Service and food were amazing and seasonal. I was intrigued by the homey atmosphere and the twists on the food. We started with the Brussels sprouts Caesar, chicken and waffles, and boiled peanuts. The boiled peanuts were fun, messy, and slurpably delicious. Is that a word? I asked for a spoon, the miso broth was *that* good. The lemon tang on the Brussels sprouts was delicious and the anchovies were subtle. The crunch was a surprise! Really complex cooking going on. I was the only one that enjoyed the chicken and waffles. The denser waffle held up to the chicken skin and liver. Your head has to twist around on the pate aspect of the appetizer rather than what you might expect. We ordered the pork jowls and roast. This was the favorite with perfectly cooked chop and tender beans and a hit of Dijon mustard. High-end touches with a homey presentation. Another twist of a "classic." The surprise chicharron was fun! The fried chicken was delectable and so good with the pan juices. The potato salad with house made mayonnaise and pickle relish with fresh herbs was a complex symphony. It is not your boring grandmother's old-fashioned rendition. The mushroom dumplings with broccoli, cauliflower, and gai lan was another mind--altering take on a pedestrian vegetable dish that made you go back to taste the layers and textures. What a genius combination! For dessert, the carrot cake with cream cheese frosting accompanied by homemade salted caramel was sumptuous. Lots of nuts and not too sweet, just balanced. A great place to celebrate and enjoy an elevated homey meal; in grandmother's house. I have to mention the wines are thoughtfully selected to complement the food. We had a Hungarian Tokajji that finished the palate both complex and dry. The chef worked at a winery and the drinks, wine and beer demonstrate his training. Thank you, Zara, our server for her enthusiasm, her expert suggestions and for making a celebratory meal extra special. read more

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Came with a friend and ordered chicken and waffles. Don't know if what they served was authentic soul food but I was disappointed. The chicken was nothing special and the waffle was bland and not crispy. So if you are craving regular waffles, this is not the place. read more

I had heard that this place was overhyped and now understand why. The restaurant itself has a cute cozy feel, decorated to invoke feelings of an 80s kitchen. The staff are lovely and we felt that the service was fine. The food was distinctly average for my palette. We started with the fried green tomatoes- tiny hard discs that were a bit tough to eat. The shrimp remoulade was quite fishy... Perhaps it was the type of shrimp they used. The lamb four ways was good; the neck was surprisingly the best cut of lamb and this was the best dish of the night. The corn bread was average- not as good as Aziza's cornbread. Greens were also fine- as expected. Carrot cake was too sweet for me, but probably better for a sweeter tooth. Is the food good? Yes. Is it the best the bay area has to offer? No. If you go in expecting good but not amazing food, it's worth checking out. If you go in with San Ho Won, Singlethread or Harbor House as comparators, this is not it. read more

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A very cozy, understated spot near Berkeley, Burdell was an excellent dinner spot for my friends and I. We made reservations for a Sunday night and were seated in a fully-packed restaurant. The decor reminds me of the colors from the 1970s, a simplistic but elegant vibe. The food is simply plated, and it really does remind you of eating at home. It is pricey for what it is, in my opinion. But everything tasted delicious. The cornbread was no doubt a stand out for me, and the waffle was super crispy on the outside and fluffy and warm. A nice date spot, or if you're looking for a unique feeling of home-cooking in an elevated setting. read more

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I don't know how to put it but this was probably the worst "elevated" dining experience I've ever had. Went here last night to catch up with a friend and ended up regretting the whole thing. First off, the service here is HORRIBLE. From the rude host to the very snooty server we had. I work in service, I would never imagine having the type of attitude I was given. I go in at 5:30 and as soon as I walk in, no greeting just stupefied stares and I say HI! The servers scurry off and the host just nods. Then she asks if I have a reservation, I say no but my friend will be here in 2 mins and we want to get a table. She was like "are they here?" I was like no, as I said they are 2 mins away (which they were!) and she was like well I can't seat you until your friend gets here. Which is like weirdly petty to me because it was practically empty save for a few people dining (I get there's reservations but I heard her saying there was room), I requested bar seating and she just ignored me. Finally my friend gets there and suddenly the host is all smiles and asks them for all the details like a phone number and a name and doesn't bother to look at me once. Weird. We finally get sat and the server immediately comes up to us and gives us a whole spiel of the menu. Cool. We eventually order the cucumbers (sorry portions), waffle/liver thing (half a waffle and crusty chunks), fried green tomatoes (smaller than sand dollars) and the rib plate (gave me indigestion). Everything was BEYOND lackluster, small, laughable and honestly a joke of a presentation. I didn't even take pictures because one, I was catching up with said friend and two, it just looked so sad and forgettable. Different servers came to drop off food one at a time and very slowly to explain for 10 minutes "how to eat the dish" like what is this? It just seemed like one big sick joke to me. Just let me eat this sorry food in peace, you explaining it isn't going to make it look or taste better lol. I will never return to this establishment again, there was nothing soulful about it just void of anything warm and good in Oakland. I feel like I wasted so much money on food scraps. Never again. Oh! And they don't tell you it's automatic gratuity...so they just smarmy style add a tip just to give you terrible low quality service and horrid food. Yuck. read more

Wow wow wow! This place came with a lot of hype and I only dined for brunch (just a disclaimer) and I thoroughly enjoyed this meal. What was ordered: Old fashioned donut holes - tasty but the coffee custard dip seemed a bit too light in flavor to compete with the frying of the donut hole. Smoked salmon croquettes - definitely one of the factories we ordered, just a well balanced and tasty app Fried chicken and cornmeal waffle - fantastic fried boneless chicken and paired oh so well with the waffle Cheeseburger po boy - this was one I feel you can skip, was a bit salty for my liking Hangtown fry toast - loooooved this one too, the oysters, oof. Salivating as I'm typing about it. Shrimp and grits - ORDER IT, DONT DELAY (unless you're allergic to shellfish). Great prawns, awesome awesome awesome dish. Wished it wasn't family style when I tried it lol. Aunt Mary - fantastic Bloody Mary mix. All in all this was a great place, with a very inviting space and a staff that was very attentive and very much enjoy the food they serve. Our server was very enthusiastic about our choices. Definitely a space that can be done via family style. I will say because I notice the ratings on this place didn't seem as high as I felt. This definitely NOT a traditional soul food spot, nor does it need to be. Go in with an open mind if you're a self proclaimed soul food aficionado. read more

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Even before chef/owner Geoff Davis recently won the prestigious Restaurant of the Year award from Food & Wine, I was curious about his place since good soul food eateries have come and gone with alarming frequency in Oakland. Just the fact that Davis opened his homestyle restaurant in the middle of Temescal's foodie-centric corridor struck me as a vote of confidence in the quality and appeal of his food. His work at True Laurel was excellent (review: https://yelp.to/ZGDmjYdsI3). After spending three weeks in Asia, Jamie W and I were in the mood for something down home Southern rather than exotic Far Eastern. The menu was full of temptations, so we decided to share the alluring $19 Chicken Liver & Waffle on top of the $75-per-person four-course Family Dinner centered around Fried Petrale Sole. What we noticed was how each soul food staple would incorporate some unusual element to deepen the flavor. For instance, the starter, the unshelled Boiled Peanuts, were accentuated with peanut miso and house spices to enhance their flavor (photo: https://yelp.to/GmZWMaDedp). The Cabbage Salad was a zingy hybrid of cole slaw and potato salad with salt & vinegar shoestrings, herbs, and new potatoes mixed with a buttermilk dill ranch dressing (photo: https://yelp.to/doHnETdcV1). The Chicken Liver & Waffle came next with the cornmeal waffle taking up half of a Corelle plate and the chicken liver mousse taking up the other half. The use of the creamy liver was a savory complement to the sweeter waffle (photo: https://yelp.to/jlnssRLZ6t). The Greens were pretty close to traditional with the smoked ham hock and cider vinegar the most pronounced ingredients (photo: https://yelp.to/uHmQWGm-o2). The Heirloom Corn Hush Puppies were delightful spheres of yellow cornmeal fritters deep fried and offered with a dab of honey butter (photo: https://yelp.to/dv1inzuu49). The Shelling Bean Hoppin' John appeared to be true rice and beans accented by scallions (photo: https://yelp.to/KC20KPTmlA). The main entree was the Fried Petrale Sole finely breaded and accompanied by a Creole remoulade and pickled green tomatoes (photo: https://yelp.to/qU24SfiG7-). The dessert was an unexpected trip to Italy as it was topped with Babylonian pomegranate seeds and pomegranate Italian ice (photo: https://yelp.to/e-nXS0Twfm). What a delightful meal served on the same Corelle dishes I had bought in college and kept over the years. I appreciate how Davis retained memories of his grandmother's kitchen in the modest place settings and minimal decor. FOOD - 5 stars...creative accents with fresh ingredients bring soul food classics to life...reminds me of Chef JJ Johnson's exemplary culinary work at Fieldtrip Harlem and his short-lived Henry at Life Hotel AMBIANCE - 4 stars...very simple with a touch of retro vintage SERVICE - 4.5 stars...very cordial...hey, isn't that you, Chef Geoff? TOTAL - 5 stars...soul food classics taken to the next level RELATED - Exploring Temescal? Here's my collection of places I've patronized and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2I0RAHj read more

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We visited Burrell in Oakland for brunch with a party of 5. We ordered the shrimp and grits, chicken and waffle, omelette, pork chop with biscuits and gravy, fried oyster Florentine, beignets, and croquettes. Food-wise, the shrimp and grits and the pork chop were the highlights, both were flavorful and well-prepared. Unfortunately, the rest of the dishes were pretty average, especially considering the hype and expectations. The croquettes were on the saltier side. Service is where the experience really fell short. Our server was friendly at first when taking our order, but the food took a very long time to arrive. Everything eventually came out except the fried oyster Florentine. At first, we assumed it may not have been put in, no big deal, things happen. However, when I asked about it, the server said it was ordered and was just taking a long time. When we followed up again, her demeanor changed noticeably and became defensive. She claimed the delay was intentional because our table was full and they needed us to clear space, which didn't feel honest, especially given how long the dish took to arrive. Overall, between the long wait, inconsistent service, and uneven food, the experience wasn't great. There were a couple of solid dishes, but not enough to make up for the rest of the visit. read more

We arrived about 15min early for our reservation and were asked to take a seat at the bar to wait for our third person. We were offered water while we waited. While I sat and waited I noted a golden yellow aura of the 70s interior design. We ordered the fennel salad and fried green tomatoes to start: But the corn bread (one of our entrees sides) arrived first - we wondered about this bc we were hoping for that to arrive with our entree but the smell was intoxicating and it was warm so we just went for it. No regrets, that citrusy honey butter was on point. They gave us 4 pieces. The pluot / fennel salad was enough for one bite each - it was refreshing, we wanted more, I could've used a more generous helping. The fried green tomatoes were much more substantial - about two-three lettuce cup bites each. We loved the interactive experience of this dish a lot. Eating with your hands automatically makes it feel like home for this Southeast Asian eater. We then shared 3 entrees and 3 sides: cod, lamb, chicken, red beans and rice, greens, corn bread (which arrived before our starters and the sides arriving to our table before our entrees). So we went with the flow, as dishes arrived and just enjoyed them as they hit our table. I personally was a fan of the grits and cod and the chicken. The lamb was served quite rare and was a bit on the gamier side for me. Not my cup of tea but my husband enjoyed it. We caught a glimpse of Chef Davis when he brought out our Lettuce cups and gave us the run down. There were glimpses of warmness from different servers. And bc the website asks to refrain from using your phones, I decided not to take photos. To finish the night we ordered the strawberry cobbler. And it was sweet, the team overheard we were celebrating a bday so they brought out a candle and HBD note along with the cobbler. Although we started out thinking the portions wouldn't fill us up, by the time I got to my entree I was able to eat half of the portion of chicken. We were asked if we'd like to take home but unfortunately the servers took it to the back to get boxed, but forgot to bring it back out before we paid the bill and scurried out. The bill has a 20% gratuity built in up front. So 6 drinks later (4 cocktails, coke, and coffee), 2 starters, 3 sides, and 3 entrees brought us to $400 and some change. The pricing made sense. This was a special occasion, the meal was incredible and included top notch ingredients with standout herbaceous flavors - basil in that pluot salad & that chimichurri with the chicken, was wow! The timing of the dishes as they came out, forced us to slow down to enjoy and taste everything as they arrived. It was overall a great experience. I look forward to coming again! read more

Friend brought me here for soul food that's been getting traction. It's got a very retro vibe to the place. Almost like stepping into a movie set. The color palette is like the amber stained glass. They got some good drinks to start the meal off with. Had their cod cakes, doughnut balls, chicken and waffle, burger in a french roll, fried oyster toast, shrimps and grits Cod cakes were amazing, def recommend. Will be a bit dryer than crab cakes but still great. Doughnut balls weren't for me. Might've been the coffee batter bit it was a bit on the bitter/burnt taste to me. The crispy outside, fluffy inside and the dip was great textures. Burger sandwich didn't really have anything standout. Kind of a cheese burger in a french roll Fried oyster toast was a great dish. The combo of the oyster, egg, and toast was delicious. Chicken and waffles are great, but not a fan of their vinaigrette. Could've been too concentrated to my bite but the citrus did not pair well with the chicken and waffle. Shrimp and grits was a dish we were hesitant in getting but did anyways. It was a good decision to get it. Great plate of grits. read more

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Everything was absolutely delicious. The grits was out of this world. Vibe and service was great. No notes.

I love the ambiance of this place. It's warm, cozy, cool and inviting. The interior design is a dream. We had reservations but the table before us was having too good a time so we waited at the bar for half an hour. The staff was really professional about it and comped us the broccoli appetizer for waiting - which ended up being one of the best things we ate! Some of the dishes are adventurous like the chicken liver and waffle. I like liver so this was enjoyable for me but there is a lot of it on the plate, even for someone who likes liver, and it doesn't exactly blend well with the waffle like fried chicken does. Along with the broccoli appetizer, the prosciutto and plum dish was excellent. The cornbread was yum - but my FAVORITE was the duck rice. I would go back for this alone. I didn't even need the duck filet after trying the rice. Most of the staff was awesome. Our waiter seemed a bit off...a little passive aggressive and made jokes that weren't really jokes. The chicken liver plate got cleared before we were finished with it and I would've taken it to go. I ordered a NA kombucha and was given a NA wine and when I let him know it got taken back - would've been nice to just keep it since it was going to be dumped anyway. read more

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Honestly, one of the best meals I've had in a long time. Many people are saying this is the best restaurant in Oakland right now. When Burdell opened in 2023, it quickly became one of the most talked-about restaurants in the country. Chef Geoff Davis is rewriting the narrative of Black food. Named after his grandmother, the space feels like a time capsule - warm, nostalgic, and full of soul. The menu? Southern classics, reimagined. We started with the miso-boiled peanuts, the chicken liver mousse on a cornmeal waffle (so good), and Chef's favorite, the BBQ shrimp in a rich, umami-packed sauce with Vietnamese dried shrimp and fermented Fresno chiles. For mains, we tried the split pea stew with golden morels, and it was seriously incredible. And definitely don't skip the warm cornbread with tangy honey butter. read more

It was my first time at this soulful restaurant. I was blown away at each item the pairing is an absolute must!!! Come hungry and the rabbit and mashed potatoes are to die for! Food, service and ambiance were perfect read more

Burdell - Just a beautiful oven in the corner of the restaurant - Soul Food Near Me - Oakland, California

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Very expensive. It was good, but one bacon sausage for $38? It was good but for that price, it feels like robbery. Portions were small for price as well. For restaurant of the year, I expected a lot more. I also didn't like how they had items in the family dinner menu that was $75 each that weren't allowed a la carte, which is a business strategy to force you to buy the set menu. Didn't like that at all. Service and people were great though and ambiance had comfortable southern feel to it. Food was good, I thought the chicken liver and waffle was unique, gotta say the fanciest chicken and waffle I ever had. Chicken liver was rich and the sweet waffle helped cut through, making it a good pairing. My favorite was the corn bread and delicious butter. However, the price point prevents me from coming back, unfortunately. I would suggest either lowering prices or increasing the portion. read more

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The food was delicious and the restaurant interior was nice. From The food my family ordered, I love the corn bread, the salad, the duck and the panna cotta. We dined here on a Thursday night at 8:30pm and we finished our dinner at around 11:20pm. The service was super slow and all the dishes came out one at a time. We were just waiting for the food to come out and left right after we finished eating because it was very late already. I wasn't very satisfied with the service. I had my phone on the side of table and I wasn't even on my phone as I was just having a conversation with my family but I was told by the owner Mr. Davis to put my phone away with no explanation why. I was shocked by his comment as it sounded more like a scold than out of politeness. His comment basically ruined my time there. read more

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This was a delightful meal. My bf and I both got the Pre Fixe family dinner and were very impressed. Yes, the only appetizer that really impressed us were the boiled peanuts while the clams and cheezey crackers left us whelmed, but from the salad onwards (and the a la carte grilled bbq shrimp we got as well) impressed us and kept up that momentum. The snap pea salad was full of fresh herbs and every ingredient was fresh and crisp. The shrimps were fantastically brined and the sauce was complex and savory. Perhaps we would have enjoyed a spicier sauce, but that's personal preference and speculation. The entree of pork loin with the sides of hoppin' John and stewed cabbage were all individually perfect, and even better combined. I absolutely love when discreet dishes complement each other. The pristinely tender pork was best completed by the acidic and smoky hopin' John. The corn bread was some of the best I've ever had. The bread had a great crust on the top and bottom while still being perfectly cooked on the inside. The crumb was superb. It was the most perfectly cornbread-like cornbread I've ever had while also feeling totally new. The buttermilk panna cotta with strawberry lemonade shaved ice was really clever and tart and light and the perfect way to end the meal. Our server was very nice. I also really liked how 60's style everything down to the spoons looked. My only complaint is that it was too loud inside and the acoustics were funky so the ambient noise of chatter was cacophonous. Alas, I am a baby about loud rooms and that's more a personal problem than one for the establishment. Definitely check this place out, and take your grandma! read more

I would love to tell you what the food at Burdell is like but we never got seated. We arrived at 6.55pm for a 7pm reservation. There were maybe 4 other people waiting too. The host asked us if we had a reservation, I said we did, gave my name and she asked us to sit down. Then three other parties of two came in *after* us and were immediately seated. When I queried this they said that our type of table was not ready but we had not specified anything other than "standard seating". The host then said she was doing us a favour and trying to get us seated in the main area and it would be another 10 minutes. At 7.25pm after they sat *another* two top ahead of us we decided to leave and went across the road instead. For a restaurant that has been lauded as one of the best in the Bay Area they did not cover themselves with glory. I can understand a restaurant being backed up but when they were seating people with reservation times after ours I didn't feel like this place respected our patronage. read more

I saw that Food and Wine Magazine named this the best restaurant in the country and my friend and I just so happened to be walking by after a workout class. What are the chances they were able to fit us in for brunch- it was destiny! We grabbed two spots at the bar and were able to order salmon croquettes to start. These were just what we needed, and they were so good, really reminded me of growing up in the South and what my grandma used to make. We split the omlette, shrimp and grits and my friend ordered the chicken and waffle to go for her man, so we got to have a taste. The shrimp and grits were really standout, really rich in all the right ways. The chicken was so moist and perfect, I will have to order it again. One note- they don't appear to have a full liquor license, so take note if you are planning some serious drinks. read more

Okay ya'll buckle up because you're about to get one heck of a review. Before we get started, let me just say that parking is a nightmare down in Temescal, either take and Uber/Lyft or give yourself 20 minutes to find a parking space. Okay, now that we've addressed that let me tell you about one of the best casual dining experiences I've ever had. Let's start with the ambience. This is casual dining, no need to dress up, but I'm not saying come after you've spent the day cleaning you garage. Dress descent. you'll be greeted by warm and friendly hosts and bartenders... And the retro vibe of this restaurant goes back to late 60s and early 70s really hits you as soon as you walk through the door with a very soothing playlist that includes R&B hits from the 60s and 70s with a few modern hits thrown in here and there. The level of the music is perfect. You can enjoy it, but it will not interfere with the table conversation with your guests, you might even be invited to do a little singalong with your server. The service is prompt, attentive and friendly. The bar offers some very creative dine based cocktails along with wine. There's no hard liquor which I applaud in this case as you know want anything that strong interfering with the flavor of the food which is incredible. Now to the food, I have been to some nice restaurants but never have I been so startled by the pleasurable tastes I experienced at Burdell. How something as simple as carrots can transport you back to grandma's kitchen in bewildering. Every dish had a special and unique flavor. Even the butter (made in-house) was a surprise treat when added to the cornbread or eaten alone ;-). I strongly recommend you and your guests eat family style so you can experience as many of the dishes as possible. So whether it's the chicken, carrots, greens, dumplings, shrimp, or whatever,...my message to you is just Go! read more

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Food was great. I came here with my partner's father, who I've never met before, and who led and filled most of the conversation space, which could be a good or bad thing depending on how included you want to feel during a conversation between two adults or in this case--one older adult and his past, plus me. We ordered the family meal, which included starters (boiled peanuts and an heirloom tomato salad), main courses (fried catfish, peanut rice (?), collard greens with pork hock, and hush puppies), and a dessert (custard with pomegranate and shaved ice). The fried catfish (?) and the custard dessert were the best dishes, according to my partner's father. According to ME, however, the interplay between the main courses was dignified and thoughtful. Here's what it looked like, in real time. The rice was silky in texture, complimenting the crunch of the catfish. The collard greens had a generous amount of vinegar to cut through the heaviness of the remoulade with the catfish, and an extra dimension of salt with the pork hock. The hush puppies rounded out the entire flavor profile with a mild sweetness, and their own textural variety of a crust surrounded by a soft inside. The dessert itself was similar in that the pomegranate added a bright note of tartness to contrast the custard while the ice controlled the temperature of the dish. A well designed menu, in my opinion. The service itself was attentive while not overbearing, kind and professional. Now onto the main appeal: the interior design. My goodness, there was some elite aesthetic taste on display. The greens, the browns, the warm lighting, the rattan bar stools, the wood paneling. Incredible stuff. If I had my utopian socialist society, I would find whoever designed Burdell and give them a blank cheque to furnish and layout an entire wing of a hybrid library/pool, giving a whole new meaning to the poolside novel so synonymous with suburban motherhood. Can you imagine smelling like chlorine, cracking open a laminated copy of One Piece in a one piece in a mid-century public lounge slash pool in the new century? Truly a utopia of the mind. read more

Burdell - cute tv stand thing - Soul Food Near Me - Oakland, California

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A few of my coworkers and I decided to come here to celebrate my old coworker's birthday. She actually found this restaurant and made a dinner reservation for us on Resy. A couple of us were still waiting for our other coworker, so we ordered drinks at the bar. The restaurant is very strict about sticking to your reservation time since you are only allotted 2 hours. We had to be seated even though our other coworker was running a bit late. We decided on the family dinner which consisted of a snack, salad, mains & sides plus a dessert. I really enjoyed the boiled peanuts because the peanut miso was extremely flavorful. The tomato salad was also tasty because they used dill ranch for the dressing. The pork chops were smothered with gravy which made it a bit soggy. I think it would've been better if the gravy was on the side and used as a dip. I also really enjoyed the rice, greens and cornbread. The rice especially since it was cooked with butter. $72 per person I think is a bit on the steeper side in my opinion for the type of food that you get. The restaurant does feel like I'm coming home to eat a home cooked meal. I'm glad I had the chance to give this restaurant a try and it's great to know that there is another soul food restaurant in Oakland! read more

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Burdell's is a cute addition to the Temescal area. We didn't have a reservation on a weekday but arrived before they opened and were seated at the counter. The restaurant has a 60's kitchen vibe and they serve their food with vintage Pyrex! Love love love! We both weren't too hungry to start so we shared: Heirloom tomatoes and fried oysters. A great salad. A bit too much dressing for me but the combination of the items were such a hit Stewed green beans. A nice veggie side! Sonoma duck. So yummy with the rice. Pretty small portion. Loved the jam on the top of the duck pieces with the sauce. Cornbread. This was amazing. Almost like a wheat cornbread. A great accompaniment to our meal! The music was pretty loud and they did lower a bit but maybe it more noticeable at the counter as we weren't the only ones to ask to turn it down. Price point was higher than I expected. A cute restaurant of gourmet southern soul food! read more

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Burrell was one of the more unique fares I've had in Oakland in the past few years and that in itself makes it memorable and more worth the cost. The boiled peanuts are indeed boiled and served in the traditional sense, something you don't see often. We use ordered the Petrale Sole and Fried Chicken and both were well executed and tasty. The sauce on the sole was a flavor bomb, and our only wish was that there was more yam as a vehicle. The potato salad that comes with the chicken was a pleasant surprise is that it held its own quite nicely. Otherwise, the dishes come with very little sides so if like a larger portion, definitely consider a side or multiple apps. We saw many people getting the cornbread. The apple crisp dessert with house made buttermilk ice cream was a treat, I'd buy a pint of the buttermilk ice cream if I could. All in all, this place deserves its spot as Best Restaurant in 2025 by Food & Wine as it delivers a great taste and serving size with a memorable menu and service. Definitely make a reservation before you go for a date night or celebration and you'll be in for a good time. read more

My husband and I came here because we had a Chase credit and had heard amazing things about it. We took it as an opportunity to try a place we were excited about, and it was a great, cozy spot for a date. We had read the reviews ahead of time and braced ourselves for poor service and high prices. We did get the high prices, but our server was lovely and highly attentive. They talked to us about their grandmother (after whom one of the cocktails is named) and they checked on us regularly. We ordered the crispy delicata squash rings as an appetizer, and they were delicious (almost like tempura). As a vegetarian, my options were a bit limited for entrees (which is normal). I got the cheddar dumplin's. They were very very good, though a bit dense -- that is a matter of personal taste, however! This is a newer style of cuisine for me and not a critique of the delicious food. My husband got the sole and raved. We also got the cornbread, which, as everyone else has pointed out, was amazing. Our server had told us that we would probably need more food, but they were wrong. We couldn't even finish what we had. We also both had drinks (I had a red wine and my husband had the Margaret cocktail -- both were good). Overall, it was a positive experience for us, though a bit more expensive than what we would typically go for on a date night. Glad we got the chance to try it! read more

Once I saw that the #1 restaurant in Food and Wine magazine was in Oakland, I had to try it! I looked on Yelp and saw 3.8 stars, which I found to be interesting... I mean, #1 restaurant?! I made reservations for dinner, hard to come by at the moment and counted the days until I could eat here. I see what all the hype is about! You place your entire order at the same time, and they pace the meal for you, bringing out the starters, entree, etc. at a nice pace that allows you to enjoy the meal. I found the service to be perfectly attentive, beyond bringing out the food and refilling drinks (which they did) I'm not sure what other service people are looking for. Everything I tried was incredibly delicious, the only thing I found underwhelming was the boiled peanuts. We had the arugula salad, cornbread, grits, cod, and the chard and spinach side. Wow! I could eat this cornbread all day every day. My fave was the grits, but really it was all good. We finished with the cookies for dessert, yummy and took the leftover cookies home. Great vibe, good music, and amazing food. I can't wait to go back! read more

Burdell - Cod, with Manila clams and potatoes - Soul Food Near Me - Oakland, California

Ambiance: Simple and clean, reminds me of my grandmother's sun porch in Georgia. Very cute. Service: Well staffed and attentive. Our server also mentioned that we might want to order more food than originally had, which I'm glad we followed her suggestion. Though not overtly friendly, still very helpful and polite. Food: I really enjoyed the food here overall, but the heirloom tomato and fried oyster salad was my favorite and absolutely delicious. The pork jowl was light, but very tasty. The greens are good, but not exceptional. The corn bread is ok, but the honey butter that comes with it is delicious. read more

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We really wanted to love this restaurant,. According to the reviews, it was to be well loved. Soul food is one of our favorites and a new twist on it is always welcome. Maybe it was just a very loud night, but you could hardly have a conversation in a normal volume. The service was just bland. They definitely missed out on selling a second glass of wine by not offering it. They never came by and asked if the food was to our liking or check on us for any reason. The waffle and liver was interestingly good. The cornbread was great. The other appetizer and two main dishes were just fine. Overall it was just a very bland experience. Also, for the price I was definitely expecting a better outcome. Possibly when the staff knows they're going to get a 20% tip they don't really have to do anything but take your order and bring you food. With so many great restaurants in the Bay Area this will not be on our list again. Best of luck to all of them. read more

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Super cute period touches throughout the restaurant had me remembering my parents' house. They even had the grapes everyone seemed to have in that generation. I had the grits which came with three shrimp. It was delicious, but I was still hungry. It wasn't a large portion. The waffles and fried chicken were reportedly delicious. Service was ok. read more

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The effort is there, I know soul food intrinsically. I have also had plenty of fine dining experiences; I absolutely get the intersection of the 2 and I can appreciate the attempt at captivating a clientele of a more refined palette with what one might assume to be standard black Americana. The restaurant decor is a beautiful nod to black American history and heritage (an era beyond my years, I presume). The music perfectly fit the scene. I found the plating to be easy-going, the crowd as pretentious as one could imagine, it was buzzing. There is no bar, only beer and wine. We had the Chicken and waffle, Tomato salad, duck, cornbread and greens. The salad was nice but a bit salty. The duck was well made, the chicken liver mousse had good texture but EVERYTHING was far too vinegary. The menu lacked a cohesiveness that I was hoping for; i.e. vinegar in the greens and tangy butter with the cornbread and serving them together. Also, we ordered the Duck entree which was maybe $47 and there was duck, dirty rice and no vegetable side. Still, this place could be a gem, I look forward to dining again maybe....once they tweak some things a bit. read more

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Came here for Oakland Restaurant Week and really wanted to like the place, but it wasn't that great. Food was super unique and interesting and fairly tasty, but the service was pretty bad. The staff was friendly and all but we had 20 minute waits between courses or between asking for the bill and receiving it. They switched us between still and sparkling water multiple times, which was annoying, but the biggest service issue was we asked to take some of our leftovers home and so the server took our plates, packed it up, and then brought us a bag of leftovers about 25 minutes later. Once we got home we realized that someone else's half-eaten dinner had been packed up and sent home with us! The waffle was great while the chicken liver and crispy skin was pretty good. The beet salad was nice. The smothered pork chop was very good. The coconut & banana puddin' tasted like a small bowl of canned coconut cream with a few banana slices in it, not great. read more

There are dreams that stay dreams, and dreams that come true. I dared to wish upon a star and lord Jesus brought me Burdell. I'll tell you something- I saw someone with a brunch cocktail that looked pretty good, so I asked the table next to me because just like the Olive Garden, when you're here you're family. I ordered it, and it was a damn delight. Nectar. My pregnant friend couldn't have any, and I made sure to tell her she was missing out. We both shared the biscuits and gravy, and the chicken and waffle, her pregnancy doesn't preclude her from those as far as I know. And you know what? A DAMN DELIGHT. It was a Sunday, cozy, dreamy vibes and even better music. The energy was nostalgic, and I was transported to my childhood home, rolling in the grass in a warm cocoon. Except better. read more

Burdell - Bar area - Soul Food Near Me - Oakland, California

I was really excited to try out a new Soul Food restaurant that has gotten a Michelin nod. I've been to Michelin restaurants (Akoko, Ikoyi, Le Comptoir at Bar Crenn) and I'd definitely not consider what I ordered at Burdell Michelin level cooking. I had the Broccoli Croquettes, BBQ Shrimp w/ Rice Grits, Hash Browns and Beignets. None of these items were BAD just not amazing. It's the food you'd get at a fairly good B restaurant like Pacific Catch, only way more expensive. On a positive note, my server Vicki was a star and was very attentive and professional. However, the staff responsible for bussing my table weren't as professional. I had to ask for a plate for my appetizer and plates weren't cleared away once I was done with them. It's funny that another Yelper mentioned that most of the people at Burdell were cashing in their Chase Reserve dining credit before it expired. That was me!! LoLOL read more

I used to be a GM at a popular habachi and sushi spot in ATL and I've never entered a restaurant in my whole entire life and got looked at by two servers at the entrance and then they go about their business like they never saw us. Not even a "I'll be with you shortly" so we sit down by the entrance and after a few mins still nothing so we had to get their attention to sit us (with a rsvp) which was insane! The oil that they use to fry and cook is trash. As soon as I got back home my knees start to be inflammed and is still now this morning. I use organic everything and definitely know when a restaurant cuts corners. Some of the items looks like elementary kids made it.. Why not let us know that they ran out of liver?? Give us the option of still ordering it or not. Why put it on our table when the cook and servers know that the order for the Waffle and Chicken liver dish is incomplete?!? Totally Not professional! Only 1 star because the bartender knows his stuff. read more

We ate here tonight because it is the only "elite" restaurant eligible on the Chase reserve card with a dining credit in the East Bay. The interior was more dismal than in the professional photos in ads. The indoor/outdoor rug inside looked shopworn and unsanitary. There was a small grouping of old photographs bunched up isolated on an expansive bare wall that made me kind of sad. It was also the highlight of the visit. Music from the 70's is arguably some of the best that's ever come out of this country. It was so very loud i asked for tissue for my ears. A waitress turned it down for about 20 minutes. i didn't recognize a single songs. We could hear the next table shouting to hear themselves . Sparkling water was served in a bottle and refilled from a carbonated tap which is okay i guess, but i wondered how many unwashed hands touched that same bottle at our table without cleaning it. The $14 family size cornbread was unrecognizable - two inch squares of medium dark cake with a spoon of something sour churned with butter the staff could not identify. Don't ask for bread plates. You're expected to transfer cornbread from the community plate to your own dinner plate southern family style. I asked a waiter the provenance of the butter but he didn't know. He came back with a description of the process instead. We mix something sour with the butter... The pork was small and way too chewy and the beans were very dry as though they had been left evaporated to the point of sticking in the pot overnight. The sole was a 2 stick portion the size of medium size bandaids with a total weight of 3 ounces. I guess it was two pieces on account of the family share you're supposed to do. It was very salty and i was happy to share with my husband. i complained to the waitress that the fish was oversalted and she asked if i wanted it taken away. On the plus side the greens were good what little there was. I wanted to try the $100 hush puppies but they could not be sold separately from the caviar. They were four tiny hush puppies. Half the size of Angeline's. Worst meal in 25 years so i won't come back. On a good note I complained to the manager about the oversalted fish and requested a five percent discount for the waitress (15% to show my evaluation of the service). She abandoned us after I complained about the salt. The manager offered to comp the meal. I vigorously refused but she insisted. Her fellow manager said the 20% service fee is automatic and management does not have the tools/training to reverse a $5 from a transaction. On the bottom of the guest check is a lengthy political statement about historically bad tipping and their attempt to remedy that through a service fee of 20% on all checks. I agree in principle so long as they take on the corresponding responsibility to provide a level of food and service that justifies that policy. I will contact Chase Reserve about their choice of the "elite" dining experience of Burdell in the Bay Area. And, fun fact, you can't get chicken and waffles with the gross liver mousse on the side. Sole the fish is not typical soul food. $100 Caviar is not typical soul food. Authentic Sole food is super-tasty southern carribean invented and reinvented and refined by poor people. You're not fooling anyone with caviar on a hush puppy. That's not elevated. It's a lazy way to jack the price. The grocery bill for ingredients for all our dishes combined was under $10. The bill with water was about $100. Popeyes is better than Burdell on every metric - food, service, ambience. Angeline's 1/2 as loud with nice service nice decor and costs half the price. Get your pork and beans and rice and bbq shrimp and catfish and greens and a la cart hush puppies there. You don't have to reserve with a card or have a time limit at your table and if you're a few minutes late or early they won't make a fuss or charge you a huge cancellation fee. Lois' Pies have authentic joyful photographs on the wall that make you happy. Great Soul Food from fried chicken mac and cheese grits to pies of every description. Great prices, lively atmosphere but chill. Teriffic service. A meeting place for locals. No table will time out. No credit card reservations. Staff are attentive and smiling and they are tipped well because they are beloved. read more

Burdell - Receipt for overpriced "soul food" and diatribe about how they don't tolerate unfair tipping. - Soul Food Near Me - Oakland, California

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The best words to describe Burdell - nostalgic, quality, comfort. Came in and instantly felt like we took a step into someone's home on the 70s. The decor, the glassware, the bar, windows, the colors, everything worked well together. Service was decent, nothing bad but nothing to write home about. Chef was out, here and there running food but not engaging with any guest (def a miss there). Rest of staff was nice. Food was high quality, fresh when needed with all the expected richness and taste. Corn bread was fire, whole shrimp was so good we ordered a second round, and maybe my favorite dish was the outstanding spilt pea stew with the morels. Although prepared well, the chicken did fall a bit flat for me, and the pluot salad was next level skill and gorgeous but calling that a salad is a bit of a stretch. I feel bad because the hype is going to disappoint a lot of those IG wannabe foodie folks but I'm excited for how Burdell will evolve and look forward to see them grow. read more

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I came here with my husband for restaurant week and this was such a huge disappointment. The service wasn't terrible but it felt odd and it was also so slow! We arrived just before our reservation time around 6:50pm and when we got there multiple people made eye contact but then ignored us. No "welcome in" or "we'll be with you in just a second". Finally someone came over to greet us and let us know our table was ready but it wasn't clean. She then left to go clean it and by the time we sat down it was about 7:10pm. Not terrible, but I was hungry and for having a table "ready", waiting 20 minutes doesn't scream "ready" to me. We then waited another 10ish minutes for water and to be greeted by our server who continued to flit around at the tables next to us. Once again, not a long time, but for a reservation at 7pm, but we had been waiting for 30 minutes at this point without even being addressed by our waiter. After looking at the menu, I noticed that they had their full menu plus the RW menu. Most people were ordering a la carte (guess that should have been a sign). It's clear that RW was an afterthought and the kitchen was incredibly inefficient at getting our food out, which I will get to. We ordered a beer and a mocktail and went with the restaurant week menu ($90 per person with 4 courses). The drinks took another 15 minutes to come but luckily the snacks came fairly quickly. The peanuts were good but a little messy and the smoked salmon was solid. Next came the salad, which came 20 minutes after the second snack. Honestly, I was starving at this point. The salad was probably the best thing on this menu. The dill dressing was super good and I'm not normally a salad person. Kind of a long gap, but that's okay. Here's where things got rough. Our server brought out some utensils for the main course including a bib and tools for the crab at 8:09pm (yes, we had been there for an hour and 20 minutes at this point with no real food). Our main course and sides didn't come out for another 30+ minutes after this. That's 45+ minutes after the last course was served. The best (read: worst) part? Our waiter didn't even mention anything. No "hey it's going to be a little longer" or "sorry for the wait". We just sat there in sad, awkward, hungry silence for forty five minutes. The main course was a crab gumbo that they "built the whole menu around" and it wasn't bad but it was incredibly salty. Also to have to then break into the crab myself after almost 2 hours of waiting was just the absolute worst. I was so hungry and still had to work through the crab on my own before I could eat it. It was also so incredibly messy with the crab pieces already dunked in the gumbo sauce. The crab was also very small, so all the work was for very little meat. This meal honestly felt diabolical. The sides included crab rice, pickled cabbage, and corn bread. I love corn bread but this one fell flat. It tasted like a pound cake and was on the dryer side. The crab rice was good but was cold by the time I got to it and the cabbage wasn't memorable. The dessert was a panna cotta with lemon ice and that didn't come out for another 35 minutes after the main course. I mean to be fair, we did need extra time to deal with the crab from our main course, but there was still a longer than needed awkward gap. The panna cotta was fine. I didn't particularly like the lemon ice. All in all this meal took a whopping 2 hours and 40 minutes. Absolutely insane for what was served. We saw parties arrive an hour after us come and go before we even got our main course. At the end of it all, I was upset and just wanted to go home. I would never choose to come back here. I appreciate the thought behind no longer tipping, but at this price point, this restaurant is incredibly inefficient and the food was mediocre at best. read more

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Underwhelming. This place seemed very hyped on a bunch of different lists like Eater and Infatuation, but it just didn't cut it. Bland, unexciting. Very typical popular "this is where hip hop comes from" music that you'd hear in a college dorm of a kid first discovering old school r and b. Under seasoned. It seemed like "hey rich tech kids, here is soul food for a price but we made it boring". The wine pairing with the family style menu was nice. The key lime panacotta was excellent. Our server was very nice and attentive, he should probably work at a better restaurant. Not coming back. Would not recommend. read more

A very hip and stylish addition to Temescal (I haven't been back for a few years and there have been more hipster establishments). I remembered what this replaced; it's a bougier version of Aunt Mary's. The interior is well-decorated. I wanted to eat here for dinner but had to go for brunch due to personal planning. The brunch menu is not as great as the dinner menu for me. I got the shrimp and grits. The grits were not as thick as I would like. The shrimps were well cooked and I loved the flavorful spice-filled gravy. I wish they gave me more grits. My friend got the pimento omelette which was kind of salad with a few salad leaves and a small omelette. I really saw the feedback about dishes being small with this especially for the $18 cost. read more

Visited on a Wednesday with a friend around 6pm, restaurant had a few other guest but plenty of open spots. We were seated at a table near the bar. As the evening progressed restaurant definitely filled up so probably a good idea to book a table if you want to dine here during peak hours. Drinks: grabbed a glass of rose which was pleasant, light, crisp, chilled and refreshing Food: Smoked Pork Jowl with Fig - served chilled, pork was super thinly sliced with a rich smokey flavor, this paired really well with the sweet jammy ripe figs, a small and light starter Fried Green Tomato Salad - great, tart, tangy and bright, tomatoes had a nice crisp breading, the creamy green goddess like dressing added some richness topped little shrimp made this a heartier starter, and herbs which added some additional freshness really enjoyed this one Chicken liver and Waffle - very rich and fatty but pretty tasty overall, cornmeal waffle had a nice crisp interior, great bite a chew, the chicken liver puree was tangy and bright with a bit of fruity sweetness, topped with lovely crunchy pieces McRib - delicious, soft plush bun with a well seasoned BBQ pork patty and a creamy aioli that added extra richness and contrast in flavor, definitely a favorite bite Greens - savory, brothy, and well seasoned, with a hint of meaty smokey flavor, greens were tender and really flavorful, wish we had bread or rice to soak up the broth. Service was good, very attentive, well paced. Water was refilled regularly and staff was warm and friendly with great familiarity of the menu and excellent recommendations. Overall really enjoyed our meal at Burdell, the menu is a fun seasonal and southern inspired. The ambiance of the restaurant is cozy and retro with really lovely warm tones that feels almost like a 1970's living room in the best way. read more

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