Solid Cantonese bbq spot in Oakland Chinatown. I've only ever gotten various meats for takeout from here, but everything I've tried was pretty good. My go to is their roast duck, which is $17.50 for half and $33.95 for a full. It's not cheap, but the meat is more flavorful and moist compared to some of the other bbq shops I've tried. Both the siu yuk (roast pork) and chasiu (bbq pork) go for $12.95/lb, so prices are reasonable. I don't like chasiu so I've never had that here, but their siu yuk is good as well. The best deal here is their spiced duck feet and wings, which only go for $3.95/lb. I love snacking on them! There's also seating here so you can order and eat here, but I've never eaten here as I prefer to bring the food home to eat.
Joanne Lee
We ordered bbq pork, roast duck and beef chow fun.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Rick Zhang
We haven’t come to Chinatown as often as before after pandemic. And this restaurant had changed. We ordered usual stuff but they were so average compared to before. Not sure what happened.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
M E.
I don't order the sliced fish congee there anymore. The last time we were there the pork ball jook and the rice roll were good. The price has increased since Covid and the portions of food are smaller now.
Breana W.
Gum Kuo is such a staple for Chinese/Cantonese food. I've came here for years with my family and still do when I am craving porridge. The quality of the porridge has changed (as noted by my family and myself), I still like it but it is watered down from its golden years. In addition to porridge, I also get noodles, rice rolls, fried doughnuts to dip in the porridge, and anything else I'm craving. The barbecue is quite popular, but the star of my visits is always the porridge. Street parking is $2/hour, the paid lot is $3/hour, unless you come on a Sunday or holiday then it's free parking. There are no restrooms in the restaurant, you'll have to ask for a key and walk to a separate area of the plaza. Remember, you are coming for the food and not for the ambiance or service! That's how you know the food is great. The Gum Kuo here is the original and better than the other chain that opened up in Dublin. I highly recommend dining here!
Kevin D.
OK Sometimes the first choice is closed for the hour you show up to eat . 10th and Webster 3:05 pm and my go to is closed at 3 pm and I am hungry . Gum Koa is close I had been there before . I go in and miss their lunch special and order the the meat combo special with rice . It comes out quick and I am surprised . It`s $ 16.95 so I am expecting something substantial . Five , size of a egg mc muffin sausage patties , pieces of meat come out . Pork ( which was the best ... I thought was chicken ) chop , a piece of beef , a single kinda uncooked piece of bacon , a delicious piece of chinese ham ( shape of spam slice and a HOT DOG ( which they claim is a sausage ) . Literally a measured cup of whit rice and 2 or three florettes of brocoli . They did bring soup of the day , ( egg drop and spinach ) which was good . Served in a garlic sauce which was good . Well I ate it in 10 minutes and upon leaving was like MEH !!! It was ok but not $ 20 OK . So I will only go there for lunch special and will NEVER order that combo again . I hope this helps someone
Mike Lok
Gum Kuo has been around for decades. They have Chinese BBQ (ducks, bbq pork, etc.) in the window that you can order by pound.They also have a menu with different noodle soups, fried rice/chow mein, etc.What they're most well known for is there rice porridge ("jook"). I usually recommend the salty egg and pork one or the fish one, plus to order the Chinese donut to go with it.Get your rice porridge on!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Sindy S.
If you know you know! Gum Kuo is the spot over the years! If you need jook, shrimp rolls, fried doughnut, beef chow fun, etc.. --this is the best spot in Oakland.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Peking Roasted Duck, Chinese Fried Donut for Porridge, Porridge, Beef & Egg over Rice, Beef Chow Fun, Singapore Style Chow Fun, Ying Yang Fried Rice
Cindy C.
If you know you know! Gum Kuo is the spot over the years! If you need jook, shrimp rolls, fried doughnut, beef chow fun, etc.. --this is the best spot in Oakland.
Dayna M.
I visited on a Saturday afternoon around 1pm and there was a bit of a line but it went fast, waited no longer than 15mins. I noticed it's a place people go to get a quick bite to eat since service is fast. I saw a number of single eaters site down eat and leave within a 20-30min time frame. We ordered: Chicken wings: simple fried chicken wing with the perfect crisp! Shrimp rice noodles: tasted very fresh but some of the noodle pieces were huge! Jook: had a good thickness to it, prob the better jook I've had Roasted duck wonton noodle soup: soo good! Duck had good flavor, wontons were plump and egg noodles were good, but the broth a was a bit salty for my liking. I would return for a quick bit to eat in Oakland!
We've been coming here for years as the food has generally been consistent over the years, but sadly on our last two visits, the jook has been very watered down. The jook here used to be so rich and creamy, but on our last two visits, they have been very liquidy and watered down. The flavor of the jooks is still delicious, it's just that they've become too watered down now. It makes you wonder if there has been a change in chef? They need to bring back the rich and creamy jook. That's the whole reason we come to Oakland Chinatown is for the jook, as it used to be this nice rich and creamy consistency. Now, not sure if it's worth the trip coming here? The rest of the items are still pretty good and have maintained the quality, it's just the jook that has not.
Jesus's Brother U.
Only order here is congee and the duck/wonton noodles. It's alright. Hopes the portions are more. Can't expect a lot of meat on the duck/or large portions.
Lisa L
Ordered Singapore Noodles togo, the bean sprouts were raw, BBQ pork is brown and does not tastes or look like it. It was terrible eating raw bean sprouts/onions, they used salad size shrimp. It was ready quik that's why it was half raw. Couldn't eat it $16 to the trash.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Lisa L.
Ordered Singapore Noodles togo, the bean sprouts were raw, BBQ pork is brown and does not tastes or look like it. It was terrible eating raw bean sprouts/onions, they used salad size shrimp. It was ready quik that's why it was half raw. Couldn't eat it $16 to the trash.
Y X.
The highest tribute to the pure Cantonese style wonton noodle soup, per me, who was born in Guangzhou early 80's and ate through the small wonton shops with my mom starting around 8 years old. This is the closest to I've ever had back then. You may find the noodle is extremely or too chewy but it's the consistency Cantonese are looking for. I still can't quite figure out where they source their noodles because so far this is the only place uses it. None, yes, you are right, NONE of any SF wonton noodle shops (I've tried) use such noodle including the new Hon's wun-tun noodle house. The old Hon's? Yes, they may (I had it a few times about 15 years ago in SF) but now the only unique thing the New Hon has is probably they call themselves wun-tun instead of wonton. The rest including the perfect background for "when you don't have a budget to film a movie in Hong Kong, you can fake it here" is long gone. When I see both Cantonese wonton noodle and XLB/scallion pancakes etc etc waving on the menu, I look to the air and wonder what would the old Hon think? They would proudly tell me how much works it requires to keep one thing great for a long time such as making the noodle, the soup, the wonton, the yellow chives, the temperature, the lard..... I make the effort to come here for my lover whenever I can. The clear broth, gold fish wonton, silver strands of noodle and the greens, I quietly eat it with a murmuring good bye in the back of my head. My love, how can we not parting with each other one of these days? I'm prepared and she can be yours too if you care enough.
Solid Cantonese bbq spot in Oakland Chinatown. I've only ever gotten various meats for takeout from here, but everything I've tried was pretty good. My go to is their roast duck, which is $17.50 for half and $33.95 for a full. It's not cheap, but the meat is more flavorful and moist compared to some of the other bbq shops I've tried. Both the siu yuk (roast pork) and chasiu (bbq pork) go for $12.95/lb, so prices are reasonable. I don't like chasiu so I've never had that here, but their siu yuk is good as well. The best deal here is their spiced duck feet and wings, which only go for $3.95/lb. I love snacking on them! There's also seating here so you can order and eat here, but I've never eaten here as I prefer to bring the food home to eat.
We ordered bbq pork, roast duck and beef chow fun.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
We haven’t come to Chinatown as often as before after pandemic. And this restaurant had changed. We ordered usual stuff but they were so average compared to before. Not sure what happened.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
I don't order the sliced fish congee there anymore. The last time we were there the pork ball jook and the rice roll were good. The price has increased since Covid and the portions of food are smaller now.
Gum Kuo is such a staple for Chinese/Cantonese food. I've came here for years with my family and still do when I am craving porridge. The quality of the porridge has changed (as noted by my family and myself), I still like it but it is watered down from its golden years. In addition to porridge, I also get noodles, rice rolls, fried doughnuts to dip in the porridge, and anything else I'm craving. The barbecue is quite popular, but the star of my visits is always the porridge. Street parking is $2/hour, the paid lot is $3/hour, unless you come on a Sunday or holiday then it's free parking. There are no restrooms in the restaurant, you'll have to ask for a key and walk to a separate area of the plaza. Remember, you are coming for the food and not for the ambiance or service! That's how you know the food is great. The Gum Kuo here is the original and better than the other chain that opened up in Dublin. I highly recommend dining here!
OK Sometimes the first choice is closed for the hour you show up to eat . 10th and Webster 3:05 pm and my go to is closed at 3 pm and I am hungry . Gum Koa is close I had been there before . I go in and miss their lunch special and order the the meat combo special with rice . It comes out quick and I am surprised . It`s $ 16.95 so I am expecting something substantial . Five , size of a egg mc muffin sausage patties , pieces of meat come out . Pork ( which was the best ... I thought was chicken ) chop , a piece of beef , a single kinda uncooked piece of bacon , a delicious piece of chinese ham ( shape of spam slice and a HOT DOG ( which they claim is a sausage ) . Literally a measured cup of whit rice and 2 or three florettes of brocoli . They did bring soup of the day , ( egg drop and spinach ) which was good . Served in a garlic sauce which was good . Well I ate it in 10 minutes and upon leaving was like MEH !!! It was ok but not $ 20 OK . So I will only go there for lunch special and will NEVER order that combo again . I hope this helps someone
Gum Kuo has been around for decades. They have Chinese BBQ (ducks, bbq pork, etc.) in the window that you can order by pound.They also have a menu with different noodle soups, fried rice/chow mein, etc.What they're most well known for is there rice porridge ("jook"). I usually recommend the salty egg and pork one or the fish one, plus to order the Chinese donut to go with it.Get your rice porridge on!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
If you know you know! Gum Kuo is the spot over the years! If you need jook, shrimp rolls, fried doughnut, beef chow fun, etc.. --this is the best spot in Oakland.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Peking Roasted Duck, Chinese Fried Donut for Porridge, Porridge, Beef & Egg over Rice, Beef Chow Fun, Singapore Style Chow Fun, Ying Yang Fried Rice
If you know you know! Gum Kuo is the spot over the years! If you need jook, shrimp rolls, fried doughnut, beef chow fun, etc.. --this is the best spot in Oakland.
I visited on a Saturday afternoon around 1pm and there was a bit of a line but it went fast, waited no longer than 15mins. I noticed it's a place people go to get a quick bite to eat since service is fast. I saw a number of single eaters site down eat and leave within a 20-30min time frame. We ordered: Chicken wings: simple fried chicken wing with the perfect crisp! Shrimp rice noodles: tasted very fresh but some of the noodle pieces were huge! Jook: had a good thickness to it, prob the better jook I've had Roasted duck wonton noodle soup: soo good! Duck had good flavor, wontons were plump and egg noodles were good, but the broth a was a bit salty for my liking. I would return for a quick bit to eat in Oakland!
Restaurantji Recommends
We've been coming here for years as the food has generally been consistent over the years, but sadly on our last two visits, the jook has been very watered down. The jook here used to be so rich and creamy, but on our last two visits, they have been very liquidy and watered down. The flavor of the jooks is still delicious, it's just that they've become too watered down now. It makes you wonder if there has been a change in chef? They need to bring back the rich and creamy jook. That's the whole reason we come to Oakland Chinatown is for the jook, as it used to be this nice rich and creamy consistency. Now, not sure if it's worth the trip coming here? The rest of the items are still pretty good and have maintained the quality, it's just the jook that has not.
Only order here is congee and the duck/wonton noodles. It's alright. Hopes the portions are more. Can't expect a lot of meat on the duck/or large portions.
Ordered Singapore Noodles togo, the bean sprouts were raw, BBQ pork is brown and does not tastes or look like it. It was terrible eating raw bean sprouts/onions, they used salad size shrimp. It was ready quik that's why it was half raw. Couldn't eat it $16 to the trash.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Ordered Singapore Noodles togo, the bean sprouts were raw, BBQ pork is brown and does not tastes or look like it. It was terrible eating raw bean sprouts/onions, they used salad size shrimp. It was ready quik that's why it was half raw. Couldn't eat it $16 to the trash.
The highest tribute to the pure Cantonese style wonton noodle soup, per me, who was born in Guangzhou early 80's and ate through the small wonton shops with my mom starting around 8 years old. This is the closest to I've ever had back then. You may find the noodle is extremely or too chewy but it's the consistency Cantonese are looking for. I still can't quite figure out where they source their noodles because so far this is the only place uses it. None, yes, you are right, NONE of any SF wonton noodle shops (I've tried) use such noodle including the new Hon's wun-tun noodle house. The old Hon's? Yes, they may (I had it a few times about 15 years ago in SF) but now the only unique thing the New Hon has is probably they call themselves wun-tun instead of wonton. The rest including the perfect background for "when you don't have a budget to film a movie in Hong Kong, you can fake it here" is long gone. When I see both Cantonese wonton noodle and XLB/scallion pancakes etc etc waving on the menu, I look to the air and wonder what would the old Hon think? They would proudly tell me how much works it requires to keep one thing great for a long time such as making the noodle, the soup, the wonton, the yellow chives, the temperature, the lard..... I make the effort to come here for my lover whenever I can. The clear broth, gold fish wonton, silver strands of noodle and the greens, I quietly eat it with a murmuring good bye in the back of my head. My love, how can we not parting with each other one of these days? I'm prepared and she can be yours too if you care enough.