http://www.yellowbot.com/caffe-verbena-oakland-ca.html http://st1.cdn.ypbot.net/prod/brands/yellowbot/logo_homepage_header.v0aa1e17.gif http://www.yellowbot.com/ http://www.yellowbot.com/caffe-verbena-oakland-ca.html the steel and glass of the shorenstein building disappear once you enter this warm, sophisticated restaurant in oaklands city center. tell your boss youre off to the dentist and sneak over for a two-hour, multicourse lunch, where the light, bright, fresh cal-med food is characterized... http://www.yellowbot.com/caffe-verbena-oakland-ca.html elegance takes root in downtown oakland... http://www.yellowbot.com/caffe-verbena-oakland-ca.html Wow!! This is the best restaurant in Oakland. My wife and I made a reservation for 7:00 on a Friday and there was a jazz quartet playing in the foyer adjoining the restaurant. Excellent, knowledgable service and I had the Hangar Steak. Real good. Wife had a seared tuna salad. They discount the entire wine list to half price on mondays. cool. Matt Renda http://www.yellowbot.com/caffe-verbena-oakland-ca.html I've been to Verbena several times for business lunches. The food is always delicious and well-presented. I particulary enjoyed the chorizo pizza and seared gnocchi - the desserts are wonderful as well. The wait-staff has always been attentive and helpful. I also went to Verbena for a margarita happy hour - very tasty... Pros + diverse menu, friendly staff, fast lunch service http://www.yellowbot.com/caffe-verbena-oakland-ca.html Everything was excellent. Upscale but not a bit pretentious. We went with a bothersome child, and waiter handled her with aplomb. Try the quince upsaide down cake for dessert -- you'll never forget it. Just wish the downtown Oakland area was livelier, but that's not restaurant's fault (and, in fact, that seems to be changing for the better lately). Pros + Elegant setting, excellent service, validated/free parkin Cons - sparse city scene, difficult to find http://www.yellowbot.com/caffe-verbena-oakland-ca.html An oasis in the bleak downtown Oakland dining scene. A jazzy, glowing, wood paneled dining room welcomes you into it's private supper club atmosphere. We took Bart to the 12th street City Center stop and Verbena is located at the top of the 11th street entrance in the lobby of the Shorenstien building. Hard to find but well worth it. Our dinner started with expertly made martini's at the impressive stone topped bar. You must have a Verbenatini, made with lemoncello it is light and refreshing. We were then seated and ordered the calamari and smoked salmon appetizers. The calamari is light and crisp with slices of fried lemon and fennel. The smoked salmon is thinly sliced and placed on warm cornmeal pancakes with creme friache....yum! For dinner we had the Lamb Shank and the White truffle morel pizza. Both were excellent, the lamb is braised until the meat falls from the bone served with creamy mashed potato and buttery carrots. The pizza was light and crisp with fresh corn and white truffle oil. We then ordered the corn meal strawberry shortcake wich was toasted and loaded with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. We had an excellent meal and I would encourage all to visit. Well worth the money and excellent service also, attentive and well informed. http://www.yellowbot.com/caffe-verbena-oakland-ca.html While it's a convenient business meeting place in Oakland, this restaurant has some severe blemishes that make it hard to recommend. I would not return here. The service at lunch the other day was catastrpohic. When the waiter knocked over a wine glass spilling wine on the table and on me his comment was 'good thing it wasn't red wine!'. We were left to mop up the mess with our napkins. Unfilled water, coffee that was never refilled, wine that was delivered after the first course arrived all also marred what should have been a pleasant dining experience. The food was hit and miss. Fried calamari and a fritto of artichoke were light and tasty. The chicken salad was soggy, overdressed, and very light on the chicken. Desert was good with the strawberry shortcake being delightful. Pros + Location, Parking Cons - Service http://www.yellowbot.com/caffe-verbena-oakland-ca.html The zucchini salad offered fresh and delicious produce - very seasonal. Service is prompt and polite, and we sat in a booth rather than a table after requesting it upon arrival. Mushroom pizza is divine with its thin, crisp crust, and "shiny fresh fish of the day" doesn't disappoint. Too bad there aren't more things happening closeby after work in the area - this is a fun dinner spot for large groups and co-workers. Pros + Easy night parking, Mood music, Good value Find local businesses and read and submit reviews and ratings q http://www.yellowbot.com/search/