Good To Eat

A friend and I dropped by on a Saturday night for dinner and it was pretty busy. The wait was short though and the people working there were so sweet. It was really helpful that they explained the menu to us.We ordered:Lu rou fan - so good! flavorful pork that just works so well with riceBbq fried chicken cutlet - had a nice crunch and wasn't too oilyA-choy - my friend loved it. I also really liked it too even though I don't usually order dishes with only veggies in themThe portions are a bit pricey for the size but are delicious and definitely worth a try.

This would be a 5 star review if the prices weren't so expensive/portions so small. My partner is Taiwanese so I have been on the hunt for a good Taiwanese place around Oakland. I am very happy to have found this place, and it is partner approved! I love that they have a list of staple items + a rotating menu. The flavors are always on point and super delicious. I have been 5 times already and each time has been amazing. I highly recommend their grilled squid, especially as I've never been able to find another establishment that has been able to grill such tender squid. Other than your wallet being a bit sad, you will always leave Good to Eat happy.

I've been missing good Taiwanese food for a while and was excited to try this place -- but sadly, the food was very disappointing. My game plan at a new restaurant is always to order the classics because my thought is: if they can't even get those right, what's the point of ordering anything else?Lu Rou Fan: The Lu Rou was a tad on the salty side, but the flavor was decent. Unfortunately, the rice was both slightly undercooked and gummy. The portion was also tiny for $16. Nothing in Lu Rou Fan is expensive, so serving such a small amount of rice was perplexing. It's also an odd choice to serve it without an egg or pickled mustard greens, opting instead for pickles that felt more reminiscent of Japanese food.Fried Chicken Cutlet: This was just bad. The batter was all wrong -- doughy, watery, and it fell off the chicken while somehow also being kind of burned. Taiwanese fried chicken should be super crispy with a thin batter, but this reminded me more of the texture of a lemon chicken dish from an American Chinese restaurant in the 90s, when people didn't know any better. The Sichuan-inspired sauce on the side was actually great, but the chicken itself was a total miss.Chilli Crunch: Run of the mill, nothing special. I'm fine with places that charge more if the food is delicious and the vibes are great -- but this felt like eating in a classroom. On top of that, there was a ton of staff, yet no one seemed inclined to mop or clean the floor. There was food on the ground at the table next to us the entire time, and not one staff member thought to clean it up.

I don't think I've posted an updated review about all the times I've enjoyed Good to Eat in the last few years since they opened their brick and mortar. They continue to be one of my favorite restaurants Combination of delicious food, super kind service and a lively atmosphere, it's always a good time!I recommend coming with a larger group so you can order EVERYTHING and everyone can try a little bit of all the delicious things they offer. Must orders: grilled tofu skin, fried tofu and some sort of noodle dish! their golden kimchi is also really underrated

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!

Worth a try but a hit or miss! Wonderful and sweet staff, with a beautiful atmosphere. I'd come back again - but likely only for the eggplant noodle dish. I want to love it here despite the inconsistencies of the dishes. We started with the eggplant noodle, probably the standout of the menu for us. Its sweet savory and spicy sauce and the al dente noodle was so tasty we had to get another to go.The Dou Bao is yummy, we couldn't get enough of the texture but it needed dipping sauce for me. The maitake mushroom with tofu noodle sauce was underwhelming and the mushroom just didn't impress, but could be good if you're looking for a creamy noodle dish.I didn't love the tofu pudding. We placed the spoon and finger for perspective but it is too pricey the portion size. Same with the size of oolong cheesecake, although that desert is so so yummy and might be worth it. Overall pretty okay and the outdoor patio is an experience.

There are many things to love about Good to Eat! Such friendly and attentive staff -- our waiter probably stopped by our table almost five times throughout our meal! It was a large space with plenty of outdoor seating, perfect for a cool summer evening and the right setting for a casual dinner with friends (or even a date). And the menu is vast with many twists on Taiwanese staples! The Pepper Numbing Chicken Cutlet was a stand out. Super crispy and juicy chicken with a tangy, spicy sauce on the size. I would come back again just to have that dish. The other dishes, unfortunately, were disappointing (maybe I'm a bit picky as a Taiwanese American). The vegetable of the day (A Choy) needed some salt and didn't feel worth $14, while the Lu Rou Fan came out cold (albeit with some depth of flavor). I'd be willing to come back again to try some other dishes on the menu, but it wasn't the dream Taiwanese meal I hoped for.

I rate this place a solid 4/5 for homey Taiwanese small plates. The food is really good, the portions are smaller for sure (tapas), and the pricing is what you'd expect for specialty cuisine in the Bay Area. They have a solid beer selection. Disclaimer: I have a mild food allergy and I made the specific item known when I was ordering and they were super helpful in letting me know the affected areas on the menu, and even communicated that to the back of the kitchen and our food runner. Excellent service.Don't be fooled, there is a ton of seating outside, as well as heaters. My favorite dish was the lu rou fan (Taiwanese braised pork rice)! It was so flavorful and truly tasted homemade in the best way.

Had a great time trying this spot for the first time. Favorites were the fried tofu, bok choy, and noodles. Also got the chicken and pickles, which were just fine from my perspective. Ended the meal on the oolong cookies which were so good we got a package to go. Would love to come back and try more of the menu. Veggies and other tofu dishes were high on our list for next time.

Good To Eat is currently one of my favorite restaurants in East Bay! The ambiance, service, and food are across the board perfect, creating an elevated Taiwanese-inspired dining experience in a comfortable modern setting filled with warmth and "人情味" !I love that there are regular as well as rotating / seasonal menu items! The ingredients for each dish are fresh & unique, blending together so well -- there has not been a single dish I've tried that has been a let down. A few of my favorites:-- GTE Spicy Noodle-- "Pepper Numbing" Chicken Cutlet-- Taiwanese Soy-glazed Eggplants-- Yam Leaves with House Garlic Soy Paste (or any veggie of the day stir fried w/ garlic)-- Soft serve ice-cream: black sesame oil with sea salt flakes (made in-house)My mouth is watering just writing this review and eagerly anticipating my next meal at this wonderful restaurant!