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    Jo's Modern Thai

    4.3 (535 reviews)
    Ultra High-EndThai, Cocktail Bars, Noodles
    Closed Closed
    Updated 3 months ago

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    JO'S MODERN THAI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Casual
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    Reviews With Photos - Jo's Modern Thai

    Drunken noodles with beef brisket
    Nina Z.

    Saw this place listed on Oakland Restaurant Week and the SO was intrigued by the modern twist on Thai food, so we decided to book a reservation. We were able to make reservations online for the patio the day of. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Loved the tropical, vibrant vibes and the shaded outdoor patio area.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] For $45 per person, we got to choose one starter, one entree, and a dessert to share, so of course we chose all five dishes listed. For appetizers, we had the catfish salad and coconut cakes with ceviche. The crunchy catfish salad was citrusy and had a nice mix of textures. Wasn't too sure about the combination of coconut and ceviche, but enjoyed the coconut cake base. For entrees, we had the masumman curry and drunken noodles. Both were good, but the masumman curry stood out in flavorful, which surprised us because it was completely vegetarian. Lastly - but not least - we had the mango blue sticky rice to share, which was the perfect way to end the evening. Would definitely order again. The tartness of mango, pandan flavored rice crispies, sweetness of mango sorbet, and warmth and subtle sweetness of sticky rice provided contrast but worked well together. Service was friendly but a bit disorganized. They delivered two dishes that weren't ours to our table on two separate occasions. Would just recommend the staff being a bit more organized and knowing which tables to deliver dishes to. Would be happy to come back for that masumman curry and mango sticky rice along with their full menu items.

    The check had a Yelp button :)
    Gina G.

    Jo's Modern Thai..finally was able to try this spot during Oakland Restaurant Week! They started executing a trial period of being open for lunch for restaurant week and we were able to swing by during those specific hours for the lunch menu. With the special, they offered some of their favorite dishes for $15 a pop. We started with the Thai Caesar Salad (not on the restaurant week menu), ordered a few Singhas (they also offer Thai Micheladas too!), and then moved onto the Northern Thai Curry Noodles (Khao Soi), and the Thai Green Curry. We also ordered two sides of rice to compliment the curry sauces. Wowee, what a spread. I will say, when I was in Thailand the Khao Soi was a spicier dish for me, so much so I was served milk at the table (haha), and the dish was equally as spicy in Oakland..in all the best ways. The Thai Green Curry also had a spice level to it too. My dad had been fighting a cold and his smell/tastebuds were positively awakened. The flavors were excellent ~ I'm not sure if Jo's is known for their fried chicken, but it seems special. [[HIGHLIGHT]]This spot is elevated and feels also very contemporary.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is clean and modern, and they also have a nice cocktail bar.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] My guess is reservations may be needed for dinner, so this was truly a cool moment to get a sneak peek of what lunch could look like. Would love to come back and try more from the menu. Service was excellent and everyone made us feel very welcome. I'll let my pictures/videos speak for themselves :) Leave a few additional minutes to find parking in the Laurel District.

    Crunchy Catfish Salad (GF)
    Camila Y.

    Went here during Oakland restaurant week and got to try multiple different items! The catfish salad was really good in flavor and I enjoyed it, but it was a bit on the saltier side. Drunken noodles were also good but spicy. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Staff is friendly and had a nice vibe inside with a small bar.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]However the whole space isn't very big so would recommend reserving ahead of time if you have a large group.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] There is only street parking right jn front so can be hard to find parking during busy hours.

    Inside
    Allie G.

    We visited Jo's Modern Thai around noon on a Saturday, and got seated right away. They are on Yelp Waitlist though, so I assume they get busier for dinner. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The interior had simple, modern decor with a neon monkey sign towards the back.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] For drinks, I ordered the Ginger Lime Soda, which was very sweet but still tasty. There was only one guy working the whole front of house and he looked a bit stressed as the host/bartender/server. He was really nice though and proactively comped my soda since he thought it took too long. For food, my partner and I shared the Brisket Drunken Noodles and Beef Kra Pao. The Drunken Noodles rocked my world! They were so flavorful, the spice level was perfect, and the brisket went so well with the dish. I'll be dreaming of those for a while! The Beef Kra Pao, however, was not my favorite. The meat had good flavor but the pieces were just so fatty and chewy, it was hard to eat. Portion sizes were slightly smaller than your typical Thai restaurant. Would return to try out their dinner menu!

    Lychee or Love It
    Shawna E.

    On a scale on 1 to 5 with 5 being the best, overall I give it a 3.5. [[HIGHLIGHT]]While I liked some things & the ambiance was nice, I don't think I'd go back unfortunately[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Lychee cocktail - I give it a 4. Very tasty, I just like a little more alcohol in mine. It could also be that I prefer Grey Goose but this came with Kettle One (no substitutions). Recommend. Wings - 5 all the way. Fried nice & crispy but were still moist inside, great flavor, not salty, lime zest was a great addition & the sauce was good as well. A little overpriced for only 5 wings, but worth every penny. Highly recommend. Lobster Pad Thai - 3. Lobster was cooked perfectly but dish tasted sweeter than I'd like for pad Thai. I also didn't like that it was basically deconstructed & not all tossed together. Crab Fried Rice - 2. Way too much soy sauce, that's all we could taste. My friend thought it could use more crab meat but I felt like I had crab in every bite. Maybe the Dungeness Crab Fried rice has a lot more crab meat. Service - 5 for sure. Jacob was our server & he was excellent. He made recommendations upon request, checked on us often, made sure we had everything we needed.

    branzino
    Adrienne H.

    Ive been wanting to try jo's for a while. I was had reservations but sat at the bar for drink. The drink was really good but I forgot the name I also had their thai tea which was good. I sat in their back patio. The service was great. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The ambiance was nice as well.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I ordered the crab fried rice which was so good. I also had the branzino and honestly i was disappointed. For dessert I tried the sweet blue sticky rice with mango sorbet now that itself is come again for. it was so different and absolutely amazing. I want to come back and give them another try trying other dishes.

    Huge bar
    Heather D.

    Showed up again for Oakland Restaurant Week. I still love the staff but things were a little off this last visit. We ordered the oysters as an appetizer and before we had even got to the second oyster one of the entrees hit the table - that is one of my main pet peeves. We decided to try some items that appeared to be newer on the menu and went for the Crab Curry Linguini which was uni unctuous at it's very best. The Crying Tiger Steak was not such a hit, it was flavored well but the meat was pretty chewy and it really is pretty much just a steak with nothing else. I hope this was a one off because I have been loving this place up to now.

    Drunken noodle with beef brisket. Can't even think of this as Thai food despite a few Thai basils
    Lena H.

    My friend and I came here for my birthday dinner as the reviews are great and I am looking for a great Thai restaurant. We made a reservation for 2 and promptly seated. The service was pretty good/attentive. It was also very nice that they gave the mango dessert for free for the birthday girl. Nice gesture. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The interior is nice.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We ordered the crispy catfish salad, the drunken noodle, and the chicken green curry. The 3 stars is for the foods only. It is not the authentic Thai from this restaurant in my opinion. 1) The crispy catfish salad is overly sour with way too much citrus and overpowering. The catfish is so finely chopped and fried that it tasted nothing like fish at all, and it looked and tasted like fried panko. I wonder if the person making the salad even taste it before it is served! It is a huge disappointment. 2) The drunken noodle is sautéed ramen noodle with beef brisket (American style beef brisket that you'd normally get from the bbq restaurant). This is really nothing like Thai despite a few Thai basils was on the plate and there are some green peppercorns). 3) The chicken green curry is fine and I like the strong coconut flavor balanced with the curry. The curry could be a bit thicker. The cocktail is very light and I felt like I paid $16 for a glass of lemonade. Overall I am not impressed with the food taste at all as I have had much better Thai foods at other restaurants that taste better. It is below my expectations as I was excited to try this place based on the reviews. Service is great but I wish I could have better tasted foods here.

    Brussel sprouts bowl
    Danessa L.

    Came to Jo's because of Restaurant Week as their special offer and menu made me wanna come in. Portions are generous, and my server Frank managed the whole dining room itself. [[HIGHLIGHT]]There's a cute bar inside where you can buy a shirt too.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I'd go back to try more on the menu.

    Brussel sprouts
    Angela W.

    Looks like I have a new favorite Thai spot! EVERYTHING was excellent! The fried branzino was Thai dipping sauce was absolutely fantastic. The Brussel sprouts had the perfect spicy kick to them, the brisket drunken noodles were delicious and the crab curry linguini was incredible. Everything was flavored to perfection and we finished off with the blue ride pudding with mango sorbet. Our server, Frank, was SO sweet! He did not disappoint with the recommendations and was super attentive! [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place is small, perfect for a date night![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The drink menu was extensive as well! I ordered the Laurel punch which was made with tea infused tequila... AMAZING. I had two. I will definitely be coming back! Love having such great spots in Oakland!!!

    Chicken curry
    SK G.

    Five of us went there to celebrate a birthday. Our first time. They moved us to the outdoor patio which was very perfect on a nice evening. There was a birthday card at the table from the restaurant- nice touch! We ordered a number of cocktails and different dishes. The papaya salad was the only disappointment. Too much liquid and unlike the traditional version the papaya was not beaten/crushed so it didn't absorb the flavors. The other dishes were great, but nothing was like memorable! The service was good. Will try again.

    Mango sticky rice pudding - the granola gives it a nice texture!
    Molly G.

    There are plenty of Thai spots in the East Bay, but honestly, a lot of them tend to just be average in my experience, so I didn't come in expecting much. But I was really pleasantly surprised. The food was excellent! We got the papaya salad, party wings, drunken noodles, crab fried rice, massaman curry, crying tiger beef, and mango sticky rice pudding for dessert. There wasn't a single bad dish - I'd honestly recommend all of them. The massaman curry actually ended up being my favorite, which surprised me since it's vegan. Portions were great for sharing too. We came as a group of six and were able to split everything and try multiple bites of each dish. I also appreciated that the chef personally brought out our dessert and asked how everything was. He seemed super friendly (so were the staff) and let us know that the menu will be changing later this year, and to come back to try their new items. Definitely a spot I'd recommend and would love to come back to try different dishes.

    S L.

    My friend recommend about this place and here to try it , [[HIGHLIGHT]]restaurant is clean[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] and staff is friendly, and the food tastes really good

    Beef tarte

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    Anytime I have ever tried to call in an order, or an adjustment to an order, I am put on hold and then disconnected. Really disappointing.

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    Page 2 of 14

    Ask the Community - Jo's Modern Thai

    Can a negative Covid test be used in place of vaccination to dine in?

    if it’s a test within the last 3 days then yes.

    Can you get takeout?

    visit our webpage Josmodernthai.com… 

    Are dogs allowed on the patio?

    No, only service dogs.

    What type of cooking & frying oil is used? Canola, soybean, rice etc?

    Good question, We using rice bran oil.

    Do they have heat lamps on the patio?

    Yes they do!!! And if one is not enough, just ask for more!

    Do they offer vegetarian versions of any dishes? Looks like only one vegetarian option on the menu.

    View All 10 Questions

    Bardo Lounge & Supper Club

    Bardo Lounge & Supper Club

    4.3
    (333 reviews)
    2.8 mi
    $$$

    What to say about Bardo! The vibe and decor are both immaculate. Truly put together by someone with…read morea vision and they executed it splendidly. The food is pound for pound some of the best in Oakland. My wife and I dined here last night and did the Dinner Party Menu and it did not disappoint. Everything we had was excellent but the highlights for me were the incredible scallop crudo, the fried artichokes with fava bean and pea hummus, and the chicken and grits. The other major highlight was the staff and service. Everyone was so friendly and stellar at their jobs. Finished plates were taken quickly, drink orders were filled and served within a few minutes, and new plates of food were swiftly fulfilled between courses all on a fully-packed Saturday night. I would 100% recommend Bardo to anyone visiting Oakland, or locals looking for a nice night out. Since their menu is seasonal, I can't wait to return to sample their new offerings.

    Visiting Oakland from Las Vegas, read great reviews about the Bardo Burger…read more 6/18/2026, Ambience was nice but my burger was a disappointment. Instead of getting garlic fries I was served overcooked French fries And my Bardo hamburger bun was very soggy on the bottom. I had to remove the meat and leave the soggy bun on the plate. I mentioned to the waitress that I would not be ordering the burger again and mentioned that I thought I was getting garlic aioli fries. She informed me that they do not serve garlic fries.

    Photos
    The bar
    The bar
    Mushroom Bolognese
    Mushroom Bolognese
    Ribeye.

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    Ribeye.
    Almond & Oak

    Almond & Oak

    4.4
    (434 reviews)
    3.0 mi
    $$

    I'm not sure if I was just extremely craving brunch after a long night out the day before but I…read moreloved this place! I would highly recommend making a reservation if you can as it can get packed. We got lucky and called in a few hours before for our large party of 10 and another party had cancelled. It's a very open space with a modern rustic atmosphere. Our server was very accommodating and checked in frequently to make sure we had everything we needed. We ended up getting bottles of champagne for the mimosas at the table before settling in and ordering our individual meals. I ended up ordering the chive scrambled eggs. The eggs were scrambled to perfection and that bacon??? Just the right amount of crisp. I almost ordered extra because it was that good. Also, do NOT sleep on their housemade hot sauce. I put it on my eggs and it gave it the extra kick I needed because I love spicy food. I also ordered the french toast to split with my friend for a little sweet treat to go with my savory meal. I didn't enjoy this as much but mostly because it's a different take on french toast and I was craving a classic version. Still good but just know that it might not be what you expect. When I'm in Oakland again, I'll definitely need to circle this one back or even check out their lunch or dinner menu.

    Came here for lunch with a friend at 1 PM on a Saturday. We came 15 minutes late after our…read morereservation because of parking and they were understanding of it. As soon as you walk in, you're hit with the smell of a campfire from the oven. The restaurant is absolutely gorgeous with an Art Deco design. The ambiance is cozy but elevated. Benedict (buttermilk biscuit, dungeness crab cakes, marinated swiss chard & beet greens, herbed hollandaise, poached eggs & mixed greens): I'm not a huge benedict person because they can feel heavy, but this one was fantastic. I loved the textures and flavors of the crab cakes pairing with the greens and vegetables. It felt balanced and not too creamy or exhausting to eat. It definitely stands out from the run-of-the-mill brunch benedict. Vegetable Hash (roasted sweet potatoes, garnet yams, sunchokes, cauliflower, cremini mushrooms, celery root & onion, savoy spinach & poached eggs): This was also delicious and also set itself apart from the standard brunch hash. I loved the different vegetables in it besides being just potatoes and onions. The mushrooms and root vegetables worked really well together. Everything was well-seasoned. I'm glad we ended up choosing these dishes even though neither were my original top choices (I decided on the menu with my friend). It made me feel like you can choose anything and it'd be a banger. We were quite full from these dishes, and we forget we also ordered beignets to come out last. They were fluffy and mostly air (but not in a bad way). The service throughout the meal was good. We were checked on from time-to-time and our waters were refilled, although I wish the water glasses were a little bigger. One small thing to note was that we were given the check while we were still eating, even though the restaurant was still seating people despite it being close to closing time. Unsure if/why we were rushed like this. Overall, this was a memorable brunch spots I've been to in the Bay (dare I say one of the best?). We left smelling like a campfire. I would recommend it.

    Photos
    Almond & Oak
    Baked strawberry rhubarb French toast
    Baked strawberry rhubarb French toast
    Eggs Benedict

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    Eggs Benedict
    Town Tavern

    Town Tavern

    4.3
    (200 reviews)
    3.0 mi
    $$

    Our go-to cocktail spot in Alameda. We've been here many times now, and it never disappoints. Great…read moredrinks, good service, and a chill, comfortable atmosphere. My favorite part is their collection thoughtful, balanced, complex drinks. If you want a variety of delectable old fashioneds with different spirits -- you're in luck! ---- Drinks ---- The cocktails are the main reason we keep coming back! Old Fashioned menu. They actually have several varieties and I've really appreciated how they use a different spirit for each! I won't review every single one, but you can't go wrong based on what flavor profile you want. They're all relatively sophisticated, balanced, spirit-forward, and consistently well made. The rest of the cocktail menu is equally thoughtful. Complex, creative, and well executed without trying too hard or going over the top with flavors or presentation. The food is delicious as well although we're usually just here for drinks before/after a meal. More small bites than full meals, but everything we've had has been tasty and pairs well with the drinks. We really enjoyed the empanadas; great flavor and execution. ---- Environment ---- Warm, cozy, and stylish -- but not pretentious or obnoxious. Music volume is always at a level where you can actually have a conversation, which I really appreciate! It does get busy, especially on weekends, but it's never been extreme. We've been seated immediately or only with a short wait most times. ---- Service ---- Friendly, welcoming, and attentive! Always had good experiences with the staff even when busy. Most of them have good recommendations. ---- Tips ---- Make a reservation if you can! Walk-ins are definitely possible, though you may end up sharing a larger communal table. We've done it before and honestly didn't mind. The bathroom can occasionally have a bit of a wait. ---- Overall ---- Love this place. It's become our go-to spot whenever we're in the mood for great cocktails and a relaxed evening and want a reliable experience. One of my favorite cocktail bars in Alameda.

    This spot has very good cocktails. This time I tried Georgia on my Mind, it has cognac and peach…read moreliqueur. My friend has the chicken sliders with fries. Good choice. Server was helpful and attentive. Cheers!

    Photos
    Toki, hazy IPA, Basil gimlet.
    Toki, hazy IPA, Basil gimlet.
    Nachos
    Nachos
    Pick your specials

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    Pick your specials

    Jo's Modern Thai - thai - Updated August 2026

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