Wood Tavern has been my favorite restaurant in Oakland since I first visited nearly twenty years…read moreago. In all that time, it has remained remarkably consistent. I've been here for date nights, holiday dinners, business dinners, and countless meals with friends visiting from out of town. It's one of those rare restaurants that seems to work for just about any occasion. The service is always great, the College Avenue location is hard to beat, and I've always had good luck finding street parking nearby. The ribeye is my personal favorite and what I order more often than not. If you're coming with a group, the cheese and charcuterie plates are a great way to start. The menu is varied enough that there's always something for everyone, and I've never had a bad meal here. I was genuinely sad to hear that they'll be closing at the end of the year. Restaurants with this kind of quality, consistency, and character are increasingly rare. If you've never been, make a point of going while you still can. I'll certainly miss it once they're gone.

$25 Pastrami Sandwich: pretty darn good but there is an excellent pastrami that I just tried…read moreelsewhere which dampens my enthusiasm. This one had some crispy edges and well prepared which was lovely though. $14 warm chocolate buckwheat pudding cake: definitely house made. Definitely very good but definitely a safe choice. I think I should have been more adventurous. As good as this is, I'm not convinced I got my $'s worth.

In addition to a weekly pub menu, Chef Reuben and his wife Rosa host an extensive and delicious…read moreSunday Mexican pop-up brunch menu from 9am-2pm. They serve everything from huevos rancheros to pozole with fresh housemade salsa, fries and chips. You can also order a mimosa, beer, wine, juice and milk. Portions are huge so there might be enough to tide you over till dinner. Atmosphere is friendly and personable. Outdoor tables are available and there's a great tree for kids to climb. A separate space called "The Place" is suitable for larger groups, privacy or a room in which kids can run around. Games and books are available. Dogs are welcome and Chef can be talked into giving them a piece of bacon! It's a warm, relaxed and friendly environment for all. As this is a pop-up call to make sure it's open Sunday morning. 510-879-7080

Great neighborhood spot. Live music often, fish and chips weekly special, all served with a…read morefriendly smile.

Quick fact before I do my review: Before officially being in a relationship, The Hideout Kitchen is…read morewhere we had our very first date. And it was at the former location. So what better place to dine in to celebrate out 2nd Year Wedding Anniversary at The Hideout Kitchen :) We went for dinner. Our server was KEVIN. Simply...HE IS JUST AWESOME. He knows the menu, he knows the history, and has amazing stories to share with everyone. Great guy. A lot of people there that night seemed to be celebrating something. The noise was a bit loud that I felt I had to almost yell to have a conversation with my husband. But the vibe was great. I enjoyed looking around at the decor. We ordered: - TRUFFLE FRIES for appetizers - I loved everything about it. haha. Tastey! - linguine & clams - I ordered this. It was good. However, I felt it was way oily. And after every bite I took, I had to wipe my mouth. And I accidentally spilled oil on my shirt. - PASTA ALLA CARBONE with steak - My husband enjoyed it and started to get full towards clearing out his bowl haha. - SCALLOPED POTATOES - I ordered a side of this. Definitely was not expecting to look the way it did, but I thought the presentation was beautiful. It was good; however, I was not a fan at how crunchy and hard the top first layer was. In a few areas, it was almost burnt. But I thought it was pretty good without the need for a type of sauce on the side. - For drinks, I had to Summer sangria and my husband had the Rumble in the Jungle. We enjoyed it. Definitely hit the spot. No complaints at all about these drinks. - And Kevin surprised us with a dessert to celebrate : Cranberry Bread Pudding. This was delicious. Very flavorful. I am not really into Cranberry, but this is definitely an exception. Loved the fruits on the side as well. The Hideout Kitchen will always have a place in our hearts. We will definitely come back. We still need to try this place out for Brunch. We need to try their UBE pancakes! hehehe. And thanks Kevin for being amazing that night!

3.75 stars. The…read moreHideout Kitchen's front patio on a warm morning, as well as their sophisticated interiors, make this eatery a good choice if atmosphere is as important as the food itself. I noticed a couple Filipino-inspired dishes on the brunch menu -- Pulled Pork Silog, & the one we tried, Ube Hotcakes. Fluffy & coated in a deep purple sauce, but they didn't posses the distinct taste of ube. My Breakfast Burrito was very well put together, & so hearty, I could only get through half. Every bite saw a dip into the tasty hot sauce. And like the five-year old that I am, I loved that tater tots were a side option. I wouldn't make the drive from my neck of the woods specifically for the Hideout Kitchen, but should I find myself in Lafayette again, I wouldn't say no to an invite here.

5 star experience all around. From the ambience, to the food, to the service I can't find a thing…read moreto complain about. My group came at noon after a long night out and were desperate need of a pick me up. What we found at Almond & Oak was that and so much more. What highlighted our trip has to be the service. We sat at the Bartop and the bartender's were very friendly and made sure our waters were never even half way empty. They kept good casual conversation as well, never doing too much but always making us feel seen. Food was phenomenal as well. I loved my steak sandwich, and had an oyster as well which tasted fresh and flavorful. I can't wait to go back and try their dinner menu 9.0/10

Great food, great service but beware sitting by the open kitchen! It gets SO HOT! My back was…read moreagainst the open kitchen and I was burning and sweating man. It wasn't even a hot day either. The beignets were OK. Shrimp and grits were good Fried chicken sandwich was really flavorful and delicious. next time I would ask for sauce on the side, it got very sloppy. The steak sandwich and crabcake benefit were great. Also, noting that their wait time is not very accurate. Better to make a reservation.

Great food and excellent service. Very crowded on Sunday lunch and noisy. But food compensates!read more

Kitchen Story is a great place with Filipino-fusion flavors, I've gotten dinner take-out as well as…read morehad brunch their a couple times. Apologies for those who for various reasons don't eat pork, but I love their Millionaire Bacon which is thick seasoned bacon. Their KFC, their version of Korean Fried Chicken is also really good, I've never had a bad experience with them. When I've gone for brunch somtimes they have been waits, but there is a lot of seating and their staff work pretty hard at turning around orders and turning over tables, they have seating outside on the sidewalk or parklet in addition to inside the restaurant, which I've utilized when I brought my dog. Kitchen Story fuses some good flavors together and their portion size is healthy relaive to the price. Check them out, and oh yeah.. try the bacon.

We tried the bulgogi burger and kicken burger They bot great…read more We had good service as well

Hamburgers were super good! We ordered a regular cheeseburger, the Warriors Breakfast burger, and…read morethe tuna melt -- and everything was delicious. The burgers were flavorful and cooked just right, and the tuna melt was warm and really satisfying. The size of the hamburgers is not that big, but they are really tasty and packed with flavor. The kitchen looked clean and organized, which I always appreciate. I also loved the music and the trendy diner vibe -- it made the whole place feel fun and welcoming. Overall, a great little spot for a casual meal. We'd definitely come back!

A number of my hiking group descended upon this beer garden after hiking in the redwoods nearby and…read morethey took us all like champs. The lady at the counter busted our line down quickly and efficiently and the food came out pretty quickly as well. Beer was poured at the counter. The outdoor seating area is delightful, clean, and well-shaded. Food is brought out but dishes are personally bussed. I got the cherry sour which was very sour and fruity - a little surprising (in a good way), delicious, and refreshing. I ordered the fish and chips but wanted a vegetable so I also got the melon and tomato salad. I'm a sucker for flan so I also had to try that. The fish and chips were perfect and piping hot and crispy. The salad was unfortunately a little disappointing; neither the melons nor tomatoes tasted very ripe so the whole salad was just a bit lacking in flavor. The flan also had a sliiiightly overcooked texture, but was overall pretty good, with a well-executed caramel sauce. Portions are also very generous!

I don't drink anymore but my fiancé likes to enjoy beer. I'll solely cover things non-beer related…read more They have a clean up after yourself system which I like because it holds people accountable. It gets super packed often however, the staff are always kind and efficient. The buffalo wings and (garlic) fries are always a must. I feel like the ranch could be tastier (my favorite is from Wingstop). The Fried Chicken Sandwich was not good at all. It was lacking soo much flavor and honestly only order this if you want cuts in every crevice of your mouth. I'll be trying something different next visit for sure.

Super tasty cheese steak sandwiches. Very juicy, cheesy, and saucy. Tasted great with the right…read morehint of spicy and savory. French fries were also very crispy. Plenty of seats to dine in.

Visited this past Saturday, and parking was easy right across the street. The restaurant setting…read morewas clean and inviting with both indoor and outdoor seating available, and only a couple customers on site. Service was slow and seemingly uncaring, I wasn't even acknowledged as I waited at the counter to order. But at least the wait for my food was reasonable, about 10 minutes for takeout. I ordered the cheesesteak egg rolls and crab & shrimp egg rolls, with sides of saucy sauce and ranch. The eggrolls were quite delicious, generous with the fillings, and the exterior slightly crunchy with good flavor as well. I liked the cheesesteak eggrolls a bit more, though both were pretty decent. The saucy sauce was not very good, I just wasn't a big fan of the tomatoey concoction. And the ranch tasted cheap, like hidden valley brand.

Understory is fantastic!! My favorite part of the experience had to be the ube horchata, which was…read moreSPECTACULAR; cold (perfect for a sunny Oakland afternoon) and sweet and cinnamon-y, a beautiful complementary blend of two incredible things. I also enjoyed my Understory Hash (with lechon/pork belly atop roasted root veggies, brussel sprouts, and a fried egg); it had great flavors. I think next on my list to try would be the tocino rice bowl. Inside were also just amazing vibes, with great decor and signage, and sweet and efficient service. I will say that ordering online comes with some extra fees, so next time I'd just order in person to avoid them and continue supporting this worker-owned, community built establishment!

Cute, spacious cafe with really delicious food! Came here for lunch on a weekday, and had their…read morepork tocino rice bowl (with fried egg for an added YUM). The well marinated pork was melt-in-your-mouth tender, and matched perfectly with the accompanying java rice and the pickled veg. And my revelation was the house tepache-Pineapple goodness with ginger beer zing. Such a refreshing drink to go with the rice bowl! The people were very friendly, and the food and drinks came out very quickly. Will definitely come back to try out the other items on their menu!

The Montclair Egg Shop is one of those places that has become a family tradition for us. This is…read moreusually where my siblings and I take our mom for her birthday or Mother's Day because it's one of her favorite breakfast spots. The restaurant has such a cozy, homey feeling that makes it perfect for a relaxed family breakfast. The food is always good, the atmosphere is welcoming, and it just feels like one of those neighborhood places that has been part of the community forever. One of my favorite things is coming when the farmers market is outside. After breakfast, we can walk around Montclair, browse the market, and make a whole morning out of it. Some restaurants you love because of the food, and some become special because of the memories attached to them. For my family, the Montclair Egg Shop is definitely both.

What a pleasant surprise! I've seen this place for years and never tried it, I just didn't want to…read morebe disappointed again by another place that serves mediocre breakfast. However!!! Their food is freaking fantastic. I ordered the corn beef and hash which came with two toasted eggs and a side of sourdough toast. Their coffee is also top-notch and I'm crazy picky about coffee. I could only eat half of my meal, but I was happy to take the rest home for breakfast tomorrow. Staff was super nice and friendly. I got seated right away although it did get busy and there was a line right after I got there on a Friday around 10:30 AM. Can't wait to come back and try their other items. Great great job.