Grand Lake Kitchen - Lake Merritt

Delicious! French toast wasn't too sweet. Pastrami Benedict was served on really good sourdough bread that was great for soaking up a poached egg. Yum!Great service. Fresh food. Would definitely be back!

Cute small restaurant. I would recommend getting there early or have reservations as this place fills up fast. Great service and the food was fantastic as well. I had the Chicken Breast and after looking at past reviews of the same dish it appears that they mix it up based upon the time of year. I loved my dish and had some of my friends brussle sprouts which were also tasty.The only downside is they have no parking and you have to pay for street parking. #thanksunclejoe

We were able to get seated on a weekday, and I was able to park on the street. It was convenient.The service was good, with attention to filled water cups and letting us linger.The food was just okay. I had the savory French toast, which I found dry. I tried to spread the poached eggs around, but it still lacked the custardy texture of French toast. The arugula salad was a bit much compared to the mushrooms (which I sought out for moisture). Maybe I ordered the wrong thing. However, I observed that others at the table left some things uneaten (in this economy??) and no one talked about the food.That would be a middling 3-star, but there was evidence of uncleanliness that I don't want to detail. The restaurant surely knows it has a problem. Hopefully they are fixing it.

After 4 visits, I've finally tried every dish in their breakfast/brunch menu. My favorite is their savory French toast. Not a dish I have found anywhere else and it's loaded with flavors. Had their Hank's plate today. Best part was the potatoes. It has the right level of crunch outside yet soft inside. No spice though

GLK is a great place to enjoy a low key dinner and catch up with friends. Having a reservation helps but you can walk in as well if it's a random night. Food was decent (the ribs were fantastic) but drinks were just okay. The mini-donuts dessert were pretty good as well - recommend trying those if you still got room after the meal.

Yummy food, sweet community place, obviously well loved in the neighborhood. Food was excellent, and the waitperson called me "hon"!

Came here for brunch and ordered the French Dip sandwich and it was absolutely delicious! This spot is perfect for a party of 10, with plenty of character and charm. I was surprised there no reviews on the French dip sandwich, which I found was fantastic 5/5. The French Dip paired perfectly with the au jus and horseradish sauce on the side.I also sampled a bit of the sweet French toast, which pleasantly surprised me that it was made with sourdough! Their bread is definitely a highlight, and the choice of Acme bread was spot-on. I feel they make the best bread. We finished the meal with their mini donuts, which were warm, fluffy, sugary and the perfect sweet ending.The service was friendly and efficient, adding to the overall great experience. While parking is limited to the street, it's a wonderful excuse to walk around the lake after your meal. I'm still dreaming about that French Dip!

I hit up this spot on Juneteenth with some friends, and it was awesome. Even though we had to change our seating reservation, the staff were super friendly and accommodating, so it wasn't a big deal.We kicked things off with some pretty and delicious drinks. The food was great too--especially the bacon fried rice we shared. My friend practically licked her plate clean after finishing the warm polenta! I ordered the egg toast with bacon. Loved that plates were served with a side salad for balance. The portions are pretty generous too!The place is super vibrant and loud, which adds to the fun vibe. Parking is a bit of a hassle, so definitely make reservations to avoid waiting forever for a table.

Glad I finally tried out this classic Oakland spot!I've walked by Grand Lake Kitchen many times during my lake walks and finally had the opportunity to check it out when I came for brunch this past Saturday. It was hopping when we came; I'm so glad I had a reservation!I made a reservation for Saturday brunch at 11 am a couple of weeks before my visit and spots were wide open. I requested patio seating but was seated indoors. Luckily my friend didn't bring her dog, otherwise we would've had to wait for a table outside. We were seated promptly upon arrival.The indoor space felt cramped, I think because the tables are quite close to each other.I was pleasantly surprised by the wide variety of dishes on the menu, especially the Jewish deli options like matzo ball soup and pastrami reuben. I decided to try the pastrami benedict ($17) and mini donuts (4 for $6), both of which were okay but nothing to write home about.I noticed that the food at Grand Lake Kitchen leans towards the lighter side, since for most brunch dishes they offer salad on the side instead of potatoes. I'm glad I ordered the mini donuts, since I'm not sure I would've been full with just the benedict.Overall, my experience at Grand Lake Kitchen was decent. I would recommend this restaurant for a casual meal, but be sure to make your reservation before coming.

Fantastic food and good service. Wonderful ambiance in a nice Oakland neighborhood. Recommend the Benedict's.