alaMar

I came here with a few girlfriends on Saturday night to try out Restaurant Week.
We started out with cocktails, and I loved the Captain’s Daughter (though as usual, I’d have made it with a lot more spice).
Most of us ordered the meatballs and peel and eat shrimp. The meatballs were pretty dense and hearty. I personally did not love the sauce they came in (gravy?), then again, my favorite meatballs come from IKEA, so let’s put that into perspective!
The peel and eat shrimp though, were delicious! There were about 7 – 8 giant shrimp, with a delicious sauce that I couldn’t get enough of and potatoes. All of us loved the shrimp and sauce, though I’d venture to say this is definitely not a first date meal! Then again, maybe wearing a bib on a first date is a good way to break the monotony!
For dessert, we got sundaes and the chocolate donuts. Both were fine. The donuts seemed too dense to me and in fact, made me want to go over to calavera for their delicious and fluffy donuts.
Overall, I’d come back here, though I’d stick to the seafood and drinks!

Ox tail! I know with all the seafood on the menu the ox tail is easy to over look but It is so well made!!! Bread with everything because the gravy and sause is way to good to forget about! The open kitchen makes it a fun open space. The bartenter Eric has so much passion when discussing a cocktail or spirit. I always bring friends here when I get a chance. And sneak in solo to enjoy the food and a cocktail after a long day.

Came here for oakland restaurant week last night. I’ve always heard great things about this place so alamar had to be my first go to place for oaklands restaurant week. Food that was really good from beginning to end. Albondigas meatball was really flavorful and had a hint of indian curry to the taste. The peel and eat gulf shrimp was pretty good and the sauce tasted like cambodian curry, but you can probably go somewhere else and get more flavorful shrimp at a lower price. Im not a dessert person so i wont comment on that. We also ordered bone marrow which was really good and had lots of flavor to it. The atmosphere was really nice and i loved the décor. The staff were nice, helpful and it could be because it was a busy night i liked how our waitress didnt keep coming asking the usual «how is everything» while my mouth is stuffed with food. i really like how theres a large sink to in the restaurant near the kitchen just for you to wash your hands. I will definitely come again to try the other dishes they have to offer.

We came here for Oakland Restaurant Week (ORW) 2016 on a Tuesday. Wife made reservations for 6:30pm earlier in the day and we got seated as soon as the hostess freed up and checked the reservations.
The restaurant was ~80% full, and a couple things that initially stood out was the «Golden Boys» artwork on the wall by the bar featuring Steph Curry, Draymond Green; and the three person sink by the kitchen. The sink is purposeful since it keeps the restroom free if you just want to wash your wands after eating their Peel&Eat Shrimp.
Food-​wise: more misses than hits for me, and it’s possibly because they were venturing off their normal menu for ORW. Menu description made it sound interesting/​delicious, but taste-​wise, the food was alright — not bad, but not as good as it sounded.
+ Highlight here was the Peel&Eat Gulf Shrimp — portion was smaller than usual because of ORW — sauce was delicious and a bit on the spicy side. It reminded me of being at Boiling Crab or similar type of restaurant.
— Other items we tried — Oysters (delicious, we liked the sauce), Albondigas meatballs, Organic Winter Rocolla Salad (fresh/​tasty), Red Bay Coffee Chicken, Tcho Chocolate Malasadas (be careful of the coffee caramel since it’s bitter-​sweet — my wife isn’t used to it so she didn’t like it), and the Spice Green Apple Sorbet (good with the sour foam and some dried apples).
Overall, we’ll come back for happy hour again, and possibly the Peel&Eat Gulf Shrimp while checking out other items on their regular menu. I agree with other reviewers on here that there’s better value in Oakland to be had.

I went on a Friday night and it was an awesome meal and service provided by the staff and Chef at alaMar.
We had the Oakland Eat Week special and it was great from beginning to end. We started off with a few oysters and the plantains… rolled into the salad and meatballs for our next stop. We both enjoyed the peel and eat shrimp with a few glasses of wine.
The service was on point and quick.

As a recent resident of Oakland for a couple of years, it’s been quite an experience to witness such drastic changes happening around the Town, especially in the Uptown neighborhood. I’ve moved to Los Angeles for work since then, but when I visit home I make sure to find a reason to take friends and family back out to alaMar. Even after almost a year of being away, I was warmly welcomed with the same familiar faces over the holidays. To me, that speaks volumes.
Seafood fusion restaurant alaMar proves to be a remarkable establishment that I hope Oakland residents, old and new, recognize to be a gem for what I hope will be years and years to come.
The Staff
The hosts, bartenders, servers, and Chef Nelson are all so very courteous, accommodating, and genuine. Everything from allowing to keep our reservations despite being delayed and having a few flakers in my party, to recognizing my face and remembering my name from a few visits before. That’s how you know the team knows how to embrace and be a part of the community! And, I’d imagine that a lot of people from all over the Bay and beyond come here often. I brought my parents in from Vallejo and my relatives from Tracy on two different occasions in the same week, even. Chef Nelson was also a pleasure to meet. He came by and greeted me and my guests a few times. Nothing but great things to say about all of the people here.
The Bar
I’ve been at the bar solo, with my friends, and even with my old folks. The cocktails are amazing, and the ambiance is great — especially when catching a Dubs game. The bartenders were friendly and attentive, so much that, for the times I waited for a table, it goes by super quick. I could’ve stayed longer, thanks to the big screen TVs and tasty selection of drinks and bar bites.
The Food
I’m a huge fan of seafood in general, and appreciate flavorful seafood boils, almost to a fault. The twists that Chef Nelson puts on his entrees makes them even better. I’ll admit, the mix of flavors were unusual and foreign at first, but do not let that perturb you! The succulent seafood options and their sauces are so unbelievably rich and flavorful that I usually use every last bit of it as a dipping sauce for my bread, or over hot rice even. Each and every bite became more and more addicting — I’m always scraping at the bottom of the pot for more. The land options are just as amazing. That oxtail stew never disappoints as the meat is always flakey, tender, and juicy. The sauce is, as always, to die for. The appetizers are always on point as well. I get oysters when they’re available, and the coconut shrimp and chicken wings regularly.
The Vibe
The restaurant has a sharp-​looking exterior, and an urban-​yet-​classy interior. I’m a bit biased with nautical, as well as browns and blues, but man the bridge mural with the ropes against the walls for this kind of restaurant makes it all the more tasteful. The rustic wash station in the main area makes you WANT to eat with your hands, just for the washing experience. No joke! As for the crowd, I’ve gone on Mondays, Fridays and weekends. I have seen families, old couples, college compadres, and young professionals all enjoy alaMar equally. Different crowds mean a different scene each time, but it looks like they’ve always left satisfied! It is so very «New Oakland» if I say so myself, but in the most positive of ways.
I can’t wait to visit home again just to hit alaMar up. Keep it up!

Food was good. We ordered a bunch of small plates and cocktails. We were sat 45 minutes after our reservation and there were no drinks or appetizers offered.
Not the customer service I expect for the price point.

In honor of the late Natalie Cole, our review of alaMar:
Um, forgettable, that’s what you ahh…
Um, forgettable, our chicken was raw…
Though the rest was fairly edible,
We rate you as, um, forgettable,
That’s why you got this three star review

In a sea of restaurants in Oakland, mediocrity is rapidly becoming king. My husband and I have been on a quest to find a decent date spot, and experiences like this are really making us think it’s just best to stay home.
We live a few blocks from here, but have never visited. I was in the mood for seafood, and based on the high reviews decided to give it a try. Should know better by now. I was a bit taken aback by the décor, which looked like a spot you would visit on your lunchbreak, ie Specialties. The menu looked good, so we were excited to dive in, but our enthusiasm almost instantaneously dwindled.
We ordered 3 starters. We had the crispy goat cheese, and the breading or what have you tasted like a churro. The parmesan truffle tornado was abysmal, completely flavorless, and the texture was almost like a roasted apple. Disgusting. We had a dozen oysters which were ok, but the sauce it came with tasted like liquid salt. When the waitress asked why we didn’t finish our tornado, we said we didn’t care for it. Her response: «Really? No one EVER says that!» Just wow. For one, I find that hard to believe, unless the only customers they have are 20 year olds used to eating at McDonalds, two, I can give a flying fig what «everyone else says», and three, I know what tastes good to «me». I’ve dined in many lands over many decades, and I think I know what I consider a good meal.
She suggested that we share the mains, which we already planned on doing anyway. I don’t know why this suggestion was made, because our oxtail stew had exactly 3 small pieces in it (I saw one review complain about having only 7), crazy for $ 25. The oxtail was decent, but after eating Dominican in New York for years, I found nothing particularly ethnic about it; it was like a homemade pot roast, but the broth was good. Date night was a joke, as our waitress constantly buzzed around our table, picking up plates when we were barely finished, and repeatedly interrupting our conversations. I actually started timing her, and she was coming around about every 6 minutes. Wtf? I don’t know if she was being overly attentive and clueless, or just a royal pain in the ass. Either way it was very off-​putting, to say the least.
When I ordered the cocktails, she made sure I knew it was small batch by repeating it several times, as if I was supposed to say that in my order, and as if I didn’t know what that meant. I found it annoying and condescending, as it said small batch on the menu, and that is really the only kind of liquor I buy or order these days. I got the feeling that she wasn’t used to working in a supposedly «upscale» place. Which this is not, by the way. The cocktails had tons of ice, and no discernible liquor, a complete and total waste of money.
To top off a completely disappointing evening, we ordered one more drink, thinking maybe we could finally relax and talk. Nope – here comes the busboy lumbering toward our table, clumsily and wordlessly scrubbing all over our table to «clean» it with a not so clean looking dishrag, without even acknowledging our presence, as if he were preparing for the next customers. This place is a disaster on all fronts if you value your time, money, energy, or palate.

This placed was packed an a weekday night. It’s upscale and a good place if you want to impress the special someone on a nice date.
However I’m personally a hole in the wall kind of guy and did not feel the need for the extra modern ambience. The tables are pretty close together so it may be a bit noisy.

Rich flavorful dishes in a vibrant urban chic setting. Ate here with my family, including my 86 yo Mom– and the staff couldn’t be nicer or more accommodating — they even sent us us a couple complementary salads after a slight mixup with our reservation. For starters, we tried their crispy spiral-​sliced fried truffle Parmesan potatoes, sticky chicken wings and fried plantains. All these were excellent but those potatoes are da BOMB. Our party of 6 then shared the oxtail, the shrimp, and the mussels– each served in rich saucy broths and served in iron pots– and the chicken which was smothered with a creamy rich sauce. In retrospect– we ordered too may similar dishes because although the sauces were unique to each dish, there were common elements (small potato wedges and corn cobs) that made it hard for any one to shine. The oxtail was sooo tender and meaty that we would have happily stopped there (after sopping up every drop of the flavorful gravy). The shrimp (whole with heads on the way they should be!) were bathed in an equally flavorful sauce that defied you not to slurp the shells and head. The mussels– excellent withy chunks of smoky bacon– wow. We all agreed that while delicious, this was a very rich meal!

hmmm…
The last time I was here was not so great. The food was okay, the prices horrendous.
Lobster in madras curry — let me just say that the curry sauce was delicious… the lobster, not so much, and at $ 50, it should be better.
Manila clams — good. Not a huge portion and the sauce was better than the clams.
chicken — small portions. Good chicken. Good sauce.
Shishito pepper — Pathetic, shriveled up, burnt tiny peppers. Not okay.
Shrimp lollipops — definitely good. Probably the best thing we had.
Cocktails: Terrible
Had some thing that tasted like it was ALL ginger. Totally unbalanced.
Service: Awful. Super, super slow. It was hard to get their attention. Never had the same server twice. Really lackluster.
For 4 of us, our tab was almost $ 270 without tip. Such as waste. You can do so much better in Oakland.

Good service and pretty good food. Venue is more industrial modern casual with small tables so if your looking for fancy this is not the place.
Oxtails were delicious and so were the oysters. I had the infamous bone marrow and it didn’t do it for me. We also ordered the parmasean chips which were good.
There’s several sinks incorporated into the restaurant seating area which was a cool feature.

Came here to celebrate the boyfriend’s birthday with his family and we had a fantastic time. The décor is hip, and the staff is friendly. We were a big group so we ordered almost everything on the menu!
Let’s start with the FANTASTIC stuff:
1. Lobster: If you’re here for a special occasion then this is worth the splurge. The sauce is finger-​licking good!!! Our whole table was soaking pieces of bread to get every bit of the juices in our bellies!
2. Crab: Same sauce as the lobster. I’d go with one or the other. We only ordered both because we were a big group of 7 people so we each had a taste.
3. Ox Tail: OMG, this reminds of the good stuff they serve at Chinese restaurants. Definitely a bit of Asian fusion. The ox tail is so tender that it just melts off the bone and into your mouth. Definitely order a bowl of rice to go with it if you need some carbs to fill you up!
4. Oysters: Briney to just the right degree. Tasted like fresh sea water. YUM.
6. Parmesan Chips: Crispy salty goodness. I love this stuff, although you can get these at any fair or food festival these days.
7. Donut: DO NOT SKIP THIS. Trust me, I was slowing down towards the end but ONE BITE OF THIS DELICIOUSNESS AND I CAME BACK TO LIFE AGAIN. WOW. Crispy on the outside and doughy/​chewy on the inside. Served hot a la mode. I mean, is this heaven on earth or what?
The Just OK:
1. Plantain Quinoa balls — I’m a huge fan of fried plantains at caribbean restuarants but for some reason this combo just didn’t gel for me. It was too dense and mushy.
2. Clams — Very spicy. Order at your own risk.
3. Bay Scallop Salad — tasty dressing but the scallops were miniscule.
4. Bone marrow: Pretty standard.

The basil drink I had at the bar was perfect. We had 4 drinks while we waited to be seated.
The oxtail entrée with the rice was savory and delicious .
Bone marrow is why we came here but it was a but disappointing. There was some green pasty stuff on top of the marrow which gave the marrow an unpleasant taste. Be it that I’m big on marrow that was a huge let down.
However the chicken wings and bread were good so we still enjoyed our dinner.

Unilocal coerced me with all the pics of crispy goat cheese and oysters! I’m so glad I checked it out cause everything tasted as good as the pictures. Our server was super nice too. The coconut shrimp lollipops, oysters and goat cheese were all fantastic.

The shrimp here is fantastic! I’ve been here 2 times but my first experience was much more impressive. The first time my boyfriend and I ordered the oysters, the bone marrow and the shrimp… boy were were HOOKED! Everything was amazing including the bread. It was toasted and buttered to protection. Everything had us mesmerized which is why we had to come back again!
The second time we ordered the shrimp and oxtail. The oxtail was very tender and cooked very well. However, it came out kind of cold. The bread was also different from the first time, it was sliced differently (I don’t know why but it matters to me), and also cold. Our server, I think her name as Trevor ?? (It was the name I saw on the check). She has glasses and pretty long braid. She was so kind to heat everything back up for us. I hate being bothersome and high maintenance but she didn’t make me feel so. The shrimp came out second and it was a bit underwhelming. It was a bit overcooked and the broth was not as amazing as I remembered it to be. Trevor asked us how everything was and I don’t know if she overheard us talking or could tell that we weren’t impressed by the food but she asked us how it was and would love to know what we thought about the food this time compared to last time.
At the end we were given a pleasant surprise of a complementary pineapple flan. IT WAS SO GOOD! It ended up to be my favorite dish of the night haha. I will come back for the dessert any time :)
Even though my first experience was better, our lovely server made up for it the second time and we will remain alaMar fans!

OMG! alaMar is alaGOOD, alaYUMMY!
With all the new restaurants popping around Oakland, this is one of the FEW places that is REPEAT-​worthy! Small, modern space and welcoming staff which at first, thought the menu would be limited to seafood.
Starters: (note…happy hour pricing on some of these items before 6:30)
* Chicken wing confit — tender, fall off the bone with five-​spice and honey. — worth a try but will probably pass on next time.
* Parmesan truffle tornado crisp — thinly spiral-​cut potatoes drizzled with truffle oil, parmesan — MUST GET… crispy, cheesy deliciousness — ordered 2 at happy hour pricing!
* Coconut shrimp lollipops — minced shrimp, formed, breaded and fried with a sweet dipping sauce. — our waitress made sure to describe as previous customers questioned the shrimp… weird…read the description people! — DELICIOUS
Land items:
* Braised Oxtail — dont be put off by oxtail… this was tender perfection accompanied with yellow squash and corn cob in a deep-​rich brown reduction! HEAVENLY — bowl lickable!
* Roasted chicken with a cider, cream sauce with sun-​dried tomatoes — potatoes and corn on the cob… SAUCE was another hit and pieces of dark meat chicken cooked perfectly
Accompanied with bread and lightly toasted with olive oil… had to order more as the sauces to both dishes were ‘oh so memorable!!!’ that we used the bread to swipe up every bit of goodness
Our server Helena was definitely on-​point, friendly, knowledgeable about the menu which is hard to find a server whose a triple threat! Thanks Helena! Also, notes made on my Opentable reservation were acknowledged which shows attention to detail…
Overall dining experience was a definite 5-​stars (insert standing applause here!)! We’ll definitely return

Ordered online for the Braised Angus Beef Dominican Rice Bowl ($ 11.50) + Added Sweet Plantains ($ 1.25)
** Check your to-​go orders. They forgot to include the Sweet Plantains! **
That said, they were nice enough to call me about my «No Cilantro» request to say most of their items have some cilantro in the recipe. I said I was OK with that, just no extra garnish.
When I opened the container, I thought they forgot (
), but it turned out to be sprinkle of parsley. The bowl has white rice, beans, cabbage slaw, and the protein. .. the angle of picture doesn’t show it well, but it was a pretty skimpy serving of the beef; there was just a few forks worth and almost twice as much beans as beef.
The beef was super tender, but pretty salty. Definitely needed to mix in with the rice to make it more palatable. Rice was pretty clumpy. .. not sure if it’s the style or a result of the take-​out & travel before digging in.
3-​stars for the food & value. Docking another for the order snafu.

I love the owner/​chef here as well as the rest of the staff — they really care about their customers. Friendly service and a smile with excellent knowledge of the food and drink options. The chef dropped by to chat with us — I really appreciate that kind of thing.
We had a series of small plates all were very good. Roasted brussel sprouts with olive oil, savories and bacon; fresh shucked oysters with mignonette ($ 1.50 eash during happy hour!!!); excellent chicken wing confit (why didn’t I think of that recipe); and a bay scallop salad with Mizuna, grapefruit, fennel, apple and vinaigrette.
The drink special was a very tasty vodka, apricot, lemon and thyme concoction shaken over ice and served neat.
Definitely on my list for another visit to sample the large plates.