Let's begin with the ambiance. This spacious restaurant is beautifully decorated and offers outdoor seating. I've visited multiple times and ordered dishes like chicken & waffles, jalapeño hush puppies, fried chicken sandwich, smash burger, and my favorites: crack wings and macaroni and cheese. These two have kept me coming back, making it hard to try other options. If you have time, I suggest visiting the OMCA museum on the same property or exploring the garden behind the restaurant. It's also a cozy spot to work on your laptop, as I've noticed many do, something I plan to try soon! The service is consistently excellent, and it's proudly black-owned. read more

Great space to eat! Order at the counter, bring your number to your table. You can also sit outside but the umbrella'd areas are the loungers. Lunch was enjoyable and pleasant: - collard greens, cooked and seasoned well - banana pudding, smooth, rich and satisfying - throwback with the Nila wafers! - Brussels sprouts came with the best lemon aioli - cornbread, nice crisp honey glaze and good crumble - Mac and cheese, all the cheesy goodness, perfect, one of the best - waffle with the fried chicken, wish they had the waffle on its own, it's a sweet potato version and it's nice and crisp/chewy and flat! Skip: - fried chicken, dry and a lot of batter, sandwich and the chick/waffle - shrimp and grits - congealed fast - drip coffee, good flavor, not burnt but not strong, small also $3.50, no refills Bathrooms are all gendered and shared with the museum goers. Lots of metered parking on the street $3/hr. Great service - will be back in the future! read more

So this past Sunday, I got a chance to go to Town Fare and celebrate my oldest son's birthday. We were hungry, so we got there early and waited for them to open. A diverse crowd started forming but we were seated quickly. We seated right next to the DJ and he was cracking. He had a one nice soulful beat after another. Our server came right over set us up with water, hot coffee, and the pineapple mimosas. We had a carafe of that. The food was delicious. The ambience was excellent and of course it's located at the Oakland museum, so you can't go wrong. I Started off with a basket of fried chicken( a half chicken )and some deviled eggs. As you might expect it was delicious. My mom asked for a piece of the chicken. I started cutting the breast in half and she quickly dove in on my wing. For my main course, I had the chicken apple sausage with grits and eggs over medium. They were prepared exquisitely and I would definitely get them again. My mom and my son had the blackened catfish they were full and they had to get it to go Plate. Everybody enjoyed everything they had, including the fried chicken salad with bacon, the shrimp and grits. A couple of people have that both my daughter and my sister, and it was absolutely delicious. According to them I got a taste, and I can verify that. If you're looking for a great meal with an excellent ambience, great service town fair has everything you can ask for I would highly recommend you check it out and I can't wait to get back down there again. Kudos to Michelle McQueen! read more

Town Fare by Michele McQueen - Shrimp and Grits - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

What a pleasant surprise! Friendly customer service, ordered and very little wait time for an authentic, hot, delicious meal! More than ample portions! We also had brown sugar lemonade (very sweet) you can order one and add water & ice, enough for 4 glasses. That's just me, im not a fan of overly sweet drinks. Large dining area surrounded by natural lighting & glass windows. They do need some fly control, there were quite a few. It's annoying having to constantly "shoo!" to enjoy your delicious meal. Can't wait for another visit to try another menu item. Thank you Chef! read more

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I do some consulting in the area often and every time I am there I look forward to having lunch at Town Fare. I have practically have tried everything on their menu. Everything and I mean everything in the menu is absolutely insanely delicious. My personal favorite are the chicken wings. But what brings me there again and again is their Chicken Cobb Salad. The chicken is breaded and freshly cooked when you order it. The portion is very generous and the mix of all the flavors is just perfection. I would have that salad every single day if I could. The quality of the food at Town Fare is that of a fancy restaurant without the pretentiousness. They also have a beautiful outdoor space in addition to indoor space. The service is friendly and reasonably fast. read more

Town Fare by Michele McQueen - Chicken Cobb and lemonade. - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

Man when you try to support local small business and they continually make it hard. This sign clearly states this business is closed through the July 7th. Today is the 8th and they are still closed. There is no sign until you get to the door and the phone number on their website is no good. It's hard to support Black Owned business when this is the type of service you continually get. read more

Town Fare by Michele McQueen - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

I finally had the opportunity to dine at Town Fare by Chef Michele McQueen inside the Oakland Museum, and it was well worth the visit! The service was excellent. The staff offered recommendations based on their personal favorites, which made the experience feel welcoming. I ordered the fried chicken sandwich with fries, and it was delicious. The chicken was perfectly seasoned with a crispy coating, and the sauce complemented it perfectly. I chose to sit inside, where the tables were spaced far enough apart to enjoy a quiet, relaxing meal without hearing conversations from other diners. Great food, excellent service, and a comfortable atmosphere--I look forward to coming back for their brunch. read more

Today was My first time at Town Fare. The restaurant was clean with a nice atmosphere. There's dining inside and out. It's setup like a cafeteria. You place your order and pay for your food first at the counter. They give you a number and they'll bring your food to you. I had ordered the Fried Pork Chop meal. It was tasty. read more

Town Fare by Michele McQueen - Picture of the building it's at the Oakland museum. - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

Town Fare offers so much to love--it's an exceptional museum restaurant befitting the Town. Let's face it, brunch is a super fun meal that we enjoy with our peeps, but sometimes the menus are boring and kind of all the same. Chef Michele McQueen brings fresh takes and fresh tastes to her creatively varied Sunday Soul Brunch menu. I recommend starting with her flavorful twist on a Bloody Mary. It's got nice spice and a little something something I can't get enough of. Because I've been here for lunch and enjoyed her incredible fried chicken sandwich. I knew that I was going for the chicken and waffles. Again, the chicken was kicking, but there was also a special flavor to the waffles that I can't quite describe. It's just not an every day batter because Chef Michele has got it going on like that. Sunday Soul Brunch has a funky festive vibe because of DJ Mark DiVita bringing the R&B grooves. I love that so many people celebrate their birthdays with brunch here. Every Sunday Soul Brunch at Town Fare is a celebration whether it's your birthday or not. Wednesday through Saturday they have their regular lunch menu with a lot of the same classics on it. I recommend the shrimp and grits and the aforementioned fried chicken sandwich. The salads are really tasty too. I should also mention the large, light-filled dining room. What makes Town Fare extra special, and more than an ordinary restaurant, is that it's part of the Oakland Museum of California. So not only does the dining room offer gigantic glass windows, but it's also part of one of the great museums of Northern California. Be sure to check out OMCA and get a dose of art, history, and science. The award-winning exhibitions always bring in something of interest that reflects the diversity of our great state. Hours are from 11am-4pm Wednesday- Sunday. it's easy to find metered parking on Sundays. I recommend the parking lot on the other days. The entrance is on Oak Street. Then follow the signs to Town Fare. Bonus tip: if you ever need catering, Town Fare is all that. I've been to the Directors Dinner here a couple times and they made it really special. read more

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Overall, my girlfriends and I had a good time at Town Fare. We came for brunch around 11:30/12 on a Saturday. This day they were doing counter service, so we ordered at the counter, grabbed a number and had a seat. I ordered the fried deviled eggs and jackfruit tacos. It was my first time having deviled eggs fried, and I wasn't a big fan, but my friends enjoyed them. The jackfruit tacos were pretty decent, very Smokey which is good. However, I do wish that there was a different kind of sauce to compliment. The service was great, but do wish they had some music playing to add to the ambiance. I'll definitely come back again for one of their live jazz days. Oh, also, they don't validate parking. read more

Town Fare by Michele McQueen - Fried deviled eggs Jackfruit tacos Cornbread - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

I saw all the good reviews about the chicken sandwich and was surprised to see people love it even though it's a cafe at a museum. I decided to try it out but place is mid tbh. This was NOT the "best ever chicken sandwich" as it's named. Chicken was a bit hard and overcooked and the fries were hard as well. Definitely not worth it. read more

Town Fare by Michele McQueen - Chicken sandwich - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

Located in the Oakland Museum, I was expecting very average food like other museums and zoos, but the cuisine was solid! Came for Sunday brunch and it was packed! We opted to get takeout and sit at the picnic tables in the garden. Cinnamon apple pancakes: Tasted as expected. Spinach and feta frittata: Frittata was not my favorite, but salad was tasty. Fried pork chop, grits and eggs: Great spice on the pork chop and overall would order again. read more

This is a really lovely place for a long and luxurious brinch with friends. The vibes are perfect and the food and drinks are delicious. I've only been once but I absolutely loved it for our group of 7 women. We were essentially having a reunion and it was just the perfect setting. read more

Parking is expensive. We were there for 3 hrs and it cost $20 so look for street parking if you can. They have a new childrens section so we checked it out. It's clean and nice but pretty small. They open at 11am though so kinda bad to schedule for little kids that still need to nap. Cafe was super nice. Spacious and good soul food options. Live Jazz music on second and fourth Saturdays. read more

Town Fare by Michele McQueen - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

I chaperoned my daughter on a field trip to the Oakland museum and we decided to order some to go plates because she said she really liked the Mac n cheese she had for lunch. We ordered the blackened catfish and grits, the southern fried chicken dinner and a side of cornbread with some honey sugar lemonades. I'm so glad we decided to stop by; the space is adorned with poinsettias for the holidays with smooth jazz playing in the background. The food came out promptly! I would suggest requesting two bags for to go orders because the bags are very thin and they tear easily when they are packed. I was really unimpressed with the fried chicken dinner plate, we ordered dark meat and the portions were a bit too skimpy but the catfish was scrumptious. The grits complemented it well and the seasoning was divine. The beans/rice and cornbread was also quite yummy. read more

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Service: The employees are friendly, patient, and extremely efficient. Ambiance: The inside is spacious, full of light, and the tables are all clean. Food: 10/10! The shrimp and grits were so flavorful! The grits had the most perfect consistency and the shrimp were cooked to perfection. The portion sizes are very filling, even though I wished I had more because it was so delicious. Everyone in my party enjoyed their food too. We will definitely be back! I am already thinking about my next meal here! read more

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Came at the end of brunch on a rainy sunday! It took an hour to get seated. Alot more g birthdays were being celebrated Chuey Gomez was dj'n it was an older crowd vibe going down. Ordered - craft of mimosas - chicken and waffles - deviled eggs - donut holes - 40 water (2) Next time when I come, it'll be earlier due to some items not being available (my bad) read more

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After I figured out where to park and the best way to get to the restaurant I was fine. It took a while. Now that I know the best place to park and enter I will get there quicker. This is a buffet. It's $44.99 plus tax. If you have a cholesterol or blood pressure issue, this might not be the food for you. Look at the photo of my plate. I didn't eat half of my plate, but it was all really good. The food was seasoned very well, but more on the salty side than I'd prefer. The DJ was amazing! All of his music was on point. I'll definitely be back. read more

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Nice and clean restaurant. Staff were friendly and kind. I tried the FRIED Deviled eggs and that was THE BEST thing I've eating in a long time! It was so good, I tried to savor every bite! Thank goodness my children don't like deviled eggs like that so more for me! Lol. My daughter had the kids Mac and cheese which was pretty good. Not the cheap Mac and cheese you get from BJ's which is pretty much boxed Mac and cheese. The French fries was pretty good too with lots of seasoning. The price wasn't that bad, all three items with members discount came out to be $29 I would def come back again to try other items from the menu and the fried deviled eggs again! Delicious. read more

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The staff was friendly,food taste great and prices were reasonable. The pork chop were delicious. My buddy loved the catfish and grits. The ambience was good, the dj was playing all my favorite oldies. read more

So I've been wanting to try the Gumbo Ramen and some fried chicken. Took my hubby on a little day Date and we got the Gumbo and chose the Fried Chicken Cobb Salad. I actually preferred the salad to the Gumbo. The salad had big pieces of bacon, crispy lettuce, fresh cherry tomatoes, good Bleu cheese and a whole egg. And the chicken was delicious and moist. The Gumbo Ramen was OK. It needs some additional seasoning I think because the noodle are so starchy that it pulls flavor out. Maybe the recipe is trying to be milder to be more acceptable by all. I had to add a bunch of crystals hot sauce to it. We ordered at the counter and sat ourselves. The food came out in good time. Presentation was nice. The staff working in the dining room were really friendly. The music added to the atmosphere. read more

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The food here was delicious. We got the fried pork chop with greens and mushroom jambalaya. Jambalaya was flavorful! The collard greens were cooked perfectly and the fried pork chop.. my boyfriend enjoyed! Our drinks - sidecar was yummy and the rose lemon drop was good too. The workers were very friendly and helpful. Would return back! read more

Town Fare by Michele McQueen - Jambalaya - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

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I came here with a friend and was concerned because I did not think they had any gluten-free food. But boy was I wrong and boy wasa good. First, I'd like to acknowledge that unlike the previous owner, this place has a very lively and good vibe. That means that it was jumping and there is a line to get in. I was told that it would be about 20 minutes, however, they called me five minutes later. They had a great brunch, a fantastic DJ, and the wait staff was very, very nice and engaging. Not our waitress so much,, however, I saw a lot of the others and I hope that. I got the blackened catfish and grits. And it was very very good! My friend had the shrimp and grits. Now the grits have cheese in it, but she doesn't eat cheese and she was able to get her grits without cheese. I didn't have a drink because it was too early in the morning for me, however, I'm planning to go back and get my drink with some food . I don't know how they do their menu because online I saw some other items so I may need to come back at another time and day to enjoy all of their offerings. But, I look forward to visiting and bringing my husband with me! read more

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Stopped by for brunch and had a pretty good experience overall. The deviled eggs were just okay--there was a bit too much of the yolk filling for my taste. But the Bissap Punch? That hit my sweet tooth just right! The standout dish for me was the Low Country Shrimp and Grits--perfectly cooked shrimp with a rich, flavorful sauce. Not sure if it was technically called gravy or roux, but the brown sauce was delicious and tied everything together beautifully. The decor is fresh, bright, and open, making it a great spot for a relaxed meal. Heads up for parents--if you have little ones, you might want to check ahead to see if it's a good fit. Overall, a solid brunch spot with some standout flavors. Would definitely come back to explore more of the menu! read more

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We love this place. It's a family favorite. We usually get the shrimp and grits, catfish and grits, corn bread, lemonade. We've eaten almost everything. It's all good. Highly recommend. read more

A light-filled, spacious eatery in Oakland. A friend from the area recommended this spot for brunch.The owner's Husband greeted us warmly when we came in and we were seated right away. There was a live DJ playing music with a good mix of old and new songs. The atmosphere was very lively and you could tell everyone was enjoying themselves. I ordered shrimp and grits and it was excellent! Creamy, flavorful and delicious with lots of shrimp. Yum! I got to meet the beautiful owner, Michele McQueen, and found out she is a Howard University Alum too! (HU! U Know! ). An amazing restaurant with great food and a great vibe. 10/10. I will definitely be back! read more

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I liked the burger but they didn't have anything i liked except for ketchup so i just got it seriously plain. And it didn't say the brown sugar iced tea was unsweetened and after a waste of 10 sugar packets it was still bitter-ish. The service was great. read more

I tried them for the first time with my mom, because she said they are really good. She was right!! The food is delicious, it comes out quick, it's a clean place, and it's a great vibe. I must try!!! read more

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Took one of my besties to lunch here for his birthday. Excellent food, and very kind staff. I asked him if he liked banana pudding and when he got excited, I added it to our order. I said, "Pretend it's your birthday cake!". When the staff brought it to the table, it came with a candle and a couple of singers. He was very touched! The seating situation is a little awkward as it's cafeteria style with families and groups able to reserve sections of the dining room for themselves. As a result it was a short birthday lunch, but still a very memorable one. read more

Had lunch at Town Fare with my family on a Saturday afternoon. We were visiting the Oakland museum, where it is located, which is an amazing museum. We didn't have to wait in line to order and there were plenty of tables available. The restaurant was clean and spacious. Staff was very friendly and helpful. The menu sounded delicious . I ordered the Southern fried pork chops that came with mac & cheese and smoked braised turkey collard greens. The pork chops were okay, a little bland, but tasted much better dipped in the BBQ sauce that came with my niece's meal. The mac & cheese was delicious! I could have eaten a big bowl of that. Didn't try the collard greens. I also ordered a side of honey butter glazed corn bread. It was too dry and I couldn't eat it. read more

Town Fare by Michele McQueen - Southern fried pork chops, mac & cheese, smoked turkey braised collard greens. - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

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Brunch was nice it can get busy with a long wait staff were nice nice complaints about the food the flavor was fine the vibe is after church Sunday crowd with good music very chill atmosphere read more

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Went to the Sunday brunch after seeing the Reclaiming Space exhibit. Perfect way to end in community ... food was delicious ... all of the things ... delicious crisp and juicy chicken, nice creamy grits, buttery biscuits, well seasoned potatoes, delicious Mac n' cheese. Signature drinks were on point (I had a Margarita). Our wait staff was very accommodating and gracious ... and DJ's music selections added a nice ambience to a perfect day of education, culture n' community. OMKA n' Brunch, the perfect pairing! read more

Such a unique and memorable experience. The Skunk Train ride takes you through beautiful redwood scenery, and the evening trip adds a whole extra layer -- once the sun goes down, it gets chilly in the best way, especially with the firepits going at the stop. The live music was a fun touch, and the bar kept the drinks flowing - though the wait got a bit long at times. The s'mores snacks were a nice option. Special shout-out to the young gentleman running tickets and helping onboard; professional, friendly, and proud of the experience they're giving guests. Whether you're a local or just visiting, this is worth putting on your list. read more

We were seated quite promptly on a Sunday late lunch. The place was close to packed. Enjoyed the live DJ. Service was prompt though they did forget about our appetizer and brought that in when we were almost done with our meal. Food was good! They had run out of the vegetarian option on the menu but replaced it with a mushroom gumbo that wasn't on the menu and that was really yum! read more

Town Fare by Michele McQueen - Deviled eggs - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

Went for Sunday brunch with some friends and had a great time. The food was delicious and the vibes were fantastic. Loved that they had a dj keeping the energy good - was lively without being too loud. Biscuits were 10/10 - don't miss getting an order for the table! read more

A friend and I decided to go here after seeing the instagram post highlighting the restaurant. Seemed like it would be a great experience with the food to match. However, as we arrived, I quickly realized it's not a full service restaurant. That's was our fault for not doing the research, but it was definitely disappointing in terms of the full experience. The staff was lukewarm, and was definitely more of a self serve experience. Not sure if they only do this for brunch, but definitely disappointing nonetheless. We weren't really given any guidance and basically just served our food. So not recommended if you are looking for elevated dining. The food was ok. Tasty enough. They have a strong menu but did not serve appetizers first. In fact the first appetizer was served with one of the mains and the rest was served 7 mins later. The first two dishes was served 2 minutes after we sat down, which was great, but definitely did not taste like it was made fresh for me. Like mentioned, it was not bad, but not to the standard like I thought nor for the price point. My mimosa was flat, which also made it seem pre made. Not a total loss but don't think I'll be coming back. Bummer. read more

Came again to try the blackened fish and grits. Service again was amazing and the food was superb. The fish had the perfect flavors and the grits were creamy and flavorful not think it runny. Just perfect. Ambiance is always nice vibe. Can't wait to come back read more

Town Fare by Michele McQueen - Cafes Near Me - Oakland, California

I love the location. I came here a couple of months ago the energy and the staff were very helpful. The food was good. We really came for deserts the banana pudding was ok. That peach cobbler bread pudding was so delicious. I would come just for that. My 2 year old at the time tore them red beans up. We would definitely come again. The restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating. I would come again the tables are nicely decorated. read more

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We arrived right when they opened and were seated promptly. Our service was great and were checked on multiple times. Our food came quickly, I had the Fried Chicken Sandwich and it was very good! My friend had the chicken and waffles and it looked ok. She said it was alright. We also had Bloody Marys that were good, not great but good. There was plenty of seating and having the DJ there was cool. The music wasn't very loud which was nice so we could still converse. read more

This is located inside the Oakland Museum. A hidden gem! 5 star food. Parking available underground at the museum in addition to street parking. The fried chicken is crispy and not over done. Yummy 5 star chicken. Fresh flowers on the tables. Everything super clean. You order at the counter and take a number and they bring the food to you. They pick up your dishes, provide boxes upon request. In addition to the wonderful friend chicken, we had waffles with sweet potato butter, a sweet potato roll, red beans and rice, fresh blueberry and beet salad, savory Brussel sprouts, salmon chowder, and a generous serving of fresh banana pudding(should be a shared dessert). All our food was spot on and delicious. i will be back. read more

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