Excellent experience that opened up my taste buds to levels I didn't even know existed. Presentation, taste, texture and variety are all present here and the chef and company do a fantastic job of delivering above and beyond. Had the tasting menu and a few items were beyond belief. Every dish was elevated to a metaphysical level. read more

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Wonderful experience! Celebrating my wife birthday! Me and my wife loved it Worth it to try! read more

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I wanted to try this Michelin 2 stars fine dining restaurant even since I moved to the area. Then COVID 19 totally destroyed our lives and routines. Thanks for the available vaccines and safety measures in place, we start restoring our routines and rebuilding our new normal. I am so pleased that Commis reopens. This past Wednesday, my girl friend and I finally had our fixed menu (with 12 courses) experience at Commis. The staff were attentive and knowledgeable. Each dish was so amazingly done (from ingredients, creativities, flavor, and presentation). Without a doubt, it was a magical night for us. 2 stars are well deserved! read more

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I had come here years ago when they first opened- the pre yelp era, even. I've always been a big fan of James Syhabout since the original hawker fare, and nerded out when I saw him wandering around the restaurant. Everything, as it was originally, was fantastic. My wife is vegetarian and she said this was only second to the French Laundry in terms of how much she enjoyed her meal. You can see my pictures, but my favorite dishes were the dungeness crab, the potato cream with caviar, the classic farm egg, and the dessert- but everything else was really fantastic too. If you have the dough to afford this place, GO HERE! Michelin star in the east bay? AND the chef is a local? hell yeah. AND if the full course might be too much, check out the bar next door (CDP), where you can pretty much get most of the dishes as stand-alone. Totally worth it! read more

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March 2021 My first real dine in experience since over a year of not being able to do so for obvious reasons. It felt surreal and absolutely amazing. I could not have ask for a more perfect experience dining in for the first time since pre pandemic. James Syhabout and his team are back and ready to deliver an adventure with your palette. The attention to detail is next level, down to the interior, plates, and even the utensils. I cannot wait to come back in the near future. Many more Michelin stars to come for this wonderful restaurant. Due to personal reasons I did not opt for the beverage pairing, but would love to on my next visit! Thank you James and the team for the signed birthday card as well! read more

Commis - March 2021 Menu - New American Near Me - Oakland, California

My husband and I are big fans of Commis. We've enjoyed other multi-course tasting menus in SF and the East Bay, but Commis always comes out on top. The service is top-notch without being pretentious, the wine pairings are always spot on, and the dishes themselves are amazing. We also appreciate the small, intimate setting. Commis was a life-saver during the pandemic--their to-go boxes were fantastic--but it's much nicer to revisit the place in person for special occasions. They're amazing! read more

Amazing menu, complex flavors. More food/courses than we originally thought! No regrets on splurging for this meal.

We were so excited to have a Michelin star restaurant in our backyard! We had dreams of celebrating many an occasion there as the location is convenient for us. However we were sorely disappointed. It was not worth the money. Save your money and go to French Laundry or Gary Danko instead. There were several dishes we didn't enjoy and pushed to the side without finishing. We were not able to see the menu before hand so we received items we don't enjoy eating. Not receiving the menu takes away the anticipation you get from knowing what's coming next! For 2 of us - we each had only one drink we ended up with a $1000 bill. I didn't know the deposit wouldn't be refunded on our bill. In addition we were double charged for the deposit so it was $1200 for two of us. The price may have been okay if I throughly loved every dish and felt they were memorable. Honestly I can't remember a single dish I ate that evening except the bread and egg yolk which was tasty. Clearly the food didn't make the best impression. I went to FL 10 years ago. I still remember almost every dish I ate. Service was excellent. The sommelier went above and beyond and his pairing selection was excellent. The ambiance was quite nice with lots of spacing between the tables. I came for the food and it simply did not deliver. We will not be returning as this is the worst Michelin restaurant we have ever been to. read more

This has been hands down the best food experience of my entire life. The intricacies of each dish along with presentation have been phenomenal. The staff were exceptionally knowledgeable and were able to answer many questions about the dishes. The portion sizes were perfect and not too large. I would eat here every year for the rest of my life if I could. read more

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Rating categories: Food - taste 3.5 stars, presentation 4.5 Wine pairing - 5 Experience/ Service - 3 Price for quality ratio - 3.5 Let's start with what worked: The Asian / French gastronomy combination provided the element of surprise throughout the night. The chefs technique was incredible. Out of the 8 course meal, 3 of them were excellent (corn custard with caviar, cod with zhiso infused broth, and the dates with eggs foam / bread). The wine pairing was outstanding, including many aged French style wine from the unique regions (like NZ semillion, champagne from UK, burgundy from Germany). It helps keep the cost down (or does it at $115 each?) , but it definitely matched well with the many styles of dishes prepared by the chefs. It helps with the continuous exploration of the wine world. What did NOT work : Overall experience does not feel on par with other two stars restaurants I've been. Few issues I can highlight- 1) Service - the staff seems to rush you throughout the meal, asked whether I was finished while food and wine were still on my plate/glass. This was mentioned in multiple reviews by other Yelpers. Also one of the course was a finger food (the tapioca chicken ball, which tasted pretty good), but at no point during the meal the staff offered any towelettes to clean your hands. Other 2 stars restaurants I've been to always put the experience into consideration. 2) Few dishes did not match with others. For example, the amuse-bouche presented with multiple dishes - a cooked oyster in a foam broth (tasted great) , with a separate bowl of small raw vegetables with a dipping sauce just didn't go well with each other. Especially considering the very next course was a tomato salad (not very memorable) they should have paired the the veggies together. The raw fish dish was not seasoned and dressed with a infused crème fraiche which overpowered the plain fish. The chicken should not be the non-seafood item of the meal... there are many other better proteins to choose from (duck, rabbit, kubota pork), a meal cost $225 before tax and tip deserves item that we don't eat every day. Lastly, We ordered the coffee which was combined with a infused melon... etc. Overall it was a decent experience from a Michelin 1 star level restaurant. I just don't think the whole meal was well thought out when you pay $915 for two. read more

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I was lucky enough to eat Commis when visiting a cousin of mine who lives outside of Oakland, CA. As a treat for one night during my stay, we decided to treat ourselves, since Commis is offering take-out with menus changing every week--for a very affordable price (for a place with 2 Michelin stars!). The process is very easy to order online and you can order in advance to make sure that there are pick-up slots for you can sneak over during your schedule. One of the other best parts about this take-out (other than the excellent quality of the food) is that they provide recommendations on how to heat up everything given to you (in case it takes a while to get home), and it keeps everything heated and served to a way that you would want (nothing over cooked or cold (if it's not supposed to be!)). See the menu under each entry to see examples of how they specific they are with the directions! For the take-out menu, they give you a fixed menu, but you are able to add on anything you'd like from their offerings. My cousin and I decided to just get what was on the menu, which was still 3 courses, a loaf of bread, and dessert! So. Much. Delicious. Food. See the photo of the menu for all the real titles of the food--for this, I'll just refer to things simply. We started off with a FABULOUS tomato salad--it was a bit different from the menu (probably because it was nearing the end of the week). Ours still had the lovely vinaigrette but had cucumbers as well--check out the photo below to bask in the glory of this seemingly simple, yet very, very delicious salad. My cousin, who doesn't enjoy uncooked tomatoes thought it was one of the best salads he'd had. Next, we ate the slow poached egg--which is something I have never had before, but I cannot wait to have it again. I don't even know how to describe it, but it was SO GOOD. If they offered a menu with 10 of these, I would probably order it, too. Because we had made some plans, my cousin and I had to take a brief rest in eating (we were savoring everything!), and we had to heat up the bread and the steak--both of which were so good. The bread (after heating up according to the instructions), was super crispy on the outside and so soft on the inside. The steak was cooked perfectly (even with us having to heat it briefly), and I have no idea what kale dressing is, but whatever it is, I'm very happy with eating it again (it came with the steak to dress the cabbage). And we finished the night with the pistachio & pear cake--it was a great end to the meal--really light but so flavorful. We decided to save the cookie for my cousin's wife, so I just had to hear through the grapevine that the cookie was also on par with the delicious levels of the rest of the meal. So, I told you all about how I adored the food, but I'd also like to give a shout-out to the lovely people at Commis. I had to go grab the take-out, and this could not have gone smoother or been better received. I realize they are a high status restaurant, but the way everyone in the restaurant treated me made such a great experience of the food even better. They know how to treat you well at this restaurant, which I very much appreciate as someone who is not a regular at this caliber of restaurant! Thanks to everyone at Commis for such great food and people interactions during such strange times. read more

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After bookmarking Commis for over a year, we finally visit this place peak of Fall'22. I was hoping that they had some Fall inspired cocktails that time of the year, but I was surprised to hear that they were still working on it (when Fall was actually going to end in a couple of weeks). However, the craft cocktails are beautifully made and presented. I'd love to see a bit more of an elaborate menu though since the options for whisky/ bourbon/ rye drinkers were limited. read more

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My boyfriend took me to Commis for my birthday dinner and I was beyond impressed by with service, food and wine! Every course was better then the last and each wine pairing went great with the food. The restaurants ambiance was nice mood lighting and nice music. read more

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Went here for our anniversary. Food was awesome. Each course were all amazing. The Filipino-inspired dessert was the best way to end the experience - biko bite def tasted like home. We would love to go back. Just a fair warning that parking is pretty hard, make sure to allot extra 10-15 minutes before your reservation to find a parking spot. read more

Commis - Menu for 12/03/2022 - New American Near Me - Oakland, California

Good moment at first try at the bar. Good service and warm welcome. The food is imaginative and the bar menu is largely enough to experience it. Deserve a star, but long way to ho for a second and third as far as I have seen and tasted. Beet salad was really light on innovation and i don't want to go in Michelin starred restaurant to get in my plate dishes I can make at home... read more

A truly exceptional and unique dining experience in Oakland. From the ambiance, to the service, to the food, everything was on point. We opted to get the wine paring since it was recommended we do that from a friend, and it was so fun hearing about how each wine paired with each course. We sat at the bar and had the prix fixe 4-course meal but would love to come back and sit in the dining room. Definitely worth trying for a special occasion. read more

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This was my first time dining at a two Michelin star restaurant so I didn't know what to expect. We came to celebrate our anniversary and sat at the chef's counter so we could watch the chefs at work. The featured menu and drink pairing was for August. I liked how they don't give you the menu upfront so when each dish comes out it's always a surprise for the palate. The menu is 8 courses but includes a bit more with the starter snacks and other in between course snacks. We also got an extra dessert and a signed card for our anniversary. Instead of boring you with every detail of each course.. I'll just highlight a few. Raw scallops in clam juice seasoned with salted cherry blossoms and shiso: Loved this! Delicious, light and fresh. Watching the chefs prepare the dish so carefully, analyzing each cherry blossom and picking the perfect ones with tweezers to gently place in the bowl was amazing to watch. Creamed potato, Commis reserve white sturgeon caviar, onions in beer: The texture of the smooth, whipped potato against the caviar and crispy onions was exceptional! (I could have licked the bowl if I wasn't in such a fancy establishment.) Spring lamb and ribs glazed with burnt sugar and lavender: While tasty, it was very rich. My stomach gets pretty sensitive at times, so the combination of the fried sweetbread, fatty rib and salty lamb was not good for me. For the two of us, our bill total was around $650 and it was definitely worth it. I want to return to try a different menu and drink pairing. read more

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11/18/2022 This place is just spectacular, service was great, food tasted incredible, was aperfect first day to a weekend vacation read more

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A bit underwhelming to be honest. At $225/person+ 20% gratuity automatically added... you expect to be blown away, and we weren't. We've dined other fine dining establishments, including others with Michelin stars, and this was one of the most disappointing experiences we've had. Now, all the food tasted fine. It's not like anything was gross or unappetizing. However, many of the dishes have similar flavor profiles (sweet+lil bit of salt+maybe cream of some kind). With a 12-course tasting menu, it's disappointing to experience the same basic flavors numerous times. Also. We wanted to order from the bar menu in addition to our tasting menu, and apparently that isn't allowed. We were told it was because the chef has a very specific way he wants the patrons to experience the tasting menu, and ordering anything different would ruin the "flavors." Instead, our server said he could *re-seat* us at the bar after we were finished with the tasting menu, and only then would we be able to just order off the menu. Anyways, IMO there are much better places to eat at the same price point. Actually, there are also better places to eat at a lower price point. (Our favorite Michelin star experience continues to be Joel Robuchon, and if you ever find yourself with the chance to try any of Robuchon's restaurants out, we highly recommend it.) read more

My wife surprised me with a dinner here as our first date after we got married. She didn't give me a heads up and I had no previous knowledge of Commis, so I did not set any expectations, but really wish I would've. We were seated in a tiny corner right next to the window, with what seemed to be an air vent on top of us so my wife was freezing throughout dinner. If I knew how much she paid and how long dinner was going to be, I would've definitely asked to be sat somewhere more comfortable. Most of the dishes overwhelmingly tasted/smelled like sour cream or curry. Also, the time it took between dishes was terribly long, somewhere between 7-10 mins. After the 3rd course, we started counting down hoping the next course would be the last. Ultimately, the only dish that stood out in our 6 or 7 course dinner was the onion financier and seasonal veggies. This wasn't my first Michelin experience, but it was certainly the worst. Commis is the cliche fancy restaurant with comedically-sized portions that'll leave you wanting to stop at McDonald's on your way home. My lesson from this experience: research the Michelin rated establishment you want to visit, as well as their menu to make sure you appreciate the type of cuisine the chef specializes in. read more

Epic meal everytime. Wonderful. The food, the service, everything is top notch at this gem.

Wanted to like this more, a lot of the dishes were beautiful but the taste didn't live up to it! Honestly surprised they have 2 stars. read more

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Every course of the prix fixe menu was great. Reasonable price for a lovely meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant. Found street parking easily. read more

We came to dinner at Commis for NYEE (New Year Eve Eve!), which offered a special tasting menu for $265/pp. This included about 12 small courses and beverage pairing (non-alcohol option available too), but excluding tip/tax. Whereas SF is loaded with Michelin-rated restaurants, the East Bay has 2-Michelin Commis as the only one I believe. The restaurant is located on Piedmont Avenue next door to "The Wolf", another excellent restaurant. Overall, I would give 4.5 stars for the food, but deduct 0.5-stars since I felt the desserts fell short and the beverage pairings didn't blow us away. 4 stars overall. I liked the food here more than Coi and Campton Place, but not more than SingleThread. Favorite Items 1. The creamed potato, caviar, and onions in beer was full of flavor and had a really viscous and sticky texture on the potato. It worked well for me - not overwhelmingly fatty or buttery like a Robuchon potato, but great in its own way. 2. The abalone was a meaty and tender dish, with flavors accentuated with that abalone liver XO sauce. Presentation was awesome too. 3. Wild mushroom tisane was like drinking a tea of pure umami - we wanted seconds. 4. They nailed the dry-aged beef ribeye and beets. Cooked perfectly with excellent sear and soft, tender meat. My wife's pairing of juice made from beet/plum/cherry really went well with this dish, more so than my qupe Syrah. Least Favorite Items 1. The desserts I felt were on the small side and were better as palate cleansers rather than being a memorable end to the meal. The cucumber and thai basil ice cream could be devoured in a single bite. I do give them creativity points for making sunchoke-flavored ice cream, but again it was a bit too light. 2. We were not a huge fan of the beverage pairing. We would have preferred more of the dinner bill going into the food. The non-alcoholic pairing had a mix of sodas, teas, juices, punches and cider. My favorites were the beet-plum-cherry "wine" that went with the beef and this really intense cinnamon malt cider for the dessert. SingleThread is so far the only restaurant we've seen that nailed down the non-alcoholic beverage pairing. read more

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-1 Star: Ambience, design, style. For what you are paying, not even an open kitchen can help the weird setting of the place. Not a place for two people seating. +1 Star: Menu: food options, presentation, and price. -1 Star: Food quality, portions and taste. It was ok. The hype not real. +1 Star: Service. Excellent staff. Knowledgeable and kind. +1 Star: Alcohol. Great selection of everything. SUMMARY: While it is a good experience to go, skip the tasting and go to the bar to order drinks and food from a different menu. I would say Michelin Recommended at most. Pomet up the street is way better. read more

Commis has always been our go to restaurant to celebrate personal milestones. The in restaurant experience has consistently been top notch - excellent, courteous staff, amazing food, and worth the price tag. For our wedding anniversary, we ordered the commis at home take out for two ($55/person). 20% tip is factored into your bill upon check out (which I appreciate). Easy ordering through Tock, and you select the time slot to pick up your meal. We picked up the food at CDP bar, and upon entering, a gentleman immediately greeted me by my name. Moments later, another gentleman handed me my take out bag. All staff was masked, and safety protocols enforced. The food was well packaged in compostable packaging. The menu included clear reheating instructions. We didn't get any of the meal supplements and we were quite full after our meal. All the flavors were spot on, & the duck was perfection, even after reheating. I also didn't realize how much I needed salted passion fruit caramel in my life. And the SLOW POACHED EGG!! - Fall Chopped Salad of Gem Lettuces & Delicata Squash - Commis Levain Bread with Cultured Butter (bread was still warm by the time we arrived home! crunchy, yet soft inside with delicious room temp butter) - Slow Poached Egg Yolk with Smoked Dates, Alliums & Malt (dates, and the rice & chive mixture added a great texture profile to the dish) - Sonoma County Liberty Farms Duck Breast with Sudachi Lime with Rutabaga & Celery Root Gratin, Grilled Fuyu Persimmon & Lollipop Kale, Purslane (forgot to add the sauce, but and didn't miss it) - Sweet Potato Tarte Tatin with Salted Passionfruit Caramel (i'm now sold on sweet potato tarte tatin. perfect cripsy bottom) Commis at home was a marvelous experience. A delight to my taste buds, and I'm looking forward to when I can dine at the restaurant. read more

Commis - All compostable packaging and includes clear reheating instructions - New American Near Me - Oakland, California

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Let me start what we really liked. We loved their wine pairing ( it was really good, good wines worth the try compare to other Michelin star restaurants), service is good. Wasn't impressed with dessert at all (didn't like most of them). I think compare to other Michelin stars they're lacking creativity in food (it was simple serving, usually most places more creative for me). read more

Commis - New American Near Me - Oakland, California

I was super excited to dine at Commis with my girlfriend and friends.. For a 2 Michelin star restaurant, this place actually disappointed me. To start, we had a reservation and came like 15 minutes early. When we entered the restaurant, nobody acknowledged us and we waited about 25 minutes prior to being checked in by someone. Given that the restaurant is super small it was crammed and awkward for us to stand near the doorway. During that time there were another party that arrived after us. One of the worker came up and greeted them and it seems like they were friends. The worker chatted with them for a few minutes and quickly seated them and walked away. Tbh, I've gotten better service at Applebees.. after a long wait, we were finally seated and the food was just mediocre. read more

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1/2 ANNIVERSARY DINNER AT 2-STAR MICHELIN RESTAURANT When in pursuit of an indelible dinner out, in San Francisco, a  bountiful place by any definition, to celebrate with my wife --who makes me happy because she's the charming gardener of my soul . . . because our relationship has happily marched on for some five decades now-- I've thought hard about it for the past month. In the beginning, I began to reminisce about other monumental restaurant experiences with her over time. Joel Robuchon and his iconic mashed potatoes at Jamain, in Paris, in the 1980s. Salmon tartare with sweet red onion creme fraiche cornets at The French Laundry in the late 1990s. Just-harvested fresh white truffles at Trattoria Cascina Schiavenza in Alba, Italy, in 2008. Trying to equal or surpass those experiences surely should be possible in a place where culinary and wine giants sit on every street corner. There are six Michelin 3-stars and eight 2-stars within a reasonable Uber distance from home. So began the long --and delightful!-- process of deciding where to dine. Gotta take a car service. Gonna try not to tip more than two entire dinners in a normal city. Gotta try to keep the meal under 4 hours. Gonna bring my own bottle of wine because I've got some good ones since moving here. Gotta ask around to get recommendations from food crazed local friends. Well, Commis in Oakland, a Michelin 2-star, got the nod. Not too far an Uber ride. Tantalizing reviews and history. An excitingly novel spot. First came the fight for a table. Here the battlefield is the website "tock." Once you've learned when reservations for the next 30 days are released, you anxiously log on to snag your preferred day and preferred time --probably not a weekend night and 5:30 p.m. vs. 9:15 p.m., for me. Then you cross your fingers. I scored: 5:30 on the Friday night after Thanksgiving. My first experience with tock, the gatekeeper. If you score, then tock scores: $100 deposit, for the table as they say, for each diner, with no refunds, no day or time changes, although tock transferring your reservation to someone else is kosher. Commis is a spare, modernist, and unapologetically boldly stark. This purposeful mood is carried out through every one of the dozen courses, in the flatware and the plates and bowls and serving platforms and hot stones that were put before us. And the food is also decidedly architectural. The shapes of each ingredient in each dish seem intentionally crafted and purposely placed. Each dish is like a dainty, hand-painted piece of jewelry. Or a sculpture, such as at Scandinavian-flavored in2Design, a la Kate Middleton. Even the chop sticks were metal with a padded grip. One coolio knife apparently baffles diners. It accompanies the dry-aged duck breast, which I tried to cut with the wrong edge. The duck was so tough! What my fingers told me was corroborated in my mouth. Contrarily, Sara said, "Oh, this duck is so tender!" To me, the waiter said, "By way of a reminder, cut the duck with the other side of the knife." Many a diner has been told that, even many times, the waiter said as he smiled at me. I turned the knife around. Then the duck was so so tender to the cut and to my mouth. I never knew mouth feel was influenced unconsciously by finger feel. At no other restaurant have I ever encountered so many inscrutable foods: jellyfish, kohlrabi, house-made tofu, huckleberries, black vinegar, lovage, taro root, palm sugar, slow-poached egg, smoked dates, alliums, malt, button mushroom tisane, chrysanthemum leaf oil, osmanthus tea, dried kale oil, chamomile glace, pickled mustard seeds, oolong mousse, puffed forbidden rice, miso sweet potato tart, and fish sauce salted caramel. All interesting, I suppose. Of all the ingredients I was charmed by the flavors, textures, colors, and whimsey of some: a diminutive radish with its greens, very familiar diced beetroot; luscious smoked dates; silky poached black cod in clam broth; ethereal button-mushroom tisane or consomme; luscious dry-aged duck; and richly flavored, dainty, honey nut squash which I'd discovered in farm markets here. My wife asked me after dinner if the meal was everything I had hoped for. "No. Absolutely not!" read more

Commis - New American Near Me - Oakland, California

I went to Commis back when they had 1 Michelin star... Now I've been to quite a few Michelin restaurants and when I ate there, I just knew they would have their 2nd star soon!. 1 year later, they got it! This is the only restaurant that I literally, like, celebrated and cheered upon hearing the good news! I took my friend here for his birthday...we loved our experience so much that we had to get a gift card for a good friend of ours (he's a chef in SF and knew he would love it...but to get SF people to come to Oakland, they have to have a good reason ..so we figured a $150 gift card would be good enough reason lol,) I also just want to say, as Oakland's only Michelin starred restaurant (let alone 2 star!) I want to say thank you for representing Oakland's dining scene and proving Oakland is still allowed to have nice things! (Lol) read more

My husband surprised me for my birthday dinner and brought me to Commis. All I have to say is WOWWWW!!! From the service, to the food, everything was top notch perfect. I highly recommend if you're in to fine dining and Michelin Stars. Compliments to the Chef and staff. What an unforgettable meal!!! read more

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One of the best dining experiences we have ever had! Food was superb, the service was good, and great ambiance. I would definitely recommend this place. read more

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We have been looking at Commis for a long time and the group was super excited to get a reservation. What started out as high hopes, ended with large disappointment for half of us. Positive first - the place is beautiful and the drinks are an A plus. Some of the best cocktails I have ever had. Most of the meal was amazing and very unique. There was an egg dish that was amazing, as well as a few other items. Very well done and what you would expect from this type of restaurant. Neutral - the wait staff was very attentive, but when we had issues with specific courses they did not do anything about it. I found that odd when reflecting the next day. Negative - two of the servings were just horrible. In any other restaurant, I would just let it go, but for this type of restaurant, I just expected better. They had a fruit salad to start and almost all of my fruit was unripe and/or tasteless. The wagye beef should have been a highlight and it was horrible. Rock hard and tasteless. One of the people at my table just did not eat it and when asked she expressed the issue with it. Nothing was done. I did not eat mine and gave it to my husband. Everyone agreed there was some random mistake, but 1) nothing was done 2) expect more out of this restaurant. I am local and wished it was better, but it was not. I sat thinking about this a few days before writing this review and I feel super reluctant to post this, but it what it is. read more

A loooooooong overdue review (went there December 2015) of the amazing Commis (pronounced ko-mi) - from the simple yet tasteful decor, to the masterfully presented dishes and (relatively) affordable prices, the only thing Commis came short on was the wow factor and that extra sophistication of the taste (which I am sure has been improved upon over the years). Commis' decor, especially even before the expansion, was simple, stylish and classy. As a matter of fact, it is so low key that you may miss the entrance. I like that. It's very Bay Area. Been to too many places where it's all about gold this and diamond that instead of focusing on the food and service. Furthermore, Commis is so (relatively) affordable that you are getting a 2 Star meal cheaper than some 1 Star places. That's definitely a big plus, especially for those who perhaps don't like to spend as much on food as some of us and save it for very special occasions. Service is beyond top notch as it should be. They were attentive without being overbearing. Also don't be afraid to ask questions about the food, the chef and the restaurant. That's why they are there! (Obviously don't overdo it) The presentation of the dishes was worthy of 2 stars. It's definitely creative with key attention to detail and pleasing to the eye; perfect for a picture if that's what you are into. The best dishes were the slow poached egg, trout and ribeye. Where to me Commis came short of its otherwise well-deserved praises was the wow factor and elevated level of sophistication that on has come to expect with a 2nd Star. I've been to over a dozen 1 stars and unfortunately many of them did better on that front than Commis. I am sure it has improved over the years but my experience was that while it's a bargain, in some ways you get what you pay for. Don't get me wrong, it was amazingly delicious and I had no complaints overall but just lacked that extra oomph. Overall, Commis is a great spot that won't empty out your wallet in order to enjoy a great meal but to me because it comes short in some areas, it's more like a one and a half star that's still a meal that you'll remember and cherish for a long time. read more

Commis - New American Near Me - Oakland, California

Amazing experience at cdp bar adjacent to commis. Ate here tonight with my husband for a very enjoyable 5 course meal that included many modifications since I'm vegetarian: almonds and olives for the first bite rather than dashi popcorn (altho hubs really enjoyed the popcorn); and the option to add a veggie main since hubs got the prime rib. My favorite was the slow poached egg: Rich, silky, with a yolk that was amazing in texture. Paired with warm bread and vegetarian butter. My husband loved the chicken skin/ fat butter correlate however, even wanted to take the rest to go!! The little gems salad was also refreshing, grassy and herby with dill, pistachio, Parmesan, and lots of lettuce. Portions were substantial and we couldn't even really get through to course 5. And did I mention the exquisite service??? Attentive, kind, conversational, enjoyable- really elevated and enhanced our experience. Good food is great but I am a sucker for awesome service. Commis definitely excels in this area in person (altho we did have some trouble reaching them by phone...). Will definitely come back with reservations to dine at the actual commis. Ps they confirmed in person tonight that commis can do a vegetarian menu, 8 course, but not vegan. read more

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Amazing meal and service from a well-deserving 2 Michelin Star restaurant. Prix fix menus are sometimes hard for me because I don't eat red meat and there's usually a dish or 2 where I have to substitute and/or miss out on. Not here. The staff was kind enough to confirm my allergies prior to the date and on the night of. Each dish was thoughtfully prepared with ingredients that were unexpected such as chrysanthemum and chamomile which worked out fabulously. I didn't expect to enjoy each dish but I did. I always mention that desserts are usually a miss for me because I'm not particularly fond of sweets nor a die hard fan of chocolate therefore I was shocked that I loved the desserts here - all of them. I forgot to take a picture of my fave dish (ironic) but it was the galia melon and cucumber with chrysanthemum leaf oil and spearmint. This was incredibly refreshing and creative. The caviar and taro root dish also deserves some spotlight. Lastly, that chicken exceeded expectations. In comparison, we dined at Saison recently and felt that Commis has them beat. Every dish was perfectly seasoned unlike Saison who went too heavy handed with the seasoning for every single dish. Price was the same but better value (so much more food) and experience here. Staff was so courteous, attentive and friendly. Boyfriend spilled water and they cleaned it up right away while another staff member brought him another cloth napkin. Located in quiet Piedmont, parking can sometimes be challenging but it's a charming neighborhood for a leisurely stroll post meal. read more

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One of the best meals ever. We went here to celebrate my husband's birthday and our anniversary (heck, I just wanted a reason to go, OK?). Honestly, this wasn't entirely on my radar until a fantastic YEE at Hawking Bird, hosted by Commis chef James Syhabout. I thought to myself, if he can do $10 chicken sandwiches with this much care and class, I gotta check out this Michelin restaurant. We were not disappointed. From the amuse bouche to the dessert and sweets, everything down to the silverware, pairings, and garnishes was top notch. It was good enough that we now need to put it in our household budget to revisit each season! One thing to note. We sat at the chef's table which looks over each plate as it is prepared. This was incredibly entertaining. However, I don't recommend if you want to talk with someone, as we were so enthralled with what was going on at the plating area that we didn't talk much during our meal. It was quite an experience! PS: Major props to the sommelier for pairing one of the courses with an excellent beer. Beer does NOT get enough respect!! And, I discovered a new beer. read more

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I've lived near Piedmont Ave for five years and this was my first time at Commis -- an occasion. I was a really special meal, maybe made all the more because of the location in Oakland on this nice but not super fancy street, across from a Pet Food Express. The drinks, food, and service, even the room, feel very precise--perhaps a little cold in that precision. But it's clear the entire staff is holding themselves to a high standard. We did the bar prix fixe, it was plenty of food, we both left stuffed. All of it was great, complex, elegant. Very Michelin-y. My favorite thing, though, honestly, was the levain bread, which I could just eat all day every day. It came warm and had a gorgeous smooth crisp crust that protected a wonderfully light and chewy interior. It was the most humble seeming thing we were served, but just so good, and a beautiful example of what they are capable of. read more

Impeccable service and dining experience - would HIGHLY recommend! We came for an anniversary dinner so we opted for counter seating and it was a wonderful decision. For $175/pp the 14-course pre-fixe tasting menu is a journey in itself. I won't go too in depth with this review I want to you experience it for yourself. At a high level, the menu consisted of more vegetable and seafood inspired dishes. After reviewing the menu (which they send you home with) there was only one red meat dish on the menu, but they have prepared some ingredients in ways I have never seen before which was amazing to see upfront at the counter. I enjoyed how the small bites had various ingredients that I never thought would go together but surprisingly worked well. Ingredients were quality and each bite felt full. Some dishes that stood out were the: caramelized onion financier with sour cream, slow poached egg yolk, white sturgeon caviar, steamed sablesfish, and strawberries with matcha green tea. Needless to say the other dishes did not disappoint either. We didn't do the wine pairing but they had a light rose and cab on the menu that paired well with our meal. Overall, the menu was unique and there were items that definitely stood out. In my opinion, I thought the cost of the pre-fixe menu was justified and felt full at the end of the meal. I would come back here. Dishes were satisfying and service was impeccable all around from check in to when we left. Thank you for a wonderful dining experience, Commis! read more

This review is short but that shouldn't stop you from going to Commis. A part of me doesn't want to spoil the delicious journey by talking too much about it. For me, a big part of pre fix menu is the discovery. Yes, I of course take a look at what they do before booking a reservation, but on the day of, I like to be surprised and this place sure did. Check out the pictures if you want to see what we ate. Commis is one of Oakland's greatest secrets. read more

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