This spot is a paella and tapas bar restaurant. Enjoyed all the items I ordered. The calamari…read morebatter was super light and the calamari itself was well-cooked. The octopus was delicious, it comes with one tentacle cut up. Ordered the all pork paella. Very delicious! I'd love to try the seafood paellas next time. They were able to put a candle on the churros for a bday! The staff was amazing! Thank you to the crew!

Came here with a couple friends last Saturday. We had a reservation for 5:30pm. The restaurant…read morewasn't too busy when we arrived but it definitely became more filled towards the end of our dinner. We ordered a few tapas, one paella, and a dessert. * Patatas Aioli 3.8/5: Potatoes were crispy and slightly seasoned. The aioli was good. Something about this just didn't hit as much as I would have liked. Could be that the potato didn't "potato" enough for me. * Croquetas de Champiñones 4/5: Don't think I've ever had mushroom croquettes before but these were pretty good. I liked the flavor. * Carrilleras 4.8/5: My favorite tapa that we ordered. The beef was super tender and flavorful. It was good with the toast. I just wished they gave more toast. * Paella Tres Cerditos 4/5: In general, pork isn't my favorite. The pork in this was okay for me. Everything else was good. It had a pleasant flavor and a lot of nice and bright colors (except for the pork haha). * Crema Catalana 5/5: Crème brûlée infused with citrus. There was literally a piece of orange in the center. The citrus was subtle and added a refreshing taste to the custard. We were celebrating my birthday so they added a candle, which was nice of them.

5 stars Expensive…read morebut a worthy splurge. I will note that they don't serve Highballs as a drink option for added authenticity but their drinks menu is otherwise complete for an Izakaya. Skewers: Beef intestines: fatty, perfectly charred and marinated Pork belly: delicious but the least interesting Lamb + okra: nicely prepared and delicious Pickled Sakana leaves: deliciously pickled and salty on its own but worked perfectly as a skewer meat accompaniment Chicken karage: perfectly cooked and juicy Beef+lamb potstickers: homemade and presented in the traditional style. Very good Roasted tea leaf pudding was delicious

Honestly one of the top meals I've had in the bay in a while. Made a reservation for Friday 9PM,…read moreand it was still very lively and packed. Would order again/changed my brain chemistry: - Suzuki carpaccio: my bf didn't like this as much as I did since he thought it was too acidic, but I thought it paired well with the rest of the dishes... nice acidity but then sesame and umami aftertaste - Beef intestine skewer: melts in your mouth, actually insane - Beef tongue skewer: also melts in your mouth and also insane, loved that the flavor was distinct from the beef intestine skewer - Soy sauce marinated shrimp: so much flavor infused and the texture is amazing Good: - Roasted tea blanc manger - Smoked unagi: very tender & different flavor than typical japanese unagi, which I appreciated - Mini kaisen donburi: tasted very fresh, though not sure why but the fattiness of the salmon didn't come through as much Skip: - Pork belly, thought this was standard... not bad but it was tougher than I expected and the sauce was ok - Homemade tofu/yuba spoons: if you're getting the kaisen, I would skip. it's basically a lot of the same ingredients but there was what I think was the tofu skin in there and idk why but the texture reminded me of bland playdough a bit - Black cod: good flavor and smokiness but idk if it stood out

This was my second time at snail bar and it was such a vibe as always. Had a reservation, so had a…read morecozy seat inside. Their menu is always changing, so it's constantly a surprise what we'll have. We had the snails, some oysters, a sausage dish, and sweet potato. Most standout (surprisingly) was the sweet potato. I loved the sauce and candied pepitas. Oysters were delicious as well and I'm not even an oyster girl! Snails were not as good as the first time I visited, but the cashew miso sauce it came with was so addicting. No issues with service this time either. But I'll call out that the first time I visited, our server was super warm and friendly and made for a special experience. Overall, a really cute wine bar with delicious food. It feels like you're in someone's living room it's so intimate. It is a bit expensive for what you get, but vibes are unmatched.

Snail Bar had been on my radar for a while since I live nearby, and the lines are always out the…read moredoor. I finally stopped by and was not disappointed. I didn't have a reservation, but I came close to opening time and was dining solo, which worked out perfectly. They do take walk-ins, though it would likely be tough with a larger group. The space is small and intimate, with bar seating for about 5-6 inside, a few small tables, and a limited outdoor area. Groups of six or more aren't allowed, which makes sense given the size. The service was excellent from start to finish. I asked the server for recommendations across the board and loved every suggestion. I was offered an orange-skinned contact wine that was fantastic and paired beautifully with the tostada, which was phenomenal. The tostada had the perfect crunch, and the sauce (I still don't know what it was) was so good I wanted it on everything. The fish was incredibly buttery and melted in my mouth. The oysters were good, but honestly, the tostada completely stole the show. I wanted dessert but was way too full, and they don't offer desserts to-go, so I'll have to come back which I'm more than happy to do. I was also intrigued by their wine club, especially since their wine selection is clearly curated with care. I ended up buying a bottle of the same wine I had with dinner. The wine club is popular and currently full, so I'm on the waiting list and excited to join when a spot opens up.

Wonderful food, service, lively and vibrantly decorated space at Parche in Uptown Oakland. Offering…read moredelicious modern Columbian food and introduced during Oakland Restaurant Week. Ordered a variety of items to share (family style) and dishes all presented beautifully and flavors on point. From the salad del Norte with lots of textures and flavor, corn arepas with melty cheese, crispy, flavorful brussel sprouts and savory, nicely seasoned empanadas, everything was delicious with no complaints Our server, Celia was friendly, efficient and engaging...great service which made the dining experience really enjoyable! I'd definitely return as soon as many items to try (ceviche!) and repeat as the first visit had me wanting more! Metered street parking

Parche is a whole vibe. The lush greenery , vibrant decor, and upbeat music make it an easy spot to…read moreunwind with friends, whether you're winding down after a long day or kicking off a night out. We ordered a few items to share: Patacones - Crispy flattened plantains served with ají, onion marmalade, and papaya salsa on the side. Not exactly what I expected, but in a good way. I ended up really enjoying them. Empanada de Ajiaco - Filled with shredded chicken, corn, and capers, paired with a jalapeño-cilantro aioli. Flavorful!!! Santa Marta Ceviche - Trout in a mango leche de tigre with squid ink aioli, basil oil, and coriander oil, topped with crispy salmon skin. Sooo good--bright, fresh, and packed with flavor. Scoop it up with fried plantains.... Yuuummm!!! Amaranta Cocktail - Vodka, colombiana reduction, vanilla, passion fruit, and bubbles. Smooth and slightly sweet... but definitely a creeper. Friendly, attentive service, a lively atmosphere, and solid food all around. Definitely a spot I'd come back to.

Limón has been my go-to spot for many dining needs including dates, hosting friends from…read moreout-of-town or casual meals on any day. My favorite entrees are the Lomo Saltado, Tierra y Mar (Land and Ocean, Steak and Prawns) and rotisserie chicken with a side of rice. My partner tends to enjoy the octopus entree or lingua (tongue). Service staff are consistently kind, attentive, knowledgeable about the menu and work quickly. It's an overall positive experience to dine at Limón.

This is a semi small place with indoor and bar seating…read more Service was very slow. We waited a while to place our order and then were waiting a while for the bill as well. Food came out one or two plates at a time for our party of 11, which was not great. People were waiting to eat and their food was getting cold by the time everyone had their plates. They also told us their restroom was out of service since the day prior when we arrived...I didn't think you could open as a restaurant if that were the case. Luckily, one restroom was opened during the course of our meal. Food was good. Empanadas were an interesting texture, almost like a fried wanton. Got the flat iron steak and subbed Yukka fries for the mashed potatoes. They said it would an added charge, but I didn't realize they would charge for a full side. I would've just stuck with the mashed potatoes. Veggies were ok, just zucchini. The sauce for the steak / plate was tasty though. Dishes and drinks were well presented. They have a variety of cocktails and mocktails, as well as beer and wine.

Second time back to the "new" location in a month and it was delicious. We appreciate quality…read moreingredients. So far dishes we'll keep ordering kimchi (weird sweet but good), tofu squares (best iteration of this I've had), clay pot special (I didn't love the mini shrimp but the flavor of this broth had so much umami and the pork was fabulous), fried mushrooms and the ice cream. The ice cream is special, made in house with organic milk, vanilla beans, special Japanese strawberries from a local farm. We like the servers and the line moves fast. Patio is dog and kid friendly with heaters.

I have have this place on my list for quite some time. I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this…read moreplace. It reminded me of the newer, cute and trendy places in Taipei. I think the lighting was very bright white (think being in an office) for the evening, but other than that, the tables were nicely spaced apart so you weren't sharing tables or having to hear other peoples' conversations, but still cozy. The service was a little unattentive and slow. Even though we were seated immediately, it took 3 attemps of asking to receive water and no one came by to take our order. I eventually got up to use the bathroom. There was a line of 3 other people. By the time I came back, no one had come by to take our order still. Eventually we flagged down a different server who took our order. The portions were pretty small but priced like a full entree (for the type of food I felt like we were getting). We ordered the Tofu Cream Maitake noodles, Tofu Cubes (I think that's what they were called?) and Scallion Oil Noodles. Typically we order maybe 4 dishes or 5 dishes at a regular Taiwanese place but after we saw how small the dishes were for the price, we just kept it at 3. The Scallion Oil Noodles were fragrant and Crispy Tofu Cubes were really good. The tofu cubes were more like BLOCKS and had great crispy texture. That was probably our favorite dish. I had such high expectations for the tofu cream noodles but it was really bland, not "mild", it was bland. And the flecks of maitake were just lost in there somewhere. It was disappointing because I love maitake and tofu!! All in all, it was an okay experience but I'm glad we stopped in. I don't think I would come back but it's definitely worth one try! Maybe if we were eating meat dishes, we would have had a different experience? This vegan will never know. In summary, the food was fresh and well-prepared but the portions were small and too pricey for what it is.

A charming neighborhood restaurant with a cozy, home-style ambiance and a full bar that perfectly…read morecomplements the experience. The food was absolutely outstanding--its creativity and bold flavors truly set it apart from other Thai restaurants. Each dish was beautifully presented, with a level of detail that felt worthy of Michelin recognition. Every plate had a unique and distinctive flavor that left us genuinely impressed. Chef Tobb did an incredible job, and you can clearly taste the passion and care put into every dish. The presentation alone was stunning, but the flavors elevated the experience even further. To top it all off, the service was excellent. Our servers were warm, attentive, friendly and consistently checked in to make sure everything was perfect. I'll definitely be coming back with friends and family to explore more of the menu--especially since they offer new specials every month. Highly recommended for delicious food and a wonderful experience!!!

Food here was delicious, although priced for the neighborhood for sure. Really enjoyed the pork…read morejowl fried rice, Pad Thai, and Nam Tok in particular. Great vibe inside with some really cool art on the walls, and love the circular windows on the side of the building as well. Would have been 5 stars but we were very abruptly told we essentially had 5 minutes to wrap up our meal, pay, and leave the table less than 1.5 hours after our reservation time, for another party's upcoming reservation. For a table of 6 with 2 small kids that we were managing throughout the meal, this was quite unexpected and we didn't even get a chance to try dessert, which we'd been excited for. The reservation confirmation specifically mentions that the table is reserved for 2.5 hours for parties of 6, and we weren't told of the upcoming reservation when we arrived, so this was a really unpleasant end to what was otherwise a great meal.

great little place in berkeley! it's a bit small but still cozy and usually has a waitlist around…read moredinner time. the sushi and gyudon wasn't really anything special, but i did really like the tofu & udon! the agedashi tofu has a nice crisp on the outside so it fast before it gets soggy in the sauce! the carbonara udon has great flavor -- i could honestly eat a whole meal of just the udon overall this place is a staple, no complaints!

4 stars Okonomiyaki…read moreis pure fat, pure festival food. Good but I'm going to feel it tomorrow. The 5 stick chicken skewer set was very good though. I can return for this.

I had no idea Beta Lounge existed off of Durant Ave. and what a cool space and place off-the-beaten…read morepath! We heard this building has been many different iterations over the years, but happy to have found this spot in Berkeley for a fun happy hour with friends. We enjoyed the wine flight (choice of 4 wines), each with a nice pour, and shared the spinach dip with chips. We also enjoyed an espresso martini to cap off the evening. The staff were super friendly, and the lounge was filled with what seemed like regulars. The lounge couches were super comfy and it was an overall very relaxing yet intimate experience. I would definitely come back again with a group, or even stop by for a date night. Parking is a bit tough in this area, but there is street parking (if lucky enough to find it) and garages nearby.

Yelp lead me here as I was looking for a happy hour spot to go to…read more This is a nice bar/lounge area that has a good happy hour menu . Most items on the happy hour menu are $9 each Inside is nicely decorated with indoor/outdoor seating available and pet friendly Bartender and server were friendly, atmosphere is chill, zero drama Parking is street parking only

Top contender for Japanese cuisine in Berkeley--equal parts sophisticated and scrumptious…read more Highlights include: - Sea Bean & Corn Tempura: a savory funnel cake worthy of a Michelin star thanks to its texture and the side of matcha salt - Salmon sashimi: succulent with fresh wasabi - Wagyu Shime Special: insane price for insane flavor--a generous portion of veggies and wagyu in a big ol' iron bowl of bubblin' broth

Ate Christmas dinner here with my mom as our celebration tradition is usually a Japanese…read morerestaurant. The ambience was intimate and cozy yet elegant, and the staff was very attentive and kind. I loved the decorations, the plates and silverware, and the food was just as intentional in flavor and selection. For appetizers we had: Anchovy Stuffed Olives Tempura - Tempura Spanish alives stuffed with anchovies $9 Kombu Tsukudani - Premium Hokkaldo kelp, say sauce, bonito, shiso, sesame seeds, enjoy with sake or rice $6 For our meal we had: Saba Bouzushi - House-cured saba mackerel bouzushi - stick-shaped sushi, also called battera, served with shiso, sesame, scallions, topped with Hokkaido shiraita kombu, ten pieces $29 Gindara Yuanyaki - Local black cod marinated in soy sauce and shikuwasa Okinawan citrus juice served grilled $34 Steelhead Trout Nabe - Norwegian ocean trout raised sustainably in the clear, cold ford where the seawater meets fresh meltwater from the glaciers in the mountains. Enjoy the rich flavored, melt-in-your-mouth fish, hotpot with dashi broth, mushrooms, napa cabbage, burdock, clear noodles, tofu, mizuna, scallions, yuzu kosho $39 We've been to many izakaya spots and this place had some of the most unique flavors I've tasted. The Saba Bouzushi stood out to me because it reminded of Filipino paksiw but as a roll! The Gindara was buttery and soft and had a yummy smoky flavor. The Nabe was perfect for a rainy evening - hearty, fresh, and so well balanced in flavor (I loved the yuzu kosho the had us add for a citrusy, peppery flavor)