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The Wolf - Steakhouse in Oakland, California

The Wolf

4.6 (621 reviews)

3853 Piedmont Ave, Oakland, CA 94611

Californian restaurant
Restaurant

About The Wolf - steak house in Oakland, California

A charming neighborhood brasserie offering French-Californian fare & wine in modern, airy quarters.

Customer Review Summary

The Wolf offers a cozy, elevated atmosphere perfect for a late lunch or special occasions. Comfort foods like popovers, Brussels sprouts, and Spanish octopus are consistently praised for their delicious preparation. Creative cocktails, including non-alcoholic options, complement the menu. Service is noted for being polite, efficient, and attentive. The restaurant is described as a hidden gem, with a charming vibe in a converted house. Burger lovers rave about the mouth-watering burgers, claiming they surpass other local favorites. Other highlights include the Za'atar Butter Naan and risotto, both well-prepared and flavorful. Overall, positive reviews emphasize the quality of food, lively ambiance, and excellent service, with many customers expressing a desire to return.

Key Features

Service options

  • Outdoor seating
  • Takeout
  • Dine-in

Highlights

  • Great beer selection
  • Great cocktails
  • Great coffee
  • Great dessert
  • Great wine list

Popular for

  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Solo dining

Accessibility

  • Wheelchair accessible entrance
  • Wheelchair accessible restroom
  • Wheelchair accessible seating

Offerings

  • Alcohol
  • Beer
  • Cocktails
  • Coffee
  • Food
  • Hard liquor
  • Healthy options
  • Small plates
  • Vegetarian options
  • Wine

Dining options

  • Brunch
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Dessert
  • Seating

Amenities

  • Bar onsite
  • Restroom

Atmosphere

  • Cozy
  • Romantic
  • Trendy
  • Upscale

Crowd

  • Groups

Planning

  • Lunch reservations recommended
  • Dinner reservations recommended
  • Accepts reservations
  • Usually a wait

Payments

  • Credit cards

Children

  • High chairs

Parking

  • Paid street parking

Customer Reviews

Rating Distribution

4.6 out of 5
5
432
4
140
3
25
2
16
1
8
Based on 621 reviews

Darcy Vasudev

3 months ago

Popped in for a late lunch and it was delicious. The atmosphere is elevated but not fussy, and it was nice and cozy on a cold afternoon. Comfort foods like popovers, Brussels sprouts and Spanish octopus were all perfectly prepared. The salad was beautiful. Creative cocktails with a few non alcoholic options are also available. Service is polite and efficient. We tend to dine at odd hours so it wasn't crowded when we arrived but it was quite lively by the time we left.

Jaclyn Wang

3 weeks ago

Hidden gem vibe, adorable restaurant tucked ina converted house. The porch was perfect atmosphere and food was genuinely amazing. Seated as a walk in 30 mins before close and servers were attentive and kind🫶

J H

5 months ago

The food preparation and presentation was masterful! The brussel sprouts appetizer was delivered in a balsamic vinegar reduction (with a hint of honey?) and the tasty crusty bits were seared to absolute perfection. The service was first rate, ambiance was lively but not loud, and all of our dishes exceeded our hopes. Will definitely be back!

Sonia Garcia

5 months ago

We had a reservation to celebrate my moms birthday. The hostess was so friendly, and so where the other workers. Food was amazing too. I highly recommend the spanish octopus. It was AMAZING.

Bonnie L

6 months ago

Mouth-watering burgers await. I imagine the chef named the restaurant "The Wolf" because they can picture a herd of wolves drooling from the irresistible smell of the burgers. Before devouring my burger here, I thought I knew where to find the best burgers in town—NOPA and Wayfare Tavern. Boy, was I wrong. Neither comes close to what The Wolf delivers. Try it for yourself. In the meantime, I’m ordering my second one. Other noteworthy dishes include the Za'atar Butter Naan, served with the most delicious babaganoush you’ll ever taste, and the Spanish Octopus—crispy on the outside, soft, buttery, and tender on the inside.

A Last

7 months ago

Went in between lunch and dinner because I was craving a burger and it was phenomenal. Great mocktail (Floor is guava is super yummy) and dessert (baked s'more 😋). It was not busy and my servers (Melanie and Patrick) were very nice! Just what I needed

Scott P. Hu

10 months ago

Amazing restaurant in the Oakland hills! The Wolf was one of the first restaurants that was recommended to my wife and I when we moved to the East Bay. I can see why… We were sat at the bar and were greeted by the bartender. He went through the menu with us and offered his suggestions on what to order. The menu changes based on what’s in season, but I ordered the risotto and was blown away by how well it was prepped. Flavor wise, it was immaculate! The salads were all great and the oysters were started with were delicious. We are definitely going back and will be a part of our restaurant rotation!

Sung Woo Kim

1 year ago

Had a wonderful dinner on the valentine’s eve. Little gem salad was refreshing and appetizing. Risotto was flavorful and had a nice depth to it. Burger and fries were simple yet very tasteful. Seafood stew was simple yet delightful and I could taste every single ingredient’s texture and flavor. My wife and I were very happy. Our server was also very attentive and graceful. Will absolutely come back another time!

Location

Contact Information

Hours of Operation

Friday 11:30 AM–9 PM
Monday 4–9 PM
Saturday 11:30 AM–9 PM
Sunday Closed
Thursday 11:30 AM–9 PM
Tuesday 11:30 AM–9 PM
Wednesday 11:30 AM–9 PM

Price Range

$50–100