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    Alamar Dominican Kitchen

    4.2 (731 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 2:30 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:30 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

    Order Alamar Dominican Kitchen Takeout or Delivery

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    ALAMAR DOMINICAN KITCHEN ATMOSPHERE

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    Happy hour cocktails! Rum punch and mamajuana
    Christina C.

    We recently spent a weekend in Oakland and the first meal of our stay was dinner at Alamar. Convenient to our Uptown home base, we made a last minute reservation, walked to the restaurant, and were seated promptly, just before 6PM. [[HIGHLIGHT]]FIFA 2026 in full swing - Brazil vs. Haiti on the screen- had us and other diners chit chatting during dinner, which made for a comfy, family vibe![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The staff are friendly but as the dinner rush began, the service got a little harried and apologies for delays were overheard. We started with the Pica Pollo chicken wings to share. They were perfectly fried with a lovely crunchy crust outside and juicy inside and we ate all of the tasty dip. I enjoyed a Mamajuana while Eric liked his rum punches. I'm a sucker for anything oxtail so I chose the Braised Oxtail de Res and Eric picked (and finished!) his Pernil. Everything was satisfying and flavorful. I ended up taking home some oxtail and moro for another meal. So good! We'll have to return to explore more dishes and drinks on the menu.

    Dominican Rice Bowl
    Amanda C.

    I decided to try Alamar with my family after they raved about how great the food is here. There are a few tables for dining in and the restaurant itself gets pretty busy later at night. You can even see articles and pictures of the head chef that are proudly displayed along with wall. Right when you walk in, you are greeted by the very kind waiter who was so patient and sweet with explaining the items on the menu. I decided to go for a rice bowl so that I can try a few different items from their menu. For the table (not pictured), we also ordered goat. The rice bowl came with sweet plantains, beans, rice and chicken that was juicy and packed with flavor. I enjoyed the balance of sweetness that came from the plantains which did not overpower the savory flavors of the chicken and rice. I highly recommend trying a bowl so that you can explore different combinations. The goat was amazing! We had it well-done and it's seasoned to perfection. The texture is crispy from being fried, but still soft and tender on the interior. I have only had goat meat in stews and curries, so this was a pleasant experience being able to try Alamar's preparation. I'm looking forward to my next visit here!

    Bobby W.

    Holy moly, worked next door for the last 4 years. How did I not come here before. This place is AWESOME!!!! So good. Nice family run, service on point. I order the pork rib with rice and beans. Every bite was full of flavor. Can't wait to come back

    Guava Margarita
    Ernest G.

    Latin Flair Month Continues for me ...[[HIGHLIGHT]]Quaint Location - great open space restaurant with lively Latin music in the background.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Son in Law & I started our evening with Camarones Criollos (Shrimp) - Sourdough Bread w/ Guava Margaritas. Generous Strong Pour! He ordered the Whole Fried Fish and an all time favorite of mine = Ox Tail!! Meat fell right off the bone. Highly recommend and a great place to try new dishes.

    Interior
    Tanita J.

    Really enjoyed everything about AlaMar Dominican Restaurant! I came for a friends birthday and had never had Dominican food. We ordered several apps - the wings, the ribs, and some type of sausages. All the meat was so tender and delicious - I knew from that point on this place was a winner. For my drink I ordered the manajuana (sp?) very rum forward but also sweet and sippable. No wonder people love them! I got the oxtails as my entree given that it was the numero uno and they did not disappoint. 4 large pieces that felt right off the bone with rice. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant itself is very small but it's super cutely decorated.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Our server was super nice. Parking isn't too bad because there's a parking garage walking distance. I don't go to Oakland often but if I did I'd definitely come back!

    The bar
    Danessa L.

    I tried their spaghetti at an event outside Oakland Oracle Arena for SuperBowl, and it made it want to visit the restaurant. I'm glad I did! Food is delicious w heart servings. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Not to mention the casual, inviting vibes of the venue itself w decor celebrating DR's culture.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Out front
    Jaime C.

    The braised oxtail rice bowl was delicious! I came for lunch and I think almost everyone around me ordered the same thing. The server was attentive and humorous. [[HIGHLIGHT]]A great spot![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]

    Outside
    Ryan R.

    My wife and I went to an amazing Afro-Caribbean restaurant in downtown Oakland after a wonderful performance from Comedian Michelle Buteau at the legendary Fox Theatre! After the show ended, we discussed what to eat. I usually suggest Ramen because that's my go to, but the wifey wanted something with soul. So we then perused through Yelp when we took at Alamar. We acknowledged that we've only had Cuban and Jamaican cuisine in the Caribbean and it was an opportunity to try Dominican cuisine for the first time. So we walked several blocks to the 'Mar, and as we got closer to the restaurant, we heard sounds of a party going on, and when we arrived it was raver with food! After several minutes of acquainting ourselves, we found an outdoor table and the Queen and took a look at the menu and ordered our food. We ordered a half dozen wings, crispy plantains called Tostones (Twice Fried Plantains), Dominican Mofongo (mashed Plantain with Chicken Au Jus), Yellow Carribean Rice, El Barrio Picadero (Pork Chicharrones) and Braised Mustard Greens. Man it was FANTASTIC! Everything was delicious and the wings might be the best we've ever had! The Tostones and Mofongo are Devine! [[HIGHLIGHT]]The food, service and atmosphere are top notch![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We ARE definitely returning!

    "Pernil" Roast Pork
    Sophia H.

    What a gem of a place! My friends and I decided to eat here before a concert at the Paramount and it did not disappoint. The decor and music was so inviting I wish I could give Alamar 4.5 stars instead of 4 cause it was that good! We started out with glasses of wine and the republic 75 cocktail. The cocktail was well balanced and refreshing. For food, we ordered the Pernil, the sancocho and the ox tail. The Pernil and ox tail were so tender and the sancocho was filling. Everything was flavorful and seasoned to perfection. For sides, we ordered the Caribbean rice, tostones, and mofongo. The rice was sooo good tasted like it was made with love. The tostones were bomb, the dipping sauce it comes with just elevates the flavor. The only miss for us was the mofongo. It was dry and definitely needed the sauce it came with. Our server was a delight, knowledgeable about the menu and answered all our questions. I will definitely be coming back to try more.

    Plato Bandera / pork pernil/ maduros
    Rosa V.

    Friendly, clean colorful and delicious! Sometimes you need a plate of comfort food in a time of great unrest. A good plate of history of resistance piled on a plate that comes from the love of a people. Dominican food is just that ! Lunch time ushered me to this spot and it did not disappoint ! Plato bandera with choice of protein including a guava bbq fried goat and a choice of plantain of course I'm always a sucker for the Maduros !! From the perfectly cooked beans and rice to the tender pork Pernil to the sweet slices of plantain perfectly carmelized ! This place makes me feel like I'm eating at a friends house or grandmas ! Def a winner ! I'll be back to try the mofongo !!!

    Braised Oxtail "Encendido"
    Karen W.

    Came here to celebrate alaMar's 11th anniversary and check out the specials, get together with friends we haven't gone out with in months and support our Brazilian dance group Ginga Brasil, who was performing for the anniversary! The atmosphere was lively and I had made reservations on Open Table. There were 6 of us and we decided to share and have a taste of many dishes: Dominican salad, braised oxtail encendido, guava bbq sauce chicken wings, tostones, Dominican pork ribs, yellow Caribbean rice, Habichuelas stewed Dominican red beans, a stew that had all kinds of meats in it, not sure of the name but it was hearty, Dominican garlic udon noodles, chicharron de pollo, and empanadas! Everything was so tasty! I especially liked the stew and oxtail and ribs, so yummy! I had a Lion Dance Ale which was refreshing. Service was attentive and we had a blast! Great company, great food, great service, and great entertainment!

    Menu
    Timothy N.

    Came here a couple of times and I really liked their service and food. I especially like their plantains. This time I tried the Dominican garlic noodles. It was too salty for my taste but otherwise it was perfect.

    Fried goat
    Kathy L.

    First time eating Dominican style food and I was really impressed. The interior definitely gave you that Caribbean vibe. Super casual place to eat...long tables to accommodate larger parties or even sharing, communal style. There were also smaller tables for individual seating/smaller parties. The staff were friendly and nice. Our server in particular was amazing... when asked for recommendations he gave us his personal favorites. He was very attentive too. We ordered the fried goat with the maduros (sweet fried plantains) and the pollo guisado with the tostones. it was so good. My goat was so flavorful and I love the sweet plantains with it. It did not disappoint. I can't wait to return. Only downside is parking--limited to the street and can be challenging, but it does exist and it's worth the hassle. Check this place out, it's so good and you won't be disappointed!

    Oxtails

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    The food was delicious and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the atmosphere was very nice[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. The service was really good.

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    Page 1 of 19

    Ask the Community - Alamar Dominican Kitchen

    Who is the server with the long hair? He provides excellent service?

    Jesus!

    Do you take reservations for tonight?

    Reservations are taken ahead of time for parties of 8 or more, and are made by emailing alaMar.

    Is vaccination required for dine in?

    As of February 1st, proof of vaccination is required by law for indoor dining.

    Are they still doing happy hour?

    Yes, weeknights from 5-7pm (on days we are open).

    I'd like to order oysters for take out but I don't see it as an option for pickup or delivery. Is this not possible because it is raw?

    That’s correct. Thanks.

    When is happy hour and what does it include?

    Wednesday- Friday 5-7pm. Specials do rotate but it may include $1.25 oysters so come on in!

    Is this a pet friendly environment?

    Yes it is, they have outside dining

    Hi there! Wanted to see if outdoor seating is still first come first serve? Thanks so much!

    Yes it is.

    Do they serve raw clams?

    No, sorry.

    Hello Does Alamar Kitchen & Bar have outside dinning?

    Yes! We have a heated patio.

    Are there outdoor TVs?

    No there isn’t.

    I am allergic to latex. Does Alamar use latex gloves in the kitchen? (no gloves or other gloves such as nitrile or vinyl are fine)

    Hi Ashley, our kitchen uses Nitrile powder-free gloves as our Chef/Owner is also allergic to latex. Thanks for reaching out.

    Gluten Free Options?

    Yes! 90% of our menu is GF.

    Any vegan options?

    Is this pertaining to our dinner menu? We highly recommend our Caribbean veggie stew which was part of our Sf chronicle review! There are also other great vegan options!

    What is the corkage fee?

    $15/bottle up to 2 bottles max

    Looking at the online menu & the pictures of what past patrons have ordered is like looking at 2 TOTALLY different establishments, what am I missing here?

    Hi Anthony, unfortunately yelp doesn't allow businesses to change all that information on their site. The only way we can is if we pay a monthly premium. Unfortunately that is not worth it for the majority of small businesses. You can find a… 

    Does this place have a kid menu?

    No but kids love our regular menu

    Is this a restaurant where reservations are needed?

    They don't take reservations. Also, it's fast casual. Meaning, you place your order and pay at counter. Service will bring food to you.

    View All 19 Questions

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    I am blown away! If I could give T'chaka a million stars, I would. We walked by and the aroma was…read moreintoxicating. I lived on the beautiful island of Hispañola for several years, but I only lived on the east side (Dominican Republic) where I fell in love with their food. Since Haiti and the DR share this island, I met some Haitian people and found them so wonderful, but we only met, I never had the opportunity to eat Haitian food. Fast forward 30 years to yesterday evening when our party of four walked by! I was hit with the delicious aroma and was immediately intoxicated! We got a table and I was so enveloped by the surroundings and was immediately transported back to the Caribbean! I got the Jerk Chicken dinner with savory plantains (I do love sweet (maduro) plantains too, but I love me some savory). It comes with a delicious rice and beans bowl that is amazing to have with the chicken. And oh my gawd! The Jerk chicken! Has a bit of a kick, which I was not expecting because, while I love Dominican food, I had no idea how flavorful and delicious the Haitians flavored their food! Blown away! The chicken was so insanely tender and delicious that I'm still thinking about it. The server was so sweet and amazing too! The cocktails, amazing! The T'punch, yum! I'm in love with this restaurant! I can't wait to be in Oakland again to support this beautiful Haitian food restaurant! The DR has nothing on you with spicing your food! Well done! All the love amores! See you soon!

    After the Jollof Festival the honey and I ended up stopping into T'chaka for lunch…read more We started with the delicious Akra as an appetizer which was quite tasty, and the honey ordered the Jerk Chicken combo and I the Lazo Shrimp. The shrimp was a bit on the spicy side for me, but the quality was good and I enjoyed the side of fried potato and plantains quite a bit. The service was helpful and friendly, if not a bit on the slow side from being busy due to the festival, but there was plenty of outside seating. The inside seating looked so cozy and comfortable and with the ambiance being a bit of "welcome home" vibe. All on all, it was delicious and we would definitely come back.

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    If you're walking along 24th St and looking for a delicious meal, I recommend checking this place…read moreout! I stopped by for lunch on the weekend and was surprised that this place was so empty because I've had multiple friends rave about this spot before. I started with a guava lemonade, which was super tasty and refreshing. For food, I tried the mofongo and the ropa vieja. The mofongo (with pork shoulder) was definitely the highlight of the meal - highly recommend ordering it! The mashed green plantains were absolutely delicious paired with the veggie sauce, and the texture of the plantain bowl was perfect. The ropa vieja was great too, and I especially enjoyed how tender and flavorful the beef was. Service was excellent as well, and I liked the friendly neighborhood vibe of the place.

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    Alamar Dominican Kitchen - comfortfood - Updated August 2026

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