0 Followers
Out in Oakland
Mostly food spots around the Chinatown area.
18 Places
-
Bonnie’s 5-star review: I'm still riding on the high of devouring all the delicious food here from tonight's Yelp Elite Event. Let me highlight the goodies for the public to see! APPETIZERS: {Hamachi Shooters} hamachi sashimi w/ tobiki, ginger, chili pepper, green onion, wasabi, & sake ponzu. If you have a cold or clogged sinues, these babies will clear you right up! I washed these spicy appetizers down with a couple shots of soju. {Adegashi Tofu} fried organic tofu in dashi broth w/ green onions and bonito. Everything was perfect about this dish - from the savory broth to its crispy exterior and silky interior. {Baked Mussels} green mussels w/ aioli sauce, tobiko, and green onion. Mussels were baked perfectly and there was no rubbery consistency. The rich but slightly tangy aioli sauce went well with the mussels. {Karaage} fried chicken marinated in soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and sake w/ yuzu dipping sauce. This reminded me of the popcorn chicken you get at boba shops. The chicken was perfectly seasoned and the citrusy yuzu sauce provided a nice contrast. At this point of our Yelp Elite Event, this was our 4th appetizer and we were already full! DRINKS {Soju} plain, strawberry, peach, mango, melon...had (multiple) shots of each! My favorite one is the melon - reminds me of Hi-Chew candies or Korean melon ice cream pops. RAMEN {Sobo Special} Tonkotsu broth, enhanced with organic garlic and a hint of seafood. Topped with chashu, bean sprout, green onion, kale and sesame seeds. As we only had a sample of this, there wasn't any chashu in my dish (but it was in another ramen bowl we got...see below). I am in love with this broth! It's light, savory, and full of flavor. {Spicy Miso} basically the same toppings as above but different broth. The spiciness of this dish makes it perfect for the cold weather or when you're sick. {Tonkatsu Ramen w/ Mayu} Drizzled with mayu (black garlic oil) giving the broth a fragrant and roasted flavor, topped with chashu, soft boiled egg, bean sprout, green onion and sesame seeds. The mayu definitely gave this dish a very rich flavor. And the chashu was tender, soft, and practically melted in my mouth. The soft boiled egg was a little squishy but not runny - just how I like them. I'm a little sad this came out towards the end of my Elite Event meal...I would've finished it all if I wasn't already stuffed with their other yummy food. {Soy Coconut Ramen} new sampler for us Elite to try out. Am unsure if this will be rolled out into the official menu. It's a vegan in organic soy milk broth, a hint of coconut flavor, and topped w/ red onion and cilantro. It tasted like a weak Thai curry. I would've preferred a stronger coconut flavor and have the red onions be cooked to bring out the sweeter flavor. Good vegan option though. SERVICE - Stella, the owner, cares greatly about what the customers think and is always working to improve the menu. The workers, Mike and Beckie, were attentive and will offer suggestions to soju and ramen choices. Friendly staff definitely made the dining experience more enjoyable. I plan on making a return visit during normal business hours. -
Bonnie’s 5-star review: Before I curl up in bed and let the post-ramen and soju coma take over my soul and body...I just wanted to say what an amazing time I had tonight! This was the perfect pick-me-up after a long work day. Good drinks, good food, good company. From the plethora of soju shots (yum, melon!), to the four different kinds of appetizers (hamachi shooters and agedashi tofu were unique standouts), and finishing up with what seemed like never ending bowls of ramen - Yelp never ceases to impress me with the quality of the food at the events. And in this specific event, the QUANTITY was above and beyond too. I'm pretty sure I was satiated well before the last appetizer, and our ramen entrees didn't even come out yet. This was my first Elite-only event and it was fun to meet everyone, from seasoned Yelpers to newbies. I was excited to find people who were equally as passionate as me about taking pictures of food on their phone, keeping notes about what they ate, and having lively discussions regarding where to grab the best ramen/pho/(insert food name) in X City. Thank you Nique and Yelp for organizing the event and Sabo Ramen for the food! Til next time... :)
-
Bonnie’s 4-star review: I am forever a fan of dim sum and Canto cuisine, but every once in awhile I crave the more flavorful dishes of Northern China and I come here instead. Try these: + Shan Dong dumplings: perfectly marinated pork in side thick dumpling skins with w/ crushed garlic and soy sauce for dipping. These definitely remind me street cart snacks you can get in China. + Spicy Combination Noodle Soup: veggies and seafood in a hot, spicy broth definitely warmed us up on a cold Bay Area "summer" day. This dish was a bit too salty though. + Spicy Meat Sauce Noodles: it is similar to dan dan mian...for this dish, I would stick with regular noodles because the starch of the hand pulled ones makes the sauce too thick and gummy. I loved the spicy sauce. Basically any of the noodle dishes would be a fantastic choice; I would definitely pay the extra $1 for one of them to be hand-pulled noodles. I highly recommend getting the hand pulled noodles with any soup...they absorb the soup flavors nicely. The dishes are HUGE! It's great to come in with a big group for family-style or prepare yourself a doggy bag! -
Bonnie’s 4-star review: I've come here for sooo long. Having grown up in the East Bay Area, it's natural for my family to flock to Oakland Chinatown for food. When this place opened, my mother would take my bro & I here when she visited us out in Berkeley. FOOD - BAKED PORK CHOP OVER RICE: fried pork chop smothered with some ketchup/vinegar/cheesy sauce and baked over rice w/ tomatoes, potatoes, and onions. This has been my go-to dish every time I go to any HK style cafe/restaurant. I tried this at a couple other restaurants nearby, but I still find myself gravitating back to Cafe 88 because this one tastes the best. You can still feel the crunchiness of the pork chop when you bite into it. I like to put that on a separate plate to cut up while freeing up my metal dish to mix the rice and sauce together. The sauce is interesting...I think it's ketchup with some vinegar and parmesan cheese mixed in. Their lunch specials have a mini dish, which is the perfect amount for me. If I get the regular sized dish, then I usually save half for leftovers. - CLAY POT RICE: This is a fairly new addition to their menu. Basically it's steamed rice baked in a clay pot, topped with different meats and veggies of your choice. My favorite is the spare ribs and Chinese sausage combo. I really love clay pot rice because the texture of rice is just so different and the juices of the meat are spread throughout the dish. Plus I love the crunch pieces that are created at the bottom of the pot. - FRIED SEAFOOD CHOW MEIN: I like this dish because they use the thin noodles and are fried to be crispy, which is hard to create in your standard home kitchen. And then they pour sauce over it so some of it is soft and soggy. This sounds odd, but the combination is pretty delicious. We usually get the seafood one. SERVICE If you're ordering baked dishes, be sure to do it early because it does take ~15-30 mins before they're done. I find the waitresses to be no-nonsense and straight to the point. I mean they will give you recommendations if you ask, but generally there's no chit-chat. I never had a problem flagging someone down to get our bill or fill up water/tea. PARKING I think you can park in the big lot for free for the 1st 2 hours, then $2/hr afterward. Otherwise there is street parking. Chinatown is kind of a mad house for parking if you come during weekends. Come here if you need a quick bite to eat in Chinatown when you're not in the mood for dim sum. -
Bonnie’s 4-star review: $3 sandwiches?! Beat that, Subway! I've been a frequent visitor this quarter while taking evening classes at CSUEB's Oakland campus. I pop in to grab a banh mi sandwich, a boba at Quickly, and take it back to my classroom to enjoy. Both the BBQ CHICKEN and GRILLED PORK sandwiches were delicious. I will say the grilled pork was a bit more flavorful with its garlicky, peppery marination. Don't be afraid to say YES to the jalapeno peppers! The peppers mostly de-seeded so you won't set your mouth on fire. In fact, I wish they had more heat to them. The meat pairs well with the pickled veggies, peppers, light mayo sauce, and fresh cucumbers between a French baguette loaf. I will skip their boba selection tough -- for some reason they choose to use crushed ice which really waters down your drink or turns it into one solid icy chunk that you can't enjoy for the next 20 minutes. Just walk across the street for a variety of boba choices at Quickly. I'm already excited to try another sandwich next week...maybe BBQ pork? -
Bonnie’s 4-star review: My usual go-to airport for domestic flights. My favorite terminal is the JET BLUE terminal. They have little stations prepared for you to charge your phone/laptops and there's free wi-fi! I seriously judge airports by their offering of wi-fi. I usually take public transportation to/from airports and I like how this one is closer to me from East Bay. What I DO NOT like is the extra charge you have to pay for the shuttle. Otherwise, getting here via car is way better compared to SFO. I'm coming back here for when I plan future trips out to the East Coast or even to SoCal. -
Bonnie’s 3-star review: This is definitely a grab and go boba spot. Do not expect to sit down and eat here because the store is very tiny. I would rather get my drink/food and sit by the fountain the Chinatown plaza. Regular milk tea, jasmine green milk tea, and Thai milk tea only set you back a couple bucks (with pearls). Sometimes I like to splurge for coffee milk tea (yay caffeine!) or coconut milk tea (very rich and creamy). For a lighter drink after a heavy meal, iced green tea with honey is very refreshing. And popcorn chicken is the perfect spicy, greasy snack. My favorite Quickly in the Bay Area is still in Concord, CA because it is very large and roomy. -
Bonnie’s 4-star review: Mmmm....who would have thought I'd rave about beef jerky? Before my encounter with Oaktown Jerk, jerky was comparable to potato chips for me -- ubiquitous, mass produced, and a guilty pleasure snack. Well jerky is still a guilty pleasure for me, but my view on jerky changed after I won a gourmet food box made by Little Artisan Shop Box through Shikhalamode's blog (google both of them!). I got a 1 oz. sample of Oaktown Jerk's PINEAPPLE BASIL jerky. It's described as "Sweet pineapple zing with the wonderful robust infusion of fresh Thai basil" and I completely agree! I loved the sweetness of the pineapple and there was just enough spice to give it some heat (even though it's labeled as "mild"). The grass-fed and hormone free beef is soft, chewy, and never tough. This jerky is definitely a unique local snack made in the East Bay. I am sad I finished my sample already! I will have to find Oaktown Jerk at a food festival or farmer's market once spring/summer rolls around because I don't want to pay $5 for shipping (sigh, that's the only downside). I want to try the Thai Basil and Sesame Teriyaki next time, yum! -
Bonnie’s 4-star review: Thank you to the Shikhalamode blog and Little Artisan Shop for sending me a free foodie box...my first time ever winning a blog giveaway! One of the samples was a mini bag of Chunky Pig's CANDIED BACON CARAMEL CORN. That's right, a mixture of bacon and caramel in popcorn form! With kettle corn being my favorite, I knew I would love this sweet & savory snack. The popcorn was generously coated in caramel with bits of candied bacon mixed in. The bacon actually added a really nice fatty, savory flavor that complemented the sweet caramel. A quick peek at their website shows other dessert items made with candied bacon -- from cookies to chocolates. I will have to stop by a local Oakland or SF store that stocks Chunky Pig goodies to get my candied bacon fix because shipping is $7 to my house (ouch!). Until then, I'll have to satiate myself with normal, boring, non-candied bacon popcorn. -
Bonnie’s 4-star review: I had a sample box from the Little Shop Artisan Box mailed to me via Shikhalamode's blog giveaway. I'm a big subscription box fan--in the past I've done Birchbox and Ipsy for monthly makeup packages mailed to my door. I like the convenience of having things sent directly to my house and it's like Christmas every month! For the Little Artisan Box, I like how there are different levels of subscriptions: 1) Monthly, 3 Months, 6 Months, 1 Year 2) Small or Large Boxes (approx. $25 or $50 per box) This makes it easy to customize how long you want to commit to this program and flexible with your budget. Other perks: + Local food + Seasonal flavors + Beautiful packaging I got a few goodies from local Oakland eateries (including Oaktown Jerk and Chunky Pig) in the Oaktown Pride sample box. I would definitely consider getting a subscription for a foodie friend's birthday and/or Christmas. -
Bonnie’s 4-star review: I wanted a modern, classy spot in Oakland within walking distance from BART for a catch-up sesh with a couple of old friends and Tribute Tavern fit the bill perfectly. I've always walked past the Tribune building but never knew about this tavern/cafe inside! {food} It was basically a girl's night out and we didn't feel guilty at all about getting the guilty fries, hush puppies, smoked pork belly stuffed dates, and pork belly sliders. GUILTY FRIES - Like all the other Yelpers have raved about, I would definitely get a plate of these (we split a large plate between 3 people). Loved the beer cheese fondue and pulled pork on top and how the cheese didn't turn funky or lumpy after the fries cooled off. PORK BELLY - I suggest getting anything of the dishes with pork belly. The STUFFED DATES provided a nice sweet contrast with the smoked salty meat. And the SLIDERS had an addicting spicy mayo that really added some intense flavor and crunchy red lettuce for great texture. The sliders also came with tangy pickled veggies on the side to offset the meatiness. HUSH PUPPIES - they were only average to me and I've had better at Angeline's in Berkeley, CA. I wasn't a fan of the mushy texture, but they had a nice crispy outer layer. They were also served with the red, spicy mayo on the side (seriously want a jar of this stuff!). {drinks / happy hour} I guess they extended their HH for Beer Week and it ends at 10pm instead of 6pm. Sweet! You get a few simple cocktails (Mai Thai, Margaritas, Whiskey and Coke, etc.) for $5. While they aren't super outstanding, I still think this is a good deal. I'll return another time to try some of their signature cocktails. {reservations / service} It was super easy to make a reservation via OpenTable on Yelp. Since it was a Monday night, it wasn't crowded at all and the hostess sat us right away. There are lots of small tables for more intimate gatherings, and a few big ones for larger groups. I expect this place will get more busy when there's major sports events on TV. I'll be back another time for Happy Hour! -
Bonnie’s 5-star review: I am really loving the creative venues of the YEE's in the past couple of years. I admit it was a tiny bit shady stepping out of my Uber ride (thx for the promo code btw!) and seeing the empty industrial area. My friend Michelle L. and I finally spotted the entrance to the museum and it was like stepping into a time machine back to the good ol' retro 50's! Kudos to the staff and Yelpers who sported winged and retro outfits...you were all very classy looking! The diverse array of local food and drinks was pretty impressive--from local wine, beer, gin, cupcakes, grilled cheese, chocolate covered bacon, gelato, multiple dishes from EAT24, etc...I was so full & happy! I found a new favorite snack (looking at you, truffle goat cheese) and can't wait to grab some at Cheeseboard or Whole Foods. I really love it when I discover new, local foods at these events. The museum staff was also very awesome and informative about the different exhibits and pointing out fun facts. They insisted we take a pic with the Top Gun plane and it's one of my favorite photos of the night. Basically my week is always made whenever I am lucky enough to attend a YEE and this was no exception. It's always great to see familiar faces (hi Bernadette and Megan!) and meet new friends (thx Brittany and and Andrew for the ride to BART!). And thank you Nique, Yelp staff, Oakland Aviation Museum, & all the local vendors for making this a fab event! Til next time ;)
-
Bonnie’s 5-star review: This is one of my family's go-to spot in Oakland Chinatown for good old Cantonese/HK comfort food. It's in a convenient location right in the heart of downtown Oakland/Chinatown. We usually get some sort of combination of soup noodles, pan fried noodles, and rice porridge. Some favorites include: + WONTON NOODLE SOUP: love the pork and shrimp filled wontons. I usually get the thin egg noodles because I like the texture better. You can also try the flat rice noodles, which are softer and smoother. I really love their flavorful soup base. Add a tiny sprinkle of white pepper on top and you're good to go! + BEEF CHOW FUN [pan fried flat noodles]: this is always a good Cantonese staple! Flat rice noodles are pan fried with onions, bean sprouts, and beef. The beef is usually tender and the noodles seem fresh. + PORRIDGE: we usually order either the FISH or PORK LIVER porridge. The porridge base is usually smooth with no lumpy rice in it. However, once in awhile it seems like the rice might have been boiling too long with a slightly burnt aftertaste. Some other dishes I'd like to try out in the future: baked rice/noodle plates, seafood fried noodles, and clay pot rice. With most dishes average around $7-9, it's a great bargain especially for the portion sizes. We usually stop in here for a quick lunch or dinner when shopping in Chinatown. Come here for authentic Cantonese cuisine! -
Bonnie’s 4-star review: Quick and convenient place to grab lunch/dessert in Oakland Chinatown. This is like an HK/Canto style cafe offering dishes like noodles, fried rice, noodle soup, and baked rice/noodle plates. Their menu is actually pretty extensive! Like an Asian style Cheesecake Factory. I came here this past Saturday during the Oakland Chinatown Street Festival. There was a short wait for my party of 2 ppl at ~12:30pm, but they have a sign-up list and seats by in lobby for waiting. We were seated after 15 minutes. FOOD + Duck lo mein: I was craving something soupy and ordered this. It came with round rice noodles, romaine lettuce, and lots of roast duck pieces. I was very pleased with the amount of suck they gave. I only wish the broth was more flavorful, but the duck fat gave the soup and noodles a little oomph. I might get regular egg noodles next time, because I like that texture better. + Bake pork chop over rice: the bf ordered this off the lunch special menu. It comes with a drink, miso soup, and a side salad (which has a very yummy Thousand Island dressing). Dish came out ~15 minutes after ordering. This place makes their baked rice dishes very creamy and cheesy. It was very rich for me, but the bf seemed to enjoy it. SERVICE As typical with Chinatown, the servers don't make much chit chat and are a little curt and to the point. And I am totally fine with that! I'm just here for the food. Would I come back? Yes -- I'll try more of their noodle soup dishes and their desserts. The giant crepes and waffles are calling my name. -
Bonnie’s 5-star review: Octopus Literary Salon is such a cute business in uptown Oakland. The owners were super welcoming to us Yelpers on a Sunday evening. Even though the event description said "light bites," we got stuffed on so many deviled eggs and freshly made gourmet sandwiches. I wish I worked in the area to stop by for a cup of coffee during the day. I've never played Murder Mystery before, but I remembered playing Clue as a kid. It was fun to chat up other Yelpers to try and guess who killed Mr. Yelper, especially with a little help from the complimentary wine and beer offered. Glad to meet a few new Yelp friends at this event. And I even picked up a new book to read from their used book section (Atonement). Thanks for opening your doors to us, Octopus Literary Salon, and thank you Yelp East Bay for another fun event!
-
Bonnie’s 3-star review: Apparently they have new management/cooks and the dim sum is much tastier now! I came with my mother on MLK Day and the wait wasn't that long for lunch. We ordered the standard dim sum fare -- shrimp dumplings, siu mai, beef stuffed rice noodles, egg tarts, etc. Everything tastes fresh and flavorful. My favorite dish is shrimp dumplings and I always judge the texture of the dumpling skin (it wasn't mushy or dried out here). Overall we were satisfied with the quality of the dishes here. Price was ~$40 after tip for dim sum for 2. This is pretty pricey, especially for the Oakland area! I'll come back here once in awhile, but stick to the Richmond/El Cerritos area as my go-to dim sum area in the East Bay. -
Bonnie’s 5-star review: Great event to end the year of 2016 for Yelp East Bay! So happy to see some familiar Yelpers around, as well as meet some new Yelp friends. Totally worth braving the cold and rain out to this fabulous Crepevine location. Thanks to Steph and the Yelp staff for organizing all the fun activities--from the ugly sweater contest, Secret Santa gift exchange, and selfie station. I always like it when we have some sort of interactive activity at these events. Thanks to Crepevine staff for providing us with so many tasty samples to try! I regret eating dinner beforehand, haha. But I loved having a bite of the sweet and savory crepes, sliders, rolls, sandwiches, etc. And who can say no to a sake (or three) cocktail drinks? Thank you for providing providing olive oil as our takeaway goodie too! This was a wonderful boost to a dreary December week. Can't wait to see everyone again! Until next time...
-
Bonnie’s 4-star review: Mmm...ceamy, melty cheese over pasta?! That's the best type of comfort food for me. I knew I had to stop by Homeroom before I headed to an event on Piedmont Ave last Wednesday. I got off at MacArthur BART and walked down 40th St. I passed by the to-go Homeroom spot and was confused at first, but realized this location was just down the block. It wasn't too crowded at 6PM and I grabbed a seat at the big community table and promptly placed my order for GILROY GARLIC MAC & CHEESE WITH BACON AND BREADCRUMBS. As my plate came out, the server warned me that the plate would be hot. I was eager and promptly dug in anyways. The garlic flavor was strong but I didn't care! I looove garlic. The breadcrumbs provided some good, crunchy texture on top. For me personally, I actually prefer my mac & choose noodles to be softer than al dente. But I still enjoyed the noodles here at homeroom. Adding bacon was a great choice for some extra smokey flavor to cut through the richness of the cheese. Needless to say I only finished half of it before I felt full. No worries -- I was able to get a leftover box and bag and they didn't even charge me for it. By 6:45PM, I saw a decent sized crowd lining up outside to get in, even on a rainy day. Make sure you buffer time for waiting and eating if you come here! Mac & cheese was the perfect dinner choice for a rainy day. Overall I was pretty impressed with quality and taste the mac & cheese. It is a bit pricey (I paid ~$18 after tax & tip), and they automatically add 10% service fee anyways. However, I would not hesitate to come back if I was in the area.
About
Discover
Languages
Countries
Copyright © 2004–2024 Yelp Inc. Yelp, 
, 
and related marks are registered trademarks of Yelp.