Elizabeth N.

Went during Father's Day weekend because I have Chase Sapphire Reserve dining credit to burn before June 30. I wanted their signature fried chicken, but it was gatekept behind a $105/person Juneteenth set menu so had no choice but to order the only 2 meat entree: swordfish (ok) & pork strip steak (too much fat). Overall, not impressed with dinner at all. Can't believe they charge $13 corn bread that's usually free at other restaurants. The best dish is actually the BBQ whole shrimp with perfectly toasted bread. The sauce was amazing! Was hoping they'll let me keep the plate so I can dip the corn bread which only came with the entrees. The Sunday Brunch menu actually looks much more enticing, but unfortunately we couldn't get reservation for 4.

Brian V.

4+ restaurant that specializes in soul food. They are ingredients focused and driven. Because of that you're gonna get higher quality food, but also the prices are gonna reflect that as well. This restaurant is good for when you want to have a nice evening out, but not sure if I would be able to dine here casually multiple nights a week. The service was great with a chill laid-back vibe to the place. It also has a cozy home, feeling to it because of the pictures on the wall. The interior is minimalist and clean. Also know that the service fee or tip is included in your bill. I don't mind at all because I usually tip that amount at least when I go out anyway, but it should be known. Came here for dinner while on a work trip in the area and was able to get seated at the bar pretty much right away. I ordered the boiled peanuts to start which was soaking in peanut miso. I also ordered the Jadore chicken which comes partly fried and roasted and comes with deviled egg potato salad on the side. I love the boiled peanuts even though my fingers got a little messy lol. The chicken was good and so was the sides. I would love to come back and try more items on the menu, but like I mentioned before, this place isn't exactly cheap so I would probably make a nice night out of it. I came in on a weekday so there was pretty good amount of metered street parking in the area.

Peggy C.

Finally I can leave a well deserved review for Burdell! My husband made a reservation for us for a special occasion and my heart was so warmed by the whole experience. Who would've thought you could have such a gourmet experience with good ol' soul food?! From the get go, everything was lovely. Parking was easy to find and we brought our kiddo and the staff made him smile and laugh. It's not easy to take little ones out for fine dining but we've got a great kid and the Burdell staff was amazing. I love the decor; it's like if you could make homey chic? We definitely had to get the chicken and waffles which was of course amazing and my kid devoured it. It wasn't your classic chicken and waffles but like crispy chicken skin bits (my kid's favorite) and I don't know what is in the waffles but they were divine. Not to mention the chicken liver mousse!! Heavenly. I'm allergic to peanuts so instead of the boiled peanuts (which my husband inhaled) I got something else and my apologies I cannot remember what it was but it was refreshing and crisp) Also the cornbread is to die for. I would eat it every day if I could. It went so well with the pork chop and I would come back just for the cornbread. Last but not least I eyed the owner and chef himself apron'd up and working amongst his staff like an undercover boss and I appreciated his humility and grace. If I could give Burdell 10 stars I would!

Audrey I.

Burdell, with its combined internet acclaim and censure, piqued my interest for some time. I made a reservation (with ease) on OpenTable and dined with my friend for a very belated birthday celebration. The food is good but nothing to write home about. The cornbread, stellar and moist as this was, was served alongside a very tangy butter (almost overwhelmingly so) yet still remained the best bite of the night. The chicken liver and waffle, while inventive, was a tad too gamey for my liking, especially surprising as a person who generally loves pate. The hominy grits received many a praise from the Infatuation SF but was also too salty for my palate. Overall, the dishes generally were ok, simply put. What did shine were the eclectic wine selection and cocktail curation though. The service was stellar, expected for a more upscale restaurant. Sorta sad to see such disparagement accrued from the owner's choice of including a 20% service fee. Yes, it's steep but understandable given how diligent and accommodating the staff are.

Cole K.

Oakland continues to surprise me with its incredible food scene, and my recent dinner at Burdell was a reminder of exactly why. Our party of four made reservations about two weeks in advance, and I'd definitely recommend planning ahead, especially for larger groups, since reservations for six were much harder to secure. From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere immediately transports you. Verdell creates a space that feels warm, intentional, and deeply rooted in appreciation, connection, and comfort. The ambiance alone set the tone for a memorable evening. Because portions lean smaller, we ordered several dishes and doubled up on a few items so everyone at the table could fully experience the menu. Every plate felt thoughtful and beautifully prepared. Standouts from the night included the dandelion greens, collard greens, lamb neck, fried chicken cornbread, chicken liver and waffles, and the lamb. But the absolute favorite of the evening was the spring onion dish recommended by the staff. The service elevated the experience even more. The staff was attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely helpful when guiding us through the menu and recommendations. Burrell delivered great food, great vibes, and a dining experience that felt special from beginning to end. I'll absolutely be making reservations again.

Yasmine E.

Birthday dinner here turned into one of those nights where time softens and the table becomes the center of the world. Plates hit the table and suddenly we weren't being polite - we were wiping sauces with bread, tearing off corners to catch every last drop, passing dishes back and forth, and laughing mid-bite. The Dungeness crab gumbo was deep and luxurious, the kind you end up taking little sips of straight from the bowl because leaving any behind would be a personal failure. The beets salad brought brightness and relief between bites. The greens and red cabbage were slow-cooked, vinegary, soulful-meant to be eaten generously, not delicately. The chicken jibori was tender and rich, sitting in its sauce like it expected you to drag bread through it (correctly). And that cornbread + honey butter? Edges crisp, center soft, disappearing fast because everyone kept "just one more piece"-ing themselves. Wine glasses stayed full, candles flickered, the room hummed, and then--quietly--a handwritten birthday note and candle arrived. No show. Just warmth. That kind of hospitality that lands in your chest. Burdell invites you to slow down, get a little messy, and eat with intention and joy. This is food meant to be shared, remembered, and felt. Oakland is lucky - and so was I.

Suzie A.

Sometimes reviews from restaurant critics and Yelpers don't always align, so there's really only one way to find out what's really going on, and that is to check out a place in person. Burdell is such a place. Winner of many accolades, yet somehow that's not reflected in Yelpers' reviews. So when a couple of friends - including one who is from the South - were visiting from out of town, we decided to have dinner to see for ourselves. Before I get into the individual dishes, our overall impression is that we enjoyed our meal at Burdell. Each dish was good, but some were better than others, and it is perhaps this inconsistency that has prevented Burdell from living up to the hype for some people. I didn't dislike any of the dishes we ordered, and I would definitely return to try more of the menu, so for that reason, I am giving it four stars. Also, chef Geoff Davis served us some of the dishes himself (without announcing who he was - very humble), so that was kind of cool, too. What we ate: Boiled Peanuts: My southern friend made us order this because, well, it's a southern thing I guess. It ended up being a good decision. Who knew boiled peanuts could be so tasty? Whatever seasoning they used was pretty addictive, and I could have probably eaten it with a spoon. 4/5 Blistered Brussels Caesar: Probably my favorite dish of the night. The most creative take on a Caesar salad I have seen. We expected a typical salad with Brussels sprouts, but the sprouts were slightly blanched, making them tender, and the citrusy vinaigrette was a nice complement to the bitter greens and salty cheese and dried slices of sunchoke. I almost wanted to order a second one 5/5 "BBQ" Whole Shrimp: Based on everything I had read, this was the dish that had to be ordered, so we ordered it. To be honest, while it was tasty, it was probably my least favorite. The sauce was a bit more on the saltier/umami side and didn't have much sweetness to it as I was expecting from a BBQ type dish. The toast pieces were a nice addition for sopping up the sauce, but honestly I liked the boiled peanut sauce better. It's one of their signature dishes, so it's probably a must-try at least once, but I probably wouldn't order it again. 3/5 Cheddar Dumplin's: The "dumplins" here were kind of like gnocchi, but also a bit dense and not super cheesy. The only thing that saved this dish for me was everything else that came with the dumplings: chanterelles, squash, kale, apples, which all complemented each other well. 3/5 Pork Roast: This was actually a pork collar, which I am not sure is a cut of pork that I have ever had, but it was incredibly juicy and tender. I loved it. Beans were just OK, but that's not why you get this dish. You have to be OK with pork that is pink, however, and I am totally fine with that. I would definitely get this dish again. 5/5. Cornbread: This cornbread is magical. It is so moist it is almost like a banana bread texture-wise. I think my mouth and brain were actually in shock when I took my first bite because it was nothing like any cornbread I had ever had before. I could probably eat a whole pan of it. 5/5 As you can see, the dishes I liked, I REALLY liked. The dishes I didn't like were just OK but not bad. The service was very friendly and attentive, and our server (I failed to get her name) did a great job suggesting a wine that our entire table enjoyed. I guess my point is, the only way to know if you will like Burdell is to go check it out yourself. Bon appetit!

Tu-Anh N.

WHEN: Sat @5pm Been really curious about this place and heard great things and decided to give it a shot since it wasn't all the way in San Francisco. We lucked out on a free street parking spot on the other side of Telegraph. This restaurant has a lovely simple decor, and while the lighting is kind of dim, it does flicker every 20 minutes or so--gives it that slight underground feel, haha. The staff are all friendly and Prejean took great care of us. Here's what we ordered, with the first 3 being "For the Table": BOILED PEANUTS - $9 Cooked for hours, served warm in shell, with peanut miso & house spice. Served hot so be careful! Very skeptical about this, but seems to be a popular item most people rave about so why not. While this bowl of shelled peanuts was sitting in a bowl of sauce like cereal, the flavors were good. However, I just don't like my peanuts mushy. The little work peeling the hot shells just was not worth it. But hey we knew the risk and don't regret giving it a shot. Maybe I'll pour that sauce over a bowl of rice. BLISTERED BRUSSELS CAESAR - $18 lacopi Brussels dressed with sunchoke Caesar, aged cheddar. The tiniest Brussels sprouts I've ever seen! Which makes it easier to eat. Got this cuz we need a vegetable plate. I think the crunchy sliver pieces is the aged cheddar which I enjoyed giving it a nice crunch to this plate. Here I taste citrus and unctuous flavors, which made this "healthy" dish quite enjoyable! I love Cesar salad so I was curious to see a version made with Brussels sprouts! CHICKEN LIVER & WAFFLE - $19 Chicken liver mousse with crispy skin, maple & shallot vinaigrette, with cornmeal waffle. What a unique dish with the best of all worlds for me! I love pate, I love fried chicken skin and I love me some waffles! This dish is more of a savory one so the waffle is very subtly sweet, but it has a wonderful cornmeal texture. I would eat the liver mousse and skin alone, but it's better with the waffle. You have so much going on here with the rich and crispy taste of the skin, and the smooth liver mousse--which they should just call pate cuz it sounds more appetizing, haha. This was my favorite of the night! JIDORI CHICKEN - $45 Buttermilk fried leg & roasted breast with drippings & deviled egg La Ratte potato salad. We felt the obligation of ordering a "For Supper" entree and chose wrong. Now we read mixed reviews about their chicken but I still had to try it for myself and...the people have spoken. I didn't like it. The roasted piece was too salty, while the fried piece was bland...or maybe we were suppose to eat them together??? But the potato salad was good, as good as any potato salad would be. CORNBREAD - $13 Stone-milled red corn from Lee, served warm, with tangy honey butter. This "side" item didn't come out until the main dish ("For Supper") came out, which was about half an hour after the first 3 items from the "For The Table" menu came out. I didn't care for the butter at all because of the tangy flavor from the apple-cider vinegar. But the cornbread was good. But is it $13 good? No, and I've had better, but I'm grateful it wasn't dry. I do appreciate how unique this was though with what they added in their butter--it's just not for me. I don't need to taste all the kinds of sensations (sweet, salty, umami, etc.) in a cornbread. Overall, this place was good, but definitely very pricey for the amount you get. The sharables and sides are better than the main plate--I should have gone with he fish. They also automatically apply as 20% service fee to your bill so no need to think about tip. The bill came out to be a total of $139 with leftovers and we were stuffed! Didn't even bother with dessert! We are happy we gave this spot a try and do not regret it!

Kenneth T.

First time at Burdell and overall the food was good but the overall didn't wow me... perhaps since I had set a high expectation considering the accolades given to Burdell. The salad, and the oxtail fries, were tasty! They were on point and I liked these. No problem with them at all. The mustard green side was on the saltier side but I manage by eating it with more of the mixed rice and beans which was delicious with a nice spice to it. The main entree, the pickle brine fried chicken was ok. The chicken was crispy and juicy but 1) not all pieces were marinated well as two pieces we had lacked flavor so it wasn't just how the chicken was, but inconsistency in marination, and 2) some pieces were overcooked leading a thick dry outer layer before you get into the nice juicy meat inside. Pieces that were marinated well were phenomenal along with the house made hot sauce, but due to inconsistencies, the overall was underwhelming. Service could have been better - primarily because when our water cups were empty, I expected them to fill it or ask to fill it but they came by twice but never asked or did so, until I asked for the water cups to be refilled. The ambiance of the place was on the upscale feeling though definitely did very well in keeping the southern feel to it with the dining wares used, and the decor. Maybe I'll give it another try during their non pre-fixe menu and see if the experience is better.

Crystal T.

The rating on help is pretty accurate. Overly priced for average food. Made a reservation through Open Table to use the chase dining benefits. We were seated right away. The interior has some old school vibes and moody/dim lighting. First dish we got was the shrimp which came out COLD. I was not prepared for that. The sauce also was slightly bitter, almost burnt tasting? Then we waited maybe 45 minutes after the shrimp to get the main entrees. We got the chicken and lamb. The fried chicken was probably the warmest thing we got all night and it's probably because it was deer fried. It was still very moist and flavor was good. All the lamb items were also very good. But majority of items came out COLD. The corn bread was also delicious, but was only slightly luke warm. I'm not sure I would come back. It was worth trying to use the dining credit, but was definitely expecting at the bare minimum warm/hot food at the prices they have.

Marcus C.

After hearing so many great things about Burdell, my partner and I checked this place out for my birthday. The interior of the restaurant was very cool, as it felt very vintage and felt at home. I always found myself looking around and admiring how they set up the restaurant. For the food, my partner and I shared the Cornbread, Chicken Liver and Waffles, and the Blackened Cod. The cornbread was light and delicious. The Blackened Cod was very tender and I couldn't stop putting down my fork. Overall, our experience at Burdell was great. Sometimes, it was difficult to grab a waiter's attention to get water, but they did check in on us occasionally to change plates for the next course. Although the food was on the more expensive side, I would still recommend giving Burdell a try!

Cristina C.

This is a tougher review for me to write, mainly because expectations matter. Part of my rating reflects how highly reviewed this place is. I may have given more stars if the hype were lower. Like other commentary online, I do not think the food quite matched the buzz or the price point. Some dishes were good, but nothing truly left me in awe. The drinks were a strong point. My friend loved the Hula and found it genuinely unique. I ordered the margarita-style cocktail. It was good, but not exceptional. We also had wine, and the server's recommendations were excellent. My friend and I have very different palates, yet he guided us in a way that made both of us happy with our choices. For food, we started with the chicken liver waffle and the shrimp. The chicken liver waffle was delicious and one of the best things we ordered. I understand the hype here. I forgot to ask for hot sauce and regretted it afterward, especially since they have a great one, so I recommend requesting it if you order this dish. The shrimp did not land for me. It was not bad, but the flavor felt incomplete, and I could not quite pinpoint what was missing. The cornbread was a standout. It was firmer with a crispy top and a soft interior. The crunch was unexpected and really enjoyable. I do not think I have had cornbread with that texture before, and it worked beautifully. The pork roast was good, rich, and fatty, and the beans were delicious. Adding hot sauce brought the flavors together even more. Service was slow, as others have mentioned, but it worked for us. We were catching up, and the pacing gave us plenty of time to talk, which felt relaxed and intentional. The space's aesthetic is beautiful. It feels like stepping into someone's home from another era, with warm browns and oranges that feel cozy and groovy.

Amy P.

I wanted to like this place but man, it was disappointing and I don't understand how it is a Michelin Guide restaurant. We were able to find street parking fairly quickly on a Sunday night. We arrived early for our reservation and waited about 5 minutes before we got seated. There isn't much space inside for groups to wait and it was cold outside. The restaurant itself is pretty cramped and you're close to the next table. There's barely any space for the server themselves to get in between to bring out the food. We ordered wine and appetizers, which came out fairly quick. But the actual entree took forever to come out. We noticed it was the same for the table next to us and it took just as long for them to get their desserts. For that reason, we didn't want to wait any longer to try their desserts. For the appetizers, we got the blistered brussels caesar and the bbq whole shrimp. We got the jidori chicken because of the potato salad it came with. We also got the cornbread. We really enjoyed the brusell sprouts, potato salad and cornbread. The cornbread had this amazing crunch and so much flavor. The chicken was a let down. Buttermilk fried leg lacked flavor. We wished there was some type of hot sauce that it came with. The roasted breast was slightly salty. Our server Zara was very nice as well as all the servers who brought the food, cleared the table and refilled our water. Another thing that irked me was the 20% gratuity that was adde just for the 2 of us. Like if you're gonna expect that, bring out the food faster and worth eating. I think it is a bit sad that we enjoyed the appetizers and cornbread the most. It seems like the brunch menu has the better food items to try. But I wouldn't go out of my way to come here again unless I was in the area.