has NFL Sunday Ticket...which is surprisingly uncommon for bars in this part of the world. honestly, just based on "has Sunday Ticket" and "pretty good food" alone i'd rank it above any of the other sports bars in Oakland as most of the places with good TV situations have terrible TERRIBLE food and the ones with okay food don't have TV's sorted out. drinks are cheap. quality dive bar! like an actual dive bar with history that's filled with old-timers and neighborhood folk, not a "dive bar" where gentrifying yupsters who consider themselves edgy because of their tattoos go to congregate with each other. food is good for what it is--potstickers are legit, as are the carved meats. most of the chinese food is decent, as are the wings and ribs. don't get too crazy and start ordering things like nachos or some of the more out there asian dishes....that's on you bruh, take one look around and think about what you're dealing with here! on a poker note: the No Limit Hold Em tournaments on Wednesday night, Saturday morning, and Sunday afternoon are where it's at. ton of regulars and just a great community. read more

Just as I remember it without the Hauf Brau, but still good super clean and friendly. I have to come here and get the Chinese food which is what I used to always get. read more

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The sandwich specials are not special at all. Not only did they look bad, but the price is way too steep for what you get and to be called a special. The corn beef was mostly fat and the pastrami had absolutely no taste. read more

Food was horrible. I apologize in advance. I was hopeful! Salt and pepper wings were dry and not salt and pepper at all! No spice or nothing. Pork fried rice was so dry, my 74 year old Aunt refused to continue to eat it Even after using 2 soy sauce packets . Won't be back read more

Guess who just reopened. There isn't a Hofbrau though, just a menu to order. Still, worth checking out.

Best foood in Emeryville... wish they would open it again.... the seafood soup was the best i have ever had.. their rice dishes were delicious... i miss it.. and i know there's plenty of people who feel the same way... read more

After our private dance lesson ended at 9 pm, we were looking for a place close by that was still open for a quick dinner before heading home and Dude stumbled upon a late night place which closes at 11 pm. It was The Oaks Corner at the Oak Club in Emeryville and the reviews sounded promising. So we walked into the Oaks Club and headed to the restaurant and were directed to the sports lounge which leads to The Oakland Corner. If you're looking for a quite intimate dinner for two, this is NOT the place as it is loud, bright and a bit overwhelming. However, the food we ordered is pretty good! If you don't mind not having a quiet atmosphere and dim lights, this is the place for comfort food. We ordered the fried rice and wor wonton egg noodle soup which were hearty and tasty. For take out or a quick late night meal, this is the place for comfort food. read more

Oaks Corner - Fried rice - Chinese Near Me - Emeryville, California

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I know this place is a staple in Oakland/ emeryville . Their sándwhichs are good the meat is fresh. They also provide an ample amount if meat. Their toppings are a little limited -red onions lettuce tomatoes mayo and mustard-. They also have a "vietnamese" menu available at the register. I'd suggest the vermicelli dish for vegetarians. On the menu it comes with shrimp and pork loin you can order without those items but you can not substitute them which sucks. It also comes with four egg rolls that I was told was vegetable base but I believe two were actually pork so double check. Their customer services is. 2.5/5 and I think in part because they are used to their regular customers who always come in. I do recommend the bar area for game days. It is nice to have food, bar and tv in one location. There is even cake for sale. They take walkins and phone orders. A separate number for the bar to go orders and the oaks club read more

Oaks Corner - Contact number for to go orders & the bar - Chinese Near Me - Emeryville, California

Hofbrau meets Breakfast/Burger joint meets . . . Chinese? I guess you gotta cater to your clientele and looking at the packed card room (at noon Wed) it all makes sense. At the Hofbrau station you can get regular ($6.99) or open faced ($7.50) sandwiches as well as plates ($?). I think the tri-tip was a little more, but the other meats (pastrami, roast beef, corned beef, turkey, ham, etc) are all the same prices. I got a pastrami on rye with "everything" (mustard, mayo, tomato, onion, lettuce) and it looked pretty good with 2 quarter spears of pickle (see pic). I'm going to guess that pastrami is not their biggest mover because, while the rest of the sandwich was pretty decent, the pastrami was so so. The edges were crusty and hard. Luckily it was freshly sliced so the center of the pieces was still juicy and tender. A very multiple personality sando, even in the same bite. I may come back, but will definitely peer more closely over the counter to see what looks freshest. read more

Oaks Corner - Chinese Near Me - Emeryville, California

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Oaks Corner was dead post 1 o clock. the hof brau workers just standing around. the dining room empty. people at the bar was eating popcorn. bartender gone doing some chores. shortly, orders rolled in from the gambling room. pours: miller draft (3.75) -excellent, was very cold. coldest i've drank in a long time. -bowl of hot free popcorn given. on draught: -4 beers on draft. bud, miller, sierra, and haywire -drinks pricey, shot pours healthy, to the rim, past the white line -only gamblers drink or eat here -labeled a sports bar, flatscreen tuned to sports. -doubtful return, dislike drinking with (financial) losers. read more

There are few Hof Braus left in the Bay Area. This one gets a four star for food, and a 5 star for the service. We went here after a numbing chair finding session that was a bust. Nothing better for the soul than a hot turkey plate. The women helping us were friendly, asked exactly how we wanted our food, and smiled! I love places where it seems like the workers are actually having a good time. I feel that it must be a good manager or owner making sure their place is a joyful one. My turkey plate was fine. Hot food, lots of it, and tasty enough to warrant a four star rating on the food. The BF had a hot open face turkey sandwich, and I was surprised at the amount of food. The prices were fair, with the hot plate being 13.50. Long gone are the days of $5 sands and $9 turkey plates, but when you figure how much food has gone up, and Emeryville's minimum wage, it all makes sense. I am fine paying, as all I have to do it go to SF and realize $11.50 for a sandwich is a deal. (Hey, even a large Subway, which has less meat and no side, is around $9 now for one of their hot meat sandwiches...unless you get the one they want to give you for the day at a deal price.) read more

Unhappily, Oaks Corner has been closed down since the Covid problem presented itself. I would like to notify Yelp and Yelpers that they are not open now as shown on this website! Furthermore, I have called Oaks various times, including today, and told they don't know when they will open, if ever again. read more

**SANDWICH REVIEW ONLY** I don't see the reasoning for all the hatred. I can't vouch for anything else, but the sandwiches here are GOOD. My coworker came back from lunch one day gushing about this "new" thing he discovered: corned beef (lol). It was pretty endearing that he hadn't heard of it before, but beyond that, he spoke of it as if it was an amazing treasure he had stumbled upon and was doing ME the favor by letting me in on the secret. Naturally, I had to see for myself what all the fuss was about. On my first visit with him, I ordered the corned beef. He had only advertised it to me as the greatest thing he had eaten in ages; did I really have any other choice? The sandwich-maker-guy gave me the option of fat or lean cuts of corned beef. I chose the fatty -- since I'm about that life -- and he began working on my sandwich. Mind you, I've been raised on thin deli slices in my sandwiches for as long as I can remember. As such, I can't say I was prepared for what was about to go down... THICK hand cut slabs of meat sandwiched between two slices of bread. Who would have thunk such simplicity could be oooooh so amaze?! I almost feel like I grew chest hairs eating that manly man of a sando --- o_0. Even though the corned beef was slightly salty for my tastes, it was still extremely tender and tasty in my mouf. Thoroughly impressed (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/k83KkGYf5_s_vnLpm0eV9g?select=NgccqhxZBUcpjGx2a-b1Dw#W7D1PdmQlu30FMviWXdsfw). On a subsequent visit, the pastrami was just as satisfying (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/k83KkGYf5_s_vnLpm0eV9g?select=NgccqhxZBUcpjGx2a-b1Dw#laoGEmbf0zadNV5xeApI1w). Meat was perfectly seasoned and JUICY! Okay, okay. So the edge pieces were a bit on the crisp side of the equation, but there was so little of it that there's really nothing to complain about (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/k83KkGYf5_s_vnLpm0eV9g?select=NgccqhxZBUcpjGx2a-b1Dw#aabZt8K2H2uobOFVhMJ2hA). I'm easy going... as long that the majority of my meal is successful, I'm a happy camper. This more than fit the bill. Really, at about 7 bucks a piece, it's a good, quick alternative to Togo's or Quizno's ---- and CERTAINLY Subway. No complaints here! As far as ambiance, there isn't much of any. We always take our food to-go, so it's kind of a non-issue. read more

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Breakfast portions are large, but had to kill roach crawling on the wall where I was dining, so I won't be returning. But, food was good until bug showed up, but since it did, I can only give it 1-star and only recommend it to those who don't mind such things. read more

I wish people would stop hating the Oaks Corner Hof Brau. Here are some things I people should know about Hof Braus and Hof Brau culture in the Bay Area. The Bay Area always has been a hot spot for Hof Braus. Hof Braus traditionally are a blue collar places where people would go after work and forget about their day. Hof Braus always have a bar. They are loud for they are places where people can just hang loose and enjoys some drinks and big meats in a non-formal setting. All people are welcome to Hof Braus. However, if you are looking for fine dinning or a hipster place thena Hof Brau is NOT for you. It is more of a place to get REAL food, enjoy a corn beef sandwich with no foo-foo drama and have a brew. The Oaks Corner is one of the last places where you can get carved meats. Their dinners are fantastic. If you wants a full dinner to eat in or take out and tired of fast food, Asian and Mexican foods then this is the place for you. You can feed a family of 4 with solid food for about $40! I am a big fan of their corn beef and BBQ spareribs. The only thing that is keeping the Oaks Corner from receiving 5-Stars are their sides. Oaks Corner need to improve on the stuffing and veggies. Other then that. I am a real BIG fan!!! read more

This place isn't my first option for a drink..... Or my second option...... Honestly, Oaks was never an option for me on any occasion until I worked nearby. This establishment has ruined more lives than MJ's Neverland Ranch and adds the hurt by serving alkies to downtrodden gamblers in their moment of weakness. I am not a gambler but I am a true blue alcoholic. This place is "fuck you up" central, especially if you, like me, have an exceptional poker face and people can't tell if you're sober or drunk. The pours aren't always heavy but they are cheap. Be sure to watch your pace or you will be seeing 777. read more

I have to admit, it isn't what I expected it to be. I envisioned a scummy run down cafeteria setting. But inside, it is clean, spacious with a Hof Brau section, bar, and seated dining area. There are so many options on the menu and everything is affordable. You can eat something different for almost 3 months. Portions are large, though I did eat a sandwich and hot cakes together. I was stuffed when I left. This definitely will be a lunch place to come back again and again. read more

Excellent Customer Service! The bartender Albert makes this place worth coming to. He is extremely polite and makes great conversation. I love coming here when Al is behind the bar because he makes sure that he constantly checks on me and my party, regardless of how busy the bar gets. He is a great asset to the company and I will always come to the Oaks knowing he is there! read more

What in the holy hofbrau?! While randomly on the hunt for some good ol' American meat and potatoes, I step into Oak Corner, and for a moment, I thought, into my FUTURE!?! Here are all these older locals from the neighborhood, picking up trays, sliding down a line for some meat and potatoes and assorted sides of lunch line happiness. In the background, there is a distant echo of numbers and games being called, as if major bets were taking place behind a wall. A bar sits across the way from the lunch line, and assorted cultures and ages are staring back at my confused face from every corner. The atmosphere alone beckons me to stay, so I do. The food was really bad. I mean, I felt like I was in the bar of my future old age retirement home. The pastrami was actually rather tasty, the gravy piping hot (but obviously from a packet), the instant potatoes were creamy, and the stuffing was good, but again, from a Betty Crocker box. As I made my way toward a table, I saw the location of the headless voice's followers, a group of older folks sitting around in a large room, betting on various events. I sat at a table next to folks who's plates were so full of great smelling Chinese food, that I wondered if I made a mistake taking their sign "hofbrau" in the outside window at face value. Will I be back? Probably not, but man, what a trip. And if you want a cheap giant meal, and a look into your potential future...yeah, come here. read more

So, this review is for the food. Not the cards. I do like to play at the Oaks, but I end up going for food a lot more often than I do for poker. So, the food kicks ass. The hofbrau buffet is pretty solid, especially the sandwiches. The real treat, though, is the chinese menu. They serve the best chow fun around. The soups are very good, the chow mien is great, etc... I am sure this is due to the relatively high stakes chinese players at the Pai Gow, Double Hand Poker, and various other games. I have never tried any traditional american menu items like burgers, so I can't vouch for them, but if you don't like the dry fried shrimp chow fun, you are a crazy person. read more

We heard rumors of decent food here. Rumors are false. Food is greasy and processed. The chicken wings are stunted fried wings and drumetttes that came with plastic pre-packed pots of ranch dressing. The beef stew was swimming in grease and was more fat than tendon/meat. The kung pao chicken had no kung nor pao. Like another reviewer said, there is usually no table service till 8 pm. We flagged down a slack-jawed employee and asked her for the menu. After she finally understood what a menu is, she came back and threw a stapled stack of paper at our table. Real classy. You order and pay at the cashier and wait for your food. The food is not awful but it's just not worth the risk getting harassed by the patrons there. Many are depressed, broke, desperate, addicted, angry and possibly dangerous. The atmosphere is disturbing. The entire block with the card club and liquor store is a hazard to the neighborhood. Pixar employees have been mugged early in the morning by broke losers who are angry enough to mug for money. At night, people have been shot by patrons who lost money and want more. The minute we fled the place, some fine quality gentleman outside asked if we can help him get a bite to eat. My dining buddy had major anxiety after dining here. read more

Let's be honest here. It's a CARD ROOM. Not a resaurant and the food here is meant to keep players full and satisfied and most importantly keep there seats warm and the chips a movin'. I like Oaks. I come here often enough to know that the food is international and hofbrau style offerings for a decent price, portion and quality. It's not gourmet, but yummy, yes! I like the pastrami and the singapore noodles, but what ever you do make sure your clear with your wait staff (cocktailer). Instead of saying "Grilled cheese with bacon" you just may need to say a "grilled cheese with bacon strips" because it might come out with canadian bacon or even pork! There is a language berrier (most of the time) and my food has been brought out multiple times with pork and bay shrimp, when I have asked for the large shrimp or "prawns" and beef, then had received bay shrimp and pork on my singapore noodles (very good). The cocktailers are very sweet, it's just sometimes difficult when you have to wrestle for your food. One time the cocktailer told me I couldn't get what I wanted off the printed menu and that it comes out how it comes out of there p.o.s. (grunts)... One time my boyfriend and I actually got into a near break-up over the "Singapore noodle" at Oak's. We still joke about it to this day. So basically, There food is good Chineese and Vietnamese dishes, a yummy Hofbrau and American fare all reasonably priced and good if you're playing cards or meeting a boyfriend after a shift. The Hobrau meats and sanwhiches are the only thing here worth going out of your way for otherwise. As you may notice I only yelp places I frequent, which means "like" for some reason or another and I take Oak's Hofbrau for what it is and enjoy it. Happy playing! read more

I love this place! Another example of the old, blue collar vibe that used to be what Oakland was all about! This place was there when Pixar Studios was a ballpark, and most of what is now Emeryville was empty fields. Great on tap beer and drinks, excellent Hof brau food, and although I can't tell ya a thing about the gambling that goes on there, it does go on there, and it's a big draw (they show the tournaments on local tv). The Roast Beef is the best I've ever had in any restaurant, and they have Turkey Wings! read more

Poker has become a regular activity for me in the last couple of years, yet I had not even heard of OC until a couple of weeks ago- The first thing I can tell you is make sure you find a parking lot, do not park on the street if you can help it - there are sketchy neighborhoods lurking in the background so be mindful. Nice sized bar, easy access to the poker room. We didn't eat here, but the bartender, although not someone you might have expected to be a bartender, was very friendly and helpful. Very outgoing crowd filled the bar as it was a Ws game night. Poker room - decent sized, lots of activity. We came to play a NL game and they had a list of folks waiting, but opened a new table in short order. The problem with this table - No. 3, is it sits against the railing a bit too close, seats 1/10 had to push up every time a new dealer rotated, not that big of a deal, but can be annoying when you are sitting there for 3 hours. Certainly some colorful regulars there, but that comes with a 1/2 game. If you are looking for a game, they have several going - not sure I would drive a great distance though. I will be back if I am in the area. read more

I was a bit surprised that meals are "self service." I had to beg for looking at menu and the menu was print-out copy paper sheets stapled together. And there was only one at the register. You order food at the register, and you stay around the food register and wait for your food to arrive. They don't bring food to your seat. It's a fast food style. If you sit at the bar counter, a bartender serves you drinks but he has nothing to do with food. It is okay if you go there to drink something, but there is not dining experience there. The burger I ordered came with only burger and bun. No lettuce, no tomato, no pickles and no onions. Strange! There was a piece of orange next to the burger, and that was it. There is absolutely no service. This is sort of like a to-go place. I left some tips to the bartender but there was no way I could give a tip to the "food register." The food register just takes orders and you are supposed to check if the food arrived. Then you take the food to your seat yourself. This is a very odd type of bar/restaurant. This reminds me of those Taco place run by Mexicans. But such a place usually sell $1 Taco or even 50 Cents Tacos. Oaks Corner is sort of like a combination of a traditional American bar and cheap Taco place. The food is not the best kind, but they are good and rather "cheap" compared to places I know of. read more

Order a shot of Jack Daniels, and you get a 10oz draft Sierra Nevada back for free. Yep, $3.75 and you're set. Why no five stars? The bar serves as an unofficial employee lounge and sometimes it's hard to get a seat. ** edit: randomness, the shot was $4.25 last night ?? ** read more

Don't you just love a review that starts off with: The food was really bad and then in the very same paragraph says....the pastrami was actually rather TASTY.....instant potatoes were creamy and the stuffing was GOOD. I love Hofbraus which are a dying breed in the Bay Area. Oaks Corner while not the best certainly has a lot going for it. First and foremost it is an old fashioned carvery. Fresh cooked meats carved on the spot. I will stick to my two favorites. I am a corned beef mavin (expert) and theirs is TEN on a ten scale. Salty, great texture and flavor and as much fat as the customer wants. You can order lean or marbled and even better you can also order a la carte which is great for dieters who are not eating bread. Sandwiches are cheap at about $6 and a side order is only $3.50 (about 3.5 oz). I also like their ribs sold a la carte, about six ribs for about $7, another great price. The ribs are cooked or baked or roasted and no extra sauce is needed. Very tasty. I visit during daytime hours. The counter guys are totally friendly and know me. The other workers are equally nice. Parking nearby is good and I have never had any negative experience related to its next door card/casino room. In fact, that is one reason this hofbrau has and continues to survive when many others have closed. Best Hofbrau in the world remains TOMMYS JOINT in SF. read more

30-40 MINUTES FOR NACHO'S W/ BEEF? You got to be kidding! There must be a dark cloud following me when it comes to eating out in Berkeley/Emeryville. ESPECIALLY THIS AREA! Both places I ate at were not worth a 1-star rating! So back to my 30-40 minute wait for nacho's with beef. I'm looking for a place to eat that was close to the EmeryGoRound Bus Stop. I get off a block north of San Pablo and 40th Street. I wanted to grab dinner and sit back and relax, I had 45 minutes to kill before the next bus arrives. I enter the Oaks Corner Take Out. It's a bar/hof-brau establishment thats connected to Oaks Card Club. But you can also order items from the menu. It was a tough pick but i decided if im still hungry after my nachos w/beef, i can order something else and get it to go. I order my nacho's with beef. I'm watching the game sipping on some cranberry juice.I'm looking at the cashier that placed the order in for me. Its about 25 minutes late. It was a nice sized portion for $5.24. I told the lady if it's cold, I'm gonna tell you to send it back to the kitchen. First bite, cheese was cold. You need to bring this order back and tell the kitchen it was cold. She insisted that we just have it microwaved and I INSISTED on having the cook make me a new one! Her reason for it taking so long was that theres a lot of orders betweeen the bar and card room. But does it realy take 20-25 minutes for the nacho's to come back cold like that. If was warm I would of ate it. She was trying to make herself not look bad by telling them it was the kitchen's fault not hers. Another 15-20 minutes pass and still no plate of nachos! This time the nacho cheese was in a bowl. The corn chips were topped off with ground beef, BUT MISSING THE CHEESE TO GO ON TOP OF THE CHIPS! I told myself i need to go my 45 minutes went by too quick. The bus was arriving shortly so I asked for her to pack it up, I wasn't gonna stick around here any longer. What really annoyed me the most was she was telling me if i wanted nacho's with beef that i should go to taco bell! I came over there to have a meal, now i gotta listen to an old chinese lady tell me i should go to taco bell for nachos? read more

The sandwiches were pretty good here. I ordered the pastrami sandwich and it was very well seasoned. Only issue I had was that they slathered on the mustard which made the sandwich a bit sour. Order a drink and its only $0.65 more with your meal. We also tried the hotcakes with sausage. Tasted like IHOP. Should've just stuck with just the sandwich. After lunch, we headed to the card floor. It actually wasn't as scummy as I thought it was going to be. It was clean, orderly. Only issue is that the rules are so skewed to the houses favor. I'm not into poker, or paigow, or texas hold 'em, but they did have one blackjack table open, which I do play. I asked about the house rules for blackjack and its pretty standard Vegas rules except blackjack pays 6 to 5, as opposed to Vegas' 3 to 2. Minimum bet $10 per hand. So that means that if you get a blackjack on a minimum bet, you only win $12 back. As opposed to $15 you would in Vegas. And here's the kicker, you have to pay $1 to the house for every hand you play. So the house wins on every hand, regardless. So not worth it. Its just a little bit better than the San Pablo Casino, which has crazy rules for blackjack that skew the house advantage even more. I would save your money and go to Cache Creek, or River Rock Casino, or drive over to Reno instead. So much better odds there. I would give the restaurant a 3 stars, casino floor 1.5. I would never gamble there because I know I'd lose money. read more

Standard old man-type bar in Oakland. Sketchy area at night, but I went during happy hour (though I find Bud at $4 not very happy), and it was fine. Haven't had the food, but the free popcorn at the bar is fine. They show sports on their tv and also have a hot food section near the bar. They also have a card room around the corner, if you want to gamble and want none of the glitz and glamour, and just the seediness, of Vegas in your backyard. read more

Manager Brian at oaks corner sports bar said we can't cheer or be loud while watching the game

Disappointed, I've been going here for more than 20 years I'm 43 now. I went to get some food for the family and I, and was surprised to say the least that the sandwiches are now 11.50 American dollars, which is more than an open face sandwiches! The food was still good, but the price was ridiculous. 6 people 6 sandwiches 75.38! Really. They will lose my business at those prices! So my rating is for the pricing, the food is still ok hof brau food but not for those numbers! read more

You can roll down San Pablo by bike bus or car and think to yerself, I wish I had a huge corned beef sandwhich like they serve at Brennans in Berkeley. Then you see the red neon in the window of the Oaks card room that reads "hof bra" and you say it too and pretty soon you've got a nice, not too pricey, three pound hoagie to keep you company. Go ahead, eat at a bar table watchin sports with the locals or you can grab your meal to go and pass out at home with a pleasant food coma like yours truely. read more

Woo hoo! Open 24 hours with so many different foods to choose from! Although it is right up the street from where I work, I am no a regular. I've only visited once. However, it was a very delicious visit. The menu at Oaks coves a variety of cuisines, and it takes a minute to go through the menu. Whether you're craving a burger or need the healing remedies of pho noodle soup, Oaks has it. The staff is very quick and polite. Moreover, you can get everything you need at once-- the night's game, a beer, buddies, and food! I'd love to dine here again! Until next time, hope you get a royal flush! read more

This place gets a 4-star rating based on ambiance alone. Who knew we had a little piece of Reno transplanted in the Bay Area? This place exudes authentic tacky charm (and probably exudes some less pleasant things too). One of the few real Hofbrau's left serving your typical prime rib, turkey, open-faced sandwiches with gravy, plus some Chinese options. Partly depressing, partly perfect. Attached to the equally bizarre Oak's Card Club which is a casino but isn't, or something. I just come for the Hofbrau. Bring Tums. read more

Their deli/hot foods and breakfast, are always good. Tried their late night Chinese food and OMG . It was really delicious. Surprising

I ordered a hot pastrami sandwich from this place and also their fruit salad while playing cards.. It was actually pretty good! The rye bread was soft and fresh. The pastrami meat was thinly sliced but not too thin! I got mustard on the side and the sandwich really made my day even though I didn't win at my table. I liked the fruit salad because there were big chunks and a good amount of fruit that I liked in it. I don't really discriminate against fruit or anything but there are some kinds that I like better than others.. I also got a Bud Light to drink which went well with my meal. Decently priced food here! I want to try their open faced turkey sandwich next time! read more

I had a dream about a turkey and cranberry sandwich. I used to eat a lot of turkey and cranberry sandwiches at Ted's in SF. All morning I was having obsessive thoughts about these sandwiches. My mind raced around, wondering where could I get one? I even considered making a whole turkey for the sole purpose of making a sandwich. But that seemed a little extreme. Finally I remembered that this place has a Hof Brau. So I put my 14 month old in the old ergo and went in to get my sandwich. It was delicious. Hit the spot. Yay for Oaks and satisfying this pregnant lady's dream inspired food cravings! read more

I can't comment on my food, because I never got any. I came in on a graveyard shift break, sat for 10 minutes without receiving any attention, watched a different party walk in and immediately get menus. When I flagged the server, he asked what I wanted... He wasn't trying to take my order mind you, he was inquiring as to what I, sitting there at a table at 4 AM in a uniform could possibly want. I've dined all over the world and I've never before had to explain to a waiter that a menu is usually a prerequisite for a person who wishes to order food. I'm sure you guessed it, my lunch break was over before my order was even taken and I left, angry, hungry, and utterly neglected. So, screw this place. Denny's is right down the road, and their dining room doesn't look like it was hit by a flood 40 years ago and painted over. read more

The Oaks Club Hof Brau is probably one of my favorite places in the entire world. There is a simple process. You walk in. You order your food. You pour yourself a glass of water and then you hide away alone in a booth, in a dark and windowless room. You can either read a book or watch television. The television is small and fastened to the ceiling in the corner of the room. Most likely it is playing a sports game that you don't understand. Eventually someone brings you a 4.25 grilled cheese and fries and you eat and you are happy. This may not seem like happiness but I assure you, it is. Nobody bothers you. Nobody cares you are there. Everyone minds their own business. Finally you may relax and think clearly. You can sit there for however long you please (maybe forever). You may be surrounded by "a sea of broken men" but, in the hyper-liberal, politically correct bubble that is the bay area, something about this sea feels comfortable and warm. Like if they made a disneyland themed to the real world. Once you have thoroughly enjoyed the grilled cheese sandwich you can graduate to the cheeseburger (gigantic), the roast beef sandwich (also gigantic) or the various assortments of hot dogs (a new addition). On your way out you pass by any number of large, silk suited men with wigs who probably run the place. They are also in the mafia. But it's OK. They are only there to flirt with the attractive Asian card dealers eating oriental food that I can never find on the menu. You are now amply nourished and you can walk away feeling good that you didn't waste all your money at Rudy's down the street, on a bunch of douchebags who have barbie dolls made to their appearance and listen to shitty emo music. Green Day sucks now anyway. read more