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Oken
Oken: Oakland's inventive eatery where bold flavors meet a welcoming, shared-table vibe.
5
Restaurant
$$$
Oken: Oakland's inventive eatery where bold flavors meet a welcoming, shared-table vibe.
Oken in Oakland offers inventive, contemporary dishes with Korean influences, from ganjang fried chicken and maitake tempura to tomato kimchi somen and oxtail jjigae. Guests praise standout items like baechu salad and halibut crudo, along with attentive service. The space is comfortable and well-lit, with showcased pottery, and diners may share tables on busy nights. Reservations are recommended, and the wine list and NA options are well received.
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Enjoy a curated menu of innovative dishes like Ganjang Fried Chicken, Baechu Salad, and Oxtail Jjigae, blending traditional flavors with contemporary twists.
Perfect for groups, offering a variety of snacks and appetizers such as Maitake Tempura and Tomato Kimchi Somen to explore multiple flavors.
Savor hearty main courses like Short Rib and Kalbi, crafted with premium ingredients and expert techniques for a satisfying meal.
Features a thoughtful selection of wines, cocktails, and non-alcoholic options to complement the dining experience.
Ensures a seamless experience with attentive service and well-paced meals in a stylish, communal setting.
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Overall rating
Jacqueline Cerniglia Dion
This place exceeded already high expectations. I walked away with at least three dishes I will dream about. As soon as you walk up and into OKEN you can smell a smokey flavorful smell that feels part of the experience. We came with four people and ordered a good amount but I wish we could have ordered more to get bites of everything - no dish fell short. My top picks were the mushrooms (snack), short rib entree, and Romano beans. Our server was super attentive and helpful in advising on our order and at the end of the night we got a surprise glass of a Lambrusco type wine for being on a parents night out - got the scoop on the toys around the place coming from an employees 5 year old son to protect it from break ins. Loved this place hope to be back again.
Danaya Siripun
Really fun and great addition to Oakland’s dining scene! The service was great and appreciated a lot of the creative contemporary dishes. Service was really sweet, would go back to try some of their other dishes
Catherine
One of the best new restaurants I've tried in a while. We particularly loved the Baechu Salad, Maitake Tempura, Smoked Hiramasa, Halibut Crudo, Ganjang Fried Chicken, Omelette, and Hwe Dup Bap which I would order again. The crispy potato, oxtail jjigae, and kalbi ssam were good too and worth a try. I'm looking forward to trying more from the menu.
Shun O
Loved it! I heard about Oken through the OKs deli lore. Great vibes Tried the ganjang fried chicken, grilled gai lan, Kalbi, Tsukune dumpling noodle soup, maitake tempura, tomato kimchi somen (some dishes not photographed or captured post-serve). The noodle soups were easy to share amongst 2 ppl. Each dish was amazing and I'd highly recommend the grilled Gai lan, maitake tempura, and tomato kimchi somen. The potato salad that comes with the fried chicken is just as amazing as OKs deli's!
Sophie Shoemaker
I've been here three times now and each time has been a great experience. The food is outstanding, we've tried almost every dish on the menu and they're all phenomenal. Some of my favorites are the baechu salad, the heirloom tomato salad, the house somen (with tomato and kimchi broth) and the oxtail jjigae. Everything is inventive but somewhat familiar and everything tastes really fresh. The restaurant is very comfortable and cool with great lights and I love all of the pottery and serving dishes. The drinks and wine list are great, some mocktail options would be a nice addition but they have great non-alcoholic options and even an NA wine. We have never managed to save room for dessert but I look forward to trying those soon. The staff is very attentive and the pacing of the meal is always thoughtful and effective. Definitely a busy spot so make a reservation ahead of time and you may end up sharing a big table with others but it all works out. Really glad this spot is in the neighborhood and I look forward to returning often.
