Casa Orinda Restaurant

Had another amazing meal by the cozy fireplace Sunday Night. Fried Chicken for the hubby and Petrale Sole for me. Everything was delicious! Bartender made great margaritas! Our waitress was very friendly and remembered us from last time and we had great service as always– I love this place and the free valet parking!

Casa Orinda is a wacky and wonderful place! A restaurant with a Mexican name, that serves Italian food, but is most famous for their fried chicken. Don’t try to make sense of it, just enjoy the tumble down the rabbit hole!
My friend and I enjoyed a Friday night dinner, with an OpenTable reservation for 6:30 honored no problem. The décor inside is about what you might expect from the exterior and the age — rustic and very old fashioned, and rather saloon-​y, reminiscent of a ramshackle Claim Jumper. Just go with it, because everything not fitting together at all is this place’s calling card. It also must be mentioned that this joint is LOUD (granted my friend and I were seated right next to the bar), and the patrons in general are 50+. Mom jeans and Wrangler butts line the barstools! But again, there is some goofy charm in being in an environment like this, full of energy but completely unpretentious.
So what’s a 30-​something doing here on a Friday night? Two words — FRIED CHICKEN! I love the stuff, and I’ve been hearing for years that this place does it right. I didn’t even need to crack the menu, just bring me a plate of the good stuff! I didn’t get our server’s name but he was a doll — super friendly and as attentive as he could be in a totally packed house. After perusing their wine list, I asked to try a sample of their Sancerre before committing which was fine, but they had unfortunately run out the night before so he brought me a taste of something comparable, which was divine. Very classy!
So this may be a pasta house, but the majority of plates I saw walking by were loaded up with fried chicken, so when mine arrived I was drooling with glee! A half chicken absolutely gorgeously fried, served up alongside smooth mashed potatoes, buttery broccoli and a mile high biscuit, along with a small boat of chicken gravy and a little carafe of warm local honey. And every last bit was divine, a reputation well earned! Perfectly fried crispy and juicy chicken, some of the very best I’ve ever tasted!
We ended up closing the place down, lost in conversation and giddy on great food and delicious wine. I had an absolutely fabulous time at Casa Orinda and would happily return!

We went here to celebrate my Mom’s 70^th Birthday! We were a large party of 14! The service was too-​notch! Our waitress Stephanie was patient, let us enjoy our meal, and was great towards the 6 teenagers at the table. Several people ordered the fried chicken and loved it! The veal parmigiana and chicken parmigiana were also a hit. It’s a great meeting spot for any family gathering!

Monday January 4, 2016
Excellent food, service and valet parking. My new Orinda dinner restaurant.
Signed,
randy

Solid. Especially after going to Table 24 last week (yikes), this was a breath of fresh air. The complimentary valet was great, service was spot on, ambiance was an interesting mix of Italian and Western.
The Onion Rings were fresh. If you’ve never had fresh onion rings before, you really need to try these. Closest to Hawaii you’re going to get…
Entrees were the lasagna (my go-​to for an Italian spot) and the Petrale sole, which was melt in your mouth perfect served alongside a bed of rice.
Finished w/​Crème Brulee, which was definitely not made by a pastry chef, but was fresh and delicious. A refined, dessert-​savvy palate will be the only one to take note.
A must-​try and certainly I will be back!

If you want small plates with truffle infused foam, this isn’t your spot. If your looking for good old fashion eats that are timeless and ambiance that takes you back to a simple times, this is your place. Don’t over think this. Get the fried chicken and ditch thoughts of vegetables you have never heard of and responsible eating.
The essence of California Old School.

A main stay in Orinda for eons!!! Nothing fancy but always good. They now are on Open Table so they have moved into the 20 century…
You get a Gr8 drink & the décor is very early cattle ranch with bull horns a plenty & ranch murals that cover the entire wall.
Usually the servers are pleasant, this time o think ours was tired due to the holiday. My husbands wine glass was cracked on 2 places, when we showed her she looked surprised but didn’t remove it… just seemed odd to me. Also we had given our CC to the host & we watched her give it to our server, point over to us to confirm we as we sat down to make sure there was no fighting over the bill ~ then we see our guest secretly hand her his CC which she precedes to run… COME ON!!! When we pointed this out she looked stunned then grabbed the bill & cc from our guest to correct. Quite awkward to say the least~
This was they only time we have experienced an Hiccup «Casa Orinda & if you like fried Chicken you’ll Casa Orinda!!!

Casa Orinda’s food is so incredibly rich. Veal’s covered in sauce, pasta is covered in sauce, and even the chicken is covered too. It will put you in a food coma in no time flat — I didn’t even try to attempt the prime rib.
However, it’s all fairly solid fare. Sure, the veggies were a little tough, but this is country eatin’ done right.

Solid old school Italian (or is it eye-​talian?) — strangely not much in the way of seafood with the pasta. All solid options, nothing amazing but solid for the pricing. Tasty but not revelatory. The fried chicken is excellent. The mash potatoes are good but the gravy and biscuits are just acceptable. So it’s excellent suburban fried chicken but compared to great fried chicken with all the proper southern fixing? Sorry, not quite there. They tend to be busy and the service staff while friendly is over stretched so don’t expect too much beyond perfunctory. The valet guy is great though no ticket, it’s on the trust system as to which is your car … So a fine choice for older relatives and family members who want old school American suburban Italian (steaks, fried chicken but no seafood pastas).

I love fried chicken and I have pretty high standards. Tons of friends and other Unilocalers have recommended Casa Orinda for their fried chicken so I had to give it a try. Just to be forewarned, they give you a half a chicken served with mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetables and a biscuit (with honey!). Definitely a meal you can split. We also shared a beet salad. If I had to do it over again, I would order fried chicken for the each of us, skip the beet salad and take any leftovers home.
The chicken was cooked to perfection. Chicken was moist and well seasoned. Casa Orinda definitely has this recipe down pat.
The only reason I didn’t give this dining experience 5 stars is we were seated with two other families with very loud kids.
Five stars for the hostess, server, bus boy and for the actual meal!

My husband and I recently moved to the area and stumbled upon this place. We had such a lovely experience while we were there, we are truly looking forward to returning.
Rocco took care of us in the bar. He was so friendly and gave fantastic recommendations. He made us so comfortable we felt like we were back home with our favorite bartender.
Thank you for the fantastic drinks and food. The amazing guns and rifles are so cool! It’s like being in a gun museum that you get to hang, eat and drink at.
We will be back, thanks again Rocco!

The fried chicken is great. The steaks and prime rib are great. The servers and bartenders are also great. The place is a classic in a town bereft of any culture or decent food.
I’d give 5 stars if it weren’t for the the hostess who looks like Mrs Roper from Threes Company. She is rude and gives anyone under 90 a crappy table. What does it take to get a decent table? Seriously? I go there a lot and tip well but she treats me like crap and gives me crappy tables all the time because I’m usually with two well behaved teenagers. Age discrimination. Look at the main room! The people in it can barely chew their food. Do you have to have dentures and be 90 to sit in the main room?
I love Casa, but you need to talk to Mrs Roper and get her to treat people under 90 a bit nicer. First impressions matter especially since she is the first person you see, which isn’t a good thing…

Parking: find any spot and just park there! Otherwise, there’s valet :)
Refreshment: Water only (we were going to drink at the house after dinner: wink wink:)
Meal: Casa Prime Rib served with a baked potato, vegetables, and creamy horseradish. The rib was amazing! I’m not a bone-​in kinda gal who loves red meat, but this dish was prepared flawlessly!
Appetizer: Pork Rinds — I’m serious, crispy, fried pork rinds. It was good, but now I wish I got something else
Salad: Caesar Salad, now this is where it gets tricky! Most places will offer you a salad with your meal. But not this one! They’ll ask if you want salad, without ever telling you that Caesar salad is an extra $ 10! Minor rip-​off if you think about it. Us FOUR ordered salads… that’s an extra unsuspected $ 40 on our bill…
WiFi: NONE
We were full, happy, tired and satisfied– but out comes our waiter running after us. Why? He under charged us and needed to cancel the charge and re-​swipe, sign and re-​tip. Normally, with a full belly of good food, mistakes could happen. It was just unfortunate the day we went was the one day it RAINED in the bay area… so we were a bit soaked going back in to the car.

I had a Fresh charge on my Ankle Bracelet and had just washed and waxed my favorite Whip Black Beauty. What next ???
Dinner of course you silly Gooses.
So I jumped in Black Beauty and rolled to the Sleepy Berg of Orinda and Casa.
I made it to Orinda in a Flash as I had dropped the Hammer in Black Beauty and she’s quite fast when she wants to be.
Casas Parking lot is Valet only. I parked on the Street as my Whip Black Beauty is my Baby and I am the Only one that drives her.
Casa is pretty low key on the Outside. No windows and one very little sign naming it .
I Like Low-​key!!!
When I walked into Casa I was hooked. Old World charm, Dim lighting, Huge Gun Collection on the Wall, Cowboys and Indians Pictures everywhere, Bull Horns, Frederick Remington Statues Delightful .
I Opted to Dine at the Bar. I grabbed a Stella and a Glass of Water at the Bar and Perused the Menu .
I ordered the Fried Calamari for an Appetizer and the Doggy Style Prime Rib — Bone in LOL.
My Calamari came out first with Cocktail and Tartar sauce. It was delish and not Oily or Greasy .
My Doggy Style Prime Rib came out next it was cooked perfectly and was a nice size cut .
It was Tender and Succulent. The Baked Potato was good also.
For Dessert I ordered the Crème Brulee .
It came out and it had a nice Caramelized Top and it was Yummy.
Fun Fact — Casa has been in Business for 85 Years.
Its a Local Orinda Hangout.
Their Fried Chicken and Prime Rib are their Signature Dishes
I’m a Fan and Ill be back

My 3 sisters and I had dinner here this evening. We have been here before on special occasions many years ago. When I made reservation I specially requested not to sit in the noisy «western» room with the fireplace and bar. I wanted the more quiet dining room. We arrived promptly at 4pm and the hostess ushered us to the noisy «western» room. I told her we requested a table in the quiet dining room. She totally blew us off and said «this is the room everyone likes to sit in.» Wow. Never coming back here.
As for the food. The salad was subpar. The fried chicken was okay. The food was better many years ago.

Dinner 7÷25÷15
I have driven past this restaurant on the 24 many times and it never occurred to me to come here. Well, I finally drank the cool-​aid and dined here last week — I assure you tis will not be my last time. Casa Orinda is an old establishment. A bit out-​dated. Décor is Old West-​esque. It’s dark inside with wood paneled wall and fireplace. Food is Italian/​American with anything from chicken, beef to veal.
Drinks were okay. They don’t have ginger beer so no Moscow Mule. Cosmopolitan is a red-​orange color not the pink that it should be. Next time I would stick with wine instead.
*Steak Burger ($ 20.75) is a very pleasant surprise. It’s not done like a burger. It’s several slices of tri-​tip steak, cooked medium as requested, served open-​face on a thick piece of toast with onion rings and slaw. Heavenly!
*Capon Dore ($ 22.25) is exactly what it should be. Chicken breast sautéed in butter, lemon, and wine, with zucchini Doré. Instead of Alfredo, which gives me heartburn, I ask for just olive oil for my fettuccine. Delicious food.
Service however was a little slow and inconsistent. I understand California is in a serious drought, but it’s not acceptable that water glass is not refilled. Cocktails are probably not their strong suit. Food is excellent and that is what will bring me back.

‘Casa Orinda’ is a very nice restaurant. The ambiance is ‘Old-​West-​Interesting,’ the food is excellent (I had a Veal Cutlet plate & my wife had their signature Fried Chicken — both were very good), & the service was also excellent. Our first time, after a great movie at the Orinda Theatre (a 75 year old, beautiful, art-​deco theatre), just around the corner. Both are a Must!
RGJW.
p. s. you can park (free parking on weekends) just around the corner at the Orinda Square.

I love old school restaurants as this one has had over thirty years to improve their food. They make excellent dishes here. The fried chicken is a bargain at $ 21 as it’s delicious and plentiful. The sweetbread dish was very good and one of the best dishes of the night. We shared the linguini with meat sauce and again another great dish.
I had the sundae with warm chocolate sauce and my wife took it from me as it was so good.

Went back after a 4 – 5 year break. My last review spells out why I haven’t been back. Sad to say, IMO, they went further downhill from my last review. I was going to try the NY again but paying $ 36+ (ala carte) for a 12 oz. steak at this location was a bridge too far. I settled for what used to be an 8 oz. NY Steak sandwich. When dinner arrived I was surprised to find a sliced 4 – 6 oz. skirt steak. It was cooked correctly but it wasn’t what I was expecting. To make matters worse, instead of an ACME grilled roll beneath the steak I found a slice of toasted white bread. The mushrooms were canned and I thought the onion rings were over-​cooked. The French fries were adequate but it took awhile to get the ketchup to come out of a VERY COLD bottle. This steak sandwich was not up to par for the $ 20+ price tag. The salad was, as usual, very good.
The other thing I noted was the age group of the clientèle that were there. My best guess was that the average age of this small gathering of customers was probably around 67. That’s not bad, it’s just an observation. I’m 70 so I was eating with my peer group. That also helps explain why there wasn’t a big crowd as in the old days. Probably many of their old clientèle has died off. I dare say that unless they can bring in a much younger group their days are numbered. The handwriting appears to be on the wall. Make of it what you will. The smaller crowd helps explain why they had to raise prices to a point where other upgraded higher priced establishments are now viable. In spite of their great parking lot, I don’t anticipate returning unless big changes are made and I don’t see that realistically happening with the current ownership.

Casa Orinda has been a staple in the East Bay since the 1930’s and probably not much has changed on the menu or in the décor. And that’s exactly why it’s so popular. Although it’s famous for its fried chicken, I’ve never tasted it or been with anyone who has so there will not be a comment on that dish. A business colleague was visiting from Arizona and he thought his chicken parmesan was fabulous. My beet salad was really good, however the veal marsala was just okay as the meat was tough and chewy. The bar is hopping with locals who obviously are regular patrons. Our server was great and we thoroughly enjoyed sitting by the fire as well as learning about the antique gun collection worth millions. The Casa is a good olé’ western experience that anyone visiting Orinda must encounter. Everyone has fun here.