Love this place. The food is fantastic and the space is nicely done up. Highly recommend.

the fried chicken with potato salad is an absolute must-try. The dining room can get a bit loud when it's full, but the overall energy is great and the service is super attentive read more

We went for dinner, the food was good, one of the better new places we have tried this year. We had the popcorn chicken (felt like an endless bowl), mitake tempura (really enjoyed it with the sauce), and hwe dup bap (delicious). We also had a dessert but I can't remember what it was now. Service was good. I only take one star off because of the space. It felt like the restaurant is trying to be upscale but the space doesn't really match the ambiance. It was a bit too noisy for me and the space is a bit tight so that some of the seats like where we were seated (right near the door), wasn't the best. I would go back and try some other items in the future. read more

Simplicity is difficult. Oken successfully transported a classic former diner on a bustling corner intersection to a sanctuary of culinary delights. With a blend of Korean, Japanese and notes of Chinese cuisine, there wasn't anything on the menu I didn't want to try! A starter of heirloom tomatoes captured the fresh height of summer. A snack of chicken yakitori was fun to eat off a stick as a less formal touch. And the entree of bap was both light and depthful in flavor. Well staffed, clear and vibrant aesthetic accompanied by upbeat musical selections make this a lively choice for a date night. read more

We celebrated my birthday with a delicious dinner at Oken. Our server was friendly, funny and attentive. The food was amazing - bright flavors, balance of fresh produce, sauces, and featured protein. We had a variety of the menu and enjoyed all the dishes. The decor was creative, but could use slightly better ventilation. read more

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An excellent, albeit somewhat pricey, restaurant offering Korean/Japanese food - I won't say "fusion". The staff was excellent, from the greeting at the door to the helpful guidance about the menu to the rotation of plates, delicious plates, across the entire meal. And the food was excellent. Everything was prepared with care, portions were exactly right leaning towards generous, and for someone who's a veteran of the Bay Area's spectrum of food offerings it was an absolute delight to be surprised by new flavors that in all cases were a joy to experience. All plates are designed to be shared, no tapas-sized dishes here. The seating can be communal, so if you're sensitive to that arrangement get reservations otherwise. I am not, so it added to the experience to share our thoughts about the various dishes we'd ordered. Highly recommended. read more

stopped in on a thursday night and the place was buzzing but not crazy loud. got the ganjang fried chicken and it was super crispy with a sticky salty glaze. read more

Dont let the location fool you, inside is a gem of a restaurant! Staff is knowledgeable and friendly, food is outstanding! We were a party of 4 and decide to do shared plates and ordered slowly to enjoy each serving. Unique, flavorful, good portions and we were not rushed at all. EVERYTHING we tried was terrific. The cold sake, wine and beer selections are also to be recommended. A delight to find, we will be back for sure. read more

We came during what I believe is their soft opening and had a reservation. The space is lovely inside -- stylish and welcoming. We ordered the omelette, beef tartare, and chicken, and all three were absolutely delicious. The flavors were thoughtful and well-executed, and the presentation was great. That said, a few things left us feeling a bit off. From the moment we sat down, our server repeatedly encouraged us to order more food -- not once, but three separate times -- even after we clearly said we were happy with our selection. It felt a bit pushy and detracted from the overall experience. Also, when we ordered the dumpling soup, they casually asked if we wanted rice with it. We said "sure, why not," not realizing it would be a $6 charge. It would've just felt more transparent and considerate to be told the price upfront. Not sure yet if we'll return. read more

Oken - Dumpling soup - Japanese Near Me - Oakland, California

I ADORE Ok's Deli... and so when I found out the Ok's team was opening a restaurant in Rockridge, I was thrilled! I knew it'd be DELICIOUS, THOUGHTFUL, HIGH QUALITY & PACKED WITH FLAVOR. I was lucky enough to snag a table on opening night (during their soft open). While the kitchen is still finding its footing, the dishes that really hit REALLY HIT. Overall, I think the Ok's team has a winner in the making on its hands! They're really creative and elevated takes on Asian American flavors... 5/5 Tuna Carpaccio -- the big eye tuna was served over an avocado emulsion with super high quality olive oil and a super tasty house made nori cracker. IT WAS THE STAR of the night!! Highly recommend this! 4.5/5 Grilled Chicken Remoulade -- this was a surprise! We ordered this on a whim, and it was bursting with flavor! It was deconstructed chicken thigh and leg served with roasted oyster mushrooms and a chili garlic herb sauce that was really tasty. It reminded me of a unique and fine dining twist on the kind of roast chicken you get in Chinatown. 3.75/5 Tsukune Dumpling Soup -- I'd give a 4.25 to the chicken dashi + egg that come with this. They were super silky and delicious! The noodles + dumpling that came with the dish had potential, but were a bit too wheat-y for my taste. My hunch is that as the kitchen evolves this dish, it will also be phenomenal. 3.25/5 Baechu Salad with gobo and cabbage -- This was the only thing we ordered that I would skip because it was a bit bland. (We sat at a communal table, and the folks next to us really loved the Shrimp Omelette and Kalbi Ssam.) The service was super friendly & attentive. Our waiter was really gracious, funny, and perceptive. It was a 5 out of 5 for service! And the Ok's team did a great job remodeling the space from its previous incarnations into a really beautiful quasi open kitchen with about 20-25 tables. I can't wait to see how the team evolves the menu. I was super IMPRESSED by what they pulled off during their soft opening! Congrats Ok's team! read more

Great new addition to the Oakland restaurant scene. Cabbage salad deserves a standing ovation. read more

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This is a high end izakaya fusion place that elevates the location it's in. We had a shared table, which was okay but made it hard to hear our conversation without raising our voices. read more

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Delicious! We tried a variety of dishes and all were great. We will definitely be back

Amazing food. Service was hyper attentive (food and drink sometimes cleared before we were ready, but they replaced them) but very kind and personal. read more

All the food was delicious! Staff were very attentive and the dishes came out quickly. We ordered the yogurt cocktail, kalbi,cabbage salad, and sashimi. I'm very happy this place opened up! A much needed addition to the area. read more

Had the highest expectations for Oken but sadly did not live up. Within 2 minutes of being seated we were curtly reminded that there was another reservation shortly after us and from that moment we felt like the entire experience was rushed. From feeling pressured to take our order ("well, I'll have to put another order in before your table"!) to subsequently missing receiving a few things that we actually ordered (including wine), the experience was overall sub par. Some of the dishes were spectacular- some (the red meat for $50+ were not worth it) read more

I was skeptical before trying Oken because I knew this corner when it was a mediocre 50's diner, and that's a hard taste to get out of your mouth and memory. However, the redesign is classy and feels surprisingly spacious given the tight quarters. Beyond that, Oken serves some of the freshest most flavorful food I've had in quite some time. We had the mini-sashimi-handrolls, tomato-avocado salad, crispy potatoes, and short rib lettuce wraps. All of it was exceptional. The tomatoes could have been sliced a little smaller/thinner, but the crispy noodles on top gave the dish a playfulness that set it apart. Cooked to perfection and beautifully presented, the meal put on dance party for my taste buds. So good, in fact, I almost did not want to write this review because I don't want the place to become overrun and impossible to get into. Aside from the food, the service was solid. Attentive, but not overbearing. I like to banter with servers a bit, and although that wasn't on the menu, we had everything we needed when we needed it and they let us linger after the last dish without making us feel rushed. My only note: I wish they had a more extensive wine list and served cocktails. If they did, I would probably be here more nights than I can afford. read more

What a great new local restaurant. We loved the maitake tempura with the dipping sauce. The kalbi short rib ssam with various vegetable wraps and homemade dipping sauce was delicious. Ended with peaches and cream. Great vibes, great service. Support your small local businesses. It's a gem!! read more

Such an incredible dining experience. We have been to Oken twice and both times were wonderful. The atmosphere is warm and inviting. The various wait staff were consistent with their friendly smiles and checking in to see if we needed anything. Water glasses were refilled on a timely basis which is a big point with me. All dishes we tried were highly complimented at the table, admiring their unique combination of flavors and their background sauces. Standouts were the Baechu Salad, Oxtail Jjigae and Yukhwe Onigiri. If you plan on going, I suggest that you go soon. They added a Peaches & Cream to their dessert section and I'm not sure how long it will be there. It was such a surprise and one of the best desserts I have had in awhile. The peaches were perfect and the accompanying yogurt whip and omija sugar was unexpected visual and tasteful delight. One suggestion, I would order dishes throughout the meal. The courses come out too quickly to fully enjoy their individual tastes and textures. read more

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The food is incredible: delicious, creative, and beautifully presented!! Plus the prices are reasonable for a menu of this quality. (We selected the four fish appetizers and the grilled Romano beans in lieu of entrees.) The food is on par with any of the top-rated restaurants we have been fortunate enough to dine at, including Single Thread and Sun-Moon Studio. However, I wish we could tare the food separately from everything else because the atmosphere and physical space are out of sync with the five-star quality of the dishes. The restaurant is extremely noisy and so crowded that the waitstaff sometimes had trouble navigating between tables. We saw several near-collisions. One of our waiters was rushed and had a flat affect as opposed the second, who served most of our food and added to our enjoyment of the food. One other small issue: The printed menus are illegible -- as if the printer ran out of ink, and the website is no better. Albert Ok, Oken's highly innovative chef, deserves a better showcase for his talents! read more

Ambiance is lovely - they did a great remodel of the previous diner. Food and service were both excellent. The menu is unique and the flavors are generally well balanced. I'd give a 5 star rating if it weren't for the unpleasant distraction of a very rushed experience by staff. When the host sat us he warned that our table was reserved for 7pm (we had a 5:30pm reservation). We thought okay, we understand - it's hard for restaurants to make it these days and they need to make sure they do two or three seatings in a night, but then our server also did the same when she greeted us, and AGAIN while taking our order (warning that we would want to make certain we order all the food we wanted then, without add-ons, due to time constraints). And we weren't dawdling; we left at 7:06, so stuck to their 1.5 hr policy. Unfortunately, this detracted from our experience and made it feel very transactional. Although dining out is technically transactional, you never want to feel that way, and while we want to support our local restaurant's success, the experience should be more pleasant in this regard, perhaps stating expected time once, not 3-4 times. There's also a large digital clock on the wall (a la Bear tv show), presumably to keep everyone moving along. read more