Skates On The Bay
2.9714/5 (33 reviews)
100 Seawall Dr.
Berkeley, CA 94710
(510) 549-1900
Category: Bar
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| Updated: |
October 19, 1999 |
| Cuisine: |
Asian, Californian, Eclectic, Fish, Mediterranean, Steak, Seafood, Sushi, Vegetarian |
| Reviewer: |
Gail Gurman |
Relation: |
Not Related |
| Attire: |
Casual |
Reservations: |
Suggested |
| Ave. Wait: |
10-20 minutes |
Payment: |
Mastercard, Visa, American Express |
| Facilities: |
Lounge, Parking, Seated Bar, Wheelchair Access |
Phone Orders: |
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| Smoking: |
Not Permitted |
Meals Served: |
Lunch, Dinner, Brunch |
| Seating: |
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Alcohol Service: |
Full-Bar |
| Type: |
Fine Dining |
Entertainment: |
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| Crowd: |
Locals, Normal |
Atmosphere: |
Great View, Romantic, Normal |
| Uses: |
Birthday Parties , Private Parties , Romantic Evenings , Dining Only |
Nearby Places: |
College, Downtown, Hotel, Waterfront , Busline |
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33 Reviews
REVIEW #2
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Tom T.
Avg. Entree: $20-30
Rating:
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August 22, 2008
0 of
1 people found this review helpful
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OVERALL: 4.2 stars (rounded up). Skate's has upgraded their menu to include many new fine entree
selections, and their prices reflect so -- on average $7-10 higher
than this time last year. Yet, they seem to have more business than before.
The menu maintained its usual high quality: both the fixed items and
the daily special selections (except as noted below).
SERVICE: = 5.0 stars. The service was spectacular! We did a Saturday
mid-evening dinner at 7:30pm. I again highly commend the head hostess
and staff for placing us in a great view seating! Our server was an exemplar
of succinct, attentive service, and deserves highest praise as a new
standard for service: NEVER, until now, have I had a server willingly
and graciously take back a lackluster dish - marginal flavour and unspectacular
in style and preparation (Swordfish Thai) - and allow me to re-order
my dinner selection in an effort to provide me a positive dining experience.
Both the server and manager apologized and brought out a phenomenal
dish (Bacon Wrapped Kobe Meatloaf) -- succulent and flavourful, graced
by a rich mushroom wine sauce, atop a delicate mound of mashed potatoes,
and paired with a sweet, tangy red cabbage side. Most establishments
will force you to suffer through an unhappy meal. This was an example
of amazing humility on the part of the server and restaurant. Following on such a memorable meal, our server timed the dessert menu
to just when we finished the entrees, and gave insightful suggestions
to desserts which we might want to try (hint: avoid the Chipolte Brownies)
FOOD: = 3.5 stars (rounded). 2.0 stars for the Thai Swordfish disaster,
but 4.5 stars for the Kobe Meatloaf. The Beef Short Rib Pot Roast (4.0
stars) was brilliant: juicy, fork-tender beef roast, dancing in herb-accented
pasta with decadent mushrooms were a highlight for our group. The Parmesan-Encrusted
Sole (3.75 stars) was delicate, cooked perfect.
DESSERT: = 4.0 stars. I lament the loss of their Granny-Smith Apple
Tart from the menu. But, dessert is still top-notch! Be sure to save
space for this dessert. I selected the delightful and exquisite Fruit
Cobbler (Peach-Blueberry) topped with rich vanilla ice cream.
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REVIEW #9
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shriranga S.
Rating: Unknown
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August 21, 2003
0 of
0 people found this review helpful
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dont come here for the food, it is very ordinary. but the place
is just great and the view is fantastic. if have a group of people
and looking for a place to go and have some fun then this is it.
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REVIEW #14
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Avg. Entree: $20-30
Rating:
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July 26, 2001
0 of
1 people found this review helpful
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Skates is definitely one of the most overrated, overpriced restaurants
I've ever been to. Yes, it has a nice view. Yes, it may be obstructed
by all those people sitting at the table between you and the windows.
I've been to Skates a few times now. Each time, I think my bad experience
was a fluke, and figure they just had a bad night. I finally realized
it's not a fluke. The service was not something you'd expect from
a restaurant that would like to think of itself as so upscale.
Our waitress was overly familiar with us (probably because we're
fairly young, or maybe because there's an automatic gratuity
for parties of 6 or more). She was a unique blend of ditzy and sarcastic
which left a bad taste in our mouths every time she approached
our table. She actually made me get out of my chair (which was backed
up against another table) so she could get by, even though she
could have walked the other way around the table without interruption.
The menu, especially the seafood offerings, were very limited.
There were maybe only 4 fish dishes (all priced in the $20-30 range),
with one shrimp dish and a scallop dish thrown in for good measure.
The food was mediocre, and the bill excessively high. You can
eat a lot better for a lot less in just about any fancy SF restaurant
if you're willing to sacrifice the view.
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REVIEW #15
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Tom T.
Avg. Entree: $20-30
Rating:
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September 26, 2000
0 of
0 people found this review helpful
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OVERALL: 3.8 stars.
Skates has just reopened from their two-week-long renovation.
While most of the major work was behind the scenes, customers
will note the improved interior, especially with the new carpet
and pin-striped wallpapering, and the brighter, newer restroom
facilities (which got some much-needed, long-overdue repairs).
The menu maintained its high quality: both the fixed items and
the daily special selections.
SERVICE: = 4.0 stars
The service was consistent with the last visit (see review below).
Today, we did early dinner, and the service was good. Our server
was always courteous, diligent and attentive. She, though new,
handled all our questions and requests like a well-seasoned
pro, making no mistakes and giving service that was expected.
The foccacia bread, ice water and coffee refills were handled
promptly. She timed the dessert menu to just when we finished
the entrees, and gave bright suggestions to desserts which we
might want to try.
I highly commend the head hostess and staff for placing us in a
great view seating! The clear evening sunset and lit SF skyline
were amazing as night fell.
FOOD: = 3.4 stars (rounded).
The food (especially dessert) remained top notch at Skates.
16 oz. Prime Rib: = 3.25 stars.
This time I went for the larger 16 oz. prime rib, which came away
great, but not excellent. The meat was lean, succulent, and juicy,
like before. But this time there was a bit more fat, which may be
due to the particular cut or the supplier. It was also well-cooked,
well done (when ordered as med-well) tending towards dry. The
snap peas were also a bit overcooked, but still fresh. The garlic
mashed potatoes were as expected, light and creamy.
10 oz. Cowboy Sirloin: = 3.5 stars.
The sirloin was excellent. The meat was tender, lean, and succulent,
served with slightly overcooked snap peas, over light, creamy
mashed potatoes, topped with chipolte salsa sour cream. As ordered
medium, and pan-seared, it came away just right with a rosy pink
center.
DESSERT: = 4.0 stars.
Again, I HIGHLY recommend the Granny-Smith Apple Tart. It is
HUGE! Be sure to save space for this dessert. See review below
for a detailed description of this fine dessert, and the heart-stopping
Chocolate Volcano Cake.
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REVIEW #16
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Tom T.
Avg. Entree: $10-15
Rating:
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August 17, 2000
0 of
0 people found this review helpful
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Today was a different story! Getting better.
OVERALL: 3.75 stars (adjusted +0.5 for much improved service)raw average: 3.25 stars (average including last visit score)
SERVICE: = 3.75 stars
The service was a refreshing change from the last visit (see review
below). Today, we did lunch, and the difference in service was
noticeable. Our server was always courteous, and was diligent
and attentive to details. He made no mistakes and gave service
that was expected, even taking time to suggest good entree items
and specials.
Even when the Mixed Seafood Roast turned out slightly undercooked,
he was polite and took care of the matter immediately. The usual
requests as to the water and coffee refills were handled promptly.
He brought out the dessert menu right on cue, and explained each
item which we had questions about.
I highly commend the head hostess and staff for quick and attentive
work in rearranging our seating when we decided to combine our
reservation with that of some relatives who had a separate reservation
for lunch. I still cannot believe that such a chance meeting was
unplanned!
FOOD: = 3.25 stars
The food (especially dessert) is still the key winning quality
of Skates.
Honey Peppercorn Salmon: = 3.5 stars
The fresh Atlantic salmon filet is excellent. The fish was lean,
succulent, and really fresh, with NO stale fishy taint (the sign
of truly FRESH fish), served with fresh, crisp green beans, over
light, creamy mashed potatoes, in a delicate beurre blanc (white
butter) sauce. The honey glaze allowed a faint hickory sweetness
to balance the sharp peppercorn & dill rub seasoning. It was overall
well-cooked, coming away from the palate as elegant and delicate
in texture and flavour.
Mixed Seafood Roast: = 3.0 stars
The Roast was composed of Alaskan scallops, black tiger prawns,
and fresh King salmon, which was skewered and oven-roasted.
The texture of the seafood was delicate and, again, very fresh.
It held good preparation, despite the slight undercooking of
the scallops and prawns.
DESSERT: = 4 stars
I HIGHLY recommend the Granny-Smith Apple Tart, which I am told
is hand-prepared each time it is ordered (which accounts for
the slight wait for its appearance to the table). It is BIG! This
is a triangle of warm, light, flaky pastry, wrapped around thin,
delicate cinnamon-spiced apple slices. Fresh, flavourful,
homemade cinnamon-vanilla ice cream sits atop the tart party,
and provide the balance to the caramel sauce base.
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REVIEW #17
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Tom T.
Avg. Entree: $15-20
Rating:
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August 15, 2000
0 of
0 people found this review helpful
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OVERALL: 2.8 stars (mostly because of poor service)
potentially = 4.0 stars
NOTE: the bay view is NOT much of a factor at 9pm with the fog rolling
in.
SERVICE: = 1.0 star
The service was a disappointment; maybe it was the time of day
(9pm on a Friday), but more likely it was that the server was improperly
trained. Although somewhat courteous, she was not diligent
and attentive to details. She made several mistakes such as spilling
the water when hurriedly pouring and forgetting the steak knives.
She needed reminders as to necessities, like the water and coffee
refills and steak knives (2d time).
Then while clearing the dinner plates away, she assumed we were
finished with the foccacia bread, taking it away without asking.
And finally, we had to even ask if a dessert menu was available,
to which a later glance to her while passing got her to remember
our request.
Did we complain? No. Could we have complained? Yes.
We did not complain only because we felt the food did something
to offset the lacking service. And given the late hour we ended
the evening, we felt closing time was probably not a suitable
time to lay it all out on a probably exhausted manager.
HOWEVER, be forewarned! We are not the only ones to have experienced
less than expected service at Skates (see reviews below). Pay
attention to your server, and get their attention as to what you
expect of them.
FOOD: = 3.5 stars
The food (especially dessert) was the key redeeming quality
of Skates.
Prime Rib: = 3.5 stars
The 11 oz. prime rib is excellent, beyond even my highest regard
for Kincaid's at Jack London (I recommend a visit to Kincaid's
too). The meat was lean, succulent, and juicy, with almost little
fat, served with fresh, shredded horseradish. It was overall
well-cooked. with juicy edges. HOWEVER, the mashed potatoes
came out flat, along with limp, thin, greasy string beans. The
beans held a dry flavour, and were not fresh.
Pork Chops: = 3.5 stars
The pork chops were fair, mildly tender, but over-seasoned
with course-cut garlic. If the mince were a bit finer, the overwhelming
effect of the garlic would have been lessened. The green beans
on this entree were a wee bit better, but still greasy and limp.
DESSERT: (When we finally got it) = 4 stars
I HIGHLY recommend the "Chocolate Volcano" cake, especially
if your doctor has diagnosed you with a chocolate addiction.
It is cake of rich, moist chocolate baked to have a slightly firm
shell with a pudding centre of caramel raspberry.
Also fabulous is the key lime pie made with Nellie and Joe's famous
Key West lime juice. Served in a housemade roasted graham cracker
crust and topped with fresh sweet whipped cream and freshly grated
lime zest, it is flavourful and sweetly intense.
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