I was there with my family 8**# people's It was my nephew's graduation from medical school and the restaurant environment is nice and beautiful, but the food and the services was very bad. The rice was not fresh at all and the portion amounts was very small which is we asked the waitress and she said it's a family tree we have and when they brought the family tray it was looks like it's for a one person I wasn't happy at all nobody wasn't happy. I am Afghan and I know how to cook my food and and I know which one is a good food or bad food or fresh so it was a very bad experience. I'm not going there anymore because the costs was it's almost $700 but the services the food was sucks. read more

Food is good, service and ambiance are great. It's just real pricey. If you have money to ball out and like to try new things, you'll probably enjoy it. With drinks and a shared dessert, spent over $200 for 2 people. Highlight of the meal was the the sparks like stars cocktail - very unique and tasty. read more

Jaji - Afghan Near Me - Oakland, California

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We had an outstanding meal at Jaji tonight. We had 4 of the 5 appetizers and both lamb dishes and everything was absolutely wonderful. The restaurant is also gorgeous, really gorgeous. A fantastic nice night out! read more

We just had dinner at Jaji. It's been on my must try list for some time. Let me tell you! It did not disappoint! Everything that came was perfection I tell ya! Service was great. Place is huge and they had a booth for my little family. My kids be going crazy so I wanted to be out of the way. The lamb was to die for. Everyone's favorite read more

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Delicious and authentic Afghani cuisine. Beef and chicken skewers were great! Lamb chops were delicious and cooked to perfection. Many different vegetarian options as well. The cocktails also were a big hit with us. The ambiance was great, and had awesome vibes! Staff was very helpful in explaining the menu. read more

My new favorite restaurant! The drinks and food are all so delicious. All the lamb plates are perfection. Ambiance and service are 10/10. I recommend this place to everyone. Keep it up! read more

First things first, walking in the place looks amazing with all the details and ambiance. The lighting the bar and the seating areas. The staff is very friendly and welcoming. They take time answering questions about the menu and make excellent recommendations on the food options. The food came out in beautifully prepared and delicious. We had a wonderful time and this is a must spot to add to your list of new places to enjoy some authentic cuisine. read more

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Jaji is amazing! The service from the front door was professional. The colors and table setup were cute and open with customers sitting and chatting together. Once we were seating, they brought cold water right away and our server made sure to go over the menu. The bolani triangles with the green chutney was delicious. We asked our server to bottle up that chutney because it is THAT GOOD! We were then offered mama's daal as they had an extra and of course we said yes. If you are ordering the big bites, make sure you try the lamb shank as it's a huge portion that is perfect to share with folks. Lastly, if you have enough space left, order from the tea menu if you're a real tea drinker (so good). read more

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Food is more like top of style at this restaurant. great ambience and even great or drinks. I ended up coming here a few times already in the last six months. Their menu is set the same the ambience I feel like it's a great date night or gno. The servers were very kind. They did an excellent job letting us know what each item was and how much food was good enough for our party. My personal opinion, I did not actually like the lamb kebab. I actually really enjoyed the steak kebab and I'm not really a steak person. Please be aware there is a hard time finding parking so allow at least 10 to 15 minutes before he reservations just find parking the areas are very busy downtown Oakland area. read more

Jaji - Afghan Near Me - Oakland, California

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Great addition to Oakland. The food was great, but the staff were the real stars. They were very personable and gave great recommendations. The chicken liver mousse toast was to die for and the turmeric martini was a perfect pairing. I can't wait to stop back in for my next show at the Fox. read more

Jaji - Afghan Near Me - Oakland, California

i have nothing but great things to say about this place. food - 10/10 ambiance - 10/10 staff - 10/10 drinks - 10/10 as a brown woman i am so happy this place feels authentic and actually tastes good. it's refreshing to see a fine dining experience with our food and culture that has an elevated twist. the food has so much flavor and each dish has unique flavor patterns. drinks are great and are inspired by the region. this is great for a birthday, date, or GNO. AMAZING read more

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This was my first time having Afghan food and I have to say, I left very satisfied. I started off with the Saffron Martini, a tequila base cocktail. It was so interesting and delicate at the same time. Our bartender/server, Devon, definitely knew his stuff. We had the triangles, pekora, and the croquettes. All were so delicious! The only thing was that they were all fried. I do wish the menu had maybe a couple of vegetable options besides a lentil salad, which we ended up ordering. We ended the evening with the lamb kabobs, which were OUTSTANDING! read more

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Fun for drinks. Good bartenders. Decent selection. I would work on their spacing. though. There are some tight spaces here that should be redesigned. read more

My husband brought me to this place. The ambiance is nice, music in the background and the high ceiling makes it very attractive. No reservation, but we were seated right away. Small plates , tasty food and good drinks. Overall good experience. read more

Jaji is outstanding! Besides the breathtaking interior, the staff is friendly and efficient. I sat at the bar with some of my girlfriends and we were able to try a decent amount drinks and food. Although I only got a picture of dessert which was a decadent dark chocolate and pistachio cake. It was incredible but I recommend sharing because it's so rich! The kebabs were a crowd pleaser and easy to share. The croquettes were perfectly crispy. Definitely want to come back to try more! read more

Jaji - Chocolate pistachio cake - Afghan Near Me - Oakland, California

Really great service and delicious food! The croquettes are a must get (two orders). The duck dumplings and the eggplant starters were delicious. Ordered a sampler of their skewers, beef patties, etc--all of it was excellent. They provide a complimentary dessert for my sister's bday. Really nice interior decoration and the hand soap they had smelled amazing. Would definitely go back. read more

Mixed impressions. The service, decor, and look are all amazing. But the food? Eh.... Let me preface that I haven't had afghan before. This was my first time trying all these dishes We ordered 4 dishes: the grilled octopus, chicken liver pate, bonjon boran (eggplant), and lamb lollipops. The dishes were all beautiful, but the taste was too strong except for the egg plant . The octopus had too much citrus, the flavor profile of the pate was overpowering (spicy, salty, sweet, and again citrus), and the lamb was too salty. Especially disappointed in the lamb because the asides from the saltiness, chili marinade was otherwise was delicious. It pains me to write this because the service was impeccable (Bij was great and knowledgeable), and the decor is so colorful and beautiful. Maybe it tastes better with alcohol read more

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My husband and I came here for a late Valentine's Day dinner. Made reservations for 5pm on a Saturday which they were able to seat us right away. A plus. The menu contains contemporary Afghan food. Ambiance is really nice. We ordered: Squash Bolani 5/10 squash was mushy like baby food with not really any flavor, dough was good Sabzi pastry type of dish 8/10 was good, but couldn't taste the Sabzi, the cheese and pastry over powered it. Something I would have for breakfast or brunch not for dinner, it didn't mash well with the other food. Lamb with mastawa ( sticky rice) - 6/10 mastawa was good just like any other traditional Afghan mastawa, the lamb was cooked very nice but it was lacking spices and garlic. If they can add more spices and garlic to it this dish will easily be atleast a 9/10. Wagyu Chapli kabob 4/10 - I honestly couldn't taste the wagyu and the chapli spices needed to be crushed I could literally taste chunks of spices in my mouth and it was hard chewing it. Non alcoholic white wine - 1/10 just no Mocktail that had pomegranate - 3/10 flavor was nice but they served in such a small cup for $15 dollars not worth it in my opinion. Overall this place is ok...it's not something the blew me away. It's just Lacking flavor. But if you don't mind that, you might like it. Idk, I really wanted to like it due to it being the bay's first modern Afghan restaurant and the ambiance was very nice. But for them to get return customers they need to improve the taste, because in the bay we are blessed with such great food. read more

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The ambiance and space is airy and stylish. We sat at the bar and liked the bartender / waiter's friendliness and suggestions. For small bites we got the liver toast which wasn't too liver-y and had a nice combination of flavors. We also got the croquettes and they were nice and soft on the inside and crunchy outside. We got the tikka kebab and that was cooked just right and meat was juicy. We got two desserts - basque cheesecake and flourless chocolate. Both were delicious, and both had dense parts paired with other textured components making great bites. The plating for desserts was pretty. read more

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This is one is the most difficult reviews I had to write about. The restaurant is tastefully decorated . The service was good but not great. Our server who took our took our order was visibly unhappy that we weren't going to order alcoholic beverages. They didn't offer Diet Coke either. I ended up ordering a sparkling water and my wife stuck with regular water. The other server that was bringing the food was friendly and responsive while the first guy would simply disappear. I get that this is a fusion and it takes some of the Afghan dishes with a new twist to make it an elevated dish, but the twist are not adding to the dish instead taking something away. The Bolani triangles was tasty but give that you can can 10x the portion in any afghan restaurant, that was over priced. The kebab is best described as yakitori, it definitely lacked the spices that make Afghan food unique. I also questioned It if it's truly Wagu. The Ducktu is a variation of Mantu. What makes Mantu uniquely Afghan is the yogurt and meat sauce otherwise it's a wonton, and the miso ginger definitely took away from the dish. The Chapli Kabob was very dry. The kabuli with the Cornish game hen was the most authentic and best dish of the menu. The trout looked great but at $70 we skipped it. I like that they are trying something new but it must add to the dish. Like the Chutney which with a hint of sugar had been elevated to a new height. read more

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Ambiance is great. Food even better. Surprised how lively it was on a random weekday evening.

One of the best new restaurants in Oakland. Everything was delicious but the bolani triangles and Branzino will be in my dreams for a while now. I cannot wait to go back and try even more! read more

Came here for dinner with a friend who was vegetarian and had a fabulous time! Everything from the service, to food and ambiance were top notch and smooth. We were welcomed upon arrival, taken to our table, and were ogling at the beautiful decor- the stunning drapery, tablas, and pottery behind the bar. Our server was informative and reminded us that, while only the shared plates were vegetarian, they are all unique and filling. We ended up order a glass of wine, the zira gold (phenomenal cocktail!!) , bolani triangles, mushroom pekora, mama's dal, and the mung bean croquettes. The mama's dal, chutney served with the bolani triangles, and croquettes were a highlight and reminded me of home cooking in my Indian household. Additionally, each dish was as aesthetically pleasing as it was tasty. We thoroughly enjoyed every dish and wish we had space for dessert. We walked by the open kitchen and the desserts looked like works of art! We wrapped up our night and knew this would become a new favorite. I didn't get our waiter's name, but he was extremely attentive. The rest of the staff that came by with dishes each provided a description of each dish, which we appreciated. I cant wait to stop by again and try desserts and the kabob! read more

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Jaji might just be one of the top 5 spots in Oakland right now. The vibe hits you the moment you walk in--visually stunning, with music that sets the tone for a perfect night out. It's stylish, energetic, and welcoming. The drinks were a highlight. I ordered the *Blue Tulip*, and it was incredibly refreshing and delicious. I ended up having two, and let's just say I was very thankful we were walking home--those cocktails are no joke! The starters menu is full of tempting options. We chose the *Pekora* and the *Ducktu*. The Pekora was easily one of the best fried mushroom dishes I've ever had--it seriously tasted like chicken. I kept checking the inside to make sure I wasn't being tricked. Easily a favorite of the night. The Ducktu was solid; my partner enjoyed it more than I did. We also tried the *Wagyu Skewers*, which were cooked to perfection. The steak was so tender it melted in our mouths. Finally, the *Lamb Lollipops* were absolutely incredible. Perfectly grilled with a flavorful char, and the juicy, tender lamb was next-level. The entire experience was exceptional--we left so happy we gave Jaji a try. Can't wait to come back. Top 5, no doubt. read more

As an Afghan, this place goes against everything the Afghan culture stands for . They serve the absolute most basic Afghan food with the cheapest food cost and charge a premium with portions that are so small, it's insulting . The flavors are mid at best. I just spent $169 for food that would fit on one plate . Also , I am not a big eater at all. In most places I share a plate with whomever I am with and hardly ever finish . AVOID this place . The Shola bites were the last straw . Nothing like getting 30 cents worth of food cost for $10 . This is not fine dining . It's so basic . Its village food dressed up and reduced . Rename this place Jirt read more

Everything was great. A truly lovely setting. I'll go back. And we went to its sister restaurant the next day. Also excellent.

The ambiance is warm, lively and classy! I started off with a saffron martini. It was not sweet at all btw! Loved it. The bolani and kabobs I tried were very well seasoned and flavorful. read more

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This place has just become my go to spot in Oakland. Wow!! Genius technique to bring traditional flavors together in innovative tastes and combinations. Any lamb dish is outstanding in flavor profile and tenderness. The small bites could easily be your meal by ordering several. If the cabbage is on the menu, be sure to order it. Mind blowing. I loved this setting as a restaurant when it was Occitania and it is still beautiful. Comfortable,warm and inviting. Our server was incredible. Knowledgeable and friendly with great suggestions on pairing and amounts. The dishes are meant to be shared, that said, the portions are suitable for one person. I can't wait to go back. read more

We go to many Afghan restaurants and I was under the impression that this was similar to other Afghani restaurants that I have been to! First of all, I ordered Qabuli pallow which is Afghan's signature dish! Not even close to as good as qabuli pallow I've had before! It was awful taste with 0 flavor that took 20 minutes to bring to our table! I thought I was gonna get an amazing dish! Presentation was nice but that's it and this was with chicken ( hen), the rice was inside the hen with waaaay too much salt and barely any pallow spice flavor. This $50 plate was not worth ordering at all! The Chapoli was bland and too much salt as well. I really wanted to give this s place a good review but food with minimal menu option and kabobs are definitely not the once we've tasted in our other favorite restaurants like De Afghanan in Walnut Creek or San Ramon restaurants! No flavor at all. Service was great tho but Food was disappointing. The main dishes were awful with no flavor! We spent $200 for poor quality meat and taste! NOT EVEN CLOSE TO AFGHAN FOOD FLAVOR!!!OVER PRICED, SMALL PORTIONS AND POOR MEAT QUALITY!! read more

Was so excited to finally dine here last night with our group of friends. Jaji has been on my list since opening and I feel like my soft expectations were blown away. The ambience is beautifully decorated with a lot of care put into the details. Really great for a nice dinner or date night. I really enjoyed the ducktu dumplings, shola-garooti croquettes. The entire table really loved the trout and chapli wagyu beef. For drinks, my favorite was the Not your grandma's chai. I also really enjoyed the chocolate pistachio cake. I don't have the biggest sweet tooth to be honest, but this was such a well balanced dessert in terms of sweetness and cream and I definitely went in for second helpings (which never happens for me with chocolate cake). Service was incredible-Daniel our server was so kind and awesome, providing us with all the great recommendations and checking in with us periodically. Looking forward to coming back and checking out their restaurant, pop-up chef events, and speakeasy (!) read more

Jaji - Trout and saffron rice - Afghan Near Me - Oakland, California

Instagram brought me here lol After 5 total disappointments of restaurant recommendations from foodie influencers. I had given up on trying their suggestions, I thought I should expand my horizons with a fusion cuisine of Afghan delicacies. Never had I ever had such flavors I started with the Bolani, the fried onion on top added amazing flavor. I also had the Tekka WAGYU kabob, I don't know if I can ever have regular kabob again lol I thought I was done till the party next to me ordered a mushroom pekora dish that looked good, so I had to order that too. Service and ambience was great too, all of the staff were very knowledgeable about the food too! I can imagine this place with a Michelin or read more

Jaji - Afghan Near Me - Oakland, California

What a treat to eat at Jaji! When so many restaurants have completely forgotten what it means to provide delicious, thoughtful food AND exceptional service, this restaurant is a cut above. My partner and I went for restaurant week and for $65 per person it was really a lovely experience. I got the vegan version of the menu (highly recommend- I'm not vegan and it was so good!) The shared dips with multiple breads was a perfect start, followed by two flat samosa tasting triangles which were also great. Then I got two (large!) amazing multi lentil falafels and my partner got the traditional menu chicken kebab (so delicious and moist!). Then you get another course of Mediterranean type meatballs and rice for the traditional menu and I received the best charred cabbage of my life (literally never eat cabbage or even want to but this dish - I just can't even explain how good it was - and the carrot top pesto under it was out of this world! Luckily it's also on the regular menu because I will be ordering it everytime). Lastly the meal finishes with rice pudding which my partner really enjoyed but it's not my jam so I ordered their popular chocolate tart pistachios ice cream desert (think Dubai chocolate bar but way better) and was super happy and super full! On top of this delectable dinner our waiter was just wonderful. We have had her before and she really knows her craft. Even though she had a full house of tables, she treated each one with attention and care. This is what I use to expect at a nice restaurant but now is so hard to find. She's truly a gem, but honestly all the staff at this restaurant are helpful and warm and knowledgeable so this obviously speaks to the culture - only a well supported team performs at this level. With drinks and the extra dessert (plus tax and tip) it ended up being $100+ per person, which is more than I would typically want to spend, but we left discussing when we could come by next. Run don't walk for a truly enjoyable evening! read more

This place was delicious. The service was fantastic! Our waiter, Johnathan was absolutely fantastic, he gave us delicious recommendations, super knowledgeable, and even gave us a cheesecake on the house due to it being my mother's birthday! Amazing attentiveness and a great ambiance. I will definitely be back! Drinks were amazing too read more

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Food was great! Among the 4 of us we had a vegan, a carnivore, a spicy girl and a spice wimp, drinkers and teetotalers and we all ended up happy. My favorites were the mushrooms and the lamb. Gorgeous space and happy, friendly staff. read more

The cocktails are truly special. Diverse, inventive and delicious. The food, while tasty and well presented, is about 25% overpriced. The cocktails, however, are priced at about average for the setting and quality. I'd recommend just going as a walk in and sitting with a partner and/or friends on the many soft lounge seats to the left of the entrance. read more

amazing food and amazing experience. the staff was so so nice. we went for our anniversary and were treated with such genuine hospitality. amazing experience. coming again soon. read more

Jaji - Afghan Near Me - Oakland, California

Ordered "Qarto and the Hen" and "Firnee Ice Cream" this time. Wanted to order lamb shank again which seemed available on the website but not in the actual menu again. Was told that this was off season and may return in Fall / Winter time. Qarto and the Hen: 4/5. Pretty well made. The special vinaigrette sauce was a nice addition to make the chicken more flavorful. The interior of the chicken around the breast region was not very well seasoned and tasted a bit bland (but other regions of the chicken were great). I asked the waitress for more sauce which helped add some flavor to these pieces. Firnee Ice Cream: 5/5. Dessert from this place hasn't disappointed and was always a highlight. This time the ice cream is mixed with lots of nuts (pistachio, dates, & fig) and had a pleasant crunchy texture. The cardamom also added a unique flavor. The ice cream itself was not overly sweet so the flavor of the other mixture could stand out. read more

Loved, loved this restaurant !!!! the ambience, the service, the food... and the story behind it all! We tried pretty much everything on the menu, and I loved all of it. The eggplant dish, the NY strip steak, and the trout were probably my favorites, but truly everything was so good. The owner was incredibly sweet, and our server was so accommodating. I highly recommend this spot for a date night or even a large party! read more

Amazing. Food. Service. Drinks. All of it. Just go there. Busy Friday evening and we were seated right away at a comfy lounge table. Party of 4 and tried to order one of each. They were all delicious with a few unexpected aspects. Was too busy eating to take pics! read more

I went to Jaji last Wednesday night for a business dinner. Standing in front of the building, I was impressed by what I saw from the outside but didn't expect the interior to be so cozy and warm given the size of the restaurant. Kudos to the decorator/designer who did a fabulous job with the colors, and overall decor, which added to the ambiance of this place. It's hard to make a large restaurant feel so cozy. As if you're walking into someone's home. The family pictures on the wall adds to the charm and really makes you feel like you're in their home. We were greeted by two hostesses who were not only gorgeous but very pleasant. Not in that fake smile kind of way, but genuine. We were seated at the perfect round table for 3 in the corner. Perhaps because it was still early-ish (5:45pm). The restaurant did get pretty packed soon after, which is always a good sign. The busser came to our table within seconds of us being seated and filled our water glasses. Then came Daniel, who was our server. Daniel is the epitome of a perfect server if such a thing even exists. I know this is a huge statement given the quality of service patrons are provided these days. And, I might be embellishing a bit , but he was incredibly knowledgeable, describing each dish as if he's the one who's cooking them in the back. He made me want to try everything on the menu. We did end up ordering 3 dishes on the appetizer section (Daal salad, Bolani, and the rice balls-I forget the actual name) , but they were all delicious! I seriously wanted to lick the plate the Daal salad came in. Lol. The dessert was just chef's kiss. We had the pistachio and coconut ice cream. Sooo good I wanna go back just to try other desserts. For main dishes, we had the lamb , which was good, but I would prefer they tried a different sauce than the au jus sauce, which adds a touch of sweetness to it. Maybe it's just me, but I prefer my lamb to be more savory. We also ordered the Branzino , which was phenomenal! We didn't get to try the kabobs, but hope to next time. I love how the menu is not overwhelming with too many options. It has the perfect amount of options. I would rather have a restaurant not offer a whole lot of options but whatever they do provide is of the highest quality . This place knocks this aspect out of the park! Sending a shout out to the chef, the staff and the owners (Paul and Sofie (sp)) for this gem in Oakland! I hope they make it big in my hometown. They are a dynamic duo who are super talented. They are also owners of Parche, a few blocks down. If you haven't been there, I highly recommend it. It is lively, and fun and the food is incredible!! In short, try Jaji and you will not be disappointment. read more

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