The food is amazing, and the service is above and beyond. This is a great spot to eat, surrounded by the trees and the old houses.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Jerk Chicken Plate, Coxinha De Galinha, Chicken Croquettes with Salad, Grilled Tilapia with Cappers, Jerk Chicken with Salad
Liza Heron
Amazing food and great service. Hidden gem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Stan N.
The best J*** Chicken I've had. Ambience is that of a little oasis, connected to the Dellums Federal building and 12th St City Center via a pedestrian parkways. It's in the historical park area, not obviously a place you'd expect to encounter a boutique restaurant...you need to know it's there. Go find it. It's great.
George Buford
Food and service are always
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
J B.
Excellent!!! This spot is going in our rotation, the whole j*** chicken dish is absolutely amazing. The owner is very friendly and I thank him for sharing his wonderful food with the world. A hidden gem in an unexpected space. Can't wait to go back!!!
akilah watkins
Great place to eat in downtown Oakland area around Preservation Park! I had the J*** Chicken meal and it was delicious and flavorful!!!!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Jerk Chicken Plate
Karanveer B.
Good fresh foodGood service - wanted to update that the host is pretty welcoming.And an A class Ambiance
Michael Rock
Owner might be a little rough around the edges but he is passionate about his food and it is delicious.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Jerk Chicken Plate, Jerk Chicken Burrito, Chicken Croquettes with Salad, Jerk Chicken with Salad
Quay D.
I have worked in the area for 15 years. My first time back to Rio since the COViD pandemic. Still great food. I recommend if you are in a rush or limited time... order in advance via telephone. My go to is always is j*** chicken. All the other i teams are good also. If you want to dine in, there is seating inside and outside. Or you can eat on the bench at preservation park.
Chuck F.
Great, authentic food in an amazing location. This restaurant is located in prosperity Park, which is a serene oasis inside of downtown Oakland. The food is big and flavorful and the staff and owner are extremely friendly and go out of their way to make sure you enjoy your food and your experience. Our food came out in minutes and we enjoyed a lovely lunch on the outdoor patio in the sun.
I came across Rio California when I saw them featured on the local Check, Please! Program. Counter service ordering was very easy and the man at the counter, who I think is the owner, was very friendly. On 3 separate visits, I ordered the coxinhas (chicken croquettes), seafood risotto, and feijoada (hearty Brazilian stew). I would get all three again in the future. All three were fantastic with great flavor and they all came quickly. I ate inside, which is a bit small but there's outdoor seating which is nice at Preservation Park. I feel like there's enough variety that you can't go wrong with, so sample the entire menu! A must go!
Adam J M Richards
Still unbeaten for lunch if you like Brazilian dishes. Beautiful surroundings in Heritage Park. Tables inside and out. Ask for the hot sauce!I drive 25 miles just to get this at lunch every so often. You could take BART from downtown SF this is near 13th St station walking through the Fed building rotunda.Why? Because it is THAT good.
Jen H.
Same all little restaurant inside a Victorian home in Preservation Park in Oakland. I first saw this on check please and really wanted to try it out. The service is awesome. They are friendly and accommodating. My husband and I came on a Monday so they typically do not have the Feijoada Brazilian stew but they checked and they had left over ingredients to be able to make it. We ordered that along with the coxinha de galinha (chicken croquettes) and the j*** chicken. The best item was the j*** chicken. I asked for extra gravy to put all over my rice. I also asked for the spicy orange sauce to give it a little kick. My husband enjoyed the Feijoada but to me the black beans just overpowered everything including the pork and sausage in the stew. Neither of us liked the croquettes. We halved one and it didn't have much flavor. It came with the spicy orange sauce to dip it in which added spice but not much more flavor. If in the area, I would go back for some more j*** chicken and maybe try some of the seafood. Prices were great for the portion you get. About $65 for the three plates and two drinks with plenty of leftovers to take home.
Dee A.
The food is always fresh and tasty. The owner is always present, friendly and helpful. I have never eaten a poor meal here, but the croquettes are my Faaave!! It's a small eating area inside and more seating outside.
Jennifer Chan
1/3/22 Rio California is closed until 1/9/23. Owner is currently on vacation. I just thought I would update here for those that are craving the food. The note was on the door.
The food is amazing, and the service is above and beyond. This is a great spot to eat, surrounded by the trees and the old houses.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Jerk Chicken Plate, Coxinha De Galinha, Chicken Croquettes with Salad, Grilled Tilapia with Cappers, Jerk Chicken with Salad
Amazing food and great service. Hidden gem.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The best J*** Chicken I've had. Ambience is that of a little oasis, connected to the Dellums Federal building and 12th St City Center via a pedestrian parkways. It's in the historical park area, not obviously a place you'd expect to encounter a boutique restaurant...you need to know it's there. Go find it. It's great.
Food and service are always
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent!!! This spot is going in our rotation, the whole j*** chicken dish is absolutely amazing. The owner is very friendly and I thank him for sharing his wonderful food with the world. A hidden gem in an unexpected space. Can't wait to go back!!!
Great place to eat in downtown Oakland area around Preservation Park! I had the J*** Chicken meal and it was delicious and flavorful!!!!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Jerk Chicken Plate
Good fresh foodGood service - wanted to update that the host is pretty welcoming.And an A class Ambiance
Owner might be a little rough around the edges but he is passionate about his food and it is delicious.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Jerk Chicken Plate, Jerk Chicken Burrito, Chicken Croquettes with Salad, Jerk Chicken with Salad
I have worked in the area for 15 years. My first time back to Rio since the COViD pandemic. Still great food. I recommend if you are in a rush or limited time... order in advance via telephone. My go to is always is j*** chicken. All the other i teams are good also. If you want to dine in, there is seating inside and outside. Or you can eat on the bench at preservation park.
Great, authentic food in an amazing location. This restaurant is located in prosperity Park, which is a serene oasis inside of downtown Oakland. The food is big and flavorful and the staff and owner are extremely friendly and go out of their way to make sure you enjoy your food and your experience. Our food came out in minutes and we enjoyed a lovely lunch on the outdoor patio in the sun.
Restaurantji Recommends
I came across Rio California when I saw them featured on the local Check, Please! Program. Counter service ordering was very easy and the man at the counter, who I think is the owner, was very friendly. On 3 separate visits, I ordered the coxinhas (chicken croquettes), seafood risotto, and feijoada (hearty Brazilian stew). I would get all three again in the future. All three were fantastic with great flavor and they all came quickly. I ate inside, which is a bit small but there's outdoor seating which is nice at Preservation Park. I feel like there's enough variety that you can't go wrong with, so sample the entire menu! A must go!
Still unbeaten for lunch if you like Brazilian dishes. Beautiful surroundings in Heritage Park. Tables inside and out. Ask for the hot sauce!I drive 25 miles just to get this at lunch every so often. You could take BART from downtown SF this is near 13th St station walking through the Fed building rotunda.Why? Because it is THAT good.
Same all little restaurant inside a Victorian home in Preservation Park in Oakland. I first saw this on check please and really wanted to try it out. The service is awesome. They are friendly and accommodating. My husband and I came on a Monday so they typically do not have the Feijoada Brazilian stew but they checked and they had left over ingredients to be able to make it. We ordered that along with the coxinha de galinha (chicken croquettes) and the j*** chicken. The best item was the j*** chicken. I asked for extra gravy to put all over my rice. I also asked for the spicy orange sauce to give it a little kick. My husband enjoyed the Feijoada but to me the black beans just overpowered everything including the pork and sausage in the stew. Neither of us liked the croquettes. We halved one and it didn't have much flavor. It came with the spicy orange sauce to dip it in which added spice but not much more flavor. If in the area, I would go back for some more j*** chicken and maybe try some of the seafood. Prices were great for the portion you get. About $65 for the three plates and two drinks with plenty of leftovers to take home.
The food is always fresh and tasty. The owner is always present, friendly and helpful. I have never eaten a poor meal here, but the croquettes are my Faaave!! It's a small eating area inside and more seating outside.
1/3/22 Rio California is closed until 1/9/23. Owner is currently on vacation. I just thought I would update here for those that are craving the food. The note was on the door.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Jerk Chicken Plate, Jerk Chicken Burrito