The Well

Happy . Happy hour. 4-6 pmSo cool.Easy relax in hot day. Friendly service by owner..and food so fast combined with drink. Love it. after long day come here with different things..

Sooo if you're looking for Spanish food, this no longer is the place. Shakewell is now The Well. The menu appears all over the place and seems more American than Mediterranean as described on yelp. They have wings, pizza, and burgers. My husband and I wanted paella but decided to stay and try out the new place. We got some wings and pizza. It was good and the place still had a good vibe to it. The customer service was great as well. However, when we were paying we noticed one receipt and thought maybe the tip is automatic. We left and didn't think much of it after. Now a week later we noticed in our credit card payment that they charged us an additional $20. If this was an automatic tip then we should know in advance, otherwise this is crazy. We only spent $40 and were surprised to see the extra charge. I called the Well to figure it out but they don't have a direct number to talk to someone. So be warned, if you come by to the Well check your receipt or ask for the itemized receipt!

Ummmm...what happened. Went to dinner not realizing the menu had completely changed. My friend and I were super confused. We looked at the front of the menu expecting to see a new name. Didn't catch that it went from Shakewell to The Well. The logo looked the same. Let's start off with the good. The food was quite yummy and prices great too. Caesar was of the best I've had. Will I order it to-go in the future? Yah probably. The whole night was weird though. As much as I want to say first impressions shouldn't matter, they just do. They get stuck in your head. We were greeted by a guy we thought was a customer. Dressed in an oversized sport jersey. I'm all for casual dress - I live in leggings. But this isn't a sports bar. It was just weird that this was their front of the house representation. Even once we saw the menu it didn't make sense to us. Once seated we asked him about the menu change and he explained it, albeit in a somewhat unpolished way. Something about seeking the advice of AI after the post Covid business slump. Also said that ppl no longer wanted to share plates because of covid. Does he really believe that contributed to their downward business slump? Sigh. Ppl don't care about that anymore. Not to mention sharing plates are often plated to one's own plate for eating. After that we had a waiter who couldn't speak to the wine list. He explained he didn't drink. It was more than that though. He didn't know what was on the menu let alone anything about wine. He told us "this one is popular with customers." Look, I was in no way expecting a sommelier but this was just....odd. Then I went to the bathroom. I've been to a number of establishments with all gender restrooms. They make sense to me. Why have 2 different ones? But what's different about every single other place, it's a bathroom for 1. Someone goes in, comes out then the next person goes in. This was just a bathroom with multiple stalls for all. I honestly wouldn't have thought it would have mattered till I found myself in this small space with a guy. Even he was a little shocked when he came out to see me washing my hands. Honestly it was just awkward. I think it just added to the strangeness of the evening. Not once during our meal did someone check on us. After waiting a bit we had to ask for our bill. Our server was outside smoking. I went there frequently pre covid. After Covid things seemed to slip...service and food, while prices went up (service was so bad a couple times I wondered why I kept coming back). I understand that restaurants have to pivot and I really hope they survive. Maybe part of my experience was that I went in expecting one thing and got something totally different and what felt like out of left field. Perhaps they should have used a consultant to help them make these changes.

This is a Happy Hour review only. My husband and I stopped here for a quick drink. They have a $7 drink menu which includes beers, wines, and four cocktails. However, none of the fun, creative drinks from their regular menu are included, only a few mixed drinks of spirits with soda. Why not have a bit more variety in the offerings? Also, there is no food on the Happy hour menu. The only light bite we found ( from the regular menu) was roasted cauliflower which was lacking seasoning but improved a lot with some lemon, salt, and olive oil. our server Saba was great, very attentive. Saroush, the owner appeared responsive to our suggestions on food but for drinks he referred us to the bartender whom we didn't bother. The ambience here remains refined and convivial as always.

Absolutely fresh ingredients, I still wanted an extra shrimp bowl for my self however I was full.Service is fast and friendly, owner is there to comfort you. The selection of wine and liquor were fantastic. I ordered dry sparkling wine. Super tasty with higher quality as well.Ambiance is modern and fresh air make this place so desirable to spend time and drink handmade drinks.Love this place , coming back soonHighly recommended

Came here for brunch on a Sunday. We had reservations so that definitely made it easier ! It was quite packed, but didn't feel too cramped. I liked how lively it felt We sat down and placed our orders, and the food was brought out quickly. Our servers were very kind and refilled our waters often. I ordered the fried chicken sandwich and my friend-- the shakshouka.i wish there was just a little more. I honestly think the star of my dish was the potatoes though. Perfectly crispy and pillowy. The Bloody Mary was very tasty and enjoyable,

It's crazy what a few years and a change in management can do. Shakewell was my go-to suggestion for brunch in the Lake Merritt area, but I'd be hesitant these days to recommend. It's not the place I once adored anymore. My husband and I stopped in for breakfast and the change was evident. The warm, friendly welcome we used to get when we stepped i to the door was completely gone. We literally stood there for 2 minutes looking g at the bar/wait staff walking g back a d forth with no acknowledgment. Not even the friendly, "we'll be with you in just a moment." I was prepared to wait for a table, but not to be acknowledged. Once acknowledged we were offered any available table. The majority of the restaurant was available. That is foreign here. I flat out asked, did something change? And the server told me that Tim was no longer the manager and that he was missed.I ordered the baked grits with a side of scrambled eggs and I'll tell you this... the food is still top tier. It was delicious. My husband ordered the Chicken Sando and although skimpy on the potatoes it was delicious too. I pray they're able to return to the fun, hip, friendly neighborhood jewel they once were and that the people return.

I'd say it's a fusion Mediterranean place with good vibe / atmosphere specially inside.There are indie and outdoor seating. Could be kids friendly outdoor.Location is good though street parking could be challenging.It's recently with new management (maybe in a year or so). Service is good with attending responsive waiters. Food is fine and tasty but pricy. For sure there are other places in Oakland with same or better quality / taste / options with more reasonable price.

phenomenal, just phenomenal. I had the house burger and it delivered in every way possible. I could taste the quality and love put into this. The staff were incredible, checking up on us in this chill modern home ambiance.

Great food; great drink; great bartending (and other) staff... Solid ownership and management with Soroush (sp?) and Michael. I'm there about 5 times a week so I know... I patronized and loved the old ownership (Tim) and management and serving staff and so on--I loved them all. But now it's a new cast of characters (e.g., Beatrice, Aaron, Michael, Soroush, Jamie (dates back to old "regime"), Re (sp?), and so on... you won't regret it. Open M-Sat, so pretty amazing that way. Happy hour 4:30-6pm for 5 of those days. Great setting. Wow.