4496 Broadway Oakland, CA 94611…read more The other day, I got a tip that the spareribs are really good at this restaurant. So I placed a pickup order thru Doordash, and used some credits I had on my account. I ordered for takeout: - Jerk Ribs w/ 3 sides - Sides= Rices & Peas (beans), Coleslaw, Mac 'n Cheese Now, it being Jamaican food, I was expecting something spicy or perhaps exotic flavors/spices. What I got was an order of BBQ spareribs. OMG, those ribs were "fall off the bone" tender. The rice and peas were tasty and moist. The coleslaw and mac 'n cheese were dry. I have ordered BBQ ribs from Everett & Jones, Flints, Famous Daves, and I made my own. These were good BBQ ribs with a mild sauce. Some of the other reviews state that the menu isn't 100% Jamaican food, and they are correct. Maybe it's Jamaican food and American soul food. Then BBQ ribs would be on the menu. If you're looking for Jamaican food, I guess it depends on what you order.

Ok. So I was really enjoying this place. Had been there several times and was always very pleased…read morewith the service and food. I went 2 days ago and there was new staff cooking. The food has suffered. It's still ok, but definitely not at the same level. I'm definitely gonna give this place 1 more try, but if it's the same as my last visit, I'm going to have to find a new spot for my Caribbean food. Will post again after I try it next.

This place is a must try. Food was cooked to perfection, service was friendly and attentive, and…read morethe location is great to explore the rest of downtown Oakland. I brought my boyfriend here and we had the pork griot and oxtail and we were talking about it for days.

If you know me, you know I will travel for food. But I am putting down the car keys because I have…read morefound the oxtails of my dreams! Even better than my South Bay go to!!! What a treasure tucked into the corner of Old Oakland! Excellent food! Super nice service! And great vibes! We came to watch Team Haiti play in the World Cup and even with a packed house the food came out fast! We got akra and empanadas to start. Fried and fried deliciousness! And the pikliz, a spicy cabbage pickle condiment was fire! The oxtail is the best I've had, and the vegetarian stew was delicious! I can't wait to go back! Extra huge thank you for the explicitly labeled gluten free menu!

Seeking an authentic, cool vibe in Oakland. I highly recommend this spot. Good choices, great…read moretaste. My go to is the oxtail & jerk chicken combo, with rice and peas and steamed veggies . Get familiar

We got take out from here and found it to be alright. I would probably give it a 3.5 but rounded…read moreup. We got the salt fish fritters which were delicious! We also have gotten their patties before which were also good! The main courses we got were just alright though. The jerk chicken breast was dry but other cuts were good. We got a side salad and callaloo rice with the chicken and the salad was sad and wilted, I wouldn't get it again, the callaloo rice had good flavor! The ox tail main was pretty tasty but I felt like it could have been more tender, the rice and peas and plantains were super good though, I'd def get those again. All in all we'd maybe try it again, the sides for me were the best part! The interior is a little meh, I didn't sit to eat but they seemed understaffed and I got to check it out as I waited for my food which took longer than they had initially quoted to me.

Date: 3/1/2026 Time: 6:15 PM 62° Cool…read more It's Sunday late afternoon. I receive a FB message from my male companion. Date night! Where do I want to go for dinner? It's a spur of a moment thing. There are two restaurants I want to have dinner - Y's Choice or Sweet Fingers. First stop: Y's Choice, which is in Uptown Oakland, the hood I grew up in the 50's (my old stomping ground). They are packed with beaucoup diners. Since we have no reservation, we decide to go out to ESO, destination Sweet Fingers, a restaurant serving Jamaican food. First time at Sweet Fingers and I need time to peruse the menu before deciding what entree seems to appeal to me. I have a choice of a small plate or large plate meal. Oxtail stew is something that I have not eaten in a long, long, long time, as in over 60 years ago. The oxtail stew that I had in the past was prepared with a tomato based sauce and contained carrots, potatoes and celery. However, the Jamaican style oxtail stew is totally different. Tender oxtail infused with seasonings and brown sauce. The sides were rice, vegetables and plantain. Although the rice is on the dry side, the entree is quite delicious. The small plate meal is the perfect amount of food for me. There is no "people" bag to take home with me. LOL. My male companion is surprised that I have eaten all my food. Most of the time when he and I are out on a dinner date, I have leftovers to take home. I usually order an Arnold Palmer as a beverage at any restaurants I have never been to or eaten there. Perusing the cocktail menu I decide to have a piña colada. ("If you like piña colada, and get caught in the rain...", refreshing no matter the season or weather.) My male companion orders the salmon entree and a salad. He does not eat plantain and he agrees the rice is dry. I can only surmise that he quietly enjoyed his dinner. The salad did not have enough salad dressing. I believe the waitress would have accommodated us if we have asked for more salad dressing. Overall I am pleased with my oxtail stew and cocktail. A return visit in the future to try other entrees on the menu is on the horizon. I would not mind having the jerk tofu. Hopefully my date would be willing to do a return visit.

Ruined my Father's Day! Since my husband is Jamaican and is…read morean amazing Jamaican cook, we really Like to try authentic Jamaican cuisine. I Made reservations weeks in advance. On the week of my reservation , I tried multiple times to confirm the location of Sweet Fingers Restaurant since the website gave One address and Yelp & Google said that address was closed. I Texted as the recording suggests for guest to do when they do not answer their phone which is. ALL THE TIME.! NO REPLY!!! Almost made different reservations, but received a confirmation text for my reservation the day before and on Father's Day. After an amazing morning and l beautiful afternoon activities, I gathered my family and headed to dinner at Sweet fingers only to find the location was closed. Went to their other location listed on foothill as well which was also closed. Needless to say finding last-minute dinner plans at 6 PM on Father's Day was extremely terrible and ruined my family and I's day. Please be better with your communication! Please update your website! Please update Yelp & Google. If you are not open, do not accept reservations and do not confirm those reservations. Wives like me take pride in our ability to provide amazing Father's Day memories, and you've ruined that for me this year. Very disappointed! Be better !

Popped in for a lunch business meeting. Made reservations but definitely didn't need it as I…read morearrived after the lunch rush. The server/host for the afternoon, Paul, was absolutely great, friendly, and made me feel at home. While I waited for my guest, I ordered the tostones (twice fried green plantains) and the Island Vibes Rum Punch. Tostones came out crisp, hot, and with an aioli dip. Just delicious. Maybe could have used a touch more salt, but still yummy. The aioli was a great addition. My cocktail was also delicious and I could have easily put a few of those away. But... work. When my guest arrived, we ordered a couple of dishes to share: Dominican "Spaghetti" (Udon noodle, confit garlic, pork longaniza, beef salchichon, tomato sazonado) and the El Barrio Picadera (Chicharron de puerco - crispy pork belly, beef salchichon, pork longaniza, lime, pickled red onion, honey mojo, and a side of tostones). Wasn't sure what to expect from the spaghetti but it was slurpingly delicious. The sauce was savory, not sweet, and the pieces of pork sausage and beef were perfect additions. The Picadera was equally great, almost like a tapas plate of assorted meats. The crispy pork belly had lots of tasty fat to add flavor and moisture. Def enough food for two. Alamar isn't a huge space, but it's cozy inside with a see through to the kitchen. Dinner service has outdoor seating available as well. Will most definitely be back to try the more expansive dinner menu.

We recently spent a weekend in Oakland and the first meal of our stay was dinner at Alamar…read more Convenient to our Uptown home base, we made a last minute reservation, walked to the restaurant, and were seated promptly, just before 6PM. FIFA 2026 in full swing - Brazil vs. Haiti on the screen- had us and other diners chit chatting during dinner, which made for a comfy, family vibe! The staff are friendly but as the dinner rush began, the service got a little harried and apologies for delays were overheard. We started with the Pica Pollo chicken wings to share. They were perfectly fried with a lovely crunchy crust outside and juicy inside and we ate all of the tasty dip. I enjoyed a Mamajuana while Eric liked his rum punches. I'm a sucker for anything oxtail so I chose the Braised Oxtail de Res and Eric picked (and finished!) his Pernil. Everything was satisfying and flavorful. I ended up taking home some oxtail and moro for another meal. So good! We'll have to return to explore more dishes and drinks on the menu.

Really enjoy their egusi soup with mackerel fish. I usually just order from door dash but this is…read morethe first time I've eaten inside. It's small, quiet and a nice little place to eat with your significant other or family

great restaurant I stumbled on in west Oakland. african food was very delicious. service was also…read moregreat. rice and chicken was what I had and it did not disappoint. portion size was great . Ambiance was pretty chill and welcoming.

Oakland sure isn't lacking for soul food restaurants, and there's a wide variety not only in terms…read moreof quality but in the breadth of food offered. Jamie W and I decided to give this restaurant a try after having had a delightful dinner at Burdell (review: https://yelp.to/FxhL3CmhOt). This one has a more upscale vibe in a cool historic setting, the Oakland Tribune building, but I have to say the execution was mixed. We started with a couple of their house cocktails. Jamie had the $14 Pierre's Margarita with the potent house tequila, triple sec, agave, and lime, while I ordered the puckery sweet $14 Strawberry Drop made with the house vodka, strawberry purée, lemon, and honey (Photo 8). It was a good start but then a long wait for the food. Inexplicably and without apology, all five dishes arrived all at once. Pretty overwhelming. First of all, we wanted to try the $28.50 Oxtail Rasta Pasta, but the server told us they were out. It was only 5:30PM, so we thought that was weak so early in the evening. As an alternative, we were offered a $35 'turf' version of the Rasta Pasta with slices of a medium-rare Ribeye Steak (Photo 7). The penne with jerk-spiced cream and sweet bell peppers was just too rich a bed for an indulgent piece of slightly undercooked meat. Similar in spirit was the $30 Cajun Crab Pappardelle which mixed a rich Creole cream sauce with cracked crab meat and mirepoix (Photo 5). It was another example of a fundamentally tasty dish overcome by muchness. We had marginally better luck with the three appetizers. The heavily dressed $14 Caesar Salad benefited from big toasted croutons (Photo 10). The $18 'Crack' Wings were pretty tasty with the spices and sweet chili sauce (Photo 6). The $15 Crab Fried Rice would've been just fine without the unnecessary topping of shaved Parmesan cheese (Photo 9). It turned out to be a lot of food for the two of us, and had we known how saucy most of the dishes were, we would've cut out at least one or two of the sides. I think they might benefit from Burdell's more economical approach to their dishes where they focus on a unique flavor to make each one more distinctively memorable. FOOD - 3 stars...basically tasty but with too many excessive touches in the execution...and no oxtails at 5:30PM? AMBIANCE - 4 stars...certainly spacious and well appointed for a vintage locale SERVICE - 3 stars...a spirited server but why did all the dishes come out at once?...and what's with not providing dinner napkins? TOTAL - 3 stars...it would be nice to offer an option to strip back on their richer dishes RELATED - Exploring Oakland? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2ObVcpQKASF

I've came here twice.. each time qws the first time I had the crack wings (5/5) and one of the…read morecountry pasta (5/5) and i believe they had a beef tar tar at the time it was fine I'm not the biggest tar tar fan This time I had the salmon tar tar and it was under whelming (2/5) the chips were good And they allowed us to try items that have not yet been added to the menu they had 3 oyster glavors a sweet chili, a rockerfeller and one with their crack seasoning and they all were cooked perfect I will be back for them

I recently visited Limon on an early Friday evening, and despite the restaurant not being busy, the…read morelevel of service varied significantly among the staff. The standout of the night was Javier C. He appeared to be doing the work of multiple people--serving tables, tending the bar, and even helping clear and reset tables. Throughout the evening, he remained attentive, professional, friendly, and efficient. He consistently checked on guests and ensured everyone had what they needed. Unfortunately, many of the other servers seemed disengaged. Several appeared more focused on standing around and repeatedly wiping menus than assisting guests or checking on their tables. As a result, Javier seemed to be carrying much of the workload himself while other team members were noticeably inattentive. Limon is fortunate to have an employee like Javier. His work ethic, sense of urgency, and dedication to customer service set an excellent example. I hope management recognizes his efforts and encourages the rest of the team to follow his lead. Javier was the reason our dining experience remained positive despite the lackluster service from much of the rest of the staff.

The number of times I've gone to Limón…read more... I've tried lomo saltado dishes at other restaurants (because I have found the need to always get this dish at a Peruvian restaurant ever since my first time at Limón), but nothing compares. I've tried a couple that have come close though! Came here on a Tuesday evening (made a reservation online for three). Lomo Saltado: always my go-to dish. I very rarely venture away from this dish (will usually get ceviche in addition). Flavorful and filling. Miscellaneous: - If you're going with a larger group or during peak meal times, recommend making a reservation - Parking is available via street parking - Good for small and large groups - The restaurant is loud