Sea Salt

Claim
marker

2512 San Pablo Ave (at at Dwight)
Berkeley, CA 94702

marker
(510) 883-1720
Incorrect info? Correct your listing
Photos
Sea Salt - Berkeley, CA
Sea Salt - Berkeley, CA
Sea Salt - Berkeley, CA
Sea Salt - Berkeley, CA
Sea Salt - Berkeley, CA
Sea Salt - Berkeley, CA
Sea Salt - Berkeley, CA
Sea Salt - Berkeley, CA
Sea Salt - Berkeley, CA
Sea Salt - Berkeley, CA
Reviews
( 6 )
( 4 )
( 7 )
( 0 )
( 1 )

Best

Went here for the first time last night, and it was a great experience from start to finish. I like dry, not-too-tart wine, and the server got it right with his suggestion - t...

Worst

Why the hype for this place? It's so overrated and much too expensive for the small portions. I went for lunch, but the waitress was unable to meet my friend's request of grille...

Great experience from start to finish... 3/19/2010

Went here for the first time last night, and it was a great experience from start to finish. I like dry, not-too-tart wine, and the server got it right with his suggestion - the very first time. The food was excellent. We had deviled duck eggs (served with lox on top - that was a surprise), warm broccolini salad, fresh oysters, swordfish with local mushrooms, and steelhead. I'd never had steelhead before. The server explained it was like salmon but better...and it was. For dessert, we had a strawberry-rhubarb tart, and chocolate bread pudding. I can't say enough how wonderful this place was. It is a bit out of my price range for everyday, but they do have a happy hour... From 3-6 and again from 10-12, oysters are $1 and there are drink specials too. They are open until 12 every night...even Sunday. Pros: Attentive staff, wonderful food, open late, oyster specials more
Reply | Report abuse |

Moderately priced dinner. 1/16/2009

Sea Salt is located near the corner of Dwight Way and San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley. As is the case with many restaurants in Berkeley, Sea Salt does not have its own parking lot. There is, however, plenty of parking available on the nearby side streets. The menu features mostly seafood options. I ordered the white clam chowder, fish & chips, and sorbet. The clam chowder was flavorful and the bacon scattered throughout the soup was a nice addition. The fish & chips were very good. I particularly liked the aioli that was served on the side. I ordered the sorbet for dessert and thought it was a refreshing end to the meal. My dinner companion ordered the dungeness crab cakes as the main entree and the sweet potato pecan pie for dessert. If you typically eat small portions at dinner, the crab cakes would be just right for you. On the other hand, if you prefer more sustenance at dinner, the 2 crab cakes would not be filling. As for the overall quality of the crab cakes, I have tasted better. The pie earns a mixed review. While the filling was excellent, the crust was too hard and without much flavor. more
Reply | Report abuse |

The best seafood around! Place I go for a... 9/15/2008

The best seafood around! Place I go for a special meal. Love sitting near the kitchen to watch more
Reply | Report abuse |

The best seafood around! Place I go for a... 9/15/2008

foodlover797 Provided by Partner
The best seafood around! Place I go for a special meal. Love sitting near the kitchen to watch more
Reply | Report abuse |

I particularly appreciated that the small... 3/8/2008

I particularly appreciated that the small plates were perfect for a meal, not just a taste. I loved the... more
Reply | Report abuse |

I particularly appreciated that the small... 3/8/2008

KathleenJ Provided by Partner
I particularly appreciated that the small plates were perfect for a meal, not just a taste. I loved the clam chowder with bacon and the chicory sa... more
Reply | Report abuse |

Fresh, well-prepared seafood 3/2/2008

I love Sea Salt.. I live on Alameda and head here whenever I am in the mood for fresh, well-prepared seafood. The ambiance is unique, and very fitting a high-end seafood restaurant. And if you ever want to test whether a restaurant truly has friendly service, go with a baby. We had four adults and an infant on our first visit. We didn't get any askance glances from wait staff (or other diners), and were able to enjoy a truly adult meal with great conversation. This place is not cheap, especially if you love oysters (which our group did) and keep ordering more. But the quality of the food and excellent service still makes it an overall excellent value. Pros: Truly excellent seafood, oysters Cons: Price, no reservations, so you can be waiting during busy times more
Reply | Report abuse |

Good food, but loud and expensive. 8/27/2007

My wife and I went to Sea Salt for dinner on a Saturday night, and were a bit disappointed by the experience. There is nothing wrong with the food, exactly - it is all nicely cooked and so forth, and the service is quite good, but I just didn't feel that it was very good value for the money. Our bill, including two glasses of their cheaper wine, was a tad under $100, without the tip, which I thought excessive. $18 in particular for fish and chips is a bit over the top. The ambience also leaves a lot to be desired - it is another of these ultra modern restaurants with hard surfaces everywhere, nothing to absorb the sound, and is quite loud. We found it difficult to have a conversation at a normal voice level, which I detest. Quite frankly, if I'm going to drop $100 on a meal, I would go somewhere more soothing, like JoJo's or Citron, rather than have my eardrums assaulted at Sea Salt. Pros: Food is quite tasty and well presented. Cons: Expensive, loud. more
Reply | Report abuse |

Excellent seafood...for a price 4/4/2007

I had read a lot of good things about this place, so my expectations were high. I met up with some friends... more
Reply | Report abuse |

Excellent seafood...for a price 4/4/2007

Clifford Provided by Partner
I had read a lot of good things about this place, so my expectations were high. I met up with some friends there to check it out. The decor is v... more
Reply | Report abuse |

Great seafood and great service! 12/30/2006

I dined at Sea Salt with a group of eight friends and the meal, service and wine was solidly good. Our server, L*sa, was very attentive, friendly and provided good recommendations. Everyone in the group enjoyed the different appetizers we ordered and everyone's salad was well liked. (I ordered the Marin Root Salad which was superb.) I asked our server to pick a fish for me since I was undecisive and the Hawaiian Walu I received was one of the best fish dishes around. Desserts were ordered all around and followed by the comment ""Wow!"" On the way home, a friend and I remarked how no one offered tasts of their meals or desserts. The reason...everyone liked their meal so much they weren't willing to give any of it up. Pros: Delicious seafood variety, good service and not noisy. Cons: None. more
Reply | Report abuse |

Go for the oysters during happy hour ... 11/17/2006

I went with a group on a Sunday evening and was surprised at how busy it was. Pros: Oysters more
Reply | Report abuse |

A great, non-traditional seafood restaurant 9/4/2006

We've eaten here several times, and I my experiences have been great. The smallish plates are impeccable, both in presentation and in taste, and priced moderately in my opinion. The servings are much more European than American sized, which doesn't bother me, but others may feel ripped off. The oysters they serve tend to be smaller varieties; but that may be variableI prefer the smaller ones, myself, so it's no problem for me. The executive chef is innovate and creates some unusual, interesting and delicious dishes. We have yet to be disappointed with the food. That said, it is in an coming-up neighborhood, and parking can be a little tight on the lighted San Pablo Ave. The restaurant itself is a little crammed, and some of the tables are awkward, as noted, but the ambiance is nice, the service is quite good and the food is well worth trying. It's not Fonda; a place you want to go to again and again, and there are no non-fish offerings, which limits it's appeal, but it's worth at least a try. Pros: Unusual seafood dishes and very good service Cons: Nothing non-seafood is offered. Space is awkward. Convenience parking can be difficult. more
Reply | Report abuse |

sparkling oysters, darkly cozy ambience, great staff 7/9/2006

The reviews for this place didn't inspire confidence to dine here, but I was glad we decided to ignore them! Friday night at 7PM and the restaurant was packed but it took us less than five minutes to be seated at a cozy bistro table.We started off with Beau Soleil and Long Island Blue Point oysters making the round and both were refreshing and delicious, not briny and just the slightest hint of creamy. We ordered the sardines as an appetizer as it sounded interesting, but it never reached our table. My boyfriend had the grilled big eye tuna (rare), which I spied leaving the kitchen earlier and it looked fabulous. His came to the table looking just as spectacular as the one I saw- translucent slices of seared ruby tuna on a deliciously creamy bed of mashed sweet potatoes, their sweetness tamed by buttery undertones. The bok choy and curry sauce that accompanied it were good but nothing to write home about. Pros: creative combinations, very fresh seafood Cons: may be a wait during peak hours more
Reply | Report abuse |

Fun to eat at the food bar 6/26/2006

My husband and I went recently for our second go round. The first time we went it was for lunch, this time for dinner at the bar. We were more impressed this time. It seems to be getting the groove like Fonda has, only not as busy. The service was excellent. We had great oysters - normal size, not small like the other reviewers claimed. Also had the endive salad, clam chowder, and caesar salad. I do agree that there was a bit too much bacon in the clam chowder but the caesar was excellent, very much like Lalime's. The Lalime's pinot noir was a nice touch too, as was the champagne. I will go again, although I still like the bar at Lalime's better. Pros: Ambience, service, easy to get into Cons: Middle picnic table is a bit disconcerting more
Reply | Report abuse |

No reason to return 5/8/2006

Why the hype for this place? It's so overrated and much too expensive for the small portions. I went for lunch, but the waitress was unable to meet my friend's request of grilled fish atop a salad. We left, and I returned with another friend for dinner. The crab salad was good, but the $2 oysters were literally the size of a quarter. The waitress seemed annoyed when I returned the miniscule oysters for clam chowder. The ""Creamy Clam Chowder,"" as labeled on the menu, should have been called ""Greasy Bacon Chowder,"" as it had more bacon bits than clams. Overall it was a disappointing experience, and I see no reason to return. Cons: too expensive, small portions, greasy clam chowder more
Reply | Report abuse |

Nothing to Recommend It 3/23/2006

This place leaves a lot to be desired. In a nowhere part of Berkeley (but supposed to be up and coming), with all tables having some sort of problem (picnic-style, bar-type, on-the-way-to-the-restroom, or in line with the front door's draft),with food that is bland or foul tasting, and prices that are high for the quality and size of the portions -- what were the owner's thinking? What did they think would be the attraction of this place? This is not a place where you would want to linger over a lovely cup of espresso after ""enjoying"" a good meal. Basically, you want to get fed and get out. And not come back. Another reviewer thought it might be a good place for lunch, perhaps for a sandwich. Well, unfortunately, we tried the sandwichs and can't recommend them either. The whole concept of this place, food, atmosphere, everything, needs rethinking. Pros: nice service staff Cons: food, atmosphere, prices more
Reply | Report abuse |

Would Probably Be Better for Lunch 2/23/2006

The food was ok, the service was great. Our waiter was very nice and discussed the various fish choices with us. The clam chowder was heavy on the bacon, good if you love the taste of bacon, I personally would rather taste more clam. The fish was fresh, but the portion was really small. I didn't think it was worth the $$$. They had some interesting sandwiches on the menu, I would go back and try them out for lunch. Pros: Service Cons: Small Portions more
Reply | Report abuse |
< Previous 1 Next >
Menu for Sea Salt


Summer SALE!!!:
15% OFF all yearly plans
Use year15 at checkout. Expires 1/1/2021
Editorial

  • The Scene
    Cathedral ceilings, sharp lines of brick and tile, and shades of scrubbed seawater blue create a too-cool feel. But the unpretentious, scene-free crowd and an accessible wine...

  • 10/11/2005 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Monday To Friday From 11:30 AM To 10:00 PM Saturday To Sunday From 10:00 AM To 10:00 PM
  • Payments: American Express, Master Card, Discover, Visa
  • Neighborhoods: Southwst Berkeley
badge