Mägo

Imagine a restaurant that could combine Michlen star-quality cooking and presentation with the congenial atmosphere of your favorite neighborhood eatery. Add imaginative mixology, a multi-course tasting menu accompanied by a skillfully and adventurous selected beverage pairing, and you have Mago on Piedmont Ave. in Oakland.Overseen by Chef/Owner Mark Liberman and his staff of Reid Gotchet, Gerald Ramsey, Sommelier, Stephen Shafer, the menu on December 27 provided a succession of superbly prepared and artfully plated dishes that would take far too long to describe in detail here-- whether it was the smooth-as-silk parsnip soup with coconut and a coffee drizzle; succulent Pacific tuna with a tiny Brussel sprout and citrus aji; climaxed (for me) by the grill-fired aged duck served with quince, yucca and duck croquette!The beverage flight was presented as one uniquely unpredictable selection after another including wines and spirits. An equally imaginative non-alchoholic pairing was also offered.The experience is pricy, but well worth it: $110 each (on weekends) for the tasting menu, $70 for the pairing. I'm told you can order selectively from the menu if you sit at the counter (which looks like a lot of fun). And the cocktail list is also worth exploring.I certainly plan to return.

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.

We stopped in last night and had one of the best meals we've had in a long time. It bordered on magical. We came in on a whim based on a parking place right in front. We were actually headed down the street but fate intervened and we're so glad it did. We got there later in the evening and without a reservation but they had seats available at the counter. The format is tasting menu and every course was a work of art. The flavors and freshness were off the charts. The chicken course was actually brought to us by Reid, who prepared the course and he was nice enough to answer our questions about the preparation. Very cool guy.The level of the experience and the artistry on the plate was Just a home run all around and fairly priced. This is Michelin star level dining from food and beverage to service and vibe. I give Mägo my highest recommendation.

My husband and I went with two friends last year and ate at Mago. We had read good reviews about this relatively new restaurant and we were all wowed by the experience. We sat at the Chef's area and enjoyed watching him and his team prepare the food and also chat with us when we had questions. It's not dishes we were very familiar with but each course we considered delicious, exceptional and full of flavor. You can tell by the presentation of the dishes that the chef puts a lot of thought and expression in his work. It was one of those nights when everyone went home satisfied and planning to go back again. We hope to return soon and keep this place in business. I want the same cocktail for sure. Oakland needs restaurants like this.

I have been here twice for dinner. I'm not sure when it changed from New American to Colombian, but I preferred the former - and I love Colombian food so this isn't a knock against the cuisine itself. In fact, I was quite excited to have more Colombian food after we had recently dined at Parche. Unfortunately, the boldness was not there. The plates were hit or miss on flavors, with only two that I could say were above average (stone fruit salad and the halibut). While this is indeed a good deal for prix fixe with market ingredients, portions are on the smaller side and may leave some diner craving more. I was shocked that two small buns, a small bowl of corn, and another small bowl of potatoes each counted as a "dish." The dessert felt particularly uninspired as a simple chocolate mousse in a tart shell topped with cream. Service was also uneven, with either friendly and helpful servers who proudly explained dishes as they were dropped off or one with an extremely poor attitude who wordlessly slid plates down in front of us and actively ignored us when we tried to politely get her attention for water and the bill. Mago had real potential when it opened, and I think maybe it could swing back up, but there's definitely work to be done on many fronts.

We have been here twice now for large group dinners. As a vegetarian who cannot eat much garlic, it can be difficult for Mago to offer their best dishes for me. Somehow they found a way to serve delicious, multi course dinners both times I was there. The serving staff operated with ease, multi course plates & several drinks fluidly found themselves on our tables, with well improvised relevant tweaks to the menu for folks with allergies et al. They have outdoor seating with heaters, so ready & pleasant for year round weather. There's plenty of street parking, but all likely occupied, so give yourself a few to find parking.

The food here is absolutely phenomenal. The broken rice was probably my favorite dish. The pork and sturgeon were also delicious. Everyone is very friendly and the wait staff are wonderful. Would highly recommend!

One of the most underrated fine dining experiences in the Bay Area. They only offer a tasting menu or a bar menu. The tasting menu can be made completely vegetarian and it was fantastic. The dishes are inspired by Columbian cuisine with many twists. The first few courses are small bites and they get progressively larger until the last course. My favorites were the galia melon, arepa (supplemental course) and plantain mushroom pastelon which is basically like a plantain lasagna.You can order the tasting menu either at the chefs table or dining table. I highly recommend the chef's table - it's a really cool experience to see the staff expertly craft each dish in front of you. It's also cool to see how clean they keep their kitchen area, how organized everything is, and all the different tools they use for prep and presentation.The pricing also stands out. The tasting menu is $82 on weekdays and $110 on weekends (including Friday), both of which are well below similar tier experiences in the Bay. We also got a wine pairing which went nicely with the dishes, and the Sommelier was knowledgeable and helpful.They change up their menu daily so I can't wait to come back to try something new!

This place is very basic. Doesn't feel like chef restaurant. Dishes are not amazing just feel like casual lunch menu served small. Don't think it worth the $500 . Atmosphere is nice and staff is great

I chose to go here acting to the reviews.. I don't understand why it has almost 5 stars... I'm sad to say but we didn't like it Not the food, or the drinks or the place.