My friend and I found this place a few years ago on our way back from the livermore outlet, and it has been our all time favorite since then. I love the jerky chicken so much, and my friend think they had the best paella. We have tried most of the dishes, salads, tapas, and loved almost all of them! the short ribs might need a bit improvement though lol . Anyway, we LOVE this place! read more

Got the jerk chicken sandwich and it came out slightly warm and tasteless. If you told me it was frozen chicken I would believe you. Overpriced for what I experienced. The temperature and quality didn't sit right with me. The mac and cheese was basically pasta, but at least the guava juice was great. I'll order that drink again. read more

Jerk shrimp is addictive. The blistered lemon is caramelized and balances the roasted habanero. The herbs in the olive oil keep you scraping the bottom of the cast iron skillet looking for more. The oxtail dish is HUGE. It was not quite as tender as I like (prefer it falls off the bone), but the sauce was something I can't explain... rich, comforting, and spices that send you into La La land. Not sure 1 person should be able to finish the entire dish (especially after having the jerk shrimp app.) but I couldn't stop until it was ALL gone. Sweet Plantains are the best ending to any meal. Vegan paella is mouth-watering. The small sized portion is plenty for one person. I add the jerk tofu and it's a perfect meal for me. Pumpkin soup is YumO... true to what the menu says... famous. I also love the tropical salad with jerk tofu. Street food doubles, gluten free style are addictive. Oyo is ultimately my fav place to dine in Pleasanton for both lunch & dinner. read more

Oyo - Vegan Paella de Vegan no onions + Jerk Tofu - Latin American Near Me - Pleasanton, California

Went for Valentine's Day and ordered the ceviche, jerk shrimp, BBQ oysters and paella Oyo. Overall was not impressed by the food, given the price tag. Jerk shrimp was oily and BBQ oysters were tiny. Paella was also very oily. Ceviche was probably my favorite but was still just ok. Disappointing given the high reviews and nice looking pictures of the food, which our food looked nothing like. Don't think I'll come back. read more

The quality here can be hit or miss--you never quite know if you're in for an exceptional experience or just an average one. I've been a few times, and the same dish has varied noticeably in quality. The ambiance is great, though. Honestly, some visits felt like a solid 6 star out of 5!!! while others were closer to a 2 out of 5! read more

Oyo - Latin American Near Me - Pleasanton, California

My friends and I came to Oyo for dinner with reservations, but unfortunately had to wait nearly 30 minutes past our reserved time. It was clearly a busy night, and the restaurant was packed. The atmosphere was lively but very loud--at one point, it was difficult to hold a conversation because they were teaching dance classes on one side of the restaurant. That part made the experience a bit overwhelming. That said, the food was great! I had the paella, which was delightful, and our appetizers were absolutely mouth-watering. I'd love to come back--hopefully on a quieter night so I can enjoy both the food and the company a bit more. read more

Caribbean food was so full of flavor. The meat was very tender and the rice was completely soft.

We have eaten at Oyo numerous times. Their menu has several gluten free items. The service is always good. A table outside was cleaned for us when we said we wanted to eat outside. The server brought water and menus quickly then returned with our drinks and took our order. The food was brought out quickly. The restruant is always clean and bright. There are tables both inside and out. They are spaced far enough from other tables to have private conversations. The decor is fun and contemporary. I have enjoyed the food I have had in the past and would generally recommend everything I have had. The food has always been nicely spiced, not too strong or lacking. Today my friend has the jerked pork shoulder. The meat was tender and tasty. The accompanying rice and beans and plantain were delicious. One dish I would not recommend was the Guyanese Cookup Rice. I expected a fried rice dish. It was a huge mound of rice. However it was dry and there was very little meat in it. The flavor was good but it was mostly rice and black eyed peas. It came with cole slaw which was crunchy. The plantain was delicious. I am sure we will be back. read more

See all

We were introduced to this restaurant by some local friends. It definitely seems to be a lively date night spot. We didn't have a reservation but the wait wasn't long. I have not had much Caribbean food before, but the jerk pork shoulder was really good. The meat was extremely soft and flavored well without being over-seasoned. There is a side of rice and beans mixed together in typical Latin American style, and plantains. I also ordered the pumpkin soup which was very tasty. It is like a pumpkin bisque with some savory oil mixed in. The jerk chicken was kind of dry though, and wasn't served with any sides. We also had a mint coconut cocktail thing which was extremely sweet. There is no parking available for this restaurant, though there are plenty of public parking spots around. read more

Here's a polished, more engaging version of your review. I kept your voice, just made it flow smoothly and sound more professional while still genuine. Wow--what an incredible dining experience! I was genuinely blown away by how delicious everything was at Oyo. To my surprise, the pork shoulder ended up being my favorite dish of the night. The meat was fall-off-the-bone tender, packed with bold flavor, and paired perfectly with the rice and beans. The plantains added just the right touch of sweetness to balance the savory richness. I love being able to taste all the spices and layers of flavor in each bite. The oxtail stew was also fantastic, and the paella was another standout. The jerk shrimp made for a cute and tasty appetizer. And I absolutely have to highlight the pumpkin soup--it was one of my favorites. The truffle and pumpkin notes were beautifully balanced, flavorful without being overpowering, and the whole profile worked so well together. Service and drinks were great, too! My only critique is regarding the to-go containers. For something as liquid-heavy as stew, the brown cardboard containers just aren't ideal--they're flimsy, not sealed, and unfortunately, as expected, ours did leak onto the other items. I'm only mentioning this in hopes that it's helpful feedback, because it doesn't take away from my overall experience. Oyo is definitely a fantastic spot for large parties, families, or group outings. We ordered three entrées and two appetizers, and the portions were generous enough to last multiple days--plus everything reheated beautifully. This place is a true gem and an absolute must-try if you're in Pleasanton and enjoy Caribbean or South American cuisine. read more

Met up with girlfriends on a Saturday night. Made reservations for 5;30pm, didn't seem like we needed them as there were plenty of empty tables. I would say the place got backed after 7pm so if you plan a little Later dinner I'd suggest make reservations. We very much enjoyed ourselves. Service was great and good was spot on! To start off we tried the special bbq oysters...wow, just wow! Therse were soooooo good! Perfectly seasons and just cooked right. We all enjoyed our portions. We shared a pitcher of the rum punch which was just what we needed for some fun girl talk! We shared the seafood paella, the best! Huge portions and was more than enough for the 3 of us. We also shared the half jerk chicken, sooo good and again, huge portions. We ended with her banana bread pudding, I would highly recommend this dish! Overall, great vibes. A live band came around 7pm, by that time the place is loud and hard to hear conversations or our server. Had totally try to read his lips as he was asking questions. I will Definitely be back and can't wait to try other dishes! read more

See all

Four of us went on 5/24 @ 6pm. Very few tables had customers. ~ 5 tables were occupied. Food: Always incredible. Everything is as good as you'd hope it to be. Service: waiter took our drink orders. Brought out a martini and a prickly pear margarita. Both excellent. About 5 minutes after that 2 tequila shots showed up. One should have been a double, shaken with lime. The other was supposed to be a margarita. 10 minutes after later we got the right drinks. Dinner order was simple: 2 Cesar salads- split and 4 entrees. 20 minutes after later our entrees showed up.... No salad yet. They took our entrees back and two Cesar's showed up- no split. Waiter tried to argue with us that was what we ordered. By this point we're a bit disappointed as we've eaten here quite a few times. Ambiance: very cool vibe.... Until the steel drum band kicked in making any type of conversation impossible. It was so loud the waiter commented that the errors were due to the noise. We asked our waiter if the band could turn it down just a bit. Nobody ever approached them. We love this place and will return, but mgt needs to be aware that service and ambiance can ruin a typically fantastic experience. read more

Awesome place that is hidden in the tri valley. I had to e braised short ribs prepared in a delicious sauce. I will return. The service was great and the food was even better read more

I never thought I would find such an eclectic spot in the middle of Downtown Pleasanton. A taste of South America via Guyana that is rooted in Caribbean culture, I get to start with Trini street food doubles and beef patties, followed by Curry Goat and then paella. Having had the doubles at Coco Breeze, I did prefer those more. However, the beef patties here were out of this world. So delicious, I wished I had the whole order to myself. Both the goat curry and the paella are solid and I liked how there are fried plantains to "garnish" the curry. Since paella is made to order, we were able to have it customized to be without shellfish. read more

See all

Stayed here for a quick trip. The room was simple and comfortable enough for the price, and it served its purpose.

My friends and I came on the weekend to enjoy their bottomless mimosas. They give you a bottle of wine and a variety of juices to choose from. I think you can try about 3 juices at a time? Prickly pear was one of the favorites in our group. We also ordered the paella oyo and oyo pepper pot. Both were pretty solid choices! The crispy bottom of the paella was delicious. The staff was super kind and patient with us and accommodated our numerous juice requests. Overall, it was a good time, and I would recommend this place for people to try out read more

See all

What a vibrant place! The decor is colorful, the music just right, and the food so flavorful. It's Guyanese food, which is alot like Caribbean food/Island food Loved the seasonings and use of flavors like ginger, papaya, hibiscus.. We had jerk chicken- it was incredible read more

This place is a gem! The Caipirinha is a must! Totally recommend trying a few things to share- the macaroni and cheese was surprisingly good, tofu on top of the Caesar salad, and paella. I am normally not a fan of plantains but these were on the tastier side. The service is friendly and it can get lively in the evenings. read more

Jerk chicken patty was ok 6/10 taste was good had a good crisp to it as well but not sure this is worth $10 for 1. The paella was 3/10 overall just tasted like one spice and didn't quite have the layers of flavor like it usually does, no crispy bottom either, meat in here wasn't anything to brag about. Service was ok 5/10 again nothing too special. The restaurant itself is very well decorated and bright with lots of color but the food was sub par. I would definitely have to convince myself to come back and it's been in my bookmarks for over a year, unfortunately just didn't live up to the hype for me. read more

Oyo - Paella oyo - Latin American Near Me - Pleasanton, California

See all

We decided to do something different and went here for my guy's birthday instead of our normal fine dining experiences. We were looking for a change, and so glad we came! Thanks to the yelpers who gave such great reviews, it was everything we expected. Bright, colorful inside. Cute dining outside; even though they had heaters, it was still pretty cool when we went in February a few weeks ago. We made reservations because it was February 15 and we were thinking it might be busy due to Valentine's Day being the day prior. When we got there, there were only a few tables filled since it was pretty early. The hostess was a little lackluster; when I told her I had reservations, she didn't even bother checking. She just sat us. So that meant nothing. :-/ I'd read online that they had live music, and were really looking forward to that. They did have music over the speakers but no one performing. Would definitely love to come back to see live music there. Perfect environment for it! We had an amazing waiter who showed the perfect amount of attentiveness. We decided to order a lot of different dishes to get a good sampling of what they provided. We ordered the tropical salad, and it was great that they split it into a small plate for each of us, serving it on chilled plates. It was really tasty! We also tried the ceviche as well as barbecued oysters, which were a special item as it was Valentine's Day weekend. My jerk pork was so tender and moist, but the red beans and rice were quite dry. The oyo paella was also quite good. Their portions are great! We actually took a lot of food home as it was a lot for two people. They even brought out a birthday dessert - banana bread, pudding for the birthday guy, and they even brought me out some ice cream since I couldn't have any of it, being gluten-free. Definitely will return again! read more

See all

We chose this restaurant specifically because it advertised that it accommodates dietary restrictions, including vegan options. Unfortunately, our experience was deeply disappointing and concerning. During our meal, one of the vegan dishes that was served clearly contained chicken. To be sure, I had someone else in our party taste it, and they confirmed it was indeed chicken. We informed our server, who was polite and took the dish back to the kitchen. He later returned to say the chef insisted it was mushroom. We pushed back--there was no question this was chicken--and the server took it away again. Shortly after, the manager came out and instead of handling the situation with understanding or accountability, he was condescending and dismissive. He insisted it was bamboo shoots (it very clearly was not), and that we should just trust the chef because he's a chef. When I mentioned that someone in our party is also a chef, and that the item was unmistakably chicken, he doubled down and said, essentially, that we were wrong and he was sorry we "felt that way." Food mislabeling, especially with dietary restrictions like veganism, is not a small issue--it can have serious ethical, health, or cultural implications. But what made this worse was the complete lack of respect in how the issue was handled. We were talked down to, not taken seriously, and ultimately left with a strong sense that the restaurant does not take accountability or guest concerns seriously. I cannot recommend this place to anyone who needs to trust that their dietary needs will be honored. read more

This place is truly special. I wish I could have met the grandmother. There's no doubt that the main chef cooks with love and passion. The flavors are dancing on your palate! The dishes are vibrant, and the dessert is simply sensational. The ambiance wraps around you like a warm blanket in front of a fire. This is undoubtedly the best South American and Caribbean fusion you don't want to miss. Do yourself a favor and treat yourself to something amazing. read more

See all

The food was amazing, the drinks are strong Caipirinha Oyo passion fruit and the Oyo Pisco Sour passion fruit was lighter- just how we like it! My table ordered the sizzling jerk shrimp, calypso ceviche, oxtail stew, and half jerk chicken with plantains. Everything was so delicious, it was my first time trying foods from South America of this region/Guyanese cuisine. The server was really sweet and made my first experience very well. I went on a weekday afternoon so it wasn't too busy but I will definitely be coming back! read more

Oyo - Oxtail Stew, Jerk Half Chicken, Black Beans and Rice, Pisco Sour, Cachaca Oyo (not pictured: Sizzling Jerk Shrimp) - Latin American Near Me - Pleasanton, California

Everything here tasted awesome; we've never had Guyanese food before and literally every dish was delectable. We (family and I) drove out all the way from the Central Valley to try this place and I can definitively say it was worth the trip. We were originally seated inside but asked to move outside due to the music volume, which was quite loud; thankfully the staff were very accommodating, and I did at least appreciate that the music was a live band, which we still got to hear (much more quietly) from outside. We proceeded to order some drinks (all of which we enjoyed); I personally ordered the non-alcoholic Pinapple Sorrel, which was very nice. After that we ordered food: a daily special (salt fish cakes), the Guyanese Cook-Up Rice, the Trinidadian Chaana, the Run-Down Fish, the Jerk Pork Shoulder, and the Pholourie; all of it was delicious and we finished off much more of it than we anticipated. We had enough room for dessert, which ended up being the Cassava Pone and the ice cream Trio, the second of which was nearly perfect and the first of which was actually genuinely perfect--one of the best desserts I've ever had! We can all highly recommend this place! read more

Good environment, good food, great service. .

Today, I had another fantastic dining experience at OYO. I always over order so I can sample a variety of tastes and have plenty to take home for continuous dining excellence. My oder included a side of delicious sweet plantains, the Guyanese cook up rice w/ coleslaw and plantains, a full slab of ribs and a the "day's special" steak and shrimp w/string beans and mashed potatoes... Needless to say, my friend and I took ample portions home. We also took home some small containers of a sauce w/habanero- spicy, tasty, but not blistering hot. I also ordered two pickle jars to go. If you've dined at OYO, you know about the pickles!... Our server, Axel, was attentive and so charming... I love the way he moves from table to table in an attentive, but non-intrusive manner. He promptly responded to our every request. Excellent service heightens the dining experience. Two points of concern, which don't diminish my 5 rating: 1) It was a very chilly day/evening. A door opens directly onto the dining area... several times guests were going in and put of that door without closing it behind themselves. Thus, a very cold air quickly permeated the dining area. Several times, other diners got up to close the door... The door needs to be adjusted to close behind exiting patrons... plus, patrons could be more considerate of others! 2) The steak and shrimp "special" was inconsistent with the quality of the other meals... ESPECIALLY at the same price! The steak was thin and skimpy and only three small shrimp... The mashed potatoes were very tasty as were the string beans... but, in all it was not worth the cost... in comparison to other menu items... OYO continues to offer a unique dining experience, which will keep me coming and recommending to others! read more

This is one of those "must stops" in Downtown Pleasanton so I was excited to finally try it out! Walked in with no resy on a Saturday evening, it was poppin in there but we were able to get a small table near the bar right away. Most people seemed to be coming in larger groups but there were a few people happily sitting alone at the bar. I, very much, enjoyed the ambiance at Oyo, music was flowing and service was great. Our waiter, Ezekiel, was high energy and prepared to give us the specials and his personal recommendations. My experience with South American food is very limited so I really didn't know what to expect flavor wise. We ordered the Paella Oyo, jerk chicken, and oxtail. I've never had oxtail or jerk chicken before and both were super flavorful! My favorite part of the entire meal was the oxtail, it was very tender (a lil fatty), it kind of reminded me of Mexican mole. The chicken fell a little short just because it was on the drier side, but flavor profile was there. I saw a pitcher of alcohol on the drink menu so...naturally...I had to get it. It was a Jamaican rum punch and it was quite literally never ending! So many drinks came out of that one pitcher. We also tried the drink special of the night which had elderflower and gin. Both drinks were tasty and not overly sweet. Overall, good drinks, good food, good vibes. I would suggest trying them out! read more

Oyo - Jerk Chicken - Latin American Near Me - Pleasanton, California

See all

What a disappointment. We came to celebrate birthday and they have promotion on gift card, but not to use on same day. Why???? I'm not going to come on another day to use it, when I'm here already. I asked to help, but got No. Service is slow, We had to chase help . Water was forgotten. Maybe cause they charge you 20% automaticly for party of 6. read more

After a terrible experience at another spot, I knew we had to make up for it at dinner, and reading some reviews we decided to give Oyo a shot. We didn't have a reservation but we were able to snag a high top table for 2. Our 5-star server Ezekiel brought the energy and good vibes, and offered up some suggestions including his signature drink which was delicious. We started with the a pitcher of their Jamaican rum punch, which was refreshing and tasty. I swear this pitcher seemed endless, it felt like we were pouring glass and glass and took forever to reach the bottom, pretty awesome if you ask me lol For food we went with the Paella Oyo, jerk chicken, and oxtail. The Paella was a little too dry for my taste and the chicken was also dry. The jerk chicken had a lot of flavor, tasty, but also a little on the drier side, was hoping for it to be a lil more moist. The oxtail was the star of the show, super flavorful, great sauce, the whole 9. I just wish the meat was a little more tender and fall of the bone. Texture overall is a room for improvement but all around the flavor profiles were there for me. Overall really fun place for a date night. The vibes were immaculate, the service was good, and the food was tasty. I'd definitely come back here again if I'm in Downtown Pleasanton. read more

See all

We celebrated here for my brother's bday on a Sunday afternoon. As I can remember this would be my first time experiencing Latin/Caribbean food. Oyo is located in main street downtown Pleasanton so parking can be difficult. Tip: Once you drive pass Oyo, there's an intersection with plenty of parking. There is a nice patio area and dog friendly. We ordered so many family style dish below: Oxtail Stew (Highly Recommended) Paella Oyo (Highly Recommended) Jerk Half Chicken Baked Mac n Cheese Paella del Negra Friendly staff and great service! read more

See all

Went here for dinner. To start with, the place inside is good to hang out for groups. It has a bar and several tables. There is an option for outside seating as well. We ordered the Fried Green Banana which is good to share with 2-4 people. Our main entree is the oxtail Stew and Seafood Paella. Authentic Latin American food based on flavorful spices asingredients. The oxtail meet is tender but not overcooked. The sauce... wow! Yaste so so good that I even brought it home (just the sauce) because it is perfect for hot rice. The seafood Paella is equally great tasting food. You can taste that the seafood (squid, mussel, shrimp, and fish fillet) are really fresh. We ordered a pitcher of Jamaican Rum Punch. It was our first time to have cocktail drinks with spices like the star of anise and cinnamon. It has its unique kick that matches our food. Service is one thing I always observed. Here, Robert did a superb job explaining the food we ordered. He checked with us regularly to make sure we have all we need. The men's restroom is clean, and for me that's important. Ambiance - one of the kind at Livermore Oldtown Service - topnotch Food - excellent read more

See all

Nice resaturant. The service staff was very friendly. We arrived for our reservation but didn't realize the bottomless mimosas were ending in 30 mins. With that being said, our server was quite attentive to make sure we got our money's worth The ambiance was cool, not loud at all. It wasn't too crowded during the time we were there, and the food came out quickly. Oh, they also have this hot sauce that is DELICIOUS FIRE (Tasty with a lot of heat!)... I'm kinda pissed that I asked for some to go, and ended up dropping it once I got home‍ I will be back read more

Oyo - Curry goat - Latin American Near Me - Pleasanton, California

See all

First time here tonight and very pleased. Attentive service and great food. We got the Salmon and the Caesar salad with Jerk Shrimp. Will defiantly come back and try the jerk chicken. read more

We ordered several dishes off of the menu and everything was extremely salty... I felt the food was nearly inedible and needed a lot of rice and sides to balance it out. I do love my food salted but to taste more than salt... I was quite disappointed after seeing all the reviews, but perhaps Oyo is simply not my cup of tea. read more

Food is amazing. Large space. The customer service is good too. Doubles, patties, dahlpuri roti with goat curry dipping. My favs.

We had lunch at OYO today. It is a Guyana restaurant, cleverly masquerading as a South American melange, serving a variety of food from the Caribbean through parts of South America, including jerk chicken, jerk shrimp, ceviche, numerous types of spiced South American rice, paella, empanadas and plantains. They have generous entrée portions as well as smaller, tapas and sharing size portions if you prefer to try a variety of flavors. Everything was well prepared, tasty and delicious. The restaurant itself is colorful and nicely decorated also providing a feeling of being in the middle of an exotic yet not quite specific destination. Prices are reasonable, and there is sufficient variety on the menu to bring you back for more. read more

I came here for Mother's Day and had really wanted to love this place especially since I am from Trinidad and had been craving some dishes that my grandparents used to cook. I didn't realize when I booked the reservation a couple weeks ago that a special Mother's Day menu would be served. Unfortunately, a lot of their regular dishes weren't offered. The starters were yummy (Trinidad Channa, salmon cake, doubles and salt fish). Paella Oyo was tasty. The biggest disappointment were the other entrees. The chicken was very dry, bland and wasn't stuffed with olives or truffle. The oxtail stew was well seasoned however there were no beans or dumplings. When I mentioned this to our server who checked with kitchen staff, he said that it comes with one dumpling and 5 or 6 beans. Umm....what?!!! He brought us a small bowl with our missing 5 beans and one little dumpling. Cocktails were nice, a bit too much fancy ice. Not sure if we'll be back, perhaps for doubles and beer. read more

Overall: 2/5. I'm glad I tried it, ambiance is nice, food and service isn't that good and was not what I was expecting from the high reviews of this place Octopus - 5/5. Great seasoning, had a lovely char, was not too rubbery, the salad was also very nicely balanced Jerk chicken - 2.5/5. Plantains were good but that's just the plantains, unfortunately chicken was too dry Roti - 2/5. Roti itself was nothing special, not sure what the inside was, kind of dry. Goat curry dip was ok, small portion. Coconut rice - 3/5. Texture was good but no coconut flavor, still tasted good but no coconut flavor so the name is a bit misleading. Should probably call it something else that is less misleading Oxtail - 3/5. Flavors weren't as complex as they could have been, wish it had come with more sides than just the 2 pieces of plantains, too much bone, not enough meat. Pumpkin soup - 3.5/5. Too salty, not enough pumpkin flavor and count not taste the truffle out. Service: 2/5. Was inconsistent. Took a long to place our order because no servers came to us although we made eye contact. Then there were periods were people were constantly checking in on us but never when we wanted to - like they weren't really keeping an eye on the meal. It took a while to flag a server down for the check as well. Vibe/decor: 4/5 nicely decorated, didn't hear music but just heard other people talking, would be nice if there was some background music. read more

See all

Came here first time. Cocktail is good but the food is average. Beef patties have very strong spices, tasted like Samosa. Iron skillet bread is dry and taste different than regular bread. Ceviche is good but you need to ask for more chips. Guyanese Cook-up Rice is ok, more rice and beans than meat. Ambiance and decor are nice but service was a bit slow. I would come back just for cocktail and maybe try the jerk chicken. read more

See all

I highly recommend Oyo. Celebrated my dad's 82nd birthday. I highly recommend reservations if your party is more than 2. Brenda was our server and she handled the 10 of us with grace. The service was great and the band was amazing. Thank you for helping create memories for my family. read more

See all