My birthday landed on a Sunday so I decided I wanted to have brunch. Portal takes reservations for up to 10, and we had a great table on the enclosed patio with a lake view and heat lamps for the brisk January morning. The regular brunch menu has so many great options plus they had a couple specials. Many in our group had chicken and waffles. The chicken was GREAT with delicious crispy skin. The waffles were just ok. They were wanting to be fluffier and/or a little crisp and browned. The Corned Beef Hash, Cobb Salad, Stuffed French Toast, biscuits and gravy and UnBeetable Burger were all tasty. All staff were welcoming and helpful. The food came out as it was ready with very little wait time between the first and final order. Coffee and water was continually refilled. I can't wait to come back for lunch or dinner on a warm day, and enjoy selection of local craft beers.

I've been a regular for years. Come in and get the same thing all the time, never looking at menu. Wings, garlic fries and brussel sprouts are good, consistent. I just looked at the menu and it's WAY different than years past. I look forward to branching out. Service is usually great, I sit at bar and get food to go.

Came here after we did a hike in the area, was looking for a place that was dog friendly and this was a great spot! They have a patio in back that allows you to have dogs and they will provide a water bowl and a little treat if you want it. For food I got the Korean chicken sandwich and it was really good. We also had garlic fries at the table that were delicious. Now something to keep in mind is is that they do have alcoholic drinks however because they don't have a hard liquor license. Their drinks are made with wine based alcohol so it's a little different. I did try the hot toddy. It was good, but you're not gonna get that normal buzz that you would offer a traditional hot toddy. Overall, it was a great experience and if in the area would consider coming back.

We visited Portal Oakland on a Monday night and was pleasantly surprised to find it was trivia night. The host was incredibly engaging, keeping the energy high and the crowd entertained the entire evening. It was such a fun atmosphere! The food and beers were fantastic. The appetizers were a standout--Garbage Bread was an absolute hit, bursting with flavor, and the cauliflower and wings were equally delicious. We also tried the ribs, which were juicy, tender, and packed with taste. Overall, Portal is a perfect local spot for great food, a lively vibe, and a memorable night out. I'll definitely be back for another round of trivia and great eats!

Docking 1 star due to long wait times at tables I visited Portal on a random sunny Saturday. The place was packed with a 25 minute wait time for a party of two - yikes! Nevertheless, we waited. The outdoor patio space is fixed with plants, beautiful wood furniture and ceiling posts. It has a large tv which they play Raider and Niners games on. Here is where it got tricky...we sat for 5+ minutes without a menu or water. No biggie. Once we got menus and water, it took 20 minutes to order our food and an additional 20 minutes to get our food. We ordered the mini chicken burgers with fries and the half pound Portal burger with fries and a Star Pink Lady. The mini burgers didn't stand a chance! The half pound burger was good but nothing to ride home about. I'd love to come back and try the fried chicken Cesar, Portal plate, and Chilaquiles! Would I come back? Absolutely Would I recommend it to a friend? Without a doubt!

Came here on a Saturday afternoon, didn't think we'll be sat right away, but we were. Our server was super friendly, I regret not getting his name. When I looked at the menu everything sounds delicious but I ended up getting a Portal Burger, Garlic Fries, Garbage bread, chilaquiles with carne asada topped with avocado and to drink a Pineapple Express. Overall everything was actually good, the burger was juicy, we paired it with the red salsa that came with the chilaquiles, perfect match. The fries were crispy on the outside but soft on the inside with just enough garlic, the garbage bread was basically a pizza rolled up with marinera on the side, baked just right with enough toppings inside. now the chilaquiles were sooo good, I really did not expect them to be as good as they were, the chips were still crispy, tons of meat and cheese, came with extra salsa, beans, sour cream. The Pineapple Express was so delicious, made from agave wine. We were sat inside by the bar and not in the patio, I thought it was going to feel a little tight but it didn't. The service was great! Definitely worth coming back.

We hit up Portal stright off a 6 hour drive from southern California and my family of 7 LOVED IT I am super glad we were able to enjoy amazing service, ambiance and food. I made reservations the day befor and I am so glad I was able to push back our reservation time. We arrived at 11:15am on the dot Saturday morning. We received a warm welcome and we were seated immediately. The menu had something for everyone. Everything was outstanding, we will definitely be back when we are in town! THANKS PORTAL

I'm mostly writing this because of the pitchers of Mimosas. Yes, the food is superb and the service is excellent but the Mimosas are insane. For your $40 you get a pitcher the size of Lake Merritt with a very generous portion of sparkling wine. On the food side of things you can't go wrong with the garbage bread, chicken & waffles and steak and eggs. But honestly it's the Mimosas.

I recently dined at El Portal near Lake Merritt, and it was a delightful experience. From the outside, it may not look like much, but stepping inside reveals a surprisingly spacious and inviting atmosphere. We chose to sit outside, which was a great decision--the fresh air added to our enjoyment and the music added to the experience We ordered chilaquiles, chicken and waffles, and steak and eggs, and I must say, each dish was a hit. The portion sizes were generous, and everything was cooked to perfection. The chilaquiles were bursting with flavor, the chicken and waffles were a satisfying sweet and savory combination, and the steak and eggs were both hearty and delicious. Overall, El Portal exceeded my expectations with its ambiance, attentive service by our waitress Lori and excellent food. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a tasty meal in a pleasant setting! P.S, they also have Comedy Night, Trivia Night, and Live Jazz!

You get a great view of the lake from the patio! Please see photos attached. The patio is very spacious and additionally, there was festive music when we came on cinco de mayo. It was very lively on a Sunday! :-) The food was pretty good, I really enjoyed the GCCB, the crispy skins of the country potatoes were delicious. Also, the gravy sauce was creamy and the flavor to the sauce was definitely hitting. I would recommend this dish! However, I noted they used the same chicken for the chicken and waffles and then gccb dish. My boyfriend ordered chicken and waffles and we shared our dishes by splitting both in half. He also really enjoyed the GCCB. However, we thought the chicken from the chicken and waffle was lacking in terms of moisture! It was a bit dry. Additionally, it was crispy so it lacked flavor. The service was also very relaxed, I liked that they didn't rush us to leave, and we enjoyed the weather outside on a nice Sunday! Overall experience was around a 3.7/5, rounded to 4!