50 Best American Restaurants in Oakland

“I walked in with high hopes and with my group of friends. I walked out thinking the food was pretty good and the service was not great. Our server was gruff, condescending, and very inflexible when it came to splitting checks. The food was tasty and not as special as I was expecting. I'm not sure if I'll be going back.“

“I loved everything about this place. The food was just the right amount and so creative.“

“Always an interesting experience and fun treat. Classic cocktails in a classic atmosphere. Service is on point! Food is innovative yet still comforting and familiar. Never disappointed.“

“Chef Horn, is something special💯“

“good drinks, good food, friendly service, outdoor dining, i'll be back“

“A put bull was allowed to attack our dog tonight, they were sitting at the bar by the door. Our dog is well-behaved and well-trained and was attacked walking out of the restaurant. I appreciate places being dog friendly but plz be safe. The food and drinks are great but this ruined the evening.“

“Outstanding restaurant, we have dined at Wood Tavern more times than I can recollect . We we rather disappointed recently when we called to make reservations for 4 for lunch on 2/25/2022 and were informed they only take reservations for 5 or more. Is this true ? If so they should so state on their web site.“

“Loved my birthday dinner tonight! Portions small for the prices in our opinion. A scallops main dish with 3 scallops is small. Drinks were amazing, decor fabulous and great service. My son had to go eat more food afterwards as he was still hungry. Bigger portions would be good. Loved everything else! Great choices, appetizers, main dishes and creative drinks were delicious. Kind of surprised knowing they knew it was my birthday that they didn't offer me a birthday "something" to make it special. For these prices I would expect something.“

“This is my favorite restaurant in Oakland! The food is amazing and so are the cocktails. The vive is is unreal!!!“

“Tummy comfort food in great post-industrial space. Friendly service, craft cocktails. Good menu options and specials. Outdoor tables also available.“

“food was great atmosphere was nice recommend going there“

“Loved our lunch today ! Bison stew with fry bread and bison meatballs. Hibiscus tea was awesome. Staff was so incredible. Busy and very full today. Great atmosphere.“

“Great local eatery with delicious beers and wonderful taps. Joe, the owner, is one of the most sweetest guys you’ll ever meet. Highly recommend!“

“a ton of food options, check new shops like Rov's Craft Kitchen“

“I’ve recently cut out all dairy and pretty much all meat, although I will make an exception for special occasions and eat meat seldomly. anyway the options here are delicious if you’re a vegan! Their menu is full of tasty choices. U couldn’t be happier with my recent door dash orders“

“Food was perfect. Spicy and tasty and salty and everything you want for enjoying with a cocktail. The drinks were all unique and tropical and delicious and I wish I could have tried them all. The ambiance and the staff were just awesome. Thank you!“

“Great go-to destination in Uptown!“

“If you're a breakfast burrito fan, Southie serves one of the best I've ever had—anywhere. I've eaten great burritos across the Bay and in L.A., and this one easily ranks at the top.

It's perfectly constructed: ripe avocado, fluffy scrambled eggs, cheese, chorizo, and an onion-pasilla pepper relish, all wrapped in a warm, soft tortilla. The flavors are bold and balanced, and it’s finished with a smoky chipotle aioli that adds just the right amount of kick.

One of the things I love most is that it doesn’t include potatoes—just pure flavor, no filler. I keep coming back for this burrito, and it never misses.

If you're anywhere near College Ave, it’s more than worth the stop.“

“I went to Commis on my birthday. The food was amazing, creative and good mix of flavors. The atmosphere is very cozy and chill. Servers were all nice and they all wished me happy birthday. The chef come to the table for one of the dishes.
One thing I wish had been better was the service: although the servers were kind, they rushed through explaining the dishes, which made the experience feel less refined compared to the level of attention I’ve received at other Michelin-starred restaurants.“

“They're always so nice to me here! Mama loves the craft cocktails and the book curations. We live nearby so it's a favorite neighborhood hang, and we appreciate all the thought that went into the menus.“

“The melt just might be my new fav in Oakland! The food was outstanding, everything was fresh. the burgers were juicy even without mayo and I love mayo.. spicy melt sauce sooo good! and can we please not forget about the service 10 out of 10 babyyyyy Shay is that girl! She definitely made us feel welcomed and well taken care of. The staff is amazing thank you again!“

“what a cool place. the amount of community that is instilled here is awesome! great great food!“

“Been coming here since 1977. Always great food and adult beverages. Best is fried zucchini!!!!“

“Love eating on the Sun porch and the refills on the ice tea!“

“Z Cafe is a wonderful restaurant. The food is basic and delicious. what a joy to read a menu without having to pull out my phone to look up every other word. Portions are generous and reasonably priced. The kitchen is willing to accommodate special requests. The staff is warm, friendly and attentive without being overbearing or obsequious. Last night I have the Cattle Burger, which included a side of fries. The fries were crispy and the burger prepared as I requested. In my book, Z Cafe gets a 10 out of 10.“

“we love the vibe, service and menu at GLK on Grand and have been going there for years. On our last visit we were surprised by how salty the food was. I think the cooks are overly generous with salt. Both our brussel sprouts and the scallops were really over salted. Next visit we will be sure to order low/no salt, and send back anything that's too salty.“

“Mama’s is always fabulous! Great food, great people. What more can you ask for??“

“A truly amazing burger. I've tried several options on the menu and they're all great. The place is definitely homey and warm but it feels a little gritty and grizzled as well. The price is a little high for a burger that may actually be worth it but, it's an important consideration. Oh yeah, they have beers too.“

“we love the vibe, service and menu at GLK on Grand and have been going there for years. On our last visit we were surprised by how salty the food was. I think the cooks are overly generous with salt. Both our brussel sprouts and the scallops were really over salted. Next visit we will be sure to order low/no salt, and send back anything that's too salty.“

“I hardly ever leave reviews, nevertheless I couldn’t help but to notice I agreed with a lot if not most of the reviews. First and foremost it is a great local bar the atmosphere and the vibes are great. You always feel comfortable and welcome by anyone ever there. I do have to acknowledge, however that the service sometimes can be slow and sometimes it takes me a good 5 to 10 minutes to be acknowledged while at the bar for a drink. I think this would be my only complaint. for some reason service sometimes for a drink can be a little slow. I must admit the bartenders here are some of the best. The cocktails are always tasty and delicious and I like the attitude they all greet me with every time I come. My favorite bartenders here happen to be JOSE and ERIC 👌🏾👌🏾“

“Ramen Shop is in my top 3 favorite restaurants. Literally everything I've had is incredible and one-of-a-kind. I've tried all 3 types of ramen and they are all so flavorful, especially the vegetarian one with Meyer lemon. The turnip cake appetizer is perfection. I get the sesame seed ice cream sandwich dessert every time I visit. I would eat here every night if I could!“

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“Food was excellent, unfortunately the service that are waitress give us was not good at all, she take are order and after that she never went back to check if everything was ok r if we need anything all’s, we wait for are dessert 🍮 like 30 mints until I ask another person for it 🤷‍♀️. But otherwise it was excellent place and good We just had bad luck with the person that was in charge ford are table“

“The Good:

This place has excellent food! The tuna sandwich was phenomenal and the eggs benny were pretty good! The coffee is fresh, hot, and delicious. Service was quick, and the food came out exactly on time. The ambiance is pretty good, with decent decor and clean surfaces.

The bad:

The service is... mixed. The waitstaff are not very outgoing but that's hardly a concern. They do check to make sure things are in stock and that means a lot.

The ugly:

Breakfast ran $50 for 2, so it's not cheap eats. But for a special treat, totally worth it!“

“All fresh ingredients are so good.Noce Customer Service #BLM“

“Oh my!!!. One of the best Bacon Cheeseburgers myself has had in a long while!. Love this Emil's Burger & Breakfast!!!. GO!!! JALAPENOS!!!.“

“One Of My Favorite Spots To Eat At �“

“Ive been to the food truck & the storefront. The food consistency is the same at both! The meats are flavorful and they have a nice menu selection. Definitely recommend the steak & shrimp fries & also the cheesesteak egg rolls. The steak hoagie is also good (taste similar to the egg roll so cant go wrong).“

“Absolutely delicious! The steak with mushroom gravy melted in my mouth, and the mashed potatoes were perfectly creamy. Special thanks to our amazing waiter — the guy with the eyebrow piercing — he was on point: friendly, fast, and just awesome!“

“delicious ice cream and everything“

“We had a good time here. The cocktails were tasty and the food was pretty ok. Wife liked her fish entree and the olives appetizer. I found my burger (and the bun) to be a little dry and not especially flavorful but not terrible. I enjoyed the ice cream with olive oil and sea salt, it was one of those surprisingly good combinations.“

“Every time I come to town I stop for dinner. The paella is amazing. I also have an Anchor Steam every time I visit. I knew this time would be different with them (temporarily, hopefully) out of business. I so love this place.“

“my friend and I enjoyed our brunch on the outside patio. food service was fast“

“Hotel clean. I seen more housekeepers here then I have even seen at any hotels recently. Everyone was beyond helpful. The courtyard and pool area was clean, quiet, and safe. Fencing is around entire area of the hotel. Beds super comfy, great air conditioning.Only downfall was we traveled with a disabled adult and few times we noticed handicap parking was being used by someone that did not have a handicap permit in/on their car.“

“Clean, pleasant restaurant with old-fashioned decor, fairly-priced food, and good service.This is located inside Oakland Airport Executive Hotel. The full menu is available from opening to closing. There was only one person working to take orders, cook, and serve food and drinks. One person seemed to be enough though; it's not a popular place. There were only two customers when I visited this place in the evening, including myself. Everything on the menu sounded good, and the one other customer who was there was complimenting the food after every other bite, exclaiming that the eggs were just how he liked them and that the sandwich was perfect.I only wanted a little bit of food, because I had eaten before coming to this hotel. I ordered a side of fries to-go so that I could take it to my room. I was expecting a small container, but after five minutes of waiting, I received a full-size to-go box of fries that came with plenty of napkins and ketchup. My total was $6.62 including tax. The receipt said the fries were $6, but the menu said $5. I didn't bring it up because I got a large portion, but remember to check your receipt.This restaurant is the best part of this hotel, which isn't saying much, but I recommend checking this place out before you open a food delivery app, if you're staying at this hotel.

Vegetarian options: Salads and drinks available, most breakfast options contain no meat, check menu

Dietary restrictions: Food is made to order, ask for more information

Parking: Hotel parking area

Kid-friendliness: Not sure if high chairs are available, no kids' menu

Wheelchair accessibility: Door way is wide enough, the tables are low enough“

“This place absolutely rocks. It’s exactly the kind of neighborhood spot you hope to find - super high quality food but with a totally casual vibe and excellent price point. Jerk Salmon was exceptional. Owner was hella nice too. So glad we found our new fav spot!“

“Treated my parents to a lovely dinner from Kiana for their 50 th wedding anniversary!!! Everything was delicious!“

“First class operation“