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Name: Pasta Pelican Restaurant
Address: 2455 Mariner Square Dr, Alameda, CA, 94501
Telephone: (510) 864-7427
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.41

Pasta Pelican Restaurant

2455 Mariner Square Dr, Alameda, CA, 94501

(510) 864-7427
Store is closed

Pasta Pelican Restaurant Menu

Starters and Sides

Calamari Fritti

Tuna Tataki

Caprese

Fresh Asparagus

Calamari Fritti

Tuna Tataki

Caprese

Fresh Asparagus
Salads

Baby Beet Salad

Ahi Tuna Salad

Honey Lime Chicken Salad

Gorgonzola Salad

Grilled Salmon Salad

Caesar Salad

Baby Beet Salad

Ahi Tuna Salad

Honey Lime Chicken Salad

Gorgonzola Salad

Grilled Salmon Salad

Caesar Salad
Lite Fare

Coleslaw

Steamed Spinach

Potato

Coleslaw

Steamed Spinach

Potato
Pasta

Ravioli

Fettuccine Alfredo

Bolognese

Tortellini Al' Ortolana

Puttanesca

Linguine e Basilico

Penne Spring

Penne Meat

Pesto di Genovese

Fettuccine con Sugo Caldo

Carbonara Pasta

Azzuro Delizia

Fettuccine di Tequila

Pollo e Spinace

Tortellini con Pollo

Salmon Picatta

Fettuccine di Veneto

Fettuccine Gamberetti

Seafood Ravioli

Whole Wheat Pasta

Gluten Free Pasta

Pollo con Carciofo

Fettuccine Primavera con Pollo

Ravioli

Fettuccine Alfredo

Bolognese

Tortellini Al' Ortolana

Puttanesca

Linguine e Basilico

Penne Spring

Penne Meat

Pesto di Genovese

Fettuccine con Sugo Caldo

Carbonara Pasta

Azzuro Delizia

Fettuccine di Tequila

Pollo e Spinace

Tortellini con Pollo

Salmon Picatta

Fettuccine di Veneto

Fettuccine Gamberetti

Seafood Ravioli

Whole Wheat Pasta

Gluten Free Pasta

Pollo con Carciofo

Fettuccine Primavera con Pollo
Entrees

Pollo Pelicano

Tilapia

BBQ Pork Ribs

BBQ Cheese Burger

BBQ Meat Loaf

Veal Pelicano

Veal Picata

New York Strip

Club Sandwich

Veggie Omelette

Vegetable Plate

Pollo Pelicano

Tilapia

BBQ Pork Ribs

BBQ Cheese Burger

BBQ Meat Loaf

Veal Pelicano

Veal Picata

New York Strip

Club Sandwich

Veggie Omelette

Vegetable Plate

Healthy Meal suggestions for Pasta Pelican Restaurant

Starters and Sides

Calamari Fritti [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tuna Tataki [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Caprese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fresh Asparagus [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Calamari Fritti [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tuna Tataki [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Caprese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fresh Asparagus [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Salads

Baby Beet Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ahi Tuna Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Honey Lime Chicken Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gorgonzola Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Salmon Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Caesar Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Baby Beet Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ahi Tuna Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Honey Lime Chicken Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gorgonzola Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Salmon Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Caesar Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Lite Fare

Coleslaw [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Steamed Spinach [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Potato [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Coleslaw [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Steamed Spinach [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Potato [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Pasta

Ravioli [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fettuccine Alfredo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bolognese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tortellini Al' Ortolana [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Puttanesca [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Linguine e Basilico [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Penne Spring [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Penne Meat [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pesto di Genovese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fettuccine con Sugo Caldo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Carbonara Pasta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Azzuro Delizia [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fettuccine di Tequila [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pollo e Spinace [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tortellini con Pollo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salmon Picatta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fettuccine di Veneto [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fettuccine Gamberetti [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seafood Ravioli [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Whole Wheat Pasta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gluten Free Pasta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pollo con Carciofo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fettuccine Primavera con Pollo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Ravioli [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fettuccine Alfredo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bolognese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tortellini Al' Ortolana [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Puttanesca [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Linguine e Basilico [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Penne Spring [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Penne Meat [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pesto di Genovese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fettuccine con Sugo Caldo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Carbonara Pasta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Azzuro Delizia [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fettuccine di Tequila [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pollo e Spinace [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tortellini con Pollo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salmon Picatta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fettuccine di Veneto [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fettuccine Gamberetti [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Seafood Ravioli [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Whole Wheat Pasta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gluten Free Pasta [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pollo con Carciofo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fettuccine Primavera con Pollo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Entrees

Pollo Pelicano [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tilapia [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

BBQ Pork Ribs [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

BBQ Cheese Burger [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

BBQ Meat Loaf [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Veal Pelicano [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Veal Picata [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

New York Strip [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Club Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Veggie Omelette [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vegetable Plate [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pollo Pelicano [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tilapia [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

BBQ Pork Ribs [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

BBQ Cheese Burger [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

BBQ Meat Loaf [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Veal Pelicano [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Veal Picata [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

New York Strip [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Club Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Veggie Omelette [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vegetable Plate [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Visit below restaurant in Alameda for healthy meals suggestion.

Applebee’s ( 2263 S Shore Ctr )

Alameda Grill ( 1520 Park St )

Burger King ( 2200 Otis Dr )

Visit below restaurant in Alameda for healthy meals suggestion.

Applebee’s ( 2263 S Shore Ctr )

Burger King ( 2200 Otis Dr )

Write An Anonymous Review

Jamie H.

We were annoying as shit. But the waitress was still dope. Would go again Tasty food Amazing music Great workers Amazing bread
(5)
Bori B.

Went here post half-marathon in Alameda to enjoy some food. We came on a Sunday on Father's day and it wasn't busy at all and got seated right away though they were still cleaning. It took a while for us to get our menus which was a little disappointing since we had to ask for the menu. We both got the clam chowder and then I got the seafood pasta and my friend for the Pastas tequila. She said that it was too limey for her taste. Great fresh bread at the beginning which was nice. The food deserves 4 stars but had to deduct one for service.
(3)
Jean C.

I came here the other night with my hubby and was disappointed by the experience. We live nearby and wanted to try this place as it seemed to have a nice waterfront view. However we were sorely disappointed. The decor was dated, somewhat tacky. It reminded me of a lodge in the 70s for some forgotten uncles and the food was comparable to chain restaurants. - Fried Calamari was average in taste, somewhat crispy. - Gorgonzola Salad was average, nothing special. - Pollo Pelicano is chicken with wine sauce with sides of mashed potatoes and grilled vegies. The chicken tasted fine but the mashed pototoes and grilled vegies were both cold - Fettuccine de Veneto looked impressive from photos and being brought to the table but it lacked flavor. The dish had nice pieces of shrimp with a good quantity of mussels and clams but didn't have enough of the (bland) marinara sauce making the noodles somewhat dry. I thought this place could be redeemed by their dessert but I was disappointed again. - Tiramisu - lacked the light creaminess of good tiramisu. The flavor was somewhat right but the texture was off. It had a gummy quality reminiscent of processed food (think guar gum). I ordered a soda and my hubby ordered a hot tea. The whole bill including tip came out to be about $105. If the whole meal was half the price I'd give the place 3 stars for the somewhat average experience but for this price the restaurant should be held to a higher standard. Also their service was lacking. Waiter was nice but forgetful, neglecting to bring water for my hubby twice while serving new customers their drinks and water. For a great Italian food in the area in the same price range, I recommend Trabacco. It has incredible decor and fantastic food that make my taste buds dance. I regret not going there yesterday.
(2)
Lynne T.

Very good restaurant on the water! The calamari was wonderful and not very breaded. The salmon was perfectly cooked and flakey. The waiters were attentive and friendly. Cute view of the bay and will be back again for more visits! It's quiet so it would be a cute place for a date:) the mango daquiri and mojito was delicious!
(4)
Kim P.

So we came in after a Raider game and had a Groupon. My husband was so excited because he loves pasta. The view was awesome and romantic. The service was nothing to be excited about. It took about 8 min for the receptionist to notice us. After we were seated the waiter took about 10-15 min to talk to us and ask if we wanted drinks. So went on a Sunday night and there was plenty of room for us to be acknowledged. The food was tasty and the bread was the best part of the meal. Everything tasted fresh and the meals were large. After we ate I have by Groupon and the waiter didn't even say bye or have a goodnight. Service really needs to step it up here, but is good. May go again but not in a hurry. You really are not missing anything if you don't ever make it here.
(4)
Jabez J.

This is great food! Forgot all about this spot got reintroducted again. So happy! Had the Pollo E Spicano which had curry in it and it was great. My girl had the Salmon with Penne Pasta and White Wine. For dessert she had the Walnut Apple Cobbler Ala Moad and I had the Key Lime Pie and we loved it. Highly recommend this place!
(5)
Anna D.

There's a lot of harsh reviews for Pasta Pelican, I will have to go against the grain and give them a full 5. Service has always been excellent every time that I've been here. The caprese salad is a generous portion and hits the spot. I always order a pasta and ask them to add some vegetables in. My pasta comes piping hot and has broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, and so much more. The apple walnut cobbler at the end is one of my favorites, they don't mess around with their big scoop of ice cream. And you get a waterfront view, count me in!
(5)
Cara L.

While my dining experience as a whole was more on the 3-star side, when you add in that waterfront view, PP ranks a solid 4. I think it's important to note that I came in a group of 4 and we were using a group deal. With that being said, the staff handled our entire dinner very well. I would like to note that I'm not a huge fan of these pre-determined group coupons. I like to order what I want, not be limited by a price. Why is this relevant? I ordered what I did to match with the guidelines of the coupon, NOT based on what I actually wanted or what was rated best by Yelp reviewers (which I trust over everything!) So, when it comes to the food we ordered, I almost don't remember it. I know... It wasn't that it was bad. It just wasn't wow-worthy. I'm pretty sure we had the penne spring and the tortelloni dish with prosciutto and peas. But as I'm looking at these reviews, I'm seeing that's where my mistake might have been. Next time I would stick the entrees section, which seems to host the most popular dishes amongst Yelpers. But the atmosphere and view at this place really make the whole "event" come together. What I mean by this is that Pasta Pelican's atmosphere and view can make any typical night out feel pretty special.
(4)
Bill D.

Great location and building. Nice view, guest boat dock. Mediocre food and service. Dated interior. The carpet is simply worn out. It has as many waves as the Estuary on a windy day! Should have been replaced 20 years ago. It's a shame...This unique building deserves better. Several better places directly across the water in the Jack London area.
(2)
Danielle W.

What can i say about Pasta Pelican...Yum Yum Yum!!! It is one of my favs. Took a chance on a Groupon or LivingSocial deal for italian with a good view one time and never once regretted it.(well...the Tequila Pasta that one time. It just wasnt for me...). Everytime I've been the food has been great. I usually get theTuna Tataki and The Penne Meat(Hold the Ham) And the last time I absolutely fell in love with the Apple Walnut Cobbler Dessert, Its as good as the one at Houstons. The products they use in thier food is great quailty, and every time the wait staff is as friendly and attentive as can be.
(5)
Shamina K.

Wow! Okay, so it's been about 3 years since I last visited this place. This time around I came for dinner and my, oh my! what a world of difference!! I must say, it will probably be my new, local goto when I'm in the mood for some pasta or even just some good ole clam chowder. I came on a Saturday evening around 7pm, and the place was bustling with business. Wait time for a table for 2 was about 20mins (our table could have easily seated 4). As soon as my bff and I were seated, we were brought water by one waiter, bread by another and then offered spirits by our actual waiter. It was nice to see that all were on top of it and worked well together. After deliberating over the extensive options on the menu, the bff and I opted for the New York strip, cooked medium with baked potato and also the Fettuccine di Veneto, spicy. You can add soup or salad for an additional $3 to any entree, so I went for the clam chowder and friend had a Caesar salad. I'm picky about clam chowders, this was super good and the salad was dressed perfectly. They give you fresh baked bread to start, who can complain about warm, fresh bread?! It wasn't long before our entrees came out. The fettuccine di Veneto is a seafood pasta with shrimp, clams and mussels. The marinara was delicious and had the right amount of spiciness. They were not skimpy with the shellfish, and the noodles cooked to perfection. Steak was cooked just right and they give you a nice medley of grilled veggies which included beets, Brussels and asparagus. Serving sizes are generous, but not overwhelming. We finished off the pasta and there was at least half a steak and some veggies for leftovers. We were stuffed and happy! Did not have any room for dessert, so maybe next time we'll take dip into the sweets. I'll definitely be coming back here soon -much, MUCH sooner than 3 yrs! Another bonus - they make their meatballs and bolognese sauce ONLY with beef! Typically, with most Italian cuisine, there is a mix of beef and pork. So for those of you who DO NOT eat piggies, it's nice to know there is a place that serves all beef!
(5)
Jim K.

I've been here 4 times. I order the zinfandel wine and the stuffed portobello mushroom and the ahi salad. I love it so much I feel ashamed not to try anything else, but the last time I added the carbonara pasta, which was even more pressure on me to come back. The staff is just like the other reviewers suggest: friendly and professional! And the fireplace and waterfront during sundown make this a very special meal. The chef came over to my table and I felt honored. I tell myself it must be that I ordered his own particular favorites, and he just wanted to see who could be so clever, but I will try some more of the menu soon, just in case.
(5)
C. M. P.

Absolutely one of the best meals we've ever eaten. We had the house Cabernet wine, the Ahi Tuna Salad, and the Seafood Ravioli. They were absolutely delicious! We got here 10 minutes before they closed and they served us right up. We were in, ate, and done in 30 minutes. This restaurant should be packed with people... It is that delicious!! I almost forgot about the desert. We had the walnut apple cobbler al a mode... Outstanding, delicious! I don't know who the Chef is as I'm not from the area , I'm just visiting, but the Chef is excellent!!
(5)
Myra R.

The food is delicious..........I had the Penne Meat. It had a very generous portion of meatballs. sausage and ham in it. My husband had Salmon Picatta. It had a nice size piece of salmon on top of penne that had a light yet tasty sauce on top....I eagerly took a taste of his dish.....delicious.......We had Calamari Fritta for our appetizer....yummy.....The batter was light yet tasty and the dipping sauce was really good. The bread came to the table warm like it had just been baked.....and the waitress place a bottle of olive oil, vinegar and a plate with crushed garlic and grated parmesan cheese for the bread. Soooo Good.....On the whole....nice experience....Took away a star for my rating because it took 10 minutes before someone came to our table to take our drink order but after that, employees very attentive. Also, the dining room screens need to be replaced as some of them have holes in them and a few flies had made their way into the dining room through the holes/ gaps in the screens. If not for these 2 things, I would easily have given 5 stars.
(4)
Misan H.

If only I could give less than 1 star I would! Service: The service was just horrible. They need to better train their severs. The first guy dropped of 2 glasses of water for a table of 5...then the second guy dropped off 2 more and the last glass was dropped off by another waitress and keep in mind this was all like 5-10 minutes apart - I just thought that was really odd and a waste of time/steps. Also had to ask the waiter multiple times for the same things which was super annoying. Food: We ordered calamari for appetizers and it was not good. Undercooked and flavorless as well as all the other entrÃ©es. Bland - everything was so bland I had to add salt to my pasta and fish. Suprise suprise - had to asked multiple people several times for the check. And to top it all off as we were leaving we saw a pretty big ROACH on the wall behind our table!!!!!!!!! Will not be coming back, sorry not soorry.
(1)
Adelaid G.

I came here the other day with a party of 14 when we arrived the restaurant was already ready for us which was great because I'm used to having a reservation at a restaurant and having the restaurant still make you wait while they set up tables after you arrive but here they were ready to go as soon as we walked into the restaurant. All the food was really good and big portions where we were able to split the pasta and still be full, or possibly that was because I had an appetizer, soup, and a salad prior to dinner? Regardless the food was good! I nibbled on some other people's food and everything I tasted was good. No one in our group complained about the food and the service was excellent. Although we were a party of 14, we always had our drinks filled and staff was very attentive. We asked if we could sample a little bit of their wine before buying a bottle and they brought us a generous portion to taste of two different wines before we picked one to go with. At the end of dinner they asked if we wanted dessert and only one person in our party ordered tiramisu for dessert. The waiter later brought us to 2 complementary desserts which I thought was super nice to give us dessert on the house. The tiramisu that was ordered was so amazing that we ended up wanting to order dessert after all. The waiter had already brought us the bill so we apologized and said "I'm really sorry but can we order more Tiramisu?" and he said "no problem, don't worry about it" and brought us a complementary tiramisu. I feel like when I go to restaurant as a large party they give us substandard service because they know that gratuity is already included yet this place charged an 18% gratuity and delivered great service that was more than that 18%. The only constructive criticism is that I do wish that my Caesar salad had croutons it didn't have any which made me a bit sad because I love those crunchy croutons and two people in our party reported back that the bathrooms were dirty. I want to come back for the great service, great view, and of course the delicious tiramisu!!
(5)
Kyle G.

My husband and I had lunch here one weekend. The restaurant was a little bit of a surprise when you compare it to the outside. The place looked a little dead and for a second I thought they were closed. Apparently they just opened their doors so the hours are a little different I guess. We were sat at a window table which was great because I enjoyed the water view. We got our order in without any issues and had some wine while we waited. We enjoyed ourselves here. The food was good, staff was nice, place had a nice Italian vibe with a great view. I'd come back here for dinner.
(4)
Jana C.

I've always liked the quiet water venue, kind of locals-only location, and the whole look of the outside, sitting on stilts... Dated? well, yes.... a little fuddy-duddy? umm.... maybe. But nostalgia flood from my days living in Alameda.. happy memories overall. I've even once taken a yacht from Marina Bay and docked it here for a lunch with some ladies... what a fun time that was. We had a full dinner here, including wine, starter, and tiramisu. I'm going to have to agree with many people here... the pastas that are put together, as well as the ingredients are most likely to be frozen, and not freshly prepped on premises. Though satisfying, the overall flavors of the pastas we tried begged something I VERY MUCH enjoyed the yum bread basket; it's something like a hybrid foccacia with homey made on the prairie kind of shepherd's or milk bread. Whatever the recipe, it satisfies!! Tiramisu lacked a great amaretto or liqueur or espresso taste, but the texture of it was heavenly.
(3)
Kai L.

On my trip, with a party of 5, I ordered a cup of chowder, stuffed mushrooms & chicken Fettuccini. The chowder was good, not the best I've had though, I prefer a creamier chowder that you can really taste the dairy in. The stuffed mushrooms were also good, not over or undercooked. The pasta was delicious, not too much sauce & the chicken was tender. The service however wasn't the best. The waiters were not at all attentive and the restaurant was not even busy. We had to seek the waiters out when we needed something because they didn't really check on us. I was using a deal from restaurants.com so I wasn't so disappointed but if it wasn't for that I might have been.
(3)
Gina D.

The restaurant is a little difficult to find and parking can sometimes be an issue. However, the restaurant is right on the water and the food is delicious. I particularly like the salmon piccata and the bruschetta that is served with a pesto dipping sauce. It is one of the nicer restaurants in Alameda - good for special occasions. My husband and I like to bring friends there when they visit. It's always a hit.
(4)
Jenn Y.

If this place looks crowded, run away and don't turn back, even if you have a reservation! We were scheduled for 7:30pm on Saturday. The hostess looked a bit harried and apologized that it might take 15 minutes for us to get seated. The waiting area looked suspiciously packed, but I thought we'd get in earlier because of the reservation. It turns out, reservations mean nothing, and 15 minutes really means 55 minutes. When we finally got seated and had figured out all 3 courses we were going to order, we looked up and realized no waiter had come remotely near us the entire time. We finally waved down the now-frantic hostess and begged her for some water. Once hydrated, still no waiter was to be seen. I realized, hey, this is the worst birthday dinner ever, and I celebrated 31 long years of life by walking out and getting wonton soup in Oakland Chinatown. We had hot tea and food within 5 minutes. Best decision ever made following a birthday disaster. If you're thinking of coming to Pasta Pelican, I strongly recommend you go to Gum Kuo instead and try their Roast Duck Wonton Noodle Soup.
(1)
Laura V.

My husband and I decided to go to Pasta Pelican for dinner last night. We have been here twice before. The place was pretty lively, with a ship next door leaving the dock for a celebration of some sort, and a party was going on up stairs in the restaurant. The host was very courteous and we were seated promptly. There were a lot of diners which is an good sign, the hostess sat us in front of the huge stone fire place which had a fire going - nice. Great location to view the water and JLS. The service was excellent, we had a waiter and two busboys who checked on us regularly and very attentive. We could talk easily, not like a lot of other places where noise is magnified by cement floors and high ceiling. Great. The waiter promptly delivered the bread which was fresh and warm. Yum. We had olive oil w/ cheese to dip our bread. Double Yum. We ordered the house wines - a zin and cab. They were both very good and not the typical sour tasting house wines that I have had at other restaurants. These were actually very good. The waiter was helpful for I couldn't decided which entrÃ©e to choose from. I decided to select a pasta this time. I ordered the Pollo e Spinacio which is pasta with chicken, spinach, mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes in a curry cream sauce. OMG it was delicious! Not over powering in curry as the waiter mentioned, it was divine! My husband ordered the Penne Meat which had homemade meatballs, sausage and ham in a home made marinara sauce. He loved his dish as well. We also shared a small salad. Our dining experience was one of the best. I heated up my left overs today and it was even better than last night- how can that be? We definitely will be returning again. What a hidden gem on the island of Alameda.
(5)
Maddie N.

Went today on Valentine's Day, BIG mistake. I really wish I could rate better, such a cute place. They had a special menu for Valentine's Day which was suppose to be a 5 course meal for $39 per person, seems great but wait for it. Ordered shrimp for appetizer, & literally got 2 shrimps. Cesar salad was 3 large pieces of lettuce. They could have at least cut them. No croutons. Clam chowder was ok. Had better from a can. For entree I got seafood ravioli, which was actually really good but once again only 2 pieces! Tiramisu was ok, not amazing. Overall not impressed. I would have liked to have no salad or soup and just more of the shrimp and ravioli. Very tiny portions. If I do come back it would be definitely on a regular day to see the regular menu.
(3)
Nhung T.

The service was actually horrible, don't get me wrong the waitors were nice. However, they kept on handing us the incorrect dish. One time, I understand. Twice, urggggg. Calamari: very typical, nothing special Seafood ravioli: wasn't too bad, the sauce was good but the seafood filling was disappointing. It had only shrimp inside Seafood pasta: I love seafood, but for me it didn't taste that fresh and the sauce was okay. I had some left over and added a few more ingredients to make it better. If it wasn't for the restaurant.com coupon, I'll probably pass. The restaurant does have a nice view, however, the decor needs to be updated. It really reaked!
(3)
Sandra Z.

I've eaten here twice and both times I was not disappointed the service was great and so was the food I will go back again....
(5)
jen c.

We had our daughter's baptism reception here, with about 80 guests in attendance. We opted for a buffet with 2 salads, 2 kinds of pasta and roasted veggies. What I liked best about the banquet area was the great view, and the essentially private bar. The food was delicious and everyone seemed to enjoy it. I noticed that partway through lunch, an additional server came in to help (previously there were 2). So I appreciate that the need for additional help was recognized and met. Two minor things--the server who cut the cake (it was a fondant frosted stacked tier, not a sheet cake) didn't really know how to do it. So, some pieces were larger than other, the fondant was a little smushed...but all in all, not a huge deal, there was still plenty of cake to go around. A not as minor thing, but was remedied promptly--they ran out of plates towards the end of the buffet line. More appeared (though were a little smaller than the initial set), so it was hardly a disaster, but still, something you'd think they would have prepared better for. All in all, we would go back for another event. Hadi was easy to work with, the prices were very reasonable, and you can't beat the view on a beautiful day!
(4)
Lisa V.

I really wanted to rate you higher, Pasta Pelican, but after a handful of visits, I just can't. The food is below average--the alfredo tastes like Ragu that was mixed with Elmer's school glue to make it go further. I ordered a steak, well done and when it finally came, it was raw..., like cold to the touch in the center. The portions are small, menu expensive and service about as fast as syrup in the winter. The view is fantastic but I'll be heading over to JLS for the same view & a much better dining experience.
(2)
Daniel K.

Came here for Mother's Day dinner and left completely disappointed. Had a reservation for 6:30 and didn't get seated til 7:05. My family and I all ordered pasta entrees and it took them well over an hour to bring out our meals. Entree portions were very small and our waiter only came by our table once or twice throughout the evening. No apologies, no discounts, no explanation as to why our food took over an hour to be delivered to our table.
(1)
Sally S.

I loved the pasta I ordered last night for dinner, so yummy and flavorful, I definitely recommend it. pollo con carciofo chicken, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, fresh basil and mushrooms, with linguine
(4)
Sara W.

I'm only giving this place 3 stars because of the service, as the food was terribly disappointing. The waitress/hostess who served us (I can't remember her name but she had blond hair) was very friendly, and not in a fake, over enthused manner like you'll encounter at most busy restaurants, and she gave us great recommendations and was understanding when half our party ended up bailing out on us. Someone in our party also forgot to mention we had brought in our own birthday cake in prior to eating, and she brought out a Tiramisu from the menu with candles, and we begrudgingly had to admit that we actually brought our own cake! But she was very understanding and we weren't charged extra for the cake she brought out. Now the food is overpriced, bland, and even below Olive Garden standards. I ordered the "Tequila Di Fettuccine", expecting it to be more like my favorite pasta dish at California Pizza Kitchen, which I mistakenly assumed would be much better at Pasta Pelican since it's a fancy restaurant, but I was definitely wrong. There were barely ANY fettuccine noodles in the dish and no meat is provided either, so I finished the whole entree in about 5 minutes. It was pretty bland overall and I didn't taste any "Tequila" flavor. It was more like a typical fettuccine dish with some bell peppers thrown in. My boyfriend got the seafood ravioli, and if you read the description carefully, IT HAS ABSOLUTELY NO SEAFOOD in it, and they give you only FOUR raviolis. That's right, four. And it cost a whopping 21 dollars. I'd rather go to Safeway and buy some frozen raviolis, thanks. All that's in these "seafood" raviolis are cheese and mushrooms. Also, when you order they forget to mention that soup or salad cost an extra 3 dollars, so don't fall for it. They'll simply say, "Soup or Salad?" like it's included with your dish but it is not. The view is nice, but it's not worth the overpriced and mediocre food. And if you look at the "highlights" on this page, NONE of them have to do with food. "Friday Night", "Romantic", and "Olive Oil"? You've got to be kidding me. When the yelp community agrees that there is no food to rave about, you know you won't be coming out satisfied.
(3)
Ronette B.

My husband and I had a wonderful meal here tonight. They are located right on the Alameda Pier with a view of the bay. I ordered the Salmon with a dill lemon caper sauce over pene pasta. It was delicious. My husband had the linguine with clams and that was also delicious. Their caprese salad for am appetizer is a must, very tasty and the morrzarella cheese was very creamy complimented the sauce that they drizzle on the salad. Don't think twice about this place, very good choice that you won't be disappointed with.
(4)
Amanda T.

What a nice location! It's on the water and you can look out to Jack London Square. I've decided to take my family to this place for a nice weekend dinner. The place was pretty dim and romantic with classical music playing. The waiters were friendly, attentive, and I have no complaints. I ordered Pasta Carbonara and my family ordered mostly the Salmon dish. The Carbonara was hefty, but in a good way. It was a little too salty, I think mostly from the prosciutto, but I didn't mind it all that much. The salmon was very tender and cooked perfectly. Over all, this was a very pleasant dining experience. Great for romantic dates on the waterfront.
(4)
Lu Lu S.

I really enjoyed my date night at Pelican Restaurant. I think the restaurant views are great, the services was good and the food was good as well. My "date" ordered the Pollo con carciofo and I ordered the bbq pork ribs.. I know what you guys are thinking.. what type of person orders ribs at an Italian restaurant.. well that person is me who loves me some BBQ pork ribs anytime it's offered!! Anyhow, I ate my date's pasta and is was delicious, all of that chicken, sun dried tomatoes, garlicky taste and artichoke was tasty! Now for my order.. yeah yeah you all who thought I was crazy to order the ribs **my dinner date** well booyahh in your face.. it was mighty tasty fall off the ribs type of good and if I ate my ribs with my hands it would be finger lickin" good but i don't because I have this germaphobia type of thing so I eat it with a fork and knife.. anyhow! I had some left over because it was a huge portion, which the server had warned me, so I took it home and made myself a type of pulled pork (with the meat from my pork ribs) and put some cole slaw on some bread and bam I had a ribmeat with cole slaw sandwich! So in addition to our main entrees we also ordered the calamari... because I LOOVEE calamari and it was good as well! It may have been the bottle of wine we drank along with all of the food but dinner was alll goood! The night was soo romantic, the mood lighting, lovely view of the dock/water.. too bad my "date" was a WOOMANN and also related to me so the night was shot... at my chances of getting lucky with her.. even after a bottle of wine she didn't want to hold my hand.. WHAT..EVERS!!
(4)
Kiki W.

Came here again and was once again disappointed. Food was meh and very small portioned, service was extremely slow, and everything was pretty over priced. I even asked the host what time would be best to see the sunset, since he works there and I wasn't from around the area, and that was the only reason I came back. He suggested around 7:30. By the time my bf and I got there, we had already missed the sunset. I still asked for a seat by the window and they said they had none available. When we sat down we saw 3... so I asked to move. Definitely won't be wasting my money here again.
(2)
Terry S.

This place is great. The food and service is extremely good. If you want an good Italian pasta dish then this is your place. I will surely be back for more.
(5)
Jocelyn C.

Been here a few times already. My first review, was 4 stars. Its totally right to say 5 stars now. I still love the view, food, even customer service is great here. Plus, Groupon friendly! Great deal!
(5)
Maria M.

A restaurant with class! That's the best way to describe this place. It's by the ocean and the view was just beyond stunning, especially during sunset. Great place for big celebrations like weddings, anniversaries, engagements, birthdays or for something as simple as date nights or if you're just feeling all classy.. Why not, right? I loved their complimentary bread. It tasted like it really just came out straight from the oven before it was served to us. It was warm and soft. Baked to perfection! Their calamari and the sauce that came with it tasted amazing. I wish they would've put more though. We wanted more! :P They have a good variety of main courses to choose from. I actually had a hard time picking which one to order because everything was just appealing to me. However, I ended up with Le gamberetto. It's a pasta dish consisting of fettuccinni with white cream sauce tossed with shrimp, mushrooms, scallions, fresh dill, and lemon zest. And hands down!!!! I just made the best decision ever. It was truly scrumptious! The cream sauce was flavorful. The shrimp was cooked perfectly. I guess you could say that my tummy was happy. Hahaha! I liked how they don't overload you with portions here. Their portions are just right. Exactly how we're really supposed to be eating. Some staff members are friendly and some are not. Our server (not gonna name names) didn't seem like he knew what he was doing. He seemed lost for the most part. When it was time to pay, he took forever to bring our change and receipt back... Only to find out that he thought we didn't want our receipt and also just assumed it's a keep the change kind of thing. I mean, HELLO?! Of course we want our receipt and $10ish change. And aren't they suppose to bring back the change first and let the customers decide how much to tip? When he came back after long years with our receipt, still without our change. He's lucky we still left him a huge tip. That server just ruined the whole dining experience. I never experienced having that kind of server before. So horrible! Overall.. Excellent food, stunning view, decent price, most staff members are friendly... Plain classy. Service just needs to speed up a little bit and beware of that lost puppy server.
(3)
Albert T.

The entrees were so delicious we didn't leave anything on our plates. Our compliments to the chef. We had a wonderful waiter, who was so nice & attentive to our table. Our dessert was their ice cream which was more than enough for the 2 of us. My advise to everyone don't just think about going to Pasta Pelican , go & enjoy the wonderful cuisine served there. No matter what you choose you will love it. If I could give them 10 star
(5)
Jewelicious O.

The service was great. The food I ordered, fettuccine de venito, was not so - way too salty to my taste. My mom liked her carbonara and my dad somewhat liked his tilapia - he said it was too salty too.
(2)
Gregorio C.

This place is out of the way and kind of unknown but it's fantastic. The food is great. We have never had a bad meal and we've been going here for more than 15 years. They serve organic fruits and veggies, free range chicken and certified angus beef. The service is excellent and the prices are reasonable. Even better, you get all of this with a view of Jack London and the estuary. Sail boats slowly cruise by, some people pull up and dock their boats to stop in for dinner, it's awesome. Relaxing, romantic, good for a celebration, you name it. You can't go wrong here.
(5)
Marco M.

Went with my father because he likes water views and seeing boats. Was recommended by an old guy who was on a jury with me. First, we waited in the entry for about 8 minutes - no staff in sight to greet us or seat us. We should have left at that point. The food was lousy and overpriced. Over waiter acted as if he were late getting somewhere and then later disappeared and someone else took over our table and had less of a grip on waiting tables. When the meal finally ended I went to the bathroom and got the usual "This is the women's room" that I get anywhere outside of Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco...from a little old white lady. I informed said lady that I could read and she repeated herself. So did I. Then, beaming, she put 2 and 2 together and got 5..."Oh, you're here to clean" she declared and it was all I could do not to swab the toilet with her stringy hair. Not going back for the food, the service nor the people.
(1)
Tiffany W.

Originally, my family was going to take my mom to Maggiano's for her birthday, but we couldn't get a desired reservation time so my brother suggested we come here. For people not familiar with the area, it can be hard to find, but once you find it the view is spectacular. You get a wonderful view of Jack London Square. I have to say that I would have preferred eating Maggiano's over this place because of the variety you can get, but the food was still good. I had the Tilapia, which I thought was cooked very well. Unfortunately, the wait staff had mixed up 2 of our orders, but they made it up by giving us complimentary desserts (creme brulee and cheesecake). Because of the location, I probably won't come here on my own accord.
(3)
Nayomie Z.

I have been to pelican pasta and I loved the service and the food i would have given them 5 stars befor but this time i came with a group of friends with a groupon deal they were offering. It was a thursday so they were not busy at all. Its a nice ambiance for a quiet dinner and catching up. I felt that the service this time was bad I had to remind the waiter about bringing our bread that he said was coming right up after he took our drink order so about 10-15 min in to dinner the delishous bred comes. Then food seemed to take alot longer than the normal wait time and the waiter we had was not attentive at all he never checked in if we needed anything else or if things were ok nothing( very different from the first time) then we orderd additional drinks that never came until i flagged the waiter down to remind him. If it werent for the food that was very good and the nice view I wouldnt come here again but maybe its because our meal was 135 dollars less due to our groupn lol so 40 dollars for wine 2appetizers, 4 entrees and 2 deserts i guess maybe the waiter was just mad lol.
(4)
Kristin P.

Beautiful view! Food was pretty good, seemed fresh but the seasoning in the pasta could have been better. Great brushetta and house Cabernet were good. Italian salad dressing was weird though.
(3)
Priscilla H.

Kind of hard to find, but came here and was amazed by the fantastic scenery. I heard good things about this place and I wanted to try it. My group of 5 got a table relatively quickly. The view was beautiful! It started off very well with the breadsticks. I ordered the fettucine alfredo (I think like $13?) with a side of clam chowder ($2 with the purchase of an entree) and a slice of cheesecake ($6). The waiters were so friendly and always came by to make sure we had enough drinks, food, and pepper. The chicken fettucine was HUGE. I was barely able to finish it, but halfway through it started to taste a little bland. The sauce was good but dried up pretty quickly, it wasn't very creamy. I also tried my friend's ribs, and they were really good, however, there were only a few on the huge plate, and the added a bunch of fillers with it like coleslaw and mashed potatoes. I feel like that was kind of a cheat. The clam chowder was delicious, but the bowl was so tiny it wasn't really worth $2. Also, I think they forgot that I ordered it and I had to request it several times, and they ended up bringing it right before dessert when I was already stuffed. And the cheesecake was pretty average. Not mind blowing or anything, ridiculously expensive for a mediocre slice. To sum it up, great atmosphere and scenery, decent food and service, terrible prices.
(3)
Ben N.

Food was great, service was excellent. Our server, Peter, was incredibly attentive and so sweet. Hadi, the owner, is one of the most personable and friendly people I've ever met! You can't beat the views right on the water!
(5)
William W.

Took my 90 year old mother here last night for mothers day dinner, (the day after mothers day dinner). Unbelievable, I made a reservation, party of 5, requested a mini buffet, white pasta, red pasta, chicken, salmon, NY steak, roasted potatoes, vegetables and a green salad. The food was outstanding, especially the NY Steak, the flavor was amazing and it tender like a filet. More importantly my mother loved it, the food , the view, and the service, it was perfect!
(5)
Rob J.

Great view Great service Excellent food The bad - where the hell did the parking go?!
(5)
Becky M.

The view is nice! The prices are great! And I may have shot myself in the foot here, but I ordered the BBQ Meatloaf because I had happy images on mom's meatloaf in mind. I should have known better than to order anything but pasta at a pasta food joint. I was severely disappointed in the BBQ Meatloaf special. Overwhelming BBQ sauce and very little meat loaf, the veggies served with it were boiled and for some reason they all tasted like brown sugar - I wasn't a fan. However, they are getting 2 stars because both my friends ordered the Tortellini Con Pollo and I tried it and it was VERY good! The Antipasto platter was a bit unrefined, but light and yummy, so for the price, I couldn't be disappointed. I'll go back - but next time, I'll stick to the pasta for sure. Oh, and they had an extensive wine list and the wine by the glass, again, well priced. I'm all about the booze, so they get a star for that too!
(3)
Cara Y.

Lovely view, right on the water in Alameda. Staff was friendly and helpful. As far as the food goes, I think the trick must be to order the pasta. The meatball sandwich I had was like something from an amusement park food stand. And not in a good way. Spongey. French fries were soggy mush without an ounce of crispness to them. I felt really bad about hating it so much because my co-workers apparently swear by this place and kept lavishing praise on every single thing that came to the table. Sorry, Pasta Pelican. I'm sure I'll give you another shot at some point, but you have some serious making up to do to even out my first meal with you.
(2)
Nicole H.

We had a group of seven for dinner and really enjoyed our meal. The staff is very friendly, efficient, and the place is spotless. The salads were nice and fresh and dressed perfectly with a terrific blend of greens. The bread was fresh and hot and they kept it coming. We mostly ordered pasta dishes which all were very good. One of us had fried calamari which was excellent and very fresh. One child ordered a burger and it too was a real hand formed patty and the fries were fresh cut. All in all, I would say this is a place that serves up some really good food for a very reasonable price. We found it fun to visit because of it's history as the Rusty Pelican which was the "hot spot" in Alameda for decades. Go enjoy it instead of another anonymous chain restaurant.
(4)
Andrew Y.

we wanted to try this place for a long time. I've had a restaurant.com coupon in a drawer for over a year. Finally, we decided to try it out. It was pretty easy to find. When we arrived, I was completely lost. It was dark, but I didn't understand how we ended up looking across at Jack London Square. Anyway, the restaurant is on the waterfront. It has 2 levels and it's pretty big. The food is Italian. I had the pollo pelicano. It was a little pricey, but you are definitely there for the atmosphere. Wine is a little expensive as well, may hold on that next time.
(4)
Stephen H.

Yes, the view of the water is nice, but I'd rather there be a view as well as great food, and unfortunately Pasta Pelican is unable to deliver both at the same time. The pasta dishes are so incredibly small, they are more like half orders of dishes than something capable of sustaining a grown adult unless you also ordered appetizers and salads as well. Perhaps we ordered from the children's menu? No it seemed not, there was no mistake. This by itself could be excusable if it were not for the fact that the food itself was not very good. The carbonara was average, salty and not very tasty at all. Perhaps this is what people like, but I was not impressed. The sesame salad was okay, maybe a 3 star dish because the chicken was hot and it was crunchy, but it wasn't something better than average that would make us want to come back. Service was okay, everyone was running around like there was a huge hurry, so I felt rushed and ignored, however it wasn't busy, there was not much going on, so I didn't understand the huge rush, why run around like the kitchen is on fire when I'm trying to have a relaxing and enjoyable dinner and look at the boats docked next to me. I won't be back.
(2)
Nancy C.

Beautiful view of the bay..well actually a view across jack london..been here countless times... anywho..the bread basket they serve was yummy, nice hot rolls..=) service was great, food came out fast!! enjoy eating here..will come back soon!!
(5)
Paul L.

Food - ok. Restrooms - gross.
(3)
Victoria A.

We went here for my boyfriends birthday dinner with family. We had to wait a couple extra minutes to get seated but we told the hostess it was our first time and we got a table up stairs next to the window :) it was a beautiful view. The waiter was very paient with us when it came to ordering and making sure we had everything we needed. The food was great right down to the BBQ Meat Loaf lol.
(5)
Tracy T.

Love the warm bread that they serve here. Warm, crunchy crust, and soft fluffy insides. Perfect on a cold wintry day as a starter. We were seated right next to the window with a wonderful view of the water/huge boats with xmas parties leaving the shore/many other docked boats. - Side salad with Italian dressing: lettuce, ONE cherry tomato, ONE slice of cucumber. The dressing was light and perfect, but the salad was pretty bland, since it just consisted of lettuce. - Fettucini pollo primavera: Fettucini with chicken in a sun dried tomato sauce with assorted vegetables (zucchini, carrots, and broccoli). This one was good. the sauce was not too rich, a bit on the oily side, but it was perfect with lots of black pepper. With a party of 8, we could not resist ordering one of every dessert on the menu and here's my take from the samples that I got of each.... - Brownie a la mode: Very rich chocolate flavor, just how a brownie should be with smooth vanilla ice cream - Chocolate cake: Too much chocolate for me, not too much of a fan of chocolate - Spumoni ice cream: It was just all pink, not like at other places where I got dark brown chocolate, green pastacio, and red for the cherry/berry flavor. Didn't try this one, so I can't comment on this one. (good portion size for one, not too big and small enough for your ice cream craving. - Apple cobbler a la mode: This one was warm, with fresh apple pieces and tasted pretty good with the vanilla ice cream. - Cheesecake: Plain cheesecake, so rich, but so good. One spoonful was enough for me. If only it came with fresh strawberries or some type of berries. - Tiramisu: Just like any other place, nothing special to note. - Creme brulee: Very sugary and sweet. I could taste the gritty sugar granules in this one. None of the desserts really stood out to me, just your average desserts. No creativity. The food was pretty good, especially because my pasta came with lots of vegetables, which I always love. I just really liked the warm bread and the view was nice, but from seeing other people sail away in the big party boats, it made me want to leave this restaurant and partake in their Christmas festivities with them. P.S. This place is a bit hard to find even with a GPS. The turns confused our GPS systems (for two of us that is). During the day time, just follow the Pasta Pelican arrow signs and they will lead you safely to your destination.
(3)
Lenore H.

Went to try a new restaurant, had a Groupon. Looked forward to finding a new place. First of all, WHO RUNS OUT OF PIZZA! ARE YOU KIDDING? Ordered the Portobello Mushroom appetizer..Love Portebello.Lush, meaty, delicious. Not here. Smothered under a stringy tasteless lump of cheesy stuff, on top of a mass of what was advertised as arugula, mostly romaine drowned in some vineragary stuff. Ate about 2 bites each, no more. On to the salad. had the 'House" since that's what Groupon gave us. My husband had the Italian on the side, tasted like sugary vinegar. I also ordered Italian on the side, some white stuff showed up. Not Ranch, Not Blue Cheese. Tasteless. On to the main course. My husband ordered Beef Strip steak Medium, came screaming rare. I ordered the signature dish- Pollo Pelicano with artichokes, capers, tomatoes, my choice of pasta. Way too salty, miniature piece of chicken breast with gloppy cheese on top. Sorry Groupon, don't let these folks ruin your so far good rep!!!
(1)
Jessica O.

got a deal on living social, LOVED this place! cold (no heater?) but good food, good deal, good service and festive atmosphere
(5)
roy c.

We had a groupon coupon so that made it a little better. We had appetizers, the calimari was tough and we felt poorly done. The portabella mushroom was outstanding. I had a Pollo Pelicano - chicken breast with sauce and no pasta although they did offer it as a free side if I wanted. The chicken was tough and dry, The sauce was very good. Thank god for the bread. My wife had Pollo con Carciofo. The chicken was very dry, the sauce and pasta was good. We both felt the chicken breast resembled something you'd get in a freezer bag of 30 at costco. The place was busy, it was a Sunday night. The service was good. We will not return.
(3)
Pat H.

This restaurant is not easy to find, but it is well worth the effort once you get there. We dined there using a Travelzoo coupon and are already considering a return visit. The house sauvignon blanc was delicious, refreshing, and served at the right temperature. The food was very good, the waiter attentive, the service very timely, and the atmosphere very relaxing with a nice water view. We shared the mozzarella/tomato/basil appetizer, and it was good but not great because the tomatoes were about what you would expect at this time of year. The warm bread served with the parmesan and garlic was delicious. We both ordered the chicken with artichokes and capers. It was outstanding, and, as I commented to my husband, one of the best pieces of chicken I have ever had in a restaurant--tasty, tender, delicious, cooked to perfection. We split the tiramisu for dessert and left feeling that we had an outstanding meal at a bargain.
(4)
Dan R.

Good food great service fair price and nice view. We go here probably twice a year.
(4)
Dennis R.

A big fan of this place. It doesn't pretend to be anything it is not. The owner is usually present and always offers a warm welcome. Very genuine. Service is always good, very friendly staff. The pasta carbonara is my personal favorite. They always get it right. The tortelloni is another favorite. Beautiful view of the estuary. Very nice atmosphere when the fireplace is in use.
(4)
jaf D.

SOOO wanted this to be better... Love the funky location. Love the views. Been meaning to try the place for years - a Google deal was burning a hole in my pocket so I finally did. In a word: mediocre. Even at 50% off, not sure it was worth it. Several people there seemed to be using some type of discount, like restaurant.com . Liked that they had a couple of good beers on tap: Longhammer IPA and Racer 5... Other positive: ceasar salad was good - crisp lettuce, great dressing (but a bit much of it). My veal dish was the wrong one - but I was too hungry to send it back. Not so much veal, either. Perhaps at 50% it might merit 3 stars - but not if one paid the actual menu prices. And even at the discount, too many better places to go...
(2)
Andrew F.

I went with couple of friends. Great view overlooking the Bay over to Jack London. We had calamari for an appetizer, which is best i've had so far. I had the Fettucine con Sugo Caldo which is a spicy dish with italian sausage. We all had a great time here.
(4)
margaret w.

Came for dinner on a Sunday evening, 6pm. Sat upstairs with a window table, nice waterfront view (view of Jack London Sq). Service was prompt; waiter was friendly Bread served warm, with olive oil & balsamic vinegar, also a plate of garlic butter w parmesan cheese. Game 4 of World Series between the NY Yankees and Phillies was on. Food was ok; nothing spectacular. We have been living in Alameda since the 90s. This is the first time we dined here, mainly due to an Entertainment Coupon (BOGO). I'd probably come back. Probably.
(3)
Darwin S.

Well, now that Chevy's closed down, Pasta Pelican has been our default place when we want to go to "Whatever you want", or "I don't know." The food isn't the best Italian I've ever had but it's nice that it's right there by the water. Don't go there before 6pm. We've done that a couple times and, kinda backwards, but when there's no one there the service is slower.
(3)
Gina H.

I came here last night with several of my friends for a birthday dinner and the place was great! They seated me an my friends on a long table near the water with an awesome view of Jack London Square... even at night the lights on the other side really shown bright and it was a nice touch. The food was great, we had really good service which is rare with large groups some times. We mostly all had separate checks but I was shocked to see they didn't scoff at ALL??? Some of us didn't order as much and they didn't mind that either! How nice! I even got my cheesecake on the house for dessert since it was my bday. Service was prompt, seating was prompt, they let my guests come and sit before me, as some came before I did. The bar and lounge area is where we sat and the drinks were good and stiff enough to go along with dinner and chatter. The prices are SO reasonable and the portions are a good size! I had enough to take home! The waiter even gave me a recommendation for a chicken dish that I absolutely love. Seriously come here. If not for the view then for the 10-15 dollar meal! I mean, we are in a recession right? This place is recession proof! :) Oh, follow your directions very carefully and when you come to the area there are some sharp turns to get here but its worth it!
(5)
Emily L.

If you love restaurants with fabulous food, service and atmosphere, but don't like to be overcharged or have a snobby server...this is the place for you. My favorite dinner restaurant. The menu is full of good choices, but nothing beats their clam chowder. Also, the view is awesome and there is usually a table available looking right out at the water. P.S. If you get a pasta dish,make sure it has mushrooms...they are so incredible
(5)
Sakura Y.

The view here is awesome. Nice big windows showcase the lovely view of the harbor and Jack London Square, Tribune Tower (one of my favorite landmarks) in the distance. The food here can be hit or miss, some items are definitely bland and the portions for certain items can be a bit small. I like the Linguini con Funghi and the Puttanesca dishes. One of the nice things about this place is the dim light in the evening and the quiet atmosphere, unlike some of the other restaurants in Alameda where it's impossible to have a conversation loud music. I haven't been in on a night when there's anyone playing piano, but I do enjoy such civilized touches. They have a cheery fireplace too.
(4)
plot t.

TOO MUCH vs. TOO LITTLE Clam chowder = too many herbs, not many clams Raviolis = too much sugar, not much of anything else Linguini Bolognese = too much pepper, not very tasty Overall: too much hype, not much worth eating. Is that a hint to be happy that we were left hungry?
(1)
Lillian M.

For a place called Pasta Pelican, you'd think their pasta dishes would be good, sadly, they are not, I'd say they are down right mediocre at best. We've tried many pasta dishes, and they all are just ok. Now for the good news about Pasta Pelican. They have a great view, good service, and on Friday's have live music. So if you want to come to a restaurant to unwind, have decent food, good music, go with people you like to have good company, this is a GREAT place to come. They pour stiff drinks and have a decent wine selection, even their house wines are good. Bread is really good. Dishes that is NOT pasta are pretty good. Their calamari, bruschetta, and mushroom appetizers I recommend. Their clam chowder is pretty good too. I think I've had their ribs - good. Veal is good Steak is good - but not that flavorful. Wev'e been where it's been hit or miss too. But all in all, I'd definitely return for the atmosphere and good fun.
(3)
Online R.

I took a visiting guest for lunch at Pasta Pelican Restaurant in Alameda on September 17, 2009, about 3 PM. No one greeted us after ten minutes of waiting, we walked out. The staff may be too busy to greet customers.
(1)
Jordan M.

Decent lunch place with waterfront views. The portions are large and the prices are pretty reasonable. The food can occasionally be a touch salty. Lots of bread and olive oil to start out with is always nice. Pasta Pelican is a good place to take a group -- we often do our co-worker birthday lunches here.
(3)
Tina S.

What happened to this place??? New owers? Definitely new prices...and not so new produce! What was once an old "Stand-by" is now "Not Worth It." My hubbie and I have eaten here since about 2001. Back then, the bread was fresh, warm and tasty; the pasta was predictable but delicious; and the salad or soup was free with an entree. Now, the bread seems reheated, the pasta is a bit bland and the soup or salad costs an additional $2. What gives?? We didn't even order the crÃ¨me brulee as we normally would for fear that the entire experience would erase all of our fond memories of this place. The waiters also got my order wrong...twice. I guess Pesto with angel hair pasta is a tough order to get right! TWICE. As other's have noted, the view is nice on a lovely Alameda afternoon or early evening. And, on a cold winter's night, the huge fire makes up for any lack of service attentiveness that you may experience. But, after last-night's disappointment, it's going to be a while before we venture to The Pelican any time soon. Oh, and a word about the wait staff: it feels like the all the wait staff has been replaced by relatives--which I generally don't like because it's hard to fire your nephew even if he's doing a crappy job. The staff used to be a smattering of young guys and gals with a few seasoned professionals. Now it appears to be a more homogenous group of young guys. I wouldn't make a big deal about this, but after getting my salad order wrong (dressing on the side) and my entree order wrong (and how does Angel Hair Pasta resemble Rigatoni?) it seems like diversifying the wait staff with more experienced folks might be in order. I'm sad that the old Pelican has slid downhill in my estimation. I can only hope it was an off night.
(2)
Taylor J.

The interior feels like the mess deck of an old frigate and the view's nice if they deem you worthy to see it. We went on a slow weeknight. I made a point of telling the hostess at the door it was our first visit. Her response was to lead us straight past several window tables overlooking the harbor to a table on the back wall separating the kitchen from the dining area. Maybe two guys aren't the sort of dinner clientele they want to encourage. I suggested one of the window tables along the (completely empty) port side instead and we were seated. The service was fine--our waitress was really trying--but the pasta had been in town longer than I have and the preparation was indifferent at best. Totally tasteless. They need to sell it to someone who knows how to run a restaurant and start again.
(1)
Rox M.

I recently attended a party @ Pasta Pelican...and was pleasantly surprised. Being that there's a mix of reviews, I went in expecting the not-so-great....but it turned out to be much better than I expected. The bruschetta appetizer was soooo yummy! I also had some kind of potato dish and veggie dish, and salad. I was happy to have a good selection of vegetarian dishes that were catered, and of course I skipped the fish. I left happily appetized (new word for Merriam Webster!)....
(4)
Vena V.

Food poisoning. Zero stars.
(1)
Foo D.

A wonderful little place! Prices are reasonable, the entire staff is very gracious, welcoming and attentive, it is placed in a nice location overlooking Jack London Square and a water view of the Oakland Estuary and last but not least, the food is great! I especially loved the tortellini with prosciutto and peas. Sauce was creamy and the peas were FRESH! Never before, have I left behind tortellini to eat more peas ;). Portions were generous and you can add soup or salad to any entree for 2 bucks!
(5)
Jaime Patricio M.

Pasta Pelican is on the island of Alameda. There is a fork in the road--take a left and go to Pasta Pelican - take a right go to Chevy's. I am lefty. I like original one of a kind places. Pasta Pelican is about italian food sandwiches and fish dishes. the portions are ginormous. Great place to go when there is crowd next door. Buen Provecho!
(4)
Miss H K.

Food: Very good! I always get the spaghetti with meatballs and I love it. You also get soup and bread which is nice and tasty. Price: Not bad at all. Pasta dishes are mostly under $20 and other dishes are $20 and up. Location: Located sort of in a secluded area right across from Jack London. Parking is available in their "rocky" lot. Service: Fast and friendly Atmosphere: This is a nice restaurant. It is relaxing and great for dates!
(5)
Erika C.

i had the pizza, the bf had the ribs. both were mediocre, but I would definately come back here to try the other items on their menu. We sat by the window overlooking the water and facing jack london square. its a great restaurant and prices are good. great place to take a date and not go broke! afterwards you can take a short walk by the pier. very romantic!
(5)
D. S.

Geriatric Food Experience Food: Horrible. Tasted like TV dinners cooked and slapped on a plate. Food was not fresh and extremely bland. Atmosphere: This place is perfect for 60-80 year old people. They play the worst elevator music you could possibly imagine. They actually played a jaz version of Arabic music! I didnt know that could be done! I wanted out of this place as soon as I sat down. Oh, and you get a great flat screan viewing of bowling champinships throughout dinner. Great.
(1)
Rivka S.

Pros: food was pretty good, wait staff pleasant. Cons: Not only is the decor stuck in the 70's but I think that was the last time they cleaned the carpet. The stairs leading to the upstairs dining area were FILTHY. Would've turned around and left right there if I wasn't in a group.
(2)
Sherry G.

We took my mom here for her 61st birthday and she had a great night. it was a friday nite and the band played and we ate and visited. the only thing I could say was our sandwich was a little dry with no flavor but everyone else in our party of 9 had great food. just dont order chicken swiss mushroom burger. Order the pizza or club it looked delicious. If your looking to try something new go to restrurant. com and buy a gift certificate and try out pasta pelican.
(4)
Jenny N.

OKAY! So I am totally obsessed with food and ITALIAN food is one of my favorites!! My boyfriend wanted to surprise me for my birthday when I got back from my summer trip abroad so he researched and reserved this restaurant...for a party of 20! 2-0! T-W-E-N-T-Y! My friends were driving to this place from all over the bay area so we didn't exactly arrive all at the same time during our reservation time at 730PM (whoops..) but the service there was AWESOME. They were very patient and checked up on us very often. They allowed my friends to bring in a huge ice cream cake and they even cut it and served it out on little plates for us :D! ALRIGHT, time for the important stuff... THE FOOD.... I ordered the Carbonara and my boyfriend ordered the Fettuccine di Tequila.... The service was a bit slow..... but the food came out HOT and smelling AWESOME..... BUT...after i ate some... i was a bit disappointed... The pasta was rich, decadent, and had lots of bacon (YUM!) BUT it was a little too salty for my taste....and when i mean "a little too salty" i mean A LOT because i usually love food thats a little salty :( (and this is with bread btw).. Maybe they could've added more pasta? Well, my boyfriend's Pasta was a lot more balanced and he enjoyed it a lot but it was still simple, portion was small and surely not worth the $13 price tag. Also, one of my friends ordered the Seafood ravioli.. and received his order last from our group... we all waited in anticipation to see what he thought of those 4 (yes, only 4!) decadent-looking raviolis waiting on his oversized plate tasted..... and...and...AND.... it was a FAIL! He said he'd rather use the $18 to buy cans of Chef Boyardee... OUCH! I didn't try it so I won't add on to that. Well Overall, -the scenery of the place is awesome--AHHH a nice dinner looking over the serene water. -the service is AWESOME (ps: they stayed open until our party left and didn't insist on kicking us out or doing any of the subtle things to get us a-going ex: giving us the bill early, turning off music/lights, walking around looking annoyed, etc.) -the food...EH...not worth the money BUT once in awhile is okay...! Yup.. okay.. thats my 2cents... OFF TO eat!
(3)
Scuba X.

Wow, its rare that I write a review thats not of a Japanese restaurant. heh. I've always known about this place, but never really got around to giving it a shot. Maybe because pasta isn't something I usually go out for. However... I was very pleasantly surprised! The location, the views, and the service were all very pleasant. We had the salmon picatta and chicken/spinnach dishes. Both were very tasty! I usually don't think much of pasta, but these pleasantly surprising! Even though we made spaghetti just the night before, this was probably the best pasta I've had in a long time! Our clam appetizer was a bit over salted and could of used a few more clams. But the complementary fresh warm bread, garlic butter, and fresh parmesean cheese made up for it. It's a bit pricey for a midweek dinner. Perfect for a dinner date, without having to drive out to the city.
(4)
Ken W.

Calamari was decent and couldve been crispier. Their bruschetta was subpar. It was lacking a bit in the taste department. I think it needed some better tomatoes (which is the key to great bruschetta). It did have some interesting tastes and mixtures and could've been mind blowing. We also ordered the carbonara and azurro delizia. The carbonara was pretty salty but what can you expect when something has bacon. Not sure you can really go wrong with anything that has bacon. The Azurro Delizia was a bit disappointing. Maybe because I was eating the carbonara first before trying it but it didn't have as much taste. I took a bit of both home and when I mixed the two it was fantastic. MMmmmm bacon....
(3)
Kathryn F.

We went here last weekend with friends and had a great time. All tables have wonderful views of the bay. The food was good and very well priced. I had teh Bistec Pelicano and it was wonderful! We also split a few dessert between 7 of us and they were all very good.
(4)
Jeremy S.

The view is great. The food pretty good. The waitstaff, not so great. I still like coming here.
(3)
Jason N.

Very beautiful place at night, nice sights and romantic setting. Allot of boats around you and again at night is beautiful sight with lights and take some beautiful pics. Food is great and so is the service. only problem is that its tucked away. The food was great for the price, They have a very nice lounge area for us guy who likes to watch sports and eat. It's good for 1st time dates and again the price is great for the foods.
(4)
Andi T.

We went here because we had a coupon and low expectations. The good: * Great waterfront view of Jack London Square and boats passing by. * Generous wine pours (although limited selection)/ * Decent food, which was reasonably priced with the coupon. The meh: * Service was OK, but not as attentive or polished as you'd get elsewhere. * If there's a party upstairs, it can be hard to hear your dining companion. * You get tired watching the wait staff schlep your food and drinks up and down the stairs. The bad: * The bathroom could've used more attention. Overall, it's a pretty cute, comfy place. I'd go back.
(4)
Robert H.

Psst! Wanna know a secret about this place? Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away, when the Pasta Pelican was named Rusty Pelican, a certain sailboat tied up along side of the dock with her main sail up. A full boat-load of partying boys out on a bachelor party night out for a fellow fraternity buddy. One of the revelers brought along a movie projector to the bar upstairs and situated himself at a table near the window by the boat. He plugged the projector in the socket and proceeded to show porn with the main sail as the screen backdrop. The crowd in this place went wild and the band stopped playing and everyone looked out the window and cheered. A good time was had by all that night. It was rumored that you could see the flick from the water front restaurants all the way across the estuary. Hm-mm.... just downed on me that maybe THAT's why they changed their name? (didn't realize we had that much lasting impact after we stumbled out of the bar....) Oh... the food? You really don't expect me to remember... do you?
(3)
Thuyvi M.

I must say this place was much better than I expected. After reading all the reviews on Yelp was sort of iffy on trying it out. Customer service was good and the restaurant was very clean and theres a nice fireplace too. The lighting is a little dark so it had a romantic feel to it. We were seated right away and our waiter sat us by the window so it was very beautiful to sit and look out at the water and boats. Service was great and fast. We ordered drinks and the portobello to start with. I must say the portobelo was defin good. I had a house salad which was lighty tossed in ranch so i didnt feel guilty eating it. It also did not have croutons. We were also brought out a basket of fresh baked bread and it was delicious! We also had cream of broccoli and it tasted homemade. For main course I had tortellini something with chicken and artichoke. i cant remember whats it called i even went to the site rite now and i cant find it! EEK! sry guys. anyways and for dessert we ordered the tiramisu and i must say it was probably the best tiramisu i ever had. it was soooo creamy and perfect! overall good experience i will defin return.
(4)
Melissa H.

This place is really nice. Good setting, clean, decent service. The food is fantastic. I also went to a group party there once. The catering was great. One of my favorite places. A little pricey but if you're looking for a decent place to eat and willing to spend a few extra bucks, this is where you will get your money's worth and then some!
(4)
Yen C.

The place was a little difficult to find. We had the portobello mushroom appetizer, grilled salmon salad, and fettuccine con sugo caldo. The portobello mushroom had great flavor. My bf almost never eats sausage (which was in his fettuccine dish), but he totally loved his dish. The grilled salmon salad was better than expected...not too salty. Service was nice as well...not long of a wait at all. The waiter (Zein?) actually told us how long the dishes might take to make. Overall, this was a great choice. Can't wait to go back and try some of the other dishes.
(4)
Sherilyn T.

**2.5 stars went here on a tuesday night. the place was nearly empty, probably just one other couple in the restaurant. it's a great location. great view of jack london square. i remember when chevy's was still open, the area was pretty thriving. now, it's just a bit desolate and makes it kinda sad to dine here. for appetizers we ordered the portobello mushroom and calamari. the calamari wasn't anything special. the sauce wasn't as tasty as most other places. the portobello mushroom was decent, just too cheesy for me. for the entree we shared the fettuccine di veneto. that was really just ok. not much flavor and nothing special. it's a bit pricey (thank goodness for restaurant.com !). after tax and tip and the savings from the coupon, we paid about 27 bucks for all that food. not too bad. 2 stars for the good service 0.5 stars for accepting the coupon. minus 1 star for the food minus 1.5 stars for depressing me. somebody come in and revitalize our waterfront areas please! develop don't destroy...
(3)
Tesia J.

MMMMMMMMM....PAASsTTA PEELLLICAANNNN!!!! (droool) I LOVE THIS PLACE!! The atmosphere is always warm and friendly...and romantic whether you want it to be or not! I HAVE NEVER HAD A BAD MEAL there and I've been going since they opened in 1998. Everything I've had has been fresh, flavorful and downright delicious. My fave is the chicken carciofo (I'm sure I just murdered the spelling but hey...) Huge chunks of tender chicken, artichoke hearts and just a bunch of yummy stuff. AHH! Scrumptious! The bread is always warm and fresh, and I always eat so much of it that by the time the meal comes Im already full! I do have to say that I think the portions have gotten smaller over time. You still get a good amount but for some reason I remember ALWAYS having leftovers...now, not so much. PLEASE TRY THIS RESTAURANT...don't let the other reviews scare you!!!
(4)
Shana A.

The food is amazing! Service is great! View is great! Only complaint is they offer a "Get one free dinner" coupon in the Val-Pak mailer - with an up to $10 value and all of the entrees on their menu are greater than $10!
(4)
Dave Y.

Maybe I'm a little bitter because of the size of the portion, but I could not recommend this place to anyone except for the view. The view was amazing as you read about in the other reviews. The food however had some catching up to do. I ordered the Ravioli de Formaggio (Cheese Ravioli) in a tomato cream sauce. The sauce was excellent but the FOUR raviolis you got were no better than found in your freezer. When the waiter brought my meal, he looked straight at me and said "Are you gonna need some bread with that?" as if he knew they didn't give you much food. Anyway, view was great, food....not so much.
(2)
L. I.

One of the best places in Alameda! I bring my family from out of town here and they love it. My boyfriend and I love it here. The calamari and pasta is great! And I love the view! Great service, great food! *******************
(5)
Ozzy D.

Wonderful waterfront view and a very nice ambiance...Nothing really special about the food but the service was great. I recommended-especially 7pm to 9pm awesome view . (what to eat ; Bread-calamari appetizer-dessert ,pasta was just ok)
(4)
Pearl P.

Great place! The view of Jack London and boats passing by is great. The food and service was delicious. Prices very reasonable. Definitely recommend it! Had the best apple cobbler I have ever had. I hear they have live music upstairs, which I'm definitely planning on catching some time!
(4)
Marianne A.

Love this place. The view and atmosphere sell it for me. The bread before you even get a drink with the garlic paste and the olive oil is worth the price of admission. The food is pretty dang good and reasonable. The service is always good. Eat here quite frequently and have never had a bad experience.
(4)
Patrick G.

My girl "friend" took me there for my birthday recently. I wanted to stay on the island but not do Park St. We walked in and were seated right away. The place was about 60% full, but seemed really quiet. I sat down right next to the window when this prehistoric moth creature came climbing up. It totally obstructed my view. There were a couple jokes made and the host came by and gave it the napkin squish with thumb and forefinger. We ordered a bottle of Pinot Noir, which was good. I can't remember what it was called, but it was pretty good. Appetizer was bruschetta which was odd. It was a very thin layer of melted mozzarella on bread with flavorless tomatoes on top. However, it came with a side of pesto which really added. I had the meat ravioli which I have no complaints about. In fact it was pretty good. My friend had the salmon pasta dish and she did not like her salmon at all. During the meal, we were seated next to a crying baby....a consistantly crying baby. When we were done eating, the host asked us if we would like to finish our wine upstairs. We took him up on that offer. Once upstairs, we ordered dessert and another bottle of wine. Dessert was a brownie a la mode. It was the worst piece of dry chocolate anything, that I had ever eaten. I don't send things back, but this had to go. My friend wanted some dessert wine instead and there was none to be had. So we got drunk on our second bottle till about 9:20pm. Then we realized that there was nobody else in the restaurant. I guess they close at 9:30 on Fridays. Odd. This place has a lot of potential. It has a great view and average food. There's no ambiance at all, though. I'll go again. Sometime.
(3)
Olivia C.

I got a Groupon for this place. But when I read the yelp reviews, I was a bit concerned because the quality seemed to have gone down a lot in the last couple of months, so I was not expecting much. However, we had a good time! The service was excellent, and the food too! Loved having the fire chemine right next to me, it was nice and toasty! The view was also great. I would go back, even without a Groupon!
(4)
Julie V.

This place has a great view of Jack London and the food is pretty delicious. Some people may think that the portions are small, but I feel like it's just right. However, I felt rushed. Before you know it, dinner was done and they gave you the check without asking if you would like anything else. The dishes come out fast and they ask if you're done yet and take it away. Obviously, I was still eating, hello! I would go back tho on a raining day for the view and for the food but not the service.
(3)
Winane L.

The view is good. The wait to order was about 10 minutes...seemingly nobody wanted to take our orders. The restaurant wasn't that packed. I asked my pasta to be a bit more cooked than al dente...it didn't happen. I ordered Pasta Bolognese was bland and way too salty. The bread came to us cold and the butter hard as anything can be. Not my kind of Italian food.
(3)
K M.

Great deal for an above agerage meal!!
(4)
Martha N.

I think the main attraction is the lovely view. Our family really loved the bread too (like other Yelpers). The service was really, really good, but then it was a slow night. I was a little concerned from the reviews but I thought the food was good, not great. I had the spinach salad and it had dried fruit and apple allumettes and lovely spinach but the dressing didn't seem to tie it all together. So I rate that as good. My daughter had pesto pasta and they put everything she wanted in it so it was custom to her liking and she enjoyed that. Also sampled were the hamburger and chicken sandwiches that were also good. The desserts were just okay. I would definitely go here again.
(4)
tai t.

Two star for a nice view. Nothing special about the food. I've had better.
(2)
M. M.

My wife and I have eaten here 2x (that I can remember), both times because we had a 2 for 1 coupon. The big thing the restaurant has going for it is location, location, location. Right on the water, so you have a gorgeous view of the city at dusk and beyond. So from the courteous greeter to the seating at your table, things are great Unfortunately, it's downhill from there! Even with our 2-for-1 coupons, I'm not sure it's even all that great of a bargain. The food is edible, but you expect more than that for a place like this, even if the prices are modest. I'm no huge fan of Olive Garden, but I think I would take that over this any day. If Patrick Ramsay is reading this, I think you have a great potential client for your 'Kitchen Nightmares' TV show.....because this place could really be a MUCH BETTER establishment. After 4 entrees spread out over 2 meals, I think we've given them a chance to make an impression....and as it stands, I don't think we'll be going back any time soon. Too bad....because the location is really nice.
(2)
Gregory S.

My favorite place to dine in Alameda. I have eaten here and taken guests here for the past 15-20 years. The owner, Haudi, I hope I spelled his name right is always right there to greet customers. I moved away for six years. When I returned to Alameda and came to Pasta Pelican, Haudi remembered my name right away. Great Service, Awesome Food, and Fine Wine adds to the wonderful view. My favorite dish is the Tortallini Con Polo. And their original bread is great to dip in thier Olive Oil/Balsamic and Pamasian Cheese. YOU MUST VIST Pasta Pelican and enjoy this experiance.
(5)
Beebs R.

Good service and good pasta. Went on a Friday night and they had a band playing, music is always fun...good portion size too.
(3)
Jen W.

I love to come here, for delish pasta dishes and the view of the water is peaceful and the owner is a charming delightful presence. I once brought a social challenged person who will remain nameless here, who when she found out that he was from Syria started to spout some ridiculous ingorant comments about Syria and the politics of the middle east. This lovely man handled the interrogation with grace and tremendous aplomb and sent over an OUTRAGOUS dessert on the house. The prices are higher than I like, but often you can find two for one lunch and dinner coupons in the load of JUNK mail that comes to my house. With the coupon it puts me right in my budget comfort zone.
(5)
Aaron H.

We've been a here a number of times over the past couple of years and always liked it. The food is good, but nothing special, and the prices, in my humble opinion, are a bit high for what you get . However, they have been doing their "Buy 1 get 1 free (up to $XX in value)" coupon for what seems like forever, so that makes the overall pricing reasonable. Without the coupon, I doubt we would come here that often. The place gets 5 stars for its location and ambiance - right on the water overlooking Jack London Square in the distance, with boats going through the channel. A nice fireplace in the main dining area and occasional live music upstairs. The bread is great and the service is good.
(4)
Martine F.

Four stars for the location and the boat views! No matter where you sit, upstairs in the lounge or downstairs in the restaurant you wont be disappointed. On Sunday nights they have a piano player, which is interesting considering the intense pieces he was playing a few weeks ago. The music made me a little stressed out for Sunday weekend wind down dinner. The garlic they serve with the bread is hot and delicious when mixed with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar. My husband had steak and I had some seafood - clams, muscles and prawns. We enjoyed our meal and especially enjoyed watching the water and boats.
(4)
Emahlee H.

A couple of my friends and I ventured to Pasta Pelican in hopes of tasting the best damn pasta in the East Bay and while it was not the best, it was certainly more than mediocre. I loved the ambiance and the view of Jack London Square but the service was less than desirable. The service itself will not keep me from giving it another shot but I'm more likely to venture elsewhere.
(3)
Danielle B.

The view is great, service is ok, the food nasty as hell. I work down the street from this place and a couple of my co-workers love this place so we order lunch from there time to time. It is a hit a miss with them. We had our holiday party there and we all had a good time but the food could have been better.
(2)
G P.

This is one of the places my wife and I used to go to when we first started dating. We didnt have lots of money and it was nice for us, quiet restaurant. nice view of the water and lights at night. Love the chicken Ceasarm love the fresh bread,my favorite is the spaghetti carbonara, friendly waiters. I dont think we ever waited more then 5 mins to be seated.
(3)
Jenn B.

I had my rehearsal dinner here in July 2010. The staff was super accommodating, the food was wonderful, and the price was great. On Fridays, there is jazz music, so we had complimentary music to go along with it. The singer came and sang with us and provided entertainment. I love coming here to eat and enjoy myself. Love this place!
(5)
Rebecca R.

One of my groups threw a awards banquet there for 75 people there. And there was even a yummy veganizable mushroom pasta dish for the vegans we were able to have in a buffet format. There was a bar set up for us, and you know there wasn't any open bar, cuz well, we're cheapskates, and knew all too well how much our friends would drink! I'm so sad because we can't use them again this year. Perfect, slightly funky and very affordable. But the private room is upstairs, and is not wheelchair accessible. We had to carry one of our respected elders up there, and that won't work for us again. But I plan on coming back again soon for just regular dinner. They have some very yummy calamari that I need to eat soon!
(4)
Joy C.

I came here for a banquet, and was amazed that a restaurant with such a beautiful view was located just around the corner from my boy's house! The food was decent, but I can't judge what their normal menu is like, since we got catered/banquet food. Great place for a date, since the lights on the water are gorgeous!
(3)
Christine A.

Went here for mother's day and enjoyed it. Pasta dishes look smaller then they are due to the huge plates they are served in. The fries that came with the hamburgers are great and my Bro-in law enjoyed the toppings on the hamburger. My daughter got a pizza and it didn't have much flavor(plain cheese) she added some garlic for more flavor. My mom had salmon and she said great flavor and filling. I had Fettuccini Alfredo and it was slightly dry but still very good! The table bread is ok and I did like that you can add plain butter or add a little garlic they have on the butter dish. They also offer oil and balsamic vinegar. (I did the Olive and Balsamic with the garlic -YUM) Service was very friendly and always kept the waters full and the bread on the table. The view of the water is pretty. Plenty of parking once you find the place- it is hard to find if you don't have a general idea of where to go however they do have signs.
(4)
Amy M.

Five stars??!?!?!? People - are you serious?!?!?! Y'all need to check out C'era Una Volta for a real authentic Italian meal. I must say, I haven't tried the calamari and meatball appetizer, and maybe their wine tastings offer more then the run of the mill stuff on their regular list, but I mean, COME ON! The tortellini my sister ordered was straight off of a Trader Joe's repackaging line and my pasta bolognese was a slight step up from the Spaghetti Factory! The owner or manager seems like a nice enough dude and our service WAS good, but the food was just mediocre. Go here on a night when a view of the bay is a highlight and take a stroll down the harbor to check out all the cool houseboats down there before stopping in here for dessert MAYBE. I wouldn't recommend the place to anyone for dinner though... Definitely worth another try with the boyfriend after reading some of these other reviews, but I honestly can't imagine it living up to any of the standards that C'era Una Volta has set for Italian in Alameda. Go for the view and don't expect much more.
(3)
IQ I.

We came here on a Thursday night around 6, had a choice to a window isle table due to a quiet night. The first impression is the complimentary grated cheese and garlic, bottles of olive oil and Balsamic vinegar (gorgeous combination) for tepid bread dipping. Since it's so good, we couldn't stop eating and even requested for the second plate of grated cheese and garlic. The Calamari Fritti is very tasty and crispy. Carbonara is tasty but is served in a very small portion (a little bigger than my palm). The seafood ravioli is just ok. The portion of fettuccine di veneto has bigger serving than Carbonara, probably that's why costing me $21. Don't forget to include the choice of salad or soup (creamy broccoli is pretty good) on any entree is just for $2. I think the most memorable of this dinner is the bread dipping and the relaxing view. For the quality and quantity of food, it won't be my ideal choice.
(4)
Phil Q.

I came here for lunch one time and it wasn't very busy. From the outside it looks pretty old and run down, but inside its a pretty nice atmosphere with its view of the estuary and Jack London. Food wise my lunch came with bread, salad and pasta. The pasta I ordered was not very flavorful and portions were small. I was still hungry when I finished my meal. Its a nice place to come for its waterfront view, but not if you want some good Italian food.
(3)
Jenn C.

Pasta Pelican is one of my favorite places for a nice dinner. The prices are reasonable for a good dinner, but if you don't eat sea food, stick to the simple pasta dishes. When they try to get too fancy, they fail. The view is great.
(5)
Marzan W.

This is a great restaurant if you are looking for yummy Italian food in Alameda. The service is a teeny-tiny slow but the great view over the water makes up for it. Caution in the parking lot though. The parking spaces seem to be a bit tight.
(4)
Robert H.

Decent dinner of traditional American style faux Italian. I always get the Spinach salad (my test case at any restaurant) and devour their fried calamari whenever it's in front of me. I haven't had enough of their menu to offer a definitive review but I would say that most people would be satisfied with the selections and quality. It has a great view of Jack London Square and the estuary from the upstairs window which is worth an extra star in itself. The ambience from upstairs is very nice. Regular customers get treated very well. The major problem that keeps me from rating it higher is that there is absolutely no parking most of the time. All the parking is usually taken by Commodore Dining and the Senior residence across the way. Also the place can be difficult to find if you don't know how to maneuver around that part of Alameda.
(3)
Mike S.

It's was just ok.
(3)
Rick S.

I fully agree with other reviewers, the view is the BEST around!.. but sadly, it stops there for me. I went with 2 friends last night. The Bruschetta had garlic that was so bitter, none of use could eat it .(and we are all garlic LOVERS). The Portobelo starter was bland, as the mushroom was not marinated at all. On the dinner entrees, the Fettuccine had almost no sauce on it, just bland noodles. I had Salmon Picatta, and my friend had the Talapia special. While both our seafood portions were done very nicely, the pasta served with them was very overcooked, to the point of tasting mushy. Service was only fair, as our server left our dinner, and did not return for 15 minutes to check on us... and the place was less than 25% full.
(1)
Jenny K.

Tucked away near the old Chevy's, this place is really soothing on a nice day to enjoy a slow meal and just watch the sailboats. Clam Chowder and Pesto Chicken Pizza was really good. Buffalo wings were decent. Service is great, and the place is clean and parking is abundant (this is great about non-SF places). It's really tucked away...so it's pretty quiet. I'm sure we were the loudest in the restaurant...lol....ask them to turn on some music.
(4)
Betty Blue B.

The portions are small and the staff is not very helpful. My sister ordered the Pollo Pelicano. It arrived long after EVERYONE else's food: a slice of chicken breast swimming in sauce. No pasta. No potatoes. No veggies. Nothing! Just chicken in a bowl. Weird. She finished before everyone else, even though she was the last to be served. It was pretty pathetic for the price. We were there with a huge group (around 20) so we expected slow service. However, our orders weren't even taken until at least 20-30 minutes after we arrived. And at that point, we hadn't even received bread. However, our (slightly strange) waiter had come by twice by that time to ask "Is everything going ok?" What??? I thought people were only asked this AFTER they had tried their food...? Otherwise, what's he really asking about? As someone else mentioned, they have a lot of relatives/friends working there, so it seems the standards are quite low. No one appears to care about the quality or speed of service. We also were charged a $10 corkage fee per bottle, which I thought was a little steep. I'm just so tired of this place; I've been going there since it was The Rusty Pelican and I think the only reason we keep going back is the view. :/
(2)
Jana H.

I think this place has some good dishes you just have to find the one. I like the salad that comes with the meal and the view. I would avoid the desserts --they are aweful and make sure your glass of wine is fresh.
(4)
Chow L.

Great oceanfront ambience and deelicious Fettucine Carbonara with Prosciutto and Bacon. Great service and decent wine selection. Calamari was wacky, complimentary bread was warm and tasty.
(4)
nona b.

Food is not worth the money. $19 for a veal that was served with hot sauce cooked from canned, marinated in a vinegar, mushrooms and artichokes, is really a waste of money. The bread was dry and old, there were no table clothes, and the dirty shirt on the service person did not add anything positive to the dining experience.
(2)
Lisa H.

Beautiful restaurant, great view of Jack London Square, not to difficult to find, and quick wait staff. Everything was perfect. I ordered the Chicken Picatta and my boyfriend ordered the New york Strip Steak. Everything tasted really good. My pasta was light and lemony like I anticipated, the chicken was a little bit overcooked, but not too much. The steak was perfectly medium well done and came a long side with a baked potato and mixed vegetables. The waiter was very fast to serve us and bring us the bread, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and Parmesan cheese and garlic. We didn't have to wait for him to fill up our water glasses. Overall, very good service. I would go again.
(5)
Dave S.

I'm a little on the fence with Pasta Pelican. I'm not sure if it was the run of the mill pasta dishes (which were not bad, mind you, just, there) or the atmosphere. Forgivingly it was decent but if anyone is going to serve bread to the table in a restaurant in the bay area, there is no reason why it can't served up fresh and warm. I wasn't pleased with the spot vacuuming happening during our cocktail, but the staff was very thoughtful and attentive. The 'view' is quaint but not vivacious.
(3)
David T.

Yelping right on the spot with my cell phone! This place is clean, food is great, service is quick and right on with everything. Price is right also, great waterfront view, quiet place with pretty cool music, they playing "kiss from a rose". They also have happy hour also. This place is great for some romantic dinner to just a quick lunch. Great place.
(5)
Heather M.

The view of the marina is enjoyable (boats rockin' on the water and all the crew guys rowing by every few minutes) and awesome thick wood tables but the food was bland and service was polite but lackluster. A friend and I tried the carbonara and seafood ravioli entrees but found them to be surprisingly bland. The side salads consisted on confetti-like chopped bits of romaine and a cherry tomato. Bland and blah. The desserts options weren't so great either (chocolate cake, plain cheesecake, an ice cream scoop, etc.). I'd give it 2 stars but the bread was fresh and warm and the view worth it ... came home hungry through. Unlikely I'll return ... unless I simply want a cocktail while enjoying the view on a clear evening.
(3)
Rod C.

Went here for a Christmas lunch. The pasta was good but the service was lousy.
(3)
alamedabrian m.

Anyplace with a great water view gets an extra star or two from me. The atmosphere is all good. The food is excellent as well. I usually order one of the pasta dishes, as did my parents when we all used to go regularly. All their pastas are very good. Seafood entrees are excellent as well. The bread, with olive oil, is the best, and the soups are good. Service is always friendly and efficient.
(5)
Carmel M.

If you are in Alameda and want a good meal with a fantastic view on the water, this place is reliable. It is one of the best restaurants I've tried in Alameda. Service was very good and food reaonable priced and well presented. My regret was that the side dishes were a little overcooked. I'm giving it only three stars as food is not really inspired and isn't taking advantage of top notch ingredients that are available that would make it more of an authentic Italian experiece. The bread was anemic and not one of the wonderful Italian breads I was expecting, or maybe a local warm crusty sourdough bread with olive oil.
(3)
Jim T.

Pasta Pelican has some good dishes, and the portions are big. We were regulars when in Alameda weekending on the boat. The view of Jack London Square across the inner harbor at night merits the extra star.
(4)
Rich K.

I planned a surprise birthday party for my girlfriend and selected the upstairs bar area. We had 70 guests. It was even better than I thought it could be. The staff set up the tables in nice fashion and let the DJ come in to set up early in the day. The food was buffet style and plentiful and very good too. The view is fantastic and the staff was great and very helpful. Great place for your next function or party.
(5)
Willy B.

The view and the reasonable prices make this restaurant a good place to frequent. Go by for a drink and bite to eat in the bar and watch the boats go by.
(4)
Jenn O.

overall the pasta pelican experience was okay. service - slow, decent. the appetizers came out relatively quickly but the entrees took a reallllly long time. the wait staff was pretty decent though. food - tried the bruschetta per reviews on yelp, and i found it to be okay-tasting. my fetticini alfredo was quite bland.. i heard the bolognese is really good. the clam chowder is also tasty. overall - be sure to buy a restaurant.com certificate (available in $25 and $50) or have a coupon on hand when you eat here!
(3)
Nessa b.

the romantic view is what sets pasta pelican apart from other italian restaurants that ive tried...and sadly, its the only thing. ive eaten here a few times and confident in my final verdict of customer service being hit and miss and food being mediocre. ---- 5 stars: i am a loyal customer and cannot live without this place/restaurant! 4 stars: consistently great food. a place i would definitely frequent if i dont already. 3 stars: good food. id come back for more if a particular craving for something specific they offer hit me. 2 stars: for the sheer reason of convenience and semi mediocre food [but convenience being the majority of reason] id come back. 1 star: id never be caught dead in the place ever ever again.
(2)
Kristine M.

OK, I'm a half-Italian chick from the Northeast who briefly lived in the Bay Area. I had a hard time finding an Italian restaurant in the Bay Area that was food that my Nonna would approve of. Pasta Pelican was it. One of my favorite Bay Area restaurants and my favorite Italian restaurant in the Bay Area. With lovely views and fabulous ravioli, I was right at home. The prices are decent, but it has sort of a fancy-ish feel to it, so it's a nice place for a date or a special occasion.
(5)
Pikachu P.

We came here last night but was not that hungry so we ended up not ordering ANY pasta. We ordered calamari, spinach salad and burger. The calamari was tasteless, the salad was pretty good and the burger actually not too bad. The place was not trendy, I would say..it's rather old but pretty quiet. Overall experience was okay, perhaps we just did not order the right food!
(2)
Laura J.

Aww this place reminds me of my grandmother, she'd always have her coupons and take me to lunch here.... I always enjoyed the food and the view was nice too.
(4)
Chuck B.

Great Italian food with a waterview at half the price of Jack london Square
(4)
susan e.

When my daughter got married recently, we wanted to find a place for a small family celebration in Alameda. The newlyweds like Italian food, so we chose Pasta Pelican. We used the upstairs room, with the fabulous view of the bay and Jack London Square. The ambiance was great: quiet and intimate, and the food satisfying (personally I had the Pasta Carbonara, and loved it). The 2 nice young men serving us must have been busy downstairs as well, because they didn't come around very often. That was the only negative factor; other wise we were very satisfied.
(4)
Jennifer S.

They've redesigned to a warmer pallet. Food is always good. Calimari and meatball appetizer is EXCEPTIONAL! Good wine list. Good service. Fantastic views!!! Clam Chowder is yummy!
(5)
A W.

Much more kid friendly than I thought they would be. Pretty good food, nice atmosphere and view.
(4)
Gail G.

This place reminds me of the Italian restaurants in the midwest that my parents used to like. Ok, maybe I'm prejudiced but I want an Italian restaurant to have good Parm to put on my pasta. The last time I was there it looked and tasted like the stuff in the green can. My friends like it so maybe I'll try again.
(2)
April J.

One great burger!! Plus the calamari is out of this world. All the food is fresh and made to order. I could dine on their bread basket alone. This is my husbands go to spot. We always circle back to this great restaurant.
(5)
jennifer m.

This is a great place to go in Alameda, it has a great view, great food and is reasonably priced! The bread is good (though on ocassion they have served breadsticks - what is up with that?) along w/ the fresh garlic, balsamic and olive oil!
(4)
unknown u.

i ordered the bolognese with fettucine noodles. it was ok, but i bet i could have made it better myself! the atmosphere is ok. we went on a busy night, and although the service was slow, the waiter was very good.
(3)
MonkeyPants S.

I love Pasta Pelican. The menu is very extensive, inexpensive and mostly delicious. The view is amazing, no matter where you are seated. My husband and I had the rehersal dinner for our wedding upstairs in the private banquet room, which is very accomodating. Some of the staff are obviously family members of the owners and do not have much restaurant experience, and the steaks are inedible, which is the only reson I didn't give the place 5 stars.
(4)
minh l.

I have decided to change my rating for Pasta Pelican because they have changed their dining experience recently. For instance, their creme brulee is ridiculously small now and tastes different! It's about half the portion it used to be and they still charged me $6 for it. I wasn't too with that. Also, don't visit on special occasion! They purposely charge significantly more for the same food and don't accept gift cards! I am disappointed in my recent visits, this used to be my favorite restaurant.
(3)
C T.

This is one of my absolute favorite restaurants. The food is fantastic (sferas, calamari and seafood ravioli in sundried tomato pesto sauce - HEAVEN). The bread accompaniments of fresh garlic, parmesean and olive oil are the BEST!! I love the water view and I've always received great service. They have a great wine list with plenty of reasonably priced choices. I've been going to Pasta Pelican for years and always bring friends from out of town. I've gone in large groups or with just my husband. I've never had bad service in countless visits, so i'm hoping the previous reviewers who had trouble decide to give it another chance.
(5)
Jim V.

We had our annual holiday party here last night, and it was phenomenal. Honestly, if I could rate this place a 6 on a 1-5 scale I would do it. Where to start...staff, food, view...it's literally all good. The wait-staff and bartender were outstanding, and that private room overlooking the estuary is just ideal for company gatherings. I'm the company president and I'm not easy to please, and in the past we've used pretty nice digs including Wente in Livermore, some ultra-expensive SF place on the Embarcadero where we were packed like sardines, and even the restaurant we could see from the dining room last night: Scott's Seafood. Speaking of the view..it's better to be in Alameda viewing Jack London Square and the Oakland hills than the opposite, and it's worth the extra trek to achieve this. That this is a much more affordable than alternatives is nice icing on the cake (oh, and the desserts were great too).
(5)
Deborah J.

The calamari is devine and I will only eat it here at Pasta Pelican. They spoiled me forever! I've never had a bad dish yet and I have been going there since they opened in 1998. They always have fresh baked bread and olive oil/garlic/parmesan cheese. Their soups are really good including the clam chowder and the split pea. They have a nice bar upstairs where you can meet friends & have a few appetizers/drinks before a dinner cruise on Horn Blower too. The owner is a really nice person who is friendly and always makes you feel like family when you return. The prices are great and the view is great at sunset. The menu has changed several times over the years so you won't get bored with the same old menu, but the favorites remain. The owner of the building added an elevator and there is a ground level acess door for the handicapped. Why spend around 20% more to be in Jack London Square? Have a great romantic dinner with a wonderful view. Then take a walk along one of the shorelines in Alameda and catch a movie at the downtown theater. Who could ask for a better romantic night out?
(5)
Samantha G.

I ate at Pasta Pelican for the first time last night. It was girl's night out --- we look for good food, a first-class wine list and great service, this place had each in abundance. We had their meatball appetizer, I would go back for these alone they were fantastic. For dinner I had the Pollo Pelicano, the chicken was done just right and the sauce was a perfect compliment. We chose a bottle for Four Vines Zinfandel which was wonderful. The ladies and I had a lot to talk about and never felt rushed by our server to hurry up and get out so that he could turn the table. At the same time he was attentive and friendly we were never left wondering where he was with our food, drinks or water. There appeared to me many regulars at the restaurant who the staff seemed friendly and familiar with. I can understand why they keep going back Pasta Pelican is comfortable and unpretentious and it meet my needs for good food, good wine and good service.
(5)
Renee N.

When I was in 4th grade my father took me to the Pasta Pelican, which at that point was under different ownership and went by a different name. The food was sub-par, especially to my kid palate, and I didn't get the whole olive oil on bread thing. Cut to many years later when my father again suggested we head there (this after high school, college, and a two year stint in New York) and I reluctantly said "Okay...". To my major surprise, the food was absolutely fantastic. Entrees come with a house salad which has possibly the best house dressing I've ever come across. They still do bread with olive oil, but include mashed garlic, parmesan cheese, and the traditional balsamic to go alongside it. The main courses are perfectly sized--I rarely wind up taking anything home OR feeling overstuffed, and I much prefer paying less for a meal than getting heaping quantities that will turn into soggy leftovers after a night in my fridge (though on the rare occasions that I have gotten a doggie bag the food has held up well to reheating). As far as the entrees go, I have had almost every single pasta dish on the menu and have never ever been disappointed. I love the raviolis, the spaghetti with meat sauce (all of these have fancy Italian names that I can't remember right now) and anything that involves peppers. Once I took a risk in ordering the tequilla lime pasta and found to my great surprise that the use of both flavors was subtle and added to the tastes of the other ingredients rather than masked them completely, as is usually the case when strong flavors are used. The deserts are also exceptional. I usually go with the creme brulee but have also tried the tiramisu (yum!) the cheesecake (sweet!) and the chocolate cake (yes!). The staff is always friendly and the check is happily inexpensive.
(4)
Chris C.

Pasta Pelican is the best place for a great Friday night date. The band plays sweet soul music and the service and food are excellent as well. The salad had a great mix of greens and other veggies and the house Italian dressing is delicious. Bread with fresh grated Parmesan garlic and olive oil and balsamic vinegar is a good foundation. Great mixed drinks like a blended pomegranate margarita. Follow that with crispy calamari appetizer. And the seafood pasta dishes are delicious, fresh, and under $20!! The first class view and our top notch waiter are the icing on the cake.
(5)
Kevin W.

I had lunch today with my friend, and my favorite waitress knew exactly what I was going to order before I could tell her. How's that for amazing service and knowing your regulars, that is why I love this place. I even got to speak with the owner regarding the possibility of them providing healthier wheat pasta as an alternate choice. He was happy to provide the option if customers didn't mind waiting a little longer as it takes extra time to cook. Also he has plans to provide nutritional information on all the menu items in the near future. Now these are just a few reasons Pasta Pelican is one of my favorite dining establishments in Alameda.
(5)
Annie D.

Was very disppointed with most of the food. To start, Paige our waitress was very nice. The beard and smashed garlic was fantastic. I ordered Carbonara with spaghetti and my Fiance ordered Italian Sausage with Linquini. Appetizer Calamari was good and salad was different. After a while, our waitress informed us that there's a large party upstairs and our order was given to another table and would we like their order! Okay, there's a first time for everything. We said we would wait. When our order arrived; we got Carbonara with Fettichini and Italian Sausage with penne. Well!! Needless to say, very disppointed. Paige tried to conpensate by giving us dessert, but overall - this was not how we wanted to night to end.
(2)
Juls W.

Food was decent but not too crazy about the service. Waited awhile before the waitress took our order. When we ordered desert, she asked if we wanted the desert to go... hmm.. that's the first time someone asked that...
(2)
Jenn L.

Delicious Food and nice atmosphere! I've been going here for years and years with my family. It's a great place to take any number of guests with a beautiful view of Jack London square across the water. You can dress casual or fancy as well. Again... Everything on the menu is DELICIOUS!
(5)
Charles P.

I went there when it was rusty pelican when in high school and thought it was an amazing place with a great view. Went there today and old, wrinkled table cloths, stretches out carpet, flies all over the windows even with the bug catcher on the wall above our table. I never complain, but the food was awful, glad we only paid 25.00 on a groupon, but even at that I really was dissipounted. The fried calamari came with a blob of what tasted like Cesar dressing (who gives you that?) Will never go back! I really wanted to like it but all I wanted was to keep eating the bread (it was food). I order the pesto Genovese and I didn't like it but thought ok my partner tasted that and said it tasted like vomit, I'm so scared as it has only been 30 minutes since I ate it and ... Eww...
(1)
Richard T.

My wife and I find ourselves returning to this restaurant quite often. The food is good, prices are reasonable, and the setting and view are quite romantic. The service has always been great as well. Look for vouchers from Groupon, LivingSocial, etc. for half off deals. A definite date night place for us.
(5)
Joey C.

A party of four ate on a Monday night. We were seated in front of the fireplace - big plus on a cold night. All the dinners were good - ravioli , fettuccine with chicken , Pollo Pelicano , and the salmon dinner. Outstanding ! I have had the Pollo Pelicano before - moist and flavorful . that night I ordered the salmon - hold the pasta with just vegetables. I was served the most perfectly cooked salmon with a mushroom sauce on the side in a little dish . It also came with 3 veg's - beets, Brussels sprouts and carmelized red cabbage with goat cheese. I was in heaven . I have asked for just veg on the Pollo Pelicano dish before and was served broccoli with carrots. They just stepped up their game ! I wish I lived closer so I could eat here more often as I am a very picky eater . Our waiter was as attentive as needed and service was very good. I highly recommend this restaurant . We shared the portabella mushroom appetizer between 4 people - it is a very tasty starter !
(5)
Alameda M.

OMG, big restaurant space, poor decor and atmosphere, amazing view of the estuary and boats going by, but with food that will encourage you to never return! my husband's dish, mine and my son's were all horrible! i really wanted to like this place too but it needs a major revamp whether chef or management....or probably both.
(1)
Paulette N.

We went last night after buying a Living Social GC. We started with the caprese salad (very small plate for $11) then I ordered the New York and it was completely raw in the middle, not just pink but red. I don't ever send food back..so it became a nice treat for the pups. My b/f had the pasta and loved it, but he is easy to please. We were seated downstairs where is was really noisy, but we got our food quick. Sadly my favorite part of the dinner was the warm bread with the plate of mix-it-yourself garlic and parmsean cheese. The by the glass wine list was dismal. We even skipped out on dessert because of the kids behind me yelling in my ear. It was really more of a family style restaurant rather than fine dining. A disappointing experience for $100+, but the food was good...just not great.
(3)
Will A.

So, I sulked into this place fresh off my photography class being canceled. On a Thursday night at 8 pm, there were 4 tables being used, and only two of them were upstairs. You don't need to check the Wall Street Journal to know the economy hasn't turned around. The creme brulee, for me, was the best part of the meal. Upstairs, they have lots of flatscreen HDTVs for you sports fans (if the nickname didn't clue you in, I am a sports fan). If you are the romantic type and sports fan type, and you are out on a romantic date, don't sit upstairs when they have Sportscenter on. Trust me, you'll end up getting the stink and possible bruised shins from getting kicked under the table. The meals here are really reasonably priced, and they taste fine. Portions are a wee bit tiny, but you get a great variety of italian dishes. I thought there would be more seafood here, but that isn't necessarily a complaint. Seems like they are keen on salmon for their main seafood entree. It is nice to see the boats go by, but I wasn't as knocked by the view as I thought I would be. If you have your choice of seats, I think you might want to sit towards the right side, not the left as I think you get cut off from looking out for a long view of the Estuary.
(3)
Tina L.

Dinner was great, service was great. We always have a good time here. And now on Friday night the band Retroz plays and there is a small dance floor. The singer interacts with the crowd which is fun. And the views of the water/boats and Jack London Square are a huge bonus to me being a water girl. Go check it out, good for lunch, dinner, happy hour and dessert.
(4)
Connie Y.

The pasta is good, service takes a while but good view of the marina area, prices not bad either. Easy access and good parking.
(5)
Jose C.

Ambiance, food, service, what else can you ask for on a Friday night with the Family. The Pizza and Pasta here is amazing. The Service is above all. If you like water views, great food, and service, Pasta Pelican is the place to be. Jose Cerda-Zein
(5)
M P.

Overall, Michaella is not impressed (pun intended). Came to Pasta Pelican this past Saturday and had a pretty sub-par experience. The atmosphere was decent, but the decor had obviously not been updated since the 80s or 90s - definitely due for an upgrade. The stone fireplace near the entry was a nice touch though. We were seated at a table that was practically in the kitchen. The restaurant had a decent view but I had a hard time enjoying it considering the four foot support post blocking out window. The busser was very polite and kind, and we saw him far more than our server who was attentive at first but then disappeared for long periods of time. We saw maybe three or four times throughout our dinner (got our drinks, took our order, brought our check), and never once came by to check on how our food was, which he really should have because... The food was really not great, considering the prices. We had the calamari appetizer, which was pretty good, but it was all downhill from there. We ordered the NY strip steak and the clam and pasta entree. The steak was ordered medium well and was bright pink all the way through - still bleeding in most parts (EW). The clam pasta dish had an awful red sauce allllll over it which was NOT noted on the menu description - i was expecting a butter sauce or even nothing at all on it. The creme brulee dessert was really nothing special, needed a few more seconds under the torch definitely. Overall, it was a really iffy experience. We definitely won't be back.
(1)
Jannah M.

I enjoy going here with coworkers for lunch celebrations. The food is consistent and satisfying and the service is good.
(3)
Scott B.

What a disappointing experience. Got a Living Social deal and it was a waste of money and WAY too much time! Service was deplorable which tainted everything! Avoid this place!
(1)
Scott T.

Awesome!!!!! Our family enjoyed a wonderful experience from the time we were greeted by the friendly hostess to the moment we walked out simply stuffed. Our waitress, Cassandra, was great. She gave a great suggestion for our app of the Portobello Mushroom. Matched with the bread and olive oil, vinegar, garlic and cheese that is complimentary what a delight! It was simply amazing. The main course of Seafood Ravioli hit the spot for all of the girls and my New York Strip Steak was cooked to please. Finished off with a couple of great desserts and what more could you ask for. I love supporting local and this place was awesome! Service was amazing from the hostess, to our waitress and even the busser. This place hit the spot! The food was incredible and the service was great. I can't say enough about the wonderful meal that my family and I had here tonight. It was a wonderful experience and we will be back to enjoy this great place and the great service without a doubt!
(5)
Tiff W.

staff was really nice, i really wanted to give this place a 4 star but felt something was lacking. ahi tuna salad was bad, seafood ravioli consisted of 3 pieces and fried calamari was average.
(3)
carl s.

Last time we went to Pasta Pelican, I couldn't have rated it any higher (I gave it 5 stars). The waiter was excellent and the food was superb. However, this last time (a few weeks ago), it wasn't so good. We used our Groupon Coupon, (and tipped generously based on the actual price, not the Groupon price). However, our waiter treated us noticeably different from the table next to us, and they were not using any coupon. He gave them excellent service, paid attention to details, and ignored us except for the very basics. I think the chef was different also because the food was noticeably less flavorful and less well-prepared. If the waiters are going to treat the Groupon customers differently from those who don't use Groupon, then they should not offer the coupon!! Unfortunately, while I have always loved this place and have been coming here for years, it has now become a "hit and miss" restaurant. That's a shame because it has such a wonderful view, and I have experienced excellent pasta dishes in the past. I know the owner knows how to do it right...he just needs to get the staff on board and provide consistent great service to all customers, and serve great pasta dishes. I have one more Groupon coupon left and if the waiter treats me sub-standard again, I will have to take my business elsewhere.
(2)
Rusty R.

The restaurant in one of the most beautiful in the area and the staff was attentive and professional.I really wish I could give this place more stars, but the entrees were not so great and I feel that for such a nice place, the menu is really limited. I had a prime New York steak that was tough and not very good. The vegetables were the best part of the meal. The menu offered only the one steak. Maybe prime rib and a filet would be a nice addition. Also, it would be nice to have some seafood offerings (without the pasta).
(3)
Tiffany Michelle L.

Try the seafood ravioli if you come here, their pasta sauces are great, the service is nice and come in the daytime to get a view of the water. I came here with my hombre' for Valentines Day. The seating was good in the sense that it was relatively spaced out on the first floor in the main dining room. I don't remember seeing any booths. We were seated right away at a table near the window. It was nice to be able to look out the window at the water. It would probably be hard to see much of the water at night, unless there is alot of lights on the surrounding boats at night. It wasn't particularly busy at 3pm. There were just a few other dinner parties, couples, and families in the same dining room as us. The pasta sauces were really good! I ordered the seafood ravioli which was delicious, as well as the Tiramisu. The clam chowder was good, as well as the calamari. I had some white wine, I liked it, I asked for a sweet wine, and the waiter recommended it. The meat ball pasta was good but I did not like meat balls, although they were okay. Overall we had a pleasant dining experience. The service was nice, made recommendations when asked. I'd come here again. We used a Groupon deal, which was great and we paid for the tax and for some extra stuff that we ordered.
(4)
Justin N.

Well... My agent flew in to have a meeting with me and I decided to bring him here to what used to be one of my favorite spots.. I haven't been here in quite some time and I immediately noticed a difference. Portions went way down.... STILL the same price. Quality also went down... They also don't offer delicious pizza anymore. I used to love the pizza selection here. I also noticed that most the people dining there didn't seem to have much class. We were seated upstairs and the table behind us had some obnoxious Nascar fan looking folks who were loud, and for lack of a better word, trashy. Turns out that ever since Pasta Pelican started offering Groupon, they have been attracting a more broad range of customers. I'm totally not feeling this place anymore. It's absolutely not what it used to be.
(2)
Kara G.

Arrived 45 mins before closing, apparently they were so busy because everyone was trying to use the groupon that expires today! Hey! That's why I'm here! Haha! In the beginning service was fast, but then slowed down after 9. It took longer then I wanted to pay and get out of the restaurant. I felt like the waiter kept passing us by intentionally. Food was ok. I don't think I'll come back again.
(2)
Brooks P.

Tourist trap.
(1)
Michael L.

OMG I just had probably the BEST meal I've ever had. Try their prefixed menu, I had; Shrimp with shiitake mushrooms to start Lobster Bisque ( it was a special for tonight) Salad Filet Mignon with a special sauce on top Chocolate mouse cake. With a beautiful view of Jack London Square and live music (piano) in the background you can't beat this place!!!! This is a must for everyone's bucket list!
(5)
Lindsy H.

I came here expecting to have a very nice meal but then I ended up getting food poisoning for about a week. I give it two stars because the ambience and there was a nice view of the ocean.
(2)
Allizon C.

First time visiting Pasta Pelican. Mother-in-law came to visit and we wanted a waterfront dinner (btw, surprised Alameda doesn't have more). I remember seeing the restaurant while on a ferry ride so we decided to give it a try! PROS - the view was nice. We went at 6:30 and all the tables closest to the water were taken. The restaurant is small so you can still see the water at any table you're seated. - They served complimentary warm bread with olive oil, balsamic, Parmesan and garlic. - Menu is a decent size that allows people with different taste fine something to enjoy. CONS - Maybe it's because I like design, but the first thing I noticed was the terribly aged and torn carpet. Restaurant would feel much nicer if they upgraded carpet. - We ordered the calamari as an appetizer. I enjoyed it but those I was with said it was quite chewy. Overall it was an average dinner not leaving a significant impression on me (positive or negative).
(3)
Linda C.

Came here on a Groupon with the hubs & 2 kids. The location is really nice, right on the water and great view of Jack London Square. It's a pretty old school looking and feeling restaurant and the service was nice. The food was comfort Italian food. It wasn't fancy or modern but decent and satisfying. My daughter liked her spaghetti with meatballs which were actually pretty tasty & I enjoyed my ravioli. They brought bread over when we sat down with some garlic and cheese which was tasty to dip our bread in. Overall it was a comfortable place to bring the kids out where mom & dad could get some wine and the kids enjoyed the food.
(3)
Neil C.

Like this place quite a lot. Food is nice, view is great, and staff are plesant. Can be a bit quiet.
(4)
Carla D.

I love this place! I've been here at least 20 times over the past 5 or 6 years, and can't say a single bad thing about it. I almost hate to post this review, since right now there's never a wait to be seated, but more people deserve to know about this gem. The location is beautiful, overlooking the Inner Harbor in Alameda with a view of Jack London Square. You can sit upstairs or downstairs with a great view from anywhere in the room. The entrees average 15-25. The service is friendly and as attentive as you'd expect from a much more upscale restaurant. The menu has a variety of meat and seafood, as well as the many eponymous pasta dishes. I usually get the steak with pelicano sauce, which is port wine sauce with artichokes and capers, very umami. I love that they serve seasonal vegetables you might not find anywhere else and they are always prepared to perfection. There is a nice wine list and full bar. They have deals on groupon and restaurant.com if you want to save money when giving it a try, but I can't understand why they need to offer deals to draw people in. I'm surprised this place isn't full every night. Try it! You won't be sorry.
(5)
Annissa H.

We had vouchers from restaurant.com so we had dinner here for the first time. I was surprised at the location. I've never driven behind the Webster tunnel so this was like finding a treasure. The location is very romantic docked above the water literally across from jack London. Dim lighting and casual, pretty view, who knew?? The bread was so soft, plush, warm and just yummy! I had a pasta/chicken dish called "______ pelicano". I forgot the full name and the chicken was good but not awesome. It was cooked well, wasn't dry, and had a nice flavor but nothing spectacular. The pasta was mediocre, really bland for the most part and I wish there was more sauce. The food overall was fine but not $40 worth for just two plates. Good thing we had a voucher. I would come back with more vouchers but without it most likely not.
(3)
Jessica C.

We recently dined here on a busy Saturday night. Upon checking in at the hostess stand, we were told it would be a 30 minute wait. That was fine by us - we went upstairs to enjoy a cocktail at the bar while waiting for our table. The bartender was the best thing about this place - he was super friendly and our drinks were tasty. After 25 minutes, we went back downstairs to make sure we didn't miss our name being called. Another 30 minutes went by and our table still was not ready. I checked with the hostess and she assured me we would be seated soon. Meanwhile the sun was setting and we were missing it - the best thing about this restaurant is it's location out over the water and pretty view of the marina. Another 15 minutes went by and I checked again. I saw on the list that she had been seating larger parties ahead of us that had arrived later than us! And I'm not talking groups of 6-8 - just groups of 4 when we were a table of two! What kind of BS is that??? 1 1/2 hours after our arrival we were finally seated. And after that long of a wait they seated us at what I like to call "the mirror of shame table". It's a table for two at the very back of the restaurant that is crammed up against a full length mirror, sandwiched between the bathrooms on one side and the kitchen on the other. No view - except for the view of yourself cramming your face full of pasta - and who wants to see that? I swear that mirror was so large and close to me that I could see every pore on my face. After that long of a wait and THIS is the table we get? The food was just as bad as the service. Our calamari was so soaked in grease that we only ate a few pieces. Our tortellini tasted like it came out of a box and half was semi-hard and undercooked. The sauces were over salted and bland. The cheesecake we had for dessert tasted like it was previously frozen and came from Costco. 2 1/2 hours after we arrived, my husband and I left this place angry and needless to say, will not be returning.
(1)
Leslie Y.

I have been here 3x already, within a span of 2 years......I keep purchasing these groupons, but I am done...... They have a wonderful romantic view, tables are spread enough so you can have a private conversation...... But the food is blah, sad to say, it was good the first time and just went downhill.....the last time I was there, which was about a week and half ago, I ordered the penne meat, had meatballs, ham and can't remember, it was thick, like leftover from the fridge when I make it at home..... I think the Manager or Owner was sitting next to us cause I saw him go over to their computer to use it...... I was so hungry and was acutally recovering from illness so I didn't want to make a stink about it...... There was a piano player playing tunes and I still had the energy to get up and tip him before we left....... My friend ordered the Chicken Primavera, which was so much better...... The fried calamari just didn't seem right, gosh, I hate giving such bad reviews cause I still have a groupon left.....
(2)
Cheli C.

Had a reservation at 6:30 and walked right in..our server was very attentive and services was super fast. We had a groupon and the server explained what we could order. It was perfect! The furniture is out dated and the place can use some renovations but overall I would go back!
(4)
Sophia Y.

Sometimes, the best nights are when you stuff yourself with carbs and then take a nap after. I definitely don't normally make a habit of this, but after this meal, a nap was the end to a good dinner. First, they give you warm delicious bread that you can't help but keep dunking into the vinegar and oil and then stuffing it in your mouth. By the time you ask for a second plate of this, you realize that you didn't really need to order an actual meal. Second, you get hooked onto ordering appetizers anyways. The calamari was pretty good. The squid was tender and wasn't overly fried and had good flavor. I like the bruschetta. It was simple (just tomatoes, greens and a little oil) but it was good. Third comes your meal and you're ready to ask for a to-go box as your dish arrives. I still managed to eat a good half a plate and I really enjoyed it. I got the Tiquila Fetteccine tossed in a creamy and spicy tequila lime sauce with some veggies (and I added chicken). The pasta was cooked well, the cream sauce was good and had a good spicy kick and the chicken was tender. The restaurant itself looks and feels pretty old and outdated, but has a homey feeling with a GREAT view of the water! Overall, it was a good meal with a beautiful meal.
(4)
Megan L.

First of all, so expensive! Way too over priced. The dportion sizes were so extremely tiny and the price of them were so extremely expensive. If it had tasted good it would've been a different story but it did not even taste that good. I feel like all the dishes were only linguini which is very frustrating because I don't like linguini! The muscles were the same size as the tiny clams :(
(2)
Kasia M.

Called in a reservation for Wed night, and I'm glad I did, as it was BUSY for weeknight when we seated. The hostess called in sick that night ( we found out after chatting up our amazing waiter ). You would have never know, as we were quickly greeted at the stand and seated right away. Fantastic view of the water, and we watched a ton of sailboats float by as the sun was setting. The delicious complimentary bread comes with a garlic butter and cheese - a GREAT start to the evening. The service was professional, attentive, patient and thorough. All the tables around us seemed relaxed and happy, so it couldn't have been just us that thought that. The sesame tuna appetizer was perfectly prepared, and its so easy to over-cook ahi tuna, so that impressed us. The entrees were appropriately large and the food was well seasoned and exactly what you'd expect. I got the carbonara and it was SALTY, but that's what i wanted... prociutto AND bacon....what do you expect?! :) We are for sure coming back here and bringing friends! Not only did we enjoy the food and service, but the "sea port lodge" sort of ambiance of this place was just the perfect level of charming that we were looking for :)
(5)
Kelley S.

PROS: - friendly staff (minus the hostess) - food was yummy, piping hot & came SUPER fast - reasonable prices - wonderful view, right on the water CONS: - waited at the podium for the hostess for a few minutes before we were even acknowledged - busy inside. Tables close together so it was quite loud - very old interior, could definitely use a little facelift (and turning the heat on!) Would go back for sure just because of the location and tasty food. I recommend this place if you're visiting the Alameda area and ESPECIALLY if you like good pasta.
(4)
Mike M.

Made an appointment for our anniversary. Confirmed three weeks out and again at 4pm before our 7pm reservation. Showed up shortly before 7pm and the restaurant was closed for a private party. Spoke to the manager and he had no idea about a reservation and why anyone on his staff would confirm; this event had been scheduled for several weeks already. He offered us a free drink if we came back the next night. We passed on that offer.
(1)
Kristina D.

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by our dinner at Pasta Pelican. Our server was outstanding... fun, quick and honest. He made the night. We split an ahi salad for our appetizer and shared the shrimp fettuccine. There was more than enough for us, but if someone was REALLY hungry, I can see where some of the comments about small plates would come from. We ordered the apple walnut cobbler for dessert. Unfortunate it was mostly walnuts and not enough apples. No complaint on the size it's just I was expecting a dusting of chopped walnuts and it came with a layer of walnut halves and a minute amount of apple. I probably would have given them four stars for the dinner considering the fresh food and great service, however, the wine list is atrocious. Everything is a house wine and they are horrific. We ordered the house Pino... tasted like vinegar. The Chianti was bearable and the Merlot we tasted was gross too. There are much, much better wines they could get and still make a crap ton of mark up. I don't know who the liquor rep is, but they should be drowned in the estuary. Fix the wine list and I give Pasta Pelican a four. We will be back, but we are going to bring our own wine.
(3)
Rosemarie B.

One of the reasons I like this place so much is because I can consistently find a Groupon for it, which makes it definitely worth the meal. It is on the water, which is quite nice for dinner at sunset. I've often gone on week nights, so I never have trouble being seated. The one night I did go on a weekend, there was a live band, so we got to dance during/after dinner, which was fantastic. The spaghetti and meatballs is what I get every time, because it is delicious, and there are usually left overs. You always get free bread when you are seated, and with the Groupon, you also get some starters and a glass of wine. For dessert, the chocolate cake is soooooo good, and even better when paired with wine or coffee. Overall, definitely worth going to on a date night!
(4)
jessica w.

The vibe here is a little weird. It feels like you are going into your grandparents favorite restaurant. I am not sure why. Maybe the music, or the carpeting. The view is gorgeous. You are sitting right on the water. You can see Scott's Seafood across the water. The food has been pretty good. They give you this mix of bread, olive oil, crushed garlic, parmesan cheese and balsamic dressing that is heavenly. Warning: If you are carb conscious, this will break you! But, if you were good and ordered the salad, what's a few carbs. I highly recommend the Ahi Tuna Salad. I have ordered it the last two times I went and they have this recipe down! They make a great cappuccino as well.
(4)
Vivian P.

Good place, great view! Their plate "Azzuro Delizia" was delicious, I highly recommend it! Their Creme BrÃ»lÃ©e was very tasty. Very reasonable price. I went there first time with a Groupon deal, and I already went back again!
(4)
Merryn O.

The food was ok, service was HORRIBLE. I don't expect to wait 25 minutes for an appetizer and over an hour from when we arrived to get our entrees. Mostly the food tasted fine, expect for my Pollo Pelicano - they didn't season the chicken before they cooked it - no salt and no pepper. The chicken was bland, but the sauce was OK and sort of made up for it. Please don't make children wait 60 minutes for their kids pizza - and don't make grownups wait that long either. If I hadn't bought a groupon I would have walked out with the kids and eaten somewhere else. This isn't the first time we have been here with the service being so slow. The dining room was only half full, so I can't imagine what it would be like if they were full. They need to work on the speed of the food coming out of the kitchen.
(2)
Andy C.

Been here only a few times and the food is just amazing. Pasta Pelican is no doubt going to be a favorite of mine for years to come for many special occasions, or just to have a great dinner on a good night.
(5)
Rachel N.

So I was talked into going to the place again. I was told that since they changes owners, the food was better and so was the service. So I really wanted to give this place another try. Let me warn you now, parking sucks. If you are hoping to park in front of the restaurant, forget it. If want to park near the restaurant, good luck. I believe some of our group had to park quite a ways away. Anyway, we had made reservations and a about 2/3 of our party showed up a little before the reservation time. However they had a policy that we had to wait for the whole party to show up before we could be seated. Understandable, I get it. But when the rest of our party got there, we had to wait an additional 30 minutes. The first 15 was so that the table they were going to seat us at need to pay their check. Then another 15, because the table wasn't going to leave any time soon. Usually I'm a very patient person, but not when I'm starving and not feeling well due to being that hungry. I was disappointed that the pricing went up since last I was here, but not the portions. However, the food was at least filling this time around. Though I was not too happy when I had food dropped on me once or twice and the wait staff that did didn't acknowledge till he saw me wiping it off. Also, it is now written on the menu that adding a salad is $3. But they still ask you like it was part of the meal.
(1)
Amy L.

The Pros: Great wait staff, beautiful view. Calamari was tender and delicious. House wine was delicious and reasonably priced. The Cons: We had the New York Strip, and Fettuccine di Veneto (seafood w/ pasta and marinara sauce). The steak was chewy, baked potato burned and veggies bland. The pasta dish had only shrimp, clams & mussels, which for a $23 dish seemed a bit cheap, marinara sauce was ok, but tasted like the pasta and marinara sauce could have come from a box/jar. I could have easily made this at home, and was thoroughly unimpressed. The decor seems like it hasn't been updated since the 1960s and I'm just not sure how they are still in business. I had a groupon which is why I tried it out, but I won't be going back as I just don't think it's worth the $.
(2)
WinÃ© C.

I don't hate this place, I really don't but they're really nothing particularly special. Came here in a large group as a birthday surprise. We came on a night where there was live music, a little bit on the loud side for me but the band was complementing and extremely nice when we asked them to sing us a Birthday song. The view is good. We sat upstairs with the lights shining back at us, the restaurant was a little bright to warrant much of a view but not too bright for it to be completely lost. However, there was a ceiling fan that while it spun, would make it look like the lights were flickering... I ordered the Carbonara and tasted a friend's chicken alfredo and another's chicken/prosciutto tortellini al' ortolana. Honestly, anything with bacon, only tasted like bacon. The noodles were a little past al dente (which I do not prefer) and the taste of bacon was just overwhelming, like it was depending on the flavor of the bacon. The pastas itself, is extremely heavy. I wish there was just a little something to cut through the thick, oiliness. It didn't feel rich but really just greasy. While I understand that there are no sommeliers on hand, when my friend asked for a bottle of wine suggestion, he was told the Red Zinfadel would be good for his chicken white sauce pasta dish. Now I am no wine snob but what, no. I'm not even going to let you order that. After some fuss, the cabernet was suggested, fine. Whatever, good enough. Though a Pinot Grigio with some acidity would have been nice to cut through the heaviness. But I digress... If you were planning to bring a date who isn't a food snob, (Oh hai, are you talking about me?) Pasta Pelican is wonderful. There are staff who tries to be attentive, live music and a view that would make peoples' heart melt. But if the quality and taste of the food is important, I would probably steer clear of this joint. Unless you love the overpowering taste of bacon. PS- the seafood ravioli only comes with ~3 raviolis. You may need to fill up on bread.
(2)
Michelle Y.

I'm sorry but this place sucks. Wet sticky tables when you sit down. The poor greens in the ceasar salad were drowning in dressing. Yuck The calamari was not crispy and was not seasoned. If you didn't dip it on the tartar sauce, there was no taste. Carbonara was extremely greasy. Like eating a stick of butter. Meatball, sausage in red tomato sauce dish. Bland nothing to write home about. I don't even remember what we had for dessert. Worst part is, we had a restaurant.com certificate with a minimum purchase of $75. Our bill came out to $74.99 and the waiter came back and said "the minimum is $75." I said, "just add a penny please!" Also this busboy came to wipe the table and totally got our elbows. I will not be coming back.
(1)
William C.

Great restaurant. Took my daughter, we loved it!
(4)
Fatima M.

I had a $25 restaurant.com gift certificate and finally decided to use it so I visited Pasta Pelican over the weekend for date night. Its perfectly located by the Alameda Marina and looks awesome from outside. I was excited - despite the low ratings. Upon entering, we were seated immediately on the first floor which had low lights and low chairs (seriously, the chairs were low where I couldn't comfortably be rude and place my elbows on the table). Oh well, I was ready to grub. They brought out the infamous warm bread with oil and balsamic vinegar, and a separate small plate of parmesan and minced garlic. The combo of all turned out to be super freaking yummy - the waitress had to bring out extra bread twice before we even got our entrees. The menu contained many items - a little pricey but not over the top. I ordered the seafood ravioli which came with a delicious sauce, mushrooms, and 5 semi-large ravis. My date ordered a chicken fettuccine with sundried tomatoes, spinach & mushroom. Both portions were unfortunately small for our huge appetites (what can I say, this girl gotta eat). I rarely ever finish my dinner in 1 sitting, but this time I did...I mean cleaned that plate. I enjoyed my ravioli and glad I ordered it but I wish there was more of it :( My date didn't really enjoy his meal - claimed it was bland and wished he ordered something else...poor guy. We both ordered a glass of wine each, House Merlot & House Cabernet...and both were watered down a LOT. I was pretty irritated about that - at $7 each, that was messed up. Waitress was nice - very attentive. Total came to $28 after using the gift certificate - good thing because I would have been feeling blah paying that original $53. I may come back one day - maybe for lunch. It's like an Olive Garden - except no unlimited salad. Oh, and after you're done eating - you can take a romantic short walk or take selfies by the little bridge thing. I bet in the day time its even nicer!
(3)
M E.

Food was wonderful! Service was superb! Nice place for group events! We will be back!
(4)
Lauren E.

Dessert was THE BOMB, Cree brÃ»lÃ©e and walnut apple tart ASK FOR A VIEW, because the waitress tried to put us in the middle. Food was ok. Would be a nice date place. Had a good deal on Groupon. Everything was eh ok, not bad. Pretty pricey without Groupon.
(3)
Vincci W.

Food are not bad. View is good. very crowded when I was there last time. First time dined at fine dinning place with so much noise, feel like I was at chinese dim sum place.good to try something new once in a while, but I don't think i am coming back.
(3)
Candace F.

Everytime Ive gone the food has been AMAZING! Their smoked salmon appetizer is delicious and a great sized portion. The view is great! The service has always been awesome from all their employees
(5)
narb c.

I still enjoy the view, but twice I found hair in my food... Received a free dessert (yumm tiramisu) both times, but still... And the jazz band is a bit too loud for my taste... I don't think we'll be going back...
(3)
Mark W.

They have a 'deep water' boat dock! Directly on the Alameda Channel. We have never had an issue parking our 38 Foot Sea Ray. Makes a great lunch run for taking friends out on the Bay from our home port in Emeryville. You can get a groupon deal. We have been their 4 times now(with small groups), and have really enjoyed the experience every time. They missed my five star because they took the smoked salmon off the appetizer choices and it was awesome. On top of that, the last time we visited, they were out of their one choice of steak. In general everyone has enjoyed their food choices and the staff has been very nice. The view is across the Alameda Channel to Scott's and Jack London Square. The building is a little rustic in atmosphere, but it is clean. The Food has been consistently good, and the staff has been very friendly and accommodating every time. Our visits have been in the afternoon, on weekends, and there has never been a crowd, or a long delay. We like the Pasta Pelican and will be back again.
(4)
Ravi S.

My girlfriend took me here on my birthday, and we had a wonderful dinner. The restaurant is a bit tucked away, but the view is really nice. The interior of the restaurant was spacious and well-lit. Our server was great. She was friendly and had great recommendations. Also, we came late in the evening and were there around closing time. However, our server did not rush us at all to finish. She also brought out a special piece of cake for my birthday. I have not experienced service this good in a long while. For drinks, we chose the wine tasting option. Basically, they had about ten different bottles of wine out on a table, and we were allowed to go up and help ourselves to the wine anytime we wanted throughout the meal. It only cost $10 too. Wow. The food was really good as well. We started with the calamari fritti which was cooked perfectly. Then for mains, we shared the barbecue pork ribs and the fettucine con sugo caldo. Both were cooked well and very flavorful. Overall, we had an amazing dining experience at Pasta Pelican and would highly recommend it. I can't wait to go back.
(5)
Jessica B.

Great food and a fantastic view made this place a hit with my boyfriend and I. I do love a view of the bay as I eat, and our chicken piccata and pasta dishes were seasoned very well and just salty enough to satisfy. The cocktails as well were above average. The service was great as well, and when we asked if the -very distracting- sports screen could be turned off, we were obliged. The waiter was helpful, knowledgeable and friendly, allowing easy use of our groupon. THUMBS UP!
(4)
sharon L.

It's all about expectations. The drinks were not good, the service was slow and inconsistent, but the food was good and the view is wonderful. I knew going in the services was not going to be top notch. We had reservations and still had to wait 20 min for a table. The waiter, took a while to come, but when he did we ordered everything at once so we didn't have to worry about flagging him down again. I wanted to have a nice leisurely dinner by the water. I didn't mind the service because slow service meant my husband and I had more time to spend with the lovely view. The food was surprisingly good with good sized portions. The fried calamari appetizer was huge, and I guess it was a good thing that it didn't come until after our entree's because we took most of it to go and it traveled well. Server gave us a free Tiramisu for desert to make up for the mistake on the appetizer. Chicken Pasta Primavera was good with fettuccine done al dente, Loup de Mer was very tasty with great sides. This place is really about the view. The food is a bit pricey for the ambiance and service, but you can get a Groupon and it's all good.
(3)
John K.

This is our second visit here, both times using a Groupon. This time we went as a foursome. We had a short wait even though we had a reservation time but we were rewarded with a great window table with a wonderful view of the waterfront. The service was very good even though we had a Groupon and we all enjoyed the food immensely and will certainly dine here again.
(4)
Carrie S.

The view and the service is nice...however.... The website advertises "Every Thursday" there is a $10 unlimited wine tasting where you can try all types of wine. Except apparently this week, where it is not offered. We were really disappointed about that, and there was really no explanation as to why... The food is average, especially for the price. The house wine wasn't great. Just not a very satisfying experience.
(2)
Christi C.

We bought the Groupon deal and decided to give Pasta Pelican a try. We loved it! The food was delicious, service was great, and the view was oh-so-nice! I think we'll be buying more Goupons and heading back. The seafood ravioli and the Mediterranean chicken were both very tasty. The key lime pie dessert was also quite nice. We'll be back!
(4)
Avner M.

This is the second time we have been here and our visit this time was with hesitation because of what some people have said in their reviews. A good friend who lives in Alameda came with us and he is a regular here. He introduced us to the owner and after looking at the menu said they seem to have made some changes for the better. My wife ordered the fish and I had pasta with eggplant and I have to tell you, our meal from start to finish was awesome. The service was a little slow, but the server was very caring and interested in meeting our needs. Based on this experience, I would definitely visit this place again when in the area.
(5)
Holly K.

I have been slacking on my reviews here at yelp.. thank you yelp for emailing me to point that out, you are awesome! That brought to my attention that I have neglected reviewing some of my favorite places. I LOVE the pelican, it might be the atmosphere combined with food that makes it great. When we were in San Francisco in 2007 for months, this was close to the hotel we were at and we hit them up all the time. They are 100% better than Olive Garden and the prices are cheaper on some dishes. It is a family owned place out on the water in Alameda. It is in a very quiet location. They have added steak and some bbq dishes since 2007. I love the steak now. I have not had a tough one, which you wouldn't think of steak first at a mainly pasta-centric place. The Bruschetta is loaded with a healthy amount of tomatoes and basil. They always bring out an assortment of warm bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar with grated garlic and Parmesan cheese. My husband loves the Salmon dish, and has never complained about it. It is nice to sit in a restaurant on the water and not pay a fortune to enjoy the view. On Thursday nights they have a large table set up with a wide assortment of wines, all you can drink for $10. I haven't tried it myself, but have noticed many people really loving themselves some wine on Thursday. If you are there long enough you can watch a few people over do it and stagger back to the self service wine table for wee bit more enjoyment. They do take reservations, which I recommend if you want a table by the windows near the water or fireplace. They can get very busy around dinner time and especially, on weekends. If you are ever in the Bay area, this place is a bargain. Also, watch for restaurant.com they have them on there, and they participate in the Local Card program, which gives you a discount on local dining options.
(5)
Denisa L.

Went here on Valentine's Day which was also my birthday. Extremely disappointed. I wasn't aware of the fix 5 course meal for vday but didn't mind. Our reservation was at 730 which didn't even seem like we needed reservations because there were many tables empty. Once the server came he explained the vday 'special'. We wanted the clam chowder but he said "they just ran out" so that was bad way to start. The the salad came (3 pieces of lettuce alone) . We wanted the shrimp they brought it to us. It was 2 pieces of shrimp! It was very disappointing over all and I would not recommend anyone to go here for Valentine's Day or any holidays where you can't order what you would like.
(1)
M M.

I was there because I had a gift certificate from Restaurant.com . Some people go there with Groupon. Make sure you read fine prints before you go buy. While those certificate/Groupon look good on concept, you will be paying a lot of money for a mediocre meal with great view. Make sure you know how and when you can use them. Reservation - I was actually nervous because I changed my reservation by phone. A man who picked up the phone barely spoke English. I was nervous whether they actually noted collect information, so I also contacted via e-mail. No response back from the restaurant. Food - It's just OK. We had friend calamari and tomato and mozzarella cheese for the appetizer. They were probably highlight of the meal. I had grilled arctic char. The fish was small, but tasted OK. Side veggies were hideous - overcooked broccoli, some cooked carrot sticks, beet cubes, and mashed potatoes. Food presentation was 1980's. I asked for a candle for birthday celebration. A waiter told me that he would go ask, but he never came back. Main plate is not that big. If you are hungry, make sure to order appetizer or side dish. View - Gorgeous. 5 starts.
(3)
Viv W.

I got to this place at 6:03PM on a Saturday and there was no parking... It was packed! I figured it would be a long wait but we waited over an hour. There was 7 people ahead of us and nobody seems to be leaving the restaurant LOL so we finally got seated around 7:16PM... The service was pretty good. They had a 25 seat table next to me and my date and the whole restaurant was really packed but the service was still pretty attentive. The setting was dimly lit, romantic. Overall atmosphere was warm. Great location, right on the water, next to yachts and boats. Awesome view outside the windows. The complimentary bread was great with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar! We ordered two clam chowders, really good. I ordered the Fettuccini di Venetto which was $23, my date ordered the Le Gamberetto which was $21. After taxes and tip at the end of the night, the total amounted to $60 more or less....which isn't bad at all! The food tasted delicious. The amount of food wasn't too much but wasn't skimpy either. My date and I were full! No room for dessert. Maybe we will leave room for dessert next time!
(5)
Samantha C.

My brother's girlfriend purchased a groupon deal so we decided to try this place out. We were immediately sold when we were told we would be given four glasses of wine with our dinner. We had a party of 6 and called around 7:30 for reservations at 8:15 p.m on a Saturday evening. We arrived at 8:05, we were immediately greeted by a friendly host and seated right away. Service was prompt and friendly, food was delicious and we were all very pleased. We didn't have much of a view but it was a quiet evening and I truly enjoyed the relaxed setting. Our bellies were full, wine glasses empty, and we enjoyed quality time with the family.
(4)
Linda C.

Bought the Groupon deal for 4: -2 appetizers -4 entrees -4 glasses of wine -2 desserts Food was alright, not the best for it's price. I'm glad I got the deal. Saved myself a whole bunch of money. Without the deal... I would've expected the food to taste better. Let's just say.. you're basically paying for the scenery and food presentation. I'd list what my friends and I had for dinner... but their website is down and I can't pull up the menu. However, all our food was bland. Probably isn't the best idea to compare this to Cheesecake Factory, but I would rather much go there instead. Cheesecake Factory's pasta tasted a lot better and the portion is twice as much for the same price.
(3)
C C.

The only thing that was good was the dessert, salad and the wine. My family had 6 different entrees. Not one of them tasted like anything. Our waiter was very nice and I loved the view. Yes I would return, for the view, salads and the desserts. The prices were great. The food is tasteless
(3)
Cathy R.

I found this place through Amazon Local. It's really a beautiful place with great views of the water. Our pasta dishes were very good, and the staff was very friendly.
(4)
Marie P.

This place is a great place for dinner! tucked away a sweet gem in Alameda! Came here for a great dinner with the bf. Great service, food, wine and view!! Our waiter was the best! We will be back! Great view of Jack London Square! There's upstairs and downstairs- they also can hold private parties.
(5)
Juliet N.

My boyfriend took me here on our date. The place was nice. We went on a Saturday around 4ish-5ish. The place was pretty empty aside from the other 2 guests that were there, but I guess it was like that because there was a wedding taking place there. Anyways I ordered the calamari as an appetizer which was pretty good and for the entree I got the BBQ meatloaf which was great as well it came with a side of cole slaw and mash potatoes. The mash potato was delicious, but the cole slaw was not great i wish I had chosen a different side. Anyways this place has a nice scenery if you are seated near the windows that are facing the water. Overall I'll MAYBE come back. The place was pretty average as far as taste. The service/staff was friendly and helpful.
(4)
D.J. M.

I've been an avid patron of this place for a little while and I must say that this place is as good as it gets. I should've wrote a review a while ago! The service, the great quality of the food and the view is definitely what gives this place 5 stars. I rarely give out 5 stars, especially for Italian restaurants (since there's so many out here in the Bay Area), but this place not only serve delicious food, but the staff truly cares about your dining experience. I love the complimentary bread, balsamic vinegar, garlic and parmesan cheese they give to you. Each dish uses organic ingredients and top quality meats. I could go on about this place but I'm going to let you try it out first. You won't regret it.
(5)
Denise W.

We went here for Valentine's Day. They had the Pre-Fixe menu that was decent. The main thing I liked was the view ans being on the water. They were adequately staffed for that day. I give 4 stars because the wait staff were incredible. The restaurant was clean. For the entree I ordered the steak. I usually don't eat beef but wanted a steak that day. I ordered well done. It came our rare. Someone should teach the chef what well done is. I looked over that because my husband and I had a very nice V-Day!
(4)
Kris W.

i love the location & decor, the staff isn't super friendly & the food is pricy for the quality. Not super impressed
(3)
Terry T.

3.6 stars rounded up to 4 S and I came in with a Groupon that covered 2 appetizers, 2 soup or salads, and two mains. They all had dollars limits that were reasonable. S just would not let me tell him what they were. He just had to have an Ahi salad that was not covered. Our server was very helpful; she worked it out so we could split the salad and the bill us the difference. We ordered Calamari: Okay I guess, it only had one tentacle which is our favorite part Brushette: Very tasty Ahi Tuna salad: Nicely dressed, the tuna was cooked more that I like it to be. It would be fine, I suspect for many people Pasta Carbonara: Was good, but could have had more sauce Salmon Picatta: S kept it all to himself and said it was good. I did not even get a taste which was fine. The appetizers and the salad were more than enough for a full meal so I wasn't disappointed that I didn't taste his fish. I was happy I had more than enough to take home The complementary bread was severed with garlic butter, olive oil ,and balsamic vinegar. The dinner was well paced, so, we had time to enjoy the view and the rowing teams that passed the window.
(4)
Erica F.

My Dad has been in the Alameda area for work, for a few months. He was excited when he knew I was coming to town to visit, so he could ditch his regular solo dinner. He had been wanting to try this place for a while, so we went around 8:00 on Valentine's Day Eve. Shout out to Jesse, our server! He was great! I truly believe in public praise, in hopes that people in this industry will realize how important giving good service is! Serving/Bartending isn't for everyone, and it's becoming more and more rare to get good, genuine service. So thank you to Jesse for being awesome, and having a personality! Appreciate it. The food was good. I'm a vegetarian and loved the veggie pizza. My dad got salmon and loved it. reasonably priced (and good!) wine, too. Why 4 stars, instead of 5? it was REALLLLLLLLLY quiet! I felt like everyone could hear everything we were talking about. Kind of awkward.
(4)
June O.

I love this place! we celebrate the V-Day! Me and my bf go here for valentines. They have a fixed menu and we decided to try it $39/person. It was a good dinner! Good service! Good food!
(5)
Kellianne R.

I really like this spot, definitely a strong 4 star place. The service was good, but not phenomenal, the good was great, the view was pretty, ambiance was romantic and classy, and the wine was yum!
(4)
Sam d.

I have been here 3 times now. All 3 times the food was below average. The prices are too high and the portions are too small. Just no effort at all being put into the cleanliness of the dining room, or the quality of the food. I keep checking every time I am in the area to see if it has been shut down. Somebody should finally put this place out of its misery and open up something more deserving of its great location.
(1)
Elicia B.

Such a hidden gem. I would have never known about this restaurant had I not stumbled upon a Groupon for it, which was a great deal and introduction to this place. Since I went on a weekday, it was not a problem getting a window table, which allowed for a fantastic view of the Oakland waterfront. I imagine these tables are harder to come by on the weekends. Service was great; the waitstaff just attentive enough but also patient while we made our selections. The complimentary bread was warm and came with crushed garlic and fresh parmesan cheese. I thought portion sizes were appropriate, we both actually had extra on our plates. The glass of wine I ordered was generous. We both had pastas which were delicious though I'm subtracting a star for the chicken in mine which was a bit overcooked. Would definitely go back. It has the charm of being in a beach town, would be great also for an occasion or private party.
(4)
Shana A.

I took my mother and 5 other people to have a bday dinner. My brother arrived first for our 2:30 reservation. No one was at the front desk, so he used his cell phone to see if someone would come to answer the phone which was rang right in front of him but no on answered. We were finally seated in the back of the first floor and our waiter was terrible. He rearly looked in our direction or came to check on us. We ask him to give us the cost of a bottle of wine that was not on menu (Resling). He never return with this information. The dish I ordered said it contained capers but there where none and no mention that they where out. Three of us ordered this same dish. (I've had this before and it is was good with the capers) There was no candle or presentation on my mother dessert after telling them that this would be her celebration at time of reservation and when we where seated. The family dining next to us took our group picture after seeing how we could not get the waiters attention. Then to add insult to injury they included an 18% gratuity they neglected didn't bring back the change for our cash payment and never bothered to ask If we wanted our change back. The service is terrible and the venue is old and musty. Good idea but poor execution.
(1)
Christina H.

Cute place to eat, it is right by the water. My coworkers and I come here after a stressful day at work and stay for a few hours. This is a little affordable homey Italian food. I see a lot of families and people out about for dates sitting here. Food is good, they have amazing salmon! We were celebrating a successful year and the staff overheard and gave us a complimentary tiramisu that was so good, it was hard to share. This is not a place to get loud and drink. Although we did not drink any alcoholic liquids, we are naturally loud and acquired quite a few stares while obnoxiously laughing loudly. I did want to hide a few times and wished the tables were not so close together. We came again a few months later, they may have recognized us and placed us to the corner by ourselves. That was a brilliant idea! We didn't have to monitor our voices but, we also didn't get much service. It took us 15 minutes before we could flag anyone down to take our credit card for the bill. I am combining both experiences and taking into consideration that my group can get rowdy. Great/Slow service, warm and nice ambiance, great view of the water and Alameda/Oakland. 4 stars all in all.
(4)
Rene H.

Absolutely a must came in with a group of 6 no wait on a Friday night. Beautiful upstairs view of Jack London we order the callamari frittata delicious not over fried, great wine list and prices are comparable for most restaurants $5-8 for house wine which were great. Food was just so good we had the tequila fettucinni hubby loved it , Fettuccine di Veneto the best I've had and plentifull portions and best of all is the cheesecake for dessert with the lovely jazz band playing live which is a big plus and makes this location worth every dime. No rushing or overwhelming waiters this is a true gem sit back and enjoy.
(5)
Sherwin L.

This is our fifth time eating at this restaurant, and continue to enjoy both the service and the food. The deep-fried calamari and clam chowder were wonderful. The four of us ordered the salmon picata, pasta primavera, seafood ravioli, and veal picata. We were not disappointed. Service was frequent, but not intrusive.
(5)
Richard D.

Alway very good food & service . I've been eating here for many years ! Wonderful view adds to the great dining experience. I often bring out of towners and groups of 8 or 10.
(4)
Nancy J.

Came here again this past weekend. Had their chicken primavera pasta and azzuro delizia pasta. Highly recommend both of them. Their cheesecake dessert was good too. The only thing stopping the 5 stars is that I wish they had pasta with lighter sauces. I believe they mostly have cream sauces and some marinara for their pasta. They're good, but heavy.
(4)
scott d.

Nice atmosphere great service, the veal was tender and my wife like the gluten free pasta with prawns and they were able to get us in and out on time to make our schedule.
(4)
Amber S.

Time to take a client out for some chow and talk about business. Came in on a Thursday around 12PM. Greeted and sat at a window seat right away. There were a few people in the main dining area and a large party occupying the upstairs area. We were given the main menu and a lunch special menu with a few small salads, sandwiches and pizza options all for $8.00 each. Even though the business was paying the bill I was frugal and ordered the mini chicken sandwich with came with a side. Our waitress was great, very on top of our needs and nice. The food took about 20 minutes for our table of 3. The sandwich was 1/4 grilled chicken on ciabatta with tomatoes, grilled onions and lettuce. It was a perfect size and tasted good. The small salad had greens and 3 cherry tomatoes, nothing special (I'm happy they don't use that bagged iceberg lettuce). My co-worker order the ahi tuna salad and our client ordered the bologense. Both said they enjoyed their meals. Prices are average, place is clean and service was good. It's a nice quiet place to have a meal and enjoy the scenery of JLS.
(3)
Johanna L.

We were planning a trip to San Francisco and Alameda and we went online to buy some restaurant.com gift certificates. This place looked promising, so we got a couple. It was delightful! I ordered a pizza with mushrooms and spinach, which it actually turned out I just wasn't in the mood for once I got it (but that's okay - I picked them off and enjoyed the pizza with cheese, though it was a little light on sauce). My husband had some linguine which he inhaled!! We also loved the bread - served warm with dipping oil and vinegar as well as a plate of parmesan and garlic. They must have seen him coming, because he had been craving garlic like crazy! The portobella mushroom appetizer was divine. Our waiter was very attentive and was kind enough to let us use our gift certificate even though we spent $47 and not $50 as the fine print stated. We got a brownie a la mode for dessert, which they were nice enough to wrap up to-go for us. They even put the ice cream in a nice little container of its own so it wouldn't melt all over the brownie! Great service and a wonderful atmosphere. We enjoyed being able to watch the marina activities and the sparkling lights at night. We will come back next time we are in the Bay Area!
(4)
marilyn b.

Pros: Lovely views (tricky to find this place though); appetizers were excellent (brushcetta) and dessert was good as well (chocolate mousse cake). We were using a Groupon. Cons: Server was very nice, but wanted to take our entree order BEFORE even being served our appetizer! Told him we were not in a rush and he backed off a bit. The biggest disappointment were our entrees: veal picatta & a salmon picatta. My salmon was not edible...terribly dry and over cooked, although the pasta served with it was good. My husband said his veal was dry and didn't even taste like a veal picatta...his favorite meal. VERY disappointing. Yes the decor is dated, but there 's a bit of charm (I think) in that. Parking is horrible, but we got lucky and found a place in front of the restaurant. Hint: go early! We only came here as we had a Groupon....but we will not be back. Disappointing as this place has potential.
(2)
Shannon F.

I really enjoyed this place. It was my first living social deal I purchased. They had a special for $39.00 for a 3 course dinner for two, usually at a $75.00 value. The place struck quite some interest, which Is why I purchased it and I am extremely glad I did. This place can be quite a little journey to get to if your not familiar with the area. Its located on the outskirts of Alameda on the docks, in what seems to be in the middle of nowhere, in somewhat of an unfinished industrial area,over looking Oakland. The place was probably built within the early 1900's, it has a very ship like feel and ( I am assuming) has not been remodeled since the beginning. It was early afternoon and the place was just barely starting to fill up, leaving a great amount of vacant tables. We were greeted by an exceptionable friendly hostess and told it was open seating. We got a perfect seat by the window overlooking the docks of Oakland. We were then greeted by our server and handed the menus. I had already studied the menu before coming so, I had in mind what I wanted to order. With our special, it came with your choice of two appetizers under $ 11.00, your choice of two entrees under $ 15.00 a desert and two glasses of wine under $10.00 each. For our appetizers, we ordered the Calamari Fritti which is fried calamari with a zingy type dipping sauce and then we got the Caprice Salad. For our main entrees, I got the Carbonara which is Prosciutto and bacon tossed with fettuccine in a creamy Parmesan sauce, with a hint of garlic for $13.00 My hun got the Tortellini con Pollo which is A ricotta filled tortellini served with chicken, artichoke hearts, fresh basic, diced roma tomatoes and mushroom in a cream sauce Priced at $ 15.00 I also ordered a glass of the Domain Napa Merlot and had the second one after dinner being my hun's not a wine drinker : ) Bread is first served upon waiting with a small plate of Parmesan cheese and a spicy like butter for dipping. I can usually pass on bread though, I was starving and had to have a few bites. The bread was warm, soft and chewy and the Parmesan for dipping accompanied it perfectly. Our appetizer arrived shortly after. The caprice salad was a little smaller then anticipated though, presented well. The caprice salad tasted divine and the mozzarella tasted as of a quality brand and meshed perfectly with the sliced tomato, basil and seasoned olive oil. The calamari was quite tasty and the dipping sauce with a settle spice, complimented it perfectly. My glass of Merlot I had while waiting for my meal, was incredibly smooth and tasty which also accompanied my meal outstandingly. Our main entrees then arrived looking perfect in portion and mouthwatering delicious, which they both turned out to be : ) My Carbonara was even better then expected, being creamy and savory though, not swimming in the cream. The prosciutto and sliced bacon just added so much flavor to the already creamy delicious sauce that I had to stop my self from eating it too fast. I also had a few bites of my hun's dish witch was also creamy, flavorful and very satisfying. For dessert, we got the Chocolate Mouse Cake. It arrived in moments looking quite mesmerizing accompanied with a heaping spoonful of whip cream, two small cherries and a few little slices of Mango ( which I could not have being I am allergic too) The cake was absolutely superb! Rich, velvety and seductive to every last bite...mmmm...... I could have just had that and been satisfied. Overall, the atmosphere was relaxing and comfortable. I do feel it could use a little bit of updating though, without loosing its originality. The food was fantastic! The service was extremely friendly and attentive and the prices ( with out our deal) were still pretty reasonable. I would definitely come back again if in the area.
(4)
Fanny H.

Not bad. 3.5 stars. The times I've been here it has been with huge parties celebrating their birthdays. With that said, I'm surprised Pasta Pelican hasn't kicked us out yet. We are the most obnoxious and cheap group of people you'll ever come by. What I like about this place is that it's hidden by the water in Alameda, a very fancy looking place with its own bridge leading to the restaurant. Not a lot of waiting room and it gets really cold, but they have some comfortable chairs and a piano right by the restrooms and the entrance. The first time I was here, they gave our whole party of 20+ people the upper level where there was a bar and dance floor. Super cool. Felt like we had a banquet room all to ourselves! We also were seated in large round tables so we could see everybody's faces. Second time here with a large party, we were seated in a weird L-formation on the first level and it was hard to see and talk to everybody. Food here is not bad. Your typical pasta dishes. I like my friend's chicken pasta dish though I can't recall what it's called off the top of my head. I had the grilled salmon salad recently and I liked it. Lightly tossed in dressing and the mango pleasantly surprises you. Also, a lot of avocado! But the other pasta dishes are just mediocre in my opinion. Nothing too special. I also recommend getting a side of clam chowder! Thick and creamy, absolutely delish! It was a little on the salty side, but went perfectly with the bread. And yes, the bread is AMAZING with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Could come here just for the food and be satisfied. Service was subpar, but they were really nice people! Couple of mishaps though. Like forgetting when we asked for water and silverware, accidentally knocking over a cup of water, not asking everybody in the party if they wanted shredded parmesan cheese on their dishes, etc. Can't blame them since we were a large party, but reading how the service was attentive, figured they would treat us better. Probably won't be back, but not because I don't like this place. I'm pretty sure they hate my group of friends more than I like them.
(3)
Maria H.

Ugh.. this place is so bad. I'm sorry I even ate here and had to write this review. I purchased a Restaurant.com coupon ($25 for $50?) because my sister wanted a non-asian, semi-fancy graduation dinner. And because non-asian, fancy places are so expensive, we opted to go somewhere where a coupon was available. BAD choice. Location of the restaurant is hidden and strange, I had no problem with that. Although a beautiful location, I seriously suspect that people have a hard time finding the place. The restaurant itself is quite charming. Inside a boat and has a cute, a lot less-fancy, titanic feel. We had a great view of Oakland's Jack London district and the harbor it was on. There were also a bunch of sailboats flying by so all we saw were beautifully sheets passing through. Service was decent, although we had one really hostile LOOKING waiter that seems like he is putting poison in our food. Our table had a consensus about the vibe he was giving, but we didn't discriminate, it was more laughable than anything. Other than that, the service was fine. Food was where it all went wrong. - Calamari Fritti ($11): Golden fried calamari served with a lemon caesar dressing. I always twinge at the thought of ordering fried calamari that cost more than $5 because I can literally get really good calamari at any boba shop. Pasta Pelican was no exception. I ordered it more for my mom because she was a picky eater and loathes food that isn't at least asian-esque. SHE loved this dish. I thought it was just whatever. - House Salad: I didn't try this so I don't know - Clam Chowder (came with entree for $2): It was decent, but barely any clams - Salmone Picatta ($17): I didn't try this, but my mom hated it. She ended up trading with my sister and my sister said it was no good. - Tortellini Con Pollo ($15): My sister thought it was decent, but only decent. - Pollo Pelicano ($15): The sauce tasted like curry, but it was an ok dish. Nothing to pine about. Very oily and greasy. Veal Pelicano ($19): I don't remember getting artichoke hearts (shrug). This was a pretty bad dish to me. Flavors were ok, but the fillet veal looked really bad, like a TV dinner boxed "steak" covered in sauce. Overall I didn't enjoy the veal. Dessert Special, Chocolate Souffle ($10?): SO BAD!! After like a 2-3 star food experience, we thought that we'd get a small dessert to share to maybe salvage the horrible dinner we just had. THIS is what brought us to 1 star folks. What's supposed to be a light dessert was an abomination to food in general. We expected to see a poofy cake, instead, we got a slap in the face. We got a not-even-fist-size, petri dish of flat brown stuff. Looks more like a chocolate creme brulee without the torched sugar on top. It tasted even worse than it looked. It tasted like a warm couch cushion. IT. WAS. BAD. It was spongy and watery-tasting. It was just.. bad. There's no other way to say it. There were maybe 3 big spoonfuls of dessert in there, and our table barely finished it. And for the price... what a joke. A good dessert is what you leave the last impression on your guests. What would have otherwise been a 3 star review was ruined by a horrible, HORRIBLE souffle.
(1)
Lori W.

We had dinner for the first time at Pasta Pelican last night. I had purchased a livingsocial deal for a 3 course prix fixe dinner. I had read some mixed reviews on yelp, but overall felt it was worth trying out. My expectations were pleasantly exceeded. The setting could not be more beautiful! Every table had a beautiful waterfront view. You feel like you could almost reach out and touch Jack London Square. We were seated upstairs. It was a smaller dining area which seemed more intimate. There was beautiful live piano music being played. We watched the sun go down and the city of Oakland magically light up before us. It was lovely. Our food was very good. The ambience was excellent. The only reason for 4 stars was that the service was a little slow. If you are not rushed and have time to relax and linger, which we did, this is a great place to enjoy an evening out.
(4)
Jason T.

We purchased a Groupon as we have seen this restaurant featured many times on this website and thought we would give it a try. $35 for $70 worth of food. Sounds good right? Well let me start by saying we were really looking forward to a nice dinner by the water, but instead we had a slow serviced and very poor quality dinner. We felt that just because we had a Groupon the waiters intentionally kept us waiting or maybe they were just plain disorganized, who knows but they need to get their act together. The food quality was so poor I felt like I was in a college dormitory lunch hall. I ordered the "Pollo Pelicano" thinking it was named after the place it must be good but it had like velveeta cheese slice not melted on the top giving it a disgusting appearance. The chicken defiantly was not fresh and the sauce was runny. I give it a worst dish award! Bravo... Oh an you would think at least a nice glass of wine would wash the non-tastey food down? Wrong! The wine tasted so cheap, as if they switched it thinking we knew nothing about wine, but all you need to know is that it tasted stale and gross. Overall the dinner was put together so poorly, I left never wanting to come again! Definitely pass on this place!
(2)
K C.

I can't believe I haven't written a review on here yet. We moved to the east bay 10 months a go and we have been at least 3 times. It is about a 20 minute drive from our place and totally worth it! Parking is always good, service is quick, food is amazing! My boyfriend ALWAYS gets the ribs, they are the best we have ever had! All the sides are just as good. I have had the veal piccata, pasta with peas in cream sauce, and chicken entree. It gets better every time. Their happy hour wine tasting is the best deal in town and super fun! We always get the bruschetta and calamari, can't go wrong, and their home made bread is the best! We will be back around the holidays for sure! :)
(5)
Kelly P.

YUMMMM!! The food was delicious! I loooove their warm, soft bread!! The olive oil and balsamic vinegarette made it that much better. The Calamari Fritti appetizer wasn't that great. I had the Salmon Ricotta dinner entree. Mmmm!! It had a delicious creamy sauce and the salmon was perfectly grilled. I'm not really a wine person but the Groupon came with a glass of wine, so what the heck. LOL I asked for the sweetest wine they had (I forgot what it was called) but so far it's the best wine I've tasted. Annnnd for dessert, the crÃ¨me brÃ»lÃ©e!! It's the first time I've ever had it booooy have I been missing out lol The tiramisu was good. And to top everything off the view was beautiful!! It's right on the Marina with a great view of the water, boats, and city. I can't wait to go back!! :)
(4)
Jordan V.

the food was great but it took 1.5 hours to bring me my main dish ! what really turned me away was the roach i seen on the wall. the atmosphere should be changed
(2)
Nicole B.

Pretty damn good pasta carbonar. Everyone was sweating there asses off though. Can I get some air circulation please. Other than the dying of heat stroke food was really good. Views were amazing
(4)
E P.

Very good food. Fresh ingrediants beautiful presentation Compliments to the chef! Came for lunch enjoyed fresh hot bread with garlic, olive oil n balsalmic vinager so goood! Had side salad total fresh greens, main dish was pollo pelicano perfecto the pollo was cooked perfectly n the pasta was soooo yumm n desert chocolate mosse cak n cheese cake da bomb! Wanted tirramisu but they make it fresh n the am so it wasn't ready yet...will be back for more! Alfredo our server was very attentive n knowledgable of the menu!
(5)
sharlyn g.

WASTE OF TIME, MONEY, & ENERGY! If, I can give this place NO STARS at all I would! this place was a waste of my 80 dollars. Service was super bad! the pasta seemed like it was something they poured out of a can and reheated, actually That's such disrespect to the Canned sauce, that I just said that.. Canned sauce is better than what they served me. It wasn't just my plate either. my husbands dish was awful, and my daughters speghetti was cold . Food: HORRIBLE! The venue is is nice , its plenty of space. but seriously, if they offered to give me a free meal I wouldnt even take it. yes, it's that bad!
(1)
JacQue S.

Love their food. Service was great and the view was awesome.
(4)
Jose O.

The Pasta Pelican Restaurant is tucked away in the outskirts of Alameda overlooking Jack London square. The view from the second floor is a nice backdrop of downtown Oakland. The restaurant provides a live band on Friday nights and they usually play light jazz while you eat. The food is yummy and worth a visit. Bruschetta, $9 Standard bruschetta served with a side of pesto. The combination works very well together and I'm surprise other places haven't caught on. Bruschetta is hard to mess-up so kudos for adding the pesto and separating yourself from the rest. Ricotta Ravioli, $11 The plate is served with only four raviolis. The raviolis are the size of silver dollar coin and stuff to capacity. The foursome lay on creamy bed of marinara sauce mixed with ricotta. At first the portion seems tiny but trust me its more than enough. The marina sauce is thick with ricotta so make sure you're a fan. Fettuccine di Tequila, $13 A creamy white sauce with a hint of spice washes over a healthy portion of pasta. The bell peppers and onions give the plate much needed color and aid with the taste. Mixing tequila and lime into Fettucine pasta is a bold move. The tequila can easily be nasty and over power the sauce. Luckily for me none were the case. I was unable to taste the tequila but the hint of lime was noticeable. Overall I had a good experience at Pasta Pelican, the food, service and pricing all jived well. I wish yelp would allowed half stars because this place is a solid 3.5. I look forward to exploring more of their menu.
(3)
Nat A.

I would give them 2 for nice location... If they weren't cheating and if the food was at least half decent. The food was overpriced by at least 1.5-2 times, and I'd say the appetizer and both entrees were at the lower end of mediocre. It was rather bland, but overspiced to cover it, not to mention that the seafood was not fresh, and fried calamari smelled of old and burned oil. I would say the service was pretty decent if it was not for the fact that they cheated with the bill. We had a coupon covering 50% of a few courses within a certain price range. They said - if you order more expensive stuff, we add the difference to the bill. Well, that was totally fine with me. So... what I saw on my bill? Full prices for all my order PLUS the aforementioned price difference, PLUS the price of 2 wine glasses included in the coupon, though we ordered only one. The total came up to $99 for a meal for 2. Yes, they took all the extra stuff out, so there was only $15 price difference we actually had to pay, BUT the taxes AND gratuity were calculated from the total amount of $99 (!!) which was inflated by AT LEAST $24. Don't go there, they cheat.
(1)
Jenn D.

Came here for a groupon deal: 4 appetizers, 4 entrees and 4 glasses of wine. Food was ok; nothing special. Wait staff was efficient but our waiter seemed to avoid us. We had to flag him down for any service. Worse off, we ordered 4 appetizers but only got 2 after waiting 25 minutes; ordered at 7:40 and got the food at 8:05. When he finally came back, he was delivering the entrees. When asked about the missing appetizers, he said he'll check on it. He came back a few minutes later with the missing appetizers that looked hastily put together. I counted 9 pieces of calamari over a mound of shredded lettuce. Needless to say, despite the beautiful views, we're not coming back here because of the slow service and forgettable food.
(2)
Jason W.

YUM!!! Came here on a Sunday looking for a new place to try out and had remembered this location from a dinner cruise I went on right next door. So I figured why not give it a try and see what its all about. It was more of a brunch time but the spot was not too packed at all. Ordered up some food, mussels, meatballs, and a veal dish. Appetizers came out quickly, along with some fresh bread, garlic, and other tasty oils and cheeses. The mussels were OK, a lil boring on the taste but the meatballs were great. It took a long time to get the main meal, Veal Pelicano. There was only a handful of people in the place so I was shocked to see it took that long to get the main dish. However I was not really worried as we were checking out the view from the restaurant and enjoying a nice conversation. Finally the Veal Pelicano came out and boy was it worth the wait. Very tasty indeed and was covered with mushrooms, capers, artichoke hears, and a nice creamy sauce. They also served up some fresh grilled veggies and homemade French fries. Wow that was so damn good! The decor of this place is nice and has a calm yet energetic feel. I would recommend drinks upstairs with a nice appetizer and full on dinning downstairs. The view is great overlooking Oakland and Jack London square. And service was on point, very professional staff, and responsive! HELL YES! A NEW JOINT TO FREQUENT! (\__/) (='.'=) (")_(")
(5)
WENDIE S.

I haven't been here in ages...the last time I was here the restaurant was called Rusty Pelican. We decided to come here for my nephew's 18th birthday brunch because we had a coupon and he was craving for Chicken Alfredo fettucine. This place haven't been updated in years...although walking inside the restaurant we had a nice view of the sailing boats, yachts, kincaids restaurant, and part of Jack london square. Bread fresh, Ahi Tuna salad has no flavor at all but the Chicken Alfredo Fettucine and the Salmon pasta was good. Thumbs up for the memories and waiters was more than helpful we had 4 at one time.
(3)
Maggie C.

I recently went here for one of my friend's birthday dinner, and let me tell you. Their Pesto di Genovese with chicken, was VERY salty. When i was eating into the bits of chicken in my pasta, i felt like i was eating a spoonful of salt with every bite. It was not delightful. I thought it was only my dish that tasted very salty, but my other friends who had their dish also complained about their food being very salty. If you do order the pasta, i highly suggest you to ask them to go light on the salt!
(2)
Lisa H.

I really wanted to like this place, as I have been going here for a few years, but the service has greatly dwindled over the years. My friends and I got standard dishes off the menu, nothing with special instructions or that would take a long time to cook, and it took over an hour from when we we served our appetizers to when we received our entrees, and it was a very quiet night. It was a very long dinner and the staff didn't even acknowledge that it was taking a long time, no apology or free dessert. I was a little frustrated, since I had suggested this place and I had had such great experiences in the past.
(3)
Lacey R.

Great prices, great food. It's a little run down, but it adds to the charm.
(4)
John S.

Food: Great tasting and Good Portions (5 of 5) Service: Service was questionable as the waiter jumped our table to check on the tables on either side of us multiple times throughout the night. (2 of 5) View: view was spectacular. (5 of 5)
(3)
Doctor G.

Forgot to mention in previous reviews how difficult this restaurant is to find. From Oakland, take the Webster St. Tube and stay to the right. After you emerge from the Tube, you go right on Willie Stargell Ave. and immediately take another right at the next stop light and go along a frontage road past the health club on the left. Go to the stop sign after going past the Tube on the right, and go to the right over the Tube on Marina Village Parkway, and then go left at the next intersection at Mariner Square Blvd. to the Estuary. When you get to the end of Mariner Square Blvd., turn left into the parking lot and go down about 100 yards past the Hornblower yachts. You may have to find parking on the side parking lots of the Cardinal Point retirement home across the parking lot from Pasta Pelican. Jeez, was that complicated enough?
(3)
Savier M.

So what's wrong with this place? I'm missing the problem. Had calamari, portabello mushrooms, tortilla soup, and then.... I ended my dinner with a smooth plate of Carbonara. The bacon, parmesan sauce, and prosciutto blended into a cancer laden reverie. I frolicked through the night and had the happy dreams. Y'all haters tripp'n!
(4)
Maggi K.

I came here for the first time this past Saturday for my friend's birthday. This was definitely a unique restaurant. It took a long time to actually find the place but it was well worth it when we got there. The view is absolutely stunning and the atmosphere was great. My friends and I (a party of over 20) were quickly seated upstairs, where we were able to see a view of the water and pretty lights (since it was dinner time) The waiters and waitresses were very patient with us and extremely friendly as well. The bread appetizer was filling and they brought us new baskets even before we were even done with the original baskets. I ordered the Carbonara with clam chowder and it was delicious. The clam chowder was very thick and had a lot of vegetables. The Carbonara came in a fairly small portion, but enough since the bread filled me up. My only complaint is that it was a bit too oily and salty for my liking. (And when I say salty and oily, I MEAN IT. This usually isn't a problem for me at all) I'd definitely recommend this restaurant if you are looking for somewhere romantic, fairly affordable (with everything priced from around $8-$20), and with a friendly atmosphere. I will update my review if my opinion changes.
(4)
Jen O.

The food? Meh. The service, albeit friendly, was infrequent and somewhat incompetent. The best part was when we showed up and saw the gorgeous view of the Oakland waterfront and the Giants game was on the tv at the restaurant bar.
(2)
Robert Q.

Not the best Italian food I've ever had, but its ok. The bread is fresh. My recent favorite is the honey lime chicken salad (I order it without chicken). Very good!
(3)
Les A.

Attempted to dine at Pasta Pelican on a Friday night at 7 PM but upon entering door, a young, overwhelmed hostess was on the phone for several minutes, attempting to juggle two things at once while a queue of customers were waiting for her attention and subsequent seating. After hanging up, she appeared to tend to a large family by disappearing into the dining room to find a table. More minutes went by and she finally returned to position herself about twenty feet away from the cash register she had previously been, to a podium where a second queue quickly formed cutting into the first queue resulting in confrontations and vulgar, profane insults between the the two groups. As we approached our turn to be seated, she appeared totally clueless hurriedly escorted us to a table, without looking back to ensure we were following her, to the middle of a very boisterous, extremely noisy (loud laugher and yelling) dining room. We walked out in disgust to seek an alternative dining venue. Update: Returned the following Sunday to a quiet dining room and found the service to be professional and food exceptional. Will never attempt a busy Friday or Saturday night and instead dine during early lunch or weekday dinner.
(3)
Toni N.

Just love Pasta Pelican! It's a great family restaurant, or good for date night. The staff is always friendly and helpful and the food is delicious. My teenager loves the pizza here - he says it's the best in Alameda! The view is amazing. We've also hosted a couple of parties upstairs in the past and our friends and family have loved it too. Highly recommend this restaurant!
(5)
Bailey K.

This was a total debate between 2 or 3 stars...I have been to this restaurant several time and have enjoyed the food, it is consistently good and the location is great on the water. However, I was just there for a dinner with family and the blond hostess was beyond rude and ignorant. When asked what time the restaurant opens for dinner she stated "I don't know." As a party of 3 were seated upstairs where there was a private event going on with live music, when asked to move downstairs to not conflict with the private party and musician set up the Hosts had a huge attitude problem and seemed so offended that we did not want to sit with the private party. After ascending downstairs the Hosts would not seat us until the Bartender just said go ahead and seat them its 5pm. The good part was the food and the wait staff. The food was excellent and the wait staff excellent as well. Upon leaving the restaurant there was a jacket left at the table. Going back in the restaurant less than 10 minutes to ask the Hosts for the jacket she made it very clear that it was not her problem, she would not look for the jacket and she totally did not care to waste her time. I was so disappointed in the Hosts attitude, lack of service and professionalism. I can't say I will be eager to go back unless the hostess is much kinder to paying customers.
(2)
Charles F.

My wife and I both thought the food was great. We both had pasta dishes with chicken, which we both cant wait to go back for. Service was great and very attentive. Basket with bread and a cheese spread was a great little starter. The view at night is beautiful, giving it only four stars because it could definitely afford an upgrade with the decor.
(4)
vi l.

The food was soooo bad here I should go back there just to slap the cook. The salmon was clearly frozen and everything else sucks!!! Never coming back ever, even if they offer $75 groupon for $5.
(1)
Lilly L.

Oh what a picture perfect date spot. A restaurant floating over water... Italian dishes... The beautiful view of boats and bay... Handsome boyfriend with rose in hand and gift in tow... Wait, what boyfriend? Nix out that last part! I'm lucky in that they didn't play bad Arabic music on me (A S.). Instead, I got to enjoy romantic classics like Unchained Melody and numerous Whitney Houston songs :). I'm unlucky in that I didn't read all the fine print on my Restaurant.com coupon, and realized too late that it wasn't valid Fridays :(. Yes the view is super pretty. We had fun trying to distinguish the different buildings in Jack London and trying to fight over which building was Barnes and Nobles. But without the coupon, I did not think the food was worth it's price. I've had better bread, spinach and artichoke dip, carbonara, and tortellini at CPK and Pasta Pomodoro. I'll come back as soon as I wrangle a beau to pay for my meal. 1 star for the food, 1 for the view, and another because I took awesome pictures on the pier right outside.
(3)
Kathleen W.

Very accommodating to our wet, noisy group of paddlers. They seated us immediately and had a full staff constantly filling our water glasses and bread baskets. The bread and dip was so delicious ... I didn't even really need to order an entree. I got the Insalata di Gorgonzola which was tasty ... but I think I would have preferred more spinach and leafy greens instead of iceburg lettuce. I got a side order of fries which were deliciously wonderful. Will most definitely be back!
(4)
Penny C.

No wine tasting, like advertised on website.....coupons hard to find...not good enough for the money.....view is only redeeming factor
(2)
Emily M.

I've only been here once for a dinner and ordered the typical alfredo fettuccine. The pasta comes in a big plate and the serving may seem small for the price, but it was very filling! It tasted like every other alfredo dish I had before so there was nothing unique about the dish. Anyways, I would like to come back a second time to order something I never tried before. The restaurant decor definitely has a top-notch feel to it and our waiters were attentive.
(3)
Walter B.

The only reason I give two stars over one is because I've been here a few times before and had a reasonable enough experience.l This place is a joke. The only reason I've been there a few times is because I have coupons. If it weren't for the coupons I would never go back. Tonight I ordered Ricotta Ravioli in Alfredo Sauce - a seemingly easy enough dish and a portion I expected to be quite reasonable for $11. There were four. Yes, FOUR ravioli that barely covered the bottom of the bowl. What a joke. It was obviously frozen and the alfredo sauce tasted like it was fresh out of a can. My friend got the Tilapia with "fresh" vegetables. What a joke. This place needs a Chef Ramsey makeover. The only thing it has going is the view. The ambiance is bad, the manager wanders around with his wrinkled shirt untucked pretending to be helpful and the servers have little idea of what it means to provide friendly service. Save your money. MAYBE with a coupon you could subject yourself to it but be prepared to be disappointed. Spend the extra few bucks and head into the city for something worth a damn.
(2)
Ian S.

We went here recently as we had a voucher from Groupon. The restaurant was packed, but we only had to wait around ten minutes for a table to open up. Once seated, the service was a little slow, probably due to the business. Our food was fine - not spectacular, but certainly tasty, if a little too garlicky for our liking. We would go back, but probably only if we had another good offer - it wouldn't really be good value at full price.
(3)
Van W.

I've been here several times and I've always been pleased with the service and the food. We would come after practice and despite it being a nicer place and we were pretty soggy and smelly, they seated us graciously. We've had huge groups and these guys were pros. It would take a bit longer to bring food out at times but that's pretty expected when you have 16 or more people. Their bread is really good too.
(4)
Nina B.

Round 2 - LOVED IT Okay so we decided to try again and went for dinner at The Pasta Pelican AGAIN! This time it was a day and night difference from our last experience. Our waiter was great. He had a great presence and checked on us frequently. Our food came quickly. Everything was cooked as requested and tasted great. The bartender was also fantastic and made me a special drink by request "Florida Pina Colada" which was phenomenal. Mmm... I could have had about 5 of those things. Just Kidding. We will go back again. Hopefully it will be just as good. I will keep you posted. I gave four stars only because of my previous exp.
(4)
Camille K.

Pasta Pelican offers the sleepiest happy hour in Alameda. Arrive before 4:30 pm and expect slow service in the dining room. The gorgeous view of the Oakland-Alameda Estuary and Jack London Square is sort of a trade off. The summertini (Ketel One, Chambord and pineapple juice) is delicious. The BBQ pork ribs need more pork ribs and less skinny, oily fries filling up the plate. The bruschetta is divine. Pasta Pelican does better for groups than singles.
(3)
Pamela B.

We went to Pasta Pelican on a Monday evening when the restaurant was fairly quiet. We opted to sit upstairs near the windows that overlook Jack London Square and the downtown Oakland skyline. Even though it was one of the hottest days of the year, the cool sea breezes were blowing, and the restaurant had some well placed fans to keep us cool. We ordered delicious margaritas on the rocks. These were the drink special for $ 5 and were of generous size. With our drinks, we had the calimari which was served with a nice lemon aoli. For dinner, I had the Tequila Sauce pasta dish, and my husband ordered the New York steak, we both had the house Cabernet. Along with these entrees were generous side ceasar salads and the most delicious freshly baked bread. For desert, we shared a creme brulee and had some fresh decaf coffee. The pasta with tequila sauce was a wonderful plate of pasta with a spicy creamy tomatoe sauce with green and red bell peppers, tomatoes and cilantro. The restaurant is made to look as if it is a rustic boat shed - a really nice, romantic atmosphere with comfortable chairs, nice linens on the tables, candles, and nice music. The service was excellent, attentive but not overdone. after dinner, we strolled along the dock and enjoyed the evening, the view and the boats. A lovely waterfront location. Our bill came to just over $ 80.00 - it was a little pricey, but for a special evening, I'd definitely go again.
(4)
Ken J.

It's been a long time since I had to return food to the kitchen because it tasted bad-- as opposed to cooked wrong. But the clam chowder was yucky! Thick gooey and tasted like it was thickened with stale french bread. The replacement soup was palatable, but the Cajun spice added to a frozen chicken soup wasn't a home run either. The fresh vegetables I suspect were frozen... other than that, the view is nice. Service was slow, but I wasn't in a rush-- business meal. My guest seems to like the place so there must be something good about it, but I don't think I will experiment again. Judging from the other reviews I am not alone in this conclusion. Go for the view if you must.
(1)
Holly R.

I love this restaurant. I use to live in Alameda and would bring company here for dinner. My parents still talk about this restaurant 10 years later. I brought a large group here for the dinner last week and the food is still great. I tried their pizza for the first time and it is outstanding. I highly recommend the pasta as well. The group really enjoyed the restaurant and the view of Jack London Square.
(4)
Mihir M.

My wife & had dinner in the evening, during sunset. The service was outstanding by Gosia. We used a groupon, didn't drink alcohol, don't eat eggs & are vegetarian, & she was very helpful & supportive. We were provided bread, olive oil & balsamic vinegar. The brusheeta & portobello appetizers were very good, as was our modified dish of whole wheat penne with the spicy tequila sauce minus tequila with vegetables. The pizza of garlic & spinach was okay. The view of water & the marina is great - we were looking at Jack London Square.
(5)
Tea L.

So on a last min decision a friend and I decided to come here for Valentines Day. When we got there we still had to wait 20mins even tho we had made reservations earlier that day. So no biggie right? Weeeeelllllll. Tho our waiter seemed nice enough he wasn't attentive at all. Most times we had to flag him down for anything we needed. Our entrees took FOREVER to come out when people who were seated around us who had come after us were receiving their food before us. It wasn't like we had complicated time consuming dishes, besides it was a set menu that night and when we did get our food it wasn't even hot and very mediocre. STILL trying to hang in there a few bites into my salmon a got a nice bite of fish fat....that was it for me. We flagged down the waiter for our bill, left and will NOT be returning.
(1)
Kitty A.

Service is fantastic! We never had to ask for refills and it was like they were watching us for the best time to check in on our needs. Food is hit or miss. My Pollo e Spinicio (chicken and spinach) curry pasta was perfect but my husbands salmon was mush. Price is a little high for ambiance. They gave us free desert because our food took a while to get out of the kitchen.
(3)
Mary J.

So I crashed another holiday party, or end of the year party, earlier this mth on Sunday 1/3/10 *tee-hee*...well not crashed, I got an invite from my cousin & I'm just not one to turn down a holiday party! Found myself @ Pasta Pelican Restaurant in Alameda yelp.com/biz_photos/0_sgâ€¦ LOCATION: Close to the Webster Tube-Tunnel off on Mariner Square Drive. Across the parking lot from hotel (4get name) & in the vicinity where closed Chevy's use to be. RESTAURANT: Spacious 2-level restaurant, handicap friendly, clean, & has a pretty view of the Alameda Harbor Bay btw Oakland & Alameda. I did like the large & clean ladies bthrm; 1 sink yelp.com/biz_photos/0_sgâ€¦ w/ 2 reg stalls & 1 handicap stall. If u laughed @ the sink photo, ur gona laugh w/ this stall photo ...1st time I've seen a window in any bthrm stall & found myself checking out some marketing stuff on the board hanging inside the stall...had to share w/ everyone yelp.com/biz_photos/0_sgâ€¦ Holiday dinner RSVP was upstairs yelp.com/biz_photos/0_sgâ€¦ by full bar yelp.com/biz_photos/0_sgâ€¦ (which has Happy Hour on Sundays *kudos*) CUST SVC: Great! Friendly & helpful staff for a holiday buffet party. Bartenders were also pleasant & friendly...appreciated the heads up on Happy Hour on a Sunday too *whhhaaa*! yelp.com/biz_photos/0_sgâ€¦ FOOD: Holiday dinner buffet was good. Warm bread, butter, balsamic vinegar, & olive oil set @ each table. Server @ buffet table to put food on ur plate on ur 1st round, going back for 2nds, u can fix ur own plate. Buffet included: grilled chicken, steak (thin slices), salmon (not enough capers in tray), pasta marinara, roasted potatoes, veggies, & garden/Cesar salad yelp.com/biz_photos/0_sgâ€¦ The lighting over the buffet table was too dim for some reason & not having my Sony Cybershot, only able to take pics under lit area w/ LG Voyager cell that has no flash...why the heak was the food area not well lit, idk & did bother me, but oh well. Again buffet food was just ok. As the dinner got closer to the evening, 2go containers were brought out so folks could clean buffet area if they wanted. I dont know about u, but I found that a bit comical, but appreciative =)
(3)
Melissa B.

I really like looking out over the water when I eat, especially when they have a fire rolling. The place is kinda outdated, but the food is good. I used to go there about 6 years ago, but the food was just so so. Something must have changed, because the quality and freshness of the produce and the flavor combinations got better. One weekend I had the change to have one of their steaks (special of the day). It was a wonderful piece of meat cooked perfectly and I have been looking forward to it again as well. Wish it was offered more often. If you are looking for a quick in and out experience or a snazzy trendy place, this is not it. It you want a leisurely meal that is delicious, has a gorgeous view, and you can take family, friends, large groups this is the place. I will be going back many more times.
(4)
Mayhem X.

We were sitting at Kincaids and looking across the estuary thinking we should try the Pelican. I read some of the reviews and thought it couldnt be bad for basic italian food. We had caeser salad, tomato soup, spagetti bolognese and gamberi shrimp/clams. The salad was bland and croutons were stale. Tomato soup tasted like it came from a tin. Both sauces in bolognese and gamberi were clumpy like the sauce was made a couple days ago and reheated. Nothing tasted fresh. Portions were ok and service was good. Price was moderate. Sorry we really wanted to like this place but the food was not good
(2)
Lisa Z.

2 stars for being a big restaurant that isn't stuffy and boasts a great view. I went there with my friend and her man. We were kind of buzzed from drinking earlier so we decided to munch on some Italian. They were drinking Pinot Grigio and I had patron with soda back to sip on. For appetizers we ordered the bruschetta, it was just ok. Oh yeah there was also a clam chowder too. It was so disgusting I almost forgot about it. Seriously, no joke, real talk. The bowl of clam chowder tasted like they went to Costco and bought a pack of progresso canned chowders and poured it in a bowl then microwaved it. Ughhh. Come on!! Your restaurant is by the water, your clientele attraction is based on seafood and fresh pasta. What a disappointment. Moving on, I ordered the spinach salad, with toasted pecans and apples with chicken. The chicken was so dry it was lodged in my throat. Never needed my soda water that much at the moment. My friend ordered the fettuccine with bell peppers and tequila sauce. Never tried it but from the way that it looks, I rather go to olive gardens. And I disdain chains and corporations types of eateries. Great view
(2)
Agnes L.

Atrocious service. Never coming back here again. My friends and I were ignored. We sat down and waited a long while before we got water. After the bread arrived we asked for more utensils, because there's four of us and only one set of utensils. Simple math. We asked a hostess (who was clearing off a table) because there were no waiters out on the floor and she responded with, "Uhh..... yeaaahhhhh... one second." She continued to clear off the table and never came back. By this time our food has arrived, so we asked the guy who brought us our food. He had a much better response but he never came back. So we're sitting there, staring at our food, and finally flag down a different waiter. We have no idea where our waiter went this entire time. Thankfully this new waiter promptly brought us some utensils and was really nice, so good on him. Throughout the whole meal, we were not checked up on at all or given water refills. When the check came around, I was literally holding the checkbook with our credit cards in it in the air, in the walkway area, and still nobody came around to pick it up. In the end, my friend had to go walk it to the cashier area. The food is fine. I don't have anything against it, but it's run-of-the-mill Italian food that you can find elsewhere for a much better experience.
(1)
Em S.

I liked how it's in an area of its own.. no neighboring restaurants and it has a waterfront and live music upstairs:-) I really liked the meat loaf.. sweet BBQ sauce..interesting flavor.. it was pretty good..
(4)
Stacy F.

Great restaurant. Don't let the slightly dated look put you off, it's rustic look is part if it's charm. The tortellini and clam chowder are fantastic. The staff is great. This is my go to dinner place. Also it has the best view in Alameda. And if you like tiramisu it is the best I've ever had.
(4)
Mayana P.

They're on their Ps and Qs, that's for sure. They're really attentive without leering and staring. It's a beautiful setting, literally right on the water. You can hear one another speak and still understand. We had the bruschetta which was really fresh with the bread toasted to perfection. Fresh herbs and garlic with the tomatoes was a nice contrast to the crunch of the bread. I had my usual carbonara - yum! The pesto penne pasta with tomatoes was good too. The house vino for red cab was smooth and delicious. I also tried a half pour of another house red but I prefer the Cabernet better. I like that they have so many house wines. Very nice. Then we shared the walnut a la mode thing which was to my surprise, good. I don't like walnuts and I liked this. Cool. :) The warm bread with olive oil, balsalmic vinegar and the plate of garlic (OMG, so good!) and parmesan were divine. Do you want a quiet, sweet place to take someone on a date that's not too fancy but right in the middle? Take them here. If they get motion sick like me, have them face the dock instead of the water. :)
(5)
Marcia R.

First time there and we enjoyed it but found the food good but not extraordinary. Tiramisu is great. The view is lovely but the decor is 'tired' and needs a facelift. Many other places we like more, so doubt we will venture back, but we weren't unhappy and glad we tried it.
(3)
Jade S.

This place is pretty good and has a nice atmosphere but I have come 2 times with a Groupon and received Horrible serive. The first tine the server really didn't pay us any attention. No more water or fresh ground pepper or cheese. Pretty much ignored us!. The 2nd time our server was nice but I found took FOREVER. Tons of people who came after us were eating. That's not right. Last time I'm going there. Sorry guys you lost a customer.
(3)
Maninderpal M.

Came here last week, we had a travelzoo voucher, the service was friendly, we got seated upstairs and had a super view of downtown oakland and jack london squre, we got to see the sunset reflect off the sky line, it was NICE! Our waiter was super helpful, we ordered vegetarian dishes, starting with the grilled portobello mushrooms, for the entree we had the pesto pasta genovese. The food was delicious, fresh, nicely flavored and tasted "clean" the sauce wasn't super creamy, it was just right. The restaurant feels intimate even though it's a good size. I would definitely come back here again.
(4)
Teens F.

This place is soooooo freakin slow that you might as well keep asking for bread and get full off of that! That is the only good thing about this place. The waiters are very nice but the food is NOT! I am Chinese and make better pasta than they do! I make better steaks too! Service is very slow.. you go there for the view and that's it. But it was for my besties bday so they are very nice and even gave us three desserts to celebrate along with the cake I brought in. Waiters I give them 4 stars Food -5 stars View 5 stars food -5stars again.
(1)
Randy W.

After a day of sailing on the bay we had worked up a pretty good appetite. We were seated at a table with a great view as soon as we walked in. Fresh bread and butter, garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and grated Parmesan, I couldn't stop eating the bread. I ordered fettuccine di Veneto and a salad. The food was fantastic, the service was great. Can't wait to come back
(4)
Jennie P.

When I think of Pasta Pelican.. all I can remember is the delicious portabella mushrooms that we absolutely enjoyed (and tried to recreate at home), the beautiful view of the water and how this place is almost impossible to find. The food was.. meh. I've had better.
(2)
Heather D.

I have been to pasta pelican plenty of times. They are one of a few restaurants on the island that are on the water. The place is clean, service, is good, they have lunch specials with soup, and their food is so good! I am definitely a fan and go here often. You should too!
(4)
Khalilah W.

Sooooooo... decided to purchase a Groupon for this place. That is an issue in & of itself. The dinner for 2 was actually more like a credit for each course. Unfortunately for us, the credits were less than what the dish was priced at so we had to make up the difference. GROUPON fine print was very misleading. I think I will send their customer service dept a separate review. Quickly: food was inconsistent. My dish Luke warm, hubby' was piping hot. Flavors were really good. Service was rushed & impersonal. Very mechanical. May go back again, but if I do and the service is the same I will do more than raise a brow.
(3)
Anna S.

I'm not sure how many times I'm allowed to review the same restaurant but I'll try to every time I go. It's nice to hear an updated version of the experience right? Well my boyfriend and I went yesterday because the AMAZING GROUPON had their deal for PASTA PELICAN!!! :-) I was super stoked! They offered 1 appetizer 2 entrees 2 glasses of wine 1 dessert Boy were we full half way through our dish. lol We ordered the Bruschetta and two clam chowders to go with the BREAD. My boyfriend had the special which was the Hawaiian Steak? It was very tender. And since the special was $20, we only had to pay the difference because the entree was up to $16. I ordered the Pollo Con Carciofo, it had MUSHROOMS! Just divine. We also had the Tiramisu for dessert. And that was very very good. Left the restaurant super full. :-) Will definitely return. :-)
(5)
Jim R.

Food was OK. View was excellent.
(2)
Kat H.

Decided to go to Pasta Pelican for our "Date Night" since we both work nearby. I have been here several times before, but only for retirement parties and special events, not dinner. Hubby had never been. Although we didn't have reservations (I could not find them listed on Open Table, and when I visited their website, I did not see a suggestion about making reservations), we were seated at a lovely table right next to the window. The view is nice - watching the boats go by and looking across the water to Jack London Square. Hubby kept asking me if there was outside seating or an outdoor deck upstairs - which would be lovely since you're on the water but I really don't think they have any room. Our service was very good - bread was always coming out, although they only give you 4 small pieces at a time. The server poured the wrong dressing on Hubby's salad, but right when she got to the table she said she realized her error and immediately came back with a new salad. Our food was tasty and filling; I had the carbonara. I am a huge bacon fan, and there was plenty of both bacon and prosciutto in the carbonara. Hubby, likewise, said he felt "stuffed" after our meal. Yet we still managed to share a very small piece of key lime. An overall pleasant experience with lovely views. It seemed to get really busy about 7 PM or so, also - just keep in mind if you are showing up without reservations or prefer a little quieter scene.
(3)
Feng Y.

This place is AWESOME!!!!!!!All the foods is reasonably priced and high quality.The service is good, and the food comes quickly.The view from upstairs is great, you can see the waterfront ,many boats,and the sunset.this place is good for kids,birthdays,and wedding.You should defiantly come here.
(4)
Trish B.

This was my first visit to this restaurant. I bought a $35 dinner for two from travelzoo valued at $70. Very good promotion, it got me in the door. We shared the calamari which was good. I had the tortellini with chicken. It was a very good portion, good sauce, tender chicken and flavorful artichokes. Dessert was a brownie ala mode. The atmosphere and views were nice. It was slightly noisy with dance type music from upstairs. Overall, I would return.
(4)
Stevie D.

Old school and unintentionally retro we often meet here for events as the location is convenient and every time, we are pleasantly surprised. The pizza's are tasty as are the pasta's and salads. These are business meetings so we seldom have time to order much else. The service is friendly and solid and the space over looking the estuary is hard to beat especially in the winter when they have a big fireplace going...
(4)
Musetta S.

Since I got a Groupon, I think all in, it was a decent experience, but nothing worth going out of your way for. The restaurant, while overlooking the water was nice, is a bit old and outdated. The service was fine. The food was just ok, with the exception of the bread (which comes with garlic paste yum!) and the brownie a la mode (which was warm and pretty delish). I'd say go here only if you have a deal!
(3)
Natalie K.

We came here on a Groupon and had no issues with redeeming it. Service was overstretched the night we went (something about someone leaving in the middle of the shift, so understandable) but our server tried her best at making sure we were happy with our meal. The portions here are huge - I took home enough for another meal. Our pasta was just alright, nothing too special or out of the ordinary. Not sure if I will be back since there are so many other great options in Alameda.
(4)
Gina M.

Great Food, Good Service, Reasonable Prices & Loved Loved Loved The Location! No complaints at all. They were also real accommodating and you can sit against the window with a complete view of the water & Jack London Square. Perfect date night spot. They even had a fire burning in the fire place. Cozy. This place is sort of hidden and not somewhere I'd ever heard of before until I saw it come up on Living Social. Glad we tried it out. I'll be back!
(4)
Carina P.

This place is where you go to for a romantic dinner. But I went here with friends and a really good groupon deal. 65$ for 2 appetizers, 4 entrees, 4 glasses of wine and 2 desserts. The food was really good. Definitely better than Olive Garden I think. Except no endless salad here lol the only issue I had was the wait. I felt like it took really longgggg. And the customer service was eh. Would go here again if I really wanted pasta.
(4)
Yo-ki Y.

The restaurant is right across from Jackson London Square. Nice view of the water front. Four of us had dinner on Saturday, restaurant was full house. Pasta and salad were very good. Clam chowder was too floury and very few clams and dessert was not too impress.. The view and good pasta and salad worth the three stars.
(3)
Melinda Y.

A decade ago was the last time I was a patron at Pasta Pelican. I had fond memories of it. Maybe because I had an immature palate? Or perhaps things have gone worst. What brought me here this time was the Groupon ($30 for three-course meal for 2) because my sis loves Italian food, but ended up having to take my nephew instead. We had the calamari, bruschetta, spinach salad, Caesar salad, salmon picatta, and talapia. I would have to say the star of the meal was the bruschetta, which came in 3 and a side of pesto sauce. The calamari became soggy within minutes of a spritzing with lemon juice. I'm not a fan of iceberg lettuce. I didn't expect a "fine-dining" restaurant like this to serve it in their Caesar salad. My spinach salad could've been divine had it not be drowning in dressing. It came with half an over-cooked hard-boiled egg. The salad had many different elements that worked together very well, ie apple, raisins, bacon, and peanuts. The tilapia was in a "creamy spicy tequila sauce." The spicy component was dried red pepper flakes. Accompanying the fish were what seemed like frozen bagged veggies and bland mashed potatoes. I ate half the fish and just stopped eating and boxed the rest. This entree was not good enough to gorge myself for. The way of cooking here seems to be all about shortcuts. Dried pepper flakes for the "spicy" sauce. Frozen veggies for the sides. Really....you're charging top dollar for THIS? The bathroom was atrocious. They were really old, with advertisements on the stall walls (!), archaic automatic structures. The automatic soap dispenser drops a dot of soap onto my palm. Two drops did not produce enough sudsing action to properly cleanse my hands. The finicky automatic paper towel dispenser rolls out about 3" of paper. The view of Jack London Square is unrivaled. You can watch the boats sail by to distract you from the mediocre food you're eating. Parking is in the shared lot with the retirement home.
(2)
Rebecca L.

Reasonably priced for the location. There is always a nice view at night, however they often leave the windows open, so dining near the window can be a bit drafty. The staff is friendly and the service is fairly good, but I've noticed that they take a very long time to get food to the customers, even when it's not busy. Took about 35 minutes to get the appetizers last time we went. I am a big fan of their bruschetta though, so the wait is pretty much worth it. The only major problem I have is with parking. The restaurant shares a lot with the assisted living facility across the way, and parking is scarce, if any. The food is good, and not too expensive. Not a great place for kids, but you see families there often. They often have music upstairs and a more formal dining experience downstairs. I personally prefer downstairs just because it's generally a little more calm of an environment. Overall, pretty good for the money. I've been known to return here.
(4)
Rick B.

I came back and had another great experience. We were seated right by the window and were treated to a lovely view of the water and sailboats. I had the seafood fettucine again and it was great. I also had the clam chowder- very tasty. By the way, the bread is DELICIOUS (I ruined my meal by eating too much of it, haha). Also, considering the view and quality of food, the prices are great!
(5)
Caroline C.

Came here with the parents last night along with a coupon that they had purchased from Travelzoo. The coupon was for approximately half off a meal for two; for $39, you get two appetizers, two entrees, and two beers/glasses of wine (or credit toward a bottle), which theoretically could come to a $78 value. Earliest reservation that we could get was 8:30, and we caught the tail end of the sun setting over the Bay. We were seated right away at a table overlooking the estuary and Jack London square -- quite pleasant. The bread was warm and fresh and especially tasty with some olive oil and garlic. Ordered our two appetizers -- calamari and bruschetta -- while deliberating over wine; ultimately ordered a bottle of pinot grigio. Having been to Pasta Pelican years ago, we all immediately noticed how much smaller the calamari appetizer has gotten. We each probably had only three little pieces, and it wasn't particularly memorable. The bruschetta was quite good -- very flavorful and served alongside a pesto sauce -- and perfectly split three ways. We ordered one additional entree, so each of us had our own. I went with the salmon piccata ( yelp.com/biz_photos/0_sgâ€¦ ). The pasta and salmon were enjoyable, and I would order the dish again; that said, I have had better pastas and salmon. Finished up the meal with a shared brownie a la mode. Very fudge-y and had nuts, which aren't my favorite, but it tasted good. It's pretty hard to mess up brownie a la mode. Unlike some other posters, we didn't have any trouble with inattentive servers; if anything, the opposite as one of the servers asked to clear our appetizer plates before we had finished. All in all, nothing wildly spectacular, but a solid, satisfying meal, especially when factoring in the coupon. I probably wouldn't come if paying full freight.
(3)
Joseph C.

Below par food with an excellent view. I wish this place could of been better than it was. I had dinner here and they decided to sit us in the bar area because they ran out of space. It also took them over 15 minutes to give us water and take our order. I don't know if it was over seating, but it was not a very good first impression. Additionally, the food wasn't that great and it was below average Italian food. Usually when food is served in small portions it's to showcase something, but there wasn't any special thing going on here. The only special thing was the view. I wish it could of been better.
(1)
Sasha G.

I am always begging my husband to buy the groupon when it comes up! I love pasta pelican. A good meal and reasonably priced plus the full bar upstairs is not too shabby! Great view of the water as well. I love to go in the afternoon when its kind of empty and watch the sun set. The last time I was there we had to TRY to spend $100, and that's after already having ordered "drank" drinks and dessert. We had to buy a $30 bottle of wine just to make the cut off. I really enjoyed everything and there vegetarian option was both filling and delicious. The decor is a little old but I just think that adds to the charm, that and the fact that you can actually see some damn pelicans out the window!! I love a restaurant that lives up to its name.
(4)
M Y.

It has to be one of the worse establishment I ever had the misfortune to dine at. To start with finding parking close was difficult. Once inside the restaurant we waited too long before the hostess showed up. Once the hostess showed-up, without saying much, she quickly led us upstairs dumbed the menus on the table and left. 20 minutes later a waiter showed up asking us if we were ready to order, and since the menu looked quite unattractive, we asked if they had any specials. He said he couldn't remember so he went to look for the "specials Menu" which he wasn't able to locate. Eventually he said "I thing veal Marsala." So we waited another 20 minutes before our salads showed up. The place looked run down, the service was not very good and the salad was made out of lettuce and strawberry slices, worse than I feared. My partner's soup would have been better if was out of the can. Huh . . . . . . Eventually the main course showed up. By now I noticed that every visit to the table was by a different waiter. All friendly but nowhere to be found every time we looked for one. My main dish was Salmon Piccata. The worse food I had in years. Chum salmon with lemon sauce over overcooked penne. The dish was inedible, just plain unacceptable, based on the lowest possible culinary standards! My parter ordered the seafood pasta with the cream sauce. The food was disgusting, the service was terrible, the establishment was run down and the prices at Pasta Pelican Restaurant are way too high and disproportional to their everything lowest possible standards. I do not recommend Past Pelican. Avoid this dumb. Spend money somewhere else where the proprietors are proud of their establishment and invest in their clients. This place has terrible service, it is run down, too expensive for their disgusting food. One star because there is no no-star rating. Yikes!
(1)
Robert L.

Very goo was greeted right when we walked in as there was not many customers in the restaurant as the lunch hours was about to end. good food as well.
(5)
Irina E.

I've been here couple of times and I really like the place. Kind of an oldschool interior, which I find attractive, has it's uniqueness. Food was amazing, and I have to say I'm very picky when it comes to good food. One time we've been there late and they were just giving out the desserts (I guess didn't want to waste them:))
(5)
Kathleen M.

somewhat of an old school hole in the wall, but fantastic view. The brad was piping hot and we loved that it came with garlic and parmesan cheese. Just don't try to kiss anyone in the next couple of days if you aren't eating with them. The carbonara was flavorful and delicious with big chunks of bacon. My friend had the salmon and he said it was just OK and finished my pasta. Overall, pleasantly suprised. We need to come by boat next time! pirates.
(4)
Jason T.

Got the Groupon deal with a few friends. Service is great as the staff was attentive. Views are spectacular. Decor a bit dated but it's got a great family/cabin feel. I thought I was walking into a family style type Italian restaurant. Yes we got served bread but no salad or soup. Guess I'll go to the Olive Garden for that. Food was okay but the calamari was great. If it wasn't for Groupon, I probably would not be coming back anytime soon due to portions and taste.
(2)
Steve P.

Great view Food average Could a Should a Clam chowder good Chicken sandwich was dry and bread choice was tough w chicken and mushrooms. Had to chase the chicken
(3)
Tami C.

This place needs an makeover!! We went for dinner. The price was reasonable, the service was forgettable and the food wasn't anything special. We won't go back.
(2)
Dominique J.

Really nice atmosphere... right on the water. The seafood ravioli was great! The band did a really great job making the night special for my mom's bday!
(4)
Nini S.

The best!! The food, the service, the location( on the water with a view of Jack London Square), the ambience, including a warm fire My husband and I strongly recommend this restaurant Thank you for a memorable evening Pasta Peli can ;-)
(5)
Caligurl G.

My mom gifted me and the hubby with a trip to this restaurant. OMG! The best Italian food ever! I had the seafood ravioli which came in a ridiculous sun-dried tomato cream sauce - ravioli filled with lobster, crab, and clams. So damn good it didn't make any sense. Hubby had a shrimp fettucine dish and added chicken to it. That was delicious as well. I can't wait to visit again.
(5)
Glen S.

I guess I just don't know what to say about this place. If I had to sum it up in two words, they would be: weird smelling. Right across the street from an old folks home, Pasta Pelican was just a random find as we were staying in the area for one night. We were craving some pasta....ya know what, I'm not going to tell you a story about how we found it... Pasta could use a little more sauce. Calamari could have been a little crispier. Price was great. Service was friendly. I just don't really have a reason to ever go back here. If you're in the area, well, there really isn't any other places around, so check it out.
(2)
C T.

So, I purchased a groupon on living social a year ago and it was about to expire so I decided to use it. I couldn't miss the deal for 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, and 2 glasses of wine for less than 10 or 15 bucks. The only issue, I thought I would be in a relationship or dating someone. WHY are all these deals always for 2?! Geez, thanks for reminding me that I'm single and I can't take advantage of these deals for 2. Anyway, I convinced a girlfriend of mines to go with me after work on a Thursday night to this lovely restaurant. It was quite out of the way in Alameda and it shares a lot with a hotel? The location was pretty though once inside. There are glass windows overlooking the water and at night, this was very pretty. You get complimentary bread. We ordered the calamari, portobello mushroom for appetizers. For dinner, we ordered the salmon dish and chicken primavera and vegetable dish. My friend wanted the seafood items and I do not eat any seafood, so I stuck to what I knew best. The highlights were the mushroom and my dish. Okay portions, but it had a lot of flavor. The calamari wasn't a wow factor for me. I was forced to eat one piece, but again, I do not like seafood in general. Also, we selected a split champagne for our wine choices. If I weren't driving and not a Thursday, I'd probably have another glass. The bill came out to only 6 bucks since our entire meal was covered by my coupon and wow, it should've been about 70-80 bucks but I had a 15 dollar coupon. We only had to pay the 6 dollar tax and of course, gratuity. The waiters were also very good at their jobs. They were attentive, accommodating, and most of all, efficient in making sure we were taken care of. Key tip: We were probably the youngest folks in the joint that night. It was an older crowd, but that's nothing different from places I've been to. I've been told I am an old soul. WAY better than Olive Garden folks. Well done, Pasta Pelican, I shall return. Hopefully, in the future, with a potential date.
(4)
Amy P.

I first found this place one day while driving around alone, looking for a place to sit and read by the water. I ended up at the waterfront by this restaurant, and sat on a bench outside reading for a few hours. Hunger finally prompted me to go inside, and I realized there was a great waterfront view indoors as well. I ate alone - I still remember a delicious pizza. I have since been back (with and without others). I like the bread and dipping oil with garlic pre-meal. I've enjoyed seafood pasta there more than once. Everything is really good. Including service. I have a couple restaurant.com gift certificates now that hopefully they still accept. I need to use them soon. This place is fantastic. Just wish it were a tiny bit closer to my home.
(5)
Heather D.

Basic Italian food. The service and the view of the harbor are the main reasons to go.
(3)
Kizmath H.

We were looking for a spot that had pasta besides Olive Garden. Found this spot on yelp and it was very good and quite a little intimate spot on the shore or alameda right on the water. The pasta, soup was excellent. Although my asparagus and drinks were not the best; strong, not flavor able martini and the asparagus was cold. Our service was 3 star kind but slow to take our orders. We will be going back again.
(4)
Verissa S.

It was long overdue that I have lived in the area for 3 years and haven't eaten here yet. In addition, we have two gift certificates that we just weren't able to cash in until now. So, we decided to treat the parentals here today for a late lunch/early dinner meal. We started off as being the third or fourth table in the entire place. Two more tables were seated, and I felt that putting us in the back gave us the least service. The two tables that were seated after us ended up able to order before us, and we also were planning on ordering a full meal. We (party of 4) started off with Calamari Fritti, and I had a Ceasar Salad to share with one other person, and my mom (who's birthday was the next day) had the clam chowder. The bread was yummy. The salads came out first, and so my dad was waiting and waiting for the appetizer to come out since he didn't have a salad. It took awhile, but it finally arrived. The salads had good flavor, and the clam chowder was good, according to my mom. The fried calamari had a slight rubbery-ness, but the flavor was alright. The entrees arrived: two Seafood Raviolis, a Salmon Piccata, and I had the NY strip. My veggies were a bit salty, but the fries were good, and the strip was good. I had to ask for some horseradish, but otherwise, it was good. The Seafood Ravioli had good flavor...but when you break it down to $4.50/ravioli, it seems a bit on the ridiculous side (4 raviolis for $18). The Salmon Piccata looked like a full meal. My mom barely ate half and was able to save the rest for another meal. For dessert, we wanted to try the Tiramisu. Good flavor, more chocolate flavored than anything else. Lacking the espresso flavor and lacking the liqueur flavor, and looked a bit dry. Our slice also looked like it was missing the bottom layer as well. Service: The service would be the only complaint I have. I understand the guy was waiting a few tables, and he seemed a bit stressed for five tables of 2-4 people, though I felt placing us in the back gave us the short end of the stick. The major complaint I have was on drink refills. Our glasses were empty FOREVER. We finally said something in order to get refills. And the one person who told us "I have a Coke and a Root Beer"...and while we finally started drinking the root beer....IT WAS NOT ROOT BEER. I have a pregnant lady that was staying away from caffeine and I was staying away from caffeine, and low and behold...we were presented with caffeine. That was the worst. So all in all, I was okay with the food, but the service lacked.
(3)
Free P.

This restaurant has been around way too long to have such crappy food. If you order sandwiches the bread is always really cold like they just took it out of the fridge. The chicken is always super dry and it feels like the only seasoning they use is salt. How do you screw up bruschetta? It's not supposed to be soggy. The pasta is just mediocre, I've never walked out of that place feeling like I ate a good meal.
(1)
Rebekah B.

I haven't been here in over 2 years until this week. 2 years ago the food was mediocre and I left not impressed; hence, the two year gap in trying the food. A groupon came along though, so I thought why not. My bf, a born and bred Alamedan was like, "I don't want to go there" (based on our last experience) but I had bought the groupon so we decided to go anyways. BOY AM I GLAD WE WENT. I don't know if it's new ownership or if the cook decided to taste the food but their food is now super tasty. Our waiter was polite and efficient and didn't treat us as less despite us coming with a groupon. When asked, he did let us know the limits of the groupon (basically, none- with the particular groupon we had). Bread with fresh garlic and parmesan cheese was served. OMG the garlic!! I love it, we asked for more even before we ordered. The bread was soft and delish as well. We had the calamari appetizer and the mushroom appetizer. My bf took the first bite of mushroom.. his whole face said "wow" and he said, quite surprised, "this is really good". We were also happy with the calamari- it didn't include a lot of the tentacles which is a plus for me. Entrees: He ordered the Le Gamberetto and I had the Fettuccine di Veneto. They both came out looking delicious and they were! I liked my plate but I'm a sucker for a white sauce and we ended up switching plates halfway through (he's a good boyfriend!). Both pastas were pleasing to the taste buds. My boyfriend commented more than once about how impressed he was with the quality of the food. Our groupon also covered 2 glasses of wine, and it was good for up to $11 a glass, which is their most expensive anyways. By the end of the meal we were both stuffed and satisfied. We couldn't even think about dessert but I bet it would've been good. Overall, we were both impressed and happy with the service and food. I'll definitely buy another groupon if it comes out.. and now that the food is so much better, we'll go and pay full price as well. I was secretly super gleeful at the end of the night.. a happy bf makes a happy gf.. and when the gf gets to eat good food as well.. well, that's just all the better :)
(4)
Erica E.

Don't judge a book by its' cover? Alright, Pasta Pelican, I won't. This place doesn't really look like much, but if you get beyond the tired decor and kitschy nautical theme, then you will make it to the menu which features some delightful surprises. I've been to Scott's Seafood and I thought the Ahi Tuna Salad was MUCH better here than at Scott's. Fresh, unique ingredients and great flavor combinations. The service was okay and again, the decor is pretty sad, but the food was really good and although I was there a bit too early- I guess they have live music on Friday nights!
(3)
peter b.

We just celebrated our wedding at the Pasta Pelican and I can truly say that they made our night perfect. The food was one of the biggest remarks from friends on the night. It is extremely hard to create mass food that doesnt taste dry or old and the food they served to us was so moist and delicious, especially the salmon, that everyone had many servings. Their servers were very well mannered and continued to make sure everything was going perfect to plan. The owner worked well with us and made sure everything we wanted could be and would be taken care of at a cost that we could afford. I am truly happy with the food, service, and management that I would highly recommend this place to anyone. They did a tremendous job catering to us, I could not thank them enough.
(5)
Elizabeth C.

This resturaunt is located ON the water on Alameda island. Serving up italian fair, it's a simple place to enjoy a glass of wine, good food, and a great view. Unfortunately the service for this place dampens the food that I certainly enjoyed. We went here with a party of five. We has a groupon for a party of two which divided up basically resulted in free appetizers and desert. There were not many people there when we entered and it was definitely a little early for dinner, so most likely there was only one server on. Fine...I understand. But the dinner seemed to take forever. The appetizers came out in a timely manner (calamari and bruschetta - both delicious) but when we asked for more bread, that request was shortly forgotten. Our actual meal took about a half hour. When it did come out we had Tortellini al' Ortolana, Pesto di Genovese (with added salmon), Carbonara, Fettuccine di Tequila, and Linguine e Basilico. Everyone really enjoyed their pasta, but we were only checked on once and beverages were slow to be refilled. We were all done and awaiting boxes when we were asked if we wanted dessert. We shared some Tiramisu and Cheesecake. The cheesecake beat out that Tiramisu by a land slide. So creamy and delicious. Ok so here's where I get a little upset. We paid with mostly cash with my portion being put on a card. What I'm assuming happened, is that he forgot about the cash and charged the entire amount to my card. Upon realizing his mistake, he deleted the payment and charged me for the allotted amount. However, he did not tell me this is what happened so come Monday morning I find $100 worth of pasta pelican gone from my account. I immediately called the restaurant looking for a manager to be told she was in a meeting. I called back and she had "just stepped out." I left a message. The next day I called again and left a message. Yesterday I called and left a message. I have yet to hear from them. This morning the incorrect charge was gone from my account. Hooray! Except they don't know what I was calling about, and I still have yet to hear from them. I can't imagine what would have happened had this been a serious issue. I'm severely disappointed.
(2)
Dawn A.

Everything was fantastic. Great view of Oakland at night!
(5)
Analyst C.

Great place! great Italian food; service is good.
(4)
Nicole S.

Came here with a groupon as it appears most people do.... and now I understand why. Their food is bad... I can make better pasta at home. Nothing taste fresh and worse was the caprese appetizer we had. The servers were nice but they seemed lost. This may be a great place for Restaurant Impossible to may a pit -stop. It is a great location on the water with great views but everything on the inside needs an update.
(1)
Aaron A.

I don't know if it's because we used a Group-on, but the food was very bland. The view was nice, the atmosphere was good. Sever did not come to help us but 23 times, once to take our order, second to bring out the food and third when my GF complained that the food was full of pepper. Sorry he also brought out the desert that the chef gave us complementary. To me Horatio's in San Leandro marina area has better food and service.
(3)
L H.

We ordered here once for carry out and then more recently I went to eat here with my sons. Our carry out experience was pretty good. I enjoyed my food, though the portions were on the small side, especially for the price. I went back because I had seen somewhere that this was rated as one of the top 10 restaurants in Alameda to go with children. My three young sons and I were going out to eat and they wanted pasta. I had not seen past the entry before, when I went with my sons and looked some I almost left because it did not look like a good place for children. It looked more like a date night restaurant. However, I am glad we stayed. All of the people working were very good with my sons. They provided something to draw with and brought some bread quickly. This helped keep them occupied. The apple juice was in to go coffee cups with a straw. This is less than ideal, but worked fine. A big plus with kids is when they bring their food out first. I appreciated that they did this. About the time I had them all settled in and started my food arrived. My sons enjoyed their pasta. My dish was also very good. The portions were still smallish for the price, but the food was good. The bread, too, was good. I like the varieties of for the bread. They had butter, a garlic paste, parmesan cheese, and oil with vinegar to go with the bread. Most of the time, they will give you a small thing of oil and balsamic vinegar. Here, they they left the bottles, which I really appreciated. I could mix it how I wanted it and replenish as needed. The bread, too, was very good. What really makes this a five for me is the versatility. I don't give a lot of five star ratings; I want them to be meaningful. I felt they earned it. The view here is very nice, looking out over the water. The atmosphere inside is nice. As noted, if feels more like a place for a nice, romantic dinner. I saw many couples eating here and I will like take my wife sometime. But it also is a nice family place. Its hard to pull off being a good place to take children and a good place for a romantic dinner. The service was very good and the food was good. My young sons really liked the food (one wanted to go back the next night; one said "This is the best restaurant ever!"). It is great when you can find a place young children and the adults really like. I really appreciate that they are part of LocalizeIt, so you can get a discount with this. We'll be back often.
(5)
Kathleen S.

We were there as a part of a city of Alameda deal where entrees were free as we paid $60 for the evening festivities. It is so nice to see Jack London right across the estuary and view is super. Service staff are just fine. Food was seriously horrible. I'm a very tolerant person however for a place to get it wrong on every plate that came out was something to marvel at. In my opinion you have to put actual effort in to screw up salad, clam chowder and simple red sauce pasta dishes. We just sent everything back and left. I could tell the server brought it up to the manager, and he did nothing. Pasta Pelican is not worth it! Even if it's cheap and you have a coupon. What a shame to waste such a great view. I'd spend more money and dine at Scott's or Kincaid's @ Jack London.
(2)
Shawn C.

I'm not sure if they were severely understaffed tonight or if this place is always this way, but everything was slooowwww... We weren't in a hurry so I didn't really mind but it would be nice to get a water refill... just one refill? Please? The couple that was seated next to us upped and left after sitting for a solid 15 minutes without any service whatsoever. It would also have been nice to get seconds on bread considering how long we had to wait, but no one came by that I could ask. I gazed across the bay at Kincaids and imagined attentive waiters topping off water glasses after every sip. Had an Ahi salad: tangy and tasty, pizza: nothing spectacular, but good nonetheless, and the tortellini: a bit on the salty side but not too bad. One line: Great bayside views, good pasta, but slower than molasses.
(3)
PO H.

This restaurant has a VERY good view of the bay. I enjoyed watching the ships passing by.The place is very classy and fancy (good for my taste). The only thing I didn't like about this restaurant is that the wait is WAY too long. The food, on the other hand was great! I love their pasta, especially the Chicken Pasta. And for dessert, I love the creme brulee. It's crispy and soft on the inside, just the way I like it. Overall, I highly recommend this place.
(4)
Kim V.

For a Friday night, this place was moderately crowded. A lot of people, but still plenty of seats open. We got seated on the upper deck with a great view of Jack London Square. Our host seated us right away after checking in, and our waiter(s) were on us every few minutes refilling our waters, refilling our bread (hubby kept eating up all the bread which is served with cheese, olive oil, and mashed garlic) taking our orders, and constantly checking up on us. Despite the other reviewers comments about poor quality of service, I guess we got lucky, because both of our waiters were both very attentive, very friendly, and very polite. They have a wide selection on their menu from hearty appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, salads, pasta dishes, pollo pasta (with chicken), seafood pastas, desserts, and drinks. My friend ordered the Bolognese Pasta and the Tortilla Soup which both were to her liking since she finished it all. Hubby ordered the Pollo Pelicano which comes with chicken breast on one side of the plate, and a serving of pasta on the other. The Pollo Pelicano was a bit too salty for us, so I don't think we'd order that again. I got the Pollo e Spinacio which is a wonderful mixture of curry, spinach, and cream sauce. At first I was a little sketchy because I've never heard of curry cream pasta, but I have to say, BRAVO PASTA PELICAN! It was sooooooo good! It was so good that I only ate half and took the other half to-go so I can have it as a different meal the next day. Plus, that many calories in one meal was just not cuttin' it for me! Everything is moderately priced as well. We paid $18 for a pasta dish at Skates on the Bay that was mediocre, and this place charges $16 for a pasta dish that is PHENOMENAL! Will definitely be dining here again.
(5)
Shib W.

I have a friend who is old-school Alameda and he has his favorite places to eat. I've found out that every place he loves, well....sucks. I always go ONCE to check it out - we have lunch about once a month - and I always shake my head after the meal. So this place. Totally pedestrian food, carelessly prepared from ingredients of unknown origin, lacking in appeal on any level. All this and priced too high.
(2)
Chris N.

Wow, what can I say about pasta pelican. How about..just terrible.. All I could think about was how this restaurant would be perfect for one of those restaurant makeover meals on the food network channel. The meal started off okay, a nice view of the water, a small but decent beer selection and warm bread. You would think you couldn't have gone wrong with the selection of this restaurant. This is where they earned their one star, because nothing else about this dining experience did. they were out of two beers on the menu which didn't bother me too much. I got my racer 5, one of my favorite ipa's. Now onto the appetizers. A portobello mushroom dish that the server recommended and fried calamari. The mushroom dish came with one mushroom cut in half garnished with an iceberg lettuce medley. It was also very oily and the taste was just as bad as the poor presentation. Next the calamari was not cooked very well, came with an odd possibly tartar sauce, and again garnished with the iceberg lettuce. My girlfriend enjoyed the iceberg lettuce more than the appetizers. Next was the sesame chicken salad. It was edible but I'm pretty sure the chicken that was used was frozen chicken. I can thaw frozen chicken and put it into salad. If i wanted that I wouldnt have gone to a sit-down restaurant. For the main course I got a spinach chicken pasta in a curry sauce (ok probably not the best choice at an itaian place, if that's what this place is supposed to be). The taste was strange and again it came with frozen chicken. And I'm talkin about frozen precooked chicken like you can buy at the store if you're too lazy to cook your own chicken, that stuff was awesome in college! My girlfriends pasta was very dry for some reason even though it was a meat sauce pasta. Was it sitting under a heat lamp for an hour? It sure tasted like it. And something that wouldnt have normally bothered me, they asked us on three separate occasions if we wanted dessert. No way bro! If you end up here, just stick with the beer!
(1)
Julie Y.

This place was great!!! It Overlooked the water which is gorgeous on a clear sunsetting evening. Really good & efficient waiters & waitresses, I would give them a 5! We came with a large group so they did great. My food was good, I had the ravioli. I just wasn't that full after, I don't remember the portions being that big. Everyones else's looked great too though. so a four on my food. We dined upstairs, I don't know if there was a difference between the upstairs & the downstairs but there was a little stage that looked like bands or something could perform. Overall it was a good experience & I would totally go back!
(4)
Tiffany M.

Went with some friends after a day out sailing. I was pleasantly surprised. The view was very nice and our service prompt and efficient - and it was a Friday night. The complimentary bread served with grilled garlic, and I think ground garlic - which was very spicy and oh so garlicy, and parmesan was a welcome change from the usual bread and olive oil. I had the carbonara that was very good albeit not served in the traditional manner with raw eggs, but no complaints from me. I only wish my serving was larger. Husband had the spaghetti and meatballs that he enjoyed. One of our friends had the seafood ravioli dish that looked very good and I might have to try it next time. And a bottle of wine. Malto bene!
(4)
Anisha N.

I would definitely have given this place more stars if the service was not so crappy. I got a Living Social deal for this place. I made reservations so we were seated right away but we got seated right at the foot of the stairs. Our server kept going back and forth to the tables on either side of us but never bothered to check if we needed anything else. We had to flag him down to get the dessert menu. He never came to check if we wanted more wine which we would have gladly paid extra for. I really loved the view and the decor is very nice. The music on the 2 floor was mediocre which kind of spoiled the ambiance. I just felt that we were being given crappy service since we weren't paying full price but one should never assume. I would have definitely come back and would have recommended this place to all my friends who live close to the area but now, no way!!!
(2)
michelle h.

A great place for dinner. Pros: - good pasta & steak - good desserts - free parking - nice view Cons: - service is ehhhh somedays - ordered medium well steak and it came out rare! Favorites: - Fettuccine Alfredo - Steak - Tiramisu
(4)
Laura D.

I can't hold out any longer! I have excused the poor service, lack-luster food, and general abuse of this restaurant for long enough. I used to be a regular here when they had exactly two waiters that knew how to serve. They both have left, or have different shifts now. What is left is a bunch of floundering fools for lunchtime. I just had lunch here and it was terrible. The manager walks around and only talks to his friends, sits down and reads the paper, or worse..helps out one table, but ignores everyone else. You have to flag down the one server for anything you may want/need. From the dingy decor, terrible service, sky high prices (for what you get), and bad food. It is just plain bad. The drinks are equally as horrific. I just spent $45 for a small cup of vegetable soup (from frozen) and a seared ahi tuna salad & linguini bolognese for my companion. First off, the menu said "lightly dressed", but it came out sopping wet, the avocado and mango were hiding beneath the lettuce, and the tuna was arranged in a half circle around the plate in little one inch cubes. It was supposed to be seared, but came out completely rare and cold (almost frozen). Tells you where it had just been, doesn't it? My companion's bolognese had meatballs that were obviously frozen Costco and doctored up with some fresh basil. Yuk. My stomach hurts now from the over dressed salad. I'm giving two stars because the view of the estuary is nice. If not for that, this review would definitely be one star or less. Too bad because this is the closest restaurant to where I work.
(2)
B B.

Bought the 3 courses meal from living social. good service and they serve our food fast! better call in to make reservation so you can get the good seat on the 2nd floor. their food is good, price is decent. it is a great place to bring ur lover there and have a romantic meal with a good price. you can see this restaurant from jack london square and you can see jack london square when you are eating at this restaurant.
(4)
Original S.

Pasta Pelican is an Alameda favorite of many. We've come here numerous times, mostly because of the calming effect of their beautiful view of the Oakland waterfront. This restaurant is built on piers over the water and you enter from a small bridge from the parking lot. If you don't have a table by the window, you aren't getting the most appealing aspect of eating at Pasta Pelican. The food is Italian with some American menu items. The salads are pretty good. The entrees are hit or miss. Overall, would say the food is just okay. I've had better and worse. The waitstaff is always attentive and polite. The prices are somewhat affordable. Don't forget to look on GroupOn or Restaurant.com for gift certificates. It's the view of the Oakland waterfront that makes us go back. In truth, Pasta Pelican is special because of its unique location on the Oakland waterfront, bumping it up from 2 stars to 3.
(3)
M K.

I love love the food and ambiance is superb. Thank you Hadi for making delicious PASTA all the time. Customer service is awesome.
(5)
Hadrianus C.

Not sure if I came on an off day, but getting FOOD POISONING here once makes the last straw for me. I had ordered their Pesto di Genovese, and while it tasted okay, I should have been more skeptical when I noticed how dim their lights were. I could have eaten a bug (or something worse) without even seeing it! And for $12, at least increase the portion size or something! It was literally just pasta and sauce with five super small chunks of tomatoes! But...let's give Pasta Pelican the benefit of the doubt that maybe it was just my stomach acting funny. And let's give them the benefit of the doubt that it just happened so that the band really really sucked that very night I had dinner here. The vocalist sang way out of tune, and since no one really applauded, he kept soliciting every table to win over some fans. While I understand that his job is to enhance the dining experience with music, inviting himself to my table, grabbing a seat, and then asking if its anyone's birthday or anniversary is going way too far. After we politely said, "No," he desperately goes to another table and does the same. Finally, when someone tipped him to sing, he suddenly pops up behind me and sticks the microphone in my face while I had a mouthful of food. Seriously?! Don't let the scenic location and the nice interior decor fool you. Pasta Pomodoro makes way better food for a better price, and you'll never have to worry about a band member annoying you while you eat.
(1)
Nicolette G.

I love this place! The food is really good, although I admit, their menu doesn't ever change. It is not trendy, but very good at old school American -Italian seafood. My favorite is thursdays when they have very affordable wine tastings - be sure to bring a designated driver! The water views are wonderful too!
(4)
Marites C.

The restaurant has a very good view, food is good, but the place needs to update. Service was ok, but they switch our tab to the next table by mistake.
(3)
Amy G.

Love this place! My husband and I found a voucher on Living Social for this restaurant and decided to try it out. The restaurant is very charming and the view is awesome! We had an early dinner so there were only a few people in the dining area which made for a wonderfully romantic dinner. Our server came to our table and was very friendly, even after I gave him my voucher. The service we received throughout the entire dinner never changed because we had a voucher. Our waiter was very attentive to our needs and the manager was very friendly. They made us feel like VIP's. Been a long time since we received such great service at a restaurant. The food was excellent. I definitely recommend the Bruschetta. Loved it! We thoroughly enjoyed our meal here and can't wait to go back.
(4)
Sarmad N.

I have been here about five times. (including today) however i must note i was not here for a traditional sit down lunch or dinner. I have come here for a networking meeting in which we use the restaurant space and they serve us lunch. with that being said i must say the food is very good. The bread is always fresh and combined with the olive oil, vinegar, parmesan cheese it is to die for! the pasta and salad are also extremely good. We are fed in a big buffet style. I have never actully had the food on their traditional menu but if their food for 40 or so people is that good their dishes for one must be so much better. I look forward to trying this place on my own one night.
(4)
Rick G.

Went here to celebrate our wedding anniversary because it sounded like a nice place. We got sat in the upstairs area which is different than the main dining room area. It's was like sitting in a bar. The bartender was our waitress, so the service was not very attentive. Food is only mid-western quality. Used to be the Rusty Pelican. Not a good change.
(2)
Anthony C.

I really like this place. Took my wife(girlfriend then) to pasta pelican and enjoyed it. The view of the water was romantic and the staff was great! We enjoyed the bruschetta and the seafood pasta.
(5)
Jed D.

Great food and service. The portobello appetizer was finger lickin . Waiter was friendly and attentive. Price was reasonable. Definitely would recommend the resto to friends.
(5)
Karen L.

I've only been here once, for my best friend's birthday. We had a fairly large party but the service was good. However, because of our large party, not everyone got their food at the same time. But I suppose that's unavoidable, due to our large party. I ordered the carbonara, and it was REALLY good. So yummy and tasty and full of flavor and yummy ingredients... Yum. And I really liked how the servers didn't try to kick us out, even when everyone else had left and it was probably past closing time... We were just chilling and cutting cake, and taking pictures. The bread was also good, and the prices are actually not too bad. Oh, and the ambiance of the restaurant is really nice as well. It overlooks the water, so it's definitely a romantic restaurant to take a date.
(4)
Richard W.

We came here with high expectations based on prior reviews. However, much to our dismay our reservation was lost and we were confused with a nonexistent party of six - our reservation was suppose to be at 6 for two. The hostess and the front manager were really scattered and made us wait while they sat other two party groups that didn't have a reservation. That's when we knew there was a mistake. They fixed the problem by providing us a table with a wonderful view of the bathroom sink along with the cluttered floor that was littered with paper towels. The door of the bathroom remained open during our entire meal. It was the least of our worries. We ordered drinks, that took 20 minutes to get to us, only to find out that the gin martini that was suppose to be Beef Eaters was in fact Belvedere a vodka. Thankfully it only took 2 minutes to bring the "correct" drink out - but it was a total fail. Our server was a nice girl who had a great smile but unfortunately couldn't handle the heat as the meal continued to spiral downward while waiting for the appetizers and the drinks. She handed us off to other waiter/bartender/ bus boy, he did well, but the chef failed him too. The owner was running around with his shirt hanging out and untidy, trying to help out here and there, though he totally ignored our table. The fresh bread was tasty, but the olive oil and balsamic vinegar tasted spoiled and rancid. The Calamari Fritti was undercooked and very chewy while the tomato mozzarella Caprese was disgusting - the cheese tasted awful. next was the soup, the cream of spinach that actually tasted so organic that it was like eating field dirt. At last our entree's came, it took about 20 minutes after we were done with the soup. I can say the pasta by itself was good, but they ruined it with the chicken and the shrimp (Pollo Pelicano & Le Gamberetto) as they clearly had no clue that food keeps cooking long after it's left the pan, the oven or the broiler. The Chicken was dry and lifeless and tasted like cardboard while the Prawns were tasteless and chewy. Save yourself some coin and enjoy Carl Jr.'s instead, you'll be happy you did.
(1)
Mocha G.

Got the Groupon special for 4 people, which included appetizer, salad, entree. We ordered bruchetta, 2 Caprese salad, fried calamari. We were given lots of bread and olive oil/garlic to dip bread in. We each had a huge salad. Entrees we ordered were 2 pastas, one chicken dish and one pasta with seafood. A lot of the entrees had cream sauces on them. We dined on a Monday night, tables were full of customers upstairs. Service was slow probably due to the number of customers. Food is ok.
(2)
Sandan K.

My wife and I have visited this restaurant at least 5 times, and we always enjoy the experience. The view of the water is spectacular, the surrounding boats and nautical lifestyle is interesting, the wait staff is always courteous, and of course the food is very good. It's pleasant to walk around a bit after dinner or lunch, very safe.
(5)
D S.

Very good preparation and flavors...With lovely view back onto jack london harbor and sail boats returning home. Superb claim chowder --and we're from clam country -- excellent salmon and tilapia entrees and my son had a perfect cheese burger.
(3)
kathleen d.

My husband and I thought we'd give them a try for their Valentines Day Fixed Menu for 49.00 a piece.....major fail. First of all we were seated in a corner that had unused stacked furniture next to the wine rack...very tacky. Secondly, our waitress knew absolutely nothing about the menu. THE Menu was unclear and misleading. The appetizers were so horrible..lets start with the calamari that I ordered...3 tiny calamari..flavorless and not worth the time it took took get it.. my husband got a cheese and olive disappointment...tasted old and rancid. Salads were ok...they were the only good thing. The main courses were an absolute joke. My husbands filet mignon was probably 2 ounces at best...gone in 2 bites and served with...wait for it.....about 1/8 of a cup of brown rice...1 carrot stick and 1 broccoli floret. It was a laugh a minute at this place. My halibut was smaller than the Gorton's halibut I get at the store and very dry and overcooked...and also served with the baby portion of brown rice...The topper of the evening was an undercooked, tapioca -like substance they called creme brulet...yuk....will be returning to Paradiso next year... Run, run away.......from this place. It has gone totally downhill.
(1)
Doo-Kett S.

Very good pasta, service was excellent. Be prepared to wait for your food. We were a party of five and if took over 1/2 hour for the food to come out. 5 stars for food. 4 stars for the wait.
(5)
Kacie K.

We had a great time coming here for my and my boyfriend's birthday dinner. We each got a pizza for dinner, with soup or salad and had a bottle of wine. For less than 50 bucks. Can't beat the price or the view. And it didn't hurt that the band took the time to sing happy birthday to us.
(4)
Feed M.

I've had the steak and salmon picatta here. Both were great. Service is prompt and friendly. Prices are fair too.
(4)
John Z.

Tried out Pasta Pelican with a Groupon and I'm a huge fan! The food is delicioso. The portobello and bruschetta on a a bed of lettuce was a perfect appetizer to start with. The Clam Chowder was creamy, but not overly so, and had just the right about of clam bits. I think that the potatoes may have been pureed into the chowder instead of having the largish chunks. The main course was phenomenal. I had this chicken, artichoke, and sun dried tomato dish that was scrumtrulescent. The lightly creamy sauce and perfectly cooked noodles were just right. The service at Pasta Pelican is good. Not great, but definitely 3 stars. One of the best assets of Pasta Pelican is the view. The restaurant sits right on the water, directly across the harbor from Scott's in Oakland. The parking is somewhat nightmarish because there are scores of cars parked for the adjacent Commodore boat cruise tours and the nearby senior living center. The only thing holding me back from a 5-star rating is that the prices as a teensy bit high for folks that are dining without the Groupon or Restaurant.com deal.
(4)
Greg G.

What many of the reviewers say is true. Pasta Pelican has a wonderful waterfront view and a very nice ambiance. The staff is friendly and prompt, the food comes out fast, and this is a very unique restaurant overall. However, the food is a total miss. I came here a few nights ago for dinner with my family and was pretty disappointed. I had the Salmon Picatta, which tasted like it was drenched in lemon. My Girlfriend had the Chicken Parmesan which was totally chewy, and the veggies did not taste fresh. My Mom ordered the Spaghetti and Meatballs which was way overcooked and clearly had store bought frozen meatballs. This place gets a lot of 5 star reviews from other Yelpers, but I think they're getting caught up in the nice view and 'uniqueness' of this restaurant- the food is not anywhere near 5 stars... As an Alameda native I don't like giving 2 star reviews to Alameda restaurants, but for me the food lacked so much in so many areas... If you do go, there are coupons on restaurant.com
(2)
Susan D.

The View was beautiful, the service was attentive and the roaring fire was cozy. We felt the food was average. I brought my pasta home and enjoyed it more the second night. The apple walnut cobbler was like Christmas in my mouth. So delicious-I would go back for a coffee and the cobbler. The teramisu was not good; it tasted like whipped cream and lady fingers dusted with cocoa-I've had better from a grocery store. All in all it was a nice dinner especially with the Groupon deal.
(3)
Umit A.

I think this was our 4th time there. I definitely recommend this place to the couples who will enjoy nice conversation in a quiet restaurant with an amazing view. Every time i try something different, so this time it was chicken with spinach $16 (pollo a spinachio or something like that in the menu :), that was very very delicious. I gave 5 star not just for food or the view, its also the service. Zein was so professional. They brought everything at the very right time. They serve bread with olive oil, vinegar, cheese, and garlic paste. Try not to fill your stomach with the bread at the beginning. Its so fresh and delicious.
(5)
Ananda S.

Delicious appetizers, pasta, wine and dessert. Nice staff. Beautiful view. Can't complain. Would recommend for sure.
(5)
Donald S.

Ok, so I did crack jokes that me and my friend were the only two in the restaurant on a Thursday Night who is not on Social Security (it is across from a Retirement Home) I got to admit that I enjoyed my food here. Because its not that busy (a bit off the main path of traffic) you don't have to be lucky to get a table near the waterfront. The waitress was VERY attentive to us, which is always a big place for me. The food was pretty good although not amazing. They did have some interesting combinations of Pasta, like my Tequilla Lima Pasta which was very nice. Great Experience, I recommend if you are in North Alameda area.
(4)
Jory M.

We forgot why we hadn't been to the Pelican in 5 years so we decided to find out. For what reason I can't answer, because $45 later, I wish we didn't. I'm baffled as a I read through these 4 and 5 star reviews and I can only assume it's because these people have no idea what good food is supposed to taste like, because the Pasta Pelican is a joke. Why you ask? Salad - definitely from a bag...really? Unacceptable. Pasta sauce - can you say, Bertolli? Get real. Pasta - 100% boxed - don't even try and tell me you're making it. Produce - canned. Folks, if you don't know a canned mushroom from a fresh one, you've already lost your credibility to give this place a 4 or 5 star rating. But perhaps the most egregious culinary disaster at this place is the meat - without a doubt it's pre-frozen (the chicken had fake grill marks and had the consistency of a sponge). This is ridiculous. Notice a theme? Yah, me too. You can do far better yourself if you've got the patience. Find your inner Emeril and go for it, because it'll surely turn out better than this stuff - even if you end up microwaving Stouffer's lasagna. If you've ventured through my other reviews, you'll see that I've crowned Zeytini as the worst restaurant on the island. For now, it's keeping it's crown, but the Pelican's coming in for a rough landing. I'd give not a star at all if not for the amazing bread and incredible views. Unfortunately, those views are clouded by filthy, single-paned windows.
(1)
Alan H.

I felt like I was transported back to the 1980's when i first stepped into the dining hall, and i wasn't even born until '91. It went downhill from there. My friends got an $11 calamari dish, and I chose something a bit harder to mess up: cesar salad. The salad was very disappointing, it came with two tiny pieces of anchovy on top and was completely overdressed. Its croutons taste like they came out of some costco XXL crouton bag, and the lettuce was completely chopped up, which I guess is very thoughtful if I had dentures. I didn't know what frozen calamari tasted like until I tried my friends calamari dish. Safe to say, i would never come back here again, and I advise anyone thinking about coming here to stay clear. They don't deserve the one star that yelp is forcing me to give them.
(1)
s. j.

Went to this place on New Years Day with a groupon. The service was good and food was great. I will definitely be back.
(4)
Leslie K.

Years ago when I first moved to Alameda we had dinner here. It was less than mediocre. Soon after I was invited to a business lunch (free!) and it was still sub-par. But something's changed...and I'm glad we have this scenic, cozy place on the island. In the last two weeks I ate their twice. Now there's not much for a vegan to eat there but they worked with me and created a very tasty pasta dish. On both visits the friends that joined us enjoyed their pasta dishes as well. No one tried any hardcore meat dishes or their pizza. We tried a few appetizers -- bruschetta was delicious; friends enjoyed the portobello mushrooms with oodles of melted cheese. I sneaked a few bites of the brownie and apple walnut cobbler desserts and they were surprisingly good. Not vegan but...a little diary here and there in social situations just happens. Upstairs they often have live bands; we opted for the beautiful fireplace downstairs. Its seems like a nice place to have a party/wedding too.
(4)
Ellen O.

This charming waterside restaurant offers good food. The salmon picatta and the mussels venetto were much appreciated. Breads, salads, and appetizers of portobello and clams superb! Would recommend this if you can find it, because it is hidden slightly in a cove. Remember to turn right as soon as you are out of the Webster tube. Only one waitstaff on a Monday, but it worked out ok.
(4)
Ethan J.

Recently there with the Mrs, and enjoyed the food, atmostphere and a bottle of wine. I recommend this restaurant as a great place to take a date but be sure to make reservations before hand.
(4)
Bettie P.

Never again. This was one of those rare times where you sit in a restaurant, holding your coat, discussing with your dinner date about just walking out, and being so furious you want to go just get a hot dog somewhere. My friend and I came for dinner last night at 5:45pm. We were seated right away, but seated upstairs. This was not appreciated, considering my dinner friend is 475 pounds and it is hard for him to get up/down stairs due to knee arthritis. They should have asked us if Upstairs was ok, considering there were plenty of tables open downstairs, on the waterfront (where we wanted). We quickly realized once seated upstairs that there was some sort of company holiday party going on. It took up the entire upstairs. They were playing games, yelling, whistling, then there was some gift exchange game and raffle numbers. It was SOOO f'ing loud that my friend and I could not even have a conversation so we just sat there being irritated. They should have had this company rent out the upstairs, and not let any regular diners up there. Because the whole room was a company party, and then us. (and maybe 2 other tables of regular diners). but it was SO loud and irritating. Next, we wanted to order appetizers. One of the MAIN REASONS I CAME HERE was for the Clam Chowder because I read good reviews about it on Yelp, and if you look on this page, it is featured in the "Review Highlights" section. Waiter tells me they are out of clam chowder. Ugh. So we order 2 other appetizers, and the table behind us ordered appetizers too. After a long wait, the table behind us gets their appetizers, yet we're still sitting there with no food and no service. Our waiter still has not taken our dinner order, and we've already been here 1/2 hour. The party is SO loud, screaming, doing raffles, playing games, hooting and hollering - so we start discussing leaving/walking out. At this point we have had a water and a root beer. Thats it, and already sitting there for 1/2 hour and have not ordered dinner. No waiter has been over to our table. Finally we get our appetizer. The shrimp cocktail had so many oranges, lemons, and tomatoes decorating the glass; only to cover up the fact that it was only 6 measly shrimp. Bruschetta and pesto dip was ok. Finally the server asks if we want to order food (45 minutes after we got there). I order Salmon Picatta and friend orders the New York Strip Steak, WELL DONE. Again, another f'ing 1/2 hour of waiting and sitting in HELL (aka, screaming company party). NO ONE comes over to our table. At this point, my friend has had 5 root beers. Finally a server comes over saying our food should be out shortly. Keep in mind that this WHOLE time, we are sitting with our dirty appetizer dishes covering the table because no one will come take them away. That waiter lied - our food was not "out shortly". Another 15 minutes goes by and now we're starting to fight over walking out or not. My stomach is in knots, its So loud and chaotic in there that Ive lost my appetite. We have waited over a f'ing hour for food. FINALLY our food comes. My salmon picatta was NOT piccata or what it explains on the menu. The menu says its in a lemon butter wine cream sauce with capers. First, there were no capers (I will post a photo once i get it off my phone). Next, there was no SAUCE. No sauce even lingering in the bottom of the dish. I could tell the penne was tossed with some sort of light cream sauce; but did not taste like lemon nor butter and there were no capers. I ate the small piece of grilled salmon; and left the rest. My friends steak was bloody raw red. He ordered it well-done. He can eat some medium-rare steak sometimes, but even this steak was pretty much still moo-ing. The steak inside was as red as my lipstick. It was served with a side of vegetables. My friend loves veggies, but they were all dried out. Like, you could see how dried out they were just by looking at them. Note: There are NO Salt/pepper on any of the tables.* So, 90 minutes of sitting in screeching screaming hell; only to have a small piece of salmon and a few bites of NY Strip steak (eating around the edges). We asked for the bill as soon as our food came. We paid and left. We left a $10 tip but thats ONLY because we didnt want to wait around to get change for a lesser tip. We just wanted the F *** out of there. This place is on the waterfront and could be romantic. But its like they dont really CARE about the comfort or service to their patrons. If this changed, this could be an awesome place. They should have checked in with us more, not just let us sit or 90 minutes. They NEVER came to ask how the steak was or how anything was. Never going back. Horrible experience.
(1)
Donald L.

Had a nice dinner here tonight. Good food, very good prices and the service was surprisingly good. Live piano music was a nice touch. The view is excellent!
(4)
Lena L.

I have a friend who raves about Pasta Pelican and it's wonderful bruschetta dish and I thought to myself, "Hey...I should probably check this place out." My friend and I decided to try it out and we had a difficult time even finding the place. My damn iPhone was sending me around in circles. Damn you, iPhone!! We finally found the place and it was nestled along the water. Pretty nice view of Jack London. We started off with the Calamari appetizer. Meh. I didn't like it. The exterior texture of the Calamari left a really funny taste in my mouth and it just wasn't enjoyable. My friend had the New York strip and it was just too rough and bland for me. I had the veal and it was just decent. The capers that came along with the veal sauce was overpowering and I personally wouldn't prefer the capers to be there. One thing that was good there was the clam chowder. Yum. Besides the view, there's nothing really to rave about here. Oh! And silly me, I didn't even order the Bruschetta. Dammit!
(2)
Anna C.

Called and made reservation for 7:30pm for party of 2, waited for 30 minutes after arriving at 7:30pm and still no table to seat us due to reason "very crowd tonight". If you are so crowd tonight, then don't take any reservations!
(1)
Shalounda L.

Love this place. We like to go on Friday nights for the live music, chowder & great food. They give you a generous helping on all the menu items. However, my fave is the fettuccini venetto. It's a seafood pasta dish that is delishy!!
(4)
Anita B.

Date Night with my hubby was perfect. The service was friendly and attentive. From beginning to end it was authentic Italian. The staff was quick to serve and make suggestions. It felt like they were greatful that we chose to dine with them. I haven't felt that in a long time. This is not a place for the young hip crowd, it's for families to share a meal in a relaxed but I'm not at Denny's atmosphere. It's a place for couples to have a romantic dinner with a waterfront view. We were there when the sun was setting on the bay and Jack London Square lit up like a christmas tree. The food was fantastic. It was all fresh and handmade. It tasted like my grandmother was in the kitchen making dinner for just my husband and I. From to bread to dessert my only dissapointment was the chicken was a little dry, but the flavors and perfectly cooked pasta more than made up for it. Our next family celebration will be at Pasta Pelican.
(4)
Kathleen B.

The live music is great. The band is real good. Food is okay. Waiters take forever. You don't eat for awhile. Well ok, maybe that's not the waiters fault. They were actually pretty nice when they came around. It must have been people in the kitchen. For how long it took, the food wasn't really worth waiting that long for. My salmon pasta, I must admit, the salmon was great, but the dish itself was overall too salty.
(3)
Deanna A.

I may be biased because I live around the corner and think that this is another Alameda staple that epitomizes the great, quaint, and cozy feel that this small town has to offer. LOVE it. Location: Marina side, along the water facing Jack London Square Wine boats are docked right outside of the Pelican. You feel at peace and that life is at a good pace here. Establishment: Its not fancy by any means. It has a nice, little town, home feel to it. Its dark wood and has character to it. I always go upstairs because there are a few tv's, a fireplace, and comfy chairs. Service: They don't always have a hostess waiting for you as you walk in, but the staff that they do have are all nice and accommodating. They differ in age which is nice (from the young buck to 50's). Upstairs is staffed with 1-2 people, so don't expect fast service. This is really a place to sit back, grab a drink, and converse/hang out. Food: The sourdough bread and olive oil/vinegar with parm cheese and garlic mix is fantastico. I can get full of that alone. They have a decent selection of happy hour apps and sips. The main dishes are tasty dishes and are in hearty portion for the moderate price you are paying. Dishes I've tried and would happily munch on again: fried calamari, clam chowder, caprese salad, bruschetta, pollo con carciofo (basil, artichokes, sun dried tomato over linguini), and pollo pelicano! (capers, YAY). There's a lot more for me to try. Honestly, everything here is just solid. You're not going to experience culinary innovation here or get top shelf one of a kind fancy schmancy drinks. But what you do experience is a feeling of comfort, ease, and Alameda. If you live in Alameda or get the Alameda mag, there's ALWAYS a coupon in there. Buy one entree get the other free (with purchase of 2 drinks). PS- If don't think this place is ADA wheel-chair accessible only because at the entrance, there are 1-2 steps that you can't avoid (and no ramp). But you may want to call for an alternate route.
(4)
Marsha G.

I was a little hesitant to go here because of the variety of reviews, but my husband didn't want to cook so I went for whatever deal I could find, so we used a Travelzoo voucher. I was pleasantly surprised. Because of all the reviewers that had experienced bad service, I wasn't expecting much. But we got our waters fairly quickly, as well as the bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar (it was yummy!). I can't speak for any of the other servers, but our server Zein was very good. He got us refills and our food quite fast. I got the salmon and my husband got a pizza with mushroom, pepperoni, mozzarella. We were both very happy with our choices. I don't eat mushrooms so the sauteed mushrooms that were supposed to be on my entrÃ©e were served on the side and my husband said they were the best mushrooms he ever had (I assume they were sauteed in the same sauce as my salmon). We had a very good experience here and would definitely come back again (but most likely only if we had a deal since I'm cheap!).
(4)
Foodierock n.

Nice-OK food, lovely ambiance and very very relax environment. I would go back for the view.
(4)

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Address : 2455 Mariner Square Dr
Alameda, CA, 94501
Phone (510) 864-7427
Website https://www.pastapelican.com
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :11:30 am - 2:00pm

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Romantic
Noise Level : Average
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes

Claim Restaurant

Italian Cuisine

The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.

Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.

If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.

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Pasta Pelican Restaurant

2455 Mariner Square Dr, Alameda, CA, 94501

Pasta Pelican Restaurant Menu

Starters and Sides

Salads

Lite Fare

Pasta

Entrees

Healthy Meal suggestions for Pasta Pelican Restaurant

Starters and Sides

Salads

Lite Fare

Pasta

Entrees

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