Located in Au, two establishments are run here for Chef Smelly's and the bar. So orders at the bar are 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. read more

Very rude customer service. Also never has a few seafood items in stock. It says at the front door to wait to be seated and there was no server in sight. Since I have sat at the bar before I sat myself at the bar and grabbed my own menu. There was a gentleman sitting next to me wrapping up his meal and the restaurant was half full and I finally saw the server running tables and I still patiently waited since I saw she was the only server working. The older lady server preceded to acknowledge every other customer including the gentleman next to me and when a customer came in for a pick up she looked past me to acknowledge him and never once told me she would be right with me. After 15 minutes I ended up leaving the restaurant and going down the street to Y's Choice which has great service and plenty of items in stock on their menu. Would not recommend it here! read more

OMG I thought I was in New Orleans at 2 o'clock in the morning with the man I love. Chef Smelly is the real deal. I ordered red snapper, mashed potatoes and brussels sprouts. It was definitely enough for two people. I can't wait to return with my whole family. So glad my birthday is coming up. Dear Chef Smelly, thank you so much for caring about what you do. Your attention to detail and your love of good food is reflected in every meal I've had at your restaurant. read more

Hello normally I get great service at Chef Smelly's however, this time after ordering the couples platter that was inedible very salty. I was promised a refund never received one. I'm so disappointed I was expecting an awesome meal willing to pay the price but im extremely disappointed they didn't make this right.i waited a week never heard back from anyone): read more

Chef Smelly's - Couples platters - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Oakland, California

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Make a reservation if you're going on a weekend. The place fills up! Prepare to wait a while for food since everything is prepared fresh so make sure you bring good company. Vibe was cool- they had a DJ playing some old school R&B and hip hop. It was pretty warm Inside so wear layers. Loved the fresh flowers on the tables Food was SO flavorful, rich and delicious with huge portions! Everything is made to order. - baked oysters -blackened catfish, shrimp and garlic noodles - braised oxtails So good I ordered an extra garlic noodz to bring home. Prices aren't for penny pinchers so expect to splurge a bit but you'll have leftovers. Will definitely need a mint and a walk after. Thanks Chef Smelly! read more

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Treatment. Lively service. Huge and I mean huge portions. Traditional Cajun cuisine with Bay Area touches. Beautiful crispness on everything fried. But it's one of those friendly places where the music is so loud that we couldn't hear each other across the table. I'd come back and try out a variety of things next time. read more

Chef Smelly's - Shrimp and crab salad. Huge potions. Would have liked more shrimp. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Oakland, California

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The food was soooo flavorful and delicious. Well seasoned with large portions. If your a person who has cheat days, this is the place to cheat with. A mus read more

Service this time was a 5/10--pretty slow, one of my sides was forgotten, and we weren't checked on as often as we should've been. That being said, the food portions are great and packed with flavor. My regular order is the first combo--clams, shrimp, and crawfish tossed in the house special sauce, medium spicy. I also love the chargrilled oysters, house wings, and garlic crab. Definitely enough for two people to share and still have leftovers. read more

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First time eating here. As soon as you walk in, you get the family feel. From how you're greeted from when you first walk in, you know you're about to be in for a treat. We ordered to go, and although the wait is more than were used to, it was definitely worth it! The Ox tail meat fell off the bone, juicy and tender. The lobster fries, I can't stop thinking about them!! Good amount of lobster, garlicky and just delicious. Definitely going back!! read more

Chef Smelly's - Lobster loaded fries. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Oakland, California

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The food was SO GOOD! My bf and I shared the blackened salmon with garlic noodles, and the mac and cheese. The salmon was cooked perfectly and tasted delicious. Everyone who helped us out was really kind and knew the menu well. The wait between ordering and being served was a bit long, but everything was worth the wait. I will be truthful and say that the first time we received the salmon dish, it was undercooked. We quietly and quickly brought this up to our server, and he brought out a new dish in no time. We really appreciated how this issue was handled and resolved, and we'll definitely come back again and recommend this spot to everyone. read more

Chef Smelly's - Mac and Cheese AKA Crack and Cheese - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Oakland, California

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I'm a regular and always order through DoorDash from Chef Smelly's, and they never miss. Every time my food arrives, it's hot, fresh, and packaged well, which I really appreciate. This plate was everything! The braised oxtails were super tender, fall-off-the-bone good, and full of rich, deep flavor. They were served over seasoned rice that soaked up all that sauce perfectly. The mashed potatoes were smooth and creamy, topped with green onions and a little seasoning that gave them extra flavor. And the Brussels sprouts were cooked just right. They're slightly crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and seasoned really well. What I love most is the consistency. No matter how many times I order, the quality is always there and the portions are generous. Chef Smelly's has definitely become one of my go-to spots, and I'll keep coming back for more! P.S. The other photos are from my previous review. I guess Yelp updated my new review but left the old photos up. Either way, fantastic food like always. read more

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I found out about Chef Smelly's from a YouTube foodie Latryguy because the food looked great. I tried their special, the Oxtail...it comes over rice and you have the choice of two sides. I went with the "Crack and Cheese " and Candied Yams. The food took a while to arrive but it was worth the wait. You get three big pieces of fall off the bone full flavored oxtail in a delicious sauce. The crack and cheese and yams were also very tasty. The service was attentive and excellent. I could tell the owner paid a lot of attention to the interior design from the chandelier to the table setting with petite vase with flower and condiments like Crystal hot sauce. Parking can be difficult but I got lucky with meter parking on Broadway. I'll definitely be back:) read more

Chef Smelly's - Oxtail with Crack and Cheese and Candied Yams - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Oakland, California

This review is a few weeks old but I will say I wish I had my 2 way right now. I need them perfectly fried shrimp, catfish, garlic green beans and Brussels sprouts. And those sprouts with a sweet and spicy balsamic balanced sauce...YES! REDO AND YES AGAIN Service always friendly comfy at the bar. Lots of characters in the dining room but the bar is just enough room qmd eye contact with tender. read more

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This is a must go if you're in Oakland! I've been here several times and I'm never disappointed. You get bang for your buck and it's blacked owned. The food is full of flavor and you will most likely be leaving with leftovers. The service is good and the place is a vibe, they usually have music playing in the back ground. read more

Chef Smelly's - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Oakland, California

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Moment of transparency. It took me a long time post this. My husband loves going to Chef Smelly's. We have literally going here since before the pandemic when Chef Smelly was a pop up only open 1 to 2 days a week. So needless to say we are faithful customers. Honestly to see another black owned business grow and flourish in the Bay Area make my heart smile. But I have to give my honest opinion of this last experience on Father's Day 2024. As I said earlier my husband loves Chef Smelly's take on crab and garlic noodles so our go to is the couples platter. This happens to be our first time actually dining in as we normally get our food to go and enjoy eating in the comfort of our home. So I thought it would be something different for us to experience the dine in option. Sadly this dine in experience was extremely underwhelming. It took nearly 2 hours to get our food from the time that we sat down. We got to the restaurant early as we anticipated the crowd. We accepted the first seating option so we could get our order in ASAP. In the effort to keep this post from getting too long I do appreciate that Chef Smelly himself came out to apologize about the delay an read more

Chef Smelly's - Trifecta with garlic noodles - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Oakland, California

Looking for food on a Saturday night and came across Smelly's. Cute place on the corner but misleading sign on the outside of the building, says AU. Get inside and quickly seated without a reservation at 7:30 pm for 4 people. Waiter very nice and bartender approached us, notifying the bill will be separate checks. Decor is simple and plenty of seating to include sitting at the bar and window. Good smelling food is in the air, getting hungrier! We ordered Honey Hot lemon pepper chicken tenders and Brussel sprouts, amazing! Right amount of Balsamic vinaigrette, nice char and perfect seasoning. Hot lemon pepper chicken was drained as well and that hot sauce is tastefully good on anything I put it on, may want to ask for an extra portion. Meals were, 3 way catfish, oyster, prawns with the garlic green beans and crack and cheese, grits with cheese and salmon and wings with sides. Crack and cheese is ok, seems it wasn't as hot as the other food. Garlic string beans ate cooked to perfection, if you like a slight crunch! Catfish and shrimp most definitely were creole seasoned and the fried crust was just as tasty with another perfect crunch! Grits were disappointing as they weren't creamy, a bit lumpy and dry, however, salmon was very tasty. If time allows me to come back before my trip end, I will be back to give them another shot. Should have ordered crab and garlic noodles because when they came out for the table next to us, it looked and smelled really good. My only suggestions are to fix the signage (aside from the flip chart sign on the corner) and pls make those cheesy grits a lot more creamier! read more

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Upon arriving at the restaurant, we were initially seated by a window that was open. Because of the wind, our menus and tablecloth were constantly blowing around, which made it uncomfortable to sit there. After requesting a different spot, we were able to move tables for a more comfortable dining experience. Once we were seated and beginning to order, our waiter informed us that the restaurant does not accept card payments and only takes Zelle or cash. This information was surprising and would have been helpful to know before we sat down and started ordering. We first attempted to order drinks from the bar, but were told the bartender was not there and that the bar was not open at the time. Instead, we ordered Sprite and lemonade. For appetizers, we originally wanted the Oysters Rockefeller, but were told it was no longer on the menu. We then ordered the crab baked oysters and fried chicken as appetizers. The fried chicken arrived hot, well-seasoned, and flavorful. The baked oysters also came out hot, and while they were enjoyable, the portion felt small considering they were $25 for three oysters. For our main course, we ordered the seafood platter, which included three pieces of fish, two shrimp, and two oysters, along with two sides: mac & cheese and green beans. The mac & cheese had a flavor that reminded us more of a seafood-style mac rather than a traditional one. The green beans were more like crisp snap beans rather than the softer, slow-cooked style; however, they had a nice garlic flavor and were still tasty. When it was time to pay, we had to send the payment through Zelle and show the waiter a screenshot as proof of payment. Additionally, the tables were placed very close together, which made the space feel crowded, we could clearly hear our neighboring table humming along to the music. Overall, the food had some enjoyable elements, particularly the seasoning on the fried chicken and the flavor of the green beans. However, the payment limitations, unavailable menu items, bar closure, and seating setup affected the overall dining experience read more

Chef Smelly's - Fried chicken and crab oysters (baked) - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Oakland, California

A most go to when in Oakland . Food is always on point and the serving are plentiful... My go to Red snapper, Mac & cheese, garlic green beans, fried prawns... read more

I went here on a difficult evening right after a funeral, when emotions were running high, and this place turned out to be exactly what we needed. We were seated right away, and the male wait staff were very attentive, checking on us often without ever feeling intrusive. The food was **delicious**. We ordered crab with garlic noodles and collard greens, and everything was perfectly seasoned and full of flavor. My friend had a cocktail that she really enjoyed and specifically mentioned it was not watered down at all. The portions were generous, and I even enjoyed my leftovers the next day--they were just as tasty. Overall, the service, food, and atmosphere helped turn a heavy evening into something a little lighter and more comforting. I can't wait to go back. read more

The food was decent. I ordered the shrimp and red snapper with mac and cheese and garlic noodles. I also ordered a side of yams, but I had to return them because they were too sweet for me. The waitstaff could have been a little friendlier. Overall, I still believe in supporting Black-owned businesses. read more

Chef Smelly's - Red snapper and shrimp combo with mac and cheese and garlic noodles. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Oakland, California

The food tasted great, fresh, and was seasoned well. My oxtails plate wasn't as hot as others at the table, as if they waited to bring mine out after it was ready. I ended up heating it the next day as leftovers and it tasted great and was hot. 8/10 (Oxtails need to be hot, with more flavor; meat itself was cooked to perfection (not too much fat, good size, and good portion of food)). I would highly recommend their seafood w/ the garlic noodles (which has a sweet garlic flavor), delicious crab, and shrimp.The wait was long: I didn't know you could make reservations ahead of time. The restaurant is small and seating is limited. Staff was okay. Not the friendliest or most welcoming but they were okay to interact with. Would recommend and consider eating here again with reservations. read more

Chef Smelly's - Whole Dungeness Crab, Prawns and Garlic Noodles 10/10 - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Oakland, California

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The food was delicious. The garlic bread is a must!! Not sure if they have a dessert menu but we were not given one even though we were there for a birthday. The service was mediocre. Nice restaurant. You order separately for the bar. The person from the bar comes over to take drink orders. The service from the bar was very good. read more

Stopped by for some food after visiting the Oakland Zoo, we had a party of 8 and got lucky to get in quick. Staff were super friendly at the door. Tried the Loaded crab oysters and 3 piece chicken combo with Garlic noodles and Crack and cheese. The chicken was excellent, hot and crispy!!! Oysters were on point, perfect appetizer, garlic noodles were delicious! The vibes of this establishment are great, good staff and good music playing. I am definitely going to swing by again when visiting the Town read more

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Before you place your order, you wait outside, which I did not care for. There was only 1 waitress taking orders Togo and covering the tables inside. They did let us sit at the bar waiting on the orders. The fish is definitely cooked to order. Catfish was the best but the Snapper was good too. The sweet potato was perfect! Not too sweet and the seasoning was on point! The garlic noodles & green beans were too greasy, over saturated with butter. The lunch special was the " twenty dolla holla" available on Weds & Thursday! Well worth it. The parking was very difficult and they have an old parklet taking up good space that could be for Togo runs. The one waitress working had a smile that made me forget I was irritated waiting outside! She was SO NICE! And the staff bringing out the orders were equally friendly! I'll go again even if only for the sweet potato! read more

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I have had Chef Smelly's one time at his old location. I got the honey chicken wings and his 60 dollar holla. Shared with my boyfriend and we both enjoyed it so much! So much I am looking the day after to get the oxtail egg-rolls the lady next to me really suggested them. I can say that the service is a little all over. When I arrived a woman was in front of me who quickly got seated. I then stood at the sign for a few minutes before I saw a takeout area. I was quoted 30 mins but waited 1 hour. Ended up having a glass of champagne at the bar while I waited so it worked out (It was a Sunday). Not going to lie I would wait another hour for the food!!! And it was also busy so I get it! read more

Now you know if you don't know!! This is the spot that your great great grandmother used to teach them how to cook, I had the oxtails over rice with the crackling macaroni and cheese, and greens and yams, my friend had garlic noodles and gumbo over rice, damn that gumbo had big old sausages in it and that crab oh my God I might go every day this week Food: 5/5 | Service: 5/5 | Atmosphere: 5/5 Recommended dishes Creole Snow Crab Garlic Noodles and Blackened Prawns, Deep Fried Red Snapper Mac and Cheese and Garlicky Green Beans, And Garlic Noodles, Lobster, Mac & Cheese read more

Chef Smelly's - I have the oxtails over rice with the garlic noodles and the yams and gumbo the Alaska snow crab big old hot links over rice - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Oakland, California

Chef Smelly's was okay. It's certainly an upscale feeling for a dining experience, but I did not love our Mac and cheese and the fried fish was just okay. The Mac and cheese tasted kinda grainy, not so melty. I did not love the fried oysters at all, would have definitely gone for more fried shrimp if I were to go back. I've had way better Cajun/southern food, but I'm glad there is a local spot here in Uptown. read more

Chef Smelly's - Fried fish - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Oakland, California

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The lobster was burnt and tasted like chemicals. I tried adding lemon with hopes to help and that didn't change anything. The garlic noodles tasted more like candy than garlic. The crab was okay. Customer service was great! Everybody was very friendly. The best thing from dinner was the Coke in a can. read more

Chef Smelly's - Creole Loaded Lobster Dungeness Crab Fries sub Garlic Noodles - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Oakland, California

I came to Chef Smelly's after seeing it on Instagram from a friend in the Bay, and food-wise, it absolutely delivered. I ordered the fried chicken wings, mac and cheese, yams, fried snapper, and fried prawns. Hands down, the fried chicken wings were the star of the show. Some of the best fried chicken I've had, period. The batter was crispy, the meat was juicy, and the wings themselves were big and flavorful. At $15 for five wings, that felt completely worth it. I'd pay that all day for that quality, and honestly, I'd come back just for the chicken alone. The fried prawns were solid, and the fried snapper was okay, nothing bad but not particularly memorable. The sides were the weakest part for me. I got greens and mac and cheese, and both were pretty bland. If I came back, I'd skip the sides and just double down on the chicken. Service is where things slipped a bit. I don't need a server checking on me every two minutes, so I was fine with the low touch approach. But when I asked to close out, the server said "okay" and never came back. I later realized you're supposed to walk up to the counter near the kitchen to pay, which was literally an arm's length away from where I was sitting. All it would've taken was a quick "you can check out right over there," but that was never communicated. I had somewhere to be, so I eventually had to get up and ask again. Food alone puts this at a strong four out of five for me. If the checkout process and communication were clearer, this would've easily been a five. I'll definitely be back, but strictly for the fried chicken. That alone is worth the trip. read more

Chef Smelly's - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Oakland, California

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Their food is DA BOMB!!! The menu is AWESOME! Was just there again on Sunday 10/19/25 and ready to go back already. If this place was closer to Sacramento, I'd really be in trouble! read more

Chef Smelly's - Oxtails - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Oakland, California

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I visited on a Saturday evening and managed to get a window bar seat. Both the food and service were good, and the portions were generous. Running a business in Oakland these days comes with its own unique challenges, so I truly hope this place thrives. Oakland needs more establishments like this one. If they can improve their reservation process, I believe this could become a staple in the Oakland community. BB read more

Food, service and ambiance was outstanding. Went for our anniversary and they did not disappoint. Kiddos to the entire staff and chef. We will be back! read more

Outstanding Experience All Around! From the moment I walked in, I was welcomed like family. The chef, Smelly, truly went above and beyond I was lucky enough to win one of his Instagram contests and received a free $20 fish meal, which was absolutely delicious! The portions were so generous I was able to split my meal into three servings, and every bite was just as good as the first. His wife and the entire staff were warm, friendly, and made me feel right at home. The atmosphere was clean and cozy, giving off that perfect "home-style" vibe that makes you want to stay a while. The bartender also deserves a special shoutout She made the best Old Fashioned I've ever had, hands down. This is exactly the kind of business every community needs: great food, genuine hospitality, and people who truly care about their customers. I'll definitely be back soon. read more

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My fiancé & I stopped In here. We're pescatarians we had red snapper, catfish prawns it was all cooked and seasoned to perfection. Green beans and garlic bread are wonderful Now that Mac n cheese wasnt it for us both it was horrible gritty over seasoned took away that cheese flavor taste , Yams are over cooked pretty much could be used to make a pie. Taste was good but I don't like watery over cooked yams personally. Out serve was Jordan was absolutely amazing , the service and ambience are top tier music was a vibe bathrooms were clean Over all we'd come back for vibes but we know we wouldn't order crack n cheese or yams!! read more

My family and I had been wanting to try this restaurant for a while. We decided to come to celebrate my father's first Heavenly Birthday, June 25, 2025. The service and food were amazing. The place is a bit small and gets crowded. A reservation is definitely needed in a Friday and/or Saturday. We tried pretty much everything and it was all finger licking good read more

I've been supporting Chef Smelly's pop-up for years, and this recent meal restored my faith in why it's one of Oakland's best spots for bold Creole flavors. Toddler-approved, too! The Food * Crack 'n Cheese (Mac & Cheese) - So dang good, rich, cheesy, and perfectly seasoned. * Broiled Oysters with Crab - YUM! Loaded with flavor and a definite highlight. * Prawns - Always on point. Perfectly cooked and seasoned. * Snapper & Trifecta Garlic Noodles - Decent. Not my top pick, but still solid. Things to Know * Delivery was surprisingly warm when it arrived, which is a win! * Ordering ahead is a must--food can take 45 minutes to an hour to be ready. * The inside is super congested--not much seating, so be prepared if you're picking up. Despite the wait, the food is worth it! If you're craving rich, flavorful Creole dishes, Chef Smelly's should be on your list. read more

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I've had this place saved in my list of restaurants I wanted to try in Oakland for a while now, and recently I finally got to go! We got the oxtails with Mac n cheese and candied yams and the loaded fries with shrimp. I personally really liked the food! The oxtails were extremely flavorful, as were the Mac n cheese and candied yams. It was however on the pricey side for sure, as this dish was about $40 and since it was a special that wasn't on the menu, I was a bit caught off guard by that. With that said it was still an overall good meal. read more

Chef Smelly's - Oxtails with Mac n cheese and candied yams - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Oakland, California

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Excellent food, amazing garlic noodles and great service...Will be returning when I'm back in Oakland.

Keeping this short and sweet: Wings: 9.5/10 Yams: 9/10 Mac and Cheese: 8.5/10 Collard Greens: 8/10 Service: 8/10 Prepare to wait as the food is prepared fresh. Wait is definitely worth it. read more

Chef Smelly's - 4 piece wings with mac and cheese / yams and a side of collard greens - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Oakland, California

Made for the $30 holla Wednesday while I was on staycation. The food was good. The service was so warm and friendly and the space is like most soul food establishments in the Bay. I did have an appreciation for the Brandenburg Ginger Beer on hand! Not everyone had them. Those hot honey chicken wings are magical. I don't know what fried chicken fairy they have in the back .. but the only way those wings are created is magically. Too good just the perfect combination of sweet crunchy spicy golden brown delicious goodness! The catfish was flaky and tender, the oysters were fried hard as requested and the prawns were perfect! I ordered Mac n cheese and greens as my sides they were both delicious. Flavorful, cheesy goodness. It was my first visit, I would go back for sure. read more

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