The Cafe Carnegie
Safety precautions
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Common areas deep cleaned daily
- Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
- Sealed or wrapped utensils used
- Limited number of seated diners
- Distancing maintained in common areas
- Extra space between tables
- Waitstaff wear masks
- Diners must wear masks unless eating or drinking
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace
I love that they have outside shaded seating. Server was very nice. Food was great.
It was nice, sat outside by the fountains, great service and great food. A little pricey for lunch- but delicious!
It was actually our first time eating there since the renovation. It won't be the last. I
Good food, good coffee, excellent cinnamon buns, adequate portion.
I am officially obsessed with this delightful spot. We took our daughter to the museum on Sunday and then brunch at the Cafe. It was fabulous! They made her feel very special and we had a chance to relax. The view of the fountain was a treat for all of us.
Cafe Carnegie is a great brunch spot — stylish and a great menu — and also sort of great for children. Very nice service too!
Beautiful place! But it was hard having a conversation which was my main reason for being there. Food seemed appealingly designed and described but the two things my friend ordered for us, the pear sandwich and the ice cream sundae, were both on the bland side. I might have chosen things I would have personally enjoyed more. The noise level was the decisive factor for my not returning to or recommending it , though
Eating at The Carnegie Café is a fun experience because the place is "in tune" with the times, offering a nice selection of appetizers, main courses, and drinks. If just one person at the table is ordering an appetizer, though, it's best to let the waiter know if you want that to come with the meal or before it. In our case, my colleague's soup was brought with her main course, not at all what we wanted, and we'd never been asked to specify. Not a big deal but in a place as classy as this, you sort of expect more refined service.
Food was pretty bad given the restaurant style, ambience and price. Bread was extremely hard to chew, no flavors and salad was lousy ingredients thrown together.
The Carnegie Cafe never disappoints! It's a perfect start or finish to a visit to the Carnegie Museums - especially Sunday Brunch. The menu always has an interesting selection of new offerings. The menu selection is health conscious, but also diverse and creative. Service is excellent (Kristy M has been our waitress several times, and she is always a delight). We have also been treated to special chef's tastings - always fun and surprising. Highly recommended!
food and selection were surprisingly wonderful. Rivals the Cafe at several New York City museums at a more affordable price. Food has a light italian vibe. Everything is fresh and creative.
Best lunch in Oakland...by far. Service and food both continue to improve and are now flawless.
Excellent!
It was by far the best meal I’ve had there. The only reason I gave 3 stars on service was that the kitchen and servers (not wait staff) was very slow. We had a hard stop at 12:50 and were rushed. Love that the menu has more Vegan and Gluten free now!
The coffee bar at the Carnegie Cafe is outstanding,. Both the selection and quality of the beverages are notable. Service is top notch and the dining space itself is comfortable. Menu selections are interesting. Some turn out to be very good and others simply miss. I had the strata which was dry and tasteless. The side salad was nicely dressed and fresh, My partner had eggs with lamb which he described as "all right"
I think that they try too hard. I. would like to see a simple eggs and bacon on the brunch menu.
The food was great and the service was very good, but I was a bit annoyed that I got an email the next day asking why I missed my reservation--my friend and I were actually a few minutes early, and I clearly stated to the host that we had a 2 pm reservation.
Excellent food and service. Our server Steve was gracious, attentive and accurate. Being Carnegie members contributed to excellent menu prices.
Sunday Brunch at the Carnegie Cafe was perfect start for a holiday visit to the Carnegie Museum. As always, the service was excellent, and the menu offered a number of new and creative choices. We were also treated to a tasting of a special item prepared by the chef. A pleasant experience, highly recommended, and we look forward to another visit soon.
Our server, Grace, was exceptional in providing recommendations and explaining various menu items.
My Risotto was superb! Friend got the seafood crepes and was equally pleased. Coffee and homemade ice cream finished off a delightful lunch. We were not rushed out, allowing us to enjoy the view and good conversation. Will definitely return.
Great place for brunch right in the museum! The drinks were delicious, and the food was eclectic and very tasty. My biggest complaint as a die hard decaf coffee drinker was that the coffee was really weak. Apparently, the caffeinated coffee wasn't much better. But otherwise, a lovely place for brunch.
Food was fine but nothing special. Would be fine for an expensive day at the museum, but nothing to go out of your way for.
Fabulous! Had fantastic service and our lunch was spectacular.
our first experience at Cafe Carnegie was excellent. we had guests with us from England to visit the museum, and they were duly impressed with both the museum, and with the delightful menu at the Cafe, as were we. we will be back, surely.
Nice location in the first floor of the Carnegie Museum, opportunity to sit outside
Had a wonderful meal at the Cafe Carnegie. Was catching up with two old friends who were briefly in town, and we wanted someplace in Oakland that was quiet. The Carnegie certainly is that, but it also has the food genius of Sonja Finn behind it, which made for great meals for all of us.
Another pleasant Sunday brunch experience. Nice to see new items on the menu. A tasting sample from the chef was a great start. Excellent service. Always look forward to a return visit. The Cafe Carnegie never disappoints.
We both had the Croque Madame and it was delicious. Bery enjoysble.
Great place for a business lunch or special lunch while visiting the museum. Great variety on choices and interesting options. Service was friendly and efficient. top notch coffee bar.
The food is great and the atmosphere interesting, if slightly cavernous. The service was a bit uneven and the waitress unnerved me by bringing me the wrong credit card back. My sense is that at peak times they could use more staff. But all in all, a lovely place to lunch.
nice location, nice to be able to eat outside. Very poor service--40 minutes to get salads for 3 people and burger for one. burger did not come with the side that was requested.
Pleasant place for Sunday brunch. Food and service were excellent. The chef provided a sample tasting of a chilled zucchini soup - a nice and tasty surprise! The Cafe Carnegie is always a great stop during a visit to the museums.
Súper savory food, cool setting!
Unable to find close parking. Food is pricy.Waitress very pleasant and efficient.
The location and ambience were perfect for my group of friends. The food was more avant garde than I was accustomed, but the success of this lunch with my friends outweighed the gourmet menu.
Like most museum cafes, the prices are on the high side but your purchase benefits the museum so you can feel good about eating there. We had a chickpea-based, cold veggie sandwich which was just OK. It was bland and rather dry. I would eat here again but I would not order the veggie sandwich again. Service was very good, the ambiance was acceptable and the noise level was low.
Such a major improvement over the old cafeteria they used to have. It's always a delight to stop for lunch, a drink, or to go to one of their special evening dinners.
Delicious food and great service..lovely setting. Would go there just for lunch even without a collection to see.
This it my second visit this month. Everything was superb.
My former colleague & I celebrated our birthdays & had a wonderful meal!
FAQs
The Cafe Carnegie is rated 4.5 stars by 222 OpenTable diners.
Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable. Due to local restrictions, this restaurant may not be accepting reservations at the moment.