Wence's

We went to Wence's for the first time on 8/12 and sat outside. What a hidden treasure! The food, atmosphere and service was outstanding! Carly and the Manager Alejandro were exceptional! We will be back! Chris and Sue

I had a very nice lunch on a Tuesday and it wasn’t very crowded when I first got there. I had my dog with me so we had to sit outside, which was lovely. I had the cheeseburger with a salad and it was quite reasonable I thought. Haven’t been there in sometime since they’ve expanded

We enjoyed our birthday night out here and did the early bird dinners. The lobster chowder was delicious and my chicken was very good as well. Dining companions had the pasta and enjoyed it, fish and chips, and the salmon. The gelato dessert was well presented and tasty as well. Portions are ample without being over the top. We would go back again.

Well, Wence’s Restaurant in Pleasant Hill brings a mixed experience. The space inside is spacious, though it can get quite loud, especially on a regular Monday evening. The outside patio is huge, which is great for a more relaxed vibe. Unfortunately, the food didn’t live up to expectations. The Monterey Calamari was overly dry and over-fried, making it difficult to enjoy. The Shrimp Louie salad was especially disappointing - just a quarter of lettuce drenched in a heavy, unappetizing pink dressing, making it feel quite unhealthy. On a positive note, the lamb chops were absolutely delicious, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. The lobster chowder was another highlight - rich and tasty, definitely a standout. The service was attentive and pleasant, which helped elevate the overall experience. If it weren’t for the service and a couple of good dishes, this would have been a much lower rating. Stars for the great service and a few tasty dishes made that made a difference.

Absolutely amazing restaurant! We have lived in the area since 2012 and never been. What a mistake. We love it and highly recommend it.

We absolutely love the food here and come here at least once a year for our Anniversary or a special occasion. The food is fantastic and if you are a seafood lover you have lots to choose from. Carnivores also have options! The parking can be challenging during dinner hours because this neighborhood shopping area is actually filled with all restaurants and a couple of small businesses & they all share the parking. Great for date night. However, it can get very loud in this restaurant. You find yourself yelling at your dining companion if you're trying to have a nice conversation. It's best to get cozy and sit next to each other! They do take reservations, and I highly recommend you do for dinner. I'm sure brunch probably gets pretty busy as well. On average, if you have drinks with your dinner and an appetizer, expect to pay at least $80 per person. Highly recommend the raw oysters and calamari!

My service was good. The food can use some work. The mac n cheese was a little too soupy in my opinion, but had good flavor. The Tuna tostadas are worth the drive for me. 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽 I loved the spread/sauce that coated the tortilla. I didn't even need or care for the side of ponzu, they were good as they were. The wedge salad was decent, I would order it again with a few mods. The cheesy garlic bread was super delicious ( save some for your entree). We ordered the lobster fettuccine and replaced it with the lobster tacos because the sauce for the pasta was bland and soupy. My husband enjoyed the lobster tacos. If you're a drinker, the bartender made the heck out of my old fashioned. Very very good. I'll be back to try more things. I enjoyed my dinner date here.

A friend introduced us to Wence's this week. My wife had Fish 'n Chips that were outstanding. My friend had the beet salad which is favorite and I had the Shrimp Louie which was very good. It was a little noisy inside which made it a little more difficult to hear but was tolerable. Meals were priced reasonably and service was good. I would definitely go there again.

I highly recommend this restaurant... delicious food, great service, warm atmosphere... Great place to celebrate our 57th anniversary

We visited Wence's to inquire about reserving the private event space. We were put in touch with Hannai, event coordinator. Meeting at the space was just the start of the exceptional service we received. This past weekend we had our celebration with family and friends. We were fortunate that we had Hannai as our server for the event. The service, the food, the drinks and the vibe was all part of a great afternoon. We received so many awesome compliments on how great the food was, the atmosphere was festive and many great memories that were made. To the Hannai & the others at Wence's -- Thanks!

An incredible happy hour! Wence's offers great deals with speedy, awesome service. We went on a Friday, and everything we had "hit the spot." I believe their happy hour is from 3-5 pm. Wence's has that busy San Francisco vibe, right in the heart of North Beach. We had three items: the mussels, calamari, and truffle fries. Everything was delicious! The service was also great and very attentive. Parking in the lot is a little tough, but there's plenty of street parking available. Overall, it was an amazing experience, and we will be back for sure!

Fantastic happy hour- Monday-Friday, 3-5 PM. Service is consistently great. They offer up interesting and well-made alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage options and we have a few favorite happy hour food items. The oysters are a great deal at only $11 for a half dozen and the grilled artichokes are delicious on their own, even without the accompanying dipping aiolis, thanks to whatever their cooking style and seasoning entail. My honey and I have had the house and wedge salads, both tasty. (They also have a caesar.) During a recent visit, we shared the chicken sliders which are fairly simple grilled chicken with tomatoes, lettuce, and onion and a light sauce, topped with a perfectly crispy onion ring. With regards to their full happy hour and regular menus, this honestly only scratches the surface.

My husband and I went out for a date night but didn't want to have to deal with the traffic and parking in Walnut Creek, so we made a reservation for Wence's. Our waitress, Olivia, was great and we never felt rushed. The manager came out to ask us how we were doing. Most importantly, the food was great! I'll be dreaming about that garlic cheese bread! So happy to have a gem like Wence's in Pleasant Hill!

Wence's in Pleasant Hill is a hometown staple. When you walk in you see a beautiful bar and seating everywhere, both inside and outside the seating is so clean and cute. The service is extremely attentive and both fun and lively. The food is exactly what you're looking for. This is a small hometown family run business that you will both feel happy to support and you will leave happy and full. 10/10 will repeat.

Wence's is a whole vibe! From the moment we walked in we were immediately greeted by the positive energy, laughter and the smiling host. The interior of the restaurant is absolutely stunning from the clean and professional feel of the bar area, to the spacious main dinning area and the dimly lit private dinning room for large groups. But my favorite dining space is their beautiful patio area. It's definitely a 10/10 and they have a live band on Friday evenings; playing the most delightful music that pairs well with their dinner menu and their phenomenal wine selection! If you love seafood, do yourself a favor and try the seafood grill. Chilean sea bass, salmon, wild prawns, sea scallops, white wine lemon-caper sauce, with a small serving of the most perfectly prepared grilled polenta, mixed vegetables. YUM! Now let's circle back to the wine! I was absolutely surprised at their wine list, from bold reds to fresh Sauvignon blancs, they've got a little something for all wine lovers, and the pours are perfection! Wine offerings include: - Chateau Montelena (Cab not Char) - Raymond Vineyards (Boisset Collection) - Domaine Carneros - Mumm - The Prisoner - David Michael - Belle Gloss - Cakebread .... just to name a few! Can't wait to return! Here's a list of what we ordered: * grilled artichokes * beet salad * oyster shooter * seafood grill * Quattro Theory Sauvignon Blanc * Cookie Melt with gelato

You know I've been to this restaurant many years and have had a great experience but today it was just ok....for what we paid, it wasn't really worth it. here's a more raw, stripped-down version of my review. No fluff, just being honest: I come here because the vibe is great and it's usually a solid spot for brunch. We got seated right away, and it was nice being able to bring our dogs with no issues. Chill atmosphere, no complaints there. I ordered a gimlet and asked for it to be on the sweeter side. It came out super sour. Had to go up to the bar and ask for some simple syrup to fix it myself. After that, it was okay, but still not great. My partner got this really nice-looking gin drink (it's in the photo), but it tasted like a flat gin and tonic. Nothing special. Asked the server for recommendations and had no idea so gave us the menu to choose. He was around maybe twice... order and pay our bill... Prices have gone up, which whatever, but the quality didn't match. I got the bacon BBQ cheeseburger asked for the bbq on the side and never came. Don't get the blue cheese dressing... really ruuuuuny! My partner had the Niçoise salad. The salad looked great, tuna portion was solid, but the dressing was basically just oil. Flavorless unless you dump salt and pepper to it. Barely had potatoes or green beans. It was a surprise when you got it! The olives were probably the best part, but very fewwww. I usually have a couple drinks when I go out, but between the cocktails and the food, I just wasn't feeling it. Kind of a letdown overall. The reason it gets 3 is because the manager brought our pups water!!

Great little find in a strip mall. The menu has several options for lunch. We had the fish tacos and the French dip. The French dip was loaded with roast beef. The au jus was fantastic. Tasty but not salty. Our server was servicing inside and outside, which left us asking several times for refills and the check. We will for certain return when in the area.

As always a 5 star experience! Wences for lunch! Great to sit on the patio. Service was awesome and so was the food. I had the grilled fish mahi mahi tacos which were perfection. Fresh fish and ingredients make the simplest preparation delicious . My friend had her must- order the lobster tacos with sweet potatoes. And of course I had to order the truffle fries!

Great food and really good service with a nice atmosphere. Sea bass dish was amazing . Definitely going back.

Just moved to the area and went at the recommendation of a handful of people. It was an anniversary dinner; we were seated quickly and in the perfect spot. Drinks were spot-on: so balanced and frothy (we got a drink that had foam on top). We each ordered from the specials of the day. I got lobster paella and it was amazing. I was worried that the price might be ridiculous because it was the special and it was lobster, but when the bill came, it was price-wise on par with the rest of the menu. The place is nice: the patio outside was quite busy but indoors was quiet--almost serene. It is pretty there without being opulent. Will One hundred percent go back.

We went there for the fish and chips. The fish was lightly breaded and very tasty. I enjoyed the shoestring fries and the coleslaw was really good and I'm not usually crazy about coleslaw. Service was friendly, we sat outside and enjoyed the whole experience.

Went there yesterday for B-day lunch with Son and Girlfriend, Wow amazing food! My burger and fries were Excellent! Son's burger was excellent with egg on top! The Salmon was Excellent also! Loved the outside sitting area! Overall great lunch, and will return soon! Only downside was the parking lot very crowded hard to find parking!

They don't have it on the menu but you can definitely ask got it a crab melt sandwich this is the real deal not just body meat the whole legs man that was one awesome sandwich . I always like this place but I never ordered the crab melt sandwich wow wow it was crab heaven the best in the west . The calamari was excellent. The mussels was great the sauce was nice a hot and spicy love dipping my bread in it . The girls enjoyed their wine . This place is worth the money spent great staff and excellent food check them out

We had dinner at Wences on a Monday night and were surprised by how lively it was! From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with a warm and friendly welcome. The weather was perfect, so we sat outside and enjoyed the evening . We started with the watermelon grilled prawns salad--so refreshing and flavorful. I had the steak and scallops, and the steak was cooked perfectly medium rare, just how I like it. My husband had the fish and chips, and it was crispy and satisfying. I sipped on a Tito's with soda, and he had an old fashioned--both were spot on. We wrapped up the night by sharing the beignets for dessert. Great food, great service, and a perfect evening!

Great restaurant. Food is amazing. The only recommendation I suggest is to invest in better acoustics. The noise level is horrible.

Had another great meal at Wence's. Made a reservation the day before and we scored the corner booth. We went the sauteed black mussels and the mixed seafood grill. The mussels were amazing and came with some cheese bread for dipping in the sauce. Felt like I wanted to just drink the saute broth! The mixed seafood grill was perfectly cooked and there was a nice triangle of polenta as well.

My brother recommended this restaurant so we decided to try it out. Upon arrival, we noticed how bad parking was. We went today, on a Thursday evening, and finding parking was a challenge. There is a parking lot, but it was full. There is also street parking and that was filled up with cars too. I even noticed cars that were parked in locations that were probably not legit parking spots. Anyway, now I know next time, to expect horrible parking. We made a reservation early in the day. When we walked inside, we were greeted immediately and the host brought us to our table. Our server was very friendly and then another waiter brought us water. I ordered a half dozen raw steamboat oysters. The waiter said that it was the largest oysters they had. When it was served, it just looked like regular sized oysters like other places. I also ordered a special appetizer which was grilled cheese with prosciutto, grilled asparagus and this sweet sauce topped with raisins. That was delicious. My partner and son ordered Mac n cheese. I didn't get to try it but they enjoyed it. For our main courses, I ordered the special which was scallops with cauliflower and a white sauce. It was good. My partner ordered a Junior burger which wasn't Junior. My son ordered the lamb chops -- delicious. Lastly, we ordered 2 non-alcoholic drinks - which was a prickly pear drink with sparkling water. My partner ordered a drink that tasted like a Pina colada. That was good. Overall ambiance and dining experience was nice. The waiters emptied our table continuously to make space for our food and always checked on us. To everyone who would like to dine outside, there is outdoor seating with heated lamps available. Will definitely come back for their $1 oysters. I think that happens on Sundays but call first to make sure.

I dined here for dinner while in town and enjoyed the good service, delicious food, and drinks. There are plenty of indoor and patio dining areas and a couple of bars (regular and oyster bars) to enjoy the relaxing yet lively atmosphere. We ordered a few starters and drinks; the oysters were fresh and tasty, and the ahi tuna tostadas were so good I could have eaten a couple of plates. The clam chowder was creamy and flavorful. The Dungeness Crab Stack was a fresh and filling dish. The lump crab was cooked perfectly, and the presentation was nicely executed. The house-made cocktails menu had a few eye-catching options. I tried the Maya-Thai because it had Licor 43 Liqueur (which I like), fruit juices, and walnut bitters, and it seemed interesting, but it was just okay. I would pass it up next time and try another house cocktail. The rest of the table enjoyed the drinks they ordered. Though we had reservations, we waited about 15-20 minutes for our table to be ready. We had a decent-sized party of nine, and it was busy, so it was a little wait. The noise level, however, was moderate to high, so conversing was challenging. Overall, we had a pleasant dining experience and would return for the drinks, to try new foods, and to enjoy the vibe.

Nice interior and excellent service. Very friendly but efficient. Nice outdoor dining area as well. The food was good. I went with the swordfish special and liked it. I was really looking forward to some wine but boy do they love the Wagner family wine and boy do I hate Wagner family wine. Camus, Belle Glos...they have them all but I find them all but undrinkable so that was a minor letdown. The other ding was the bread pudding dessert which was nothing like any bread pudding I've ever had and I order it any time I see it. But back to the pluses: Large varied menu so you're sure to find something to your liking, a friendly crowd and a large full bar so when the wine list didn't come through, the perfectly made manhattan did! I'm sure we'll be back but with our expectations properly set.

Found this little place by my parent's house. The vibe was great. Definitely a local spot. Food was good! Favorites: grilled artichoke, oysters and crab stack! Service was friendly but a little slow. Honestly a great experience here! Definitely.

I love coming here and having happy hour in the outdoor patio. The inside of the restaurant is cozy and intimate but I prefer to be outside working on my laptop while sipping my cocktail and enjoying my happy hour oysters. They have a 3 course meal available if you come for an early dinner along with good prices on drinks and appetizers for happy hour. I don't think I've tried a bad dish yet (although I wasn't too big of a fan of the carbonara here). My favorite appetizers are the calamari, oysters and Mac & cheese, and the fish dishes are pretty solid for the entree choices. The servers and wait staff are quite attentive and they check on you often. The restaurant is located in a strip mall and the parking lot is kind of a pain with super narrow lanes but definitely worth checking it out!

Super eclectic restaurant with excellent seafood, sashimi, sandwiches, oysters, Fr onion soup, tempura green beans.... Everything beautifully presented, fresh, delicious, top of the line. Good service, great outdoor seating as well as indoors, and sit-up bar meal service with 2 sports TVs. Only downside is it's so popular that parking is difficult. Neighborhood gem - families with small kids, seniors, motorcycles alongside Porsches and Jaguars.

We had the most amazing dinner experience at this place. My daughter's graduation ended a bit early so I called if we can come in early and they were quick to accommodate our large party. The server was very attentive and pleasant and checked on us quite often which was very refreshing. The food was quick to arrive and the dishes were very fresh and delicious. We would come back again even if we dont live near this area just for the food..

We had a wonderful dinner at Wence's in Pleasant Hill! We focused our attention on the appetizer section of the menu. Everything was perfect! It was my first time trying the tempura green beans, which were wonderful. The cheesy garlic bread is always so darn delicious. Without a doubt, they make my favorite garlic bread; it's delicious with their French Onion soup, too. The calamari was perfectly breaded and so tender and flavorful. The scallops were perfect with the citrus habanero sauce. We finished the evening with a wonderful bottle of port and a yummy chocolate torte. Cocktails are always fantastic; I have their lemon drop every time I visit. Even with the light rain, we sat on the warm patio and enjoyed the sparkling lights. Service was excellent! If you haven't been for happy hour, it's excellent, too!

Amazing service, great atmosphere, and exceptional food! Don't let the strip mall location, fool you.

First time being here. Place is nice. Seating is nice not on top of each other but highlight for me was the service. Our waiter, Jermey was attentive, consistent and just a good vibe. Food was very good. Dinner was a birthday celebration with a party of 6. Order a few items, oyster bar dish was very good. Had an order of the crab cakes and scallops. They both was a hit. For the entrees, we had the lamb chops, ribeye, jambalaya and chicken fettuccine. Everyone was satisfied with the food. For dessert, two orders of the beignets and an order of crème brûlée for myself. I enjoyed it and all the other items.

Came here to celebrate birthdays, we enjoyed the outdoor patio seating area. The $1 oysters were pretty good and the food was wonderful overall. Our party enjoyed the Mac n cheese, shrimp cocktail, the Chilean Seabass with the polenta, the hamachi dish and crème brulee. We ran into uncooked chicken piccata and they graciously returned it. Service that night though was kind of slow. It took a while for our drinks and oysters to come out. Still enjoyed our dinner here nonetheless and will come back for some delicious food.

I gotta say for my first time here the food, service and the environment was great and very satisfying. My waitress was Olivia she was awesome very thoughtful good hospitality. I wish I can try everything on the menu lol, everything we ordered was very delicious seriously you will not be upset on whatever you order there menu almost everything looks and sounds delicious.

New Mixologist Hanz is knocking it out of the park with his specialty twist on cocktails & fantastic customer service! Cheers to Wences and all the amazing staff!

Lovely dining experience with friends. Fresh seafood options, including oysters. We tried a number of dishes, including Shrimp Scampi, Lobster Bisque, Macaroni, Surf and Turf special and Chicken Piccata. Every dish was delicious and beautifully plated. The shrimp scampi had a marvelously delicious lemony cream sauce that exceeded my expectations and was truly phenomenal. Expect to pay Market prices for certain seafood; knowing that it's good quality and worth the price. Wait staff were well presented and readily available. Highly recommend!

We wanted to have a nice dinner and decided to go to Wence. We have always gone there for the Happy Hour oysters, but never had dinner. There is seating inside & outside. We did not have reservations but we were able to get a table inside. We were there around 6 PM. The atmoshere was very nice & the staff was very attentive. Of course, we ordered oysters which has always tasted fresh. I ordered the steak medium rare which was perfectly cooked & my friend ordered the lamb chops. I am not a lamb person, but the lamb was so well cooked with a lot of flavor, I would order it next time. They have a nice selection of wine and cocktails.

Soooo disappointing. I was originally anxious to try the menu. Got seated outside, waited FOREVER for service..just for water...and then our food order...and our food delivery.....water refills and our check!!! Ridiculous, especially since not many customers were here and there was plenty of staff roaming around. To top it off, animals were all over the patio, barking, being fed by their owners! Don't plan on a quiet evening!

Just wanted to say thank you to Wence's for an amazing night. We hosted a surprise party in Xela room for about 26 people. Hannai did an excellent job coordinating the event. The servers were friendly, tentative and accommodating throughout the party. Everyone complimented the food. Couldn't have asked for a better experience.

Grabbed a quick lunch on Sunday at Wence's. It's was a late lunch and we were starving, so we went straight to the menu. Hubby had the Wences burger with crispy fries and I had the Ahi Tower as well as a house salad. Let me tell you. If you love fresh Ahi, you need to get this wonderful tower. The flavors of ginger, wasabi, mango all play a role in this perfect appetizer. I love having it as a lunch course with the house salad. Everything was fresh and delicious. Our server, Joaquin was attentive, knowledgeable, professional and personable. Thank you Wences for. a great lunch! See you soon!

Came here for my birthday recently and Wence's did not disappoint. My partner and I each had an oyster shooter and shared a Caesar and for entrees I had the lamb chops with garlic mash and veggies and my partner had the chicken picatta with garlic mash and veggies. Every course was delightful, well dressed, balanced whether tangy or savory, and we ate every last bite! We have been to Wence's a few times now and we really enjoy the service, ambiance and of course the many options of delicious dishes. Can't wait for our next Wence's meal!

Another successful happy hour at Wences! The best prices, delicious choices, and amazing service. Extra bonus is coming on Mondays to get the $1 oysters!

The food here is really fresh and tasty. Everything was really delicious, but the crab stack was the star of the show and we were given plenty of lemons. It was so fresh and delicious. They have a lot of fun cocktails on the menu and the one that I tried (orange blossom) was so good and not too strong. We sat outside which was pretty nice but was a bit noisy. The whole patio is shady which is nice when it gets hot. Will definitely be coming back!

Decided to go here for New Year's Day for lunch. The atmosphere was so inviting. Still decorated from NYE, you couldn't tell that they had 300 people in there for a NYE party. The food was amazing & our waitress Carly was so sweet. We definitely have to go back for dinner & drinks. Not pictured was a Bloody Mary which hubby said was one of the best he had

Our drink was absolutely refreshing and delicious!! Our food was also super delicious! Our waiter, Santiago was super helpful and gave amazing service! My friend & I came before brunch hour and it wasn't that busy, we got seated immediately. I definitely recommend trying Wence!

Overall, this restaurant is average. Service was attentive, and the restaurant is beautiful on the inside. The bar is lively and looks like a great spot for happy hour and watching games on the two TV's. Food was fine - a little pricey but not bad for the most part. The biggest reason for my rating is the oysters. When you walk in, you see the beautiful oyster bar. The menu has five different varieties as well, so diners are looking forward to some fresh oysters! We got the oyster bar mix, and two of the four oysters I tried were extremely sandy. In addition, one had a huge, quarter-sized piece of shell under the meat. For the price ($43/dozen), I definitely expect cleaner oysters. Skip the oysters, and get the grilled artichoke instead.

We came here for my birthday dinner and the food was amazing. Yummy drinks great oysters, and wonderful service. If only I lived closer, I would come more often.

Food is so fresh and good!! Consistently a pleasure to come here. Service always wonderful. One of my favorite go to restaurants.

This was not a good dining experience. We ordered the calamari, steak sandwich and cod sandwich. Tasteless and not fresh food. I am surprised. We prob won't go back.

Didn't get to add the pics at the time of posting but wanted to share- the ahi stack, crab stack, crab cakes & their most amazing dish- the mixed seafood grill- a little salmon, a little seabass, shrimp, scallops, grilled veggies, & polenta. Their oysters tempura & seafood chowder are definitely worth ordering as well! Ended with some sweet treats & dessert drinks. Love Sandra & her family, they always take care of us when we visit.

A friend and I went to Happy Hour from 4pm to 6pm. The food was delicious and price point was very good. We started with a dozen raw oysters for $22/doz. They were fresh and delicious. So much so that we ordered another dozen. The calamari was delicious, but there needed to be more on the plate. It was a very small portion. We also had a cup of lobster bisque. It was so delicious we swore to get a full bowl next time. And, yes, there will be a next time. The drinks were delicious and the service was wonderful.

We picked the restaurant for the raw oysters and were pleasantly surprised with everything we tried. From oyster shooters to cocktails, the happy hour was enjoyable. Had artichoke, tempura green beans and truffle fries! For entrée , we ordered the lamb chop and ribeye, both delish too! The waitress was awesome, food was great, location was easy to find with ample parking.

Stopped in for a quick business lunch at Wence's and ended up having a much better meal than I had planned, thanks to a great recommendation from our server. What was done well: I had originally planned to just grab a salad, but our waiter, Joaquin, made such a compelling case for the swordfish special that I couldn't pass it up--and I'm glad I didn't. The swordfish was cooked beautifully--moist, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned with a light lemon caper sauce that really brought it all together. It was served with saffron rice, which had a great texture and mild flavor that complemented the fish well. I subbed out the broccoli for grilled squash and carrots, and while the vegetables weren't the highlight, the overall plate was nicely composed. Special shoutout to Joaquin, who provided excellent service and clearly knows how to guide guests toward the right dish. Areas for improvement: The grilled carrots, though a nice touch visually, were a bit too dry, and the vegetables as a whole could've used some seasoning to bring them to life. Nothing major, just a little more attention to balance out the strong performance from the main. All in all, a very good lunch and a spot I'd happily return to.