Oeste - Bar — Restaurant in Oakland

Normally I wouldn't take the time to write a review but yesterday I had the worst experience and service at this restaurant. Mind you I have patronized this establishment since opening. I have spent much money and supported this business and had really no problems. So when I tell you what happened I tell no lies. Yesterday my friends and I asked for a table to be seated. Initially we had no reservations. However the girl at the front desk proceeded to take our name down and explained tables were reserved but that if the patrons, who did not show up fifteen minutes after the reserve time, we could get the table. In the meantime she stated we could sit and wait at the table with this understanding . Note: Time of reservation was 830pm.We arrived at approx. 8-815pm. We sit down. Time passes, it's 850pm. The waitress comes to the table. She asked for our order and drinks. We explained and confirmed with her about the table and she tells us yes we're good to go. She takes our order. At 9:03pm we are told by the hostess, who was the same girl at the front desk that we need to get up from our table because the reserved patrons have arrived and that's if we don't mind. Yes we do mind. It's well-over the time we were told for a reservation policy and we are now feeling frustrated and confused. Next we see the hostess speaking to someone appearing to be a manager/ owner and someone who never approached or spoke to us directly. Next a female security guard comes and she speaks to me and asked what was going on. I explained to her the details of what happened. She then goes to the front desk and returned and says to us we are good to sit at the table. Approximately about 5 to 10 minutes later she returns and she ( female security) explained we have to leave the table and we have to leave the premises. We asked why and she stated the manager/ owner , Genevieve said we were " aggressive"with her and she wanted us , specifically me to be removed. Now at this point I began to ask the security guard what is going on. I asked to speak to the manager/ owner but the security guard said Genevieve stated she was too busy to speak to us. So now I and the rest of our party are becoming upset and we wanted answers. We felt like we were at a counter in the 60s during the Civil rights movement in a white establishment asking for better treatment and equal and fair service to all. Yet in this case this establishment is minority owned and operated by females in 2024 and we being profiled, targeted and mishandled. Sadly, we left and the manager Genevieve never spoke to us. To us the way things were handled was very unprofessional and confusing. The staff was nice but all confused. Genevieve lack of leadership and management skills and customer service was poor. We felt mishandled and on top of that embarrassed. It was a mess. As many times I come to this place l have never experience this type of situation before. All I can say I'm very disappointed but glad to know my money can be spent and appreciated elsewhere. So much for supporting black and brown, minority businesses, it's makes no difference where you go if this is the type of treatment is render to customers. Sad , Sad day!!

P.S. Training is overdue!!!! As far as aggression tale you told to remove me and my friends how is that Genevieve when you or yourself never approached us or asked us anything? I hate liars. Honestly I worked in law enforcement and I'm a retired supervisor peace officer and you definitely were wrong in all counts. You caused a lot of issues, failed your people and customers by your lack of presence and refusal to address the matter in the best and lowest level of resolution.

Kim wrote this...

I had very high hopes for this location. My hubby and I saw it on Check Please and immediately made reservations. The day we arrived the streets were blocked due to an Oakland marathon. The marathon actually worked in our favor because you had to know the area to figure out how to get around the barricades to make it to the restaurant and for a Sunday it was quite. The wait staff was attentive before we arrived by extending our reservation time due to the street closure. Once we arrived we were warmly greeted at the door and was able to select a good inside table, it was raining or we would have dined on the rooftop.

The ambiance was perfect and it's obvious that a lot of time, attention, and money has gone into this chic, modern, yet inviting decor. It made perfect sense that a group of about 12 came in to celebrate a birthday. It's super cute to come here as a person single and ready to mingle or with friends.

There were 3 of us and we ordered different items to have plenty of tasting options. I ordered the catfish and red beans, my daughter ordered the 2 egg breakfast and my hubby ordered French toast with a side of chicken apple sausage. The food looked amazing! However, the taste was only average, at best. :( I was super disappointed and here's why: Our food came out super fast but wasn't hot. This lead us to believe that most of the food was pre-made and thrown together when ordered rather than cooking to order. You should not have to ask for hotsauce when you order catfish and I believe that a side of hotsauce should accompany each order. This may seem like a small thing but a real catfish lover know catfish and hotsauce go hand-in-hand. 3.The fish was well cooked (an exception to my comment about the food prep) but somebody needs an introduction to Zatarans, Emeril's, or some type of Creole seasoning. I had to doctor my fish with salt and pepper to bring up some flavor, not good. The breakfast items tasted more like an afterthought than a good breakfast spot. The Buttercup would have been a much better option for breakfast.

So, yes, go to Oeste for the bomb decor, great customer service but not for some good breakfast. Good breakfast can be found at places like Doyle street (Emeryville)and LaNote (Berkeley) It seems like lunch or dinner is perhaps there real for forte. As far as an amazing cultural Oakland vibe, as a native here for over 60 years, they are hard to beat! The art, the people and the male and female DJ made this a fabulous experience but at the end of the day this is a restaurant and that's what my 3 stars are all about. I don't play about my food. That said, I will go back for lunch or dinner to see if it gets better. I sure hope so because I want this spot to be around for a long time which is why I had to provide an honest review of my experience in hopes it will help with some improvements on the food side. 5 stars on decor and staff but food was a 2.5. Please check this spot out...

Y'all, the vibe. It was exquisite. Two DJs playing chill throwback r&b and then hiphop island beats and I was dancing while trying to pick what I wanted from the menu and I. Could. Not. Concentrate.

Food was very delicious, we agreed that the menu descriptions do not do the food justice.

The catfish is not whole and perfectly pieced and fried - not fishy, fresh, crispy crunchy light, lightly seasoned a great remoulade on the side. The red beans and rice were shockingly ON POINT - and made with high quality ingredients and not cooked to within an inch of their lives it was healthier and better tasting than the many I have had in NOLA. (The Bay reinvents NOLA classics!) They are served separately but the beans were so good I didn't even need the rice.

Country potatoes were huge and delicious, but if you're watching the salt I'd pass on this.

Cheesy grits less cheesy but very smooth; I actually prefer a little more rustic but still pretty good.

Plantains yummy and not overcooked (a good thing! A little pop to the bite and a little tang, perfect level of ripeness and not too much sugar.

Friendly and super helpful service.

But here's the kicker: we rolled in today on Sunday for brunch time and the place was FILLED with black folks. And I am one. And people were singing to the DJ (Lauryn Hill), laughing, gossiping, catching up, having fun. Mostly women. And I teared up because I hadn't been around a large group of my people being free to be themselves without editing in ... well since a visit to my family at Thanksgiving but in the Bay Area? Honestly, never. It was freeing, beautiful, soul cleansing and healing and at this crazy time in America it was powerful and needed and magical and ...

Thank you. Please tip generously and protect this place. This is clearly something special and I am so glad I found it!

I literally danced out the door and didn't want to leave.

But yes, cousins, the food is good, you want anything...