Honestly a 10/10! I used to live in germany.. and if it's one thing i crave the most it's a döner. the best you can get on this side of the Atlantic for sure! Loved the outside seating. will have to go back for beer boots and the lamb mix on fridays! Service was fast and great! read more

Black Forest Kitchen - The Don (Dner Original) - Pop-Up Restaurants Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

They had hosted a Yelp event before, and we left with a good impression, so we decided to grab a bite once we finished running with a run club. We got The Don and the Doner Box. The Don came with chicken, red onions, cucumbers, feta cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, red cabbage, garlic sauce, and was topped with jalapenos and spicy sauce. The Doner Box came with loaded fries with the Don. Both were delicious, I personally preferred The Doner Box, which was easier to eat and enjoy compared to The Don. We also had a flight of beer, which paired well with the food! read more

See all

I have eaten at the place over 7 times as someone who is very familiar with Döner Kebab spending time in Germany. The service IS VERY slow, 30 minutes for a sandwich that needs shaved meat, cabbage and a few times which a 2-5 minute wait within Germany. When Pierre (owner) was there, the sandwich was the closest to a real German Kebap but it has never been the same since. The other times it's made by folks who probably never spent time in Germany to know what ingredient ratio to work with. I've had burnt food made by the same guy repeatedly who is on his ear buds quietly talking and distracted. I have asked repeatedly please no spicy sauce or jalapeños, I see it entered in the terminal but it arrives with spicy. 4 out of my 7 sandwiches had spicy garlic sauce & jalapeños so it was a diarrhea day (no gallbladder) for me 4 times to say the least. I thought I'll try the Dona Rito and this is what I got down below, a burnt version made by usual slow dude in headphones annoyed mumbling to his headphones. If you order a beer, you have to pay separate which is ok but if you NEVER get the beer which has happened twice to me then you leave feeling disappointed as you want a beer with a Döner. They are hyping this place strong with pop ups all over in the Bay. As a business owner myself, if the brick and mortar is showing cracks in the service and lack of food consistency then it's hard to recommend to folks moving forward. I'm not one to write 2 star reviews but this is too many visits with the same repeated mess ups and lack of service. I definitely had high hopes for this place with Döner in the bay but everything is getting worse here. read more

Black Forest Kitchen - Pop-Up Restaurants Near Me - Oakland, California

Heard about this spot mentioned in the SF Chronicle and it truly didn't disappoint! We ordered ahead before we arrived and glad we did since it did take around 25 minutes total for our food to be ready. There's a good amount of shaded outdoor seating and even board games available. We ordered the don original, chef'don con fusion, and a side of fries. There's self serve water and utensils available. The fusion sandwich is a take of the original but with mushrooms. These sandwiches are solid! The bread is impressive - like a crunchy ciabatta. The inside is filled with meat, sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta, and oyster mushrooms (for the fusion sandwich). The sauce is curry-like and a bit messy to eat (it will stain your fingers!) but so good. The mushrooms were a bit salty, but eaten altogether, this sandwich is very well balanced. I felt very satisfied when I was done. Only thing was the fries were disappointing - bland and soggy. Would come back for sure! read more

See all

In a somewhat seedy neighborhood this place has potential but the food is not up to what you would get in Germany..they are trying with the decorations and such, but the döner just doesn't have the quality you expect if you've had one "over there"....hoffentlich wirds mal besser! read more

Black Forest Kitchen is in a long alley way off main roads. There is some parking to be found but there are also cars that are there long term; e.g. tires flat and people living in them. The ambiance of Black Forest is welcoming and clean. They have a bunch of beer to choose from, and some side items, like pretzels. We ordered the don and the box. We ordered extra garlic sauce on the side but they accidentally placed it on the don itself. Totally fine since they also just gave me the side when I asked. Both items were delicious - the fries crispy to the end and the don packed with yummy veggies. I would say that I wish the don was layered better since all our initial bites were vegetables then the end bites was all chicken. Would have loved to have tasted all the different ingredients with each bite. Also the sauce needed a bit more herbs, it was delicious but comparing the ones we've had on our trips to Germany, the sauce was lacking. Nonetheless, I would recommend this spot to any locals. They also have a HH deal and lots of games for people to play. So definitely a fun time. read more

Black Forest Kitchen - Pop-Up Restaurants Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

This review is for the Doner-ish: plant based doner with oyster mushrooms, red onions, red cabbage, cucumbers, plant based feta cheese, lettuce tomatoes, jalapenos, mayo and egg sauce, which I tried at the West Oakland night market. The food was done within 5 minutes or so. It has a sour and slightly spicy flavor profile from the jalapenos and sauce, and the ingredients tended to fall out easily. Unfortunately I don't feel like the plant-based 'meat' was really coming forward strongly in the flavor, I tasted mostly the vegetables and spiciness, and plant-based cheese isn't quite at the level of being able to replicate dairy cheese yet. Also, for the quantity of food, it was rather expensive since with tax and tip, it was about $20. I could imagine some of Black Forest Kitchen's other options are great, but the plant-based option likely wasn't replicating what a meat-based doner would taste like. read more

Black Forest Kitchen - Doner-ish - Pop-Up Restaurants Near Me - Oakland, California

A friend mentioned this new german place opened up and we all went to try it out post pickleball. We ordered Paulaner Hefeweizen, The Don and Doner box. The food took some time to come out and the server was very friendly and checked in with us on the status of our food. Our food arrived and did not disappoint. The bread is nice and crispy, the meat was fresh, the food was packed of sauces and was very flavorful. We enjoyed our food in a nice and private area and there's plenty of board games to play too~ Highly recommend this place for the stellar customer service and food. read more

See all

I lived in Berlin for a year and I can attest that Black Forest Kitchen was a better döner than I had there. My main gripe with Berliner-style döner is they add mayonnaise sauce, which should never happen! Black Forest Kitchen does it right with a yogurt sauce. The mushroom-based vegetarian version was incredibly! The fries were special too, extra crispy. We will definitely be back. Hopefully they have heat lamps because most of the seating is in an outdoor patio. read more

Black Forest Kitchen - Don-erish vegan - Pop-Up Restaurants Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

Black Forest Kitchen at Forage Kitchen offers incredible Berlin-style German street food. The Don (Döner Original) is well worth $15. It's a big sandwich that takes two hands to maneuver. I love the flavor of the chicken. The spicy garlic sauce is supremely tasty. I did not go with the jalapeños because that could be too hot for me. But it's standard if you order it with everything. The Don-King with lamb and beef is fantastic too. But it's only available on Friday and Saturday - so I finally got it on my third visit. Fantastic beers to choose from on draft. Yeah, there's great local beers but why not try something German? The Helles is hella delicious! Happy Hour Tuesday - Thursday 4-7 There are a few seats inside, but it's so Oakland perfect that there's a big patio outside where you can enjoy your sandwich in the sun. The owner, Pierre, has a glowingly positive, infectious personality. Ebullient isn't a word I get to use that often, but it suits him. He grew up here and in Germany and has been in the area for 8 years. He had a pop-up and decided to really make a go of it this year. His passion for the food translates into incredible flavor. Open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner. Closed on Mondays. read more

See all

Black Forest Kitchen is the latest food vendor to reside at Forage Kitchen. Their Berlin-style donor kebabs is the hottest fast food trend in Germany now. The kebabs were brought to Germany by Turkish immigrants. Offerings: (German): Beers, donor kebabs, sides & extras. Seating in "beer garden" outside. Small flatscreen tubes to sports. Placed order at counter. Pd. Food Came 20 minutes later due to large lunch order at 2:00. Bites: Donor-ish (16) Vegan version -all entrees have the basic same ingredients. Lunch box has fries. Don King has beef & lamb, served on Fri. & Sat. Donor-ish has Oyster Mushrooms & Vegan ingredients. Flatbread Sandwich looks YUGE as there's lot of freshly sliced crunchy lettuce within the center. Definitely overflowing with the pieces of oyster mushrooms, feta cheese on the exterior. The veggies (red onion, red cabbage, jalepenos, red cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes) in between didn't fall out. The house vegan garlic & spicy sauce was infused into every bite of the sandwich et. Al. Which made addicting to the last bite. Definitely messy to eat. Aluminum pan available to catch all droppings. 4.5 stars Worthy! Quantity: semi-worthy unless one doesn't like veggies. Quality: reasonably-very fresh. Parking may be iffy during peak hours (weekdays). read more

See all

I've been wanting to try this place, but I'm not in Oakland too often! We came before a concert and grabbed the fries to share, so loaded and filling! I definitely want to come back and explore more of the menu. read more

As a kid who grew up in Germany, this was a VERY important visit! The döner has to be the most underrated sandwich in the world and it pains me how slow it's gaining traction in the U.S. Black Forest Kitchen executes the sandwich with high precision and attention to detail. From the bread press, modern spezi, yogurt sahne and rotisserie spit, I felt like I was right back at home :) I wish them so much success and hopefully growth over the bay in the near future! An imbiss with sandwich customization would be the best thing since sliced bread somewhere in the city, maybe sf new deal might know what's best? Stellar food, stellar ambiance, a classic in my book. read more

Black Forest Kitchen - döner kebab and döner fries - Pop-Up Restaurants Near Me - Oakland, California

Döner macht schöner! What else is there to say? I am super happy that they have a real brick and mortar place now and not just pop ups. More time for me to satisfy my döner cravings. Thanks for always bringing the best food on my plate and a smile to my face! read more

Black Forest Kitchen - Pop-Up Restaurants Near Me - Oakland, California

I recently stopped by here and had the Döner'Rito, it was really delicious. It was very flavorful and usually I'm not a big fan of feta cheese, but it really worked in the spirit. I also love their spicy sauce and their white sauce. It was SO good, I could probably drink a bucket of it lol. Great place to check out if you're looking for something fresh and delicious. read more

I've literally been searching all around the Bay Area for a decent döner kebab since living in Europe. Let me tell you: this is WAY better than just decent. It's a freaking solid doner kebab that teleports me back to Berlin. It's the perfect mix of spicy, saucy, pickled, savory that transports you back to those drunken nights, stumbling out of the club or pub, heading to the kebab stands and scarfing down delicious grilled meats. We went during lunch today, so we were only able to get the chicken döners. Will come back on the weekend so we can get the beef/lamb. However, true to its roots, it's got all of the German stuff: proper beer, döner kebab paper, and sides. I'm definitely coming back on the weekend to taste the other meats, but this place is so dope. So glad to have this here. read more

Black Forest Kitchen - The Don with chicken - Pop-Up Restaurants Near Me - Oakland, California

It took a while to find parking, since there are only meter parkings around. I picked this place, because we were going to parkway theater afterwards. Wow the service was quick and friendly. We tried the original and sunset soda. What a great combo! Never heard of it before, but it taste like orange cola. I'm not a fan of orange, but it's very light flavor. There a patio in the back with a couple sitting next to us. I ate the whole thing and glad we had hand sanitizer. It's so good, but can get super messy. There were board games and tv. Great date night place. Would recommend this place for anyone that in the area. You would not be disappointed. I appreciate the simple small menu selection, which helped me narrow down my choice fast. read more

Black Forest Kitchen - The original - Pop-Up Restaurants Near Me - Oakland, California

They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. SMH. Let me preface by saying I've eaten here three different times and have had the exact same experience each time. I work down the street and have stopped in for my 30 minute lunch break every time. This restaurant specializes in German style sandwiches. SANDWICHES. Yet everytime I've come here, it's taken me 25-30 minutes to get my SANDWICH. That's my entire lunch break. Everytime I try to get a SANDWICH from this place I end up late getting back to work. It's so frustrating. I'm not trying to complain because it's a small business, and I'm not typically the type to cause a fuss, however I do know 30 minutes for a SANDWICH is not normal. The food is good! I'll say that. That's why I continue to try and give this place a chance, but three times taking 30 minutes to hand me a chicken sandwich is one too many. Service is WAY too slow here, I refuse to give them another 30 minutes and $20 for a SANDWICH ever again. read more

Found this gem on yelp so I tried it out yesterday during my lunch. It was 10 min walk from where I worked at. I came in and knew what I wanted. I ordered the Doner Box. Its fries with slice chicken, cucumbers, salad, cabbage and spicy sauce. It took about 10 mins to make my food which was fine. I took it back to work when I opened it wow there was alot. They sure don't skimp on the food. I barely finished half and finished the rest when I got home. Love the ambiance there. You can sit outside and eat, have a beer and just enjoy the vibes there. read more

From pop up to having their own spot (check hours) in Oakland at the Forage Kitchen Event Space, Black Forest Kitchen is the bees knees when it comes to amazing and authentic Berlin-style Döner Kebab! Parking is a bit tough (but not impossible) outside, and let me add worth spending a few additional minutes. Friends & Family Bar is next door and awesome to note as well :) Many of us in the group had to go with The Don (Döner Original), which resembles more handheld open sandwich-like (see photos), while some members of our group ordered the Döner Box (essentially the same innards just over fries), and lastly the Döner'Rito (a twist to all of the above, wrapped like a burrito!) We also ordered the OG fries which come topped with their delicious IYKYK white garlic sauce. Plant-based options also available. I will say this is not a first-date meal that you're trying to impress the person sitting on the other side of the picnic bench 'eating dainty' type of meal. This is a meal that quite honestly is sooooo deliciously unique, ya don't mind getting your hands dirty (literally). I think the owner was doing fun challenges on social with a 'one-napkin challenge' while eating the Döner Original..I failed within the first few minutes using a bajillion napkins haha! Great service, passion, and heart from the owner who delivered our meals & brews to us. Yes, another thing to note, awesome brews (and steins if that's your thing) to wash down the tender meat (chicken or plant-based options), spices, and flavorings with. Check the website for everything that's included in the filling of the Döner Original, there's so many yummy things in there, I probably wouldn't be able to successfully name them all! Can't wait to hear about your experience if you try them out! Fair pricing, fun outdoor atmosphere. read more

See all

Given that it's a German place... I got the feeling that food is not their primary focus, I'm guessing they have great beer. I don't drink so I wouldn't know, but the chicken in my sandwich was overcooked and extremely dry. Also, they forgot to add the chicken to my salad. This may have been because it was about an hour before closing. The place had a nice vibe and the people working there seemed cool. Perhaps I'll give it another try. To the owners of BFK, thank you for your thoughtful response. BB read more

Black Forest Kitchen - Sando - Pop-Up Restaurants Near Me - Oakland, California

We were in the area so we stopped in to try a new place, Black Forest Kitchen. My husband loves doner and Black Forest Kitchen had outside seating, so we ordered a Don and Doner-rito. The honey loved his dish, but mine came out covered in their spicy sauce, which made it too spicy for me to enjoy. No biggie and she remade it when I let her know there'd been a mixup. I've seen BFK at other events and their food leans towards the spicier, which isn't my thing. I wish they had a version with pickles to give the doner some zest (almost Turkish style) instead of sauce, but the honey enjoyed their food quite a bit and I could definitely see us ordering from them in the future. read more

So dang good. Never heard of a Döner Kebab prior to seeing this spot. They had a service outage the first time we swung by. Sauces are great without being overpowering. Meat is crispy and delicious. Cool, hot, crunchy, meaty. It just checks so many boxes flavor wise and texture wise. And the staff, gal that helped us was awesome. Friendly, warm. Just a great person to run into when you're grabbing a meal. Doner Rito was the lesser of the two but is a cleaner quicker option. The Don was amazing, but you are gonna get messy. It's totally worth it. You don't need to take my word for it. Go hammer one and report back. Only thing I would do different is order some sauce on the side. read more

See all

Food and services . Very slow on service and their sandwiches are just gross. They add too much sauce, everything falls off when trying to eat. read more

They have a decent filling vegan option! There's outdoor seating. Great place to grab dinner and then drinks at Friends and Family before/after. read more

See all

The döner was amazing. A culinary experience as authentic as Berlin. And it's halal!!! read more

Black Forest Kitchen - Pop-Up Restaurants Near Me - Oakland, California

This is a cozy german pub and eatery with a casual and inviting setting and a bit of indoor and outdoor seating. They offer a limited but appetizing menu of doner kebab wraps, fries, and salads, as well as beer of course. Ordered the Don with lamb/beef, minus the spicy sauce and cucumber (they have a chicken version too). Service was fast and friendly. My order was ready in less than 10 minutes. The meat was slightly dry and a bit gamey in taste, with some pieces too chewy. It had a generous amount of sauce and toppings, but it was not evenly spread inside the sandwich, and they forgot to put jalapenos. Also, the bread was kinda hard (and hard to eat). Parking was difficult on a Saturday evening... this area of town sucks in general. read more

See all

Downtown needed a gyro spot! Black Forest is so good. I especially love their chicken. Their gyro sandwiches are stuffed to the brim with meat, lettuce, tomatoes and sauce in a lovely pita. I also love the loaded fries, which are also a huge portion! They also serve some solid beers that go perfect with the gyros and the outdoor beer garden seating outside. read more

Black Forest Kitchen - Pop-Up Restaurants Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

So I have been hearing about these sandwiches in Germany and have been wanting to try one for a while. Then I saw this restaurant in my Instagram feed and had to go immediately. We went on a Friday soon after they opened. We ordered a couple German beers and 2 classic Doner Kebabs with chicken. First of all they have 2 liter, liter and boots for the beer! Second, these sandwiches are huge! The first bite is mainly delicious spices and sauces followed by fesh crisp cabbage slaw, onions, cucumbers and fresh tomatoes. Then comes the well spiced chicken and lots of it. Neither of us could finish our sandwich. We say outside in the beer garden and enjoyed a really nice day. Service was great and friendly. We will definitely be back! read more

See all

A different take on the usual Donor spot. I think if I was drinking, I would've enjoyed it a lot more. I went early and got the Donor Box. It was great. The fries and chicken mixed pretty well with the sauce. It has nice patio. read more

Black Forest Kitchen - Donor Box - Pop-Up Restaurants Near Me - Oakland, California

Great doener kebab and such a nice outdoor seating area perfect for the summer. They also have veggie options and non bread options and great selection for the drinks! Everyone is always super friendly! Definitely recommend trying them out read more

See all

Forage kitchen has been the hub of some of the best places in Oakland for years now, and this is no exception! If you spent any time in Europe at all, you probably remember Doner kebab. This hits the spot perfectly, and he also has a ton of the sauces and stuff that make kebab great. Interestingly, the lamb/beef is only available on weekends and sells out quickly, but the chicken is very good as well. Even better is the vegetarian option of the oyster mushroom! Service is great and the outdoor area is even nicer- great place to sit back with some german brews and go to town on a nice kebab. Very much worth the drive from anywhere in the Bay read more

The irony of this place is just too much. They managed to take all the good things out of a doner and inject plenty of authentic german experience. Slow services: check. Blend food: check. Lack of options: check. Disappointment: check. Way too much lettuce and barely any cabbage (it's not a burrito lol) scharf sauce has no flavor, no option of falafel, or halloumi cheese (only chicken on most days) read more

The food I miss most from Germany is not sausages, pretzels, or sauerkraut--it's Döner kebab, the ubiquitous Turkish-inspired street food made of meat shaved from a rotating spit, salad, and sauces in a bread roll. So I was pleasantly surprised to discover Döner kebabs offered at Black Forest Kitchen in Oakland in a beer garden setting (something you wouldn't find in Germany)! The Don sandwich was made of spiced chicken shaved from a rotating spit, along with lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, red onions, red cabbage, crumbled feta, and jalapeños, all beautifully dressed with a mountain of creamy yogurt-based garlic sauce and a red hot sauce, all served in a crusty bread. They also offered a vegan version, the Döner'ish, which featured oyster mushrooms cooked in a curry sauce (instead of chicken), along with all the other toppings. Both sandwiches were flavorful and delicious (though slightly different from what you'd find in Germany), and the service was super friendly too. The picnic bench seating in the outdoor shaded beer garden made for a nice casual setting, though the area could've been cleaner. read more

See all

Döner macht schöner! These döners delivered. I can't wait for them to have some lamb or beef döners, but nonetheless these chicken Döners scratched the itch. Next time I'll get a side of yogurt sauce, but I like mine extra saucy. My only gripe was it took about 25 minutes from ordering to get it and it wasn't busy. read more

Black Forest Kitchen - Döner kebab in paper wrapping - Pop-Up Restaurants Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

Gina does an excellent job and is a great party host. The food was fantastic and had lots of flavor. All the staff is friendly and helpful. Black Forest Kitchen has the perfect ambiance. It's inviting and upbeat. Love it. read more

Best döners this side of the Atlantic. I've been hunting for genuine Berlin döners for years and this is the place.

WOW! just wow. i had the Doner King beef and lamb shawarma that is only available on weekends and it was BOMB.com. i have had Doner in Berlin and and Vienna and nothing came this close to being good. the bread quality makes a huge difference. the right balance of juicy meat, crunchy veggies and sauce. i have been thinking about it since yesterday read more

I fell in love with döner kebab in Berlin and was so sad coming back home knowing that it would be impossible to find here... until I found Black Forest Kitchen! All the food here is delicious and brings me back memories of late nights in Berlin standing in line for some döner. Solid beer selection as well! read more

I have been coming here for the last couple of months and I'm still obsessed with it. The Doner rito is my favorite, with all the spicy flavors. Great amount of chicken and sauce, tortilla is nice and crisp. Owner is super nice and loves to chat. The outside area is tucked away so nice and private while still getting fresh air. They've also got games and heat lamps for when you're ordering a beer flight and chatting with friends. read more

Black Forest Kitchen - Doner Rito - Pop-Up Restaurants Near Me - Oakland, California