Published by Angie. Last Updated on January 2, 2025.
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Spirits and Tales is a modern brasserie-style restaurant on the top floor of The Oaklander hotel. The restaurant holds it own, though, and is more than just a place to eat while staying at the hotel. With craft cocktails, seasonal house made pasta and entrees, and stunning views, it’s a destination in its own right for some solid upscale dining in the Oakland neighborhood.
We have dined at Spirits and Tales a few times, but most recently when we were staying at the hotel as guests of the property. On a week night during the Christmas holiday season it was packed full, so we ended up sitting at the bar. A reservation is a good idea here, especially on the weekend and during the holidays.
Go For Dinner, Stay for the Drinks at Spirits & Tales
The craft cocktail menu here has seasonal options as well as classics. There’s also a fancy Toki highball machine, a couple of draft beer options, and wine by the glass/bottle.
We started out with a few cocktails, the Plum Serenate and the Dragon Breath. The plum drink with vodka, Campari, vermouth, plum cinnamon syrup, lime, and aquafaba was spiced and fruity but well-balanced- a perfect winter warming drink. The seasonal Dragon Breath also hit the spot with mezcal, chile ancho liqueur, luxardo, lime, and habanero bitters. We love a spicy cocktail, and this one did not disappoint in its heat
There are a variety of starters on the menu including salads, soups, dips, charcuterie, and even oysters. We love labneh so we happily tried out their version here which is made in-house. Creamy labneh was topped with zataar and pepitas and served with grilled pita. We loved the warming spices of the zataar and the textural contrast between the crunchy pepitas and the creamy, rich labneh.
Entrees range from chicken to house made pasta to seafood and steaks. Jeremy zeroed in on the burger, and I opted for the scallops.
The burger was served on a toasted brioche bun and was topped with gooey raclette cheese, caramelized onions, and aioli. This was a serious umami bomb, and we loved the sauciness and cheesiness of it. We only wished it wouldn’t have been well-done, as we had ordered it medium. Truffle parmesan fries on the side kept with the savory, rich vibes of the burger.
The scallops were by far our favorite dish of the evening. They were served on a creamy turnip puree, with house made kimchi, plum, and furikake.
The scallops themselves had the most glorious caramelization on top, but they were still perfectly tender and juicy throughout. The kimchi on the dish sounded so weird that we just had to try it, and it worked amazingly with the dish. It added some punchy acidity and a hint of spice to the buttery scallops.
For dessert we tried one of their signature cocktails, the Spirit of the Oak Old Fashioned. Starting with the restaurant’s own private select batch of Maker’s Mark, it also had spiced cinnamon syrup and chocolate, orange, and Hellfire bitters. To top it all off, the drink was smoked with hickory wood which of course made for a lovely tableside presentation. This drink was boozy and strong, with just the right amount of smokiness.
To go with our cocktail we tried the bread pudding, which was another hit. Made with rich challah bread, it was also topped with a butterscotch sauce, berries, and mint. The bread itself was so luscious and moist, and the sauce added to the creaminess of the dish.
Spirits and Tales has evolved into more than just a hotel restaurant. Whether you’re staying at the hotel or looking for a place to spend a nice evening out in Oakland, Spirits and Tales should definitely be on your list to check out!
Spirits & Tales is located inside The Oaklander Hotel at 5130 Bigelow Blvd in Oakland. We were guests of the hotel for this review. As always, all opinions are our own.
