The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it.
The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday in the noon hour.
QUESTION: What’s your favorite restaurant in the San Francisco Bay Area, and why?
Talk about it….
Tadich Grill in SF and Walnut Creek Yacht Club.
Both have some of the best seafood in the Bay Area.
Plenty of seafood places around but too many just sell bait.
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The Dead Fish.
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… it’s also a reference to my ex-girlfriend. Haha.
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That is both funny and spot on. (meaning the restaurant is awesome.
Is Chow still open? I know the Lafayette location is gone, but I think they have/had one in Danville
Lemon Grass in Martinez is tasty
Chow’s in Danville closed in 2018
https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/05/15/after-10-years-chow-danville-closing-its-doors/
Chow in Danville closed long time ago
Diggers. Value priced and the best waitresses ever.
After Diggers, any restaurant that does not require masks and vaccination proof.
Hands down, Olive Garden!!! Do I even need to say this?!!! C’mon people!!!
There are way too many to mention. Tennessee excels at barbecue and country cooking, but catfish is the preferred seafood. And real Mexican restaurants are non-existent.
But in Contra Costa, I’d have to choose Dead Fish; in Oakland, it would be Scott’s; and in San Francisco, I’d have a tough time choosing between the Franciscan, Scoma’s, or Cliff House.
I’m going to have to go with. You guessed it. French Laundry. Where elites can dine while peasants must stay home. Wear diapers on their face. Plus, I get to rub elbows with the limousine liberals -Gav and London. It’s super yummy too. I would say see you there but doubt it.
Thanks Claycord for asking this question every
so often. The last time it was a subject there was
a recommendation for a restaurant in Pinole
called The Embers. Thank you to whoever sent
that in. It is now our favorite place to go for a great
meal. They serve barbecue, roast beef, roast turkey
and more. It’s similar to Emil Villa’s Hickory Pit, but
even more enjoyable.
Second favorite is The Red Onion, also in Pinole.
The best hamburgers and biggest order of delicious
french fries that you will ever see. My wife and I have
a hard time finishing a half order.
It may have been me. It’s my all time favorite!
I also like The Old Spaghetti Factory.
El Charro was a family staple. I heard the recipes and name have been bought and is opening in the old Maria Maria location in Walnut Creek.
Sandy G—
Thanks for the recommendation. We would
have NEVER gone to The Embers without
your wonderful tip. It almost takes us less time
to drive to Pinole from Martinez than it does to
travel across Concord. We’re excited to see
El Charro retuning too. Any restaurant that was
open for about 75 years has to be making
customers happy.
Jack’s! Consistently good food for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Good service. Nice atmosphere. Great setup for outdoor dining.
Jacks has gone downhill as have way too many places in the area
It’s all about the hiring of incompetence and sloppy cooks not following once tasty recipes. cutbacks everywhere,
The return from the grave of El Charro is sure to disappoint with Dudum in charge.Good for a month and then downhill like all the others .
McCoveys,,Bing Crosby,etc. etc.. Lessons never learned by the greedy,
In the end El Charro was nothing like the original one where the family actually cared and did not rip customers off.
Dead fish has the most boring menu of any in the Bay Area.
It smells bad and the food is nothing like it used to be.
Creepy vibe now!
Beware of getting robbed in the parking lot and sideshows that could come any minute and block you in. Bad area now!
DJ’s Bistro Concord Nothing fancy just good comfort food.
Yes. Good call. DJs Bistro. Real food by a true chef. One of my favorites.
Barney’s Hickory Pit is my favorite, maybe not the tastiest or the “best” but me and family have went there since they opened. It’s definitely comfort food for me.
I knew you were old school Concord 👍🏼
Hard to beat their full side of ribs with brown sauce on the side, toasted buns, and an order of onion rings…….our dinner two nights ago. 🙂
Joe’s of Westlake, by far one of the best, been going there for 55 years.
Not a big restaurant guy to start with, so not much useful info for others to help choose, but before I began my diet(s), I would have been just as happy getting Popeye’s chicken as I would getting the Tandoori Fish at Chopan Kabob, or a burger at Mel’s. I s’pose nowadays, probably the fish at Chopan’s, or maybe the egg drop soup from Jade Garden.
Applebees!! So sad that the WC one closed down, as it was close. Now a trip to Antioch for my favorite meal….
Does anyone remember the Tandoori Chicken place at Sun Valley Mall? It was a small place located where Todai was on the upper floor near the exit. They were ahead of their time and had the best tandoori chicken I’ve ever had!
I will miss the original El Charro in Lafayette. The new “El Charro” won’t be the same at all.
Karen—
The new El Charro location will be serving
food using their 75 year old recipes. Every
new chef there followed them. They haven’t
even opened yet. How about giving them
a chance to prove themselves.
Went by their new location a couple of days ago. It looks like that place needs a lot of work.
My home. No longer eat out at any restaurants and only eat at home, lost about 40 lbs, thanks pandemic.
House of Prime Rib in S.F. Don’t need to say anything else!
Reve in Lafayette is the current favorite.
@WC
Couldn’t agree with you more. My favorite as well. WC Yacht Club is a good choice as well.
Wences and jacks – also wence house in antioch
….can tell you what it was… nothing imho come close now… Scott’s seafood in WC and The Velvet Turtle in PH…
The late great Spenger’s Fish Grotto.
RIP
@Exit 12 A made me smile. That was a good one.
Evie’s……… I miss it.
When I was on the road it was a great lunch on the go spot.
Not fancy, but good food & fast.
Montecatini in WC. Uncle Yu’s number two; prefer the one in Livermore, but Lafayette location is almost as good. Really looking forward to the new El Charro. Close to the Bay Area (actually in the Monterey Bay Area): La Mia Cucina and Peppers, both in Pacific Grove. Best for Pizza: Skipolinis.
The new FreeWheelPizza Co. In Clayton shopping center behind the dentist office. ToGo only. Tasty Pizza.
Sadly two of our favorites have closed down – Happy Roll and Bronze Buddha. Both have reopened under new ownership with new names but have not tried either of them yet on the belief that neither one would be as good. RIP two very good local restaurant choices.
Man, I’m not even leaving the county as theres too many spots…
so local:
Va Da Vie is the best hands down
I’d say Chopan Kabob for cheap comfort food when dining solo and Casa Orinda for a nicer sit down.
Giant Chef burger in PH for breakfast.
Finally El Aguila for the business lunch.