East End

I don’t know why the rating for this place is so low. Everything I’ve ever had to eat here is fantastic and the service has always been great. Awesome rotating, seasonal selection of dishes and cocktails. Some of the best Alameda has to offer.

This is a real who dune it: the mystery of the soggy bottom.
Soggy bottoms are never good. You hold your friends baby and you notice a soggy bottom… just pass it along to mommy or daddy fast like a hot potato. Your in your car… notice a soggy bottom — turn up the A/​C and the ventilated seats…
Here I walk in and am genuinely pleased with the interior appearance of the restaurant. Its in the Alameda Marketplace so I expect the same industrial feel as next door — but it looks nothing like the unfinished warehouse just on the other side of the one wall. Not that the industrial feel is bad — this just gives off the upscale vibe and my expectations soar. Even the heavy duty paper napkin below my knife and fork the most elegant I’ve ever seen — as far as paper napkins go.
Beautifully aged hardwood floors, a tile entry. Dark table tops. Comfortable booth seats across a wall or two. Looked like one super long community table anchoring the center of the restaurant. Artfully designed reclaimed wood look behind the bar with a mirror in dead center as a focal point. Huge pizza oven and even bigger vent hood. I appreciate the big vent hood as it helps with interior comfort — air quality is top notch. A bartender juggles with the mixing of some drink just as they do in Vegas at Carnival Court… A nice touch.
As I enter this beautiful restaurant all I really want to do is settle in with a beer or two or three. I was super hungry as I entered but a lot of that went away as I saw the bar. A dark beer would have been filling enough — too bad I have to hit the road.
I order a drink a Mormon would probably approve of and a «Blackjack Solo Salami» that is apparently on their lower price lunch menu till 5pm.
I enjoy my drink and the view of McGees across the street — A beautiful Vicotorian that has a bar on the bottom floor. Between looking at McGees bar across and the bartender tossing the drink in the air Im at the peak of wanting a beer. There is no way a certified alcoholic could leave here sober.
I’m no expert on pizza ovens but I think this is a really high end one based primarily on how quickly my pizza was gotten to me. I know the best pizza ovens are super hot and cook in a few minutes. I ordered my pizza at a few minutes before 5pm and got it maybe 10 minutes later which was appreciated. I’m always in a hurry. One of my favorite places is Greens and Grains next door primarily because I can eat fast and run.
My first slice was awesome. Really great — the salami was curled up on the edges and I noticed a few big bubbles in the super thin crust — the bubbly crust look I am a sucker for… My second slice seemed overly salty — must have come from a generous helping of olives? With every slice my satisfaction plummeting quickly. My third slice was soggy??? This was the mystery. Where did this soggy bottom come from? The crime had been committed all that was left to do was find the smoking gun, point fingers and assign blame. Was it me drooling all over? Nope, I only do that at Tony’s Pizza in the city… Maybe at Mozzeria in the mission too… Was it the steam coming from the pizza dough??? Was it the abundance of olives that oozed water from when they were cooked??? I’m not sure its a mystery. I do think this pizza would have been drastically better in a to go cardboard box. Cardboard would absorb the moisture like a good diaper.
Last time I went to Chuck E Cheese I noticed an innovative serving platter that served the purpose of a cooling rack like in a bakery. The serving pan must have been different than the pan it got baked in but the purpose of it was to minimize contact with dough to pan to prevent a soggy bottom. Mayfield Bakery and Café in Palo Alto has a plastic insert too — see my photo
I am spoiled I have to admit. At this point I’ve had all the best pizzas in The City. I even prefer Firetrail Pizza in the city at the food park and that is just a food truck. I think most people who have not had Tony’s would rate this as a 5 star and I suppose I could say this is the best pizza for sure in the neighborhood and a super value.
I think if I were you I would order a plain cheese pizza. The way the chef chooses to pair toppings is not like at Mozzeria or Tony’s just judging from my one pizza trail. At those places you can order anything and it will be well balanced. I would pair your plain cheese pizza with some beer or any other drink recommended by the bartenders. Furthermore, I would say half of one «solo» size is plenty for any one person. I ate 80% of it on my own and it sat heavy for hours after. Have half a plain pizza and a salad and some alcohol and this would be a great 5 star outing without a doubt.
Additional takeaway: I am more impressed with the blueberry burger down the road at Scolaries and the almond croissant at the bakery next door, Crispian. Also, don’t get too drunk here… A certain level of soberness is necessary to find the bathroom — it is like going through a maze.

The food was pretty tasty mostly pizzas and appetizers) We sat at the bar and the bartender (Jess) was absolutely wonderful. From $ 5 for beer to $ 13 for cocktails. Great atmosphere and décor. Favorite drink: green chile st. George gimlet.

Best pizza on Alameda. Very pricey, and sometimes really crowded, but the staff is great and makes you feel welcome even when they’re super packed.

Good food, good beer. Cute casual nice ambience, friendly service. 1 tiny con: a little noisy.

I’ve seen this place expand from a small restaurant inside the marketplace to its own large restaurant with a bar and lots of dining space. Must try the Diablita w/​pepperoni! You’ll love it if you love cheese and garlic! Also, $ 1 oysters on Tuesdays!

I came here for a coworker dinner hangout. We selected several pizzas, asparagus, salad, and wine. Everything was delicious. My favorite pizza was the meateor. It’s a small restaurant which makes it a little challenging to hear others speak. But it had a great vibe and the waiter was very attentive. I will be back!

Delicious pizza and delicious well balanced drinks.
Its always a treat to dine here.

Went here last weekend thinking it was a new place, but when I arrived, I realized I had been there before. Wood Fire Pizza is what we had last time and it was great. This time we had a white bean soup that was DELISH… we also had a risotto that was also great (Huge hunk of blue cheese that I didn’t enjoy… but hubby did) and it was a nice big portion as well. The oysters were fresh and local… overall, a good meal, but nothing too memorable.

My family has been going to East End a couple of times in 2014 and then consistently at least two to three times per month since we moved to Alameda in January 2015. I am way overdue in writing this review! We really enjoy East End’s wood fired pizza, pastas, salads, desserts and drinks! The pizza crust is extremely thin and always well cooked – never soggy, but never overdone. The toppings are always seasonal and unique. There are simple «cheese» pizzas that you can add a topping or two for the «picky» toddler set.
The desserts, something that often times restaurants tend to outsource, are made right there in their kitchen. They are well crafted and delicate. As much thought that is put into the amazing pizza pies is put into the desserts and drinks! It is really an enjoyable meal that we always share at East End Pizza.
They get pretty busy, but reservations are taken. They do ask that you respect the arrival time, so we try and be mindful of this. It is such a relief to have a reservation rather than wait for an hour for a meal with young children.
While our family is welcome here, I also see plenty of adult groups, romantic dates, and the happy hour crowd. This place has something for everyone and the wait staff has always been professional and courteous. The hostess/​waitress named Chris has always been a warm and welcoming personality at this neighborhood restaurant.
Try it, you won’t be disappointed!

This place is amazing and has amazing quality food 10 times out of 10. I come here all the time. I’ve had nothing but exceptional service because I know how to behave in a nice restaurant. I’ve seen people get fussy over the price of the food, I’m sorry but you pay for what you get. I’ve seen people get fussy because their child was seated at the bar and the bartender politely reminded them of the «no minors at a bar» law. I could go on.
The point is, if you are one to constantly complain about every little thing that doesn’t go your way or if you don’t know how to behave in a restaurant, then this isn’t the place for you.
However! If you aren’t a huge crybaby and actually enjoy amazing quality food and great specialty drinks, this IS the place for you! Their bar selection is impeccable. Their bartenders are even better. The food makes my mouth salivate just by thinking about it. You can tell that the cooks use a lot of love and don’t just spit out orders. Their pizza definitely isn’t for everyone, but they’re definitely something special. Love you, East End.

No stars whatsoever. I hate giving bad reviews but in this case I will make an exception. I’ve gone into this place twice in the last three weeks. The first time was okay although our server had an attitude when I asked for separate checks. Today I walked out.
On both occasions I arrived at 12:30 for lunch. The first time there were three tables being used and we were one of those tables. Today there were five tables being used. The manager (I assume) started to seat us next to a couple with two young children. After we said «no» we requested a table next to the window as there were several available. The snot nosed kid said we couldn’t sit there as they’re reserved for parties of three to four but offered us a table for 10 in the middle of the dining room.
As we started to sit down he begins to pop-​off and goes on and on about saving the tables for four… so we got up and left. You know something… screw you! There’s no one in your restaurant at 12:30 so that says a lot about the quality of your over priced food, your poor service and your unbelievable attitude.

We usually have take out from here when we go to my sister’s place in the area, but we’ve eaten here too.
The pizzas are pretty darn good. I love how different they are! The diablo is really good. We also like to order the chicken wings. Take out: the food is usually ready by the time they give you and the we’re never disappointed when we eat it at home. They’re also very pleasant to speak with over the phone, which is important to me. Dining in: Service was a little slow, but it was pretty busy as it was a Friday night. It’s kinda fun sitting next to strangers and making friends. The atmosphere is fun and there’s plenty of opportunities to socialize with their set up. Food is definitely 4 stars. Haven’t tried a pizza there that we don’t like.

2^nd attempt here. Decided to write a review while my husband goes out for pizza at SPIN! Neapolitan Pizzeria… they were really nice on the phone!
1^st attempt: Not a soul in the place even though when we called in to pick up there was an hour long wait to call in a pick up. So we were given the choice to come in and order, which we did and walked away with two pizzas 20 min later. I was charged for two large basic with merguez and was given two basic cheeses. Reminder: not a soul in the place. I called in to see if I could come back for what I ordered and they told me the wait would be an hour (see beginning of this paragraph). So I gave my name because I was told I’d have a discount next time.
2^nd attempt was tonight: Called in for pick up and was told the pick up wait was again, nearly 2 hours. Asked if we could come in and order and was told (really rudely) that it wouldn’t matter unless we came in to eat. I wasn’t sure why that mattered whether we ate there or not, so I asked and was told in the rudest tone ‘well, why dont you try to figure out that ordering the day after a major holiday…’ I clicked her off.
WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE. The kitchen, the front of the house, obviously the OWNERS.
I recommend training for the staff and picking up pizza dough at trader joes and making your own pizza before calling this place. You’ll be happier and eating pizza sooner.
Way to pull a 1 star off me… think you’re number 2 or 3 out of more than 100+ reviews.
Dont even think about calling this place unless you want to be bitch slapped over the phone for being hungry.
Too bad, seems like you’ve got a great pizza oven.

This is a 3.5 star review rounded up to a 4 star. There’s really no reason for it not to be a solid 4 stars, other than the fact that I didn’t really love it enough to consider myself a «fan.» That being said, there was nothing wrong with my dining experience– I just was slightly underwhelmed.
This is a cute restaurant, low lighting, casual, yet not too casual. Our service was pleasant and friendly. They’ve got an extensive list of craft cocktails with very effusive descriptions. My drink was good (not great, but good), and the pizza we ordered was also good. Again, not great, but satisfactory enough.
I think the only knock against East End was that getting to the bathroom was a little bit of a trek down a few hallways– for a minute, I felt as though I was in a «Choose Your Own Adventure» novel!
So. It may just be me, but I would say that East End is good. But not great. Nothing to avoid, but i wouldn’t rush back either.

Fantastic! Here’s why:
–The menu is clear and decisive
–The personal pizza are perfect for tasting a few different pies
— The drinks are fun and fresh
— $ oysters on Tuesdays
— The pizza is extremely delicious
Our favorites were the Diablita with bacon and the Meateor
This is the best pizza you can find in Alameda! Obviously it’s some of the best around in my opinion and Alameda is totally lucky!

Food: We had oysters for appetizer (they get new oysters in every other day and were voted «best oysters in alameda») which were delicious and three types of pizza — Cornado (corn, jalapeño, and tomato — not spicy, very light and fresh), Diablita (pepperoni, goat cheese, chili, garlic — was tasty, but warning spicy! Goat cheese was nice though), and Meateor (pepperoni, sausage, bacon — nice meat blend, but because of all the oil/​juices was a little hard to eat. Could use a little more bacon). Overall delicious, but pricey for pizza.
Drink: Craft cocktails are my weakness so I loved their selection (which I think changes seasonally along with their menu). Had the Apricot in Damascus — not too sweet but a nice apricot flavor.
Atmosphere: It’s a small place so you may be sharing a table, but it was very comfortable.
Service: Our server was super helpful and friendly!
In a nutshell: food tastes good and you’ll have a good experience, but it feels just a little expensive for pizza. (But I see on their lunch and afternoon menus they offer 9 inch pies for way more affordable prices!)

We came on a double date here last night and were seriously impressed. I called 45 minutes in advance and was able to get a table for four. Parking was easy — there was a lot right next-​door and we were lucky enough to score a spot. It was free.
When we got there, our table was immediately ready. I totally loved the vintage décor and lots of natural light.
We started with the fries and romaine salad. I absolutely loved the romaine salad. It was about 6 pieces of large romaine with fried capers and really tiny herb croutons which were so freaking delicious. We had it with the champagne Dijon vinaigrette since I’m vegetarian but you can also get it with an anchovy dressing.
We also had the supreme pizza. All of their pizzas are thin crust and super crispy which I really like. I liked that the supreme pizza was a veggie pizza but instead of normal red or white onions, they used spring green onions. They added a unique touch to a traditional vegetarian pie.
Oh and I can’t forget — I had the lavender lemonade (non alcoholic) which was so refreshing. OMG! It was so freaking good. I asked how they made it and they said that they infused simple syrup with lavender and then added lemon and water. OMG. Simply divine.
I will definitely be back here and will probably order 10 orders of the salad which I really really really liked. :)

The winning dish and what brought me here was the vermicelli. The bf and I decided to go with a half order ($ 12) since there were other items on the menu he wanted to try. The half order was perfect as an appetizer. The vermicelli was delicious and addictive. The vermicelli was creamy, placed on top of diced pieces of bacon, and topped with an egg yolk. Delicious!
We decided to go with a classic margherita pizza ($ 15) and add spicy Italian sausage. The crust was thin and had a nice crunch to it. The classic margherita comes topped with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and basil. The pizza was good but I do with the tomato sauce was a bit tangier. Note: you’re only allowed to add up to three toppings, no more than two of them can be meat.
Though I’m not a big raw oyster fan, we did order a few oysters. For $ 2.50 per oyster, they were a bit on the small side but they tasted very fresh and served with a migonette sauce.
As for service, our waiter was friendly but during our meal he didn’t check up on us. We had to flag whoever walked by down whenever we needed something. Also, note that upon walking in, the host stand is to your left. When we walked in there were people standing around so we didn’t see it. I walked in and informed a waitress standing on the right that I had a reservation. She replied that I had to check in at the host booth and pointed. We walked over and I informed the hostess that we had a reservation. She replied «yeah». I told us our name and the reply was «yeah». She was cold and not friendly. With an attitude like that, she shouldn’t be the person to greet customers.
WHAT TO KNOW:
*Call to make a reservation. We called for same day reservations and wasn’t able to get a reservation until 8pm. Weird they didn’t have any reservation times available before since half the restaurant was empty when we walked in.
*Full bar
*Street parking

A girlfriend of mine from Tracy was in town and since we both didn’t know where to go in the island (one of those days…) I mentioned this place that I’ve been meaning to check out since before I moved… thankfully it was really early in the afternoon so they weren’t packed and there was parking available on the street.
Ambiance: very modern and airy. I loved their wall paper /​décor by the kitchen wall (where we sat) it was silver and it was just classy yet not too much that it clashed with it’s modernity vibe.
Service: our server was very attentive and gave us plenty of time to check out the menu and allowed us girls to catch up while constantly filling up our water glasses.
Food:
The girlfriend and I shared their olives… which was warm and nicely cooked when it arrived in our table. It was good to munch on while sipping a glass of wine.
I wasn’t able to taste what my friend’s pizza since it was spicy — she got the personalized diablita. She apparently liked it since she ate the whole thing :)
I ordered the personalized magic carpet… I wanted to like it but since it was filled with a ton of toppings…(I know, other places have barely any toppings and here I am complaining that this place has a ton…) it made the crust soggy and so my pizza wasn’t crispy anymore. Plus the toppings all together for that pizza was just too much… it was a bit overwhelming with flavor. I wished they could balance the topping and crispy aspect…
She and I both ordered just a house red wine since it was too early to be drinking that much and plus it was freezing!
Overall… the reason for the 4 stars: ambiance … food (even if mine was a missed but I’m looking forward to trying on a different entrée on my next go around…) and the service was awesome. Oh and not to mention the prices… wow! Quality food and service for a really reasonable prices. And for all you draft drinkers… they have a pretty good selection to chose from :) They all looked like micro breweries but don’t take my word for it since I’m not much of a beer drinker. Just check them out for yourselves :)