Meritage at the ClaremontWonderful Sunday brunchWe took my husband to brunch for Fathers Day (on Sunday) and it was amazing. We really enjoyed ourselves. We didn't realize brunch started at 10am though, and we had 9:30am reservations (for breakfast only)... so we had to wait a little bit before we could hit the brunch line. No worries though, we sipped mimosas and had good conversation. ;)
The food was very fresh and very good. We stuffed ourselves and kept going back. My favorite was the waffles. Amazing desserts too. We will definitely be returning!6/16/2013 12:00:00 AMExceptional experienceOne of the most memorable dining experiences of my life. I was seeing my best friend from college for the first time in ages. There was much to catch up on: our families, our work, the joys and sorrows of life. From the moment we were led to our seats, it was quite apparent this was a spot beyond. The food defied all expectations, our very high expectations notwithstanding. Any attempt to describe the food would result in a novel. Suffice to say, there was not wrong morsel or sip. And the service was superlative. If you have a special occasion, and would like to include the fantastic ritual of doing so around a meal, Meritage is one of the best choices out there.6/12/2013 12:00:00 AMClassy & relaxed, great experienceThe wife and I were impressed by the food, service, and design of the Meritage. We haven't been to the hotel in years, and it has been updated beautifully. The bartender and servers were excellent all around, and the piano lounge vibe was a nice touch. The food was excellent. We had the oysters, scallops, and filet mignon - all smaller portion sizes, all cooked perfectly - along with some other side dishes, and the souffle for dessert was just right. We will definitely be back.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMPerfect anniversary dinner!Thank you for making our 11th anniversary extra special!!6/5/2013 12:00:00 AM7th Anniversary DinnerThis dinner was a surprise 7th anniversary gift to my husband. We have two small children. While we enjoy great food and wine, we rarely treat ourselves to what we would consider a fancy meal. We loved it. The service was excellent, the view incredible, and the food outstanding. We appreciated the wine pairings with each part of the meal. Our only criticism is not really a complaint, as it led to an even more interesting experience - We overheard the entirety of the conversation happening at the next table. Luckily the group included a local restaurant owner, so listening to him was interesting. We loved the whole experience, and while we'll need to start saving up now, we'll be back.5/28/2013 12:00:00 AMBEST SUNDAY BRUNCH!!!!!!!Great spot for Champagne Sunday Brunch. The Buffet is outstanding with plenty of selections to choose from. We will be back soon!!!5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMA Quiet Dinner and a Memorable ViewExcellent food. Wonderful atmosphere. Memorable view.5/16/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent Food and ServiceExcellent Food and Service with a spectacular view of SF and the Bay.5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMBirthday DinnerThe evening was very nice. I brought my elderly Mother, who loves to dress and dine in nice restaurants, and the
Claremont is one of her favorite.
The food was very good. I especially liked the date appetizer plate and the beet salad. My husband was a bit disappointed
with his rabbit dinner. The service was good and the ambience is wonderful. The music in the bar was very nice background
music.The Claremont is beautiful,elegant and truly old world classic!
15/10/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat - Parking expensive.Good food, service, etc. Parking difficult and expensive, even with validation.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMTo savor the food and view!Loved the option to have half portions of everything so I could taste many different things. Fell in love with the rabbit and also the chocolate soufflé. Delicate compositions and great wine pairings. We enjoyed the beautiful view across the Bay to San Francisco and all the way to the Golden Gate. We liked the restaurant so much that we went back a second night.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMElegant, superbly prepared foodEverything my husband and I ordered was delicious-dates, carrot soup, beet salad, crabcakes, scallops, ravioli, filet mignon, eclairs, and lemon tart. We ordered the small size of everything which was perfect. We don't drink, so can't comment on that. We had a window seat with a beautiful view of the sun setting behind San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge area. The restaurant felt very elegant and was a wonderful place to celebrate our anniversary. Since I had mentioned our anniversary in our reservation, several staff members congratulated us. They seemed to be quite busy that night so other staff besides our waiter served most of our food which was too bad. We really liked our original waiter. Great for a special night.4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMVIP TreatmentSuperlative restaurant in a Gatsby-esque setting. Genuine attention from the staff the moment you arrive cannot help but make you feel warm and welcomed.
With striking views of the Bay and San Francisco, late afternoon is a wonderful time to enjoy dinner as you watch the setting sun.
The menu concept is brilliant. Small plates (appetizers) or large plates (entrees)of all the dishes offered allows you to delicately indulge, or get right into the meat and potatoes so to speak. The wine pairing is clever and well constructed and the unique cocktails absolutely delicious. The food itself had our party groaning with pleasure as we shared our individual morsels. Each dish was cooked to perfection.
Go there and indulge yourself.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMBeautiful view from anywhereBeautiful view from anywhere in the dining room. Relaxed, marvelous dinner. Very helpful wait staff (wrote down the wine selection information). Excellent meal.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMRomantic with Great Food!We went to the Meritage for our 9th anniversary, and while the service could use a bit of polish (our waiter was exceptional, but it took some time to get someone to our table), the food is absolutely phenomenal. With a beautiful view of the hills beyond Berkeley, this restaurant is romantic with exceptional food and atmosphere. The bar is also beautiful. Make it a special night and try the Meritage.4/24/2013 12:00:00 AMI love going to the ClaremontI love going to the Claremont for brunch! The fresh crab claws and shrimp cocktail are my favorite. The view's of the Bay are amazing and the service is always top notch! We usually go on holidays, but found that going on non-holidays are just as great!4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMhoneymoon coupleWe loved this brunch... Except for the astronaumical bill! :(4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMI love the open feel of theI love the open feel of the restaurant and the live music. They called to reconfirm my reservations and asked if there were any food restrictions or special occasions. When we ordered our food, they were aware of our gluten allergies and made great substitutions.
The ingredients were fresh and the pairings were exquisite. Wonderful chefs.
Will definitely come back.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was excellent andThe food was excellent and the portions were not excessive. The menu offered several possible wine pairing with each course. The various dished was very well prepared and presented. The view of the San Francisco Bay and the city was spectacular. I highly recommend this restaurant.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMGood but no light enoughI went to celebrate my birthday with my boyfriend and friends. The waiter at the beginning was absent I have to go and look for him to get us bread and drinks. When finally everybody was there he was more attentive. I liked the service, food, presentation but I didn't like the fact the lights are so weak!! We have to use flashes all the time. I have friends who doesn't have a good vision and they were struggling to read the menu. It was sooo dark!!4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMMeritage Weekday BreakfastMy wife and I had breakfast at the Meritage on a weekday morning. We had made a reservation but really didn't need it. There were few people having breakfast when we arrived, a little after 9am. We ordered a rather classic breakfast -- nothing exotic -- of eggs, bacon, potatoes, toast, orange juice, and coffee. All was fine except for the coffee and an espresso that my wife was given when she reported that the coffee was very weak. Same turned out to be true of the espresso as well. Too weak, almost like water. After leaving the restaurant, we went down to the nearby Peet's for some good, strong and less expensive coffee.4/9/2013 12:00:00 AMFabulous brunchWe came here for a special brunch with our kids and had an amazing time. The food was pretty outstanding for a buffet. Made to order waffles, dim sum, chilled seafood bar, fresh salads -- it was quite a spread. My daughters flipped over the dessert buffet, especially the mini-eclairs. I took a star away because the service wasn't that great. We had a weird exchange with the hostess and after we were seated we waited for about 20 minutes for coffee. But those are small things when your kids are behaving. Overall we had a fabulous time and will definitely be returning.4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMMy husband and I ordered threeMy husband and I ordered three small selections each and shared a dessert and it was perfect amount of delicious food. Our favorites included the spinach salad, sea bass, halibut and salmon.4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMWaiters should notice whatWaiters should notice what the customer is wearing. If they are wearing black you don't give them white napkins that leave lint on the clothes. Woman hate getting the lint all over their outfit.4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMWent for my birthday withWent for my birthday with a group of friends, menu was innovative. Loved the option of an appetizer or entrée for all the good choices,meant you could customize your meal.4/2/2013 12:00:00 AMMy wife and I had our anniversryMy wife and I had our anniversry dinner at Meritage on Saturday--the reservation booked only a day before. The experience was exhilirating--great food, great service, and magnificent ambience. A successor to the previous restaurant at this site, Jordan's, Meritage is far superior in all the areas noted. Furthermore, prices for all items were very reasonable for food of such high quality. We will return soon and highly recommend it to others.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMLoved the food and wine pairingLoved the food and wine pairing menu and suggestions!3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMA ClassicMeritage was fantastic. The service was unhurried. We loved our waiter and all the servers were attentive without being intrusive. We were there for sunset on a clear day/evening and the view was pretty special. Every single item was outstanding, from the cocktails to the dessert. Top score went to the sea bass with truffled gnocchi. Recommend choosing the small plate size when ordering and getting to try twice as many items. The decor in the dining area needs refurbishing but other than that I'd definitely come back for a special occasion.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMIt would be better if theyIt would be better if they had a reduced price for non-drinkers of champangne.3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMA perfect place for a civilizedA perfect place for a civilized meal with a choice of small/large plates. Excellent wine list reasonably priced. Would highly recommend the restaurant for out of town guests.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMReally enjoyed our diningReally enjoyed our dining experience. Food was excellent. The small/large portion option was great. Able to enjoy different items. Portions all good size. Service impecable. Amazing view. Will be returning again soon...3/21/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Sunday BrunchWhat a wonderful dining experience. I was pleasantly surprised at the wonderful selection of foods, and the flowing champagne. Adding to the ambience was a panoramic view of the bay. I never would have imagined the property had so much to offer.
The menu offered something for every palate. There were omlettes to order, seafood, a salad bar and loads of desserts. The Carving station offered both Prime Rib and a perfectly cooked ham. This is a great place for a group or for a couple.3/17/2013 12:00:00 AMMy daughter and I had a lovelyMy daughter and I had a lovely breakfast on a Saturday morning to celebrate her 29th birthday. We were treated with great hospitality and lots of attention. The food, service and view were exceptional. We would definitely do that again.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AM