We have been going to the Telegraph Avenue Holiday Street Fair for decades. Today we drove into…read moreBerkeley and there was nothing there. SO disappointing! The website and the Facebook page STILL show that it was supposed to be open today. I couldn't find any notice anywhere of a cancellation. How are you supposed to know? After posting a question to another Berkeley Facebook page I was informed that it was canceled due to a weather prediction (the weather was just fine). In past years, it has rained, but the fair still went on. In any case, why no communication? This must be awfully disappointing to the vendors and the rest of Telegraph Avenue shops that benefit from the foot traffic, as well.

This isn't the type of fair where rolling groups of Dickensian-dressed characters sing traditional…read moreChristmas carols a cappella, or where a jovial, bewhiskered old man in overalls gives away chestnuts are roasting on an open fire. No, this is Telegraph Avenue where the hippy-dippy mood is not necessarily holiday-induced. It's really the same merchandise you see at most of the street fairs around here, but that's OK because it wouldn't be Berkeley otherwise. Where else could I get a flying pig wind catcher (photo: http://bit.ly/2EoxKDN)? They close Telegraph from Bancroft to Dwight and hold the fair from 11AM to 6PM on the three weekends before Christmas. It's worth checking out. RELATED - Hungry in Berkeley? Here's a collection of places I've tried and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2N4anQA

Very nice people, delicious piping hot churros! Definite "Best of Oakland." I'll be back…read more The taco stand next door also looked delicious.

Going here since I was a kid and still awesome. Beat churros de cajeta ever and well priced. Great…read moreservice and always fresh

Hands down the best churros you can get in the area. I've had churros from every which place and…read morethey are always either too sweet, too hard, or too gummy Efren's has the perfect recipe that is the perfect balance of everything. We first found out about it at a big corporate event and even in the cold the churros were delicious (though nothing can beat it freshly made) Whether a potluck treat or catered to your event, this is one huge way to impress!

These footlong churros are delicious. Best eaten hot out the fryer. Perfect blend and amount of…read moresugar and cinnamon. When you bite into it, it's got that crunch you want. Not greasy. Firm. Orders of all sizes: $10 for 5. $20 for 12. Trays available. Chocolate, caramel and house sauces available for $2 each. Can walk up but recommend to order ahead.

I had the absolute pleasure of trying Bombzies today, and I'm still thinking about it!…read more From the moment I walked up, the owner was incredibly warm, welcoming, and genuinely kind it's rare to come across service that feels that personal and sincere. You can tell there's real passion behind what they're doing. Now let's talk about the food... WOW. I ordered the Korean BBQ, and it was hands down the best I've ever had. The flavors were perfectly balanced, the sauce was rich and unforgettable, the rice was cooked to perfection, and the kimchi had just the right kick. Every single bite was next level. This wasn't just a meal, it was an experience. Awesome owner, Amazing people, incredible food, and quality you can truly taste. If you see Bombzies, don't even think twice...go get it. You'll thank me later.

Bombzies BBQ serves a mix of Asian BBQ including Korean, Thai, and Vietnamese styles. The proteins…read moreare sat on a bed of rice or garlic noodles, and I was able to ask for half rice half noodles! There are some dressed spring mix, pickled shredded carrot and daikon, kimchi, and cucumbers on the side that complete the meal. The char and flavor on my Korean BBQ chicken was good (a bit on the salty side but still enjoyable), and the rice and noodles were moist and plump; it's a solid bowl that I wouldn't mind eating every now and then. The main drawback is the price, especially for a casual DIY-style meal with mainly chicken and tofu choices. I also get food from Bombzies catered at my workplace and they're typically pretty good and specialize in flavorful Asian comfort food.

My fav pastor place. Tortillas cooked great and the gringas was good. Alambre is a nice lvl up from…read moreregular pastor too. Really like the white/green salsa

Very good Al pastor tacos. Definitely worth giving it a try, particularly on Fridays when it is…read moreless busy.

Only went to this festival in 2023. Things were secretly modern and there was a way of purchasing…read morestuff at it. Didn't stick around for the whole time, but it was worth attending. Hopefully it will return next year.

I've been to the Art & Soul Festival more times than I can remember, way before I started Yelping…read more I remember it starting a few years after they canceled the Festival At The Lake. Lots of food vendors, stages, etc, but the best thing I like about this Festival is the Oakland vibe. Every time I go, it reminds me of Festival At The Lake or Hip-Hop On The Green. Especially near the main stage when the main artists are doing their thing. This year was no different. Yes, the $15 entrance fee and $5 parking was higher than last year, but it was worth it to me, I don't mind paying if I'm enjoying myself. Keep doing you Oakland!!!

To each their own...these tamales came poorly wrapped in foil wity the husk also poorly wrapped and…read morewere a mess.Packed in a gallon ziploc bag along with some green salsa. There's a almost tart flavor to them..guessing it's the queso...not great. I see why now they're the price they are. Not great

Really tasty tamales with a kick!…read more This is a cart on a one way street. Parking was easy right in front. Wanted 3 dozen tamales for a party so called to make sure they would have it and it was not a problem. $45 for 3 dozen = $1.25 each. So a nice discount from $2 each when you buy a dozen. Got pork, chicken, and cheese. My favorite was the chicken and least was pork. The pork was a bit too greasy for me. The cheese had big bits of jalapeno. Wrapped in banana leaves and moist. And it's been good reheated as leftovers a few days after. Easy to pay with a QR code - Zelle, Venmo, or cash.

Charlie's Corn & Sons was the only one food vendor at Irvingston Farmers Market. (not counting…read morepopcorn, bread & huumus). so gave them a try, offerings: baked potato, corn in cup, corn on cobb eats: corn on cob (3) with mayo and butter -wasn't roasted as seen on posters. -corn very fresh, not so sweet, didn't come with lime juice, chili flakes as listed on poster. noticed kid was busy loading up on the fixings to the side.. *not a fan of lime juice and chilis so it doesn't matter taste wise. leftovers: -not a fan of baked potatoes carb wise. may try it one day if starving.

Stumbled upon this food vendor gem @ my local San Leandro Farmer's Market in the parking lot of…read moreEnglander. Perhaps it was the hunger and the smell of grilled meat in the air, or that the bright yellow oven was steaming and the sweetness of fresh roasted corn aroma was my calling, but it called and I came. The menu was simple: Baked Potato (5) Roasted Corn (2.5) Lemonade/Pink Lemonade (2) Water/Soda (1) +(.5) for any additional potato toppings. That corn is so special because it's just slow roasting in that giant, yellow oven so old school and classic, where you know that's why the food is some delicious. Their famous corn should be topped with: salt, butter, cheese, chile, lemon and mayonnaise. I'm not a huge mayonnaise so I skipped that, but the rest melted all into a buttery drizzle went perfectly with the corn. They don't have the butter out, so let them know you want butter with your corn. Plus, the corn is ON the cob! The potato is amazing. It's huge so huge it's about twice the size of a regular sized person's fist. It's baked and the skin is crispy. Meaty potato loaded on top with different cheeses, salt, butter, green onions, bacon bits, sour cream and jalapenos. It's the perfect hotness and they wrap it up beautifully for you. I'm not even sure if these words should be used to describe food, but I am and they can because I have no other words. Must come try the baked potato because you won't regret it. Absolutely delicious and makes me love farmer's market to discover food vendors that you can't have every day. The lemonade isn't bad and not overly sticky or sweet. The pink one is always better! If you ever swing by the San Leandro's FM, this is the one stop that you should duck into for a second to indulge yourself-never had a better baked potato. Plus, it well worth that five bucks you have. The carbs are worth it because an extra hour at the gym won't kill.

Arrived at about 4pm. The BART ride over was hot. The park was sunny and hot. The food was served…read morehot. The people attending, not so much... The music stage was by the lake and there was plenty of security enforcing the 'no alcohol past this point' rule where the crowd surrounding the stage was alcohol free. Lots of families with young children were gathered on the lawn clustered densely under the few shaded areas. There was a nice collection of food and beer vendors in addition to shiny stuff for sale. A handful of diehards were gyrating to the beats thrown down by a DJ. A main tent sold tickets for alcohol and food. Security and police presence was strong, and the peacekeepers were friendly, helpful and approachable. Very curious what the vibe would be like after dark. Pity I could not stay to find out. As I rode the BART back to SF, I saw train loads of beautiful people flocking to the city. It's Saturday Night y'all--have fun and stay safe!

A perfect Saturday afternoon on Lake Merritt and free of charge (unbelievable). There were music at…read moredifferent venues (bars/cafes/restaurants) along the Lake, but we decided to go to the main stage first. The music at the ampitheater was a pleasant backdrop to the gorgeous view of the lake. I didn't pay attention to the band until Jennifer Johns came on stage. She spent 30+ minutes adjusting the sound. Jennifer blew me away with a rendition of Etta James' "At Last". Jennifer inspired people to leave their seats/spots on the grass and dance in front of the stage. She extolled everyone to make the Oakland sign (interlace fingers and put pads of thumbs together and hold hands over head). There was an older guy with white hair who did NOT stop dancing for 2+ hours straight. His arm motions (as if he were swimming) were fun to watch. We had a side view of the stage & musicians & techies from our seats. Across the street at the convention center, there were food trucks, vendor booths, port o potties, beer garden and most importantly - Curbside Creamery. I got my vegan ice cream sandwich (important because I missed her at the Grand Lake Farmers' Market earlier that morning). Some convention center recommendations for next year: 1. More food trucks (I counted only 2 at 2:30p) and and at least 1 vegan food truck. 2. Do not put the beer garden directly in front of the one walking path that leads to the convention center parking lot. People in line for beer block path to cross the street to the lake. Service also seemed slow. 3. Make DJ spinning area larger - much larger and give less grass space to vendors (people are there to listen to music and eat/drink, not so much to buy jewelry). 4. More Portable toilets 5. Create an area with picnic tables or stand up tables and chairs. There were 4 plastic chairs in the shade beside a food truck. We were lucky enough to get seats to eat. The main attraction for me (besides the vegan ice cream sandwich) was DJ spinning danceable music on one end. His 10 year old son was dancing, other kids dancing, adults dancing. Discovery: I am able to dance sans back pain on grass! Hooray. Around 7p, we decided to go to Portal (since Los Hermanos del Ritmo was playing), en route to Portal, we encountered a winnebago offering karaoke. A woman was singing Adele "We Could Have Had It All" and she was Fantastic. A crowd gathered to listen to her. After she finished singing, we continued onto Portal and had a lovely, entertaining dinner there, then took a Lyft home. I hope the EastLake Music Festival becomes an annual tradition. The crowd, the music line up, the venues themselves are an example of the rich cultural & ethnic diversity in Oakland that has become "normal" to me. The NYT has said Oakland is a second Brooklyn, but a day spent at the East Lake Festival proves that Oakland beats Brooklyn, hands down.

Tacos were delicious especially the pastor tacos. It was $28 for 7 tacos and a large Horchata. But…read morelet me tell you: after my wife and I completely demolished our tacos, we noticed that the person serving the tacos used a knife to cut raw meat and then proceeded to using the same knife to cut avocados, pineapple, meat and everything. I don't know how to UNSEE what I SAW.....

Late night taco spot to check out. Carne asada would be better, less dry. But has a nice smokiness…read moreto it. Cabeza and tripas did not disappoint. Tender and crispy! I'd love to come back to try out the Al pastor! They put slices of pineapple!