We had such a fabulous evening at Jaji! We started with the beet hummus and the hummus on pita and seeded crackers. Devine. We also tried the trout crudo which was delicious. We had also had several of the chicken and lamb kebabs. I had a filet of trout with crispy chili sauce which was amazing! The atmosphere was exciting! They had a belly dancer who did three different performances in 3 different outfits while we were there. There was another lady who did henna designs ( it was free but you needed to tip her) and in the back of the restaurant, they were having a paint and sip ($20.00). The place filled up quickly and everyone was having a blast. Fun night! read more

Having tried their sister restaurant Parche, my husband and I wanted to check out Jaji for an after-work date-night. The interior is beautiful and welcoming, the staff were also helpful with recommendations from the menu. Jaji has a similar layout to Parche with everything meant to be shared. I felt the portion sizes were more aligned with their price tag versus my experience at Parche. Now lets get to the food! We started with the Bahar Crudo, a refreshing beet-marinated ocean trout, as well as the Salata, a surprisingly large bowl of fresh salad with plenty of veggies, tzatziki and a delightful herb vinaigrette. For warm plates, we split the Bonjon Borani, beef cheek Mantu dumplings, and the Chapi Kabob with a side of saffron rice. I loved the addition of the orange peel in the rice. But I think my favorite of all was the Bonjon Borani, I couldnt't get enough of the delicious sauces over the perfectly cooked eggplant. read more

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My friend and I came here for dinner on a Saturday night. We decided on an early reservation at 5:30pm, and when we first arrived, there were only a couple other tables, but the place got packed pretty quickly, and stayed that way (which was lovely to see)! Neither my friend nor I were particularly familiar with all the different flavors or things that were on the menu, so we asked for some suggestions, and ended up trying the following: Bonjon Borani - this was delicious! The giant chunks of eggplant with tomato were delicious and perfectly cooked. Bahar Crudo - I have never seen crude this gorgeous of a red color. More importantly, the flavors were really interesting and delicious. Bolani Triangles - I saw that everyone loved these, and they didn't disappoint! Absolutely delicious, and the chutney was perfection. Mantu - Do not sleep on these, this may have been my favorite thing! The meat was perfectly tender and I could have eaten three plates of this! Lamb Tenderloin - Our server recommended this and honestly, this was the only thing I wouldn't order again. I'm not sure if we just waited too long to eat it and it got a bit cold or if the flavors just weren't my thing? I just don't think it was my cup of tea. Narenj Pallow - Rice with sour orange and pistachio, this was really tasty. Lastly, we finished with the dark chocolate and pistachio cake, which was perfection. I was worried it might be too sweet, but it was perfectly balanced! The atmosphere of the restaurant was lively and fun, while the service was perfect. I also loved that the owners are around and make the rounds checking in on people and their experience, which just made it that much more fun. I would highly recommend and can't wait to go back! read more

Jaji - Drinks - Afghan Near Me - Oakland, California

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Stopped by Jaji for drinks and it had such a nice vibe. It was a great spot to relax over drinks and the atmosphere was very inviting. The location is convenient and an easy stop before continuing the night. read more

Lively spot for Afghan food in an easily accessible area in Oakland. The inside is stunning but more importantly, the food is fantastic. Everything was full of flavor and satisfying. The Bonjon Borani was a surprising favorite. Looking forward to coming back! read more

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Visited Jaji for a birthday dinner on Afc Sunday. The restaurant is located within a large space with tall ceiling and windows, thoughtfully dressed in bright orange-yellow and earthy green. Mosaic of colors - a cloudy lime-green cocktail made with gin, quince liqueur, rum, snap peas and lemon. The drink was well-balanced, mildly citrusy, not too sweet with an almost ginseng like taste that grows on you. Portion was quite small. ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍aromatic toast ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍sesame woven ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍ ‍‍‍‍pomegranate tears My Jigar was the first dish on the table: brioche brushed with pate, woven with sesame seeds, vadouvan caramelized onion, pomegranate seeds and pine nuts. This colorful combination was crunch-worthy, the softness of brioche cake-like. We find the bread slightly dry but could not stop eating, polishing it off in short order. Afc Chicken tasted like an improved Kfc with a middle eastern twist: with tender meat and crunch. However, the crust fell apart all too easily. Yogurt Chicken Kebob offered turmeric taste. The kebob itself was under-salted and must be eaten with the topping/lavash for a satisfying bite. Chicken was perfectly cooked, retaining its moisture. Dark Chocolate Pistachio Cake was an immaculate dessert: thoughtfully constructed with Pistachio Semi-Freddo layering over a decadent dark chocolate torte base. The pistachio presence was delectable, with the phyllo crunch and kataifi imparting texture and visual intrigue. Street parking was challenging even on a sunday. read more

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I took a family party of 6 to Jaji and they all loved the food, drinks and service. The best dish was surprising to me! It was the Pekoza (fried mushrooms, black seed, chutney-chickpea spread, turmeric oil). The crunch, texture, and flavor was sublime. I'd go back for that and the BLUE TULIP cocktail made from: El Tesoro Tequila, Midori, Alma Finca, Pistachio Orgeat and Lime! I was pleased they didn't tack on a service fee or mandatory tip. A touch of class, much appreciated and reciprocated with our free will generosity. read more

Jaji - Cocktails! 6 person toast! - Afghan Near Me - Oakland, California

Heading out for a date night, we landed at Jaji ~ what an absolutely beautiful restaurant. Wow! I've walked and driven by this restaurant for some time, and we finally had the opportunity to sit down and enjoy a meal + drinks here. We made a reservations ahead of time and were seated for dinner. We ordered the Bolani Triangles and Shola-Qorooti Croquettes to star and cocktails. For our main, we went with the Yogurt Chicken Kabobs and a side of Narenj Pallow (saffron rice). Cocktail-wise we tried the Red Henna, Black Ink and the Pashtunwali #1. For the second course we ordered the Estrella Galicia Lagers. There's also a happy hour drink and bar bites menu in the bar & lounge area. Looks like those hours are geared towards 5-6:30p. Jaji shares 'they are a modern progressive take on Afghan cuisine and a modern love letter to Afghanistan.' The same owners have a sister restaurant also in Oakland called Parche off Broadway which serves contemporary Colombian cuisine. All in all, our meal was delicious and esthetically pretty. So many layers to our meal and deep flavors and a thoughtful approach. We were headed to a show or we would have probably ordered more. Def looking forward to exploring more from the menu like the picture worthy Osso Buco and dessert :) The cocktail menu is worthy of a trip in itself, and event space is equally as gorgeous. What a win for downtown Oakland! We took a ride-share as parking seems to be a bit tricky, although there are metered lots nearby. read more

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This was my first time eating at an Afghan restaurant, and I was thoroughly impressed by both the food and the ambiance. Jaji was located just around the corner from my hotel in Oakland, so I decided to make this my first stop for dinner while visiting. It happened to be Galentine's Day so they had some fun themed specials, a henna artist, and a belly dancer performing that night. I grabbed a seat at the bar and the bartender was social and quick to serve. It was still happy hour with a bar bites menu that is exclusive to bar guests. Since I was dining alone, I decided that ordering some small bar plates was the best course of action so that I could try more menu items. I was intentional about saving room for dessert because that was the main event I came for after seeing photos, but I'll get to that in a minute. I started with the Blue Tulip cocktail which has tequila and a pistachio orgeat (very tasty), as well as the smash'd lamb sliders & the bolani triangles which is one of their most popular appetizers. Both dishes were delicious, and the green chutney that comes with the triangles is phenomenal. I wish I could put that sauce on everything. I was hoping to try some of their kabobs, but sadly I was already getting full and still holding out for the real star of the show -- the dark chocolate pistachio cake (see photo). Wow, this dessert definitely lives up to the hype and while it was very rich & indulgent for one person to enjoy, I have zero regrets. I truly cannot wait to return to Jaji the next time I'm in the Oakland area! read more

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I came here with the larger group around 12. First starters the service wasn't great. The waitress repeatedly skipped over me when taking orders; it felt very intentional. As a vegetarian, I wish that they had more options for main courses for vegetarians. However, the starters were decent. Overall, I would give them 3.5 stars. read more

This was my wife and my first time experiencing Afghan cuisine, and it did not disappoint. We are both big fans of Parche, so had a certain level of expectation going into this meal. Safe to say, my expectations were exceeded, as every plate was just as beautiful as the interior design. We sampled many grilled meats, but don't sleep on the mushroom pakora! Oh and it's very accommodating of dietary restrictions, as my wife has a gf diet, which was easy to navigate on the clearly labeled menu. Dessert was excellent too. 5 stars, will return! read more

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Such a beautiful place! I had been to this space before when it was still a French restaurant. The interior design is gorgeous, love the huge windows, decor, and tucked away booths. Their playlist is fire too, good music can really set a place off and love how they play afrobeats. The space itself is pretty big with an area in the back for private events as well. Came in a party of 3 on a Wednesday evening and there was zero wait, the place was like 50% full. Our server let us know it would be a little bit of a wait for the food because we wanted everything out at the same time and they had a large private event in the back. To both of our surprise, all of the food came out really quickly. We ordered the - salata: refreshing, I think it's the only all fresh veg item on the menu. Seasoned really well and not dressing heavy. - bolani triangles: loveddd the jalapeno green sauce on the side and ended up using it on basically everything we ordered, solid bolani but open to trying other things on the menu next time - bonjon bolani: my fav item! I love eggplant and this was so creamy and flavorful - my jigar: came out as one big brioche piece which was unexpected, the brioche to liver mousse ratio was quite off so it was really intense/really salty (but that's better than too much bread instead I guess) - lamb shank: same issue kind of as the my jigar, the lamb is incredibly tender and I loved the flavor, rly unique, but it also was pretty salty for my table and next time would definitely recommend ordering an extra side of rice to even it out, huge portion of meat and definitely worth it - lavash: made in house, helped because the my jigar and lamb shank needed some more carb to balance out the saltyness - pistachio chocolate "cake" (semifreddo): super decadent, the pistachio part was not my favorite flavor, wish it was more natural (reminded me of pistachio extract) but the rest of my table enjoyed it, the chocolate layer is like pure fudge, definitely understand the appeal. Such a gorgeous restaurant and service was great! Food came quickly and their drink menu was super fun too. We all loved the cocktails we ordered and I appreciate that the servers let you know that it's family style and they recommend how many dishes to order too. Wish I could leave a 4.5 star to be honest because the saltyness from a couple of the dishes definitely threw me off, but this place is overall amazing. Perfect for date nights, special occasions, and large parties. Hoping that they get more attention soon and looking forward to coming back and introducing Jaji to friends! read more

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Delicious appetizers and cocktails, but the mains were just OK. The meal was off to a very good start. The restaurant has a very nice trendy atmosphere. The drinks and appetizers created a good first impression. Both the bolani triangles and the croquettes made for some very delicious bites. Where things didn't quite hit the spot were with the mains. Both the marinated chicken and the chapli were disappointing relative to more traditional versions you can get at less expensive places. My recommendation, come with a group or a with a date but try a bunch of appetizers rather than going for the mains. read more

Went here for date night and had a lovely experience. It was pretty dark inside but bright enough. Our waitress was super friendly and welcoming. We started off with the chicken liver pate, had some steak skewers, and finished our meal with the branzino (definitely the highlight and came with so many sides!) Would definitely come back to try some of their other plates :) read more

Jaji - Chicken liver pate, steak skewers - Afghan Near Me - Oakland, California

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We had an exceptional experience dining here tonight! The only draw back was the valet parking not being able from the hotel! Food was well prepared and service was attentive. We will be back soon. read more

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Went to Jaji for a work team dinner and had a really great meal. This was my first time eating Afghan food, so I can't speak to authenticity, but it was a very impressive introduction. We had a set menu, and pretty much everything was delicious. The bolani triangles were a great start, the eggplant dish was especially good, and both the New York strip skewer and lamb shank were standouts. The trout was also excellent, and dessert ended things on a high note. My only miss was the lychee martini with a yogurt wash. It wasn't terrible, just a little strange and not really for me. Overall, Jaji felt like a great spot for a group dinner: flavorful food, polished atmosphere, and a menu that made my first Afghan meal memorable. I'd definitely go back. read more

Jaji - Saffron ice cream - Afghan Near Me - Oakland, California

Came here for my mom's birthday, and I thought they'd do something special like they did for the table next to me but that's okay, may have to ask for it :) Food was great, alittle overpriced but you are paying more for the experience and ambience here which was beautiful. All the flavors were great, and the fish was my favorite. The service was also great as well. read more

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This was a great restaurant with a beautiful interior and great food. Perfect for a date night. I also really enjoyed the pottery! We got the lamb and it was absolutely delicious and the star of the show. read more

Great experience at Jaji for a weekday dinner. Def recommend for a night out with friends or a date night to impress! Portions were nice, service was excellent and overall love the vibe of the place. This is a new restaurant open for a handful of months. Some feedback: -Bolani & Croquettes were impeccable. Croquette was elevated yet had very warming feeling at the same time, perfect amount of breading and a lovely brunch to compliment the inside -Chutney was beyond delicious & very intentionally balanced - Chapli beef was yummy & flavorful however slightly too much onion inside of the meat. -Gosfand Lamb was delicious, however the other elements of the dish seemed delicious on their own, just not as cohesive as I was hoping. The harrissa cream tasted delicious with the veggies, however did not compliment the lamb too much. Also not much Harissa flavor and slightly overwhelming cuming flavor read more

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Loved every dishes! Food is very good here. The drinks are okay: I didn't end up liking my drink. Food: - Pekora: sesame mushroom tempura. One of our favorite dishes we tried. Love the idea of using sesame seed in the tempura batter. - ducktu: duck dumpling with miso ginger consommé. Broth is very light. We do like the dishes, but not sure if five dumplings worth 30 dollars tho($5 for each dumplings) - chicken tikka kabob: chicken is tender and juicy. Love the peach chutney(has a some spice to it too!). - branzino: large portion good to share with 2 people. It's also paired with sour orange saffron rice and Jalebi(my first time trying!) - saffron ice cream: lactose friendly! It uses coconut milk instead of regular milk. Light and not overly sweet. - dark chocolate pistachio cake: a lot of texture because of kataifi. The chocolate is tasty and very rich. Drinks: - sparks like star: vodka, lychee, lime, yogurt wash etc... it's not as fruity as I expected. It's a pretty strong fermented yogurt flavor. Not my cup of tea. -red henna, black ink: gin, turmeric- ginger, soda etc... love the use of turmeric. I ended up liking this drink more. * take advantage of the garage valet parking( only $10 per hour). It's a lot cheaper than the garage we parked at. read more

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The food is excellent, the drinks are memorable, the staff obliging, and the atmosphere... tolerably moody? We got comped an additional appetizer but otherwise the portioning is intuitive and you can leave just sated enough without much mental strain. read more

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Had a lovely date night here! The ambiance and service are wonderful. We enjoyed the bolani triangles, croquettes, eggplant dish, chicken kabobs, saffron rice, and pistachio flourless cake. Loved the bolani triangles and croquettes! The chicken kabobs were a bit disappointing as was the saffron rice. The pistachio chocolate dessert was wonderful and so unique! Prices are reasonable and the cocktail menu looked good. Would return for the vibes and perhaps to try more meat items! Love that it is halal too! read more

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I could eat the chicken liver mousse and eggplant dishes all day long. The meat was a little chewy for me on both the wagyu patty and chicken skewer. I probably wouldn't order those again, but I thought they were interesting to try. The octopus dish was pretty all right; I liked the flavors but the texture of the octopus threw me off - it was almost too tender? Maybe because it was tender and also very small. Overall, I felt the mouthfeel and bite of the meat dishes weren't what I expected. However, I have very little experience with Afghan cuisine. I love Kamdesh (also in Oakland, but not fusion, nor high end) and that's the bar I measure against. I like the pistachio cake, lots of textures. Thought the cheesecake was OK. Fantastic service from hostess to server to the manager. Friendly and attentive, and just very human. Loved the booth table we got too, allowed our group to catch up since it was more private and quiet in that cozy area of the restaurant. We parked a couple of blocks away at a Douglas garage that was only $5 for the evening. However, if I come back I'd do valet with the hotel. I would come back again for drinks, the small bites dishes, dessert, and the vibes. read more

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If I could eat Jaji everyday.. I definitely would. Saying the food was delicious would be an understatement. The food came out fresh and piping hot, packed with flavor and a beautiful presentation. The lamb was cooked to perfection, melting with each bite. And the chicken was so juicy! The interior was beautifully decorated (albeit got a bit loud) with large open spaces and plenty of seating. Would highly recommend getting a reservation and trying at your next opportunity! read more

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Love the ambiance here, vibrant colors, good music vibes, and overall chic space. The service is some of the best we've had. Very attentive without getting in the way of good conversation. We told them at the beginning we couldn't have nuts so when a dish came out with pistachios they didn't even blink before making us a new one. The trout was tasty and the chicken kebabs were divine. Mushroom pakoras were unique, a little greasy and salty for us. The dips and flat breads were great. It all could've used a bit of a kick, the food was not spicy at all. But we asked for chili flakes and that helped. For anyone with nut allergies: they seem to do a good job not cross contaminating in the kitchen because my daughter has moderate nut allergies but didn't experience any symptoms from any of the 4 dishes we ate. read more

This is one of our favorite restaurants in the east bay! The ambience had a great vibe and the food was incredible. Each dish was delicious and our servers were nice and attentive. Our favorites were the Bolani Triangles, the cilantro chutney was so good, the eggplant was also a stand out for its texture and flavor. read more

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Visited on a Thursday around 5:30pm, restaurant had a few other guests but plenty of open space, was able to grab a seat upon arrival. As the evening progressed tables did fill up so get there early to avoid a wait or consider making a reservation if you want to eat around 7pm. Drinks: Saffron Martini - an interesting take on a martini, golden yellow in color, subtle sweetness, had a slight bitter aftertaste, unique but probably wouldn't get again French 75 - swapped brandy for gin, very nice light and refreshing, great balance of lemon, sparkling wine and botanical from the gin Singapore sling - great, not too swee,t good balance between the cherry, pineapple and lime with a bit of bubbly, probably my favorite from the evening Food: Bolani Triangles - very good, crispy pastry filled with seasoned mashed potatoes, peas and fava beans, the green chutney was the perfect compliment which added a fresh herbaceous note and touch of sweet and tanginess Pekora - battered mushrooms that were fried and served with a creamy smear of a yogurt like sauce, mushroom were fried crisp but pieces were very large and heavily battered, was expecting smaller more delicate lacey pieces, flavor was good but texture was a bit disappointing Gosfand - grilled lamb chops served with some baby carrots and radishes along with an herb salad, lamb was cooked perfectly, tender juicy with char from the grill, salad added a nice freshness, carrots were well seasoned and crisp tender, didn't love the radishes but personal preference there Dark chocolate pistachio cake - beautifully presented, chocolate portion was almost like a firm set fudge, pistachios ice cream was creamy with faint notes of pistachio, a very rich dessert, dense and heavy for my taste Service was excellent, staff was warm and welcoming with extensive knowledge of the menu and had great recommendations. Water was refilled throughout the meal, very attentive and we'll paced. Also there happened to be a blackout but service did not miss a beat, truly impressed by service here. Overall enjoyed Jaji, a great addition to Oakland, the bolani triangles and the lamb were the star of the show, cocktails were pretty good as well. Definitely worth a visit. read more

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My friends and I had a wonderful dinner at this restaurant the other night. We tried some delicious, unique and innovative cocktails. All the dishes that we ordered were so yummy! Our server was so friendly and attentive. This restaurant is worth to try and I definitely will come back! read more

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They use the name Afghan but their food is not Halal. Bunch of Muslim co- workers were excited to visit then we found it that it's not halal restaurant read more

Jaji is a solid dinner option for people living or working in Uptown Oakland. My colleagues and I (four of us) came here to share the daal salad, bolani triangles, pekora (mushroom tempura), chapli wagyu beef and the Cornish hen. There were hits (salad, bolani triangles, wagyu beef), a miss (the tempura batter on the pekora was a bit thick) and the Cornish hen was just OK. Service was good. I love the lay-out and vibe of the restaurant. With tax and tip, this was around $50-$60 per person - a good price for a casual dinner with friends or coworkers. It's definitely worth a try. read more

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Good food, good service, nice ambiance. We went at 6:30 on a weeknight, and got in without a reservation, but it got very busy shortly after that. Even when it was busy, we had no trouble hearing each other, and the round table they gave us was the perfect size. I didn't think I was very hungry, but I ended up eating almost as much as my two friends did! Everything is family style, so best to come with a group. We got several dishes, two glasses of wine, and two mocktails, and the total bill was $200 before tip. Not a cheap night out. The mocktail was too sweet for my friend, so they brought her a bottle of sparkling water to dilute it. The lamb and chicken kabobs were both fantastic, but small dishes. As I've always found the afghan food, the marinade makes all the difference, so the meat was very tender and flavorful. My friend particularly liked the crispy chicken skin, too. The dal salad was probably the least interesting, and it's served cold, which I didn't expect. Wouldn't order that again unless I was with someone who couldn't eat anything else on the menu. The liver mousse was ok, the brioche was great, but I would've preferred if it had more pomegranate. I've had similar dishes elsewhere, and this wasn't the best version I've had. We split everything, including a slice of the dark chocolate pistachio "cake", which is actually a semifreddo on top of a hunk of chocolate, topped with crunchy noodles and more chocolate, and we all loved it. One note to the server: don't try to blatantly upsell us. Warning us repeatedly how small the dishes are, etc. is transparent and annoying. The other staff were friendly and helpful without being pushy, and I'd definitely go back. read more

Jaji is worth it! The vibes are as distinct as the menu items. Both are also beautiful in presentation. As for the taste, everything we ordered was delicious. Service was also excellent. I came with a group of 3 other girlfriends around the time they first opened and I have a reservation for 10 in January because I have such a high regard for this place. Note that parking can get tricky so come early. read more

Jaji is a wonderful addition to Oakland's vibrant food scene. It provides a modern twist to Afghan food and in a very high quality level. We had the lamb shank, the croquettes, and the salad. Everything was amazing. Then we had the dark chocolate cake, the saffron ice cream(!!!), and cappuccinos. Do not skip dessert!! Our tastebuds were delighted, our stomachs were full and our eyes were deeply satisfied. The atmosphere is relaxed and extremely diverse. I've been here twice and this is my experience both times. The interior decor is sumptuous. Service is attentive and our waiter really knows how to explain the menu. Make sure you get reservations, and be aware that you will have a penalty if you don't cancel in advance. read more

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Delicious food and truly creative and well-mixed cocktails. The saffron really comes through in the martini! Would like to see that sort of creativity in serving vegetarian mains. Nice ambiance and decor, clean bathrooms. Service was good overall, but my vegetarian appetizers only showed up after my friend's meat main courses! read more

Your Outside Lands food was absolutely superb, bonus was the great and friendly staff.

Recently tired Jaji and everything was delicious! The restaurant itself was beautiful, and seems to be a great spot no matter the size of your group. We did family style (4 people), which was easy to do with the dishes. We ordered the following: Mama's Daal Salad, Bolani Triangles, Pakora, Chapli Wagu Beef (Kabobs), and Qarot and the Hen. For dessert we got the Fisnee Ice Cream and the Dark Chocolate and Pistachio Cake (this was my favorite!, Dubai Chocolate inspired, so good!) The staff were all so kind and welcoming. They also let us bring in a birthday cake and hold it in their fridge, then served it for us, which was great. The restaurant owners checked in on our table and chatted with us for a while. They were so kind, it was so lovely to meet them and learn more about Jaji. Will definitely come back! read more

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We just stumbled on this place while in Oakland for the evening and how lucky are we. Colombian husband and Afghan wife team apparently. Delicious food, adorable decor, wonderful vibes, and the sweetest server in Camilla! Our favorites were the bonbon borani (eggplant dish) and the mantu (beef dumplings.). Both unique and great layered flavor! Thank you for a perfect date night. (And if you want to start Sri Lankan and Ukrainian sister restaurants next please let us know. :) read more

Jaji - Small bites menu - Afghan Near Me - Oakland, California

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Jaji is a wonderful addition to the Oakland food scene, presenting a modern take on Afghan cuisine (but definitely emphasizing higher-end ingredients - wagyu (the bastardized American kind, not the Japanese one) features prominently. The diversity of options on the menu is impressive, especially for a restaurant this new; there's a clear vision in the kitchen, and everything from the service to the ambience compliments the vision well. So why four stars? Some of the dishes missed the mark, notably a very dull duck dumpling dish that missed the verve that duck often carries. There's still a lot of potential, and a few more months and this might end up on some of the critic lists the kitchen deserves. read more

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Gorgeous restaurant with great service. I haven't had much afghan food so I enjoyed trying out some of the dishes at Jaji. It is definitely on the pricier side in my opinion, but there were a few memorable dishes. We ordered the duck dumplings, fried mushrooms, wagyu skewers, trout, and finished off with basque cheesecake as dessert. The dumplings were alright but gamey and we felt that the consommé was a bit bland and didn't add much to the dish. I was surprised at the price of $30 for 5 small dumplings. Fried mushrooms were the standout, great lentil sauce that comes with it. Wagyu skewers were tender. Trout was also on the pricier side and the saffron rice didn't have as much flavor as expected. The crispy thing on top was delicious though, I would definitely eat a whole bowl of that. We had asked to pack half the fish to go, but I think there was some misunderstanding because we never got our food back, so bummer that basically $30 of fish went to waste. Overall worth the try, but not sure if I'll come back since I wasn't completely blown away by any dish other than the mushrooms and the pricing was a bit steep for what we were getting. read more

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We chose this Afghani fine-dining restaurant to celebrate our anniversary, and it was a lovely experience overall. The menu shines with its variety of small plates, making it fun to try multiple dishes. The bologna triangles and mushroom tempura really hit the mark. The borani bonjon (eggplant dish) was comforting and nicely done. The chicken skewer/kebab was good, though it could benefit from a bit more seasoning. The pistachio chocolate cake was outstanding -- incredibly rich, indulgent, and not to be missed. We also ordered the Basque cheesecake to go; it had a very unique flavor profile and was my first time trying it. The staff made our anniversary extra special by offering bubbly on the house, which was such a thoughtful gesture. The ambiance is beautiful and refined, perfect for a celebration. Parking was quite expensive (our first time dining in Oakland) read more

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