Swan's Market

This market is fantastic! There’s a wonderful mix of vendors, each offering something unique and special. The atmosphere is lively and vibrant, making it such a fun place to explore.

Fresh meat. I buy slabs of ribs there and they will cut them any style that you request. They carry the stuffed links and that's the kind I prefer😋😋

Such a beautiful atmosphere and great food

Cute little market place!!! All the restaurants smell for phenomenal. Great variety of food.

T'Chaka Haitian food restaurant is a flavor bomb of deliciousness.

Love the indoor/outdoor setting. Great food and vibes.

Great fresh food. Oysters. Try the Po’ boy

Interesting accumulation of 4 or 5 food offerings plus a fish market and a meat market. Ate at The Chef and ?? For lunch and dinner it was so very good. Great fish, oysters and mussels. Had Trout for dinner

Very nice atmosphere with a lot of food options and plenty of seating. They also have a map outside of all the restaurants/businesses to help the directionally challenged like myself lol.

Gotta love the consistency of good places to eat and hang with friends/co workers. This is it...a goto spot with good food, variety and many friendly people. If you need somewhere to go, not sure what you want to eat and want options then come to Swans. Most of the eateries are consistent, but a few of them change every few years. All the food is good and they take pride in quality & presentation. Whether you want something sweet, savory, rich or whatever you can find it here. There is indoor/outdoor seating & too many choices not to make this a place to visit.

Serving the community since 1917 (10th Street Market), this residential and commercial area is listed as a nationally registered historic site. The market place has several restaurants, shops and markets. Some of my favorites are La Guerrerra's for Mexican dishes, Taylor's Sausage for meat and Cupcakin Bake shops for deserts and sweets. The vibe is so community and the service of the staff reflects it. I have been here several times and have a great experience each visit.

My parents used to bring me here when I was a kid and boy has it changed. This place has changed a couple of places that are OK and I have an opportunity to try new things. But I came here for some cupcakes and they were out of the cupcakes that I wanted. But, it was nice to come through and take a trip down memory lane. If I were in Oakland more, I'd come by more often, but when in the area, I will come by to see what they have and what I can get. I may even try out one of those new spots. I look forward to it.

This is such a cool place! Huge variety of food in one place ... like a high end food court. You can get drinks, food and dessert in one location. They have built a pretty cool outdoor area with tables underneath umbrellas. It was a really nice place to sit even on a hot day. I only had time for an iced tea today as I was on my way to a work meeting but I would definitely be back to try the many food vendors. The menus all looked super interesting and there were a lot of people hanging out in groups and by themselves. Parking is available on the street or in two nearby garages.

Love the vibe of this market! They have a handful of vendors in one area and spread out enough that you don't feel like it's overcrowded. My friend and I came here specifically for Cupcakin Bakeshop, but I know the food joints are raved about, esp from Cook and Her Farmer. There was also latin kitchen here that was jumpin'! Loud music and a big cookout on the sidewalk. They have an outdoor area with tables and other seating. Definitely a place I'd visit again to try everything in this market. Taylor's sausage vendor looks yummy and it looks like they have meats seasoned in all kinds of ways.

I cant believe I just discovered this spot! I am now making it my mission to go back as much as possible and try all the different venues that are located within this market. This is a cool/trendy "food court" area where you can basically have your pick of food from Japanese to Mexican food. Have a seat in the outdoor seating area and people watch or sit inside and take in all that your stomach and eyes can handle LOL I came here to eat at Cosecha, food was great. The vibe inside the market is fun yet low key and chill all in one. Cant wait to go back

I love this awesome gourmet food court/market in Old Oakland. I've frequented by several times and usually have a delicious meal while listening to some good live music. Come with a group and try a variety of food! Faves BS Dama- Japanese food- yummy rolls, sashimi, soups, karaage, Brussels sprouts! Cook and her Farmer- seafood fare- oysters, oyster po'boy, big sur melt, kennebec fries Cupcakin' Cupcakery! Super excited for the new addition of this scrumptious cupcake place. They filled the hole of a dessert spot that was lacking here. All of the flavors are good but get the key lime or lemon cream pie one- it's perfect. There is also Cosecha, which I have to try more of- I've only had their chips and guac which were really good. Several surrounding food spots- sausages, soul food, and an omakase called Delage next door. Not sure of the music sched, but there was some nice live jazz music when we came on a Saturday for a cupcake craving.

I'm a big fan of marketplaces. It's a one stop shop for a full meal, butcher, seafood, flowers and dessert (in this case, cupcakes) all in one place. It's even better to go on a Friday morning so you can take advantage of the Farmer's Market right outside. During Covid times, a few of the eateries are closed. You have a choice of Cosecha or the Cook and the Farmer if you're looking to dine in. The atmosphere is still casual and fun. I really appreciated the candles lit on Cosecha's tables to make the space even more welcoming. We ended up getting ours to go because the Farmer's Market crowd made it an even busier place and there was only one shared table left. Grabbed some goodies from Cosecha, then a few fresh sausages from Taylor's as a foodie gift. I'm glad they're still open during this time and will be back.

Great spot close to the hotel and office where I was working for the week. All the food we tried was delicious and very fresh. Loved the selection of quality restaurants for every taste. Great for groups who can't decide what to eat. Quick for lunch too.

This is recon and not a review. Caveat on the stars: docked a star for my disappointment in not seeing my favorites. Kept the rest because I saw a menu that got me curious and excited to give it a try at my first opportunity. I dropped by on the Monday holiday for Juneteenth, and nothing was open, though one set of doors were open. My old favorites of AS B-Dama and Cosecha were not to be seen--at least not recognizable. Instead, where B-Dama was another Japanese eatery serving a chocolate-brown ("black"?) curry was in the same spot. Where Cosecha was, a new-named Mexican eatery sat. We're these new branding of the originals with new names justify new menus? Hard to say. However, given the standards of Swan's, there's a good chance that the new joints are worth visiting. I could use a katsu chicken and gnarly dark curry plate to make me wonder if there's no end to putting a new twist on a classic comfort food.

This is a great alternative for people who like variety. Found a bomb Japanese place that was reasonable and good. Loved the small salad, the fish was fresh, and the service was on point. I liked the fact that I could get seafood such as oysters here or Mexican food as well. Though the Mexican food was rather pricey for what they give you. I'm mostly giving the 4 stars to the Japanese place that had good Japanese food and an even better brussel sprout appetizer.

I didn't know about this place until I had to go to Oakland recently. It's a nice place with shopping and restaurants similar to San Pedros Square in San Jose. It's also near a lot of other restaurants and stores. I am definitely going back when I'm in the area.

My 2,200th review had to be about a great place, so here is one about one of my favorite food markets in the East Bay! The historic Swan's Market is a fun place to visit. The first time I visited this area was many years ago to meet up with a friend at the Friday Farmer's Market that is just right outside. It's a great time to come because there is so much activity surrounding and at Swan's. Swan's has grown over the years, bringing back a local food marketplace for those who love good food. I have tried out most of places, but frequent Cosecha and Rosamunde Sausage Grill the most. Now the food court is filled with businesses including Cosecha, AS B-Dama, Deep Roots, Rosamunde Sausage Grill, Taylors Sausages, Miss Ollie's, Super Juiced, Sincere Seafood and The Cook and Her Farmer to name a few. Great place to visit for any food lover, home chef, lunch or dinner dates and just window shopping.

Date: 7/21/2017 Time: 6:15 PM 68° Mostly sunny Wow...I am in awe as to what has become of Swan's Market after what this place looked like back in the early 60's. Swan's was a one stop shopping venue where families did not have to go too far to do all their shopping - clothes, shoes, small appliances, kitchen and household wares, linens and towels. It even had a grocery store; meat, poultry, seafood in refrigerated cases; a record store (Reid's); a sit down coffee shop serving breakfast/ lunch and a doughnut stand. I can't forget the ramp leading up to the second floor to place items on lay away. It was all the convenience of shopping under one roof. Ahh...my childhood memories from the past. Moving forward to the present, the purpose of my visit earlier this afternoon was for the birthday celebration of 100 years of the Swan's Market. The event was hosted by the EBALDC (East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation). I took a walk around the block, starting on the corner of 9th & Washington and heading west toward Clay Street. Approaching 10th & Clay, I noticed that Breads of India is gone. It has been replaced by Annapurna Restaurant & Bar. On the corner of 10th & Washington is End Game and its cafe. End Game is a cool place to check out all the board games that they have. I believe the cafe area have a few tables and chairs for those who want to play a board game or work on a jigsaw puzzle. So many eateries to choose for dining on international cuisine - Miss Ollie's, Rosamunde Sausage, AS B'dama, The Cook & Her Farmer, Cosecha, Delage, Deep Roots Bar. I have yet to try any of these places. (Cosecha has been bookmarked for a good while.) The courtyard was live with a blues band performing. It was quite enjoyable and entertaining for a sunny warm evening. Complimentary cake and ice cream were given to the attendees. One could also purchase food, local wines and cocktails for outdoor dining. Return visit: Definitely! I sure don't want to miss the live jazz, the history tours and history-themed scavenger hunt, scheduled for July 22 from noon to 6:00 PM. Hopefully, I will get to try Cosecha for lunch. There will be more visits to the Swan's Market in the future.

Fun spot to check out on a weeknight! There are a handful of businesses in this "market' including the cupcakin bake shop, the cook and her farmer, a seafood deli, a japanese restaurant, and cosecha. Cosecha usually has a line, the cupcake shop is right in the middle, and the deli is in the way back. There is a public bathroom that you need a code for. I've been to cosecha, the cupcake shop, and the cook and her famer. I think the cook has the bigger portions, cosecha has the best flavors, and the cupcake shop is the main dessert option here! It seems like there are specials that go on, there's lot of seating, and it's a very open space. I'd bring lots of friends and family hear but it can be hard for people who are hard of hearing because it can get loud and the benches aren't cushioned so be aware of that for the elderly. I'll be back!

I can't believe that I've driven by the Swan's Market a million times and didn't even notice that it was there! I absolutely love the whole concept of the market! It reminds me of the public market in Emeryville but with a modern twist. A large cafeteria style setup with a nice variety of food options such as The Cook and Her Farmer oyster bar, Hen House pizza, Cosecha Mexican, Deep Roots wine bar, and much more! There is an adequate amount of seating for large groups and bar seating for small parties. They also have a nice variety of music that plays in the background. Parking can be extremely tough as most of the parking spots in the front get filled up quickly. I ended up parking a few blocks down on a side street but it was still within reasonable walking distance. They have about 4 restroom stalls and the women's restroom was very clean. I am all for the open kitchen concept which can be seen at a few of the restaurants in the court. The bussers are extremely friendly and quick when cleaning off the tables. Overall, a really neat market and a perfect place to chill with friends or even to bring an out of towner for a unique dining experience!

Swan's Market is a food hall in historic downtown Oakland. I ordered my lunch from Cosecha. The special was sold out but what I ordered was satisfying, full of flavor and reasonably priced. This market hall is great when you are with friends as the tables are long tables set up to promote the feeling of community. When you dine alone here, you don't really feel "alone" . Great vibe, good quality and just a great casual spot that walks and talks sustainability.

I really enjoy going to Swan Market for the variety and quality! Favorites are AS B-Dama for good Japanese set meals and the Cook and Her Farmer for oyster po-boys and grilled cheese. Taylors sausage is outstanding. Best boudin I found outside of Louisiana. I also dig their sweet linguisa. Wifey and I also really enjoy Delage for date night. I've heard great things about Sincere Seafood, but since I usually bike to Swan, I don't really buy my fish there. I don't really do Cosecha as we have a lot of Mexican options and I am a bit miffed by her spat with her neighbors. The Verde Mole on Mondays has interesting spices...almost Indian flavors...

Swans Comedy market provides hysterical comedy, and good places to eat. You can get some delicious food from a variety of places. The comedy kicks in when you see people getting pissed because flies the size of small pigeons are landing in their food while they are trying to eat. Others engage in conversations while pigeon sized flies land in their salad, buzz all around their food, etc. Its hilarious to see folks carry on their conversation as if the flies weren't there. Like they are used to eating with flies the size of moths buzzing around everywhere. And what about the employees behind the counters that casually swat away flies that land on the food right before you order it? Hilarious..

Wow this place is a foodie paradise! I have lived in the Eastbay all my life and have seen this place evolve from the former "Housewives' Market" to now a foodie haven food court with many great places to eat! Walking through the food court, you can see such culinary creativity with tables of people eating oysters and shellfish, traditional pizza, crab cake pizza, pho soup, katsu, fancy salads, duck tacos, beautifully decorated artisan cupcakes, savory sausages, plus much more! They have top notch vendors here: Taylor's Sausages, Cosecha Mexican, Cupcakin' artisan cupcakes (btw the BEST cupcakes!), Asian food and an Oyster Bar to name a few. Every time I come here I want to get something at Cosecha Mexican but the line for them is always so long I end up going somewhere else! But one day I'll come early before the crowds come. HINT: this place is usually crowded during the lunch hour, and is CRAZY crowded on Fridays, when the Old Oakland Farmers' Market is also here. On Fridays the line for Cosecha will wind around and go out the door! so plan accordingly if you're planning on getting Mexican at Cosecha.

My favorite weekend eating place in Oakland. It's a fun location where you can try good Japanese, Mexican and California cuisine. We usually get stuff from B-Dama (get their specials and the sake samplers) and shrimp tacos from Coseca. The location is lively. There are some good cafes and a nice ice cream place nearby.

I'm always up for a food court. Chalk it up to growing up in a suburban Southern town. Heading to the mall was a big endeavor and while you were there, the shining light(s) between department stores were 1.) toy stores and 2.) food courts.* I've grown up, moved away from that town (which has grown up as well) and weaned myself from toy stores. But, for some reason, a good food court gets my motor running. Swan's Market is a good food court. It was the setting for reuniting with a dear friend I hadn't seen in 6+ years so it *had* to be good. We walked in and I smiled and nodded at the high ceilings, abundant wood tables and plenty of dining options. The abundance of free space was a plus as well. 'Just wait,' she said. It seemed no longer than the time we took to claim a seat and plan on a meal, that place was packed tighter than a bro in skinny jeans. Good gracious, there were a sh!tton of people in there. Normally, this would be a (BIG) minus but the fact that I had a seat and a masterful side-eye which kept people from joining us**. Evidently, this is a popular location for the East Bay set and I can see why. If I were local, this would be in the rotation. *Preferably to eat something sweet. **Until the end of our time and by then I wasn't so attached to dining in relative privacy.

Cute little market in Oakland with several different choices for foods. I came on the weekend and it looked like a few were already closed but there is an oyster bar, some Mexican food, and what looks to be a japanese/ramen shop. Definitely reminds me of a very mini version of grand central station in LA or some of the bigger markets in Seattle or New York. Somewhere cute and fun to head with your friends, but it looks like there are much better places if you're looking to have a more sit-down meal!

Lots of cool places inside! My favorite is the Japanese Katsura place and the man running the sausage shop. Can't wait to go back .

Always love coming to Swans. All the food stalls are quality, there's usually always seating and it's always a good vibe!

I like the food options here. I don't know if they switch them out, but I don't think so. If they did, I'd give it another star. I like that u can buy a drink from one spot, and each of your food items from various other vendors a few feet away. Swoop in on any dining table you can find, and expect the place to get busy, especially on weekends! The Mexican taco place only serves one type of taco per day but took like 20 min to get my friend his two small and anti-climatic tacos. I'm glad I had a manhattan to keep me occupied.

Swan's Market is heaven for foodies but hell for the indecisive... and of course I fall into both categories! This obviously isn't a real problem, but one to keep in mind before you enter and experience all of the options. As with any food court, one of the things I love most about this place is that everyone in a group can separately order from different businesses and still come together to share a meal at one table. Seating is available inside and out and metered parking is typically easy to come by. It's casual, it's convenient, and it offers a little something for every kind of taste.

I visited Swan's Market with the intention of eating lunch at Cosecha. Much to my (pleasant) surprise, Swan's was a food-lover's paradise (Foodie-haven?) that entertained me for longer than my lunch. So many great choices, so little stomach capacity. In the end, I ate delicious food from Cosecha and enjoyed wandering Swan's Market. Paid $13 for parking - that sucked, but I looked at it as treating an invisible person to lunch (I know stupid thought, right?) Anyhoo...I loved the place. 4.75 stars.

Cute little market place. Perfect for lunches on a sunny day. I love going to places like this where they have plenty of shops. It's like a way better fancy food court. My friend and I checked out everything they had to offer and decided to get the Japanese lunch combos and 2 tacos. We got the chicken teriyaki and katsu curry lunch. Then we also ordered 2 tacos: chicken and pork belly. Plus citrus lime agua Fresca. Everything was delicious. I had the katsu curry and it had an abundance of rice. I couldn't even finish it. I really enjoyed the flavor of the curry. My friend's chicken teriyaki wasn't grilled like we had expected. Instead, it looked like chicken karage. It wasn't bad but just wasn't what we thought. Hers came with a side dish of Brussel sprouts and it was good. For the tacos, I ate the chicken and it was mediocre. It was good but not amazing where I want to come back and eat it again. To wash everything down, the agua fresca was light, delicious and refreshing. Parking around here isn't the easiest but not extremely difficult like Oakland Chinatown. I also liked how there was plenty of outdoor seating so everyone can enjoy their food and nice day.

Nice upscale, borderline pricy, hipster food court with a number of food and drink options. They don't open super late, but late enough for my friends and I to grab a bite and hangout. Even at 8:30pm on a Saturday this place was packed! Seeing that there has been a heat wave, we managed to find a table for 10 right outside to escape from the dense crowd inside. Perusing through the options it was hard to decide on what to get, but a lot of people got b-dama which is what I did as well. Food was ok, ambiance and setting was great. Overall, great option for big and small group gatherings.

Pro: lots of different food so everyone will be happy. Easy to walk to front Bart. Close to other bars and a fun game shop. Con: hard to park near if you want street parking, sucks to pay for parking after 6pm, but there is a lot for $5 kiddy corner from the market. Super good food, really impressed by my sashimi dinner, the miso soup was so authentic and the portion was great. I also got a pizza to go and fiancee gave it his approval by eating half of it immediately. The market had a ton of open seating, a really fun summery vibe and lots of good food. Beer, wine, and sake. They have a lot of self-serve water and hot tea with reusable cups which is nice. Good place to not leave a huge footprint since they wash and reuse real dishes.

Finally made to Swan's and can't wait to go back. Super casual with lots on offer. We opted for Coseca (tacos DUH), but next time The Cook and Her Farmer is the spot because the daily specials were enticing. The udon at the Japanese spot looks promising and the the cupcake place looks like perfection for a cheat day. Tables are shared, purse holders galore and feel free to stop by the meat or seafood place on the way out. The whole Branzino looked like dinner to me!

Glad that I decided to visit this historic area on the way to the Oakland Airport from San Francisco on my recent trip. The original Swan's Market opened in 1917 at this location. It closed in 1983, then subsequently fell into several years of neglect until it's restoration was completed in 2000. It is now a food court, and then some, with a butcher shop and wine/cocktail bar added to the various food purveyors. My gregarious Lyft driver said his mother used to take him and his sibs to the Housewives Market that was nearby back in the 70's, and he was excited that Swan's Market was helping in the resurgence of "Old Oakland." Great to see and hear that Oakland is starting to become more of a destination then just that city across the bay. I discovered SM from a DDD episode spotlighting Cosecha and their CaféChef/Owner Dominica Rice-Cisneros. She boasts an impressive resume from well regarded restaurants in San Francisco, Mexico City, and NYNY. I plan to write a separate review soon. I arrived not quite hungry towards the end of the Monday lunch rush, so the place was busy, but not too crazy. I strolled the immediate neighborhood, then back to SM for a craft beer from the vast list at Rosamunde Sausage Grill. They offer a variety of sausages from the usual to the exotic, and they did look more than worthy coming out of the small open kitchen. The counter service lady was most friendly, and helpful with her suggestions to the patrons that were ordering food. Now starting to get a little hungry, so I walked the few feet to The Cook and Her Farmer for some super fresh oysters. I eventually made it to Cosecha before they closed down after lunch at 3:30 where I enjoyed a terrific cremini mushroom quesadilla. Almost an insult calling this divine creation a quesadilla, as it was an awesome treat made with handmade extremely flavorful tortillas and Oaxacan cheese. I realize that taking the time to actually explore Oakland is not very high on most ppls itinerary, not yet anyway, but do consider it. I did, and I liked!

I wish there was more of this in the world. An upscale food court with some amazing great local businesses sharing a huge space and seating. Each biz with their own vibe and schtick, and each pretty much nailing it. I don't love all the businesses, not going to lie, but for the most part they're all trying hard and offering up some tasty fare. Some offerings: - Mexican from Cosecha - pizza from Hen House - po' boys to salads to oysters at the cook and her farmer - sushi and soups. - wine - a butcher - a fishmonger And so much more, including some outlier restaurants that are part of the space, but are more of a sole entity: Rosamunde sausage, Miss Ollie's (Caribbean). Go check it out and enjoy! A definite Oakland gem.

We came here on a Saturday afternoon and the place was BUZZING. They got an oyster bar, mexican joint, sushi bar, pizza place, and BRATWURST HAUSE (I made that name up, forgot the real name, which is probably much less German anyways). Actually most of the names I forgot so just check out the other reviews :D We got mussels and oysters at the oyster bar, tacos at the mexican place, and currywurst & bratwurst at BRATWURST HAUSE. Mussels were good, plump and fresh, the sauce could have used a bit more sodium though. Oysters, we had to wait a good 20 minutes for, but they gave us 2 extra oysters so happy ending for everyone, and they were DERICIOUS. Tacos, aight. The bratwurst was pretty good, we topped it off with fried onions and spicy beef chilli, so it was so flavourful you don't really taste the sausage no mo. The currywurst were dry and pretty mediocre :/ Overall, food was a little above average, but the ambiance was bomb. A good place to get some insta-worthy food pics in!

Love this place! It's a great food hall in Oakland. The options are great but the tried and true is always B-Dama and Coseca. Note, fish tacos are at Coseca on Thursdays! Don't forget about Rosamunde that is on the other corner, or the coffee spot that is next to it. Looks like a cupcake place opened up to! This is a great area to meet up with friends who all have different tastes, or just to share in a bunch of variety! Parking can be a little difficult, but just park a little further and walk!

This place is a big, foodie cafeteria, with lots of options! The Cook and Her Farmer was delicious. I do wish they had single oysters for sale because I just couldn't order half a dozen with a soup and eat it all. But my vegetable corn soup and kale salad were so so good! Very pleased customer and I cant wait to go back to this marketplace again to get another place. Great, lively atmosphere! Highly recommended!

A food court that's filled with vendors? That's a rare sight to see! It's amazing to see the options available to you as you walk through the doors. Every time I stop by I have to do a quick walk about to make my mind up in addition to making mental notes on what other food stands to try.

Hectic environment. Relatively easy parking. Many options for groups. If you want to try food from different stalls, the problem is that they ask that you sit in the designated tables for dine-in. Some stalls allow you to get the food to go so you can try doing that and sitting in a different area. I tried food from Cosecha (Mexican), AS B-Dama (Japanese), Rosamunde Sausage Grill, and The Cook and Her Farmer (seafood and others). The price for the food can rack up pretty quickly. The best bang for your buck would be AS B-Dama.

Nice place with various type of food to choose from Japanese, Mexican, to Oyster Bar, Pizza. Outside sitting is dog friendly too. Great casual setting with good food selections.

Swan's Popup experimented in december and announced itself as an ongoing event this march. they will use the space utilized by cosecha which will stay open friday evenings to participate in this event. vendors/merchants participating/participated -pietiessiere -tina's tamales -taylor's sausages -cosecha -little blue chair -doughnut dolly -periscope cellar -little shop artisan -boneire artisan meats -more vendors to come..... notes: -swan's located in old oakland, @washington & 9th st. -swan's is owned/operated by east bay asian local devlopment corp. -may run concurrently or in conjuction with "fridays at swans" located somewhere in swan's. -area is opposite the food carts present in fridays farmers market.

Great place to eat with a group of friends. Definitely enough seating for all and food options. It probably gets pretty busy, but it wasn't too bad the Friday night I went and we had a 4-year-old with us.

Old Town Renaissance is here! A recent article noted that there is a metamorphosis happening in the food scene in this tucked away district of Oakland. Cradled by the freeways, over shadowed by downtown and jack london, this district is beginning to hold it's own. Thanks largely in part to Swan's Marketplace. This hub has stood the test of time and is now prepping for the rebirth. The silicon valley has thinktanks that nurtures tech startups- Swans is the nest that incubates foodie startups. Support local and stop by: Cosecha, Pietisserie, Taylor's Sausages, Periscope Cellar, Sincere Seafood, Rosamunde, Miss Ollie's, and The Chef and Her Farmer for oysters place. Word to your mother.

Love the many options available at Swans ! I've tried just about all of the restaurants and prefer B-Dama Japanese spot over all. Although they have large communal bench seating it can be a challenge when busy to find a spot to chow down.

This place was a historic building that is now home to a food court although calling the selection a food court doesn't do it justice. There are all sorts of vendors who aren't chains (that I know of) set up inside. There's a oyster place, a sausage place, a Mexican place and others that I'm leaving out. Inside there is open seating and there are also outside tables set up when the weather is nice. The other plus its only a few blocks from the Bart station but there's street parking around there only which seems to stay pretty full most of the time. Certainly worthwhile to check out if you find yourself in Old Town Oakland.

I went to Swan's Market about a month ago and it was a great experience. Great little community spot. It can get very crowded but what I like about it is that you have many options in terms of food. When I went with coworkers for a business meeting, we decided to try the Cosecha restaurant. I web for the Albóndigas with Chile Verde Soup (Mexican Meatballs) and it was delicious!! The serving portion was pretty large but it was so good I managed to finish it all. They also have some pretty good cocktails. While I was there, I tried the Hibiscus cocktail they have and it was also very tasty. I definitely recommend Swans Market to anyone in the area. You won't be disappointed!

If you can find a seat, order some grub from B-dama and the oyster bar, You're bound to be happy with fresh and creamy raw oysters, sashimi, grilled brie sandwich, and any of their specials. The trout belly was delicious in terms of portions and freshness with freshly made and grated wasabi. The fried chicken was crisp, but the meat was a bit dry. This didn't affect me much with a bowl of udon and potato salad too. Order at each restaurant and your food will be delivered to your table to enjoy in good company at communal tables for a yummy experience.

Adorable Hipster Spot! This place was great -- it's a smaller food hall with loads of hipster flare. There are about 6 places to choose from which surround large wooden tables, communal style. We had some shrimp tacos from the mexican place along with guac and chips and they were awesome. Looks like they had a pretty solid bar offering as well. Definitely worth a stop of youre looking for casual, a little pricier and yummy.