Oyo

SF East Bay (Pleasanton). First time to try Guyanese food and we liked it! We ordered: * Calypso Ceviche - assorted seafood ceviche which was good but I feel like the portion size was small at $18 * fried green plantains with chimichurri sauce - this was ok at best * Guyanese cook-up rice - this was like a paella with assorted proteins in it and we enjoyed this dish Recommend to try this place out!

The cuisine was succulent. I was transported to the Caribbean instantly. The rum punch pitcher was refreshing and intoxicating. The chicken tacos and beef patties were favorable.

Went with tapas, the beef patties were yummy. Mojito was a with a twist and tasty so was the mango lemonade. Overall the food was great. Our server wasn’t the best, could have been better. Otherwise great food and nice place, outdoor seating has a different vibe with the ceiling fans

The food is was delicious, especially the plantains. Lots of options. Our server was excellent and all the staff were very nice. Liked the decor also.

Friendly staff and great food. Came here during happy hour and the prices are pretty good. Great cocktails

Lively place, delicious food. One star less because the Paella skillet is very tiny and can barely fill two kids. I would rather pay more to get a decent sized dish. The food was served within minutes of ordering, so thats a plus! Drinks were great and quality of food was excellent. FYI, wait times are long to get a table without prior reservation. Highly recommend this place especially to visit on weekend nights.

Oyo nails it with a unique blend of South American tapas and Caribbean flavors. Starting off with their caprinha, which was a perfect kick-off to the meal, to the Trinidad channa that was bursting with flavor, everything was spot on. The highlight, though, was definitely the ripe plantain pancake topped with marshmallow brulee - it was a showstopper. I highly recommend this for anyone exploring tapas and Caribbean food.

Amazing food and ambience. This place is a good mix of Latin and Caribbean food! Middle of Pleasanton downtown and decently priced menu. I would highly recommend this place and will definitely visit again.

We LOVED this restaurant! Stopped here after wedding dress shopping with my daughter across the street. We sat outside on a very hot, summer Saturday around noon. Our experience was pleasant. We enjoyed the brunch menu which is only available on Saturdays & Sundays from 11:30AM TO 2:30PM. Among the dishes we enjoyed were the Jerk Beef Hash, the Oyo Breakfast, Caramelized Ripe Plantains, Jerk Pork Shoulder, and the Paella Oyo. Everything was delicious. Definitely a great pick for authentic Caribbean dining. Service was great. Wait time was just right. Overall an excellent dining experience. We would definitely go back to Oyo Restaurant.

This place seems always busy, finally had a chance to try it. We sat outside in the heat, but you could hear the noise of the inside. I can't imagine having a conversation inside. The pickle appetizer is good at first I tasted a hint of cinnamon which I found odd but then I pulled out some fennel shavings and it made sense. The ox tail stew was good but kind of salty. The pork shoulder dish was tasty! The entrees come out piping hot in this dish so beware on a simmer day.

4.5 Stars! I've been here several times, including most recently, for my birthday. Our most recent visit was on the patio, while the other two visits were inside. Food--Amazing, well-prepared, and decently priced (especially the stew). I'm addicted to the Oxtail Stew, and my SO loves the Rundown Fish. We split Coconut Rice and ordered extra Plaintain, which is yummy. The stew itself is a lot of food; I always have leftovers for another meal. In fact, when my SO was out of town, I ordered takeout and ate the stew for several meals with some homemade vegetables and rice. It's definitely comfort food! My only ask would be a ceviche without octopus and squid for us slightly less adventurous eaters. Drinks--Yummy! They're super solid, well garnished, and a good balance between recognizable drinks and creativity. I also like that the drinks are less than $20+ like other places in Pleasanton. I can come here and have a few, eat good food, and hang out. Service-- Always solid, quick, and efficient. Give great suggestions. Ambiance--The inside is colorful and lively. It is very loud on busy days and could use some sound dampening. I don't like sitting in the area where there are lots of tables close together, but I consider it more of a personal preference. The patio is very nice! I love all the plants and shades.

Great ambiance and friendly service as soon as you enter - it's a very lively area with reggae music and vibrant colorful walls. They only have a single restroom though - and it is unisex - so only 1 for everyone in the restaurant. We went on a Sunday for lunch and were seated immediately. Located in downtown so you'll have to find street or public parking in the area. We ordered the tropical salad, beef patties, and jerk half chicken. Tropical salad (7/10): refreshing taste with plenty of tropical fruits including mango, jackfruit, papaya. The dressing was light and tangy. Good but for the price, small portion. Beef patties (9/10): tapas style. Came super hot and crispy on the outside. Very flavorful filling on the inside with meats, bell peppers, and spices. Would highly recommend as a side snack! Jerk half chicken (6/10): Jerk seasoning was good on the chicken skin, but the biggest downside was the chicken was so dry on the inside! We only ate around the skin areas. Would like to come back and try their paellas and other dishes.

I was in the San Ramon area for work and convinced a friend from the Silicon Valley to come out to say hello. The pressure was on to find the right place to eat since both of us had challenging drives to get to the area. So I spent a good bit of time looking at reviews for various places in the area. Glad I chose Oyo. It's in downtown Pleasanton which means street parking or finding a public lot. Should have allowed myself a bit of time for that, but the mojito washed that slight lateness away quickly! I had the seafood paella and my friend ordered jerk chicken. We were both really glad we agreed to share up front. Both were well flavored for the dish which means alternating between the two was great! The paella had a lot more seafood in it than a lot of places do (have had issues where the rice totally overruns the protein, no problem with that here!). Both were fairly large servings too so my friend had lots of leftovers to take home. But as you see we were having so much fun I forgot to take photos of the meal! The staff (and other patrons) were friendly and we never felt rushed. Had the chance to visit leisurely and didn't feel rushed since the night we were there they were busy but never had people waiting for tables. We opted for indoor dining due to a heat wave but outdoor seating options are usually my fave so maybe next time!

I have no critiques for the place, because everything was great. The jerk chick was easily one of my favorites and the plantains were so good! Everytime we eat dinner in pleasanton this is the place i say first. Service is incredible, and theyre always playing good music, definitely a great date spot or to come with friends

I finally had the opportunity to eat here on my birthday last week. They didn't disappoint.  The space is really vibrant and colorful. Sadly, it's very loud and, at times, a bit hard to hear who you're eating with, but they do have outside seating and make up for it with delicious food. I've seen some reviews claiming portion sizes are small and the food is salty. Not sure if those folks ate at the samerestaurant, but I didn't have that experience, and I'd suggest you try it yourself. I almost didn't because of those reviews. I'm glad I listened to my gut.  Service was impeccable. We had two servers, both of whom were extremely attentive, filled our water (when we asked), and made solid recommendations. We had: Half Jerk Chicken with Coconut Rice--the tender portion was huge. We ended up taking some home. The jerk was spicy but not overdone, and the rice had a mild coconut flavor that helped offset the spice. It had a Mayo-type dip that came with it, and all in all, it was a great dish.  Ceviche - I wish this had more spice. It was to include habanero, but I just didn't get any of that. It was tasty, though, and served with fried, salty plantain chips. It was small, but I'm glad, given the richness of the main dishes.  Oxtail Stew--this was the recommendation of the server. It was meaty, tender, juicy, and fantastically fabulous. It was delicious. There was just so much flavor and roughly four large ox tails. This was the perfect birthday dish. Thanks to the server for this recommendation!  There is plenty of parking, both on the street and in free lots. This place is located in downtown Pleasanton, with tons of cute shops. There is an ice cream polar and a Boba tea located within 100 feet of the door if you are looking for an after-dinner snack. Remember to eat locally and support our small Bay Area businesses!l

I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed dinner here. To be fair, the last time I had food from Oyo was during the pandemic. We had gotten it to go, and I think they were just staring up the restaurant. I wasn't impressed then. I sure was impressed this time! Had dinner here with friends. Hers what we got: - Jerk Pork shoulder. Very flavorful, love th sauce. The caramelized plantains were really delicious. I thought the pork was a tad dry, had my leftovers the next day, and they were much better. - Habanero BBQ ribs were tender with a nice sauce. They were a little spicy but not overly so. - the black beans and rice were good, well seasoned - the seafood paella was also delicious Service was good, and so nice sitting on the outdoor front patio. Umbrellas were great to keep the sun off us. Very enjoyable atmosphere.

Delicious food, great ambiance and excellent service! So glad we tried this place. Lots of tasty vegan choices. We ordered the tofu eggs, vegan paella, fritters and hashbrowns. Everything was tasty. My favorite are the fritters. It came with tamarind and mango sauces. Also ordered POG juice. Orange juice was freshly squeezed. Service was awesome. Our server checked on us and made sure our we have everything we need. There's outside and inside seating. We elected to seat inside. I'm not fond of waiting so I always make reservations. Reservations were made via yelp and it went smoothly. Street parking and a couple of parking lots nearby. I highly recommend this place.

Great ambiance albeit it's true when other say it's loud. I could barely hear the server. Smaller than expected inside so your butt may end up on someone's table as you pass by. Outside isn't too bad, I may prefer it next time. Paella was not skimping on seafood, the paella negro is indeed a pasta so make sure you tell them you want rice instead. It's spicy too! Of the patty sampler special, only the chicken one was good, the veggie was all right and the beef super fry. The sauces on the plate were critical too, especially the green one! Oxtail: B, sweeter than I prefer and less meat on the oxtails, need to order a carb Paella negro: A-, spicy! Be sure to ask for rice as it's normally a type of pasta, good amount of seafood too Mac and cheese: B, has a tomato-y flavor and overcooked but maybe that's the way it's supposed to be, I think it's the only option for kids Skillet bread: B, only $4 but it's huge so I'll forgive the fact that the crust is super chewy and nearly inedible, inside is light and fluffy like white bread

Delicious food and unique culinary experience! Although the jerk Caribbean looked great, we went with the more Guyanese specific foods. They did not disappoint. Guyanese cookup rice Paella Oyo regular Oxtail stew Service was really good. We arrived around 12:40 on a Saturday. The server brought drinks and asked if we were ready to order (we were not, though they were very attentive and prompt). Ambiance: had a light and relaxed vibe. There is one unisex bathroom and the music plays in there -- with an excellent sound system! A family member I was with (who wasn't familiar with 90s R&B) complimented the music and that was her introduction to the genre (it was "Killing Me Softly").

What a lovely spot in Pleasanton! I was impressed by how attentive the staff was and how quickly they brought us our food. We ordered a lot, but it all came out pretty quickly! The staff overall was amazing and really made the experience great since they actually took care of us. The tostones were amazing! They were crunchy and they provided us with a good amount. The grilled shrimp was very buttery and paired well with the bread roll. The Paella Oyo had a lot of veggies, chicken, and sausage. I'm not a huge fan of sausage, but everything else inside mixed well and satisfied the crunchy rice craving. We ordered a whole jerk chicken, and we were surprised to see it lit with this huge flame! Definitely got a lot of stares from that, but it was funny to have. They served it to us on a cutting board with a couple of knives, which helped to cut through some bone. The chicken is a spicy and extremely flavorful! It wasn't dry. I didn't get a picture of it, but they overheard us talking about celebrating my friend's birthday, confirmed who was celebrating, and delivered a free breading pudding dessert with a candle while singing happy birthday!

Loved the food and flavors. The drinks bright and beautiful. Loved the colorful ambiance and vibrant chatter. Service was attentive but slightly difficult to understand. Also the 20% tip was added when the bill was served . Will come again and recommend to friends and family!

Came by on a rainy Saturday night. We had a reservation but it did take them about 15 minutes to seat us. We had the Street Food Doubles ($13, good), a basket of Pholourie ($17 , okay) the jerk tofu ($18 , nice texture and flavor), the Trinidadian channa ($14 , great) and the vegan paella ($27 , the highlight and a must-try). We did have an issue with one of our dishes, but our server did try to make it right and the owner came out and spoke with us as well. Despite that issue, we generally enjoyed the food and were impressed with the number of vegan options available.

Great ambiance, friendly service, and great location. Some of us have not tried this Carribean style cuisine before, and some of us have little experience with it. We had a large group for a birthday so we dined here on a Sunday lunch. The food here were just not our cup of tea. I'd say half of us felt this way, while the other half enjoyed it. We tried a variety of food including paella, jerk chicken, goat curry, ceviche, tacos, etc. The paella was not that great to be honest. We couldn't finish the squid ink one, it had an odd taste to it and the noodles texture just didn't go with the flavors. The tacos looked massive, but most were left unfinished. The ceviche was alright. The best part of the meal in my opinion would have to be either the fried or grilled plantains. They were delicious! Wished we got more of that. The beef patties tasted good, and one of the bread we got had a strong Indian flavor taste. The tamarind curry I heard just didn't go well (tamarind + curry). The flavors seemed like a mix of Carribean, Indian, etc influence. We got variety of drinks from cocktails to non-alcoholic. I opted for cappuccino which was just OK. The foam looked deflated, so it was probably sitting out for awhile. The jerk chicken tasted very burnt and dry, confused if this is the style of cooking they were going for. Overall it was an experience to try different flavors.

Visited here with a group of coworkers on a Thursday. Parking in the area can be pretty busy, obviously not the restaurants fault it's a downtown thing, but just be aware if you're meeting a group you may wanna arrive earlier to account for time finding a parking spot. It wasn't very busy since we arrived around 1PM. They had tables that were big enough to accommodate our group of about 10 people. They even have outdoor seating. Ambiance is decorated very fitting for the restaurant theme, and has a large bar seating area too. Service was good, it was not the greatest I've ever received at a restaurant. They were pretty slow about taking our drink orders, and taking our food orders. Once they finally took our food order, the food came out pretty quick for such a large group. All the food also came out together for the most part. They did mix up my order: I ordered the Jerk Pork Shoulder and they brought me a Pulled Jerk Chicken Sandwich. They still made my original order which took some more time, but they told me to keep the sandwich free of charge for the mix up which was very kind of them. They only came around to fill water cups once outside of when they originally gave them to us. I didn't know they give a military discount, which they gave our group on the total bill. Food: Food presentation was pretty, flavors amazing. Every person in my group ordered something different and they were pleased. The only dish that was ordered that was so-so to everyone was the Baked Mac and Cheese. All in all, I might visit here again during a happy hour or dinner rush to see if I have a different experience and to try some more menu items.

Leaving another review, because I tried some different dishes than before. OXTAIL STEW!!!! Incredible! The meat was so tender, tasted like it was simmering for HOURS. CALYPSO CEVICHE -- so good! I've never tried a ceviche with green beans and ginger .. 100% recommend Also, I got the Street Food Doubles w/ Jerk Chicken, Paella Oyo, and Sweet Plantains (my typical order). You know it's good when I keep coming back for them. First time coming here on a Friday evening -- it was super poppin! Every single table was filled but they were great to accommodate us without a reservation. A pretty lively place with a lot of personality and culture. Stop by and check them out!

OYO!! I promise you that I love food, and Oyo is one of the best I've ever had. The meal my boyfriend and I had was probably the one I would love to have for the first time all over again. Everything was flavorful and well thought out. The street food doubles was a recommendation from our server. The bread was almost like pita bread but very airy. It had an almost Indian flavor to me as well from the chickpeas on it. The octopus salad was smoky from it being grilled and also very fresh from the dressing. The oxtail stew was the star of the show. It was so good, and I couldn't get enough of it. We ordered a side of rice to have the yummy sauce with it. Worth every penny!

Great indoor decor. Super fast / efficient service! And delicious food! The kitchen was so fast our food came out before our drinks lol. Ordered many things but the these stood out: 1. jerk pork - much more moist than jerk chicken 9/10 2. Jerk chicken - a staple! But a bit dry. The rub is very nice though! Maybe ask for chimichurri sauce on the side. 7/10 3. Grilled octopus - 8/10. Yummy with nice char 4. seafood paella - 9/10 - delicious and lots of seafood pieces!! 5. Beef patty - 10/10 - better than the chicken patty 6. Plantains - sweet and crispy - both 9/10 7. Roti came with goat curry sauce SO GOOD. Need to try the goat curry next!!! Wine is cheap. Cocktails are pretty but a bit sweet. Busy in downtown Pleasanton but look for side street parking. Reservations accepted. All in all a great meal. Will definitely be back!

Service was very good. The restaurant played great music but it was pretty loud which made it hard to hear the people at your table. Beef patties were a 10/10. Paella was a 5/10. It lacked flavor. Goat curry was a 7.5/10. It was good flavor but wasn't anything to write home about. Plus, if you ask for the rotti, they charge $3 more and they don't include the original rice. Doesn't make much sense to me.

Food was pretty good but the sides portions were quite small. Typical of tapas but the ceviche was honestly pretty tiny, almost two bites. The Grilled Octopus salad was prepared very nicely, not chewy, and pretty soft. The flavors were great. The Paella Oyo was the one thing we looked forward to trying. It had really nice flavor and the portion was perfect for two people. The bread pudding with the coconut ice cream was the perfect end to the meal. We also ordered two glasses of red wine, a Cabernet from Argentina which I thought was okay, and the Malbec as well which we liked a little more. Each hefty glass was $12, pretty worth it.

Loving the vive here at Oyo. Love the decor, very much so like the restaurant in Southern America from what I could recall when I visited there. Staff are friendly but service was a bit slow when we visited. Food is delicious. I highly recommend the Paella and the Island salmon. The sauce is delicious. It has coconut milk in it and it perfectly suits the dish. Cooked perfectly as well and the paella is delicious. They were generous with the seafood. And of course we have to try their banana pudding topped with coconut ice cream. It was yummy and presentation is beautiful. It was a great lunch and it was our first visit. We will go again. Check it out.

There are a bunch of different items on the menu that it was so hard for us to choose. We ended up going with ceviche, bread, oxtail stew and seafood paella. Everything was absolutely delicious! The oxtail was so soft and easy to eat, the paella was so flavorful and had a good amount of seafood in it. The ceviche was fresh and the bread we got looked huge but wasn't overly filling-- it also came with really creamy and light butter. Service was great and they checked on us frequently to make sure everything was okay and our waters were always filled. Would definitely come back to try more items on the menu!

Look no further if you want some bombtastic Caribbean-Latin food with a bohemian feel-good vibe. You seriously can't be in a bad mood coming here! You will be impressed with the great variety of spices in the food, along with the vibrant decor and the overwhelmingly extensive menu. Staff was attentive and made sure you are enjoying your food. Tapas are a great way to start off if you are unsure what to order. It's mainly what they are known for. But their oxtail stew was a hit. It was quite hearty and saucy. It had a good quantity of braised meat, which definitely ht the spot. I would love for it to come with rice. The jerk chicken was flavorful, and this place knows how to use its spices. You won't feel guilty eating it. The fried plantains were a nice addition to the dish as well! Portions were generous, so it was definitely worth your money! I would love to try their Paella the next time I come here. It's great to experiment trying new ethnic cuisines :-)

This spot is fire the food is great drinks are excellent. Curry goat and Dahlpuri with some coconut rice and that is just on my first trip definitely a 10.

Still. So. Good Oxtail stew 5* Jerk pork shoulder 4.5* Octopus salad 4.5* Oyo paella 5* Service was friendly and attentive. Cocktails are creative and tasty. Inside is fun but noisy. Patio is better for conversation but can be hot on sunny days.

Been here twice now, and will be going out of my way to come again next time I'm in town! Incredible flavor combos and lots of variety - perfect for sharing with a date or a group (note, max credit card split is 4 per group). Large indoor dining area and al fresco options on the sidewalk. Add to your to-try list!

In the heart of downtown Pleasanton we were delighted to discover Caribbean tapas. The restaurant was hopping when we arrived for our dinner reservation. The decor was lush and colorful and the music added to the lively atmosphere. We were seated quickly and housemade pickles were placed on the table. They were so good that we asked for seconds. We ordered the habanero ribs, oxtail, Oyo paella, street food doubles. Everything was so good. The ribs were juicy and had a nice kick. The paella was delicious. The street doubles is definitely worth trying. Indescribable! The oxtail stew was rich and flavorful but we found it a hard dish to share. The sauce was amazing so we ordered the cast iron bread to soak up the goodness. We left very satisfied. Street parking may be a challenge but you can enjoy a pleasant walk in downtown

We ordered several dishes off of the menu and everything was extremely salty... I felt the food was nearly inedible and needed a lot of rice and sides to balance it out. I do love my food salted but to taste more than salt... I was quite disappointed after seeing all the reviews, but perhaps Oyo is simply not my cup of tea.

I came on a friday night and this restaurant was very lively, can get pretty loud. I noticed a lot of people come here for their birthday, I probably heard them sing Happy Birthday at least 5x times when I came. What I tried: -Octopus -Seafood Paella -Oxtail -Bread -Margarita Food: I didn't think anything was extraordinary, it was all good though. The drinks were ok, but they do have a large selection on alcohol. They had great service, but everything can get pretty pricey. I think there are other Caribbean restaurants in the Bay Area that do better at a better price point. It is good to try! Overall, I would probably recommend for a night out for drinks, and maybe some shareables with a group of people.

Went here today for lunch. The food was all delicious. We had to tostones starter special. Then shared the tapas pepper pot, Chana and the vegan paella. It was all so good: I can't pick a favorite. Service was also excellent. They saw we were sitting at the table, but no longer eating (it was so much food for two people) and proactively offered to go boxes.

Our family had a great time here! Oyo is located right in downtown Pleasanton and the ambiance/interior is gorgeous. Parking can be found close by near Inklings as well. All the appetizers we ordered were delicious and my favorite were the plantains. We didn't have much experience with this type of cuisine and were pretty excited to try it out. I would say it's a little salty for my personal taste but I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to try out Caribbean food. Lastly, the staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. Would love to visit again!

I cannot express how much I love this place. This place exudes a positive vibes as soon as you walk in. All the staff I've interacted with here are wonderful. Also kudos to the owner. I've seen him in the kitchen cookin' up some delicious food to working the front of the house bussing tables. To me, that shows me that he truly loves his restaurant and cares that things, on all levels, are done well. My most recent visit was a little special because they started doing dinner experiences with local wineries (check out their social media because looks like they're going to continue doing this). The fixed menu was delicious and followed a theme throughout the meal. I will give a critique on my main dish - because the pastelle (tamale) was pretty big, some of the masa was dry.

My family had dinner at Oyo last weekend. I was very appreciative that we were able to move our reservation back by 30 min on the day of without any issues since the restaurant was fully packed! As for the food, we sampled a variety of dishes, including the bread with butter, Oyo pepper pot, grilled octopus salad, salmon, oxtail stew, pork ribs and seafood paella. Everyone seemed delighted with their food, but the best dish was the oxtail! It was smothered in a delicious sauce!!! In general, the food was very good, but there were a few hiccups...the bread was unfortunately dry. While the flavor of the paella was spot on, it lacked the socarrat, which is the best part of paella. Also, my sister specifically asked the server if the octopus was spicy and she told us no. Yet when my nephew tried the octopus, he immediately complained that it was spicy. Thus, they had to remake it for us. The beverages (cocktails and nonalcoholic drinks) were tasty though. Overall, it was a fun dining experience! Great place for kids or a date night with solid Caribbean food and drinks!

Three of us tried Oyo for lunch yesterday and we were all extremely happy with the choice. The interior has a bright cheerful decor that's appealing, but it seemed a bit over-air-conditioned so we sat outside, which was perfect. Service was great. And as for the food: Caribbean Caesar Salad with jerk salmon: A+ Vegan Paella: A+ Oxtail Stew: A+ Red wine blackberry ice cream: A+ Pine Tart: A+ Cafe con leche: A+ We will be back!

This a more chill laid back ambiance compared to other restaurants you'll find in Pleasanton. We had a reservation and was early. They let us sit by the bar. Espresso martinis are my go-to drink but I would rate theirs a 4/5 as it was on the sweeter side and more watered down but it was a good drink. We got seated and had the paella oyo and the oxtail stew. Both were to die for, huge portions. The couple next to us, it was their first time and kept looking over because the food just looked so good! We ended up having an entire conversation about what they should get! The service and waiters were really kind. Floors were a bit slippery but everything else was lovely! It can be a bit cramped but once again, more laid back ambiance.

Copy and pasted from their website: "Oyo cooking philosophy began with the phrase "muxalace" meaning "let's lace this pot up with a little bit of everything." Her credo embodies the diverse heritage of Guyanese cuisine with its eclectic mix of flavors emanating from the ancestral homelands of the Guyanese people." Quality/Quantity - Homemade Pickled Palette Cleanser - Good, but did not try the slices of pickled ginger. Caribbean Tacos, Chicken Tacos - Huge, good value for $15. Good flavors. A small spicy kick. Paella Del Negra, Seafood Paella - Confirmed that this did NOT have fish. But the chef added sea bass to our order. Good thing I discovered it before my allergic guest tried it. The waitresses also suggested trying it with their signature Fideo Pasta. I should have stuck with the traditional rice. Overall the dish was still good, and had a small spicy kick to it. I am not a very big squid ink fan, but still wanted to try their version of paella. Small wine selection, full bar, draft beer, etc. Atmosphere - Small local restaurant. Cool decor, including bathroom decor; see pictures. Indoor/outdoor seating. Open 7 days a week from 11:30am or noon to 8 or 9pm. See Yelp for specific hours. Street parking. Service - Good, they offered to give us another paella without fish as per the menu but we had reservations at Wente and did not want to be late. Plus we were both full already. Price - $43 + tip. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success and happy 4th anniversary. Look forward to visiting more often.

I've been here a few times & it does not disappoint. I always sit at the bar for a more casual experience but I'm sure having reservations the custom service would be just as good. ----- First time trying the oxtail dish & although a little spicy it was really good. It comes out like a soup which is different for me but I ordered rice on the side & now it's one of my favorite dishes

A very festive and nice date or hang out spot with friends. Was in Pleasanton for the day on Saturday and came to Oyo as a group of three without a reservation. They were able to seat us immediately at 7pm, but there were only high rise or outdoor seating available which worked for us. This spot is a great South American food spot, but definitely on the more expensive side as all entrees were $27+ for the most part. That being said, my group ordered 3 tapas and 1 entree to share. This spot is very vegan friendly as we ordered all vegan dishes as well. Order rundown: - Caramelized Ripe Plantains (5/5): perfectly caramelized with a slight crisp and melt in your mouth taste. - Vegan Paella (4/5): really yummy for vegan paella! Veggies all blended with the rice and meshed together to have a very rich and vivid taste. - Challah (3.5/5): good overall, but nothing super standout - Pholourie (5/5): crispy and flavorful! Reminded me of falafel. Just make sure to eat when hot or it'll get more soggy fast. I would give these spot 5 stars, but since our group wasn't super hungry, it felt like our waiter was pressuring us a bit to order more entrees, which my group didn't enjoy. Overall, our experience was good though

Loved the place, drinks, ambience and the food. The jerk sauce dishes were delicious. The chickpeas based seafood doubles had a thick bread topped with chikpeas, sauces , choice of meat and cucumber which provided a perfect blend and tasted great. Tacos with pulled chicken tasted great as well. My fav was sizzler jerk shrimp, but wish the quantity was better.

My family wanted to try Oyo for a while now, so we decided to give it a try. I love paella so I knew we had to try that along with the ceviche. We had asked if the portions were good enough for two people and the waiter had said yes. If you have a big appetite when coming to Oyo, double up! The paella was delicious and it did not take them that long to make. We finished the paella fairly quickly (I'm not the quickest eater for context) and knew we had to order another tapa. We ordered the channa (chickpea appetizer) and it was great. That was probably the largest portioned plate we had ordered. Overall, the food was tasty and the restaurant set up was great! It may be a little pricey for their portions, but other than that well worth trying.

We made reservation Sunday at 7:00pm. We were almost late 15 mins, but we made it with minutes to spare. It wasn't too busy. At first we were seated outside on the sidewalk, but then we asked to be seated closer to the restaurant but still outdoors. It was a cold night. Loved the complimentary pickles. We asked for seconds. All the food was good. We ordered the Tropical Salad, Oxtail Stew, jerk pork shoulder, and paella del Negra. The paella was different since it had noodles instead of rice. Some noodles were crispy. It tasted a bit spicy. Almost all the main dishes had a lot of carbs like rice/noodle and plantains. Would be better if there's more proteins. Service was fast and attentive.

Overall great customer service main courses that we ordered were cooked to perfection and that the waitress that we had took care of during the time we were there. Saw one of my boys with his wife and they said they were regulars at this establishment this is a compliment due to all of us driving a distance. This establishment seems to be customer oriented thumbs to them and their staff.

This is my 2nd time dining in at Oyo. The ambiance is unmatched as the art showcases the true deep rooted Caribbean culture, telling a story about the owner's family which I loved. It's cozy in a sense that it welcomes you into someone's home. The seating arrangements were not my favorite, which I removed 1 star from. We were positioned in a tight space in between two either small tables, making it hard for us and fellow staff members to serve us our meals--lacking efficiency for them attending to our need. Otherwise, they tried their best and always checked on us. I just felt bad for how tiny it was! The food is always a 10/10 my favorite is usually Paella but my friend doesn't like seafood. We opted for the Tropical Salad, Chana, & street food doubles. Everything was amazing and I can't complain.

Came by with some friends who live in the area for a meet-up dinner. Still don't know what they're really trying to do here as I think I saw "South American" fare on their menu. Kinda of a large geographic area to pull a cuisine from, wouldn't ya say. I mean there's Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay just to name a few. And all mentioned are different enough from each other, so what are they trying to do here? Not hating, just confused. Sit-down service as this strip does little casual fare. Ya sign up for the bougie suburban segment if you set up shop on this street. I mean I've had legit Jerk Chicken and stewed Oxtails before many a times, but it was more into the hoods of Oakland, East Palo Alto. Sizzling Jerk Shrimp ($19/3.5*) Came in a small cast iron pan with about 5 medium shrimps completely submerged in a tasty garlic-oil flavored aggressively with spices which I was assuming was 'jerk' spice. Great flavor but a ton of oil, like they easily coulda put several more shrimps in there for that much oil. Shrimps a bit overcooked but not horrible, just not super plump anymore. And it came with this huge ball of some bread with a hard crust. I tried it but it was pretty dry and hard and with some soft bread already on the table, I just couldn't exercise this. Oyo Pepper Pot ($18/3*) My friend ordered this for the table and by the name I didn't know what to expect. What came was basically a braised boneless short-rib in appetizer form. A small mound of super tender shortribs to the point where is was more shreddable than sliceable. I prefer the latter as I like texture in protein and produce, I still have all my teeth so I don't mind using them on the daily. Talk to me when I'm 85 and I may change my stance. But this was cooked in a heavily spiced sauce that was kinda sweet. Reminded me bbq sauce minus the smoke. Didn't love this but I took a few bites onto some bread. Seafood Paella ($34/4*) This wasn't my dish but I took a bite and felt this was the best thing we ordered. Actually came in a paella pan and the rice was actually legit. Cooked well and they actually used a shorter grain rice which is legit for Spain. Not sure how South Americans do it, so once again not entirely sure. Paella del Negra ($36/2.5*) Another friend ordered this and of course I took a stab at this as well. Except this was a big time curve ball. I usually love 'black' paellas tinted with squid ink but this wasn't even a paella at all. Ffirst off they use 'Fideo' pasta instead of rice, that threw me big time. Fideo is like broken up vermicelli noodles so upon arrival it looks like basmati rice (long grain). Now I would've liked it just fine if it were executed properly but the dish was definitely on the salty side. My friend didn't even want to pack most of the leftovers home, so I took it as I don't like to waste food. I mixed it in with freshly cooked basmati rice as home and it proved to be better mixed in with something more neutral as to stretch out all that saltiness. But to eat it on its own, was a fail in my book. Jerk Chicken ($22/3*) I'm a huge jerk bbq fan that if I see a place offer it, I'm gonna get it on the first visit. Not sure what they were going for here, but Carribean Jerk is heavily marinated meats, slow cooked over wood without any glaze or sauce lacquered on top. Here it was a generous half chicken so for the price, huge bang as I took most of it home. But the outside of the chicken was heavily rubbed with spices and not sure if it were roasted or grilled over flame but the whole exterior was blackened from all the spices being roasted to blackness. Some parts were more burn't flavored but if you ate a piece of that crazy spiced skin with a good chunk of meat then it countered pretty well. Now if you just got a piece of the exterior then it would be much too salty and charred for my taste. I actually would have gave it a better rating but the breast meat was pretty darn dry. Just unlike any jerk chicken I've ever had, so again left me a tad confused. The accompanying fried plantains were good tho, the only thing that didn't make a to-go box. Dark and Stormy ($14/1*) I usually like these when I go to a Carribean themed resto/bar. Dark rum, lime juice and ginger beer, usually a festive winner. But here, this may have been the most awkward version I've had yet. First it was sweeter than it had to be, so I was already struggling with the sips. Then they put some sugary marinated fruit inside as a garnish and it just made everything taste artificial like I was drinking air freshner infused liquor. So gross. I usually can have at least 2 drinks with a long dinner, but here I was scurred to go on any further. Service was fast and the place was lively. Obviously this area is fond of the place. I'm a little more jaded and baffled. And that's okay can't win em all.

You guys... the food here is so good. We had apps, drinks and entrees. The plantains were to die for, and they brought us our coke with a a slice of lime. So cute. The servers were all friendly and nice, the jerk chicken was huge by the way, so stunning. I recommend the dumplings and ox tail all the way. Super authentic. Loved it I would def come back to sit and have a drink at the bar, it seems like it would get lively on a weekend.

Their food is excellent, and the chef is really kind and humble. The ambience is really nice, you can sit inside or outside and the music is lovely!

Still loving this place, had a craving for their seafood paella and they delivered with the always fresh seafood. I also tried their baby back ribs, 5 stars fall off the bone delicious and tender. Also I discovered their house hot sauce, super spicy and refreshing so good with the paella and ribs. Also ordered their curry goat 4 stars, tender and delicious. Love this place and will try to frequent.

This is a great tapas spot right in the downtown of Pleasanton. They have a nice patio with a heater to keep it warm during the colder evenings. The staff are very friendly and quick to bring out orders. I absolutely loved the Sizzling Jerk Shrimp. The oil it's cooked in is just delightful. Between it and the Oyo pepper pot we ordered some extra bread just to enjoy some more of it. Only slight drag is they are quite popular but only had one restroom. But the food is amazing

I came with a group of 5 on a Saturday - would definitely recommend making reservations as we had reservations for right when they opened and the place got busy pretty quickly! I shared the paella del negra with my friend and while the portions looked a bit small when the dish came, we almost couldn't finish it. Perfect for two people to share and filled with mussels, shrimp, and other seafood. There was a small issue with my fiance's dish - but our server was beyond helpful in getting it resolved. Between the fresh squeezed OJ and other flavors like guava and mango for mimosas, would definitely recommend Oyo if you're looking for a fun/more unique brunch spot than your typical diner food!