Absolutely fabulous experience. Great customer service. Epic food. Anyone who doesn't like homeroom…read morejust don't appreciate good food, especially cheese Loved Bailey and Sandra. Ambience is awesome and music is on point

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.

Brenda's has been well-known for decades, the first location is in San Francisco. I've gotten…read moretakeout from them before but this was the first time I've dined in at Brenda's Oakland. My wife and I were trying to be strategic with our choices: She got the Fried Chicken wings, I got one of the dinner entrees (the Jambalaya) which came with three sides. For the sides, I'm a potato salad lover so I felt compelled to order the Creole Potato Salad which was mayo-based but not too heavy; Mac and Cheese was pretty good for a side, not the best I've ever had: and their Cornbread was a healthy size for a size, I was expecting a small muffin type side. Their Jimbalaya was good, it was thick and solid as opposed to those that are more soup/stew consistency but it was pretty flavorful. The Fried Chicken wings were solid (my wife doesn't believe in boneless, which I've come around on as well). The fried chicken was not too salty for being fried chicken and the wings were a good size. It came with fries and a small side of cole slaw. We were stuffed from dinner otherwise we would've tried dessert, I've had their peach cobbler as takeout. Pretty good experience, we'll come back again. Brenda's lives up to the hype.

Brenda's is easily one of my favorite places for a good brunch. I've been to the San Francisco…read morelocation several times, and the Oakland location is also great--and quite a bit bigger. The food is consistently good. I especially love their fried chicken. We've tried several different dishes, and there really hasn't been much that I didn't enjoy. My daughter absolutely loved the chicken tenders. They're not your typical heavily breaded chicken strips--they have their own style and flavor that makes them stand out. The everything is also excellent, the biscuits are fantastic, and I really enjoyed the cornbread. And, of course, you can't go to Brenda's without trying the beignets. Those alone are worth ordering. Overall, Brenda's is just an awesome place to have brunch. Great Southern-style comfort food, plenty of choices, and food that actually lives up to the reputation. I've also been to Brenda's Meat & Three, and that's another really good spot. Highly recommended. If you're looking for a great brunch, Brenda's should definitely be on your list.

Not quite what I expected to find in Downtown Oakland--and I mean that in the best possible way. I…read moredefinitely expected the vibe, but it's nice when the food actually matches it! Lately, Oakland has been giving us plenty of misses, but this one is clearly a HIT. Everything we tried was on point, and now I'm already looking forward to coming back to try the fish sandwich. Although I was told they don't get their fish delivery on weekends--which seems odd for most places, but then again... this is Oakland. The OG burger was perfectly prepared even with the impossible burger substitute. Definitely adding this one to the return-visit list! BB

i have been here once and my burger was fresh and crisp not sloppy,ugly,badly handled like it was…read morepulled out the trash bin and wraped up to resale . i orderd an og burger and a drive thu burger and 2 sides to go and in less than 5 minutes it was ready clearly a red flag. second we only live 2or 3 minutes away by the time we got home the only thing that was fresh out the fryer were the 2 sides we orderd with our burgers fries and hush puppies ,the 2 burgers on the other hand were soggy,and mushed in like a dieper it looked like someone was very upset or drunk making our burgers . watever the case was it felt personal. if this is how employees and cooks show you how they realy feel handing out 2 burgers that were cleary sitting in place and soggy mushy messy i get the message and i will never spend a dime at this place again. and for the clients that get praised and get served a well elaborated burger i dont know how you do it but for us with this sloppy mess they handed us in our bag we were basicly told to F off!

Came in with my mom and sister for my birthday. We had a lovely time. The Bangus and Talong are…read morealways my favorite. My mom even loved it! So hard to get her to eat out, especially at a Filipino spot! She's from the phillipines and she loved the food and cocktails. Diego was our server and he was very sweet! I even got a candle on my halo-halo! Thanks Diego!

I'm making my way through my list of Bib Gourmand restaurants, and FOB Kitchen is up. They are…read morecertainly worthy of this honor, for their food, service, and ambiance. They are located in the Temescal area of Oakland, and they share a building with a Mexican restaurant. There's a parking lot that's shared with a pawn broker, produce market, and check cashing service. Their vibe is urban, with a rainbow flag on their front door, and assortment of plants inside. Other reviewers had mentioned a line upon opening, so we made sure to arrive 15 minutes before they open, but on this Friday morning, there was no one else but us. Our server was friendly, polite, and soft spoken. Their menu is quite small, which I appreciate. There's appetizers, sides, brunch, and dinner -- all on 1 page. Their food was outstanding, with rich flavors and beautifully presented with sauces and pickled radishes. We ordered... + Shanghai Lumpia - these were long, crispy, and properly filled + Daing Na Bangus Silog - deep fried milkfish with salad, garlic rice, and sunny egg. One of our favorites. + Fried Chicken (4-piece) - perfectly crispy and juicy. There's some warm spices in the batter, maybe all-spice. + Adobo fried rice - the pork was so tender, it shreds on your fork. This had a good amount of tanginess that was so good. + Pancit Sotanghon - not your typical pancit. The chopped veggies in this had an almost charred flavor that made the dish so interesting. There was not a bad dish. I definitely recommend this for elevated Filipino food that's not pretentious, with a modern, hip vibe.

Oh the fish and grits is to cry for, so tasty and delicious. The grits are flavored through and…read morethrough. Thick with a great consistency, I want the recipe. The savor of flavor in those grits, they are thick but thin. I have taste none other no where. Then the fish, battered just right crispy on the outside but soft and savory inside. I saved some fish for later because the portion can make 2 meals. This meal made me so happy I am going back a few more times. Definitely a repeat, stop by eat and grab a seat. You will be happy you did.

Updated review: I was hype when I seen Momma Lynch's…read moreSpecial back on the menu at Rob Ben's Restaurant. I'm not going to lie, I been checking the site waiting for them to bring it back lol. Soon as I saw it, I had to order through DoorDash, and it did NOT disappoint. This plate is a whole feast for real. You get 3 party wings, 3 pieces of fish, 2 pork chops, plus green beans and mac & cheese. Everything came hot, fresh, and smelling good as soon as I opened it. The fish was crispy and seasoned right, not greasy at all. The wings were juicy and full of flavor, and them pork chops? Tender, seasoned all the way through, and cooked just right. Now the sides? Just as fire. The green beans had flavor, not bland like some places be doing, and that mac & cheese was creamy, cheesy, and hitting for real. You can tell they put love into this food. Portions is solid too. They not being stingy at all. Definitely worth the money. I'm glad they brought this back because yeah... I'm running this order back again real soon.

Extremely flavorful chicken pho noodle soup, I can see why! They have outdoor seating and I am so…read moreglad I sat outside. It was extremely busy inside. I will be back with my family! I ate my fresh shrimp spring rolls so fast, it was so good but I was also really hungry lol I had to order the mini shrimp pancakes because it looked like it's a "must" order... The waitresses were super friendly and quick with taking my order! To the owner(s): Please do not change your ingredients in your food menu! Thank you for offering delicious pho!

This was our first time here. We started off with a simple cup of Napa cabbage soup just to see…read morewhat it was since it was only $5 and there were no pics. It was tasty. Pretty underwhelming but, it had a nice seafood forward broth and it was very hot with tiny pieces of shrimp and lots of cabbage. I'd get it again. Then we got the chicken salad. Delicious. Shrimp chips were fun and the dressing had a great balance of sweet, and vinegary flavor with lots of chicken and fresh veg. Pork bahn mi was just okay. I've definitely had better. Bread was good. Meat was pretty sparse and the pickled veg could have had more flavor. Probably would order the pho next time. Everyone seemed to have that on their tables. And the sizzling beef looked great. Service was quick and courteous. I'll be back to try more

Yelp actually led me to this sandwich shop. I searched for sandwiches in my area, and this was one…read moreof the few places that popped up. I'm forever grateful for that recommendation because they make some of the best sandwiches I've ever had. I've tried a few items on the menu, but the one I always recommend is the Hot Italian. Everything about this sandwich is incredible. It's packed with flavor, and you can honestly tell it was made with care. I usually pair it with a bag of chips, and the total comes to around $18. It's absolutely worth every penny and always leaves me full and satisfied. The shop is consistently clean, and the customer service is always friendly and welcoming. I find myself going back over and over again, then telling myself I need to take a break--only to end up back there a few weeks later. That's how good it is. A couple of things to keep in mind before you visit: there's only limited street parking, so you may have to circle the block to find a spot. There's also not much room to wait inside, although they do have a bench or two where you can sit while your sandwich is being prepared. In my experience, the wait is usually around 15 minutes. I've honestly never been here when it wasn't busy, so expect a crowd. But once you take that first bite, you'll understand why. Great food, great atmosphere, and great customer service. I highly recommend checking this place out!

Sandwich wasn't the worst I've ever had but it wasn't the best as the reviews are claiming…read more I ordered via a delivery service and also received a "snickers bar" as the "rocky road desert" I don't eat snicker bars lol , no where does the $3.99 rocky road desert would be a snickers bar lol , I tried calling the restaurant to get an answer or help and no one answered the phone. I don't think I'll be coming back for a sandwich here

Sideshow Kitchen has crispy wings, garlic fries, and surprisingly reasonable prices…read more What I ordered: Lemon Pepper Wings Hyphy Hot Wings Garlic Fries Overall: 8.5/10. If you're going, I'd definitely recommend the lemon pepper, they had the best balance of seasoning and crunch. Service was great and fast. It was such a vibe to watch the soccer game :)

3.5 stars (Review…read morebased on delivery) $19.30+tx Sideshow Burger with bacon add: large, sloppy, pretty darn good. $5.50+tx cheese fries: a beautiful mess $7.15+tx vanilla shake: yup. Tastes like a shake. I'd say I'm getting my $ worth.