11/07/07

Great German food

by jjlasne

It is possible to eat some great German foods at this establishment - try the salmon in dill sauce if it is on the menu - and drink some excellent German ales on tap. There is a beer garden, most charming during the sunny season, with its views of the oil changing station across the street. Parking is possible (there is small lot next to the restaurant), the waitstaff is quick and friendly and there is live music after 9pm (or is it 8pm) in the corner of the front dining room/bar/lounge area with one or two TV sets. There is an additional dining room in the back and it gets pretty busy in the evening. If you don' t want to have to dodge rugrats, avoid going too early in the evening. Later in the evening is a much better time for DINKS and singles. Speisekammer remains one of my favorite restaurants in the East Bay, and they are very few of them. Prost!

• Pros: Salmon, pork, soups, desserts
• Cons: Children all over the room

10/30/07

Just Not The Same

by msemen

I was raised my an Austrian mother, and now live 3000 miles away from her. When Speisekammer first opened, the familiar menu was exciting to me. Although the quality never came close to the home-cooking I came to love, I was thrilled to have a runner-up in the area. My first experience in 2001 (although drunken) was much better than last weekend. Not only was the bratwurst BURNT (traditionally boiled, and lightly browned just to release the juices), but the portions were so NOT German -- really small. In Germany, it's a custom to be presented with a good size portion, to keep you satiated during your "stay". It didn't seem like they were hurting for customers, as the restaurant was pretty full -- so, not sure why they skimped on the meal. Also -- one other thing to note -- they had their Oktoberfest at the beginning of September to avoid other Alameda events, and the chance that the weather might not be great. September = Oktoberfest????

Our waitress was friendly, though -- and the beer was good.

07/07/07

SERVICE! Great food & fun

by qe3

I can't even express the fun we had with our 2 kids and their Grandparents! It was like our server was psychic!

She appeared promptly at our table with crayons and paper even tho we had obviously brought our own toys. After she went over the beverage menus she offered to get food started for the kids. We opted to wait as their Grandparents had not arrived yet and it was my Dad's restaurant choice.

The deal is that we have not been in a while because the service had been so terrible on several past occasions. We had great fun choosing our beers as the list had changed. Our server was very knowledgeable and brought us tastings so we could decide. By this time the kids were getting a little irritated, so then our Server magically appeared with balloons! What a great touch at just the right time! I opted for a glass of red and she recommended a Cab. by Andrew Lane that was a lovely and perfect choice. By this time we were having such a great time that no matter what we ordered for dinner it would be good (and it was all fabulous). Appetizers and entrees all came promptly, enough so that we actually wanted dessert....and those of you with kids know that if the service is slow there is no time for it due to imminent breakdown. Dad had a dessert cocktail he liked so much he ordered a second!

Changes that have been made at Speisekammer are so notable that if you have had any sort of bad experience you must return and let them know!!!

• Pros: Fun and attentive service
• Cons: Parking can be a challenge depending on time