Everything was good. The food was amazing. Delicious tasty rice and the service was great. Highly…read morerecommend. I walked in, none busy and i was able to get my food within 5 minutes. The food was fresh and i loved it. However, paying 33 dollars for a meal with only two decent size oxtails is kind of expensive for a decent food. I wish they would have put more meat on my rice place. Other than that, it was a great experience eating this delicious food. The inside is small and they have a little table outside for family's to eat. I would come back here and try their other food but it is a bit pricey for me.

I'm filing this place away as one of my must-visit spots in Oakland! I came in for lunch and…read moreordered the jollof rice with chicken, plantains and kale. The flavor and spice was impeccable!! I appreciated the inclusion of fresh veggies. And the portion was enough for me to save some for dinner later. I'll be back!

Sorry to have to do this, but arrived on a Thursday (today!) at or before 2 pm and the place was…read moreclosed. Posted hours on website, Google and Yelp all say they close ar 2:30. Came out of my way to try and support this place. Major let-down and waste of my time, and adversely impacted my entire plan for the day. Was excited to try, but unlikely to give another chance under the circumstances.

I had been meaning to come here for the longest time because beyond Auntie April's, it was the only…read morerestaurant I had really heard of in Bayview. I remember reading about chef/owner Eskender Aseged's back story in an old SFGATE article - how he escaped Ethiopia on foot with his family, how he started as a busboy at the legendary Square One, how he worked his way up at the tonier restaurants in town like Boulevard and Campton Place, and how he managed to open this place nearly a decade ago. It's quite an impressive journey, and I didn't know I was meeting him when I walked up to the counter to look at the menu. It was after 2PM, and he was busy in the back washing the dishes. He didn't hear me come in, so I cleared my throat. Yes, I know that was a rude passive-aggressive move. Although everything was tempting, I selected the $15 Saffron Prawns over Couscous with Vegetables and Chermoula (photo: https://bit.ly/3DPe4Fh). I didn't know chermoula was a North African variation on a cilantro-olive oil marinade with a discernible chili kick. The combination of flavors was quite delicious and surprisingly familiar, a bit like a Cajun-style seafood stew. The $3.50 Iced Hibiscus Lemonade was a refreshing complement to the homestyle dish, more compatible than a Coke Zero would've been (photo: https://bit.ly/3ran6aB). I heard he changes up the menu, but I hope the chicken jambalaya and pistachio baklava are still around for me to try. The ride on the T Line was pretty easy, as the restaurant is right at the Oakdale/Palou stop in front of the portrait mural of Barack and Michelle (photo: https://bit.ly/3uSJPsQ). FOOD - 5 stars...the saffron prawns clearly reflected a broader palette worth trying AMBIANCE - 4 stars...contemporary concrete and clean SERVICE - 4.5 stars...Eskender was doing everything himself TOTAL - 5 stars...a proud accomplishment in Bayview RELATED - Exploring Bayview/Hunters Point? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3AOvRKv

We needed a gluten free potato we came here for dinner. There was five of us and we ordered the…read moremeat combination and added some seafood such as the catfish and that was a good amount for all of us. We each had a large piece of the bread which is used to pick up the food. I would suggest getting a couple of utensils to help with serving so it's not so messy. Anyway, the food was delicious. My favorite was the lamb and the catfish. We ordered the mild spice level and I thought that already had a good flavor. The restaurant itself has a very comfortable atmosphere. Service was great. Our server was very helpful and gave us a good amount of attention. I recommend making reservation.

Solid Eritrean food. We got there in the late afternoon and were seated quickly. The injera was the…read moreperfect texture, and had that classic slightly sour flavour that paired perfectly with all the dishes. To start off, we ordered some beverages and appetizers: one order each of the meat and veggie sambusas. These were yummy, with a lovely flaky pastry and delicious filling. The veggie one was a little better, since it had a lot more variety; the meat one was filled solely with seasoned ground beef. For our main, we got the platter for 4, and added two meat dishes. This amount of food ended up being perfect for our group of 4 hungry people after a few hours of exercise.

The food and injera at Zeni Ethiopian are absolutely DELICIOUS! Highly recommend this place, the…read morefood is so tasty, the atmosphere is cute and cozy and the staff are some of the nicest people. I especially loved the ground beef and the lentils from our veggie and meat order. Everything was flavorful and the injera was heavenly. My friend and I were so caught up eating and chatting that we didn't realize they had actually been closed for almost half an hour! The staff were incredibly kind and courteous, they just continued cleaning around us without making us feel rushed or asking us to leave. That level of hospitality really stood out to me. I'll definitely be coming back.

First time trying Ethiopian food and everything was packed with flavor, and I loved eating with…read moreinjera, it made the whole experience feel so authentic. Every bite was delicious, and the portions were great for sharing. I also tried Ethiopian coffee for the first time, and wow... it was so good! Rich, smooth, and definitely worth ordering if you've never had it before, ended it with their delicious pastry. Great food, friendly service, and such a unique dining experience. I'll definitely be back!

I FORGOT TO TAKE PHOTOS!!!…read more Service 5 stars Flavor 5 stars We arrived around 1pm on a Friday. We were seated right away and was given 2 options on how to order food (kiosk or QR code on phone). I appreciate the lack of paper menus that end up in landfills. We ordered lots of food and every single bite was delicious!! Stew with fufu Soup Chicken and rice Meat pies I wish I had taken pictures to remember everything we got. If I am not mistaken, this place is also woman owned, black owned, LGBTQ owned - which doesn't change the flavor of the food, but does make me walk away happy that we got to support a great local owned spot. One thing I love, feeling satisfied not only with the quality and quantity of food, but my taste buds are happy. Will we be back? YES and with more friends next time.

Ohhh mahnnn... let me just tell you... they can COOK at this restaurant! NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT…read more However, I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to know that they will take a LONGGG time to make your food. This is a cozy little restaurant, and they're clearly busy. My thought process was: if I place a pickup order for 5:30pm, it should be ready around 5:30pm, right? We actually planned on eating there, but we figured ordering ahead would help with timing. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. We ordered quite a bit of food, and our appetizer came out around 6:15pm. Another dish followed around 6:45pm, and one of our dishes didn't even come out until we were ready to leave, so we ended up asking them to pack it to go. I'm not sharing this to discourage anyone from trying this restaurant because the food is genuinely good. I just want to be transparent so expectations are set. The staff are friendly, and you can tell they're working hard, but the long wait times, forgotten dishes, and staggered timing of food coming out can definitely test people's patience. Here's what I ordered: Spicy Fried Chicken Wings (6pc) (5/5) SOOOO SPICY... but ohhh so good. These wings were packed with flavor, but that spice level is on a whole different level. I eat spicy food and like to think I have a pretty high tolerance, but these wings had me in tears. Would I order them again? Ohhh absolutely! Next time, I'm definitely getting a side of rice because I need something to balance that heat. Beef Meat Pies (4/5) These were a pretty generous size, but I wish they had a little more flavor on their own. That being said, dipping them into the chicken wing sauce was a game changer. That combo hit the spot. Fufu and Egusi (4/5) Very flavorful! We added turkey to the egusi for some extra protein, and I'd definitely do that again. The turkey added more texture to the egusi which made it even better. Oxtail with Jollof Rice (5/5) Wowww, what a meal! This was unfortunately the dish that came out much later, so I didn't get to enjoy it right away, but it was still absolutely worth the wait. If you're ordering anything from their menu, GET THE OXTAIL. The flavor was incredible, and the meat fell right off the bone. Absolute deliciousness. Also... the plantains? Wow. You gotta love that sweet balance. And the jollof rice? No brainer, it was amazing. I'm usually not a fan of corn in my rice, but somehow it worked perfectly here. Everything about this meal was delicious! Overall, the food is seriously so good!! Just come prepared to be patient because the wait is brutal, but when the food finally arrives, you'll understand why people love this place. Remember... great things comes to those who wait ;)

I had been wanting to try Naija Cuisine for a few months, and I'm so glad I finally got the chance…read moretoday! This place is definitely a hidden gem. The cook was incredibly sweet and welcoming. I didn't realize orders needed to be placed ahead of time, but she kindly took my order as soon as I walked in. She even let me sample the egusi soup first to make sure the flavor and spice level were right for me, which I really appreciated. Thank you for putting so much care into my meal. The food was absolutely delicious, and I'll definitely be coming back!

Today was my first time coming to Naija Cuisine and also trying Nigerian food! I was welcomed so…read morewarmly by the chef and also offered samples of the food, even beyond what I ordered. Her spice level is spot on!!! The food was so flavorful and delicious. I got the jollof rice with lamb and plantains, certainly something I will crave again and has easily became my favorite. I also got the spinach and egusi with fish and a side of fufu. Another dish packed with spice and heart, so yummy. I already can't wait to come back. The ambiance was so friendly. I highly recommend visiting!

It was so good! Best food I've had in a long time. The hot sauce was amazing and super flavorful…read moreand the people were so friendly!!

Got the egusi soup with fufu and the jollof rice and plantains. It came right away. The ambience…read morewas laid back, had good music, and the food was great. The service was timely as well.

Mama malewa has authentic Congolese food and good amount to have you full and save some for later.read more

Wow! This was such a pleasant surprise for the area. I'm big on how they bag my food and I was…read morehappy to see lol the condiments plus extra. I got the Greek salad and lentil soup. Let me tell you everything was fresh and good. Nothing but good things to say!!! Fyi.....I ate the food before I could take the picture ‍