Dragon Gate Oakland — Restaurant in Oakland

As an Oakland native, I’ve always enjoyed supporting local restaurants and spending time in my hometown. I remember when Kincaid’s was a staple in this area, known for its great food, service, and welcoming atmosphere. So when I saw that this long-vacant space had finally been transformed into a new restaurant, I was excited to check it out with my family.

As we walked up, the inviting aroma of food and the lively crowd gave me high hopes for the evening. We approached the hostess and added our name to the waitlist. She specifically informed us that we would receive a phone call when our table was ready. Since there wasn’t much space near the entrance, we made our way to the bar area, where we enjoyed a drink and the vibrant atmosphere.

After some time, nearly finishing our second round of drinks, we noticed the hostess for the first time since we had checked in. To our surprise, she abruptly snapped at us, claiming she had called us multiple times and never mentioned a phone call. Her attitude and lack of professionalism left us stunned. Despite this, we remained composed as she hurriedly seated us at an open table. We explained that we had been told to expect a call and were close enough to hear our names if they had been called—though the loud music made it difficult.

Still unsettled by how we were spoken to, I excused myself from the table to politely address the hostess about her tone and professionalism. Instead of acknowledging the concern, she became defensive, dismissive, and uninterested in the feedback. I chose to walk away gracefully and return to my family, determined to still enjoy our meal.

The restaurant had a beautiful view and a lively atmosphere. However, as our food arrived, I was surprised to see we were given plastic utensils along with fast-food-style soy and chili sauce packets—definitely not what I expected for a dine-in experience. Strike two.

When more food arrived, the garlic shrimp sauté was drenched in a thick, white, soup-like sauce—not what we anticipated. The fried calamari was even more disappointing; it was soft, greasy, and completely inedible. Both dishes had to be returned.

On the bright side, some of the other dishes were enjoyable, including the chow mein, fried chicken, fried pork chops, and garlic green beans. However, service timing was inconsistent. At first, food came out quickly, but then there was an unexpected gap before the last two dishes arrived—by then, we were nearly finished eating and had to refuse them.

Overall, while I appreciated the ambiance and some of the food, the poor service, inconsistent dish quality, and lack of professionalism from the staff made this experience less enjoyable than I had hoped. I truly wanted to love this place, but unfortunately, there are key areas that need...

TLDR: Avoid This Restaurant

I visited this restaurant on a Friday night with a reservation to celebrate my birthday, and unfortunately, it was one of the most disappointing dining experiences I have encountered. This establishment fails to meet even the most basic expectations, from poor service and subpar food to hidden charges.

Poor Reservation Management and Seating Issues Despite a confirmed reservation, our party was not provided enough seats. We had to request additional seating from the staff, which should have been arranged in advance. This lack of preparation reflects a fundamental flaw in the restaurant's operations.

Understaffed and Unresponsive Service The restaurant appeared to be severely understaffed, making it difficult to receive assistance. The waitstaff was preoccupied with delivering dishes, leaving guests without proper attention. Service delays and lack of attentiveness significantly detracted from the overall experience.

Substandard Food Quality The food was excessively greasy and lacked flavor, indicating a lack of culinary refinement. It was evident that little attention was paid to quality control or ingredient selection. If the restaurant owner were to personally evaluate the dishes, they might reconsider what is being served to customers.

Karaoke System Lacks Professionalism While the private karaoke rooms were well-maintained, the actual karaoke experience was disappointing. Instead of using a dedicated song selection system, guests are required to search for songs on YouTube using an iPad. For a venue promoting itself as a karaoke destination, this setup feels inadequate and unprofessional.

Excessive Fees and Charges On top of the poor experience, the restaurant automatically applies a 20% gratuity charge regardless of service quality. Additionally, there is an extra 3.5% surcharge for using a credit card. These fees feel unjustified given the level of service provided and add to the overall dissatisfaction.

Aesthetic Appeal Does Not Compensate for Operational Shortcomings Although the interior design is visually appealing, it does not make up for the restaurant's operational inefficiencies, poor food quality, and lackluster service.

Conclusion: Given the combination of poor service, mediocre food, an unprofessional karaoke system, and hidden fees, I cannot recommend this restaurant. I will not be returning, and I advise others to seek better...

First off, let me be completely candid- I love this place. Good food, great prices, generally decent service, and nice decor. However, today I went to have a late lunch at around 3.45 pm. There were only two other patrons at the bar and no one at a table. There were two employees behind the front desk and another waiter or bartender behind the bar. Typical late lunch crowd, aka 'happy hour' for them and $5 plates. Good for me.

I sat down and they immediately brought me hot tea and peanuts, like always. I ordered within the first 2-3 minutes of sitting down and waited watching the TVs. I even asked if they could put a soccer game on but we couldn't find it. O well.

At about 4.05 pm the host comes up to me and says 'Sorry, but we cannot serve you as the kitchen is closed for cleaning.' Keep in mind it's been over 15 mins and we've had 2 interactions already. I was baffled, honestly.

How did they keep me waiting without telling me that they couldn't serve me? What had they been doing for the last 20 mins? O right, talking behind the front desk. But still... When they input the order did the kitchen not mention that there was no food service? I asked how this could have happened and they said the kitchen was running when I got there but they decided to clean and essentially voided my order and existence as a client. Then it took them 20 mins to tell me. How. Does. This. Happen?!

The lady mentions she's not going to charge me my drink. Well Duh.

Great place, I will be back, but they deserve this one star because that was unacceptable. I...