It's been a while since I've been here but came here recently and was reminded of the fresh cuisine here. Even thought I can't recall exacrly what I had I always remember it being fresh and tasty! I will come back and update! Enjoy! read more

Date: 11/26/2025 Time: 12:45 PM 60° Sunny It's my birthday today and my male companion asked me where I wanted to celebrate the occasion. Rio California in Preservation Park with all the rows of Victorian houses is a peaceful and serene venue which I have chosen. My dining experience with Rio California has always been great during lunch hours. The walk from the State Building during the summer season with a few of my coworkers was a getaway and go to place to relax and enjoy. The outdoor patio area was perfect. I have been away from this restaurant (hidden gem) far too long. The last time I had lunch here was back in 2001. Yes, I said 2001 - over 24 years ago. My favorite lunch at that time was the fritata. According to the owner, the employee who prepared the fritata left in 2012. Thus. fritata is no longer on the menu. However, I was eager to try something on their menu, the jerk chicken, which came with rice and salad. I am impressed that Rio California has expanded the indoor dining area. My male companion and I sat in another room. The ambiance was quite comfortable and offered some privacy, which was away from the front entrance and kitchen area. How was the jerk chicken? The boneless chicken breast was moist and excellent. The seasoning had a spicy kick and the rice was the perfect side. I must admit the mixed green salad was refreshing infused with a cilantro garlic dressing. (Nice balance of salad greens and dressing.) My male companion had the grilled tilapia with rice and salad. I'm glad he enjoyed his lunch and ate all of it. He was quietly enjoying his lunch. Return visit? Yes! Yes! Yes! Most likely when the weather is warm, as in the summer season. read more

Rio California - Jerk Chicken - Brazilian Near Me - Oakland, California

Love this place. They are so friendly, the food is good, and the location makes me feel like I'm in a park or a small slice of Charleston, SC. read more

Rio California - View from the dining room in back - Brazilian Near Me - Oakland, California

I love this place. Located in a nice Victorian house in Preservation park, this restaurant has a nice cozy feel. It's a very short walk from the office Most days I order the jerk chicken. It's just the right amount of spicy and really cooked moist and juicy. I love the salad it comes in. Is that a cilantro? The seafood risotto is also good. Nice and creamy and not scrimping on the seafood. A little salty, though, but good. The feijoada is their specialty, which I would recommend. But they only serve it once a week. Wednesdays if I recall. Don't miss their empanadas, too. You won't regret it. I think that's the owner at the counter. Very friendly guy. Makes you feel right at home. read more

Rio California is a safe walk from BART 12th Street in an exceptionally beautiful Preservation Park. The greenery obscures the sign. Just walk towards the fountain. It is on the left, somewhat obscured by greenery. This restaurant was featured on Check Please Bay Area with high accolades. I was so glad to see it close to BART. They are only open for lunch with a beautiful searing area outside. We ordered jerk chicken although someone we ran into at the entrance to Preservation Park said the lemon chicken was a favorite. We intended to enjoy our entree for dinner. So our entree was boxed up with salad separate. No leakage here. Good containers. As we awaited our order, we could see the guy behind the counter expertly steered customers towards meals and drinks they likely would enjoy. One item, I think the burrito, is less spicy, more for kids. I appreciate that conveyance of knowledge. Now to the food. We split one for dinner. WE ARE STUFFED. The salad was crisp, the chicken juicy and on fire. The rice cooling off my mouth. RIO CALIFORNIA IS A WINNER. I look forward to many more meals here. It is truly worth the trip. read more

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The national dish was extraordinary. My friend got the jerk poultry and he loved it. I will be back It's an intimate little eatery and of course Preservation Park is a lovely setting and quiet at lunchtime read more

I did not like it AT ALL. I thought I was getting a Ceasar salad with chicken & shrimp. I only got shrimp and it was dry. The shrimp were delicious but the salad was really dry. They need to make sure there is enough dressing to go with all the lettuce. read more

I can't get enough of this place bc of the food & the owner, Nathan who has a true passion of serving great food. I always come for the Jerk Chicken, consistently moist & infused with herbs. The next dish was Coxinha(not pictured)which is a popular Brazilian street food & I can see why. The light & crispy croquette filled with chicken meat was perfectly fried & had enough moistness inside that one can only beg for more. Although 3 Coxinha's come on the plate, don't be deceived at how filling it can make you. What I also appreciate is the generous amount of salad that is included, with only the freshest of ingredients. The last dish we ordered was the Creamy Lemon Seafood Risotto. The only thing I wish for is for them to be closer to my home. read more

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Great jerk chicken and fish tacos. True Brazilian food make sure to try their signature drink there Guarana the Brazilian original.

If you're looking for a little adventure for lunch, try this place out. It's located in Preservation Park, a beautiful and unique setting in Downtown Oakland. The food is tropical with a Brazilian accent. I ordered the Feijoada, a Brazilian stew of sausage, pork and black beans. The first picture is how it arrived at our table, then I was told told mix everything up on the plate. When I did, the dish came to life and it was delicious! I will definitely order this again. She got the fish tacos but although there was a nice piece of fish on each taco, they weren't very well seasoned. She did love the salad, especially the dressing. We'll be back! read more

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This is one of our go to spots whenever we have people visiting from out of town. They didn't have my favorite on the menu today so got the fish tacos. They were okay. Fish was excellent quality but needed some sauce or something. We sat in the little room towards the front of the building which was nice and sunny. This restaurant is located in a historic Victorian house. The owner (?) sometimes gets a bad rap but he's always been nice to us. read more

Rio California was excellent. The owner was most accommodating for our group of 10. We were able to be seated outside with a beautiful view of Preservation Park. We all ordered different items from the menu. Even though we were a large group our food was served timely so we could all dine together at the same time. The cuisine was outstanding. Everyone was thrilled with what they ordered. We couldn't have been happier. We will be back! Thank you. read more

This place is incredible! I went today for the first time, and the owner was super sweet and welcoming, the food was absolutely delicious. (that jerk chicken is insane), and the ambience is so lovely! I highly recommend! read more

Man if this isn't a 5 star idk what is. Nate the owner is the man. I'd give the jerk chicken 6/5 stars.

Absolutely AMAZING. We tried the seafood risotto and shrimp w/mashed potatoes. Perfectly prepared. Can't wait to have more.

Tldr; EAT HERE. Rio CA is one of those places that I always leave thinking, why do I eat anywhere else? The food is so delicious and the service is so sweet. It's been over two years since I've last been able to make my way over and it's the same great quality. The owner kindly took our order and brought out our food after a short wait. My friend and I ordered a few things to split (coxinhas, feijoada, and jerk chicken), two of which I've never had before (the former). Usually I've never been in on the days they've had feijoada, so I was super pleased to grab some on a Friday. Every part of the meal was heavenly. The salad/dressing are perfection. I'm one of those people who don't like salad--I make my mom proud. The owner heard me raving about the salad and brought me extra salad and dressing, which was so sweet. The jerk chicken was great (as always) and the feijoada was really enjoyable to eat. The owner provided us a little bit of a primer of the dish and brought us some delicious hot sauce. I enjoyed every component of the dish together. THE TEXTURES! The coxinhas came out last and were also amazing. Crispy and well-seasoned. I topped mine with hot sauce and was on cloud 9. This meal gave me life and I'm so happy we stopped by. I will definitely not be waiting another 2 years before returning read more

Rio California - Coxinhas - Brazilian Near Me - Oakland, California

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Need a relaxing getaway lunch Rio California is tucked away in the heart of Oakland and you can dine outdoor without interruption from foot and vehicle traffics Food is excellent, the fish taco is lightly charred and fresh, the salad was very refreshing Service is great Hate to return to work after lunch read more

Rio California - Brazilian Near Me - Oakland, California

The jerk chicken at Rio California is easily one of my top 5 chicken dishes, of any style or type, of all time. The spiciness and flavor and tenderness of the jerk chicken is perfect. The owner is always so friendly and helpful. I tend to get four or five chicken dishes at a time and then my wife and I eat them for several days in a row. I love how the restaurant is quaintly situated in the cute Preservation Park. A delightful experience every time! read more

Good fresh food Good service - wanted to update that the host is pretty welcoming. And an A class Ambiance read more

Had lunch here, party of 6, on a Friday afternoon. They have very few tables outside, but the owner was very kind, and set up a spare table and chairs to accommodate us. The location is in a cute little place called Preservation Park. I think the Victorians there were saved from elsewhere, and placed here to showcase them. First off, all the plates were huge - you will have enough for several meals. We had the following: - 3 Coxinhas (chicken croquettes) plate with Salad. Never had these before. They were nice and crunchy, and splitting 3 amongst the 6 of us was plenty. Nice, flavorful chicken. The salad (spring salad mix) was great with the dressing (Green Goddess-like?). - Jerk Chicken plate. Chicken had a good taste, may have been slightly stringy. -Feijoada plate. Also new to us diners. Considered in our group to be tastier than the chicken above. Flavorful sausages and meat. - Grilled tilapia. Didn't get a taste, but the diner said it was great, nice texture. - Jerk Chicken Burrito. Lots of chicken, lots of rice too. (Carb aware people should note that there's a lot of rice in there.) This was a pleasant lunch, and would recommend it to people who haven't had Brazilian food before. read more

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This place is literally heaven on earth. It's located in stunning Preservation Park, a literal oasis from the chaos of normal Oakland. Further, the owner is super nice- and you can tell he takes pride in his work. While it's on the pricier side, each portion is MASSIVE. Truly high quality food with a lot of bang for buck. It it my favorite restaurant. My last meal on earth would be the jerk chicken, it's just that good. read more

Great service and food. Enjoying the hidden romantic location and the warmth environment. Upon entering, you will always received a tenderness greeting. Favorite dish is the Creamy Chipotle Mole Shrimp. Mixing the chipotle sauce with white steamed rice. The side of salad comes with cilantro dressing. It is so delicious. read more

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Rio California never fails! With a packed house and only the owner taking orders and serving plates...the food remains AMAZING. It remained flavorful with big portions. Must try the Jerk Chicken Plate. read more

Rio California - Jerk Chicken Plate. AMAZING!! - Brazilian Near Me - Oakland, California

Delicious food- jerk chicken was great. Good portion sizes and well priced. Overlooking garden in Preservation park.

So, if you want atmosphere, you should visit this charming Brazilian restaurant which is nestled in the middle of Preservation Park's Victorian neighborhood. In these two blocks are 16 turn-of-the-century buildings that have been renovated with their facades restored and set among manicured lawns. I sampled most of the menu. Standout dishes for me were the Moqueca de Peixe (fish & seafood stew), the Pao de Queijo (Brazilian cheese bread), and the beef and spinach empanadas. read more

Rio California - Empanadas - Brazilian Near Me - Oakland, California

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We heard about Rio, California on check, please Bay Area television show. Just as the guest on the show said, the food was amazing. My husband had the jerk chicken. So moist and flavorful! The jerk seasonings were delicate yet there was a spicy bite at the end, I ordered the chicken croquettes. Once again, very moist chicken on the inside with salmon, with some corn and Brazilian seasonings. On the outside, mashed potatoes, deep-fried to Golden crutch. Even the salad was great; the dressing perfectly refreshing with the spicy chicken. read more

Rio California - Jerk Chicken - Brazilian Near Me - Oakland, California

My partner and I have been wanting to go to Rio for a long time and I am so happy we finally went. He found it tucked away in a handsome building in Oakland's Preservation Park and was dying to go because he has a fascination with places that are somewhat tucked away. While it looks small, the restaurant had nice indoor and outdoor seating. The food was absolutely delicious and filling. He had the feijoada and cleaned his (substantial) plate, saying the black beans were cooked to perfection and the combination of collard greens and yucca flour really made for a unique and delicious dish. I had the jerk chicken burrito, which was very good (albeit huge). The chicken was moist and the salsa was a really flavorful complement to the burrito. There is table service after ordering at the counter. I suspect the cashier was the owner, as he had extensive knowledge of all the dishes and offered up a few Brazilian cultural tidbits. He was very nice and accommodating to my request to hold the pico de gallo due to a food allergy. I highly recommend this spot if you can make it during the time it is open. While the menu is chicken heavy, there are fish and veggie options. read more

I heard about Rio California for years before I tried it, I'm sorry - I didn't know. An excellent walk from the Oakland Downtown to Preservation Park, which is Historic Oakland at it's best. The restaurant is in a Victorian house with a patio outside. Very comfortable and friendly atmosphere. Brazilian, healthy food with lots of flavor and huge portions. Loved the Jerk Chicken dish. You will feel so happy, healthy and satisfied with you lunch - you might want to go home instead of back to work. Bring people that you'd like to impress here, it's a small venue and great food. read more

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This was the second and last time I've eaten here. We've come with a large group of friends and the gentleman at the front desk got upset because we've ordered lemonade with light ice! He made a huge deal about it, telling all the following customers that 'the lemonade was over because those girls didn't want ice'. If I go to a restaurant and I'm not able to eat or drink what I'm paying for, and also getting mocked because of it, then there's no point in coming back. After that the environment got very heavy and uncomfortable. Both my friend and I felt very very humiliated! Also, the portions were downsized compared to the previous time! Probably because we said we were sharing the plate. Anyway, very shifty attitude. Do not recommend this restaurant. read more

Wow what a great first outing at our new office! After settling in on our first day at the new office, we wanted to start filling out our library of good places to eat nearby. It's a few blocks from our office and walking distance from BART. It's located in Preservation Park, a nice area, even during the rainy season. The restaurant isn't too big, I'd estimate there to be about 7 2-person tables that can easily be linked together, with some additional seating on the patio. This is a order-at-the-counter kind of place, but the person at the counter was able to ask patrons to shift around to accommodate our group of 6. There is only a handful of menu items, but I gravitated to the sign that said best seller, The Jerk Chicken (rice plate). After grabbing pre-made water cups, our food came out almost as soon as we sat down. It did seem like the items other than Jerk Chicken came out a little later, but it was still pretty fast. Everything on the plate was delicious. Not usually into salads, but the dressing was great. The Jerk Chicken was perfectly seasoned. I haven't had it in any form before, but I'm glad this was the first one I've tried. It's a little spicy, but it doesn't take away from the overall taste. The rice is a good way to help cool you down. There is plenty to eat, good enough to take some home. This is a great small establishment. I can see why the best seller is labeled that way. I definitely want to come back and try more of the menu. Make sure you get there early, because it started to get busy around lunch time. Just make sure to remember to help out by busting your own tray. read more

Rio California - Brazilian Near Me - Oakland, California

Food was delicious. We ordered the tilapia, jerk chicken, pasta and coxinha. Coxinha had a crispy outer layer yet soft layers. The filling was amazing. The Jerk chicken had an amazing crust with plenty of flavoring . Authentic Brazilian food located in a cute park with amazing views. Would recommend bringing friends over for a nice lunch (only open for lunch time). Say hi to the owner Ney he's super nice! read more

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Super high quality Brazilian food, definitely give this place a try! Food came in huge portions and dishes were so flavorful! Atmosphere was super cozy and nice, with lots of seating. Workers were also so friendly and kind. If you're in the bay, I highly recommend trying this out! read more

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The food is always fresh and tasty. The owner is always present, friendly and helpful. I have never eaten a poor meal here, but the croquettes are my Faaave!! It's a small eating area inside and more seating outside. read more

This place rocks. Good service and friendly staff! I have eaten here many times pre Covid and it was always good. I returned today (deep into COVID) and it's still just as good! I had the tacos today and salad. All were fresh and tasty. Plenty of food too. They seating available is outside only and it was clean and sanitized. Plenty of space and social distancing. This place is a much needed break from all the fast food offerings in the area and greatly appreciated! read more

Excellent food, always fresh, menu provides something for everyone. plentiful servings, friendly courteous staff and owner. Outdoor seating on a warm sunny deck can't be beaten for a relaxing lunch. read more

Same all little restaurant inside a Victorian home in Preservation Park in Oakland. I first saw this on check please and really wanted to try it out. The service is awesome. They are friendly and accommodating. My husband and I came on a Monday so they typically do not have the Feijoada Brazilian stew but they checked and they had left over ingredients to be able to make it. We ordered that along with the coxinha de galinha (chicken croquettes) and the jerk chicken. The best item was the jerk chicken. I asked for extra gravy to put all over my rice. I also asked for the spicy orange sauce to give it a little kick. My husband enjoyed the Feijoada but to me the black beans just overpowered everything including the pork and sausage in the stew. Neither of us liked the croquettes. We halved one and it didn't have much flavor. It came with the spicy orange sauce to dip it in which added spice but not much more flavor. If in the area, I would go back for some more jerk chicken and maybe try some of the seafood. Prices were great for the portion you get. About $65 for the three plates and two drinks with plenty of leftovers to take home. read more

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Absolutely love Rio California! I wish they were open for dinner time and on the weekends. I only have the chance to get it if I take an extra long lunch since it takes me about 20 min to walk over. Rio is a yummy Brazilian restaurant tucked away in charming Preservation Park. The owner, Ney is super nice and remembers your face if you are a recurring customer. There is a variety of menu options ranging from sandwiches, salads to the Brazilian classics like Fejoida, (black bean meat stew) and Conxinhas, which are the most amazing chicken croquettes - my mouth is already watering thinking about them! The jerk chicken plate is also delicious- comes with rice and salad. One thing you need to add to every order is their must-have cilantro sauce- I love dipping the conxinhas in it and spreading it over the jerk chicken. Super flavorful! Indoor seating has the ambiance that you are in Brazil with green and yellow colors, the flag, and Brazil pics . Outdoor seating is beautiful on sunny days. They close at 2:30p M-F so catch them before they close! read more

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Great little gem in downtown! I've lived and worked in Oakland for years and only recently discovered this little shop and I love it. It's located inside the preservation park and does not really look like a restaurant, that may be why I even give them additional bonus points. We ordered the jerk chicken, sea food risotto, and fish tacos. I actually loved all 3 dishes. Jerk chicken had a great kick, loved the side salad and the over tastes of the risotto and tacos. The only thing I would change is maybe the brand or type of rice they use for the risotto. The texture was slightly off but maybe that is just Brazilian risotto ( I didn't know Brazilians had risottos lol). read more

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I came hear after reading reviews. The setting is very tranquil in Preservation Park, drive right in past the white fence. Street parking available. The restaurant is in one of the beautiful houses. The menu items are displayed on the window and ordering was easily accomplished through the open window. My plate soon came out and wow was it plentiful and so amazingly good. The tables are perfect with plenty of spacing. Sad they don't get more business as their food is top notch. Highly recommended. read more

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Rio California is a really sweet restaurant to stop by! Its located in a cool park with Victorian Houses, and the restaurant is a house as well. You can either sit inside or outside on their shady patio. The man with white hair is really nice and genuinely welcoming. He is the one who always takes the order. I also love the mirror by the front door. My group ordered 1 fish taco, and 2 Jerk Chickens. 2 of us have never had Brazilian food before and it was a good experience. We generally don't like spicy food, but the Jerk Chicken was the exception. Meat was soft and tender. The salad dressing was real good, and portions were pretty big. You just grab waters at the front. I had a really enjoyable experience at Rio California, and I will be back! It really nice break from the urban downtown scene, and the food and service are great! read more