Diners' Choice: Lively restaurants in East Bay

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants that have the most vibrant bar scenes in East Bay? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Forbidden Island Tiki Lounge

4.8

4.8 (452)

$30 and under

Cocktail Bar

Alameda

About the restaurant

About
Forbidden Island Tiki Lounge is a tropical vacation spot right in the middle of your hometown! Serving award-winning, world famous classic and exotic cocktails along with many original recipes, along with some tasty snacks, Forbidden Island is a retro-oasis in the desert of your busy modern day! Now open indoors (seated capacity only) as well as outdoors in our Tiki Garden/ Patio, 7 days a week.

* Please note that all reservations are limited to 90 minutes for groups of 1-3 and 2 hours for groups of 4-8.

Top review

Amanda

Dined 3 days ago

I still love that you can reserve a table - best thing from covid! I also love that there is outdoor and indoor seating. Great music not too loud fun atmosphere and friendly sporty service. The drinks of course were amazing per usual and the food has improved - had the forbidden fries and cups with guacamole. We rode our bikes there and they even allowed us to park them inside the gate which was very nice!

The Essence - Livermore

4.8

4.8 (30)

$30 and under

Indian

Livermore

About the restaurant

At The Essence Redefining Indian food we invite you to indulge in the finest Indian cuisine in an atmosphere of luxury and refinement. Whether you are a connoisseur of Indian food or a first-time explorer, our restaurant promises an unforgettable culinary journey that celebrates the essence of India in every bite. Exquisite Ambiance, Culinary Excellence, Artful Presentation, Impeccable Service, Exclusive Wine and Beverage Pairings, Private Dining and Events
Book your table today and let us transport you to a world of exquisite flavors and timeless elegance.

Top review

Naman

Dined 2 days ago

The food was great and serving staff was friendly. We had good time. Loved the place.

Speisekammer

4.7

4.7 (1644)

$30 and under

German

Alameda

About the restaurant

Traditional German cuisine- Pickup-take out & delivery through UberEats, Postmates & Grubhub- Limited outdoor dining.

Top review

Renee

Dined 4 days ago

I recently had dinner at Speisekammer. I was impressed. Great service, friendly staff, the food was tasty, and, the portions were substantial. They offer a great selection of beers and a variety of cocktails as well, at reasonable prices, which I really appreciated. I also like that they have outdoor seating if you like to dine alfresco. Fur babies are welcomed...

Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine- Oakland

4.7

4.7 (233)

$31 to $50

Thai

Oakland

About the restaurant

Not your typical Thai! We are a Thai New Generation restaurant focusing on bringing you adventurous, bold flavors of traditional and non-traditional dishes using the freshest ingredients. Look out for our nightly specials from regional home cooked dishes to market fried grasshoppers. We are consistently voted the "Best Thai Restaurant" in San Francisco by Michelin Bib Gourmand 2016 - 2019. The Best Thai Restaurant. San Francisco, Oakland, Menlo Park, Berkeley and Portland.

Top review

Tameka

Dined on Jun 17, 2025

10/10 Experience! ⭐️ We came in for a graduation celebration, and Farmhouse Kitchen absolutely delivered! The staff, food, and service were all exceptional. They made the moment even more special by honoring our graduate with a beautiful cultural song — it created such a joyful and memorable atmosphere. The portions were generous, the flavors were incredible, and the pricing was very fair for the amount of food and drinks we received. We’re already planning to come back because we want to try everything on the menu. Thank you, Farmhouse Kitchen, for an unforgettable experience!

Crush'd

4.7

4.7 (17)

$30 and under

American

Danville

About the restaurant

Welcome to Crush’d in Danville, California, your go-to destination for elevated flavors, sustainable sourcing, and laid-back vibes from brunch to late night. With 24 wines on tap, craft cocktails, and a locally inspired all-day menu, we’ve created a high-design, no-frills atmosphere where you can truly unwind.
Savor hand-carved charcuterie, premium caviar, and seasonal small plates while our chefs bring bold, fresh flavors to life. Whether you're joining us for brunch, lunch, dinner, or just a glass of something great, we’re here to make your experience unforgettable.
Looking to celebrate? We’re also a perfect spot for private events and group gatherings. And don’t miss Live Music Thursdays

Top review

Ginger

Dined on Jun 15, 2025

The wait staff was super good at helping out with pairing food with the wine. I found the wine to be reasonably priced, and quite tasty. The food was also quite good and reasonably priced.

Discover more

Experience

Sommelier Wine Pairing Experience – $80 per person

Experience

Live Music Thursdays at Crush’d

Experience

Crush'd Happy Hour - $1.50 Oysters!

Bruno's Italian Cuisine - Livermore

4.6

4.6 (177)

$30 and under

Italian

Livermore

About the restaurant

Bruno's Italian Cuisine invites you to experience the warmth of a cozy Italian trattoria in Livermore. The air is filled with the enticing aroma of fresh garlic and herbs, setting the stage for a delightful meal. Our menu features a variety of classic Italian dishes made with the freshest ingredients. Start with crispy garlic cheese bread or Portuguese-style clams sautéed with garlic, tomatoes, and Cajun sausage in white wine sauce. For the main course, enjoy our flavorful fettuccine alfredo or hearty spaghetti bolognese. We also offer a selection of pizzas, including classic pepperoni and a unique Mexican pizza with pepperoni, linguica, bell peppers, and jalapenos. No meal is complete without dessert. Don't miss our homemade tiramisu, known for its light, fluffy texture and rich coffee flavor. Whether celebrating a special occasion or enjoying a night out, Bruno's Italian Cuisine is the perfect destination for authentic Italian dining.

Top review

SaraVIP

Dined on Apr 27, 2025

Love this place! A favorite when visiting Downtown Livermore!

Saucy Oakland

4.6

4.6 (167)

$30 and under

Asian

Oakland

About the restaurant

Saucy Oakland features fun and delicious Pan-Asian dishes like the Thai Corndog, Hamachi spoons, soy-braised beef short ribs, and garlic noodles. Enjoy our original dishes with a selection of premium sake, sake spritzers, wine, beer, soft drinks, and tea.

We are currently accepting reservations for lunch (Tue-Fri) for parties of 5 or more. We currently DO NOT offer TABLE SERVICE for lunch. We hope to provide this service in the future. Please order at the counter when you arrive.

Happy Hour and Dinner (Wed-Sat).
Brunch on Sundays from 11-2:30PM

Saucy Oakland is a fun and creatively driven project put together by locals Chef Tony and Jenni in 2015. They've partnered up their passion for food to deliver their take on a fun concept that focuses on friends mingling over great food.

Top review

andrea

Dined on Jun 15, 2025

Super tasty and great service! Did the prix fix - totally worth it!

Sauced BBQ & Spirits - Walnut Creek

4.4

4.4 (839)

$30 and under

Barbecue

Walnut Creek

About the restaurant

We are so excited to have the opportunity to bring authentic BBQ to Northern California. Our goal at Sauced is to provide excellent food with unmatched southern charm and ambiance. Arcade Games, crafted cocktails, 25 plus beers on tap, 200 whiskeys, bourbons, scotches or ryes and of course our award winning bbq will surely get you Sauced.

Top review

Alyssa

Dined on Jun 16, 2025

We went out to celebrate a combo of Mothers & Fathers day & everyone loved their meal ((:

BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse - Brentwood

4.4

4.4 (57)

$30 and under

American

Brentwood

About the restaurant

Time counts at BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse. Since our humble beginnings back in 1978, we've continued to refine our brewhouse experience to make BJ's a place where you can make the most of any meal. We want BJ's to be a place where the moment you leave is the moment you plan on coming back. We pride ourselves in our craft and attention to detail. Our guests come here for our award-winning handcrafted beer. They come here for the Southern California twist we've put on the Chicago-style deep dish pizza. And they come here for our Pizookies®, our world-renowned dessert. But above all we know people come here to make their good times better. So in many ways we haven't just crafted a brand, but a mindset. And our guests are the reason for this. And it's because of them we're continually striving to make sure every moment they choose to spend with us counts. Welcome to BJ's, a restaurant with a Brewhouse soul.

Top review

Cheryl

Dined on Jun 16, 2025

We went to BJs to celebrate my Granddaughter’s birthday. The service was excellent! We were disappointed because the special with double cut pork chops were unavailable because they were out of pork chops. Everything else we ordered was excellent, except the Prime Rib Dip. They were really busy because of Fathers Day, so we didn’t complain.

Shirasoni

4.3

4.3 (580)

$31 to $50

Japanese

Alameda

About the restaurant

Shirasoni Japanese Restaurant invites you to visit us for “a Unique dining experience.”

Here at Shirasoni Japanese Restaurant, we pride ourselves on providing excellent service, using the freshest of ingredients, and our delightfully entertaining authentic Japanese Teppanyaki and Sushi dinner shows while providing a fun, friendly, and family experience. Online reservations are for Teppanyaki dining only.

Top review

Joey

Dined 4 days ago

My family and I always have a great experience at Shirasoni. We will definitely be going back.

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