Mouthwatering Taiwanese in Oakland

Good To Eat

★★★★☆ 4.4 (251) • $$

"Started with the "Two Hares" sake, gentle sweet rice notes with crisp finish. Slightly sweet, almost like a melon bar flavor.The dish I wanted to try most was the poached yam leaves with house garlic soy paste. They told us towards the end of the meal that they were out of it so we replaced it with their veggie of the day which was a type of bok choy stir fried in minced garlic. We will need to come back for the yam leaves to try next time!Ooooooh the "Pepper Numbing" Chicken Cutlet was sooooo goood. The fried layer was crisp and had a nice crunch and the meat inside was fairly thick for a cutlet. Highly recommend this cutlet.The eggplant noodle that was soy-glazed with GTE chili crunch was also tasty for the eggplant part. That eggplant was steamed or boiled and also pan fried. The eggplant is amazing, but the noodles underneath was mediocre at best.The whole squid "yi-ye-gan" was delicious and came with lightly pickled veggies that paired well together.I bit pricey for what I got, but would definitely try Good To Eat again for Taiwanese Tapas!"

Duan’s Kitchen

★★★★☆ 3.9 (290) • $$

"Came by for lunch the other day and it was a tasty experience. Called ahead for take-out and my order was ready within 10-15 minutes. Parking is plentiful in the private lot.The restaurant takes credit cards and the restaurant has been remodeled since the Vietnamese noodle shop closed down a few years ago. Dining is indoors exclusively.Started off with the beef and tendon flat noodle soup and it was tasty. The broth was very fragrant and the beef and tendons were very tender. This was packaged to perfection with the plastic container filtering the noodles and the soup.The fried pork chop over fried rice was also tasty. The fried pork chop was fragrant and fried to perfection.The spicy wontons were delicious. The wontons were fragrant in the hot sauce.The popcorn chicken didn't look as good as the oil may need to be changed. The chicken was fresh and the flavor was on point.$25/head after tax for takeout with plenty of leftovers."

Lounge Chinatown 唐人街

★★★★☆ 4.1 (185) • $$

"Two of my sisters and I dined here yesterday for a birthday lunch. I always order the same menu item, ma po tofu over steamed rice. Other items ordered were fried chicken bento box, pork belly bento box, fried green beans and beef tongue. The beef tongue is good, but the beef tendon is better.We do miss Jessica who was our server in the past. It is taking us time to get used to the new server. He is okay. Conversation is in Mandarin, which I don't speak much of in that dialect.Since we come here quite often when we get together for lunch in Oakland Chinatown, I have decided to raise the restaurant to a five star.Definitely there will be more visits to Lounge Chinatown in the future."

Aki Japanese Restaurant

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (127) • $

"Tasty Taiwanese food! Came for the Taiwanese beef noodle soup (sold out) so got braised meat over noodles instead. Generous portions. Great people. Will be back for that beef noodle next time!"

Duan's Kitchen

★★★★☆ 3.8 (140) • $$

"the noodle is pretty tender and the tomato soup is really dense and tasty.also the beef stew is really found that is fully cooked with all flavor in it."

Duan’s Kitchen

★★★★☆ 3.9 (290) • $$

"Came by for lunch the other day and it was a tasty experience. Called ahead for take-out and my order was ready within 10-15 minutes. Parking is plentiful in the private lot.The restaurant takes credit cards and the restaurant has been remodeled since the Vietnamese noodle shop closed down a few years ago. Dining is indoors exclusively.Started off with the beef and tendon flat noodle soup and it was tasty. The broth was very fragrant and the beef and tendons were very tender. This was packaged to perfection with the plastic container filtering the noodles and the soup.The fried pork chop over fried rice was also tasty. The fried pork chop was fragrant and fried to perfection.The spicy wontons were delicious. The wontons were fragrant in the hot sauce.The popcorn chicken didn't look as good as the oil may need to be changed. The chicken was fresh and the flavor was on point.$25/head after tax for takeout with plenty of leftovers."

Boba Queen

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (207) • $

"I know the other reviews said that it took forever but it only took 10 minute for me. Ordered the original black tea and Thai tea with boba. I would definitely be back for sure."

Taiwan Porridge - Cupertino

★★★★☆ 4 (500) • $$

"Taiwan Porridge is tucked away in strip plaza, this humble porridge spot feels like a cozy embrace from the past--offering the kind of comfort food you'd expect from a home-cooked meal if your mom were in the kitchen. As soon as you're seated, you're greeted with a bowl of porridge and a cup of hot water. I wish the porridge arrived a bit hotter, as it tends to cool off quickly before you have a chance to dig in.The ordering process is a bit different here; after settling in, you're invited to head to the front to choose from an array of cold dishes. While many guests might be drawn to these options, I usually opt for the heartier menu items that come freshly cooked and delivered to your table. The steamed fish is tender and flavorful, and the a choy veggies come in a huge portion. The omelet is always the table's favorite, very simple but done well.I visited this spot recently when I was feeling under the weather. Whether you're craving something warm and soothing or just a taste of home, Taiwan porridge delivers a no frill comforting experience."

Full House Dumpling

★★★★☆ 3.7 (321) • $$

"The dumplings are the best in the Bay Area. Other dishes are consistently coming out tasty and portions are good. Will keep returning."

Chef Cho

★★★★☆ 4.1 (220) • $$

"Been here over many years and I always try to come here when I am in the Bay. This is strictly for Taiwanese people and those who are willing to try variety of authentic Taiwanese cuisine with open mind. Also definitely be ready for the smell of stinky tofu. I prefer to call it pungent tofu so maybe it's more appetizing? I had it today after 39 years being Taiwanese and I don't get it. Can't say I didn't give it a try! They offer a vast array of Taiwanese food that I grew up with and the boss lady is also as authentically Taiwanese as can be. I spoke to her before candidly and she said their goal with the restaurant was to provide the community with Taiwanese cuisine that is losing its footing in the community and I truly appreciate the vast selection to bring me back to memories of my childhood in Taiwan. For those that came to visit in the Bay Area and otherwise live in Taiwan majority of the time, the food is considered mediocre... according to my father. To me and my mother who are permanent residents and haven't been back to Taiwan for over a decade, everything is amazing. While some food flavor is perhaps missing, the aroma of "pungent tofu", the sea of Taiwanese customers and the sass of the boss lady speaking Taiwanese and cracking jokes, there is no other experience like this I know of. I think this place is a great starting point to learning Taiwanese foods before actually traveling to Taiwan so you can have the initial exposure to it."

Chick & Tea Taiwanese Soul Food

★★★★☆ 3.6 (370) • $$

"I have been a customer here three times. I had the popcorn chicken twice and a bento box once. The basil popcorn chicken is my favorite; it is delicious, affordable, and filling. The bento box was decent, but not amazing. The pricing was great for the variety of food you get though. The place is designed for to-go because of its affordable prices and convenient packaging (every already packaged as to-go). Even if you get the food to eat there, it's self-serve. The inside is small and can get crowded though. I only dined in once during a hot evening and the one running fan was not cutting it for us. I noticed there was outside seating, but it was even hotter outside. In conclusion, the place has good prices and convenient packaging that is perfect for to-go orders. Don't expect too much for a dine-in experience though."

Duan's Kitchen

★★★★☆ 3.8 (140) • $$

"the noodle is pretty tender and the tomato soup is really dense and tasty.also the beef stew is really found that is fully cooked with all flavor in it."

Old Taro

★★★★☆ 3.7 (281) • $$

"Old Taro is still a solid 4! We've come by to eat here in-person many times since my last 2021 review for their takeout. FOOD //Our go-to's are:+ Fried vinasse fish filet with rice bento set (4.5/5): the fried fish is nice and crispy on the outside, and tender and moist on the inside. I like that the rice has minced braised pork on top. The cooked Taiwanese cabbage (or sometimes it's edamame) is a good small side. The braised egg and tofu are okay; one time, the braised egg was quite dry inside and looked like it had been braising for a little too long. + Fried Taiwan-style chicken with rice bento set (3.5/5): the fried chicken cutlet was very lean and a bit dry, but okay. Crispy outside. + Pepper Popcorn Chicken with rice bento set (3.5/5): similar to the other fried chicken cutlet bento, this popcorn chicken was also a bit tough/dry, though the outside was a nice crunch. + Wonton soup (5/5): Grandma and I are fans of this one! Soothing warm clear broth, tasty wontons, and veggies for a healthy light meal.+ Braised tofu (4.5/5): this braised tofu has a nice meat-y sauce on it and has more flavor than the one that comes with the bento box. It's a smoother tofu texture as well. Goes well with rice.+ Stewed beef noodle soup (5/5): our parents always get one of the beef noodle soups. Nice and comforting broth with good flavor, not too salty. Beef is tender, and there's a good portion. SERVICE + AMBIANCE //Plenty of seating inside, with space for larger groups. I love the decoration on the walls and around the restaurant - one side has a fun Mario-inspired wall decoration, and another side inspires memories of Taiwanese night markets.Service has been very kind every time we've eaten here."

Flaming Ox

★★★★☆ 4.4 (241) • $$

"After running in the cold for awhile, coming to Flaming Ox was def the move. Parking straight up sucks so good luck finding someone who's leaving. With this plaza so packed with other businesses and a gym... it's just chaos.In the chance you do find parking and manage to get into the restaurant, you'll be impressed at how packed it can get. We went on a Tuesday night and there was a crowd right after we got seated so consider us lucky.Their bowls are quite huge so I do recommend sharing a bowl with another person that way you can also share appetizers. We had gotten the Traditional Beef Noodle with Thin Noodles and Popcorn Chicken.When our bowl arrived, we noticed they had gave us Thick Noodles so we called a server over and he was able to change that out for us which was very appreciated since my girlfriend likes it thin. I don't know what kind of beef they use but one bite into it and it instantly melted in your mouth. Very tender and flavorful, the amount of beef too was generous.POPCORN CHICKEN..... HOLY S#*T, I'm coming back and ordering this FOREVER. SUPER CRISPY, like EVERY SINGLE BITE CRISPY. They even lightly crisp the basil so there's a nice crunch to it. More places need to get on this level."

7 Noodles & Sizzling

★★★★★ 4.5 (67)

"One of my friend introduced this place to me honestly I am not fun of any Asian food:))) But this place is unbelievable!!!! I do not think any food can be more delicious than their foods ! Small family business and great place to be in ! Thank you"

MITK Kitchen

★★★★☆ 4.4 (37)

"Soul satisfying Taiwanese soul food. Will definitely put you in a food coma, but it's not heavy or overly seasoned. I would call it elevated home cooking, But I definitely wouldn't be able to make any of it from my kitchen. I see why this spot is such a gem. Next to the storage lot - don't go into that parking lot like we did. Very busy on a Sunday at noon. Glad I called ahead to place an order yesterday. The number listed on Yelp is good. First time trying stinky tofu and they make that fresh while you wait - smells stinkier than it tastes. Really enjoyed the red pork - comes with fish cake, preserved veggies and corn/ham. Every bento felt like a complete meal. The pork pastry wasn't overly greasy - reminded me of dim sum with pastry dough. Check out their speciality Taiwanese pantry items - pricy but unique and good quality. Accepts cash, check or Zelle. Cc's have 3% charge"

Little Taipei Cafe

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (257) • $$

"Run down and grimey place serving Taiwanese/Chinese comfort food (mostly takeout). It didn't used to be like this...20 years ago haha. Pretty sure it has changed ownership many times since then. I am comfortable with my people taking some "liberties" in sanitation - taste is ok - otherwise I wouldn't recommend coming here. There are some baozi/bing laid out on a table uncovered, front door open. There are some plastic bags of rousong in plastic bags set on boxes by the bathroom. Tables are sticky. It's cash only, but you can Venmo the cashier's personal account, which is not shady at all. Next time I'm in the area I'd rather go to Amazing Basil next door!"

Joyheart Cafe

★★★★★ 4.6 (78) • $$

"Thank you Yelpers. This place is located deep in a business park. No where near regular retail areas but it has the best vegetarian food around. I think it's associated with the temple next door. In either case the food was both filling, delicious and very healthy. I didn't feel run down like I do eating fast food or a quick burrito. The staff is super friendly and it's quiet with plenty of parking. Place is clean, spacious and had a very strong zen feel. Overall, a wonderful find with many more visits to come."

Taiwan Porridge - Milpitas

★★★★☆ 3.8 (457) • $$

"I really like this place. It has been here for a long time. Good dishes to pick to eat with the yam and porridge. Very nice people."

Joy Dumpling

★★★★☆ 4 (216) • $$

"Called ahead for takeout the other day and it was a quick and easy experience. Operator spoke English as I ordered using the English description along with the alpha-numeric menu code.Food was ready upon arrival. Parking is plentiful in the private lot. Dining is available indoors exclusively.Started off with the beef noodle soup and it was tasty. The noodles were fresh and separated from the beef broth with several chunks of tender beef.Moved on to the green beans with salted eggs and it was ok. Some of the green beans were stringy though... The green onion chicken appetizer was decent although the chicken wasn't super fresh.$20/head for lunch. Pay cash. ;)"

Taiwan Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.8 (447) • $$

"This place was recommended by the nice ladies at TECO, and it lived up to its reputation! Very authentic Taiwanese. We just wanted a simple meal and ordered based on the kids' preferences. We had the pork hock vermicelli noodle soup, popcorn chicken and egg fried rice, and it was all so tasty and flavorful! The kids gobbled up the popcorn chicken, it wasn't too spicy. Service was quick and the restaurant very clean."

Cafe Mei

★★★★☆ 4.2 (213) • $$

"Whenever I hear something from Taiwan is opening in the Bay Area you bet I'm excited! I go back to Taiwan every year to visit my grandparents and Taiwanese sandwiches were a staple for me growing up. While it's unclear whether they're part of the Cafe Mei franchise in Taiwan, their sandwiches are still just as good as the ones in Taiwan. The bread is so soft and moist! I've tried the Taro Pork Sung Sandwich and the Togo House Special Sandwich. I love almost anything taro, and the fresh taro complements perfectly with the pork sung. I would also recommend not toasting the Togo House Special Sandwich so you can enjoy the soft bread!I'd recommend ordering ahead or coming early as they're pretty popular especially around mealtimes, and they close at 2 PM. I do wish they were open longer!"

Honey Express Bento & Tea

★★★★★ 4.5 (30)

"Soooo underrated. Next to another restaurant and a gym. Interesting location- but very suburban too I guess lolKeep coming back for the orange chicken bento box. It's ~$14 or so I believe and adequate portions meaning I usually can't finish it in one setting! You can order via Snackpass. I really like the regular milk tea (no boba) - it's kind of nostalgic. Reminds me of when you're in high school and there are mom and pop boba places that serve drinks at $4-5. Well here it's closer to $5.50 but still much lower compared to the franchises :)) Plus even when ordering with food, my orders are made super duper quickly."

Taiwan Porridge - Fremont

★★★★☆ 3.8 (101) • $$

"This place is amazing. The food tastes great and the price is very reasonable especially if you get their specials. Unlimited porridge if you dine in. To order, just go to the front and pick out what you want along the line then find a seat and they'll bring the food out to you. Pay after you finish.Great for quick casual dinners whether for takeout or dine in."

Red Hot Wok

★★★★☆ 4.1 • $$

"I love this place so much, so it's a shame I don't come here more often ! They have some super yummy Taiwanese food, and the inside of the restaurant has almost a rustic, shed-in-the-mountains kind of vibe, with communal seating. The service is okay, mainly people just trying to do their jobs. As it is a smaller establishment, you might have to wait a little while during peak times (dinners and weekend lunches). After I get a meal from this place, I also love ordering their shaved ice dessert that reminds me of Taiwan as well. Would highly recommend !"

Sheng Kee Bakery

★★★★☆ 3.5 (44)

"Sheng Kee Bakery opened where a taqueria once was. Take out only. No tables within. No decorDrill: grab a tong and tray. Select any pastries/cakes that strike ur fancy. Get in line, pay and select cake, if needed at front counter, when reaching cashier. Offerings(Taiwanese bakes/pastries+, Asian fusion pastries): pork sung buns, sweet & savory bakes/pastries, pineapple buns, mooncakes, cakes, buns, breads, custards...Eats: most wrapped in plastic, has sell by date, made in commissary off site, daily deliveries..Purple romance (ube flavored, 2.99)-big oval doughy bun with baked sweet tasty ube tasteEgg pudding (2.99)-velvety sweet custard with caramel topping, flan-likePastry date(2.90)-dozens of ingredients, mains: dates, sugar, white beansVery sweet.Pork sung puff (2.99)-big airy, melt in mouth bun with schredded pork jerky (pork sung) within. On point traditional bunLg. Sun cookie (1.60)-flaky layers of baked flour flavored with honey/sugar.Resembles a traditional winter melon baked pastry. Sweet cookie has no melon. 3.5 stars. Traditional bakes quality wise better than Fusion versions*service at single register by cashier quick, efficient. English proficient. Most patrons were Cantonese.."

Chick & Tea Taiwanese Soul Food

★★★★☆ 3.7 (75) • $$

"Solid Taiwanese fast food in Rose Pavilion. We stopped by for dinner on Christmas as our first choice for Chinese food was overcrowded with an hour plus wait. Glad we did. This is a small establishment with 5 indoor tables and 3 outdoor tables, and one orders and pays on a touch screen. We ordered a couple of bento boxes and a few assorted appetizers, which were ready in less than 10 minutes. My favorites were the popcorn chicken and the grilled squid. The ladies enjoyed the condensed milk bun, taro balls and squid balls. The bento boxes were good too. Bill was less than $100 before tip. Service was friendly. Will be back to try other options."

Chicha San Chen

★★★★☆ 3.7 (19)

"The store was packed during the soft opening. College students everywhere inside doing work. I don't this there was a place to stand. While we waited less than a minute to order at the iPads, the drink took almost 15 minutes to arrive. We were told it's because the drink making is automated by a machine to ensure the same quality drink each time but that's still quite long to wait for boba. Luckily, while waiting in line we were offered the chance to do the tea tasting. The tea tasting took about 25 minutes and we got to taste one tea at one roast level. The tea had five roast levels ranging from light (most caffeine) to dark (least caffeine). The barista was knowledge and a good guide. The tea was good but not out of this world. The boba was good but I would say on par with some of the other boba shops in the area."

Tai Kee Wonton

★★★★☆ 3.9 (434) • $$

"Been coming to Tai Kee Wonton for years since they were first opened by Saratoga near I280. It's a family owned small business from Taiwan. They brought their famous wonton to the States and it's been a favorite of the Chinese community. My Husband is a fan of their spicy chili noodles. Fair warning, the heat is from a lot of black pepper so it's a long burn. However, it does come in 3 levels of heat. Our staples are spicy cucumbers, spicy fried tofu, and green onion pancakes. There's a garlic dipping sauce that comes with the tofu and pancakes that is to die for. We are vegetarians and that's why we don't have much to say about their wontons, but I hear they are excellent. I highly recommend coming here for a try and enjoy their family friendly service."

Orange Square

★★★★☆ 4 (61)

"Orange Square offers a convenient option for Taiwanese food and lunch boxes, with prices that are very reasonable for the portion size. The textures of the dishes were on point, but the flavors left something to be desired. While everything was cooked well, the food lacked the depth and complexity that could elevate it from "decent" to truly memorable.That said, it's a solid choice for a quick and filling meal, especially if you're in the area and craving Taiwanese comfort food. However, I wouldn't go out of my way for it. Orange Square gets the job done, but there's room for improvement in the flavor department."

Tasty Point

★★★★☆ 3.8 (112) • $$

"This was my second visit to Tasty Point, and I must say that it's definitely improved since my first time visiting. To be fair, my first visit here was around their grand opening so they were still getting the hang of things. Back then, the service was somewhat slow and the hot pot didn't impress me too much.However, this time around, I came here for lunch with my friends after playing spikeball on a chilly day- the perfect weather for hot pot. I ordered the Coconut Cream Curry Hot Pot and our table also shared the Super French Fries. The hot pot was hearty and had a subtle curry flavor, but not super strong. I appreciated how clean and light the broth was. My favorite toppings were the fried fish ball, pork fish ball, and sweet corn, although I found the pork a bit too fatty for my taste. After eyeing the pumpkin in my boyfriend's Golden Spicy Soup Beef Hot Pot, he let me steal a few bites of his soup, and it was delicious-his broth might have been my favorite. Both hot pots were excellent though. I would probably pass next time on the Super French Fries. My friends were intrigued by them, but we were disappointed to find that they mainly tasted like fried oil without much potato. One of my friends dipped it in his soup, and it surprisingly made them more enjoyable or at least you could taste more potato in the fry. Overall, the fries were the only disappointment with the food. When I explored the menu, the other hot pots looked delicious and it actually made it difficult for me to just choose one. The pricing is comparable to other individual hot pot places like Tasty Pot and Boiling Point. If the cold weather calls for it, I will be back to try their desserts and explore more of their hot pot options."

Yummi Tea Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.1 (421) • $$

"We've been coming here for years and this place never disappoints. Yay area - folks need to come here as frequent as possible. Every time we drive remotely in this direction we stop to get some great snacks and great drinks!!!"

The Bento Box

★★★★☆ 3.9 (199) • $$

"Came earlier today for lunch for the first time!I ordered the hainan chicken bento with the plum juice (comes with the bento) and since I paid with cash and my total was more than $17, I got fried fish balls (4pc) for free! (Btw there's a lot of pig's blood 'cause friend doesn't like it so we put her portion into my bento lol)There's actually a lot of food in the bento, I got full from the protein so saved the leftovers for tomorrow to eat!Chicken had no liquid sauce (there was some scallion/ginger over it) but meat was still tender. Really liked how the sautéed cabbage tasted! The minced pork that comes with the rice was well-seasoned as well. Plum juice tasted fresh and healthy but just a bit too tart for me.Cashier was pleasant and patient while I was being indecisive lolOverall would come back to try another entree/appetizer!"

BentoLicious

★★★★★ 4.5 (343) • $$

"This place is a hidden gem! You might pass over it thinking it's just another take out spot in the back corner of a complex, but the food here is seriously good. I ordered the Ichiban Fried Chicken Brest Bento (#1), and opted for the Mapo Tofu, Eggplant, and Bok Choy sides. First of all, the chicken was a huge, juicy piece of meat, on top of a generous portion of rice. Such a good deal!The sides are what rally shined for me. THE EGGPLANT OMG. I might even ask to make all 3 of my sides just the eggplant next time lol. The eggplant was just soooo umami and so flavorful, and although I normally am not a bok choy fan, I did really like it here, and it balanced out the oils from the chicken well. The tofu was pretty standard, nothing special although still good. I appreciated the extra protein from the tofu, but I may try the marinated egg instead next time!They had run out of chicken when I ordered it but they were very clear to me that it would be just 5 more minutes and it's be out, and they filled up my sides and rang me up in the meantime. Overall they were very kind and helpful."

Milk & Honey Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.2 • $$

"I've wanted to visit the restaurant for a long time, and I finally got the chance to go!Tried their Pork Chop Topped Fried Rice and the Sesame Oil Chicken Pot, and both were amazing. The chicken pot is perfect for winter. It is not oily, and I loved it come with veggies and noodles (you can choose rice). The fried rice is perfectly crispy and flavorful! It is like the one I ate at Din Tai Fung Highly recommend if you're in the area!"