A16 Rockridge - Oakland

The order arrived cold, and my sausage was missing! The pizza was incredibly bland, and the dough was too chewy.

Table was available on time (actually 5 min early). Waiter was very knowledgeable about the wine and food choices and gave good recommendations. Food was delicious (we had the brussel sprout appetizer and duck confit gnocchi). Was efficient in getting the check when I had to head out.

I was sadly disappointed. I have been a fan of A16 for years and found their food on my last visit to be surprisingly subpar. The pizza crust was doughy and undercooked and the salad was like coleslaw. The service was delightful. We ate outside which I normally really enjoy but I found that the furniture and overall appearance of their pandemic parklet to feel uncared for. I'm sorry to be so critical because I love this restaurant but I'm not sure I'll be back for a while.

I've visited A16 numerous times over the years, and this visit was no exception; it did not disappoint. We opted for a meal consisting solely of starters, which was a great choice for three people.

The food and service here are consistently outstanding, and the staff demonstrates impressive knowledge. However, I would love to see a wider selection of wines available by the glass, or at least more than one option per variety. Our main issue was the noise level in the restaurant. It was a busy Friday night, and while hardwood floors are understandable, the high ceiling means management should really consider adding some sound-absorbing panels to help manage the volume. It would make a significant difference. To put it simply: if your bartenders and servers are constantly leaning in to hear customers, and patrons have to repeatedly ask staff to repeat themselves, then there's definitely a noise issue that needs to be addressed.