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Dopo
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
4293 Piedmont Ave(between Glenwood Ave & Echo Ave)
Oakland, CA 94611
Neighborhoods: Piedmont Ave, North Oakland
(510) 652-3676
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 2:30 pm
Mon-Thu 5:30 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5:30 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
648 reviews for Dopo
Review Highlights
"The deserts and wine list are truly fantastic."
(in 61 reviews)
"I've never had such a yummy thin crust pizza."
(in 21 reviews)
"I had the Espresso Panna Cotta, Yum."
(in 11 reviews)
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648 reviews in English
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Review from Kendra S.
San Francisco, CA
1/31/2012
We came here at a prime time and got in almost instantly. They make their own salami in house and I've never had better salami in my life. The lasagna, gnocchi, and arugula pizza were amazing as well.
I thoroughly enjoyed everything except the broccoli, tasted like cold-deconstructed broccoli cheese soup. I'd 4 1/2 you if I could but when an entire place of something is left, like the broccoli, I think the server should notice -
Review from Alessandra J.
Oakland, CA
1/24/2012
I personally love this place - the food is delicious, the ambiance is cozy (though the chairs leave a little bit to be desired on the comfort scale). I love their stuffed squid, and their homemade pastas. The service is wonderful as well - a bit slow, yes, but when I go there I know I am going to sit and relax, not to rush through my meal.
Be sure to try the desserts, too - they're so worth it! -
Review from Gina H.
Sunnyvale, CA
1/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
DOPO... Came here with a few friends and ordered a salumi platter which was alright at best.. I did like the froie gras (suprisingly) on the crostini.
Ordered two pizza's and a pasta. Dont remember much about the meal which tells me maybe I didnt really enjoy it. -
Review from Glen G.
*Cozy, romantic little neighborhood spot: Nice location right across from good ol' Fenton's. No reservations at this little place, so either come a little early or later, lest you end up in the corner of the bar area staring at the wall instead of your date. Outdoor seating is an option with heaters up top.
*Fun, ecclectic, ever-changing menu: I admit I didn't understand a damn thing on here other than "pizza". Even then it was a challenge to figure out what it all meant. Luckily our bearded hipster waiter bro' was able to pull out his decoder ring and make it meaningful for us.. The combo sampler platters are probably the best way to go to get a good taste of everything...and a fairly good value, imho.
*Yumm-tastically good: Yes, so good that I could go nom nom nom, tee hee like a little azn girl (or basically 99% of Yelpers). Had the antipasti platter with squid, crab fritters, and whatever the other thing was; some kind of pasta dish...had chicken in it; The "vegetable" platter (polenta, beets, and uh sorry my memory on goes to two items) and a potato pizza (though I think the farm fresh egg pizza I laser eyed on another table is the way to go). Dessert was some panna cotta and zeppoles (donnnutsss!). Killed it all, son.
*Despite the cliches, this is definitely a place to check out. This and Commis down the street really give a reason to love my hometown and prove that it can be a showcase for a dining destination. -
Review from Linda C.
12/9/2011
We came here one rainy night in a "large" party - six people - and was instantly greeted by a server. She let us know that a table for six wouldn't open up for another hour, so suggested that we visit their sister bar, Adesso, for a drink and a more comfortable place to wait. I thought that was great service, as Dopo is pretty darn tiny.
Off we go to Adesso and sure enough, an hour or so later, we phoned in to ask if our table was ready. The lovely server answered in the affirmative, and off we were again, a short walk to Dopo.
Even though it was almost 10 pm, the restaurant was still pretty full and everyone seemed quite happy with their meals. It took a while for our food to come out and the portions were a bit small, but I was satisfied with my lasagna. The pizza was delicious and they had a good wine list.
The only thing that I didn't quite like was the size of the restaurant -- our table was right in the doorway and a cold draft would blow at my neck everytime someone came in. Also, the food was a bit salty, but maybe it was an off night?
Overall, I would definitely come back again, but not with a group larger than four people. If you do, be sure to make reservations and ask to be seated near the back, if possible!
Pizza FTW! -
Review from T H.
Oakland, CA
12/30/2011
Just overrated!!!
-Service is slowww. One waitress who mends the entire place. No wonder its so slow! Hire someone else for pete's sake!
-Pizza. Supposedly the best- but really, the chunk of cheese fell off the plate and doesn't even stay on the pizza. $15 for some buffalo cheese pizza. Overpriced!
-Panini. We go the cod sandwich. Cod was not fresh, no seasoning, bread was very average.
Just don't get the hype- but not to worry, i won't return. -
Review from Jana V.
Philadelphia, PA
12/11/2011
This place has some good dishes and service, however, I don't think I've ever had bad homemade pasta. What really makes great Italian isn't the fact that you make ravioli in-house, but that it's creative, delicious, and leaves more to be desired.
The ink squid ravioli was delicious, however I've had similar dishes at other Italian places before for much less. Pizza? Really? A fine restaurant serving pizza? Again, it wasn't anything incredible - it tasted just like any finer brick oven pizza that I've had.
They were out of the pork butter. In addition, there were ZERO options for vegetarians except for the pizza. I expected better out of a "fine" Italian restaurant. This is the main reason this place is getting two stars. Usually, when we ask for a vegetarian dish, we are offered seasonal vegetables with some delicate sauce or another house vegetarian special. They offered to just not include the meat on the ravioli - eg dry ricotta ravioli. -
Review from Valerie T.
Irvine, CA
12/27/2011
Dopo is amazing. That's all you need to know, but I'll explain myself anyway.
The pizzas are delicious. Crust is so thin and crunchy, plus who doesn't love homemade sausage? I've never had a bad pizza here; they're all great. From sausage to green garlic to nettles to buffalo mozzarella... YUM! I love to take the ends of the crust and dip it in olive oil.
The soups are consistently good too.
The little gem salad (like a Caesar) is amazing; so simple but so good.
I also love the prosciutto & mozzarella panini, but I haven't seen it on the menu in a while.
The side dish that comes with the sandwiches changes, so it's a fun surprise to see what you'll get.
Great wines and beers also.
Dopo is about classic Italian food made with very high quality ingredients, and you can really taste the difference.
Once when I was here for lunch, I saw a whole pig being wheeled into the back of the restaurant... this is proof that their sausage is homemade and very fresh. Please, don't let this remark turn you off. It's far better to know that you are eating fresh meat rather than some frozen piece of awfulness like you would find at many restaurants.
Lastly, the service is very friendly. The owner once let me sample wines while I waited for a table on a bench on the sidewalk. Plus, my mom and I get treated amazingly by one of the waiters (I believe his name is either Ricky or Jimmy, can't remember). -
Review from Shera S.
Oakland, CA
1/20/2012
Went to Dopo last night for dinner. My sexy, handsome date and I sat at the bar. The bar seating was comfortable and gives one a view of the kitchen. I am sure that if I had not been so completely entertained by my date that I would have enjoyed watching my wonderful food being prepared. Two thumbs up for having bar hooks. The service and the food were excellent!!!! However I was not impressed by the cockroach that I killed there....YUCK!
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Review from Alex G.
Oakland, CA
12/24/2011
We live in the neighborhood, and have come here a dozen times or so over the last few years, and I swear, every time we're pleased! We bring our family whenever they visit and always recommend to friends. The wait is never outlandish, the host is welcoming and friendly, and then of course the food is delish...
With a changing menu, there's always something new to try. But constants are their salumi platter, which is a must at every visit, as is pizza. Get yourself a veggie too. Round off the corners with an antipasta and a pasta/meat dish, and you're all set! I recommend sharing with your dinner guest. And you can bring your own wine - corkage fee is reasonable ($8 or thereabouts).
I'm not gonna get dish specific b/c it changes all the time, but like I said, we're never disappointed. Unless you speak fluent Italian, be prepared to ask for descriptions from the servers... they're used to it and will break it down for you. -
Review from Joe N.
Los Angeles, CA
12/7/2011
I got the last pigeon special last night. And it was great. Succulent, for such a small bird (easy to overcook), and tasty. Our party had a great salad, wonderful pizza and beets. With brussels sprouts, beets are on my no-likee list, but these were pretty tasty. Beet lovers, YMMV.
And Lauren recommended the perfect bottle of wine and topped off the meal with her favorite gelato(s). Thanks for a great evening!!
I've also lunched at this spot and the salad with anchovy was perfectly dressed and the minestra was very tasty. Both portioned and priced appropriately for lunching. Bravo! -
Review from David H.
San Francisco, CA
12/4/2011
Came here after a drink and salumi sampling at Adesso up the road, and although I was already full, I managed to down a ridiculous amount of food as it was just so delicious.
Pigeon w/ chanterelle - nice "game" quality to the bird nicely complemented by the earthiness of the mushrooms. Cooked to a nice medium.
Crab antipasti - Didn't try to whole dish, but I did sneak a bit of crab and it was a sweet, yet briny dungeness...mmm...so glad it's crab season.
Pizza (prosciutto and peppers) - I'm a sucker for super thin, neopolitan style pizzas, and Dopo has a great version. They have definitely perfected the art of getting the nice, char bubbles on the crust which is my favorite part.
Lemon Beignet - okay so really these boil down to glorified doughnut holes, but who doesn't love a good doughnut. The essence of lemon, but not so much that its overly acidic...great balance between the tart lemon and the powdered sugar.
Oh..lastly I'm a total bread and butter fiend, and the bread here is super crusty, dense, and tasty. So much so I finished off a plate entirely by myself.
By the way, the owner, I had the pleasure of speaking with him following our meal and he is a genuinely nice guy with a passion for good eats. One of those guys who is going to go out of his way to truly make you feel welcomed into his restaurant and ensure you have a wonderful experience. -
Review from Denis N M.
Richmond, CA
1/18/2012
I thought it was extremely overpriced. Started off with room temperature bread and ice cold hard butter.
We were offered a glass of tannin rich mediocre wine that when the bill arrived was $15 per glass. It was not on the menu for $15 as I would never have ordered it.
We next had the chicory (radicchio) which the portion was tiny for $7 and OK but the parmesan did not stand out.
The pizza (margarita) was small, too little Oregano and not worth the cost.
Seriously for $80 we got a tiny salad, a small pizza, and three glasses of wine that had none of the taste and character of good California wine. Sorry to bitch, but come on, Really? -
Review from Nick S.
11/5/2011
Walking into Dopo feels like walking into a bustling, cozy restaurant in Europe. The ambiance is perfect. The lighting is dim, the seating compact and the kitchen right out in the open. The staff are friendly - especially the host, who is one of the most genuinely happy individuals I've met in recent memory.
What about the food? In a word, it's delicious. The menu is simple and varies from night to night. Fresh, thinly sliced swordfish dosed in olive oil and topped with oranges greeted our palettes first, along with some excellently crusty bread and butter. For the main? What else but a bufala mozzarella and basil pizza that was so good it almost had magical qualities. The crust was the stuff of legend. With the cheese and sauce they formed a flavor trio of mouthwatering perfection. Not to be outdone, dessert came in the form of rich espresso panna cotta, which was smooth and satisfying.
The bill? With a few glasses of Prosecco it came to $80 for two people; practically a bargain given the quality fare. Besides, for the type of experience Dopo offers, the cost is more than worth it. -
Review from Andrew C.
We finally got around to trying Dopo after living in the area for 3 years. The constant crowds scared us off, but should have been a sign that good things were within. Luckily the parties ahead of us were 3 or more and there was an open 2-top in the window so we were seated almost immediately. Score!
They start you off with some rustic bread with a pork shoulder country pate type of thing (http://www.yelp.com/bi...). The g/f is a pescatarian so it was all mine, and it was delicious!
We went with scallops crudo with escarole ($12), mackerel with potato and onion agrodolce ($11) and a margherita pizza ($15).
The scallops (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) were fresh and sweet which contrasted nicely with the lemon. The escarole provided a nice textural contrast a bit of richness.
Mackerel (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) was maybe a bit dry, but the flavors with the sweet and sour agrodolce were very nice.
The pizza (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) was my favorite dish. The thin crust was lightly charred on the bottom and edges, but still pliable. You could taste the brightness of the tomato as well as the fresh basil and the mozzarella di bufala gave it a delicious richness.
Service was spotty with our waitress hard to get a hold of when needed. She made up for it somewhat when a cake arrived unexpectedly "You can't come to Dopo for the first time and not try dessert!" (http://www.yelp.com/bi...)Listed in: Where the Moon Hits Your Eye
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Review from Phil D.
Oakland, CA
Updated - 11/18/2011
I am giving this an update based on a recent lunch visit, where I had a beer and an Arancini, which was absolutely delicious and not too salty at all.
Still have not been back to dinner, 4 years later.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/4/2007
I moved to Oakland just a few days before celebrating my birthday at Dopo. Friends from San… Read more »
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Review from Y K.
Emeryville, CA
Updated - 1/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
Now that I've finally tried Dopo's pizza, I'm upgrading them to 5 stars. Their pizzas are thin-crust with simple but amazingly tasting toppings. There have been a couple times when I've been speechless after taking the first bite of pizza. Some of my favorite pizzas include basil & mozzarella di bufula, spinach & egg, chanterelle mushrooms. I've never been to Italy but I would imaging that pizza there would probably taste like this.
The pizza tastes the best piping hot. I recommend not have too many pizzas hit the table at the same time (or with other dishes) because the pizzas will cool down very fast. Unfortunately, the pizzas don't reheat that well at home so it's better to eat it there. This means that I'll be going to Dopo a lot! This is still one of my favorite neighborhood restaurants.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/17/2010
Dopo has easily become one of my favorite neighborhood restaurants. I'm so spoiled that I don't… Read more »
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Review from Ty T.
10/15/2011
This place deserves no less than 5 stars for the service that was given to us.. BUT DID I REALLY JUST SEE A COCKROACH SCURRY ACROSS THE TABLE AS MY FRIEND AND I WERE IN MID-CONVERSATION.
Yes, it happened. As her screech drew-in our waitress' attention. Wow, even though our night was on the house.. I mean I've always appreciated a little crunch to my meal, but wow.. This is completely in-excusable and not to mention downright disgusting.
Oysters and cockroaches are never a good mix, even with a stiff Manhattan.Listed in: Never Again
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Review from Monique M.
Vallejo, CA
11/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good Italian food, not the Olive Garden type of Italian, this is the real stuff! Shared a calzone w/the hubby and it was fantastic!!
We sat outside under the heat lamps! Life was great that night, good food and kept warm. No complaints! -
Review from Jana S.
9/26/2011
Cozy little romantic place that cranks out killer food!!! delicious dinner the other week, when relatives were in town....the order placed was huge, with 2 apps (halibut crudo and a peppery scallop dish) and mains included the lasagnette bolognese (lick the plate up worthy... no joke), a pork loin dish, mouthwatering noodles with tomato and cheese (sounds simple, but it was sublime), and a soup dish. What stood out was the freshness and care taken into the homemade pastas...wonderful cheese that lingers on the tongue.
YUMMMM... be sure and ask for the house bread as well. That was ordered 2x over too.
However, our desserts were just ok...what a shame. some sorbet and a Diplomatico chocolate dessert tried. Service was friendly, but at times, had to hunt down the help for requests. Dinner service until about 10PM. Very cool. -
Review from Jay S.
San Francisco, CA
11/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
I do a simple rating scale for my food reviews (1 through 5, with 5 being extraordinary).
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ambiance: 4
Wait Time: First come, first served. There's usually a line so be prepared to wait (outside!)
Price: 4
Overall: 4.5
Additional Comments: Hands-down my favorite (California/Italian) restaurant du jour. I have found the best days to go are on the week nights as I prefer to avoid the week end [amateur] crowd. Just my 2 cents. Make sure you try their rosemary lardo with bread. -
Review from Lauren N.
Burbank, CA
12/23/2011
I adore this little place! I came here 2 nights ago for dinner. The crostini with mascarpone and salmon roe was sooooo worth the $12, I'd order a few more next time since it's not worth sharing. I also loved their uni and spaghetti, odd combo at first thought, but the uni emulsifies and tastes a little creamy...it's simply outta this world. For dessert, I tried their rum soaked raisin gelato and it was the best topper to a wonderful evening :) I'm coming back here with my parents before I leave for LA next week!
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Review from Chuck k.
10/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
This must have been good, Its been a few weeks and I am still thinking fondly on my dinner.
There was shockingly no wait! We sat right down and had drinks and some nice bread.
Dinner was margherita pizza and and speck calzone. The crust is rich and inside, but has a nice crunch on the outside.
Our server was great, and we were checked on by the manager, the pizzaiolo, and the owner.
Not near me, but I'll make a special trip just for Dopo. -
Review from Pb J.
Oakland, CA
10/25/2011
They don't take reservations, or so they told me over the phone, but if you can get a table, boy your in for a fantastic meal!
As stated previously, I love changing menus, and thin crust pizza even more! We ended up splitting the pepper and olive pizza and a veggie plate with roasted eggplant, greens with a wonderful vinaigrette, and a potato and kale (?) gratinata! The last was simply amazingness, I kinda wish I just got an entire plate of just that!
I liked the pizza a lot, though there was hardly any cheese. The only foreseeable downside is that I wish people would tell you when they randomly throw onions on your pizza. I know this is not a big deal, and its def not worth taking a star off for, but just something that ruffles my feathers given how much I HATE onions!!
We ended the night with a dessert called diplimatico (sp?) but it should be named "fantastico". From my understanding, its a chocolate mousse slice wrapped in a chocolate cake? Whatever it was, it was simply amazing and chocolicious!! -
Review from Amanda G.
9/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
I cannot even explain how much I LOVED this restaurant! It might be one of my favorite meals all year, (and we've had some good ones.)
We had a VERY late dinner here Saturday night, so we were lucky and got seated right away. I have heard there's almost always a wait, (and it's easy to see why.)
As other reviewers have mentioned, the menu is small. Although, what we had was AMAZING!
The bread was incredible, the drinks were made well, and our server was great with recommendations. He was also very patient, as it took us quite awhile to decide.
We shared a perfect margherita pizza. It was thin, the crust was baked exactly the way we like it, the flavor of the crust, sauce and cheese was pure deliciousness.
We also shared a calzone, which i was on the fence about. Reason being, calzones are often heavy, too cheesy, and total calorie bombs.Not this one....
I had a clear view of the kitchen and was able to see everything being made. This was made exactly like the thin crust pizzas, just rolled over and sealed with eggwash. The housemade speck, and light cheeses in it were FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC. I have actually thought about this calzone since eating it...It was that awesome.
Every member of the staff was so concerned with whether we liked the food, and seemed so happy that we were so pleased.
Obviously, I'm totally smitten with this place, and will definitely be back. Even knowing I'll have to wait.... -
Review from Sandy T.
Oakland, CA
Updated - 8/25/2011
Unfortunately, I have to bring this place down one star. I've had a few dinners here in the past six months or so, and they have not been as consistently good as I remember them to be.
The last time I came here, everything on the antipasti platter was terrific, just outstanding. Service was ok. But they ran out of bread. :/ I didn't know until we received our order of the pate and then a few plates of some flatbread. The guy who we asked for more bread from actually removed our plate with the pate on it and brought it back to the kitchen for more bread because he said he didn't have enough plates. What the hell? Another time I came, the antipasti was just so-so. The flavors didn't quite go together as I had hoped, and the fish was fishy. -_-
I have to say, though, the pasta here has NEVER failed me. It is perfectly done every single time. If I had to pick a place to get pasta made to perfection, it would be a toss up between Dopo and Chez Panisse Cafe. I had the spaghetti with sand dab and tomatoes. Everything, down to the flaky pieces of unbelievably tasty sand dab and perfect al dente pasta. SO GOOOOOD.
Dopo will continue to be my go-to restaurant around Piedmont Ave. Give it a try... Dopo is dope!!!Listed in: Oakland
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/22/2010
I've taken nearly everybody I know here for dinner. What can I say? I just love this restaurant.… Read more »
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Review from Diana L.
Oakland, CA
11/8/2011
I wanted to dine in a smaller more intimate restuarant and had a feeling this place was it. I absolutely loved the ambiance the restaurant gave along with the candle lit tables...however it scared me a little when we first walked in and a lady was reading her menu with a flashlight...
So bread and butter/pork pate spread is on the house I believe..but you have to ask for it.
We ordered the salumi platter for two...I was slightly disappointed, it was literally 1 slice of meat per person when the waiter had told us 2 slices per person...a little misleading because I would have ordered salumi for 3 people so I could have more salami...but anyway...we also ordered the domo pizza..
About the pizza...this is where I really noticed the service was lacking...one of the waiters gave our pizza to another table by accident and had to remake one for us but our waiter was very diplomatic about it towards us however, the table which got our pizza recieved that item too early and the rest of the party waited a good 30 minutes before they got their food...awkward moment when one party member is eating while the rest is sitting there trying to be patient waiting for food..
The pizza was good but not the best I've ever had...for this kind of pizza...I much prefer Jupiter's in Berkeley.
speaking of the wait...it takes a very long time to get some food...and there are a lot of waiters standing around and which I agree with many yelpers that they do not really give you recommendations. I wish I knew the domo pizza did not have meat....the menu items arent all very descriptive. Next time if I come back, I would try the proccuitto pizza.
When I left the place, all I could taste in the back of my throat was oil...I guess when you pair the salumi platter and the pizza...or maybe just the pizza alone (pizza had a glisten to it - but blotting it would have removed the herbs they put on top of the pizza) -
Review from Danie B.
Mountain View, CA
10/8/2011
Three stars because the food is absolutely delicious. I had the lasagnette and that was pretty tasty. It is pretty small so I was hungry after 30 mins of my meal.
I wasn't happy about how our food took a long time to come out. Perhaps at least 30 mins at 10 pm.We were given bread twice and asked another couple times before the food came out. Man I was hungry.
The service overall was just ok.
Would I come back? Maybe. -
Review from Angela D.
8/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Wow, this place is awesome!
I love the ambiance and especially the food!
The spread-
Their bread with homemade pork pate- soooo delectable and so bad for you! :D Our table had at least 5 helpings of bread! Lol.
Salumi plate- mMM! I love me some cured meats.
Antipasti plate- Ribs, cuttlefish salad, and fried pastry with fresh ricotta and eggplant ragu. Ribs had a citrusy sauce, cuttlefish was tender, the fresh ricotta was so addicting!
Verdure plate- Beet salad, eggplant parmesan, and panzanella salad. I hate beets and these were actually quite tasty. The eggplant was not fried so you could really taste the eggplant in its true state. Panzanella salad was light and refreshing. The bread was still a bit crisp :)
2 pizzas- Dopo and Sausage. The Dopo one had anchovies, parsley, a mix of cheeses, and sauce. The sausage had greens and garlic. The crispy crust was on point. They make everyone of those babies by hand!
Torta de marscapone with strawberries. MmM! So light and refreshing to end the meal!Listed in: Visiting the Bay Area??
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Review from Joey C.
Oakland, CA
12/16/2011
Good food, but small portions that do not reflect the price. Be prepared to wait a while for your food.
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Review from Suki B.
Oakland, CA
12/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Um I don't know what all the rave is about because I did NOT like this place at all!! The pizza was so teenie and way over-priced...and they didn't have merlot :(
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Review from Nate B.
Oakland, CA
8/6/2011
It's a perfect place for a date or to come and impress your friends!
Order:
Etna something red wine!!! You will be in heaven! Buy a bottle of it!
Ask which pizza can have an egg on top and get that one! -
Review from Jamie G.
Oakland, CA
9/29/2011
I ate here a couple years ago (before I had a yelp account). I picked this place based on the yelp reviews, and I was just not impressed with this restaurant.
The food was not bad, but not great either; I don't know how else to explain it except that there was something lacking. I was just not satisfied. I also felt that it wasn't worth what we were paying for it. Although maybe I'm just not sophisticated enough to appreciate the dishes.
Anyway, I haven't been back since and don't plan on going back again. -
Review from Carrie P.
San Francisco, CA
8/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
OK now I am the first to admit that I'll pretty much cram anything that looks like pizza down my throat without much thought. English muffin with marinara and shredded cheese? Sure why not. But believe me when I tell you that the pizza here is Fan-cheesy-tastic! Perfectly thin crust, topped with scrumptious buffalo cheese. Very authentic Italian - don't come here if you want something like round table.
Kind of noisy but I actually thought it added to the ambiance. Nice little touches remind you it's a bit more upscale than my typical weeknight dinner - they leave a bottle of water at your table, but when an employee walked by and noticed my glass was empty, they filled it for me. Waiter really knew how to explain the menu and provided witty banter to boot.
Oh and you must leave room for dessert (or don't but eat it anyway). Super delish house made desserts - nothing frozen here. The diplimatico was perfecto! Strawberry marscapone was a bit too much cheese for one person - probably better to share that one. -
Review from A V.
San Jose, CA
9/20/2011
I came here by recommendation without knowing what to expect. For a two dollar sign place, I was very surprised by the quality of food here. They didn't accept reservations when we called in, but when we finally arrived, the wait for an outdoor table was about 10 minutes. Not bad.
We ordered the antipasti, which came with squid, pork, and rabbit! I really appreciated the squid appetizer because you could actually taste it rather than having it overpowered by sauces or fried like calamari. This is what squid should taste like! The pork as ground and stuffed in a tomato. It was all right, but my favorite was the rabbit, which was ground into little flavorful meatballs. YUM!
We got a seafood pasta, lasagna, and the daily arrosto. My friend LOVED the seafood pasta. He even asked for extra bread to sop up the remainder of the sauce of his plate. The plate was CLEAN when the waiter came to take our plates. The lasagna was very meaty with a nice bite of cheese. The arrosto was the disappointing. It was a plate of sliced fatty meat. Just meat! There were no vegetables or any sides. It would have been great if the meat was thicker, but it was sliced paper too thin to be an entree.
For dessert, my friends and I shared the espresso panna cotta. It was DELICIOUS. Soft with just the perfect amount of coffee and sweetness. It was the perfect dessert to end a pretty good dinner.
I saved the best for last. I had no idea what ciccioli was, so when the server offered us bread with ciccioli, my friends and I gave it a try and our eyes widened with delight. This, by far, was my favorite thing from Dopo. We finished two plates of their bread and spread and thought about asking for another plate, but decided not to be too greedy. It was sooo good. I had to tell myself to stop in order to save some space in my stomach for the rest of the meal.
Overall, the damage was only ~$40 per person -
Review from Julie M.
Albany, CA
8/20/2011
My husband and I really want to love Dopo.
We really like and appreciate the host- accommodating, friendly and throws in a few jokes.
Love the bar- being able to watch the cooks is fun.
Thin crust pizza and fresh, delicious sauce and toppings.
Don't love the service... we got a "can't be bothered" attitude both times we've been here- think: if you can't make up your mind or have a question, I'm going to leave you without giving you more information or being nice. The lack of explanations on the menu is absolutely fine, but why don't you recommend something or give us more than a fleeting look when we obviously need more? Our waitress seemed more interested in one of her fellow staff members than serving those around her. We'll probably not be back. -
Review from Lefty R.
San Francisco, CA
10/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
My favorite pizza in the Bay Area. The crust is slightly charred, crisp, but not to the point it is cracker-like. Toppings are kept simple so as not to take over the pie.
Charcuterie is a great way to start the meal; salads are very good and large enough to share.
Pastas are fantastic.
Reasonably priced wines are available.
Service is usually good, but can get a little sloppy when it's packed. -
Review from Cynthia C.
Alameda, CA
7/22/2011 4 photos
I always thought it would be incredibly difficult to sneak in for a bite here, as they don't take reservations for parties under six and it's wildly popular. Noon on a Thursday was no problem, parking was a plenty on Piedmont also.
Food:
-Butter leaf salad w/parmesan & anchovies, dressed perfectly
-Beef Ragu stuffed Arancini, this thing was HUGE, crusted lightly, room temperature, so rich and decadent.
-Mozzarella di bufala and oregano pizza, margherita pizza done FABULOUS, I loved the crust and the sauce the most. So fresh and simple.
Solid, simple, fresh food.Listed in: The Biggity, biggity O!!!
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Review from Leah K.
Oakland, CA
1/16/2012
Amazing. Impeccable service. Perfection.
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Review from Grace L.
Berkeley, CA
8/31/2011
I can't claim to be an Italian food expert, but I really enjoyed this place! Came with my friend Stan G. after a day of picnicking in the park, and decided to try this place after a raving review from a coworker.
One thing i really liked was the "platter" option they had for antipasti, meats, seafood, and vegetables, allowing you to get a bit of everything on the menu. So smart! and you get to try a little bit of everything.
We tried the antipasti plate, a lasagna, and the prosciutto pizza, my favorite was by far the antipasti plate. Lasagna and prosciutto were smothered in cheese and really flavorful.
Service was great, the owner would even mingle with all the guests. If the opportunity arises, I'd definitely be back.
