B Restaurant & Bar

Wow… a cool California-​style bistro in Oakland! Great Pizza, a friendly staff and excellent wine list… Expect to pay SF prices here (no Oak discount) but it is worth it. Enjoy!

Oakland will miss B — Oakland.
Thanks for all the good times.

This place, this wonderful pioneer top eatery in Old Oakland, is closing. There’s a special dinner Friday, so go down and eat with the owners between 6 PM and 9 PM.

Five of us went to Tamarindo but they were super busy and didn’t want to wait 30 – 40 minutes for a table. Then we remembered there was a nice restaurant just around the corner and walked over to B Restaurant & Bar. Yes, thank goodness they have seats available. It was our first time dining here. It looks very nice inside the restaurant. I like the interior, bar area, open fire pizza oven, artwork, windows, thick glass tables & candles on the table. Looks like a romantic place.
It seems as if they’re known for their pizza and wasn’t feeling pizza for dinner. We all ordered separate entrees. They were pretty expensive. I had wanted to get the housemade fettucine entrée but they were out. They have gnocchi ($ 17) and went for that instead. My other friends ordered the pork chop entrée ($ 27) and daily fish entrée ($ 25?).
It was my first time having gnocchi and boy oh boy, MmmMmm, yummy! It was so delicious. I do not know what’s in the gnocchi or how they made it soft & chewy, but it was sure one delicious plate. One of my friend tried it and he told me it’s probably one of the best gnocchi he has ever had. It was that great! I’ve tried a taste of their pork chop, and it’s tasty as well. It was a thick & moist. Had time for dessert and ordered the chocolate coffee mousse ($ 7). It was good.
My friend’s fish wasn’t cooked well. It was kind of raw. I don’t know if it’s meant to be half raw/​cooked. She wanted the fish to be well cooked/​done. The waiter took the fish back (twice) and cooked it well to her liking. By the time they brought her plate back, we were done eating. They offered her a free dessert for the time lost. I also tried the fish. It was okay but I’ve had better fish. I’m sure if she was writing a Unilocal review, it would not be a four star for her due to her experience. But since I had a good dinner and the quality of the food was great & tasty, I gave B a 4 star.
Overall, service was great. Food was delicious. The only negative were the prices & small portions. Next time, maybe I’ll try their pizza since it’s at a reasonable price. I would definitely get the gnocchi again if they have it. Oh, definitely get ginger ale. They use real ginger. It’s a must get item!

Went here on a Sat night. Not busy at all. No need to make a reservation, but I was with a party of 6 so I did anyways!
I checked out the reviews on Unilocal beforehand– the food looked alright, so did the menu.
Ordered the Burger, truffle fries and Bianca pizza (with added sausage) —I shared with my partner
Burger: Very THICK meatloaffy style patty. Not bad, but not great. Flavor was OK. Also came with Boursin cheese– if anyone doesn’t know what this is, it is spreadable cheese, I’ve always eaten it with crackers.
Overall– Good size burger, but lacked good flavor. The «cheese» wasn’t as great as say a piece of cheddar would do.
Truffle Fries: Kinda tasted like Burger King Fries, which I DO like… but people might think differently. Good size for $ 6
Pizza– Not bad in size, but tasted off. The pizza came with three cheeses and bits of sausage throughout. For $ 17 you are getting ripped off. I know this because after I went to B, I went across the street to District which also has pizzas, simlar in size and $ 5 less…
Service– Not sure if the waiter was being a dick, or if he was just a quirky guy.
Side note: Someone in our party ordered the Clam Pizza. I didn’t try it but they said it was literally clams and bread. They informed the waiter and he comped the pizza.
B is a super cool/​trendy spot, but IMO lacked in flavor.

I went with some friends there after having drinks at Liege. We split two appetizers (pâté and brusselsprouts) and split two pizzas (bruschetta and we asked to add a fried egg on top, and a mushroom pizza). They seemed to have a pretty good selection of entrees on the menu but we stuck with the pizzas… which is probably a the best deal price-​wise.
The pizzas were a good size and tasted good. I really enjoyed their pâté. The servers there don’t write down orders, so I was worried our order would come out wrong since I’ve had some bad experiences before, but everything came out correct. There were three of us and I don’t think any of us ended the meal still hungry.

My really dear friend promised to feed me and today that promise was kept. 9^th street at 8 pm looked pretty darn good to me.
White little lights adorned the tree lined streets and it was pretty quite and needless to say peaceful.
Walking thru the double doors was exciting. I didn’t know what to expect. I find the floor plan very inviting. Seating areas to your left and right and the bar smack in the middle slightly pushed back– location makes it an easy access for both right and left seating patrons.
Bare untreated cement floors added to that industrial chick look with a touch of classy warmth. Big glass windows facing the streets are primo spots.
I had their oh so juicy burger with what looks like a sourdough bread? It was like no other! The bread holds the fat burger cooked to perfection. It makes sense to me. A regular bun would fall apart and tear under the weight of the thick patty.
Now the truffle fries. OMG! Salty and perfectly cooked in truffle oil and I was in love! My friend made sure that I had my giant portion of the share.
The staff was awesome. Our glass of water was never empty! And yet service was unobtrusively provided.
I heard that during summer outdoor seating is available. I can’t wait to «B» here in 2012!

B Restaurant is located in a beautiful, historical building in Old Oakland (which happens to be my neighborhood, so I’m a little biased). When you first walk in, you’re hit by the amazing ambiance. The space is airy and modern while at the same time being rustic and inviting. And, on a sunny day, there is ample outdoor seating.
There are plenty of drink options and the changing menu is good for either a dinner or sharing. I myself like the pizza options, which are served with a thin crust and fresh toppings. My boyfriend is a big fan of the burger, and we both love the truffle fries. Yum! Today I also tried their soup du jour, which was a white bean bisque complete with pork belly. It had just enough zest and salt to make it interesting rather than blah.

I usually like this place very much. I’ve been there several times for both dinner and happy hour. Happy hour is very reasonable with their $ 10 pizzas and $ 6 for 6 oysters.
For some reason, this weekend’s visit didn’t hit the spot like it usually does but I will still say I’m a fan.
Usually I LOVE their pizzas. It’s thin crust and made to perfection. This last time, it was slightly burnt and the pork belly wasn’t as good as it usually is. Maybe there was something wrong with my taste buds that day because my husband thought it tasted fine but I am more high maintenance than he is when it comes to food so who you gonna believe! lol.
The oysters were good still. Even if the waiter took the plate away before we ate the last one. But I was disappointed that the mussels are no longer on the happy hour menu or the menu at all. I hope it’s a seasonal thing.
The staff are usually very friendly and nice. The host still was but our waiter scared us a little bit. He was waaaay too serious.

Great place for Happy Hour in an industrial loft-​like setting. Close to 12^th St. BART. However, it’s still pretty pricey, even with Happy Hour prices.
Truffle fries ($ 6) were crispy and toasty hot. They’re a bit thicker, like steak fries. They looked so pretty with a sprinkle of sea salt and dried parsley. Love that truffle oil! Simply delicious. We had to order another serving!
They were out of pork belly pizza ($ 10), so they subbed bacon. Nice smoky flavor. Works well with the cheeses they selected (provolone and shaved parmesan). I liked the frisee, onions, and egg on top and the crispy thin crust. I think it was so delicious because it just came out of the wood-​fired oven.
Roasted chicken pizza ($ 10) — the chicken was quite dry. Flavors were good, though.
Chicken liver pâté ($ 7) was smooth and tasty. Not like liver or cat food at all! Came with a chutney and whole grain mustard, artfully plated in little dots, just like you’d see on Food Network.
Oysters — fresh, tasty, good with a twist of lemon and mignonette sauce. They did an good job shucking them. Not a lot of sand and they weren’t too fishy. Good deal at $ 1 each. We had 2 kinds, one was tiny and the other was larger. Can’t remember the names, though. :(
Potato lasagna thing — yuck. I didn’t care for the dry crab-​like substance inside. Just oddly flavored and the textures weren’t appealing. Don’t get this one.
Drink of the day ($ 5) was the Chilcano de Pisco. It contained pisco, house made ginger ale, lime, and bitters. Flavor was well balanced and the drink was refreshing. Reminded me of a Pisco Sour, but an updated California version. A bit fruity, not too sweet, and it didn’t have that harsh alcoholic flavor. Unlike a Pisco Sour, it came in a regular sized glass with ice and no raw egg. I thought it had adequate booze in it, but I’m a lightweight. :)
I’d go here again for Happy Hour.

Wow! This is by far my favorite happy hour place! High five Old Oakland! You rock and are totally not ghetto!
What I would order here for happy hour (4:30 — 6:30):
Truffle Fries ($ 6): Strong truffle taste, fries are hot and crispy, parsley garnish, great portion size.
Raw Oysters ($ 6 for 6): Vinegar and onion dipping sauce, raw oysters in shell sitting on a bed of sea salt, great presentation.
Italian Margherita Pizza ($ 10): Large size, mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil, one of the best tasting pizzas I have ever experienced.
Daily Specialty Cocktail ($ 5): Made from fresh ingredients by a French bartender, great presentation and um great accent.
Did I mention that there are tasteful antler chandeliers, ample natural lighting, and no SF crowds?
Seriously, is this Old Oakland or Heaven?

This place is now opened for lunch again after being closed for awhile… sadly it didn’t get better and underwhelmed!
Walked in @ 11:30…place was empty. For lunch, they have it set up for self service… basically, order, pick up utensils and water at the counter… not a problem.
The menu selection sounded yummy but that’s all it was… sounded yummy
The execution on the pork belly pizzetta was terrible. I guess when i think of pork belly, i think of crispness with some juiciness… basically, the pork belly looked like bacon gone bad or boiled… gray is not a pretty color in food… especially, limp gray food.
The pizzetta was about 9″ (and $ 9) with italian parsley, frisee, red onions, and literally a slice of ‘grayness’ aka pork belly… sliced into 3 pieces… with a soft boiled egg on top… it could’ve been good but lacked any flavor…
Also ordered the truffle fries… accompanied with a lemonish aoili and ketchup… eh…another $ 7… Total of $ 17.10…with no drinks
Possibly they are better at dinner and will give it try based on the rave reviews… for lunch, a better option for flavor and pricing is Café 15 on Jefferson!

Wednesday night at 9:58pm. Wandering around Old Oakland… knock knock — anyone open? Whassup Oakland? Come on, now. Aargh. Had been told no so many times or just faced the locked door, that when my pal and I walked into B and I sheepishly asked if we could still get dinner, I was SHOCKED that they were pleasant, and friendly, and said — hey — you got in here before 10:00…so come on in! WHOO HOO!
Had us some truffle fries (how can you go wrong with that) and I had a small portion of risotto that was just perfect… in flavor and in quantity. Friend ordered a burger to go for boyfriend waiting on her at home (okay, yes — I dragged her to get food after drinking for too long over at the Layover… but I will blame her for the late hour since she wanted to drive over to Old Oakland when we coulda just stayed — what is it — Uptown? Downtown?).
Anyway, will definitely come again when I can spend a little more time and enjoy other offerings.

The first thing that hits you when you walk inside is the NOISE.
This place sounds like a school cafeteria. It’s also small, which can’t help, because it definitely uses up the very limited square footage it has.
We came here on a Tuesday night and the place was packed, so I’m thinking it might be difficult to avoid the evening crowd any day of the week.
As far as the service, it was friendly and prompt. The food itself was very good; particularly the mussels and house fries. Yes, you could tell that very generous amounts of butter were used in the making of the mussel broth, but they were so good it was worth it.
We also ordered the goat cheese and mushroom pizza, and a salad which consisted of mixed greens, tangerine slices, and dry cranberries. The pizza was tasty; the salad was fine. We looked at the dessert menu, but, other than cheese, there were only 3 items; none of which sounded very inspired.
Food was a 4.5, ambiance was a 3, and that’s only because of the noise.

I’m a fan of this place… my sister and a friend came here for happy hour, thinking I would be able to join them. Unfortunately, I ended up getting stuck at work and not making it to the restaurant until 7pm… long after happy hour :(We ended up asking one of the guys if it was still Happy Hour just so I could find out the time it was over with and he told me it had ended already. He came back (with I’m assuming the manager) and said «my friend right here just got off work and was wondering if we can offer him the happy hour menu items/​prices». She kindly said «SURE, I don’t see why not». Total KUDOS to them for doing that for me.
I ordered 6 raw oysters and one of their specialty drinks that had tequila and grapefruit juice. A little too tart for me but still was a great refreshing drink. The $ 1 oysters were perfect size to shoot. They came shucked on a bed of rock salt, slices of lemon, and some sort of vinegar sauce. Loved it!
I’m gonna be dragging my coworkers here for happy hour «IF» we get off on time soon.

Good food, nice ambiance, creative fun delicious cocktails .
Starting off I had the truffle fries, I couldn’t really taste the truffle but the fries itself was fried to perfection. Crispy on the inside and soft on the inside. Really though, I’ve never met a French fry didn’t like. I also had the flat iron steak (medium) with mixed greens. Delicious. The steak was cooked perfectly and literally melted in my mouth. I finished the whole plate, which is pretty amazing because I’m one of those eaters who never finishes anything. One of these days I’m going to come back just to try the pizza. There was one that caught my attention, oven smoked pork belly, parmesan, mozzarella, red onion, parsley, egg, and frisee. How good does that sound? I think I have a date with a certain pizza soon.
I definitely recommend this place, the menu is really fun and creative and the drinks are AMAZING. For people who aren’t heavy drinkers, there’s a section for drinks with a low amount of alcohol.

Old Oakland is a neat little oasis within the larger City. And as Gayle and I sat an outside table at B Restaurant, she said it reminded her of Amsterdam. It was great to be here, especially since after a busy work week, each of us had every excuse to stay at home. But what kind of a life is that?
We ended up outside, as there was no room inside. And speaking of Amsterdam, the maître d’ struck us both as a bit Dutch — friendly, efficient, yet a little brusque. There was no «a table may be available in X minutes», but rather a direct «you’ll need to „commit“ to an outside seat without any inside hope» message. And BTW, you also need to accept that the propane heaters don’t work. The outside seating area was actually quite pleasant, even though we almost walked off after waiting several minutes to even be acknowledged. However, a waitress finally noticed us, and picked up the dropped commitment ball.
From that moment, the B’s service model kicked into high gear. Our waitress was great, with Gayle and I enjoying her friendliness, attention, knowledge of the menu (and wine list), service, and follow-​through.
I ordered a the burger which I thought was just OK and kind of lukewarm. Gayle always take a bite out of any burger that I order and she felt that she couldn’t taste the meat. We further opined that perhaps the ketchup, pickles and/​or boursin cheese simply overwhelmed the burger. At the same time, the bun was outstanding and the whole juicy combination (including the Deschutes draft Porter in a cool glass) was enjoyable to eat.
Gayle had a much better experience with her cheese plate (cypress grove truffle tremor, roaring 40’s blue, Marin triple cream, and manchego), nicely complimented with a glass of Smoke Screen Chardonnay. And the bread that accompanied all this was delicious.
In summary, our dinner at the B Restaurant and Bar would have been a 4 Star experience, except for the initial service experience and an overwhelmed burger. For a return trip, Gayle and I both agreed that the nicely appointed inside seating, one of their wood-​fired pizza’s, and maybe happy hour would be on our menu.

Chef prefers very little sauce on dishes. I can’t tell you whether they’re good or bad tasting, there’s so little sauce on anything we ordered (visiting twice for dinner) that the stuff might as well have been non-​existent.
The pizzas are uninteresting. The dough is delicious — it’s very high in salt, which is why it tastes so good — but the toppings are like an afterthought. Nice quality ingredients, but nothing really comes together to form a cohesive whole even when you’re chewing a mouthful.
Desserts are absolutely the worst creative inventions I have ever encountered. They are not only like lead, they were a cacophony of strange, unrelated flavors that didn’t belong together.

Came here for lunch with my aunt and uncle. We had a lovely non-​rushed time despite it being the height of Friday lunch in Old Oakland with the farmers market right outside.
Atmosphere:
Love the décor! I feel like it is a modern twist on a hunting lodge/​speak easy feel. I do have to say that it is really loud because the noise reverberates off of the high ceilings and it’s a bit chilly.
Service:
I felt like our server was a little scattered but maybe she was new and needed to learn to gel with the rest of the staff. Overall totally acceptable and pleasant service.
Food:
Caesar Salad-​The tenderest parts of very fresh crisp romaine. The croutons were not over or under done/​seasoned. And the dressing and cheese ratios were all perfect nothing over powering yet everything present. Must say this was a very top of the line Caesar Salad.
Pasta of the Day-​Fresh Linguine (I’m a sucker for fresh pasta) with a sun-​dried tomato cream sauce, baby (and by baby they mean infant) arugula, and prawns. All done perfectly! The slightly wilted greens in the sauce were delicious. Prawns were done just right (not over cooked!) The sauce was creamy without being too heavy.
Pepperoni Fresh Mozzarella Pizza-​I did not try this but it looked light crisp and crisp. A superb quality classic.
Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding w/​Whipped Cream– TO DIE FOR. It was served warm. Not overloaded with chocolate. You tasted every part of it and appreciated the sweet banana, rich chocolate and creamy bread pudding.
Blue Bottle Coffee-​They french press the coffee fresh for you as you order it. FAR better than your run of the mill coffee pot. Mmmm.
Over all, I will be coming back here for a trendy night on the town with a date sort of thing. I am a fan, though for the price I’d say it lives up the expectation admirably but does not exceed it.

Short and sweet for this one — just like the price of our meal on Sunday night and just as tasty!
$ 20 Sunday Suppers! Can you go wrong at B’s with such a deal!!! I don’t think so.
The menu when we went — it changes each Sunday — was total Southern and it was spot on minus one hiccup. The chicken fried in duck fat and bathed in buttermilk was as good as anything I had growing up in the South. The yams were sweet and gooey — oh so good. The cornbread — my favorite part as I am a past goer of the National Cornbread Festival in Pittsburgh, TN — was one of the best I’ve had across this land. Only downside, the peach cobbler, was a HUGE miss. Where’s the sugary goodness that comes with such a dessert? The ice cream was a nice touch but…
What a treat to be miles from my home in the deep South and find such a meal! YeeeeeHaaaaaawwwww! Enjoy!