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patio, dog friendly, patio reservation, lake views - Grand Lake Kitchen - Lake Merritt, Oakland, CA

Grand Lake Kitchen - Lake Merritt

4.6 (795)
$30 and under
American
576 Grand Ave, Oakland, CA 94610

Make a reservation

A photo of Grand Lake Kitchen - Lake Merritt restaurant

Grand Lake Kitchen - Lake Merritt

4.6
$30 and under
American
Oakland

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 21 times today

About this restaurant

  • Great for brunch
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Lively
May and David Wasem's flagship location Grand Lake Kitchen location offers American classics and warm hospitality. An all-day cafe specializing in brunch and dinner! Maximum party size for regular reservations is 8 at Lake Merritt and 15at the Dimond location.

Grand Lake Kitchen at Lake Merritt has a full bar, bustling dining room, outdoor patio, take-out counter, and The Bubble Room (private dining)

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Comfort Food, Breakfast
  • Hours of operation
    Daily 9:00 am–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Catering
    Please visit grandlakekitchen.com and select the Catering tab for more info<br /><br />If you are interested having Grand Lake Kitchen provide food and or staff your large scale event (40+ guests and professional private event space), please fill out the information below and our Private Events Manager will get back to you asap to customize an event!
  • Private party facilities
    At Grand Lake Kitchen Lake Merritt, the Bubble Room (seats up to 24) and Main Floor (seats up to 35) are available for your private events. Set menus and food & beverage minimums apply. Visit grandlakekitchen.com and select Private Events for details.
  • Private party contact
    Private Event Coordinator: (510) 633-3835
  • Neighborhood
    Oakland
  • Cross street
    El Embarcadero
  • Parking details
    There is metered parking along Grand Avenue and a paid parking lot at the corner of Grand and Euclid. Please allow extra time for parking as our neighborhood is very popular!
  • Public transit
    12, 57, NL
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Happy Hour, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wine

Private dining

Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Grand Lake Kitchen - Lake Merritt.

4.6

4.6
(795)
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.3Ambience
  • 4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • San Francisco Bay Area

    Great for brunch

  • East Bay

    Great for brunch

  • East Bay

    American

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Grand Lake Kitchen - Lake Merritt offers "great food" with standout dishes like lamb merguez meatballs and matzo ball soup. Guests enjoy a "phenomenal experience" with attentive service and a "delicious menu." The restaurant boasts a "great neighborhood spot" ambiance and "excellent service," making it a highly recommended choice.
795 Reviews
  1. Piper

    San Francisco6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on October 28, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great food, prompt service, outdoor seating with heat lamps and street parking just a couple of blocks away!! We had the lamb merguez meatballs, which were absolutely delicious (we had to restrain ourselves from licking the last bit of sauce off our fingers), a bowl of matzo ball soup which was perfectly seasoned, and some of the best fresh crispy-edged brussels sprouts we've ever had (and we we order brussels sprouts a lot). Neither of us are Jewish, but we lived in New York for a total of 13 years and we know our way around matzoh ball soup!! And the mint tea was top-of-the-line (Hanley and Sons).

    Is this helpful?

  2. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on October 26, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Attentive staff and delicious menu options! Loved the avocado toast and the soft scrambled eggs on toast! Rich wonderful coffee! Loved this place!!

    Is this helpful?

  3. Sanjeev

    Raleigh1 review

    5.0

    Dined on October 25, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Came here to my partners special bday, had a phenomenal experience with super yummy dishes and amazing service. They let me bring a cake earlier in the day and made the whole experience for the entire party including a 7 year old magical. Thank you! Highly recommend!

    Is this helpful?

  4. Debbie Gold

    San Francisco10 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on October 23, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Good food, casual environment. Quick service with friendly staff

    Is this helpful?

  5. Fred

    San Francisco43 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on October 14, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great selection of dishes and great service! Would recommend without reservation.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Katie Gold

    San Francisco1 review

    5.0

    Dined on October 11, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The servers are delightful! Very attentive and kind.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Ian Gold

    San Francisco17 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on October 8, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food, as always. I had my favorite lamb chops, and they were delish as usual. Everyone loved their order, and we shared a lot. Yumj.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Julie Gold

    San Francisco34 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on October 6, 2026

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Consistent delivery of great tasting food. Restaurant was empty on a Monday night which diminished its vibe a bit but overall a nice outing. Service was good, not great.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Erika

    Seattle1 review

    5.0

    Dined on October 2, 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Highly recommend! Very reasonable prices for the portion. I made a reservation just in case it was busy, but for a friday brunch it was only moderately busy. Staff were kind, food was delicious.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Marsha Gold

    New York City3 reviews

    1.0

    Dined on September 23, 2026

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 1
    Mediocre, run-down needs an upgrade, okay service. Not totally sure what type of cuisine this place is going for could be more considered.

    Is this helpful?

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Comfort Food, Breakfast
  • Hours of operation
    Daily 9:00 am–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Catering
    Please visit grandlakekitchen.com and select the Catering tab for more info<br /><br />If you are interested having Grand Lake Kitchen provide food and or staff your large scale event (40+ guests and professional private event space), please fill out the information below and our Private Events Manager will get back to you asap to customize an event!
  • Private party facilities
    At Grand Lake Kitchen Lake Merritt, the Bubble Room (seats up to 24) and Main Floor (seats up to 35) are available for your private events. Set menus and food & beverage minimums apply. Visit grandlakekitchen.com and select Private Events for details.
  • Private party contact
    Private Event Coordinator: (510) 633-3835
  • Neighborhood
    Oakland
  • Cross street
    El Embarcadero
  • Parking details
    There is metered parking along Grand Avenue and a paid parking lot at the corner of Grand and Euclid. Please allow extra time for parking as our neighborhood is very popular!
  • Public transit
    12, 57, NL
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Happy Hour, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wine

FAQs

Expect Grand Lake Kitchen to fill up at peak times, many guests call it “packed” and recommend reservations, while some reviewers found it fairly empty early on a Saturday night and one visit was quiet at 5:30 PM before it picked up.

Yes, Grand Lake Kitchen has an outdoor patio, and many guests enjoy sitting outside across from Lake Merritt.

Yes, the owner notes a Dimond location, with different maximum party sizes noted for Lake Merritt and the Dimond location.

Grand Lake Kitchen feels lively and welcoming, a bustling dining room with a full bar, an upstairs loft (reachable by elevator), banquette seating, and an inviting lakeside patio.

Dogs are welcome on the outdoor patio, guests report dining with dogs there and staff even provided water bowls.

Casual dress is the guide, relaxed, everyday clothing is appropriate for dining at Grand Lake Kitchen.

Grand Lake Kitchen - Lake Merritt is open daily from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm.

Sunday is a favorite for brunch at Grand Lake Kitchen, many guests specifically visit on Sundays and praise the brunch experience.

Yes, Grand Lake Kitchen at Lake Merritt offers private dining in The Bubble Room for private gatherings.

Grand Lake Kitchen - Lake Merritt is owned by May and David Wasem.

Some menu items are generously portioned, guests note the turkey club is large and filling, and dishes like the avocado toast come with a generous serving of salad.

Grand Lake Kitchen is at its calmest early in the evening, one guest found it quiet around 5:30 PM, while weekend brunches and Saturday mornings tend to be much busier and popular.

Grand Lake Kitchen’s Lake Merritt location pairs a bustling dining room with a full bar, an outdoor patio, a take-out counter and a private dining space called The Bubble Room, it also has upstairs seating reachable by elevator.

Yes, families dine here: the restaurant offers a kids menu (with crayons), and reviewers describe bringing children for brunch, making it a comfortable choice for families.

Yes, the outdoor patio welcomes dogs; staff have been observed bringing water bowls and several guests report dining with their dogs on the patio.

How FAQ content is generated

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Francisco Bay Area
  4. East Bay
  5. Oakland

Make a reservation

A photo of Grand Lake Kitchen - Lake Merritt restaurant

Grand Lake Kitchen - Lake Merritt

4.6
$30 and under
American
Oakland

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 21 times today
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