I was very excited to come to this place and from when I walked in I felt not welcome. The host was cold and did not seem inviting. The server while he was knowledgeable on the wines and menu seemed like he wanted us in and out as fast as possible. We did not feel very welcome. On to the food, the menu sounded great and we could not decide so as a table we decided to go with the family style menu because we would see what burdell was best known for. So we went with the family style. When im paying 150 per person plus tip I expect nice presentation, but with family style that can be hard so even just trying to make the plates look nice. The food looked like it had just been plopped on the plate. The food itself was ok, but nothing really stood out, the shared salads that we had to split between 3 people per plate was tiny and I got such a small amount it did not make sense and I don't think everyone got try every component of the salad because it was such a small peroration. The corn bread was really good..... the main dish was a smothered rabbit wich by the time it got to the table was soggy because they had added the gravy and then it had sat for a while before they brought it to us. Might be good to serve the gravy separately so the breading does not get soggy? We all left feeling full but unsatisfied with the food for the price point. The next day we all got together again for my daughter birthday and all six of us that went to dinner had been having stomach issues, with one person having to go home from work. There is many aspects of this business that need to be adjusted. When I walked in I was excited and that excitement over the course of the meal turned to disappointment. read more

I have now been to Burdell twice and it's the best new restaurant I've been to in ages. After the first time, I commented that I bet it would be nominated for best new restaurant and it has been racking up the accolades since. Most recently, we did the family dinner and it was magical. The main was a braised oxtail. It came in this incredible sauce lightly spiced with berbere. The horseradish that finished the dish was a lovely touch. Overall, you can expect your meal to be soul food with influences from the chef's extensive background in world renowned restaurants. It's like he picks atypical ingredients that maybe should have been there all along? I have loved every bite but standouts have been: bbq shrimp, corn bread, whatever greens are on the menu, the chicken, and the whipped potatoes. The service is warm, like you had a really bad day and your best friend invited you over and was making you a meal to pick up your spirits. It always feels like exactly what I need. The wine list is well curated and diverse. And the servers are well versed in it. When you walk in, the vibes are retro but just so fun. And you'll be greeted by incredible smells from the kitchen. I want to be a regular here. Mo, Omar, chef Geoff and team, thanks for another incredible meal. Are we besties yet? read more

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Yes, the hype is real! If you haven't tried Burdell yet, book a Reso and get down to the Temescal neighborhood pronto!!! I put down Burdell as a place I wanted to try since moving to the East Bay. In September I read it was named Food & Wine's "Restaurant of the Year", so I worried that this place might be all hype and pretentious (fortunately it was neither). The space is open and not very loud, even with a full house. The staff were all very friendly and outgoing. Now, for the food, we started off with ordering the Boiled Peanuts and the Beet & Grilled Avocado Salad. My wife ordered the Salmon and I ordered to Duck. First off, the Boiled Peanuts were really good; great seasoning and a lot of flavor. They are messy though... my suggestion to the restaurant is that they should provide wet naps or wet towels when this is ordered. The Beet & Grilled Avocado Salad was good too. As for the mains, my wife stated that her salmon was perfectly cooked and she really liked the Okra stew that it was served on. For the Duck dish, I would say it was exceptional, and that's an understatement! The duck dish is something I will yearn for daily... the Duck breast was cooked perfectly, soft and tender meat with a crispy skin. The jus was perfection with a tinge of acidity and the date jam was the perfect pairing. As for the "Dirty Rice", it was dirty alright... I could probably eat that as a meal on its own and be totally content! I couldn't stop raving about this dish to my wife as every bite got better and better. We also ordered a side of cornbread, which had a denser texture to it than we're used to, but also a good order. Burdell is worth the hype! It's Soul Food, but not as you know it and I'm totally OK with that. I'll definitely be back!!! read more

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Felt like a strange themed Las Vegas restaurant. Grits were amazing. Service was strange and snobby. Felt really overpriced? Just a weird place. read more

Got the tasting menu and was sorely underwhelmed. I think it might have been better a la carte as I didn't get to try a lot of the dishes I was eyeing through the tasting menu. The staff apparently cannot (isn't allowed?) to tell guests what the tasting menu entailed. Overall food was fine so it was just super expensive for whatever food. I left full but my friend left wanting to eat more Tasting menu plates: -peanuts in a sauce - sauce is great but the dish is so hard to eat bc the peanuts are still in a shell. I used utensils to tediously crack the peanuts bc if you eat it whole then you have to spit out the shells -cornbread and butter -greens in ham juice -whipped potatoes -chicory salad -oxtail - this was one of the main courses only available through the tasting menu -slice of citrus cake Moreover, the plates came out horribly timed. We got the peanuts and salad, then waited 30 minutes before the cornbread came which came mildly warm (wish it was warmer!). I guess they're still considered new so working on their timing overall. We had a reservation at a table, got there early, and when it past our reservation time we decided to eat at the bar We did have one glass of wine that was nice so a nod to their wine curation Service was very friendly read more

We didn't want to do the pre-fixe so we opted for the a la carte menu. Sad we couldn't order some items that were on the pre-fixe menu. It was... okay. The food itself is three stars. But the prices are ridiculous if taking value into consideration, subtracting one star. They could have earned that star back with great service or ambiance but both were lackluster. I will not be recommending this place to friends. Pro tip: skip the cornbread. It was dense and dry. read more

I have been meaning to write this review for weeks. Ate here on a Sunday evening and it was awesome. I was very nervous/doubtful as there are many negative reviews but also the ratings and honors this place has received made me go into this dining experience very skeptical. But the food, staff, everything was perfect. I get what they are doing and appreciated it. My friends and I did the pre fix family style and we loved every single bite! This is an innovative, remarkable place to eat and we need to support them. read more

Service was excellent. Ambiance was fine. It's definitely upscale for a soul food establishment. However I could not understand how this restaurant would be in the Michelin caliber except that maybe the Michelin board felt compelled to include a "soul food " category. The food was definitely underwhelming. We took the prix fixed family menu with wine pairing plus tax and tips for $ 212 per person but the sad thing about this experience is that there was not one dish or one wine that we could say "wow, that was good". Nothing is soulful about the salad of a coleslaw version or the boiled peanuts in miso; the duck was tough, the dirty rice was salty and of no particular flavor; the wine pairing was unimpressive. We could have had a much better dining experience for the same amount of money at another Michelin star restaurant across town. The only difference is that it would not be labeled " soul food". read more

Hipster soul food! Who knew? Ok but not special. The ceviche came in a shared bowl with two little forks. Not a CDC approved serving method. Tasty though The fried fish was unremarkable and headed towards cold They need to up their game to compete with the other excellent restaurants in Temescal read more

My friend and I came to Burdell during Oakland Restaurant Week and we were so happy with our decision. Firstly, the ambiance and decor are unparalleled. You feel as if you've stepped back in time to your grandparent's home in the absolute best way possible. There has clearly been so much thought and care put into all these details. The food was outstanding, I've been dreaming of it ever since I left. They were doing a special that included boiled peanuts, salad, fried chicken, collard greens, mashed potatoes, banana bread, and finished off with their pineapple right side up cake. The fried chicken was cooked to crispy perfection, well seasoned, and still so juicy. I would have loved to bathe in the mashed potatoes they were so rich and delicious. I could go on and on but there wasn't a singular item I was not over the moon with. I highly recommend checking Burdell out when you have a chance. read more

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We went to Burdell for my birthday and it was so good that I had to write a review to offset some of these not so good reviews. Sure, it's a little pricey and the portions are small. But for a special occasion it's totally worth it. We had a small group and a lot of things off of the menu to share. Standouts were the shrimp appetizer, the chicken, the beans and rice (Hoppin John), and the split pea stew. The chicken was stuffed with some kind of sausage situation and was incredible. And I am not exaggerating when I say it was the best rice and beans I have ever had. I want to know how they make it! Service was great and very relaxed. And the atmosphere is homey and nice. They are number one on the SF Chronicle's best restaurants in the Bay for a reason -- check them out! read more

This place deserves every accolade it's received. The food is tremendous-- absolutely everything we've tried is not only delicious but memorable and original. What really shines in our every experience here is the staff. We've had the same server all three times and he's an absolute gem. Burdell was where we spent our anniversary, and now where we took my in-laws to celebrate my pregnancy. Attached is a photo of the adorable illustrations our server has created for us-- one was from the box we brought home (a lamb chop bone for our dog) and the second is from today; a celebratory stork congratulating us on our expected baby. We can't wait to continue making memories here-- thank you read more

Burdell - Thoughtful illustrations from our server - Soul Food Near Me - Oakland, California

TERRIBLE! I'll sum it up in four ways; 1) Rude host on greeting and service at the bar 2) 90min wait for food (despite booking) with no apology 3) uncooked food, sent back to the kitchen 4) asked to reduce service charge based on above. They REFUSED!!! Avoid!!!!!!! read more

A fantastic, warm, delicious evening at this homey spot. Very busy and for a good reason even with a reservation we had to wait a bit. The staff were super friendly though, joking that they would put the coats on the table that was supposed to be ours so they left faster. It's out of their hands when people just won't leave, that's how comfortable you can get in the space. The style of food was just as I'd hoped, comfort remodeled. A perfect blend of all the new, highlighting the acidic and sweet notes that make comfort food down south magical. I'll try to remember what we had off the top of my head a week later... Smoked pork jowl sliced on a bit of pluot was smokey, sweet and savory. Chicken livers and waffle was exceptional. It hits every note you possibly could in a composed dish. It was hot, cold, sweet, savory, acidic, creamy, and crunchy, what else could you want? House bacon sausage was a stellar example of charcuterie, someone really knows their ratios... super juicy with a snap casing and tasty little cheddar dumplings, I believe it was the most balanced of all the dishes for me. Aged duck breast was well executed but the star of the show was the dirty rice, such deep flavor, just delicious. Cornbread was good, especially like the course grind. Very much regret not getting the greens. Desserts were great especially the benne seed cookies! Service staff were friendly and laid-back, even singing little tunes as they worked. Since we were seated later than our already late reservation we didn't feel rushed as they closed the place down and allowed us are full meal time. Great place, wish them all deserved success! read more

Food incredible. Service perfect. Wine pairing impeccable! And prices are very reasonable for the quality.

We loved Burdell-the service was exceptional and the ambiance was perfect. We didn't love the food the night we went but the effort and creativity is enough to have us come back to try again another time. We didn't try any alcoholic beverages but I liked my mocktail (Otis) just fine and my husband tried the Cheerywine soda and liked it. We ordered... -Fried Pickles (this is off the bar menu but our server graciously let me order them anyway and they were delicious) -BBQ whole shrimp (this wasn't our favorite. I think the sauce is a take on bbq but it was thin/runny. Presentation was also not the most appetizing and the bread didn't add too much to the dish) -pork neck roast (we liked this but it was a bit undercooked. Ate around the very pink parts as we aren't typically the type to send food back. Flavors were delicious though and it's a generous portion) -greens (loved these. Perfect.) -cheesy grits (gritty gummy texture) -cathead biscuits (epitome of homemade-they are a lot like those drop biscuits you can make from a mix. The butter they came with was sublime and helped because biscuits were dense) We didn't leave room for dessert but the dessert menu did look great. Church lady candy with the check was a nice touch. We came here for date night not knowing what to expect. I think what the chef is doing to reimagine home cooked soul food is great. Some of the things we tried were just a few tweaks from exceptional. Assuming their menu will be ever changing and we would like to try some different dishes next time. read more

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Burdell was a great experience, when I walked in it reminded me of my grandmas living room, what we call a Sala in Spanish. We started with the boiled peanuts which were yummy and become like delicious beans when cooked. The waffle was yummy and the dish had a great acidity to balance the richness, wish it had a bit more liver. The pig foot fritter was unique and cooked well, it left a nice stickiness on my lips from the richness. The bbq shrimp with toast were cooked very well. The jidori chicken is presented beautifully and really highlights the quality of the chicken. The pork collar roast was cooked perfectly and had a great taste. Our wine we ordered was a bit acidic on its own but paired very well with our rich foods we ordered. The cornbread is very yummy and the rice was so, so buttery. Overall great service, well executed food, good vibes and exciting menu. Came out to 200 per person. Thank you chef for delivering some of our dishes we ordered! read more

So happy my husband found this spot! We cannot wait to go back. Old school feels combined with comfort, soul food and you are transported to another place! The host stand even had an antique telephone, dishes were corningware giving you that homemade nostalgia, and hearty flavorful food filled up our bellies! Service was spot on, Prejean was a wonderful and fun server. The food was delicious and comforting - our only qualm was with the chocolate cake. We could have done without it as it wasn't anything unique nor did it stand out. We can't speak for the other desserts so I'm not taking a star off for that as everything else was fantastic. Highly recommend the chicory salad, biscuit, albacore tuna, salmon, and the okra stew. This is a "seasonal" spot in that they try different menu items. We're looking forward to going back. read more

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Was really excited to try this spot, as I'd heard a ton of hype. We got a reservation, which we didn't think we'd need, but it definitely filled up halfway through our dinner. All the dishes were quite good! I think maybe our expectations were a bit too high, because nothing particularly stood out as amazing, but overall we were quite happy with the experience. The grits I particularly liked. It felt a bit overpriced for what you got, but definitely one of the cooler spots on Telegraph. read more

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I have been here a twice since it's opening, including before and after being voted the #1 new restaurant in America. Both times I have visited the food has been incredible and the menu has been different, and I find myself dreaming about particular items long after I have had them (especially the spicy chicken sandwich on the seeded croissant and the split pea soup). If I was in the privacy of my own home, I would have picked up every plate and licked it clean. The staff has always been friendly and attentive. A bonus of this place is the nostalgia it provides - pretty much every item in this restaurant reminds me of my Grandmother and lives in my parents house, right down to the silverware. The food and ambiance makes one feel right at home. read more

Hate to sound like a broken record with all of the other recent reviews but I truly wanted to love this place... I don't know if the SF Chronicle piece was a good thing for Burdell and it's clear other people found it to be underwhelming as well. The chicken & liver was what I was most excited for and I can't explain it but it wasn't a pleasant taste, although I did rather enjoy the waffle. The BBQ shrimp and cod were okay but under seasoned in my opinion. Also, $25 for 4 pieces of bbq shrimp is outrageous, however, maybe if it were seasoned better it would have been worth it??? The arugula salad was good but not worth $18. I will give high praises for the (seasonal dish) asparagus salad, it was the best thing we had there -- had so much beautiful flavor and everything on the plate complimented each other. You HAVE to get the asparagus if you plan to have a meal here soon. The service was fine. I couldn't really hear our soft spoken server but she was polite. Ambiance is cute, felt homey. However, we went on a beautifully warm day and let me tell you, I don't know how people were working in there because it was tooooo hot in there. I think they need to look into some air conditioning on hot days because it felt a bit uncomfortable. Overall, I was a bit disappointed with my experience. Everything felt too high priced for what we received in terms of flavor. I know how important this place is to the owner and please know that I just want to share my honest experience. read more

Nice ambiance and friendly service. Unfortunately, the service was painfully slow. My date and I ordered the peanuts and splits one entree and side and were waiting for over 40min waiting for our entree. It did seem like tables that did the prix meal were prioritized. Overall, duck was cooked very well. Would love to come back but will have to take the potential wait time into consideration. read more

Burdell - Soul Food Near Me - Oakland, California

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In my opinion, you feel soul food before you actually eat & that is the feeling you get once you enter the doors of Burdell. The welcoming atmosphere from the the staff making you feel at home with your family(even when you're dining alone like I did on a Sunday), to the well thought out menu, delicious food & absolutely perfect cocktails will be the reason I return. My experience was perfect from start to finish. I was really impressed how the chef/owner brought out many of the dishes & went into detail of them! Apps: Fried pickles & green tomatoes - it had a dill/ranch seasoning dusted on top that gave it a really nice zing. Sides: Cheesy grits - tasty & full of flavor Sourdough biscuits- moist inside with the perfect crumbly exterior, the way a biscuit should be Main: Steelhead Salmon. This dish was not only beautifully plated but had so many different components of flavors & textures. Crunchy salmon skin, fried potato, smooth mash & tangy cabbage. All flavors really went well together. Drinks: The Margaret - light yet packed with flavor. I enjoyed sipping on this while deciding what to order for dinner. Not overly sweet The Gussie - perfect amount of sweet to tart ratio, light bubbles & went well with my dinner selections. I really enjoyed learning that the cocktail menu has personal meanings behind each of the named drinks. They are named after woman from some of the staffs families - mothers, grandmothers & others that have inspired them in positive ways. So cute! My favorite, Dessert. I had to go with a slice of the chocolate cake. Although I was too full to take more than a few bites, I did devour it the next day. Moist cake, perfectly fluffy chocolate butter cream. Not much more to say than order it. Over all amazing experience. I can't wait to go back with more people so I can try the Family Meal. The couple next to me at the bar got it and I was envious as each corse came out. read more

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tl;dr outrageous pricing for aloof service and very underwhelming food I had high hopes walking into Burdell from the ambiance and story of an elevated soul restaurant, but this place left me hungry for more in all the wrong ways. The wait was so long, I had enough time to watch the $36 sweet potatoes dry out in the kitchen. The shishito peppers were so few and tiny they were all but invisible. The shrimp gravy was so off, I couldn't bring myself to eat it, and I left the salmon on the table after two bites. The chilled still water was the best part of the meal. And the service? Let's just say the receptionist greeted us with about as much warmth as yesterday's cornbread. Not what you hope from a place that includes an automatic 20% service charge. After we paid, I actually walked across the street to Burma Superstar and ordered myself a meal to go. That's all you need to know! read more

I've been so excited to try this new restaurant especially because I've been following their instagram and hearing so much about this new modern soul food restaurant opening. Honestly, when I arrived the half asian/ white lady with the strawberry sweater was not friendly whatsoever and had a bad attitude. I honestly killed my mood but luckily the servers were really sweet. I had ordered the sweet tea to start off my meal and it was so delicious! For appetizers I had ordered oysters on half shell, bbq whole shrimp, chicken and waffles. For the main dish we ordered klingeman pork neck with a side of catfish biscuits. The oysters were pretty fishy, but loved the concept of the shaved ice on top. My favorite was the bbq whole shrimps, the bbq sauce was so mild and the shrimp was perfectly poached. The chicken and waffle was so creative, I loved the chicken pate with fried chicken skin on top with a side of cornbread waffles. I was really excited to try the pork neck but I was pretty disappointed because it was so fatty but loved the peaches on the dish. The catfish biscuits were good but the butter was too tart. For dessert I had gotten the peach cobbler pie blew my mind, it was the best peach pie I've ever had. It was so crispy yet perfectly sweet. Overall, I love the concept of soul food restaurant in Oakland but it didn't fully meet my expectations for the price. read more

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The vibe truly reminded me of home but service took three hours, food was good but not spectacular, and the chicken was cold when it arrived at the table. Also cocktail menu is lacking. Cornbread was my favorite, apple crisp was way too sweet. read more

UPDATE: Just saw a copy of the bill (I did not see it earlier, but my cousin took a photo). Looks like there was an "Aunt Mary" added to our bill that we did not order or noticed earlier. We were charged an extra $16 plus tax, etc. This is even more disappointing. Changing this to one star. Very disorganized over there. **** I'm very sorry to say that this was an enormous disappointment for me. I read all the amazing reviews and was so eager to try the food. We drove an hour to Oakland to try it and I deliberately ate a light breakfast before our 1:30 reservation. The first issue was the very slow service. My group waited 20 min before someone took our order. Then waited over an hour after for our entrees to come (I was told because a server went on break and they did not realize, we were ignored for an hour). By the time my salad arrived, I was very hungry but it was extremely salty and the first bite had salt crystals on my lips. I couldn't finish more than a few leaves. I couldn't believe how salty it was. Then my entree, the duck hash, arrived 20 min later and while the potato was nice and tender, the duck was dry and the kale drowned in oil. Worse, it was again, incredibly salty to the point where I couldn't eat it. I told the staff and they were kind enough to take the entree off the bill. My companions ordered the shrimp and grits, which had a delicious sauce but only 3 shrimp, as well as the hangtown fry which was decent and salted fine. But I was left still quite hungry after a very long wait and terrible food. I would not recommend this place. It was very disappointing. read more

We really wanted to try this place and waited a long time to get a reservation (finally opted for a late brunch opening just to get in) So NOT worth the hype! I was going to give 2 stars but my husband said 3 because of the pleasant hostess, the fried chicken, and one male server who was helpful and one older female server who actually asked if we were doing ok (they were not our servers!) Off to a good start, the broccoli cheese croquettes and beignets were brought out quickly and tasted great. Then our entrees took 30 minutes to arrive and the server only brought out 3 of them, not all 4. My pancakes didn't arrive till my whole table was almost done with their meal (really? Pancakes take THAT long to make?) Our server said she forgot to order 2 sides of bacon (each only comes with 3 slices for a table of 4) and she finally brought the 2nd side when everyone had completely finished brunch and the table was cleared. The restaurant was almost completely empty from brunch when our 3 slices of bacon arrived! (We sent them back and asked not to be charged.) One of the weirdest things was when we were ordering my friend asked to leave off the pickles from the burger, our server said "Oh, we aren't allowed to do substitutions" My friend said, " I'm not substituting anything, I just don't want any pickles, but I guess I can just take them off myself, " to which our server replied, " Well, I will try to plead my case with the chef!" Add the above service issues to the just "ok" food and the crazy loud noise means we won't be coming back or recommending it. read more

A lot of folks here seem to be giving low ratings to Burdell for the service -- I guess if you're paying $36 for a plate of sweet potatoes, you expect every employee in the building to bend over backwards for you. I don't care if those sweet potatoes were grown by the hands of God himself; NO ONE should be charging $36 for a plate of them. My partner and I had the prix fixe menu and the duck. The duck and buttermilk custard were delicious, the sides were over-salted and the portions so small. The vintage pyrex started as a cute gesture, but the disparity between the food's cost and quality turned the vibe kitschy. I don't rate restaurants based on service, but it's worth noting that ours was great. It was a fun one-time experience, but I won't be returning. read more

Pretty solid brunch spot. Got there right when they opened on a Sunday morning. It wasn't long before the place was packed. Definitely a popular Sunday brunch spot. Service was good and the food was decent. The overall ambiance made you feel like you're back in the day. read more

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The food was underwhelming. We ordered the boiled peanuts, grilled eggplant gumbo, roasted Sonoma duck, and chicken liver and waffles (half a waffle). The peanuts were pretty good. The duck did not look roasted. Instead, it looked undercooked and the texture was rubbery - just bland. I was expecting more of a traditional gumbo when the eggplant gumbo ($47) came but it didn't appear or taste that way and there was no rice and arrived at room temperature. The waffle was stiff and the chicken liver paste just did not do it for us. Maybe it's our pallets but Burdell failed to impress. We were very much looking forward to the food and experience and walked away disappointed. The service was good but our empty dishes sat on our table for a good while although various team members passed our table multiple times. I was so tempted to just bring my dishes over to the bar counter since it was only a few steps from where we were seating. Nice and moody 1960s vibe inside with vintage sofas. We liked that part. Our bill was around $180, which included an automatic gratuity of 20%. Maybe we expected too much? read more

Pretty solid. Everything was impressive indeed... from the peanuts to the mains and great desserts (we don't get dessert at any restaurant if they've failed along the meal). Def preps where you go "hmm I can't tell what's in there" and that's the reason you eat out right? And that cornbread... the only one better was from Birdsong. 4 stars cuz they are obviously trying to elevate the experience, but a few misses: service related to being on top of it (drinks were forgotten and came mid meal), limited drinks and they were not great, very lax and casual vibe. The reason these are misses is bc the price point is too high for that. In fact we'd come here often if the dinner was 30% less (which would be a fair price). For the price tag, the eh vibe and such puts this into a specialish event category. But bc of the look/feel it's hard to pay this much premium without the full package. read more

Came here with my girlfriend excited to try good oakland soul food. The ambiance here is very warm and inviting. Almost like a time capsule with all the stained glass, orange, green and brown hues they used. We sat by the bar and ordered fried chicken and greens. The prices here are very expensive. When the chicken came it was very dry, batter was average at best. 6/10. Greens were better but still very pricy for a small bowl. 7/10. To make matters worse this place charges an automatic 20% gratuity. They believe that Tipping has an ugly past and expect customers to help pay the wages of the employees. I am usually pro tipping but to automatically charge 20% on an already overly expensive meal with mediocre service is ridiculous. read more

Burdell - Fried chicken and greens - Soul Food Near Me - Oakland, California

Yeesh. Wanted to love it but the service was almost comically bad. Food was fine-ish (honey mustard dip was totally bland, nugs v. good, etc.). A great sake cocktail but it took 30 minutes to arrive to the table. Fun vibe in the main area but we were stuck at the back. Would give it another shot. read more

I do not recommend it. There's a certain expectation when it comes to Soul Food, with being hospitable at the top of the list. The food needs a lot of work. The chicken and waffles were undercooked and tangy, and the shrimp and grits were tangy. Soul food is sweet and or seasoned well. I expect more if I walk in and see black family portraits on the wall. Best, Hard to impress southern black man. read more

Really enjoyed this ELEVATED soul food experience. From the exact grandma's-house decor to the delicious corn bread, collards, and duck- I cannot wait to come back. I was excited to see different ethnicities of people dining alongside us, grooving to the funk music. The service was really good, our waiter was super attentive and our glasses were never empty. We even got served our dishes by the head chef, which felt like seeing a celebrity after reading all the press before coming! read more

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I was expecting to really be wowed by this place, but I wasn't. It was good, but not #1 good. We had the crispy mushrooms and spring onions, the (overly salty) bbq shrimp, the pork chop, corn bread, and red eye peas. Everything was just good. The service was good as well... they auto charge 20% for gratuity. They brought and charged us $9 for carbonated water when we asked for still. The ambiance is that of a converted office space. I'm not sure why it's rated #1 in the Bay Area. It's good, and pricey. Once is enough for me. I won't be back. read more

We've eaten here twice in the last month. The first time was wonderful. The second time was awful. On balance we won't be coming back. We were so pleased at our first visit that we immediately booked a second visit to celebrate my wife's birthday with our adult kids. The second time we were seated in an awful back room with no light. We sat there for fifteen minutes and were not offered water or drinks. Finally the hostess who had seated us wandered back into our back room and was surprised to see us sitting there with nothing; she offered us water. When our server finally arrived to take our order she was in a nasty mood. She was surly the entire evening ... when we saw her, which was seldom. Then she bullied my wife into ordering more food than she wanted (she had ordered two appetizers and three sides and we were sharing a main. Since we'd eaten there a few weeks ago she knew this was plenty of food for her. Ended up with another main neither of us wanted). We were never given the opportunity to order a second drink which we did want. The food was ok but pretty limited. But the real problem was having a dark room no windows no visible servers and a surly server when she did (rarely) appear. In short everything that was so perfect in our first visit was absolutely horrible on our second visit. It put such a downer on our evening none of us could enjoy our gift exchange and cake at home. read more

Extremely overrated restaurant. The food was average to above average at times, however the service is not acceptable. For example, wine pours were small, and I also got a kombucha that was maybe a 3 to 4 ounce pour. Also if you are splitting dishes, they will not separate out meals into smaller plates/bowls. Multiple times we were rejected, even though we were splitting a stew 4 ways. The overall demeanor of the service staff was neutral to slightly annoyed at times. You can't just ignore your service when you are charging an arm and a leg for dinner. It was such an off putting experience that all 4 of us were disappointed and all agreed to never return. read more

I've been here for dinner and was incredible excited for brunch.. But it was definitely a 'NO'. We ordered the salmon crockett's that were nothing like you've grown up eating. The outside was very hard and the fresh salmon along with the filling just didn't mix at all. I ordered the cheeseburger po' boy and had to send it back because the hamburger meat was too red for my liking. If this is to be served rare, please let the table know in the future. We also ordered shrimp and grits, shrimp had the head still attached. Brussel sprout salad was decent, though we could have counted the sprouts. The beef cheek hash was alot of smashed potatoes, less hash. Overall, I will not come back for brunch. Definitely want to continue to support this BO business but something is missing with the execution of the dishes most of us grew up eating. read more