Best Cozy Restaurants in Oakland

Nice place for lunch - good food and efficient service.

The fancy crispy chicken sandwich was delicious but very messy to eat as a sandwich. I'm not sure I would change anything but perhaps offer a wet nap to patrons. 😊

The pasta dishes were superb, as was the salad with lump crab meat and avocado. The panini, however, was disappointing. The bread was two slabs of thick, Texas-style bread, and the filling was very thick. Along with the Italian meats and cheese, there was shredded lettuce. If it was cooked on a Panini Press, the chef/cook forgot to close and press it. Obviously, whoever made the Panini has never been to Italy.

It’s unfortunate that my date and I only have two mouths and two stomachs total between us, because I absolutely wouldn’t feel bad about ordering the entire menu in one sitting. Well, my wallet might. We did order a lot, though, and we ended up closing down the place. The ambience was sexy and upbeat (not the drowsy kind of sexy, you know what I mean). It paired perfectly with the cocktails and a bottle of sake, and the staff were super stoked to give recommendations based on what we were feeling. The food came out as it was prepared, plated to perfection and ready to share. Did we order too much? I mean, it looked like it, but we ate every crumb. I’d have licked the plate if I didn’t like my outfit so much. And like I said, we closed down the place but never felt like we were being annoying or rushed out. Next time I come back, I’m ordering the rest of the menu.

Nice quiet evening to celebrate a birthday in the family.