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    Bare Knuckle Pizza

    4.5 (250 reviews)
    ModeratePizza
    Closed Closed

    Order Bare Knuckle Pizza Takeout or Delivery

    Bare Knuckle Pizza Photos

    Business Info

    BARE KNUCKLE PIZZA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Bare Knuckle Pizza

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    Margherita
    Chad M.

    Relatively plain as far as the sauce and the crust. The New Haven style pie "Rose" was burnt. TnT had the best flavor but the Thai chilis still had the stems on them. Amazing flavor in the peppers but solidly annoying to pick the stems off the peppers and placing them back on the pizza.

    Vegan Margherita pizza with vegan bacon (beleaf brand). It was soooo delicious and out in 10min. On top is vegan parm. So good!

    Pizza was delicious. Service was fast. No complaints. I will be back before I leave the area.

    Ann C.

    Ok pizza alone would get a 5 - appreciate what they're dishing out! Just don't dine here if you can help it. They have indoor seating up a precarious set of stairs - great that they offer something since the pizza is best enjoyed immediately out the over - but the ambiance is quite lackluster (and smells oddly...cheesy??). Service was also close to non-existent. So just come for the good food!

    Stephanie W.

    My favs: TKO pizza with sausage, TNT (sans Thai chiles because I'm a wuss--LOL), David Mack, and fresh peach (seasonal). Since dining in has been closed since pandemic, I order half-baked pies ahead of arrival; my wait is minimal and I finish baking at home. Been a satisfied regular since 2017, when they opened.

    Inside dining upstairs.
    Lionel C.

    I had seen the lines at Bare Knuckle and, with curiosity piqued, I knew I had to one day give it a try. I went back but was disappointed after walking up to take a look that I didn't see any seats, and it appeared to be solely a take out joint. I don't like taking a pie home as a first impression because I know time in the box with its inevitable steam will alter the crust and the taste. I walked away disappointed. That was a couple years ago, and since I tried just about every other highly rated pizza haunt in the East Bay, I was seriously thinking of returning to Bare Knuckle and braving the take out route. Maybe hurriedly stealing bites from a slice in my car to make my tasting verdict. As I was being pulled to this last resort, I decided to go through Bare Knuckle's yelp pics. It was then I noticed there were tables with smiling diners! All this time there was seating?? Yes, there was! Upstairs in fact. Thank you my fellow yelpers and your sweet camera work! So I headed over. It's still set up like a mid-pandemic to-go spot with it's ordering table across the door. But after asking, they did indeed have an upstairs dining area, and they let me in to head up there. Reaching it, I saw that it was relatively small, but there were open tables and seats, and I gladly took one. The narrow, spiraling-high staircase to floor two totally gave speak-easy vibes. All that was missing was a fake phone booth in front of it. My order, The Roman, came oven hot. At first, the encompassing mesh of parmesan slivers hid the ingredients and put me off because I like to see what's on my pizza. But it turned out to be a masterful culinary stroke, veiling for surprise the beauty of the enticing ingredients underneath. Usually, the protein on the pizza is the star, but not in this case. There was no one star in this cast of sausage, red sauce, onions and mushrooms, but they were all brilliant support players making the pizza as a whole the star. The crust with its pillowing fluffy edges and a middle evincing a strong hearty chew and a hint of seasoning was the perfect stage. I usually take home a slice but couldn't resist enjoying the rest of this tantalizing performance hot until the curtain call.

    Margherita with pepperoni
    Michael L.

    This was my first time trying Bare Knuckle Pizza. They are open Thursday to Saturday from 5pm to 9pm, so it's a fairly small window in order to try them out. I was thinking, I wish that was how much I could work secularly with the same pay, I think I'd be a pretty happy person. That being said I ordered three pizzas: Margherita: tomato sauce (from locally grown tomatoes), fresh mozz, parm, extra-virgin olive oil. DAVID MACK: sauce, fresh mozz, pepperoni, prosciutto, parm, and fresh basil. Sweet Revenge: sauce, mozz, pepperoni, chili, and honey. All the pizzas were solid. Pizzas were prepared quickly. Very small for close to $20 per pizza but I guess inflation is to blame. Overall a decent pizza but not my favorite.

    Andrew L.

    First off, they make solid pizzas with a range of toppings/flavors. However, it comes with a caveat: For better or for worse, the pizza isn't greasy and doesn't feel too heavy. But you have to go in knowing this since a lot of us expect a greasy salty indulgence when we try a new pizza place. Small size for the price. Again, still delicious. Street parking only, watch your car closely since it's in downtown Oakland.

    Double real pepperoni with vegan cheese! So good!
    M N.

    Delicious! Bubbly crisp crust with the right amount of chew, combined with a robust red sauce. The best part is that they accommodate a wide range of dietary preferences (from vegan, to dairy free, to gluten free). Our go to is their double real pepperoni with vegan cheese. Because they use Butcher's Son vegan moz and know the perfect amount to melt on top, it's literally the closest you'll get to a real cheese pizza! Their vegan TKO is really special too. Plus, super nice owner and staff! An Oakland gem!

    Kids ""cheese"

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    4 years ago

    Awesome selection of Vegan pizzas!! I wish they were open more often. The vegan supreme pizza is so tasty.

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    6 years ago

    Business owner information

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    Viet N.

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    4 years ago

    Yummy pizza's with yummy crust and good ingredients! Such a local gem we are grateful for!

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    4 years ago

    They burnt my pie. It's was not good at all. I didn't even finish half the pie. Hope they make it right next time. Or is there a next time

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    Page 2 of 7

    Ask the Community - Bare Knuckle Pizza

    Is the vegan cheese also nut free?

    Our vegan cheese is cashew based. We source it locally from The Butcher’s Son in Berkeley.

    What size in inches is the pie?

    About 10-11 inches diameter. They put it in a 12.5-inch box.

    Hey there. Does anyone know if the gluten-free crust is also vegan? Thanks!

    Correct! That crust is vegan and gluten free

    Can some enlighten me on prices?

    Prices range from $14-$19 depending on the type of pizza. There are also a few toppings that cost extra. The prices are listed on the menu on the website.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Spinning Dough - Menu (1/2)

    Spinning Dough

    4.6(504 reviews)
    1.3 miWest Oakland
    $$

    I have been wanting to try this place for a while, but it took the news of them closing to get me…read morethere. At least I got to go a couple times before they closed and was able to try all the unique flavors that I wanted to try. The first time I went was with my family. We got a whole Ube pizza. The taste was good, and love the uniqueness of it. Even the dough is purple! There weren't that many people there when we went, so the service was quick. My second visit was closing weekend with a group of friends. I got to try two more flavors recommended by the server during my first visit - blackberry and longanisa. Both were very good in different ways. I think I preferred the blackberry slightly over longanisa. They had a lot of take out orders that day, and we got the last white dough (there were still Ube). Good thing we got what we got. Even though they were super busy, the service was still quick and pizza came out fast. I heard they opened up again in San Francisco but for take out only. So glad they reopened because after having the amazing pizzas right before they closed on Oakland, my friends and I were sad that we didn't go sooner. Can't wait to try again in the future.

    So sad that Spinning Dough will be closing their Oakland restaurant on April 20. Had to stop by one…read moremore time for a round of pizzas. Jeff, the owner and pizza maker, is so nice, warmly welcoming us upon arrival and inquired if we'd prefer indoor or outdoor seating. Beautiful day so opted for outdoor on their expansive back patio. Miso mushroom - new to me, savory and bright flavor. Yuzu and lemon acidity cuts into the savory of the mushroom and miso. Might be one of my new favorites. Soppresata - an OG item on the menu and one of my favorites. Simple classic pizza with soppresata topped with scallions and honey. Savory, sweet. The honey is perfect on this pizza. Longanisa - Filipino inspired with longanisa, baked egg, and tomato. Savory and sweet. Heaviest of the three pizzas. Comes with a side of sweet vinegar to drizzle on top. All three of these pizzas easily are favorites for me. They're super large and best to share with 2-3 people. All thin crust. 6 of us had these three pizzas and were able to finish it but were super stuffed. Wishing the best to Jeff and Spinning Dough's next adventure.

    Photos
    Spinning Dough - Menu (2/2)

    Menu (2/2)

    Spinning Dough - Soppressata pizza

    Soppressata pizza

    Spinning Dough

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    Pizzeria Violetta

    Pizzeria Violetta

    4.2(39 reviews)
    1.5 miWest Oakland

    Pizzeria Violetta in Oakland is firing on all cylinders right now, especially with their current…read moreRestaurant Week special. Their pizzas are already reliably delicious, but this deal is genuinely outstanding value since you get a large 18" pizza, your choice of a Caesar or dinner salad, and four very large sea salt chocolate chip cookies, all for $35. We grabbed two of these specials for a group of six and still had leftovers, so I'd say one combo easily feeds three people and could probably stretch to four as long as no one is absolutely starving. The pizzas themselves are ultra thin but still hold up structurally since you can lift and fold each slice without everything collapsing, which is exactly how I like to inhale my pizza. I personally wish the crust were just a touch more burnt and crackly on the edges, but even without that extra char, the flavor and bouncy chew of the dough were spot on. We ordered the Hot Italian and the Sausage & Roasted Garlic pies and absolutely loved both, especially the housemade sweet Italian sausage that appears on each, which is savory, slightly sweet, and super satisfying in every bite. Their house tomato sauce deserves its own shout out because it hits that ideal balance of sweetness and acidity and ties everything together perfectly. On the Sausage & Roasted Garlic it plays beautifully with the rich roasted garlic purée, and on the Hot Italian it stands up nicely to the Calabrian chilis and chili oil without getting lost. The sea salt chocolate chip cookies that come with the special are huge and packed with chocolate chips, and that little hit of salt really enhanced the flavors but the something about the texture was a bit off for me as it wasn't quite chewy or crumbly but rather something in between, which left me a little confused. Another big plus is that Violetta has a full bar so you can pair your meal with a beer, a glass of wine, or a cocktail to match whatever pie you are in the mood for. Between the quality of the ingredients, the thoughtfulness of the flavor combinations, and the generosity of the Restaurant Week deal, Pizzeria Violetta is an easy recommend and a spot I would happily return to with a group (or by myself with plenty of leftovers!).

    My daughter and I get an 18-inch pie from this place every other weekend because she loves their…read moresweet little pig pie and pizza in general. I don't know why the pies cost so much, but they are only a few blocks from our place, so I want to support the few restaurants that set up shop in West Oakland. However, I'm starting to sour on this place. I don't mind overpaying for pizza; that's just edible, but on a few occasions, I've been appalled by what these folks try to get away with. A couple of months ago, they gave us a pie that was so burnt I had to call to complain, and they replaced it with a less burnt pie. Perhaps they don't know that extremely burnt food is full of carcinogens. This week, we ordered our usual 18-inch pie. This pie was a Frankenstein pie; half of it tasted like it had been sitting under the lamp all day. A telltale sign is how stiff the cheese is; the old dough feels as if I'm chewing on rubber, and the slices are stiff and salty overall, though some slices taste a bit fresher and crunchier. I was disappointed. If you're going to overcharge for mediocre pizza, the least you could do is give people what they are paying for. If I wanted old, stale pizza, I would've asked for the slices that sit under the lamp all day. Moving forward, if we order from this place, I will walk over, place the order, and wait for it, so we don't get cheated again. This place is a reminder of why certain restaurants often fail. The food is overpriced, and they are inconsistent with their service, if not disrespectful, in how they sometimes treat and feed their customers. We're not pigs; we just like eating the sweet little pig.

    Photos
    Pizzeria Violetta - Order counter

    Order counter

    Pizzeria Violetta - Underside of cheese and pepper shakers.

    Underside of cheese and pepper shakers.

    Pizzeria Violetta

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    Hesher's Pizza - Corner slice, Hesh Law

    Hesher's Pizza

    4.6(113 reviews)
    0.5 miJack London Square
    $$

    Was headed home and hungry after a social event on a Friday, but thought it's a good time to give…read moreHeshers a try. Live in Jack London square but haven't tried Heshers since the Crooked City Cider changeover. So glad I gave this a try. While Heshers gives this punk rock, aggro vibe online, inside the staff were warm and super friendly. My bartender helped me find the right drink (a Humboldt blueberry cider at 11% abv) and then I ordered the Meat Fungus pizza (lots of ground meat plus mushrooms). Sat at the bar and enjoyed my cider as well as convo with the other guests and bartender. In about 20 min, my pizza was ready. I took everything to go but was home in minutes. Couldn't wait for the first bite, and was NOT disappointed. Crisp crust pizza... not quite Detroit. Not Sicilian... def not New York style. But absolutely delicious. Came with a few packets of Parmesan and crushed peppers. Added it all and it was too good to leave a single slice for tomorrow. I'll be back, Heshers! Take my money! And thank you!

    Pizza itself was good and I like the different variety they offer on their menu. We ordered the…read moreelote pizza (forgot the actual name) and the pineapple pizza one (also forgot the name). The elote pizza came with a slice of lime and we really loved the creativity and flavors. It took almost an hour for our 1 pizza to come out- that being said, it seemed like they had a lot of online orders and a lot of the folks who ordered in also had to wait a very long time. I'd recommend ordering to-go from here vs. waiting in person.

    Photos
    Hesher's Pizza - Dining area

    Dining area

    Hesher's Pizza - Hesh Law Pizza

    Hesh Law Pizza

    Hesher's Pizza - Hesher's Law quite spicy

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    Hesher's Law quite spicy

    Square Pie Guys - Oakland - Visit Oakland for SPG

    Square Pie Guys - Oakland

    4.4(1.1k reviews)
    0.3 miOld Oakland
    $$
    Vegan friendly
    Vegetarian friendly

    me and the boys came to oakland for Summerslam 2026, and we had to celebrate the OTC's victory,…read morewith some elite local pizza. my friend chris recommend this spot, and we were glad w the decision we got the Big Von pizza, we got the Lemon Pepper Pizza, Schezuan Wings and cheesy bread. the group agrees that the chicken pepper was the best, and the Cheesy Bread was also good. service was great, you can actually order from the QR code on the tables, or go upfront yourself Big Von Pizza (8.5/10) pepperoni and meat present, but tad sweet, maybe the sauce. great tho Chicken Pepper Pie (9/10) the best ingredient. the chicken: thick pizza, chicken was elite and sauce was thick Schezuan Wings (9/10) wings were cooked, amazingly seasoned and sauce wa good Cheesy Bread (8.5/10) cheesy pull on each bread, mariners sauce inside good, not eventful thx, Square Pie Guys: they some good pies fr

    Was out in The Town for Free First Sunday at OMCA & The Teen and I both were (low key) as she said…read morecraving pizza. Since I was driving, I asked her to look up some local places and she scrolled upon Square Pie Guys, read the ratings, so it was ago. We found a parking spot right in front and walk through the double doors. I don't remember if we were greeted or not, but that's OK, because the pizza was better than the person who took our order. We: A pepperoni She: Organic lemonade Me: Root-beer We were both able to get through one slice and a couple bites of the second slice, so the rest came home with us. Pizza was really good. I loved the crunchiness around the edges, and the ingredients were fresh, just like Dougie! Ambience was super chill, as we were the only customers in there, a couple drivers came to pick up delivery items and then two other patrons came in when we were heading out. I might hit them up next time I'm in the area if I'm craving pizza, despite of being a little pricey.! Overall, I'm giving this place 4 thumbs up for the pizza cause I'm in L7 too!

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    Square Pie Guys - Oakland - Inside

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    Bare Knuckle Pizza - pizza - Updated September 2026

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