ACRE Kitchen and Bar

Name: ACRE Kitchen and Bar
Address: 5655 College Ave., Oakland, CA, United States, 94618
Telephone: (510) 250-3790
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.5

4.5 (797)

$30 and under

Mediterranean

5655 College Ave., Oakland, CA 94618

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 30, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 37 times today

Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

Neighborhood gem
Good for special occasions
Good for groups

Right in the heart of Rockridge, Oakland, ACRE Kitchen & Bar is all about simple, seasonal food done right. Led by Chef Dirk Tolsma, we source from the best Northern California farms and purveyors to create dishes that are fresh, honest, and made to be shared.

Our fresh ground brisket burger on a house-baked bun? A local favorite. The berbere-spiced fried chicken? Crispy, bold, and packed with flavor. Some dishes rotate with the seasons, but the commitment to great ingredients never changes.

We work with FEED Sonoma Co-Op, Star Route Farms, Full Belly Farm, Monterey Fish, and Rocky’s Chicken to bring you the best of what’s local.

Proudly awarded Gold for Best New Restaurant in the East Bay Express Best of the East Bay Awards, we’re here to serve up great food with a true taste of Northern California.

*20% gratuity will be added to all parties 8 or more.

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Mediterranean, Californian, American
Hours of operation
Cafe Daily 11:30 am–2:00 pm Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–8:30 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Restaurant Mon–Fri 11:30 am–2:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Restaurant Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–8:30 pm Upstairs Bar Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–8:30 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(510) 250-3790
Website
https://www.acrekitchenandbar.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Dirk Tolsma
Catering
Enhance your home celebrations and office gatherings with ACRE Catering. Chef-curated menus and ACRE classics are all available for pick-up and delivery. Let ACRE do the cooking while you entertain and mingle with colleagues, friends, and family.
Private party facilities
We love a good party! Our private Mockingbird Room seats 25 guests with personalized service and a custom menu. The downstairs Café hosts 32 seated or 50 standing for lively gatherings. Need more space? Partial and full restaurant buyouts are available. Let’s make it happen!
Delivery & takeout
Order direct

Location
5655 College Ave., Oakland, CA 94618
Neighborhood
Oakland
Cross street
Shafter
Parking details
In the evening, there is free parking in the BART parking lot. During the day, parking is available in the Market Hall parking lot.
Public transit
Rockridge BART stop is across the street
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Gift card

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Experiences

Bucket O'Chicken Meal
Jun 24, 2025 - Jul 29, 2025
Our Chef Dirk's favorite part of summer was getting KFC and going to the lake after his dad got off work. This is an ode to those summer days! $75 for 8 piece fried chicken, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, 4 biscuits, and brownies. Starts June 24th and goes through July, Tuesdays only.
Neighborhood Night on Wednesdays!
Multiple dates available
Enjoy live jazz music every Wednesday, from 5:30pm-8:30pm, in our upstairs dining area!

Offers

Cheers to Brunch: $30 Mimosa Pitchers Available!
Multiple dates available
Sun - 11:30 AM - 2:00 PM,Sat - 11:30 AM - 2:00 PM
We offer $30 pitchers of mimosas every brunch service (Grapefruit, Orange Juice, Pineapple Juice, Cranberry).
Tuesdays Uncorked
Multiple dates available
Tue - 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Enjoy 1/2 off bottles of select wines every Tuesday after 5pm!
Varsity Hour in our Cafe & Upstairs Bar
Multiple dates available
Sun - Sat - 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Paying homage to Oakland history-about 100 years ago there was a lounge and club called the VARSITY LOUNGE located in our same location, who knew! In digging up old Oakland memorabilia, we found an old menu. To our surprise-they were well known for two things the Varsity Martini and Conga Lines!! While we aren’t ready for a conga, we are ready for the Varsity Martini and other drink specials. Come join us every day from 4pm-6pm in our cafe and 5pm-6pm at our upstairs bar.

Popular dishes

What 797 people are saying

ACRE Kitchen and Bar reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5

4.5 based on recent ratings

4.5Food
4.5Service
4.6Ambience
4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

ACRE Kitchen and Bar impresses with its delightful ambiance and standout dishes like the pepperoni honey pizza and ribeye steak. Guests rave about the "fantastic food" and "wonderful service." The cozy atmosphere, coupled with live music events, creates "great vibes." The staff's genuine friendliness enhances the overall dining experience, making it a "great spot for all occasions."

797 Reviews

J
Jill
San Francisco Bay Area1 review
5.0
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We all loved the food atmosphere and service. We lingered a bit over dinner and never felt rushed. Lovely service!
1 person found this helpful
C
Colin
San Francisco Bay Area1 review
3.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
With respect to ACRE, Jamon Jamon is a one off late night event, and I think the place is still figuring out logistics and messaging. As a late night (after 9) get together spot, the spot had good ambiance. Tapas menu and service wise though, they were under prepared for... well, almost everything. Staff seemed to be trying, but at the end of the day management didn't really set them up for success on this one.
1 person found this helpful
J
Jennifer VIP
San Francisco Bay Area96 reviews
3.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Went to an an "ACRE After Hours" late night event. The event was named "Jamon Jamon" and promised to bring the rhythm, flavor, and spirit of Spain to Rockridge. The “Jamon Jamon” experience was described as "a sultry Spanish evening featuring live music, classic Pintxos, and cocktails inspired by the vibrant late-night bar culture of Madrid and Barcelona". We were excited to support late night events that brings live music to Rockridge. The event was upstairs and you could feel the lively energy in the room. Tables were full and we got the last 2 seats at the bar at 9:30P. The live music was great - two very talented guitarists added to joyful atmosphere. The special abbreviated late night menu was handed to us - and that's when we were slightly disappointed. The limited menu did not have the classic Pintxos (small bar snack) we were expecting. There were only four items - grilled octopus, potatas bravas, pan con tomate and jamon. We ordered the pan con tomate to start and a couple of the specialty drinks. The drinks were well executed but outside of the gin & tonic, the others were all very sweet. Wish they included a couple of Spanish wines as drink options or a dry sangria? The pan con tomate arrived - and it looks like they repurposed their standard focaccia bread and added a light smear of crushed fresh tomato and olive oil on top. It came as 4 large, square pieces of slightly soggy bread - definitely not the small bar snack size of grilled bread you would expect. We decided to skip the rest of the food offerings and just enjoy the drinks, lively music and friendly chatter at the bar. The live musicians did take a break about 20 minutes after we sat down and the ambiance the music added was definitely missed. Suggest some recorded music in place of live music to keep the energy and spirits up during their break. Hope they try this event again - just a few tweaks and an improved menu would turn this good event into something great.
1 person found this helpful
P
Paul
Las Vegas3 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 23, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food is fantastic. The best hummus plate I've ever had. The bitter caesar is delicious. Great pizzas and even a killer ribeye steak. My favorite part about the restaurant is the staff - everyone genuinely seemed happy to be there and proud of their food. Great vibes.
1 person found this helpful
S
Susan VIP
San Francisco Bay Area4 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 22, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food and friendly, super staff - what could be better?
1 person found this helpful
S
Sonia
San Francisco Bay Area14 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 20, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Such a great go to spot in an excellent location with lots of cozy seating options in a lovely atmosphere. upstairs in the main dining room with a bar with great urban views or downstairs which also has another bar. They also have a cute outdoor patio. The menu has something for everyone and is very well curated with lots of great options. I love the Caesar salad. Definitely get the fried olives if you’re having drinks and their pizzas are some of the best in the Bay Area. It’s a great spot for all occasions and anytime of day. Check out their list of events for live music.
1 person found this helpful
S
Susan VIP
San Francisco Bay Area85 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 20, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
The tuna tostadas are amazing. I will return just for those. Service and ambiance wonderful. My dining partner had the “ tuna melt” which would imply toasted tuna sandwich with cheese. He was confused as was just an plain tuna sandwich on a roll with chips. I thought he got the wrong order and he didn’t want to make a fuss. Midway thru we did ask our server and she said it was the melt . Upon searching there was some small amount of white cheese hiding . Anyway not the end of the world but we agreed we would skip that dish again. My tostadas were the winner today and I have enjoyed the pizzas and hummus in the past so look forward to returning. Thanks!
1 person found this helpful
N
Nora VIP
San Francisco Bay Area55 reviews
4.0
Dined on June 18, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
We had dinner with friends who had not experienced ACRE. They loved the pizza and the pasta. Great choices. The cocktails were very tasty and the choice of wine that the server suggested was enjoyed by all. The great surprise to our delight was the chef came by to chat. What a great person and so friendly. Thank you!
Is this helpful?
C
Christina
Exclusive1 review
5.0
Dined on June 15, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great service and excellent pepperoni honey pizza. The atmosphere is super too. One of my favorite spots.
1 person found this helpful
L
Lori VIP
San Francisco Bay Area36 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 14, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Lovely food all fresh and well prepared. Service was excellent and enjoyed the cocktails. All around great experience. Could do with less French fry sides but otherwise wonderful.
1 person found this helpful

FAQs

ACRE Kitchen and Bar offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (510) 250-3790.

ACRE Kitchen and Bar is rated 4.5 stars by 797 OpenTable diners.

ACRE Kitchen and Bar does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 30, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 37 times today

Experiences are available.

5655 College Ave., Oakland, CA 94618

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
Shafter
Neighborhood
Oakland
Hours of operation
Cafe Daily 11:30 am–2:00 pm Mon–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–8:30 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Restaurant Mon–Fri 11:30 am–2:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Restaurant Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–8:30 pm Upstairs Bar Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–8:30 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Mediterranean, Californian, American
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
In the evening, there is free parking in the BART parking lot. During the day, parking is available in the Market Hall parking lot.
Public transit
Rockridge BART stop is across the street
Payment options
AMEX, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Dirk Tolsma
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
Delivery & takeout
Order direct

Website
https://www.acrekitchenandbar.com/
Phone number
(510) 250-3790
Catering
Enhance your home celebrations and office gatherings with ACRE Catering. Chef-curated menus and ACRE classics are all available for pick-up and delivery. Let ACRE do the cooking while you entertain and mingle with colleagues, friends, and family.
Private party facilities
We love a good party! Our private Mockingbird Room seats 25 guests with personalized service and a custom menu. The downstairs Café hosts 32 seated or 50 standing for lively gatherings. Need more space? Partial and full restaurant buyouts are available. Let’s make it happen!

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Send a gift card

ACRE Kitchen and Bar

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Dining areas

Additional information

Gift card

Experiences

Bucket O'Chicken Meal

Neighborhood Night on Wednesdays!

Offers

Cheers to Brunch: $30 Mimosa Pitchers Available!

Tuesdays Uncorked

Varsity Hour in our Cafe & Upstairs Bar

Popular dishes

Margherita

Soft Serve Ice Cream

Chicken Cobb Salad

Menu

What 797 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

Does ACRE Kitchen and Bar offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is ACRE Kitchen and Bar restaurant rated?

Does ACRE Kitchen and Bar offer gift cards?

Is ACRE Kitchen and Bar currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information

Gift card