Frank Spenger, a fisherman, welcomed the repeal of prohibition in 1933 by opening a restaurant and tavern, Spenger’s Fresh Fish Grotto. Over the years, celebrities (including Ernest Hemingway and Clark Gable!) dined here with local fisherman, politicians, the local university students and racetrack gamblers. Frank’s son Buddy ran the nautical themed seafood restaurant from 1940 – 1998, when failing health and falling profits forced him to hand over control to McCormick & Schmick, a Portland, Oregon seafood restaurant chain.

Designated a city landmark in 2001 you can still visit the restaurant today and enjoy the nautical decor including ship’s wheels, anchors, rigging and (the Dames favorite!) the Diamond Bar’s Star of Denmark, a 34-carat diamond ring given to Hawaii’s Queen Kapiolani!

Our visit to Spanger’s was our third Dame installment and we were still getting into the swing of how to manage indulging too much without getting the fisherman boot! Luckily the waiter was ga-ga over the Dames, gushing over us and continually filling our champagne glasses. We are pretty sure we were the youngest patrons in the joint in the last ten years and he just adored us!

Dame Rusty described the evening conversation as “Nauterrific!” The Dames played a titillating game of “Truth Or Lie” with our fashionably retro sexy guest Kimberly. The food and drinks are solid at Spanger’s but nothing really stood out as stellar except for the tasty creamed spinach. The only vegetarian option on the menu was a garlic infused pasta dish which was er… not that garlicy. Vegetarians might have better luck sticking to the sides.  The Crème Brûlée and the Chocolate Bag were both delicious desserts. The overall highlight for many was Dame Dottie doing the Sidney Poitier dance. We cleared the place out with our loud laughter – we look forward to doing it again!

Overall Dames aux Gateaux Rating (1, lowest – 5, highest)
Ambiance – 4 Dames forks
Service – 3 Dames forks
Food – 3 Dames forks
Cocktails – 3 Dames forks
Dessert – 4 Dames forks

Dame Lynn “I got blotto on the Grotto. I don’t even remember what I ate but I think it was the start of my oyster theme.”

Dame Karen “My goodness, the ghosts of proper ladies dining would have blushed at The Dames’ titillating Truth Or Lie game, but the ghosts of longshoremen past would have loved every minute (and bought us a round).”

Spenger’s Fresh Fish Grotto
1919 Fourth St.
Berkeley, CA 94710
510.845.7771
http://www.mccormickandschmicks.com/Locations/berkeley-california/