Prime Spot Bar and Grill

Prime Spot has moved to the Shadow Ultra Lounge, 342 13^th St., Oakland between Webster and Harrison St. They have changed their name to «The Kitchen» to support the Lounge. Now open for lunch and dinner. Still same great steaks, salmon, appetizers, same chef and host. Sharing space with the Lounge’s massive bar, high ceilings performance stage with sounds and lighting and live sports on multiple large monitors. Some menu changes however e.g. no ribs but added many more appetizers.
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I love hidden delicious Jems like this place! I’ve been here a few times and always look forward to the next time! The prime rib is mouth watering! Rack of lamb, delicious! Mashed taters so fluffy! The service was always nice and speedy.
Parking is a bit of a pain since it’s on a busy street. But not hard to find. If your a meat and potatoes person then you’ll love this place! The pictures of Too $hort on the walls are a cool little bonus! Annnnnd you might catch a glimpse of randy moss cooking on the grill if u get lucky! (Inside joke)

Errrrmahgerrrhd! (yes I’m weird)
This place is a hole in the wall. Isn’t fancy and doesn’t have much of a steak selection, but it was pretty good! It’s
I had the grilled rib eye and loved the flavors!
Overall this place is a straight forward steak joint. No fancy dresses just good ol’ STEAK.

Small little place on a busy street. Needless to say, parking is hard to find. I was a little skeptical about this place at first, but man was I blown out of the water!
Service:
Our server was very friendly and attentive. She noticed she had given my dad the wrong side and gave us a extra side before we even had the change to ask! Awesome! Even though the place was packed after we got in, I felt the line still moved by pretty quickly.
Food:
Prime Rib — I had the prime rib and it was amazing! The mashed potato was always very creamy and well made. Both dishes were seasoned perfectly and complimented the other very well.
Fish and Chips — So my niece and nephew shared the fish and chip. I didn’t have high expectation for this dish since it was suppose to be a steak place. I took a little bite and Man was I wrong again! The crush on the fish was seasoned very well. The french fries were crispy, but the seasoning here was lacking just a tiny bit. But my niece and nephew loved it. Definitely a well made dish!
Overall:
Great place! Definitely make reservations if you have a large party. And also take into account of time when looking for parking. I would recommend this place to any steak lovers!

I’ve been to this place twice now wanting it to be better than it actually is because the people working the joint are honestly nice people. I have to say, however, it falls in the «Denny’s» category for me. I ordered the prime rib and although it was a healthy portion, it was like chewing on an old shoe. We ordered the crab and artichoke dip as well and it was served with cheap white bread and tasted like it came straight from Costco.
If you like diners, you’re going to love this place. But if you’re looking for the elusive diamond in the rough– aka great food/​cheap prices, keep on moving. Nothing to see here.

Seared Ahi Tuna=$ 18.99
TV’s showing the Niners game = included
A compliment from the cook that our team is unstoppable.= priceless
Ok, best piece of seared fish I’ve had since… I can’t remember. TVs all over and there’s a cute older lady who probably is the owner anyway shes got pix of her and Too Short framed on the wall… I will be coming back to this place for sure.

DO NOT ORDER THE PRIME RIB!
The prime rib was fatty and so tough that it was extremely difficult to chew and cut through.
I normally do not send food back, but I did. I requested instead to have a prime rib sandwich, which has a thinner cut.
Instead, I received my original meal, tossed into a to-​go box (by the color, you could see it was reheated).
Then after speaking with the cook/​manager, he unhappily brought me the sandwich as requested (minus any french fries). I thanked him profusely, and he did not utter a single word to me. If looks could kill, I’d been dead on the ground.
I can look past mediocre food, because we all «have bad days» (which was the excuse the manager gave us) …but how do you run a restaurant with such poor people skills?
I would’ve rather paid $ 45 for a delicious, tender cut of REAL prime rib. Instead, I paid $ 25 for 10oz. of cheap CHUCK, that I did not take more than 3 bites out of.
Meanwhile, another customer in the restaurant was having issues with his prime rib as well. He said the cook/​manager was actually glaring at him from behind the counter. Yikes!
I’m guessing there’ll be a few more negative reviews on this joint in the next week or so.
…BOO on you, Prime Spot! Shame on you for serving cheap cuts of meat, and passing them off as more expensive cuts.

Had a great burger… It was HUGE… Love this place.
The service was great too. My wife orders ribs, but it didn’t come with a side of vegetables. The waitress bought a side of vegetables for free.
Prime spot burger was great. Definitely coming back to this place again.

Ate here while on vacation and the oven roasted prime Rib was perfect! I would def come here again or recommend to friends.
The only reason I did not give 5 stars was because the service could be improved. This wouldn’t stop me from coming here again though.

I would go else where if I were you. Not totally crappy but. The service was not good at all, it took forever to order there was only one other table sat in the whole place which is a small place. I would try to wave down a server but they never would look at our table. Also the servers were eating their dinners at the bar with their hands in their food and when they served they did not bother to wash their hands first.
I ordered the T-​bone; it was mostly fat and grissley, it had no flavor, the mashed potatoes were just ok, the veggies were boring.
The servers do not know how to bartend. I ordered a Lychee Martini and it was so heavily poured with vodka it was just not enjoyable.
My boyfriend ordered the Prime Rib, the house cut, he pretty much said the same thing about his food. JUST BORING
For the price the portions size was good, but overall for a dining experience I would go else where.

Do you like steak? Of course you do! This is America — land of the free and home of the steak!
It’s funny though; despite the universal appeal of a thick slab of meat, finding a good cut is more rare than unicorn meat.
Thankfully Prime Spot feeds my carnivorous needs, with cuts of both steak and prime rib going up to 16oz — and that’s not including the sides! Each cut could be a little less fatty, but I’m not complaining; I’m too busy enjoying my food coma.

The service was pretty good here! He was quite friendly and was always around for us to ask questions. Before our food even arrived and after we had ordered we saw another table get the chicken wings as an appetizer and they looked so good! We had to add it to our order right away. We were definitely glad that we added them because boy were they good! The wings were seasoned well and crispy.
I had the prime rib, of course, and I wasn’t disappointed. My prime rib was nicely cooked and I had a pretty large piece even though I ordered the smaller cut. I really liked the broccoli because it was sauteed in butter and garlic. YUM! They were definitely not shy about the butter. I also really liked the mashed potatoes because they were fluffy and seasoned well. The portions here are pretty nice so it’s definitely worth the price!

I usually don’t write reviews for places that have so many reviews already, nor when I’ve only been somewhere once. But I felt this was necessary.
First, the good: Food was awesome. It’s 4.5 stars on my list. My bf and I both got the fried chicken sandwich, which was the BEST fried chicken sandwich I’ve ever had anywhere. Miles better than the overrated Bakesale Betty’s sandwich, IMHO. The chicken was super juicy and flavorful, and I think they put garlic butter/​mayo on the buns. In a word: YUM. My friend got the 10oz prime rib and he was also blown away by the food. He finished every piece of that thing — it was as big as his face!
Now, the bad: Service was SO slow. Friendly, but slow. There was only one server who was swamped. It took him 10 minutes to get our drink orders, and another 10 to tell us that they only had about 4 beers in stock out of the 15 or so listed on the menu. FAIL.
My conclusion: come here for the food when it’s less busy, or when you have a lot of time to spare. Your patience will be rewarded.

Artichoke dip: good flavor, but it was cold.
Prime rib: good flavor, but it was overcooked FOR SURE (i hate to chew on it like beef jerky)

Steak by the Lake! Juicy Beef beside the Brackish Lagoon! Red Meat at Merritt!
Rather than thinking of Prime Spot Bar and Grill as a ‘Hidden Gem/​Gem’, I’ll go with a ‘hidden/​semiprecious stone’…or maybe a phat CZ instead of a diamond. This isn’t one of those cheesy, lux, super expensive House of Prime Rib spots. There isn’t upholstery on the chairs and it’s more sparse in it’s décor. There are 2 t.v.s hanging on the walls so you can watch the game. So don’t act like you’re the shizz when you review this place, honestly! Get some prospective.
What I like about it, is, it’s in my neighborhood, it’s fairly priced, and it’s unpretentious. It’s not pretentious in the least! At times, I got the feeling the service was downright amateur, but man, I really liked my steak, and they were very sweet.
I’d totally been craving a steak, and this seemed like a straightforward way to fulfill that craving right here in Oakland. Basically I was pleased with my meal and after one visit, I know I will go back.
The Cowboy steak was right up my alley. My ‘medium’ was the perfect medium. The thing was huge and it had been dry rubbed with espresso. The potatoes and broccoli that come with it were good too.
My guy got ribs, which isn’t the direction I’d recommend you take here. Go for the prime rib. He’ll do that next time, but the ribs were good. I thought the sauce was a little too sweet, but that could be tempered with the fries that come with it, adding that salty starch. He also got a Cesar Salad which was what you would expect it to be at a prime rib place– covered in dressing and cheese, and yes, tasty!
I love that they have a full bar and wine+beer. Don’t go looking for any artisan liquors here. The wine list is like the antidote to all of the fancy schmancy $ 10 cocktails and $ 11 glasses of wine I have been whining about lately. Clous de Bois, $ 6.50/$ 7 glasses of wine, and for me, a sparkling wine split for $ 6.50. Done. Yes!
I loved that the table of Asian guys nearby ordered a round of shots to start out their night when they sat down.
Finally, I have to confess the next day I heated up the ½-​yes HALF I didn’t eat that night for dinner, and the leftovers were damn good! Of course the meat cooked up a bit more, but I am not a bloody steak girl, no no. Hey, to me, that’s also indicative of not just quantity, but value. Times are tough all over, and 2 meals in one! Hey! I like it!

I was looking for a steak house close enough to my home, with great reviews and open decently late and Unilocal brought me here.
Setting: good size place, very laid back with TVs to watch the game.
Service: EXCELLENT
The waiter was very friendly and joked around with us. He kept our waters filled and constantly asked how we were doing.
The cowboy steak:
I asked for Medium rare and I got just that. THANK YOU!!! not all the time do you ask for a particular way of having your steak cooked and the place gets it right. It was very flavorful and juicy. The garlic mash that came with the dish was tasteful. You can taste the herbs and garlic. I usually hate mashed patatos so it means something when I enjoy having the ones here.
Prime Rib:
Again another great Med rare taste! Just as juicy, flavorful and soft to chew. It was quite a big piece of meat, too much to handle, but always good the next day for left overs!
Overall:
Had a good time here, like I mentioned its more a chilled laid back place. Not a romantic dinner, but you can definitely enjoy this place with great company. If you just looking for a great place to have bomb a$$ steak for a reasonable price then this is the spot to be.

Boy, have I gone too far with this whole voucher deal thing.
Fortunately, I quit cold turkey without needing an intervention. Back at the height of my voucher deal infatuation, however, I bought 2 Living Social deals for Prime Spot & the expiration dates for both were swiftly upon me.
The girlfriend & I ended up eating at Prime Spot twice in less than a week. Going & going back gave us a good feel for the place. It’s a smallish, casual & homey neighborhood joint with a friendly staff.
On the 1^st visit, we both stuck with the stated signature dish of this restaurant & got the Oven Roasted Prime Rib, which was accompanied by garlic mash potatoes and steamed broccoli.
On the 2^nd visit, we explored more of the menu. We started with the Crab & Artichoke Dip. I got the Cowboy Steak, which had the same sides as the Prime Rib. The girlfriend got a half slab of the New Orleans Seasoned Baby Back Ribs, which came with fries.
Having now sampled the Prime Rib & a Steak here, I would say the beef dishes at Prime Spot are just OK. The quality of the beef itself didn’t impress me as being top grade & the preparation, while also just OK, wasn’t especially praiseworthy.
Aside from the beef, the rest of our food was either mostly better or downright delicious. The garlic mash potatoes were yummy. The Crab & Artichoke Dip was addictive-​as-​crack awesome. The girlfriend’s New Orleans Seasoned Baby Back Ribs were nice & tender with a tasty sweet BBQ sauce. The steamed broccoli was the exception & was not that good.
Given the friendly service & some pretty good food, I’m inclined to rate Prime Spot as 4 stars. But, at a place like this, it’s all about the beef. The name of the restaurant is Prime Spot & the signature dish is Prime Rib. Make no mistake, beef is the main attraction here & the beef I had wasn’t as Rock Star sensational as it should have been for being the centerpiece of the menu. 3 stars.

I was thinking of getting some Prime Rib on a whim on a Sunday night, and was going to contact the fabulous Mad Hatrix Kim D to see if her entourage wanted to meet up with my entourage, and «meat up» in Oakland.
Things came up, however, so I never had my people contact her people, so I had Indian food in Emeryville instead that Sunday night.
However, a couple of days later, I had that whim to eat Prime Rib again. I am not a big Prime Rib eater, nor a big steak eater. I would be lucky to eat a steak once a month at the most. Maybe 6 times a year. But my entourage are meat eaters, and so is part of her entourage. And she is loosely known as a self-​described chronic masticator, which engenders images of meat in the mouth to me. So my people contacted the Mad Hatrix’s people, and we arranged to meet up with her entourage and my entourage at a prime spot for it, namely, Prime Spot.
The best laid plans of Mice and Men, and Entourages, sometimes go awry. The hopes of a wonderful meeting over juicy meat was not to be. We did order meat, a Prime Rib and a New York Pepper Steak. But our server was on his third day on the job, and I don’t think he was an experienced server. He was nice, but seemed like a cross between a store clerk at Sears and a highway construction worker. Not very helpful, slow, and hard to find.
And the food was underwhelming. The Prime Rib was meh, and the NY Pepper Steak was missing the pepper, in fact all 3 peppers. I was expecting an encrusted steak a poivre, but they should have brought a pepper shaker, because like a twist on that decades old Wendy’s commercial about beef, where’s the pepper?
The garlic mash potatoes lack garlic, and the broccoli was meh.
The place is sort of like a sports bar that serves steaks. Which can be fine, except there is very little sports, there are no cute girls in short skirts and big smiles, and this place has seen better days. Like maybe the last time the Warriors won an NBA title.
(1974−75, if you didn’t know!)
But my entourage enjoyed the company of her entourage. And next time, I’ll have her people call my people for another suggestion.

An impromptu textvite to «eat prime rib» on the weekend with a few other carnivores was an offer I couldn’t refuse. I am a gal who is fond of the ethnic, the esoteric, offal and humble but skillfully elevated cuts that Tony Bourdain refers to as The Nasty Bits. So, the idea of prime rib on a weekend that did not involve lots of relatives converging for a high holiday was kind of… weird to me.
Yes, I’m still stalling about what I said to Jane Wiedlin, but that’s entirely beside the point. Can I tell you a really horrifying story about a celebrity that we all know and love, hometown girl Margaret Cho? Yes? Okay:
So, years ago I was asked to be a human clothes hanger for a runway fashion show for an event in El Lay, whose main sponsor was our very own Mr. S. Leather. I was traveling a lot, eating way too many French tasting menus in NYC and weighed in at a healthy 125 lbs., easily. I accepted, as a gal pal wanted to add me to her photo portfolio and another friend was a clothing vendor.
I vividly recall the stylists assigned to me being frustrated that the size S and XS they had were still too big for me. «We need more chicken cutlets!» and they bolstered my cleavage, cinched and cursed until it was practically under my chin.
At dress rehearsal, hair in curlers and wearing a bathrobe over my first look, we were awaiting our next instructions when a collective swoon/​squeal/​scream of excitement rippled through the room. The organizers brought in the Real Talent who was closing the show, previously unbeknownst to us: Diva Margaret Cho in the flesh.
Deafening applause peppered generously with omigod, omigod, omigod! I was swooning majorly, because I had in the CD player of my car her Drunk With Power Album. I gave serious consideration to running down Sunset Boulevard in thigh-​high patent leather stiletto boots, curlers and a flimsy cover-​up to retrieve said CD and implore her to autograph it. But all of the «models» were intimidated by Ms. Cho — I mean, serious star power!
I decided not to pester or admit what a fan I am — that goes without saying. So I focused on not sweating because of the silicone chicken cutlets stuffed into my latex ensemble.
Backstage, we all gave Ms. Cho her space. It was a bit awkward because we didn’t want to smother her, and as a result, no one was talking to her. We’re not worthy!
She approached me and said, «I love your boots!» The most witty thing I could conjure was, «Thank you. You look great» She leaned in and ran her fingers up and down the side of the outside of my right boot. «Now, what’s this?» she asked me. «Uh, it’s a holster. For the riding crop. See, it goes in like this,» I stuttered. «That’s so great — love that! Where did you get them?»
I totally blanked and I pray that she’s forgotten our encounter because I was so star struck. Because I failed to be myself, and shower her with admiration and accolades, or engage her in any real conversation, she is forever lost to me. *collapsing into a heap of despair*
You’re right: this has nothing to do with my review, but I did kind of promise to divulge the Jane thing (s). Still stalling.
Back to present day @ Prime Spot. Gal Pal and I split the Chef’s Cut 16 oz prime rib, ($ 30.95) medium rare out of deference to the Gal Pal. When our order arrived, she was gracious enough to carve a small section of the bloodier center for me. Shockingly bland and not well trimmed, either.
Wanugee ordered the 3 Peppered NY Strip ($ 23.95) and it was nothing like the dry-​aged steak au poivre I was hoping it would be. I got a snippet of that as well, and a few forkfuls of broccoli that bordered in the dreaded f-​word: flaccid but because it had been blanched, the color was okay, but I care about the TASTE.
The Cadet had a mundane chicken sammich; I don’t even think I bothered to take a picture of it, it was that unremarkable.
Our group sat in the back, and it was chilly each time the door opened. I didn’t notice at first, but there were several flatscreen TVs, one right above our table in the corner. The formica tables and paper napkins made me feel like we were eating in a cafeteria sports bar off the strip while paying hotel resort prices.
Gal Pal demolished the Prime Rib; Wanugee made a decent effort but took half his entrée home, and yes, there was a lot of gristle that could have been trimmed. Tragically under seasoned. The Cadet vacuumed up his sammich and had no real complaints.
I will put anything in my mouth twice before delivering a verdict, but the motivation to return and sample the highly recommended dishes will be difficult to muster.
Sadness.

I don’t see how my friends can rate this place 4+ stars. really? As much as I trust their opinion on food, I can’t bring myself to even give this place 3 stars and let me tell you why.
We were here for dinner and there was only one other table occupied — a family of about 5. We were seated promptly and given menus. After browsing for a few minutes, I knew what I wanted to try. Prime Spot’s Prime Rib (medium rare). apparently what they’re known for. My manly man ordered TWO entrees for himself. he went for the Cowboy Steak (rare) and half rack of lamb (rare) and we ordered the Appetizer Sampler (crab & artichoke dip, zucchini sticks, mozzarella sticks and buffalo wings) to start.
After putting in the appetizer order, I requested the wine menu. Steak isn’t the same without a little vino. The wine list was very limited. I usually go for the full-​bodied Cabernet and there was only three to choose from. The waitress came back with the wine, poured our first glass and left several drops on the table.
Then came the appetizer. or just ½ of it. The waitress brought over the crab & artichoke dip and said, «here’s the sampler». Then I’m thinking. where’s the rest of it?! I was reluctant to start tasting thinking she may have mixed up the order. About 5 minutes into the crab dip, she brought the other half to the table. See, I don’t think I’ve ever ordered an appetizer that came in two separate plates. JUST SAYIN’.
The crab dip was OK. There was a shitload of onions (and I don’t eat onions) but it was still really good. A little too creamy but tasty. The bread that came with it was just like a baguette that you can grab at Safeway and cut up with a regular knife that leaves the bread squished together. I wasn’t impressed. There was barely any room on the bread slices to actually slab some of the dip on there.
The zucchini sticks were overcooked and soggy. The mozzarella sticks were kinda cold and I didn’t try the chicken.
After the appetizer was served, the entrees took forever. I kept picking at the appetizer until I stopped so that I can enjoy my steak. When our entrees were finally served, there was a mountain of garlic mashed potatoes and several broccoli pieces. (I thought the menu said vegetables. I was imagining an assortment of veggies. not just broccoli). Anyway, fast forward. my prime rib was dry but flavorful. A-​1 sauce was a must. Dude said the lamb was better than the steak. I think he ate half of each dish.
In the middle of our meal, the waitress asked if we wanted a box for the appetizer. Is that really necessary while we’re still eating? We can wait until we’re done eating then pack everything all at once. I just thought that was strange.
Overall, the food and prices were decent, service was average, but there wasn’t anything spectacular about this place that would make me want to come back.
ON TO THE NEXT!