Man they gave out warm towels for your hands when we finished our meal. Player type ishh!…read moreDefinitely coming back.

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!

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.

Amazing bbq We…read moreordered the hot links, brisket, chicken, slaw, potato salad, and cornbread muffins All of it was great. Matt arrived right on time, set everything up and was great to interact with. We will definitely be using him again for our next event.

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!

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!

Okanomiyaki is my favorite comfort food from the motherland. Who wouldn't love a savory pancake…read morefull of all sorts of tasty fillings? Of course, the best one I've had was in Osaka at a small cafe called Chitose where they make the traditional Kansai-style okanomiyaki with all the fillings mixed together (review: https://yelp.to/2vO84oTqQr). You can find it stateside in a handful of Japanese eateries, but... It was usually disappointing because it was just a side item on a bigger menu. Chewy, burnt. However, Satoshi and Sachi Kanimae, married Japanese ex-pats who own this pop-up operation, are the real deal because they know how to make it right. Initially I was puzzled by the oblong shape of their okanomiyaki since I just know the round ones. But the geometry didn't affect the taste. It was exceptionally delicious. Jamie W. and I stopped by during Oakland PRIDE, and I ordered the $17 Seafood Okanomiyaki while Jamie went for the $15 Basic. Both shared a base of organic flour, egg, green onion, and shredded cabbage fried with pieces of pork belly. It was slathered with Satoshi's own barbecue-like glaze in place of the usual Worcestershire sauce. It was then drizzled with mayo and topped with bonito flakes. The seafood version added shrimp and chopped octopus. It took Satoshi about twenty minutes to meticulously prepare our food which was served on simple paper trays (photo: https://yelp.to/XvLurNvsnt). The result was genuinely satisfying with a crispy exterior and a pancake with abundant flavors and a nice chew. They also make yakisoba, so we'll definitely be back. FOOD - 5 stars...stellar okanomiyaki that would be a hit in Osaka AMBIANCE - 4.5 stars..,nice fit among the art galleries in Uptown SERVICE - 5 stars...very friendly and attentive...be aware they're open JUST on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays only until 5PM TOTAL - 5 stars...this is the real thing and quite oishii RELATED - Exploring Oakland? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2ObVcpQ

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!

Korner Kitchen and Bar is multi-purposed: it's a commercial kitchen, an host for special events, a…read moreweekend lounge with vendor popups & a bar et al: weekdays-food available for pickup/delivery from Noodle Belly, Curbside Meal (Filipino food) weekends-artisan ice cream available for pickup only -Sammies (Korean hodduk), Noodle Belly, Korner Bar, Patron Grill, Sugar Mama Sugarcane...etc. sometimes Magnolia Mini-Mart is here. comfy indoor space protected from winds, rains, etc. outdoor seating available when a special event happens. convenient street parking or in bart station parking lot...

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.

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.

Full of meat and the flavor is so tasty. I was able to make it into two meals. Wish i could find…read morewhere they are at. I only had it at the Hayward Cabot College.