Luka's is an Oakland staple, so sad it's closing down. I'll miss their vibe, cocktails and amazing finger foods :(
Z M.
Luka's has always had a vibe that worked. Sadly, they have announced they are closing this location on January 29th over a rent increase dispute. Enjoyed this well prepared pot roast with mashed potatoes and brussels. The roast was very tender and paired well with the sauce and potatoes. Brussels were baked perfectly. Service delivery was off but covid has made it hard on staffing. Hopefully, Luka's will find the perfect Oakland location for a strong comeback!
Angel J.
The Oysters are AMAZING!!!!! I literally drive from Sac at least twice a month.
Matt W.
I used to live in the neighborhood and would visit the bar at least once a week. They have the best French Fries and Chicken Wings full stop! The bar is always full of super nice folks who for the most part know each other. I love this place. If you want to check it out, do it soon because Luka's is closing at the end of January sadly
Tracey A.
There was probably a time when I would have enjoyed Luka's Taproom much more than these times. Some of that's on them but much of it is on me. First, Luka's is LOUD. I was meeting up with 5 others who get together only rarely and when I walked in I thought "this is a bust; we won't be able to hear a single word". Were I 30 years younger and out drinking with a big group of friends, the volume would probably be a plus. Mercifully, my party of 6 was seated in the room without the bar so we could actually hear one another without much shouting. Second, the room without the bar is charmless. High ceilings but zero attention was given to decor and that lack of attention spills over to the graffiti-laden banged-up restrooms as well. You won't feel out of place in whatever you wear here but "dress to impress" and your efforts will be wasted in this ambiance. Third, I'm sorry to report: the host wore his mask below his nose the entirety of my visit. As the first person one sees when entering and thus the first impression formed, this was unfortunate. Finally, I'm happy to say that despite all of my somewhat negative observations, Luka's menu was more robust and unique than I'd have imagined. Though I had an overdressed Shrimp Louie, the two at my table who ordered simplest were happiest: Grilled Cheese Sandwich with accompanying Tomato Soup appeared to be the winning menu item. Luka's Taproom seems like a good place for a certain kind of night but not the kind of night I was after. The crowd in the main room is "Exhibit One" one that plenty of people feel differently.
Rideshare driver Oc's channel
The spicy wings in Belgian fries are the best I've had in a while. ???
Joyce Lee
Once a month there's poetry in the backroom. It's amazing and the fries are great!
Summer Gonzales
Luka’s is one of my favorites because the food is always good and relatively inexpensive. However, when I went 3 days ago I was really disappointed that they weren’t taking any precautions to keep people safe amidst the rising number of covid cases. They are not checking vaccination cards and are seating people very close together. There were parties seated on either side of me about 2 feet away. The most unsettling thing was that one of the cooks in the kitchen was not wearing a mask the entire 2 hours I was there.
rh
Tawnia is everything you want in a bartender. love this place all the time but definitely aiming to go back on her shifts - fantastic service, excellent old fashioned s
Michael H.
Food sucks, and now they trying to over charge so they can put more crime, and p*** on the street. Never going there again
The clam chowder was amazing. I had no idea they were this gourmet. It was filled with veggies and clams with a nice piece of toasted bread on top. When I went here it was packed. We were able to get a seat on a bench seat close to another tables. I would go again for the clam chowder, it was that good. In the back there is a pool table and pinball machine, really cool place to hang out. I record this place.
Ruta N.
What a great vibe! Staff is super friendly !! Food was so fantastic!! Definitely must have the pot roast / salmon!!! Big portion and taste good!! I enjoyed the ambiance !! Definitely will Come back!
Alyce K.
I would have just messaged the business instead of leaving a lame review but didn't see a way to message them, so here goes. I was desperate for a burger--so many places in downtown Oakland are no longer in business or their hours have changed since Covid and it is hard to tell via Yelp or even their websites what is open and when. So I decided to take a little walk for my lunch hour and checked out a couple places from my list--several of which were closed, some for good. But I walked by Luka's and realized they were open for lunch! And had a burger on the menu! I was so excited to get a "real" burger--I had debated Shake Shack or True Burger, but wanted what I consider a "cafe burger"--a thick meat patty with fresh lettuce and tomato! I went big and added avocado ($2) and cheese ($1.5). I have a restricted diet due to health issues, so I got no bun. I asked if they did lettuce wrap or could give extra lettuce. She asked how I wanted it cooked--medium rare! I finally got back to my office, my lunch hour over (at least I can eat and work, right?) and discovered there was no cheese (I had paid for it), the lettuce was a smallish square of 2-3 cut leaves and were under the hot burger, so were wilted to nothingness by the time I got to eat it, and the burger was cooked medium-well (barely any pink at all). I get that restaurants have been in a terrible position this past year, but $26 all-in for a burger is a lot to have it be so disappointing and to not get what you ordered. I may probably give them another chance, but I'll keep hunting for a perfect burger in downtown Oakland. Bummer that there is no outdoor seating, or I would maybe come back for dine-in (out?) lunch.
Kevin B.
Luka"s has been a staple of the Uptown area for along time. It has a locals vibe, nice bar overlooking busy Grand Ave & solid food. We highly enjoyed sitting at the bar area tables. Luka's has great beers on tap, nice wine choices & plenty of mixed drinks. We had the hamburger & fried chicken sandwich. Both were tasty, tender, cooked perfectly & big served with thick cut fries. Will definitely go back to try different entrees.
Lazett Thompson
Great service, and tasty food. Their catfish and kale is a tasty snack after a workout. Would recommend for energy calm down! Will post pics on next visit!
Luka's is an Oakland staple, so sad it's closing down. I'll miss their vibe, cocktails and amazing finger foods :(
Luka's has always had a vibe that worked. Sadly, they have announced they are closing this location on January 29th over a rent increase dispute. Enjoyed this well prepared pot roast with mashed potatoes and brussels. The roast was very tender and paired well with the sauce and potatoes. Brussels were baked perfectly. Service delivery was off but covid has made it hard on staffing. Hopefully, Luka's will find the perfect Oakland location for a strong comeback!
The Oysters are AMAZING!!!!! I literally drive from Sac at least twice a month.
I used to live in the neighborhood and would visit the bar at least once a week. They have the best French Fries and Chicken Wings full stop! The bar is always full of super nice folks who for the most part know each other. I love this place. If you want to check it out, do it soon because Luka's is closing at the end of January sadly
There was probably a time when I would have enjoyed Luka's Taproom much more than these times. Some of that's on them but much of it is on me. First, Luka's is LOUD. I was meeting up with 5 others who get together only rarely and when I walked in I thought "this is a bust; we won't be able to hear a single word". Were I 30 years younger and out drinking with a big group of friends, the volume would probably be a plus. Mercifully, my party of 6 was seated in the room without the bar so we could actually hear one another without much shouting. Second, the room without the bar is charmless. High ceilings but zero attention was given to decor and that lack of attention spills over to the graffiti-laden banged-up restrooms as well. You won't feel out of place in whatever you wear here but "dress to impress" and your efforts will be wasted in this ambiance. Third, I'm sorry to report: the host wore his mask below his nose the entirety of my visit. As the first person one sees when entering and thus the first impression formed, this was unfortunate. Finally, I'm happy to say that despite all of my somewhat negative observations, Luka's menu was more robust and unique than I'd have imagined. Though I had an overdressed Shrimp Louie, the two at my table who ordered simplest were happiest: Grilled Cheese Sandwich with accompanying Tomato Soup appeared to be the winning menu item. Luka's Taproom seems like a good place for a certain kind of night but not the kind of night I was after. The crowd in the main room is "Exhibit One" one that plenty of people feel differently.
The spicy wings in Belgian fries are the best I've had in a while. ???
Once a month there's poetry in the backroom. It's amazing and the fries are great!
Luka’s is one of my favorites because the food is always good and relatively inexpensive. However, when I went 3 days ago I was really disappointed that they weren’t taking any precautions to keep people safe amidst the rising number of covid cases. They are not checking vaccination cards and are seating people very close together. There were parties seated on either side of me about 2 feet away. The most unsettling thing was that one of the cooks in the kitchen was not wearing a mask the entire 2 hours I was there.
Tawnia is everything you want in a bartender. love this place all the time but definitely aiming to go back on her shifts - fantastic service, excellent old fashioned s
Food sucks, and now they trying to over charge so they can put more crime, and p*** on the street. Never going there again
Restaurantji Recommends
The clam chowder was amazing. I had no idea they were this gourmet. It was filled with veggies and clams with a nice piece of toasted bread on top. When I went here it was packed. We were able to get a seat on a bench seat close to another tables. I would go again for the clam chowder, it was that good. In the back there is a pool table and pinball machine, really cool place to hang out. I record this place.
What a great vibe! Staff is super friendly !! Food was so fantastic!! Definitely must have the pot roast / salmon!!! Big portion and taste good!! I enjoyed the ambiance !! Definitely will Come back!
I would have just messaged the business instead of leaving a lame review but didn't see a way to message them, so here goes. I was desperate for a burger--so many places in downtown Oakland are no longer in business or their hours have changed since Covid and it is hard to tell via Yelp or even their websites what is open and when. So I decided to take a little walk for my lunch hour and checked out a couple places from my list--several of which were closed, some for good. But I walked by Luka's and realized they were open for lunch! And had a burger on the menu! I was so excited to get a "real" burger--I had debated Shake Shack or True Burger, but wanted what I consider a "cafe burger"--a thick meat patty with fresh lettuce and tomato! I went big and added avocado ($2) and cheese ($1.5). I have a restricted diet due to health issues, so I got no bun. I asked if they did lettuce wrap or could give extra lettuce. She asked how I wanted it cooked--medium rare! I finally got back to my office, my lunch hour over (at least I can eat and work, right?) and discovered there was no cheese (I had paid for it), the lettuce was a smallish square of 2-3 cut leaves and were under the hot burger, so were wilted to nothingness by the time I got to eat it, and the burger was cooked medium-well (barely any pink at all). I get that restaurants have been in a terrible position this past year, but $26 all-in for a burger is a lot to have it be so disappointing and to not get what you ordered. I may probably give them another chance, but I'll keep hunting for a perfect burger in downtown Oakland. Bummer that there is no outdoor seating, or I would maybe come back for dine-in (out?) lunch.
Luka"s has been a staple of the Uptown area for along time. It has a locals vibe, nice bar overlooking busy Grand Ave & solid food. We highly enjoyed sitting at the bar area tables. Luka's has great beers on tap, nice wine choices & plenty of mixed drinks. We had the hamburger & fried chicken sandwich. Both were tasty, tender, cooked perfectly & big served with thick cut fries. Will definitely go back to try different entrees.
Great service, and tasty food. Their catfish and kale is a tasty snack after a workout. Would recommend for energy calm down! Will post pics on next visit!