Rio California

This place is so underrated and family owned. Got their jerk chicken and jerk burrito. YUM!! It’s Brazilian jerk chicken, mild spice but so JUICY. They pour the juice onto the rice too and it’s perfection. Salad dressing is yummy as well. Cute and spacious patio. Highly recommend!!

Kind owner and staff, beautiful, quiet location close to downtown, fresh and delicious food! Rio has been a consistently excellent lunch place for years. The owner oversees everything and really cares for his customers and the quality of this food. Patio seating at Rio on a sunny Oakland day can't be beat.

It was a cute place to eat surrounded by palm trees and beautiful Victorian homes. It did not feel like we were in the city. The food was fresh and tasty. They only had few items on the menu. I had the fish tacos and my coworkers had burritos, salad and crockets. My fish tacos were ok, I didn't like the cold beans they put in the tacos. But the Salas dressing was so good.

This was the second and last time I’ve eaten here. We’ve come with a large group of friends and the gentleman at the front desk got upset because we’ve ordered lemonade with light ice! He made a huge deal about it, telling all the following customers that ‘the lemonade was over because those girls didn’t want ice’. If I go to a restaurant and I’m not able to eat or drink what I’m paying for, and also getting mocked because of it, then there’s no point in coming back. Both my friend and I felt very very humiliated! Also, the portions were downsized compared to the previous time! Probably because we said we were sharing the plate. Anyway, very shifty attitude. Do not recommend this restaurant.

I was there for a special event, 1st Fridays of the Bay Area, had an Reunion White Party. It was such an amazing event. It was a beautiful set up, the area is so well maintained. This is a wonderful venue for private parties, weddings etc

Beautiful place and great food. Big portions and super fresh salads. Everything is good here. Friendly owner.

Amazing food. I had jerk chicken and it’s totally out of the world! The spice level was spot on. A very healthy delicious meal 🤤 I will definitely come again and again!

Food is authentic and absolutely delicious. Ney, the owner offers suggestions to suit your palette for the day. He knows sauces and spices, and how one can either sweeten or acidify the dish. Feijoada is my husband's go to, served only Wednesday and Thursday. You can't go wrong with any chicken entree or the fish tacos. I especially like the salad and can eat it every day.

This is one of our go to spots whenever we have people visiting from out of town. They didn't have my favorite on the menu today so got the fish tacos. They were okay. Fish was excellent quality but needed some sauce or something. We sat in the little room towards the front of the building which was nice and sunny. This restaurant is located in a historic Victorian house. The owner (?) sometimes gets a bad rap but he's always been nice to us.

Great jerk chicken and fish tacos. True Brazilian food make sure to try their signature drink there Guarana the Brazilian original.

The jerk chicken at Rio California is easily one of my top 5 chicken dishes, of any style or type, of all time. The spiciness and flavor and tenderness of the jerk chicken is perfect. The owner is always so friendly and helpful. I tend to get four or five chicken dishes at a time and then my wife and I eat them for several days in a row. I love how the restaurant is quaintly situated in the cute Preservation Park. A delightful experience every time!

Great service and food. Enjoying the hidden romantic location and the warmth environment. Upon entering, you will always received a tenderness greeting. Favorite dish is the Creamy Chipotle Mole Shrimp. Mixing the chipotle sauce with white steamed rice. The side of salad comes with cilantro dressing. It is so delicious.

Delicious food- jerk chicken was great. Good portion sizes and well priced. Overlooking garden in Preservation park.

I can't get enough of this place bc of the food & the owner, Nathan who has a true passion of serving great food. I always come for the Jerk Chicken, consistently moist & infused with herbs. The next dish was Coxinha(not pictured)which is a popular Brazilian street food & I can see why. The light & crispy croquette filled with chicken meat was perfectly fried & had enough moistness inside that one can only beg for more. Although 3 Coxinha's come on the plate, don't be deceived at how filling it can make you. What I also appreciate is the generous amount of salad that is included, with only the freshest of ingredients. The last dish we ordered was the Creamy Lemon Seafood Risotto. The only thing I wish for is for them to be closer to my home.

Super high quality Brazilian food, definitely give this place a try! Food came in huge portions and dishes were so flavorful! Atmosphere was super cozy and nice, with lots of seating. Workers were also so friendly and kind. If you're in the bay, I highly recommend trying this out!

Rio California never fails! With a packed house and only the owner taking orders and serving plates...the food remains AMAZING. It remained flavorful with big portions. Must try the Jerk Chicken Plate.

My partner and I have been wanting to go to Rio for a long time and I am so happy we finally went. He found it tucked away in a handsome building in Oakland's Preservation Park and was dying to go because he has a fascination with places that are somewhat tucked away. While it looks small, the restaurant had nice indoor and outdoor seating. The food was absolutely delicious and filling. He had the feijoada and cleaned his (substantial) plate, saying the black beans were cooked to perfection and the combination of collard greens and yucca flour really made for a unique and delicious dish. I had the jerk chicken burrito, which was very good (albeit huge). The chicken was moist and the salsa was a really flavorful complement to the burrito. There is table service after ordering at the counter. I suspect the cashier was the owner, as he had extensive knowledge of all the dishes and offered up a few Brazilian cultural tidbits. He was very nice and accommodating to my request to hold the pico de gallo due to a food allergy. I highly recommend this spot if you can make it during the time it is open. While the menu is chicken heavy, there are fish and veggie options.

If you're looking for a little adventure for lunch, try this place out. It's located in Preservation Park, a beautiful and unique setting in Downtown Oakland. The food is tropical with a Brazilian accent. I ordered the Feijoada, a Brazilian stew of sausage, pork and black beans. The first picture is how it arrived at our table, then I was told told mix everything up on the plate. When I did, the dish came to life and it was delicious! I will definitely order this again. She got the fish tacos but although there was a nice piece of fish on each taco, they weren't very well seasoned. She did love the salad, especially the dressing. We'll be back!

Good fresh food Good service - wanted to update that the host is pretty welcoming. And an A class Ambiance

Food was delicious. We ordered the tilapia, jerk chicken, pasta and coxinha. Coxinha had a crispy outer layer yet soft layers. The filling was amazing. The Jerk chicken had an amazing crust with plenty of flavoring . Authentic Brazilian food located in a cute park with amazing views. Would recommend bringing friends over for a nice lunch (only open for lunch time). Say hi to the owner Ney he's super nice!

Excellent food, always fresh, menu provides something for everyone. plentiful servings, friendly courteous staff and owner. Outdoor seating on a warm sunny deck can't be beaten for a relaxing lunch.

Tldr; EAT HERE. Rio CA is one of those places that I always leave thinking, why do I eat anywhere else? The food is so delicious and the service is so sweet. It's been over two years since I've last been able to make my way over and it's the same great quality. The owner kindly took our order and brought out our food after a short wait. My friend and I ordered a few things to split (coxinhas, feijoada, and jerk chicken), two of which I've never had before (the former). Usually I've never been in on the days they've had feijoada, so I was super pleased to grab some on a Friday. Every part of the meal was heavenly. The salad/dressing are perfection. I'm one of those people who don't like salad--I make my mom proud. The owner heard me raving about the salad and brought me extra salad and dressing, which was so sweet. The jerk chicken was great (as always) and the feijoada was really enjoyable to eat. The owner provided us a little bit of a primer of the dish and brought us some delicious hot sauce. I enjoyed every component of the dish together. THE TEXTURES! The coxinhas came out last and were also amazing. Crispy and well-seasoned. I topped mine with hot sauce and was on cloud 9. This meal gave me life and I'm so happy we stopped by. I will definitely not be waiting another 2 years before returning

Need a relaxing getaway lunch Rio California is tucked away in the heart of Oakland and you can dine outdoor without interruption from foot and vehicle traffics Food is excellent, the fish taco is lightly charred and fresh, the salad was very refreshing Service is great Hate to return to work after lunch

Great for lunch! Wish they were open later but when I'm in the area I love to get their jerk chicken, rice, and salad! Perfectly seasoned and they are always super nice.

So, if you want atmosphere, you should visit this charming Brazilian restaurant which is nestled in the middle of Preservation Park's Victorian neighborhood. In these two blocks are 16 turn-of-the-century buildings that have been renovated with their facades restored and set among manicured lawns. I sampled most of the menu. Standout dishes for me were the Moqueca de Peixe (fish & seafood stew), the Pao de Queijo (Brazilian cheese bread), and the beef and spinach empanadas.

Had lunch here, party of 6, on a Friday afternoon. They have very few tables outside, but the owner was very kind, and set up a spare table and chairs to accommodate us. The location is in a cute little place called Preservation Park. I think the Victorians there were saved from elsewhere, and placed here to showcase them. First off, all the plates were huge - you will have enough for several meals. We had the following: - 3 Coxinhas (chicken croquettes) plate with Salad. Never had these before. They were nice and crunchy, and splitting 3 amongst the 6 of us was plenty. Nice, flavorful chicken. The salad (spring salad mix) was great with the dressing (Green Goddess-like?). - Jerk Chicken plate. Chicken had a good taste, may have been slightly stringy. -Feijoada plate. Also new to us diners. Considered in our group to be tastier than the chicken above. Flavorful sausages and meat. - Grilled tilapia. Didn't get a taste, but the diner said it was great, nice texture. - Jerk Chicken Burrito. Lots of chicken, lots of rice too. (Carb aware people should note that there's a lot of rice in there.) This was a pleasant lunch, and would recommend it to people who haven't had Brazilian food before.

The best Jerk Chicken I've had. Ambience is that of a little oasis, connected to the Dellums Federal building and 12th St City Center via a pedestrian parkways. It's in the historical park area, not obviously a place you'd expect to encounter a boutique restaurant...you need to know it's there. Go find it. It's great.

Great little gem in downtown! I've lived and worked in Oakland for years and only recently discovered this little shop and I love it. It's located inside the preservation park and does not really look like a restaurant, that may be why I even give them additional bonus points. We ordered the jerk chicken, sea food risotto, and fish tacos. I actually loved all 3 dishes. Jerk chicken had a great kick, loved the side salad and the over tastes of the risotto and tacos. The only thing I would change is maybe the brand or type of rice they use for the risotto. The texture was slightly off but maybe that is just Brazilian risotto ( I didn't know Brazilians had risottos lol).

The food is always fresh and tasty. The owner is always present, friendly and helpful. I have never eaten a poor meal here, but the croquettes are my Faaave!! It's a small eating area inside and more seating outside.

Rio California is like an oasis in the middle of downtown Oakland. Pleasant outdoor setting. Delicious Brazilian style food. Reasonably priced but only open for lunch.

Great, authentic food in an amazing location. This restaurant is located in prosperity Park, which is a serene oasis inside of downtown Oakland. The food is big and flavorful and the staff and owner are extremely friendly and go out of their way to make sure you enjoy your food and your experience. Our food came out in minutes and we enjoyed a lovely lunch on the outdoor patio in the sun.

Same all little restaurant inside a Victorian home in Preservation Park in Oakland. I first saw this on check please and really wanted to try it out. The service is awesome. They are friendly and accommodating. My husband and I came on a Monday so they typically do not have the Feijoada Brazilian stew but they checked and they had left over ingredients to be able to make it. We ordered that along with the coxinha de galinha (chicken croquettes) and the jerk chicken. The best item was the jerk chicken. I asked for extra gravy to put all over my rice. I also asked for the spicy orange sauce to give it a little kick. My husband enjoyed the Feijoada but to me the black beans just overpowered everything including the pork and sausage in the stew. Neither of us liked the croquettes. We halved one and it didn't have much flavor. It came with the spicy orange sauce to dip it in which added spice but not much more flavor. If in the area, I would go back for some more jerk chicken and maybe try some of the seafood. Prices were great for the portion you get. About $65 for the three plates and two drinks with plenty of leftovers to take home.

Excellent!!! This spot is going in our rotation, the whole jerk chicken dish is absolutely amazing. The owner is very friendly and I thank him for sharing his wonderful food with the world. A hidden gem in an unexpected space. Can't wait to go back!!!

We heard about Rio, California on check, please Bay Area television show. Just as the guest on the show said, the food was amazing. My husband had the jerk chicken. So moist and flavorful! The jerk seasonings were delicate yet there was a spicy bite at the end, I ordered the chicken croquettes. Once again, very moist chicken on the inside with salmon, with some corn and Brazilian seasonings. On the outside, mashed potatoes, deep-fried to Golden crutch. Even the salad was great; the dressing perfectly refreshing with the spicy chicken.

I heard about Rio California for years before I tried it, I'm sorry - I didn't know. An excellent walk from the Oakland Downtown to Preservation Park, which is Historic Oakland at it's best. The restaurant is in a Victorian house with a patio outside. Very comfortable and friendly atmosphere. Brazilian, healthy food with lots of flavor and huge portions. Loved the Jerk Chicken dish. You will feel so happy, healthy and satisfied with you lunch - you might want to go home instead of back to work. Bring people that you'd like to impress here, it's a small venue and great food.

I have worked in the area for 15 years. My first time back to Rio since the COViD pandemic. Still great food. I recommend if you are in a rush or limited time... order in advance via telephone. My go to is always is jerk chicken. All the other i teams are good also. If you want to dine in, there is seating inside and outside. Or you can eat on the bench at preservation park.

This place rocks. Good service and friendly staff! I have eaten here many times pre Covid and it was always good. I returned today (deep into COVID) and it's still just as good! I had the tacos today and salad. All were fresh and tasty. Plenty of food too. They seating available is outside only and it was clean and sanitized. Plenty of space and social distancing. This place is a much needed break from all the fast food offerings in the area and greatly appreciated!

I came across Rio California when I saw them featured on the local Check, Please! Program. Counter service ordering was very easy and the man at the counter, who I think is the owner, was very friendly. On 3 separate visits, I ordered the coxinhas (chicken croquettes), seafood risotto, and feijoada (hearty Brazilian stew). I would get all three again in the future. All three were fantastic with great flavor and they all came quickly. I ate inside, which is a bit small but there's outdoor seating which is nice at Preservation Park. I feel like there's enough variety that you can't go wrong with, so sample the entire menu! A must go!

Amazing service, staff are so generous and such caring hosts. The food is delicious and reasonably priced with lots of options, this place is a hidden gem in a quaint location with a really nice ambiance!

Wow what a great first outing at our new office! After settling in on our first day at the new office, we wanted to start filling out our library of good places to eat nearby. It's a few blocks from our office and walking distance from BART. It's located in Preservation Park, a nice area, even during the rainy season. The restaurant isn't too big, I'd estimate there to be about 7 2-person tables that can easily be linked together, with some additional seating on the patio. This is a order-at-the-counter kind of place, but the person at the counter was able to ask patrons to shift around to accommodate our group of 6. There is only a handful of menu items, but I gravitated to the sign that said best seller, The Jerk Chicken (rice plate). After grabbing pre-made water cups, our food came out almost as soon as we sat down. It did seem like the items other than Jerk Chicken came out a little later, but it was still pretty fast. Everything on the plate was delicious. Not usually into salads, but the dressing was great. The Jerk Chicken was perfectly seasoned. I haven't had it in any form before, but I'm glad this was the first one I've tried. It's a little spicy, but it doesn't take away from the overall taste. The rice is a good way to help cool you down. There is plenty to eat, good enough to take some home. This is a great small establishment. I can see why the best seller is labeled that way. I definitely want to come back and try more of the menu. Make sure you get there early, because it started to get busy around lunch time. Just make sure to remember to help out by busting your own tray.

Always amazing food and incredibly friendly service. I always want to try something else but wind up with the coxinas everytime... yum!!

Absolutely love Rio California! I wish they were open for dinner time and on the weekends. I only have the chance to get it if I take an extra long lunch since it takes me about 20 min to walk over. Rio is a yummy Brazilian restaurant tucked away in charming Preservation Park. The owner, Ney is super nice and remembers your face if you are a recurring customer. There is a variety of menu options ranging from sandwiches, salads to the Brazilian classics like Fejoida, (black bean meat stew) and Conxinhas, which are the most amazing chicken croquettes - my mouth is already watering thinking about them! The jerk chicken plate is also delicious- comes with rice and salad. One thing you need to add to every order is their must-have cilantro sauce- I love dipping the conxinhas in it and spreading it over the jerk chicken. Super flavorful! Indoor seating has the ambiance that you are in Brazil with green and yellow colors, the flag, and Brazil pics . Outdoor seating is beautiful on sunny days. They close at 2:30p M-F so catch them before they close!

i work right around here and came here for 2 days back to back for lunch when i found this place out. wow is this food absolutely delicious and so filling. the serving sizes are super generous and can't wait to eat here again!

Rio California is a really sweet restaurant to stop by! Its located in a cool park with Victorian Houses, and the restaurant is a house as well. You can either sit inside or outside on their shady patio. The man with white hair is really nice and genuinely welcoming. He is the one who always takes the order. I also love the mirror by the front door. My group ordered 1 fish taco, and 2 Jerk Chickens. 2 of us have never had Brazilian food before and it was a good experience. We generally don't like spicy food, but the Jerk Chicken was the exception. Meat was soft and tender. The salad dressing was real good, and portions were pretty big. You just grab waters at the front. I had a really enjoyable experience at Rio California, and I will be back! It really nice break from the urban downtown scene, and the food and service are great!

The best Jerk Chicken I've ever had. Customer service is great. I didn't have to wait long for my order to be ready. My only complaint is the hours of operation, I don't get to come as often as I would like to because by the time I'm off they are closed. It would be nice if they were open during the weekend.

My friend brought me here for lunch, and I never knew they had a restaurant inside this beautiful park. We parked on the side street ( before the park entrance) and the 1st meter ate my 2 quarters. Check your meter before adding any more money, because you might get a broken one like me :/ I ordered jerk chicken, and it came out right after I paid. There were only a few tables, and I appreciated that they were 6 feet apart. The service was super fast, and the food was very flavorful. It's was fair price and big portion. Within the short time we ate outside, the staff checked on us probably 3x. I will return to try other stuff on the menu in the future, now that I found this little gem.

My husband surprised me with this hole in the wall place. perfect setting, good service and food made to perfection. Flavorful, healthy delicious food. It is indeed a hidden gem as many others have commented a

A hidden Gem inside of Preservation Park in downtown Oakland. I can't believe that I have not yet written a review! It doesn't look like a restaurant because it's upstairs in an old Victorian house. You order from the counter and they bring it to your table inside or outside. The seating is minimal but we've always been lucky enough to eat outside which I prefer. The food is very good and on the spicy side. I had the jerk chicken with rice and a salad. Preservation Park is one of my favorite places to walk through on my way to and from work. It's pristine like out of a Leave it to Beaver neighborhood only with well maintained Victorian homes that are businesses and even a beautiful outdoor wedding venue and gorgeous waterfall. You can get a burrito and find a bench to enjoy the gardens. No dogs allowed in Preservation Park.

Stoped in for lunch with my boyfriend on a nice Friday .we each got something different to taste and share. The food was amazing ! The tall trees and shade make eating in so relaxing and peaceful, love this place !! Can't wait to go back. Excellent customer service too.

Rio is one my favorite lunch spots. I typically get the jerk chicken plate which is fulfilling and flavorful. We tried the shrimp plate today it is now my new favorite ha. 8/10 would recommend if you're looking for home cooked meal, Brazilian style.

Finally tried this place, very nice outdoor seating, well spaced for relaxation. Service was great, friendly, and efficient. Enjoyed the Jerk Chicken but I think the STAR food item are the Coxinhas or chicken croquets. Definitely worth it!

Enjoyed an amazing veggie burrito from here with a side of chips and a salad. The burrito was ginormous and the veggies were plenty from squash to zucchini to avocado. The only gripe I have was they went a little crazy with the veggies so my burrito fell apart while I was eating it but it was BOMB. I can't wait to try other things on the menu :)

With just a limited number of days before I move away from CA, Rio was at the top of my list for places to try before I leave. Located in Preservation Park, Rio is a quiet oasis with great food which will nourish your body and your soul. The service is fantastic and the owner seems like a genuinely nice person who wants to make sure you have a positive experience. I ordered the fish tacos, which were super fresh and didn't feel too heavy. The salad was wonderful and I loved the herbaceous creamy dressing. The tacos included a healthy portion of fish, lettuce, stewed beans and were topped with avocado and crema. There was so much flavor in each bite! I felt very satisfied with the portion, but not stuffed or weighed down. In short, I will be dreaming of these tacos until I can return to Oakland to have them again. I definitely recommend stopping by for a memorable and tasty lunch at Rio California.

I highly recommend this place. Very authentic Brazilian food and it's delicious. Great customer service also

My husband introduced me to Rio California years ago and I have been a fan ever since. It's not often that we are in Oakland on a weekday for lunch, so when we are, we're always excited to get food from here! The owner is so nice, friendly, and remembers his customers, so it genuinely feels like a neighborhood restaurant and we're all for supporting local businesses. The menu includes a number of different options like Jerk Chicken (husband's favorite--it's spicy!), Chicken Croquettes (my favorite), Empanadas, Seafood Risotto, and Grilled Talapia, among others. The portions are generous, the prices are great, and the food is amazing. If it's a nice day out, I recommend sitting out on the porch, but this area can fill up quickly. There are some tables inside and then benches throughout the Preservation Park. I wish Rio was open over the weekend, but I understand that downtown gets pretty quiet on these days. Anyway, we can't wait for the next time we can go here!

The food is delicious and the cozy patio is the best escape for lunch! One of my favorite go to spots! Highly recommend!

Excellent food. The veganized burrito bowl was fabulous. Non greasy, and fresh veggies. Peaceful cute patio with large water fountain near it felt very zen. The owner is wonderful and very accommodating. Great lunch break!