service is great coffee is The barista David recommended…read moreme to a sanaa latte was deliciousness perfecto

ordered a pistachio latte with extra pistachio. When I started mixing it, the coffee and milk…read moreweren't blending the way they normally do -- the texture was off. I kept mixing, assuming I was misjudging it, and took a few sips as I walked away. The taste and texture were wrong, almost slimy, and I spat it out. I went back in and asked staff to check the milk. They pulled the carton and told me the expiration date was for the next day, so it was "fine," and offered to remake my drink. I didn't want a replacement -- I wanted them to actually taste or check what they'd just served me, since I'd already swallowed some of it. They insisted nothing was wrong without doing that. I asked for a refund, and poured the drink out on the sidewalk outside, where you could see the slimy, thick consistency on video. When I went back in to show them, an employee looked at it and still insisted there was nothing wrong with it. Milk being dated for "tomorrow" doesn't mean it hasn't turned -- texture and taste are the real test, and this one failed both. I'm most frustrated that staff wouldn't even check a customer's specific complaint about something they'd already consumed. Won't be returning.

I'm making my way through my list of Bib Gourmand restaurants, and FOB Kitchen is up. They are…read morecertainly worthy of this honor, for their food, service, and ambiance. They are located in the Temescal area of Oakland, and they share a building with a Mexican restaurant. There's a parking lot that's shared with a pawn broker, produce market, and check cashing service. Their vibe is urban, with a rainbow flag on their front door, and assortment of plants inside. Other reviewers had mentioned a line upon opening, so we made sure to arrive 15 minutes before they open, but on this Friday morning, there was no one else but us. Our server was friendly, polite, and soft spoken. Their menu is quite small, which I appreciate. There's appetizers, sides, brunch, and dinner -- all on 1 page. Their food was outstanding, with rich flavors and beautifully presented with sauces and pickled radishes. We ordered... + Shanghai Lumpia - these were long, crispy, and properly filled + Daing Na Bangus Silog - deep fried milkfish with salad, garlic rice, and sunny egg. One of our favorites. + Fried Chicken (4-piece) - perfectly crispy and juicy. There's some warm spices in the batter, maybe all-spice. + Adobo fried rice - the pork was so tender, it shreds on your fork. This had a good amount of tanginess that was so good. + Pancit Sotanghon - not your typical pancit. The chopped veggies in this had an almost charred flavor that made the dish so interesting. There was not a bad dish. I definitely recommend this for elevated Filipino food that's not pretentious, with a modern, hip vibe.

Almost everything is perfect. Food is good, very "cheffy". You can see the technique put into every…read moredish. Atmosphere is delightful with a warm, cozy dining room/bar. Lush greenery abounds. Servers are nice, checking tables frequently. What fell short for me was the taste. Restaurant quality food but flavors are so divorced from the og that diners looking to satiate their Filipino food cravings will leave unsatisfied. Filipino food has very strong pungent flavors whether salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and definitely umami. It should punch diners in the mouth, no ands, ifs, or buts. Adobo sa gata (aka adobo in coconut milk) is a regional specialty. The sharpness of the vinegar mellows out with the addition of the coconut milk. But there should still be a clear and distinct flavor profile. The eggplant omelet was almost there. Liked that it wasn't greasy but again was searching for some punch of flavor. Maybe I needed to ask it they had a garlic, chili and vinegar dipping sauce. Or maybe atchara (aka pickled veg). Didn't care for the sticky rice dessert (aka suman). Didn't like the pureed texture. The green mango garnish was better when I dipped the slices in salt. FOB Kitchen's food is refined. Maybe too subtle and restrained. I get it. The chef has to appeal to the western palate, a wider audience than just Filipinos, to survive in an industry with razor thin margins. I look for good food and flavor, not necessarily for authenticity. So yes, I would still recommend this restaurant, for good eats but not for Filipino food.

My wife and I had brunch at Co Nam today and it was, in my wife's words, "just delightful!"…read more We shared one app and one main and both were fantastic. For the app, we had the Wicked Fried Buns. The chicken was fantastic, just perfectly seasoned, the vegetables were crisp and the bun was fried to perfection. And for the main, we had Chicken and Waffle. The tempura chicken was delicious and the waffle (mochi and pandan) was very good. We also had some cocktails, all of which were excellent. This place knows its drinks.

We came by here for an early dinner and absolutely loved the vibe and the food. As a Vietnamese…read moreAmerican, restaurants that bring back history and tie it in with the food experience holds a special place in my heart. Their cocktail menu is extensive and was delicious. We got the Pillow Talks and the Tokyo Old Fashioned and both were perfect. For food, highly recommend their carpaccio, oysters, and fried chicken. Would skip on the Banh mi as their bread was a bit old and there was no pate or mayo so it was quite dry. Other than the Banh mi, food was delicious and worth a visit!

Found this spot on tiktok and decided to try it out with my favorite cousin. The rating was decent…read moreand the food looked good so we made our way over. We sat inside originally, but then decided to go sit outside because it was a beautiful day. The inside was clean and very quiet, the patio was full of people. Ambiance gets a 4/5. We were immediately met by a pleasant waitress, and when we moved she just came and found us. She was very informative, engaging, and knowledgeable, great service all around 4.8/5. I ordered the strength & my cousin the garlic wings and a margarita. The wings were some of the best I've ever had, fried to perfection and seasoned just right. A huge punch of garlic, which I really enjoy, so wings were 4.9/5. The vegetarian sandwich I ordered was so delicious, the pesto and garlic aioli really added flavor and the fresh warm bread really set it apart 4.8/9, only because the jalapeño was more spicy than pickled. Overall; I rate this place a 4.7/5

A hidden secret is the Hidden Spot. Right on the corner with easy ramp up walkway or stairs. It has…read moreoutside eating or inside with big screen tv's and a bar. All the food sounded good on the menu. I had the sapphire which was supposed to be hot but it wasn't at all for me. The gem was almost like a Philly cheese steak. Both were really good. The fries seasoning is really good and the onion rings were good as well. I got a mango lemonade drink that I really enjoyed. Cool place to watch sports and grab a good bite to eat. Now go and enjoy, you can thank me later.

I had some down time between an afternoon meeting and dinner, so I looked on Yelp for a cafe to…read morework in with wifi and lunch because I hadn't eaten yet. MLK Cafe was perfectly located and exactly what I needed. I've never had Eritrean food before, so I was pretty excited. I ordered the foul meseleh ($13) from the breakfast menu (available all day though I had to ask for it), which was a bean-based dish, and chai. It kind of reminded me of shakshuka in terms of spices but the beans almost tasted meaty. I liked it so much that I brought it home, and my partner said it tasted like refried beans (though he did have them cold). The crusty warm bread was perfect for dipping, and I ended up not being able to finish it. The chai was pretty milky; there was a tea bag and the spices weren't very strong. Then again, I'm used to Indian chais. I would pass on the chai. There was basically no one else there on a Friday afternoon during off-peak hours. It was dimly lit and kind of chilly because the door was left open, so it wasn't the most comfortable cafe ambiance. The wifi did work well though and I would come back to try more Eritrean and Ethiopian food.

Tried this place on a whim since this area of oakland is highly known for their Ethiopian cuisine…read more It was surprising to find a local spot though serving breakfast. That's what really drew us in. Very tasty breakfast, got the injera breakfast plate filled with lots of spices, tomato flavor and tang from the bread. Super addicting if you love those flavors. Very thankful to be given a side of yogurt to help cool the heat down. Definitely would order this again, but maybe add my own mix-ins like an egg or more protein since it's very carb heavy. Inside wise, you can watch two tv's playing sports, our waitress/cashier was very kind, and it appeared like many locals hanging out. Only thing is their menu prices are out of date. About $13 plus tax per plate. Hope to come back at night to see the bar open and some live music!

The restaurant itself has a great vibe. The kitchen is open so you can watch the chefs work, which…read moreI always enjoy. At night, their lights are very soft with a warm temperature, so the dining room has a very coze feel. The front of house are friendly and give good, attentive service. I had the Margherita pizza and it was great. Good crust.

Pizza is ok. I'm not the biggest fan of Neapolitan style but it's a solid slice if that's your…read morething. On the other hand the beef tartare appetizer is fantastic. Best beef tartare I've ever had. Super easy to get a table. There is a nice back patio area where you can sit outside.

It's nearly impossible to eat out and eat REAL FOOD. I…read moredon't have the motivation, time or patients to cook at home a lot. Kitava is bringing you whole, real, and healthy choices you don't have to feel guilty about. Love it.

If you're looking for a healthy alternative for fast food, this should be top of mind…read more After spending the afternoon training at Witterfield for a 5K, my friends and I decided to find a healthy option and stumbled upon Kitava on yelp. We ordered... Sesame Chicken 4/5 Chicken was crispy. Broccoli was cooked perfectly. It could use a little more seasoning on the chicken and broccoli but the sauce was there to elevate it. Reminds me of panda express haha Miso Salmon Bowl 4/5 Salmon was cooked flaky and moist. Really enjoyed the jalapeño lime sauce. Brussel sprouts were roasted to perfection. Very light and tasty meal. Fish & Chips 4/5 Crispy fish and chips. Simple dish but it was fun and tasty! Evolved Caesar Salad + Paprika Chicken (Protein) 5/5 Absolute favorite. After mixing everything together it was the best healthy salad I've had in a while! Chicken was tender and flavorful! Enjoyed this dish the most. Service 5/5 Ordering is very quick, Staff was very friendly and our order came in timely within 10 minutes or less. They do serve your orders right to you but water and utensils are self served, as well as cleaning up after yourself. There is a 5% mandatory fee for employee health, so be aware of that. Ambience 5/5 I loved the vibes inside. It's very bright and homey. Made me feel good to be there. Seats are comfy and tables are clean. Parking was a breeze. Definitely adding this to my diet rotation if I forget to make a meal prep

Homeroom is a popular Mac and Cheese spot. It was indeed, yummy as anticipated. They have a few…read moreoptions on the menu that elevate the classic food. It was filling. Thank you to our server, Anthony.

TLDR: 50 minute wait between sitting down to getting your food. Don't visit thinking this is a…read morequick drop by kind of place. While this visit was in between the lunch and dinner rush, unfortunately I think they are understaffed because at the time we sat down there was only 1 person who was busing tables and taking orders. As a result, it took a while for them to be able to stop by our table and provide water, take our order, etc. There was quite a long wait between sitting down to ordering to actually receiving our food. By the time we had actually received our food, almost an hour had passed. While we were waiting, a few other servers eventually joined, but service was still pretty bare for us and we never received refills on water or plates to eat off of when we received our food. I understand that staffing and a backup in the kitchen are out of the staff's control, but it would've definitely helped for us to know in advance how long to expect to wait to align our expectations and arrange our plans for the day. Would advise giving customers a quick heads up/warning because that on its own would've made a big difference. As for the actual food, we ordered the mac trio with elote mac, chicken pot pie mac, and kogi short rib mac (for an extra fee). The elote mac was the best and most flavorful, the short rib mac was okay but not amazing or worth the extra money, and the chicken pot pie mac was very bland/flavorless and didn't have much chicken in it. The food didn't feel like it warranted the wait time and because of that I would not return.

This place might have become my favorite fast-casual burger joint in Oakland…read more Since my first review, I've enjoyed their food three more times -- in person once and DoorDash twice. And it's been satisfying and well worth it all three times. I recommend both dining in and delivery. You cannot go wrong with their double burger. The smashed patties are perfectly cooked and seasoned. The supporting elements are quality and executed spot-on each time: the cheese, grilled onions, and mayo. It's a perfect fast casual burger. I also recently tried the Chopped Beef burger and dang it was amazing. The hearty meat and cheese the and buttery bread texture hit hard. This will be another go-to and I recommend it. For sides I've gotten tator tots, regular fries, and season fries. All fantastic and they're generous with the portions. HOWEVER -- you've gotta get the seasoned fries. Addictive and finger-licking amazing. When dining in staff is always friendly. Area's not too busy and you'll always find parking easily down a side street. And price wise it honestly feels like a steal for me given the care and quality and pure satisfaction. Works for me though -- I'm going to keep ordering from this place. Cannot recommend this gem of a burger joint enough. Fantastic seasoning and execution, solid prices, and absolutely satisfying every time.

All of it... yes! Typical Bay Area prices for delicious smash burgers, fries, and onion rings…read more Service is always great and the vibes are fun/casual. Parking in the ohgane lot next is free if you're there for oh g burger.

I find this restaurant to have good basic food for extremely high prices…read more Customer service is average ..When l asked if l could have the eggs fried instead of poached, I was told absolutely not we cannot change things on the menu..even though it was not busy..for those prices ($22)for bacon eggs and home fries,I don't think it was a big ask.. I will not be returning.

It was a Sunday morning and I had just finished a workout from the gym next-door. I originally sat…read moremyself at the parklet but it was too warm outside to be comfortable. I seated myself at the bar where there was only one seat available. It was a poppin atmosphere and it didn't take long for me to land my eyes on the menu and see "fried green tomato Benedict." They got me at Fried Green Tomatoes. My order didn't take long to end up in front of me. My benedict was crunchy (perfect toast and perfectly fried tomatoes) with a medium sunny side up egg. The mixed green salad that it came with was nicely dressed and had good flavor. Service was friendly and atmosphere was fun. Perfect Sunday brunch!