Brenda's is easily one of my favorite places for a good brunch. I've been to the San Francisco…read morelocation several times, and the Oakland location is also great--and quite a bit bigger. The food is consistently good. I especially love their fried chicken. We've tried several different dishes, and there really hasn't been much that I didn't enjoy. My daughter absolutely loved the chicken tenders. They're not your typical heavily breaded chicken strips--they have their own style and flavor that makes them stand out. The everything is also excellent, the biscuits are fantastic, and I really enjoyed the cornbread. And, of course, you can't go to Brenda's without trying the beignets. Those alone are worth ordering. Overall, Brenda's is just an awesome place to have brunch. Great Southern-style comfort food, plenty of choices, and food that actually lives up to the reputation. I've also been to Brenda's Meat & Three, and that's another really good spot. Highly recommended. If you're looking for a great brunch, Brenda's should definitely be on your list.

Brenda's runs a right ship, serving delicious New Orelans-inspired fare in an elevated yet…read morewelcoming atmosphere. The Kale salad with grilled tofu was way over my expectations and was enough for two meals ez.

Took a step into the past and was transported to my Nana's house. The design and scents wafting out…read moreof the kitchen made it feel like a dream. The wait staff was excellent, keeping our glasses filled and entertaining our baby as he was trying to make everyone smile. The charred eggplant gumbo was delicious, adding the rice directly into the pot for maximum flavor while keeping the rice moist. The grits were the star of the show in my opinion, with smooth texture and flavor that popped and made me want to take anther bite. The greens tasted like my mom's when she would go pick them in the summer of my childhood. The chicken was prepared two ways, the fried, was crispy and juicy, with a hint of that hot grease. The roasted chicken was moist and the drippings added another layer of flavor that made it feel homemade. We definitely wish we had room for dessert and we want to come back for a brunch service.

Southern fare served up in fine dining. Everything was well executed and a few dishes reimagined…read morethe classics. The inventive dishes really knocked it out of the park. We ordered the family dinner with the addition of the chicken liver and waffles and the BBQ shrimp. I will just highlight a few items: the boiled peanuts were fantastic. They are presented in a miso sauce that layers in the umami, and the boil brings out the legume dimension of peanuts (as opposed to its usual nut treatment). The liver mousse with the waffle was just unfair to other chicken livers. The intense salt and acid of the preparation was met by the hearty cornmeal waffle which seemed to be drenched in syrup. Heavy? Yes. But shared across the table, we each took just a bite which was enough to change how I will think about liver as an ingredient. Other items were more middle of the road. The fried cod was just that: tender meat and a thick batter (with plenty of salt and pepper). Executed to a T, but not too different from other fish places. The cornbread had some subtly with its mix of flours, but served with honey butter, the mix comes off more like household variation than an exploration of the dish. And it is imperative that you come with family. You're going to share and you're going to eat with your hands. When things get saucy, it's good to know whose fingers you're touching! And, it's worth noting that some (but not all!) dishes are about 50% larger than you typically get with fine dining. Sharing from the à la carte menu may be the best strategy. I look forward to my next visit here to keep trying the more thoughtfully crafted dishes -- with family, of course.

Man they gave out warm towels for your hands when we finished our meal. Player type ishh!…read moreDefinitely coming back.

What are you waiting for?! Just book the reservation! 10/10!!!!…read more Stopped in to try Samara's Southern Creations while in town for the weekend visiting the Black Food and Wine Experience. Of course me and the bestie had to grab brunch before we headed home. Was a bit thrown off when booking via OpenTable as it comes up as Haus of Chefs, but when I got the concept of hosting local chefs and rotating menus all was smooth. We got a few shareables and entrees and everything was so good. S/o to tik tok for putting us on to some amazing food. We ordered the boudin balls, crab stuffed shrimp, peach cobbler waffle, and catfish/ grits. For drinks, we had the brown sugar mint julep and madame butterfly. My fav items had to be the boudin balls, catfish / grits, and brown sugar mint julep. Presentation was so cute. Add a flower or herb to my drink or plate and I'm yours. Everything was so flavorful, paired nicely together , and wasn't too much. Portion sizes were on point and no need for condiments because sis seasoned the hell out that food! The ambiance is definitely brunch vibes. You can tell it's a local favorite as people were so chill about coming in and just enjoying their meal. Seating includes table and bar seating but no matter your area the service was on point almost little to no waiting and everything was freshly served ! Did I mention they had the jams in rotation. Again, who was on the aux because I need the playlist?! Prices for menu items were reasonable and worth it. I had a little moment when I realized the chef herself served us our plates and checked into see how everything was going. Like come on how cool was that! Overall, great experience and yes I'll be back for a dozen boudin balls. Big S/o to our servers/ bartenders Ashlee and Kia for the hospitality and customer service. Keep up the good work! If you in the Oakland neighborhood stop by and try!

Updated review: I was hype when I seen Momma Lynch's…read moreSpecial back on the menu at Rob Ben's Restaurant. I'm not going to lie, I been checking the site waiting for them to bring it back lol. Soon as I saw it, I had to order through DoorDash, and it did NOT disappoint. This plate is a whole feast for real. You get 3 party wings, 3 pieces of fish, 2 pork chops, plus green beans and mac & cheese. Everything came hot, fresh, and smelling good as soon as I opened it. The fish was crispy and seasoned right, not greasy at all. The wings were juicy and full of flavor, and them pork chops? Tender, seasoned all the way through, and cooked just right. Now the sides? Just as fire. The green beans had flavor, not bland like some places be doing, and that mac & cheese was creamy, cheesy, and hitting for real. You can tell they put love into this food. Portions is solid too. They not being stingy at all. Definitely worth the money. I'm glad they brought this back because yeah... I'm running this order back again real soon.

I hadn't eaten here in a few years and I must say the food was . I ordered the Momma Lynch which…read morecame with 3 pieces of fried fish, 3 whole fried chicken wings, 2 fried pork chops, 2 sides (greens and red beans and rice) and corn bread. My favorites were the fried fish, greens, and red beans and rice. Everything was fried to perfection. I also had the Skittles cocktail and it was very good. We went when they opened for the day so the restaurant was quiet. Service was fast and our server was friendly and knowledgeable. *Side note - The women's bathroom was spotless.

Wife wanted soul food so we gave this a try Service was…read moregreat Food hot and seasoned Will be back when in the area

We stopped by touch of soul to try their food on our way to San Francisco . Touch of soul is…read morelocated within an area where parking is much like downtown street parking but it is plentiful. The location is on a cute little corner and had patio seating . The service is so kind that it makes up for the next part of the review which gives the food a 3/5. The fried shrimp didn't have much seasoning but was crispy. The red beans and rice was a little mushy and had more beans than rice. The potato salad was lacking in flavor. These sides 3/5 I did enjoy the collard greens, cabbage, and the Mac and cheese. My partner said the cabbage should have had some meat in it to make the flavors more robust. I like it without the bacon and meat personally. It caters to a more vegetarian clean eating crowd. If it was in the stock I'm not sure... these sides were a 4/5 The oxtails we ordered was DELICIOUS. Probably some of the best most tender oxtail I could buy from a restaurant . 5/5!!

So glad there is a DoorDash pickup option to enjoy this restaurant when I don't have "cash only"…read moredining as an option. I had to try the Fried Chicken and I got the breast meat. It was flavorful, delicious and tender. It came with a couple eggs, a couple biscuits and I did the hash browns as my side. I love sweet potato pie and cheesecake so I had to order the sweet potato cheesecake and it was amazing. The food was ready in about 15 minutes and the lady helping me was friendly and provided good customer service. I love the decor with all the photos of all the folks that have enjoyed Lois' food. Looking forward to returning:)

I'm so happy that a friend put me on to this place. It reminds me of my late aunts cooking and it's…read morejust good ole simplistic breakfast staples. I tried corned beef hash for the first time and loved it so I came back for that and was not disappointed. The meal is about $16 comes with toast, eggs, and I chose the grits which are also hella good. The service is always amazing and so is the food. The only reason why I gave 4 stars is because I can't bring myself to agree with the price of their breakfast sides compared to what you get. & it may have been some months but they used to fill both sides with grits. Seems like portions are getting cut for Togo orders maybe but prices are staying the same. For 3 slices of thin xtra crispy pieces of bacon (actually two slices and burnt pieces) it's $8.25+ I remember thinking it was insane so I never added any extra meat and after going recently I was reminded why, my order came out to $27, when I opened the side of bacon I was disappointed. I believe the quality and quantity should better match the price. Otherwise I'll gladly go buy a full pack of thick cut Oscar Meyer bacon for less than what they're charging for 3 slices and just add it at home lol. it's tough for business owners and consumers out here so while I understand price increase, it should still make sense for the consumer. Still love this place down. Just won't be paying for a side again.

I can't speak to the ambiance of the establishment as I had take out…read more There was a wait, but not extremely long. The brisket was delicious albeit a little fatty. The BBQ sauce was phenomenal. The baked beans were fine. The Mac and cheese was OK. I would go back and try something different like links and collards. Overall good.

I visied Smokin' Woods BBQ, for the very first time on Tuesday, August 4, 2026and unfortunately, it…read morewill also be my last. I placed my order at 7:15 p.m. and didn't receive my food until 8:30 p.m. The only reason I finally got it then was because a gentleman who had been working in the back came up front to help and pushed my order along. Waiting over an hour for food when the restaurant wasn't even packed is unacceptable. It was obvious they were severely understaffed. The employee with the red braids who was taking food orders at the bar told me it was only her second day, and there was no manager on duty. From what I could see, there were only two people working in the kitchen, plus the employee who eventually came from the back to help in the front. While they were handling a steady flow of walk-in customers and DoorDash orders, the staffing situation clearly wasn't adequate. What made the experience even more frustrating was that I was dining with a group, and several people who placed their orders after I did received their food well before mine. After waiting for a long time, I was finally told the delay was because I had ordered macaroni and cheese as my side, and there was a 45-minute wait for it. Had someone informed me of that when they realized the delay, I would have gladly chosen a different side. Ironically, they did come back to tell me they had run out of pulled pork and asked me to choose another meat, so they clearly had opportunities to communicate. It makes no sense that they failed to mention the issue with the macaroni and cheese at that same time. Unfortunately, the food itself didn't make up for the wait. It was bland overall. The long awaited Mac and Cheese unfortunately was just okay. The collard greens greens had far too much vinegar, my bbq chicken thighs were dry and my son couldn't even eat his ribs because the meat wasn't cooked long enough--it was so tough that it wouldn't come off the bone. I understand that restaurants have difficult days, but the lack of communication, poor organization, extended wait time, and disappointing food made for a very frustrating first experience. I hope management addresses the staffing and communication issues because no customer should have this kind of experience.

Homeroom is a popular Mac and Cheese spot. It was indeed, yummy as anticipated. They have a few…read moreoptions on the menu that elevate the classic food. It was filling. Thank you to our server, Anthony.

TLDR: 50 minute wait between sitting down to getting your food. Don't visit thinking this is a…read morequick drop by kind of place. While this visit was in between the lunch and dinner rush, unfortunately I think they are understaffed because at the time we sat down there was only 1 person who was busing tables and taking orders. As a result, it took a while for them to be able to stop by our table and provide water, take our order, etc. There was quite a long wait between sitting down to ordering to actually receiving our food. By the time we had actually received our food, almost an hour had passed. While we were waiting, a few other servers eventually joined, but service was still pretty bare for us and we never received refills on water or plates to eat off of when we received our food. I understand that staffing and a backup in the kitchen are out of the staff's control, but it would've definitely helped for us to know in advance how long to expect to wait to align our expectations and arrange our plans for the day. Would advise giving customers a quick heads up/warning because that on its own would've made a big difference. As for the actual food, we ordered the mac trio with elote mac, chicken pot pie mac, and kogi short rib mac (for an extra fee). The elote mac was the best and most flavorful, the short rib mac was okay but not amazing or worth the extra money, and the chicken pot pie mac was very bland/flavorless and didn't have much chicken in it. The food didn't feel like it warranted the wait time and because of that I would not return.