Bare Knuckle Pizza

Pizza restaurant · Downtown

Bare Knuckle Pizza

Pizza restaurant · Downtown

1

351 12th St, Oakland, CA 94607

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Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by Bare Knuckle Pizza/Facebook
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null
Bare Knuckle Pizza by null

Highlights

Casual pizza place serving wood-fired, Neapolitan-style pies topped with local ingredients.  

Featured in Eater
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351 12th St, Oakland, CA 94607 Get directions

bareknucklepizza.com

$$ · Menu

Information

Static Map

351 12th St, Oakland, CA 94607 Get directions

+1 510 463 1524
bareknucklepizza.com
bkpizzas
𝕏
@bkpizzas

$$ · Menu

Features

dine in
takeout
delivery
payment credit card
reservations
outdoor seating

Last updated

Mar 4, 2025

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@eater

"Vegan pizza isn’t too hard to find these days, but Bare Knuckle Pizza commits to the craft, not only sourcing vegan mozz (from the Butcher’s Son) but also vegan blue cheese, vegan bacon, vegan pepperoni, and more for its wood-fired, Neapolitan pies." - Eater Staff

20 Best East Bay Vegan Restaurants - Eater SF
View Postcard for Bare Knuckle Pizza

Jósa Goodlife

Google
I don’t like to leave bad reviews in general but I’m just so sad… to spend $60 for a meal that is meant to be a cozy treat on a Friday night and come home with a burnt sourdough pizza and a gluten free bad smelling burnt dry crust makes me need to react in some ways and write a bad review 🙂‍↕️

Ryan Waxberg

Google
Did takeout so can't really say about the atmosphere but the woman that took my order was knowledgeable and friendly, and the pizza was one of the best I've had

Alison Roessler Campbell Fitness

Google
First time trying the pizza. We ordered two pizzas, a vegan margarita pizza (pictured) and one with lots of meat for my husband called David Mack. We ordered our pizza for pick up, which is probably a good thing as there is no inside dining and only two small tables outside, not a problem, just something to be aware of. The attendant at the walk up counter was friendly and the team preparing the pizzas seemed to be happy. Vegan food can be hit or miss but I found the pizza did not disappoint. The sauce had good flavor and the cheese had the texture of authentic cheese. My husband felt his pizza was small compared to the price but also said it had really good flavor. Two thumbs up from us. We would be happy to order pizza from them again.

squid slice

Google
Best pizza in Oakland . Vegan options are amazing .The owner viet is a really great guy .always good welcoming vibes here . Don't sleep on this amazing za !! The flavor combos they come out with are top notch with high quality ingredients. Can't say enough about how great this pizza is . Do yourself a favor and try this place .

M Wong

Google
If u want a DAMN excellent pizza, come here!! Perfectly chard bubbles, fluffy chewy crust and local ingredients. What more can u ask for? Having non-greasy hands after eating the pizza.. Don't walk...RUN and get some excellent pizza!!! Your mouth and tummy will thank you later!!!!

Ivy Hume

Google
I am a New Yorker and very picky about pizza and this is my favorite pizza I have had in the Bay Area. Period. Thank god. I think I can stay now. I gave up on bagels a long time ago! Details… I had a regular Margherita pizza. I believe that’s the best way to truly know if the pizza is good. The crust was thin, but not too crispy. It’s perfect, perfectly chewy. I ate every scrap of the pie. Other pizzas I’ve had in the bay area have been way too crispy to the point of scratching the roof of my mouth. This was divine. The cheese was perfect. The four individual leaves of basil. All were perfect and moderate just like a Neapolitan style pizza should be. It was fast, and delightful to sit outside solo and enjoy the banter and fun atmosphere in the kitchen second hand.

LB

Google
Had been wanting to go here for a while and finally made it. It's located downtown, in kind of a dead area. They are pretty much only doing takeout (they have 2 cafe style tables that can seat 1-2 each). Which is kind of a bummer bc their thin crust pizzas are best eaten straight out of the oven. They lose a lot when they get cold.... My friend and I ordered the margherita and the spinach. Was not blown away by the sauce on the margherita..but really like the spinach pizza! Would go back for that one. Besides those two all of their pizzas have meat but they do have faux meat alternatives plus vegan cheese if you need a truly vegan pie.

Jane Natoli

Google
Not usually a huge fan of vegan pizza, Viet and the rest of the folks there crush it with excellent toppings, some great crust, and an overall selection of pizzas that are just unbeatable. Add to that they are just all around good folks and any time I’m in Oakland and they are open, I’ll stop in

Nai H.

Yelp
Speaking for the vegans. The best vegan you will find in the Bay Area. Also, gluten free option! The quality of each pie is very high and there are so many flavors!! Personally I love the 1. Tuscany 2. Margherita 3. Peach pie (seasonal) If you like Cheesboard, Sliver or Gioia. This pizza is even tastier!

Lionel C.

Yelp
I had seen the lines at Bare Knuckle and, with curiosity piqued, I knew I had to one day give it a try. I went back but was disappointed after walking up to take a look that I didn't see any seats, and it appeared to be solely a take out joint. I don't like taking a pie home as a first impression because I know time in the box with its inevitable steam will alter the crust and the taste. I walked away disappointed. That was a couple years ago, and since I tried just about every other highly rated pizza haunt in the East Bay, I was seriously thinking of returning to Bare Knuckle and braving the take out route. Maybe hurriedly stealing bites from a slice in my car to make my tasting verdict. As I was being pulled to this last resort, I decided to go through Bare Knuckle's yelp pics. It was then I noticed there were tables with smiling diners! All this time there was seating?? Yes, there was! Upstairs in fact. Thank you my fellow yelpers and your sweet camera work! So I headed over. It's still set up like a mid-pandemic to-go spot with it's ordering table across the door. But after asking, they did indeed have an upstairs dining area, and they let me in to head up there. Reaching it, I saw that it was relatively small, but there were open tables and seats, and I gladly took one. The narrow, spiraling-high staircase to floor two totally gave speak-easy vibes. All that was missing was a fake phone booth in front of it. My order, The Roman, came oven hot. At first, the encompassing mesh of parmesan slivers hid the ingredients and put me off because I like to see what's on my pizza. But it turned out to be a masterful culinary stroke, veiling for surprise the beauty of the enticing ingredients underneath. Usually, the protein on the pizza is the star, but not in this case. There was no one star in this cast of sausage, red sauce, onions and mushrooms, but they were all brilliant support players making the pizza as a whole the star. The crust with its pillowing fluffy edges and a middle evincing a strong hearty chew and a hint of seasoning was the perfect stage. I usually take home a slice but couldn't resist enjoying the rest of this tantalizing performance hot until the curtain call.

Stephanie W.

Yelp
My favs: TKO pizza with sausage, TNT (sans Thai chiles because I'm a wuss--LOL), David Mack, and fresh peach (seasonal). Since dining in has been closed since pandemic, I order half-baked pies ahead of arrival; my wait is minimal and I finish baking at home. Been a satisfied regular since 2017, when they opened.

Y S.

Yelp
While visiting from SoCal we got some pizza delivered from here to our hotel. I really liked that they had so many vegan options. The crusts were all a little too done, but the flavors were spot on. My husband liked the mushroom truffle one. We called to see if the margherita pizza could be just regular cheese for the kids but they must have misunderstood bc it was still the fancy mozzarella so the kids didn't want it :( the vegan margherita pizza was fantastic!

Marchell S.

Yelp
Awesome pizza spot, the Margherita and David Mack were smacked. Gonna be my fave spot when visiting Oakland for sure. The Owner is chill too; cool dude and friendly staff. Keep it up guys, thanks for the awesome food and ambiance

Sydney J.

Yelp
I came back to try the Cherry Pie (also called "a homage to Paulie Gee"). I ordered ahead on the phone and modified it to be vegetarian but not vegan, using plant-based meats and dairy cheeses. I liked it a lot, the sweetness of the cherries goes surprisingly well with the more pungent/stronger cheeses, so kudos to whoever came up with this creative flavor combination. The only thing I wish was changed was that there was even more meat on it, but it was good overall.

Andrew L.

Yelp
First off, they make solid pizzas with a range of toppings/flavors. However, it comes with a caveat: For better or for worse, the pizza isn't greasy and doesn't feel too heavy. But you have to go in knowing this since a lot of us expect a greasy salty indulgence when we try a new pizza place. Small size for the price. Again, still delicious. Street parking only, watch your car closely since it's in downtown Oakland.

Michael L.

Yelp
This was my first time trying Bare Knuckle Pizza. They are open Thursday to Saturday from 5pm to 9pm, so it's a fairly small window in order to try them out. I was thinking, I wish that was how much I could work secularly with the same pay, I think I'd be a pretty happy person. That being said I ordered three pizzas: Margherita: tomato sauce (from locally grown tomatoes), fresh mozz, parm, extra-virgin olive oil. DAVID MACK: sauce, fresh mozz, pepperoni, prosciutto, parm, and fresh basil. Sweet Revenge: sauce, mozz, pepperoni, chili, and honey. All the pizzas were solid. Pizzas were prepared quickly. Very small for close to $20 per pizza but I guess inflation is to blame. Overall a decent pizza but not my favorite.

Christopher D.

Yelp
Had the sausage. Great sauce, perfect amount of cheese, paper thin crust that I swear melts in your mouth. One of the best Neapolitan pizzas around, and there are a lot!

Winston T.

Yelp
There are a ton of vegan choices for me. I love the crust. The chew is perfect. Prices have always been fair for what you are getting- Support your Oakland small POC owned businesses.

Elisa O.

Yelp
This place is amazing! Best pizza in the bay! Local flavor, all fresh, cool staff. You gotta go.

Megha V.

Yelp
Delicious! Just mouthwatering good Neapolitan pizza. Lots of selection for vegetarians and d vegans which i appreciate.

Audra V K.

Yelp
Food, Service and Ambiance are consistently on point; however, it's rather difficult to get "soft" scrambled eggs. The menu is extensive and staff is friendly are generally accommodating when special requests are made.....Ample parking, ability to make reservations would be a plus.... Overall, very dependable, gregarious and reasonably priced......

Jon T.

Yelp
Bare Knuckle Pizza makes a mean pie. If you are lucky enough to live nearby they might quickly become your number one spot. I, unfortunately, do not live nearby but have heard so many good things about BK over the years that I had to stop by when recently in Oakland. While there are definitely some all vegan pizza joints out there, BK has been lauded as a non-vegan spot that still delivers on the plant-based experience. You know they take their vegan options seriously when they use Butcher's Sons ingredients. Their menu is quite compact, giving you several personal-sized pizzas to choose from (but not much in the way of appetizers, salads, etc.) My partner and I ordered a vegan margherita and vegan Roman. The only adjustment we made was adding some arugula to the margherita. Both pizzas were excellent; the dough, sauce, veggies, and plant-based extras were all brilliant. And while we could have eaten more (since everything tasted so great), the portions were just the right size to keep us satisfied. Now that I know first-hand what all the fuss is about I will do my best to stop back in when I'm next in downtown Oakland and need some grub. FYI, their hours are fairly limited right now (due to the pandemic) so make sure you check/call ahead to be sure you can get your order.

G N.

Yelp
Ordered the TKO and the David Mack - both were very good! Staff was super friendly and prices are reasonable. Sat at their sidewalk table and had a beer waiting for my pies. I'm a fan!

Jim G.

Yelp
Tried only their margherita. It was simple and really delicious. They have a pretty cool set up. Definitely call ahead if you're hungry. The pick-up was super easy and smooth. The staff are friendly and realy good at qhat they do. I would recommend this place if you want quality pizza for a reasonable price. I'm excited to try their other specialty pizzas.

No C.

Yelp
Excellent and creative pizzas, albeit on the pricey side. Strictly to-go for the 13.5 hours/week that they're open. There's a couple of small tables/chairs outside on the sidewalk which look more for waiting than for eating, but suit yourself. I miss the days when you could go upstairs to dig in. Came by this time on a Doordash pickup. I'll give them props for not inflating their online prices, but they've got a lead finger on that "ready" button. Doordash app said my 3-pie order was ready, but clearly not, as I ended up cooling my heels outside for another 5 minutes while they actually finished my order. Trying to game your metrics, eh? It's cool--I'm a sucker for your wares; I'll be back.

Sammy T.

Yelp
Check the hours before you come!! It's not opened every day (i think it's a Friday to Sunday kind of shop and it's only select hours). I tried this place because I've heard vegans rave about it and I must say, for a vegan pizza place, this is not bad at all. I've tried Cheeseboard (in Berkeley) vegan pizza and this is definitely superior to that. I've had their margherita (vegan) and their roman and thought they were both great. However, I will say that these are SINGLE PEOPLE kind of pizzas. I thought for some reason that they were more for sharing but if you're looking to have it as a meal, definitely expect 1 pizza per person. Their flavors are quite good but I feel like it does lack a little sauce (or something but I can't put my finger on what). I'll definitely come again to try other items on their menu but I don't know if i'd go so far as to drive all the way here from a different city just for their vegan pizza.

Ronna I.

Yelp
I've been seeing the pictures of the pizzas for sometime now and reading a few articles about these them. I'm glad I finally got around to trying a couple of them. As the articles mention--great crust. I had the Margherita and it was tasty. Crust was good--nice and chewy but not tough. The crust was slightly soggy in the middle and that may have been caused by the 25 minute trip home. I would have preferred a little more basil on it. I also tried the Roman. That one was great too--lots of toppings. The pizzas are meant to be a personal one so you wouldn't get one to share as you commonly do with pizza. Of course, you can order more than one type and share. That would be the best so that you can try the different varieties. Parking was a little of a challenge, and we ended up double parking to pick up. The address is a 12th address but the entrance is on Webster.

Kate V.

Yelp
Delicious pizza- vegan is superb too. Top notch service. Genuine NY pizza place! Great staff and excellent customer service. Give it a try- you will not regret it.

Tiena L.

Yelp
Well obviously people have a lot of different opinions when it comes to pizza because this place is rated so highly. Unfortunately I am not a fan of this place. I had the Roman and David Mac pizzas. The crust was paper thin, and not thin in a crispy good way. Like soggy and unappetizing. Once you got to the crust in was chewy but like a couple other reviews said they have a chard bottom and it's all I could taste. The other issue is there is hardly any cheese. I thought maybe I had ordered the vegan one on accident. Like I said a lot of people really liked this place but I would not go back.

Steven M.

Yelp
Ever since The Kings Feet closed down in Berkeley, I was lost as to where I could find a vegan pizza I enjoyed again. I went to many locations just to be let down and I was okay with the disappointment. On my birthday my wife wanted to plan an evening which ended with me grabbing my favorite cuisine to bring back home, pizza. I've always looked over the menu and really never thought of much but being forced to go made no choice but to try it out. Pizza prices were very fair, size as well! Wanted to go with something a bit more simpler and traditional. Ultimate supreme to go with the mushroom impossible (vegan). It was exactly what I've been looking for, it's everything I've been needing. A good pizza that doesn't let down your standards to what you want from a pizza....and it's vegan! This will now be my go to vegan pizza joint !

Brianna B.

Yelp
I would climb mountains to eat the vegan pizzas here!!! They are legendary stratus. God tier! Do you know how difficult it is to find a good vegan pizza?! Most vegan pizzas use that slimy cheese (daiya???) and those tofu pepperoni that taste like cardboard and are not meaty at all! But bare knuckle pizza?!!! I ordered the the vegan margarita pizza with sausage and added tofurkey sausage. And my bf ordered the vegan roman. Firstly, the cheese is so good! It is creamy and thick. No slimy at all. It is very reminiscent of mozzarella! It looks and acts like mozzarella. The tomato sauce was fresh, bright, acidic and tangy! The sausage had a lovely meaty texture and was seasoned to taste sort of like real sausage. It wasn't dry and kinda fatty, which was nice. The dough was chewy, had a nice char and just overall authentic! I ADORE how they sprinkle coarse salt on top. Many vegan pizzas can be too bland due to the lack of salty cheese and meat, but they just get it right here! They already know this! The vegan margherita pizza was perfection. As for The Roman --- too many onions. WAY TOO MANY ONIONS! It was a onion pizza...They were Over powering for me. There seemed to be less sauce. Or maybe, there it had the same amount, but was just over shadowed by the onions. The onions are not chopped. They're entire rings! Mushrooms were nice. Toppings too large for the size of the pizza. I would keep it simple if you decide to order here.

Tigga W.

Yelp
Best vegan pizza I've ever had. I've been looking for a vegan pizza place for a long time and I've found it. Margarita pizza is where it's at you won't be disappointed. I'll never make my own pizza ever again. Yes I'm a fan.

LaLaurie D.

Yelp
Ive been vegan for quite some time. I have to say the pizza they have is bar none! The staff was friendly and inviting. My favorite is the vegan tko. OMG AND GIRL THEY USE BUTCHERS SON CHEESE! Now the only thing i will say is the wait can be a bit strenuous. And they sell out quite often. But hey that just shows how good the pizza is! I 100% recommend .

Samantha G.

Yelp
This little hole in the wall is IT if you are looking for great pizza. As a New Yorker that now has a dairy allergy, I cannot express how grateful I am to have found bare knuckle. Their vegan pies are amazing. I'm guessing their regular pies are even better. My boyfriend can handle cheese and loves the Roman and David Mack. I tend to go for the vegan TKO and Margherita. Their style is between a real Italian pizza and NY. The dough is thin yet airy and bubbly. They use fresh toppings with just the right amount of cheese to sauce ratio. As the name suggests, you really see the kneading work that has been done to the dough and it is *CHEF'S KISS*. Thanks for the dope pizza!

Jessica G.

Yelp
Omg I wasn't even in the mood for pizza !! My goodness so glad my friends were Literally the best pizza !! The tnt it's just delicious!!

Bear B.

Yelp
Awesome selection of Vegan pizzas!! I wish they were open more often. The vegan supreme pizza is so tasty.

Linh H.

Yelp
I've had this place bookmarked for awhile but never got around to it until the pandemic happened. I've order from them 3 times already and would honesty have ordered more often if I lived closer and if they open more frequently. I always order 4-5 pizzas each time to make my trip worth it. All the pizzas we've tried have been amazing but the favorites will be the TKO, margherita, and the newly added Nelly (spinach, mushroom, garlic, Parmesan and pecorino). Their crust is always cooked with the perfect chewiness consistency. The ingredients are always fresh and the tomato sauce has this bright balance taste that many pizzerias don't offer. Be careful of the T. N.T pizza! They do tell you that it's very spicy on the menu; to which I said "pfffttttt" because my Vietnamese part would scoff at those warnings. And boy I was so wrong.... Quick tip: Pack slices into the freezer if you over order as they reheat well in the oven.

Karishma M.

Yelp
Vegan reviewer here! We got two vegan pizzas - one pear pie and one roman pizza with the sausage replaced with pepperoni. The pear pie was interesting, probably good if that's your type of taste, but it was a little too adventurous for us with the arugula, bacon, pear, and bleu cheese. The Roman was much more classic and we really liked it with the mozzarella, pepperoni, red onion, and mushroom. I've never had a pepperoni pizza before so I was very excited to have pepperoni on pizza for the first time ever, which is why we asked for it to replace the sausage. It was definitely a momentous occasion. I liked it enough to get vegan pepperoni again in the future. Butcher's Son mozzarella is always a perfect choice so the cheese was great. The crusts on both pizzas were yummy. In the future, I look forward to exploring more of the pizzas with the different meats and some more of the classics with the cheese and veggies. I love that there is a whole vegan menu and the pizzas cost the same as the non-vegan pizzas. I will definitely be back for more. Things to know are that the pizzas are on the pricier side. I'd say one pizza is the right size for one person. It's a small location and there are about 4 or 5 tables outside. I'm grateful Bare Knuckle Pizza exists. Definitely go check it out!

Mei W.

Yelp
If u want a DAMN excellent pizza, come here!! Perfectly chard bubbles, fluffy chewy crust and local ingredients. What more can u ask for? Having non-greasy hands after eating the pizza.. Don't walk...RUN and get some excellent pizza!!! Your mouth and tummy will thank you later!!!!

Tim W.

Yelp
They burnt my pie. It's was not good at all. I didn't even finish half the pie. Hope they make it right next time. Or is there a next time

Lauryn H.

Yelp
I'll l admit it, my reluctance was strong. I've never had vegan pizza I enjoy and being lactose intolerant literally sucks the joy out of eating pizza. With high praise from a formly omnivores coworker turned vegan, figured I should give it a shot. I'm glad I did. I ordered the vegan Roman, a vegan mozzarella, mushroom, and onion personal pie with a red sauce base. Praise the pizza gods, this pie was damn fine. For once the cheese didn't have the gross, goopy, cloying texture you often find with plant based cheese. The veggies were in abundance with a nice charred al dente texture. BEST PART: the crust, everything else was great too. I do wish they had a larger selection of beer though.

Theodore T.

Yelp
One star for each of my bare knuckles, haha. Great takeout spot when you're in the mood for amazing pizza to bring home so you can watch Discovery Channel.

Lea S.

Yelp
This place has been just doing pick up since quarantine started and has great thin crust pizzas. The crust is extremely chewy which is probably the best quality of the pizza. They also have that great wood fired brick oven baked crust which is a little crisp on the edges and thin in the middle where the toppings are. The pizzas are all about personal sized so order accordingly. The toppings were good, though I probably got the least exciting with a plain pepperoni pizza and the David Mack which is pepperoni with prosciutto and basil (probably my favorite of the two because who doesn't love more toppings?). They also have vegan and gluten free options which I think is what really puts this place apart! The one thing to really be aware of is the wait time, I called at 6:00 on a Friday hoping to time it correctly to pick up around 6:30 but I was informed it would be a 45 minute wait which seemed long for such a small pizza! I think they fill a lot of orders and kind of give you a set pick up time so they can delay your order and be sure to fill it by the time they told you. One thing I learned from the friendly woman who worked there was it's better to call early and say what time you want to pick it up rather than the reverse like I did. They also say they're open until 8:30pm but they are just open until they sell out which could be earlier!

Brandon N.

Yelp
I'm from NYC and have lived in Italy, but I have NEVER had a pizza as good as this place. The cherry pie specifically is such a chefs kiss. Love, love, LOVE this place. 5 stars no doubt

Daniel H.

Yelp
They are unresponsive in many ways. I guess they don't value potential customers. That's too bad.

Angela M.

Yelp
This review is WAY overdue. How overdue, you ask? It was Ash Wednesday (so, March) and I was looking for a good place to eat dinner; not being able to eat meat on Ash Wednesday means that a lot of my normal go-to's weren't an option, so when I walked past Bare Knuckle for the first time, I was immediately disappointed at the thought of not being able to order a pepperoni pizza. But, taking a look at the menu, the TKO - portabello mushrooms, mozzarella and parmesan, drizzled with truffle oil - sounded pretty darn good, so I decided to take a chance. It was almost 7 in the evening when I walked in, so it wasn't too busy; there's a tiny amount of seating at the window, but most of the interior seating is upstairs (they've since added outdoor seating, as well). The pizzas range in price between $14.00 and $17.00, and most extras are $2.00, with the exception of the meats which are $3.00. The TKO is $15.00. The pizza came way faster than I was expecting and was extremely delicious. The combination of flavors worked really well together and was a nice change from my usual choice of pepperoni. My only complaint is that the pizzas are small (the menu describes them as being "about" 12 inches) and one will definitely not feed two unless neither of you are really hungry. This means that you'll need to order one each, so with any extra toppings you might want plus a drink, you're looking at a pretty pricey pizza dinner. The upside to the pizzas being small is that there are a number of really intriguing pizzas on the menu (Summer Peach! Sweet Revenge! TNT!), so since you'll inevitably end up ordering more than one if you're eating with another or many if you're coming in a group you'll have ample opportunity to try them all, but it also means paying nearly $20.00 for essentially a personal pizza. I would recommend trying Bare Knuckle, for sure, as it's delicious and the ingredients are of high quality. But if you're coming hungry, like I did, just be aware of the size of the pizzas versus the cost and make your decisions from there.

Samir K.

Yelp
Year ago, I worked across the street and this was a shitty pizzeria that sold dollar slices and the like. I'm glad to see the space renovated and used in a unique way. I would grade the margherita pizza a 3/5 and the TKO (portabello mushrooms, white pie) as a 5/5. The marg was good, but I think the sauce was a little "wet" and the pizza ended up tasting kind of soggy. I added an egg to it, but it didn't really add much. the TKO on the other had, was absolutely fantastic- I think it spent a little more time in the oven and the results were perfect- crispy, chewy, salty- with a nice earthy touch from the mushrooms. Really good pie. The space is kind of odd, small downstairs and a steep staircase to a little area upstairs. The stairs are steep, be careful. Service was good- the owner was really friendly and seemed happy to talk to customers. there are other options in the East Bay, of course, but if you're in Downtown or Chinatown this is definitely the spot to go.

James H.

Yelp
Light, doughey and tasty are words I would use to describe the margherita pizza here. For $13.00, you get a 10" pie that has great ingredients from the crispy basil, fresh mozz and a hint of sweet sauce. The crust was the star though! Service was friendly and fast. Definition of a hole in the wall.

Miranda F.

Yelp
So I was craving a pizza, which I haven't eaten in quite a while, due to gluten and dairy issues which makes me very sad. There was a miscommunication about if they had real meat, but maybe I just didn't read the site right. So I ordered a Margherita pizza with mushrooms and pepperoni on it. When I got it I realized it was vegan pepperoni . But I had to say it was actually Pretty good. I think I would've added more sauce to the pizza. Delivery was pretty good and I also had a arugula salad. I definitely plan to check out some of their other vegan pizzas.

Jenny L.

Yelp
Came here for dinner and they seemed pretty busy. There is more seating upstairs though so even if the little bar area looks full you might still be able to grab a spot upstairs. Had the TKO and honestly for $18 I think the pizza is too small. For $18 I feel like I should at least be pretty full or have a slice to take home. The personal pizza you get has four tiny slices. But the size and price are not the main issue I have with Bare Knuckle. The pizza itself was not great. Toppings were ok but the crust was so soggy. You could not pick up a slice without all the toppings falling off. You can see the completely soaked bottom of the box; this was immediately after receiving it. I can't imagine how much wetter it would have been if you waited a little. On top of being very soft and soggy the crust was also burnt. I don't mind a little burnt crust but this tasted noticeably of carbon. How can a crust be simultaneously burnt and also soggy?? Would not recommend. You can get way better tasting and satisfying meals for $18 from a ton of other places nearby.

Mindy L.

Yelp
I was craving pizza and a few places near me looked good but not great. I found the bareknuckle pizza menu online and was impressed with the options. Staff was super friendly and timely with my order which I'd placed for pick up (~15 min) I've never had such good vegan cheese, whatever they used! I meant to take a picture..but I ate it too quickly. Will definitely be back to try more

Darrell D.

Yelp
Long overdue!! Been coming to them since they opened up years ago. Glad they survived C19. I love the margarita and tko. I recommend asking for salt flakes on the margarita. Keep punching bare knuckle!!

Mike L.

Yelp
I went to the Soft Open last week, and it didn't disappoint. Bare Knuckle Pizza is a nice spot on 12th and Webster with a wood fired oven. It's a display kitchen, you can see the staff prep the dough and build your pie. I ordered two pizzas, the margherita and pepperoni. Both were really good. The dough was light and on point, clearly not the frozen generic dough, and the ingredients were super fresh. My only critique is I wish I the sauce was a little thicker, but they were still great and I'd totally recommend. They have an upstairs area for seating. There isn't a lot of space but enough for a few tables. I ordered to-go and went upstairs with my friend sipping on a beer and their staff came up looking for orders. It was a very solid soft launch and I'm looking forward when they're fully up and running. Bare Knuckle Pizza is a welcome addition to Oakland Chinatown.

Lailan H.

Yelp
I was thinking about the pizza all night, it was that good! Chewy crust thin enough not to make you too full, fresh quality ingredients and toppings, and the egg on top was cooked to perfection, soft & runny. I'm gluten-sensitive, and the dough is so fine and light that it didn't affect me, and I'm excited that the cheese is light. Basically, my stomach was happy & not angry like when I eat other pizzas! Nice to have a quality pizza spot with friendly customer service near Chinatown, with affordable prices perfect for me to share with someone. And they are fast! They fired up whole fresh pizzas in like 10-15 minutes.

Shane S.

Yelp
Recently went to Bare Knuckle Pizza for dinner. Started w/ an arugula salad. I am a big fan of arugula. The salad was all arugula w/ a nice dressing & vegan parmesan cheese. Would have been nice to have some tomato or other salad greens or veggies to give it a bit more variety. The vegan parmesan cheese added a nice touch. Would recommend this simple yummy salad to pair w/ a pizza. Went w/ the vegan margarita pizza. It was solid. Before I went vegan went to Naples, Italy so have experienced a margarita pizza there. The margarita pizza here is authentic. Love the simplicity of this pizza. Fresh vegan mozzarella cheese from nearby Vegan Butcher's Son in Berkeley really made this pizza great. Loved the fresh basil & fresh tomato sauce. Super fresh pizza. 5 stars for the pizza. Probably the best vegan pizza in the SF Bay Area. Yet 1 star deduction for the atmosphere. Loud over stimulating music near the few seats by the bar. Opted to sit upstairs. It was really loud up there too. No doubt it was crowded & super busy w/ a family w/ a few children. when I went here. The acoustics of the restaurant aren't the best. Having said that come here for the amazing vegan pizza. For a quiet candlelight romantic dinner look elsewhere!

Allyson K.

Yelp
Wow! What a great find for vegan pizza selection! Not only was the staff friendly and accommodating, the pizzas were delicious! Super quick turnaround time from order to plate. Can't wait to eat the leftovers! Tip: inside seating is small and they have a few tables outside which is great for nice weather.

Paul G.

Yelp
We ordered 4 different pizzas this past Saturday--pepperoni, pear Gorgonzola, mushroom truffle, and margarita. The crusts were extremely burned! Although the ingredients were fresh, the entire bottom side of the pizzas were charred and almost inedible. I will add one star because the taste of the pear Gorgonzola was really good. It was also the least burned. I heard comments from people in my party who normally don't have very strong opinions about anything stating how bad the pizza was because of the burned crust.