Barrel House Tavern

Barrel House Tavern Restaurant Review:

Walking up the stairs at Barrel House Tavern, the view is the first thing you notice. San Francisco Bay in front and to the side of this lively eatery beckons diners to the outdoor deck, where seating overlooking the water is prime real estate. Tables inside also take advantage of the view and seats at the bar accommodate the happy hour crowd. The menu follows the local/seasonal mantra with dishes such as butter lettuce salad with strawberries and ricotta, grilled swordfish with couscous, grapes, spinach and tapenade, a stout braised lamb shank and grass-fed burger. Don’t miss the wood-fired lamb meatballs with a Moroccan chickpea stew, the house-cured salmon with brioche toast and the lush burrata salad with roasted cherry tomatoes, basil and cucumbers. Platters of local charcuterie and artisan cheeses, a trio of oysters on the half shell and flatbread from the wood oven are nice partners for the creative cocktails or homemade sodas; a compact list of beers and wines by glass and bottle is also on offer. House-made butterscotch pudding is a must for dessert.