Garys Grill & Bar

This is one of Oakland's best kept secrets! The chef, and owner of Gary's, is a one time chef for the Scotts seafood restaurants. So, as you might presume, Gary's strength is in his seafoods. I once order 35 steamed salmon from Gary's, to serve a ... more

This is one of Oakland's best kept secrets! The chef, and owner of Gary's, is a one time chef for the Scotts seafood restaurants. So, as you might presume, Gary's strength is in his seafoods. I once order 35 steamed salmon from Gary's, to serve at a large sit-down dinner we were having at home. They were exquisite--tasty, fresh, not over done, lightly seasoned, and ample in portion. The restaurant itself is modest in size, but its ambience is quiet and relaxing--unlike some restaurants that sound like a boiler factory. They have a full-service bar and a bar keep that knows how to make a good martini. The service is excellent and their staff is friendly and helpful (e.g., putting the salmon order together, they offered all kinds of good suggestions). One of Gary's staff characterized their place as, "Scotts without the price tag." Frankly, it's much more than that. less