Bombera

tldr; excellent experience, get the spicy carrots!This was my first time eating there, and it was one of the best meals I've had in a long time. The restaurant is in an old firehouse, which adds to its charm, and Chef Dominica Rice-Cisneros is doing something really special with the food. She takes traditional Mexican ingredients and flavors and combines them with fresh, high-quality California produce, meats, and spices. It reminded me of some of the most exciting restaurants in Mexico City--places that respect tradition but aren't afraid to get creative.We started with the spicy carrots and queso fundido. Both were great, but the carrots were amazing. The almond chili salsa on top made them one of the best things I've ever eaten.For mains, we had the carne asada huarache and fish tacos. The tacos were excellent, but the huarache completely blew me away. The steak was incredibly tender--no knife needed--and as good as anything I've had at a top steakhouse.Even though we were full, we went for dessert and were glad we did. The cardamom cake and chocolate pot de crème were the perfect way to end the meal--rich but not overwhelming.Service was friendly and attentive. If you go, try to sit outside--it's heated and way quieter than the inside, which can get loud because of the firehouse acoustics. Parking was easy on the street.Bombera is one of the best restaurants in Oakland right now and I'll be going back.

5 Stars - A Must-Try Dish at Bombera!I had the Carne Asada Huarache Supreme at Bombera in Oakland, and it was absolutely incredible! The grilled filet mignon was perfectly cooked--tender, juicy, and full of smoky flavor. The crispy Oaxacan cheese added a deliciously rich and slightly salty crunch, balancing beautifully with the creamy guacamole and bold salsa roja. The Oaxacan black beans provided a deep, earthy element, and the heirloom blue corn tortilla tied everything together with its fresh, slightly nutty flavor. Every bite was layered with texture and authentic Mexican flavors. If you're looking for a dish that truly stands out, this is it. Highly recommend!

I'm proud to have been raised in a family that's lived in Oakland for generations. The beauty and culture here in The Town is something I can't say enough about, especially when making recommendations to family and friends. In a similar vein, Mexican food is personal for me. It's a way to connect with loved ones, to celebrate, and to relive memories of sharing steamy goodness round the dinner table, no matter how humble or abundant the feast. Donde comen dos comen tres. So I was really looking forward to trying Bombera. Cosecha was a go-to back in Swan's Market, and I resonated with the new restaurant's description as well as chef Dominica's story. My partner's birthday seemed like the perfect occasion to try it out. Unfortunately, while the food definitely deserves its flowers, I left feeling jarred by the dining experience.When we checked in for our reservation, the host acknowledged that we were celebrating a birthday, but then we were seated in the doorway of the back dining room. I felt like we were an inconvenience, as the waiststaff and guests had to maneuver around us the whole time. There was at least one empty two-seater that wasn't in everyone's way, so the choice felt confusing, but I decided we'd make the most of it. But the further along we got, the more confused I felt. Where on the spectrum of casual to fine-dining were we? And more importantly, was this place "for us"? The prices of the dishes reflected a focus on quality, sustainable ingredients and honoring the work and skills of the people preparing the delicious food. The small portions also suggested more of a fine-dining experience. (The beets I ordered turned out to be one beet cut into three pieces. The chips and salsa we were offered turned out not to be complementary, so I would've appreciated a more generous helping of salsa and guacamole.) Again, I'll reiterate the food itself was great. My partner's face when he tasted the mole negro was priceless, and the quesadillas de maíz azul brought me back to Parangaricutiro. Yet the lack of finesse in greeting, seating, and table-waiting suggested more of a casual vibe. Little touches go a long way. Even having a mantelito on our table would've made me feel more welcome, like we belonged in the room lit up by brightly colored prints, plants, papel picado, and velitas. My hope is that Bombera is still finding its rhythm and will work through the growing edges to blossom into the "loving place for family, friends, and community" and "tribute to Oakland's beautiful history and people" it is intended to be. As of now, we're not convinced of returning.

I had incredibly high expectations of this spot due to the rave reviews I had seen on yelp/ reddit and was a bit worried my expectations wouldn't be met but they were surpassed!! We ordered the spicy carrots, roasted chicken, and carne assada huarache. Every dish was packed with flavor and was a large portion as well. The spicy carrots were actually spicy which isn't usually the case when I go out and get spicy food. Both meat dishes were delicious but I preferred the carne asada. The restaurant itself is gorgeous with the high ceilings and windows that spanned ceiling to floor - great ambiance which further elevated the dining experience. Our waiter, Adora, was incredible!!! It was some of the best service I've experienced in years and she even gave us some free drinks. I will definitely be back with a larger group to try even more items!

We did date night with another couple and came here for dinner. My friend made reservations for 4 on a Monday night and the place was packed.We sat in their outdoor patio. It was a cold evening, but they had portable heaters at each table to keep us warm and they offered blankets as well. They also had table lamps at each table that shined a lot of light. We were able to read the menu without any issues and see what we were eating!We ordered drinks and appetizers: smoked trout tostadas, chips, salsa and guacamole. We ordered enough trout tostadas for everyone to have their own. The trout came on a bed of arugula. The trout was flaky with crema de avocado and crispy shallots, which added a crispy texture to the trout. The trout filling was hard to contain while eating it on top of a crispy tostada! Any filling that came out landed on our arugula for a tasty salad!For our entrees we got beef tamales and fish tacos. Both entrees came with two items so we split it. The tamales had a lot of flavors thanks to the Arizona red chili. It was delicious and the perfect size. The two fish tacos (fried cod) were huge - we split them in half! The crema de jalapeno added some heat to the fish and cabbage slaw. Both entrees were delicious and just the right size!For dessert we ordered the Cardamon cake with pineapple, orange and whipped cream. Yum! The cake was light and fluffy and each bite with the whipped cream was delectable! We had a fun evening of great food in a fun setting.

Overall, a good Mexican food spot for a nicer ambiance and more unique dishes. My friend found this place in the SF Chronicle. This reminded me a bit of dining at a restaurant in Mexico as opposed to eating the local street food. We got seated inside and as a heads up, they ask if you want chips and guac (which we said yes). It wasn't complimentary but rather $8.We ordered the smoked trout tostadas, pozole, pork carnitas, grilled swordfish, and carne asada. All were quite good, especially the pozole and pork carnitas. What surprised us the most was the black beans in some of the dishes that soaked up so much flavor. I'm usually not the biggest black beans fan, but in these dishes, I enjoyed them. Everything was quite flavorful and not dry at all.We had the cardamom cake and pot de creme for dessert which was good. Nothing too crazy but good portions. Service was ok overall, nothing spectacular. Was nice to try this spot and it was busy on a Saturday evening.

Bombera was popping on a Monday night! Thankfully, we had made a reservation beforehand to guarantee a spot without a wait. My partner came across this place while browsing online, and we decided to give this place a try. We arrived for our 5:45PM reservation and more than half the tables both indoors and outdoors were already full. We got seated all the way back and had a pretty full view of the kitchen. Bombera is decked out in lights both indoors and outdoors. I love how open the place is, and how decorated it is. It looks fun and festive. Between my partner and I, we ordered 1) Chips, Salsa, and Guacamole, 2) Spicy Carrots Toasted Almond Misantla, 3) Pomegranate & Persimmon Gem Salad, 4) Smoked Trout Tostadas (+1 extra), 5) Small Pozole Blanco, 6) Roasted Chicken (half), and 7) Ginger Molasses Cake. Food here is great, but I think communication could have been a little better initially. Once we were seated down, we were asked if we wanted water and chips with salsa and guac. Water, for sure. But when asked about chips, I thought it was complementary. And sure, I could have asked, but it seemed like it was offered. For $8, I definitely would have skipped it. Next came the Gem Salad. The mix of ingredients here was inspiring. I liked that they added a lot of seasonal fruits, both of which are my top favorite fruits of the season as well - pomegranate and persimmon! The persimmons were perfectly ripe - a little soft, but still had a crunch to it. The jicama slices added a refreshing crunch as well. I think the most surprising, and delightful part was the spices they mixed in with the toasted pumpkin seeds. It added a whole different layer of flavor to the salad and although small, those kind of stood out as the item that brings the salad all together. For the Spicy Carrots Toasted Almond Misantla - I can see why this is a really popular starter. The almonds are absolutely delicious as well. Whatever the chefs are doing with the nuts and seeds, they're doing it right. The almonds are slightly smokey and added a crispy crunch. The carrots by itself doesn't have much flavor unless you pair it with the almonds or beans, but they were delicious, slightly soft carrots. Although delicious, I didn't particularly like how oily it is. The beans in this dish were gigantic and filling. Next up, the small Pozole Blanco. This is one of my favorites of the night. It's comforting and hearty. Although it's described as a spicy Mexican chicken soup, it's not that spicy at all. It's just warming, and the dish that hit the spot for me. I would have been happy with just a big bowl of Pozole. The chicken pieces was tender and soft. The Peruvian corn on the soup was filling as well. I never would have thought to put avocado into my soup, but it's actually not bad in Pozole. The Smoked Trout Tostadas was pretty good too. It's a bit hard to eat with your hands since the tortillas break so easily, but the trout pieces had a delicious smokey flavor to it. The tomatoes were refreshing and each one was topped with plenty of crispy shallots. Hmm, although pretty good, I'm not sure I'd order it again at that price point - 3 for $22. They're on the smaller side. Last savory dish: the half Roasted Chicken. This was my partner's top favorite. They give a lot of rice and beans, in addition to some collard greens, and veggies. The rice was fluffy basmati rice and went so nicely with some of the beans and sauce. The homemade salsa was a tad spicy, but really refreshing (think cilantro). But the star of this dish is, of course, the chicken! Somehow the skin was thin, crispy, and flavorful, while the chicken was soft, juicy and tender (it reminded us of Limon restaurant, but better). If I could have eaten more of this, I may have, but this dish by itself is shareable between 2-3 people and I just could not continue. Not after all the appetizers and other dishes we got. Finally, dessert! The Ginger Molasses Cake. This was a huge slice. The cake itself was pretty good. For my personal preference, I don't normally go for a ginger molasses dessert, but my partner wanted this so we tried it. It's not too sweet, which is great, but the ginger is kind of strong. They served it with pieces of strawberries and pineapple, which didn't pair very well with the cake. Maybe the bit of cream did, but not the fruits. The best part in my opinion was the outer edge where it's just a bit crunchy. I also tasted less of the ginger on the edge, and that sat with my taste buds better. Dinner was so filling already, I wouldn't have mind skipping this if I were to come back. All in all, a delicious meal. Service was pretty nice aside from the initial communication. Our server came to check on us multiple times and even made sure to slow down our orders since they were coming out faster than we can eat them and they wouldn't have fit on our table for two. There was definitely some dishes I'd skip next time, and some I would recommend and re-order.

We ordered:- Spicy Carrots - Summer Corn Tamales - Blue Corn Quesadillas - Pork Carnitas- Roasted Chicken Mojo De Ajo- Chocolate Pot De CrèmeExperience (5/5 stars):*Food: items we'd recommend getting would be the spicy carrots & roasted chicken. We ended using the sauce from the spicy carrots as a dip for everything. The roasted chicken was juicy and flavorful*Price: ~$28 entrees *Service: good, friendly *Ambiance: cozy Overall, I'd come back here! (:

Note: This review is for take out. I did not visit or see the restaurant in person.Pozole - size: small; I would say this is good to share with 2 people if there were more dishes that were being shared amongst each other. It came with two tortillas and a small container of finely sliced radishes, guacamole, one lime wedge, and other garnishes like diced onions and tomatoes. I would say the flavor was in the garnishes with the soup. I love hominy and the pozole contained a lot of it along with decent-sized pieces of meat and cartilage. Charred Beets - I believe there were 6 pieces (3 beets, halved) laid along a bed of the green chile, whipped pumpkin and sesame seed butter. I was unsure about this one from the menu as I wasn't sure if I was going to like the type of sauce it came with, but to my surprise it was pretty good! The beets had a great texture and were charred on the rounded side. Could easily share this dish with more people if you're only willing to have 1 half or maybe 1 whole beet per person. The flavor on this might surprise you!All in all, I would try making my way to dine-in someday and to try other items off their menu.

I was visiting Oakland and some friends brought me here for my last dinner- mentioning it was the hot new thing for locals. PSA the way seating works is that all with reservations are let in at 5 but you can nab a table if you get there early- they'll just have you wait to the side.For food we got drinks and split the fish tacos and a national dish with yogurt sauce and pomegranate. For a NA drink, I really enjoyed the fermented soda which was a healthy size, interesting texture, and not too sweet. The fish tacos we all agreed were Great even as an entree... for one each. The fish- fucking HUGE. While I didn't get a desert I got coffee and thought they'd bring out espresso but instead got a full set up with mini glass pot for myself. It was very cute and perfect on a cold night. The only thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the pomegranate dish- for a stuffed pepper dish with meat I would have preferred it hotter.