Came here for brunch and entered on the street side. I'd been once before they moved to piedmont. I was a little confused on what to do. Enter: * grab menus to your right * walk up to the counter * order & take a # * seat yourself They have seating inside and upstairs. The upstairs has a large patio outside. We sat inside and it was nice. We finished our drinks upstairs outside and that was nicer. We ordered chilaquiles rojos and verdes and a side of guacamole. Chilaquiles Verdes come with cheese & the red ones don't. The red ones come with something the green ones don't that I can't remember. They were both very good. read more

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Delicious food and drinks. Fun decor and atmosphere. The patios were a lovely place to enjoy our meal.

One of my favorite places for a casual bite. Yummy burritos and other food and drinks. Friendly. Plesant inside and out dinning.

Wow wow wow 10/10 Great selection of tequila and mezcal. The food tasted so good. Great and friendly service. Fun atmosphere. read more

The food was good. I ordered nachos for pick up. & because of where I work, we get a discount. However, it didn't see if they added the discount. ‍ read more

Went in to grab a burrito to go. After ordering, I had to wait forever for the burrito. I'd ordered a carnitas burrito. It was not only supposed to come with sour cream, but I'd paid more to have extra on it. Got back to our friend's house to eat it and bit into a barbacoa burrito with no sour cream at all. Won't be back. read more

I went to Doña for a weeknight dinner and ordered the pollo asado bowl. It came out to around $15.71 with tax. I thought it was okay overall, but I did really like the cucumber salsa - it added a nice, fresh touch. Parking was a bit tricky. They have a connected parking lot, but it's paid parking at about $3 per hour, which isn't ideal for a quick meal. The bathrooms were clean and required a code to enter, but they were located outside, which could be inconvenient on a rainy day. Overall, the food was decent, but nothing stood out enough to make me rush back. read more

Doña - Pollo Asado Bowl - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

Delicious Mexican food, offering indoor and outdoor dining options & thoughtful service. I had the fish tacos and a horchata drink, while my son had a chicken burrito and his girlfriend had a fish bowl. Highly recommend. Closed on Tuesday's if I remember correctly. read more

y review isnt about the food. Honestly the dishes are well made and worth the price. Service is fair and typically runs smooth. My only complaint is with the parking and somewhat organozed crime going on. You MUST pay for parking at all times. The parking lot is private and does not belong to Doña. The parking lot is poorly lit and signs are not very visible. Doña posts signs with all kinds of info but nowhere is there information about the parking. I think as customers and them knowing whats going on, they could help patrons out by informing them at the very least when paying. read more

Delicious food and plenty of seat variety- indoor space has both a downstairs and upstairs, and there's a really spacious patio area. Service is always quick, and if you have any leftovers, there's a station with everything you need to pack to go items. My go to is always the carnitas tacos and an order of chips and queso to share! read more

Doña - Carnitas tacos, chips with queso - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

Upscale delicious Mexican food that is very fresh. Portions are generous. Burritos are fantastic. Huge space with great outdoor patio. Desserts excellent tho I wish they would serve ice cream read more

I love Doña. Their nachos with barbacoa are a firm favorite. I also really like the ensalada de doña con pollo. And recently at lunch with a friend, I discovered the cauliflower tostada. Don't ask questions about this one, just order it! It is awesome. I haven't found a dud item on this menu and I've ordered most of it, multiple times. You can normally get a table easily because there are a lot of them. I'm equally happy to eat here, as I am to take their food to go - mainly depends on the occasion. You can't go wrong with Doña. read more

Doña - Ensalada De Dona - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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Ambiance: great ambiance, plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Nice atmosphere. Service: pretty standard Food: a bit pricey but it's all super delicious. The tortilla soup alone is amazing. read more

Five stars once again! The chicken mole enchiladas are to die for and even though they give such a generous portion, I could eat the whole thing again in a heartbeat. I came with a group, some of whom came for the first time, and they enjoyed how tasty the dishes were and how vibrant the setting is. Parking was a little tricky to find on a weekend dinner hour, but there was some street parking available. Service is fast and speedy as always, with two lines so they move quicker. Friendly folks working here. Husband's review: "The flavors are rich but the best part is the atmosphere. The restaurant is warm and inviting and lively." read more

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Awful Tex-Mex, zero service, dead ambiance. People come here to drink. The food is so bad I felt sick when smelling it. We each took a bite and left. Piedmont struggles in general, this is D/ D- slop with Mexican "style" names. Save yourself and go elsewhere. This run down, unclean, worthless facility should be closed permanently. read more

Doña - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

Dona is my go to spot for a quick and easy lunch. Their meals are solid, and I often go for their bowls and burritos. I love that their bowl includes guacamole as well. The food can often be ready within a few minutes, which is helpful for grab and go. With regards to proteins, I often choose their barbacoa or carnitas. I sometimes try the fried fish as well if I can dine there (so it doesn't get soggy). Their portions are pretty hefty which is great as well. The flavors are decent, nothing stellar but definitely satisfies the craving when needed. read more

We ordered at the to go station. The employees were friendly and welcoming. The hot sauce is great. Barbacoa isn't what we are used to having lived in Texas. But it's a tasty tender shredded beef for sure. We will be back to sit down. Im interested in the enchiladas. Went back today and tried the Carnitas burrito and chicken asada burrito. read more

Doña - Queso & Chips - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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Jamie W. and I had been meaning to come here for ages and finally found an excuse on a recent Saturday saunter of Piedmont Avenue. They have a huge space with a second floor terrace quite inviting on warm days. However, we decided to seat ourselves at the bar because it looked so relaxing and provided a nice street view with only the occasional street person in the way. They have quite a weekend brunch menu ('Desayuno') (photo) on top of their already appetizing regular selections. Jamie went for the heartily robust $14.25 Barbacoa Bowl with black beans, cheese, cucumber salsa, pickled red onions, and guacamole (photo: https://yelp.to/oG2Gs2H7aO). Not only flavorful but enough for a late afternoon snack. I was more predictable and ordered the $14 Pozole Rojo. It consisted of shredded pork in red chile broth with hominy, cabbage, and radishes served with tostadas and garnishes (photo: https://yelp.to/rc89CnPm1d). It was quite tasty, comparable to the bowls I get at the Underdogs locations in San Francisco. We were pleased enough with our meal that we came back a couple of weeks later for a couple of true breakfasts with Mexican twists. Jamie had the $16 Carnitas Hash with Poached Eggs. It included poblano chiles, caramelized onion, butternut squash, crispy potatoes, and roasted golden beets in this mix of savory delight (photo: https://yelp.to/h3_hriV0sr). I went to the sweet end of the spectrum with the $11 Mexican Toast, a takeoff on French toast with pan de mie bread topped with roasted pineapple drizzled with cajeta and crema (photo: https://yelp.to/SSPRHW6Atu). It was a delightful treat but honestly too much of a good thing for me. What we've appreciated is the variety of dishes available here during the day. The staff was also very friendly and energetic, which made our dining experiences at the bar quite enjoyable. There is a metered parking lot that they share with the very good Pomella next door (review: https://yelp.to/M_xfGARk3E). FOOD - 4 stars...lots of variety in their appetizing brunch dishes AMBIANCE - 4.5 stars...spacious and bustling SERVICE - 4 stars...energetic and attentive TOTAL - 4 stars...definitely a modern take on Mexican staples RELATED - Exploring Piedmont Avenue? Here's my collection of places I've patronized and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2I0RAHj read more

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Very cute counter service Mexican spot with decent vegan options! I am a meat eater and had the carnitas taco and the Barbacoa taco. I'd say the carnitas was good but I definitely preferred the barbacoa! My friend had their cauliflower tostada which she enjoyed and we split the guac which was good but not amazing. The cocktails were premixed and again good. Definitely a nice spot for a good meal. read more

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This place is very well known in the Piedmont area. I had to circle the block to find parking. It's across the street from the Oakland Kaiser Permanente, employees tend to take up the off street parking due to the high pricing of Kaiser's garage. There was a small line coming out of the entrance but it went quickly in seconds. They have 2 levels, upstairs is outdoor patio seating with more than enough room for everybody. Every inch of this restaurant had company, laughter and conversations going on. The vibe was so chill, the bar produced tasty drinks. There were quite few hot dishes trending. The tofu tostadas, cauliflower tacos, vegan burritos, the bowls, chicken tacos, tortilla chips & guacamole. It was something for everyone. My cousin is in town from Atlanta and just so happen ran into her friends from Skyline High School. They have always kept in touch regularly! It was a reunion that unfolded surprisingly. read more

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Cue the mariachi music over the PA. That's the sound of Doña welcoming you to dine in. With their relaxed outdoor dining atmosphere, it's best enjoyed that way. With a succinct selection of beers, few margaritas, traditional, and contemporary Mexican favorites. Lean into the name and greet the ladies in formality, Doña followed by her name, you'll make her day as this restaurant will make yours. read more

I've been here twice recently for tacos and beer. The tacos were scrumptious and I love that they have Original Pattern IPA on draft! Sitting outside on their deck on a sunny day is a great way to dine, and inside is also nice. read more

What a shock. Food tasted great and the portion sizes are absolutely enormous. Three carnitas tacos had at least a pound and a half of meat. Chips and salsa, oh they're not free, came with plenty of chips and a great variety of different salsa. Ceviche was a little different than I expected, but it too tasted great and the portion was perfect. Service was frighteningly fast. It was almost as if they had the food sitting there waiting for me, but everything tasted fresh, so I know it was made fresh. Dining room is very casual with wooden tables and wooden chairs, and there's a large bar around which one can eat or drink. Although I didn't try it out, there's a rooftop outdoor dining area also. read more

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Yum yum yum!!! Doña is such a treasure to have in the neighborhood. The food is tooooo goood!! We ordered the carnitas burrito and oh my goshhhhhh!! The best. The carnitas were flavorful, rich, and not fatty!!!! Or greasy!! I hate when carnitas are too greasy to eat but these were perfect. The margs were stronggggg. My cousin and I shared a pitcher and we were tipsy after two cups each. They are definitely a must. Same with the guacamole and chips! So fresh and perfect amount of saltiness. I do wish they would put more lime but that's a personal preference. Doña might be my new go to for a afternoon drink :) read more

Doña - Pitcher of Margaritas Especiales, Guacamole and Chips - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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Some friends and I (group of 4) came for dinner on a Sunday, and although there was a line, we probably got to order in less than 10 minutes and easily found a table. We split some guac and drinks, and everyone tried something different including the bowls and tacos. It came out to be about $20 per person, so very reasonable. We all seemed to enjoy what we got and were able to finish everything! I tried the ensalada de doña ($14) which was very refreshing, nutritious, and full of wonderful crispy textures. The guac tasted great, although the house made tortilla chips were a bit on the thicker side than what I am used to. The food came out extremely quickly! In fact, one person's tortillas came out literally as we were first sitting down at the table! Also love that there are many vegan and gluten free options! read more

Doña - Ensalada De Dona ($14) and guac ($13) - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

One of my favorite Mexican spots in Oakland. Really good food, great friendly service, very nice ambience. A nice place to take the family or a date, nice bar area to sit at & a beautiful huge outdoor patio to eat and drink under the sun. One of my favorite spots in Oaktown! Especially for the vibe! read more

Lunch visit post flu and Covid booster shots for my kids. The kids quesadilla with chicken was huge and my kids both enjoyed that. It's an additional charge for a protein but well worth it in my opinion. We also got two salads and the queso and a Barbacoa taco. Their margaritas and drinks looked amazing and I'll have to try that next time. We dined on their outdoor second floor terrace which is really nice and shaded. The service was good - you order and pay downstairs and someone will bring the food to your table. read more

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This place is a sleeper hit! The food + prices are great, like hella quality ingredients and portions are satisfying. There's a ton of seating, both indoor and outdoor, and the overall vibe feels open and vibrant. Service is pretty good - would say it's an order at the front, and then they drop off food to your table type beat. read more

Doña - Shrimp Pescado Taco - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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Recently had a fish burrito and a taco at Doña. The fish burrito was tasty and the red hot sauce was a nice compliment. The chicken taco was middling. The chicken could have used more seasoning to be honest. My friend also ordered some chips and guacamole for the table which were excellent. I'll probably come back, but will skip the chicken next time. read more

Doña - Fish burrito and chicken taco. - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

Doña offers a broad menu of inventive Mexican dishes in a pleasant atmosphere. There are lots of vegetarian and vegan options, but there's plenty for the carnivores, too. Service is at the counter, and the counter for ordering is at the back of the bar -- not intuitive, by any means. The restroom is upstairs, and while there is an elevator, that is less than ideal. I use a little mobility scooter, and this space was mostly pretty accommodating, except for the wandering-around-looking-for-the-counter part. I will definitely be back, and the 2nd time will be even better, since now I know where to place my order! read more

I "discovered" Doña when my new work friends brought me here for lunch. There's plenty of inside and outside seating (shady or sunny). The food is creative and delicious. There's something for those who prefer a more traditional taste of Mexican food as well as others who enjoy a spinoff of the typical flavors. I had limited interactions with staff but everything ran smoothly, food came out quickly and tables were clean. I loved the cauliflower tostada and I'll look forward to coming back when it's not the middle of a work day so I can enjoy a beer on the sunny patio and trying something else from the menu. read more

Doña - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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We had a margarita, chips and guacamole for happy hour and it was good. The prices are reasonable and they have a small parking lot. The service was good and the vibe is fun. read more

Doña - Happy Hour menu. - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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Let's talk about Doña! So first off the best thing about this place is it has parking, lots of places to sit and the food comes out quickly. To me it has a cafeteria vibe. You stand up and order your good, pay at the counter and they bring it to you on a tray. You also have to grab your own utensils and napkins, plus water if you want that too. Which isn't a bad thing at all I'm just saying it's similar to a cafeteria. It hasn't stopped me from coming. It's nice for groups especially for people who like to split the bill because you pay ahead of time. The food is just meh. It's not terrible but it's not great either. I've tried the nachos and my husband has tried the tacos. We both had them twice and this last time we decided it was definitely lacking seasoning. It's like a cross between okay and not great. Will we be back again!? More then likely with a group but let's just say next time I'll be getting the salad. read more

Doña - Dining room area - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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I've eaten originally at Doña Tomas, and now eating here brought back the good memories of the food. Model day interpretations on some Mexican culinary classics. The pozole was good. Large serving, big chunks of soft tender meat and plenty of hominy. The salsa it came with was really good (reminds me of papalote salsa) The green chilaquiles was good too. I should have asked for more sour cream but it too was a big portion, the tortilla pieces were fresh and crisp and the eggs, avocado and salsa were on point The chorizo breakfast burrito was good too. They forgot the sour cream but I got a side after so i enjoyed it The restaurant atmosphere is modern with. Classic twist to its. Super clean, and staff is friendly. read more

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Awesome flavors, buzzing atmosphere, and friendly and approachable staff. Parking can be a hassle in this part of town though. Visited for Saturday lunch with friends and tried the nachos, while the wife had a pollo asada burrito and there were carnitas tacos for our little one. The nachos were in a bowl, sort of like a scramble, with the best cheese sauce I've had in a restaurant. None of that Velveeta stuff. Also layers of beans, guacamole, and salsa that were each standout ingredients on their own. Wife said the burrito was "very flavorful," and our little one wolfed down her tacos if that tells you anything. Highly recommended for groups and quick service. Would definitely come back often if we lived in the area. read more

Doña - Nachos - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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First time visiting, and it won't be my last time! I went on a Friday afternoon and it was not busy. You can find street parking on Piedmont, on the side street, or in the small parking lot behind the restaurant. You order your meal and drinks at the counter and they then bring out everything to your table, which was really cool. Great fast service! Love that they had plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. They have small and large tables available for individuals or groups. I ordered the chicken enchiladas with a green sauce instead of mole sauce. My food came out super fast! The enchiladas were fresh and tasty. I also ordered a strawberry margarita. Highly recommend getting the glass bottle size instead of a single drink. It was worth the purchase as the drink was freshly made. My colleague ordered some nachos and tacos, which were delicious as well. I can't wait to visit again soon. Highly recommend if you're looking for amazing Mexican food in Oakland. read more

Doña - Strawberry Mezcal Margaritas for 2 - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

Food was nothing special. I ordered water as my drink of choice. Cups are small. I got of 8 times to refill my own water cup. If I would've known I was going to do all the work for drink refill, utensils, to go boxes. I would have gone elsewhere. I would only go here to replace my morning workout class. read more

Decent burrito bowls for a quick tasty lunch. Quick service. Casual ambiance. Great place for lunch dinner and happy hour.

Our family of five got takeout from Dona for dinner. Everything went smoothly. The food was still warm and hit the spot when we had it at home. This is a modern Mexican restaurant on Piedmont Avenue in Oakland. It's presumably named after owner Dona Savitsky. Savitsky used to own another Mexican restaurant in town, Dona Tomas, which operated in Temescal for 20 years before closing in November 2019: https://www.yelp.com/biz/dona-tomas-oakland-8. Dona opened in December 2019, replacing part of the space formerly occupied by the short-lived Chow Oakland bakery, cafe, and market which closed in October 2018: https://www.yelp.com/biz/chow-oakland-oakland. Dona uses ChowNow for online ordering. Instead of ordering online, my sister called in our order to save the restaurant some money. If you order over the phone like we did, I'd mention it to the employee when picking up your order because I think the phone order tickets look different than online order tickets. That's just so there's no confusion because there seemed to be a bit with ours. I picked up our order on a Saturday around 6:45pm. A sizable ordering line had built up inside the restaurant and the dining room was busy, though not fully packed yet. In this instance, I was glad we ordered takeout because I went straight to the pickup counter and got our brown bag of food. Both the dining room and bar were buzzing with activity. We got lucky with parking spots available in the small dedicated lot at the corner of Piedmont and Yosemite. Dona has multiple entrances, from the parking lot, patio, and street. They have a lot of space including a covered patio downstairs and an uncovered, string-lit deck upstairs with umbrellas. The atmosphere is fun and festive. This place appeared to be popular. During my visit, Dona offered burritos ($13 each), burrito bowls ($14 each), tacos ($4.75 each), enchiladas ($10-13 each), ceviche ($13 each), churros (3 for $9), and more. They had a full bar with beers on tap, wine, margaritas, and sangrias. Our family mostly got burritos (four out of five chose burritos). I had a Pollo Asado Burrito ($13) with achiote-marinated roasted chicken thighs, rice, black beans, cheese, arbol salsa, crema, and pico de gallo in a flour tortilla. The burrito was huge, tasty, filling, and satisfying. The ingredients were fresh and high quality. The roasted chicken was marinated in the same flavorful, red achiote paste that's used for al pastor pork. My burrito was so big that I saved some of it for breakfast (At breakfast, I opened it up and made it into a yummy breakfast burrito bowl). My 10-year-old niece got a Kid Burrito ($6). It was big too, big enough for an adult. The Kid Burrito came with beans, rice, and cheese in a flour tortilla. She devoured the whole thing if that tells you anything. And she's kind of a picky eater. Along with burritos, my sister got a Pescado Taco ($4.75) made with chipotle aioli, cabbage, and pickled Fresno chiles and a Calabaza y Kale Taco (vegetarian, $4.75) made with roasted butternut squash, ancho chile oil, kale salad, pepitas, and crema. She devoured those as well. My sister was the one who recommended this place and I could see why. The food was delicious, the staff was nice, and the place had a cool vibe. I also got an order of Guacamole & Chips ($11.50) for the group. Mashed avocado, cilantro, onion, chile, lime, and housemade tortilla chips. This was fresh and delicious as well. The guac was excellent. Well-made, and I liked all of the onion in it. Dona's chips are the thicker, crunchier kind. I liked how they weren't too hard nor greasy, and they had just the right amount of salt. Really appetizing, good chips. Service was kind and efficient. read more

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I'm hoping that the lovely service from waiting staff at Doña will eventually match quality of its food. Such a change could easily warrant a higher rating. The tortillas--corn or flour--have a deliciously, homemade taste that feels SO comforting. Other items are good, though from my experience, not great enough to warrant the their cost. The atmosphere is comfortable, lends itself to easily audible conversation and is considered kept clean. Parking is not plentiful but is accessible if a short walk is ok by you. read more