Living down the block for years this is the first time I've been to kitchen story. The weekends…read morewhen I would drive by seems like there's always a lot of people here so I made a reservation reservations online and you have the option to choose if you want to sit outside inside or upstairs. I reserved for three to sit in the main dining room. The next day we arrived right on time for our reservation and still had to wait about 10-15 minutes and was asked if we could sit outside and then we were seated upstairs. I was a little bummed we didn't get to sit in the lower dining room like I booked on our reservations. It was still cute upstairs and good company always makes brunch even better. The servers were quick and helpful. I wanted something light so I just ordered the chicken and waffle bites. My husband got French toast and a side of chicken and my friend got a main entrée of a sandwich with some fries and a little soup. All of the food that came out looked amazing even at other people's tables. For brunch, the price is a little pricey, but I would like to come back to try other entrées when I'm more hungry. We asked one of our servers if he had a light as I brought a little candle to celebrate my friend's birthday, and as he lit it, he also decided to join in with us as we sang happy birthday, which I thought was really sweet. He did not have to do. He even got other tables around us to sing happy birthday as well. It felt like a special moment for my friend, which was a nice surprise. I did really appreciate this part and look forward to coming back.

We visited Kitchen Story for a spontaneous Mother's Day brunch. I will say this is a popular brunch…read morespot, so be prepared for a bit of a wait. We arrived shortly after 10am and our wait was just under 30 minutes. The restaurant is cozy (on the smaller side) but has an interesting layout. There's seating both indoors, outside, and upstairs. You may have to squeeze by a few tables to make your way to the restroom. Customer service was friendly and attentive. Pricing for food & drinks was a bit high. Our total for 2 entrees and 2 drinks was $60 before tip. We ordered two drinks (orange juice and an iced mocha) which were provided promptly. The orange juice was a little too sour and my mom had to add some sugar to improve the taste. The iced mocha was good, not too sweet. One thing to note the wait for our food took much longer than expected, and it may have been due to how busy it was. My mom opted to order the salmon yuzu benedict and I got an egg plate (scrambled eggs) with a side green salad. My mom mentioned the potatoes lacking salt but she enjoyed the salmon benedict. I thought the scrambled eggs were good, but slightly bland & needed salt and pepper. The side green salad was alright, but the vinaigrette had a bitter aftertaste. Overall, the meal was pretty good and timing wasn't the best. I'd likely return for brunch on a non-peak day. Definitely recommend joining the yelp waitlist prior to arriving if you can!

We just missed Tru Burger by minutes, and since we had recently been to Brenda's, timing (and a…read morelittle luck) led us to TENI. The menu felt very similar to Burma Superstar--but without the long lines or the hype. We ended up enjoying a lighter, abbreviated meal in a really cool setting, paired with excellent service. In a way, Tru Burger closing early worked out in our favor--we were pleasantly steered toward a healthier alternative. Would happily repeat. BB

Had a great experience at Teni! We came on a Saturday evening during peak dinner hours and were…read morepleasantly surprised to be seated right away. The service was excellent, and our food came out quickly. Our table of four shared several dishes, and everything was delicious. The coconut chicken curry and the roti with dip appetizer were definite standouts. We loved the roti so much that we ordered a second round because it was so flaky and fresh. The only minor complaint that I'd call out was the tea leaf salad. I was expecting something a bit more substantial, but it was mostly just spinach, which to be honest, isn't my favorite and wasn't what I was used to. The cocktails were also fantastic! Overall, we had a wonderful dinner and would absolutely come back to try more dishes!

Yelp community, I've failed you. Saucy has been a consistent 5-star for my stomach and it's taken…read moreme this long to make it official. Saucy has been my go-to stop for date nights, girls' nights, business meetings, family/friend celebrations, and solo cravings. The ambiance is modern yet intimate. The food is delicious and very reasonably priced. Icing on the cake is their amazing staff. Food You have to get at least 1 hamachi spoon to start. The quality beats most sushi spots. SO loves the shaken beef which comes with a yummy salad and rice. Everything here slaps and their sauce game is on point. Drinks Sakeeeeee!! In all forms and various types for all palates. Pro Tips Happy hour is Wednesday through Saturday, 5:30 to 6:30 PM. Say "hi" to Chef Tony!! Bring good vibes. If you're thinking about coming? Just do it. You won't be disappointed.

The food here was not bad but the service from the hostess was horrible…read more Basically thrusting dishes on our table and disappearing before we could ask for anything else -- Upon entering, the hostess/waitress pointed us to our table where we sat down for the evening. Our reservation was as for 8:30 and had ample time to order food and libations. Unfortunately, no one came to us for almost 15 minutes until I flagged down the waiter. It seemed the hostess was taking everyone's orders but ours. Our dishes arrived and she basically dropped them from a height off the table where it made a clang, said "croquettes" and whisked herself away before doing the same thing with some of the other dishes. We did not appreciate this service at all and it masked our experience and critique of the ambiance. The food was as not bad either -- The lechon lettuce pork wraps were a bit dry, I don't know if the sauce was missing or it was supposed to come with sauce? The best thing on the menu was the Thai tom yum noodles. We placed two orders and scarfed those down. The potato croquettes were fine. Not as memorable as the noodles. The sake also comes in a shot glass. I thought it would come in the typical bottle but it was $8 for a single shot which is a bit pricey. Overall, I wouldn't come here again. The waiter was nice but the hostess/waitress was horrid and the food wasn't exceptional enough to warrant a round two visit.

truly one of my favorite brunch places in Oakland. the crispiness of the roti, the juiciness of the…read morechicken, and then the creaminess of the avocado creates harmony in every bite. let me stop gate-keeping and put you on to this halal Malaysian spot. grateful this is in Oakland.

This place is simple and delicious. It's a smaller and cute venue to be at. I recall being here…read morelike twice in the past year or so and it just gives me like a warm feeling, and I would come back here. It's very quiet and the ambience of the place adds to the charm. Also,, the roti is delicious. Highly recommended.

I loved everything about this place. Beautiful decor, delicious food, friendly staff and great…read morelocation. What we ordered Calamari -- YUM! Small portion but every bit e was pleasing. The green sauce it came with was heavenly. Pad Thai -- perfect blend of noodles, sauce and protein (shrimp and tofu). Every bite was a treat. To add, the noodles was cooked to perfection. Seafood Green Curry - dont really remember if thats actually what its called on the menu but as much as I would have loved to have devoured every single item in that bowl --it was unfortunately too spicy for my weak tolerance for HEAT. May I say that the green sauce was so delicious Papaya Salad -- ohhh I love me some papaya Salad. My girlfriends found it a little on the salty side but I thought it was perfect. Yes, on the spicy side but I sucked it up and ate it anyways. Chicken Wings --- just trust me on this and ordered it!!! Yes..its that good. Perfect crispy outside to tender juicy inside. YUM Will I be back again..ABSOLUTELY!!! They dont validate. Parking is about $8 an hour in the garage but street parking is available. Great location. You can walk on the Marina before or after. They have outdoor seating too :) They are closed from 3 - 5pm

Great location at Jack London Square…read more Plenty of garage parking. You can build an appetite by walking The Bay Trail. This is not the traditional Thai resturant. The decor is very modern. Pad see ew great flavor. $21.95 for tofu and veggies. If you want animal protein be prepared to pay extra. Good modern presentation. Dish is a bit skimpy in portions for the price you pay. Yellow curry $20.95 for veggies and tofu only. Mild in flavor. But has a tiny bit of heat at the end. Loaded with veggies and tomatoes. A filling dish for one Men's room is a 2 urinal + 1 stall. The urinals feel a bit tight, however the stall is roomy and well decorated. The hand wash station consists of 2 sinks in between the Women's and Men's room. Overall- will probably not come back. You are paying for the location and decor. Quality of food is just OK. Not worth the price you pay for the portion size. Recommend going 1.5 miles up to Chinatown to get a better value for your money and a more authentic experience.

Small parking lot and limited street parking but we found a parking spot pretty quickly…read more Small, welcoming interior with about 40 seats. Check their hours before you go, we arrived at 1:30pm and they closed shortly after. Efficient, fast service. The food was fresh, delicious and with varying spice levels offered. We had calamari (perfect), Pad See Ew (yummy but I wish it was the broad noodles and not the super thin), beef salad (nice spice level), and hangover noodle (again yummy and spicy).

Found this place from Yelp community and with such high recommation we were so excited and had high…read morehopes. As much as the sweet waitress were it must have rub on the the food as they were a tad bit sweet as well. It's a small and intimate seating so you are about one foot away from other guests, we can hear all the details in their convo so we were not comfortable to talk at regular volume. The kitchen re did one of our dish even though we said nothing, so perhaps at the time we visited they were just opened and still trying to figure out logistics.

food was savory, service was exceptional. and the prices…read morewere very inexpensive. Definitely got bang for my buck.

Delicious, fresh bouncy and velvety noodles! We got the eggplant and minced pork noodles, so silky,…read moresweet and savory, and the chongqing noodle soup, which had a nice Szechuan peppercorn kick to it. Easily going to be one of my new go-to spots!

I originally came to Fusion Delight because of the purple interior…read more Seriously. The giant lotus chandeliers, the deep violet lighting, the old-school banquet hall atmosphere - it immediately reminded me of the large Cantonese restaurants that used to define family dining in the Bay Area years ago. But after eating here during a packed weekend dinner service, I realized the real attraction is not the decor. It is the operational consistency. The dining room was completely full, with a long line of people still waiting outside. Under that kind of pressure, many large Chinese restaurants start losing control somewhere: fried dishes soften, stir-fries lose wok hei, food arrives unevenly, service becomes rushed. Fusion Delight somehow keeps the system together. And what impressed me even more was that the staff never became impatient. Even with the restaurant running at full capacity, the servers stayed friendly, patient, and organized. No chaos, no attitude - just steady service under pressure. That is not easy in a restaurant this size. The Mongolian beef was the first thing that stood out. Instead of thin slices hidden under sauce, the beef here is cut unusually thick and long - some pieces nearly two inches. Thick-cut beef is risky because once overcooked it immediately turns tough, but here the meat stayed tender while still carrying proper wok sear and caramelization. That tells me the kitchen understands heat control and timing. The crispy pork intestines were even more impressive. These were clearly braised first, then fried before the final stir-fry. The outside kept its gelatin-rich texture while the inside still carried fat and aroma, but without the unpleasant odor that ruins this dish at weaker restaurants. Even people who normally avoid intestine dishes could probably eat this version comfortably. That level of cleaning and pre-processing matters. The braised lamb with skin was another old-school banquet dish done correctly. The lamb was soft without collapsing, while the skin still retained structure. More importantly, the prep work was meticulous -- no gamey smell, no rough trimming, no shortcuts. The sea cucumber and pork tendon dish also showed strong banquet-kitchen fundamentals. The pork tendon had clearly been oil-expanded beforehand, giving it that proper soft and elastic texture instead of rubbery chewiness. The sea cucumber still retained bite and structure. The Singapore-style rice noodles and scallop egg white fried rice were textbook Cantonese banquet staples. The rice noodles stayed dry and separated while still carrying wok aroma and oil fragrance. The scallop egg white fried rice looked simple, but every grain remained distinct and lightly coated without clumping together. That level of consistency under volume is difficult. Even the red bean dessert soup at the end was handled carefully. The red beans still held their shape instead of dissolving into paste, while the sago remained fully intact and translucent. Most restaurants stop caring once dessert leaves the kitchen. Fusion Delight clearly does not. And honestly, that may be the best way to describe this restaurant overall. Fusion Delight is not trying to be trendy. It is not trying to become minimalist fine dining. It is not trying to be social-media bait. This is a high-volume Chinese banquet restaurant operating with old-school Cantonese production discipline. Hot food arrives hot. Fried dishes stay crisp. Wok hei survives peak hours. Plating still looks intentional during a packed dinner service. That kind of consistency is harder than people think. And somehow, inside a giant purple dining room filled wall-to-wall with families, they make it work. - Dr. C Purple room approved. Wok heat calibrated. Banquet discipline detected. Consistency at scale = correct.

Visited here with my friends on a Wednesday morning…read more The restaurant opens at 10:30 AM, and we arrived a bit early--there were already a few customers waiting outside. However, within about an hour, the restaurant was almost full. Even though it wasn't the weekend, it was still very busy. This is one of my favorite dim sum spots because the food is consistently delicious, especially the siu mai--it's a must-try! The service is fast and friendly, which makes the experience even better. There is also plenty of parking, which is a big plus. The restaurant is spacious, with beautiful purple lighting that really catches the eye. The high ceiling also makes the space feel very open and comfortable. Although this place doesn't have the highest ratings on Yelp, it's definitely still very popular and worth visiting.

Absolutely love the menu here, the staff, service, and general ambiance & aesthetic. Some of the…read morebest food period in Temescal, especially the vegetarian tofu options. Wish I could cook tofu that well myself! Welcoming, friendly, and helpful staff who add to the whole experience.

One of the little kids in my family has been asking for tater tots. I knew just the place to go to…read moreget fantastically delicious tater tots - Hawking Bird!! I've gotten tater tots here before and they are the best ones I've ever had! They are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They even stay crispy as leftovers overnight in the refrigerator! I love the secret seasoning that Hawking Bird puts on their tater tots. Can't quite describe it but it is so delicious! Needless to say, all the little kids in the family scarfed them up! If you're craving the best tater tots in the world, come here! I also got a side order of their green beans to go which were deliciously crunchy and yet not overcooked. Eating them felt so healthy! I love the seasonings that they use at this place. Everything was so flavorful and delicious! I will be coming back whenever I am in the area. The service was friendly. Sorry I don't have any pictures, we ate everything up so fast!

4.5 Stars. My friends and I have been meaning to try…read moreViridian out. We finally got to check out Viridian out for Oakland Restaurant Week 2025. Technically, we got to try it out the week after, but they extended their menu for the week after. We came that Sunday evening. Parking can be a bit of a hassle because it is indeed Downtown Oakland. Your whole party has to get the Restaurant Week Menu. So we all got their: Aperitif Cocktail - Tomato Beef or Purely Passion (Non Alcoholic) I got the Purely Passion. Good, nothing to write home about. Umami Tots This was really good! Very Crispy. Chili Cucumbers This one was actually really good. Szechuan Salt and Pepper Wings Good, but maybe too crispy? Wings are always good but this one didn't stand out for me. Mango Sorbet (They changed this from the Apple Sorbet that day) My favorite of the whole night. I usually don't like sorbet but this one was soft and easy to eat and has like a creamy like texture? Trying this made me want to try their other dessert item. We also ordered 2 add ons - the Hojicha Miso Tiramisu and the Korean Mapo Tofu. Hojicha Miso Tiramisu was OK. It contained too much alcohol for all of us and was bitter. Disappointing. I liked the Mapo Tofu! I liked that it was Crispy and that it came with rice. Drinks wise, my friends also got to try the Tomato Beef and White Rabbit. I don't really drink alcohol so I just sipped a bit. Tomato Beef was too alcoholic for me, couldn't really taste the tomato or the beef, but I could see what White Rabbit was going for. Overall, I'm really impressed by the food. I usually think Bar Food isn't very good, but this blew me away. Drinks are OK.

Viridian delivers on ambiance. The space is vibrant without feeling overwhelming, and the music was…read moreon point throughout the night, adding to a really fun, social energy. Service was a highlight. We had two to three servers checking in on us consistently, and everything felt attentive without being intrusive. Drinks are clearly a strong suit here. There's a diverse selection, and the cocktails had a solid kick while still being well balanced. The only drawback during our visit was the food menu, which felt a bit limited that night. Not a dealbreaker, but something to keep in mind if you're coming in hungry. Overall, a great spot for a night out. I'd definitely come back to explore more of their drink menu and see what else the kitchen has to offer.