Atmosphere in the restaurant was great, service was attentive and they would take the time to explain the elements of every dish. If they have the off menu potato and cheese croquettes again, they are a must try. The short rib was amazing and the oxtail was a great comfort food. The milk bread dessert was delicious and unique, but the chocolate cake had too much cream and not enough chocolate for us.
Behrad
The dishes here are exceptionally prepared. Excellent balance in our salad with the cabbage and “crispy toppings.” The crab dish with rice was delicious and fresh. The fried chicken and pork broth dishes were also fantastic. We vow to go again to get some of the dishes we saw other people get. Lastly, Do Not miss out on the milk toast!!
Allyson
Everything was amazing! The food, the service, the atmosphere, the chef! I will definitely be coming here again. This restaurant is in my top 5 to eat in the Bay.
Nadine
Detective but unobtrusive wait staff. So many awesome choices on the menu. Everything beautifully presented and delicious
Brittany
This place is absolutely exceptional. The best Japanese in the east bay, exquisite food and excellent service. Wine was fantastic, dessert mind blowing.
Will
Such a lovely addition to our neighborhood. Elevated Cal/Asian (Is that a thing?) food that changes with the seasons. Great beverage program as well. Second visit didn't disappoint!!
Brian
Every single dish at Oken is incredible and I rarely say this about any restaurant. I'm afraid to post this review to alert others of the awesomeness of Oken but the chef and the Oken team deserve the praise and awareness of the phenomenal restaurant experience which they have created.
Andrea
Too noisy. Asked for a different table because of a hearing impairment in our party (we were seated in the back by the service counter), but they were unable to accommodate. Consequently we all suffered through the din at the back of the restaurant. Not sure we'll be back, honestly. The food was well prepared and flavorful but not memorable enough for us to return.
Stella
Oken was absolutely delicious! Everything we ate was perfection. Some of the best service I've had in a long time as well, the wait staff was extremely attentive and kind. Yes it's noisy and a bit chilly, but that's what you get with a great restaurant everyone wants to be at and a corner lot with a breeze, it should not stop anyone from eating here.
Richard
Small location, wonderful cozy atmosphere. The food was delicious and exciting. Service was top notch, very attentive and friendly. Had a wonderful time, will look to return in the future.
Everything we ordered was very good . The staff was very nice and looking forward to returning often.
Karen
ask one of the excellent servers, either at lunch or for dinner, for explanations and suggestions. The food is delicious and unusual. All of it!
Luyu
The food is tasty and enjoyable; some dishes could be rearranged to be more family-style. Will visit again in a smaller group, not with more than four people. Glad to see a new restaurant established in the neighborhood.
Christie
Unfortunately it was very cold and a bit too loud for comfortable conversation. The food was tasty but the portion sizes were very very small.
Berkeleywalker
The food was sublime! Delicious, creative, and beautifully plated. If only the ambience and service were comparable. The restaurant is crowded, and VERY noisy. We had two different servers; one seemed rushed and not particularly enthusiastic; the other was terrific. Both were attentive for the first half hour or so, but neither noticed that we needed more water, and we couldn't catch anyone's attention for quite a while. Another minor problem: the print on the menus is so faint that it's nearly illegible. I hope some of these kinks will be ironed out because Chef Ok is incredibly talented, and the restaurant is a great addition to the neighborhood.
Atmosphere in the restaurant was great, service was attentive and they would take the time to explain the elements of every dish. If they have the off menu potato and cheese croquettes again, they are a must try. The short rib was amazing and the oxtail was a great comfort food. The milk bread dessert was delicious and unique, but the chocolate cake had too much cream and not enough chocolate for us.
The dishes here are exceptionally prepared. Excellent balance in our salad with the cabbage and “crispy toppings.” The crab dish with rice was delicious and fresh. The fried chicken and pork broth dishes were also fantastic. We vow to go again to get some of the dishes we saw other people get. Lastly, Do Not miss out on the milk toast!!
Everything was amazing! The food, the service, the atmosphere, the chef! I will definitely be coming here again. This restaurant is in my top 5 to eat in the Bay.
Detective but unobtrusive wait staff. So many awesome choices on the menu. Everything beautifully presented and delicious
This place is absolutely exceptional. The best Japanese in the east bay, exquisite food and excellent service. Wine was fantastic, dessert mind blowing.
Such a lovely addition to our neighborhood. Elevated Cal/Asian (Is that a thing?) food that changes with the seasons. Great beverage program as well. Second visit didn't disappoint!!
Every single dish at Oken is incredible and I rarely say this about any restaurant. I'm afraid to post this review to alert others of the awesomeness of Oken but the chef and the Oken team deserve the praise and awareness of the phenomenal restaurant experience which they have created.
Too noisy. Asked for a different table because of a hearing impairment in our party (we were seated in the back by the service counter), but they were unable to accommodate. Consequently we all suffered through the din at the back of the restaurant. Not sure we'll be back, honestly. The food was well prepared and flavorful but not memorable enough for us to return.
Oken was absolutely delicious! Everything we ate was perfection. Some of the best service I've had in a long time as well, the wait staff was extremely attentive and kind. Yes it's noisy and a bit chilly, but that's what you get with a great restaurant everyone wants to be at and a corner lot with a breeze, it should not stop anyone from eating here.
Small location, wonderful cozy atmosphere. The food was delicious and exciting. Service was top notch, very attentive and friendly. Had a wonderful time, will look to return in the future.
Restaurantji Recommends
Everything we ordered was very good . The staff was very nice and looking forward to returning often.
ask one of the excellent servers, either at lunch or for dinner, for explanations and suggestions. The food is delicious and unusual. All of it!
The food is tasty and enjoyable; some dishes could be rearranged to be more family-style. Will visit again in a smaller group, not with more than four people. Glad to see a new restaurant established in the neighborhood.
Unfortunately it was very cold and a bit too loud for comfortable conversation. The food was tasty but the portion sizes were very very small.
The food was sublime! Delicious, creative, and beautifully plated. If only the ambience and service were comparable. The restaurant is crowded, and VERY noisy. We had two different servers; one seemed rushed and not particularly enthusiastic; the other was terrific. Both were attentive for the first half hour or so, but neither noticed that we needed more water, and we couldn't catch anyone's attention for quite a while. Another minor problem: the print on the menus is so faint that it's nearly illegible. I hope some of these kinks will be ironed out because Chef Ok is incredibly talented, and the restaurant is a great addition to the neighborhood.
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