Recently took my mom out to dinner at T'chaka. This was my second time here, so it was an opportunity to try a few new dishes! I ended up going with the jerk combo (includes chicken and shrimp), as well as rice & peas and plantains. We also ordered some calamari to start. The chicken was very moist and flavorful and the sauce added a great kick. The calamari was fried crispy with plenty of flavor in the batter. I was also picking up some spice with the calamari, but I'm not sure what they put in there. The ambience is solid and the staff are very friendly/attentive. The owner regularly came by to refill our water and ask how the food was. Top marks for both food and service. Excited to visit again to try the goat! read more

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The food was delicious!I had the goat curry. It was incredibly tender with a nicely spiced sauce, fried plantains, and red beans and rice. A few friends ordered the oxtail stew, which they also enjoyed. All the food was amazing. Great relaxing atmosphere and nice servers. read more

T'chaka - Oxtail stew - Seafood Near Me - Oakland, California

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The whole package is outstanding, this is the place everyone should at least once experience and after that let your taste take you back

Walked past T'chaka for past year and the night I tired it, it happened to be during their 1 year anniversary weekend! The restaurant was very busy, but the service was good. I sat at the bar and enjoyed the passion punch, which packed a little punch. For dinner I ordered the jerk shrimp, which was good and very flavorful! I appreciated how one of the chefs came to check to make sure I enjoyed everything and made sure I had the correct plantains! Overall great experience and I will be sure to go again! read more

T'chaka - Jerk Shrimp - Seafood Near Me - Oakland, California

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The food was amazing. If you're going with a group, I suggest you do family style! Every meal was a hit! The service was also great which and efficient. Would definitely be back! read more

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Haitian food and service by Christian were good. We ate curry goat and oxtail. Prestige blonde beer was good as well. Place is clean and vibrant. read more

I came here for lunch one day. I thought it was delicious! I ordered the vegetable stew with rice, plantain and tostones and it was hearty and savory. It tastes like a well presented home cooked meal. The service was okay and the vibes inside were vibrant. read more

T'chaka - Vegetable stew - Seafood Near Me - Oakland, California

T'chaka opened where Miss Ollie's was. Interior upgraded with subdued lighting, aquarium with live fish, music in background. Lotsa dining choices inside and out. Haitian food their specialty. Was given menu, seated upon entry. Know what i wanted from perusing same on window. Offerings (lunch): jerk chicken, pork sandwich, jerky's, T'chaka salad, vegan legume, griot, creole oxtails, jerk wings, cocktails, drinks, desserts.. Eats: creole oxtails (18) lunch, medium heat -didn't taste spicy at all. Not complaining, just saying. - small salad of cabbage, carrots, etc. yum! -plantains so smooth. Rice similar to "dirty rice" amaze.. -oxtails were chopped into smaller pieces than usual. Had to use tongue to discover bone bits. Meat was slightly dry, needed more heat? Meat was semi-juicy. My tummy really enjoyed the eats, great comfort food! Drink: passed since all have high levels of sugar. Wasn't in mood for alcohol. 4.5 stars- staff was helpful answering questions. Came in 2ish. Was able to finish in time for my 3 o'clock appt. Note: Haitian food has some similarities with U.S. creole style food . Would order Griot if i came again. read more

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What a wonderful addition to the Oakland food scene! Growing up in Oakland there was never much Caribbean food, fortunately that's changing a little bit but I don't know if many, if any, Haitian spots, I'm glad that's now changed. My friend and I came here on a Saturday night around 8pm. The restaurant was fairly full and they asked if we had a reservation, they sat us in a spot where they said a reservation hadn't shown up so it's possible a reservation for next time would be helpful. The restaurant is brightly decorated with vibrant colors and nice but somewhat casual atmosphere. The man who greeted us noted they had one cocktail, and no other hard liquor but the drink was a punch with passion fruit, ginger, lime and rum, we both decided to get it, it was addictive and almost too easy to drink. We also decided to share two entrees, the menu had many Haitian staples so it was hard to. choose just two things! We ended up getting the griot (fried pork bites), and stewed oxtail. Both were delicious but the oxtail was utterly heavenly, with the meat fall-off-the-bone tender and perfectly seasoned. Each dish was paired with a little pikliz, rice and beans, and both sweet and savory plantains, which were all wonderfully executed, flavorful and went perfectly with the main courses. read more

T'chaka - Griot (left), oxtail (right) - Seafood Near Me - Oakland, California

Come for brunch a few weeks ago.. Brunch turned into lunch.. they didnt open at one so I had a drinks next door.. no problem my friend was running late so it was perfect Once we came in we sat at a table and someone let us kno were drink menu and the specials.. mimosas with fresh fruit juice soo yummy.. the waitress was so nice and gave us great service. We shared the jerk wings which I will request to add some extra spicy next time.. i ordered the oxtails they were soo good falling off the bone good.. my friend ordered the shrimp and grits it was ok.. could have had more flavor.. after talking to the staff I definitely need to go check out there other location for more hatian dishes.. this location offers a smaller menu which is fine.. can't wait to come back once they get comfortable in this location.. definitely could come just to sit at the bar or with a big group.. read more

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Delicious! Highly recommend the Akra appetizer. The staff was so warm and friendly. Look forward to coming back again.

Authentic Haitian food. Go often. Great service. They also accommodate the locals because if this was Florida they would serve more rice with the portion lol. But that's just a personal thing. But been a good amount but had to drop a review. Also went when they were in San Rafael! read more

very friendly staff and excellent food on a cute corner of downtown/old oakland and kitty corner from square pie guys. go for the soup joumou, jerk shrimp, saltfish+ackee, and the ginger sorrel! delicious! read more

Had the red snapper. Crispy, perfectly tender, flaky, perfect amount of salt. The pikliz were the star of the show. Soooo delicious

I'm skeptical of any Caribbean food in the bay area, but this was the best I've had by far. The is the first time jerk chicken gave me hiccups from the heat. The entire plate was very flavorful and spicy. I'll be back! Only minor drawback was the lunch menu is more limited than the dinner menu, so we weren't able to try everything we wanted. read more

T'chaka - Jerk chicken plate - Seafood Near Me - Oakland, California

Soup Joumou for new years is a must for Haitians and diaspora... didn't disappoint. Happy surprise that they have Prestige, it's hard to find in the Bay Area. read more

T'chaka - Soup Joumou... - Seafood Near Me - Oakland, California

T'chaka is the real deal! We hired them to cater a memorial service and boy did they deliver. The food was INCREDIBLE - griot, oxtails, jerk chicken, rice & beans, pikliz, and vegan stew. Everything was delicious, perfectly spiced and cooked to perfection. Franz was lovely to work with, and the crew who came to serve and assist were attentive and respectful. I would recommend T'chaka over and over, and now we need to go to the restaurant! read more

A friend took me here on a Sunday evening for dinner. I was a little hesitant because I had great Haitian food in Fl and NYC.. It felt like home soon as I walked in. Wasn't crowded and a super chill vibe. The service was great, the owner brought out the food. She was so nice and welcoming, kind of like your favorite aunt or older sister. I had the Griot, flavorful, crunchy, seasoned to perfection, Loooved it!! The Akara was delicious different from what I'm used to but tasty, and this passion fruit drink that I could have drank a jug of. Great place, great service, and amazing food! This is definitely my new spot. read more

After Kingston 11 closed down it was discouraging that Oakland had lost such a great Caribbean dining experience. This hole is now being respectfully filled by T'chaka (pronounced Chaka). The Haitian cuisine offered here was excellently prepared and features several stewed and slow cooked proteins that melt off the bone and loaded with complex flavors. The tostones (crispy plantains) are the excellent choice to pair with the different sauces and proteins for a superfood experience. You'll be surprised with what your taste buds are exposed to on every bite, the side salad has a little kick! I will be coming back soon. read more

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Staff is friendly. Loved the decor felt authentic. Warm and cozy. Food was good. Oxtail was different than what I was used to yet still good flavor and good portions. Had something for the kids as well. So family friendly experience. read more

So delicious, the chicken literally fell off the bone. The service and ambiance were great. I'm already excited to come back and try the oxtail. read more

T'chaka - Jerk chicken lunch - Seafood Near Me - Oakland, California

Went with 2 friends. We all loved our lunch dishes. The portions are good size. The place is clean. Has indoor and outdoor seating. I want to return with family next time. read more

The food was fantastic here. Very relaxing environment with 90's R&B playing in the background. We had: - Jerk wings - very flavorful with a spicy kick. - Griot - Haitian fried pork bits, very crispy - Oxtail - succulent, falls off the bone. Highlight was the salad (substituted for rice and beans), which was very fresh and had a tangy dressing with tropical fruit flavors. read more

T'chaka - Jerk wings - Seafood Near Me - Oakland, California

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I absolutely love this restaurant. My husband is Haitian and I'm a good cook but I can't cook like they do here. The food is so authentic and delicious. The first time my husband tried it, his eyes watered a bit. The service is warm, kind of like you're eating at your families house. The restaurant has an authentic feel, really takes you to a different place. If you're new to Haitian food like me or missing a taste from home like my husband, I highly recommend this place! read more

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Been all over the Caribbean and this is very authentic . Aromatic flavors I can't seem to put a finger on. Inside vibe takes you to Haiti I am very impressed and can't wait to come back! read more

Service was great, food was stellar (got the griot plate). Would highly recommend trying this place out

Don't know why it took me so long to try this place but so happy I finally did! The snapper was the star of the show - seasoned BEAUTIFULLY and had so much flavor. Jerk shrimp was good too, I absolutely loved the sauce! The rice that comes with it wasn't anything to rave about but I'm not much of a rice eater anyway so I didn't mind. The chicken empanadas also were great but they were out of the beef ones when I came. An excuse to go back to try the beef ones and to have that snapper fish again! read more

T'chaka - Chicken empanadas & snapper fish - Seafood Near Me - Oakland, California

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I finally had the pleasure of trying T'Chaka last night- and WOW. I ordered to-go - my dish was ready and packaged within 20 minutes of ordering. The gentleman I ordered with was extremely friendly and pushed my order through even though it was 30min to closing. I ordered the jerk combo and the Griot- both were amazing. Extremely flavorful, authentic and the perfect amount of spice - not too much & not too little. If you're unable to travel to Haiti to explore the cuisine there, this is your next best option. They are truly that good and you can tell the food is made with passion and love. A warning however - this place is so good (& rare), it can very well become addicting. We are so lucky to have this type of restaurants in Oakland. I highly, highly recommend visiting this place at least once- the chances of being disappointed are slim to none. I'll be back, over & over. read more

T'chaka - griot - Seafood Near Me - Oakland, California

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10/10 - I went into T'chaka this afternoon for a late lunch with a friend. I've been eyeing this place for months - I think this is the areas only Haitian restaurant and I crave some Haitian food every now and then. Starting with service - it seems like a family run restaurant and this adds to the charm of the restaurant. Feels like family. The host/server was patient and kind, the chef also sweet! The decor is also nice - nice Haitian art, bright colors it's very warm and inviting. Now the food - so I am the daughter of a Haitian parent who cooks amazing food... the griot was sooo good. And the rice and beans. It tasted like home. 10/10. I also got the voudou cocktail - it was very good not too sweet and very refreshing. Can't wait to come back! read more

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what a fantastic find! i ordered the oxtail, and it was cooked to perfection ~ melt-in-your-mouth tender. the accompanying coleslaw was a delightful surprise; it's genuinely delicious, but do be aware it carries a subtle spicy kick. for me, it was ideal, but those sensitive to heat might want to note it. beyond the amazing food, the service was excellent. my server was attentive, and despite being a saturday lunch, our meals arrived quickly. highly recommend and will certainly be returning! read more

T'chaka - Seafood Near Me - Oakland, California

My family and I visited this restaurant this Haitian restaurant for the first time. The food was fantastic! Everything was so delicious. The drinks, the presentation, the service. I truly give them a five stars as far as Haitian restaurants go. Thank you for a nostalgic experience! read more

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Food was really good. Legume with pork was good. Wish I knew about all the dishes. The menu at the bar was limited. Will be going back!

Came here on a whim and very glad I found it! I got the oxtails which was very flavorful and great texture. My friend loved his pork sandwich too. Will definitely be back! read more

The Oxtails were tough. (pressure cooker). Not slow cooked. The fried plantain were stale like they were sitting around, not fresh. Akra were good but overly fried. I was a bit disappointed with the serving for $31. You guys can do better. read more

This place is SO bomb. Just get the jerk chicken. It doesn't fall off the bone, the bone falls out when you pick it up, it's that tender! And soo flavorful. Great portions for the lunch, a full chicken leg, I actually get a second portion of the (amazing) plantains and split it into two meals. Thank you Tchaka! read more

I haven't had a lot of Haitian food but this was an incredible introduction. It wasn't that crowded for lunch today, but it should be. We got the griot and the jerk chicken plates for lunch and it's not often that we finished everything on each plate. The slaw, rice, meat, plantaines, tostones -- everything compelemented everything perfectly. If anything, I'd want a little more heat, but it's nice for most people. On top of that the Ginger Sorrel drink was really tasty. Service was great and the cook was so friendly, we're excited to try the dinner menu one day. read more

I love Jamaican food, and now I love Haitian food. The flavors were amazing. Had whole snapper and wife tried oxtails. We had fried goat on the side. T'Punch to wash it down. I wasn't even done eating and I was thinking about coming back the next day with more family. You gotta try this food. Amazing!! read more

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This place is awesome! My friend got the vegetarian platter and she raved over the delicious flavors. I got the oxtails. They were smaller than I am used to, but they were absolutely scrumptious. Everything on the plate was delicious. The service was excellent too! read more

My husband and I loved this place! It was our first time trying Haitian food and it did not disappoint. The food was delicious. The service was nice, and the restaurant had a nice ambiance with great music. We'll be back again! read more

Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere:3 T'Chaka A Taste of Haiti, hooked it up for lunch. Good portions, though a bit pricey. Place seemed cluttered, could use a spruce-up, but the service was on point. Coming from the East Coast, I'm used to West Indian, especially Jamaican-inspired oxtails, but this Haitian spin was a pleasant surprise. Got takeout on a rainy day--food was comforting, and the sides? Top-notch. Would definitely recommend. read more