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Name: Handles Gastropub
Address: 855 Main St, Pleasanton, CA, 94566
Telephone: (925) 399-6690
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.11

Handles Gastropub

855 Main St, Pleasanton, CA, 94566

(925) 399-6690
Store is closed

Handles Gastropub Menu

Organic Greens

Wedgie

Spinach and Pear

Caesar

Farmers Mix

Wedgie

Spinach and Pear

Caesar

Farmers Mix
Small Plates

Real Fries

Real Fries with Sweet Potato Fries

Seasonal Hummus

Smoked Wings

Kobe Sliders

Pork Nachos

Street Tacos

Ceviche Tostaditas

Calamari Fritto

Crispy Artichoke Hearts

Mac and Cheese

Real Fries

Real Fries with Sweet Potato Fries

Seasonal Hummus

Smoked Wings

Kobe Sliders

Pork Nachos

Street Tacos

Ceviche Tostaditas

Calamari Fritto

Crispy Artichoke Hearts

Mac and Cheese
From the Kettle

Belgian Ale Onion Soup

Soup of the Moment

Hearty Steak Chill

Belgian Ale Onion Soup

Soup of the Moment

Hearty Steak Chill
Burgers and More

The Natural

Bison Burger

Tri-Tip Dip

Double Trotter

Pastrami Reuben

Veggie Melt

The Natural

Bison Burger

Tri-Tip Dip

Double Trotter

Pastrami Reuben

Veggie Melt
Mains

Fish and Chips

Shepherds Pie

Simply Grilled

Beer Chicken & Biscuits

Omg Meatloaf

Summer Vegetable Tian

The Chop

Steak & Frites

Fish and Chips

Shepherds Pie

Simply Grilled

Beer Chicken & Biscuits

Omg Meatloaf

Summer Vegetable Tian

The Chop

Steak & Frites
Happy Hour

Sliders

Crispy Artichoke Hearts

Street Tacos

Smoked Wings

Crisp Calamari

Mac and Cheese

Ceviche Tostaditas

Farmers Salad

Sliders

Crispy Artichoke Hearts

Street Tacos

Smoked Wings

Crisp Calamari

Mac and Cheese

Ceviche Tostaditas

Farmers Salad

Healthy Meal suggestions for Handles Gastropub

Organic Greens

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Farmers Mix [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Small Plates

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Crispy Artichoke Hearts [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Crispy Artichoke Hearts [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mac and Cheese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
From the Kettle

Belgian Ale Onion Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Soup of the Moment [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hearty Steak Chill [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Belgian Ale Onion Soup [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Soup of the Moment [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hearty Steak Chill [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Burgers and More

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

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

Tri-Tip Dip [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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

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

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

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

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

Tri-Tip Dip [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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

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

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

Fish and Chips [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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

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

Beer Chicken & Biscuits [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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

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

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

Steak & Frites [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fish and Chips [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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

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

Beer Chicken & Biscuits [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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

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

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

Steak & Frites [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Happy Hour

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

Crispy Artichoke Hearts [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Crispy Artichoke Hearts [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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

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

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

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

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

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

Visit below restaurant in Pleasanton for healthy meals suggestion.

Denny’s ( 6455 Owens Dr )

Auntie Anne’s ( Stone Ridge Mall,1212 Stoneridge Mall Rd )

Visit below restaurant in Pleasanton for healthy meals suggestion.

Denny’s ( 6455 Owens Dr )

Auntie Anne’s ( Stone Ridge Mall,1212 Stoneridge Mall Rd )

Write An Anonymous Review

Pat R.

I have been going in to Handles for about six months now. After they got over their opening growing pains, it has gotten a lot better. The food has gone from average to pretty good. The service has gotten a lot better. Seems the bad servers have been let go or quit. The staff has their act together now. I like being able to choose the atmosphere I want to dine in. Here you can do the sports bar, the casual dinning, Formal dinning and now sit outside on Main street or in the Patio area. You pick what you want depending on your mood. There are a lot of places to choose from downtown, but I find myself going back to Handles.
(4)
Ryan B.

The food is pretty tasty but could definitely use a little work, especially on the burgers. The buns can get a little soggy. But, overall I love this bar because I love good beer. They have over 30 beer selections on tap and don't even think about asking for a Coors, Miller, Corona, or Bud. This place serves real beer and it tends to keep all the train wreck drunks at places like Sunshine. I will definitely be returning.
(4)
Roxanne T.

Decided on Handles Gastropub for pre-show dinner & drinks before heading over to the Firehouse Arts Center. Good food, good service, cozy atmosphere and a great selection of local beers (and wines!) on tap!
(4)
C S.

Great burgers and pub food. I had the Bleu Cheese burger which was excellent and the fries were good too. Wonderful beer selection on tap . Great service and live bands on Saturday nights. The old Pleasanton Hotel is a beautiful building and has great local history. This place is big enough for large parties too.
(4)
Colleen M.

I know there have been some not so good reviews on here so I wanted to write something good since I did have a great experience. I first came to this place because my sister's boyfriend's dad created the bar area and they had discussed how cool it was. So I started going to check it out. I have been 3 times....once with a friend for the night bar scene which was fine. Very crowded (although to be expected on a Friday night) but the beer was good and I love the way they number the been and change it out seasonally. The 2nd time was for a pre drink for my parents co-birthday celebration. We didn't eat there because of the reviews on yelp (my mom was unsure about it) I had 2 or 3 different beers and like them all. It was fun to try all different kinds and just sit in the back, open patio area. Loved that. The 3rd time was Sunday 11/6/11 and my friends and I wanted to try their brunch. We started with the melon and prosciutto which came with a nice mild piece of jack type cheese. Very good. We also each had a drink, mine a chipotle bloody mary, another a regular bloody mary and a 3rd mimosas. I then ordered the smoked pastrami hash which was very unique and good, came with 2 poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce on top. Another ordered eggs benedict and the 3rd an omelet. The Hollandaise sauce was absolutely amazing, nice lemon taste but not overpowering, some of the best I've had. We also got a side of sausage which appeared to be homemade links and was VERY good. The potatoes were seasoned very well with onions and peppers. The mimosas are a great deal if you get a liter/pitcher, you get about 6 glasses and only pay for like 2-3. Over all, the place it better each time I am there and I will definitely be going back for brunch as the waiter indicated it is their best meal! Oh they also play ALL NFL games on Sundays on the numerous TV's they have in the bar, where they serve the brunch! :)
(4)
Brendan H.

AWESOME beer selection. FREE tasters to select a beer. WINE on TAP (no oxidation)! AND a full bar... Friendly staff... Service was quick. Have nothing but positive things to say about the food... don't understand the negative reviews!!??!! Fried green tomatoes were excellent, but man, i wanted more!! Hot pastrami sandwich was great... love the pepper addition! MEATLOAF. AWESOME. Lava cake? Amazing. Get it. I'd previously worked at the Farmer restaurant and came back to check out the new place. What a difference! The place has really opened up... lots of light and awesome new luxurious furniture. The zinc bar was really cool looking too! I'll be back.
(5)
Rich Cha K.

Maybe I was a little to harsh in my first review. In the heat of getting back from dinner you can be full of yourself. The owner wrote me an email and took my comments to heart and I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings but I do want to make an honest review. I went here with high expectations and left disappointed. Service is good but the food was not what we expected. My wife had meatloaf but which was unlike any meatloaf we have had before and it was salty. Having traveled to Asia and Europe, American Restaurants typically oversalt their food compared to other countries. I make meat loaf so I know what goes into a meatloaf I like. 2teaspoons vegetable oil 1 medium onion, chopped medium 2medium cloves garlic, minced 2 large eggs 1/2teaspoon dried thyme 1teaspoon table salt 1/2teaspoon ground black pepper 2teaspoons Dijon mustard "any mustard will do" 2teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1/4teaspoon hot pepper sauce 1/2cup plain yogurt 1pound ground beef" I grind boneless short ribs from Costco" 1/2pound ground pork " I grind boneless pork shoulder from Costco" 1/2pound ground veal 1 1/3 cups fresh bread crumbs" I use Panko" 1/3cup minced fresh parsley leaves Wrapped in Bacon free form on a cookie sheet and slathered with Ketchup brown sugar vinegar sauce with some for extra. 1 cup ketchup 8 tbls brown sugar 8tsp white vinegar. Ground Turkey or Chicken can substitute for veal but pork is essential . Cook to internal temp of 160F I had the Caesar salad which again was unusual and not like anything I was expecting. Other then that the beer selection was nice.
(3)
Reenie M.

Update: Made a second visit to Handles after being contacted by the manager. We ate in the bar-side and it is such a nice atmosphere. It was pretty crowded but the service was good, and the food was great. I was surprised at the children in there [when did we start bringing kids and babies to bars?!] but even then it wasn't too noisy. Did I mention the food was great?? ;-D This was my first visit to Handles and i know they are pretty new so will give them a break. We were talking business so we ate in the dining room but the bar looks like fun. We both had salads which are large portions and my salmon was really good but the salad had waaay too much acid. Not sure if it was the marinated artichoke hearts or the dressing or a combination but I almost choked to death. There was no bread or crackers on the table and my water was gone so I just coughed and coughed and coughed. Kinda wondered where the wait staff was. Service was poor all around - once they took our order we hardly saw anyone. I drink a lot of water even when I am not choking but had to keep asking for it. I will probably give them another try but definitely in the bar where there are enough people to get someone's attention I need someone.
(4)
Carey R.

I came for lunch. It was pretty busy so I sat in the bar. I had the hot wings and the carver sandwich. The hot wings were good. They were hot (heat wise) and the sauce was spicy - but I had it on the side to control the temp. I was concerned because I think there were only 6-7 wings on the plate, but they were really meaty and should have stopped there. The Turkey Carver Sandwich - Let me just say, I want another one right now! It was a perfect blend. I love arugula, but never thought of it with turkey and it was great. It is meant to be eaten there. I had the second half for dinner and it was good, but not as good as leftovers. Service was great too!
(5)
G R.

I was able to contact a manager about my recent experience. They were very supportive and I arranged to come back and give them another opportunity. Everything was much better. Wait staff very attentive and helpful I had steak and fries, my wife had meatloaf and our child had kids steak and fries. I was impressed that the kids steak was as big as mine at half the price. Wife loved her meatloaf, daughter cleaned her plate of steak, I loved mine too. Service was great. Definitely coming back Thanks for your support
(4)
Cameron C.

Handles is a great place to go on a date! I actually took my girlfriend there for Valentines Day. They have an impressive build out with a comfortable and inviting bar area. The management does an impressive job running the facility and the food always tastes delicious. I live within walking distance from handles so I tend to go there frequently. In addition to the classy atmosphere and affordable menu, I am always impressed with how well the place is ran. This establishment really embraces the downtown Pleasanton culture. If you have already been there, you know what I'm talking about. But if you haven't, definitely give it a shot. I promise you will leave with a smile on your face. Be sure to try the Mac n Cheese and if you get the french fries, request some cajun seasoning.
(5)
Mike J.

I had visited them once before shortly after they opened. They have done a great job of remodeling the place - so the ambience is very nice. So this was my second and last visit. What has not changed is they way they price and serve their beers. They have a "Happy Hour" but only for their craft brews that they lower by a $1 - and they only have two of them on tap. You need to read the beer selection and pricing carefully before ordering or you will pay nearly $6 bucks for a Belgium Beer and they only serve it in 10oz servings. Anywhere else around town you can get the same beer for $4 during "Happy Hour" and you get 12oz. Don't know if they are trying to be "stylish" here - but it is a rip off. They also should teach their staff about being friendly and welcoming to their guests - each time I have been there it seems that the folks that are waiting on us are totally unfamiliar with the restaurant business. Have tried the food - not much to write about there either - hope the management team does something to rectify their pricing and training their staff - or like everything else that has been in the Pleasanton Hotel - their doors will be closed soon.
(1)
Mike R.

First the place looks a lot better than it did under the previous owners but there is still lots of room for improvement such a cleanliness of the restroom, making sure tables are stable on the floor, keeping music at a reasonable volume. The BIG area that needs improvement is service. Tara at the bar is great and I forget her name but a quite petite brunette that works the floor is pretty good. The rest just dont cut the mustard. I have debated several times whether I would even visit this establishment again, this last friday was my last... Food is just ok though the fries are pretty decent.
(2)
Dining local A.

I wanted to visit Handles a couple of times to be accurate in my report. I have been 3 times (all weeknights or happy hour) including last night and feel I can accurately complement the establishment, it's staff and offerings. I was excited to hear about a gastropub in sleepy, stale, top of price point downtown Pleasanton where I lived for years. I have been to every place on Main and most off Main St. I was hopeful that this label would not be taken lightly. I can say that after 3 meals there that it is not. I dine out a lot, and travel to NOLA, Sonoma CO. and LA and think I have had some tasty as it gets, locally harvested fresh products. Handles is right up there. I am proud to say this about a new local establishment. I have sat at the brass-rail bar and in the handsome, natural wood cloaked dinning room. Table service and classy ambiance is excellent, beyond any pub you will be in around town and beyond. Bar service is knowledgeable, mature, fast and friendly - attentive to clientele. No paper napkins. When you sit at the bar and order food you receive quality dinning wear and are checked on after foods arrive even when ordered in waves. Nothing was left to want or need. What popped my noodle are these things: Smoked meats - wings, pastrami sliders. Both are as good as it gets If you differentiate the smokiness over regular fare. The sliders are mighty with flavor and packed with lean smoked pastrami, caramelized onions and rich cheese. In style a thick cut dill pickle sits atop each slider. Mac n Handles blonde ale cheddar sauce, with peppered bacon served in an iron skillet. I requested a favorite of mine, TRUFFLE essence on my fries which takes the flavor and richness quotient over the top. I can't find a truffled anything within 20 miles and I look. No bottles of condiments either, everything is house made. This is usually fall/winter fare for us but I had to go for it in the heat of the summer! All delivered. If you would like a salad instead of a starch, the quality of fresh ingredients will impress. Other apps I have had are unique, well thought out and prepared. Fried green tomatoes, Panko Crusted Asparagus, Belgian Ales Steamed Mussels. The beer and wine selection is fantastic. Every beer I have had is high quality. All types of Belgians are represented and craft brews I have had here are all done very well. Friends ordered martinis that arrived perfectly chilled. As we left and walked up the street I heard some cool live music and saw several people enjoying the large, lush outdoor side patio. Handles is truly a gastropub. If the name irks, you need to up your urban IQ. Get out more. A LOT more. See you soon!
(5)
Morgan C.

I have been here twice, and both times have had great service, and fantastic food. I love the fact that they are using local and sustainably grown food. The beer menu is awesome. A great line up of local beers! I am always happy to support a company that shows support to the local community. The second time I went here it was for brunch. Loved it! I would like to suggest that they add beermosa to their menu. Whit beer and O.J. makes em great!
(5)
John S.

Had our company Christmas/Holiday party here last night during the downtown parade. The food was good, the wine and beer selection nice, but it was the service that set Handles apart. We had two young women, Marie and Naz dedicated to our event, they were charming, professional, attentive and friendly. Everything ran on schedule and they were flexible to meet any a request we made, and no ones glass ever went dry. Downtown Pleasanton is a great place to hold a dinner, but Handles made it special.
(5)
Claire M.

First time at Handles. Lovely location and outdoor garden with mature trees. The setting will reward the restaurant the one star I have decided to give them. Pretty bad service, the excuse was that they had a table of 22 inside !!! Does this mean they cannot handle 3 tables of 6 and one table of 4 at the same time? Asked twice for napkins and silverware, finally went into the restaurant and helped ourselves. After a long time the bread ($2.00) arrived and then the appetizers that we shared. No small plates though, asked for them, by the time they arrived we had finished our appetizers! We should have stopped there and left ... But we stayed after what seemed like a sincere apology from our waiter. We ordered salads with salmon for our meal - they were OK, not great. We spoke with the manager about the "less than" experience. We were offered a free appetizer "next time" - there will be no next time. The meal cost $150 for 3 people. A total insult. After reading the reviews seems this was not the first time they have disappointed. Would be nice if management/owners would read the reviews it could offer them the opportunity to create a better (if not great) place. They have the makings for a potentially charming & quality place. The way it is we will never go back. Overall: Slow service, bad food, way overpriced, nice outdoor space. Do not recommend.
(1)
Bill T.

*****DISCLAIMER ALERT, REVIEW FOR HANDLE'S BAR ONLY***** With that said it gives me great pride to say that the management has heard our cries and has brought in some "hired guns/ moonlighting" bartenders from other local & semi-local watering holes to increase their Bar IQ, efficiency and grace under pressure factor. On a recent crowded Saturday night with the bar area 2-3 deep the crew was working together with the wait staff, cocktail servers and patrons to make sure that there wasn't an empty glass or thirsty guest around. We noticed a steady stream of plates of bar grub being delivered to the bar & lounge area & the general murmur/vibe was a good one. A HUGE improvement from just a few weeks ago & perhaps a sign that these guys are beginning to find their groove & are finally starting to shed their newbie restaurant jitters.
(4)
Dan B.

If I could give this a zero I would. The waiter was the only good thing about it. Even that's not saying much. 16$ for a double shot of Malibu omfg. At the end of the night I questioned my bill with manager, he called me a terrorist, asked me to pay my bill and leave. I will never be back here again. Food was bland to the point that some people at my table couldn't choke it down. WORST PLACE EVER!!!!!
(1)
Chris S.

Handles has the right idea(s), but they really need to work on the execution. BEER: The selection will keep us coming back, if only for a drink. Being able to get a proper Belgian on tap is a rare occurrence around here. Their selection outstrips Redcoats and seems to be less expensive than Eddie Papa's. MENU: Appropriately limited to comfort food and updated burgers. We had fried green tomatoes (could do without the mozzarella...and if you want to keep it, bring the item out hot) and salt-and-pepper twice-cooked fries (again, not hot enough...not a fan of the house ketchup) which were more than passable but not great. Then, I had a Aztec burger which they got my order correct (turkey patty + no cheese) on and was mighty tasty. Accompanying this was their apple slaw which was well-balanced. Dessert was a treat. We split their molten chocolate-chili cake with white chocolate sauce (better than good, takes a bit of a risk with the spice and the table enjoyed it) and an order of creme brulee (well executed and another twist with pale ale brittle to garnish). SERVICE: Our waitress was pleasant enough but the pacing of the meal was clumsy. The tables seem small for the serving dishes they are trying to use. Waitress' knowledge of the menu fell short, but we got through. Handles has a chance to be something really different, downtown. Eddie Papa's is a direct competitor. They both have their flaws. We'll definitely be giving Handles another chance or two...if only at the bar.
(3)
Zebra G.

I really like the ambience a this bar/restaurant! It's not rowdy, it's classy! They have a delicious lamb burger, and good wine!!
(4)
M M.

Just went there for dinner. Service was still slow but the server acknowledged and apologized. (He was articulate and professional). My steak was good and veggies were fantastic. My friend told me her chicken was a little dry still good and she agreed with me that veggies were good as well.
(4)
Arlene C.

Well, I gave this place the old college try but after four visits I give up. I was really hoping for a new place that would give the Pleasanton Brewery a run for its money. However, the service is horrible and the food is mediocre. Every single time we have had to chase down the bartender or the server. Bartenders are rude and do not know anything about the beers they serve. Why don't owners understand that food, service and ambiance must go hand in hand.
(1)
Jayne W.

Food is good but the service is horrible!!! The last time we went in we left after waiting 25 minutes without getting waited on. The server approached out table and asked if the hostess had seated us without menus in the bar area. We explained we had waited for 5 minutes without a hostess at the front and came into the bar area to eat instead. The waiter walked away, ignored us and proceeded to wait on everyone around us. We left after 25 minutes without being acknowledged. The time before that I had to go find the hostess after she had seated us to get service. We waited at least 20 minutes for service.
(1)
Brett J.

I have been here a few times and have to say the food is actually pretty good. I have had the Aztec burger and it was amazing. The only reason why I will not go back here is because the service is horrendous. I am pretty easy going and let a lot of things slide but each and every time I have been here I have had terrible service. Last time I came in with three friends and ordered a few drinks and the waitress brought our drinks and the bill... We didn't plan on leaving so we just left the bill there since we were going to order more drinks and food. She then came by every other minute grabbed the bill and opened it to check if we had paid. When realizing there was no card she finally said with a grumble "I need to leave so can you please take are of your bill?" We'll we did pay and promptly left. Too bad because I would like to go there more often.
(2)
Gage H.

The place looked dead from the outside but, I just figured it was because we were a little early. Turns out everyone was just in the bar area. The food was good, we had the calamari, brisket, a salad, and creme brulee. The atmosphere was very nice, but i kept getting a wiff of the bathroom cleaner or soap every time the bathroom door was opened, my wife did not notice so maybe i just have a sensitive sniffer. There are TVs mounted on the wall so I could watch football. The staff was helpful and friendly, I noticed someone giving beer recommendations at a nearby table. The beer menu is great, lots of local beers. We had a Heretic Evil Cousin, Dying Vines D'eez Mild, and a Rodenbach. I'd like to see some more exotic foods on the menu, but over all this place is great, I'll definitely be back.
(4)
J T.

I'm going to keep this one short and sweet. This place is the WORST restaurant experience I've ever had... ANYWHERE!!! Poor service (slow, inattentive, not knowledgeable, etc), terrible food (badly prepared, over/under seasoned, COLD!!!), and WAY TOO PRICEY for what you get. Do yourself a BIG favor. Don't waste your time or money trying this one out. The concept seemed good, but the reality is shockingly bad. I'll NEVER go back!!!
(1)
Shawnacy N.

Good beer, okay appetizer's, great game! Giants are going to the World Series!!!
(4)
jen V.

This is the second attempt to leave a review, the first one appeared and has now disappeared..... We went here on Easter Brunch...they had a cancellation and got us in at the last minute.....wish they didn't. a few things that really need to be addressed by the management and/or the owners 1. Hire staff that is qualified to perform on a professional level 2. Train the staff so they have the know how when greeting/serving customers 3. Make sure you provide a directions sheet at your hostess stand. I called to get directions and the hostess failed miserably and sent us the wrong way. 4. We arrived for our table and same hostess said we could wait in the bar until the table was ready.......15 minutes later, my boyfriend approached her to get status of our table and she did not even recognize him, and admitted she completely forgot us. Perhaps it was because she was bored because there was no on in line to get a table, or maybe she was overly distracted by gossiping with the servers(also not doing anything) 5. Train your staff to seat your guests in the dining room for brunch, not the bar...especially when there are 10+ empty tables an hour or so before you close 6. Train your servers to actually do some service. Our server, did not show up for 20 minutes after we sat and ate 2 plates of food. we asked for water, and we never saw him again except to take wine to a neighboring table and run away to who knows where. We had to hunt a server down for water. 7. Instead of having one person restocking the entire buffet by themselves, perhaps utilize or train your other staff to assist, especially when they have enough time to hide out by the computers and talk for 15 minutes or when you have two employees standing at the carving table doing absolutely nothing??? 8. we were really upset at the end when we saw they included 18% gratuity when they clearly did not notify the guests in any way on a menu or website. The child server we had, looked like he barely got out of junior high and clearly had no concept of customer service and in no way deserved the tip. In the end, we will never return, and I should have listened to many of my friends who tried this place when they changed hands a couple years back. I would expect poor service and staff lacking in customer service skills in a place like Denny's and where you pay $3 for a meal, but when you dare to charge your guests $29 for a meal you better make sure you can deliver the service and the food!!!
(1)
B J.

What a great little hidden secret...oops...did I spill the beans...Monday and Tuesday Happy Hour....Sit outside on the patio...$5 drinks and appetizers...a new favorite place for those who come to my studio for classes...after we walk over to Handles for some social time...Twirly Girls love this place...
(4)
James F.

Meal was fair. Food was luke warm at best, fries were soggy. My friend said afterward that he was not impressed his first time there, and that was confirmed with his second visit. We will not be returning to this establishment
(1)
Barbara J.

We've been to Handles a few times and 5 out of 10 times the service is questionable. But, last night takes the cake. The bartender last night at 10:30 pm on 4/13/12 was not only unprofessional but downright rude. He had poured some drinks and when he got the order wrong (because he didn't know how to make the drink for one) he was very rude and asked us to pay for subpar drinks. Then he proceeded to roll his eyes and talk about us. We left. We spoke with the manager. So sad that a place so promising is poorly staffed and they clearly don't value their customer. So disappointed.
(1)
Dave N.

Decent beer selection. Went in with high hopes. After a day of wine tasting our group was looking for some good "recovery" food. We had heard that there were good tapas and were enticed by the beer selection. Service was horrid and the food was below par. Dry calamari and average buffalo wings. Our server should just quit with the attitude he showed there. I'm not expecting somebody to jump up and down but please make your patrons feel welcome. If you enjoy waiting an extremely long time for mediocre food and service then this is a recommendation. If you want good service and good food head down a couple blocks for Redcoats.
(1)
Tuff G.

The Pleasanton Hotel restaurant seems to have suffered from the unsuccessful restaurant taboo. Over the many years of changing owners/management/names, etc. . . they still seem unable to sustain. And, don't get me wrong. . . I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS HORRIBLE PLAGUE OCCURS. . . I love the location, I love the interior, I love the huge outdoor dining area. . . I have been to the location so many times over the years, I can't count any more. Yet, the food, no matter what the menu has to offer, under which name or management of the time, just never seems to hit the mark. This outing was no different. The service was great, as we sat outside on the patio. The menu at this time, as this is currently dubbed a gastropub, provided the obvious "pub" faire. Nothing was bad, but at the same time, nothing was really "good". . . just ho hum. I am sorry to say it, but all of us made the same statement of "boring". I just don't get it. And, YES, I will continue to go to this place under whatever name it happens to be at that moment, and I will always hope and pray that someone comes up with a sustainable menu with some flavour and excitement. The Pleasanton Hotel (as the building is actually known) is an iconic building. It should never be suffering this ill effect.
(2)
Dani N.

The bar area is awesome. the beers are great huge variety almost like brewery if i was rating just the Bar I would give it 5 stars. But the food is bad, really bad.
(2)
Rick M.

Cool place. It was large inside and spread out and even had a cool outdoor seating area under the trees. I just liked the overall feel of this place and so did my date. We ended up sitting at the bar. The bartender was cool and attentive. I had some little tacos and beer and it was good. They have like 30 beers on tap which is awesome. TV's playing the games. Overall a cool place. Was surprised it wasn't more busy for a nice Sunday evening. I've already recommended this place to someone and will probably continue to do so.
(4)
Anon I.

First off, I really want this place to be great. I really do. My wife and I are beer lovers and a place that has good food and a great microbeer selection is right up my alley. But we have officially crossed Handles off the list. We have been here 7 times now since opening and almost everytime has been mediocre. The beer selection is great. The food is pretty good I admit, hence us going back. But the service is shocking. I mean shockingly bad. So much so that I have had to sadly tell friends to not bother. I have gone multiple times now where once sat down, we were then ignored and never greeted for over 20-30 min. Servers and a supposed "GM"/Brent? just wander while we go unnoticed for a greeting, drink order, be right with you, etc. My wife and I just look at each other as we sit in a dining room with servers looking right past us. I have heard this is the case from other people I know who have came here too. Our last experience. Ignored for 30 minutes until I had to give up and ask for service from the young hostess. Once finally greeted by the 'GM' (greeting as in a 'ill be right with you' as he flies away and never stops technically) he then ignored us for 10 more minutes until i again had to get up to find someone. Then we give our order to a totally different server, for only 2 people mind you. We wait 25 minutes only to have a party of 5's food and a party of 3's food who ordered 10 minutes AFTER us arrive before our food. Plus once our food arrived we had incorrect entrees. I really wish this was an isolated incident. But we have had this bad of service there before with servers routinely ignoring. So long story short. Do not go there to eat. Go sit at the bar, enjoy a good beer, and stay away from service. Damn Handles, I wanted you to be my go-to restaurant in the valley. But just isnt gonna happen.
(1)
Andrea M.

Great for beer, not especially for food or service. Friendly but slow.
(2)
One D.

Pork belly is well prepared nice and crispy on top. Steak medium rare is cooked well. Wonderful variety of organic yummy vegetables. Sliders were flavorful. It is a classy but not stuffy atmosphere. The bar has a good variety, including a house root beer that was pretty good, and it can get pretty busy. Service is friendly. It would have gotten more stars if my pork chop wasn't so overcooked, but there was no issue with sending it back and taking it off the bill. I do plan to come back but perhaps avoid the porkchops.
(4)
Pat C.

After our first trip to Handles didnt go so well, I was reluctant to go back. We actually received a couple of free entree certificates from the manager so we went back. It was better than the first time but it still needs work. The chef really has to re-think the corn meal coating on the Calamari (it still tastes like sand) and the dipping sauce was overpowering. We ordered a salad and the steak. Both were very good, and the waiter was also very attentive and pleasant. So maybe the third time is a charm, we will go back again.
(2)
J D.

I really wanted to like this place, the outdoor seating area was nice. Menu selection was not great Food was ok Service was bad - Waitress served our sodas without straws, took her another 15 minutes for her to come back around again. Overall very mediocre experience.
(3)
Karsyn M.

I have mixed feelings about handles. On one hand, they have a fantastic selection of something like, 30 beers on tap. And every time I've gone on a Friday or Saturday night, and sat AT the bar, I have had excellent service! Usually Tara is there and she is incredibly friendly and is a great bartender, along with a few others too. The crowd is fun, and its a beautiful restaurant. On the other hand, the few times I have been there either mid-week or on a Sunday, and sat at a table (even one in the bar area) the service has been absolutely horrific. The first experience I had on a Sunday evening I went with my cousin who was about to move out of state and her boyfriend. We were literally the ONLY people sitting at a table in the bar area. We got there around 8:00 and after we ordered our first drink, we didn't see our server again for about 30 minutes. We ordered a second drink and again about 30 minutes later, she returned with our drinks. Finally after waiting yet another 30-45 minutes we chased her down to give her our credit card as she never brought our check over. What a bummer! I was really excited to take my cousin here after the previous pleasant experiences I'd had, but this definitely was NOT what I was expecting. Last Sunday 2 friends of mine were having drinks here so My bff and I met them around 9:20pm. When we got there my 2 friends explained that the kitchen was closed but last call wasn't until 10:00, as the bartender explained to them. When we tried to order a drink, the bartender said last call already happened and that we could not order, and was super rude. Wow, really? 9:30pm and you've already called last call with a few people still sitting in the bar? Awesome. Needless to say we all left and went somewhere else. Without those two experiences I would probably have given handles 5 stars, bathrooms are always clean, it's a a fun atmosphere, but apparently they are only great on Friday and Saturday if you're sitting at the bar.
(3)
Lisa G.

Although the wait staff were nice and the beer interesting I would stay away from the food. Not really sure how you mess up French onion soup but just one example. Just another overpriced disappointment from this very bizarre town!
(2)
Gary A.

OK, we gave Handles 1 Star, whenwe went shortly after opening. We decided to give it another shot as the Hopyard has pretty much sucked for the last 4 or 5 times we went. The biggest reason we gave Handles 1 star the first time was the service (food was not great either). They have addressed the service issue, the staff was very friendly and efficient now, no complaints. If its just a beer you want, they have a really great menu, had the Lost Coast Great White, er actually, I had 3. The menu is typical bar fare, nothing to get excited about, I would recommend staying away from the salads, burgers are big and OK, the prime rib sandwich was uneventful. We will be back, only because its close and the Pleasanton PD seems to prefer lurking outside the Hopyard, vs Handles.
(3)
Sonja J.

I've been meaning to write a review for ages and am now just getting to it. Let's start with the fried tomatoes, shall we? The server tells me the tomatoes are locally grown, and they don't disappoint. There's a sweet corn relish that's served with them... mmmm blisss. They do a homemade mozzarella and aioli that's to die for. Then, we should discuss the Mac & Cheese. Normally, I wouldn't be a fan, except that they have discovered the secret to it - bacon. Sheeesh. And then! You'd think I was done, but the turkey sandwich has Brie, bacon, cranberry & arugala. I'd also recommend any of the smoked meat sandwiches. Oh yeah, and if you like beer or wine - I mean the good stuff - its all on tap.
(5)
Nancy G.

I would love to patronize Handles more often. The remodel of the space is attractive, the food I've had has been good and the beer selection is awesome. Unfortunately, every time we attempt to go on the weekends, the music is blasting so loud that any attempt at conversation is completely impossible. I'd stay and order more drinks if I could hear myself think or hear anything the person next to me is trying to say. Could we have one place to get a drink in downtown Pleasanton that doesn't involve a disco ball and DJ?
(3)
Jennifer M.

I Want This Place To Be Great....Unfortunately, It's Second Rate I love trying out new restaurants in downtown Pleasanton, but I don't think this one's going to last, just like The Farmer before it. Pros: 1. It's in dt Pleasanton 2. There is a bar/dance floor 3. The one bite of meatloaf that I begged my friend for was De-Lish. If I ever come back here, I'm going for that. Cons: 1. Funky smell. Many other reviewers have also commented on this. Musty, old smell. Not what you want to smell when you walk into a restaurant. Febreeze? Glad plug ins? Candle? Clean the carpets maybe? 2. Sloooooow, sloow, slooooooow service....in the bar. I got up 3 times, twice to have the bartender refill my water, once to see if we could just put our order in at the bar because our server, while nice, was nowhere to be found when we needed him most!! 3. After finally waiting to order, we had to wait an even longer time to get our food. When we finally decided to say something, in swoops our waiter with a message, "your food is taking a lot longer than expected, but it will be our shortly." Code for either I forgot to put your order in, or the kitchen doesn't know what's going on. 4. I ordered some boring salad...which is what I got, so I'm not going to complain about that because I'm the one that went on the safe side with a salad. The chipotle caesar dressing was tasty though. Not in love with this place, but I want to be. So I will give it another shot.
(1)
Tawny L.

Really wanted this place to be great as we need GOOD FOOD in downtown p-town. Went on 9/17. Bar is cool - good beer and wine on tap, but the food was bad. Rubbery, fatty wings. Hummus that was so thick you couldn't dip into it, especially with the limp bell peppers and green beans served as the "fresh veggies." Everyone's dinner was bad, not even finish-able. I'd go back to the bar, but not for the food unless they completely revamped the quality.
(2)
Troy C.

This was the worst service that I have ever had... Go with a group of 8+ and service is optional because of the mandatory 20% gratuity that's added into the bill. I can't believe that a server is working in an upper class neighborhood doesn't check in once with with his largest table. You serve us cold food and have the heart as an owner to make it an issue after double billing both sides of the table. You don't deserve the right to serve any type of food in this town because it is something that I expect if Walmart opened a restaurant. Absolute joke and the only person that deserves any type of credit is the bartender who is unknown(one drink since the waiter never came back). Thank god the other waitress who was standing at the register wasn't too busy with her text message to help us out. If the manager reads this, I would suggest not to offer free entrees when you can't even offer even poor service. I hope this place filters out of the Pleasanton Hotel and someone with a background in the restaurant industry takes over. Seriously, this owner is clueless and needs to find another line of work where he doesn't have to handle any type of staff. Take some accountability of how awful your service was! What a joke....
(1)
Aaron H.

Handles has arrived! After a couple of less-than-great experiences, we went for dinner a few nights ago and had a great time! All the issues I had in prior visits - place settings not being cleared, spotty service, wine served too cold - were no longer! The management is listening and it is paying off. Our waiter was great (sorry, I can't remember his name) and all his recommendations were spot on. He checked on us routinely and bus service was quick. The food was excellent, so, overall, we had a great time. We are now fans and hope this level of service and quality is here to stay. Yay! We are now fans of Handles!
(4)
Ray B.

Handles has the best selection of beers and the best atmosphere in the Tri-City area, and the premises is kept very clean. As a vegan, food choices here are a bit limited, but they are accommodating and can make menu items like the Portobello sandwich or the spinach salad conform to my diet. The management and staff here work very hard to make Handles better and better every day. On the day they opened they were good, much better than the place across the street, but today they are simply a first class pub.
(5)
Rob R.

Suprised at Negative reviews also. Good place, good food.
(4)
Jen P.

Good brews good prices...THE END! You want service? Go to Redcoats or Fernandos...you want to be ignored and not given food or drinks that you ordered while being given a sneer when actually recognized as someone in your service area....go to Handles. What a shame....such a good concept too :(
(1)
Steve H.

I agree with everyone's review of this place. The beer is good, the food sucks. If they don't hire a chef they'll be changing hands again soon. How can you screw up so bad on simple fried food?
(1)
Greg M.

Visited this place yesterday and should have read the reviews before coming. Went into the bar to watch a little football and grab some breakfast. I ordered the Southwestern omelet which according to the menu consisted of chorizo, cheese, onions and avocado. The cheese and the avocado were plentiful but was hard pressed to find any chorizo or onions. The menu had this omelet at $9.95. Ordered a couple of Bloody Maria's specifying Don Julio tequila as my choice. The drinks were tasty until I saw the bill. I was charged $11.00 per drink and then another $2.00 per drink because the bartender does not know how to use the cash register, or maybe she knew how to put more money in her pocket. When I brought this to her attention her response was "that is just what happens". I voiced my displeasure and left her with the bill. When she brought the bill back to the table she told be she removed the $2.00 per drink charge but was obviously very disgruntled. I think she was putting the $2.00 per drink in her pocket if nobody questioned their bill. The bill also had $10.95 for the bad omelet instead of $9.95 as the menu stated. I will never return to this horrid place of bad customer service
(1)
Eric D.

Mediocre and overpriced food. Hot food served cold, and portion size was nothing like the server described. Strange smell in the restaurant Poor, inattentive service I expect this restaurant will fail as quickly, if not more so, than its predecessor.
(1)
George F.

I expected more for Pleasanton. I'm surprised this place is still open. With all the attitude, the food was uninspired. The fries tasted old. The hot sandwiches weren't, not to mention not tasting good. I won't be back.
(1)
Riley S.

I've visited several times now. The food is good but, slow to arrive. The drinks are good but, slow to arrive. The service is below mediocre. It's just....kind of...meh. The layout is great and I enjoy the atmosphere but, I believe there are plenty of other places to grab a bite to eat. Hopefully, they can turn it around but, I'm starting to think this is just the way it is.
(2)
Jennifer G.

Every meat except the sliders has a smoked flavor. Even the pastrami on the chopped salad was smoked & the buffalo wings were smoked and smothered in sauce. Ruined almost everything I ate. But if you like smokey stuff, then its your place! Small portions & expensive. And order of sliders was 2 sliders....who eats 2 sliders? Service was alright, our guy was kinda slow and didnt pre bus enough. I dunno if I would go back, probably not.
(3)
Pam H.

On short notice, Brent was able to seat a party of 20. None of us had ever been to Handles! Great atmosphere for kids and adults. We all enjoyed our food. Lots of choices. The truffle fries are sinful. Loved the wrapped bangers on a stick...yummy!! The beer choices were fun. Not the same beers you see on the menu everywhere you go. Thanks to the staff for seating and serving our group quickly! We really enjoyed our first visit to Handles! We will be back!!!
(5)
Sara P.

Decided to give this place a try last night with my husband. When we walked in the place was pretty packed, especially at the bar, but we were seated right away in the dining room. Was hoping to sit on the patio because it was such a nice night but the patio won't be open for another week or so. Having grown up in Pleasanton I have frequented a lot of different businesses in the Pleasanton Hotel and I am happy to see that the inside has been spruced up. We were greeted promptly by our server, Luke, and he was able to answer all of our questions about the beers they offer along with make some food recommendations. He seemed extremely knowledgeable to me considering they have only been open a very short time. Both my husband and I started out with a Belgian Beer. I had the Pranqster and thought it was perfect, just the right amount of spice that I expect from a Belgian. Husband had the St. Bernardus which was a bit less impressive than my beer but right on par with how the server described it. We started with the wings with the Beer-BQ sauce. We asked for both the Buttermilk Herb Dressing and the Pt. Reyes Blue Dressing and by far the Buttermilk Herb Dressing was the best pairing with this particular wing sauce. I loved the smoky scent and flavor to the wings. I really enjoy a good spicy classic wing but this was a nice twist that I would order again. We decided to order another beer each and spoke with our server and Chad about some options. They freely offer up tasters of anything to help you choose something you will really enjoy. Chad gave us a taster of a Sour Ale that was like nothing I have ever tasted before. Very Sour! Fun to try but not sure I could actually drink very much of it. I decided to go with their house brown and my husband went for the Dragoons Dry Irish Stout. I really enjoyed the brown but it has a lot of hops so it might not be a typical brown to most. The brown had a roasted chocolate flavor that you find in stouts sometimes which made it pretty unique in my book. For our entrees I had the turkey carver sandwich. (wanted to try the pot pie but it was over 90 yesterday and that just didn't seem like the right choice!) I thought that this sandwich brought a lot to the table for being a turkey sandwich. I love when foods have so many layers of flavors as you eat them. This sandwich started off with the crispy sourdough bread and tangy cranberry-orange walnut marmalade. After that you noticed the flavor of the turkey and the pepper of the arugula. And then the brie coated your mouth in that nice creamy way that brie does. My husband had the steak and fries with chimichurri. The steak was nicely cooked and the chimichurri had good flavor without being super acidic as some can be. The fries were thick cut and piping hot but didn't really have the same twice cooked crispiness as the authentic ones in Belgium do. I enjoyed the house made ketchup. It just had a nice fresh flavor that you just don't get from something in a bottle. It is thinner than regular ketchup but that didn't really bother me. For dessert we tried the Chili Lava Cake. I have to say that after the first bite I couldn't really detect the chili flavor but then as I ate a bit more the heat started to build in the back of my mouth. I thought it was a fine dessert but not something I would really crave and go back for. As a pastry chef I am probably pretty critical of dessert though! All in all I really enjoyed this place. Our server really served up a great experience for us in addition to the good food and beer. I would normally have given this place 4 stars but Luke bumped it up to 5 for me! I think the prices were very reasonable for what we got. I hope that the people behind this place have a good business plan because I think it makes a great addition to downtown Pleasanton and I hope it will be around for years to come!
(5)
Aaron L.

Huge beer selection, awesome food menu, great service, awesome ambiance and of course Ms. Erin is amazing ! Thank you for all your help planning our wedding! We can't wait...counting the days until the big show!
(5)
Stephanie T.

My husband and I literally just got back from Handles, and I sincerely hope the manager reads these reviews and takes them to heart. We've gone to Handles on a few different occasions and each time we leave saying either that was way too expensive for what we got or... where is our waitress? We are left to scan the room contiguously in hopes to get someones attention....guess what there will be no next time for us... We were seated by the hostess and were able to go to the bathroom and back before having seen our waitress.. then we order an appetizer and when it was brought out it was a joke, the artisan cheese plate and fruit, 1 strawberry, 2 blackberries, 1/4 on an apple, half a pita, and three slices of cheese all for the bargain price of $14.95.. Is it me or does that seem ridiculous to anyone else... not to mention we weren't given plates to use either... 20 minutes later and empty glasses as well our waitress comes back to be greeted with our credit card so we could get the hell out of there... our dinner left something to be desired... and for that price I much rather would have gone across the street where we would have had far better service and live music as well.. (they don't charge extra for that). OH did I mention that we watched the owner go to the table next to us twice to check on them to see how things were going??? He must have forgotten to go to all the other tables outside... Don't waste your time or money with this place- you want bar food? Go across the street to Main Street Brewery, or Red Coats a little further down... good food and far better service.
(2)
Julia H.

Well, I feel as though I have to give 2 stars because I feel sorry for them! Who is that lady manager that leans against the wall and doesn't approach any table to see how there horrible meal is. Doesn't great anyone and doesn't know how to dress like a manager. The only thing that is OK is the Fried green tomatoes. The sliders are horrible and only 2 for that type of money are you kidding me. I was so looking forward to a great menu. Something like BJ's great pub food. Gordan Ramsey needs to visit you. The place has a nice face lift, clean and doesnt smell.
(2)
Chris P.

cool old bar, but the drinks are small especially for the price i.e. jack and coke $10...
(3)
Karla F.

Went there with two friends to have lunch, the service was mediocre, two of us had hamburgers and the other lady had mac and cheese. I was so disappointed the sauce that should have been ketchup for the fries was so bland, neither of us could eat it. The fries were cold and didn't have a good flavor. The burger was ho hum, my friend with the mac and cheese finished her meal, but wasn't thrilled. How can you mess up fries, ketchup and mac and cheese?
(1)
Lucy D.

Hands down best burger! Cooked perfectly medium rare. Fries not so great - felt like I got the bottom of the fryer, but homemade catchup, awesome!
(4)
Nancy S.

We visited just 5 days after their grand opening and the place was hopping. Clearly this area is in desperate need of a place like this. They did a great job reworking the interior of the old Pleasanton Hotel. It now looks open and up-to-date. Service was friendly and helpful. The on-tap beer list is fantastic. The food was pretty good - sort of elevated pub food. The kitchen was a little slow, but not surprising for a place so new. The weak link on the menu (at least from our first visit) was the dessert. We will definitely go back. I think they have great potential.
(4)
john C.

Food not hot, server not attentive to our party of eight, extra charge for lackluster bread. IMHO, don't waste your tie or money.
(1)
Lori F.

This place has come along way since it first opened. The food is great and the service is great too! My favorite on the menu is the Flights and Bites. We've become Tuesday night regulars.
(5)
Ryan T.

I really want to like this place. Good beer selection, awesome building. They need to steal the menu from the Alehouse in Livermore and throw a few more TVs up.
(3)
Kim C.

I am completely disappointed in the New Years Eve celebration hosted in the bar. Shannon the bar tender was the best part about this place. On the website it was advertised that there would be a $15.00 cover that would include champagne for midnight. Upon arrival the cover was $10.00. There was no mention that the price was reduced and that there wouldn't be any champagne. I was just disappointing at midnight when we couldn't get any drinks and the included drinks were not offered. We also had an issue with the management and getting people in the door. We had friends show up and were turned away because the manager did not understand how capacity works. At 10PM they had run out of bracelets and started turning people away. We had half of our group get turned away and were trying to figure out if they could get in and one staff member told my friend that " no one cares about your sob story". Our friends eventually made it in the door as the place was no where near capacity. I found the manager to be completely unprepared and she didn't seem like she had any idea how to run an event. The bar was entirely understaffed and it took a long time for others to get drinks. The bar tenders were doing their best but the staff should have been doubled. We were able to still enjoy our New Years but this place definitely could have done better on all sides. I don't think anyone in our group will ever go back.
(1)
Jeremy S.

I'm not sure why the reviews are so poor for this place. We came here on Valentine's Day for the Prix Fixe Menu, that was featured on OpenTable. I thought the food was all wonderful, except the desserts which were kinda small and obviously pre-made of the Costco variety, but still tasty nonetheless. The Oysters Rockefeller was wonderful as was the Crab Bisque. We both got the Bleu Cheese Stuffed Filet Mignon and I was not disappointed! The service was standard, not great, but nothing wrong with it either. Some small fine dining points that were missed, but nothing so major that it ruined our experience. All told, we decided it was great and would totally come back sometime soon...
(4)
Rob E.

Very nice, if a bit too dark, ambiance. Staff very friendly. Food only average, however. I had the portobello mushroom/polenta stack and while the polenta was pleasurably crisp, the portobello tasted as if it had been soaked in a marinade that was almost entirely salt, and the melted cheese had reverted to a solid lump in the stack. The caesar salad was generously large for a side salad, but the dressing was a bit thick. Others at my table also noted the high salt taste in their dishes, although the tomato soup got a nod. Service was quite slow between courses. The experience wasn't awful but won't be in a rush to get back.
(2)
M M.

Food and drink was decent but the service was unbearably slow.
(3)
Thomas V.

We ate here the night of the Pleasanton Christmas parade. The location has been a revolving door of restaurants the past few years. While the service was good and the atmosphere was nice. The food was undercooked and overwhelming. I might come back here for the Bar, but not the restaurant.
(2)
Brian G.

Went here last week to watch a football game. We had a big group and my first impression was 'this place is great'. They had a lot of TV's and it's in a very cool older building. Only problem was that the food was very poor. We had mac and cheese and a burger. In general the mac and cheese was very runny and I think I could have made better from a blue box. The burger was undercooked (they didn't ask) and they charged me .75 for a tomato. I would recommend the beer or wine flights though. This place is great for watching games and beer, not food at all.
(2)
Jackie W.

I can't believe that I ended up paying almost $20 for a wedge salad and a soda. We were there in a group in the bar. So automatically we had the 18% gratuity on there. I was so hungry after because the salad was so small. It was the same salad at CPK that I normally pay $4 for. I wanted to order something else but was afraid of adding another $30 to my bill.
(2)
Pat S.

My wife and I had a chance to join Handles' friends and family for their soft opening last night and we had a great time! This restaurant is going to do very well. There are several great restaurants in downtown Pleasanton already but Handles is clearly raising the bar for the entire downtown scene. Handles received a four star rating for this visit due to the massive potential this restaurant and staff have awaiting them, I can't wait to see what they do with it. Good things I'm sure! The beer and wine selection is almost over welling, which is always a good problem. We started with mixed green half salads and "Handles made it" chili. After much debate we were able to decide on our entrees; grilled salmon and veggie pasta dish, everything was steaming hot with great flavor profiles. We received a visit from the executive chef, management and the ownership during our meal, that's always a plus in my book! We then finished off the meal with an outstanding creme burlee and an Irish coffee. The prices are very fair and the service is definitely on the right track. Handles is well worth checking out. We will be back!
(4)
Amanda E.

Ambiance was great, drinks were delicious and the food was amazing!! The server was very helpful and recommended the current seasonal beer, which I loved! I ordered the Shepherds Pie and the lamb was perfect!! Can't wait to go back :)
(5)
Walter H.

Bad from the beginning tonight...waited to check In with the Manager carrying on a conversation ignoring me all together rather talk to the hostess than acknowledge a customer standing there...really weird...dirty table, not enough service staff...1:50 mins for dinner and probably would gave got another 30 mins if we did not stand up and beg for our check. Fish and chips...the ratio of breading to fish = 3 to 1. I piled up the breading and it was the size of my fist.... The fish? Probably 4 bites..that's all! Handles has been removed from our Pleasanton rotation.
(1)
David H.

While the decor is really a great change from past incarnations, the 2 apps that we tried (calamari and wings) were nothing to write home about. Both arrived luke warm and overcooked - although the flavor of the wings was amazing! Chock it up to being new, we will be back and try again, if for no other reason than the extensive beer list! Who needs food?
(3)
Bill C.

i will not bore you or waste your time reading about the terrible food , service, etc..at this establishment..only a few items to watch for... inferior food... lack of management who give a damm.... service that is totally underdesirable... cold food...even after sending back for a second chance... and finallly....a place where they dont give a s--t if you even come back.. the management team or so called ...are totally disrespectful ... dont waste your time or money at this place... if you dont believe this advice, read the reviews.. enough said....good luck if you enter this business...not going to call it a restaurant... 'tell a friend' hopefully this review will not be deleted!!! again!! this is the third time i have either tried to edit or find my review so i am writing it again...
(1)
Nicole I.

Great atmosphere and beer. Issues I have: I asked a bartender about a beer and she had no idea what the beer tasted like & couldn't describe it. I think that if you work at a Pub you should know the beers. Also, the hummus isn't good... other than that, Handles is wonderful.
(4)
Lisa N.

We almost cancelled our reservation after readind some of the yelp reviews but decided to get our own take on it. We were pleased with the large beer and wine selection. However, our server said they make mean raspberry mojitios so I had to try it. It was really fresh and really good! The service was excellent and the food came very fast. We shared the fried green tomatoes. Very good! I tried the steak and fries which is very high priced for what you get. Tons of fries (good ones) and a few strips of steak with chimichurri sauce. It was very good but not as much meat for the price. My hubby had the fish n chips which he said was okay. The batter was not as crisp as usual. The creme brulee was very good! We will be back to try to the sandwiches/burgers and some of the flights.
(3)
Susan M.

Great beer selection. FREE tasters to select a beer and wine. Have nothing but positive things to say about the food... don't understand the negative reviews!!??!! Fried green tomatoes were excellent. Burgers Great! Fun atmosphere. I'll be back w/ my girlfriends
(5)
Terry S.

My date and I went to Handles for their New Year's Eve package. Our waitress (I forgot her name- she had colorful tattoos) was awesome! She was attentive without being pushy. The package included your choice of 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, & 3 deserts. I had the salad w/ duck and my date had the crab cakes. Both were very good. For our entree- I had the prime rib & he had the colossal prawns. We shared our meals and I thought both were excellent. For desert- I had the chocolate chili lava cake and he had the cheese cake. We also had our champagne with dinner as opposed to having it at midnight. Overall- the food was great, the service was awesome and although the DJ was a little too hip hop, techo for my tastes- we had a very enjoyable evening ringing in our first New Year together!
(5)
Torie S.

Ate there tonight, service was great. Our waiter was friendly, made suggestions and was very attentive. The food was wonderful. Had the Calimari, Salad and a Burger - too much. The selection of beer was primo. Will def return and sit on the porch or patio.
(4)
Jerry P.

I've been here about 4 times since the soft opening that I accidentally walked in on and overall I'm quite pleased and expect to be a regular customer. I'm a huge fan of the burgers (both Blue Cheese and Buffalo). I noted a couple improvements tonight as well (and I hope it wasn't just a fluke tonight) but the fries were thicker cut and tastier (better seasoned w/salt & pepper and not over-fried) and the home-made ketchup was thicker (less runny than the last 3 times). Really enjoyed the food overall and can't wait to go back. I didn't have any 'extra' room tonight but last time I got the spicy lava cake and it was different, in an awesome/yummy way! I didn't love the mac & cheese as many other reviewers seem to have - perhaps because I didn't get any meat added but I *have* found a new favorite beer on tap - North Coast Pranqster - love it!!! A LOT!!!! I had hoped to love the food bit more but in reality the menu is mostly upscale bar food - that being said this place still blows away the Hopyard Ale House and Main Street Brewery in my opinion which both have worse menus and not a single dessert item between them. Others have commented on the front desk/hostess station and in my experience there's a lot of staff hanging out having a conversation and when you come in the first one to spot you will break away from the pack and 'confront' you in an semi-awkward way. I think this should be cleaned up a bit. There should be a clearly defined host/hostess (dressed as such) at the front who will delegate your seating to a waiter/waitress. This is easy to fix and I hope it happens because it will give a more positive first impression. Overall a solid 4-star rating.
(4)
Sal L.

For the price, its a 2 star spot. Nothing really outstanding that would constitute the tab. Food is mediocre for what you get. kinda bland and menu is very limited. Beers good. Good spot for drinks, not so much for the food.
(2)
Misty W.

Great variety of microbrew on tap for a decent price. The atmosphere is great except for the other folks there. WHY people insist on bringing babies into bars is beyond me. This is a pub. Not a daycare. We were actually in the BAR area and still had to listen to a screaming kid. Seriously folks? I drink to escape your ill behaved little beasts. Anyway, the space is lovely, the beer selection is wonderful, the service was efficient but the food straight up sucked. DON'T market yourself as a gastropub unless you can cook, ok? Whatever minimum wage, poorly trained 'chef' you have back there is screwing you. Look at the reviews. It's clear that anyone who doesn't have some friendly connection with the owners, staff or BN Army thinks the same way. Your food straight up sucks and it is over priced. Which is fine. Pubs aren't supposed to have awe-inspiring food. I'm cool with that. The only thing that annoys me is that you advertise and price it like you do when you clearly don't. Get over yourselves, redraw or adjust the cost on your menu and we can all be friends, alright? I actually would come back...Just for the beer and the environment. But I'll come back after I've eaten somewhere decent first.
(3)
Andrew G.

Beer review only - this is an advertised gastropub and I'm treating it as such. Lots of local beers and California varietals. A good selection. Minus stars for non-knowledgable staff. It's a must... Just check it out!
(3)
Ken R.

Have been to Handles twice so far, both times for lunch. Food has been really good and the service more than adequate. First time through had the beer and appetizer flight, it made for a really yummy light lunch. Second time had a soup and split a burger. The burger was as good as I have had anywhere, the meat was flavorful and juicy. Will definitely go back.
(5)
Emily S.

I visited Handles on opening day with my husband and friend. We are all beer drinkers and pub food fans (we frequent First St Alehouse in Livermore, Hop Yard in San Ramon, and Main St Brewery in Pleasanton). The interior of Handles is very nice - great lounge area seats and many HD TVs. It's not as sporty as a traditional sports bar but I think it's a nice compromise for a group where fans have plenty of TVs to watch while the rest of the group can enjoy the decor and vintage wood bar. We all enjoyed the atmosphere and look forward to dining on the patio soon. As a avid beer drinker who is partial to local beer, I was thrilled. I prefer IPAs and was very happy with the selection including personal favorites like Racer 5 and Hop Stoopid. The food menu consists of traditional pub food with some new twists. The chicken wings with El Diablo sauce were excellent - smoked in-house and very fresh and tasty. The herb buttermilk ranch dressing was also very tasty. We also tried the beef brisket sandwich but the beef was too fatty (stringy, chewy). The hamburger beef patty was also light on flavor but they did cook to order. Most places overcook burgers so we always order med rare and the Handles burger tended towards rare which was nice surprise. Our favorite was the Chop Salad - really excellent. House-smoked pastrami and a very good chipotle caesar dressing. I am looking forward to more visits and hope the restaurants improves on the few items that did not turn out well.
(3)
ANDY K.

I really dig this joint! Great food, drinks and atmosphere! I've been here three times already so technically I should give this review 15 stars!
(5)
Samantha R.

I have been twice to this place, I really want to like it, great location and building. Unfortunately the food is very poor and the wine is over priced. Great setting but don't go there for food.
(1)
Cathy B.

I tried Handles when it first opened and it was terrible. We thought it may have been just because they were just starting out, so quite a few months later, we tried it again. We had a reservation and ended up waiting over 20 minutes for our table. I ordered a lemon drop and when it arrived, it was room temperature (how does that happen with a martini??) and terrible. For my meal I had the sliders, which were unedible and the frys were really greasy and cold. My son ordered off of the kids menu....which was terrible as was my husbands meal. We left the food, paid the bill and headed over to Nonnie's Bistro for dinner, because we were starving!!
(1)
Jeff R.

Just went to Handles for the first time with our kids. Food was fantastic, service was solid. Would definitely go back. The buffalo burger was outstanding.
(4)
Rod O.

I gave this place a four because the beer selection is fantastic, a lot of variety from a great selection of local brewers. But unfortunately the beer menu can not carry the mediocre food. The burgers seems to be the best way to go, everything else is so so. Last time I was there I had the pulled pork, it was fairly dry and flavorless. I could have made better at home. Go for the beers but have dinner plans somewhere else.
(4)
Bob M.

This place could serve day-old doggie-do and still be worlds better than The Farmer was, by far. We had good service and good food at Handles, although the shrimp entree was mighty skimpy. The prices are not skimpy, though. Won't be a constant-return sort of place like our very own First Street Alehouse, but few spots in the area are.
(3)
Paul D.

I have been going to the Pleasanton hotel for 15 years for our wedding anniversary, Tonight my wife and I went to Handles for the first time to celebrate our 16 years together. Luke, our waitor was fantastic and friendly and helpful. Bent, one of the owners found out that it was our 16 year anniversary and "GAVE" us a bottle of champagne to celebrate and even gave us our choice of all the champagne he had in stock, including a $70 bottle of French Champagne. We choose a fine Italian bottle which was reasonably priced. The food was served quickly and was fantastic. The chef really knows his way around a Rib Eye steak because it was cooked the way I liked it and it had a wine sauce with mushrooms that was a real surprise to the pallet Handles is now one of my most favorite restaurants in Pleasanton. Sorry Happs but the service, price and quality at Handles was exceptional;
(4)
Mike J.

Just to write an update on my post. I went back again and the food has got to be better than the last time I went there. I heard they got a new sous chef that is pretty AMAZING. There beer selection is out of this world and I would recommend any of the Belgian beer's. SO YUMMY. I tired the fried green tomatoes and they are to die for. so sweet and savory.
(5)
Adam S.

First time here. Drove an hour in the pouring rain to get here in order to drop off a homebrew for a competition. That they host NHC judging alone makes me a fan. Brought my fiancee along to try the food and have a few beers. The atmosphere impressed us and we sat at this cozy little two top right in front of the fireplace which was great on this cold wet night. Our waiter was friendly and accommodating, letting us bend the menu slightly and going out of his way to pour our beers HIMSELF because the bartender apparently couldn't be bothered to do it. You know I'd be complaining about the fact that our beers came out after our food if the waiter hadn't taken the initiative. Kudos to him and shame on the bartender for being so lazy on this quiet Tuesday night. The beer selection is fantastic and that's my primary creterion for this review. As others have reported the food is hit and miss. It was good but there was no "wow" factor. But for pub fare I'd say it hit the spot just fine and didn't detract from our experience at all. In summary: if you're a beer fan this place will not disappoint.
(4)
Zachary H.

Just had lunch there! Love it. Everything is made fresh and can't wait to go back for a dinner. I have my eye on the Drunken Peach Shortcake! Chicken Pot pie and Mac n Cheese! We also heard that they use all fresh veggies from Terra Bella Farms in town. Plenty of great beer too. They make their own ketchup too.
(3)
T-bone Z.

Sat in the bar area, which was great! Excellent beer selection with several local craft beers. I've eaten in the dining area and front porch and think the food is good. However, the service is not good and improvement is needed. We sat for 15 minutes before being acknowledged by our server.
(3)
Kitty F.

Such a great location! The food is fantastic and the dining options are so fun... patio, dining area or bar. They have so much going on you can go any night of the week and have a great time.
(5)
Hannah D.

Was out for a date night and decided to try Handles as it was reccomended by a friend. We were immediatly greeted by not one, not two, but THREE hostesses, all of which seemed rather inept, and slightly flaberghasted with the concept of seating two people for dinner. Seriously. It took 5 minutes, visual checks of both dining rooms, and plenty of conversation before we were finally seated. The surprising part was that the dining room as only half full. We ordered the fried green tomatoes as an appetizer, which was forgettable. Not much tangy green tomato taste, too much corn, and why they chose to put mozerrela on the plate is still a mystery. I ordered a half salad to go with the mac n cheese. Our server brought out the half salad immediatly, while we were still munching on the fried green tomatoes. The portion size of the salad was HUGE, and my partner and I would have shared the salad if it wasn't so over dressed, rendering it inedible. Eventually I was able to flag down our server and ask for the salad to be redone, with dressing on the side. Meanwhile all of our plates were cleared and out came our entrees. The mac n cheese was bland. really bland. really really bland. plenty of fresh ground black pepper made it edible. My partner ordered the chicken pot pie which was more of chicken and biscuits. the biscuits were dense and undercooked, not crispy and fluffy like the crust of a true pot pie. there were only a few sizable chunks of chicken, and over all the whole thing had a one dimensal and rather bland taste, like something I would expect to be served at my grandmother's retirement home. the timing of the food was bad. And at one point my partner ordered a beer that was on his menu but not on the server's menu apparently. This lead to the server charging us for another beer, which was $2 more. I was also surprised to be charged for my salad. It is shame because the beers were excellant and I WANTED to like this place. But the food was forgettable (or maybe we just want to forget it!) and overpriced. You might as well just go down to the Hopyard, still get plenty of beers on tap, and the same mediocre food for half the price.
(2)
Raj D.

beer selection is 4 stars. food is 3 stars. beer on their patio is 4.5 stars. pranqster on tap is always a special moment. if you sit at the bar, bartenders always cool. also as a true beer place should, free beer tastes before selections are made
(4)
Adrianne R.

We were intrigued by this place, and decided to try it since my hubby LOVES beer. We were apprehensive, though, since the reviews were not stelar. It turned out that the reviews were correct: amazing beer selection, but otherwise nothing worth visiting for. Food was not good at all. Calamari was cold and tasted like old grease, kid pizza was a piece of flatbread with with what tasted like Ragu spaghetti sauce from a jar on it. I have to agree with the other Yelpers: if you're gonna go here, just head to the bar, and skip the food!
(2)
Kerri C.

I've been to Handles twice for dinner and a few more times for beers. The beers are outstanding...LOVE LOVE LOVE all your delicious choices. My favorite item so far has been the Fried Green Tomatoes, they are out of this world, these alone will keep me coming back, but I will likely not be bringing my kids with me next time. The first visit with my children was 50/50. One child ordered the Steak and Fries and the steak came perfectly cooked at medium rare and the fries and ketchup were a hit too, especially after explaining why the ketchup didn't taste like what we have at home, "it's homemade", she liked that idea. My other child was very disappointed in the pizza, when it comes to kids you have to keep it basic, the fancy dough didn't work. The next time we ordered the Steak and Fries again, since it ended up being a big hit with both the kids, but sadly it came out overcooked and with a very distinctive char on it. Unfortunately again, with kids you need to keep the flavors more simple, neither child like the charred flavor, even though I could appreciate it. A suggestion on the kids menu, include a pasta of some kind. Basic pasta with butter & cheese, you already have the marinara for the pizza so that is an otion as well. thanks
(3)
Kristen S.

My husband and I had dinner at Handles a week ago and had a great experience. We enjoyed having a drink and appetizer in the bar before our dinner. The food was great and the energy of the whole place is awesome ! I loved the chicken pot pie and my husband had the ceasar with pastrami and the carrot cake was worth every calorie. Next time we plan to eat outside on the patio.
(5)
Peggy W.

Food was good...service was a bit lacking. Servers need training to be more knowledgeable about the menu. We asked about specials and she really wasn't sure what it really was...took her about 10 minutes to get back to us with details. It was also a birthday celebration...most restaurants provide a festive dessert...they offered a small bowl of vanilla ice cream. I will go back to give it another change in the future. Sure hope they make it and work on server training. On the + side...the updated bar area looks so much better!!!
(3)
Carol L.

We celebrated a birthday brunch at this restaurant today for our daughter and son-in-law. The food was OK and NOT HOT!!!! The food was luke warm. The brunch menu was OK with nothing special for small children ages 3 & 5. Nothing special for birthdays apparently. We booked over a month ago and confirmed our reservation last night. We were disappointed. Service was OK. One would think they could have come out with a mini cupcake with a candle on it.
(2)
Laverne E.

Had dinner here tonight and it was good, nothing to write home about. The service is good and the beer was good (bf had, not me). The menu is very limited, but we found something. First we had the bbq wings which were ok, have had better. Then I had the Turkey Sandwich and the bf had the pork chop. Both of our dishes were overwhelmed with an orange flavor. I'm not into orange flavored things, so wasn't the best to me. I think it would have been much better with out the cranberry-orange relish. We had a fudge brownie for dessert and it was very good, served with a berry compote that was quite tasty. Not sure if we would drive back to Pleasanton just to go there.
(3)
j s.

So this place opened three days ago..with that said I understand that oftentimes new restaurants take some time to get all of the kinks worked out. I think the change of atmosphere (mainly in the bar area) was a good choice. The wine and beer list- love it. There were a few red wines that I thought should have been offered by the glass, not just the bottle, but that's probably my personal preference :) I had the three flights wine sample for $6 and thought it was great...basically 3 glasses of wine, so they were definitely generous. My husband had the three beer samples and was also happy with his choice. The menu: Well we have two young children and I think the children's menu was really great- there was relatively healthy options to include salmon, a salad (granted it was Cesar) and corn on the cob. My children shared the chx and corn entree. the corn was good and the chx was fresh, even though it was fried I could tell it wasn't frozen. I had the grilled portabella sandwich with the soup special...both were spicy (which was great). My husband and another guest had the pastrami sandwich with fries- they both thought it was just "okay" the meat was smoked, it had nice cheese melted, and also had grilled peppers. Another one of our guests had fish and chips. No complaints, thought the fist was great. So they make their own ketchup...I get that they want to use fresh ingredients and stay organic but honestly most people like traditional ketchup with fries, so I think that was a little disappointing. the service....terrible! I hate to say that, but that's the bottom line. Poor thing didn't know what was on the menu, couldn't explain the specials, didn't know they even had booster seats. she brought the kids meal out more than 5 min's late (which for any parent with young kids knows that's a recipe for disaster) She also didn't clear our plates or check on us after the food was brought out. I know this is common for new places, but one would think they servers would have tried everything on the menu and can describe it. So will I go back...yes, i definitely will, but I think I will go with just the hubby, sit in the bar, share app's and have some really great drinks.
(3)
Angela S.

I'm updating my review to reflect my visit yesterday. I would say that it is 3.5 stars... almost on the brink of 4. It concerns me that so many people have experienced bad service here (myself included)... but I must say that my recent visit was a pleasant surprise. My service was attentive and the food was great. Ac cross the board everyone enjoyed their meal and felt that the service was great. I am not sure if the difference stems between lunch and dinner or small party and large party in regards to the drastically different experiences with service, but if it continues as it was last night, then I believe this restaurant will be one of my favorites. Everything was priced very well, and they had plenty of menu options to make everyone happy! My current suggestion is simply to ensure that service is great across the board. In this economy finding good help shouldn't be difficult. I would definitely give this place a try.
(4)
Gemi U.

It pains me to say as I too was so looking forward to the opening, I have to agree w/ all the folks that gave this place 3 (very generous) and below stars. Im starting to wonder if this place has a hex on it or something (based on the rest). I will give it another try and also hope that the owners will listen to the majority and make some needed changes. Im so surprised by the poor service and w/ attitude.. what is up w/ that?!?! We ordered some beer (our server couldnt suggest one brew) and an app. When we asked questions he just squinted and acted confused by our questions - he knew NOTHING! The app was tasteless - how can you make fry's tasteless - and the "homemade sauce/ketchup" was foul... its like they are trying to be clever but it fails! Then we were ready to order our lunch - we thought we would be patient and take our time (trying to give the server a break). Well, that was a mistake - when we were finally ready to order we flagged him down - he said he would be right back and he never returned!!!! LOL WOW... how can you hire such crappy servers? I dont care if its the first day - make sure you know who is representing your establishment... After 20 minutes - we finally just asked for our check and went downtown to Nonni's Bistro (WHICH I HIGHLY RECOMMEND _ OUTSTANDING FOOD AND SERVICE) Much happier to give my $100 to them for lunch. Handles Management - Please listen w/out taking things too personal - you just cant succeed treating people poorly, acting like they are an inconvenience and insisting on hiring servers that Im amazed found their way to work (let alone my table). Service and Quality is necessary for success.. you gotta work on both to win
(1)
Marisa B.

AWFUL service!!!!! So bad it's embarrassing!!! The bartender stands around doing nothing while the waitress is the only one working and running around trying to accommodate the guests. It is obvious she has no help and is trying to take care of the entire restaurant on her own. The food is actually pretty tasty but it takes forever to get service. From the moment we walked in the hostess was nowhere to be found, took her 10 min to greet us only to tell us it would be a 15-20 min wait when we could see the restaurant was visibly empty. Then we finally ordered drinks for that to come back wrong, ordered appetizers for them to be missing what we requested. All around bad service which is sad because the food and beer/wine selection was pretty good. This restaurant has potential but needs help when it comes to customer service!
(1)
Shannon K.

My two friends and I dined here for lunch. First of all, we were disappointed to learn that this restaurant did not have a brunch on Sunday. We ordered Philly Cheese steak Sandwiches and Sliders. They brought us homemade Ketchup that was not too tasty (not sweet enough), so we asked for Heinz, which the waiter brought us. I was not very impressed with the ambiance, and I considered it unremarkable. The food was ok and predictable. The server was very attentive and I give him credit for that. I miss the Pleasanton Hotel :(
(3)
R S.

New place, so I'll go back to see if they improve as the staff learns they have a business to run. Handles Gastropub is a nice mixed environment family restaurant and Sports Pub. Here's my experience on 0-10 scale for various categories. Interior / Design (9-10) : They did a great job bringing more light into an establishment that used to be musty and dim. The decor is welcoming and comfortable with good placement for traffic flow. The bar/kitchen areas exposed to the customer arena gives a clean professional impression. Seating / Serving (1): Absolutely no management or discipline from staff here. We sat in the bar tables area amongst 3 tables stacked with dirty dishes and napkins. We sat like this for ten minutes before someone came to clean up, yes, that's ten minutes of nobody coming to ask us what we want to drink or bring menus. After the gentleman bussed our tables we figured we'd be help soon, football was on so no big deal. 45 minutes later, we assumed there was no help in our area so I went to the bar to order. After ten minutes of standing at the bar, finally a bartender asked what I'd have. I said, "from the menu, I'll have Drunken Calimari, a cup of Chili, and Hot Wings; and, to drink, a champagne and one of the local beers". To which he replied, "your waitress should get that", I noted that it's been an hour, I'll just pick it up at the end of the bar if he can get the order in. And that's exactly what I had to do. AND, NO, they were not too crowded??? Open tables and seating all the time we were there. Food (4-5): Nothing I tried was better than anything I'd make at home for myself. The Chili tasted fresh, but thin and nothing notable. The wings were quite bland, as was the calamari. Interesting enough, everyone around our table was curious of our opinion on food and replied with a laugh how that's just what they were saying. Strange they'd use Gastropub in their name without offering interesting and great food. Service during and after (0): There was none, none. Two other locals joined our table and knew the operators/owners in some capacity, but I don't think as friends or such. They noted there honestly should be service at our table, but even they found themselves going up to the bar and politely noting so many that haven't been helped. Their opinions of the food was also in line with ours and those around us. SUGGESTIONS: As noted earlier, I'll return to see if anything improves over the next month. Efficiency is the key to success here, they have a lot of local beers and wines to bring people into a very nice establishment that is comfortable to socialize in. They have to improve their food and service enormously or they will be out of business (or maybe more accurately, not getting any customers) by Christmas. I think a menu focused on small appetizer type plates should make up most of the menu, but the appetizers should be interesting and healthy. Easy, fast, fresh ingredients that can be appreciated standing or sitting in casual or upscale dress. There is lots of lounge type sitting, that can make some dishes difficult to manage and therefore less desirable.
(2)
Lynn A.

Well, I gave it three tries and the third time was not a charm. I had high hopes because it has a nice beer selection and the bar is nice and large, but the food is absolutely horrible! If they don't turn it around it won't make it....and we really need something new in Pleasanton. On my recent visit this week there were seven of us celebrating a birthday and the service was bad, everyone's food was bad and we all decided we wouldn't go back. Such a shame.
(1)
Princess P.

My husband and I were very much looking forward to the opening of this new Main Street restaurant. I was really drawn in by the claim that they pair food with their huge selection of wine and beer. We went for an early dinner on a Thursday evening and decided to sit in the dining room. There were only 4-5 other tables occupied at the time, however it was at least 10-15 minutes before our waitress came to the table. We asked her about the bites and wine pairing and she read word for word from her tablet. We decided to give it a try and when the food was ordered, she placed it on the table out of order and named the wine by number vs. name. (ie. this is number 6 instead of this is the Chardonnay and it pairs well with ......) When we asked which wine paired well with the appetizers she stated "whichever one you like" We decided to have dinner as well and I ordered the Summer Harvest Linguine and my husband had the Steak and Fries. There was very poor communication between our waitress and the lad who attempted to deliver the food from the kitchen. He stood for several minutes at the entrance to the dining room waiting for her to tell him which table to deliver the food to. Time to get a numbering system in place guys. The pasta was mushy and the vegetables were overcooked. The taste was good but the texture was more like a risotto rather than pasta al dente like I would expect,. My husband was underwhelmed with the steak as well. Overall, a disappointing evening and a bill over $100. for dinner for two. I like the concept and hope management can get the cooks and wait staff to a more professional level quickly before it fails.
(2)
Mrs G.

Liked the changes they made inside it is more of a brewery style with flair in the bar area and a slight bit fancier in the dining room. I am looking forward to when they open the patio the 10th. Started out with calamari and fried green tomatoes. Tomatoes were great the corn salsa on top gave it such a great sweetness to play off the tart of the tomato. The calamari would have been better had they let it fry just a little longer. not quite crispy enough for me but I appreciated the rush to get us our food right away. We both had a bloody Mary which was delicious! They use hanger one pepper infused vodka yum. We ordered an AZTEC BURGER to split which is a Grilled All Natural Hamburger with roasted poblano, red bell and jalapeÃ±o peppers with pepper jack cheese, avocado, sundried tomato aioli, leaf lettuce, and griddled onions on Semifreddi's ciabatta bun. Yes wipe the drool from your chin it was tasTy. We upgraded the side to a salad and in my opinion you should def request the dressing on the side. I had the Coconut Porter from Hawaii. Good beer not very coconuty though a little disappointed. Husband had the Steep Trail Amber imported all the way from Concord a good 5.7% beer! We ended the meal with a lava cake which was a small serving but rich dessert that was just ok. I was really excited to try the drunken peach shortbread dessert which I felt could have used boozing up just a little. It was more of a light buzz than drunk.....overall we enjoyed our visit very much I will be looking forward to going back and sitting outside with a local cold beer and probably another Aztec burger!!
(4)
John P.

We had a bad feeling as soon as we walked in and waited for someone to seat us. It took 8-10 staff employees to walk by us before we had to ask to be seated. Once seated, the people seated at a nearby table asked the waiter to speak with the manager. They asked 2-3 times but the manager never showed up. They finally got up and left with partially eaten food. The guy at the next table complained that he was still waiting for some bread. We finally ordered - I asked the waiter what he recommended since it was our first time. He suggested 4 items on the menu and finished by saying "that's about it". The food finally arrived, my Dad wanted more ketchup and the waiter told him that "he already had some". I explained that he will be needing more since there was 2-tablespoons in a small condiment dish. The fish and chips were soggy like the batter wasn't cooked completely. My Dad had the smoked sandwich which was dry and shriveled. My Mom had a cup of soup which she thought was good. Not a great first time experience - unfortunately, we didn't review YELP until we got home. Sadly, we wouldn't have wasted our money if we had. The setting is really nice but they need to get the guy from Restaurant Intervention or Gordon Ramsey to come in and show them what's broken and how to fix it.
(2)
Jerry W.

I wanted to give this 3 or 4 stars, but the ambiance and the service personnel drove it to 2 stars. We ate here with a group of 15. They sat us at Round tables joined together near the bar. Waitress acted like she had better things to do than to wait on us. Food was good, I had the grilled salmon. Beer menu looked good (I was designated driver so didn't sample anything). Appetizers were good especially the hummus and the ceveche.
(2)
Ed O.

Our family was looking forward to the opening but walked away disappointed. Spent a little time in the bar area before dinner. Bar Atmosphere and service was OK and we would probably return to watch a sharks game and have a beer and appetizers. We would not return for a sit down dinner, there are far better options around town. Salads were above average, twice cooked fries were pretty good but none of our entrees hit home. We ordered chicken pot pie, couple of burgers, and the Mac and cheese none had much flavor. Burgers were dry, chicken pot pie had bones and was more like a chowder. Mac and cheese was not large enough to be called a entree. I do wish the owners luck but first impression bar will do OK, the restaurant in less they improve the quality of their food will crash and burn.
(3)
Rosana K.

If you are looking for a large variety of beers you'll love this place. Nice choice of wine too (although not many local vineyards represented). The food, however, was disappointing. Ingredients were missing, food overcooked & rather bland. But kitchen redeems with tasty desserts. Go for the spirits, skip dinner menu & move straight to dessert.
(2)
Jessica M.

I'm from out of town and stumbled on this little gem. Most of the bad reviews lament the burgers. Simple solution...don't order a burger. I love to taste test and they have a beer flight with paired food. It was fun and pretty fantastic. Since I knew it was likely going to be an amuse bouche size, I got the house salad. Baby greens, garbanzo beans, and apples with a champagne vinaigrette. It was good, but I kept launching garbanzo beans at my boyfriend when I tried to stab them with the fork. We thought it was funny, but eventually I just ate around them. The beers paired with the food worked really well. My boyfriend had the pastrami mac and cheese. It tasted great and was a huge portion that even he didn't finish. For dessert we shared the pumpkin chocolate chip bread pudding. It was fantastic. Others at our table ordered the dessert sampler and the chocolate lava cake. The bread pudding beat them all by table vote. A different time we had the sole with white wine sauce, mushrooms, and sweet potato puree, as well as, the O.M.G. meatloaf with garlic mashed potatoes. Everything tasted great, but the sweet potatoes overpowered the delicate sole. I avoided the potatoes and the rest of the dish worked perfectly. The meatloaf was also wonderfully flavored and not dry. I didn't try the mashed potatoes because by that point I was stuffed. I sat in the restaurant side twice and we had great servers each time. They both had suggestions on different beers to try and we didn't sit long with an empty glass. I can't say the same thing about sitting at the tables in the bar. The waitress walked by us twice (making eye contact once) and never stopped to take our order. After 20 minutes, we just went to the hostess and had her seat us in the restaurant, which worked out great. The beer is great if you love microbrews (which I do), but you won't find a single domestic on tap. If that bothers you, it's best that you find somewhere else to order your Coors Light. There is an impressive IPA list, a few house brews, Belgians, sours, porters, stouts, and seasonals. Keep in mind that their beer list changes. The chalk board is the best place to order your beer from, but if you want prices, check the beer menu. When in doubt, have the bartenders send you a sample of the beer.
(4)
Donna D.

My husband and I have been there a few times and for the most part it is very good. My only real complaint was when we went there at 2:00 pm on a Sunday and they were still serving the brunch menu. We had a toddler with us and with a limited menu they would not begin serving the lunch menu until 2:30. They would not be flexible on this and went across the street to eat.
(3)
Shaun W.

I wanted to love it. I really did. The concept is just what the area needs. The service was good, it wasn't too crowded, the bar looked nice, but the food..... Yuck. We tried the calamari appetizer, nice portion, nasty taste. It appeared to have been prepared using store bought bread crumbs which were then burned on. It was served lukewarm with some bizarre salad dressing as it's sauce. It only took 3-4 minutes from the time we ordered it until the time it hit our table so I'm guessing it was waiting around for someone to order it. My wife had the "special" flatbread pizza. Salami and black olive. Should have been a no brainer. Again lukewarm, with an odd flavor and texture. I tried the much touted meatloaf. Nice sized portion, decent mashed potatoes. But... lukewarm (hmmm, pattern developing?) flavorless and an odd color and texture. Don't waste your money, the same $60 we spent will get you a good meal somewhere else.
(2)
Mindy M.

Yesterday was my first experience at Handles for a buffet meal--the Mother's Day brunch was A+++! I've trudged through a lot of big hotel and country club buffet lines and the food at Handles yesterday was top notch. I wasn't sure where to start, but after enjoying our beautiful shady garden table with my complimentary mimosa for a few minutes, I Started w/ their in-house smoked salmon, assorted roasted veggies and a little spinach salad. The salmon was the best I've had. I made sure to leave room for home made corned beef hash, which had big chunks of corned beef tossed with cubed red potatoes--not the usual mashed up fat-laden concoction others call hash. I also had some home-made chiliquiles, and a couple bites of the grown-up mac and cheese. I never even got around to the mile-long fresh omelet bar or the carving station for prime rib and a 2nd choice--maybe pork but others vouched for it at my table. The kids hit the dessert table for mini cheesecakes, chocolate dipped strawberries, and a huge selection of other goodies. We had a great server and overall a fantastic time. I'll be back, Handles!
(5)
Erik T.

I went last week with a few friends to the soft opening. Prior to ordering I was amazed at their beer selection. The person who said there are no domestic beers couldn't be any further from the truth. Of the nearly 40 bears on tap I would say maybe a couple were imported. Most were from right here in California. And to the guy complaining they don't have Guiness, Guiness is the corona of the stout world. I'm glad your wife ventured out and tried a better beer. Congrats to her. On to the food... We ordered the fried green tomatoes for an appetizer and couldn't have been more impressed. For an entree I got the beer-bq pulled pork. It wasn't the best I've had, but the apple slaw was a great touch. Now the deserts... We couldn't decide which we wanted so we ordered one of each. They were amazing! The carrot cake was the best I've ever had and the chocolate lava cake had an awesome spicy kick at the end that I've never experienced. All in all I was impressed with the new place. I'm sure they'll do great and I look forward to seeing what they have in store.
(5)
Russell S.

Patio area is wonderful, great music, nice atmosphere. Service was slow, especially bad considering there were maybe 5 tables in the entire restaurant. Staff was friendly but oblivious. The burger was far overdone and lukewarm at best; soaked through the bottom bun before it got to my table. The chicken on the waffles was great but the waffle was crunchy and cold. The woman behind us got a cheese omelet with completely unmelted cheese in the center. Ketchup is not American ketchup - definitely more like cocktail sauce. Fries were overly greasy, bottom of the fryer style. Waited far too long between sitting, ordering, getting food, and waiting for the check. Wouldn't come back or recommend.
(2)
Chris T.

Came for Sunday Brunch this morning. The brunch was excellent! This was their second time for serving Sunday Brunch and they have it down. So good. We were a group of 10. Everyone gave two thumbs up. Made to order omelets...french toast...waffles, salads, pastas and delicious desserts to name just a few. They would get 5 stars but need to update signs in front and web page info...everything said opened at 9:30 a.m. but really it was 10.... We will definitely return for Sunday Brunch....price is right on!
(4)
Kristy G.

Four star rating for such a great location and outside seating. Food is okay, not great. Came here on Sunday afternoon for brunch and got to listen to some good live music on the patio. They have such a great opportunity to do something AWESOME here. Service, food are two areas where improvements would just make this the TOTAL package!!
(4)
Josh W.

excellent food and a pleasing atmosphere - make sure you have a fat wallet 'cuz you'll definitely be leaving with a slimmer one, just fyi.
(4)
Anne H.

Arrived at Handles really craving some fish and chips. The waitress didn't come over for 10 minutes. Then when she did she took our order for drinks. She didn't return for another 10 min. Finally took our food order. I received the fish and chips- it was so fried it was ridiculous. Ok, I'll take the breading off and just eat the fish. I cut it in half- the fish reeked of ammonia. The fish was bad. I realize then why they fried it so much. Awful awful experience. I will never go back there.
(1)
O N.

This is an update to my original review in December 2011. I was contacted by K. R. from Handles, and she seemed genuinely dismayed that we had an unsatisfactory dining and server experience. My MIL wanted to give them another try, and she had a birthday coming up, so we tried again. Last night's experience was totally different from our first visit. Our server was very attentive, but not overly so, I was thrilled when she brought me a sample of a beer that sounded very interesting to me. All three in our party had different meals. The Asparagus soup was wonderful. The Osso Bucco Pork was very good, and the brussel sprout hash was interesting. I had the fish and chips, 3 very nice sized pieces of fish, the french fries were great, as was the homemade ketchup, it wasn't watery or overly sweet either, I thought it had perfect texture and flavor. When I ordered my entree' I asked for extra tartar sauce which our server remembered, so I didn't have to remind her to bring it. That's extra points in my book :). The birthday girl had the Flat Iron Steak with the mushroom demi glace'. The steak was tender and flavorful. Thank you very much for asking us to try your establishment again K. R., Jennifer was a great server! For some reason this review was never posted. It should have been posted in 2012.
(3)
Brandon C.

I am pleased with this downtown pub for both food and beverage choices. I came here for a small holiday gathering and really enjoyed the selection of beers and appetizers. I normally don't like sweet potato fries but really like them at Handles because they were seasoned heavily with salt and pepper and tasted great. I was able to find a good light beer on tap and was pleased with the taste. I had the House Smoked Turkey Carver sandwich for my entrÃ©e. It had a generous amount of good quality turkey, melted brie cheese and perfectly crisp and chewy sourdough bread. There are a few other items on the menu that I'm looking forward to try.
(3)
Neal T.

Descent selection of beers, including some local craft beer. Service was excellent. Another nig plus for me was the open table reservation which made this a convenient experience. This place may be stretching it just a tad calling themselves a gastropub. Im not saying the food was bad. But i just think it was closer to regular pub food, not quite gastropub level. I had the shepherds pie which was filling and tasted just fine. Id come here for drinks but may look elsewhere for dinner if i had options.
(3)
Kelly L.

Food is decent. Beer is good. However, the service is horrendous. Waiting 20 minutes for the check, then waited over 15 minutes for them to come back for me to sign my bill. They definitely need to figure out who waits on what table. Had three different waiters during our time.
(2)
David C.

Man. Such a disappointment. Looked great from the outside. The menu in the website looked awesome. We should have stopped there. It has all the elements of greatness...so the utter failure has to be chalked up to poor management. Kinda sad. Hardly anyone there, we waited 15 minutes (and had turned around to leave) before we were seated. The first three things we tried to order, they were out of. Then, of the three desserts on their menu, they were out of two. On a Friday night - if you count 5 pm as "night." Nice server though. Not super attentive, but not bad at all. He could probably make more money at a better restaurant.
(2)
Hilary C.

This was our third time dining here and it was a completely different experience than the second time. I'm happy to amend my earlier review with this one. Our server had great energy - very relaxed and competent and gave a good pace of service. My fiance's smoked pork chops and purple pickled onions were dreamy and the portion size was very fair. My salmon was again, cooked perfectly and the collards were sauteed just enough. My step-daughter had the bison burger and did not part with it until it was finished. It was large and did not touch the plate again once lifted from it - key indicator of enjoyment and commitment. A surprising touch was the home made ketchup. We enjoyed our meal, the ambiance, and the energy of the service staff. Happy to recommend and support this small business and great local restaurant. Thank you, Kristin.
(4)
Kay J.

I have not been here since it was the old Pleasanton Hotel. The bar area always had a stench to it. It is not as bad as it used to be. We ate in the bar. Lots of TVs, good service. The food was good. I had a burger and salad. Food is also reasonably priced, unlike most restaurants in the area. Would like to have eaten outside but a private party was going on. Fun place for family or friends.
(4)
Alvin L.

That. Was. Awesome. I met up with a friend here for a late lunch and had a fantastic time! The wait staff are all very attentive and kind. I had the Old Blue burger. It was perfectly cooked and very very juicy! The fries were great and served with house made ketchup! I was very impressed. Their vast menu really makes me want to come back regularly. We were given the option of sitting inside or outside. Being that it was a nice day, we chose to sit on the patio. It's a very nice, open area with tables and a little outside bar. We saw lights dangling from trees and beams overhead so we agreed to come back some evening to see the place lit up. Great experience! Would definitely return.
(5)
Dave R.

The food is not good. Mostly cooked wrong or fried. It's all low end stuff. Not returning here for a long time. There are plenty of other good choices in downtown Pleasanton. Try Bruno ' s you'll be much happier.
(2)
Matt P.

1st time I ever tried pork belly, and happy it was here. I also really enjoyed the kobe sliders. Always tasty when accompanied by my favorite pint lol
(5)
Curry Man X.

Look I'm ALL for having these kind of establishments in Pleasanton, God knows we need them badly. However service is mostly spotty, the service staff is immature and just there to play or pass time. Service is often negligent and unprofessional. The drinks are above average ( the one saving grace) and the food is the typical easy to cook for any homeless guy that walks off the street and knows how to fry chips and make squiggly lines using thousand island dressing on tacos. However the BIG negative i had during my recent visit were the fly's in my food and flea type bugs trying to get into my drink. Was lucky enough to photograph this. Also had a piece of hair which to me looks like a dog hair. Would I come back? maybe..but only because Pleasanton has to be the most boring town ever, this establishment will garner some business from the throngs of bored residents. Good outdoor patio (which is under utilized in my opinion) and good beer selection. Worst store front I've ever seen, most people have no idea what is behind the boring front facade. NOTE: My photos showing proof of hair in food were removed by Yelp.
(2)
Terry H.

I came here Saturday night for my birthday dinner. Had a large crowd with us. The staff was very friendly and fast. I really enjoyed my shepherds pie. Will be coming back soon:-)
(4)
Sophia Y.

So, I went to Handles with my girlfriends to celebrate a birthday and it wasn't bad! It was a Friday and the restaurant wasn't filled up so that was good. We made a reservation but we probably didn't have to. Some families were there for dinner as well as a large engagement party. The bar area was nice and quiet and the waitresses were very attentive and came by often to ask if we needed anything. The price of the food didn't equate to their portions and the drinks were pretty expensive. As the evening worn on, a few DJs came out and spun some music in the bar area so that was fun. Overall, a good place to chill, have happy hour or a celebration dinner! Most important aspect of the bar, they have LOTS and LOTS of beers!
(3)
Chris K.

I've eaten here 5-6 times and each time has been different (read inconsistently consistent). I read a couple reviews re: blue cheese burger all over the map and I completely agree! I love burgers and this one reads on the menu as the most amazing burger around. First time it won. 2nd time #epicfail with tasting like a frozen patty and not much blue cheese nor z bacon. I was borderline squashing this place post this feast. Then you get that urge to give it a few more tries... Enter 9/19/2013. Pros: Outdoor seating was great. The neighboring property had some live band playing which echoed into Handles. Added a good vibe #fringebenefit Great GREAT GREAT Beer selection. Not 5 beers on draft but 20+. So fantastically fantastic! Not many light beer choices for the wifey.... But when in Rome we rally, right ? When their food is good it is AWESOME! Problem is that it is inconsistent... Better menu diversity than your typical bar&grill which is what sounds to be the renamed, new hotness version of a place called a "gastropub"! A rose by any other name? This time I got the turkey and Brie Sammie sub pepper bacon and add beer onions. It was AWESOME! Their BBQ sauce made in house is great. Tasty, flavorful etc. I love going to this place but I have been unpleasantly surprised by the inconsistency... Cons: Service has typically been slow no matter lunch/dinner and week night / weekend. That just makes ZERO sense. Also, these and pretty much all folks need to adopt Petes Brass Rail system with people ordering from their ipad/other device like system and beers are delivered t minus 7seconds later. It's a gastropub, we came for the brewskis - give em to us my friend. Quicker the better Inconsistent food. See above and other reviews. Pricey specials. My wife got the $18 Ahi special and it was nothing special. No flavor at all. If it needs sriracha then we got a problem - if you want sriracha then that's ok- but this thing needed it. Very disappointed with that choice. Service can be slow regardless if busy or slow. I will be back for sure and hopefully it will be a positive dining experience again. This last time was positive so odds are it will be - ...
(3)
Paul n.

Our waitress gave us great service and the food was great , the calamari was delicious also the Mac and cheese is homemade, prices are reasonable, must try it
(4)
Darren F.

Bison burger was ok, the bun was very dry. Wife had smoked chicken which was yum. Side of garlic Parmesan fries (these puppies have kick) were good. All in all a solid 3.
(3)
Tami J.

Stopped in on a baseball night, so it was pretty busy, and loud - just as it should be on sports night! Started out with the calamari and ceviche tostaditas. Both were very good. For mains, I has the grilled salmon salad. It was nice, but the piece of salmon was very small. My companion had the Bison burger. It was okay, but nothing a bit plain. Over all it was a nice dinner. The service was a little slow, but still friendly.
(3)
Michaela R.

Went here with family last weekend. My expectations were high considering the great downtown location, good looking menu and the fact that I've never been to a "gastropub" before. I must say I was a little let down. 1) Our service wasn't great. We were seated on the front deck which was rather crammed. I don't know if our out of the way location was just too inconvenient for our waitress but she didn't come buy as frequently as she should have: requests for simple things like a side of ketchup seemed to take forever to get back to our table. She came by toward the end of our meal and didn't clear any of our finished plates, so we were left with stacks of dirty dishes on our already cramped table. 2) The food was just okay (some people's food was definitely better than others). The blue cheese burger seemed to be a hit with those who ordered it. The meatloaf was also good. Two people ordered the steak frits cooked medium, but both were well done. I ordered the duck tacos: the duck was good & the sauce on top was yummy but the onion pancakes were not good at all! I stopped trying to eat them after 1-2 bites. They really need to work on that item. 3) Menu was out of date. When the waitress took our drink orders they were out of multiple beers that we wanted to try! And then when we asked for recommendations our waitress got flustered and didn't really know how to advise us. Like I said, we were expecting better from a gastrobub. I probably will not be returning to Handles the next time i go out to eat in downtown Pleasanton.
(2)
Shaun D.

Food was great! And Beer selection was unbelievable! Service was suspect as it took a long time to get our check. Not that waiting 20 minutes for a check was bad....I got to finish the Snowshoe Beer I ordered. It's rare in the Bay Area to get that beer anywhere in the East Bay so that was nice. Because they have a Snowshoe selection on tap and food was good, I'll give it a decent rating. Service needs to improve though....3 people (including manager) were just hanging out at hostess booth an not willing to help servers on floor.
(4)
Brian B.

Great beer selection. But don't forget wine! Wines on tap. The food is slightly upgraded pub fare but very well done. Great atmosphere, knowledgeable bartenders and a great patio. Also, parking! They have a private lot behind the building which is gold in Pleasanton. It looks like it's all parking for The Rose Hotel but fear not.
(4)
Nick K.

Fantastic beer selection with many house brews, a nice outdoor patio, mediocre food and a haunted basement. Handles is a great addition to downtown Pleasanton for drinking purposes only. The food does it's job, but the best thing to do is sit back and enjoy a few carbonated libations on the patio.
(3)
Marilyn S.

Had the Cuban sandwich and it was great. The waitress was very nice and attentive to us. We will be back for a dinner sometime soon.
(4)
Mike M.

Fun, good food, good music. Nice outdoor area. Very ood beer selection. Friendly servers. Good for groups. The menu offers American bar and grill with updated takes and interpretation.
(4)
Jamie S.

A group of friends wanted to get together for a Saturday afternoon hang sesh and chose Handles as the spot. Since the chosen day happened to fall the day before a good friend's birthday, we decided to get sneaky and surprise her. The Handles staff was our partner in crime on the surprise and we couldn't have had a better partner! I called to reserve seating for 12-15 about a week and a half in advance. Sara Rose took the reservation and answered all of my questions, the most important being, Can we bring our own cake? The answer was yes and I felt like we were good to go. I checked the Yelp reviews and started to get a bit nervous about the service we would receive. Oh, well, I decided we were already invested and we were gonna ride this out. The morning of our reservation, I received a call from Handles to inform that we would not be able to have the patio seating we requested (which was never guaranteed) due to a private function. A-OK with us, since it was about 8475937328275 degrees outside anyway. The call was a courtesy, totally unexpected and not required, which really put me at ease and set the tone for how I would feel about the service we were to receive. We showed up about 20 minutes early for a 4PM reservation and the place was pretty much empty, which was awesome for us. Our table was ready and as our party arrived with various party supplies, the staff showed them to the table. We proceeded to don party hats, tie THIRTY Mylar balloons in clusters to the chairs, and the staff even took the cake and kept it in the fridge for us! When our guest of honor arrived, we closed the curtains to the dining room we were in (we were the only ones at the time), and informed the staff that she was there and we wanted to surprise her. I think they were enjoying being part of the action, and stood by to watch us jump like maniacs as we yelled "SURPRISE!!!" In the three hours we were there, the staff and management bent over backwards to every little silly request our little hearts had. So, Sara Rose, Alan, Mark, and the rest of the crew, THANK YOU for your hospitality, professionalism, and level of service that greatly exceeded any expectation we had! We will be back!
(5)
James A.

First time here at this restaurant for our family of 4. We just moved to the area and thought we'd give this place a try. Wow! We loved it. Food was great and so was the ambiance. Service was okay, not great but not terrible. Everyone in our family enjoyed EVERYTHING we ordered and ate every morsel. We had the following: - Calamari: excellent - Chicken tacos: good - Fried artichoke: great Main entrees: - Night special. Venison Osso Bucco with cherry demi glace. Wow!! Amazing - Smoked pork chops with mushroom sauce. Also amazing. We are definitely going back soon. Like next week : )
(5)
Artemis X.

After waiting several months, I came here for the crispy pork belly. It was crispy. Interestingly, it is served with a variety of pickled vegetables including cauliflower, jalapenos, carrots, red bell pepper, onion, and pimento olives. There's also a sauce that add to the juiciness. I am glad I got this. I would serve the meat and veggies separately simply because they are such powerful flavors, savory and salty. For me, the mix was ok, but not ideal. Colleen was a good server They have a selection of Scotch to enjoy if that's your thing. I will be back for the Pavlova.
(3)
John S.

First time I went to Handles the food was ok served hot and the service was excellent. I I went back a month later and was disappointed. The food was cold and didn't taste good I will go back for happy hours but not to eat.
(2)
Jessica J.

Went on a Sunday around 1pm. Brunch was the only fare available so we went with the flow...I ordered eggs Benedict and my husband ordered chicken & waffles. So so disappointing. It wasn't busy, but our food seemed thrown together with such a lack of caring and expertise. My eggs were nearly hard cooked, not the silky creamy yolks they should've been. The potatoes accompanying them were uninspired, tasteless. The chicken that came with the mini waffles was obviously frozen only minutes before and was so breaded there was hardly any chicken there. Dredging a piece of chicken in seasoned flour and cooking would be so much better. The one bright spot was our server, Jose Luis. He was attentive and kind, and made our visit bearable! However, I don't know if we'll be back.
(2)
Peacemomma M.

Awesome gluten free beer now available by the bottle!! Omission Lager and Pale Ale. Finally I can have a beer!
(5)
Ray W.

I don't get it. Why all the 1 to 3 star reviews? I've been here now on 4 separate occasions. Far from a regular but not just stopping in 1 time. Granted, we have always come on the weekends and usually a little after lunch. The beer selection has always been great! A wide array of different beers for different tastes as well as food to match! We have had 3 different bartenders and all of them have been attentive, pleasant, and funny too! We have had the pork belly, the calamari, the sliders, fries, fries with truffle oil and garlic, mac and cheese, mac and cheese with pastrami, and not one of these disappointed~ This has been our go to place to relax, unwind, try some beers that we normally wouldn't commit a 6 pack to and enjoy our afternoon. We have definitely tried to come here on a night where they have live music but have been too tired to make the trek down here. We will soon though and can't wait to give em more business!
(5)
Claire K.

Enjoyed the atmosphere here- great selection of beers. In a neat stretch of Pleasanton, it was a great location to bring a customer for a casual lunch.
(4)
Gretel S.

Excellent service food and ambiance! Just held a happy hour for 30 clients and was more than pleased with everything!
(5)
Derek B.

Visited Handles yesterday at 11:30 yesterday for lunch very dissapointed. Service was horrible. Took 15 minutes to place a drink order which was 2 waters and 2 Iced Teas. Came back with 2 Iced Teas and one water leaving our 6 year old to wait another 10 minutes for water. Food for 4 came out in 3 different batches spanning about 15 minutes in total. Both our table and the one next to us were being piece mailed our order. They claimed they were extremely busy, but the patio was half full. Requested ketchup 2X and they kept bring out cocktail sauce ensuring me it was ketchup?? The kids enjoyed their chicken strips but my hamburged was way, way overcooked. Left early when we were overcome by bees. Not impressed. No concern for how our meal was, if we were satisfied etc.
(1)
Tiffany L.

I'm sorry but grey goose is not your well vodka. Don't charge me grey goose prices without telling me
(2)
Paul L.

First time here today with my family. Waited 10 minutes to meet our waiter. Finally ordered our food and the server forgot my drink order. My potatoes were raw in the inside. Never followed up on a refill on our beverages in one hour. Extremely dissapointed in the restaurant. Now we know hey there was no line out the door
(2)
Elise G.

Great selection of beer on tap with a knowledgable bartender that makes on point recommendations. I got the "Wold Among Weeds" which had fruity notes, wasn't too bitter, and had a mildly hop finish. I loved this IPA that he suggested. Three of us ordered a few appetizers: Lemon-Artichoke Hummus, Mac and Cheese, Corn Pups, and Five Spice Duck Tacos. The Happy hour prices were a steal between 3PM to 6PM. I don't know why this place has so few stars. I liked it!
(4)
Steven G.

***500th Review*** Looking for a place to take my parents to dinner (my father ended up treating slyly because he's a brat like that!) after a long day at the hospital visiting my new niece, I suggested Handles Gastropub since I had never been and have been intrigued to go. I made an OpenTable reservation and we were all set to hopefully have a nice dinner. We arrived on time and were seated immediately. The restaurant was not packed and I was a bit worried but I learned a long time ago not to judge a book by it's cover. Our drink orders were taken by our sweeter than sweet waitress and we looked over the not-so-overbearing menu. I decided on the O.M.G Meatloaf while my mom went for the Fish & Chips which actually turned into Fish & Mac through substitution and my dad opted for something that now I am not recalling. The meatloaf was very flavorful as was the garlic mashed potatoes that accompanied it. I wasn't a fan of the veggies as they had a strange taste to them and I couldn't finish it. Oh and I too got a side of their Mac & Cheese since it was recommended. Overall it was a pleasant dinner but I think next time I am going to tackle one of their burgers and not deal with the other entrees because I want to avoid disappointment. Hopefully I can try them again soon!
(3)
Ronald G.

First time here service amazing! Food even better. Beer varied and cold. Worth a try. I'll be going back.
(5)
Scott M.

Marginal Food, Terrible service. $105.00 for a family of 4
(2)
Joe P.

Will never go back here again! The food was terrible, i ordered calamari and the chef sent it out to us knowing it was spoiled, even the manager tried it and agreed it was bad, nice job chef!!!! No decent chef would have sent that out! How hard is it to smell bad calamari from a mile away freekin idiot!!! Stay clear of this place!!!
(1)
Karen L.

WE go for the band and dancing on the weekends. We attempted to eat there and every single dish they brought out was inedible. the ribs were black and hard as leather, couldn't even cut with a steak knife. the mac and cheese had been microwaved, was partially uncooked and had a watery bottom portion. the manager was very nice and apologetic and didn't charge us for anything and even bought us each a drink, but we left hungry. I have 3 vouchers from him also for 2 free meals and 1 appetizer. normally, FREE is good for me but I would never bring anyone here again. This was several months ago but I spoke to someone recently who went back and she informed me that nothing had changed. too bad. It's a good location in downtown Pleasanton. they need to get a NEW chef!! Please!
(1)
Janie D.

We went on a Monday night and sat outside. It was not very busy. It took twenty minutes, no exaggeration, until a waiter came over to take our drink order. Then we waited another ten minutes for the drinks to come. The medium rare hamburger we ordered was definitely rare by anyone's standards. When the main course arrived, one person in our party ordered another beer which never arrived. Wasn't the best birthday celebration. Not impressed! Although the shepherd's pie was good and so was the wedge salad.
(1)
N O.

Visited with family and sat outside in the beautiful Pleasanton weather. Our server Naz. was exceptionally friendly and helpful. In the past, I was not impressed with the food, but Naz asked us how exactly we wanted our food and it was perfect and served with a smile. We were extended the happy-hour prices with drinks and food - which was hot and fresh. The wings were spicy and delicious. Nachos were customized to have chicken instead of pork and no "nacho cheese" - instead, it was all cheddar. Naz went over the top by chatting with the ladies at our table and learned that my wife had recently celebrated a birthday. When we asked for the check, she arrived with a piece of delicious and complimentary cake - a very pleasant and wonderful surprise! We will definitely be back!
(4)
Steve K.

Handles isn't a bad place at all. They have a decent selection of libations to choose from, and the food is pretty good. Our server was fantastic... helpful and friendly, and we had a good time on a recent weekend afternoon I'd return when I'm in the area again...
(3)
Anna K.

Flat beer and fried wings they advertise as smoked! If we weren't hungry and thirsty we would have sent them back! Although it was happy hour we were charged regular prices.
(2)
Lindsey P.

Stopped in for some beers and food off the happy hour menu. Sat at the open-seating bar. Decent view of some TVs broadcasting "the game" at the bar, but the other open seating options at tables and high-tops can give you a better view if you want it. Bartender was knowledgeable on beer and eager to share her insights. Their selection is really great. Their house brews were super affordable during happy hour, but they didn't list the prices of other pours unfortunately. I like to know how much money I'm guzzling! Happy Hour menu dishes were all good and of a rather generous size for the price. Mac and cheese is possibly the best I have had in the east bay. Bar service was pretty attentive although not polished, but no real complaints about it. I'll definitely be back.
(4)
Jerrod M.

Solid restaurant with a great tap selection! Much better then the so called brewery across the street! Good service and great food that pares well with the vast selection of brews. Food was very fresh and a lot of flavor. Great burgers and the salmon was incredible! They have a beautiful outdoor patio area that is very nice to have evening dinners almost year round. Fun place to hang out and get a beer as well as a great date night!
(4)
Cameron F.

Arrived for the Sunday brunch from 10am-2pm. I have to say, the atmosphere is relaxing and great seating in the main dining area. I ordered the natural burger with the side of apple coleslaw. Everything was appetizing, however the buns were soggy and the meat patty wasn't sufficient. At the end, you're left with an excess of bun and veggies. Thumbs up for the homemade ketchup. Good place for appetizers and beer, but the Sunday brunch menu needs some enhancement.
(3)
Karen M.

Sad but true their service is really poor! Was there on a Monday night, then Saturday afternoon (for the World Cup no less) and returned on Sunday for the World Cup. You would think it they would be prepared for the crowd -- Saturday there was no crowd and the service was lousy. Sunday, there was a crowd and the service was awful and food was cold!
(1)
Miranda K.

This weekend I went to Handles for lunch to celebrate a friend's birthday. What was supposed to be a small group of friends somehow turned into a very large party of almost 20 people. I felt SO bad for our waitress Mari! She was the only one serving our table but she did a great job. She was very patient and kind to everyone. Despite the large group she was able to stay on top of refilling drinks and take care of everyone's requests in a timely manner, and she was even willing to split all of the checks. In addition to our table I saw her also serving a couple other smaller tables on the patio. Mari is a rockstar! This girl deserves a raise ;)
(4)
Eegnam A.

Good size restaurant with a great outdoor seating area. Perfect for a summer day/night! They have a great selection of beer on tap. The corn pups and the tri tip dip were excellent. The kid's mac and cheese is not kraft...yay! It was shell pasta with cheese and they give you a big serving. The ceviche tostadas were bland. We had ordered the pork belly but instead got the pork loin. The server had made a mistake but was kind enough to take it off our tab. Service was pretty good and we had a relaxing dinner.
(3)
ron b.

I've been to Handle's twice - Just for the bar and appetizers but this time for dinner. Not exactly Valentines day type restaurant but that's my fault for waiting so long and most restaurants were booked. However, the ambience in restaurant is very loud - due to wood floors everywhere. Next the service was OK - not good not bad. All 3 times I have been there they have been out of the first beer (IPA) I selected, yet they leave on their chalkboard. Waitress said she was out of "a few of them". Food - I ordered a $14 Lobster Quesadilla "special" after we shared a small appetizer. The quesadilla was surprisingly small, I could have eaten 3 or 4 of these to fill up. Worse was I couldn't penetrate the tortilla with a fork - either old tortilla or half crispy by design. Taste was OK but a bit overcooked. I think Handles is a good place to visit for a beer or two and maybe the burger menu.
(2)
Jeroen N.

We had a corporate function here and i gotta say that Naz, who was taking care of us, was amazing!! So friendly and she remembered the drinks of each of us and we were with about 20 people! Thank you Naz! We had a great time and your excellent service contributed to that!!!
(5)
John K.

Great place to listen to music, let the kids dance, and have a nice brew!
(5)
Jeff S.

Good place for beers, and their lunch/dinner menu seems decent. Two stars is for their awful brunch. Made the mistake of making this my Birthday brunch choice last Sunday. Our first clue was when we walked in and were the only ones there, even though there was a huge flea market/street fair thing going on downtown. The omellette bar was decent but that was about it. Their breakfast choices consisted of potatoes, soggy french toast and waffles and bacon and lousy sausage. Other than that there was mac and cheese, some pasta and some smoked salmon (which was the only other thing I would call good). The waitress also spoke highly of their bloody mary bar which was pretty weak so I didn't even bother. Oh well. Lesson learned. Go here for beers and to catch a game, but if you're looking for a good Sunday brunch to pig out on you're much better off making a trip out to Livermore to the 1st St Alehouse.
(2)
Melissa R.

Third round review time! There are plenty of beer choices. It is almost overwhelming but don't fret...you can try three before making your final decision. The food has more hits than misses. The yum category: turkey carver, fish and chips, And OMG Meat loaf The stuff I wouldn't get again: pastrami sandwich I have been here three times and the service has always been great. They are knowledgeable about their menu and drink selection.
(4)
Wil G.

Now I am giving this a full five stars because of the setting, the ambiance, the seating and the waitresses. Place has a list as long as your arm of craft beers, and wines and good whole food to eat. It has a price list that would rival a bar in uptown Manhattan, with the feel of a cabin in Yosemite, with the view of a small town in Alaska, great date place or to have a convo with a buddy, parking is good too, just wish they were open later!
(5)
Sam A.

I really liked this place - cool atmosphere, awesome patio seating, and good TVs for watching a game They have a ton of beer - and wine on tap! The bartender was very nice, helped us out - we had burgers and fries that were killer, some really good chicken wings. The first time I came here I had a delish chicken sandwich - I will definitely be going back Oh - and they make their own ketchup - with no sugar added - I wish I could get the recipe, I'd start making my own as well!
(4)
Craig F.

I went here for the first time with a friend last Friday. Parking was easy (got lucky with a spot right across the street). With an extensive beer menu both on tap and in bottles, I had no problem finding a great beer. If you aren't into beer, they also have a wine menu and you can order by the glass or by the bottle. I ordered the Deschutes Obsidian Stout and looked over the food menu while I waited. There was several items on the menu that looked really good, but in the end I decided on a burger and ordered the "Natural", a grass fed beef burger with bacon. This burger has to be one of the best $10 burgers I've had anywhere. No joke! It was cooked perfectly and tasted so good. Service was great, our waitress checked in on us a few times and made sure we had everything we needed. I will definitely have to come back to try more of the beers and food on their extensive menu.
(4)
Stephanie H.

Great food, great service, great atmosphere! What more do you need? Party of 6, 2 of whom were on a specific diet, server went above and beyond to accommodate their requests! Pulled pork nachos, Kobe beef sliders, natural burger, shepherds pie, hummus, pulled pork sliders, beer, cidar and wine, we tried it all. Not one complaint.
(5)
Joe C.

Last couple of times I have eaten here a few things bothered me; 1.) Friday Night ordered a beer off menu and they were out (happened twice, two different Friday nights) 2.) Wife likes wine does not drink beer - wine is never served cold enough 3.) Meals are all over the place and not consistent - case in point I have ordered the blue cheese burger quite often - sometimes comes with lots of fries other times not so many, sometimes has lots of bleu cheese other times not so much - Wife orders Kobe sliders - sometimes sliders are served with pickles other times not - same problem with the fries - again not consistent. The service is always OK not great just OK - if another place like this opens up near by I will probably move on - too many other choices in town to eat food out on the weekend.
(3)
Jimmy J.

I call...'do you have college football?'....'Yes, we have all kinds of sports'....cool... I arrive at bar...waitress trying to find channel...manager comes over and says 'we don't have the college sports package'...and so it begins... Sliders - Burned meat, mediocre ingredients... Pork nachos - Mediocre everything... Wine - There is no way anyone should call this stuff wine... Beer - Lots of great beer on tap...sweet! 1 star for the beer... Advice - SKIP THIS PLACE!
(1)
Glenn L.

All the raves about food and I thought it was just okay. I had the fish and chips with apple slaw. The slaw was pretty cool. Fries were overly seasoned. Fish was good quality cod, but a bit greasy, even by my own high greasy standards! My wife had the polenta and portabello. She thought everything was edible but not the greatest. My son had the homemade pastrami. He ate it (well, he eats everything), but he did not rave about it. He was still talking about the Griz breakfast at Black Bear Diner. The pastrami was not even in the conversation! I guess I would go back if I was in the area but I would not consider this a go to destination.
(3)
Darlene L.

Though the bottle of wine was nice, as well as the company of 2 dear friends, our Waitress, Kari, sucked! We were there early with few people there. A couple came in after us and a group of about 13 men and 1 woman came well after us. We ordered "nachos" way before the huge table. The table next to us got theirs before ours and the huge table of 14 got about 6-8 appetizers before our measly nacho's. We believe Kari was more interested in a large table with penis's! When we mentioned our nacho's weren't that warm, then asked for extra cheese, she didn't care. There was no discount, no sympathy nothing. I honestly hope management notices this. Go back? Me - I doubt it!!!!
(1)
Victor G.

Handles Gastropub looks like an hotel from the outside. inside is divided into many dining rooms. the bar area itself could serve another dining room. Gastro had only 2 of their own brews on tap, a dark brew and a blonde ale. there were also 20ish :guest: brews and a like number of wines on tap. drink: (dark brew, 6.5%) 5.44 -had a slightly bitter taste, not a fan. -wouldn't have liked the blonde ale either, too lite. on draught: -tax charged on alls brew sales -other draughts in the 6 range. -service quick -didn't look at food menu.
(3)
Matt H.

3rd visit? Mid afternoon lunch, after golf, in Sunol. Good food, very good beer lineup, decent service, nice atmosphere.
(4)
Shannon M.

Tried Handles with my boyfriend the other night. We order burgers and of course beer. The burgers were nothing special really, not that they weren't good! They were, they were just over priced for something that you could get at other "pubs" for 8$, rather then 13/14$. The beer was beer! Service was a little slow, that night it happened to be loud and the crowd was more upscale for a pub. Very interesting, not something I'd be excited to go back to.
(3)
Katrina P.

I can't even be nice about this.. This place sucks. Overpriced, Food is terrible Service was terrible. I will start with service.. They serve waters at room temp, in small glasses, without ice. Score for me, I prefer room temp water, crummy for the rest of our table, who had to ask for ice, which came in one beer glass for the table. We also ended up serving our own waters from their water station, which is right in front of their bathrooms, BC our server couldn't manage to refill glasses throughout our stay. Food. I ordered the steak chop salad. It was a pathetic salad. I could get a more satisfying colorful healthy salad from chipotle, for literally half the price and double the food. It was served with some form of over cooked beef, with zero color, the beef was white!!! Beef!! And it was cut up into tiny little pieces, and was really tough.. Salad had feta, tomatoes, and a few roasted Bell pepper slices, dressing want enough to make it taste good, and was mainly oil. Was not emulsified or anything. Salad has try colors red and green. And zero flavor.. It was bad enough I asked our server to take it back and mentioned there was no way they could serve that salad for 12$. Fiance ordered the bison burger. Lacked flavor and had zero moisture, was very dry and hard, and he ordered his burger medium rare! His fries looked good but I tried one and they were cold and stale. I did order sweet potato fries and those were actually really good, also liked the honey mustard sauce. Back to my salad that I had sent back. A manager didn't come to our table to apologize or offer a reduction from our $50 bill which was just food, crap food at that. I ended up ordering fried green tomatoes, glaciers were good, but they over fried the tomatoes they had no moisture and the edges were brown.. You could tell they get their foods in the came feel fryer which is really not good food practices anyways. Also, the server seemed totally content that I served our table water.. I should add there was only 2 other tables seated for lunch on a Tuesday afternoon.. Will not be back, and pretty pissed we had to spend $50 for crap food service and experience..
(1)
Katie M.

I used to love coming here, but over the past few years, the quality and consistency of the food has drastically disappointed me each time I return. The duck tacos on the appetizer menu were my favorite. The last three times I have ordered them, the "taco shell" has been different. It's supposed to be a steamed bao-style taco shell, but I have gotten much different taco shells the last three times so I will no longer order them. I ordered a cheese platter and got stale baguette with disgusting dried fruit and a few fresh berries. It was the saddest excuse for a cheese board. Cheese boards should have honey, figs, assorted breads and crackers, nuts, raisins. I got bread, cheese, and dried apricots. Yuck. the last few times I have come down for a 9pm band in the bar, they have "closed the kitchen early tonight" despite it being a FULL HOUSE of people drinking and enjoying the band. That isn't right at all, if you have a band playing until midnight and you want to keep selling drinks, you should have a limited appetizer menu available for patrons. Other wise they will go across the street for a different band and--guess what--food! What a concept. I love the atmosphere and the concept of the menu. But The delivery/presentation, quality of food, and service is just gradually taking a turn for the worse. It's just not being executed properly. I truly hope to see a turnaround at handles as it is a beautiful venue and could be doing so much better.
(2)
Lynn C.

Let me preface this with the fact that I used to work in the restaurant industry, so I know how things should work - this place does not have the slightest clue how to run a restaurant. DO NOT EAT HERE! We went for a dinner on Sunday evening - a special Father's Day meal for my dad. We had a reservation for 6:00 and we sat on the patio. We sat down with our menus, but no one came to see us until 6:20. At 6:20, we ordered waters, which took 10 minutes to get there. At 6:30, our server came to our table and took our order - drinks, appetizers, and meal. My sister tried to order fish and chips and the waitress told us that they had sold out of that item. At 6:45, we still did NOT have any drinks or food, so I went to the manager. The first manager I saw seemed like a train wreck, and said he would check on things, but when it rolled around to 7:00 and we still didn't have ANYTHING, we knew he didn't know what he was doing. At that point, I marched to the front asking for a manager. I noticed that other tables near us were having the same problem too. My dad didn't want to leave because he likes beer and wanted a brewhouse, and I also had my young kids with me which makes it harder to leave. As I waited for the manager inside, I saw another couple and warned them about the problems. They were snobby and blew me off thinking I was nuts, but then the manager came. The manager came over to me and promised to find out what was going on. I walked back to our table at around 7:10. I noticed that another table that had arrived and ordered AFTER us had fish and chips and all their food...the fish and chips we had tried to order but were told they were out of! Finally, the manager brought out the food, drinks, and everything. It was cold and thrown together. The nachos and mac and cheese were made out of Velveeta cheese, which was odd considering my family had all come here before and said that everything tasted very very different. My mom's meal NEVER came. After an hour and fifteen minutes, our food came. It was gross. The server came over to apologize and tell us what had gone wrong. She said that for my mom's meal that she realized they were out of what she had ordered and she forgot to tell us (in the hour that she had...riiiight). She also actually said that she had no clue as to what she was doing. Wow! There were several managers who came over to apologize profusely and one even said that management was terrible there (that was funny because he was a manager too), and that he would comp our entire meal. He said he had already done that for several of the other tables sitting around us with the same experience as ours. Best part of the night? When the waitress came up to us and apologized again and handed me a bill for $124 for our meal thinking that we were actually going to pay for it. Bahahaha! Not a chance. I told her to talk to her manager and that I wasn't paying for anything. This was the worst dining experience I have ever had, that my brother in law ever had, that my parents ever had, or my sister ever had. It was really quite comical. They offered us free meal coupons to come back - I honestly couldn't be PAID to eat there. It wouldn't even be worth it if it was free! But, if you are looking for an experience where you eat slopped down cold Velveeta cheese, don't eat at all, get service from a group of people that doesn't know what they're doing, OR if you just want to laugh at the insanity of sitting at a restaurant and not getting any food, then sure, go to Handles. Best of luck to you. PS. That snobby couple from earlier....when I left, they had been there for an hour without food or drinks and looking around too. Can't say that I didn't try to warn them!
(1)
Hannah M.

This is entirely based on the service. Went here for the first time with a group of people for a celebration, and our "server" Rose, made the experience a horrible one, and the reason I won't be going back. Let me start by saying, a server shouldn't make you feel bad for ordering soup "out of turn" because she wants everyone to order at the same time so she doesn't have to run back and forth to the bar. She made me feel bad for ordering a soup when I first got there, I was really hungry and a paying customer and she put the order in like she was doing me the biggest favor. God she was so rude from the minute we got there. Ruined our night. I could go into it further but i don't want to waste anymore time. As for the food, had the French onion soup it was pretty good not the best but hit the spot, had the sweet potato fries those were pretty good. The ceviche was bland and small and over priced and shouldn't be called ceviche. Well....won't be recommending this place to anyone or eating there again.
(1)
Kelly B.

Great food and everyone that works here is amazing ! Sunday morning brunch and football is a great way to start the football season!
(5)
Kelly E.

This place was awful. Food is terrible and comes out cold. Not worth time or calories.
(1)
Sarah L.

Overpriced beers but quite a selection, come here with a group! We arrived for a late night beer and to watch the remainder of the SJ Sharks game on 2.21.15. Our beers were around $9.00 per pint but they did have a fabulous selection and a full bar. The atmosphere in the bar area is completely different than the restaurant, the bar is loud/obnoxious/full of drunkards while the dining area is serene and a nice place to bring the children (they even have coloring options). The bar only has one bathroom so we had to scavenge and find the other that was located in the event area of the venue. It all worked out. I did enjoy that they had live music going on, apparently every Saturday night, and it was pretty entertaining. The patrons who were drunk and dancing was probably a highlight of the evening (since the sharks lost and all). Overall I would probably go here again if I were in the Pleasanton area with a big group, looking for a place to watch a game, or just craving a craft beer on tap.
(3)
Alena W.

In the past month I've been to Handles Gastropub for the following: -Happy hour: It goes all day Monday and Tuesday and then 3-6pm Wednesday through Sunday. If it's a nice day, definitely sit on the patio. It's so relaxing out there, especially with a $6 glass of Pinot Grigio. -Corporate event: The building itself is 150 years old! It's massive with many different rooms. We fit around 175 people in the private rooms. -Late night: We came for the band and it was packed. So much fun. -Lunch: I ordered the lunch combo of a half Chicken & Cheddar Sandwich and half Market Salad ($10). Pretty tasty with really good bacon but the bread was very crumbly. My friend found her Cod & Chips to be too fishy. The staff is always really friendly which I appreciate. In the future I will return for happy hour or a band but not necessarily a meal.
(4)
Tristan B.

Went to Handles for my brother's wedding rehearsal dinner on August 28th and our service was fantastic. We had our own private dining room for a large party with private bathrooms and had an array of dishes to choose from. I had the steak and tried my girlfriends mushroom risotto and they both were great. Also this place is the best place in Pleasanton, hands down, to get a beer on tap. I recommend any of their stouts on Nitro tap. Thanks Gastropub!
(5)
Dianne M.

I loved sitting outside last night under the shade of the large trees and best of all I found another great smoked pork nachos with a scratch cheese sauce & lots of fresh Pico de Gallo. The rival my number one spot. I will go back for nachos and I'll check to see what band is there for an extra treat. BTW they now have Stole, now they just need Stole Blueberry
(4)
Bill R.

Let me say this. When Handles first opened the food was good, for "pub food" and they made a decent drink. Now most items on the appetizer menu are not available and the ones that are... Not so good. My biggest complaint is the fact that they water down their drinks to a criminal level. When I say watered down I mean order a vodka up and tell me that's all vodka. It's mostly water. Not cool guys. Downtown Pleasanton has a big enough issue attracting people and this is not helping. Yet another reason I'm driving to Livermore for date night.
(1)
Katy H.

Not amazing but definitely far from bad. I came here for a family event and we were fortunate enough to get a great deal on a large catered event on the patio. Staff was nowhere to be found unless you meandered over to the bar where they were talking and checking their cellphones. The made to order omelets were awesome, the bacon was tasty, and the set up was nice. Nothing else to speak too highly of but it was certainly perfect for a large group and bottomless eating. The orange juice was definitely mixed with lots of water because the only thing orange about it was the color. Perhaps not the best place to wine and dine a date or schmooze with the boss, but a-ok for a causal family reunion or a quick cheap bite. The property has a ton of history and I remember 15-25 years ago coming here as a small child with my mom. It has lost some of its luster in the years that it has had undergone some facelifts, but it'll always have a place in my heart. Would love to come back and see what gastro style food they serve as we only tried brunch offerings. Don't mark this place off your list - come try for yourself, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
(3)
Matt L.

Gotta be honest.. The first time I came here I would have rated a 4 or 5. I had a pulled pork sandwich it was incredible, the beer selection was superb, was very well pleased. I have been craving the pulled pork sandwich, so I came back to watch the sharks game, have some beer and enjoy the awesome pulled pork. Well... They don't offer the pulled pork sandwich anymore, just sliders. Sucks. I ordered the sliders with a side of fries to make a meal, and the pulled pork had zero BBQ sauce on it. And it was a bit dry. Very disappointed in this... The vibe is cool, plenty of tvs and they have a lot of smaller breweries on tap, which I love. They also had watermelon, which I love. Service was ok, wasn't anything impressive. I'll be back, but mainly for the beer selection.
(3)
Joyce D.

Compare to other downtowns like Danville and Livermore, you typically don't see Downtown Pleasanton buzzing with people on Friday and Saturday nights. Our downtown definitely needed a place like Handles. Atmosphere They have a good amount of seating in the bar area. However, get there early if you want to come on a night with live music. The bar area gets filled up quick. The last few times I was there, some people were dancing. They also have a lovely patio area where you can enjoy the gorgeous Pleasanton weather. I came in last night and was surprised that they had live music in their patio area (the bands usually play inside the bar). Too bad, we couldn't find a seat (it was First Wednesday). I particularly love that it attracts a diverse crowd ranging from mid 20s-60s. Service Just like what the other reviewers have said I can't give praises to the servers. Sadly, I've been here enough times where I actually stopped expecting great service. I just come because of the beer/wine selection and the live bands. Lastly, because I would rather eat glass than go to Red Coats. I'm not sure if it's just the lack of employees, but the servers always seem to be rushing to get to somewhere else. Not very personable, but they get the job done. Overall, 3 stars for the service. Food/Drinks I had their pulled pork tacos with sweet potato fries last night and both were delicious! It was actually the first time that I've ever ordered food here and wasn't sure what to expect because of all the negative reviews. However, I was starving and gave in. So glad that I did because the pulled pork tacos were so good. If you're a beer lover then you will love this place. It was pint night last night. So, my brother and bf were given free pint glasses by Eight Bridges Brewery. Not only that, I think their beers only cost $4.50 a pop. Not bad for getting a free glass with it too. I always have a great time at Handles and I've recommended this place to a few people in the past because it's one of the few places in downtown Pleasanton that have live music. So far, my only complaint is the service. I haven't experienced horror stories like other Yelpers, but I agree that it definitely needs improvement.
(4)
Karyn M.

Yelping from my table... Lunch was okay minus the chicken being a little dry... However, our server "Cubby!!!" never once did he refill our beverages... It's a hot day and I'm parched! He actively avoided eye contact with our table and never once asked if we wanted our drinks refilled. I had to go inside and ask someone else for a refill.
(1)
Steven P.

Food: 5 Atmosphere: 4.5 Service: 2.5 Great place, big outdoor patio, with live music. Excellent food. I had the lamb burger, with house fries, and both were excellent. They have a gluten-free menu, and they delivered my wife's bison burger with house salad as necessary for someone with celiac. She very much enjoyed her burger. Our server was obviously new, and made mistakes, but, overall, everything service-wise was adequate.
(4)
Michelle M.

Love Sunday Funday on the patio. My kids love the mac n cheese with bacon. It's delicious and NOT the nasty Kraft that most places serve. If you're looking for a place to relax on a Sunday with a great beer selection and a great band, head to Handles.
(5)
Peter N.

They've redone this place since I used to come - it was OK then, but the beer selection has now vastly improved, and there's kind of a weird mix or decor with the new beer apparatus, the original decor and other stuff. Still, this place fits pretty well in Pleasanton, and the bartender was friendly. I didn't check out the menu to see why they're justifying calling it a gastropub; maybe some other time.
(4)
Judy T.

Typical Handles- bad service. Sat in bar area for 10 min before we decided to go get our own menus and order beer at bar. There was one server that made eye contact but never approached us for an order. We 'served' ourselves by ordering drinks/food at bar. We've. Been coming here for years, and are always very hopeful that the service will get better, sad to say that it hasn't improved. So don't really recommend this place to anyone we know...
(2)
Tami S.

You know I have lived and worked in Pleasanton my whole life... I love downtown.... I have always like Handles and their staff, always personal and fun. Shannon has always been amazing. Today I Witnessed Liz completely be rude, not friendly and suddenly everything was uncomfortable, she was so rude to our favorite bartender....we actually felt uncomfortable... Its Father's Day, its busy.... Liz was unfriendly and not client friendly
(2)
Kyle G.

I came on sat night with a large group with a reservation. It was slowly getting packed due to an event in the area and we were seated immediately. Our group was with 12 adults and 16 children and we split the tables. The adults got our drink and food orders in quickly and the children took 15 minutes. The food for the adults took about 35 minutes and the kids table took about 60 minutes. The kids were STARVING. We attempted to talk to the manager who gave no solace in the issue and said they should've ordered from the prix fix menu witch was mainly salads and steak and NOT ideal for kids under 18. The staff was not rude and was quite great just totally understaffed beyond belief for a Saturday night with a city event. The food was maybe a 3 but still took way too long, even for the adults that got it way earlier.
(1)
Samantha D.

Ok, I get it, it's Valentines day, however we were there at 1:30 pm and the restaurant was basically empty and the bartender wouldn't serve us at the bar because she was "too busy" waiting in the 3 other other people at the bar? We were finally seated and the waitress told us, not asked us, but told us, that she was ready to only take our drink orders, only our drink orders. It was weird. We overheard her telling another table, rudely, that she was very busy. However, there only about 3-4 tables on the patio, and maybe 10 tables inside? She was not the only waitress either. Waited about 15-20 minutes for our drinks... No sign of the waitress or drinks. We took off because everything up to this had been this bad I didn't want to see how long food would take.
(2)
Ron C.

I really can't say anything negative about Handles. They have a decent selection of brews (and considering the competition right across the street that's huge), wine, and traditional pub food. While not my usual bill of fare, it works for the few occasions I'm in here. This place is the home of The Pleasanton Cavalier Rugby team, ergo, it draws me out to Handles. Perhaps even better than the food and the brew are the servers. They are down right genuine, salt-of-the-earth folks! I'd come back just to be served by them!
(3)
Frank S.

The waitress appeared confused and a bit lost in what she was doing. Older lady with dark hair and an accent. Nice enough, but ordered the wrong entrÃ©e for my wife, and then the kitchen gave me cold mashed potatoes. There didn't even seem to be a manager on duty. We had a problem with service when the place first opened, then had good service and food three or or four times since. For some reason they seem to be taking a step backward in both areas. Nobody in our group of four enjoyed their food. One more chance and then no more for this place.
(2)
Tony R.

When we went, it wasn't very busy, however...Extremely long wait for drinks...then for food...then 20 minutes AFTER we got our food, they brought us silverware AND my 7 year old's pasta which also happened to be the wrong order. I could go on, but those are the highlights. 1 star feels very generous.
(1)
Pammy J.

I ordered their burger and and IPA. I don't know much about beers, and this IPA had 10% alcohol. Maan, it was sooo strong and I'm a lightweight. It was somewhat embarassing as I was with this cute guy and who knows if I was well behaved. The burger and obviously the beer was really good. I'd like to come back and try other stuff on their menu. Interior is of rustic wood which I loved. So upon walking in I immediately wanted to sit down and hang out.
(4)
Debra K.

We just had our wedding here, and it was PERFECT! The venue was so relaxing, and they provided us with EXCELLENT service. Brent Long was great. He offered to handle the rental(s) of anything I wanted, which was over and above what they offered/provided. I ended up taking advantage of that, and let me tell you, he did an awesome job. I'm a bit of a control freak, so I was nervous to hand over the responsibility for the reception, but I can assure you, he didn't miss a beat, and he delivered 100%! Thank you BL! We experienced exceptional service! The guests kept saying, it was the best wedding ever, it was fun and the food was GREAT! We did appetizer style, and the staff kept the appetizer tables well stocked! The Garden venue is a great place for any party, especially a wedding, because the trees and foliage are beautiful, and help keep the wind out. Thanks again Handles staff, for making our day a GREAT memorable day!
(5)
Jim V.

Great beer and nice atmosphere, but the presence of torture-food on the menu, AKA fois gras (google it of you don't get what I'm saying), turns my stomach.they are on wrong side of history on this one. Evolve already.
(2)
Greg G.

Came because I was told it was a nice place. Will leave to never return...balked on the food from previous reviews and I'm glad I didn't order an entree. Don't get me started on the beer. Yes, the selection was decent, but definitely over priced! Even for the area! Never been taxed on beer before at a pub before.
(1)
J V.

No outdoor seating like promoted, no food offered to us by server (had to ask for menus), horrible horrible service. Didn't even want food once we got menus. Left and went somewhere else. I would have rated ZERO stars if Yelp would let me and would NOT recommend to ANYONE. DONT GO HERE!!!
(1)
Alli K.

The service here is absolutely terrible. I have been sitting here waiting for food for at least an hr and a half and just got a drink only 20 min ago. The waiter is very rude and didn't even acknowledge the fact that we hadn't ordered saying it was someone else's job and walked away only to come back 20 min later and say the waiter wasn't doing her job so she took over
(1)
Elise M.

I HIGHLY recommend this Gastropub. The drinks are great, staff is very friendly and super accommodating and the food is so good!! Came here on a Saturday night with friends and don't have 1 negative thing to say! The beers are cold and tasty, the sliders are super tasty but their pork nachos were to die for!! We will definitely be back!!
(5)
Geoff C.

I've moved out of Pleasanton and hadn't been to Handles in quite awhile. My wife and I had dinner there over the Memorial Day weekend. Even though it's been over year since I've been to this restaurant, it has continued to shine. The food, service, and beer were all top notch!
(5)
Tom H.

We hold a weekly meeting at Handles and the service has been nothing but spectacular. Brent one of the owners has made sure our group has everything we need and the varying lunch menu they prepare has been delicious. We especially like the petite BLT's, yum! Our favorite part about the restaurant is the bar! Great rotating craft beer and local wine selection. They always have something new and interesting to try which keeps it fresh. I always look forward to our meeting and would recommend the place to anyone who would like a casual lunch or fun night our in downtown Pleasanton. The only suggestion I would like them to implement is a rotating seasonal special.
(5)
Patrick L.

3 stars based solely on their beer selection and bands that play there...food and service suck...0 stars. I hate giving beer joints low marks, but Handles doesn't "handle" their business. If the band Drive/Element didn't play there regularly, I'd subtract a star (singer Haley Ertl is amazing...and HOT!!!) C'mon Handles, work it out.
(3)
Matthew D.

Just as I promised for a coworker, I have composed a haiku in honor of this establishment: A great gastropub Handle-Bar, or made of love Divine decadence ---------------------------------- [Environment] Very large space, whether you're in the bar area, restaurant section, or outdoor patio. Definitely ideal for a group setting whether it be for a birthday, happy hour with coworkers, exciting postseason baseball action, or all 3 in my case! Servers were plentiful and very accommodating for our group, making multiple rounds and splitting checks appropriately. [The Food] - My review is limited to the appetizers. BBQ Pork Nachos: -Tastes exactly as expected coming from a gastropub/New American restaurant. What stood out most was their "Cheddar cheese sauce" that was used in lieu of actual fresh cheese. Kobe Beef Sliders: - Tasted like a high beef grade Big Mac. And I love me some Big Macs. Fried Green Tomatoes: - An unexpected concept, but batter-fried tomatoes topped with fresh mozzarella proved to be very delicious! Crispy Pork Belly - Not THE best because its choice of sauce (sweet chili sauce), but definitely top 5 best pork belly consistencies I've tasted: liking biting into a chicharrÃ³n and ending with pulled pork. Five Spice Duck Tacos - This is a dish I'd expect to see when I was living in LA, the haven for the best-tasting Asian/Chinese food and ingredients. But I was thoroughly impressed that a suburban Pleasanton was able to nail the scallion pancake "tortilla" and hoisin sauce topping. Definitely my favorite dish here. [The Booze] I didn't study the drink menu long enough, but there appeared to be 30something different beers of all types. The amber ales I selected were definitely tasty. The selection alone should be a reason to come check this place out, if you're not there to eat. [Overall] I give this place 4 stars because the food is certainly above average, but probably not the best there is within its class. However, given the location and its lack of other surrounding opportunities, it definitely ranks high and should be something to experience.
(4)
Marcus H.

Went into Handles for Sunday Brunch. Due to many mixed reviews, my family and I decided to get it a try. We walked in and sat in the bar area. As I looked over the drink menu I noticed the bartender making fresh Bloody Mary mix. Being a Bloody Mary fan, I asked the bartender if I could taste the mixture. Absolutely amazing. I promptly ordered a drink. I ordered pastrami hash. All I can say is AMAZING. Absolutely amazing. Our bartender was very friendly, and had great recommendations on different beers. Next time I go in, I will definitely try the crispy artichoke hearts. Food was great, atmosphere was friendly and upbeat. We will be back.
(5)
B B.

I had dinner here the other night with a few friends and I sadly wasn't very impressed. I have sat in the patio area just to have drinks before which was nice and I have sat inside for dinner and that was ok. The bar area seams to be a fun atmosphere. Service is very slow and I was never acknowledged so I had to ask the host for a server. The staff seems to lack knowledge of what beverages and foods they have that are gluten free which is unfortunate and makes the ordering process much longer. When we received our meals my friend noticed her fries had cheese on them and she specifically asked for no cheese. My chicken was so dry it was difficult to consume. Again very slow service and it was not very busy I wouldn't recommend for dinner but I would recommend for casual drinks and some live music
(3)
Deborah C.

Service was very slow and apparently the waiter was extremely new. We didn't get our order taken for at least 45 min, so we just sat there. Right after our order was finally taken servers tried to deliver to our table our neighboring table's food! They had blank looks on their faces and really didn't get that it wasn't our food. Finally the other table yelled over it was their order. The shame of it all was we don't go out to restaurants very often and we were celebrating a birthday. When the waiter FINALLY took our order he didn't even bother to ask if we wanted appetizers or salads, no upsell there. I would NOT go back to that restaurant.
(2)
Marshall M.

Beer, drinks and service is great. Very helpful and friendly bartenders and waitresses. However, this place needs some music to liven it up!!! Rock and Roll, Disco, Big Band Jazz, Soul, R&B.... They need to book bands like Jungle Rooster on Friday and Saturday nights to get people dancing and having fun. The atmosphere is a little too somber inside. Very nice staff and decor!!! Wonderful drinks!!! Great location.
(3)
Lora M.

I heard this place has been renovated, but I wouldn't know the difference because I haven't been here before it's make over. Decent place to hang-out on Saturday night for some beer on tap and live band. I couldn't say so much about the food because we ordered a bar food and they were just cheese, dried fruits and crackers. Although, this place may be packed with mostly older generations, we did had a great time.
(3)
Norell F.

Its a fun place to get a good glass of wine or beer. I had the fish and chips and when I get fish and chips at most places I take one bite with the batter then take it off and push it to the side. However the batter that is on this one is supper light and really yummy. I also love wine on tap just think it is so cool, I will be back.
(4)
Kerri P.

Great food- love the pulled pork nachos. The bar area is always fun and the bartenders chatty. They're cool with my dogs on the patio & even brought them a bowl of water.
(4)
Daisy D.

Attended a party at Gastropub recently. Buffet dinner for a very large group was yummy and the service has definitely improved!
(4)
Patricia G.

Went here last night for my sister's birthday dinner. There were 16 of us. I was looking at the pictures here on Yelp and, boy, I wish we had gotten that food. We started with the fried artichokes and the hummus. The fried artichokes were good. Coated with panko crumbs and deep fried so they were nicely crisp on the outside and not at all greasy. They were sprinkled with parmesan and drizzled with balsamic and some other (white) sauce. They were pretty good. The hummus was okay. It is served with a few small triangles of pita, some carrot sticks, cucumbers and red peppers. The flavor was fairly mild, mostly what you taste is the lemon, which was nice but I think it would be better if there were some additional flavors like garlic. My brother had the NY Philly sandwich which was okay. Had nice heat but not much other flavor. Also, I think it was American cheese on it. I've had a real Philly cheese steak, in Philly, no comparison but, that's okay cuz you can be your own version of a sliced meat sandwich with cheese without trying to be a real Philly cheese steak but you might want to do something to distinguish yourself with a flavor or some other quality other than just heat. It came with a pretty awful coleslaw which was wilty and had a dressing with a really off putting flavor. Almost a fermented flavor. I love coleslaw and would give this one a zero. A couple of people had the duck tacos. They were, again, okay. Modeled after Peking duck - duck with hoisin in a flour outer shell. The outer wrap was doughy/gummy and stuck to your teeth, it was like it wasn't quite done. There was no skin, that I could see, but that's okay (even though that's the best part of Peking duck), or green onions. But the meat was plentiful and kind of tasty (although it was well done and greyish) so it wasn't horrible, it just felt like it could be much better with some tweaks - fix the shell, add some green onions, add some skin, and maybe don't overcook it. Didn't look anything like the pics on this site. A couple of people had the street tacos - chicken and pork - which were okay. Not bad but not a whole lot of flavor. Not much to say about them. Again, didn't look anything like the pics on this site. Shepherd's pie was had by a few people, I didn't try it but they said it was pretty good. My 4 year old niece had the Mac-and-cheese which she liked. It was okay. The cheese sauce was fairly loose and American cheesy but, good for a kid. Again, not a lot of flavor. I had the meatloaf. What can I say about the meatloaf . . .? Well, when it was delivered everyone was laughing cuz it was a brick sized and shaped (and kind of colored) block off meat sitting on top of some of the worst mashed potatoes I've ever had. Really old looking and tasting, super-dry, hard, I can't even figure out how they could have made them like that, mashed potatoes (maybe if you plopped them onto the plate and let them just sit there for a couple of hours in the open air?). Next to the mystery mash were some boiled carrots, broccoli and cauliflower with absolutely nothing on them. No salt, no pepper, no butter, or olive oil or anything whatsoever. Just some blanched veggies plopped onto the plate, I'd be embarrassed to serve something like that unless I were cooking for patients in a hospital heart wing. But, back to the meatloaf, it was not very good. It was tender enough but not very meat-like and not a lot of flavor. It wasn't hot or even warm, so maybe I've answered my own question, maybe they put the potatoes on a bunch of plates, throw slabs of meatloaf on top of them and let them sit there until someone orders the meatloaf. Then, they throw some blanched veggies on the plate and a cup of packaged brown gravy with some mushrooms thrown in and voila! A plate so . . . so . . . I dunno. I was going to say mediocre but I don't even think it achieved mediocrity. It was pretty gross. There were a few salads ordered. A couple of people had the salad with pears and nuts and liked it a lot. A couple of us had the market/house salad which was a whole LOTTA leafy greens with some garbanzo and onions. Fairly innocuous but would have been better with less greens and some other veggies or something. So, overall, okay - at best. Pretty awful, at worst.
(2)
Lynn M.

Ok beautiful day, they have a patio but only 3 tables. Been waiting 30 minutes for a table only to hear said table has been there almost 2 hours, not ordering, but they're still not setting out tables?? Hard to try to stay local and support Pleasanton downtown with such service. Saw 4 people leave and head to other restaurants. *owner just came out to say he'll set up a table. Surprised owner here and he's watching business leave? By the way, it's empty inside. Sure hope food is amazing, or sadly another restaurant in this location is really done. Pleasanton, let's get it together!
(1)
Anonymous T.

Great place for drinks after work. Nice atmosphere, good service, and happy hour specials. Also nice outdoor seating available.
(5)
K B.

Came back with hubs and two kids on a Friday evening and had a great time. The atmosphere makes all the difference. We sat on the patio and there was a band. We also all really enjoyed our meals. The fried green tomatoes app was delicious. Husband enjoyed the fish and chips, generous portion. Fries were perfect. I had the best kale salad I've ever had. Could have been the bacon, turkey, avo and chutney. Very fresh. Great flavor. Kids had mac and cheese and sliders. They were fine-loved the bowls of fresh fruit on the side. I should add that someone there emailed me encouraging me to give them another shot. Glad I came back to try something else. Nice family evening. Fair price.
(5)
Mohawk Dave And M E.

Nice place. Big. Friendly staff. Great beer selection. Ordered some calamari appetizer, waited 20 mins before asking when it would be out. The reply? Sorry there was a glitch in the computer system. Coulda just said "I forgot to put it in" rather than lie. Came out 5 mins later with wet plates. Bad experience aside the food was good. I give 3 stars because the food was good and the server made an honest mistake but made it right otherwise I would give 2. I would definately return to give a second chance for a better review.
(3)
M. E.

Several weeks ago after this review, I was contacted by the owner and offered vouchers to return to try it again. I did receive a very nice "Thank You" card in the mail but no vouchers enclosed, so I guess I'll never know if things have changed.
(2)
John W.

I eagerly attended the soft opening tonight with my wife and there is much that I liked and, not surprisingly for one of their first nights, several improvements needed. I really like what they have done to spruce-up, open-up, and modernize the place. I like that they have both a "public house" area, a more formal dinning room area, and the outdoor area (which wasn't open yet). We sat in the more formal dinning area for dinner and it was quite comfortable with low noise, after dinner we spent some time in the public-house at the bar and that was nice too, but quite a different atmosphere with much more noise -- I like that folks can choose their atmosphere. Service certainly had some glitches. We were quite a while after seating before we finally flagged down a bus-boy to ask if there was a server around somewhere for us. He did quickly get the head waiter over to us to take our drink order, this was followed up a couple minutes later with our "official" server asking for our drink order... we also had double helpings of one of the appetizers that came out when we only ordered one. These things, I'm sure, will work themselves out as the wait staff get settled into their new roles -- that's what a soft-opening is for. There are some great beer selections, and I would highly recommend either of the two Handles Signature beers (which were recommended by the head waiter) -- one is a very clean and smooth Kolsh-style, the other a very nice Brown Ale with great hop aroma and flavor but without much of any of the hop bitterness that comes in many IPAs. Regarding the food, there were some gems and disappointments. The onion soup is great (assuming you like a very sweet onion soup, which I do). The chop salad was ok -- nothing terribly special. It could certainly use more color. I was also a little disappointed in the selection/variety of the food choices. Maybe this is my fault for anticipating some really high-class food to pair with the great beer selection. There are a few non-bar food choices (salmon, pork chops, etc) but just not quite as many as I had expected. There are also your typical list of pub food choices: burgers, fish/chips, etc. My wife had the fish n chips, I had the pork chops. My wife's feed back as the fish n chips were "average" -- nothing bad, nothing novel. I was disappointed in my pork chop -- although a nice thick piece, it was pretty dry (particularly around the edges) and fairly tough. The tastes seemed good, but overall more diner-food pork chop than gastronomical pork chop (which is what I had hopes of). I talked to others there I knew tonight and some also had the pork chop and theirs from their description were a bit better than mine. Again, something that hopefully will improve as the staff gets into their groove. Overall -- I'll certainly be back, I really like the concept of the place, and I hope that as they work out their kinks things will become much more consistently good.
(3)
J G.

3rd time's a charm! After trying twice before and getting lousy service, I swore never to go again. Note, the food was always really good but because of the terrible service, it was hard to justify going back. A manager asked us to try again someday after I complained. Its been 5 months since our "encounter", and I FINALLY had a really nice waitress and an attentive host. I didn't see the usual young gal who was hosting before. Sadly I hope she has found employment elsewhere because hosting was not in the cards for her. Food was outstanding and the service was very good! Ok, I will go again, I've been converted!
(4)
John L.

Curses! Why did this one appear in the years after my presence in P-town? I guess it wouldn't have mattered anyways because of the age thing, but what a cool thing to see in lil ol' Pleasanton. Loved the beer choices and how the bar itself it set up. But the sour beer was yuck.
(5)
Patricia B.

Waited a couple of weeks thinking they would have all the bugs worked out, The place is ok looking for a pub, what was that smell when you first walk in yikes. We sat in the bar found a table right away nice server very friendly Tara. Bartender was friendly and knowledgable Shannon i believe. our appitizers were bad how do you mess up a wedge that is not blue cheese don;t know what it was butnot good also the wings smokey taste is one thing ashy tasted is another couldn't give them away hope this place works out also hope the owners read yelp and maybe another cook notice I didn' say chef
(1)
Jackie M.

Went here on a date, date was so-so but the place was awesome! Never been here before but definitely will come back, with better company ;) Lots of beers to choose from, so it was hard to decide on what to drink. Nice atmosphere, came here on a Tuesday where apparently it is happy hour all day, which was awesome!
(4)
Marty S.

First off, hats off to the amazing and awesome hostess who scored the kiddies band aids for my buddy who banged his knee - so priceless! As for the vibe, great place to hangout with friends for dinner. Half of this new joint is cool laid back pub and the other half being a really nice laid back upscale restaurant. The best of both worlds. The food was great, the service was awesome and the beers were numerous and tasty. Definitely worthy of a 2 and 3rd trip back. Highly recommend it. Kudos!
(5)
Kelly H.

Had a great time watching Giants game. Bartenders made it alot of fun. Very personable. Lots of beer !
(4)
A P.

CONS: This place is not managed well. The space is too big. The servers are running between the bar area, front porch, side garden, and inside seating. We walked in and there was no host/hostess. We were standing a few minutes until seated. It took a long time to for the server to come by and ask what we wanted. Someone should becoming right away. I thought my husbands chicken was dry. My fries were overcooked. My veggie sandwich-- the foccacia had no body to it and it was rendered too soggy by the tomatos.should have been toasted. Spinach salad is small (not enough spinach, too many walnuts and cranberries-- unbalanced ). Slaw had no crunch. Beer Selection. Odd that they had Jubelale as a seasonal in April. That's a winter beer. PROS: sweet potato fries.
(1)
Jesse J.

I have been there several times since I was first there and saw how good their menu looked. The first time I could not decide what I wanted cause I love love love comfort food. I would like to note that I did not smell anything weird but I will pay more attention next time I am in there. Things I've tried: Green Tomatoes-Pretty good, you cant really screw up anything fried but I liked the corn on top better that the actual tomato. French Onion soup-Loved it, one of the better ones I have tried. Chop Salad- I loved it! The chipolte ceasar dressing is so so GOOD!! Cheese Plate-Cheese was very good, fruit fresh...FLATBREAD WAS STALE!! Please fix this Handles!! Veggie Sandwich-VERY Good! Portabello mushroom was meaty and juicy. I will get this again! Hot Pastrami-My FAVORITE. Do yourself a favor and try this!! Fish & Chips-Was made with Rock Cod and probably the best I have ever had! Service was good, on one occasion, not so good but I can get crap service anywhere..just depends on the server really. Beer-had the flight, cant remember which ones they were but they were good. I thought the glasses were cute and it was fun to drink. I felt like for $5 it was a good deal. Wine-Had the HOM Cab...might be my new favorite. Had never heard of it before so Im glad to have learned about it. I think that's one of the great things about this place aside from the food selection, I can try beers and wines, I would never normally come across and it makes it fun for me.
(5)
Huan T.

POS: +Very nice ext and interior design. This remind me of "Old Sac" of where it is an old western hotel. +Food is decent: I got myself a Blue cheese burger and was recommended by one of the waitresses and agree that it is juicy and tasty. +For the guys, nice cute waitresses and friendly. +Very comfortable chairs. +Quite decent prices. Considering its luxury looks. NEG: -Agree with other posts that this place need to have acoustic re-check since it is so loud. I can't hardly hear the other person at the end of the table. -Parking can be hard since it is downtown. -Menu might need more selections especially entrees. Overall, I would come back here for the food and friendly staffs.
(3)
Hoptech H.

We have been here 5 times between the soft opening and after the Grand opening. Some things have been hit and miss. Beer selection good, fried green tomatoes very good, calamari soso, love the meat on the sandwiches but a little too much bread. Belgian beer onion soup I could live on as is with the mac n cheese w/bacon. They need to serve the MnC in the original crock type bowl as opposed to a larger bowl. Much creamier in the crock. Carrot cake very good. Looking forward next time to the Wedge, fish and chips and burger. All in all we are very happy with this place and always run into friends there. :) Never noticed any kind of smell.....
(4)
Lisa M.

I went today with 3 other people. Walking through the door I was excited to try something new... However.. The food was terrible. Between the 4 of us we ordered chili, a burger, turkey sandwich and fries. The burger was ehh.. But prob the best thing on the table. The chili was watery but had a nice spicy taste. The fries looked tasty...buuuut.. Were very greasy and lacking flavor. The turkey sandwich had no flavor and was extremely greasy.. I had to wipe my hand 5 times after each time I took a bite... I had a feeling the meat was bad because it tasted awful (confirmed when I got home and was sick)... All the condiments were made fresh from the restaurant.. Which i though was cool.. But..The ketchup was watery.. As was the BBQ sauce.. The ranch was pretty good though. Overall, this place sucked big time. All four of us left with a stomach ache and went straight to the bathroom when we got home (not a good thing) I wish I could rewind my early afternoon and have gone to a different restaurant in downtown Pleasanton... There are much better and tastier places. I guess that's what happens sometimes when you try something new. If there was a zero option, I'd have chosen it.
(1)
John T.

Fantastic place and the food was GREAT! Loved the Mac&Cheese. Best I've ever had! The Cesar w/Pastrami was really good too. The staff seated us quickly and they were very attentive. I was blown away because some of the reviews are really negative. Must just be trolls or competition. Who knows? Regardless, this place is worth a try. I think you'll be surprised! Oh, forgot to mention. They have a fantastic beer and wine list (duh, that's why they're called Handles)! I tried beers I had never heard of before and everything was really good. I'm definitely coming back to this place again.
(5)
Jason L.

I have been here twice now... Both times my server has been not been attentive and basically rude. The atmosphere here is actually very nice. When you get inside it looks like a place you want to be and the people there look like people you want to talk to. The menu is good an all the food I have had was pretty good but it's all a little on the expensive side. $8 for Mac and cheese, $25 for a steak. Ect. The bar tenders have all been nice and quick with drinks. I think if I come back I will sit at the bar. The sad thing is I came here twice and I don't think I will come back. I really wanted to like it here. The service is just poor. I recommend you try it once.
(2)
David C.

We were a guest of a friend for the "soft opening" of Handles last night. Handles has taken the space previously occupied by Farmers. The interior has been very nicely redone. The bar area felt like a high end, comfortable hotel lobby. Nice bar with roomy areas to sit with friends and enjoy their extensive craft beers and wines. Large TVs were playing the Giants game. Chad, their brew master and one of the partners, introduced himself and chatted about the beers we ordered (including one that he had brewed). For dinner we moved into the dinning room. The dinning room has been freshly remodel. Our server was very pleasant and personable. She took our drink order and chatted about their extensive beer and wine selection. She chatted through the menu choices and mentioned that all of their food is prepared by their chef on site. They smoke their own meats, make their own pastrami and even make their own ketchup. We ordered 3 appetizers. The fried green tomatoes, hummus plate, and chicken wings. The fried green tomatoes were a treat. You do not see these on too many menus in California and they were very tasty. The hummus was OK. Nothing great, nothing wrong (could have used a bit more bread to spread the remaining hummus with). The wings were moist with a good taste of smoke. For starters and entrees our table ordered 3 onion soups, 1 wedge salad, 1 mixed green salad, 1 pork chop entree, and 2 orders of fish and chips. Everyone who ordered the onion soup said it was great. I had a taste and thought it was very good but a bit sweeter than my personal preference. The wedge salad was HUGE and well dressed. The mixed green salad was fresh with a nice variety of greens, green beans and seasonal fantastic tomatoes. The pork chop(s), these were double thick, were moist with a nice touch of smoke. Very good. The fish and chips were made with rock cod and a light batter. The chips were fresh made fries. I enjoyed the dish. All of the servings where plentiful and everyone left with a portion to enjoy the next day. With so much to learn for a new restaurant, new staff, new bar and new kitchen, the server did not have all the answers to all of our questions, but she went out of her way to get answers to anything she did not know. Overall I thought she did a terrific job of serving us. The prices of the beers, wines and food are very reasonable making this a place you can come by frequently to enjoy with friends and family. Being a guest of a friend who was invited to the soft opening, I suppose I should be giving this a 5 star rating. However, this was a soft opening so that everyone could learn and get better at delivering a terrific product to their guests. They have room for improvement and they know it. Handles Gastropub (still chuckle about the gastropub) is a place I will be coming back to frequently. Good folks, good food, well priced. Cheers
(4)
Gabriel C.

I wish I had more time to go, but when I find that time I will go here to get a pint! I love the beer selection. The food was good, but there is so much to choose from that I will have to try something new each time. The service is good, but the bus boys need to chill out and stop taking people's silverware. Damn you Einstein!!(inside joke) Try this joint out.
(4)
Jesse M.

My wife and I love coming here. The food is always great and the burgers are cooked perfectly. We have also been for the Brunch buffet and they had a lot of great options. Beer list is great and constantly changing. Will be back many times.
(5)
Jon K.

My friend Mike and I were the first two people to be served at the soft opening of this new Pleasanton Gastropub. Our friend Chad is one of the co-owners with his other three partners. The've done a fantastic job with the comfortable interior - split into three areas: dining, common room, and bar/lounge area - as well as the huge lavish outdoor garden area with lots of seating, and outdoor bar and area for music. I've been waiting for a place like this ever since Jupiter in Walnut Creek closed down and became an ice-cream shop (sad whine). I am a discerning diner and even more so with beers (as a BJCP judge). Handles definitely scored with both of us at lunch today. The whole staff did a fantastic job with nary a mistake even as the restaurant quickly filled up with the folks who were invited for the special soft opening event. Mike and I decided to try as many items as possible in our lunch to give them honest feedback on as many areas of food, drink, and service as possible. Our server, Heather, was prompt, there when you wanted her, and not there when you didn't. It seems like the owners took the time to train all the staff with a breadth of knowledge on their vast selection of 34 tap beers, 16 draft wines, and their library of Belgian bottled beers. I think that training is crucial for staff so a server doesn't refer to a dry stout, like a Guinness for example, as a heavy dark beer (when in fact is incredibly light in body). The menu is wonderful with some high end items, but enough upscale favorites to keep everyone happy. We tried the fried green tomatoes, the on-site smoked brisket sliders, and the "real" BBQ wings for appetizers. They were all very very tasty and perfectly cooked. The brisket was juicy and fork tender. I added a Caesar salad to my main of the O.M.G. meatloaf and even got a side of anchovies without having to explain what they are to the server, ha ha. The salad was great - perfectly dressed & not swimming in dressing. Mike had the homemade three-cheese mac and cheese which was also delicious. Best of all, the prices are no more than you would pay for a mediocre burger and fries meal at places like the Ale House in Livermore or either of the local Hopyard pubs. Finally some real gourmet food at a beer/wine joint! This is definitely going to be my go-to neighborhood place. Kudos to Chad and his partners!
(5)
Maria H.

Like a few of the reviewers, I've gone in for beer a couple times and we do order food when we go. The food is fine - it would be helpful if they had a Garden (r) burger to substitute into their other burgers but at a minimum they do offer a couple vegetarian selections which is a plus. I'm not sure about going as far as deserving Gastropub; that might be stretching it a little. They have a good selection of beers on tap, however, their flights are fixed with three beers. If they're going to have a good number of beers to choose from, which they do, and if they want people to keep coming back, which they might...seeing the way the reviews are headed, they might want to try harder...then they might want to give people a 5 beer flight of their choosing. It's just a taste - if I discovered a beer I liked, I might continue returning. And, I have to agree with others - the service is sketchy, EVEN when there aren't a lot of people there. Like most places they have some regulars and the regulars are definitely getting the employees' attention. I understand - it's natural to gravitate to people you know, but...if you want to make me a regular too, you might want to start treating me like you appreciate my business in the first place. The place does look nice enough; they did do a good job with the renovation. I realize it hasn't been a year since they opened (at the time of this review), but I've yet to see them offer the ability to eat/drink outdoors. I'm looking forward to being able to go there with friends and our dogs. I hope they get it right...at a minimum if your expectation of service is on the low side, they're worth visiting at least once. I do disagree with another reviewer in that I do think it's a little on the loud rather than quieter side.
(3)
Sara W.

so, came here this past Saturday eve since it was a birthday outing...been looking forward to finally checking this place out since it changed over months ago. we had a larger party and it was no problem since this place is gi-normous! I think our group had about 12-14 people, but the watiress did just fine...not too impressed, she was still busy with another larger group too. The menu looked great; i had a recommendation for the meatloaf and mac n cheese. as for drinks, they had a full bar with lots of great beers on tap...disappointing they don't have a true brown ale on tap. WTF. alas they did have a bitching oktoberfest lineup of beers and a $4 pint special, sign me up. the evening went just fine...i ordered a salad (way too heavy on the dressing,) and a side order of mac n cheese (borrrring). my problem with the nights events is somehow some dude got so smashed, he ended up puking RIGHT next to our table (and next to the bday girl no less,) bc he drank too much and was trying to make his way to the exit in time to relieve himself. barf, next to our table. awesome. the crew looked a little stunned, then after about 2mins of WTF faces abound, they were on top of it...scrubbed, sterilized, and disinfected the area with the steam rug cleaner (this obviously happens enough that they're on the ready!) frustrating experience though, nothing ruins an ok meal like puke next to your meal. overall it was fine, we got a free round for our troubles which i very much appreciated! I hope to return to a better scene...puking aside, nothing was all that memorable for me or anything. btw the appetizer tacos are more like tacquitos, weak. i'll go back on a non-holiday weekend to check out some other enticing menu items!
(3)
Scott K.

I've been looking forward to this place ever since I read the description in the paper. We were looking for a nicer than usual place to go for dinner (me, my wife and my 10-year-old daughter) so we decided to give it a try. We were able to get an OpenTable.com reservation for 6:30 without any difficulty. Even if we hadn't, I don't think it would have been an issue, though. First of all, the beer list is impressive. As they clearly point out, they focus on **local** beers and food. Having Pranqster (North Coast Brewing) on tap earns high marks in my book, but I took a chance on the flight sampler, which tonight had their two house-brewed beers (blonde and brown ales) and a white ale from back east. The blonde was nothing special, but not bad either. I couldn't drink the brown. Way too bitter for my taste. The white was the best of the lot, but I wasn't up for a full glass. My wife had the wine flights; a house cabernet, a sauvignon blanc from Sonoma and a chardonnay. She liked all three, but went with a full glass of the sauvignon. We had the cheese and fruit appetizer, which had three amazing Point Reyes cheeses and flatbread, as well as some interesting apple slices. When we asked about the cheeses, our server had to ask for more information, but he did tell us where they came from. The menu is not a complicated affair. It is a pub, after all. I had the shrimp and butter lettuce salad, which also has mango, almonds, and a buttermilk herb dressing. The shrimp were poached in Belgian ale. They were very good, though I had a hard time detecting the beer. I also had the Belgian ale onion soup, which had just the right amount of sweetness, and was not disgustingly salty, like most restaurant versions of this soup. My wife went with the turkey and spinach salad, and was very happy with it. The turkey had actual flavor, and the grilled fruit was an interesting change of pace. My daughter got macaroni and cheese. She thought it was on the dry side, but I had some of it and thought it was pretty good. It was not cheap, but we did get beer, wine and an appetizer. There were a lot of interesting choices on the menu, and I think we'll be back for another visit. It's a very welcome addition to the downtown Pleasanton mix. We are neither friends nor family of the owner.
(5)
Eric D.

Great food...great brews!
(5)
Sheila Grace S.

When we walked in, we were presently surprised by the ambiance. It's no longer The Farmer Restaurant and looks like half the place got a face-lift. With that said, I really wanted to like this place. The calamari was delicious -fresh and lightly battered with cornmeal, really good. The Aztec burger was tasty but could have used more meat and less bread; the patty was half the size of the sandwich. The beef brisket sandwich though good, was on the dry side. In addition to food, service was another area that could be improved. We were seated promptly but sat unattended for some time. When we did get service, our waiter was friendly and the kitchen turned our food order out quickly. Our waiter didn't check back with us until we finished our meal and forgot to bring us a few items we asked for. Hate to give a place two stars but, it's hard to justify a three with the food and service lacking. They do have a good selection of beer so, maybe we'll come back and give this place another try. That's a big maybe.
(2)
Stephanie J.

I really, really wanted to like this restaurant, but they have quite a few bugs to work out. I hope the owners read this. Hubby and I stopped here today to have a late lunch. We requested outside dining and the hostess informed us that they were not seating anyone outside. We pointed out that there were people seated outside, and we were told that these people were friends of the chef. Wow. Way to make a paying customer feel second rate. We decided to eat inside. As a follow up to a previous comment, yes the place has an odor and has had the same odor for decades. It's that "100 year old building" odor, and I don't know if anyone can ever get rid of it. Anyway, we received our menus right away, but it took a little while for a server to stop by our table. We ordered our drinks and food. The food came quickly - too quickly even. In fact, our beers arrived a good 5 minutes after the food. Hubby had the chicken pot pie, which he reported to be very tasty. However, the portion was quite small and he was hungry when we got home. For $12, he expected a bit more. I had the hummus platter, and I found the hummus to be bland and the flatbread to be rather dried out and lacking flavor as well. The food menu is very limited. The beer selection is outstanding, but the pint glasses are not what one normally finds at brew pubs, and they appeared to be smaller than the water glasses (which were more like the typical "pint glasses" you find at a brew pub). The service was generally fast and friendly, and the waitresses are very nice. This is a great location with a lovely outdoor patio and tons of charm. I hope they can work out the bugs.
(1)
Matt C.

Ok place, probably wouldn't return anytime soon. The food is mediocre and the service sucks, especially when it's gets busy. And by busy I mean the server has 3 tables. You wait forever for service. Aside from the wide selection of beers on tap and the TVs in the bar area it's really not worth your time unless you go on a week night when it isn't "busy". Al in all 2 thumbs down. I'd rather go to Buffalo Wild Wings.. Boooo
(2)
Angela R.

Ok... So I gave this place one more shot. Ordered beer... Good as always. Ordered the mini BLTs... Took one bite and pulled out 3 long hairs out of my food! Picked up the plate to send it back, grease and grime on the bottom of the plate. Geez, Handles! What's going on?
(1)
Mansi A.

Craving comfort food? Then this is the pub to go to! Handles has a great selection of beer to choose from for you beer afficionados. We tried the handmade corn dogs and the fish & chips to share...fried meat and potatoes...yum! Note: The corndogs were made of sausage, so the flavor was pretty different than your traditional corndog. Order if you're open-minded only. P.S. Sit on the front porch or patio when the weather is nice out.
(3)
Haydee P.

3 stars is being generous. I have to echo what others have said about service: nice but not efficient or overly attentive. I think they must be trying to do their part to conserve water, because we had to ask several times for refills. And, yes, we also had cocktails. THOSE they offered to "refill". Food is nothing amazing. Thought the sliders would be a safe bet at a pub, but they were just average and overcooked. The fries were room temp and all tasted the same--truffle fries included. Out of several dishes, the pork belly was probably the best thing we tried. Nice interior and exterior. With just a bit of tweaking they could have something special, but I just didn't get a sense of anyone really caring. Food and service was just uninspired. Like others I want to like this place, but highly doubt I'll be returning anytime soon.
(3)
Gwenny K.

This place is really hit or miss. Beer selection was great. However, my beer came in a warm glass so that was a bummer. I ordered the steak and friets. The menu said it was tri tip steak with fries. What I got more resembled a Salsbury steak or a rubber shoe. The steamed veggies were still raw and the fries were so over cooked it was like eating potato chips. My boyfriends shepherds pie was great though. They did have live music on Saturday night so that was fun.
(2)
Alicia W.

The service here was terrible. Can't say I liked the food because I did not...buffet with flies dancing on the food...wasn't offered water or coffee. Had to ask for water 4 times before we were given any. Had to ask for our check after sitting there for over 20 minutes with plates piled high on our small table....no tip for you today...hell, we're not going back!
(1)
Leo S.

If you are beer lover that might be a place for you; otherwise skip it. Pros: Nice beer selection. Reasonable prices. Excellent patio sitting area. Cons: Slow kitchen, expect at least an hour wait. Food selection is limited. Food is so so quality. Salmon is too dry. Fish&chips is a joke. Burger is ok but I asked for rare and got well done. Waitresses need serious training. They drop food on the floor and guests. During our 2 hour stay I observed at least half a dozen occurrences when different waitresses dropped meals and our party wasn't excluded from that fate. I can't recommend and won't be coming back.
(2)
Andie G.

Met up with an old friend at this place last week. The patio was beautiful... and the beer was yummy when we finally received it. Bottom line is that the service was downright lacking. We ordered the wings as an appetizer and they were good. Then I ordered a Caesar Salad and my friend ordered meatloaf. He said it was good, but my salad was bland and terrible. I can see where the place is headed, but its not quite there yet. In all honesty, the poor service worked to our advantage as we had not seen each other in 22 years and we had a LOT of talking to do. But if we had been there for just dinner, we would have had serious issues with service. Not to mention that Yelp lists their hours on a Thursday as closing at 10pm, which my friend and I were happy about, but when my friend double checked with the waitress, they closed at 9, so we had to find another place to continue our conversation(s). Positive: atmosphere and beer. Negative: Everything else. (except the meatloaf and wings)
(2)
Victor J.

Well I had mac n cheese from hell, no flavor, a side dish of vegetables, mostly raw, and a side dish of garlic mashed potatoes, pretty good. One of my friends had a very greasy burger and very greasy fries. She used her napkin to dab excess off. My other friend had an polenta and Portobello stack, which he rates as excellent, I second that! The drinks were better. I think the chef was too much in a rush with food for it was Luke warm! This was a disappointing dinner.
(2)
Don G.

I love how Joe tries to pump himself up by saying he "attends many soft openings". I know people like this and they hate everything. What a joke... Joe, go smell a flower.
(5)
Rick B.

20 of us came for dinner following the 39th annual Campana Jazz Festival held at Amador Valley HS, and were seated at two tables in a separate room. Service was slow: after 15 minutes the waitress asked us to order by beer/wine number (1,2,3, etc.), then the server came out asking who ordered what by name (Belgian wheat, etc), which made for some confusion. It took another 15-20 minutes for the waitress to take our order, then another 30+ minutes for our orders to arrive. Food was decent - I enjoyed the shepherd's pie - and beers were good.
(3)
Ruth R.

We arrived at about 5:30 on Valentine's Day. I should have had second thoughts when the restaurant was 3/4 empty while the rest of the restaurants on Main Street were already packed. The service was just ok, on a number of occasions I could see other patrons looking for their server who was leaning up against the counter having a very intense chat with my server. If that was the only issue we had, I wouldn't have bothered with this review. However I had to send my 'NY Strip' and Frites back. There was no way that the portion of steak that I was served was a NY Strip. More than half of it was gristle. It wasn't shaped like the proper cut at all. It had also been pre cut on the diagonal. Not typical on a good cut, in my experience this is usually reserved for lesser cuts. I asked the server to be sure that it was supposed to be a NY Strip, when he confirmed it, I showed him the gristle and he seemed apologetic but not at all surprised. No wonder the dining room was so empty. Also, they were out of their most popular Amber beer (on a Saturday night). And the only House Cabs were Livermore wines. The vegetables were well steamed and colorful. The fries were nice.
(2)
Katie T.

We went today despite some of the reviews and I am so glad we did! Our dinner was fantastic, the beer exquisite, the dessert delicious, and the service was great. We sat on the patio and enjoyed the warm October night. I had a blood orange cider that was the best cider I have ever had. We ate exclusively off the appetizers menu. The petite blt's were so good I almost had a Harry met Sally moment. They're pickled green tomatoes were unlike anything I've ever had. And Jason was an awesome server. I would definitely recommend and will return here.
(5)
Crissy W.

I've been here a few times on Saturday nights and its hit and miss on the fun factor. Sometimes the band is great and the place is hustling and bustling....and then sometimes its just dead. Food is not that good....but I'm pretty picky...so maybe its me. Nice wine and beer selection...and the staff seems to be decently helpful most of the time.
(3)
Amy J.

I've only been here on a busy Saturday night. I vaguely remember when this was the Pleasanton Hotel so it has changed quite a bit. The drink selection is plentiful and the cover band isn't too bad. It does get a bit crowded near the bar so I recommend grabbing a table and then hanging with your crew in a designated section. The dancefloor is small and from what I saw of it, not terribly crowded. The crowd was pretty diverse and interesting. I'll have to try the food sometime to give you a full report. Overall, this place is pretty happening.
(3)
Nevin B.

I was only in town for a day and a half. I attended a catered event there. The food was fantastic and the servers were helpful. I was extremely impressed with the bar tender. They have about 40 different micro brews on tap. I selected one for myself and one for my wife. About a half hour later I got through to the bar again. She remembered my drinks! Whenever I get back there I will have to test them again.
(5)
Dpig O.

Green Flash "palate wrecker" on tap is a plus. The nachos have a great combo of gnarly county fair flavors and more fancy-pants upscale commodities...needs a chicken option though. On the whole not to bad.
(3)
Paula H.

Very nice dining on the patio. But what's with the patio chairs and tables? Ugly. Looks like old school or library chairs.Alejandro was the waiter for our group which dined early-about 5 30. So friendly and competent. I had a Mexican- style salad which was ample and very tasty. I think all my gfs we're pleased, too. Did I really mark this place down for the patio furniture? Yup. It's ugly and not patio-like at all. I'm sure it's sturdy, though.
(4)
Vince C.

Awesome fried food and blues!
(5)
Jack P.

The beer selection is okay, but has improved lately. The food is amazing! The folks behind the bar are great! They are friendly, and can give it back as much as you can give it!
(4)
Kathy B.

Excellent experience! Just had a party there and the food was great. Service (thanks Jose & Evan) was amazing. Would highly recommend this restaurant. Thanks to Brent also.
(5)
Carroll J.

I've been to Handles 3 times now. Regarding the food-meh. Regarding the service- really poor. The first 2 times we were there, service was very slow and we had to keep asking for catsup, water, whatever, several times. My third and final visit with 2 other ladies and a six year old, despite repeated requests, the adults were served and the child NEVER got her Mac and cheese! The Hopyard is much better.
(2)
M T.

Enjoyed a lovely meal on the patio last weekend. Great beer and selection, as many have noted. Our party of four were all pleased with our food. Asparagus appetizer was different and tasty. Burgers and French dip also quite good. High point: the BEST sweet potato fries I have EVER had. Crispy, hit and flavorful! Yum. A relaxing and delish time had by all.
(4)
Madelon C.

Great patio. Friendly waiters and a lot of space. They have great drinks and not a single complaint about the food.
(4)
candy p.

My favorite bartender is the cute blond with the darling figure. Always smiling and laughing and keeping all of her customers super happy. I just hate it when another female says unkind things about a pretty woman. Your husband noticed how cute the bartender is l am sure. So to my favorite blond bartender continue what your doing, you have a huge following and a knockout figure! From a older then middle aged woman and her husband who agrees!
(5)
Hillary B.

Ugh...what happened? The food used to be great until last week. We went in and had lunch and ordered the meatloaf. Totally runny and almost inedible. The only reason why I didn't give it one star is because the bar staff is incredibly friendly and we always get great service. I think from now on we'll just bypass the food and just order cocktails!
(2)
Jennifer B.

Adding another 5 star review for Handles!!!! If you are planning a event, I highly recommend having it at Handles. Brent Schwager was truly amazing in assisting us with planning my Mom's Celebration of Life event. We can not thank him and his staff enough for all their hard work and understanding on how difficult the night was going to be for us as we remembered the life of a loved one. I received many compliments from the set up of the room to how great the food taste. Thank you again Brent!!!!
(5)
Vicki B.

After my review in March, I was asked to give it another shot. Finally went back yesterday and am happy to report a much better experience. I had the mac & cheese appetizer and a chicken and cheddar sandwich and my friend had the smoked tri tip dip. The mac & cheese was pretty tasty; too bad it's just served as an appetizer. I could have eaten that for lunch all by itself. My chicken sandwich came out as ordered (no dressing) and the fries were hot. Nothing especially noteworthy about the sandwich, could have used a little more pizzazz, IMO. My friend enjoyed her tri tip sandwich. The service was much better than last time, but still somewhat slow. However, when we left, I noticed there were quite a few people sitting outside at the patio, and our waitress out there servicing tables so maybe it's just a staffing issue and not indifference as I thought previously. While this may not be my first choice for lunch, I certainly wouldn't rule it out, especially since I'd like to try some of the appetizers. If Yelp offered half stars, I would give Handles Gastropub a 3.5 rating, not just a 3.
(3)
Yvonne D.

The service was spot-on. The bar area is lively and fun (...Santa was hitting on some girls.) The drinks were good. But the food did not live up to the ambiance. + calamari: interesting corn batter coating and a nice dipping sauce - OMG meatloaf: marinara sauce is super sweet and the meatloaf was a bit dry; the mashed potatoes were good; the seasoned vegetables weren't very good +/- meatloaf sandwich: slightly better with melted cheese and braised onions +/- old blue burger: good toppings but the meat was cooked a bit dry + le erin: grilled sourdough bread mmm! If you do decide to come, try the beer flights and CHAMPAGNE flights!
(3)
Ann M.

First, our party of 17 people ordered a wide variety of their menu items and everything arrived perfectly prepared and beautifully presented! The occasion was the surprise engagement of my daughter to the love of her life, and the staff went above and beyond to make the event memorable for all of us. Mark, the manager, and Marie, our server, were, competent, professional, gracious, and crafty co-conspirators. And as for the food, even the most snobbish foodies among us raved about that! :-). We are seriously considering having them cater the wedding later this year! Go eat there now! :-)
(5)
Amanda R.

Love the atmosphere here! Have yet to come in for dinner but the lunch is fabulous! Had Shane as our server he was awesome! He recommended a new beer called campfire stout.. Definitely put me in the mood for the holidays! I had one of the specials which came recommended as well, glad I did it was delicious! Good food, atmosphere, and service. Will definitely be back!
(5)
Chrissy R.

I've been here several times, normally just in the bar, but recently sat down for an early dinner. We got there around 5:30 and it was family central! LOTS of little kids, and pretty noisy - obviously with so many tots around, it gets loud. The servers did a good job picking up falling flatware and tending to our group as well. The bartenders had a friendly competition when we ordered our second round and asked which of our cocktails was better - same drink, different bartender made it. Made it fun. Food was what you expect from a family friendly pub. Later in the night the crowd changes and it becomes more of a stand up bar scene with all of Pleasanton's bedazzled finest. Fun atmosphere - check it out.
(3)
Terri T.

great food + great service = great experience!! Edward took very good care of us . i was thrilled that they offered real food on their kids menu. my 18 month old had grilled salmon instead of the crap offered at most restaurants. we'll certainly go back!
(5)
Jelly B.

Price= too much for quality of food Food= was good, nothing fantastic...or outstanding, but not bad either, but not equal to the cost Service= Waiter was super nice, but in general...service was a bit slow. If things take that long to cook, complimentary bread should be served. It is a small cost for the restaurant, but worth it. Maybe check with a local baker. Outdoor patio ambiance= wondeful!! Love the breeze, the sounds, the garden!! Dessert- great fruit pastry in a jar!! Nice touch!! Just need to fine tune a few things...has potential. Also...from outside...looks like it is only a bar...maybe put a rod iron fence, instead of the wood one out front... so people still get a sense of privacy, but people can see in...and realize it is a restaurant outside, with a wonderful patio. Lower the prices & add bread :) Good luck.We will try again in a few months.
(3)
Lindsay Y.

I visited Handles for my second time in a year and a half. The food is consistent, but really nothing special. Their Happy Hour is a great set up in regards to their food and beverage specials. They really look like they're trying hard to build a successful Happy Hour with their bar in the back, with the televisions- but not their music. The classical, slow music didn't fit and really left us confused. Good service both visits.
(3)
Lily S.

Handles has a war and beer samples on their menu which they pair with appetizers. I went there last week and ordered the "flight and bites". I chose the wine instead of the beer. When the wine glasses arrived, they were filthy. One had lipstick marks on it. I took the glasses back to the bar and asked if we could get clean glasses. the manager heard my comment and went to the bartender and told him that they werent drying their glasses the correct way [apparently not washing them either]. he never once even looked at me to apologize. I went back to our table and the bartender brought 3 more glasses, slightly better than the first set but still filthy. Our server walked up and I explained the situation and asked if she could PLEASE bring my wine in clean glasses. She apologized and a few minutes later arrived with 3 new shiney wine glasses without any smudges, streaks, stains, et al. She did not remove the wine glasses with the spots. I just moved them back and proceeded to finally enjoy my wine. At the end of the dinner, the server dropped off the check. After looking closer at it, I noticed she had the nerve to charge me for a second order of the wine samples. It was six dollars so I didnt make a scene about it. I did, however, get her attention on the way out and told her that she charged me for something I never ordered a second time. In fact the 2nd set of wine glasses were still untouched on the table. She proceeded to give me a dirty look and said you drank it all so you got charged. I said no I didnt drink out of the dirty glasses. She got aggitated and proceeded to argue with me. [I argue for a living btw]. She then said "You know what, I'll tell my manager" I said "The same one who never apologized for you bringing us the first set of filthy glasses? Dont bother" - I left and vowed never to go back.
(1)
Katie A.

Recently went to Handles for the first time and, unfortunately, the last time. Came in at about 5:30 on a Monday night, so it wasn't very busy. There were 2 waiters and a bartender taking care of the relatively empty dining room. Everything started off fine--the waiter was nice and personable, the restaurant was clean and very pretty inside--but went downhill from there. Our waiter was completely inattentive (I never did get a refill on my water) and basically disappeared half the time we were there. When we were done eating, he brought us a few boxes, and then disappeared for 40 minutes! Eventually, the bartender had to come out and serve everyone in the dining room because the waiters were just gone! Unfortunately, that meant he had to hear our frustration with our entire experience. Beside the terrible service, our food was not worth the price at all. Half the food and all of the fries we got were luke-warm, and the fish and chips were overcooked bordering on burnt. The managers of this place need to figure out how to better schedule their staff so that diners like us don't have to sit for 40 minutes without anyone ever even coming by.
(2)
Steph F.

My husband and I were married here during a previous ownership, so we drop by now and again for nostalgic reasons. At first glance, we liked the new look a lot, and were excited to see some changes there. We arrived fairly early in the evening and ordered a couple of beers from the bar. Good thing, because those were nearly the only drinks we got our hands on all night. We sat down at a table in the bar area, waited for some friends to join us, and then basically continued waiting several hours for food and a second round of drinks. I am personally not a huge fan of "dressed-up" pub food, so the menu isn't really my cup of tea.
(2)
Lenore L.

It looks very similar to previous decor. I dont know what is so spruced up about it. Mac and cheese very good. Bleu cheese burger gourmet good. Meat juicy and tasty Dad ordered meat loaf. Good but definitely not omg good. (Red tractor meat loaf in Dublin is omg good) Beer delicious but small glass. Would have loved a pint like at redcoats. Chocolate chili lava cake was really good. Service very attentive. Fried green tomatoes yum but lukewarm Was hoping for a more fun menu. I'm not sure when we will return. Pricey for what you get didn't notice any smell
(3)
Hope W.

I've been to Handles a few times and was never blown away, but yesterday was just a Fail. We were greeted and sat, the dining room was almost empty but the hostess still tried to put us by the door at first. She was kind when we asked to be a few tables down away from the draft. Our server, (the reciept said his name was Cubby?) brought waters and greeted us. He was friendly. We ordered drinks and I asked for the pomegranate cider, which he told me they were out of. I asked if they had other ciders, he said yes, a honey cider but he wouldn't recommend it. I stuck with water. We looked over the menu, which was moderately priced and had a nice variety. We ordered the Calamari to start, and entrees for each of the four of us. The calamari never came. The garlic fries that came with two of our dishes were cold. We asked for a fresh batch, they came out clearly just microwaved (hot for a minute, then ice cold and hard). Sadly everyone agreed they were still the best part of the meal. Also, if you're a fan of regular Heinz katsup, dont get your hopes up. They make their own "katsup" but its more like a watery marinara. The lamb burger my mom ordered wasn't lamb, but a regular burger or at least tasted that way. My smoked salmon pasta said it came with butternut squash, it didn't. The sauce was a soup my pasta was just sitting in, and the blue cheese was all at the bottom of the soupy sauce, which I didnt realize till it was too late. Even though I asked for a spoon to try and get the flavor they were going for, half way through the dish just tasted like pure blue cheese and I couldn't finish it. My friend ordered the salmon dish, which was a bit dry and uninspired. The chicken sandwhich on faccocia was apparently good, but it had bacon on it, which the menu didnt say and the person who ordered it doesnt eat. Our waiter kept pushing refils on the wine and beer, but didn't refill the waters or soda. He seemed not to care too much after he realized our fries were bad he forgot our calamari, probably assuming his tip was a lost cause. Each time I go in and order something that sounds inspiring and delicious, and each time the kitchen fails me. Last time I got a vegetarian entree that was some sort of stacked vegetables, but came out a mush. Honestly, the ambience is nice and the service wasn't horrendous, and some of the food was pallatable. That's the only reason I'm giving it two stars. I wanted to like it but I won't be going back there to eat.
(2)
Constance D.

I came here with some friends and found parking quickly, not much though so we parked on the street. It was quite crowded on the inside, especially around the bar and that made ordering a drink harder. The beer list is on the wall written in chalk, no pricing though. My boyfriend ordered me an IPA since he didn't want to make the drink order difficult, which I don't normally drink IPA's since they are more bitter then I'm used to. The people who come here are not great people, they seem rude especially when your just trying to order a drink and don't move out of the way. The seating was nice, comfy chairs and side tables to rest your drink on. The noise level isn't terrible and you can carry on a conversation. Not really a place I would come back to though, unless a friend wanted to.
(3)
Dan M.

I like the name of this place in an old classic Pleasanton hotel. It feels a little yuppidity when you first enter, but once you get seated it is casual as you need. They only serve a few of their own brews with nothing too interesting, but they have a great guest beer selection on draft and in bottle. Their food menu has a good variety and definitely better quality than typical pub/bar food. If in the area, I highly recommend stopping by, but I wouldn't drive out of your way to try this place.
(3)
Sue W.

If you're not a young male (we're a middle-aged couple out on date night), the blonde bartender with the muffin top will flat out ignore you. She asked the guys next to us if they were okay, and walked right past us even though we waved at her. Even the two young ones thought that was rude. Fortunately, the other bartender greeted us and has been very friendly. Good thing the beer is tasty!
(3)
Frederick L.

The meatloaf and corn dogs are pretty tasty. The mac and cheese is whatever, but the duck pot pie was good. Too bad the crust was stale. Still, service is good and food is overall good.
(4)
V L.

Awesome food, great selection, good happy hour prices. Wide variety of beer and wines. Great service and ambiance to top it off. What else do you want!!
(4)
Stephanie W.

Went here with 2 girlfriends for lunch and sat outside on a super hot day. The service was perfection - loved our waitress! The menu had so many yummy things to choose from - so I struggled but ended up settling on the pulled pork sammy with coleslaw and an extra side of steamed veggies. Nothing about any of that was special. My friends split a pastrami salad and got fries with the truffle salt - but I don't think any of us were impressed. Totally should have gotten a beer. Maybe that would've made the food taste better? Doubt I'll go back (unless I'm with a group). There are so many cute places in downtown Pleasanton that I'd rather try.
(3)
Madeline G.

I was pleasantly surprised by this place. After reading reviews on Yelp I was not expecting a lot. The four stars is because everything was either on par or great. I had their beer, Sun Bathed, which was really good. They also had a great beer list. If you don't come for the food, come for the beer. I felt the food was either great (mussels and chorizo, onion soup, mac and cheese, and short ribs) or okay and nothing special (house salad, salmon). The atmosphere was nice, however, it felt a bit... empty. Service was fine, not exceptional, but fine.
(4)
Angelique M.

The food is delicious and the beer selection is great. However, I did not like how slow the service was. My party and I waited nearly 20 minutes to order during lunch time while we were all seated and it wasn't like there was many other customers, maybe a handful. But be sure to try the brisket sandwich! Mmmm
(3)
Danielle G.

My fiance and I had our engagement party at Handles and were so impressed with the whole experience! Brent the manager was so easygoing and accommodating! He really made the planning process effortless. We reserved the banquet room for our party of 60. There was more than enough room for all of us, plus a dance floor. He worked with us a lot on the food and drinks to keep us in budget. We served finger foods and he suggested open bar if our whole group wasn't going to be drinking heavily. He easily could have pushed the drink packages and gotten more money out of us, but he was honest with us and his experience with how much people tend to consume. That kind of honesty is hard to find these days and greatly appreciated. I would totally recommend hosting a party at Handles, our guests loved the food and atmosphere and every staff person we came in contact with was fastastic!
(5)
Andy H.

how long does one have to wait in the front lobby to be seated before they just go across the street? They could really make a huge difference by just putting ONE FULL TIME PERSON UP FRONT. There's your free business tip, please use it.
(1)
Carrigan J.

This restaurant has decent bar food and great environment to watch games. The food is expensive for the quality and the service is pretty bad
(3)
Dee T.

I am only giving this place two stars because the bartender was nice, other than that I will never go here again. We decided to go to Handles for happy Hour after work Friday. I ordered a three Moscow Mules, we were having a great time until the bill arrived. I was charged $12 a drink. When I looked at the bill it stated the vodka was $10 and $2 for Moscow Mule? I asked the bartender why so expensive she said that's what they cost?! Made zero sense, so I decided the call the Manager the next day. He said he was sorry when I let him know this is Pleasanton not Las Vegas!! How do you get off charging $12 bucks for a average drink he told me " the ginger beer is expensive!" That makes zero sense. He said he would pass along to the owners. With 3 drinks for $36 bucks I will never go to Handles again and I will make sure to tell my friends the same!
(2)
Brian C.

Handles is the among the very best places for craft beer and fine cuisine in the Tri Valley, giving some new life to the wonderful old Pleasanton Hotel building. It's easy to put together a phenomenal meal, paired with just the right beverage and dessert -- and the servers are friendly and often quite knowledgeable, happy to recommend a nice selection for you. The beer list (put together by their beer guru Chad) is impeccable, boasting a solid lineup that will please any craft beer fanatic. The selections go far beyond the crowd-pleasing pale ales, IPA's, Stouts, etc., with a wide variety of styles, unique seasonal offerings and often one or more sours pouring, as well. The wines on draft are a great touch, and Handles boasts a fine selection of those. Serving wine from tap is a much better method, because the wine won't deteriorate (as it DOES with bottles). It is obvious that both the beer and wine serving lines are kept impeccably clean. The food is eclectic and fun; a nice spin on the California cuisine, and definitely two steps above any pub fare found elsewhere locally. I love the slow food, farm to table approach. If you're looking for the quickest, cheapest possible meal to fill the hole, go elsewhere. But at Handles, plan to make your meal an experience. Enjoy a beverage while you wait for your food; quality doesn't always come cheaply or quickly. But the prices have always seemed fair for what you get, and if you're in a hurry, I've gotten in and out of there quickly when needed too. If you're in a bit of a rush, just mention it to your server, and you should have no problems. I like the rotating menu, serving foods based on what is in season. You can find something different every time. When you get fresh Fried Green Tomatoes, it's obvious that the chef has most often had them picked up directly from the farm that same day. But don't expect them there every time (when they ARE on the menu, the Fried Green Tomatoes are absolutely wonderful!)... this, coming from a guy who doesn't normally eat tomatoes, and never thought he'd like them fried and green, either! Further, the dessert menu (appropriately called "Love Handles") deserves some mention here, too. In my first visit to Handles shortly after they opened, there was a wonderful molten chocolate cake prepared with a hint of fresh chili powder. The subtle warmth made the rich and gooey goodness of the cake "pop" in a way that I never would have thought possible. Overall, I love that the chefs here are allowed to draw upon their creative devices, and always pushing the envelope in one way or another. Somehow, it always seems to work, and the food and dessert portions are just the right size. The ambiance is quite pleasant, too (no pun intended). This landmark building has been in Pleasanton for nearly 150 years, and was nicely updated when Handles went in. They kept the old charm of the building, but polished up the edges for an extremely cool modern / vintage combination. It's hip and even just a touch swanky -- yet still casual, a great place for a date, to meet with friends for a night out, or just to go grab a beer after work. Don't hesitate to try Handles, and be prepared to experience a relaxed, unique, and wonderful meal, in a welcoming and comfortable environment. A foodie's dream, and a beer lover's paradise!
(5)
Christina L.

This place just opened ~3ish months ago. I got the butternut squash with pear and creme fraiche sauce, it was delectable. The bar was the gathering place to watch the Holiday Bowl this past week. Sadly we lost, the the experience was great to gather with a bunch of other Cal Alum. I thought the ambiance was pretty cool, the crowd was a little older = a more mellow evening. I'm down for mellow evenings though, and it is located in the cutest neighborhood of all, Downtown Pleasanton! Pleasanton may not be the place you come to socialize when you're in your 20s, but there are a bunch of boutique shops in the area. The restaurant looks like it has been established for a while. It's in an older, historic looking building, but the inside looks pretty modern and remodeled. The service was fast and attentive. The server did well with serving drinks with so many people around the bar. There was not much of a wait time for my food or drink items. AND!!!! One of the owners is a Cal Bear, woot woot!
(4)
Shreya G.

3.5 stars. I really didn't know what to expect when coming here for lunch after reading the reviews on the food, but this place is really cool (like an old rustic building that has been updated inside but still gives you that rustic feeling)--I wouldn't expect to see a place like this in downtown Pleasanton. This restaurant is pretty big, and we were seated near the bar where we could be loud since we were a big group. Our waiter was one of those straightforward types--no chit chat, just straight to the point. That's fine. Their menu has your average salads, soups, burgers, appetizers, and drink selection, but this place also had a couple of the more "rare" items like mac and cheese (which looked really good) and fried green tomatoes. I went for a basic burger called The Natural. The burger was good, and it came with fries on the side, which were also good. Nothing was really special about the burger though--no special sauce, no special seasoning (that I could taste anyway), etc, which was a little disappointing to my taste buds. Nothing was bad about it either, except they did give me a weird, watered down ketchup for my fries. No big deal though, my group just asked for real ketchup. After eating my meal I wouldn't be able to agree with other fellow yelpers who found the food to be less than okay. I was content with the taste and the portion. Everyone in my party seemed pretty content with their meals too. It felt like food you can get pretty much anywhere, but the point of coming to this place isn't to get good food but to get drinks and socialize...and order food if you're really hungry. Give this place a try. Definitely a good place for group gatherings. I'm sure I'll be back in the future. **Parking is in the back!
(4)
Christine D.

I honestly can't get enough of this place. The food is amazing and the beer list seems never ending. Its one of our favorite places to go and watch a game while we enjoy a couple of beers and some delicious appetizers.
(5)
Carlie R.

My husband and I recently moved to the east bay so I was excited for my two girlfriends to see our new house and do some shopping in downtown Pleasanton. I parked at the very beginning of Main St in front of this restaurant. It looked good so we went in, took a look at the menu to possibly come back closer to dinner time. As we walked out of the restaurant, a customer told us we had to try the mac and cheese (I LOVE mac and cheese). I thought about this the whole time we went shopping. Long story a little shorter, we didn't see any other places we wanted to eat so we headed back to Handles. It was a Sunday around 6pm and the place was a little empty. They had a fire going and it looked so cozy! One friend and I ordered the mac and cheese appetizer, and if we didn't lick the cast iron skillet it came in we sure licked the spoon clean. It was the most cheesy delish mac and cheese I've had in a long time! Also, a bread crumb topping to add to it's amazingness. I ordered the chicken sandwich on rosemary foccacia bread and that was great too! My friend needs to eat gluten free so they were accommodating of that (we only wished they told us of the price differences of such substitutions before we got the check). The only other complaint is the server kind of left towards the end and we never got a refill on our water. Over all I LOVED the food and can't wait to bring my husband here... there were too many options to choose from for just one visit!
(5)
Teresa G.

Went with my besties here last Wednesday for dinner. Parking is superbly easy with an adjacent lot. Business was a little slow on that Wednesday night so we had no trouble getting a table. We chose a nice little table outside b/c the garden lights looked really pretty in the autumn twilight. We were hoping to listen to the live band scheduled to play that night, but it turns out the live music plays indoors. Oh well. Next time. The food was INCREDIBLE! I was famished so I ordered their meatloaf and chose the mushroom gravy sauce over the marinara alternative. Perfect choice. The meatloaf was juicy, delectable and had just the right texture (I'm big on texture). The portion was big enough that I got to take leftovers to work the next day for my lunch. And no review would be complete without a comment on their beers. Our server graciously offered to let us sample some beers but were excited/impatient and ordered right away. I ordered the 9% alcohol Lil Sumpin' Wild Belgian-style beer from Lagunitas Brewing in Petaluma. DUDE! The name don't lie. Very strong hops flavor and it sure does pack a strong punch. Do NOT order this if you're driving. You will have to wait a long long time if you order it and just want to wait for it to wear off. But if you're not driving... then definitely try it. You'll have fun. I would love to come back here for brunch and to try some more yummy beers.
(4)
Todd L.

Truly like this place! Great spot to watch a game or meet a first time date for drinks and apps. Classy, warm, comfortable..... The food is really good and the wine list even better. (Great sampling of the best of Livermore). Quite simply the best all-around bar in the Pleasanton area.
(5)
Angela M.

The food and service are just ok. Came here a handful of times with larger parties (6-8 people). Quick to sit, slow servers. This last visit we sat outside, service was better but all our food came and we never received utensils. We asked our server and waited and ended up asking another server- by the time we got utensils, our food was cold. We didn't see our original server until we were finished eating. My husband ordered a simple salad but asked for no onions with ranch on the side- he got lots of onions and balsamic vinaigrette. We had brought our baby with us and I needed to change him. No diaper changing table in the bathroom. When I asked a server if they had a room or area, she replied "No we don't. This building is old so we haven't gotten there yet", I replied "That's no excuse but ok". Really?? Handles has been around long enough to make a simple addition like changing tables. That was a dumbass response.
(2)
Ryan B.

I travel to Pleasanton for work each year, and have made Handles a regular stop every time I'm in town. It had become a favorite of mine and my coworkers. I must say, it certainly is not what it used to be. The food has never been mind blowing, but now it's on par or below Denny's and Applebees. What used to be a thoughtful and interesting beer list showcasing California's finest craft brews has evolved in to a much more pedestrian, ho hum list. Our waitress, who was not only awful at her job (I had to track her down after 20mins of waiting to tell her to take our food order), did not know the difference between an imperial stout and imperial IPA. This is supposed to be a gastropub, you should at least have a general idea about basic beer styles. Oh, she also upsold me on my meal.... After I handed her my menu and ordered, she asked if I wanted the ny strip with my steak and fries I ordered. It was on par with asking if I wanted soup or salad.... Turns out the choice I made cost me $10 more. She failed to communicate that part. so, sorry Handles. No more visits from my colleagues and I.
(1)
Mike M.

Shannon is the best bartender of all time....Shannon. Sweet, attentive , and an amazing ability to read the customer.
(5)
Meg N.

Ok so came back to sit on the patio and contiune our sunday festivites and I have to give it another star! Bestie and I had Blood Orange mimosas (yummy) The Calamari their artisan cheese plate Tequilla Jameson Sunshine Happiness and great service We were probably there for a total of 3 hours and our server was absolutly wonderful. You could tell he was a little stressed as the patio became busy fairly quickly. Our food came out as we needed it and was exactly what we needed to keep us somewhat fed as we continued our sunday funday. The patio is amazing and I am glad we came back and tried the food! Hands down I will def be returning for more festivites on the patio. I'll pass on the interior.
(4)
Heather J.

We've been here a few times before. Usually just for drinks. Hubby always tries a new beer (or two or five) and I always see how their diet coke tastes. (Perfect combination of syrup and bubbles) They have a great beer selection. As I don't drink it, I only know this from all the taps coming out of the wall. And the way my husband purrs as he looks at the beer menu. I love the building it's in.....Pleasonton Hotel. If you're up for it, read the history behind this building. There is or was an underground tunnel. I always try to figure out a way to go searching for it but I'm lacking the courage. Today we were there for lunch. I've been avoiding their food as previous reviews of it weren't so stellar. But we walked away full and happy. I had the lamb burger with fries. Hubby had the tri-tip dip sandwich and fries. Good food. Good beer. Good diet coke. We'll be back.
(4)
Jenny M.

My meatloaf was really good but the mashed potatoes were very salty. I salt everything usually and they were to salty for me. I ordered an extra sour whiskey sour and the bartender poured like two straight lemons in a glass with the jigger of whiskey. Not what is call a whiskey sour. It was so strong I did not believe it even had whiskey so I sent it back. The 2nd was exactly the same so I just set it aside. Just what seems like common sense to one is not to another.
(3)
Rick S.

We held an event at Handles on Saturday, May 24. We reserved the outdoor patio for the party of approximately 50. The entire evening was completely flawless. The catering manager, Brent Long, whom we worked with the entire time coordinating, was at the event the entire time and ran everything perfectly, allowing us to enjoy the time with our guests. Needless to say, all of the food came out exactly on time, was warm and of very high quality. In addition, we actually brought the wine from an outside source and paid the corkage fee; however, our dedicated bartender knew more about the outside wine than we did. We also ran out of wine towards the end of the party and she suggested some varietals that would be similar to what we had been serving. Taking service, timing, professionalism, food quality and every other intangible, this is an easy 5 star, A+. it is not often when all expectations are blown away, but this was definitely one of those times.
(5)
T S.

I read other reviews, so as to not be redundant, the food was ok, the service was the worst. I wonder if management even reads these reviews. Service issues seem to be pretty consistent ... I live close, tried the place twice, and won't go back unless I have to. I'm a great tipper, but we can bring it to their attention by tipping accordingly if the management isn't interested in kicking some butt...
(2)
Elaine M.

I really want to like this place. And as far as the beer selection goes, I do - very extensive with lots to choose from. But as far as service and food, this place is a candidate for Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. On a Saturday lunch, it took them 20 minutes to even figure out who our server was, let alone take a drink order or food order. Then, after an hour of a wait and fortunately a few samplers later, the food arrived. My chicken was, shall we say, petite - I don't even think it was a breast but rather a thigh (for $15!) And it was covered with some horrible thick sauce that was decidedly gloppy and distasteful. My vegetables were obviously out of a bag. My friend ordered the turkey burger sliders - I kid you not, they were pre-made patties cut into a quarter circle shape - obviously just cut in quarters, thrown on a griddle and onto a bun. Ar you kidding me? The only redeeming food item had to be the sweet potato fries and at a $1 up-charge, I was offended. I left hungry - had to go across the street to have a real beer and additional snack. Our bill for 4 adults was over $100 for lunch and I completely feel ripped off. Never again.
(2)
Shelly B.

Had our Holiday (Christmas) luncheon here today and cannot say enough about what a wonderful job they did. We walked into a private room decorated for the Holiday. The Buffett was ready when we arrived. The food and service was wonderful. Planning was easy. Suggest this as our next year luncheon.
(5)
Joshua B.

This review is for this business in general, but primarily in regard to their hot wings. Granted, I've only been here once, but frankly, I'm really surprised by all the low ratings. My first time in the place, I was REALLY impressed with Handles Gastropub's commitment to local beers and (I'm assuming) their food products. Their beer list is incredible. I don't think there was a singe selection that was made more than 100 miles from the restaurant. Same goes for the wine list (all on tap). I ordered a half order of fries and an order of hot wings. The fries were PERFECT. Perfectly cooked crisp, not too oily, and perfectly seasoned with salt, pepper, and herbs. Delicious. The wings were, well... until this moment, I had proudly bragged to my friends that the best hot wings in the Bay Area are at my house. I can now recant that statement. These were, far and away The. Best. Hot Wings. EVER. They were truly amazing. I'm only guessing here based on the flavors, but I THINK they must have been slow smoked beforehand and fried to finish just before serving, lightly seasoned (not too light, but balanced). I'm pretty sure they're making their own hot sauce (just a slight hint of apple cider vinegar and just the right amount of heat). These wings delivered more than I could've ever expected from hot wings. Based on the previous reviews, maybe this place is too sophisticated for the Pleasanton palate? I hope people can catch onto the subtlety of flavor delivered here and realize that it's a GOOD THING. Highly recommended. Best Hot Wings in the Bay Area. Well worth the drive... or bring your bike and BART over...
(5)
Matt F.

I came here for lunch today and regret that it hadn't been a night out for beers. Seems like most of the folks who really like this place like it because its a fun pub. But, I brought the folks and we sat outside on a perfect day. Our server, Janet, was great--friendly and efficient. Actually the service was great, period. But, the food was just so so. The fish and chips were too thickly breaded. The burger was well done not medium rare. And the pulled pork sandwich was bland. When we got the bill, our pulled pork cost a dollar more on the check than on the menu (they did correct that) and the bacon and cheddar on my burger which were unpriced on the menu turned out to be three bucks extra on the check. I do work in the area, though, and may make it down some night for beer. (The beer list is a full page of smallish print). When I do that I will update this review.
(3)
Brian P.

Good music, average food, and terrible service! If I hadn't been there 3 times I might believe they were just under staffed.
(1)
Phil K.

Let me begin by saying Handles is a gorgeous place with great beer on tap and all I had to eat was the onion soup and it was fantastic. Ok..........buckle your seat belts.... I came here on a sunday afternoon to watch the NBA all-star game with my girlfriend and a couple of friends because we have this cool little trade off where I'm allowed to watch sports on weekends if we go out and I buy her a glass of wine or five. The Oscars were also on that night and understandably, there was one TV devoted to the red carpet coverage (it is Pleasanton). Then the Oscars started........and every TV went to Oscar coverage.....then the volume kept creeping increasing......then our waiter comes over to ask if he can change the channel of the TV we are watching to Oscar coverage!!!! We were the only ones watching this particular TV!!! My second gripe..... my friend (who is a bartender) ordered a vodka collins, when the drink arrives it is OBVIOUSLY a vodka tonic. He returns the drink to the bar (rightfully so), and the bartender tells him "no, thats collins mix, I made it myself". Cool man, what the hell do we know?!? So instead of just remaking the drink he pours more tonic mixer in the drink. Thanks man!! you just made this shitty drink shittier!!! My last gripe..... If you are going to call your bar/restaurant a "gastropub", your food better be something special and different. Throwing a name on a place is douchey and self serving. Just call the god damn place handles.
(1)
Paul B.

Love to sit on the patio, under the trees, while having a Lost Tunnel Ale and house-made potato chips and the daily special. We even bring our dog! They have a live band on weekends, on the patio or indoors, depending on the weather. Mark, the manager, greets everyone and makes sure sure you are happy.
(5)
Kivani R.

My first visit here was so/so. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the service was great. This place definitely has potential. As for the food, it was okay. All the dishes were pretty much flavorless. The chicken, salmon, salads, even their version of ketchup was blan... Im still giving 3 stars because, as I mentioned before I liked the look and feel of the place and also because our server Mallory was very friendly and patient.
(3)
Jeff K.

The beer was good. I had the steak and frites for the main course. Ordered medium. Got it well done. Very tough and not edible. Did not complain but the waiter saw that I did not finish my meal. The waiter made good on the bill. This was my first visit, so I will give it another chance.
(2)
April G.

The service was great at the bar and the small bites were delicious. The duck confit tacos were the best. The pork belly and sea food ceviche tostadas were amazing as well. Can't get a better selection of beer. I was even offered a sample of the featured wine for my boyfriend and myself which was greatly appreciated! Finally, a great place to pay a visit when you are out and about downtown Pleasanton. If there were more options like this here, then it would be equivalent to Downtown Livermore these days. Handles stands out entirely from the rest, Cheers!
(5)
Rick D.

They have beer. Drink that. They have food. Do not eat that. Service is hit or miss. Don't eat the service. That's just weird.
(2)
Lisa D.

One star is generous. I made reservations through Open Table for St Patrick Day dinner after seeing they were doing specials for the weekend. We got there at 6pm and found they were only seating in the noisy pub section, well ok. Then we sat there for 15 minutes while everyone around us was being serviced. I finally stopped a girl and asked if she was going to be our waitress and she seemed a little confused about who WAS supposed to be servicing us but she went ahead and decided be responsible. My dad ordered the Corned Beef...which they were out of. My brother ordered a Guinness...which they were out of. They did have Irish Stew which two of us ordered while the others chose off the regular menu. I also got a Cider on tap, which was flat. The Irish Stew wasn't really "Irish", just regular beef stew. I was hoping for lamb since they have a lamb burger on the menu, but I didn't ask ahead of time and it wasn't that big of a deal. The vegetables were all pretty raw, I maybe had two peices of potato and a bunch or raw brussle sprouts that I couldn't eat because they were so hard. The meat was also really tough and hard to chew so my mom sent hers back right away and ordered a cup of tomato bisque soup, thinking that would be safe. Nope. She took one sip and said "oh no!". I tasted it and it was sour! Not sour cream sour...but like expired milk or vinegar sour. It wasn't edible. The other two dishes were pretty grim as well (fish and chips and the OMG meatloaf, which was cold), basically cafeteria style food. We were all so dissapointed, especially since the menu itself is creative and everything sounds so incredible! Then to top it off as we were standing outside after dinner my brother looked up and saw the most tattered, beat up, sad looking American Flag ever (basically some strips of faded material) flying on the flagpole. Boo, Pleasanton Hotel!. I knew I would be Yelping this meal before we went and I was actually looking for good things to say since I am often asked for recommendations on where to eat in Downtown Pleasanton. All I can come up with is that the waitress was nice and handled our complaints with grace.
(1)
Nate S.

Thursday night, it was packed with a shirt and tie office function. The three of us sat down at the bar for drinks and an appetizer. We waited almost 10 minutes before the ONE bartender (we all agreed he was the manager) threw menus at us without even as much as a "hello". We asked to see the beer bottle list (this seemed to aggravate him very much) he not so kindly put the menu down, "don't fall in love with it." Not even a recommendation. Nothing. We ordered three pints (of course the beer is tasty) and a plate of wings. We asked if we could split the order of 10 wings between 2 sauces. You would have thought we slapped his mom with his reaction. Standard pub fare, well cooked and hot. We were almost finished with the beers and still munching on the wings when he snatched the plate with one wing STILL ON THE PLATE. Never asking even we were finished with the appetizer or if we would like to try another beer. The Handle looked to be under staffed, but that is no excuse for rude service and my company said it wasn't the first time.
(2)
Dave B.

I really want to like this place, and hopefully they will get their act together. I love the location, and the patio is beautiful. The beer and wine list is also very good, and fairly priced. They fell really flat on the service and food. The food was greasy, and tried too hard to be fancy. They really need to slim their menu and focus on good pub food. The service was just plain poor. After waiting a whole 20 min for my first beer, I decided to time how long it would take to have my second beer delivered. 15 minutes later our server shows up. Kinda sad dude. I won't be going back until I hear they make some changes. If they don't make changes, I gives this place 6 months max. Crossing my fingers for improvement!
(2)
Heather C.

We had a large party, and our server (Brent I think was his name) was great. He knew the menu, had great suggestions and handled a large party well. The flight beer sampler was good, the sticky zipper beer wasn't my favorite. But I enjoyed being able to sample three mini beers at a reasonable price. I ordered the chop salad, it was really good. I also sampled some of a few other people's dishes. The chili was hooooot but good. No extra spice is needed in that! I had been to this place when it was formerly the Farmer, I am a fan of the building and patio area. Nice space, warm decor. The menu here was large, prices were reasonable, nice addition to the pleasanton downtown.
(4)
Jim L.

Have not been back since 9/20/2011 and the place still sucks. Service was poor (only one server). Selected four different beers from the printed beer list and was told; Sorry we are out of this for each beer selected......WTF? Why have a printed beer list. Ordered onion soup and bowl of chile.....yep they both came at the same time. The soup was slightly warm and the chile, well I have had a hotter shower. Never again, I am done with Handles, this place just sucks.....I will travel to Livermore to the Al House for beer on hand and great bar food.
(1)
Donnie Mac M.

We had a family dinner there tonight with our two boys and grandparents. Service was friendly and efficient. Good place for kids: kids' menu, cups with straws, crayons...all the things to keep them happy. Plus it's loud enough that you don't have to worry about busy boys. Food was good. Burgers were juicy and fries were just crispy, if a bit too salty. The sweet potato fries were really good. Wife had the veggie stack sandwich which she really liked. Tried a taste of my mom's pulled pork sandwich that had a nice smoky taste--wasn't smothered in BBQ sauce. Don't get the coleslaw: it had tomatoes in it, which is just wrong. Good option for Pleasanton, which is not a "target rich" environment in terms of restaurants. Update: Took a group from work here for dinner in December. Service was a bit rough, but the food was good. Very good wine/beer list and prices are very reasonable.
(4)
Bryan S.

Sad that Pleasanton struggles to attract decent dining experiences. This is no different than any average run of the mill bar food/atmosphere experience and the kind of place you quickly forget. Average service, and obnoxious cow town boy/girl regulars hootin' and a hollerin' obscenities while taking advantage of mediocre pub style food. Sort of a Joe Boy, I can't really tell what you do for a living kind of crowd. You know the type drives a corvette, constantly reliving high school football scene. Bar tender gave the "WTF" when we returned a vodka with flat soda. It's noisy and I wouldn't recommended for couples. Suitable for large casually dressed adult groups. Don't order the calamari and don't expect real ketchup (worst homemade ever). Overall, food was disappointing. Was somewhat empty on a Friday evening. Although outdoors seating looked busy, it was not really jumping for a Friday at happy hour. Better off sticking with a chain like Chiles, South of Border, etc. etc, than Handles Gastroblast.
(2)
Jacqueline F.

So I received a free dinner and I tried them again but the service is just not getting any better..................... The outside is amazing and the food is still great so I will keep going.
(3)
Dale C.

I really wanted to like this place as I really like what they did to the of inside the place since Handles Gastropub took over. I went here for dinner and ordered the O.M.G. Meatloaf because of the catchy name. It was not "omg" aweome...rather it was very boring, salty, and seemed more like something I would get at a school cafeteria versus a place that calls itself a gastropub. I'm mainly giving it two stairs because of the look and decor but in addition to my dish being terrible my waitress was inattentive and super slow. Not sure if I'd come back.
(2)
Megan L.

I had my 10 year class reunion at Handles and it was great. Handles was helpful and made the event move extremely smooth. Would recommend using them to others, my only complaint is that they are are to get a hold of until your event is about a week away. Other than that, it was great!!
(5)
Bill C.

It was a dark and stormy night - when suddenly we had the urge to try Handles. After consulting Yelp (thank you Yelpers!) we found Handles address. What we didn't know is that it is INSIDE the Pleasanton Hotel. After a quick trip up and down Main Street, we found it. It was a busy Saturday night and they got us a table within 10 minutes even though we didn't have reservations. We would have waited at the bar but it was full of people eating. Once we were seated, we found started looking over the beer menu. I have to say the beer selection is impressive. Wifey had a very nice stout and I had a tasty IPA. She ordered the patty melt and I ordered the blue burger with sweet potato fries. Both were very good. But what really makes this place special is the beer selection. Good show. The only knock on this place is the service was a bit uneven. We'd have one server taking care of us and then she'd disappear, then a different server would appear and take over. This happened a couple times. It's just a little weird, but to be honest, they did take really good care of us. So, I can't knock down their score at all for this. Will I be back? Heck yeah I will be.
(5)
Lauren A.

look here's the deal. I'm all about up and coming businesses in downtown Pleasanton. And I'm more than willing to help stimulate the economy with overpriced meals since I just love Pleasanton that much. But hey. I tried REALLY REALLY hard to love this place. Atmosphere seemed great, 38 beers on tap and 16 wines I believe. OKAY moving on. Come here, drink the beer, mind your business. Just don't eat the food. We started off with hummous and vegetables. Safe right? Try again, the texture was that of some kind of tempanade. How do you mess up hummous...I mean really... We haven't given up hope quite yet. We pretended to enjoy it for a while until we ordered a burger. What should be another safe choice. They put like a bajillion peppers on them despite our request to have them on the side. Jalapenos, habaneros, you name it...I guarantee it was on the burger. It tasted alright. After our main course, I experienced a wave of nausea and excused myself to the bathroom. False alarm...let's order dessert. Chocolate lava cake: umm hey, like I've had lava cake before, but never had I actually had cake with LAVA in it. Tasted like a frozen costco brand cake warmed up and inserted with a s*** ton of chiles. It burned my soul...if I wasn't nauseous before........ Anyways, I'm very disheartened to announce that the sad town of Pleasanton has yet to aquire something new and exciting. I only gave it 2 stars cause the beer/wine list is impressive and I'm a native to this town :-/
(2)
Tony C.

I have no idea what to make of this place yet. I was taken back just by the name. When you think of Pleasanton CA, rarely, if ever, would you think of a gastropub. Napa, yes, Danville even, sure, but Pleasanton. To my surprise, the decor and ambiance inside where just what I have come to expect from the other gastropubs I have visited in the past. A blend of wood and metal accents with beers and food specials on chalkboards. Pretty standard. The selection of beer was lackluster, maybe I just got there on an off night, but it showed some potential. The layout is spacious with bar tops on one side and more seated comfy coaches tossed around other places. Biggest problem...the crowd. They seemed to all be starring at our group from the moment we got there and everyone was really tense about serving us? Anyway, I'll give it another try and report back.
(3)
David S.

For a restaurant that boasts a lot of taps, their selection was left wanting. I was unimpressed, especially compared to the beer selection at a few places in Livermore. The food was okay. The worst part was the fact that my group was seated in a room with a very loud family with kids running around. The servers did nothing to help that. Also, the servers were found lacking in beer knowledge and attentiveness. For what the prices are, this place left a lot to be desired.
(2)
Sergio S.

My wife and I came here with another couple and I have to say that we were all totally disappointed. For a Sunday night, they were not overly busy, but the service was extremely SLOW and the waiter was not friendly at all. He only saw us once when we placed an order and at the end when we had to ask for our bill. The food was just ok... Nothing very exciting/unique/tasty. We will definitely not be back. There are better places nearby with great food and great service.
(1)
Joey M.

If this place put in as much time into the actual restaurant as they do with the "fake" reviews they may have the greatest restaurant in Pleasanton. I wouldn't listen to many of the positive reviews here (especially fives). They appear to be from people who know someone associated with the restaurant. Anyways - I went here about five weeks ago. The only positive thing is the selection of beer. Unfortunately, if you want to order a beer you're going to have some difficulty since they don't seem to want to ask you what you want. Once you finally do get a beer don't expect timely refills, if any. Same goes for water, soda, etc. While the wait staff was friendly they were far from helpful or attentive. Honestly, fast food restaurants in this area consistently do a better job on that note (take notes please). There is a very poor selection of food (maybe about 10 things?). I ordered a buffalo burger with fries thinking it would be simple. The burger was way too undercooked and it didn't taste that good either. In-N-Out Burger has better fries and the ketchup provided was watery. I hope this place makes a drastic turn around as everyone hopes. It seems to be lacking in having employees who actually have knowledge about the restaurant business from the hostess on up. Oh and the TVs in the bar for the most part are far too far or too small or too low depending on which one you are looking at.
(1)
Elizabeth B.

This is a review for the bar only (not the food!) What a surprise for Pleasanton!! A lot of my friends and I were home for Thanksgiving, and wanted to go to a place where we could catch up...and Handles was perfect. There was a good amount of seating - high-top tables, booths, and COUCHES. It wasn't overly crowded, and we could actually hear each other talking. When we went, there were 38 beers on tap!
(4)
Elizabeth C.

Let's just be honest with ourselves, who doesn't like a place with over 30 beers (microbrews for that matter) and 7 wines on tap? Because in a small town like Pleasanton where The Hopyard was really the only spot where there was beer variety, Handles seems like a gift from the beer gods. Okay let me just be up front about this, I have never actually sat at the "real" table and although I've had food there, I've always been sitting at the bar. The seating at the bar is fairly small but there are several high top tables and a couple of couches/lounge chairs for people to sit on. It is a great place to grab a brew and watch the game, meet up with friends, as well as grabbing a casual lunch on a weekend. I am way into IPAs, especially those from San Diego County, so I am always happy to see Stone and Green Flash on their beer menu. As for the food, it is pretty good. IMO, the brunch is the best thing you can order, but I believe they only offer that two days a week. The only downfall was that it was pretty crowded on a Friday night, so even closing out at the bar was a mess. I guess that just means people like it! Will definitely be going back here and happy that finally something good landed in this spot (although as a lifetime pleasanton resident, i do miss the nostalgia of the Pleasanton Hotel).
(4)
Candice B.

My review is for the experience I had last summer. It's a big place and when I come back it will be for the same reason I came the first time: Reggae on the Porch and happy hour. Came here on a Friday last summer and it was great. Grabbed a table outside w/some co-workers after work, a pitcher of raspberry sangria and sat in the warm weather while the sounds of reggae entertained my ear, as the food did for my taste buds. I had for the first time a no meat dish, the Portobello and Crispy Polenta Stack. This was stacked as a napoleon w/mozzarella cheese, roasted red peppers, grilled asparagus and was drizzled w/a balsamic reduction. I don't ever feel full if I don't have a meal with meat, but this was good and the Portobello filled me up as if I ate some beef. The sangria was good too, tasted like a nice ice tea but had the effects I was looking for that Friday. Will come back...
(3)
AMY M.

I've been to Handles to eat 3-4 times, and each time was an enjoyable experience; service, food, and (reasonably priced) HUGE beer/ wine selection were all definite winners in my book. What really earns the 5 stars for this place though, is the exceptional service and help that we've received during our wedding planning process- I really can't say enough about Erin and her staff, they are just amazing. From the tastings (shrimp cocktail & bruschetta...roast chicken & fingerling potatoes- YUM) to the ordering, logistics, and general nuts and bolts (plus fielding about a million emails from us)- we have had nothing but positivity and "yep, we can do that!" from Handles. They are obviously versed in how to run an event- no amateurs here- and we look forward to having ours in Erin's most capable hands:)
(5)
Sunny J.

I would love to give this place five stars, but the food is inconsistent. Some things like the wings, meatloaf and burgers are delicious and right on, while others like the shepherds pie, fish and chips and salmon lack flavor. Sometimes the fries are cold, but the sweet potato fries are delicious. I appreciate the made from scratch style of cooking and am confident they will work out any kinks. I like the space, the staff and the beer selection. A little more consistency with the food would make this place perfect!
(4)
Jake P.

Handles is awesome. Great quality of food, traditional pub food with a customized spin. Great environment, and decor. Fantastic beer selection!!! Let's be honest, that's what you're there for, well that and the atmosphere. Definitely recommend for a social gathering, but maybe not a romantic evening.
(4)
Brandon A.

I've gone to Handles on three separate occasions. The first time I sat down for dinner and had wine and a meal. The food was very average and not the greatest thing in the world. They had wine on tap which was nice and the place is definitely very comfortable. The second two times I went here I went on Saturday nights which are awesome! They had a live band playing and the atmosphere was pumping! Me and my sister got drunk with two friends for less than a hundred dollars and had an awesome time dancing and getting weird too a band called Drive. Verdict: Stay away from the food...come to party!
(3)
Lana C.

Great bar style food and good variety of beers on tap. I recommend the pulled pork sandwich and a flight of the daily chosen beers. Side salad, fries and coleslaw are pretty bomb BUUUUTTT I did have a tummy ache about two hours after I ate. Not sure if it was the grease or combo but beware. I do have a sensitive tummy tho. so maybe it is just me... The carrot cake was a bit disappointing, too dense... Prices are reasonable $5 flight of beers, 5$ for a pint, and about 10$ for pulled pork.
(3)
Eric A.

The atmosphere is great, but the food was lacking. My fries were really overcooked, and the wrong things were put on my hamburger. My waitress was also very slow to recognize that I needed water. My dad loves the restaurant, so it may have just been a flop.
(2)
Julie B.

A great place for lunch. Split a salad and a bacon cheddar burger with a friend and you'll be happy. This is also a great place to go for drinks at night...probably the best spot in P-town (though there isn't really any competition when it comes to night life). I wish they had live music more often. Overall, this is a great place with a nice ambience.
(4)
Paul D.

This place needs a schizo review. The beer selection is great. As a place to go have some wine or beer it probably is four stars. The food is more like 2 or 3. Ambience is good. We've been several times and I found the food not very interesting. The portions are too big for me, so the waiter suggested the pastrami sliders this time. The buns were like Kilpatricks, the pastrami over-fried with pieces of onion that suggested a trip to knife-skills class, and some congealed boring cheese. I found the service a little weird -- we were given only one specials / dessert menu, and only one beer menu, so I had to sit there while my wife looked at the beer menu and then ask for more time because I hadn't seen the menu yet, and likewise for dessert. My wife got a berry cobbler sort of thing that was awful. She did like a cerviche she had. The coffee is excellent.
(3)
Susie T.

We went to Handles Gastropub last night for a family birthday party! The restaurant is large and warm. The owners did a wonderful job on the interior and made the space beautiful. The brick outdoor patio area looked like a great summer spot. We were a little concerned when we first pulled in when we heard Cyndi Lauper, but then realized the ridiculously loud-bad-music was coming from a place next door - whew! We started out with a flight of the keg wine at the bar tables in the lounge area and then moved to the dining room for dinner. I love the keg concept! We asked our wonderful server Sheena for suggestions and she was very knowledgeable. My son asked her for a beer recommendation and she brought him a wonderful bottle of beer. He loved it. The rest of us shared a litre of the Zinfandel and it was fantastic. We shared a number of appetizers and my favorite was the Fried Green Tomatoes. Our server told us they bring the tomatoes in fresh every day from a local farm. They were crisp, tart and delicious and not overly fried. They arrived hot! I loved the grilled corn on top! Other family members really enjoyed the calamari and the cheese plate was delicious. The blue cheese was to die for. We also shared a number of salads. The Market Salad was delicious, but our favorite was the Caesar with pastrami and bacon. And the table favorite was definitely the mac-n-cheese with pastrami and bacon. Our service was terrific, from Sheena to the busing staff - all were very warm and inviting. After dinner, we moved to the bar to hear the live music! All in all and wonderful Birthday Dinner experience at Handles.
(5)
Jesse B.

I've been going to Handles for a while now. 90% of the time it's just to get my beer on. They have a nice selection, with something I always like available. The atmosphere is casual, and not to hectic, which I like. I don't come here and be shoulder to shoulder with Ed Hardy. It has its busy times, and slower times. Its always moving on a good night, and I always enjoyed my drinks here. Service is usually good, never horrible, sometimes great. I've had the food a few times, and never been disappointed. I wouldn't come here to eat really, only to drink. It's just nice when I haven't eaten, that I got something available. I have yet to really try the "dining experience". 4 Stars for the nice selection and the more relaxed adult atmosphere.
(4)

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Address : 855 Main St
Pleasanton, CA, 94566
Phone (925) 399-6690
Website https://www.handlesgastropub.com
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :3:00 pm - 9:00pm

Specialities

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

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Handles Gastropub

855 Main St, Pleasanton, CA, 94566

Handles Gastropub Menu

Organic Greens

Small Plates

From the Kettle

Burgers and More

Mains

Happy Hour

Healthy Meal suggestions for Handles Gastropub

Organic Greens

Small Plates

From the Kettle

Burgers and More

Mains

Happy Hour

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