What are you waiting for?! Just book the reservation! 10/10!!!! Stopped in to try Samara's Southern Creations while in town for the weekend visiting the Black Food and Wine Experience. Of course me and the bestie had to grab brunch before we headed home. Was a bit thrown off when booking via OpenTable as it comes up as Haus of Chefs, but when I got the concept of hosting local chefs and rotating menus all was smooth. We got a few shareables and entrees and everything was so good. S/o to tik tok for putting us on to some amazing food. We ordered the boudin balls, crab stuffed shrimp, peach cobbler waffle, and catfish/ grits. For drinks, we had the brown sugar mint julep and madame butterfly. My fav items had to be the boudin balls, catfish / grits, and brown sugar mint julep. Presentation was so cute. Add a flower or herb to my drink or plate and I'm yours. Everything was so flavorful, paired nicely together , and wasn't too much. Portion sizes were on point and no need for condiments because sis seasoned the hell out that food! The ambiance is definitely brunch vibes. You can tell it's a local favorite as people were so chill about coming in and just enjoying their meal. Seating includes table and bar seating but no matter your area the service was on point almost little to no waiting and everything was freshly served ! Did I mention they had the jams in rotation. Again, who was on the aux because I need the playlist?! Prices for menu items were reasonable and worth it. I had a little moment when I realized the chef herself served us our plates and checked into see how everything was going. Like come on how cool was that! Overall, great experience and yes I'll be back for a dozen boudin balls. Big S/o to our servers/ bartenders Ashlee and Kia for the hospitality and customer service. Keep up the good work! If you in the Oakland neighborhood stop by and try! read more

Samara Southern Creations - Pop-Up Restaurants Near Me - Oakland, California

My wife had this spot bookmarked for months, but since it's in Oakland and we're about an hour out we kept putting it off. The last time we drove out that way for an influencer-recommended place, it was just okay. Not quite worth the trip. This place? Totally different story. The food was super good. Service was a little slow at the start, but the drinks were solid and everything we ordered hit. We had the cornbread skillet with berry butter, the gumbo pot pie, fried chicken and waffles with the peach cobbler butter, and the ribeye with both the creamy Creole sauce and the jerk butter. Also tried the fried catfish and grits. Everything was seriously fire. The only miss was the fried chicken--it had great flavor, but came out a bit lukewarm and not as crispy as we'd hoped. If it had come out fresh and hot, it would've been perfect. Still, this place is absolutely worth checking out. Closest thing we've had in the Bay that reminds us of New Orleans. Highly recommend. read more

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The food was Amazing no complaints there.. it came out hot and well seasoned!! 9/10 easy.. service was great.. however they do share the restaurant with another restaurant I guess the other restaurant is in charge of the drinks.. the you lady could use more training easy.. attitude was not pleasant.. everything was just lightly tossed in front of you.. your straw? And napkins they provided.. she didn't even comeback to check on us to see if we needed any more to drink.. hopefully soon Samara will have drink service to go along with her great food! read more

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Came here with a friend on 11/24/24! She found this place on IG and boy am I glad she did! What we ordered: - Fried Catfish and peach cobbler waffle - Fried Chicken and peach cobbler waffle with peach butter and berry butter Let me just start off by saying everything was so delicious! If you looked up " slap yo momma good" in the dictionary Chef LaLa's face would be right there because her food was so good that if she was my momma I would have to slap here lol jk jk. But it was honestly some of the best quality chicken and waffles I have ever had! She has set the bar above high! The place is super small so you definitely need to go ahead and make a reservation to be sure you get in. Everyone is really nice and they all help one another out which is great. I will definitely be bringing my husband here the next time we are available on a Sunday! Now that I can see it's only open on Sunday we will be making reservations soon! read more

Samara Southern Creations - Fried catfish and peach cobbler waffles (top), fried chicken and peach cobbler waffles with peach butter and berry butter (bottom) - Pop-Up Restaurants Near Me - Oakland, California

I wanted to come check the spot out but when I arrived the restaurant was closed. I'm writing this because I called the number associated and someone picked up! They were very mid and even texted me the future plans for the establishment! I thought that was pretty cool and should be noted. read more

Celebrated my Birthday on 6/8/25 A party on 10 was seated at the time of reservation Drinks on point Food amazing came out hot and delicious Met Samara and her staff were wonderful Just a few pics of the food read more

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This food tastes like down south. From the grits, catfish, sweet potatoes French toast, baby food was delicious. The service was on point waiter was very helpful, knowledgeable, and honest. Dj jam good music, it was a Sunday vibe. Have to keep this on go to list. read more

Samara Southern Creations - Pop-Up Restaurants Near Me - Oakland, California

We had a holiday brunch with large group and the food was soooo damn good. Truly impressed with the shrimp and grits (my Favorite). The service was excellent and friendly. read more

Came for a last minute brunch, and glad we were able to get seated without a long wait. The catfish and waffles were great, and washed down smooth with a mimosa amazing service by our waitress read more

Samara Southern Creations - Came for a last minute brunch. The catfish and waffles tasted great, and a mimosa helped to wash it down - Pop-Up Restaurants Near Me - Oakland, California

Always a good vibe, amazing food and great service!!! I always have to go here anytime I'm in Oakland!!! read more

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Good food, vibes, and service. The owner walking around and making sure everyone was satisfied was so nice, really sweet lady.

Literally some of the best soul food in oakland!!! Ms. Sarah's flavors are so spot on with perfection. Seasoned and cooked so well! Get the Gumbo it's OFFICIAL! Had the red beans and with catfish which was so delicious but the star is really that crab stiff shrimp! Omg flavor overload. Will be back to try more! read more

I was visiting from Temecula CA, before my flight home I said I want some good old southern food ! Found this place On yelp went by the reviews And boyyyyyy did they not Miss it was delicious!! From the drinks to the cornbread bites and different butters down to the catfish and waffles ! I also tried the gumbo so bomb !!! The service was great very attentive, and the decor was very aesthetic will Def be back real soon !!!! read more

Just Wow!!!!! Service was excellent and the food was mouth watering and delicious . We ordered the Boudin balls, jerk fried chicken with grits and the waffle bites . Everything was seasoned, fresh and tasty. Best darn waffle bites with the peach cobbler butter. Chicken cooked to perfection and the grits were very tasty. We wanted to try the taste of gumbo but it wasn't ready at the time we ordered. We are going back so we can taste the gumbo!!! Very clean establishment with a great vibe. read more

Samara Southern Creations has excellent food. Great service. The peach waffle bites were amazing.

Food was amazing, service was good and the location is great. The Sunday Vibes were on point with music and people mingling have a great time for brunch .. my advice is to make a reservation to avoid a wait times. Yes I will be back... read more

I went a few weeks ago and had a bowl of gumbo that took over 30 minutes to get and i was informed they ran out of lump crab meat. It literally had a few slivers of chicken and sausage and yet iI was charged full price. It was a nice soup for an overpriced amount! I would've Faired better at a brunch at the Oakland Museum. read more

Let me start by saying this: if you haven't experienced the culinary masterpiece that is Samara's Southern Creations, you are truly missing out on a slice of heaven. The waffle bites alone are worth the trip! These little golden treasures were cooked to absolute perfection, each one boasting a crisp, golden-brown exterior with a fluffy interior that melts in your mouth. Paired with their heavenly peach cobbler butter yes, PEACH COBBLER BUTTER it's a flavor explosion that will leave you speechless. But wait, it gets even better. The fish? Perfection. Seasoned so masterfully that it seemed like a symphony of spices was playing on my taste buds. And the grits oh, the grits! Creamy, dreamy, and elevated to a whole new level with their indulgent Creole sauce. It's the kind of dish that makes you close your eyes with every bite to savor every layer of flavor. To top it all off, the customer service was nothing short of exceptional. The team at Samara's knows how to make you feel at home while treating you to a five-star dining experience. A little tip: make a reservation! This place is always buzzing with eager diners, and bar seating fills up fast if you're walking in. Samara's Southern Creations isn't just a meal it's an experience that will have you counting down the days until your next visit. Go. Now. Thank me later. read more

Enjoyed everything that I tried this past Sunday: crab stuffed shrimp (needed a little more crab), fried chicken & berry waffles, catfish, cheese grits. Will definitely be back! read more

Good food small place but good ambiance chief is kool a lil pricey for the shrimp and grits and you get a small bowl read more

The food is amazing. The only take away is that they're only open on Sunday's and the presentation is also top tier

Found this great little spot for my husband's birthday. Ordered catfish and waffle's. Catfish was amazing waffle was fluffy and the peach cobbler butter was a perfect combo. My husband had the large gumbo and said it was delicious. Lots of chicken, shrimp, and a nice amount of crab. We ordered the large mimosas with three juices to choose from. We asked our waiter for another bottle of champagne but they were out of the $40 bottles. The owner or manager came by our table we told her we wanted to order another but were told they only had $120 bottles. She made some calls or something and a short while later she came back to the table with another bottle. Great service from all of the staff. From food being fresh and hot to great drinks all around. I almost forgot the icing on the cake was sports on the tv for my husband and the bathroom was super clean and great hand soap. We will definitely be coming back to Oakland for this gem. read more

Service was terrible. We waited for an hour for our food and saw people who were sat after us eat and leave. When it was brought to the head chef's attention, the only answer she could provide was that they bring out dishes that may be easier to serve. Although, we ordered the exact same dishes as the tables that ordered after us. I will not be returning. read more

OMG! This food is exquisite! The waffle bites with the peach cobbler syrup, with the gumbo and the catfish all made for a great meal for two! Ashley, the bartender was terrific. Great food and a great experience! This really made Sunday a fun day! read more

You can't deny that this restaurant has good food however the service and quality of the food is terrible. I drove all the way from Sacramento with my mom and kids after raving about this restaurant, just to get there and the hostess say the times displayed on the website are incorrect. It was 1:30pm when I arrived and online was showing appointments for 2pm and 2:30pm but we were being told that time slot was incorrect. The correct time available was actually 5pm . I watched people book those exact slots and were able to walk right in after being told not too. We decide to still give this restaurant a chance because we drove 2 hours to be here and not familiar with the area. We finally get seated after 2 1/2 hours and we're starving . Due to the wait we asked for some bread or something for the table and they brought over a plate of waffle bites. They were delicious I must stay but didn't stand a chance at our table. The wait continued unfortunately for about 30 more minutes at which time a cold plate of grits was delivered to my mom. She was so hungry she ate them any way but you can tell the food was sitting because the grits were hard. Every plate at the table was different was different temps. I had to send my steak back because I asked for it on the side and well done. The plate didn't come out with either. I reached out to the owner on IG and someone came to troubleshoot while at the restaurant but nothing actually happened. I will not be going back to this restaurant. read more

I came on a day where all orders were Togo due to the Black Joy Parade going on which was fine. I ordered the peach cobbler egg rolls & was super disappointed when I got one eggroll that was cut in half. In the photo they are advertising two eggrolls & it says peach cobbler "eggroll(s) with an s an in plural. To get one egg roll & pay $12 dollars is pricey & I was even more disappointed because it was really good. I did take photos not sure why I can't post them. read more

The food was amazing...I'm not a fan of grits so I ordered the chicken and waffles...the waffle was deep fried and I'm forever ruined because this is the only way I want to eat my waffle!! And the chicken idk what recipe she uses but the batter was perfect. I would happily order this meal over and over. We had a large group and it was tricky to accommodate us but it worked out splitting the ladies and men at two tables. I don't recall the wait being too long but I was starving so I ate my food right away so no picture. The servers were nice and the owner greeted us at the end of our meal...it was a lovely experience. The bar is owned by a separate owner so be prepared for separate bills. read more

The food was DELICIOUS. So good I wanted to order another meal to go. They need their own restaurant because I need to be able to eat this food more than once a week. Best soul food I've had in Oakland in a long time. I HIGHLY recommend it!! read more

Just learned about this place last week. I'm so glad I jumped on it and went last Sunday. First of all please know they ain't playing about their reservations. We had a 1:30 reservation and got there early and thought they would let us in because there was only 2 of us and their response was, you're gonna have to come back at 1:30. lol. It was cool and worth the wait though. I had the Big Rob - catfish and waffles. The catfish was the best ever. Fried perfectly and seasoned to perfection. And the peach cobbler butter was really clever and tasty. Had the madame butterfly cocktail. It was too sweet for my taste but I did see a lot of people with it so it must be liked by many. I'm definitely going back and bringing others read more

Samara Southern Creations has a limited menu-all fried? locale: '19 Eat Real Fest (9/21) offerings: "F.A.T. fries, fried jambalaya mac n cheese balls, fried mac cheese balls, peach cobbler egg roll. banana foster .. & waffles, eats: fried mac cheese balls, sample (5) -crispy fried crust-too thick, thinner may be better. -warm mac n. cheese inside, cheese flavors too subtle to taste. crust didn't enhance mac n. cheese. *too hot to handle, needed fork to eat. leftovers: -will passed next time if friedness is too much should have looked at pics or sample before ordering. read more

Got the F.A.T. Girl Fries at the Eat Real Festival today. SO GOOD! Seafood gravy, fried chicken, green onions, shrimp...these fries were loaded. The staff was nice and accommodating, seemed very efficient. I'll be looking for them next year so I can try the peach cobbler egg rolls. read more

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Tried the gumbo pot pie and was a little skeptical at first because I had never heard of it but let me tell you. One of my sister-friends who's opinion of food I trust, encouraged me to try it. This was the best pot pie I'd ever eaten. Nice hint of heat, very flavorful, and loaded with the goodies! There are other menu items that I also plan to try as well! read more

This review is long past due. I had the luxury of attending an Oscars party (at a friend's house) and there on the table was a warm, velvety luxurious lobster bisque.. just waiting for me.. to inhale! I hadn't had the chance to try this gem on their menu yet and was thrilled to finally try it! First off.. it smelled wonderful and was full of lobster bits and chunks that were tender and succulent.. uuuhhh... just I hanging out in that bath off bisque goodness.. I kinda lost my mind.. Flavors were well executed with a bit of spice and a lovely backdrop of shellfish stock.. well done ladies! . I will be back for more! read more