Capone’s Speakeasy

I saw two men dragging industrial equipment out of the restaurant this morning. I asked them if it was closing. They said yes, that they’d lost their lease. I have not confirmed this beyond speaking with these two workmen. Perhaps someone else can verify. Hopefully if they vacate some other restaurant/​bar can move in and not alienate the community at their grand opening.

I can’t thank Capone’s enough for allowing us to throw my son’s birthday party there (it was also a Star Wars pre-​party). I wanted a place on Park Street or near the theater but I also had 85 guests. There really isn’t a place in that downtown area that could hold that many people. One place I had called (which could only hold 50 max) agreed but they wanted to charge me $ 800 just for the space rental and I would still need to purchase food and drinks on top of that. Capones was extremely reasonable, and Melissa, their Event Planner, gave me suggestions on how to control costs for drinks as well. They were so easy to work with and it ended up being a very nice party that everyone commented about. It doesn’t require decorations because the place looks so great to begin with. It was just a really easy party to throw and they made it that way!
Thank you Capones! I will recommend you to all my friends for future parties!

Must be Aretha Franklins recipe, ’cause it’s the best damb fried chicken in the state.
Live music and friendly crowd.

Just left this place after, being there for 5mins. My cousin was asked to leave due to a Unilocal review, they accused him of saying the place has bad management and never has vodka. We found it embarrassing we had to leave. Also to the owner, if you can’t take suggestions or criticisms don’t own a business. Even though he didn’t write the review, we are going to take it as we were discriminated, that’s why we were asked to leave. The owner is black and we are Asian. We don’t want to pull the race card but that’s how it felt to us.

Capone’s Speakeasy has undergone an ownership change. hints of menu changes coming.
Carole C. mentions strict dress code no longer in effect. (phew! own neither a dress nor a tex.
undersized suit, yes).
décor fab. bank vaults (wells fargo) are private dining rooms. flatscreen on wall facing bar. (go figure). long bar, large, elegant dining area. noticed pricey dinner/​bar menu. review for HH only
HH: 4 – 7, drafts (4:)speakeasy drafts, lst amendement grapefruit, ace cider, stella, blue moon, lagunistas, trumer… wines (5 or 6, forget).
–eats: wings (5)various flavors, salad, bar bites (8) and a few others
brew: speakeasy ale, fab dark beer (4), ace cider (4) slightly sour tasty cider
eats: thai chili wings (6/​$ 5)
–meat tender but tasteless, probably broiled/.boiled, then fried (works for KFC!)
mae ploy sweet chili sauce (or a generic) tossed on top of wings.
*better than average,
foodnotes:
–notice standing board outside (sometimes) re fried chicken, other southern eats.
–stand in bartender cool (he’s the regular waiter)
–not sure about food, would skip dinner for now, look for standing board showing fried chicken.
–draught beer cheap! (4) go anytime 4 – 7.
–soft musical background.
3.5 stars for HH only.

My Husband and I were looking for a nice place to have dinner and enjoy some live music. I’m not sure if we would return. I attempted to order some items off of the menu, they were out of steak, chicken wings and also mashed potatoes. Menu is very small so we
Were limited to selecting Linguini, Catfish or Fried Chicken. They were also out of most sides and appetizers. I ordered the Fried Chicken and my husband ordered the Blackened Catfish. Food was very good aside from the Corn Bread it had a terrible after taste like old frying grease was added to the mixture. Our appetizer was delicious, we had the Garlic Shrimp. We also loved the Dessert, it was the best Bread Pudding I had in my life. The staff were wonderful and very friendly. The bar is gorgeous although they were not stocked on liquor as well. They had only two beers on tap but had the capacity to have at least 16 beers on tap but were all capped off. If you want to go to a place for nice Ambiance this is a nice place, live music was ok. This place can be great if they made some improvements with having all food offered on Menu and stocked up their Bar.

5 stars for the host too. She lured me and my friends in by telling us the history of the place which we liked!

Thank you for the invite Bella! We enjoyed the service, food, music & drinks. Thank you Chef Frank Fate’…the fried chicken, greens, carrots & jalapeño corn bread was to die for! Wow
We will return soon.

After a year, my hubby and I are back to give Capone Speakeasy another try. We notice the restaurant has all new staff. Maybe it is under new management. The place looks the same except it needs more alcohol bottles on the shelf to enhance the décor at the bar. Tony, the bartender, is warm and friendly. Just the person we want to associate with after a busy day at work. Yazmen and Joseph also gave us a warm welcome and made sure our dining experience is above our expectations. Hold on, it doesn’t end there. Chief Fáte’s delicious Jambalaya with tasty corn bread complete the delightful experience at Capone. I give it three stars because it’s our first time back. We will go back to post another review.

Place needs new management. service is dismal and drinks are lousy.
I will not repeat.
The concept is unusual which is a good indicator it will not work.
People walk up look in, see nobody inside and keep on going. Easy to walk away when you can do the tour from the front door.

Very classy place! Nice ambience and décor, food was amazing! The chef even came and spoke to us to see our faces when we tried the Capone Wings! Somebody call the fire Dept!!! ;-) I would say try the buffalo wings then slowly graduate to these!!!

Inasmuch as I would love to give Capone’s Speakeasy a five star rating, I’m holding it at a four star rating. It’s actually a 4.5 star, but service is a tad slow. Thus, a .5 star is deducted.
Capone’s has been under new management for about four months and there is no longer a strict dress code, per the discussion I have had with the hostess.
I stopped in last month while I was strolling Park Street on a Sunday evening (August 9, 2015) and saw their sandwich board with their specials advertised — blackened salmon, southern fried chicken and jambalaya. I peeked in and there was hardly anybody in the place. I decided to take a chance and go for their jambalaya.
Since I was a solo act, Tony the bartender greeted me with a friendly hello. I don’t imbibe, but he fixed me a non-​alcoholic tropical punch to whet my appetite. While waiting for Chef Fate’s jambalaya, Tony and I talked briefly. It’s a small world after all that Tony and I know some of the same people for at least 40 years. Chef Fate came out with the goods. Ooh, that jambalaya was screamin’ and had a nice bite or kick… a tad spicy for me. When the food is excellent, it’s enough to have me walk into the kitchen, holla «let me slap the cook and his mama» for doing it up right… lol. The portion was very generous — seasoned moist flavorful rice with chicken, sausage and shrimp atop two romaine lettuce leaves and accompanied with thinly sliced oranges. It was indeed a nice presentation of the entrée. Included was a house salad consisting of a spring mix, grape tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, kalamata olives and shredded carrot infused with a honey vinaigrette and two dinner rolls. The price blew me away; it was a deal — $ 15.00! I couldn’t even finish it. I had to take it home with me.
Yesterday, I strolled by Capone’s again and the sandwich board displayed their specials — southern fried chicken, blackened salmon and blackened rib eye. Desserts — tiramisu, cheesecake. Other specials were clam chowder and voo doo cornbread. I never heard of voodoo cornbread, and of course, that aroused my curiosity to have some. I told the hostess standing there that I will return. (I had to walk down the street to check out another business, Teazzert, to see if they were closed and no longer operating. Teazzert is still opened.)
Tony had the day off and wasn’t there. However, another gentleman, El-​Khalid, and a lovely young lady assisted me. I decided to forego the southern fried chicken and ordered the seafood pasta (salmon, scallops, prawns, sauteed with a light mushroom cream sauce and veggies). The item was not available, but a suggestion was offered — linguini pasta with garlic shrimp. All right, I can go for that. Linguini sauteed in olive oil and fresh garlic cloves, diced tomatoes, fresh basil, white wine and butter. ²⁰⁄₂₀ hindsight… I should have eaten the linguini here instead of this restaurant (Linguini’s Café Pasta & Vino) further north on Park Street, which got a two star rating last month on their aglio e olio con funghi. They charged me $ 16.00 for linguini without the mushrooms. The price of linguini with garlic shrimp at Capone’s was $ 18.00, which included a house salad and four thinly sliced grilled Italian bread. Capone’s did not skimp on the shrimp. There were seven pieces of shrimp. Definitely, there is no comparison between the linguini at Linguini’s Café and Capone’s. Capone’s got it hands down and two thumbs up. I also ordered the voodoo cornbread. I’m used to eating sweet cornbread, but who do the voodoo cornbread? It was unique in flavor — moist with a subtle kick of cajun seasoning and minced jalapeño peppers… truly savory. I have to thank the hostess for recommending the cornbread that has everybody raving about it.
For those who enjoy rib eye steaks, the blackened rib eye (16 oz. grilled) is $ 25.00, which is served with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.
Return trips? Yes, yes, yes. The ambiance is classy. It has a nice size dance floor. I haven’t checked out the vault. Then, I wouldn’t mind getting together with one of my classmates (who was here on a Saturday outing last month) to organize a party later this year and/​or in the future.

I came here to get my creative on at the open mic… their bar really needs an extra cat or two. The place was full but not packed and I waited a really long time not only to order but to receive my drinks. Fried chicken was very good. Drinks were very strong. This place has a great vibe and the employees were all lively and attentive and helpful.
I will be a returning patron for sure.
Can’t wait to have a full on meal here.

This is the first bad review I have written on Unilocal.This story is like something from a hidden camera show or Wayward Pines… only it wasn’t.
The girlfriend and I came for drinks and an appetizer. The gf ordered chardonnay and I ordered one of their specialty drinks, the white lady, and we ordered a shrimp appetizer. The waitress returned saying that they were out of all chardonnay and somehow out of the white lady cocktail.
She ordered a different white wine and I ordered a whiskey sour. The waitress soon returned with the wine and the shrimp. She says they are out of whiskey sours, How you can be out of a cocktail, I do not know. Then she informs me I can choose any cocktail on the house for the inconvenience, OK, knob creek on the rocks.
We started eating the appetizer and the waitress arrived with my whiskey sour. The shrimp were overcooked, and… what? I thought you were out of whiskey sours. The drink was weak, I didn’t taste any alcohol.
Soon after I finished the drink the waitress arrived with my drink on the house… another whiskey sour. So confused… we immediately asked for the check to end the strange experience. Fifteen minutes later the waitress returned, apologizing for the delay, then says she will get the check. At this point I was done, I waited five minutes, then went to the bar to pay. I explained our experience to the bartender and all I got was an apology and the check.
$ 36 for a alcohol free whiskey sour, glass of wine, and overcooked shrimp. Avoid this place.

This *feels* like a place that should really be buzzing. It’s gigantic, well-​appointed, very tasteful. But I’ve been here twice and it was an absolute ghost town. A couple of weeks ago, my group of three were the only people in the entire venue.
The drinks were great, the prices were fair, and the service was friendly. The bartender was knowledgable and was able to discuss whiskies with my friend at length.
Best of all? The place was not head-​crushingly loud. I strongly dislike yelling.
Come to think of it, this would be a great first date place if you’re hoping for a deep dive into conversation.
Parking? Street. I believe there’s a garage one street over. If you came here at night, I think the street parking would be pretty doable, as there are a number of 9−5-type offices nearby.

While it’s not hitting on all cylinders, I kind of like this spot. It’s definitely the most upscale place in Alameda. The quick summary of why I like it, Capone’s is a little bit classy with some excellent cocktails. I like the décor, which I’d describe as tastefully upscale. Even the TVs are well placed, so you could watch the Warriors if you’d like or lounge away and ignore the screens The vaults are really cool, and one of them can be used as a private room! Still, it’s a bit of a mixed bag overall.
I went there with a friend relatively late on a Thursday and encountered a really nice bartender, but only a handful of patrons. It was casino night, which was pretty fun. You start out with a «100» chip for each drink you buy, and if you triple it, you’ve earned another drink. Speaking of drinks, they have an excellent menu with classics both new and old. My Ward 8 was very tasty. Note that you’ll see a lot of draft beers on the menu, but can order a few. Unfortunately, a lot of the taps were closed. The night we were there, they happened to also be out of mint. So when my homey ordered a mojito, it didn’t happen. But the bartender made a great recovery and fixed up a classic 1937 recipe I’d like to try, Donga Punch. Look it up.
We tried an app and the calamari was pretty OK. Not great, not bad. Which kind of sums up the whole experience. So I’ll give the place Capone’s three stars. I’d be happy to hang out there anytime, but won’t go out of my way. If it catches on, it could turn into something special though. So if the vibe sounds appealing, check it out. It’s just a few steps from being a 4-​star joint.
Caveat, the Alameda cops are famous for track people out of bars and following for an easy bust. Be smart if you’re drinking and driving.

Went here to see some music with friends. The music was great, but my overall impression is that they’re trying way too hard. The bar service was very mixed, and even though we had a reserved table, the server completely forgot our order, and after ½ hour told her not to bother.
Very few vegan options. Not worth your time, there are better places in Alameda.

New Year’s Eve 2015! W00T!
SITREP
I think the headline captures it all! Capone’s Speakeasy is an outstanding venue to celebrate our New Year’s at! And for me personally, what better way to herald in the New Year 2015 than with the awesome location of my the New Year’s Party I ended with!
VENUE
Capone’s is in a downtown Alameda location right at the corners of Central & Park (Hey! That actually sounds like a park I’ve been to in New York City!) and that makes it extremely accessible for individuals — like myself — coming from out of town, from Sacramento to be exact.
The drinks are top caliber, and the staff are amazingly welcoming and friendly. In addition, the furnishings and the décor of Capone’s is top notch. Seriously — it’s like watching into a wonderful bar-​speakeasy like the one’s I’ve hit in Chicago, New York and Seattle.
BUT WHY?
But «Why?» you may ask would I travel down that distance to Capones in the first place? WHY…
LEE PRESSON & THE NAILS!
Oh.My.Freakin.GOD! If you swing-​dancing lovers ever get a chance to catch Lee Presson and his amazeballz band, «The Nails», you must go see them! [Well, and to be honest, this was a TWO-​part NYE night! We spent the first part — 7:30pm-10pm — on the USS Hornet for a HUGE Swing-​time event! (See review above). And then we skedaddled (swing-​style) to Capone’s.]
Lee & da Nails had the dance floor hopping & swingin nonstop all night long until after Midnight, with classic standards and Lee’s best songs. It was a great time, and with our complimentary glasses of champagne, we were able to bring in 2015 with a *BANG!*
DANCE ONWARD!
I have to say that as a venue, Capone’s brings a lot of style to the swing-​dance environment in Alameda, and if bands like Lee Presson & The Nails become a standard at this venue, then it’s a no brainer that my friends and I will continue to patronize this establishment.
THE LOWDOWN
A great swinging time in Alameda!

First time coming to Capone’s!
It was jazz night, so there was a live band and patrons dancing on the floor. Loved the atmosphere! We found a seat on one of the many couches and a server came to take our order. I got the Kissing Bandit. The drink sounds good in theory, but the bits of strawberry kept getting stuck in the straw and it just got annoying to drink. Eh, pass. I tried a sip of the Alameda Island Iced Tea which was better. Both drinks were strong.
Judging from the bad reviews, I feel like the food isn’t the best? So just come here after dinner for a drink and relax!

Came into Capone’s Speakeasy last night to watch Game 1 of the World Series. Don’t pay attention to the crazy people to have this place bad reviews. Understand that it’s new and opening, so have patience as they are working out the kinks.
Food: a friend and I shared the cucumber salad with tuna and the tomato bisque with the grilled cheese. Both were amazing!!! The tomato bisque was probably the best I had ever had and the grilled cheese completely hit the spot with the delicious cheese and soft but crunchy (yes it’s possible) bread.
Drinks: I ordered the Hellinger, it was a bourbon type of night. And to my surprise it was smooth and tasty.
Environment: It’s a Tuesday night, so I wasn’t it expecting it to be crowded, but I did expect more people since they did have the World Series playing on 5 different TVs. I’m not complaining as I absolutely enjoyed myself!
This place is amazingly gorgeous and I’m looking forward to coming back on a weekend, when I can dress up, listen to music and dance!