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My Neighborhood
San Leandro and its borders are finally getting on the map with some great and often affordable eats
18 Places
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Joyce’s 4-star review: Food wise it is more of a 3 1/2 star but the friendly service and having a non-Chinese non-Mexican option opening less than 10 minutes away from me is a big plus to bump it up that 1/2 star. You order at the counter and they bring you your food but they also come around to check up on you and remove any finished plates like a full service restaurant which is a nice touch. With Kamakura temporarily closed, I was on the lookout for good chicken karaage for my dad and I have to say that I may have found him a good replacement. Nice crunch on the outside but moist and meaty on the inside makes this a winner. I got the black garlic oil ramen which does not come with an egg but I was fine without since I was still working through my 50 cent dozen at home from Trader Joe's anniversary sale. You get a lot of great garlic flavor since there seemed to be almost a bulb in the bowl and the chicken ramen is a good way to get an alternate to the traditional chasu.
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Joyce’s 4-star review: I probably would never have discovered Theo's Cheesesteak if it wasn't for Benjamin's ROTD. With about 25 different cheesesteak to choose from and with chicken and pork options available as well, there really is something for everyone including a veggie philly. Choose from an 8 (regular), 10 (double), or 12 inch (super), it satiates all appetites as well. You cannot go wrong with the mushroom and pepper cheesesteak with provolone (although you also have the option of Cheez Whiz instead) while the BBQ cheesesteak added an extra punch to an already great product. With daily specials that include fries and soda, there is no excuse not to get over there and give it a try. Thanks for giving the 'Dro another great joint. -
Joyce’s 3-star review: With so little choices of eateries in San Leandro, I was so excited to see Sons of Liberty be one of those places that will hopefully make SL a food destination in the future. I have had this place bookmarked since shortly it had opened but didn't get a chance to get here until before the holidays. Atmosphere is fun and lively and the décor rustic. The food unfortunately fell short for me and I expected more for the price point that is more suitable for an SF eatery. The poutine was tasty topped with oxtail gravy but after having had oxtail poutine that actually had shredded oxtail on top in Mau`i a couple months before for less, $12 seems a bit high for fries and gravy with too little cheese curds. The shrimp and grits that drew me here to begin with was disappointing. The grits were swimming in way too much sauce and would probably be better with just half of it on top and the rest on the side for those who enjoy the grits as is. It could also use a couple more shrimps for $16. The pulled pork sandwich was good but nothing spectacular. I didn't sample it myself but the buttermilk fried chicken was supposedly on the drier side than she would have liked. The brisket tacos however seemed to be the winner of the bunch. I really want to like this place and am willing to give them another chance maybe the next time for brunch when I want to splurge without going across the Bay, but need to pay off my holiday bills first. -
Joyce’s 4-star review: When I heard that San Leandro got a Liberian restaurant that served oxtail, I knew I just had to try to make it over there the days it was offered. Great news is since the oxtail is so popular, they now offer it daily for lunch or dinner so we went for a lunch date during the week. The oxtail was so tender that it fell off the bone and the sauce so rich and flavorful that it was perfect to pour over the bean and rice which can be a bit bland on its own. Upon first glance at the cassava leaves with chicken, it reminded me and my Hawaiian Yelp buddy Fran C. (via my pic) of the squid luau but that is where the similarity ends. This is of course savory without the coconut milk but I have to say also an acquired taste as it isn't quite like the cassava that you may find in Indonesian dishes. Personally I have yet to acquire a taste for it and with the oxtail on the menu, that will most likely be my go-to item. Returning recently on a double date with Hazel and Michael for dinner, I did go for that oxtail again. It wasn't quite fall of the bone tender as that first visit so there may be a little inconsistency for it to be 5 stars at this time, however, I would still go back and order it again. I got to sample the attieke with whole tilapia and the one with chicken and both proteins have nice bold flavors. The attieke is made from cassava pulp which looks like couscous but seems drier, fine the first day but too dry as leftovers. Very friendly service and a welcome addition to add a little more diversity to the SL food scene. -
Joyce’s 4-star review: I was excited to see another relatively new addition to the San Leandro restaurant scene. I could not figure out what to make for dinner on Friday so we decided to swing by Lotus Leaf since I had it bookmarked. Prices and Food: Entrees are reasonably priced with the pho being on the higher end ($7.99-$8.00 for small and $8.99-$9.99 for large) vs. some pho houses and banh mis are $5.50 vs. $2.75. However, on the flipside, the ingredients like grilled lemongrass pork and grilled teriyaki chicken is more high end than your typical ground pork meatball banh mi so something to keep in mind and you can get filet mignon pho. Service: Friendly but is on the slower side so keep that in mind if you are in a rush or super hungry. But if you have time for a leisurely dinner without being rushed, then Lotus Leaf is a good choice They were still honoring the free Thai Ice tea for first timers but you do have to ask and they do have a website lotusleafrestaurant.com if you want to check out the menu. -
Joyce’s 5-star review: How did I never write a review for Porky's? I've been coming here for years since it's only about 5 min away from us. They use fresh mozzarella for their pizzas so you get cheesy goodness with each bite. I usually do a 1 topping mushroom pizza and a 8 piece chicken but since both the pizza and fried chicken are equally as good, I find myself almost alternating between a couple bites of chicken followed by a pizza chaser and repeating until I am so full that I am practically busting out of my jeans. But it is so worth it! -
Joyce’s 5-star review: Finds like this because of Yelp is what makes me proud to be a Yelper!! It's literally about 5 min from me but yet somehow I had no clue that this assuming place in a strip mall does crepes and anyone who knows me knows I love crepes, sweet and savory. So the best way to go if you have 2 people in your party and don't mind sharing is to get 1 of each, otherwise you won't be able to enjoy the best of both worlds unless you're a big enough eater. We did the chicken cashew crepe and feta cheese with a drizzle of pesto sauce and the fresh banana with nutella crepe. I was tempted to get the combo banana and strawberry but noticed that one had raspberry sauce and I love me some nutella on my sweet crepes. Both of them were so good that I'm already looking forward to going again so if you plan on returning, make sure to ask for a frequent buyer card where you get a free crepe after you buy 10. Price: Savories start at $6.50 for a ham and cheese up to $8.95 for the seafood delight, etc. and dessert crepes start at $6.95 up to $7.95 so it may be a bit pricey if you're use to $5 crepes but you do get a small scoop of ice cream for the dessert ones and scoop of pasta or fruit for the savory ones and with it being so close to me, it saves me the toll and gas of going to SF just for a good crepe. Parking: Even though they have a lot, it was packed that day so we ended up having to park on the street in the residential area but it's not a big deal. Note: You order from the counter, grab any open seating and wait for your order which takes about 5-10 minutes to be ready. After you're done just bring your plate back up to the right of the counter and a kitchen staff will come out and take them from you. -
Joyce’s 4-star review: With limited nice restaurant choices in San Leandro, Paradiso was the only place that came to mind for my cousin's birthday dinner. Food: They have a pretty large menu so it was easy to want to try many different things even though we only had 3 people so we did everything family style. For appetizers, we got the mussels, special app of the day which was rack of lamb with 3 chops, tempura portabella mushroom. For entrees, we split a sausage pizza, double pork chop with apricot sauce, and the flatiron steak with chimichurri sauce and fries. Because we over ordered, we had an extra pork chop left to go. Everything we had was flavorful and very well prepared and service was great. Parking: Easy parking in the evenings -
Joyce’s 4-star review: How have I never eaten here after living in SL for 12 years? But somehow I managed to do just that only to find out about this place from someone who just moved here recently. Unfortunately we came by this place for the first time before going to a funeral on Fri since I knew we wouldn't be eating lunch until late and therefore need a heartier breakfast than a slice of toast with milk. Since it was a Friday, we were able to get the breakfast specials which is offered M-F only - me 2 pancakes and 2 eggs and an extra side of hash browns and hubby the breakfast sausage, hash brown, 2 eggs, and toast all for about $15 not including tip. Pancakes were nice and fluffy and the hash browns was crispy and delicious. Do not expect to come here for anything fancy but it's a family owned "hole in the wall" diner setting with very few tables and a counter where they have lots of regulars who they know by name. I already know what I want next time but unfortunately it'll probably end up being before another funeral this coming weekend. -
Joyce’s 4-star review: I am so excited that I can get pupusas anytime without having to go all the way to Platano in Berkeley. I will take a pupusa over a taco any day. We have passed this place many times coming back from the library but always thought it was a bakery. So when hubby went with coworkers for lunch one day, he found out they have pupusas and really good pupusas at that. I always loved pupusas y vegetales which is just zucchini and cheese. On this menu it is pupusas de ayote and at only $2.25 a piece, it is a perfect lunch for just $5. It comes with curtido (pickled cabbage) and a slightly spicy tomato sauce. Since hubs got the Salvadorean Breakfast plate, I helped myself to the sour cream from his plate and the 3 together was a winning combination! If you like plantains, save room for their custard for sweet or refried bean for savory empanadas. Instead of the traditional empanadas, the shells of this one is made with plantains, so like a crispy on the outside but soft on the inside plantain shell. Since it was my first time, we got one of each and the savory might have just edged out the sweet but not by much. -
Joyce’s 4-star review: Came by for a slice of cheese and a slice of Nutella a couple of months ago but wanted to also try their whole pizzas before writing my review. This past weekend we came by for a whole pizza and I really like how they will do 1/2 and 1/2 and charge the whole based on the more expensive half. It was a great way to try different options since slices are not available for all offerings. We chose the BBQ chicken and meat and they were both very tasty. I think the meat might've just won out because the sauce brought me back to my local NJ pizzeria growing up. Even though we did takeout both times, they are friendly, down to earth people that I look forward to supporting this local biz more often. If you are a pizza junkie who plans on getting 16 in pies often, make sure to grab a stamp card. Please note: it is a bit tough to find parking especially at night. -
Joyce’s 5-star review: I am a fan of Be Well Juice ever since I was customer #1 on Small Business Saturday during their soft opening when I met owner Amy and picked up a few bottles of their cold press juices, Green Beet, seasonal Persimmon Lemon and Sweet Kale. I was back by the next week picking up more of that Persimmon before they ran out. After the holiday craziness, I was back again for two bottles of their Red Beet, celebrated Earth Day with their vegetarian Portobello Sando, vegan Well Whip for Dole Whip lovers like myself (pineapple, cold pressed pineapple juice, housemade coconut milk, agave) and their Earth Day/weekend exclusive Coco Sphere (banana, housemade coconut milk, honey, ceremonial matcha, blue spirulina). Even better, Be Well Juice Co. donated a percentage of net sales from the Coco Sphere which I literally went back the next day again for and green cold press line (sweet kale, green beet, celemon) that weekend towards nonprofit @savesfbay. They are constantly expanding their offerings, including some exclusives like that Earth Day, Mother's Day, and Warriors smoothies so each visit can be completely different or a repeat or threepeat of your faves like that Portobello Sando which is the best meat free sandwich I have ever tasted. Being able to pre-order online now means no excuse for not stopping by. -
Joyce’s 5-star review: I have been to their sister restaurant Angry Sushi so was happy to see that they have chose to open up a ramen shop right in my 'hood. You order your ramen on the sheet on your table customizing your saltiness, richness, garlic, and spiciness level and a choice of made in-house thin or thick noodles and firmness level similar to Ippudo. The tonkatsu and black garlic tonkatsu was both flavorful, although I would go for the garlic tonkatsu which was perfect for the 2 pieces of kakuni pork belly we chose to go with our noodles. Customizable bowls, excellent service, and close proximity makes this one a winner in my book and a perfect post movie lunch. -
Joyce’s 4-star review: Go Streatery was my absolute favorite food truck that I tried pretty much their entire menu from oxtail and grits to the brisket sandwich to the corn crepe with quinoa and always the lemon ricotta zeppoles and loved it all. So I have been anxiously waiting for them to open Top Hatter right in our own town and was one of their first patrons as soon as it was open to the public. Of course I needed to get that oxtail and grits and those lemon ricotta zeppoles. The prices are of course higher reflective of a brick and mortar restaurant but I was hoping that the portion size would be larger than what you get at the food truck as well. Two pieces of oxtail and not enough grits for $28 is too high side, not because they are in San Leandro but because if that is all you ate, you would still be hungry. An extra piece of oxtail and double the amount of grits and I would pay $35 for it. The chopped clam appetizer was absolutely delicious that I ate every bite of it myself and the cabbage bundle was surprisingly tasty. The sweet potato nest was way too messy to eat and flavorwise is probably my least favorite and one I would skip next time. I would love to return for the slow roasted pork shoulder platter in the future but for the most part, this is more of a special occasion restaurant than one if you just don't feel like cooking, but no complaints as SL needs more restaurants of this caliber. -
Joyce’s 4-star review: Love how SL is slowly becoming more of a destination for food and now with the addition of Ten Seconds, it brings something different to this city. In the previous Delight Café space, it has been remodeled to be more modern trendy on one side while having an old school Asian feel with the painting on the other. Having gone back to China to learn firsthand, the owners of Ten Seconds hopes to bring a taste of the Yunnan back to Downtown SL. We came for dinner mid-week around 6 and was able to snag a seat right away but the place filled up quickly during our meal. We tried the original bridge crossing noodle which I wish came with more protein than just a chicken wing and ham so I added a side of cooked fish as well and the tomato beef brisket soup, both tasty non spicy options. Each noodle soup comes with 10 set items per the menu which comes out first with any other mix-ins. Then the noodle and soup in the stone bowl comes out next. There is an order to put your bowl together. First in should be the raw quail egg, any protein, and lettuce. Second is the rest of your toppings. Last should be your noodles for 10 seconds before consuming. The order you put everything together does matter because if you add the noodles in first, it would probably get mushy and you have an option to get another serving of noodle for a fee if you're still hungry. Overall, a nice addition to the SL food scene. -
Joyce’s 4-star review: I am so happy to see more eateries open up in SL and Dynasty Pot is my newest discovery. With individual pots, you can choose your own broth and your own predetermined plate or customize your own. However unlike other hot pots, you do not cook your own meats in the pot as we ordered a side of lamb and the meat is already precooked. With the large only a couple of bucks more, it is worth it to upgrade and have some leftovers for lunch the next day if you're not a huge eater. Two people got the house pot option while I went with the Dynasty Pot in 3 bone soup which we all enjoyed and would get again. With a starter of spicy won tons which was a bit small for that price and fried chicken cartilage which tastes so much better than it sounds as there is chicken meat attached to the cartilage, we all had enough leftovers for lunch the next day. All meals come with a choice of black or green tea served hot or cold and either white rice or porridge, for an extra $1. I would like to get the porridge next time but putting some of that bone broth over rice was tasty as well. Decisions, decisions! -
Joyce’s 5-star review: So so happy that more places are opening up in San Leandro with As Kneaded Bakery one of my new favorites. Open for just a few months I was averaging a visit every other week for the first couple of months for their breads and/or different noshes with the Bostock my favorite. Bostock is a thick slice of challah bread filled with a seasonal jam and topped with a chock full of almonds. At $5 each, it is enough to share if you are willing. Baguettes run $4 a piece unless you choose one of the fancier ones and most breads are about $8. The honey rye porridge one of their best sellers is hard on the outside but is soft and moist on the inside and I now know why it is so popular. -
Joyce’s 4-star review: I had a dessert craving last night after dinner and since we hadn't been to Clancy's for awhile, we decided to drop in. The owners as usual are super friendly and makes me feel like walking into Cheers as many people that came in seem to be regular customers. Dessert for 2 for under $5 was a perfect ending to the evening. A good family owned ice cream parlor that is a gem in SL.
