MLK Café

I was visiting from Texas and happened to get a hotel down the street from MLK Cafe. They were the only place open relatively late (Yelp says they close at 10:00 on weekdays, but I think I went in there around 10:15 or 10:30??), so I decided to walk down there and get some food.I was a little confused as to where to order upon first walking in, as there were people hanging out all around the bar and restaurant but no one behind the counter. Eventually I figured it out - they have menus at one of the counters and as I was looking one over, a man came up and asked what I would like. I decided to keep it simple and just ordered a small cheese pizza to go. It wasn't anything mindblowing, but it definitely hit the spot (and for a good price too).The next night I find myself in the same late-ish night predicament, so I walked back over there and decided I'd try one of their Ethiopian dishes. I had only eaten Ethiopian once before and I thought it was great, but nothing to write home about. I ordered beef kelwa and boyyyyyy was it fucking good! It blew my first Ethiopian experience out of the water.Atmosphere is super laid back. Second night I was in there everyone was watching the Warriors game, cheering, and what not. The guys cooking your food and taking your orders are very friendly. Highly recommended spot. I will definitely be back next time I'm in Oakland!

Tried this place on a whim since this area of oakland is highly known for their Ethiopian cuisine. It was surprising to find a local spot though serving breakfast. That's what really drew us in. Very tasty breakfast, got the injera breakfast plate filled with lots of spices, tomato flavor and tang from the bread. Super addicting if you love those flavors. Very thankful to be given a side of yogurt to help cool the heat down.Definitely would order this again, but maybe add my own mix-ins like an egg or more protein since it's very carb heavy. Inside wise, you can watch two tv's playing sports, our waitress/cashier was very kind, and it appeared like many locals hanging out. Only thing is their menu prices are out of date. About $13 plus tax per plate. Hope to come back at night to see the bar open and some live music!

I was stuck waiting for a PG&E meter check (for work) and looking for a spot in this area to get breakfast. I searched and found MLK Cafe. I walked about a block down the street to find the place. A young man was using an electric leaf blower to clean in the front and I thought he might be the only one working since the door was wide open and I hadn't seen anyone else so I leaned on the railing out front and the manager approached me. He was polite and greeted me with a smile. I sat down and ordered an omelette and coffee and began hoping that the lead blowing would soon end so I could enjoy the ambiance. About five minutes passed and I got my coffee and water. Soon after I got my food while I was finishing reading the news. So here is my warning to you. This place may not be the best breakfast spot. The eggs tasted old, the hash browns were very greasy and the bread was just okay. The coffee was great and I am sure that their other drinks and food specialties that they are known for are much tastier than the 9 AM breakfast options. So why did I give this place four stars? First, it is the only thing close to here that even tries to serve a balanced breakfast, (even if it is a bit carb heavy). Second everyone was nice and attentive and they did offer me hot sauce which I now know I should not have turned down. So if like me you find yourself here starving, order something and take the hot sauce when offered. The drinks and the company are worth the pit stop if you can't get somewhere else.

Great East African spot with generous portions. No need to order the teff as included in the main though not mentioned on the menu. We tried to ask but there was a language barrier, but that's part of the experience, I guess.

Gotta show love for my Eritrean and Ethiopian folks. Family style, the dish had large portions, more than enough for my Black boys alumni reunion. The food was spicy, flavorful, and light! And I had all my essential food groups: proteins, carbs, veggies, and alcohol, lol. The best part of the experience was the service. The owner was the nicest guy, so hospitable, so genuine. He checked on us throughout the few hours we were dining. If you haven't had this type of cuisine, then expand your palate here. Get ready to get those hands dirty with some injera!

I was on the long, laborious, and often lugubrious bus ride on the 18 line to who knows where in Oakland when I noticed this place out of the corner of my eye. Of course it only makes sense that it's located on Martin Luther King Junior Way. It was presumptuous of me to think that this would be a restaurant of southern comfort favorites like fried chicken, collard greens, and pecan pie because I've read those were his most requested foods. But no, chef/owner Asmerom Ghebremicael's instead offers a mix of traditional Eritrean cuisine and all-American like pizza and burgers.It's in an area filled with public art murals reflecting pride in the black heritage of the neighborhood. Once I entered the restaurant, I was initially a bit confounded by what looks like a spacious sports bar and then promptly saw they have a regular schedule of live entertainment from classic soul to slam poetry. I was immediately drawn to the $14 MLK Veggie Combo, which combined a compelling trio, Alicha (potatoes, carrots and peppers in a curry sauce), Bersin (red lentils in a mix of tomato and seasoned Berbere sauces), and Spinach blended with garlic and onions (photo: http://bit.ly/2LXbfZE).All of that resting on a curled slab of injera with a plate of even more injera (photo: http://bit.ly/2LSEoVM). Had I known a green salad was part of the combo, I wouldn't have ordered the $6 Green Salad, which turned out to be a huge, fresh plate of lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and olives tossed with Parmesan cheese, olive oil, and vinegar (photo: http://bit.ly/2LXxNJZ). Whoa, that was a lotta tasty food, enough for leftovers for dinner. Burgers and pizza aside, Oakland is a treasure trove of East African delights between this spot, Shewat, and Dareye among other top-notch eateries in the immediate vicinity.FOOD - 4 stars...top-notch Eritrean food with plenty of injera AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...quite spacious especially during the daySERVICE - 4 stars...quietly thoughtful with the hostess drop-dead gorgeous TOTAL - 4 stars...MLK had a dream, MLK Cafe feeds itRELATED - Looking for African delicacies? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2JBDHib

Friendly local sports bar atmosphere. The food was fine, but the figs were a bit dry and I could have used more spice in the entrees. The fresh juice was good.

We came here for brunch Saturday afternoon and the restaurant was bustling with groups of people and a bit noisy at 12 Noon as the ceiling is low. There's a bar, a couple of tvs and a comfy atmosphere when the crowds left. They have a huge menu, with sandwiches, pasta, Ethiopian dishes, pizza, burgers, breakfast at reasonable prices. We ordered the Shehan foul which was flavorful with a kick to it, scrambled eggs which came with crispy hash browns and wheat toast all for $6! I also ordered an Ethiopian coffee which was aromatic! This is a comfy cozy place for brunch and looks like a diner during the day, sports bar, nightclub at night.

My uber driver suggested this place when I asked him for a cool Ethiopian restaurant . Am glad I found out this place, it was fun,the food was amazing and the vibe hits different.

Great food! Obviously, their Ethiopian dishes are on-point, but they also serve surprisingly great pizza, burgers & fries, and solid brunch options too.If there's a major sporting event, you can count on the whole community gathering here to cheer and have a good time. We love this place!