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MLK Café

4.1 (109 reviews)
Closed • 8:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)
Updated over 3 months ago

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MLK Café Photos

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MLK CAFÉ ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Classy
Casual
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - MLK Café

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Reviews With Photos

two plates of food on a table
Akiko I.

Great East African spot with generous portions. No need to order the teff as included in the main though not mentioned on the menu. We tried to ask but there was a language barrier, but that's part of the experience, I guess.

Montage of images from MLK Cafe
Ed U.

I was on the long, laborious, and often lugubrious bus ride on the 18 line to who knows where in Oakland when I noticed this place out of the corner of my eye. Of course it only makes sense that it's located on Martin Luther King Junior Way. It was presumptuous of me to think that this would be a restaurant of southern comfort favorites like fried chicken, collard greens, and pecan pie because I've read those were his most requested foods. But no, chef/owner Asmerom Ghebremicael's instead offers a mix of traditional Eritrean cuisine and all-American like pizza and burgers. It's in an area filled with public art murals reflecting pride in the black heritage of the neighborhood. Once I entered the restaurant, I was initially a bit confounded by what looks like a spacious sports bar and then promptly saw they have a regular schedule of live entertainment from classic soul to slam poetry. I was immediately drawn to the $14 MLK Veggie Combo, which combined a compelling trio, Alicha (potatoes, carrots and peppers in a curry sauce), Bersin (red lentils in a mix of tomato and seasoned Berbere sauces), and Spinach blended with garlic and onions (photo: http://bit.ly/2LXbfZE). All of that resting on a curled slab of injera with a plate of even more injera (photo: http://bit.ly/2LSEoVM). Had I known a green salad was part of the combo, I wouldn't have ordered the $6 Green Salad, which turned out to be a huge, fresh plate of lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and olives tossed with Parmesan cheese, olive oil, and vinegar (photo: http://bit.ly/2LXxNJZ). Whoa, that was a lotta tasty food, enough for leftovers for dinner. Burgers and pizza aside, Oakland is a treasure trove of East African delights between this spot, Shewat, and Dareye among other top-notch eateries in the immediate vicinity. FOOD - 4 stars...top-notch Eritrean food with plenty of injera AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...quite spacious especially during the day SERVICE - 4 stars...quietly thoughtful with the hostess drop-dead gorgeous TOTAL - 4 stars...MLK had a dream, MLK Cafe feeds it RELATED - Looking for African delicacies? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2JBDHib

Family style
Darius W.

Gotta show love for my Eritrean and Ethiopian folks. Family style, the dish had large portions, more than enough for my Black boys alumni reunion. The food was spicy, flavorful, and light! And I had all my essential food groups: proteins, carbs, veggies, and alcohol, lol. The best part of the experience was the service. The owner was the nicest guy, so hospitable, so genuine. He checked on us throughout the few hours we were dining. If you haven't had this type of cuisine, then expand your palate here. Get ready to get those hands dirty with some injera!

Scrambled eggs with hash browns and toast
Karen W.

We came here for brunch Saturday afternoon and the restaurant was bustling with groups of people and a bit noisy at 12 Noon as the ceiling is low. There's a bar, a couple of tvs and a comfy atmosphere when the crowds left. They have a huge menu, with sandwiches, pasta, Ethiopian dishes, pizza, burgers, breakfast at reasonable prices. We ordered the Shehan foul which was flavorful with a kick to it, scrambled eggs which came with crispy hash browns and wheat toast all for $6! I also ordered an Ethiopian coffee which was aromatic! This is a comfy cozy place for brunch and looks like a diner during the day, sports bar, nightclub at night.

Breakfast menu
Andrew C.

Decent sized space between MacArthur and 40th (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mlk-caf%C3%A9-oakland-3?select=TgzoMHlIFdKZONoYy8GajQ) with a fancy Vetrazzo, reclaimed glass bar top (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mlk-caf%C3%A9-oakland-3?select=6BQWu713fEk8Yy2QIjCsHA). The regulars are sports fiends (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mlk-caf%C3%A9-oakland-3?select=gwo3yFO1dpVRCgJjGr8nDA) and it's a fun place to watch Futbol (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mlk-caf%C3%A9-oakland-3?select=Ca2ekyTyi069l0_9JBbd7w). The menu here has both Eritrean / Ethiopian (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mlk-caf%C3%A9-oakland-3?select=cOwHx-qyqnpyVw4jlgWqkg&userid=DsHsuhUvyyW_75zFcJxkKw) and American food (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mlk-caf%C3%A9-oakland-3?select=2VElgBb5WDL8Kk69XZB39g&userid=DsHsuhUvyyW_75zFcJxkKw) including pizza (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mlk-caf%C3%A9-oakland-3?select=s3Uncy7VxnVe88V0L9EZ0Q) I've mostly had items from their Eritrean breakfast menu (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mlk-caf%C3%A9-oakland-3?select=r2JeYLuhsPFGaf7C-6OZIA) Frittata -This is a scramble with tomatoes, bell peppers and onions (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mlk-caf%C3%A9-oakland-3?select=4_-k8YVnIHgIt9L00Rs-5w) vs. the Italian open-faced omelette and served with two French rolls (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mlk-caf%C3%A9-oakland-3?select=NuQJ2bYrTAuKclsqBA4NDg). Distinct flavor of the berbere used to spice it up. Pretty tasty. Meselah Foul - this is their Shehan Foul (aka Shahan Ful) with sliced hard boiled egg (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mlk-caf%C3%A9-oakland-3?select=nRQH-H0YZ6ulRZnqptFzkg) It also comes with two French rolls and is quite a smooth puree compared to other places. Even with the jalapenos, I thought it needed more seasoning. For this, I'd go to Alem's on Claremont or Dajena down the block. Kitcha Fit-fit with Clarified Butter (also available with Silsi https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mlk-caf%C3%A9-oakland-3?select=ro9XAoFRkWeZRU0_3Ixgdw). Clarified butter . . . mmmmmm. No lack of spice kick here! This is a pretty large portion, so unless you're famished or a starving millennial, get this to share. Embotito is a sandwich (aka Umbotito on other menus) with potato, tomato and onion on one of the French Rolls. Flavored with oil and vinegar so appears to be vegan. Only $5.50 so decent option, if you're not super hungry. Onion rings are thick-cut and battered (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mlk-caf%C3%A9-oakland-3?select=pFWWtUxIXbeR4Dm2D82XOg) and make an excellent base for a pint of Guinness or Firestone 505 ;-) Friendly service.

Kelwa shrimp
Ruby V.

Finally had a chance to try this place. My husband and I ordered food to go. I had the kelwa shrimp and my son had one of their mini cheese pizzas. Their menu consists of Ethiopian/African foods and American food (sandwiches, pizza, etc). I've never had Ethiopian food so I was excited to try some. I really liked the flavor of the kelwa shrimp. It had a nice salty and spice taste to it. It was served over rice. The portion of salad was kind of weird. It looked almost as if someone had eaten a good portion of it (no one had, it just looked scarce, lol). Check out my posted picture to see what I mean. The food is simple. Nothing too fancy. We plan on coming here during the day for brunch sometime to try their breakfast/brunch menu. I like how this area of MLK St. is starting to develop.

Kantisha
Izzie B.

Amazing food. I've never had Ethiopian food before and the server spent time and explained things to me and helped me pick out my food. Amazing place and amazing food. Highly recommend the kantisha

Beef Kelwa with Mushrooms.
Alice L.

What a delightful find! A place that serves pizza, burgers, breakfast, and ETHIOPIAN?! Hellzzz yeahhhh. My husband is picky about his first meal of the day so what a perfect restaurant to serve him breakfast while I have my Kelwa! (He ended up getting pizza anyway since it smelled so good when we walked in.) Ethiopean: This is the main reason I would venture to the East Bay; we just don't have a lot of places in the Peninsula and City that are as good and flavorful. The beef kelwa with mushrooms ($10.95) was very good after I sprinkled some salt onto it. The flavors just opened up. The injera was soft, bouncy, and wonderfully tart, just slightly. Portions were huge and lasted me three meals. Pizza: What a delightfully, yeasty, gooey, thin crust. My husband inhaled the entire 12". Coffee: One of the best soy lattés I've had. The coffee was robust and full flavored without being acidic nor bitter. Service was a little slow but very warm. The lovely lady behind the counter was the only server, cashier, and busser so I'm totally OK with being patient.

Cappucino and puppies. Incredible food!

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12 years ago

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3 years ago

great service food was great made fast & very good freach toste was great its right down the street from me & this was my 1st time

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Good Vybes & Brews

Good Vybes & Brews

4.3(15 reviews)
2.3 mi

Good Vybes $ Brews opened a year ago on the ground level of Link Apartments. Entrance is on 4th St…read more side, not Madison St. Some nearby parking available in afternoon, unsure about mornings. Small central room with an adjacent one for leisurely sipping & lap topping. Able to order promptly as it's less busy in afternoons. Confirm with owner/associate that Asahi Matcha was available. No tipping policy here. Offerings: espressos, matcha lattes, coffee brews, teas, filter brews, classics, flavors+, toppings+, pastries, snacks.... Sips: Asahi Matcha (9.25) -Asahi described as a rare single cultivar, less than 1% of matcha is Asahi. With Oat milk, matcha was bold, full bodied, rich Unami, creamy, smooth. Very unique. Bits: rugelach (4) -made by Ukrainian bakers following old Ukrainian/Polish recipe. 4 flavors. Choose chocolate, least sweet amongst the fruit fillings. -hand rolled baked confections made of cheese dough. Liked the delicate light chocolate taste. Has slight resemble to rolled Thai ice cream. 5 stars: Worthy! Service: Fab. Quality: fantastic, made to order, quantity: reasonable pricing. *Kirishima & Uji matcha also available.

The owner was very nice to talk to and knowledgeable about the different matcha varieties he had. I…read moreordered the matcha latte with macadamia milk and earl gray syrup per his suggestion. For a matcha latte that cost almost $10, I was very disappointed. The drink was very bland other than the hint of earl gray I got from the syrup. It felt like I was drinking green milk, there was no nutty or sweet notes I was expecting from the matcha. I do not recommend getting matcha from here.

Photos
Good Vybes & Brews - Matcha with oat or macadamia (I let him choose and didn't ask!)

Matcha with oat or macadamia (I let him choose and didn't ask!)

Good Vybes & Brews
Good Vybes & Brews

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Lane-e Kefa Coffee - BLT

Lane-e Kefa Coffee

4.5(155 reviews)
2.2 mi•Lake Merritt
•$

Look, I'm a man who respects the process - so I know what it means to apply yourself and deliver…read morequality. That's exactly what Lane-e Kefa Coffee does with their food. I pedaled my bike over there this Wednesday morning, aiming to secure a proper breakfast that would actually carry me past 11 a.m. The shop is cozy, definitely on the smaller side with a few seats inside, giving it that familiar, neighborhood spot feel. It's not a sprawling, antiseptic café, and I appreciate that. I ordered the Laney Breakfast Sandwich, which features egg, fresh spinach, sliced turkey, and Swiss cheese on a toasted English muffin. What impressed me was the intentionality--this wasn't something sitting under a heat lamp, looking defeated. It was clearly made to order. The egg was seasoned right, the turkey wasn't flimsy, and the spinach added that necessary fresh bite. It was a damn good sandwich, simple as that. I paired that with the Berry Lovers Smoothie. The original recipe calls for banana, but I asked if they could swap that out for mango. My people know that mango adds a different kind of sunshine, and they executed the substitution flawlessly. It came out thick, perfectly blended--a rich mix of blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and that mango kick. It was super refreshing and didn't taste like I was drinking melted ice. The service was quick and friendly, which is key on a weekday morning. Everything tasted clean, fresh, and intentionally prepared. If you're looking for high-quality breakfast fare that feels less commercial and more like something someone actually cares about, stop by. The short bike ride and the intimate seating are worth it for what comes out of that kitchen. They earned this review.

I order a plain toasted bagel and a double espresso. the espresso was not too bitter. bagel was…read morekind of remarkably akin to the one I used to get in New York City on Broadway South of Houston from the guy in the middle box before work. it was a low bagel a work a day bagel, if that's what you get here. three stars, nothing, boring. but the espresso it's good. so, 4

Photos
Lane-e Kefa Coffee - Interior

Interior

Lane-e Kefa Coffee - Egg, Bacon, and Swiss Sandwich

Egg, Bacon, and Swiss Sandwich

Lane-e Kefa Coffee - Matcha Mango Smoothie

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Matcha Mango Smoothie

Sweetheart Cafe - Highly recommend the jasmine green milk tea

Sweetheart Cafe

3.8(265 reviews)
2.0 mi•Oakland Chinatown
•$

I would thought Sweetheart Café opposite to the Chinese school was closed down for good; but nope,…read morestill opened for business, especially during the Chinatown Night Market at nighttime. The one small local business in Chinatown of East Bay, the bubble tea café in the high crime rate area, will always continue to serve customers, locals and foreigners alike. It's good to see shopkeepers taking time to make healthier drinks like my açaí coconut milk smoothie. Along with deep fried chicken wings my brother liked, they slowly and surely got the orders right. Not too shabby knowing their bubble tea shop was currently the only one serving açaí other than the black sesame paste. Sweetheart Café wasn't my best go-to bubble tea café in Oakland. At least I'll definitely treat it as normal everyday café selling candies and bottled drinks.

Sweetheart Cafe, Oakland's Chinatown…read more This Sweetheart Cafe location has been here for more than 30 years. It originally sells snacks and tons of candies in different aisles . Later on, they sold dried fruits also. Eventually they sold hot foods like popcorn chicken, curry fish balls and different boba drinks. They have seatings as well. Their boba drinks had became so popular that they opened locations in Berkeley, San Francisco and Milpitas. I love their bobas, it's sweet, bouncy and great chewing texture. They used to have small tapioca options which I had loved, but it isn't an option anymore. All their drinks are pretty good so you can't be wrong what drinks you choose. I highly recommend their drinks and their popcorn chicken. I will definitely come back and try other drinks as well.

Photos
Sweetheart Cafe - Candies

Candies

Sweetheart Cafe - Candies

Candies

Sweetheart Cafe - Cookie and cream smoothie

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Cookie and cream smoothie

Cafe Da Fonk! - Breakfast sandwich

Cafe Da Fonk!

4.7(18 reviews)
2.3 mi•Jack London Square

I really hate to have to write this review but Cafe Da Fonk! needs to get it together:(…read more Came here on a Saturday and was really stoked since I wanted to go to their location in SF but noticed they moved to Oakland and I happened to be in the area this day. Our orders were taken and we sat down to wait. There were a TON OF FLIES buzzing around and I kept having to wave them off especially when we got our order to the table, which honestly was gross. We were called to pick up our order, but only 1 of the 4 items was ready: Zadie's Masterpiece Breakfast Sando - Really tasty and enjoyed the biscuit it was on. Skimpy on the bacon, there was ONE piece but overall good breakfast sandwich. Next item ready 5 minutes later: Khadija's Slow Burn Harissa Hot Honey Breakfast Burrito - Really tasty. Definitely flavor packed and would order this again. *BUT there was an issue. Apparently the person that ordered before us asked for the same burrito to go...they NEVER got it and yet our order was ready. The person was pretty cool about it but they were definitely annoyed and gave us a look although it wasn't our fault. *The ordering system seems unorganized with the cashier writing orders on a slip of receipt paper and putting them on a stand by the kitchen. I wonder if the slips were out of order or fell and they skipped this persons to go order? IDK but they need a better system! We tried waiting for our coffees before starting to eat but then our food started getting cold...YOU KNOW WHY?... because the poor person that was taking orders was also in charge of making drinks. Having one person as cashier and barrista is NOT a good idea on a busy Saturday morning. It was hard for them to take a moment and focus on the drinks becuase people kept coming in an placing orders which means we waited for 20+ minutes before getting our drinks. By then our food was mostly eaten! Thankfully we noticed they had a water pitcher for free water which was a saving grace! The wait for drinks was so long that people that were already sitting when we arrived and had already eaten their food were JUST getting their drinks before us. HORRIBLE! I felt really bad for the cashier/barista :( Another turn off, there is no understanding on what to do with dirty dishes. Do we bus our table? If so where do we put it? We noticed people leaving plates by the water pitcher and cups, some put them on the long counter by the coffee area. There wasn't a garbage or compost bin, so we weren't sure where to put food scraps. There was a bin for "Plastic Only" but only the cup lids were plastic and the cup itself was paper, so where TF do you put that? We noticed a black plastic bin that someone had brought out from the back, so we placed our stuff in there but wasn't exactly sure. We tried to ask the cashier/barista but they were slammed with customers so we ccouldn't get their attention. IDK the place is just poorly organized and messy! There are tables for people to make artwork which is nice but on a busy Saturday it might have been nice to clean those areas up to allow people to sit. Sorry guys... *You need a dedicated barista! People waiting 20+ minutes for drinks is insane especially when the food comes out relatively fast. *Please clean up your restaurant. The amount of flies was gross and no one wants to swat them away from food & drinks. *Tell people if they should bus their own tables and if so.... *Make it clear where to leave plates, cups, garbage, compost etc.

What a hidden gem. We found this place driving by and am so glad we did. They are so friendly and…read morethe food is AMAZING. This is the best biscuit i have had in the BAY. It's super soft, buttery and perfectly salty and she even butter and jams it for you. The breakfast sando was a hit. The cinnamon roll was SO GOOD. It had cinnamon sugar on every bite and the kids LOVED it. They weren't busy when I went but i hope this hidden gem stays and thrives. We will be back(probably this weekend). She even makes her own syrups for the coffee. Try it and you won't be disappointed!

Photos
Cafe Da Fonk! - StrawBerry Matcha with Oakmilk and Fig-urr It Out Latte

StrawBerry Matcha with Oakmilk and Fig-urr It Out Latte

Cafe Da Fonk! - Breakfast sando and lemonade

Breakfast sando and lemonade

Cafe Da Fonk! - Date iced latte

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Date iced latte

Brad's Beanz Enterprizes

Brad's Beanz Enterprizes

5.0(2 reviews)
2.0 mi•Jack London Square

This place is probably the most amazing spot ever. Not only is the coffee crazy strong, like give…read moreyou the jitters, profuse sweating, seeing visions, speaking in tongues kinda strong, there is also a place to work on your Harley Davidson with all the parts and cobbled together bits imaginable. I mean I don't own one because I wanted to buy a motorcycle that started and runs when I want it to. You know, a functioning motorcycle that is fast, great for riding that doesn't draw the attention and ire of everyone around you. Or doesn't require constant maintenance and parts that are sourced by one company who artificially inflates prices. Anyway.... The coffee is good. Better than Starbucks, who sucks.

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised when I first walked in and became a customer of Brad Beanz…read moreEnterprises. The owner was very gracious. He provided me with multiple tokens to enjoy his delicious coffee FREE. It kind of reminded me of how crack dealers lure their customers in, free sample, you are then hooked and next thing you know you are selling your grandmother's television set for another cup! I do have to say that the barista is not very friendly. On one occasion I had been partaking in a few tasty adult beverages and mustered up the courage to ask her out on a date. She never said a word, I reached down and grabbed my coffee and was given a cold blank stare. It might be my fault, she may have seen me go to the Starbucks a block away the day before, it's not like I went to Peet's. The decor is awesome, there are multiple television sets, over twenty chairs to choose from, wild animals running free and always good conversation. Brad you are the man, keep it up and please put a good word in for me with the coffee maker. She's a hard one to crack!

MLK Café - ethiopian - Updated October 2026

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