Rob Ben’s Restaurant & Lounge
Soul food restaurant · Emeryville ·
Soul food classics, full bar, welcoming atmosphere, legendary burgers
Soul food classics, full bar, welcoming atmosphere, legendary burgers
"Oakland icon Marshawn Lynch’s Emeryville restaurant has a full menu of soul food classics, but given the NFL stars well-documented love of chicken wings, it should come as no surprise that they’d be a prominently featured menu item. These are plus-size Southern-style whole fried chicken wings, with the crunchy wing tips still attached — available as a four-, 10-, or even 20-piece dinner, hefty enough to satisfy the largest of appetites." - Janelle Bitker
"You can see the owner of Oakland comfort food spot Rob Ben’s on this week’s episode of Bar Rescue. The episode was taped last fall, but didn’t air until last Sunday." - Eater Staff
"Since Marshawn Lynch opened his Emeryville soul-food restaurant last year, I’ve watched him use viral videos and reality-TV appearances to keep it in the spotlight; one result is a limited-edition “Beastmode Burger” born from a viral First We Feast appearance with Alvin Cailan. The ciabatta-bunned monster is stuffed with pickled carrots, cauliflower, and jalapeños, channels hot-wing flavors with bacon cooked in Crystal hot sauce and is finished with a dollop of Ranch dressing. The elaborate burger was planned as a pop-up with Cailan (of Eggslut fame) and will be served at Rob Ben’s starting at 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 14 until they run out—an intentionally scarce offering likely to draw long lines. The restaurant otherwise offers a solid lineup of soul food and barbecue, and Lynch—who also taped an episode of Bar Rescue—says having a soul-food spot in a changing Oakland is important amid gentrification." - Eve Batey
"I heard Marshawn Lynch gave a shout-out to his Emeryville restaurant, Rob Ben’s, and that customers might eventually see a chicken wing–inspired burger created on The Burger Show appear there." - Luke Tsai
"I've seen that things have not always gone smoothly at Marshawn Lynch’s Emeryville bar and soul food restaurant Rob Ben’s, so he’s taking an unorthodox approach by featuring the restaurant on an episode of Bar Rescue; the episode will air on the Paramount Network in early 2020, and you can already see the more sophisticated, “mature” post-rescue look." - Luke Tsai
