Kitchen Story is my go-to for Korean-fusion brunch in Oakland (and it's on the way home from my kids dentist so always a pit stop)! Kitchen Story nails the Korean-brunch mashup better than anywhere else I've found. The Kitchen Story benedict with millionaires bacon is a standout... crispy sweet and spicy bacon with poached eggs and hollandaise over asparagus and ciabatta toast, plus a side of crispy fried Yukon potatoes. The tornado eggs with galbi fried rice with that glossy brown gravy is another favorite, and the popcorn chicken (yes, served with actual popcorn mixed in) is a fun, addictive appetizer - or my 6yo favorite dish. Don't sleep on the stuffed French toast either, loaded with fresh fruit and a nice hit of powdered sugar. A few practical notes: this place is small and popular, so weekday visits or joining the virtual Yelp waitlist before you arrive is the move if you want to avoid a long wait. They also have a big TV that made watching World Cup games here a great bonus. My favorite detail, though: at the end of the meal they bring your receipt tucked inside a little book instead of just handing you a slip of paper. Such a charming, unexpected touch that makes the whole experience feel more special. Come hungry, come early (or waitlisted), and don't skip dessert-for-breakfast options. Highly recommend. read more

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Amazing food. Called to reserve a table for 10 on a Saturday morning one week in advance. They were able to accommodate us. Please be aware that there may be people reserved after if you are also reserving a table. We had to leave 1.5 hrs after and they did rush us to get our orders. The food was amazing though. I didn't think any one of us had complaints. We all loved the mango margarita. I particularly enjoyed the tornado omurice, they were also able to sub tofu for beef for my friend with food restrictions. read more

Kitchen Story - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

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We visited Kitchen Story for a spontaneous Mother's Day brunch. I will say this is a popular brunch spot, so be prepared for a bit of a wait. We arrived shortly after 10am and our wait was just under 30 minutes. The restaurant is cozy (on the smaller side) but has an interesting layout. There's seating both indoors, outside, and upstairs. You may have to squeeze by a few tables to make your way to the restroom. Customer service was friendly and attentive. Pricing for food & drinks was a bit high. Our total for 2 entrees and 2 drinks was $60 before tip. We ordered two drinks (orange juice and an iced mocha) which were provided promptly. The orange juice was a little too sour and my mom had to add some sugar to improve the taste. The iced mocha was good, not too sweet. One thing to note the wait for our food took much longer than expected, and it may have been due to how busy it was. My mom opted to order the salmon yuzu benedict and I got an egg plate (scrambled eggs) with a side green salad. My mom mentioned the potatoes lacking salt but she enjoyed the salmon benedict. I thought the scrambled eggs were good, but slightly bland & needed salt and pepper. The side green salad was alright, but the vinaigrette had a bitter aftertaste. Overall, the meal was pretty good and timing wasn't the best. I'd likely return for brunch on a non-peak day. Definitely recommend joining the yelp waitlist prior to arriving if you can! read more

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Delicious food and amazing lemon ricotta pancakes. Rich millionaires bacon is a must. The jjapaguri was comfort food and irresistible. Do make reservations. It is worth the brunch wait if you don't. read more

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Came to kitchen story as I've heard so much good stuff about Kitchen. Let's start with how delicious the lemon ricotta pancake was. I ended up having the sailor scramble which is salmon eggs, shrimp with potatoes. Tried the delicious Korean fried chicken and waffles as well. Service was quick and friendly. The waitress answered all of our questions. The ambiance is nice for morning breakfast. Tables fill up fast so I would make a reservation. read more

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A cook screamed at me for knocking on the bathroom door, and staff just watched. I knocked politely on the bathroom door after waiting quite a while. A cook threw it open and started screaming at me at full volume, in front of the whole restaurant. He stormed off still yelling. Staff standing right there? Did nothing. Said nothing. I flagged it to another cook. Silence. We stayed another hour. Paid full price. Tipped. For a lunch ruined by a grown man having a temper tantrum. Emailed management. We'll see if they respond. Won't be back. If they let a staff member scream at a customer with zero consequences, they'll do it to you too -- or your kid. Absolute unhinged behavior. read more

Kitchen Story - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

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We came here for brunch on July 4th and we were so happy that we picked this adorable restaurant. It is a small space, but the wait staff hustles and the owner stops to chat with each table to make sure everything is perfect. I ordered the jjapaguri and it was so delicious. The millionaire bacon on top was spectacular and I loved every bite. My spouse ordered the Marnier French Toast and said the fruit on top was fresh and the presentation was pleasing. The owner stopped by during our meal to chat and he brought over two small complimentary lychee ice teas for us which was a very thoughtful gesture. We really enjoyed brunch here and highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Kitchen Story - Jjapaguri - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

I definitely recommend making a reservation for brunch on the weekends as it can get quite crowded! The booths are nice, and the portion sizes are pretty good. They have a pretty large menu with some yummy drinks as well! read more

Kitchen Story - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

Living down the block for years this is the first time I've been to kitchen story. The weekends when I would drive by seems like there's always a lot of people here so I made a reservation reservations online and you have the option to choose if you want to sit outside inside or upstairs. I reserved for three to sit in the main dining room. The next day we arrived right on time for our reservation and still had to wait about 10-15 minutes and was asked if we could sit outside and then we were seated upstairs. I was a little bummed we didn't get to sit in the lower dining room like I booked on our reservations. It was still cute upstairs and good company always makes brunch even better. The servers were quick and helpful. I wanted something light so I just ordered the chicken and waffle bites. My husband got French toast and a side of chicken and my friend got a main entrée of a sandwich with some fries and a little soup. All of the food that came out looked amazing even at other people's tables. For brunch, the price is a little pricey, but I would like to come back to try other entrées when I'm more hungry. We asked one of our servers if he had a light as I brought a little candle to celebrate my friend's birthday, and as he lit it, he also decided to join in with us as we sang happy birthday, which I thought was really sweet. He did not have to do. He even got other tables around us to sing happy birthday as well. It felt like a special moment for my friend, which was a nice surprise. I did really appreciate this part and look forward to coming back. read more

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Pros -you can make reservations (highly recommended as there was a line each time I visited) -fast and great service -delicious food in a walkable neighborhood Cons -can be difficult to find parking, so leave extra time to get there Drinks 8/10 Hot Matcha latte - it's unsweetened (which I prefer), has a deep matcha flavor and overall well rounded 6/10 Hot Chai - not very much flavor, a little to milky for my liking and didn't get any of the expected "spice" flavor usually found in chai tea Food 9/10 Salmon Yuzu Benedict - the salmon was refreshing and delicious, eggs cooked perfectly, and the potato's were well seasoned and cooked 9/10 Crab Benedict - shockingly lots of crab loaded with spinach, the eggs were perfect 7/10 Korean friend chicken and waffles - the chicken was amazing and cooked perfectly. The waffle is VERY sweet. I'm not usually a fan of waffles with the much sugar, but it does have a lot of flavor and is balanced by the savory chicken and syrup that it comes with read more

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Kitchen Story was a great spot for brunch, and even some holiday cocktail options. The ambiance is very welcoming and cozy, with some holiday decor which was really fun. The food was delicious! I got the French toast, complete with fresh fruit on top. The menu has a lot of options, definitely something for everyone. Staff were very friendly, and service was pretty quick. Street parking only, but the restaurant is in a great location surrounded by other cute spots (stores, cafes, etc.). This place is good for any size group, reservations recommended because it's a popular spot! read more

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Came early and waited about an hour and a half to be seated. Once we ordered, the food came out hot and fresh--and I'll give credit where it's due, it tasted really good. That said, the service was disappointing. After taking our order, our server never checked back in--not once. He didn't bring our food, didn't ask if we needed anything, and seemed rushed from the start. The space itself is very small and felt extremely crowded. The upstairs was rented out for a private event, which made things even tighter downstairs. There's only one bathroom, which felt inadequate given how many people were packed inside. Overall, the food was solid, but the experience felt chaotic and inattentive. Great flavors, but the service and overcrowding took away from it. read more

Kitchen Story - Breakfast Tacos 10/10. Potato a bit hard and under seasoned - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

Showed up a little earlier for my lunch meeting. They did sign me right away while I waited for the rest of my party to arrive. The food was great. Had some chicken and waffles. I love the menu and the Asian influence in the food. The restaurant was a cozy place for lunch. read more

Kitchen Story - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

No idea what the hype was about. Most of our food was on the bland side and service was slower than expected. Nothing unique/special on the menu. In fact, my step son said his food tasted like it could have been a frozen tv dinner. I've had way better chicken and waffles elsewhere. Husband said his scrambled eggs tasted like liquid eggs from a carton rather than fresh cracked eggs. The "millionaire" candied bacon was okay, also had better version of it at a steakhouse in SF. They did make a decent Irish coffee. read more

This is my first time trying Kitchen Story in Oakland, but I've been to the one in SF twice! This location is a lot smaller but the holiday vibes were super cute and they have ample outdoor seating as well. I ordered the Salmon Yuzu Benedict and a Passionfruit Iced Tea. The iced tea was unsweetened and delicious - super refreshing for brunch. I loved the yuzu flavor of the salmon benedict, the pickled onions were a perfect sour punch, and the potatoes were crispy and fluffy as well. Our server was attentive and super friendly! Parking is tricky but if you drive down the residential streets around the block it's free and not a far walk! read more

Kitchen Story - Yuzu Salmon Yuzu Benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

Was able to make a reservation for the morning but I will say it wasn't necessary because there was plenty of tables. The staff was friendly and explained the menu really well. The place was clean and there is also outdoor seating. The food was delicious perfect fusion and the lychee tea was yummy. read more

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Phenomenal brunch flavors are worth the wait (and sore bum)! Kitchen Story is an epic brunch spot. If you're planning a weekend visit, I definitely recommend making a reservation, or be prepared for a bit of a wait. I met a friend here for Sunday brunch, and we ordered an assortment of plates and beverages to share. Everything was delicious and repeatable, but here's my order of personal preference for the food: Korean FC Wings: Crispy, flavorful, and absolutely standout. Lemon Ricotta Pancakes: Perfectly fluffy, and bright flavors on perfectly prepared pancakes. Goji Bowl: A solid, satisfying savory option. For beverages, the Ube Latte and the Millionaire's Bloody Mary were the stars of the show. Their house coffee and unsweetened passion fruit iced tea were good, but fairly standard. My only suggestion for management would be to invest in more comfortable seating, but honestly, it was worth the sore bum to enjoy all those delicious flavors! I will definitely be returning and recommending to friends. read more

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Went here for a birthday brunch! Highly recommend to get there early because this place gets packed pretty quickly. The ambiance is busy and very friendly. There are 2 floors that you can be seated in as well as an outdoor table. I had the omurice and was really satisfied with my meal! The galbi was savory, sauces and flavorful and it was served fresh off the stove. I also had the mascarpone French toast which was huge! Definitely recommend sharing that one. The rest of my family really enjoyed their meals too! I was able to get a bite of the Yukon potatoes and they were seasoned wonderfully, Excited to try this place again. read more

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Kitchen Story is definitely a vibrant and busy place. It was nice to see such a diverse crowd. They had outdoor and indoor seating. We made a reservation and highly recommend doing so as the wait time can be almost an hour without a reservation. To me if you don't order a fusion dish then it's not the best. Their fusion dishes are what they are known for and I just felt like those were the best out of what we tried. I ordered the crab Benedict and that was a mistake. The crab tasted super off so I sent it back. They kindly removed it from the bill which we were grateful for. The potatoes that came with my dish were delicious, crispy and perfectly cooked. My husband ordered the Fried Tornado Galbi Omurice. It was excellent. The rice was perfect as was the egg and it was cozy with really fresh and delicious flavors. Very savory. We got the Tater Tot Poutine as well which was so good. Crunchy. Cozy. Warm. Delicious. I would maybe go again, but parking is horrendous, wait time is long and the dishes were hit or miss. Servers were kind. read more

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Went in today for my mom's birthday. The wait was not too long to get seated. Unfortunately, the service was not as good as normal. Took a while to get our order taken and two of our entrees came out then it took several more minutes for my mom's food to come to the table. I ordered the open face with the burger cooked mid rare and it came cooked well. I thought the flavor was good despite the over cooking. Servers never checked in on how things were tasting. My partner had the chicken and waffle which was tasty as always. Love the eclectic decor inside. read more

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Kitchen story will ALWAYS be one of my favorite brunch spots in the bay. (It's not just the bottomless mimosas that make me feel that way!). Everything tastes so authentic, flavorful, and intentional. The service is impeccable, if I could eat the millionaire bacon and biscuits as a snack every day, I would. The ambiance is cute. It feels like you're sitting in someone small cottage with an auntie that throws down in the kitchen, which is my favorite breakfast vibe. Highly recommend this place! I've many many times and still haven't found anything I didn't absolutely love! read more

Kitchen Story - Tornado Galbi Omurice - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

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I can't believe it's taken me so long to review kitchen story! I've been a big fan for years. Kitchen Story is trendy and imaginative while still having really comforting food. The decor is simple yet charming and the staff have always been so warm. We started off with an ube latte and cappuccino. Made really well. My friend and I shared jjapaguri and chicken and waffles. I've never had jjapaguri and it was delicious! It's like elevated instant noodles in the best way possible. The black bean sauce was spicy but not overly so. I loved the bacon it's served with. Big portion! The chicken and waffles was superb. The chicken was so crunchy and still juicy. I hate a soggy waffle but their waffle is thick and soft and tasty. Truly the perfect balance of sweet and savory. We came on a Monday around 1130 and were seated right away. I notice they have a waitlist via help. Parking is metered parking! read more

Kitchen Story - Chicken and Korean FC & Waffleswaffles - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

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We went for brunch and the food was delicious! We ordered the Tornado gal I, the Jjapaguri and the BLT and we liked everything! We will be back read more

My mother found this fantastic Korean fusion brunch place in Rockridge on College Ave! It was her idea to bring us all here for a family brunch on the day of Christmas Eve, and we were all seated very promptly on the second floor. The Korean-inspired brunch fare is very delicious! I'm a sucker for chicken and waffles, so the Korean fried chicken and waffles with adobo maple syrup is a fantastic choice and lived up to expectations. Jjapaguri, inspired by the Oscar-winning film "Parasite," is also a winner, especially for those with a guilty pleasure for ramen. It's topped with Millionaire's Bacon. The Hibiscus Hot Toddy, with whiskey, lemon juice, hibiscus honey syrup, and cinnamon, is a sweet alcoholic holiday drink. It's in walking distance from Rockridge Bart. My mom chose such a great place! Would come back here for brunch! read more

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This place was so good! Came here on a Sunday and it was packed. Bloody mary and margarita didn't disappoint! I got the chicken and waffles and my partner got the tornado. 10/10 on both dishes. The chicken was so crispy but moist. The tornado had layers of flavor. The service was fast and food came out within 10 minutes. Definitely coming back read more

Kitchen Story - Bacon - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

Came here to get brunch. For two people the wait was about 20 mins, which I think is good for it being a Saturday around 11:30 am. I ordered the Big Hass Scram, French toast for the table, and my friend ordered eggs Benedict. I think overall, it was just ok, I nice breakfast, but I'm not sure if I'd be back. It took a long time for the food to come out and seemed we couldn't find our waitress a few times when we needed more water. Again it was busy and a Saturday, so that could easily explain it. read more

Kitchen Story - Big Hass Scramble - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

First, I want to thank the staff for seating my friend group an hour before they closed. It was super nice because we were definitely in the wrong for coming into the establishment so late. However, I do want to mention that if it's too much to seat people an hour before closing, we should have been turned away. We were kind of met with some attitude from our waitress (rightfully so), but it did make the dining experience a little sour. Besides that, the food was bomb. I honestly don't even care too much about the experience we had because the food was sooo good. If you are in San Francisco or visiting, YOU NEED to come and eat here because the food is delicious! I will 100% be back. read more

Kitchen Story - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

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Still a very good breakfast option in the East Bay. Service is hospitable, but still a long wait. Wish they accepted reservations! read more

Kitchen Story - Millionaires Bacon & eggs over easy - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

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We went for brunch. Delicious! tater tots and popcorn chicken was amazing! i had the tornado, it was huge! but so good! my husband had the open face and he said it was good but he wished he had gotten the tornado as well. I was in between the tornado and the kitchen story scramble. I asked the waiter, he was very nice and gave me his honest opinion that he'd go with the tornado. and i am glad i took his advice. the location is cute, set up with about ten two seat tables so small. i've heard there's long waits on the weekends for brunch so we went for the weekday brunch around noon and no wait time! read more

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Came here for a party of 2 and had to wait a little. Overall very cute place for brunch with decent food, but a little pricey.

Perfect place for brunch ! Staff was friendly, and the service was quick. Will definitely be back. read more

Kitchen Story - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

Love this places! It was my first time here and we went for brunch. The restaurant was busy with constant people waiting for a table. The atmosphere was lively, and the service was nice. The food was great, with various variations to the normal dishes, such as scramble eggs, tacos, fried rice, Korean chicken and waffles vs. your normal chicken and waffle, although the sauce was more like soy sauce than honey, which turned out to be adobo chicken and waffle? Would visit this place again. read more

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I can't believe I haven't made a review yet! This is probably my go to spot for brunch and bottomless mimosas. I've come here numerous of times, with friends and family. I like the layout of the restaurant and the customer service. I have yet to try everything in their menu because I always get the same thing. I highly recommend going! read more

Kitchen Story - Tornado Galbi Omurice, popcorn Korean FC & Waffles, Sprout Bibimbap - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

The service was great everyone very friendly and the food is great you have the option dining inside or outside

I came here with friends for brunch. Very tasty. There was a wait, but we were able to get on the waitlist before we got here - so the actual waiting was very short. So busy, but services was friendly, fast and attentive. Of course we had to try the millionaires bacon and it was so good! Great location and fun to walk down the street afterwards and stop in side the little shops. Fun Saturday morning! read more

Okay, so I gave this place another chance and I am very disappointed. We were pretty much ignored - the party that sat after us got faster service even though we ordered first. Most of their food came out while a few things came out for us. The only thing that came fast was our drinks. The worse thing? There was a giant piece of egg shell in my eggs benedict, that is such a horrible mistake, how can one NOT SEE half a shell while they are cooking? I really wanted to like this place, but it's just not my luck here. read more

I love any brunch place that has small plates or appetizers on the menu, so I was already primed for Kitchen Story! We split the KFC wings, which were pretty good. I was in a meaty mood and went for the BiBimBap and it did not disapoint! It included a nice selection of vegeetables, like mushroom, cabbage, apple, spinach and more- so it was a nice balance to the beef. They have a nice selection of brunch cocktails as well. read more

I still dream of this brunch. Service was quicker than expected on a Monday morning that was unexpectedly busy. The food was out of this world; hands down the best chicken and waffles of my life. There were inside/outside seating options. We opted for outside, where we could people watch as we ate. Parking can be tricky. We lucked out with street parking about one block away. I don't often visit Oakland, but next time I do, Kitchen Story will be one of my first stops. read more

Kitchen Story - Chicken & Korean FC & Waffles Breakfast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

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Went for a midweek brunch and definitely wasn't expecting such a good meal. Kitchen Story is a great place to go for brunch/lunch. Service was good and prompt. Small location, but can absolutely understand why they are crowded. The menu is extensive, but the first thing I noticed was the millionaire bacon. Right at the top of the menu! Sweet, with a kick. Tender and huge slices of bacon. I went with the Benedict- served on a slice of ciabatta bread. Their eggs were perfectly poached and their Meyer lemon hollandaise was creamy and delicious.., not to lemon forward. 10/10. With asparagus and crispy Yukon potatoes... I ate every bite. We also tried the Korean FC and waffles. A little sweet for my liking but it was good. I wasn't able to get a photo- lost in good food and amazing conversation. I'll be back to make up for it. That's a promise read more

I came here during a weekday for brunch. That is probably the best time to come due to street parking filling up fast. To drink, I had the raspberry lemonade. This is easily 5/5. Perfect blend of sweetness & tartness. For an appetizer we got the popcorn chicken & Korean FC. My favorite was the popcorn chicken it was 5/5 and I loved that they added actual popcorn. The Korean FC was okay 3/5. The Mac N Cheese sounded very interesting, however, it fell flat. It was dry and not cheesy. I would rate it 2/5. We got the Chicken & Story Burger. The Chicken Burger 4/5 was definitely better than the Story Burger 2/5. The Story Burger was lacking in flavor. The potatoes wedges were really good though. Not pictured was the millionaire bacon 5/5. It was so good and I would love to try the BLT with millionaire bacon. Lastly, we got the Lemon Ricotta Pancake 1/5 it was bitter and the second pancake under the first was burnt. We also got the Mascarpone Stuffed Deep Fried French Toast which was 100/5. Every bite was amazing. Would definitely come back again for that dish alone. Other than that, a lot of the dishes fell flat for me but the presentation of the food was beautiful and service was good as well. read more

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