While there are many restaurants on Telegraph Avenue in Oakland, we keep returning to Sana's Cafe…read morewhere we've had consistently delicious breakfasts and lunches.

Discovered a new Mediterranean Cafe that carries variety of drinks, sweets and savories…read more Located at the corner of 48th St and Telegraph Ave in Downtown Oakland; Sana'a Cafe has a cozy vibe where one can hang out and chill. The interior makes one feel that you are in a high end cafe with its beautiful decor. Some many items to choose from, the person taking my order was very helpful in explaining the different kinds of drinks and pastries. Ordered the Ginger Honey Jobani as a hot drink, Biscoff Milkcake, Honeycomb, and a Beef Fatayer. There were several kinds of milkcakes which would have the texture like a tres leches cake. The Honeycomb had pockets of cream cheese and was drizzles with honey. The Meat Fatayer is like an empanada. The food and drink were very tasty. Highly recommend to stop by Sanaa Cafe and experience it. Their website shows more cafe openings in the future!

FOB Kitchen is one of our favorite restaurants in Oakland! We love their modern take on Filipino…read moreclassics while still keeping the flavors that make the cuisine so comforting. Their version of Adobo was so good that it inspired us to start adding coconut milk to our own recipe at home and we've never looked back. The restaurant itself is warm and inviting, with beautiful plants throughout that give it such a cozy, homey feel. The staff has always been welcoming, making every visit enjoyable. My personal favorites are the Calamansi drinks and the Palabok, both are absolutely delicious. If you're looking for creative Filipino food that still honors its roots, FOB Kitchen is definitely worth checking out.

Great Filipino fusion spot close to the Temescal in Oakland! Tip: try to make it before 3 PM so you…read morecan order off their brunch menu. They don't offer as many items for dinner. We ordered the Adobo Fried Rice and Lechon Kawali Silog. The fried rice was fantastic--it had a nice crispy rice texture that really made the dish. I also liked the silog which came with very crispy pork, super flavorful garlic rice, a refreshing salad, and a citrusy dipping sauce that gave it a unique twist. Whatever you order, make sure to add their hot sauce! It definitely elevated each dish! The ambiance of the place was kind of boho chic and it was relatively empty at around 12:30pm on a Thursday. Service was nice, our waitress was prompt and paid a good amount of attention to us. I feel like they are a bit understaffed though, but that might be due to business being slower than usual during the time we went. Overall, I would recommend this spot to people look for Filipino food with a twist in the area. Would love to come back myself to try their lumpia, sticky wings, or desserts!

My wife and I had brunch at Co Nam today and it was, in my wife's words, "just delightful!"…read more We shared one app and one main and both were fantastic. For the app, we had the Wicked Fried Buns. The chicken was fantastic, just perfectly seasoned, the vegetables were crisp and the bun was fried to perfection. And for the main, we had Chicken and Waffle. The tempura chicken was delicious and the waffle (mochi and pandan) was very good. We also had some cocktails, all of which were excellent. This place knows its drinks.

I didn't realize until after Jamie W and I came here that the original and now closed location was…read moreon Polk St across the bay in San Francisco. Yes, I tried it over a dozen years ago and have little recollection of my dining experience (review: https://yelp.to/8rBLt3xnAB). Probably just as well because this was our first time at this location. We came on a Saturday afternoon looking for a late lunch. It was a nice space with interesting decorating touches like a collage of vintage photos and magazine clippings in a ribbon-like pattern on the gray wall (Photo 6). The place was almost empty, which allowed us to take the corner table next to the window. The menu looked like a slightly upmarket take on Vietnamese fare. We decided to share a couple of dishes since we had tentative dinner plans later. We ordered the $17 Shrimp Papaya Salad, a decent enough mix of green papaya and carrots in decorative latticed slices, crispy allium, herbs, and six poached shrimp, drenched in a spicy fish sauce vinaigrette and topped with peanuts and Thai basil (Photo 9). Tasty but a bit bland and wet. We then shared the $25 Fried Chicken characterized as chicken tempura, but the execution was lacking. It consisted of slices of thigh meat covered in a rather moist coating. There was fermented soy aioli and a side of pickled daikon, carrot and cabbage slaw in miso soy dressing (Photo 10). Even though the thigh meat was welcome, the dish didn't quite hang together. At the same time, the ingredients were fresh, and frankly other menu options might've improved our satisfaction. Perhaps another time. FOOD - 3 stars...not quite the flavors we were looking for AMBIANCE - 3,5 stars...modern and relatively spacious SERVICE - 3 stars...not much interaction TOTAL - 3 stars...middling execution of familiar Vietnamese dishes RELATED - Exploring Oakland's Temescal? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/QCZyWQ3ViS

Found this spot on tiktok and decided to try it out with my favorite cousin. The rating was decent…read moreand the food looked good so we made our way over. We sat inside originally, but then decided to go sit outside because it was a beautiful day. The inside was clean and very quiet, the patio was full of people. Ambiance gets a 4/5. We were immediately met by a pleasant waitress, and when we moved she just came and found us. She was very informative, engaging, and knowledgeable, great service all around 4.8/5. I ordered the strength & my cousin the garlic wings and a margarita. The wings were some of the best I've ever had, fried to perfection and seasoned just right. A huge punch of garlic, which I really enjoy, so wings were 4.9/5. The vegetarian sandwich I ordered was so delicious, the pesto and garlic aioli really added flavor and the fresh warm bread really set it apart 4.8/9, only because the jalapeño was more spicy than pickled. Overall; I rate this place a 4.7/5

A hidden secret is the Hidden Spot. Right on the corner with easy ramp up walkway or stairs. It has…read moreoutside eating or inside with big screen tv's and a bar. All the food sounded good on the menu. I had the sapphire which was supposed to be hot but it wasn't at all for me. The gem was almost like a Philly cheese steak. Both were really good. The fries seasoning is really good and the onion rings were good as well. I got a mango lemonade drink that I really enjoyed. Cool place to watch sports and grab a good bite to eat. Now go and enjoy, you can thank me later.

I had some down time between an afternoon meeting and dinner, so I looked on Yelp for a cafe to…read morework in with wifi and lunch because I hadn't eaten yet. MLK Cafe was perfectly located and exactly what I needed. I've never had Eritrean food before, so I was pretty excited. I ordered the foul meseleh ($13) from the breakfast menu (available all day though I had to ask for it), which was a bean-based dish, and chai. It kind of reminded me of shakshuka in terms of spices but the beans almost tasted meaty. I liked it so much that I brought it home, and my partner said it tasted like refried beans (though he did have them cold). The crusty warm bread was perfect for dipping, and I ended up not being able to finish it. The chai was pretty milky; there was a tea bag and the spices weren't very strong. Then again, I'm used to Indian chais. I would pass on the chai. There was basically no one else there on a Friday afternoon during off-peak hours. It was dimly lit and kind of chilly because the door was left open, so it wasn't the most comfortable cafe ambiance. The wifi did work well though and I would come back to try more Eritrean and Ethiopian food.

Tried this place on a whim since this area of oakland is highly known for their Ethiopian cuisine…read more It was surprising to find a local spot though serving breakfast. That's what really drew us in. Very tasty breakfast, got the injera breakfast plate filled with lots of spices, tomato flavor and tang from the bread. Super addicting if you love those flavors. Very thankful to be given a side of yogurt to help cool the heat down. Definitely would order this again, but maybe add my own mix-ins like an egg or more protein since it's very carb heavy. Inside wise, you can watch two tv's playing sports, our waitress/cashier was very kind, and it appeared like many locals hanging out. Only thing is their menu prices are out of date. About $13 plus tax per plate. Hope to come back at night to see the bar open and some live music!

The restaurant itself has a great vibe. The kitchen is open so you can watch the chefs work, which…read moreI always enjoy. At night, their lights are very soft with a warm temperature, so the dining room has a very coze feel. The front of house are friendly and give good, attentive service. I had the Margherita pizza and it was great. Good crust.

Pizza is ok. I'm not the biggest fan of Neapolitan style but it's a solid slice if that's your…read morething. On the other hand the beef tartare appetizer is fantastic. Best beef tartare I've ever had. Super easy to get a table. There is a nice back patio area where you can sit outside.

Vibe/Interior: A perfect healthy fast casual spot that feels cute enough for an impromptu date…read morenight and casual enough for a post work out meal. Standouts: Everything! We ordered the Sweet Plantain Bowl (and added the picadillo beef) and the Sesame Chicken Bowl along with a side of brussel sprouts. Service: Staff were friendly and knowledgeable Parking: Street parking in the front Pro Tips: Look for the signs that has the 'Special' Rating: 5/5

There isn't much that needs to be said about kitava besides "I'm obsessed"! I thoroughly enjoyed my…read moremeal and experience at kitava. The restaurant itself is super cute, and the ordering process is a breeze. The staff were super friendly, and the food came out quickly. I love a good self-serve water station, and they get extra points for having a delicious cucumber water! I was so impressed by the freshness and quality of the food, especially since everything was gluten free. My boyfriend and I both chose the "build your own bowl" option. In my bowl, I chose: - cauliflower rice - crispy chicken - charred broccoli - brussels sprouts - ponzu ginger sauce First of all, my bowl was phenomenal. Every single element was delicious and flavorful. I highly recommend everything I got. It was my perfect bowl! My boyfriend chose: - jasmine rice - paprika chicken - charred broccoli - chimichurri mushrooms - pickled onions - jalapeño lime dressing His bowl was also so delicious. I thought that the chicken tasted like a better, higher quality chipotle chicken. The ingredients were so fresh tasting, and the jalapeño lime dressing was so good. I also wanted to give their desserts a try, so we went with the dark chocolate chip cookie. This was the most "gluten free" tasting thing out of everything we got. The texture of the cookie was unlike normal cookies, but that didn't bother us much. The cookie itself was more on the "less-sweet" side, and was packed with rich dark chocolate. While not exactly my thing, it's worth a try for true dark chocolate lovers! Overall, I was so impressed by kitava. It is the perfect option when you want something healthy and fresh, but do not want to sacrifice flavor. I was absolutely be back!

Homeroom is a popular Mac and Cheese spot. It was indeed, yummy as anticipated. They have a few…read moreoptions on the menu that elevate the classic food. It was filling. Thank you to our server, Anthony.

TLDR: 50 minute wait between sitting down to getting your food. Don't visit thinking this is a…read morequick drop by kind of place. While this visit was in between the lunch and dinner rush, unfortunately I think they are understaffed because at the time we sat down there was only 1 person who was busing tables and taking orders. As a result, it took a while for them to be able to stop by our table and provide water, take our order, etc. There was quite a long wait between sitting down to ordering to actually receiving our food. By the time we had actually received our food, almost an hour had passed. While we were waiting, a few other servers eventually joined, but service was still pretty bare for us and we never received refills on water or plates to eat off of when we received our food. I understand that staffing and a backup in the kitchen are out of the staff's control, but it would've definitely helped for us to know in advance how long to expect to wait to align our expectations and arrange our plans for the day. Would advise giving customers a quick heads up/warning because that on its own would've made a big difference. As for the actual food, we ordered the mac trio with elote mac, chicken pot pie mac, and kogi short rib mac (for an extra fee). The elote mac was the best and most flavorful, the short rib mac was okay but not amazing or worth the extra money, and the chicken pot pie mac was very bland/flavorless and didn't have much chicken in it. The food didn't feel like it warranted the wait time and because of that I would not return.

This place might have become my favorite fast-casual burger joint in Oakland…read more Since my first review, I've enjoyed their food three more times -- in person once and DoorDash twice. And it's been satisfying and well worth it all three times. I recommend both dining in and delivery. You cannot go wrong with their double burger. The smashed patties are perfectly cooked and seasoned. The supporting elements are quality and executed spot-on each time: the cheese, grilled onions, and mayo. It's a perfect fast casual burger. I also recently tried the Chopped Beef burger and dang it was amazing. The hearty meat and cheese the and buttery bread texture hit hard. This will be another go-to and I recommend it. For sides I've gotten tator tots, regular fries, and season fries. All fantastic and they're generous with the portions. HOWEVER -- you've gotta get the seasoned fries. Addictive and finger-licking amazing. When dining in staff is always friendly. Area's not too busy and you'll always find parking easily down a side street. And price wise it honestly feels like a steal for me given the care and quality and pure satisfaction. Works for me though -- I'm going to keep ordering from this place. Cannot recommend this gem of a burger joint enough. Fantastic seasoning and execution, solid prices, and absolutely satisfying every time.

All of it... yes! Typical Bay Area prices for delicious smash burgers, fries, and onion rings…read more Service is always great and the vibes are fun/casual. Parking in the ohgane lot next is free if you're there for oh g burger.

I find this restaurant to have good basic food for extremely high prices…read more Customer service is average ..When l asked if l could have the eggs fried instead of poached, I was told absolutely not we cannot change things on the menu..even though it was not busy..for those prices ($22)for bacon eggs and home fries,I don't think it was a big ask.. I will not be returning.

Stopped by Grand Lake Kitchen for brunch this sunny weekend and it really hit the spot. The food…read morewas delicious and it felt like the perfect kind of meal for a relaxed weekend morning. I ordered the turkey club and it was honestly huge. You can see in the photo how big it is compared to my hand. It was stacked and super satisfying, the kind of sandwich that definitely fills you up. We also shared a deviled egg and some fried zucchini to start, which were great little bites before the main dish. The zucchini was crispy and light, and the deviled egg was simple but really good. I paired everything with a mocha latte that was perfectly balanced and honestly superb. Overall it was a ten out of ten brunch moment. Between the sunny weather, good coffee, and really satisfying food, it was exactly what we were looking for. Definitely one of those spots I would come back to for brunch again.