Snail Bar

incredible small plates w a weekly rotating menu. awesome wines to pair. felt like we were back in france!

Snails, Scallops, and Mussels -- truth be told never had any of those before... chef-owner Andres is a true master. Andres has created an amazing community space that is Snail Bar; it is a eclectic quaint environment with a great ambiance to get a drink and have small bites with friends. The space is bustling with passion and is full of creative energy -- Andres has a wonderful team that ties it all together. This is what a small business is -- an entrepreneur that has a dream and vision to bring something to their community. Snail Bar is a must visit if you're in the Temescal District in Oakland.

Creative, dynamic, delicious. Fresh, inspired menu paired with fantastic wines by skilled servers. Unique spot - best of the Bay.

Most exciting new place in the neighborhood! Killer selection of wines! Creative takes on classics like beef tartare served on seaweed toasts! If you like natural wines and european style tapas you’ll love this place!

Really, really good. Snails in cashew miso, the ham & cheese, and the tartare on a puffed black rice cake are all extra top-notch.

Great wine spot, but when I got my wine the server took her fingers in my drink to take out an eyelash that dropped into it. She apologized but the wine tasted different afterwards. The manager then came out and asked how they could improve, and I said to make the snail cheaper. The manager then flipped me off and splashed water all over my fiance ruining her beautiful dress. I am horrified and traumatized over this event. :(

I'm not big on organic wine - even the "dealer's choice" french merlot seemed sour and imbalanced to me. But every dish and the white burgundy were impeccable, even the crudite. Somehow Resy slipped us into a cold outdoor without clearly saying so, but the maitre'd let us sit at the bar, right under the speaker, which wasn't ideal for conversation, but I guess wasn't their fault.

If you’re looking for great atmosphere, fresh menus and juicy wine.. come here. There are days when you show up and it’s very laid back and other times where there is a DJ outside playing the hits. This wine bar does a wonderful job balancing an energetic atmosphere with a laid back feel.

Extraordinary! Every dish better than the next. Even the simple shrimp cocktail was out of this world, so the best, most delicious oysters and lovely luscious snails.

Really great spot! Wether your looking to pick up a bottle or to dine in with food and wine this place can't be beat. Best natural wine i have found in the bay area. Owner is super cool and service is fantastic.

Great lil place! The staff was top notch! All the small plate food was nicely paired with the wines we picked out. Will for sure stop by again next time I’m in town.

super cute spot, not too busy on a weekend evening and had great selection of vegetarian options. the orange and white wines we had were superb, and the use of kumquats throughout may of the dishes added a nice citrusy acidity to it all to cut the grease. definitely get the crudo!

this is THE place where we know there is always top quality, delicious food & the most exciting selection of natural wines. love the laid back vibe coupled with the high culinary standards. i also really appreciate the appropriately portioned dishes, allowing us to try of their fabulous offerings. you really can taste the love and quality in their food. their homie nights are not to be missed! we always have a great time here.

This has got to be one of the most underrated restaurants in the Bay if not the state, actually the country! Global dishes with an innovative touch and soulful take. And the owner/chef is a super cool dude. I am recommending this spot to all my foodie friends ;)

This has been my absolute favorite restaurant for a few years.. Eating at Snail Bar is like going to a friend’s house and a gourmet chef and sommelier have been hired to serve you. The service is warm and welcoming. The FOOD!! Combines the freshest ingredients in innovative ways that are always beautiful and delicious. The crew runs a tight ship and they have amazing visiting chefs at least once a month for “Homie Night” which is again another amazingly curated meal from the freshest farmer’s market ingredients. Snail Bar is a rare find, an absolute treasure!

Snail Bar is my favorite restaurant in Oakland. Their menu is constantly changing with the seasons and Chef Andres packs so much flavor into the dishes he creates. The service was amazing, the staff are very detail oriented and hospitable. Great wine list and beautiful space. I can’t wait to visit again.

run don’t walk and try it all! always surprising, always delicious. honestly considering how inflation has pushed all restaurant prices, it’s pretty incredible what quality ingredients and technique you get for a really reasonable cost that has remained pretty consistent since opening. well worth it. also lowkey highlight is the nonwine drink selections, not just your standard local brewery but some really thoughtful atypical selections curated unlike anywhere else in the east bay. try to check out a homie night if you want to really be blown away.

Love Snail Bar! Fantastic vibe. Great spot to have in the neighborhood - staff is super kind and always gives great recommendations. Go-to spot for a glass (or three) of wine and a light bite. Keep an eye out for guest chef nights and special menu additions.

Really enjoyed this place, the tuna tostadas were our favorite but their oysters with passionfruit was also really unique and delicious. I also LOVED the summer squash salad.

Easily one of the most creative (dishes, flavor combinations), and one of the best, meals I've had in the Bay Area. So many standouts - snails of course (miso and mandarin!), pan con tomate (+pimenton), mussels, oysters, scallop tostada, Venezuelan pancake, fried quail. And the wine was excellent (the chilled red birthday wine). A gem!

They always have exciting new menu items or collabs happening and great wine by the glass/bottle as well. Rochelle canteen takeover was such a sweet experience! Love snail bar

We had such a lovely dinner here, truly everything we ordered was so tasty! The mussels were our favorite… corn pancake also delicious! Truthfully I was worried that this place might be sort of over-hyped but the flavors blew me away. 10/10 !

Best hospitality, ingredients, and so much love put into the food. Order one of everything on the menu especially the damn ham and cheese.

Snail Bar is my favorite restaurant to return to on a regular basis in the Bay. The food is spectacular!

OH everything abt this place is perfect!! Every corner of the restaurant is a vibe and I loved every single dish, how unique and local their menu feels. All the plates are tooo cute and the tiramisu was a 20/10

I appreciate quantity AND quality, so I was skeptical about having dinner here. However, despite their portions being reminiscent of tapas I left more than full and extremely satisfied! My friends and I got everything on the menu but 2 items. I love the intimate space, their modern wine selection, and the staff was pretty great as well. Devon was a real sweetheart! I can’t wait to visit this spot again!

Very cute , casual but stylish place. I like their selection of wines , a lot of interesting varietals rather than Red Burgundy, Barolo and Chablis)) Food is very creative and yummy We ordered almost the whole menu: Petit plateau - 5 , my fav. Very interesting mix of sefood and sauces Local Halibut Tostada - 4 , was good, but after plateau not as impressive Pate- 4 , good but It did not have enough flavor for me Butterbean Tartine- 5 , like the fish in it Burrata -5 yummy yummy Snails - pretty rich taste Hot dog- 5 , loved the idea of putting egg on a top, Kasu Custard - was just delicious i will Definitely be back again!

It’s a must try if you’re nearby! Definitely a good place to go to on a date night or night out with a small group of friends. I would say this is a good option to start out your night before heading to dinner. It’s not a place you would go to for nice full meal but more like light appetizers to warm up your stomach for another meal after. Wine here was pretty good too but I didn’t get chance to fully look at the collection or fridge that they have in the restaurant.

Winnie Xu

super cute spot, not too busy on a weekend evening and had great selection of vegetarian options. the orange and white wines we had were superb, and the use of kumquats throughout may of the dishes added a nice citrusy acidity to it all to cut the grease. definitely get the crudo!

Jasmin Arneja

this is THE place where we know there is always top quality, delicious food & the most exciting selection of natural wines. love the laid back vibe coupled with the high culinary standards. i also really appreciate the appropriately portioned dishes, allowing us to try of their fabulous offerings. you really can taste the love and quality in their food. their homie nights are not to be missed! we always have a great time here.

margy sommer

This has been my absolute favorite restaurant for a few years.. Eating at Snail Bar is like going to a friend’s house and a gourmet chef and sommelier have been hired to serve you. The service is warm and welcoming. The FOOD!! Combines the freshest ingredients in innovative ways that are always beautiful and delicious. The crew runs a tight ship and they have amazing visiting chefs at least once a month for “Homie Night” which is again another amazingly curated meal from the freshest farmer’s market ingredients. Snail Bar is a rare find, an absolute treasure!

Kevin Le

Snail Bar is my favorite restaurant in Oakland. Their menu is constantly changing with the seasons and Chef Andres packs so much flavor into the dishes he creates. The service was amazing, the staff are very detail oriented and hospitable. Great wine list and beautiful space. I can’t wait to visit again.

Dawn

This has got to be one of the most underrated restaurants in the Bay if not the state, actually the country! Global dishes with an innovative touch and soulful take. And the owner/chef is a super cool dude. I am recommending this spot to all my foodie friends ;)

Thea Brown

run don’t walk and try it all! always surprising, always delicious. honestly considering how inflation has pushed all restaurant prices, it’s pretty incredible what quality ingredients and technique you get for a really reasonable cost that has remained pretty consistent since opening. well worth it. also lowkey highlight is the nonwine drink selections, not just your standard local brewery but some really thoughtful atypical selections curated unlike anywhere else in the east bay. try to check out a homie night if you want to really be blown away.

Gentry Bennett

Love Snail Bar! Fantastic vibe. Great spot to have in the neighborhood - staff is super kind and always gives great recommendations. Go-to spot for a glass (or three) of wine and a light bite. Keep an eye out for guest chef nights and special menu additions.

Benjamin Harms

Easily one of the most creative (dishes, flavor combinations), and one of the best, meals I've had in the Bay Area. So many standouts - snails of course (miso and mandarin!), pan con tomate (+pimenton), mussels, oysters, scallop tostada, Venezuelan pancake, fried quail. And the wine was excellent (the chilled red birthday wine). A gem!

Alex Locke

Really enjoyed this place, the tuna tostadas were our favorite but their oysters with passionfruit was also really unique and delicious. I also LOVED the summer squash salad.

Umay Akkoseoglu

They always have exciting new menu items or collabs happening and great wine by the glass/bottle as well. Rochelle canteen takeover was such a sweet experience! Love snail bar

Brenna Moore

We had such a lovely dinner here, truly everything we ordered was so tasty! The mussels were our favorite… corn pancake also delicious! Truthfully I was worried that this place might be sort of over-hyped but the flavors blew me away. 10/10 !

Sasami Ashworth

Best hospitality, ingredients, and so much love put into the food. Order one of everything on the menu especially the damn ham and cheese.

Jacki Ochoa

Snail Bar is my favorite restaurant to return to on a regular basis in the Bay. The food is spectacular!

Jaclyn Wang

OH everything abt this place is perfect!! Every corner of the restaurant is a vibe and I loved every single dish, how unique and local their menu feels. All the plates are tooo cute and the tiramisu was a 20/10

Ellis Ott

I appreciate quantity AND quality, so I was skeptical about having dinner here. However, despite their portions being reminiscent of tapas I left more than full and extremely satisfied! My friends and I got everything on the menu but 2 items. I love the intimate space, their modern wine selection, and the staff was pretty great as well. Devon was a real sweetheart! I can’t wait to visit this spot again!

Vadzim Svirepa

Very cute , casual but stylish place. I like their selection of wines , a lot of interesting varietals rather than Red Burgundy, Barolo and Chablis)) Food is very creative and yummy We ordered almost the whole menu: Petit plateau - 5 , my fav. Very interesting mix of sefood and sauces Local Halibut Tostada - 4 , was good, but after plateau not as impressive Pate- 4 , good but It did not have enough flavor for me Butterbean Tartine- 5 , like the fish in it Burrata -5 yummy yummy Snails - pretty rich taste Hot dog- 5 , loved the idea of putting egg on a top, Kasu Custard - was just delicious i will Definitely be back again!

N N

It’s a must try if you’re nearby! Definitely a good place to go to on a date night or night out with a small group of friends. I would say this is a good option to start out your night before heading to dinner. It’s not a place you would go to for nice full meal but more like light appetizers to warm up your stomach for another meal after. Wine here was pretty good too but I didn’t get chance to fully look at the collection or fridge that they have in the restaurant.

Danielle Salinas

Their food is absolutely amazing in taste and beautiful in presentation. I love how the menu varies by week, it makes it exciting to keep going back. I recommend this spot to anyone visiting the Bay Area, it’s 100% worth the drive out of San Francisco, I promise! And of course, you MUST order their snails (they have this year around, so don’t worry)!! You will not regret it. ❤️ 10/10

This natural wine bar excels at delicious small plates that delight with their freshness. I'd say simplicity also, but I know that the appearance of simplicity is often quite complex! 🥕🥔🍠 The crudité was perfectly crunchy, yet blanched, and expertly salted. The white bean dish was hearty and enhanced with roasted & stewed peppers. The seeded bread was just plain delicious! 🧀🌼 The cheeses were fantastic choices as well, and they went especially well with the orange "Queen Mum" wine from Slovakia, my favorite. My friend preferred "La Croisette" Altasse from France, but that was too sweet for me outside of a dessert menu. Neither of us cared for a red field blend from Languedoc, but I find it's rare that I love natural red wines. 🍷🍊🥂 That would absolutely not stop me from coming back to try pairing more with those great small plates! Get there early if you want a seat inside—it's a small space, which may be why this is at least the third business I've seen inhabit it! All of them have been good, just not good luck, I guess. 🍀🌈 Who wants to help me give the Snail Bar some more good luck and return to try the escargot?

+3

Sat outside and had some white wine and delicious snails with garlic butter and kumquat. We were asked to have vaccine cards checked even with outdoor seating. Overall a good experience.

Delicately plated, strong attention to detail. Most dishes well balanced, maybe a little long on the sauce for the little gems.

+1

Corner store with a great name and delicious/flavorful natural wines from around the world. Loved their appetizers with soft bread and great charcuterie options. The atmosphere is divine, and make sure to have a reservation on busy weekend nights. Only complaint is the size of the carafes, which come in small beakers.

James Wang

Corner store with a great name and delicious/flavorful natural wines from around the world. Loved their appetizers with soft bread and great charcuterie options. The atmosphere is divine, and make sure to have a reservation on busy weekend nights. Only complaint is the size of the carafes, which come in small beakers.

Food is good, portions are small, prices are high. Natural wine trend in full effect, I suggest the sake

If you’re looking to drop serious cash for the privilege of being disappointed, this is your spot. Brace yourself for tiny portions, lackluster flavors, and price tags that will make you wonder if you’ve wandered into a high-stakes game of culinary extortion. Let’s start with the prawns—two measly, undercooked prawns for $50. That’s right: two. They were bland, and the accompanying aioli tasted like…well, nothing. Not exactly the indulgent experience I was expecting at that price point. The rest of the menu didn’t save the night either. The tomato toast—a single slice of bread with mayo and tomatoes—came in at $20. Meanwhile, the escargot somehow managed to skip on the flavor entirely, lacking the garlicky bite you’d expect. It was all oil, no substance. The only redeeming part was the wine, which was solid but not life-changing, and at $16 a glass, that’s the least I’d expect. If you’re fine with overpaying for underwhelming food, go right ahead. Otherwise, I’d recommend saving your money for a place that actually cares about balancing price with quality. We went back to North Light around the corner for a great meal and drinks to avoid going home hungry.

I don’t usually write a review but felt I had to. Dining at this establishment was, in a word, anticlimactic. The promise of refined simplicity fell short amidst prices that seemed to take the food far more seriously than it deserved. A modest plate arrived: two prawns, snails, and a toast topped with tomatoes. Though technically sound, the dishes felt restrained, lacking the vibrancy that high prices might lead one to expect. Each bite hinted at something bolder but delivered only polite flavors, as if reluctant to make a statement. The wine, meanwhile, was a study in mediocrity—a glass that one might expect at half the price, forgettable at best. For a meal that aspired to refined rusticity, it instead brought to mind the phrase ‘much ado about nothing.’

**Establishment does NOT offer Take Away Food! Unfortunately this was a miss for me. Came here by myself and since there was no wait, I was quickly seated outside (it was about 7pm). I noticed there was one heater for the whole outside area, but figured I was gonna get a quick bite, that the 60 degree weather wouldn’t get to me. I was seated right next to the entrance and it took a while to have a server get to me (I personally had to ask if I could please order). I ordered a single glass of wine, the scallop tostadas and the Spice Olive cake; spent $75 that includes the 20% gratuity they automatically add. Wine and tostada came out quickly! To which I will give credit and say that the tostada was delicious ($27 for 2). After that I sat there and waited for the cake to come out, to which at one point I asked to be checked out, as I wanted to pay and head out after the cake came out. 10+ min after paying, I was getting pretty cold and asked if they could just wrap up the cake as I wanted to head home since I was getting pretty chilly. Server told me he would be right back and he would get and estimate for the cake. When he came back, he told me that it was taking a while to be ready due to the Strawberry Granita (shaved iced) that wasn’t ready and it went on top of the cake. I was also told that the Chef WOULD NOT box my item to go, because of the granita. I asked if they could just remove it and he said no; My options were to be reimbursed for the cake or wait for it to be served and ready to eat, by that point I had been waiting close to 20 min for the cake, so I waited another minute or so after that. Y’all!! When that cake came out, I was far from impressed with the presentation. Just the cake served with whipped cream and a small bit of shave iced over it (this could have easily been packed up to go). I quickly ate it and hoped that the taste would have been worth the wait and I was very much disappointed by the dryness of the cake. All in all, unfortunately I will not be returning back, even though I was recommend by friends about this place and only living 4 min away from the location. I want to go to a place where being able to pack up my items to go in the event I can’t finish it, is an option; along with being acknowledged and served accordingly and not having to grab someone’s attention to be served *Responding to the Reply of the Owner: I’m glad you guys remembered me, but again, I was only acknowledged after I’d asked another staff member about placing my order and about the ETA of the cake. As noted by other customers/reviews on here, the lack of acknowledgement at times is something that is a current issue at your establishment, and not just an isolated event. I did ask what the Granita was and even said “y’all can’t just take it out?” I was so in shocked that an establishment didn’t offer to go boxes, that I suppose it didn’t sound like a request. By the reply of my review, I’m assuming you’re the one that took my order, so with that being said: You could have just told me your establishment DOESN’T offer any take away, instead of pinning that on your Chef! Not once was I told that the “Granita is the most important component of the dessert,” I was only told that it would melt quickly.

I really want to like snail bar, but they make it tough. Tonight we arrived on time for our reservation and waited over 30 minutes to be seated. We reserved an inside table but they booked inside for a party. It would have been an even longer wait if we hadn’t been willing to sit outside. In addition the portions are small and the service isn’t excellent. I expect more for $50+ per person.

Honestly, skip it. Very small servings, very good quality food but still not worth it. My husband and I went and had to order over 5 dishes to feel close to full and ended up spending almost $400 on a single meal. If you are going, focus on the wine but don’t make it your whole meal unless you’re comfortable spending that amount. We ordered a wine carafe that was an insulting serving, so then we ordered a bottle of wine which helped rack up the price, but just to illustrate that you don’t get what you think you’re getting quantity-wise. Food, service, and atmosphere was excellent, but prices are too high. Overrated.

A

Honestly, skip it. Very small servings, very good quality food but still not worth it. My husband and I went and had to order over 5 dishes to feel close to full and ended up spending almost $400 on a single meal. If you are going, focus on the wine but don’t make it your whole meal unless you’re comfortable spending that amount. We ordered a wine carafe that was an insulting serving, so then we ordered a bottle of wine which helped rack up the price, but just to illustrate that you don’t get what you think you’re getting quantity-wise. Food, service, and atmosphere was excellent, but prices are too high. Overrated.

Such an odd experience. First we waited a while to be served, I guess the waiter forgot we were sitting there. I asked him if we could order, he walked right over. I started asking him about a few of the options on the menu, he offered a few short one word responses. He seemed annoyed. I asked him if there was a problem, he told me there wasn’t, that he was just trying to figure out what I wanted. You could cut the tension with a knife, even the person I was dining with remarked that he looked really really unhappy and bothered during our short conversation. I decided to order a wine I knew nothing about instead of asking him any more questions because I wanted to cut the uncomfortable interaction off as quickly as possible. I’d already felt like he was quite annoyed by what I’d asked about the food. Anyways, he brings over the food and wine. We finish the shrimp, and ask for another order, he asks if we want to keep our sauces for the next order. Obviously not…. He proceeds to take the used sauces off the platter and set them on the table. The new platter of shrimp, of course, comes with new sauces. At 7 PM on the dot a new waiter walks over and asks if we want to clear out, at this point we feel rushed but the experience was so strange that we of course wanted to leave. We left, and were charged their automatic 20% gratuity. I will never, ever be back.

We ate here last night with another couple. In the fine print at the very bottom of the menu on your small screen explains a 20% service charge is added to every bill and very easy to miss. Our Server did not tell us when the bill was given to us and we tipped again on top of a $300 bill. I'm sorry but that is simply unethical for was some good food with average service. Our bottle of wine did not arrive until after we asked and came after our 3rd dish had already been eaten.