Sweet Fingers Jamaican Restaurant and Bar — Restaurant in Oakland

Update 8/19/25: I was immediately reached out to by the manager (I didn't get the chance to post this sooner). She showed concern towards the issues that I raised by offering me an apology. I appreciate that. However, I received a personal message not soon after informing me that after we left, the next customers oxtails were falling off the bone. If I can be very transparent, I would not have sent that to me. If one client/customer has a bad experience after spending any amount of money.. why would that person want to hear that the next pertain was served what every customer should have received... which was accurate cooked food. Once Joel tasted the food himself and deemed it unsatisfactory, that food should never have been allowed to be ate.

My wife and visited this spot yesterday for the 1st time. We are both from Flatbush (Brooklyn, NY) and we love Carribbean food. We were immediately greeted by Joel (Sorry if I misspelled his name). We both agreed that the spot was nice. We sat where we liked. We let him know that this was our 1st time there and that we came based upn reviews. He was very accomodating.

We ordered water and lemon, but they had no lemons available. Joel went to the store to get some (Honestly, they should have had that in stock). For food, we both ordered the Oxtail plate with rice and peas and plantain. My wife ordered the steamed veggies. For drinks, I order the Sweet Finger Juice (Mixture of Sorrel and Ginger Beer). The waitress informed us that the oxtails would be ready in 5 mins. We were excited because the food was going to be fresh.

Pros: The serving size was great. The oxtails was a pleasant size. The rice and beans were delicious and the oxtails gravy went perfect with the rice. My drink was so tasty.

Cons: The oxtails was undercooked..especially the large pieces. They were very very tough and that is not what it should have been (There is a disclaimer...Joel made it known earlier in that he was surprised or food came out so quick because he did not feel the Oxtails were done to have been served yet. He stated he tasted then and they needed longer). I told him after tasting a baby size oxtail, that it was a little rough.. but we were good. I did not realize at that point that the larger ones were as tough as they were. The plantain were very small sized. They were overcooked and some were undercooked. They tasted kinda old. The carrots in the oxtails needed to cook longer as well. The steamed veggies had been over steamed, so it was very dried out.

I ate all my rice and some of the oxtails (Even though they were tough, I didn't want to waste $35 and I was beyond hungry). My wife barely ate. She ate some rice and the baby size oxtails. She was beyond dissatisfied. Majority of her food went home.

My drink was served without ice. It was room temperature. Sorrel and ginger beer should be served cold.

We ordered a slice of Rum Cake. When it came in the to-go carton, it was heated. I didn't understand why because it should be freshly made. It looked dry as well.

The waitress was okay in the beginning. However, she did not come and check on us, she didn't ask if we needed anything. My wife had to go to her to get my ice. She brought an extra Sorrel that my wife had started asking for in the beginning, but changed her mind. That was on our bill. In the midst of meeting our needs, someone came back in because their bag broke. She stopped to support that customer by getting her a bag, putting the items into the bag and talking to her. She finally came back to our table and forgot to bring our bill. She never returned to pick up the bill, so I had to get up and go to the counter to pay. The restaurant was nowhere near crowded. She was sitting down.

When we got home and ate the rum cake, it was dry and horrible. I think that it was in the fridge or freezer and they warmed it.

Altogether we spent $112. The portions showed to be worth the amount.. but not the food nor dessert.I want to add that Joel was amazing..personality wise...

I am an OAKLAND NATIVE born and was raised, I been to sweet fingers from with is was in San Leandro didn’t have no issue, but I drove a distance to come and SUPPORT and enjoy what I ONCE did and before so I would get messages from I assume the Wife of the Chef …. Mind you “ I was friends with sweet fingers on Facebook for OVER 4 years not sure what the issue was this time I took my Family and soon as we got there I was giving the run around “ go sit then you pay “ then customer service was very off key and not up to date with menu and prices I continued to stay then I’m being WATCHED me and my FAMILY it was a very AKWARD and Strange experience I stated I came for the crab feed yet people kept coming up to me and my family asking “ I herd you want the crab feed “ the chef himself came walked to the table as if he was told something and just stared and as I look with a smile and my family waved and spoke he just walked right away went to the back …….. I did not get offered water when I seen and herd everyone else being offered ( idk if I was suppose to LEAVE after ordering ) but I believe it was open for dine in yet I was being watched while eating by others and WORKERS came to sit and then check to see if my family made a mess I was not TREATED as other customers at the Restaurant it’s really sad because I looked forward and the crab boil “ I love spicy food “ yet my meal was TAMPERED WITH being the veggies was not spicy just the sauce which then I was asked “ you want water being they seen my son and daughter eating it yet it was so hot for them they start breath heavy the chicken platter I asked for I received the fries was UNCOOKED then really huge chunks then others was normal NOT WHAT WAS DISPLAYED ON MENU I didn’t get the amount of pieces of chicken as displayed then was not given Enough napkins so my son went to the bathroom to get paper towels and the workers ASSUMED we made a huge mess and came to walk over and look. It was and I am VERY disappointed by how me and my family was TREATED when I came to support …. My mother called being she couldn’t come and I stated they can go still even though I had a bad experience. It’s also very unfortunate when I thanked me Mosley and stated I was whom she messaged on fb “ which we are not friends on fb “ she looked and said “ ohhh “ then next thing I know when I go I am DELETED OFF THE FRIENDS LIST FROM SWEET FINGERS ….. it’s such a poor shame and I will not be returning with my Family Again it was a Strange unsettling experience, In which I wish had not occurred in such way. I spent over $100 plus with NO PROBLEM even tipped but I hope they have a...

OMG! I cannot wait to go back to the actual restaurant! I've been trying to go to Sweet Fingers for awhile. My friend took this chance to be taken out to dinner by his kids. I love oxtails of any sort. These are about the best I can remember! Including in Jamaica! Well seasoned (my friend doesn't like his food being too spicey, whereas I carry at least five different kinds of hot sauce to potlucks), with plenty of flavour, even with a milder spice profile, super tender, ooey gooey (is that a word?), lost count of how many pieces there were. since I occasionally make oxtails at home I appreciated more pieces with thinner slices (not too thin! ½"-¾", about 1/3 of the size you buy commercially) that were easy to hold and melt-away tender.... enough for two people if you took a moment to eat anything other than the oxtails! Actually eating a very large breakfast of left overs as I wrote this! I am type one diabetic, and was home trying to recover from an accident, and so reluctant to eat too many carbs while waiting for blood sugars to come back down. So I'll have to wait for the rice and peas. Usually I just have a bit from some other family member so I don't go crazy. My friend brought me back the coconut vegetables. With plantains..... probably I would have been better with just a salad or a la carte, I make myself riced cauliflower instead of rice, but when the food arrived, I was just so ....charmed?..... by the oxtails I never even tried to pull stuff out of the refrigerator! I wasn't given a choice about the menu. My friend just said, "I'm bringing you the oxtails, do you want veggies?" I can't wait to try the currried goat. That's the beauty of family style! I guess you could say for dining, my friend(s) dined in in the restaurant, ordered to take out for me, and I had it delivered it to me! Yeah, you can kind of say I'm enthusiastic about this! I've had oxtails so many places, differed g styles, and made them at home..... these are the best!

I don't know how much was spent... maybe $35-40? But there was definitely enough to have two meals. Their group was four: dad, grown kids, one grandchild. I...