I visited here on a Saturday with my fiancé. He was a little reluctant to try the sandwiches but…read moreended up getting the Don King and fell in love immediately. I looked over after 30 seconds and 75% of his huge sandwich was gone ! I got the vegetarian option, which was really good! Pro tip, make sure the cabbage is throughout the whole sandwich because mine was only in the first half. We will definitely be returning!!

The food and atmosphere was incredible There was a chess…read morecompetition going on which shows that the Black Forrest kitchen is more than just a restaurant It's a place where community is built

What are you waiting for?! Just book the reservation! 10/10!!!!…read more 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!

My wife had this spot bookmarked for months, but since it's in Oakland and we're about an hour out…read morewe 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.

Located in Au, two establishments are run here for Chef Smelly's and the bar. So orders at the bar…read moreare separate. It was quite crowded and I just sat on the counters looking out onto the street, which was fine. It kind of took awhile to get the food, but it was worth it. Platters were big and sharable. Got the combo plate with fried chicken, fish, fried oysters, and Garlic noodles. All really good, seasoned well, and not too salty. Service was friendly. I hear the oxtails on the weekend are really good. Will try to come back then.

Enjoyed an early dinner here with the hubby. FOOD was pretty good on the flavor. Every dish came…read moreout pipping hot and very well seasoned. My favorite sides were the garlic bread and the mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes were !! Buffalo wings were good too. I didn't love the Crack n cheese to "rue" y for my taste and not as cheesy as expected..IMO. I had the blackened salmon topped with crab meat with garlic noodles. Ctab meat was good, but i wiahwd there was more. Salmon was decent nothi g special. Garlic noodles tasted good, but were a bit dry. Hubby said the lamb chops were cool, but not spectacular. Yams were . Service was great no complaints here. Really enjoyed our server (cant recall his name, light complexion brother with braids) Now this is were they loose points. For the price point I waa expecting a better vibe. Something a bit more upscale. It gives a diner or neighborhood bar vibe. The paper table clothes and overall decor, from the bathroom to the kitchen entry area could use a quick spruce up. Parking also is a bit hard to find, but that's Oakland, so cant fault them for that. Definitely recommend you go and try it for yourself.

After sampling the delicious smoked meats from Oakland Smoke Shack while selecting a caterer for…read moreour wedding reception picnic, we knew we didn't need to look any further. Wow! OSS' ribs are hands down the most incredible, fall-off-the-bone, flavorful ribs I've ever had. They were the only BBQ spot we needed to try. Our interactions with Matt and his team were top-notch from the get-go. The quality of their service completely aligns with the incredible quality of their meats. Outstanding! We selected the brisket, chicken, ribs, mac & cheese, potato salad, baked beans, Asian salad, and cornbread for a large 100+ person outdoor event. Everything was absolutely delicious, and our friends have been talking about the food ever since. Be prepared to eat copious amounts of savory, tender meats and likely take home leftovers--their portions are generous! Communication was seamless, and Matt helped us select just the right menu. They set up and presented everything in an organized and appetizing fashion, were friendly and engaging while serving, and were quick and efficient with breakdown and cleanup. We are so happy we had the opportunity to work with Oakland Smoke Shack for our picnic. They truly helped make our event a success, and we would absolutely choose them again--gold stars all around!

My (very discerning) best friend used Oakland Smoke Shack to cater a casual post-wedding…read morecelebration for a large crowd. All the attendees were commenting to each other about how absolutely delicious the food was! When I asked my friend afterward about her experience in working with OSS, she said it was great: The owner Matt was extremely friendly and accommodating, and the pricing was very reasonable -- with huge portions. Her candid review was so good that I myself am now working with Oakland Smoke Shack to cater a surprise party that I'm hosting. As anticipated, Matt has been communicative, generous, clear on pricing, and flexible with logistics. I'm super excited to eat the delicious BBQ again and introduce it to another crowd! Thanks Matt and Oakland Smoke Shack!

Was lucky to catch them one Saturday morning in Pacifica. We got the veggie pancake and chicken…read moregyoza. Both were packed with flavor and fresh ingredients. The couple that owns this place is friendly and has good recommendations. Make sure to have your Venmo app ready if you don't carry cash!

Okinomiyaki is one of my favorite dishes that I always get when I'm in little Tokyo in LA. It's…read morebasically a savory Japanese pancake that generally has cabbage and eggs, and can be customized with different toppings, meat, etc. I was stoked to see a pop up doing this dish in the Bay Area! I had the basic but added mushroom to it. It was delicious, though next time I would add hot sauce for a kick. Definitely check this place out if they are popping up near you.

The Mana'eesh Lady is popping up in front of The Libertine on Saturday afternoons at least through…read moreDecember. Chef Mona Leena Michael, formerly at Dyafa & Serpentine, runs this pop up of Palestinian food with dishes like Squash Blossom Manousheh and Arabi Deviled Eggs (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-manaeesh-lady-oakland?select=8j0S5AEOS9aoB0d8kWQZIA). The Manousheh is thicker than ones I've had before with a delightfully chewy and flavorful crust (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-manaeesh-lady-oakland?select=_vheJjhLZW5A6Vd0Wua-sQ). The egg yolk on the Squash Blossom Manousheh added a breakfasty taste . . . I would have liked more Aleppo peppers. Similarly the zhug in the Labneh needed a bit more kick (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-manaeesh-lady-oakland?select=XSkNpoiKMdXYX1R-5ZwJxQ), but was pretty tasty along with the Sumac Pita Chips (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-manaeesh-lady-oakland?select=5GI3nN5ncaT6HvtKEwUL9A). Those nits aside, this was some of the better street food I've had in a while and the two ladies who helped me where super friendly. I got my food to go, but you can enjoy it with a cocktail at The Libertine's parklet next to the pop-up space. If you squint, you can see the table top cookware they make the manousheh in (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-manaeesh-lady-oakland?select=2WICMHXyr2HPKMso0Z9Z_g). Restaurant payments via Venmo are something new for me (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-manaeesh-lady-oakland?select=2nVezY-i-AmRDbbx1qXDuQ)

I've been wanting to check this popup out for a while. Finally got around to it and it did not…read moredisappoint. I'll be back for sure!

Finishing this old review I had drafted! Not sure if they are still open with the same vendors…read moreanymore. Their website link isn't working and they haven't posted on IG since October of 2024. Hopefully they are still open because I loved my experience there! I happened to go when they had a BTS pop up, so I received some BTS cupholder sleeves, which I can tell a lot of BTS fans were super excited about. There were a few vendors selling art and hancrafted (some BTS themed) goods. It was really cool and festive. Was really looking forward to getting the ube cocktail at the bar, but they didn't have them that day. There is seating indoors and outdoors (shaded, under tents) so it was nice and airy. I loved the Noodle Belly noodles, sugar mama sugar cane drink, and Korean hodduk from Sammy's. Everything was great, but I think my favorite item was the noodles! Every vendor and bar staff were super friendly, great customer service.

Came Here Looking For "Padrón Gril" A Vegan Spot I Saw On TikTok. Turns Out It Was A Vendor Working…read moreWith Korner Kitchen At The Time. However, Korner Kitchen Is Legit! Menu Is Small But The Options Seem Delicious! To Order Food You Walk Up To The Bar Straight In The Middle Of The Patio & You Get A Chance To Look At Their Menu Or Whatever Vendor They Are Working With At The Moment. I Spoke With Who Im Thinking Is The Owner. Didn't Get His Name But Guy Was Very Friendly, Professional & If You Need Any Food Recommendations From The Menus He Got You! He Recommended I Get Their "Noodle Belly $20. Not Too Expensive As Long As The Flavors There. Comes With Garlic Noodles Your Choice Of Protein & A Vegetable. I Ordered The Broccolini With Shrimp! Belive Me Flavors Were Definitely There! The Patio Has Three Large Screen TVs So You Can Eat And Wacth Whatever Is Happening At The Time. Today They Had The UFC Fight And Summer Slam! Nice. Would I Come Here Again. Sure, But With Friends! The Vibes Are Nice Here & Service Is On Point!

Wow wow wow wow. Ok I'm not even joking when I say I've been trying to get to this pizza for years…read more Pizza Mason popped up a couple years ago and already has a little bit of a cult following. But the difference is, the is one is definitely worth the hype. The pie is thin crust and crispy but also bubbly. The sourdough crust also just takes this pie to a whole other level. The ingredients are so tasty and fresh. And I absolutely love the butter and parm finish on the crust too. This is a pie you have to try when you're in the bay! It is a bit hard to get though. They only open shop on Sundays and you have to reserve a pie and time when the ordering system opens up on Fridays at noon PT. All spots are usually gone in a few hours so don't be late! After grabbing the pie you can grab a drink next door at Dokkabier or you can do like me and take your perfect pizza to the nearby Oakland Coliseum to catch an As game

Have been following this cult of a pizza pop up for a while and finally got to try them today, and…read morewow - I'd say it's my new favorite pizza in the bay. It's a mix of different styles - light soft bubbly exterior crust from a neopolitan, some Sicilian, thin crust of a Brooklyn, maybe some New Haven in there as well. Honestly I don't know what this style is but it's perfect. Today we had their specialty called Dead Queen which was their margherita plus spinach and mushroom - the best toppings we could as for and it was perfect. Generous size but we devoured this pizza quickly between the two of us and could have had more. Can't wait to try their other flavors in the near future. Hype is real, hope the quality persists.

What is your all-time comfort food? I would say chicken and waffles would be one for us. Itameshi…read moreoffers Italian and Asian fusion products. Plus, they have pop ups every now and then so we recommend checking out their page! We were able to try their chicken & waffles and their spicy Korean chicken. We love it so much, everything was crispy and the chicken was also so juicy inside. What we got: Spicy Korean Honey Butter Chicken, Fried Chicken & Waffles

LaMar & his staff catered a private employee event for us today at Ruhstaller Farms in Dixon. The…read morefood was delicious. The menu included, Tri-tip, pulled pork, chicken, Mac n cheese, baked beans, green salad & grilled veggies. ALL the food was delicious ! I was excited to hear that he is in the Bay Area. I look forward to getting updates on where I can find future pop ups.

4.25 stars. LBQ's…read moreBBQ catered an event I attended at Hannah Nicole Winery in Brentwood. Their staff was so lovely about answering questions we had about the menu. We ordered both the Hot Link which was a plain link on a bun & the Big Link plate with fully loaded toppings. Crisp snap on the hot link with loads of spice & flavor. My group also really raved about the lamb chops, we really should've ordered a bigger portion. Great find, so glad we came across LBQ.