.

We recently had a lunch for 12 people and everything from the seating to the service to the food was five stars. I am quite shocked at some of the poor reviews as our experience was stellar. We all agreed we would love to go back! Our food came out quickly and everything I ordered, came out perfectly and with pizzazz!

I have been to Lake Chalet countless times and I can say the food is solid...they have great happy hour and drinks. You really visit this spot for the vibes and views while sitting outdoors on the lake. It's a great place to being visitors and for special occasions. I have rented part of their outdoor section several times for work dinners. I have tried their sliders, seared catfish, fries and their Caesar salad...all have been solid! The service is hit or miss when it's crowded.

Not sure I've ever had worse service. We had reservations, and upon arrival the gal at the front desk told us "yo table ain't ready yet, go fo a walk and come back in 20".. So We asked to sit at the bar while we wait, and was told with an attitude "der ain't no room at da bar ok? so you gotta come back in 20!" so we went for a walk around the "beautiful" lake. (the lake is super ghetto and surrounded by tents and homeless people who like to scream at random people walking by) Once our table was finally "ready" the host walks us thru the empty restaurant, past the empty bar into the empty outside seating area where there are literally no customers. Why wasn't our table ready and why couldn't we just sit at the bar? I'll never know. Then we wait for at least 20 min before the server takes our drink orders, at that time we were ready to order our food as well. After a good long wait we get half the tables food but still no drinks. After another good long wait the rest of the food and the drinks come out. The oysters were decent (even tho they brought us the wrong ones) we still enjoyed them.. but then the mussels came out and smelled like raw sewage! So disgusting that it put us off the rest of our meal. Super high prices for terrible food, terrible service with a view of the most ghetto lake in America. A waste of $200

Hanging out back at happy hour with a 1/2 dozen oysters and a pisco on a perfect Oakland afternoon. Doesn't get better.

You can't beat the views and vibes here, especially on a nice and sunny day. This is NOT a foodie destination but it's a great place to sit for drinks and hangout.

Decent happy hour with nice views of Lake Merritt. I've been meaning to check out Lake Chalet for ages and finally had the chance recently. My friend and I dropped by Friday around 4:30 for their happy hour. The whole restaurant is massive. There was plenty of bar, indoor, and outdoor seating. It was super chilly the day we came, but luckily the outdoor the outdoor seating is covered and has heat lamps, so we opted for that. I was hoping for a nice view of the lake, but the tarp blocked most of the view unfortunately. We each started with a drink. I had the hh prickly pear margarita for $10, and my friend had one of the hh beers for $6. I really liked my margarita... it's the best I've had in a while. All the flavors blended together nicely and it didn't feel like one ingredient was overpowering the others. For food, I got a half dozen miyagi oysters from Tomales Bay for $2 each. We also each got two sliders. I had the Prime Time ($6) with prime roast beef and the Cow ($5). I loved the oysters! Would definitely come back for them. The sliders were just okay. First of all, by the time they came out, it was already lukewarm and not hot. I preferred the Prime Time over the Cow as it comes with jus on the side for dipping. My friend tried their fried chicken slider and found it quite dry, as it doesn't come with any sauce. He was slathering ketchup with each bite. I would love to come back on a warmer day so we can get direct lake views.

The restaurant itself is elegant with a beautiful view of lake merrit. They have different places to sit with in the restaurant that allow different views to enjoy. The staff was nice and attentive. The prices are a little on the expensive side. I orderd a Salad and so did my 3 other coworkers. We waited about 30mns for them to bring out our salads! They have a small parking lot on the side and plenty of street metered parking. Since it is in Oakland try your best to not leave any belongings visible in the car. Hence the 3 stars. Lake Chalet overall is definitely a nice place to sit eat and enjoy with great company! First date vibes for sure. I'll stop by again and try out their other entrees.

came here for Thanksgiving lunch. They had a prefix menu for $85. I was greeted right away and everyone was friendly. This place is very well situated by the lake. But I would say you pay for the view and not so much the food. I ordered the salad with persimmons and pomegranates, not bad. But ironically, I usually prefer a very light dressing, but I'm not sure if there was dressing on the salad? Next, I ordered the salmon with stuffing and mashed potatoes and broccolini for my main dish. I thought the salmon was a little bit too oily, I did find it a little bit dry. The broccolini was OK, but not cooked in the way to bring out its best flavors. The stuffing and mashed potatoes were as expected. Lastly, I got the pumpkin cheesecake. I liked it overall, and it paired well with the caramel sauce and the cream. But it was a little bit more dense, and I prefer a lighter or fluffier pumpkin cheesecake. All in all the food was mediocre. I think you pay more for the view than the quality of the food. I thought everyone was extremely friendly and kind, however, the quality of the service was also mediocre for its price. The didn't pay attention to refilling our water very often and would take away our utensils so we kept having to ask for forks for our main and our dessert.

Came here for dinner before catching a show at the Oakland Arena. We did not have reservations. We were seated within 5 mins. It was 90s in heat so we requested to sit outside near the water. We order some drinks which was delicious. Our appetizers came in on time and they were delicious. We order the hummus and the pita bread was delicious. The pita was toasted and the pumpkin seeds. We also order some of the their bread. The bread was fresh and toasted. It was delicious and we ate it with the clam chowder. Our dishes came in and they were all enjoyed by all of us. The salmon dish was mines and it was super buttery and tasty! The service was standard. Overall food was great.

Great views. We sat on the dock for brunch on a Saturday. Service was a bit slow (we were there maybe 1.5 hrs) but we were not in a rush. My friends ordered the fish tacos and gumbo and enjoyed it. The Caesar salad was good - we got it without protein but adding chicken or shrimp would make it pricey. We enjoyed the slaw on the chicken sandwich. Overall pretty standard brunch fare, good food that is priced for the views. One of the water glasses we got had to be returned because it still had smudges on it. It was not busy at all for brunch when we came over after a morning walk around the lake.

Great waterfront location and a place you can bring your dog to dine outdoors. Brie and crab stuffed salmon: B+ Salmon was super tender and I enjoyed the cheese and crab stuffing. Butter cake: B- Pretty sweet dessert. The cake is very satisfying to eat and the ice cream and berries are nice too. The dish is a bit one dimensional though, the cake mostly just taste of butter and honey. Service was a bit weird, we had multiple staff come over so it seemed a little disorganized especially when we asked for menus. But otherwise it was fine.

It'd been a few years since my last visit. I had time today & dipped in. My first visit was in the evening & I sat in the bar area. I had no idea they had outdoor seating and that the place is as large as it is. It's really a beautiful location w/impressive landscaping. I asked for an outside seat and was seated on the dock. It was an absolutely beautiful day. If you're reading this and you're single, let's go to brunch! Service 4.8outta5 My server was great however the young Latin cat that served my dishes was so engaging. All he did was put my dishes on the table but he did so with a greeting & smile that quite frankly warmed my heart. I passed him as I was leaving and wished I'd had cash on me! Lavender Lemon-drop 5outta5 Absolutely delicious. I had two. Chowder 4.5outta5 It'd been nice to have been offered some cracked black pepper & had the oyster crackers on the side. But I can't lie, it was so damn good! Oysters 3outta5 The cocktail sauce tasted like ketchup & horseradish wasn't available. Three of them weren't cut away from the shell. 'Twas a bit of a disappointment. Stuffed salmon 2.6outta5 It started off so well. The asparagus swimming in the lemon-butter sauce tasted so good. There were a couple of the lyonnaise potatoes that were over cooked. I took a bite of the salmon, potato, crab, artichoke & Brie all together...Truly a shareable moment. Alas, the moment was stolen by the crab gill pieces. I couldn't finish what started out so beautifully delicious. No one's perfect, mistakes happen, I paid what was due & will return sooner than later. It's a great spot, for ANY occasion.

Lake Chalet is the perfect mix of views, vibes, and good eats. With both indoor and outdoor seating, the patio feels like a summer bar overlooking a golf course, but with unbeatable views of Lake Merritt. Highly recommend for brunch -- especially the Shrimp Louie salad, which is fresh, flavorful, and perfectly balanced. The lavender lemon drop is a must-sip: light, floral, and just the right amount of tart. Great for catching up with friends, date day brunches, or just soaking up the sun with a cocktail in hand.

We just had a fantastic catered event for 50! Thank you, Kirsten, for your excellent planning. The event was set up exactly as promised. There were no surprise charges. Trina and Juan were wonderful servers. Charming, attentive and toward thinking, they made the event flow. The food was delicious. I highly recommend the Lake Chalet.

Visited for happy hour dining option. Cocktails and dishes we tried were delicious. Service was excellent! The view was amazing!

After strolling around Lake Chalet, we saw this restaurant and decided to have lunch here. Despite being Labor Day, it wasn't too packed and we got to pick the table we wanted as a walk-in. We shared these dishes: Mussels & Frites ($16.00) +Good portion of plump mussels +Fries were crispy, perfectly salted, and not greasy +The green aioli was so good! Local Petrale Sole Piccata ($28.00) +Sole had a light crispy batter +Asparagus was fresh and lightly charred +Mashed potatoes were smooth -There were capers present, but there wasn't a lot of Lemon Butter Sauce present. Grand Seafood Linguini Provençal ($36.00) +Plenty of seafood: There were calamari, clams, mussels, salmon, scallops, and shrimp. +Linguini was cooked al dente -This was very tart, and we wondered whether the lemon juice from the sole was accidentally added here... Guava Creme Brûlée ($9.00): We all agreed that this was one of the best creme brûlées we've ever had. +Crispy, caramelized sugar top +Creme brûlée tends to be on the heavier side, but the tropical flavors from the guava, mango, and passion fruit made it light and refreshing. Side notes: 1.) The green aioli from the mussel dish was a great pairing with the sole. 2.) Adding the leftover bacon and onions from the mussel dish onto the mashed potatoes from the sole dish transformed them to the next level! 3.) 4% Lake Chalet Surcharge is added to your bill. *Verdict: Now that I'm writing this review, I'm shocked that the rating is so low. Our server was so sweet and provided us with recommendations. In addition, that view was amazing! I want to come back for brunch as well as the creme brûlée and fries with green aioli!

Great location, right on the water. That's about the only good thing I can say. Went to meet a friend for lunch on my birthday. There was nobody at the host stand. My friend texted me to say he was out on the patio so I headed to find him. First person I saw rudely challenged me. I said I was meeting my friend on the patio and asked if that was OK. Rude dismissive response. Got to my sear and a server showed up and took our orders - so that was good. But I found when it came that the chicken was not fully cooked -- it was cold and red inside. It was a long wait for someone to show up and when the person finally did - someone other than the server - I showed him the raw chicken and asked if he would please inform a manager. A while later the server came again and asked if he could "offer sone chocolate cake instead," which I guess was an acknowledgment of the problem? I don't know but we needed to get going. We declined cake and he brought us the check. Nothing was mentioned about the raw chicken. I'm guessing a manager wasn't informed as I requested, since serving raw poultry is a serious problem. It was a bummer to have such a lousy dining experience at this place, and on my birthday, no less.

We held a celebration of life at The Chalet on June 28th. The staff far exceeded our expectations! They were charming, caring, and extremely compassionate...They made our guests happy with their excellent service. The view was perfect and the setup for our group was excellent. We were delighted with the buffet presentation, and we had many compliments on the food selections and the fantastic desserts. The Chalet and their staff made this day of remembrance special for all of our family and friends. The Bird, Sheehy, and Blenkle families thank you all for this amazing day.

A wonderful location at Lake Merritt! The long bar is sexy, the interior dining room over looking the lake is great and the outdoor dining on the deck is perfect when the weather is in your favor. The cocktails are delicious and they offer an all-day happy hour on a few drinks. My faves are the Espresso Martini and Lemon Drop. I come here for lunch 1-2 times a month. Sometimes the service is a little slower than others but if you have time for a relaxed and leisurely lunch this place is lovely. The salads and burgers are good, as well as the braised short rib. I'm sad they removed the Carolina Rib appetizer from the menu, that was one of my favorites. My friends and I will be back soon for their weekend brunch which I was told by the manager was a "whole vibe". We shall see!

Beautiful day on the dock! Great service accommodating our large party at two tables. Loved the spritzes and the pisco to drink. The beignets were a nice surprise. And I splurged and had the crab louie....delicious.

Went here to attend our company's and our partners' Appreciation Dinner Gathering Before going to this place, I wondered if it's owned by the same owner of Beach Chalet in Ocean Beach in the city. So, the moment I arrived at this restaurant, I immediately asked one of the staff to confirm the relation of Lake Chalet and Beach Chalet, and the staff confirmed that these two are owned by the same company and that made ne happy. Great location with a view, amazing, hospitable and joyful staff. Food was amazing toi. Will definitely come back here

Took forever to receive our food... literally 38 mins after we ordered... it wasn't that busy either. It was the end of the night and it was a Tuesday. We only ordered tacos and oysters aha. Huge shout out to Trina our waitress who saved the evening with her amazing energy, she was super funny! The outdoor patio was nice but they should definitely add outdoor heaters! Being that it's in Oakland by the lake it gets extremely cold especially after the sun goes down.

Just came from a wedding reception here, the food was fabulous. We had fish (sole) - many friends at the same table went back for seconds, and tri-tip w chimichurri and delicious Caesar salad (I actually wanted seconds of this haha), peach cremé brûlée. All really good. We came here a few times when they first opened but wasn't that impressed. Tonight was all good, the service and definitely the ambiance was so beautiful overlooking the water with the bride and groom super happy and weather was perfect.

In the days of old, when I was young, handsome, and slim, I used to glide like a gazelle 2 miles around Lake Merritt, swiftly passing by the historic Boat House which now houses the Lake Chalet Seafood Bar and Grill. After parking the car near Lake Chalet, I was complaining about the short walk to the entrance. The restoration of the Boat House was beyond measure, making a perfect setting for me and my cousin as we sat on the deck, enjoying the Lake and views. Lake Chalet has a great Happy Hour menu that satisfied our lite afternoon snack needs. Whilst taking in the views and listening to the music, we thoroughly enjoyed our snacks of Prime Rib Sliders, Truffle Fries, Crispy Brussels Sprouts, Blackened Fish Tacos, and Prickly Pear Margaritas, for digestive purposes. I most definitely will return to Lake Chalet as it was a perfect spot to hang and chill.

The outdoor seating absolutely makes the entire experience. I love the outdoor seating - you're seated basically on the dock with a view of the water and it's always a great place to sit. The service was decent, nothing too crazy. We ordered the half chicken and the boathouse burger - found them both to be well cooked, fresh, and filled with lots of flavor!

We have a lovely work team lunch here on New Year's Eve. They gave us a lovely corner table by the window and the view was beautiful. The food was delicious. We ordered the lobster roll, fish and chips, crispy chicken burger, and truffle Mac and cheese. The server was extremely friendly and polite. Since it was a work lunch, I think the team didn't really want to order more items to be nice and polite, haha! I am looking forward to going back with friends so we can try a bunch of the appetizers, other entrees, and dessert!

It's worth the wait to sit out on the dock. I would probably skip the Caesar salad here. Calamari is perfectly done! Scallop crudo was a small portion, but delicious! The view and vibe are the reason to come. Amazing espresso martini!

So beautiful location. Drinks were great. Service a bit slow. Food was decent for the price. I feel it's more of a location and drink kind of place. I was devastated to get a $74 parking ticket on a Sunday. Boo Oakland! I had the shrimp and lobster roll. Fresh but a bit bland. Calamari was good. The horseradish was amazingly spicy and fresh. I'd recommend over all.

11 AM Easter morning Hostess - THE face of the establishment - isn't doing them any favours. No smile, no greeting of any kind, and certainly no "Happy Easter". Restaurant wasn't busy; we were the 4th party of diners to come in. Two tables already had their drinks. She set the tone for the entire service. Food was mediocre; nothing special. The most flavorful item was the raspberry preserves.

Thank you Leon and staff! Amazing food, every item was an explosion of flavors! Food and drinks are spot on every time and service is always great! Leon was super professional and available. Perfect ambiance by the make the most perfect date! Second birthday at lake chalet and making it a tradition! Thank you so much!

Had a lovely 3 hour brunch with my lady-friend on the pier on a sunny afternoon. I had to get the beignets (with a hint of lemon & raspberry compote on the side). Tried the chowder for the first time, will go back for more soon.

I highly recommend this restaurant. I have eaten here a few times. The servers were always polite and efficient. The food was fresh, delicious and pleasantly plated. I love the atmosphere, especially sitting outside with a view of Lake Merritt. And after your meal, you can take a ride around the lake on the Gondola!

Came here right before prom shift. It's a really nice area, with view and all. It was a nice day. Food came relatively quick. Ordered the raw oysters- delish. Buffalo wings- can't compete with wing stop. Gumbo- It needed more seasoning. Salad my friend ordered- said he would enjoy it with salt & pepper. My other friend ordered the chowder bowl. Service was quick, ambiance is chill- sat outside and soaked up the sun- probably wouldn't come back unless in the area...

I had to take a work zoom call (and charge my phone) from here and I have to say I really enjoyed: - spacious top floor - great fish and chips - attentive servers (who gave me all the privacy I needed during my work zoom) - GORGEOUS views

Lake Chalet flops with bland food, toxic management, basic ambiance and blatant bias. A mess--steer clear of this disaster!

The Carolina ribs were sooo disgustingly sour sided with sour 1,000 year old looking pickled yellow vegtables, with a scoop of hella vinegary shredded cabbage. SOO foul, the strawberry guava lemonade was pure lemon w a dash of pink food coloring cause babbbyyyyy we was in pain making all kinds of faces just trynna get the appetizers down. The nerve of this place to be $$$ is quiet bold. The service was nice and hospitable though!

First time here in Oakland. Came in for lunch, service was excellent my server Angela was fantastic! I had the salmon croquettes as an appetizer and salmon with stuffed Brie as my entree with a glass of rose, everything was on point and DID NOT disappoint. I will be coming here again in the future!

This place is great. We will definitely be back. Highly recommended for a nice date Night or early lunch. We'll be back!

Food: 5/5 Got the ribeye and stuffed salmon, both were amazing. Calamari was buttermilk battered to perfection. Service: 6/5 Server was very kind and helpful. Ambiance: 6/5 Beautiful lake view Would give 6/5 if I could!

Came for the 4th of July celebration. The food was not good at all. Noticed the chicken that was being served while I wanted an hour and a half was quarters pieces of a whole rotisserie chicken. I was very disappointed when our food arrived. Chicken wings coated in a tomato nothing close to bbq sauce. They ran out of corn and served us so mush slaw throw together slopp. Cocktails were on point! The waiters were horribl, non attentive, and let the coward get the best of them. Inoticede another table eating corn well after I finished as I waited for my check to come (47 minutes). So I asked how they got corn, and you ran out. The response "oh its only for ordered meals off the main menu." What? I paid for a prefix meal. I was expecting everything listed. The bake beans were good, but some were hard. Nice atmosphere right on the water. The DJ was good, and the weather was even better. There are plenty of options for seated both indoors and outdoors.

Nice place, but unfortunately due to dietary restrictions I was not able to enjoy much from their menu (beside the squash soup)

Exceptional service, Raine was beyond amazing!! She was attentive and thoughtful!! We enjoyed every moment of our happy hour on the water. Will definitely be back!!

My wife and I have been here on a few different occasions and have always enjoyed ourselves. Sadly this would not been one of those times. We waited a short bit of time for outside seating since we really love the lake view, our waiter was very polite and very attentive to his credit. We ordered a medium rare steak with a side of lobster macaroni and cheese and the grilled salmon with asparagus. It took over an hour for us to get our meals and when they arrived my medium rare steak was very much rare. Cold on the inside rare. It was one of the worst prepared steaks I've ever had presented to me. I showed it to our waiter and he said he would talk to the manager about having it removed from the bill since I had taken approximately two bites before it was obvious that it wasn't something that I was going to be able to just grin and bare out of politeness. My steak was not removed from the bill, however the sides were. The total of the sides did not match the cost of the steak(which I couldn't even eat). This is the last time I'll ever come back. Not even an amazing view could make the subpar food worth it the wait. It was a very lackluster experience to say the least.

Talitha is a great bartender there. Always good quality drinks mixed well. The food is ok but overpriced.

Lunch on a weekday with a great view! I ordered the butternut squash and mushroom gnocchi and my friend has the French dip prime rib. Will come back!

Came in for happy hour to celebrate the end of the week. Was seated at a table by the very nice host but never got a waiter, sat for over 30min till someone noticed I wasn't being helped and finally got a drink which was also forgotten for quite some time. Then was not helped until I got up and asked for the check. Only good thing was the margarita.

The food was good and I was able to meet my boyfriend mother. The atmosphere was nice and the waiters were friendly.

Food was ok, thought it could be better. I had the braised short rib---similar to Harris Ranch pot roast. I would eat here again, but not my "go-to."

Thanks to everyone at Lake Chalet in Oakland for the easiest, best, quietest and most efficient Christmas Winter Holiday Staff Celebration Party ever. The service was phenomenal thanks to RYAN and the set-up was easy thanks to KIRSETEN K. - the space was quiet and we have older folks in our group and folks that speak multiple languages so for us to have such a safe, kind and easy space with great delicious food was perfect. We had vegans, gluten free folks and everything was a breeze. we even used the valet and that service was great too. thanks y'all!