Food was amazing. Combo 1 was enough for two people. Smothered turkey with country potatoes was fire. Excellent service and great atmosphere. Definitely coming back. read more

The food was amazing service on point and idk who the DJ was but they had it lit with the R&B .. I'll definitely be back very soon. Thanks for the great hospitality.. read more

Everything. Oxtails greens and yams Fried fish, macandcheese rice and gravy. Waitress was great. Service was great. Peach cobbler was good too. read more

I ordered delivery. What a perfect way to treat myself after fracturing my arm and wanting to celebrate mother's day weekend as a single parent. I ordered the oxtail plate ( mac n cheese and collard greens as sides) and the fried zucchini. I also ordered the side of catfish. The oxtail was delicious and soooo tender. The meal items were great, individually, but couldn't help but combine a fork full of meat, mac n cheese and collard greens. The catfish was just flavorful and not fishy at all. I can't wait to try other items on the menu next time. There will be a next time. The fried zucchini was very good, only a bit too oily for my personal preference. The zucchini pieces were a very decent size. read more

I learned of Y's Choice because I was staying overnight at a local hotel and saw an editorial in a magazine at the hotel about the owner and the restaurant. I went for Sunday brunch and sat at the bar. Bella the bartender was very welcoming and made a great mimosa (guava flavored). The chicken and waffles were delicious. The chicken was not overly fried with the middle being tender but not burnt! The waffles were fluffy! Honestly it's been a while since I had chicken and waffles and these were amazing. I'll be back because I want to try the other options in the menu. There wasn't a dj while I was there but the music playing throughout brunch was also appealing. read more

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Very solid soul food restaurant! The wait was short, and all the staff were very kind and helpful. The ambiance had a comfortable family restaurant feel. I'm not from the area, but I'd definitely comeback if I'm in town. We got wings, greens, ox tail, Mac, cat fish, yams, red beans and rice, corn bread, and fried zucchini. Everything was tasty. My favorites were the yams and catfish! read more

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Yummy, yummy in my tummy! I ordered Ox Tails with cabbage and collard greens through Uber Eats (great service; quick prep and delivery) and it arrived hot, fresh, and delicious. The ox tails were tender and flavored well and were served on a bed of rice and gravy which was also seasoned well. I mixed the cabbage and greens together which made the greens yummier due to the seasoning used for the cabbage. There was a promotion which allowed me to also receive free Kool-Aid and it was exactly how I grew up drinking it, shweet! I'll definitely order from here again when traveling in the Oakland area!!! read more

Y’S Choice - Greens and cabbage mixed - Soul Food Near Me - Oakland, California

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From beginning to end this was a WIN! Service was great and we didn't have to wait. From the refreshing strawberry lemonade which was just right, to the oxtails that were out of sight! We will be back to support this sister and keep this place alive and that's no jive! read more

Y’S Choice - Soul Food Near Me - Oakland, California

I'll start by saying I did NOT dislike my experience here. The service was good and the food was cool. The only reason I'm rating it a 3 is because the food is not worth what you pay for it. For 6 party wings, 2 sides, and a piece of cornbread it cost me $40. There are up charges for so many things. For example, of the 6 wings I got 3 of them were BBQ Hennessy wings and that cost me an additional $3. In all fairness it may have been explicit on the menu but I missed it and felt the pricing was unreasonable. The highlight was the mimosa tower. That was absolutely worth it! read more

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Extremely disappointing experience from start to finish. After waiting an hour for our order after ordering on Doordash(which staff rudely confirmed it wasn't their fault but the "tablet"), we got home only to realize an entire additional order was completely missing. We immediately tried calling the restaurant multiple times to resolve the issue, but no one answered and their voicemail box was full, making it impossible to even leave a message. I had to drive all the way back to the restaurant, which was beyond frustrating after already waiting so long. Unfortunately, the experience only got worse. Instead of accountability or even a simple apology, I was met with unprofessionalism, dismissive attitudes, and outright rudeness from staff. Mistakes happen, but customer service and accountability matter. The lack of communication, poor handling of the situation, and disrespectful behavior completely ruined the experience. I would strongly encourage management to address both operational issues and staff professionalism because this was unacceptable. I simple gave the two stars, because the fried rice, chicken wings and fish is actually delicious.... read more

Y’S Choice - Door dash order - Soul Food Near Me - Oakland, California

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The food was really good, the service was attentive, and the atmosphere made the whole experience even better. Everything came together perfectly and made it a place I'd definitely come back to. You can tell when a spot takes pride in both the food and the overall vibe, and this place delivered on both read more

Totally yummy! We were warmly greeted upon arrival (party of 8). Glad we called ahead and didn't surprise them as the place was jumping. Our server was Brooke--so sweet and on point. Everything came out perfect, hot and on time. She was super attentive as well. We ordered several fried fish plates, wings, chicken sandwich and lots of sides. Everything was amazing! We already have plans to come back. Thank you for an amazing lunch! read more

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Solid soul food, with hit or miss sides. Collard greens and green beans were too vinegary for us, and the sauteed cabbage could have used more seasoning and maybe been cooked down a bit more. My husband is from Mississippi and very particular about these things. Unfortunately, you won't find any pork items here, so no pork chops. Our oxtail was well seasoned and tender. Kids meal came with three wings and seasoned fries. The service was good and they were pretty busy around brunch time on a Saturday. We plan to return to try other items. read more

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The food was so tasty. Perfectly seasoned, whomever is cooking, thank you! I can't wait to bring my husband here. Highlights were their greens & fried zucchini for me! Not everyone can make perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned greens. Theirs were fantastic! Fried zucchini, also not over cooked, perfectly seasoned & their light batter stayed on the zucchini. Also, not most can get those veggies cooked to perfection. We had a couple hiccups. Totally forgiving for me, but worth mentioning. We order appetizers, hesitated ordering lunch, because we wanted apps first. On the third ask from waitress, we explained but ordered lunch & then she brought us our lunch. No apps. Ok. We asked to skip them. Nope, they came half way thru. Oxtail was delicious, perfectly cooked & seasoned. They were not served hot. Temperature was kinda warm. Then when paying tab; our waitress, the restaurant nor the bartender had cash/change. My friend & I had cash. Asked us to pay cc. Things to note: Discount on bill if you pay cash. They do not split checks/bills. Their address is 1825-3 & on the corner of San Pablo & 18th. No hard alcohol. Beer, wine & wine cocktails available. My friend had a wine lemon drop. She said it was good. The restaurant is well decorated, clean & has an all around pleasant atmosphere. I highly recommend this restaurant. Just dont trip on order of food arriving nor the little things. Their food is delicious! Servers are friendly & I appreciated their service. read more

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I will give the overall experience a 7/10.. The servers were also the hostesses. So everything seemed a bit rushed and i could tell they were overwhelmed and probably felt overworked, considering there were only 2 of them (one working the bar as well) i understand. We got the meal with 6 shrimp & 3 pieces of fish, the fish and shrimp were both seasoned really well, and had a nice crunchy coating to them also came with seasoned fries that had a sweet little taste to them, & also the meal came with this really delicious tangishy orange sauce that had a little spice to it. That meal was a 9/10. We got Mac n cheese, black eyed peas, crab cake egg roll, peach lemonade (fresh squeezed), & garlic noddles. The Mac n cheese was okay, i like a more creamy Mac, but it was superrr cheesy! The black eyed peas would say were also a 6/10, they were a bit mushy and not very flavorful. Now the crab cake egg roll was like a 5/10. No flavor really at all besides crab, & i (personally) think it's crazy that the serving options are 1 or 4 lol like?? Having 1 as an option just makes no sense to me. I could see options of either 2 or 4.. The peach lemonade which is fresh squeezed was a 8/10 but be aware it's veryyyyyy sweet! Like if you don't like sweet lemonade you will either have to water it completely down or just not get it. My man who usually orders 2 or 3 drinks didn't finish his because he hates overly sweet lemonade. The garlic noodles were 8/10. Good garlic flavor, buttery and cooked well. read more

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Second visit here and does not disappoint , enjoyable and warm atmosphere, friendly attentive staff and owner lovely Chef Y . The food is absolutely delicious , tender and full of flavor , we had the lamb chops and oxtails, with delicious cocktails. Moderate prices , we will definitely be back . read more

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Y's Choice is exactly the "piece of the heart" Oakland has been missing. Every single dish was a 10/10, from the rich Shrimp & grits, Qxtails & grits to the perfectly seasoned macaroni and cheese, greens and smothered potatoes. Even the French toast and fried fish were absolute standouts. The customer service was truly impeccable. Our bartender/waiter was so attentive, she even brought lemons for the fish before we could even ask. If you want delicious food and thoughtful service, this is the spot, & shout out to the DJ for the flowing vibes! Definitely gave me a taste of the southern H-Town vibes! Highly recommended!! read more

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While watching KQED, a restaurant review for Ys Choice, in Oakland Ca. was being recommended for Soul Food. I was very impressed with the reviews. So a friend and I drove over from San Mateo. Luch time, expected a rush...not even. Two people sitting in the restaurant, we were the next two customers. It's very expensive, seafood jambalaya $40, small portion. Sauce very bland, shrimp three pieces very rubbery, if there was sausage, hard to find if any, little bits. Three pieces of crab ( legs), hanging from bowl, over cook. Oxtail soup expensive small portion served in a small bowl. No taste, needed a lot of season. The greens they served, taste as if they were thrown on grill then placed in broth. Corn bread was dry, Crab egg rolls, ok, diffinitly hand made. No taste, some part very dough. Best part was the sweet chili. Ok, cost $146.00 for two people. But we did have two beers each. Provided a 18 percent tip. Why you asked if the food wasn't great. Our waiter who waited on us was very nice and the best thing about the restaurant. Ys Choice, I would call this " Why's Choice not! read more

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Family visiting from out of town had heard the legend of Y's Choice, so naturally we had to put it to the test. And let me tell you--the food? Amazing. PERIOD. The service hit that perfect trifecta: friendly, fun, and confidently knowledgeable. The whole place has this bright, buzzing energy, thanks in part to a live DJ tucked in the corner spinning tracks at that magical volume where you can still chat without yelling. Love that balance! Think Masego, Jill Scott, MJ, just a whole vibe of cool artists setting the tone. We kicked things off with a Peach/Strawberry mimosa carafe that was so good we were low-key sad when it was empty. Then came the pound cake French toast. I hesitated at first, worried it might be too sweet, but it turned out to be perfection, light, balanced, dusted with powdered sugar, topped with fresh whipped cream and berries. A whole chef's kiss moment. For my entrée, I went all in on the turkey chops, yes, turkey chops smothered in rich, savory gravy over their famous potatoes, with eggs fried over hard (it was brunch, after all). The table next to us ordered the catfish, and honestly, it looked like a plated masterpiece. They raved about it. Their grits and oxtail looked so good I didn't even pretend to resist I ordered one to go for lunch the next day. If you haven't been yet... run, don't walk, to Y's Choice. You will not be disappointed. read more

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I had an event to attend and wanted to get some dinner beforehand. I read the reviews and it mentioned there is about a 45 min wait for your meal because everything is cooked to order. So I made sure to factor that into my schedule. I got there at 4:55pm. Was greeted and seated promptly. I already knew what I wanted. I didn't want to add time ontop of the wait. I ordered the Arts Crab. The waitress was a 10/10 by the way. I was impressed because she looked so young but her customer service skills were on point. I love to see it. Kudos to her (I forgot her name). There was a lady and her son sitting next to me and we made small talk. She ordered the oxtails with mac n cheese and her son had the catfish. It looked very appetizing when they brought it to their table. Her son said his food good. And the lady also said her food was good, but, it was lukewarm, so she send it back to the kitchen to be reheated. Keep this in mind for later. Around 5:40pm my food arrived. Not only did it look delicious, it tasted just as good. Except, I didn't receive my garlic noodles. I told my waitress and she went and got the owner. The owner comes over and says she's been getting a lot of confusion about this menu item, and she needs to update the menu. (Menu included in review). She tells me I can order a side of noodles but I will have to pay for them. And anyone who is familiar with Arts Crab Shack knows it never came with noodles. THAT'S WILD ISN'T IT? Even the lady at the next table was surprised by her response. Anywho, I told her I was willing to pay for the noodles, but I needed to know how long it would take. She tells me she didn't know how long it would take because there was a lot of orders ahead of me. I felt like she was giving all the wrong answers. Your online menu says noodles are included. Your restaurant menu is considered 'confusing'. But instead of giving me a complimentary rush order of noodles, you want me to pay AND wait? The noodles come out about 10min later. Which wasn't to long of a wait. The food was 8/10. Very flavorful. It hit the mark. I would order it again. While I was eating, the waitress came over and tells me that the noodles were on her, because she forgot to inform me that noodles did not come with the meal. So I did end up getting the garlic noodles for free. Now I'm done with dinner and I exit the restaurant, there is an elderly couple ahead of me who also just finished eating. We are all parked across the street, so at this point we end up walking side by side. I ask them how they enjoyed their dinner. They said they got the oxtails but couldn't enjoy it because 'it wasn't hot'. Despite the menu snafu, I would come back. I would also recommend this place. In fact, I already have. My food was good and I would like to check out some other items. read more

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Excellent food and service We went there for a party and we had a great time. The atmosphere was so nice that we can't wait to go back. I took food home with me it was so good read more

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Ambiance was nice..I especially love the spacious bathroom. The service was welcoming and attentive. Was there for lunch and our anniversary. My son loves this place. The food was served hot and in a timely manner with great presentation. However, I enjoy cooking and prefer flavorful food. I expected more. It's a twist on soulfood. It was lacking the Soul. The cooks were also. However, my son says, that during the night the Soulful cooks are there. The food was cute and ok. Service was great. Try it you may like it. It is pricey but you get plenty. read more

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Fun little soul food brunch spot. The outside looks sus because there aren't any windows so in walking through the front door it gives kind of a club type of feel. But when you walk in, you find soul food restaurant energy. We went on Sunday around 1130a, it's a small spot but had plenty of tables at that point. They had a dj bumping a nice RnB selection, The Brown's were playing (and loosing, in spite of Shedeur doing his best to drive down the field), and a young waitress that looked just like Angel Reese, attentively served us our food. I had the crab croquet sandwich w/fries. It was delicious, but I gotta say hard pass on the mimosa ... tasted like a mixture of Cook's Champagne and minute-maid OJ. They have a huge bar so I'm sure that I just picked the wrong drink. My friend had a white wine and said it was fine. All-in-all it was a good experience, and coming early seems to be the Y's Choice, because it was starting to fill up as we were leaving around 1p. read more

We went there for brunch but missed it so we stayed there for dinner. The wait was about a hour and we decided to wait to get it a shoot. The food taste was the best for me. I felt like it was lacking seasoning. I ordered the gumbo and it had all the fixing, chicken, sausage, shrimp but the taste was very bland to me. My daughter order the chicken wings which was very tasty. Her sides was Mac and cheese and I can't remember what her other choice was. Her Mac and cheese was good. I ordered to go plate which was lamb chops with Mac and cheese and I have to be honest my daughter Mac and cheese didn't taste like the Mac and cheese I took home. read more

Y’S Choice - Gumbo 28oz Bowl - Soul Food Near Me - Oakland, California

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The server had good customer service. However, the food and portions were terrible. Specifically came here with family from Arkansas on the strength of a black-owned business. Highly disappointed. Would not recommend. $4.50 for a canned soda with no refills was crazy work, too. Maybe their brunch is better, but I won't be wasting my money to find out. read more

Y’S Choice - Soul Food Near Me - Oakland, California

The restaurant was clean, the staff was friendly, and we were seated immediately upon entering. I ordered the combo 3 which included 4 party wings, 2 pieces of catfish, 6 prawns and 2 sides (I had red beans and rice and cabbage.) The prawns and red beans and rice were my favorites besides the fact that my red beans and rice were barely warm. We also ordered a mimosa tower and I would recommend ordering a bottle of champagne and juices instead of the tower. I prefer more champagne and less juice in my mimosas. *Something to be aware of. On the day we visited they said they didn't have any sauteed dishes. I'll definitely come back to try more items. read more

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The food was flavorful and well seasoned. I believe this is the best Southern restaurant so far, especially in the bay area (if you know what I mean ). The staff, both the ladies and gents, are genuinely friendly, and the bartenders are skilled at making great drinks. It really has a great atmosphere! read more

I'm truly disappointed to write this review, especially for a Black-owned business that I genuinely wanted to support. However, I must be honest about my experience. My wife and I attended their Mother's Day event today, and for $75 per person, it could have been much better. The food was below average and not worth the price. The waffles were hard, the sausage was tough, and the fried chicken was bland, though the fried fish was decent. We received one glass of champagne upon entry but missed the Mother's Day bouquet arrangement class due to disorganization and delays. While the service was good, the overall experience didn't justify the ticket cost. Perhaps this was their first event, but if so, better planning and organization are needed, and the food menu should certainly match the ticket price. read more

Food is amazing. Service is mid -- they were busy and didn't bring us water or drinks until after 20 mins in. It's a cool spot for sure. Definitely enjoyed the oxtails. The catfish is really swai they say it's more local. The sides are all good. The music they played when we were there was like origins of hip hop today so we were down for that Brandy. Highly recommend checking this space out! read more

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Overall the food was good, the kool aid was super sweet, I couldn't barely drink it. The catfish was good and fried well. The service was mediocre, but it was busy. Overall it was good read more

The food was excellent very flavorful and made a good portion for your Money service was excellent friendly fast very communicative helped you choose options. The ambience was elegant yet. Relax I also got to meet the owner. She is a nice young lady very productive and I'm very proud of her. read more

Y’S Choice - Fish plate - Soul Food Near Me - Oakland, California

Thoroughly enjoyed the quaint environment with exceptional service and soul-delicious food.

Service was great, but a little slow for lunchtime. The food was good, a bit on the pricey side. Went here with a friend for lunch. I was nit disappointed but am not sure that I was impressed enough to return. I suggest at least give it a try. We both had the fish and chicken combo plate, since they were out of the turkey wings. read more

I have been here twice now with Love ones and Friends! Everything we have ordered is delicious! Make sure you go with people that share lol ! Our server, Brook was AMAZING !! read more

Y’S Choice - Lobster tail,and Red velvet waffles. - Soul Food Near Me - Oakland, California

Me and my BFF went on Saturday night and were nearly turned away because they were only taking to go orders. I do not like ordering to go because I prefer to eat in. Thanks to the lovely waitress Kylah (a godsend)... we were able to be her last dine in... and I am so glad we got to experience this place. The food was bomb, and ambiance A+. Kylah's customer service and knowledge of the food was truly appreciated! I got the turkey chops (for the first time) greens and mac and cheese. Yall it was like Sunday dinner at my southern grannies house.!!! Definitely will be back! read more

Y’S Choice - Soul Food Near Me - Oakland, California

Food fresh and delicious. Generous serving. I had the Boozie Special. The turkey chop was tender with a generous serving of smothered potatoes. My table partner had the Shrimp and Grits. - " the best he ever had" Our server was very friendly and knowledgeable of the menu. Will definately will be back to try other menu items. read more

LOVE LOVE LOVE this spot! Authentic, Soulfood with perfect seasoning & portions. I had oxtails and grits with a side of cabbage. The cabbage was very well seasoned but too over cooked, very soggy. The oxtails and grits are the best I have had! I can't even explain how excellent they were, just perfectly seasoned and the gravy with the grits with cheese I believe just DELICIOUS! The family had Pound cake French toast with whip cream, syrup & fresh berries, eggs & link sausage. The strawberry peach mimosas were delicious! There is a bar with seating and Sunday had a live DJ playing all the jams! Can't wait to go back! What a blessed Sunday! read more

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So looking for somewhere to eat that has catfish and Y's Choice was it. First time here and the server Sydney was very hospitable and provided excellent service. The setting here was really cool with awesome artwork. This place has a good vibe too. The fried catfish was great. The garlic noodles were good it has a little sweet after taste. The crab cakes were huge. Much more than I can eat but of course that went into the "doggy bag ". This obviously is a place I will visit again read more

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I struggled giving this restaurant a 3 because I love supporting our black owned businesses but I do think we should be truthful in our assessments in order to help them grow. I travel the world pretty frequently and so I've experienced some great brunch restaurants and restaurants in general, so this isn't a review from someone who is uninformed. When I arrived the front "door" threw me off because it was like a screen and as soon as I walked in it Lowkey gave hookah lounge vibes. The service could've been better. I sat at the bar and a young man was the bartender. From the time I sat until the time he even acknowledged me was maybe 7+ minutes. From the time I placed my drink order til the time I got it was maybe 10+ minutes. I almost thought I wasn't getting it til my food came. It looked to be somewhat busy but I think truly trained bartenders (or having more than one) could've easily multitasked that. I see they just got their liquor license but it felt like a simple drink kinda bar. I wanted an old fashioned but the bar seemed ill prepared to handle anything other than vodka & soda, Hennessy & coke, or mimosas requests. The shrimp and grits gets a 6/10. Very watery. Could be a Cali thing idk, I'm not from here so maybe I had an east coast expectation. Mac and cheese was maybe 4/10, I didn't finish. Can't place what it was but I'd be willing to try again to give a more accurate description. I fly to SF for business bi weekly so I plan to give this place another try. I love being around my people and as someone from the east coast, Sf is just weird! But hopefully the food improves, the bar gets a bit more complex and the service gets better. I look forward to updating this review when I get back in town next time read more

Y’S Choice - Mac and cheese - Soul Food Near Me - Oakland, California

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At this point, I've been to this location four times since October, and my experiences have been consistently great. My first visit was with friends for our quarterly lunch, and everything was delicious. I ordered greens, yams, and chicken wings--all were a 5/5. Everyone at the table enjoyed their meals, and there were no complaints. More recently, I placed a large catering order for our Black History Month event at work. I ordered greens, yams, fish, chicken, red beans and rice, mac and cheese, and cornbread--and everything was a 5/5. The food was flavorful, well-prepared, and a huge hit with everyone at the event. It really gave people a great, bite-sized introduction to what good soul food should taste like. I asked for the order to be ready at 2 PM, and it was ready around 2:15 PM, which was completely understandable given that there were 10 trays of food. What stood out the most was the level of service. The staff helped us carry everything out to the car, and the owner was incredibly hands-on and supportive throughout the entire process. She was approachable, helpful, and clearly cared about making sure everything went smoothly. Another thing I love is the atmosphere--the music is always on point, especially if you enjoy 90s and early 2000s R&B. Overall, this restaurant has proven to be reliable, consistent, and excellent when it comes to both everyday dining and catering. I definitely plan on continuing to support this business and highly recommend it to anyone looking for quality soul food and great service. read more