We had a very underwhelming experience at Mago. The food was just good most of the time, sometimes too greasy and a couple of plates had way too much salt. to the point were we couln't finish it (the white fish plate and the meat were too salty). While the experience overall was not horrible, Mago pretends to be at a level they're clearly not, cruelly lacking of subtlety. For this, it is such a bad value. For a $300+ meal, you can get a way better experience at a Michelin stared restaurant (I'm talking night and day difference). The service was friendly but very slow. The couple of drinks we had, though, were good. While I love a wood fire smell, it was so strong at Mago that I had to wash all my clothes and hair coming back home. I definitely don't recommend Mago.
Jeff Winchester
My wife and I came here for her birthday celebration, which was also our first real date night since having our daughter. We couldn't have asked for a better experience.
The food is just unbelievable.Every single dish of the tasting menu was outstanding and made you take a moment to appreciate just how creative, fun, and delicious it was.
The beverage pairing was also perfect. Such an interesting variety with really engaging context provided for each course. Highly recommend, and it was really nice that they let us split the pairing so that we could also try a cocktail (which was, surprise surprise, immaculate).
The service is absolutely on point top to bottom. They are such a calm, well-oiled machine and it was a joy to watch them work in the kitchen. Every member of the team was in sync and so good at what they do. Just lovely people all around.
The service really shined with how extremely accommodating they were of us. My wife has a gluten allergy, and they seamlessly supported this by making a few modifications where necessary (but largely the majority of the menu was already gluten-free). Just a spectacular tasting menu for any gluten-free people out there.
In addition, we were on a tight timeline because we had an event scheduled after dinner. They were so kind to keep our schedule in mind and timed things perfectly to fit it. We really appreciated that they were able to make our schedule work when we hadn't really allocated as much time as we should have.
Mago just ticks every single box. Or rather, just knocks every element of a dining experience out of the park. The Bay Area is fortunate to have some really amazing tasting menus, but in my opinion this one is the best. And, it's an incredible value at only $86. I would happily pay much more for such a high quality experience.
Thanks again to everyone at Mago -- you gave us such a special night, and we can't wait to come back!
Jaclyn Wang
Weeknight tasting menu 85pp I think pretty worth it w/o drink pairings I tried some of the nonalcoholic pairings and while interesting non blew me away. First time trying Colombian cuisine so don’t have great frame of reference but I thought the flavors were strangely nostalgic! Non of the mains stood out and I didn’t rly enjoy the first two small bites. but sweet treat girl forever and loveddd both desserts. Honestly would not be mad if they just did 7 courses of dessert🥹 they also game us a lil marshmallow at the end. GIRLIES: the kitchen is super cool and open concept but this means your hair will smell like campfire so plan your hair washing schedule accordingly ***
E Lee
Came here during restaurant week and I already want to come back. Non alcoholic pairing was one of the best I’ve had so far. The food was also excellent. Menu was portioned well and I left full but not overly. Very friendly staff who spent time at our table with brief but memorable conversations.
Babak M
A great restaurant for sophisticated Columbian inspired dining. Great service, along with unique cocktail
Eugene Chen
A casual Colombian restaurant that gets serious with the tasting menu. Fun beverage pairing that includes wine, sake, and cocktail. Service is adequate, but they are learning and trying. The weekday tasting menu is probably a better deal. It costs more on the weekend. ---- The mission statement on the website sounded admirable: The tasting menu is cheaper on the weekdays to make it more accessible.
We were seated at the chef's counter, which offers a direct view of the kitchen. We quickly decided on the tasting menu and the beverage pairing with an add-on Dungeness crab dish. After a relatively long period of waiting, we were presented with the food.
There are some highlights! But sometimes, I wonder if some dishes need an extra boost of flavor. First were the finger foods. We love the plantains that contrast brilliantly with charged allium. The arroz de coco brought to mind arancini but with a thin crust and coconut flavor. The tostada with amberjack brightened by the kiwi. The arepa was flavorful and puffy, but the butter beans seemed lacking. A general complaint: Please give us a wet napkin or something to wipe our fingers after finger foods!
The larger format blue shrimp was cooked to perfection, but the veins were in some pieces. The achiote ponzu was amazing, but the romanesco might be a tab overcooked.
Dungeness crab guacho, honestly, is a little disappointing. The components are done well, and it is an homage to the regional dish, but it just tasted...fine.
The fish dish was a counter-example of that. I am not sure if there is a traditional dish where it drew inspiration, but it was an elevated dish that we thoroughly enjoyed.
The cilantro and pineapple spread that came with the bread had such a bright flavor we couldn't have enough!
The grilled pork is definitely the highlight of the evening. It was carefully tended by a chef over the grill, and it was flavorful and juicy. The carrot was grilled slowly until it was almost dehydrated. The intense sweetness and texture worked very well with the pork.
The first dessert course, the banana custard, was terrific. The sweetness was counterbalanced by the subtle sweetness from the caramel. The dish was not overpowered by bananas, which so often is the case. The coconut and lime foam on the top provided a contrast and relief from the custard.
The final dessert course was a bit too sweet and heavy for us. We were told that it was inspired by mole. I like the concept.
Overall, we enjoyed the food. For a meal at this price point, maybe we expect a little more. However, I saw a kitchen with a mission that served some brilliant dishes. I saw service staff striving to be better despite some oversights. Maybe Mago needs to think about where it wants to position itself, but I am rooting for them.
Graham Stone
A delightful way to spend an evening. The incredible staff combined to provide a wonderful experience combining Colombian and international cuisine and beverages in an 11 step tasting and 7 step beverage menu that titillated then sated our taste buds and our culinary senses. The pairings of food and drink were exquisite and the additional information on the food and drinks provided by the various servers added to the enjoyment. The menu was adjusted to match each diners dietary preferences. At our table we had one vegetarian, one pescatarian and one teetotaler. All were served food and beverages to match their preferences and all very much enjoyed the dinner.
Alexandra Cala
My favorite fine dining restaurant in Oakland
Justin Snider
Beautiful restaurant with great food. Loved the variety of the dishes and presentation. Will definitely come again !
Arjun Vinod
It was an amazing experience. The tasting menu is amazing, the cocktails are amazing as well. Can’t wait to go back.
This was an amazing experience. Every dish was its own statement and full of mouth watering flavors. I couldn't pick a favorite out of our six portion meal! Truly compliments to the chef. Thank you!
Naj B
After coming for some a la carte food and drinks I knew I had to come back for the tasting menu. I can say that it did not disappoint. Every bite showcased the creativeness and incredible flavors cooked up by the chefs…right in front of you in their kitchen concept.
The NA pairing was also a phenomenal selection of fun and exotic flavors including some small batch and locally sourced items.
Kathryn Gibb
We had an excellent experience at Mago. The dishes were unique and delicious; the service was exquisite. The coconut custard with grape sorbet and meringue was incredible. The staff were friendly and incredibly attentive. Would highly recommend coming here!
Chris F
Ordered their Thanksgiving Meal to heat up at home for the Holiday. Was an incredibly tasty Thanksgiving dinner. Everything was seasoned perfectly. Thank you so much! Will definitely dine in for a tasting menu in the future!
Maria J Friend-Solis
Really great food! Really great cocktails! And even better, the staff is very welcoming and attentive!
We had a very underwhelming experience at Mago. The food was just good most of the time, sometimes too greasy and a couple of plates had way too much salt. to the point were we couln't finish it (the white fish plate and the meat were too salty). While the experience overall was not horrible, Mago pretends to be at a level they're clearly not, cruelly lacking of subtlety. For this, it is such a bad value. For a $300+ meal, you can get a way better experience at a Michelin stared restaurant (I'm talking night and day difference). The service was friendly but very slow. The couple of drinks we had, though, were good. While I love a wood fire smell, it was so strong at Mago that I had to wash all my clothes and hair coming back home. I definitely don't recommend Mago.
My wife and I came here for her birthday celebration, which was also our first real date night since having our daughter. We couldn't have asked for a better experience.
The food is just unbelievable.Every single dish of the tasting menu was outstanding and made you take a moment to appreciate just how creative, fun, and delicious it was.
The beverage pairing was also perfect. Such an interesting variety with really engaging context provided for each course. Highly recommend, and it was really nice that they let us split the pairing so that we could also try a cocktail (which was, surprise surprise, immaculate).
The service is absolutely on point top to bottom. They are such a calm, well-oiled machine and it was a joy to watch them work in the kitchen. Every member of the team was in sync and so good at what they do. Just lovely people all around.
The service really shined with how extremely accommodating they were of us. My wife has a gluten allergy, and they seamlessly supported this by making a few modifications where necessary (but largely the majority of the menu was already gluten-free). Just a spectacular tasting menu for any gluten-free people out there.
In addition, we were on a tight timeline because we had an event scheduled after dinner. They were so kind to keep our schedule in mind and timed things perfectly to fit it. We really appreciated that they were able to make our schedule work when we hadn't really allocated as much time as we should have.
Mago just ticks every single box. Or rather, just knocks every element of a dining experience out of the park. The Bay Area is fortunate to have some really amazing tasting menus, but in my opinion this one is the best. And, it's an incredible value at only $86. I would happily pay much more for such a high quality experience.
Thanks again to everyone at Mago -- you gave us such a special night, and we can't wait to come back!
Weeknight tasting menu 85pp I think pretty worth it w/o drink pairings I tried some of the nonalcoholic pairings and while interesting non blew me away. First time trying Colombian cuisine so don’t have great frame of reference but I thought the flavors were strangely nostalgic! Non of the mains stood out and I didn’t rly enjoy the first two small bites. but sweet treat girl forever and loveddd both desserts. Honestly would not be mad if they just did 7 courses of dessert🥹 they also game us a lil marshmallow at the end. GIRLIES: the kitchen is super cool and open concept but this means your hair will smell like campfire so plan your hair washing schedule accordingly ***
Came here during restaurant week and I already want to come back. Non alcoholic pairing was one of the best I’ve had so far. The food was also excellent. Menu was portioned well and I left full but not overly. Very friendly staff who spent time at our table with brief but memorable conversations.
A great restaurant for sophisticated Columbian inspired dining. Great service, along with unique cocktail
A casual Colombian restaurant that gets serious with the tasting menu.
Fun beverage pairing that includes wine, sake, and cocktail.
Service is adequate, but they are learning and trying.
The weekday tasting menu is probably a better deal. It costs more on the weekend.
----
The mission statement on the website sounded admirable: The tasting menu is cheaper on the weekdays to make it more accessible.
We were seated at the chef's counter, which offers a direct view of the kitchen. We quickly decided on the tasting menu and the beverage pairing with an add-on Dungeness crab dish. After a relatively long period of waiting, we were presented with the food.
There are some highlights! But sometimes, I wonder if some dishes need an extra boost of flavor. First were the finger foods. We love the plantains that contrast brilliantly with charged allium. The arroz de coco brought to mind arancini but with a thin crust and coconut flavor. The tostada with amberjack brightened by the kiwi. The arepa was flavorful and puffy, but the butter beans seemed lacking. A general complaint: Please give us a wet napkin or something to wipe our fingers after finger foods!
The larger format blue shrimp was cooked to perfection, but the veins were in some pieces. The achiote ponzu was amazing, but the romanesco might be a tab overcooked.
Dungeness crab guacho, honestly, is a little disappointing. The components are done well, and it is an homage to the regional dish, but it just tasted...fine.
The fish dish was a counter-example of that. I am not sure if there is a traditional dish where it drew inspiration, but it was an elevated dish that we thoroughly enjoyed.
The cilantro and pineapple spread that came with the bread had such a bright flavor we couldn't have enough!
The grilled pork is definitely the highlight of the evening. It was carefully tended by a chef over the grill, and it was flavorful and juicy. The carrot was grilled slowly until it was almost dehydrated. The intense sweetness and texture worked very well with the pork.
The first dessert course, the banana custard, was terrific. The sweetness was counterbalanced by the subtle sweetness from the caramel. The dish was not overpowered by bananas, which so often is the case. The coconut and lime foam on the top provided a contrast and relief from the custard.
The final dessert course was a bit too sweet and heavy for us. We were told that it was inspired by mole. I like the concept.
Overall, we enjoyed the food. For a meal at this price point, maybe we expect a little more. However, I saw a kitchen with a mission that served some brilliant dishes. I saw service staff striving to be better despite some oversights. Maybe Mago needs to think about where it wants to position itself, but I am rooting for them.
A delightful way to spend an evening. The incredible staff combined to provide a wonderful experience combining Colombian and international cuisine and beverages in an 11 step tasting and 7 step beverage menu that titillated then sated our taste buds and our culinary senses. The pairings of food and drink were exquisite and the additional information on the food and drinks provided by the various servers added to the enjoyment. The menu was adjusted to match each diners dietary preferences. At our table we had one vegetarian, one pescatarian and one teetotaler. All were served food and beverages to match their preferences and all very much enjoyed the dinner.
My favorite fine dining restaurant in Oakland
Beautiful restaurant with great food. Loved the variety of the dishes and presentation. Will definitely come again !
It was an amazing experience. The tasting menu is amazing, the cocktails are amazing as well. Can’t wait to go back.
Restaurantji Recommends
This was an amazing experience. Every dish was its own statement and full of mouth watering flavors. I couldn't pick a favorite out of our six portion meal! Truly compliments to the chef. Thank you!
After coming for some a la carte food and drinks I knew I had to come back for the tasting menu. I can say that it did not disappoint. Every bite showcased the creativeness and incredible flavors cooked up by the chefs…right in front of you in their kitchen concept.
The NA pairing was also a phenomenal selection of fun and exotic flavors including some small batch and locally sourced items.
We had an excellent experience at Mago. The dishes were unique and delicious; the service was exquisite. The coconut custard with grape sorbet and meringue was incredible. The staff were friendly and incredibly attentive. Would highly recommend coming here!
Ordered their Thanksgiving Meal to heat up at home for the Holiday. Was an incredibly tasty Thanksgiving dinner. Everything was seasoned perfectly. Thank you so much! Will definitely dine in for a tasting menu in the future!
Really great food! Really great cocktails! And even better, the staff is very welcoming and attentive!
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