This restaurant was a great find. We were looking for somewhere good to eat close to bart, with good quality food, but quick service. Agave had all of those things to offer to us. They have both indoor and outdoor patio. We opted to sit outside. The building shades the patio which was nice. They offer a nice cool citrus water. My mother-in-law and I both got the shrimp tacos, my husband got the steak tacos. Originally when we saw our plates we all thought we were going to still be hungry. But we actually all left very full and satisfied. The taco plates come with two tacos with a side of rice and beans. We also ordered yuca fries. It only comes with 5 large fried yuca fries but they are amazing. This is a great place to come for small plates/ tapas/family style dining. You can definitely try a variety of food here if you come with a big group, which is something I really enjoy. It was a 5 minute walk to bart from here. The service was very quick. We weren't rushed but were in a hurry and we were in and out within 25 minutes. They also have a full bar available and nice clean bathrooms. This restaurant was a great find. I can't wait to come back here when I have more time to enjoy it. read more

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This is not your typical Mexican restaurant and in fact you won't find Tex mex on the menu. But you will find delicious quality Mexican cuisine that is elevated to the level of fine dining. Oaxaca flavors to the fullest. Try any of the seafood platters, you will not be disappointed. I had the pizza the first time I was there and it was amazing! The cocktails were strong but flavorful. Only issue, no private parking. read more

Firstly, we made a res for 3pm on Resy. We arrived at 3 but they open at 4. So we had to wait around for an hour. No bueno. Get that Resy issue fixed, Agave Uptown. The service- it was okay. At 3:55 there were about 10-15 people waiting for the doors to open. A sign that the food is good- that, or just Black Joy parade overflow. Back to the service, there wasn't a good system at the door to get people seated. It took way longer than it should have. Server was good, friendly, checked on us, got us the bill quickly. The food- it was okay. My gf ordered an "empanada" that was described by the server as being "like a quesadilla." When it arrived it also looked a lot like a quesadilla. If it looks like a quesadilla, eats like a quesadilla, it's an empanada. Whatever. She seemed to like it. I ordered the mole. All 20+ spices did not blow me away but I was hungry so I ate most of it. The agua fresca was lovely. That and the chips and salsa made the $24 parking cost at Kaiser Plaza worth it. So in total, the place is okay. I drove in from Burlingame to eat at Agave Uptown. I wouldn't do it again. If I was in Oakland I'd go back but order something different. read more

I Tried this place tonight for a friends birthday, first timer, here are my thoughts: Nice vibe, great place for a birthday dinner or a date. Great margaritas. I'm very picky and don't like for my margaritas to be super sweet. I tried the agave margarita, solid 4 stars. If it was a little bit stronger it would be 5 stars. Food: very reasonably priced! My fiancé and I tried the molcajete and it was worth it. 21 dollars and it feeds two! What you get: a hot stone bowl full of prawns, chicken, and veggies. With a side of home made tortillas and black beans, rice, avocado and pico de gallo. Try this plate, you won't be disappointed. For anyone that likes spicy dishes, the sauce isn't spicy. Ask for a side of their spicy sauce it was amazing! Dessert: churros with tequila ice cream def 5 stars All in all, I am coming back! It didn't break the bank and it was GREAT! read more

Agave Uptown - Molcajete with chicken and prawns $21 feeds two - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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This place is one of my favorites. Their drinks are always so good. I've been there countless times and love that the drinks are always different. Their food is also delicious, I've probably ordered the tlayuda every time. An upscale version of a true Oaxaca tlayuda. Fun colorful decor with a beautiful large bouquet at the bar. The dishes are oblong fun shapes. On the pricey side but completely worth a visit. Always make a reservation unless it's late on a weeknight. read more

Agave Uptown - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

Love this place if your looking for a nice calm evening this is the place for you. They have great a tequila selection.

I'm so glad this place is still doing really well during the pandemic times! I love to grab a really nice cocktail here once in a while with some friends. They do have outdoor seating so that is a huge plus! They did a great job setting up the outdoor area with nice plants and ambience. Even though their food is definitely pricier than other Mexican restaurants in the area, you can definitely tell the quality of ingredients is supreme. If drinks are more your thing this is definitely the place to go for a really nice drink maybe for a nice outing where you are trying to keep it classy. Highly recommend! read more

With my cuz, Ron and homeboy, Elmer two of the most execlente mixologitst, now in residence at Agave, I been there a few times for day for a drinking brunch. Not knowing much about Mescal, there are a few dozen to try. However, the lunch specials are fabulous! I enjoyed the Chilaquiles with Steak and Eggs. Such a beautiful presentation, you need to slow down and enjoy every bit. The marinated flank steak is so tender, it's delish with the right combination of egg and Chilaquiles. The store is clean and the servers are just lovely. A bit pricey, but you get what you pay for! read more

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Love the energy of a busy place, but you have to plan ahead for a Friday/Sat night dinner (of course). First attempt without reso was a 45 mins wait on a Saturday. Tried again for an early Sunday dinner, the place was filled, but no wait! My gf and I chose to sit at the bar instead; it's always more fun to watch the bartender mix drinks in the front of you, which btw, were pretty tasty! We had this cocktail with the pear foam and it was delish. Food: Guacamole: good, standard. Always a plus when served with homemade tortilla chips. Yum. Mole Negro de Oaxaco: their signature dish the sauce was EXCELLENT. Like a savory, slightly sweet chocolate sauce. We ordered it with the carnitas, but I suspect the chicken would've been better. Steak Ranchero: loved loved loved the sauce. I can sop it up with rice all day long. The main dishes came with fresh fluffy tortillas, rice and beans- a bit too salty. Overall, we had a solid meal. Service was very good and attentive. Ambience was vibrant. It wasn't expensive and the portion size was large enough to stuff me. read more

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Have been wanting to try Agave for a while now but for whatever reason, hadn't gotten around to it until last night. My wife and I decided to order delivery from Agave and boy were we happy with what we got!! My wife got the coastal burrito, which I tried, and holy hell was it delicious! Tons of flavor, everything well cooked. Just yummy. I ordered the verduras bowl which had seasonal veggies with the best mole I've ever tasted and sides of rice and black beans. Crazy good!! We can't wait until we get the chance to go back and eat in the restaurant itself! read more

I've given you so many chances and I'm just over you. The food is bland, overdone and just not good. The choices are not really there. The drinks are the only thing that are going for you and there's not anything that will bring me back anymore. Service? A joke. read more

We've been here twice now and loved it both times. I was really impressed with the quality of he veggies, especially the mushrooms! The mushrooms were so flavorful I couldn't get enough of them! We also really liked our waitress Cynthia read more

Came here for a Friday lunch (around 1pm) with my coworkers, was seated immediately in the room just past the entrance. The restaurant itself is open, bright, and bubbly. We started off with the endless basket of chips and salsa (only got through 2 baskets among the 6 of us, but still worth the $4), which came with 2 salsas and an excellent guacamole. I ordered the shrimp tacos, which came with black beans and rice. The two tacos were pretty good, but an overall let down--there were only 4 shrimp overall and the beans took up more space on my plate than did the tacos (see picture). The food was tasty, but I was still hungry after. The food was well-prepared and definitely tasty. There was a little container of a hella delicious green sauce that was my highlight of the dish. Overall the food was good but the experience wasn't great, but I will probably come back to try it again! read more

Agave Uptown - shrimp tacos - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

I ordered out for delivery. The menus photos looked appetizing enough to get me to try something new. Well, lesson learned. The food was mediocre at best. The amount of food received was an insult to how much I paid for the meal. I gave two stars because it showed up to my door in a reasonable amount of time. read more

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Really good place in Uptown. Higher-end Mexican fare with a local Oaxacan twist. The inside is super clean and inviting. Service is a touch slow during lunch, but that's probably a good thing for a new restaurant! The drinks looked REALLY good, but, as I'm getting over a cold, I didn't partake. Next time! My fiancee and I shared an empanada, which wasn't your traditional stuffed pastry. It was more akin to a loosely folded quesadilla and was very tasty. Inside was cheese (likely queso fresco), epazote, and seasonal mushrooms. It also came with a side of beans and a mini salad, a nice palate cleanser. Fiancee got the tlayuda, which some have called a Mexican pizza. This was pretty good, but to be honest didn't seem like something TOO different than what you could make at home, minus the dough. It was tasty but could have used some oomph to make it stand out (though maybe cause it was the vegetarian version) I got the mole with chicken. They skimped a little on the mole itself, but it was delicious. It was indeed greater than the sum of its parts- you could taste each ingredient folding into something better. The chicken (about a quarter chicken, I believe) itself was done on a rotisserie I believe and absolutely delicious. It also comes with black beans and rice. My fiancee was able to take about half the tlayuda to go, and I was able to save some rice and a little bit of chicken, so we got two meals out of it. Prices are fairly reasonable for the quality and amount of food you get. Will definitely go here next time I'm in uptown and I suggest you do too! read more

Agave Uptown - Mole with chicken - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

The guacamole was amazing super creamie and the chips were freshly warm super good. I went to eat there with my family for my brothers 16th birthday & we had the fiesta platter and it came with so many diff meats and everything was so tasty. The cecina tacos were sooo good & The staff was also very attentive and nice i love it so much i came back for my girlfriends birthday the same week. read more

After a Saturday morning yoga class at Hot Spot my friends and I embarked on a brunch wander. Someone decided on Umami Burger, so we headed that way. Almost to our destination and getting hangry, a nicely-dressed friendly woman handed us a menu for a nearby restaurant, telling us they were having a soft opening with complimentary meals and paid beverages. Somehow, the group strolled onward... but quickly wised up and we went back to inquire about the complimentary menu at the new Mexican restaurant, Agave. We gave them their first large party test with seven people, but seating us did not require an orchestration, which I was impressed by. The space is large and well-spaced, with gorgeous murals and lots of windows to remind you you've been there hours because the Oaxacan food & cocktails are delicious! We quickly began with an order of guacamole (I mentioned the hangry), which was topped with thin beet, yellow pepper, and radish slices. The cocktail list was not yet printed, which made it much harder on our waitress, who was asked many times "What's the name of that spicy one with the mango?!" I still can't tell you the name of the drink (it was a longer Spanish name that was said quickly by our server, almost as if to keep it a secret) BUT, I can highly recommend you order the spicy one with the mango if you like a cocktail with a kick. One friend declared it the best drink she's ever had. Ever. For entrees, most everyone got something different. I had a Chile Relleno, which I also highly recommend. The dish was delicious and the portion was perfect. The servers were still getting used to the order and payment system, the menu questions, and several other things, but were apologetic about it all and the entire staff was hardworking and very friendly. All-in-all, I look forward to returning to Agave. read more

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We were hesitant due to the 3.5 star review on Yelp, but decided to try it anyway. We were able to sit inside which was already a treat! We started with the agave margarita which was delicious, accompanied by the shrimp ceviche. My bf had the molcajete and I Had the giant fish taco. Everything we had was outstanding. The service was super attentive without being intrusive. The staff was kind and friendly. We will definitely be back! read more

This restaurant was really nice! We are vegetarian, and we had lots of options when it came to food. Also pretty much any drink can become a mock-tail which was pretty awesome as well! We got a variety of dishes, but our table favorite was the gauc and chips! Some other dishes we got where: verdes bowl, molotes and they even accommodated us and made us a quesadilla as well. Everything tasted so fresh and delicious. read more

This is quite the place- nice addition to the line of restaurants down Uptown Broadway. We originally headed to Molcajete down the street but were disappointed because they were "CASH ONLY". We didn't want to make the extra trip to the bank. We found Agave instead and the universe was definitely setting us up for the goodness we were to encounter there. The place is relatively new, with a rustic yet modern sleek Mexican theme- lots of colors and lights. I was in Mexico not too long ago near the Oaxaca area and definitely got that vibe straight when we walked in. The bar is fully stocked with fresh shaken cocktails to order- Among two people, we had the Diabla Prawn and the fish tacos. The Diabla will mess you up if you're not ready for it but it was the best I've had. I had to get an order of horchata to deal with the heat...boy was that horchata delicious also. The flavor of both dishes were vibrant, fresh and authentic- Also, Caviar was photographing plates for their delivery services and our table was right next to the action. The owner, I'm assuming, used our orders for the photographs and then offered us free dessert, in which we happily agreed to. We had the churros with goat milk caramel and tequila ice cream. TEQUILA ice cream! Overall, the customer service was excellent, the vibe is comfortable yet classy, the food was top notch and if I had tried the drinks, I'm sure I could say the same thing about that also. It's great for a date night or with a group of friends. You can't be disappointed here if you're looking for real and delicious Mexican food. read more

Agave Uptown - Churros - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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Awesome place to eat. They also have fresh and grass fed beef. Healthy kick. The ceviche was off the hook! Def going to go back there again. The service was great as well. read more

Agave Uptown - Grass fed beef & environment friendly. Fresh produce - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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My workplace ordered food from here and I can only write for my dish only. First, according to my coworker, the girl was by herself putting the five items in our order. I ordered the Diegos bowl which was supposed to have potatoes. Guess what? No potatoes. So, basically I get a bunch of green bell peppers and beef smothered in cheese. No starch, rice or beens to absorb the oil. My boss had a similar complaint about her bowl. "Where's the cilantro?!" Anyway, this is the second time and last time we'll order from them. read more

First time I went for lunch and had chicken soup,very tasty and service was great. Tonight a group of friends went to celebrate a birthday and the portions and quality of food was poor. Our waiter was absolutely terrible. Got our drink orders wrong, took forever to get more drinks, some more napkins and finally the bill. Tried to redeem himself toward the end by giving us some shots. Way too late dude and maybe stop using while at work. They lost my patronage forever. Would have done better going to Chevys or Taco Bell....that's saying something. read more

Venturing in Oakland stumbled upon this place. Very nice atmosphere and pleasant staff to go along with great Food and drinks.

First time visitors for this place. Jazmin will be my number one reason for returning. I was lunching alone so I had guacamole that came with two great salsas and a beautiful presentation. I also had their Agave salad with chicken. Price point was right one for the size and the flavors were fabulous!! All the staff worked together to ensure a great experience overall. I can't wait to try the carnitas next time!!! read more

Very cute place for after work hangout or big parties! We stopped by this place on the way to the autumn lights festival at Merrit Lake, and it was just the highlight of our night. The interior setting is really clean and organized. The host and waiters were very welcoming as well! We might have ordered too much food though as two of the three dishes we ordered both came with beans and rice. We ordered a cheese empanada, fish taco, and carnitas. I would recommend getting just 2 dishes and an appetizer for a party of two as we didn't know the portion was pretty big. Def give this place a try if you are around the area!! read more

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Staff super friendly. The mole was out of this world. Their mescal list is quite impressive. Chips and guacamole were amazing.

The food is AMAZING! I had veggie tacos, fresh coconut water, guacamole and fresh corn tortillas. I will definitely drive from San José to come and eat here again. read more

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This is my favorite place in the bay area! I love the staff and food/drinks. Usually come here for their awesome mezcal cocktails with beautiful and fun presentation. The atmosphere is vibrant with friday night live latin music right outside the restaurant. I recommend making reservations in advance because it can get crowded... specially after 7pm. Its a little hard to find parking so uber/lyft if you can. Its also close to many other bars/restaurants in downtown oak but this is definitely a great place for food or cocktails.! read more

Hand-made tortillas, best Mole I've had yet and most importantly the best cocktails with Mezcal! Agave Uptown is a block away from the 19th St BART and I say this as parking is minimal near there but it is public transportation friendly and if anything take a Lyft/Uber here it's worth it. There is indoor/outdoor seating and space if you wanted to have a group dinner here. It's lovely inside and the staff here is quite knowledgeable about the food. I had the ceviche as an app and it was way better than I anticipated but not better than Tambo's. For my main dish I had the Molcajete with steak, chicken and shrimp in addition to their three homemade sauces: queso fresco; rice and beans. It was full of flavor and the portion was perfect! I ended this lovely meal with churros and tequilla ice cream. And yessss you have to have the Tequila ice cream it's so so good. It's true to the flavors of Oaxaca and I will come back again to get the yuca fries to dip in the mole. read more

Convenient place to grab a group lunch. Their Chicken Tortilla Soup is excellent and comes in a big bowl. I would say it's a meal in itself and does not require another dish; however if you're a foodie like me and loves to eat, I also recommend the ceviche. We ordered it as an appetizer but only one other than myself ate it. I must have ate 3/4 of it all on me own. The other lunch dishes that others ordered looked yummy. They do give a good size portion. Happy Hour is also good as I've been before. I recommend making reservations ahead during busy holidays for lunch and dinner. Service was good, less attentive when busy so that's expected. I would come back again for sure. read more

Very impressed and satisfied with the food and service ! Well done, and thank you so much Agave I can not wait to come back !

Arrived to this place 30 mins before closing was starving it was walking distance from another event I visited. I was seated promptly and the service was great!! The drinks were awesome and the food was even better! Thanks for making everything so fresh, cant wait to visit again read more

I really like Agave, particularly for lunch. The Coastal Burrito is without a doubt, one of the tastiest things I have ever eaten. The fresh fish, gooey cheese, beans, seasonal veggies, and avocado make for a delicious party in your mouth. The prices might seem a bit high, but they use sustainable ingredients. Plus, did I mention the Coastal Burrito? Sooooo good! read more

This place is on par with Nido and Doña, but you're more likely to get in. They have a covered, heated patio, but it's not set up when it's raining. They have a lot of cheese options...so, you can ask if you'd like to substitute something. I'm a big fan of the Oaxacan cheese. The empanadas are more like a quesadilla and serve like a meal. The guacamole is so good. You can get refills on the chips and salsa. The churros are light, crunchy and filled with cream (3 small ones per order). read more

What's not to love? Great service, great food, outdoor seating, full bar. Everything came out at a reasonable time. Highly recommended!

Good service above & beyond along with delicious "elevated" Mexican Oaxacan cuisine. Great Ceviche, perfect for a hot Summer day. Enmoladas to sing for... I'll be back, the mole was great in the Enmoladas. read more

This place was HAPPENING! It's quintessential Oaktown hipster. I took my sister-in-law to Happy Hour & it didn't disappoint! The cocktail was made from natural ingredients & beautifully concocted. The food, we picked everything off the Happy Hour menu except for 2. Yummy & leftovers for my hubby. Environment: so much fun, and a nice diverse, cool crowd. I truly enjoyed myself on a Friday afternoon. Tip: definitely take an Uber because Uptown has limited parking. I'll definitely be big more folks back here! read more

My husband and I have been here 3 times. Great food. Everything we've tried is great. We especially love the yuca fries with the three sauces. The first time we noticed that the service was really lousy. Tons of people around, but they actively ignore you. A one hour dinner easily turns into 2. We vowed never to dine in again and mostly order delivery (you definitely get your food faster that way, go figure). We broke our vow and went back two times hoping it would be better (afterall, it was a low bar) and were equally appalled at the service. It's consistent! Third time is a charm- never going back in person. The server also didn't remember to put in our food order, got it wrong when she did, and then proceeded to treat us like we screwed up. Order online. read more

I'm shocked that this place doesn't have more stars. We sat at the bar and received exceptional service. The happy hour menu is a great deal - $5 margaritas. They have delicious mezcal too. We decided to do the restaurant week special and we were not disappointed. We ordered chips and salsa and they gave us refills on salsa free of charge. It was an awesome dining experience from start to finish. We will be back! read more

Agave Uptown - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California