Flora
Category: American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Uptown1900 Telegraph Ave
(at 19th St)
Oakland, CA 94612 (510) 286-0100
- Hours:
Tue-Fri 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Tue-Thu 5:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat 5:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m.
Sat 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. - Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
113 reviews
Neighborhood: SOMA
"Hidden near the industrial area of San Francisco, this hidden gem is the perfect spot to cozy up in on a lazy Saturday when all you have on…" read more »
115 Reviews for Flora
Brought friends here from out of town and was kind of dissapointed. Strange menu--usually I can't make up my mind because so many things sound good--and that wasn't the case here. My cocktail was amazing though (salty dog? maybe--grapefruit/vodka). In short, I may give it another chance since the atmosphere is unique and I want this part of Oakland to make it!
Went here for a business lunch.
Decor: Swanky Chic. 1930's Art Deco (*not* fifties, as other yelpers have said). Five stars, esp. compared to the surrounding area that is "in transition."
Food: Updated American standards. I had a Reuben on rye with macaroni salad. Pretty good, but it was three stars. The other choices look like they might be better. Would like to see dinner menu sometime.
Desserts: Traditional with a twist. We had an ice cream sundae that had vanilla, espresso and stout ice cream with chocolate sauce and whipped cream. It was really tasty. Four stars.
Service: Once our party was altogether, we were seated right away (we had reservations). Our waiter seemed to hover a little, but he was attentive and not intrusive. I think he was just checking on us a lot.
Can't wait to come back for drinks at the bar.
once i got home, i called my boyfriend to tell him that i had a new favorite place. I went with stephen s and we got the absinthe, the trailer smash, and the queen's park swizzle thing. all of them were wonderful.
for dessert, we had carmel pudding w/ salt and amazing vanilla bean whipped cream, and we also got the strawberry rhubarb crisp with vanilla ice cream. sooo wonderful.
the guys behind the bar looked wonderfully classy, and adding an amazing moustache to crisp pants, a white shirt and black suspenders was simple, classic and great to look at, just like everything else in the restaurant!
can't wait to go back, even though it was pricey for just popping in, though I had just handed in a massive take home final, so it was well worth it.
My friend and I popped in here after going to the nearby Sears and were immediately impressed by the mustachioed bartender. We then saw that they served St. George's Absinthe and had the whole water-drippy contraption. It was delicious. We also tried two other cocktails - both of whose names have already slipped my mind. I believe the second was called Queen's Park Swizzle, but I feel like that's too fantastic to be true. It was a delicious gin cocktail served with a sort of bitters snow cone on top of it, through which the drink was consumed.
For food, we had the french fries, some bacon-wrapped scallops, and a salad of kampachi crudo, cucumbers, chile and garlic. All top notch. The fries were a little overdone for me, but by no means bad.
It was on the expensive side, but I feel like going back to waste some money there is in my future.
caramel pudding with sea salt +
a champagne cocktail with blackberry liqueur +
retro interior +
lovely servingware +
servers that are easy on the eyes =
a happy gal on a saturday night.
When you boil it all down, Flora is an overrated fragrance.
Our party of five had no problems making reservations a week ahead. I would recommend reservations because it gets really packed. I never saw an empty table, adding to the fact that we came on a Wednesday night as the economy is starting to grey.
The interior has 1950's elements yet the wood grain bar looks a bit contemporary. Continuing with the 1950's decor, there are ball hanging lights, a huge "Carter" poster, black and white checkered flooring, and every server wears black and white. The black and white uniforms were almost a headband away from being "French maid" costumes. Fenton's Ice Creamery pull off the 1950's style with more character.
The single story restaurant sits on the corner where there is a bunch of neighboring construction. Flora can seat around 50, with 15 people at the bar. The windows on the sides expose a lot of light, so much so that I never saw the main lights switched on. The downside of this is that the blinds surrounding the windows make the restaurant feel like a cage. I was expecting a giant to peek through the windows.
Several other side notes for the exterior:
-The entryway is covered by a huge turquoise drape. This can get cumbersome, I myself as well as other patrons got lost in the fabric.
-The side of the restaurant needs to be addressed as it states some past business.
-Parking was super easy for me and my party as there is street parking, but it can get crowded.
The tables are adorned with a clean white table cloth, several water glasses along with a carafe of sparsely iced water. The napkins and silverware have art deco styling. Besides a small candle cup to add a nudge of ambiance, the tabling is very minimal. The black and white theme started to get on my nerves near the end of my meal. Some fresh colorful flowers or color accents could make this place feel less stale and more contemporary.
The service is pretty good. We always received clean dishes and silverware. The water upkeep was also good. Even with all the pampering, the hostess and wait staff felt a bit snoody. It felt like everyone needed a good nap and a caffeine pill to boot. The customer base is mainly caucasian. Since we were there, it probably had 10% diversity.
Flora's menu is based around New American cuisine. Some of dishes I've never seen before, but that doesn't mean that it's good. The quality of food seems fresh and well prepared. The flavors, textures, and plain old savoriness vary from dish to dish. The appetizers and desserts are better than the entrees. All across the board, almost every dish felt way too small or stingy.
FOOD
Appetizers are fairly expensive and are almost as much as the entrees. Prices range from $14-21.
-Pork Belly covered with an over-easy egg with a side of fava beans.(PASS, nothing special)
-Cucumber topped with raw tuna, garlic, thin slice of jalepeno pepper, sprig of veggie, and drizzled with oil (GET, portions small)
-Fried asparagus and fried lemons sprinkled with parmesan cheese. Served with a very small side serving of mayonnaise-based dressing. (I've never had fried lemons, it's actually pretty good. But PASS on the overall dish. It's not worth it.)
-Tortellini with lobster bisque sauce. (The pasta casing is done really al dente and I couldn't really find anything extraordinary with the sauce. PASS)
Entree, $14-28:
-Pork loin covered with an orange-color sauce, topped with a small clump of huckleberries. The pork loin rests bed of spaetzle and swiss chard. (PASS. The pork loin is kinda moist but not at all tender. Along with the rugged spaetzel, your jaw with be tired with strenuous chewing. They don't serve the pork chop anymore either!)
-Halibut served onto wild grain rice. (MAYBE. It's okay.)
-Rock cod with clams topped with a cheese sauce, served in a bowl of cream sauce. (PASS, Servings are small. It looks like an appetizer when compared to the rest of the dishes.)
-Steak with cream potatoes and green swiss chard. (GET. This plate is the hugest entree. Not the most tender steak, but the potatoes are really good.)
Dessert $9-21:
-Caramel pudding topped with vanilla bean foam, dish is sprinkled with sea salt. (GET. The sea salt accentuates everything in this dish. The pudding is very smooth and the foam has a good bit of vanilla bean).
-Rhubarb crisp with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. (GET. A good size for two or three people. Gooey satisfaction. The rhubarb isn't that tart either).
-Carrot cake with oatmeal raisin ice cream from Ici. (PASS. I hear that Ici is awesome, but they give you a laughably small scoop. The cake itself is uninspiring as well as the dense cream it's topped with.)
______
Overhyped. Noisy. Inconsistent food. I'd rather go to Oakland's Wood Tavern.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Wow, another dinner in Oakland, another wonderful find!
Last week I hit Yelp for some info, trying to find a good spot for food before a show at the Paramount (tangent - The Swell Season show was amazing! They definitely made the somewhat large space seem downright intimate) What's this? Flora is literally around the corner from the venue! I called early in the week and was greeted with the bad news that they were booked until 8:30pm that evening. I guess I'm not the only one trying to plan ahead. The hostess did tell me that they reserve 20 counter seats for walk in guests so we decided to head over a bit early and risk it.
We walked in around 6:15pm and the place was pretty packed - all of the counter seating was full and most of the dining room. So then we played the miserable 'hover' game. I really hate staring at the back of someones head subliminally screaming "Get up! I want your seat!" but will do so when push comes to shove. We were able to score one seat fairly quickly and at least had a base camp from which to order cocktails and an appetizer. Let me warn you lightweights/cheap dates out there (I'm both) that the drinks at Flora are STRONG. That aside, the bartenders really do take a lot of pride into make each drink and we saw some amazing concoctions being assembled.
Ok, the food. Once we finally score a second seat we order and wait. And wait. And wait some more. It probably took a good 30 minutes for our appetizer to come out and then another 30 minutes to get our entrees. We split the scallops appetizer and had two entrees - the pork loin with spaetzle (I love me some spaetzle!) and the chicken. Scallops were amazing (although a bit small for the price) and my pork pretty damned good. The chicken was chicken.
Four stars for the vibrant bar scene, the bartenders busting their butts and the tasty food. -1 star for the prices being a bit high for the portion size and the long wait for our food. The east bay may be winning me over after all.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (8)
Funny (5)
Cool (8)
If Dick Trace wasn't on a cop's salary and if he were going out with Breathless Mahoney (Madonna) this is where they would go. You walk through the door and it's slick 50's decor all the way. The light fixtures are just too cool and need to be in my place.
Started off with a drink. Trailer Trash = bourbon, maple syrup, mint and lemon = delicious. Only downside is that it was a little on the weak side.
How to follow up a delectable cocktail? Well, lobster fontina tortellini bisque, of course. Can you imagine how delicious it was because I still can?
I had heard the steak was not your average NY sirloin and it certainly wasn't. I gotta say it was tough juggling between the potato gratin and collared greens.
I'm a sucker for carrot cake and considering how often you see it on a menu (um...never) I couldn't pass it up. Too bad it was dry and without enough frosting, but it was def worth getting since it came with oatmeal raisin ice cream. Lemme just repeat that one more time, *oatmeal raisin ice cream*. This review is done, just like I was after eating that last bite.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
At last! My quest to jump into a time machine and go back to the art deco years has been completed!
Flora is BEAUTIFUL inside. I stopped by for a drink on a sunny Saturday and fell in love with the beautiful bar, as well as the beautiful drinks served at the bar. I ordered a Queen's Swizzle (or something equally tranny-sounding) and it arrived looking like a mojito with a sno-cone on top. It was delish.
If it weren't for the fact that I spied a former student working there, I would swear I had stepped into the 1930s. Fab, dahling!
A gem in Oakland. This restaurant serves a Mexican influenced menu created by former Nectar chef Jason Moniz. As a resident of Oakland, I am happy to add this fine establishment to my rooster of "go to" eateries.
Flora's building is gorgeous - inside and out. They've taken an old, run-down space in downtown Oakland and filled it with bright light and superb food. The Croque Madame was grilled to order and served with mixed greens, chicken salad fresh and tastier than your normal lunch fare. Service was pretty crappy - it took forever to get the bill (that's why I'm giving Flora 3 stars).
Provided the check comes on time, Flora is a nice addition to DT Oakland's meager lunch options.
EDIT: I ate at Flora a second time, had excellent service (and company) and another great meal. 4 stars!
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Couldn't get a table without a reservation on a Saturday, but grabbed two stools at the bar and stayed for 3 hours sipping wine, nibbling cheese, and enjoying dinner with nobody trying to push us out.
The prices may be a little high, but I will surely return because it is good quality food, good service, friendly staff, and only a little pretentious for Oakland. Great building.
The only real complaint I had was that the bar back was leaning to talk with his friends beside me who were behind a pillar from the worker's side of the bar. His hands and elbows kept touching the surfaces of my fork and knife that soon would be in my mouth or on my food, so I politely asked for new silver when my food was delivered. I'm sure he was clean, but there is a flu going around and it just wierded me out, plus it just seemed uncool for a higher-end restaurant.
I hope this place helps boost the neighborhood. It will be a great place for dinner before a show at the Fox.
Flora is AWE-SOME! And I'm not just saying that because I didn't have to pay! (Or am I?)
A quick drink turned into three (how to choose just one?!)... and apps.
#1: A Dark and Stormy with Bermudian rum!
#2: Elissa D. recommended the Trailer Smash based on Yelp reviews, and the bartender confirmed the merits of the bourbon, mint, maple syrup (!), and lemon combo. You think that sounds good? I've saved the best for last...
#3: QUEEN'S PARK SWIZZLE, straight from the Queen's Park Hotel, Trinidad! Trinidadian rum and Angostura bitters (made in Port of Spain, Trinidad, a little-known fact). I mean, when have you ever known me to write an entire paragraph about drinks?!
Elissa D. was flabbergasted: "You're going to Flora and you're not having dinner?!" The apps were total comfort food: asparagus pudding souffle and rabbit sugo with homemade parpadelle. With my bourbon drink, made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Warm and fuzzy, but not too full for dessert. The strawberry rhubarb crisp with buttermilk ice cream was bigger than our apps and just as comforting.
And I haven't even gotten to the best part (well, tied with the drinks): we sat at the bar, and the bartender was friendly, talkative, funny, accomodating... in short, completely unpretentious. I'd pre-judged. Severely underestimated. The lawyer on our right who's lived in Oakland all his life and worked in the neighborhood for 30 years thought he'd never see the day that this apparently long-empty storefront (a converted flower market) was reincarnated as Oakland's newest swank spot. I was pleasantly surprised to see a diverse clientele and, while the bartenders and servers are undoubtedly hip, they're no hipsters. I'll return with friends to sit at the bar in the hopes that the same bartender will be there to recreate the magic that is tequila, fresh grapefruit juice, and elderflower.
What I suspect is the longest review I've ever written is a testament to how effusive I feel about Flora this Thursday night as I come down from my rum-fueled buzz.
The bottom line: Whatever the bill, I'm sure it was worth it!
ERF
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
I have not been to the "Uptown" area of Oakland in a couple of years and what a change. It has so much potential and if Flora is any indication of what is to come, it will be a great place to dine.
The standouts of the night were the caramel pudding with sea salt (as mentioned by other reviewers); au gratin potatoes that came with the steak; and the scallop appetizer. All of the food was good and we all enjoyed our meals. While the portions can be a bit small on some of the items (i.e. ahi tuna appetizer; size of chicken breast), the quality was outstanding.
The restaurants atmosphere is trendy and I look forward to going back to have a drink at the bar which has a beautiful design.
Gorgeous art deco space with a great bar and awesome cocktails. It's retro but feels modern and shiny somehow.
And the food is Delicious and Beautiful. Great New American-style combinations, beautiful presentation. Seriously hard to decide what to get. Mostly organic and local ingredients.
Most memorable was the cauliflower risotto where there's a whole cross-section, fat slice of a whole head of cauliflower laid on top of the creamy, Indiany spicey risotto. Omg, so good.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Saturday afternoon cocktails, salumi and cheese plates made a great first impression. The Trailer Smash was so good I had 2. Something I haven't seen mentioned in previous reviews but the staff here is downright gorgeous. Pretty guys and gals busily attending to the (sometimes) snooty diners/drinkers is quite a show by itself. Make sure you check this place out before The Fox Theatre opens and you'll have to wait in line outside with said snooty customers.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
The first impression is great as the decor is very cool. We sat at the bar and had an initially quiet, but later warm bartender who was very informative. There was only one question about a dish he couldn't answer but he got back to us later about it. The cocktails are cool and I love the consistency to the era. I noticed that two other patrons at the were also bartenders (one was from Pearl) so it must have the respect of their peers. Dinner was good but not mind blowing and it is a bit pricey for what you get. Wine selection is nice and so are the desserts. I look forward to the development of the neighborhood and plan to go back.
Swank new American style, with the marbly checkerboard floors. Much better design that Presidio Social Club, even though both are in the same genre: 50s meets New American. The kind of place where men should wear camel hair coats and hats. Bar is where the action is and where many people linger. Didn't think much of the fish, which was dry; the salad was fresh and had very nice beets. This is more a place to water up and bring a fresh-faced date for some drinks, nibble on stuff.
Drinks:
Started out with the Salty Dog and felt it was a little too grapefruity for me. But I guess that was the point. Someone else in our party made sure it didn't go to waste and loved it. My next choice (boo I can't remember the name) - just ask for the mojito-esq drink with the red snow ball of shaved ice on top. DELISH.
Dinner:
I had the Pan Seared Steel head, Salsa Rustica, Braised Red Cabbage, Bacon & Celery Root
He had Grilled Pork Chop, Meyer Lemon Marmalade, Artichoke Cardoon Gratin, Mixed Chicories
They had House Ground Carmelized Onion & Chuck Burger, French Fries, Blue Cheese Salad w/ McCadam Cheddar Cheese.
I was fortunate to get a sneak taste of all of it. PORK CHOP was DELICIOUS. I will go back just for that. My Steelhead was cool, but sort of felt like the waitress suggested because she had to push at least one of every thing on the menu (did you see that episode of Kitchen Nightmares?). Burger was quite tasty and perfectly cooked.
My dining partners weren't so giving with their Crisp Pork Belly Confit, w/ Beluga Lentils, Dandelion Greens, Poached Egg, & Tawny Port Reduction. I did however hear the moans, groans and lip smacking mutters of "get your own".
Dessert:
Caramel Pudding w/ Sea Salt - was tasty enough though I am not a huge caramel fan. My dining partners happily finished it off.
Two Mini Moon Pies & a Tiny Coke Float. Too cute and yumm!
Would definitely come back despite the extra wait even with our reservation.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
Art deco-themed Flora is getting so much attention for its 20-seat bar and its cocktail program -- created by the bar manager of the Slanted Door -- that we were surprised to learn it's actually a restaurant.
Too expensive for my wallet. We went for breakfast on a Saturday morning and it was empty. Beautiful light and the greatest poster of Carter Beats the Devil!!! (Awesome book). THe service was great and breakfast was divine!! Everything was fresh and yummy, not greasy and gross (although, I usually go for that). Come here if you want to impress and if you want to prove someone wrong about Oakland!!!
I have not been here for dinner, and the bar looks fabulous!
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
Really liked this place and if you happen to be sitting at the bar, hopefully, your bartender will be Philip, that is if you are lucky to sit anywhere. You need to make a reservation or you will be swarming people as they get up to pee trying to take the next seat available. The deal with this place is "the establishment" makes the bartenders act as chemists as they concoct ridiculous drinks with a ridiculous amount of ingredients. I am sure the drinks are fine and all, we drank beer-it was hard to imagine asking these very nice bartenders to make yet another ridiculous concoction that would do less towards inebriation and more towards fat-ifacation-and the beer is amazing! I strongly recommend the Japanese made Belgium White Ale.
For food, we never made it past the appetizers, beets, pork confit, lobster bisque, and french fries. Then we ate desert! Similar to the Buy-Rite's salted carmel ice cream, they have salted carmel pudding. Good, good, good, stuff! It comes with a hand whipped vanilla bean cream. If you want a food and drink orgasm go to Flora in Oakland. You will be dripping with satisfaction.
Fun and delicious. Great to see a bit of a rebirth going on in downtown Oakland too.
The pork belly app is amazing. A slow braised and then shredded belly is molded into a form and then crisped in a pan. Absolutely fantastic. The crudo was also great with a very interesting combination of fried garlic and raw jalapenos.
For our mains, we had a burger and the chicken. Not one to normally order the chicken on a menu, this was a great surprise. A lightly reduced chicken jus surrounded the plate along with fresh morels, asparagus tips, favas, peas, and haricots verts. All that could have made it better was a few lardons all around the plate!!
To cap it off we finished we a caramel and sea salt "pudding". I can't actually recall what they called it but it was essentially a caramel pot d creme.
We've been back and round too was just as great. A little disappointed that they were out of the pork belly, but we survived
Their pork belly confit: quite possibly one of the most perfect combinations of salty/sweet/grease I've ever had.
The service was annoying--Can I get you something? You ok? Everything all right?-- we were at the bar and we told them we were fine, we'd signal when we wanted another course. I understand, though, they're new and they want to take care of their customers.
Burgers and fries were two thumbs up.
Salted caramel pudding was sex in a bowl...thick and creamy and lush.
I'll go back. They're a welcome addition to my 'hood.
def. a well rounded restaurant that strongly deserves a solid 4 stars. service is awesome. If I was to be hyper critical, I would comment that this place is a little too cramped. I had to ask the old timer next to me to move up everythime I had to get out of my chair. Not comfortable.
Word of advice...this is a new restaurant whose buzz has caught fire, so if you aren't too picky and don't get a table reservation for the time you need. You can always seat yourself and enjoy dinner from the bar.
The crispy pork belly (4) is so damn good!! If someone had it hanging on a stick tied to the end of a piece of string I would probably follow it off the side of the golden gate bridge.
Scallops (3) were cooked to perfection had a zesty aioli to pair topped w/ micro greens.
The Ahi Crudo (4), ahi is ahi, but they stylishly joined each w/ thin slices of med. cucumber, fried garlic, and serrano pepper topped w/ a soy yuzu vinaigrette.
The last dish was my least favorite. Poached Cod (3) surrounded by clams in a light broth. Wouldn't recommend it.
Have you ever met someone new but it feels like you may have been friends in a past life? You have a conversation that goes so well, that the time just flies by? The planets and stars all in the proper alignment and you just don't want the rapture to end? You laugh, maybe even flirt and get along like people who have known each other FOREVER. Even if some of the little details aren't quite perfect, the feeling of comfort overwhelms you...
This is how I feel about Flora and I am aware that it is a restaurant and not a person. Am I being over dramatic? Of course I am! There were a few items in particular that brought us closer and intimate over the course of the evening. My entree was the most delicious medium rare pork chop I have ever had served with a tart meyer lemon relish. It came with an artichoke gratin that had a lovely baked cheese crust that would have put a recently eaten alleged cheesy side to SHAME. I found myself cutting smaller bites and slowing down my already turtle like pace of eating to make the experience longer.
After my plate was cleared, I was sad and longed for my pork chop to return. But that feeling didn't last long. I then became enamored with a dinner companion's caramel pudding with sea salt that was a generous portion. I lit up with glee when I was told I could have the rest. The small spoonfuls were like sweet little kisses.
OK, ok, I know I'm being ridiculous but sometimes food touches me in a special way. NO, not THAT special way but in a tender and loving way. Factor in some tasty cocktails, a pork belly app and engaging company in a Great Gatsby environment, dinner was wonderful even after a few snafus. I can't wait to visit my dear friend Flora again.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (10)
Funny (8)
Cool (10)
Beautiful art deco, the bar looks straight out of the movie "The Shining". Some of the best drinks in Oakland, food is good, company was even better...
I give it 3.5 stars. First the restaurant is in up and coming down town Oakland. It's a block from bart, a huge plus. The interior of the restaurant / bar is very cool, very art deco, very nice. Bartenders have the classy suspenders look and they make killer drinks. This is probably the best thing about Flora, they know how to make a mean drink. Their food needs work. Appertizers were small and over priced and not something I would rave about. The halibut fish was lovely steamed with a nutty taste. My partner got the steak and had to send it back as it was overcooked (and we did stress beforehand how we wanted it) and the presentation of the steak was kinda low class. Desert was good - strawberry, rhubarb crumble with buttermilk icecream. To sum up I'll wait a while before dining again but would not hesitate on sitting at the bar for a bev or two.
Upon arrival, we had to wait an incredibly long time for our table, even with a reservation. It was no fault of the business but some old crusty rich people that wouldn't get up from their seat. I told the hostess that I had half a mind to walk by the table and crop dust them. But alas I maintained. If it had come to be though, all fingers would have pointed to my stomach which was digesting itself by that point.
The hostess was great about seating us in the bar area to wait and quickly serving us up some drinks. Ah, the drinks. The cosmo that they serve is very refreshing. Fresh cranberry juice, lime, and Hangar One. It's like I can still taste it. By the time I finish the first one, the Rockafellers finally leave and we are seated.
The server was INCREDIBLE and nothing short of the patron saint of satiety. She quickly took our orders and refilled my cosmo. The starters were then out before I could blink. I started with the beef stew, which had an odd smell to it, but was very good. When the main course came I was in beefy heaven. I got the house groun camelized onion and chuck burger, medium rare with MCCadam cheddar cheese, fries, and blue cheese salad. The burger was perfect, juicy and delicious.
And if I wasn't full enough everyone at the table was bucking for dessert. Well alright, where ever will I find room. I decided to stay on the lighter side and I ordered the malted vanilla toffee ice cream sundae with chocolate sauce and chantilly cream. Then I decided to wash it all down with a quart of french pressed blue bottle coffee.
Let's suffice it to say that I had an amazing time, the company was outstanding, the service was incredible, but I was hurting big time. I will definitely have to come back in the future and try some more of their fare, but I am not going to over eat like that again any time soon.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Funny (5)
Cool (4)
So, far this is just a "drinks" review, but I intend to come back for dinner. Just stopped in for a Trailer Smash (bourbon, maple syrup, lemon, mint), and it was pretty rad. Love their huge ice cubes. Service was a little poky, but friendly. It's great to have a slightly mellow and nice bar that's open downtown Oakland on a Friday or Saturday night, especially when you're looking for something a little mellower than, say, Luka's.
I was so happy that our wine group chose Flora for this month's dinner, I had read about it and really was pleased that someone had taken this spectacular deco space and fixed it up. But like several of the other reviewers noted there is just something wrong with the restaurant.
My overall thought is that the chef has a great hand. You could feel a four star touch on many dishes, particularly the pastas (what gnocchi!) and the desserts. So where does it go wrong?
First the service. I really felt sorry for our server, he looked he was still in middle school and acted it. Just missed everything. Second, the menu. A shotgun approach to food and really weak on the main courses. Not to say my chicken milanese wasn't thin perfectly breaded and crisp. Yet why did the decide to put a radichhio/goat cheese salad mix on top of it? It just didn't fit. And do we need another great burger?
I agree with the other reviews, it is new and needs fine tuning. Still, I won't be making the haul back a third time without improvement.
Oh, the wine this time was Central Coast Rhone blends. Maybe alcohol levels have finally peaked, we couldn't finish some of the "big" boys who topped 16%. Hope the staff took us up on our offer and finished what we left.
If you didn't know to look for it, you totally wouldn't see it. But what they've managed to do with the space is amazing. When you step inside, it's like you've entered another world (the gritty neighborhood around Flora serves as a stark contrast) ...like an art deco world from the early part of the 20th Century. Plus they've got some pretty awesome cocktails to sip on while you enjoy your surroundings and notice all the little old-fashioned touches they put in. And they have this fancy died coke in a bottle!
I heard their food was so-so but of course I had to taste for myself. I had a croque madam for lunch and it was so-so. Not sure if I'd shell out for a full on dinner, but this is definitely a place I'll have to drop in with friends when I'm in the area for a drink at the bar.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
Great ambiance, wonderful server, so-so food. I had a root vegetable pot pie (the only veggie thing on the menu, so I didn't really have a choice) and it was certainly good, but did not blown away. My friend and I ended up with a $100 bill for dinner with wine and an appetizer and I left feeling slightly swindled. I probably wouldn't eat here again, but I'd definitely go back for a drink at their fabulously art deco bar.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Back in the decade..... about the 30's 40's, there were evenings when a dapper gentleman would take his dame out. Maybe cocktails, dinner, then a show.
The cocktails would at a smoky bar....classy, but with a slight edge to it......Radio ?? The smoke would be pipe....well because, cigarettes smell like shit.
On to dinner. This is where we'd go for dinner. For apps order the
Kampachi Crudo, and the Pork Belly Confit. Entrees would be classics like Pork Chop or the NY Strip. Desserts would be moon pies and hot chocolate.
Boogie and McCall wouldn't be able to do better.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
Beautiful atmosphere, design and full bar. Art Deco lovers will freak out. Really nice space, very well thought out.
My wife and I ordered the burgers, she ordered medium and I ordered rare. We both got rare, I was happy though, but it wasn't what she ordered!
They were ok. good decent burgers but nothing spectacular.
The desserts though? Holy shit they were delicious. we ordered three different kinds. GOD DAMN.
They are relatively new, so I think they need a few more months to iron stuff out. I bet in a year they will be stellar. For now, in my own humble opinion they were ok, and very good with the help of design.
This review is based on drinks and drinks alone.
I was going to a concert next door but they hadn't yet opened so my friend and I went to the bar here for a bit.
I am amazed by the drinks and the bartenders. The drinks were extremely unique and the bartenders made every single one meticulously and lovingly. The bartenders are awesome and extremely gifted.
I was extremely impressed.
Cut-throat seating in a terrible, loud location that ultimately serves sub-par food. I went here wanting to run home and write a 4-star review. I eat regularly at the other two places by the same owners - Tacubaya and Dona Tomas, and the food there is most often terrific. But then they decide to open a "fine dining" California cuisine spot, and I can summarize with the following: stick with what you do best, which in this case, is refried beans and chorizo. This place, from start to finish, was an utter nightmare.# The hostess says an hour and a half for a table, and also says there is full service seating at the bar, and it's "first come first serve". But then the waitress is working backroom deals with other people waiting, as if trying to "save seats" is really a legitimate business practice. The whole idea of having to hover over other diners who are finishing dessert or paying the bill, is something that may be fun for the drunk kids going to Mel's Diner, but any grown-up paying this much for dinner, doesn't want to succumb to this behavior. So while keeping an eye out, others start picking their targets, and start standing right behind them, as if guarding some potential culinary pot o'gold. Back off leprechaun man, cause I was here 20 minutes before you even left the shire. So this game then ensues, and I find myself feeling like a homeless man about to rumble over a park bench to sleep on. This is certainly not the way I want to spend my evening.# I order the $19 foie gras, which yes, was tasty (any Neanderthal can sear some liver), but for the price, I get a piece that is literally the size of a circle, if you were to touch your index finger to your thumb. Ahem - I have been around the haute block my friends, and for that price, you better give me more than that. After this three-bite plate, the entire rest of the meal was as downhill as an Olympic slalom course.# Ordered the rabbit sugo over "freshly cut pappardelle". Only an appetizer, but none of the entrees looked that good or original, and I'm sorry, but I am not paying $14 for a hamburger, cause when it comes down to it, it is ground beef, no matter how you chuck it. I get the pasta dish, it's devoid of seasoning (simple salt and pepper, folks). It's supposed to be a sugo, which is normally a simple tomato sauce or gravy. This sauce had the consistency of water, and had basically no tomato or gravy flavor, and seemed liked.....colored water. Last were the two, small bones that almost lodged in my throat. This pisses me off, cause I rarely order rabbit, and when I do it is usually damn good (try almost the exact same dish at Dopo or Pizzaiolo - it's killer).# Also had the chicken breast dish, but the chicken meat itself was too dry. It derived most of its flavor from the seasoned skin still on the breast, but there wasn't enough of the conservative pour of sauce to help this dish out. Chicken is an interesting thing to cook for "fine dining", as it can always go wrong, which is why most successful dishes of this type (seared half-chicken @ Wood Tavern) are normally leg or thigh, often braised, not the breast, which is always prone to drying out. Yeah, perhaps I just picked the wrong dishes to eat, but when a dish lacks basic seasoning, I lose all faith in the cooks.# After the meal, I spoke with the manager (glorified hostess really) to tell her that the battle for bar seating was unacceptable, and that they need an actual seating list for these seats, and she proceeds to make lame excuses. I read a review in Oakland Magazine:"when things get busy, which is often, the fledgling restaurant shows signs of strain as gaps between courses grow, and some dishes go missing.". This was interesting as our neighbors cancelled their dessert items, citing too long of a wait. So mistakes that were pointed out weeks or months ago, are still being made. Not good business my friends.# No, I will never, EVER go back here, as the food was inferior to the decor, and with all the other awesome options in the EB, why would ANYONE go here twice? This place will only thrive if they get a clue, and make serious changes, or pray they have enough first-timers to keep the place afloat. This may work, as all the Bay Area foodies love to prey on a new restaurant, like vultures circling a carcass. The waitress offered no sympathy for any of my inconvenience, even after showing the rabbit vertebra that almost took this food critic's life. Not good customer service, especially with the playing of favorites when it came to the seating fiasco.# Stick with what you know. Incredibly tasty Mexican fare at the other locations warrants repeated trips there, but leave the fine dining to the real superstars that work throughout the Bay. And the Mexicans that normally work in the kitchen, as is the case with most great restaurants? Not here. Tell the white boys (and girl) cooking they still have a thing or two to learn. No habla espanol? Yeah, I didn't think so.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (2)
Cool (2)
We couldn't get a table without reservations on a Saturday night, but were able to grab 2 seats at the bar after just a very short wait. Lucky for us, since I can't imagine being better taken care off than by Lane, one of the incredibly talented mixologists. Every cocktail he mixed that night for us (and there were many) was a master piece of perfection. I dreamed for the next 2 nights about the cucumber gin fizz version he made for me, when my drink of choice was 86st. (I even considered moving back to the East Bay just so I would be closer to my new favorite bar).
We ordered a variety of appetizers - like the pork belly confit with beluga lentils, dandelion & poached egg or the kampachi crudo - and one entree to share, all of them were interesting and we enjoyed very much. The portions are a little bit on the small side. I am willing to pay the price since their ingredients are mostly organically, locally & sustainably grown.
Everyone on staff this night took great care of us. I can't wait to be back. Thank you for a great evening.
California fare in an art deco setting.
Likes: I found the food pleasing. Great variety of tastes from the Persian chicken salad to open faced mushroom sandwiches.
Dislikes: The portions were uneven. Some dishes were piled high with sandwich parts & salads and others were incredibly light. Think they should discern portion sizes for future lunch goers. Also, while we waited (which takes awhile with big groups), there was no bread or anything to take the edge off our hunger. And I'd recommend a 2nd server to speed up the order process.
I think this place has promise with the upcoming neighborhood (Fox Square theater is still under renovation, so I'll try it again in the near future. If nothing else, check out their stylish bathrooms.