As a passionate foodie always searching for memorable dining experiences, Parche in Oakland…read moredelivered on every level. From the moment I sat down, the warm glow of the dining room, lively energy, and inviting aromas drifting from the kitchen set the tone for an exceptional evening. The cocktails were outstanding. The Ojos Así was beautifully balanced, with bright, refreshing notes layered over deeper, more complex flavors that unfolded with each sip. Its vibrant presentation and fragrant aroma made it as enjoyable to admire as it was to drink. Equally impressive was the Y El Hombre Caimán, a bold and expertly crafted cocktail bursting with character, combining rich flavors and a silky texture while remaining remarkably approachable. Both were the kind of cocktails that make you slow down, savor every sip, and appreciate the artistry behind them. For the main course, the Costilla Negra was the star of the table. Perfectly cooked and incredibly juicy, the short rib featured a beautifully caramelized exterior that gave way to tender, flavorful meat. Each bite delivered a satisfying balance of richness and refinement, while the thoughtfully plated accompaniments added contrasting textures and complementary flavors that elevated the dish even further. What truly elevated the experience was the service. Rhi, tending bar, was knowledgeable, engaging, and clearly passionate about the cocktail program. Her recommendations were spot on and added an extra layer of enjoyment to the evening. She is a true master at her craft. Jackie, our server, was equally fantastic--warm, attentive, and genuinely welcoming, making us feel like valued guests throughout the meal. Parche combines exceptional Colombian cuisine, creative cocktails, and hospitality that leaves a lasting impression. Between the vibrant atmosphere, beautifully presented dishes, and memorable flavors, it's the kind of place that reminds you why dining out can be such a joy. I will absolutely be returning. One of my most memorable experiences in Oakland.

An Unforgettable Father's Day Lunch at Parche! We celebrated…read moreFather's Day with a family lunch here alongside my wife and her parents, and Parche absolutely knocked it out of the park. The vibrant, welcoming energy of the space set the perfect tone for a celebratory family gathering, and the food was spectacular from start to finish. Every single dish we ordered hit the mark: The Ceviche: Incredibly fresh, bright, and perfectly balanced--the ultimate way to kick off the meal. The Plantains: Perfectly executed with that ideal contrast of texture and rich flavor. The Branzino Salad: A total standout. The fish was beautifully prepared, light, and paired wonderfully with the crisp, refreshing greens. The Comunitario Rice: Deeply flavorful, comforting, and perfect for sharing across the table. Celebrating a special occasion with family means you want great food, a lively atmosphere, and seamless hospitality, and Parche delivered on all fronts. It was a fantastic Father's Day meal, and we will definitely be back!

Decided to grab lunch at this food truck while they were stationed at Open Sauce in Cow Palace, and…read moreI'm so glad we chose this over the other food trucks. I was really craving something dank, and so I got an arepas de queso rellena from Colombians Food Factory, and everything was so delicious, The arepa with steak was rich, but the sweetness of the corn in the actual arepa dough helped dial back the overall savoriness of everything. The dish with fries, crispy potato sticks, sausage, beef, and sauce (sorry, I don't know the name) was SO good and satisfying for an empty stomach. The sausage, potato sticks, and sauce really elevated everything. Seriously, if I find this food truck again, I'm ordering with no hesitation. Loved our food :)

Man, I got that mixed up plate platter. Which offers a Variety of Different Meats which means…read moredifferent flavors and Man where there's so many flavors contrasting I'm talking The Best Carne Asada Ever The Best Chicken Ever. I don't even like chorizo, but this chorizo taste so great and different than that Safeway bought stuff. Most Def made a new Client outta Me. See you again soon my friend. Great service too and good luck to your company. The Empanadas were perfectly and tasted fresh.

Delicious Aji de Gallina and excellent friendly service by Jaclyn…read more This creamy chicken dish has the comfort and warmth of chicken noodle soup. But it's more filling with great potatoes and rice. A boiled egg and walnuts top it all off. To drink, try the chicha morada! Can't wait to come back and try the large variety of ceviches and other Peruvian classics. I'm headed to Lima next year and am trying all the local Peruvian dishes I can find. Any recommendations?

We really got a great surprise on the delicious spot! As a first time to Peruvian dinning I highly…read morerecommend this place. The food is beautiful, the colors pop, the aroma dazzles your sensations. We met the owner Jose, what an informative gentleman. He didn't bombard us with Info we asked. Great conversation! I ordered the paella, my boyfriend the llomo saltado. AAA+++ Will be making this a regular stop.

We were blessed to try Mago - a top 100 SF Chronicle and Open Table restaurant - in Piedmont. It's…read morefine dining from a Colombian perspective - seriously, who has tried Colombian food?! - but it's gussied up to extra fancy. It is quintessential fine dining where each of their 8 courses are exquisitely prepared in front of you (there's a LARGE open kitchen which takes up most of the restaurant) and served to you over 2.5 hours. The flavors are AMAZING and so unique...Top 3 Standouts were the Duck with grilled ramps and papaya (seriously best duck I've ever had), the Kanpachi Crudo with habanero (I was scared of this but they totally tamped down the heat with carrots and pineapple and added sunflower seeds for crunch), and the flan which was impossibly THIK and smooth (best flan I've ever had hands down). Also really enjoyed the made-in-house guava sorbet and pavlova (which tasted like crispy honeycomb). Super relaxed atmosphere with friendly, unpretentious service. The only down side was that it WAS fine dining so each dish is extremely small and it does take a long time between courses. I had just worked out and I tend to eat very little before 5 pm, work out arduously and then backload my calories but this was a horrible idea as I ended up STARVING and feeling light-headed...Good thing my wife is always prepared and brings snack packs in her purse HAHA! Her edamame, pretzel sticks, and fruit roll ups came in handy! But I still had to go home and eat a big tuna sandwich and big bowl of tofu stew lol. $90 for their tasting menu Tues - Thurs, $125 for the same meal Fri - Sat. The InKind app had a special as well for $50 off so this was all in all a steal for fine dining.

Mago offers one of the better-value prix fixe dinners in the East Bay, hard to beat their $99 offer…read moreon weekdays. Their dining room is spacious, the staff are genuinely warm, and the live-fire grill gives the restaurant a wonderful smoky aroma as soon as you walk in. The food was consistently good and thoughtfully presented. Nothing was truly disappointing, although several dishes could have used more finishing salt. The cooking felt creative but too safe. The opening bite with english peas was one of my favorite dishes, though it was too large for a single bite. The wild salmon was well cooked but a little boring, while the pork was unfortunately overcooked. The panna cotta was delicious and one of the highlights of the evening. The wines by the glass were fine but not especially memorable. The cocktails were much more interesting, and the one I tasted was excellent. The restaurant was half empty when we arrived, which made such a large dining room feel slightly lonely. Later, more tables came in and the music became more energetic, which immediately improved the atmosphere. Overall, a pleasant restaurant I would recommend you to visit on a weekday of you live in the area. At the same time, don't expect it to be a special spot.

Nice people. The waiter gave me a free bottled water for my to-go Pollo Dorado$18. This dish is a…read moredeep fried chicken thigh with a little side salad and rice. You have a choice of beans or fries. They truncated the menu. One side is Mexican food, the other side is Colombian food.

I was in the neighborhood looking for a different restaurant which I realized was closed. This…read morelooked good so I stopped in. The owner was incredibly friendly and took great care of us. He gave us free bowls of soup and I had the pechuga pollo (grilled chicken) which came with a side salad, rice, and french fries. The portions were very large and I couldn't eat all of the chicken. Although the entrée prices were a little higher than I would expect from this type of restaurant, the portions were very large and seemed like a good value.

My fiancé and I had such a great experience at Divina Colombian Cafe! I ordered the carne asada…read moreplate, and it was absolutely delicious--perfectly seasoned, tender, and full of flavor. We also got an order of empanadas for the table, and they were a huge hit. Crispy on the outside and packed with savory filling inside! My fiancé had the bandeja paisa and said it was a 10/10. The portions were generous, and everything tasted fresh and authentic. On top of the amazing food, the owners are such a kind and welcoming family. You can really feel the warmth and care they put into both the food and the atmosphere. We'll definitely be coming back!

My BFF and I wanted to try something new so we hit this spot up for brunch. I have had arepas…read morebefore but really haven't tried authentic Colombian food before!! This is kind of in a sketchy part of town, but worth a visit. We started off with a beef and a chicken empanada to share - These were fried and different than the Spanish ones I have had elsewhere. They were so good. I really liked the green salsa that was paired with it. On the recommendation of the waitress, we both got cafe de ariquipes which were coffees with caramel. They were sweet, but not overly so, which is the way I like it. We also got the bandeja paisa plate that was just ok. We felt the meat was on the dry side but the standouts were the plantains. We also got an order of the cheese arepa and asked for more hot sauce... She hooked it up with their homemade salsa which was so good and fresh tasting. That sauce is so good. All in all, a tasty spot. I'd come back to try some other things.

Friendly service, and the empanadas were soooo delicious! The masa was light and fluffy, a good…read moreportion and generous filling. They cater and have pop ups from what I know, but I'm hoping they'll have a stationary spot (like a truck) in the future!

OMG!!!!!!! I just discovered this incredible Columbian empanada spot at the Cotati farmers market!…read moreI got one of each on the menu - so 6 total because there were 2 veggie options, one with cheese and one without, ate 3 of them and went back to get 2 more for breakfast!! Really reasonable price for the amount of awesome you get to eat! Also came with two sauces, a creamy cilantro and a vinegary sauce that had a little spice to it. The young guy that helped me also told me how to eat them the Columbian way by spooning the sauce on instead of dipping! Also came with a few bites of salad which was a nice fresh element. The empanada dough is made of corn so it's technically gluten free for you sensitive folk and is perfectly fried to a crisp! This might be the longest Yelp review I have written but seriously I am already wishing I would have gotten more!!! Tonight was the last Cotati market but they assured me I can find them at the Santa Rosa Farmer's Lane market on Saturdays! You can follow them on Instagram @mamazara.empanadas to find out where else you can find them or you can hire them to cater your next event!! Im telling you everyone will be glad you did!! https://www.mamazaraempanadas.com/ call, email, DM or go find them right now. -And buy twice as many as you think you need! Seriously the best thing i have eaten in awhile and last weekend I had brisket smash burgers and birria ramen! Literally trying to plan a party now so i can get empanadas catered!

This was my first time tryna Venezuelan food and I was impressed. I ordered the Arepa Trio and the…read moreNachos Pica Pica. The Corn Arepa's were light and filling! The flavors were incredible. I especially liked the variety of sauces as well. I just wish the bottles were filled! The Nachos Pica Pica was the best part. Easy for sharing, I took half home to finish later. There is so much more to the menu, I want to experience more flavors of Venezuela next time. If you never had an Arepa before, this is place to try them.

Unfortunately, my recent visit was disappointing. I had mid-week lunch here with a good friend and…read moreremembered this place as being quite good. This time, however, the quality and taste were lacking. The spicy chicken arepa was very dry, and the chicken tasted like it had been sitting out for a while before being reheated. The white arepa itself was also dry, and even the sauces couldn't really improve the dish. My friend ordered a vegetarian arepa and was also disappointed. It's a shame, as this used to be a great spot for Colombian treats.