Swan's Market at 9th and Washington in Old Oakland, built in 1917 and on the National Register of…read moreHistoric Places. The building is the whole experience before you even eat anything, big open airy space with good bones that survived a century of Oakland. B-Dama is the anchor for Japanese, sushi and bento done right, communal seating makes it easy to grab lunch without committing to a full sit-down. Cook and Her Farmer for fresh local California plates, meat and seafood counters if you want to take something home. Friday farmers market out front closes off the street, which is the move if you time it right. More character than any food court has a right to have.

Swan's Market has been a staple in Old Oakland for a long time!!!…read more I used to come here long before my Yelp days quite often. There used to be live music here sometimes (I think there still is, sometimes) and the market has small restaurants and even a place to buy uncooked food, Parking in Old Oakland can be a challenge depending on when you come, But this place has indoor and outdoor seating available, and the vibe here is very Oakland!!

I found Ratto's International Market through TikTok, and I'm so glad I checked it out! This was our…read moresecond visit, and I absolutely love the inside. It's a little market and deli all in one, with such a charming atmosphere. It gives me a little taste of Italy while still being here in California! They have a great variety of sandwiches, fresh meats, and cheeses. I especially love browsing all the different cheeses they offer. Between the meats, cheeses, and selection of wines, it's such a good spot to pick up everything you need for the perfect charcuterie board. My go-to is the caprese with pesto it's so delicious! I definitely recommend getting it warmed up. My mom had the avocado and turkey sandwich on our first visit, and this last time she tried the BLT, which was also amazing. The service is really good, and the staff is so welcoming, which makes the experience even better. Between the delicious sandwiches, the market selection, and the charming atmosphere, this is definitely a place I recommend. We've really enjoyed both visits and look forward to coming back!

A classic sandwich spot. Ratto's did not disappoint. I had the meatball sandwich special and it was…read morevery well made. Everything tasted fresh and the sandwich was filling. The staff were friendly, welcoming, and I appreciated the market options.

*Great ambiance, feels like a great mix of walking into a corner food stop in China or visiting an…read moreold friends house ** Service is attentive with great recs and an adorable robot **** So easily accessible and price range is so good compared to the portion size ***** One of my favorite Chinese joints in Oakland now 谢谢

Love the robot food delivery! We ordered the seafood soup…read moreand the street noodle soup -- the seafood was bland except for the pieces of fried fish. The street noodle soup was delicious. Handmade noodles were delicious. The broth -- mine was supposed to be spicy - wasn't. And the medium spicy which was the seafood soup was bland.

Tasting Menu are for anniversaries. Arrived here on a Saturday evening. Initially just a few…read morepatrons sat in this cozy interior. But as the night grew later, the room filled each table with diners that the single host, runner, waiter did an excellent job attending to. The vinaigrette with the shaken beef was memorable. The thick slice on the hamachi, while still totally tender like butter was incredible. The bread pudding did not travel well, and separated like an over cooked cobbler, but the chocolate yuzu cake was a hit for breakfast the next morning. Next time I guess I must try the Saucy wings and the short ribs. But it was a generous portion for the Chef's Tasting Menu, and I'd highly recommend exploring the menu that way.

Date: 10/28/2026 Time: 5:50 PM 64° Sunny…read more I have a craving for some garlic noodles. Since I am going to be at OACC later for a band rehearsal, a search for a restaurant nearby results in Saucy Oakland, which is about 3 blocks away. Saucy Oakland has been around for about six years. Funny that I never knew about this restaurant even though I come to Oakland Chinatown quite often. Thanks to Victor G again. He certainly knows where to dine all over the Bay Area. I walk in and a gentleman hands me the menu for perusing. They have happy hours Wednesday through Saturday, 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM; weekend on Friday and Saturday, 8:30 PM to close at 9:30 PM. If one chooses to dine at Saucy, be there at least 15 minutes before they close for the evening. After perusing the menu, I decided to order their saucy wings and a large order of garlic noodles. The wings look delicious, seasoned with a glaze. The garlic noodles are on point. The ambiance is quite nice, especially the floral wall, the hanging plants overhead and the planter box by the entrance. Based on my observation, the seating capacity is a guesstimate of 25 people. Street parking can be problematic during the day. Not sure what street parking is like in the evening. Return visit? Yes, most likely for my birthday dinner next month.

I love Asian inspired cocktail bars so after trying a couple of Viridian's offering at a popup they…read morehosted at Bar Maritime in SF, we swung by when we were next in Oakland. The bar itself is long and narrow, decorated with paper dragons. Really liked how we could just walk in at 10pm on a Saturday and get a seat without having to make a reservation, like we need to do in SF or NYC. The menu looked amazing so the two of us tried : * Tomato Beef (4 stars, $17): I was super looking forward to this since I adore savory drinks. While tasty, it was a disappointment since there was zero beef flavor, it tasted like a decent clarified tomato cocktail - which is pretty popular in cocktail circles these days. Good but I wouldn't order again unless they added some hint of beefiness (which pho cocktails often do well). * White Rabbit (4.5 stars, $17): the condensed milk gave this drink that sweet creaminess associated with White Rabbit candy, and paired nicely with the oolong tea base. * Tom Yum Takeout (4.5 stars, $19): served in a cute takeout container glass, I liked how forward the lemongrass and galangal flavors were, along with the hint of spiciness. * Li Hing Ramos (4.5 stars, $19): my favorite of the drinks we tried that night, though I wish they did a rim of li hing powder. Very respectable foam on a refreshing salted plum cocktail. From the popup we tried : * Tofu Salad (5 stars): Their most interesting cocktail and it's not even on their current menu. Very similar to the Cold Noodle drinks but with more of that tofu water flavor. * Guava Island (4.5 stars): very solid and enjoyable fruity cocktail that's an easy drink. Nothing challenging, relatively straightforward except that the addition of cocoa powder gave it a bit of interest which elevated it from 4 stars. We're pretty serious about cocktail bars, especially frequenting those in New York City and London. For the SF area, Viridian is definitely one of the best and most exciting cocktail bars in the whole area, we're bummed it's all the way in Oakland else it would be on regular rotation, we liked it a lot more than pretty much all the bars in SF excepting True Laurel.

Viridian is definitely one of those gems that calls out to my Asian diasporic heart - creative…read morefusion-y drinks are my weakness! This was actually where my friend took me the first time I visited Oakland years ago, and now that I live here, where I take friends who visit from out of town. So many cool drinks. This time, I tried the wasabi mami, and it was wonderful. Very refreshing and lightly sweet, and only a hint of wasabi. I will say that my friend got the White Rabbit and we were not the biggest fans - the bourbon didn't feel like it fit. But they were very kind to make another drink for us instead: the Li Hing Ramos, and it was delicious. The li hing foam was so yummy! The Oko Blooming Onion was fantastic. So creative and hit the spot for a tipsy night. Beyond replacing the drink, service was above and beyond what I expected for a cocktail bar. They came to check in on us and refill our water often, and explained the menu for us before ordering. Vibes are GREAT! Gorgeous neon purple-y and vibey. Nice place for hanging out with friends or a date. I'll be back, a lot!

Not sure why I haven't written this before. This place is its own destination. We plan or weekend…read morearound a visit. Alyssa is a wonderful refreshing gift to our community. She is warm, welcoming, easy to talk to, and she may not know it but I think we're friends. I'm claiming it. I love this place. If you like cheese you must come by here. It's a cute little shop and she always has new cheeses to try. I hate blue cheese. I don't like how it looks. I don't like the smell. She actually introduced me to a blue cheese that made me change my mine. We made a cheese board and took it to a birthday event people were literally scrapping it off the board to get the last bits in their mouths. My wife and I decided we will be coming once a month and we plan to bring the family. Truly I can't say enough positives about this place. You must try for yourself. I love everything about it and I feel so good whenever I leave. You don't get that too many places anymore. This reminds me of my childhood when you had a conversation, learned about what you're purchasing and had a relationship with the store owner. So I highly recommend you come by. I bet my life if you like cheese you'll love this place.

This place is so cute!! My husband and I ordered the picnic charcuterie board and it was the…read moreperfect size for us two. The box was beautifully put together with a lot of care and the flowers were such a cute touch! The cheese is very tasty. We loved it! It would be nice to eat it there at their table or as take out to eat at a park or just at the lake a walk away! We will definitely come back for more. They also have super cute little Knick knacks around the store to purchase and even make a cute gift basket. There's cookbooks, hot sauces, honey, jam, crackers, candles, cute hair clips and cheese related books. They also have cards and candles...perfect for a little birthday gift!! Would definitely come again and recommend others support this business. My impression based on the box I received today is that the owner puts a lot of love and care into the store and the boxes she creates.

I can see why the reviews are so high for this little grocery shop. It's full of fresh food and…read moreparticular products that cater to people with different dietary restrictions. The prices are reasonable, and there are some good sales too. I was able to find vegan Mochi in many different flavors including matcha and mango. I purchased the matcha flavored ones and they really brought me back to my mochi childhood memories. Along with other satisfying products, I purchased their freshly made veggie spring rolls that include layered thinly sliced avocado, shredded carrots, lettuce and cucumber. The sauce that comes with it is sweet-chili flavored, and all the ingredients for everything are simple. The presentation is nice, and the rolls are well-held together. I don't need to worry about anything falling out, so it makes this a good snack/meal for on the go. Finally, the customer service is exceptional. I felt welcome, and the place had an overall friendly atmosphere. After a day full of anxiety, it was nice to have it calm down in this grocery shop lol. Thank you Nature's Best Food employees for making this shop as special and good as it is.

racist. the male cashier racially profiled me. I had shopped at Nature's multiple times without a…read moreproblem, but it only takes one racist encounter for me not to support a business. I went in one night to buy a couple things. I even asked the cashier to help me find the items in the store that I was going to buy because I couldn't find them. when we're at the check out counter, he asks me if he can look inside my bag to make I sure I didn't steal anything. I ask him if he is serious. he says yes. I kindly tell him that yes he can check my bag, but that once he does he will lose a customer because I don't support businesses that racially profile customers. he says he's not racist and then proceeds to tell me stories about people stealing. I assure him I'm not a thief and that I don't care about his reasoning. if he has an issue with customers coming into the store with bags (I had 1) he should ask everyone (not only Black customers) to leave their bag at the counter while shopping. I would have left my bag at the counter without a problem if he had asked. but, again, I let him know he has my permission to look inside my bag. but that once he did, he would lose a customer. he did check my bag and got a look at my takeout box from the Korean fried chicken spot. What I was gonna buy at Nature's grocery story that evening I left on the counter and I haven't been back since. during my interaction with the cashier, a white woman walked in and shopped.q I imagine that she had no problems not if every customer is not asked to show their bags or leave their bag at the counter, it's a shame because its a block or so away from my apartment and I love the idea of supporting a mom and pop's business, but I don't support racial profiling. it happened to me, so I know other Black people have gone through it at Nature's and it's unacceptable.

Hands down the best place in Oakland to get your meats! Me and my bf were trying to figure out…read morewhere to buy meat to bbq and heard good things about this place. We called in advance to ask about the meats. Unfortunately, they didn't have sliced brisket that we wanted, however the person on the phone (I think was the owner), suggested a meat that wasn't on the menu but would be great for bbqing. I believe he called it the hanger tenderloin, and it's something they were testing before putting it on the menu. It was around ~7.00$ per lb. We ended up getting 3 lbs of it, and wish we gotten more! We also got about a lb of sliced lamb, and 3 lbs of short ribs! The 3 lbs of hanger tenderloin, 1 lb of lamb, and 3lbs of short rib ended up being around 55$, which isn't too bad at all! This place did not disappoint, we'd definitely come back for more! Don't forget to bring cash because I believe its cash only!

Always go there to buy meat for hot pot. Prices are extremely reasonable and service is always…read moregood. It looks ... interesting from the outside, but go in and get your meat!

As someone of German descent, who grew up in Lodi, CA (back then, a large German community), this…read moreplace takes me back in time to the excellent sausage shops of my youth. These are meticulously made sausage! I've chatted with the owner, and he was mentored by an experienced, traditional sausage maker back in the day. There's a lot of different types of sausage to choose from. Everything I've tried is top notch. If you're looking for a very properly made sausage, at a great price for the quality, this is the place!

Stopped in after eating Haitian down the block and am so glad I did. First, the folks behind the…read morecounter were lovely and fun to talk to. They walked me through the sausage selection, told me which ones contained gluten and which did not, then gave me cooking tips. Clearly the gentleman I spoke with was a sausage master. He was very enthusiastic about sausage and had lots of sausage making and cooking wisdom to share. I'll be heading over from Marin on the regular to buy here! We had the loose bulk sausage, which they sprinkled sage on for me while they were packing, and the whole family loved it. You can tell it's fresh and ground well.

Lowkey the best chicken sandwich I've ever had. Also, the ambience was great, playing some absolute…read morebangers the whole time I was going down on my sandwich. Most importantly, the service is fire. Props to this guy with long hair and glasses kinda skinny, fire fit too. Dude deserves a raise and a hundo for his service.

I've been here a gazillion times since my last review but forgot to update my review -- they've…read morebeen consistent the past several times I've been here and the sando is always good. I love that they're open late on the weekends and I'm willing to make the trek out from SF just for their sando and fries. There is typically street parking (no lot) right in front of across the street. You can order at the front or through Toast to skip the line. There are plenty of seats (think elementary school outdoor seating) outside that fit 4 people. The best part of Hotboys is definitely the employees though. They're super friendly, especially our guy, Shy! Shy's the best :)