Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    T'chaka

    4.6 (183 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 3:30 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:30 PM

    Order T'chaka Takeout or Delivery

    T'chaka Photos

    T'CHAKA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - T'chaka

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Decor
    Ernest G.

    My Haitian friend just moved to the bay. We searched and found her SPOT! Family owned - casual feel - owner went out of her way to make us a fresh batch of "pikliz" (spicy pickled cabbage). We tried the Legumes with Chicken - Griot (pork) and Oxtail. What a great tasting menu. Awesome spices with plantains / beans & rice compliments. This might be in our monthly rotation :)

    Oxtails
    Avey S.

    Food: five stars Service: five stars Ambiance: five stars I ordered the oxtail and my vegetarian friend ordered the legume. The oxtail was so tender and fell right off the bone. Perfectly cooked and deliciously flavored. My friends' legume tasted like a comfort dish you get at someone's home. The rice and beans were perfect. I also got the ginger sorrel which is jamaica and ginger and it was so refreshing and *not too sweet*! The servers and workers were so wonderful and kind. Even everyone inside was sweet and asking one another what they got, was it good, etc... vibes were immaculate. The interior decor is cozy and cultural. I'm already looking forward to coming back and trying what everyone else around me got! Doesn't seem like you can go wrong with the menu. This was my friend's first time trying Caribbean/Haitian food and this was the perfect place to take him to. Thank you T'chaka for your hospitality and yummy food!

    Oxtails Rice and Beans Fried Plantains
    Chris C.

    Finally got a chance to slide up in here. The vibe is on point. The service was good. And the food was amazing. I'm a big fan of oxtails, and this serving was perfect. Meat falling off the bone, seasoned just right. Spicy but not over powering. Just a hint of that caribbean heat. So good and the gravy flavor was an extra bonus .. The rice & kidney beans, perfect.. I cleaned my plate .. T'chaka was all that...

    Akra
    Adrienne H.

    I love me some haitian food down. This place has been on my list so glad I stopped by. I came on a Thursday evening there was no wait. They have indoor and outdoor seating and an amazing vibe. To start I tried the ginger sorrel which was perfect paired with the food. I tried akra I never had before and it was such a great starter. To eat I had the jerk shrimp the flavors paired with rice and plantain soooo good. The red snapper was perfectly seasoned and amazing as well. The customer service was amazing the chef even checked in with us and put away the leftovers. I'll definitely be back.

    Griot
    Kabuki J.

    I have been in search of good Haitain cuisine since i departed South Florida and Tchaka is definitely it. I had the griot rice n peas for lunch. The meal was absolutely amazing. The griot was perfectly seasoned crunchy on the outside moist and tender on the inside. The pikliz is one of the best I have ever tasted with the amazing pickled and spicy flavor. The peas n rice and plantain did not disappoint at all. I will definitely be back!!!

    Griot (Pork Bites)

    Delicious food that is perfectly seasoned. Excellent service and a nice relaxing atmosphere inside. Gluten free friendly options. I got the shrimp and oxtail, and separately got the griot with ginger sorrel.

    Drink menu

    Decor was beautiful. Food was fast and delicious, we had the oxtail, griot, and jerk chicken after I asked for recommendations that would fit our schedule before an event. We'll be back for the oxtail stew!

    Salad with shrimp and glass of sorrel
    Julia V.

    Great lunch experience! I hadn't realized we had a Haitian restaurant in this space now. A friend asked if I wanted to meet here for lunch. Sure! We were greeted warmly and seated. The place is really cute. We both ordered the salad with shrimp and a ginger sorrel. The salad was the perfect portion, very fresh, with beets in it and plantain on the side. The dish was well plated. The salad dressing had a high heat note that could have been a little better balanced but it was still really good. We both ate everything. The sorrel was delicious, not too sweet. The table next to us ordered oxtail and it smelled incredible but I knew I couldnt have eaten a lot that day. Our server was able to split the check. I'd be back.

    A close up picture of the soupy veggies the owner lied and said they don't have.
    Lynnell C.

    UPDATED REVIEW: Your response as the owner is extremely unprofessional and disrespectful. Instead of addressing the issues with my order, you chose to insult a paying customer and make accusations about my "DNA," which is completely inappropriate. Everything I wrote in my review was based on my actual experience. I specifically asked for only rice and oxtails, yet my plate still came with watery, runny vegetables that made the whole meal messy. As you can see in the PHOTOS, that is clearly slaw sitting in watery liquid. Slaw is made of cabbage and carrots, which are vegetables. So either you're being dishonest about it, or you genuinely don't know what vegetables are. The oxtails were mostly bone and fat with very little meat and almost no flavor, and the rice was dry and hard. On top of that, I asked for flats only with my jerk wings and still received drumsticks. Those are simple instructions that were not followed. Customers are allowed to share honest experiences. Attacking people personally instead of responding professionally only makes your business look worse. A respectful response and willingness to improve would go much further than insults. The PHOTOS speak for themselves. Original review: Tried Tchaka Food Restaurant and had a very disappointing experience. I ordered the oxtails with rice and plantains and specifically asked for only rice and oxtails, but they still added vegetables to the plate. The vegetables were watery and runny like soup, which made the whole plate messy. The oxtails were horrible! Mostly bone and fat with barely any meat, and they had almost no flavor. The rice was just as bad. It was dry, hard, and tasted like nothing. I also ordered jerk wings and asked for flats only, but they still gave me drumsticks. Overall the food quality was very poor and they didn't follow simple instructions on the order. I definitely wouldn't order from here again.

    Griot ( Pork )bites
    Loyal C.

    As a Haitian food connoisseur I went to visit this restaurant not once but twice so I can give it a fair shot and review. I initially didn't expect much since every Haitian restaurant on the west coast seems to flop pretty bad except for the one in Moreno Valley, CA. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Things to consider about Haitian food. Oxtails and anything jerked (jerk chicken) are NOT typical Haitian dishes. Leave those to the Jamaicans that's their specialty. I would NOT order that at a Haitian restaurant. If you order these we know you don't know anything about that culture. Now that we got this out of way. I've ordered the legume (stewed veg with no meat), fritay griot (fried pork shoulder) akra, fried green plantain, kremas, pikliz to go. Pros: Located in a vibrant part of Oakland this restaurant is very cleaned and spacious with arts displayed throughout showcasing the Haitian culture and spirt. There's even a huge outdoor seating. The service was fast and I am not talking by islands standards. Before i can blink was food was in front of me. To my surprise, I really enjoyed my food and ordered some to go. I thought to myself maybe I was really hungry hence the reason it tasted so good. So I went back a 2nd time the very next day, you could tell the food is made fresh because they don't have the same thing on the menu. Oh boy was I surprised again about how delicious the food was. Subsequently, I am giving this restaurant a 5 Cons: There's only street parkings which can be hard to find and it's not the restaurant's fault. I agree with some of the comments that the greeting might need some improvement. Then again this is a family owned business, where their young son is in charge of greeting & seating folks down. He may not have an inviting smile but he was not rude per se. Overall: I have travelled to over 65 countries there are certain things you can't except from people. Not every business is ran based on American expectations. This is a small family owned business with delicious & authentic Haitian dishes. What people want to know is "does the food taste good?" Yes or no. Also, while I was eating there I saw many Ubereats and/or Doordash couriers coming in and out, that might be an option for those who don't want to dine in. I would absolutely go back whenever I am in the Bay area. Lovely family and I wish them the best. I hope they open a restaurant here in Los Angeles.

    Oxtails
    Farhana M.

    This place was nearly empty on a sunday evening. We ordered the plaintain basket and empanadas, both gluten free! The empanadas use a corn wrapping. The server warned me that the cabbage that comes with the empanadas will be spicy, but it wasn't at all. Maybe they missed the spice. For the plantain basket, it's not a basket but a plate of 4 fried plantains. There was barbecue sauce on top of it, and a ton of not-deveined mini shrimps. The barbecue sauce was really unnecessary. I just wanted some dry, salted fried green plantains to pair with my saucy grits, or my partner's stewed oxtails. I got the shrimp and grits and didn't know there would be a sweet, orange sauce on top. It was a bit much. The grits is savory and salty, which was great. But the sauce on top over powered it. The shrimp was plentiful and big. Maybe i got the wrong dishes. The service is quick, the place is nice inside and the passionfruit juice was delicious. I would try other dishes, definitely would not try the plantains again though.

    Seating area
    Jawana M.

    I happened upon this place while attending the farmers market. It was almost closing for most restaurants, but this one had no crowd, the outdoor seating was nice, and it looked pleasant. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to sit at the wooden benches outside (because it's for a party of 3 or more), despite the place being completely empty. Ordered: oxtail creole dish. This meal comes with two types of plantain, beans and rice, and slaw. The food presentation was phenomenal. Unfortunately, the oxtail was super fatty and gelatinous. in addition to the oxtail pieces being super tiny, there was hardly any edible meat. I will say the meat came off the bone easily, but it was just gummy. I didn't even care to take photos. The rice and beans were decent. It was just super cold. The only thing worth noting (in my opinion), was the yellow plantain. It was warm and cooked perfectly. The green plantain was not as palatable. The service was OK, although the server was a bit awkward and seemed uninterested in working for the day. Perhaps it was that the location was about to close shortly. Sadly, I left and ordered another meal from across the street after leaving this place. Would not return or be my recommendation based on this experience.

    Jerk shrimp
    Olivia C.

    YUMMM. I came back twice in two days. The crispy fish is sooo flavorful and crispy and absolutely to die for, and the pikilis (not sure I spelled that right but it's a spicy pickled cabbage slaw) had the perfect amount of heat and paired well with the crispy fish. I love that they give you tostones and platanos maduros like yassss gimmie plantain in all forms. The jerk shrimp was savory and tasty, and reminded me a little bit the creamy creole shrimp down in New Orleans as opposed to a Jamaican style Jerk. The only thing I will note is that the fish seemed quite a bit smaller when I came back the second time, and it is a set price as opposed to being priced by the pound. So the portion size might be inconsistent. I'm still gonna come back and get more fish though hahah can't stop wont stop!!!

    Jerk Combo (Chicken and Shrimp)

    See all

    Photo of Wanda D.
    68
    183
    4

    7 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    1 month ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    24 days ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Shelley C.
    239
    168
    203

    19 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lynnell C.
    240
    130
    157

    4 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Frantz F.

    Frantz F.

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 4
    Love this 2
    Oh no 6

    3 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Philip T.
    299
    11
    0

    12 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 3

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 3

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Nyeh C.
    43
    32
    4

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Adriana B.
    36
    179
    13

    25 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    20 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 10
    Thanks 3
    Love this 9
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 2
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Lu L.
    3
    31
    11

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 2
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Joy B.
    1
    56
    18

    2 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - T'chaka

    You might also consider

    Every Little Thing Jamaican

    Every Little Thing Jamaican

    4.6
    (208 reviews)
    33.3 mi
    $

    Whoever reads this! This is the review you need, look no further!! I was in the Suisun area and was…read moresearching "food near me" when I saw this place. I love beef patties so I decided I'd give it a try! The special for Monday was goat (not my fav) and chicken...but I chose to just get patties.....until I got there. Upon arrival, the staff were very welcoming and greeted us with beautiful smiles. The music was playing gospel!!! My favorite!! Yay!! And I didn't even realize at first. Hehehe.. The establishment had snacks, drinks, clothes, fresh ginger, frozen fresh fish, oils, ice cream, soaps...you name it! They had it! When it was time to order, I told them I was skeptical of the goat and was thinking about passing on the chicken this time. BUT he insisted...and when he showed me the chicken, it looked and smelled amazing!!! So I said what the heck! I went from only getting 2 beef patties to buying 2 stewed chicken plates ($15), 4 patties ($3.75 each), 1 festival bread ($0.99) and 2 coco breads ($2.75 each) for a total of about ($60-$65). Everything was a 10/10!!!! No kidding!!!! We also got 2 mango drinks (less than $5 for both) and a pack of sherly cookies ($2.50). One of the drinks was 100% juice, and they had many other traditional Jamaican beverages as well as non-alcoholic drinks. I live in the Berkeley area but I will be making the drive again and again!! I'm hooked! :), "Every Little Thing Jamaican" is everything I've been looking for I Jamaican food!!! May God continue to bless you family, and I thank you for allowing me to experience a little piece of Jamaica....in Cali! See you soon!! WWJD.. :) BTW: The pictures don't do enough justice! ((My lightening wasn't that good!)) I need a better camera!

    I have been there on Sundays after church. The food has not…read moredisappointed me yet. The portions can vary dependingon who is fixing the plate.

    Photos
    Quick and easy ordering
    Quick and easy ordering
    Mild beef patty
    Mild beef patty
    Every Little Thing Jamaican

    See all

    Coconuts Caribbean Restaurant & Bar

    Coconuts Caribbean Restaurant & Bar

    3.9
    (2.7k reviews)
    25.5 mi
    $$

    I came here on Friday night with a friend. Staff does a good job checking on us. However, one of…read moretheir recommendations was a huge fail. Amongst the items they recommended was the ribs and chicken combo. Ribs were tender but they were just basic bbq sauce ribs. My friend was disappointed since he expected them to lean on Caribbean flavors. I had the chicken and oxtail combo which included rice and beans, and plantains. Decent size portion with a couple of oxtails, two thighs and drumstick. The proteins were moist and tender, but very under-sauced. The collard greens were tender and velvety! I'd suggest that too. It can get loud. But I think that was mostly because people are compensating when one table is loud.

    This was my first time having Caribbean food and it did not disappoint. Everything was flavorful…read moreand cooked so well. First, the plantains were so crisp outside and super soft inside. The sweetness from the plantains paired so well with the savory flavors of the meats. The jerk pork was tender, crisp in some spots, and delicious; the jerk chicken was perfectly cooked, well-roasted on the outside, and not at all dry inside; the oxtail was yummy and so tender. My favorite was definitely the jerk chicken. Then, previous to this plate, I've only had red bean rice, which was soggy rice mixed with red beans, so the seasoning on this rice surprised me, and it tasted so good. Besides the yummy food, the staff at this establishment were super welcoming and generally friendly. I haven't been met with such warm service in a while.

    Photos
    Island vibes inside!
    Island vibes inside!
    Jerk Chicken & Salmon ($24)
    Jerk Chicken & Salmon ($24)
    Jerk Chicken White Meat subbed rice & beans w/ fries ($18)

    See all

    Jerk Chicken White Meat subbed rice & beans w/ fries ($18)
    Carmen & Family Bar-B-Q

    Carmen & Family Bar-B-Q

    3.1
    (552 reviews)
    12.9 mi
    $$

    This is one of those times where I hope the owner reads the review and understands that the writer…read moreis coming from a good place. I truly believe that there is potential here, but a lot of things would have to change. When you walk in, BBQ is not the first thing you smell. I'm the type that if you can smell the BBQ when you get out of the car, it's probably about to be pretty dang good. I got all the way into the restaurant and it was just a vague smell... not necessarily bad, but not necessarily food, either. * The Mac n' Cheese recipe needs to be re-thought and revised. It was watery, tasteless and not what you would expect from a black owned business. * The cornbread is expensive and not given as sidecar to your sides. I'd rather pay a little more for food overall when I buy a plate and get cornbread than have to ask for and purchase a side of cornbread. As far as taste, if I wasn't eating it with the greens, it wouldn't have been very good standalone. * I had the rib plate.... No rub in sight, not even the slightest hint of salt and pepper coating. It was almost like the ribs go straight from package to smoker, no process in between. They seem to take the angle of drowning them in sauce, which is overly tangy seems like a bulk purchase sauce, rather than a house made sauce. BBQ sauce is too simple to make to not hone in on your own sauce recipe. The ladies who plate the food chop the ribs in half as a means to fit them into the carton, but to be honest, I don't wanna see or taste pigs marrow when I'm eating my ribs. Ribs were also very dry and over-charred... a few pieces. * The greens were the best thing on the whole plate to be honest. * Lastly, the hot sauce packets were puffy and swollen, which is never a good sign. Never seen that before until I came here. Also, I asked for extra BBQ sauce and was told that would be an extra charge..... this was already a tip off that they don't get a lot of business and now they're at the "nickels & dimes" point of their day-to-day operations. All in all, it just seems like the labor of love has been lost on this place, as it was recommended to me by someone who says it was good years ago. While that might be true, it seems the family has gotten too comfortable with their neighborhood regulars to keep the doors open and the quality is slipping as the month and years pass. If you're reading this as the owner, I hope this is a motivator for you to restructure and re-brand so that you become a "line out the door" business, because in today's climate, it only takes one influencer to enter your doors and call your food "certified" or "trash" for YouTube, IG, Twitch etc.. Be brave and make changes.

    Customer service: I had an issue with door dash saying they…read morepicked up my order but never brought it to me... I was staying around the corner so it wasn't too much trouble for me to go pickup my food but I was already comfortable at home... so to make a long story short... the worker (I think maybe the owner not sure) she ended up accommodating my meal that the door dasher took and didn't make me pay again and even gave me some extra corn bread for the inconvenience. The worker that day was super sweet and I really appreciate good customer service now a days. A little kindness can make someone's day !! The food: corn bread 10/10, Mac n cheese 3/10 (it was very watery and not much flavor) hot links 6/10 they have a weird texture I think because they are home made... but the overall taste was decent... also in there defense I got the last batch of the day... I went when they were 10 minutes to closing... banana pudding 4/10 basic banana pudding nothing special

    Photos
    Carmen & Family Bar-B-Q
    Dried ribs, potato salad that soup looks like mashed potatoes, dried up macaroni and cheese
    Dried ribs, potato salad that soup looks like mashed potatoes, dried up macaroni and cheese
    Carmen & Family Bar-B-Q

    See all

    Sol Food

    Sol Food

    4.2
    (5.9k reviews)
    18.0 mi
    $$

    One of the best dining experiences we've had in the area…read more There's almost always a line when we visit, but it moves surprisingly fast and never feels frustrating. The restaurant uses community-style seating with shared tables, which adds to the lively and welcoming atmosphere. The staff is consistently friendly and helpful. The ordering process is simple--you place your order at the counter when you enter, find a seat, and the food is brought out shortly after. Despite how busy the restaurant can get, the food arrived quickly. On this visit, we ordered the Mariquitas, Tostones con Mojo, Camarones a la Diabla, and the Sándwich de Pollo. Every dish was excellent. The portions were generous, the ingredients tasted fresh, and everything was packed with flavor. The Camarones a la Diabla had just the right amount of spice, while the sides and appetizers were equally enjoyable. What stands out most about Sol Food is the consistency. Great food, friendly service, reasonable wait times, and excellent value for the quality and portion sizes. This has become one of our favorite spots, and it's a place we make sure to visit whenever we're in town. Highly recommended.

    Finally made it and I'm glad we did! A friend told me about this place. Very busy on a Sunday night…read morewith a short wait as guests did keep rolling in. They ran out of the Rotisserie chicken (which must have been very popular) but we tried other dishes. Next time I wanna the Cuban sandwich Bustling inside, Puerto Rican music filled the room and loud chatter was in the air. Loved the bright green colored building and colorful decor inside! If you go to the Bodega next door, you can see how many people are busting their tails in the kitchen, wow!

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Bistec Sandwich
    Bistec Sandwich
    Spicy shrimp with side of fry's  Hard for me to pronounce the name sorry

    See all

    Spicy shrimp with side of fry's Hard for me to pronounce the name sorry

    T'chaka - seafood - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...