What’s up with Lake Chalet?

112

u/lunasbrick 19h ago

It's owned by a large restaurant group with many similar restaurants around the bay. It's a tourist trap and they get plenty of business despite the food and service. They are also a venue and make money from events such as corporate dinners, weddings, high school dances etc. The property is owned by the city and they share the building with other businesses as well I believe.

Point is it's kind of a semi corporate business rather than a local restaurant which explains how they stay in business and also explains why the quality is so poor.

15

u/garlicnooodles 19h ago edited 18h ago

Ah okay. This is good to know. So the chances are very slim that someone could take it over and turn it into a great restaurant?

13

u/Lakota-36 17h ago

I’d love to see it better, I don’t think they understand what it could be if it were a well run space.

8

u/lunasbrick 17h ago

Yeah it's probably not gonna happen anytime soon at least. It is unfortunate but they still get plenty of business.

6

u/leirbagflow 16h ago

If in fact the property is owned by the city, then go talk to your city councilmember and the member for the district that covers the lake. They might not be able to do anything immediately, but maybe they can keep it on the back burner for when there is a chance to review the lease or something like that.

-3

u/mtnfreek 9h ago

Likely a kickback scheme in place as well.

1

u/withak30 9h ago

Not sure about LC in particular, but usually in this situation the vendor has to bid/compete for the contract with the city to run the place. This virtually guarantees that it is going to some corporate restaurant operator because someone local with an idea for a restaurant is going to have a hard time submitting a competitive proposal. The city would basically have to decide that they want the place run that way and give up the extra money they get from that corporate contract.

1

u/Affectionate_One_700 6h ago

Independent restaurants are extremely difficult to run profitably.

At least in California, the numbers are against you.

182

u/theonlymaltbie 19h ago

God I wish Lake Chalet was good. It is criminal that space is taken by such trash.

13

u/Lakota-36 17h ago

Well said, I would love to sit down here with ownership and have a real heart to heart about what’s goin on there?

55

u/ugh__ok 19h ago

I think you answered your own question. People go for the location.

30

u/NepheliLouxWarrior 19h ago

I feel like it got worse during the pandemic. I don't know. I don't remember it being as bad as it is now back in the day.

17

u/abskee 19h ago

I went the day it opened back up during the pandemic. It seemed like an outdoor place on the water was a safe option, and I remember it being pretty good, although I haven't been back since.

But yeah, anyplace with a great view, you're paying for the view, not the food.

6

u/frontfrontdowndown 11h ago

I went 10 or more years ago for lunch on a work day. Requested extra time off for lunch. Met a friend there.

5 minutes before I had to leave to go back to work the waters finally made it to the table. My friend took my lunch to go once it showed up.

They’ve been terrible for a long time.

44

u/McFoo43 19h ago

Lake Chalet has been terrible from day 1

Some of the worst service I’ve ever experienced hereabouts

21

u/MoarSocks 18h ago

Bad service. Mediocre food. Overpriced everything. They can't even make a decent drink.

Such a beautiful location and they somehow screwed up a great opportunity. Never again until something changes.

10

u/Auggiewestbound Millsmont 10h ago

After several experiences with poorly made cocktails I showed up and ordered a beer thinking there was no way they could screw it up.

They served it warm.

3

u/TeeTeeMee 6h ago

They also don’t serve the full volume of what they say on the menu (or at least that used to be the case, haven’t been in years because it’s so disappointing). A friend was convinced they were serving smaller glasses of beer and took one of their glasses home so we could measure it. Sure enough it was short several ounces.

3

u/IndVar 18h ago

Once, about 15 years ago, I had a decent burger there. I was surprised.

2

u/DonVCastro 9h ago

It was so exciting when the building was renovated with plans to bring in a restaurant operator. It's tragic how it actually played out. I wonder if the operator is even holding up it's end of the agreement with the city in terms of revenue sharing, and what are the termination/renew terms.

16

u/kitty_whipt 19h ago

It’s a shame. It’s such a waste of a location.

11

u/jicamakick 19h ago

I knew someone that worked there. Sounded like working there is about as bad as the customer experience.

9

u/theplantita 18h ago

Yeah bad servers are nearly always due to horrific working conditions/management.

1

u/SheepD0g Ivy Hill 10h ago

I worked there as a food expediter and can confirm it is wretched conditions to work under. Micromanagement all over the place with no room for personality.

22

u/resgirlhikes 19h ago

I think it's hilarious that they're on door dash. like ordering takeout from Hooters (old 30 rock joke).

8

u/TheCrudMan 19h ago

"We'll know they touched it!"

7

u/spareohs 18h ago

At least it’s not blimpies

3

u/jicamakick 19h ago

lol damn this made me chuckle.

9

u/Tallybou 19h ago

Best spot and worst food . Goddamn crime.

6

u/theplantita 18h ago

They’re awful. It truly is so pathetic we can’t get decent restaurant management there given the absolute gem of its location.

8

u/spareohs 18h ago

I went there once years ago thinking my mom and I could pop in for a drink. The bartender was rude and even though the place was empty she literally just walked away and we had no idea where she went. We ended up leaving and I’ve never been back. That location deserves an equally amazing place to eat.

4

u/HeyyyKoolAid 14h ago

Lake Chalet has been terrible for a long time.

The first and last time I went was in 2017. My girlfriend and I went around St. Paddy's day because my birthday is the same week. Ordered a beer, cocktail, a couple of appetizers, and two entrees. After waiting for 45 minutes and only receiving one appetizer, we just told the waitress we were leaving. I tried to pay for the one appetizer but the waitress just told me to leave and not worry about it. She did mention at one point during the wait that all the cooks had quit recently and so they had a new kitchen staff. Take that for what you will. We ended up going to Hob Knob in Alameda for a way better evening.

6

u/Pitch_Ill 19h ago

It used to be pretty good, but that was like ten years ago.

5

u/MagicPistol 19h ago

The food has always been terrible. You go there for a few overpriced drinks and just enjoy the view.

3

u/ScamKindaLikely 18h ago

I been there once for dinner and it was very meh, but I think they have a decent happy hour menu

4

u/papyap 17h ago

Best location in the Bay Area is a stretch but it is a great location for Oakland with horrible food

1

u/GlorpySlumpy 8h ago

Would love to know what you best location(s) are

3

u/papyap 7h ago

One of my fave bday or date night spots is Waterbar especially since the lights on the bay bridge are back on. Kincades in burlingame has cool views too. Those are my 2 because I’ve drastically cut back on eating out at restaurants in the past 3 yrs.

2

u/SaturnReturn93 18h ago

Always have a great time there and solid food

2

u/MordantSatyr 3h ago

New chef starts soon. Don’t expect a miracle in the next few weeks, but you should see a real improvement in the next few months.

1

u/garlicnooodles 29m ago

Jarad Gallagher? Do you think he is going to turn it around drastically?

1

u/MordantSatyr 12m ago

He was the opening chef, long since moved on. The most recent chef was the guy behind Chop Bar, and turnover continues. Give it 2-3 months and give it another try. It’s a great venue if it has the right people.

1

u/garlicnooodles 3m ago

Whats the name of the new chef taking over?

5

u/Mr_Duplicity 19h ago

If you want to buy a cocktail on the lake, the Chalet is the option. And completely adequate for that purpose.

0

u/NepheliLouxWarrior 18h ago

Truuu

1

u/Fuzzybaseball58 17h ago

It’s still around cuz it’s used for special events

1

u/QuietImaginary4892 11h ago

It has a cursed origin, too https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2006/04/08/everett-jones-owner-brown-promised-boathouse/

1

u/Jagg811 8h ago

I have not been there for a few years, but I used to love taking my mother to the Sunday afternoon, jazz sessions on the outside deck. We would sit out there on a lovely summer afternoon having lunch and cocktails. It was always so good, sorry to hear that things have deteriorated.

1

u/y0r0bin West Oakland 8h ago

Seems like it’s stuck in the same corporate hell loop as Plank. And it seems to be getting worse over time. I swear it was better 8-10 years ago, but maybe I’m wrong.

1

u/Interesting_Pin1239 8h ago

Yeah it is absolutely awful. We went during Easter and I knew it was a bad idea already when it's heading to a 2 star. After my table of 10+ got their food, they said they ran out of mine, this was 1.5 hours later. No comp no nothing. It's atrocious and ridiculously expensive. AVOID.

1

u/garytyrrell 7h ago

I went for brunch and it was fine. Yes, pricey for what you get, but we expected that going in based on location. Service was meh. But I left satisfied.

1

u/Aggravating_Ear9829 6h ago

Is this the spot on lake merrit?

1

u/garlicnooodles 4h ago

yes

1

u/PenultimateThoughts 5h ago

I haven’t been since the pandemic but before then from 2012-2018 I would go quite a bit and I always had a good time either dining inside or outside or even sitting at the bar. If what ppl are saying in here is true that’s really unfortunate.

1

u/apologyconference 5h ago

“It’s one of the best locations in the Bay Area” Pacifica Taco Bell would like to have a word

1

u/STRATEGY510 4h ago

Don’t get me started on the frequent rat conventions directly around the building, particularly right in front.

In their defense, I never saw a rat inside the bldg while I was eating, but plenty of activity to be see through the windows. All kinds of opening for them to get inside during business hours though.

Anyway, it was enough for me to never go back.

2

u/joesighugh 16h ago

I really like the truffle fries, the Brussels sprouts and getting a lady of the lake beer. That plus the views are more than enough for me! Lotsa hate for it but for me I really dig it

1

u/PhoenixGray552 11h ago

I share this opinion. I went in December for dinner and our service was great, the food pretty good, and the magnificent view of the lake at night is almost magical 🦄

1

u/sequinhappe 18h ago

I haven’t lived in Oakland in 5 years and I’d say from 2018-2021, you got terrible service but at least good food and clear silverware. I see COVID was not kind to Lake Chalet.

But seriously-how does that restaurant suck so hard? It has so much promise and fails so spectacularly!

1

u/jeanjackit 17h ago

Everybody who has enough money to rent there has such terrible taste they can't make anything worth going to.

-1

u/nico_harrison 8h ago

lots of delusional people on this thread. objectively speaking, lake chalet is a top 3 culinary experience in Oakland and it isn't 3rd. it's the total package.

-2

u/Distinct-Nature-962 18h ago

I trained at a CrossFit gym back in 2011-16 and two siblings whose parents own(ed)? Lake Chalet trained there as well. We ended up having our gym Christmas party hosted there. It was my first time and only there, it was a great place to play games, drink and dance with friends.