understory oakland

We ended up here by chance and boy, we were lucky! Understory has a solid f&b menu with plenty of delicious (and healthy!) options for the meat and veggie eater. We absolutely loved the rice porridge, and the cardamom cocktail was yummy too. Their staff is super sweet and friendly, we'll definitely be back soon!

Quaint and Trendy, quite busy on a Friday night. Went with a work group, and shared the amazing potatoes, and the Brussel sprouts were to die for. Complimented well with the salad. Not too filling, and the atmosphere was great. Would be a great space for a intimate gathering or work party.

Delicious, amazing service, quality meals with intention, generous servings in a modern and clean space, and relatively affordable, too! The fact that this place is a worker cooperative just shows that a different way of doing business is not only possible, but better for everyone.

Came here for Sunday brunch with the family. Highly recommend the sampler for 2 to get a spread of the amazing flavors and umami that this eatery has to offer. My vegetarian tacos were way more flavorful than any meat tacos I have ever had. The cheese was coconut based but had the texture and taste of a fresh goat cheese just less strong and the home made salsa was to die for. The delicate balance of flavors was truly mind opening. We spent $80 (before tip) on food for all 5 of us including 2 drinks. I think the quality to price ratio would easily afford this joint a Michelin fork.

The food is very fresh and delicious. I was worried if the dessert would be too sweet, but it comes with perfect sweetness! It’s definitely the best way to support migrant talented chefs.

It is rare to find a restaurant that serves fresh, delicious food that is priced fairly, but also has flair of creativity to their dishes. Never had UBE waffles before and it was a treat! Staff is welcoming, friendly, and the space is comfortable and clean. It shows that worker cooperatives can do better than a private business for when the workers have a stake in the institution, they will take better care of it.

Beautiful space and concept! Collectively owned, worker-led restaurant serving up delicious eats from chefs of color! Very vegan, veg, gluten-free friendly. Our faves are the fried oyster mushrooms, fava burger, and all the desserts 😍

The fried chicken was literally raw. So maybe they were going for a "raw food" restaurant? The garlic rice also had raw garlic in it. I thought maybe who ever made it forgot to put the garlic in while it was cooking and then folded it in after the rice was finished steaming. That metallic taste of poor quality raw garlic is still swirling around in my mouth. Blech.

This review is for the pop-up brunch at Merritt House (Merritt Bakery's old space) on weekends. Super chill, parking right outside, NO WAIT for brunch at noon!!! such nice folks, nice mix of vegan and omnivore dishes, savory and sweet. got Tofu sisig - still the same savory garlicky with balanced vinegar that hits. with garlic rice, grape tomatoes and thin sliced cuke on the side. Soooo comforting and flavorful. A got the chicken and waffle. Ube waffle, so a little sweet, a crispy edges, and a satisfying mochi-mochi chew, comes with calamansi (tiny lime) syrup and strawberries. He said the chicken was good, crispy and flavorful. we got drinks from the Merritt House bar (separate tab) they made me a na passion fruit syrup, caged heat, soda water that revved up my appetite. A got the Oakland Smokin' that looked good! Also a large drip from Rise and Grind which was pleasantly low acid and aromatic. reminders for next time: 1) coffee closes at 1pm! order early and no to-go after eating. 2) gotta come back for the ube flan. 3) sit at the dark blue cozy comfy banquettes for romantic vibes. at the bar with ashley, or tables in the front by the big windows to get the semi-outdoorsy vibes without the actual weather.

At Merritt House pop-up. First time, missed their brick and mortar old location. My order: Ube Horchata vegan, rice milk, cinnamon, cardamon $5 Really liked the tasty flavor of the spices and infused ube. They did have coffee service from the in house Rise and Grind establishment, too. You ordered that separately yourself. Longsilog. longgsanisa tofu/ mushroom-soft, falafel like, nice flavor on it's own, would be interested in the reviews of tocino, healthier than a fake meat, really like spice flavor; garlic rice, not very garlicky; salad - cucumber, tomato, green onions, mango slices; spiced vinegar, just the right touch to pickup the flavors $20 Very friendly service, didn't mind me being a single at table for four, got there when they first opened. Very open bar space.

We came here for weekend brunch. The space is nicely decorated with some larger tables for bigger groups if you need. Our server was so friendly too and it's admirable to see how community-driven and supportive the business is. Unfortunate to see that this location has now closed.

I love the concept and communal aspect of Understory, but it was difficult to fully enjoy our experience. Understory has been on my visit list for so long. Employee-invested, collaborative, Indigenous and diaspora-based cuisines, and local community supported/highlighted! AHHH, so Oakland. But that was pretty much it. We walked in for dinner, and had many seats to choose from, a few groups dining already, masks provided and were promptly seated. Restrooms are clean, and only one room for diners. Immediately there were tons of fruit flies just buzzing around our table and food throughout. We started with some beautiful drinks, shoutout to the bartender. And we ordered the Morcon and the Burger. My friend loved the burger and fries, and I enjoyed the morcon which reminded me of a standard Asian meal with the rice, veg, and protein. I had never had morcon before, and loved trying this Filipino dish. My beef was a little lukewarm, and the bok choy was good. It was definitely a gravy texture, not as thick as curry. We were satisfied and not overly full. The service was a bit lacking, so kind and sweet but slightly on the slower side. Maybe they were understaffed? I feel so bad saying this because I have worked in the industry, so totally not hating on the hard-working servers. I think they have much room to grow and maximize their efficiency, love the Palestinian art and local events featured. Press on Understory!

Went with a group of 5 on a Sunday around noon, thankfully we were seated immediately. We were able to find street parking a block away. Understory is worker-owned and a POC-owned, which is exciting as you'll see a rotational menu inspired by different cuisines. I ordered the banh xeo which was delicious! The egg crepe was crisp and the shrimp inside was tender and big. The pandan latte was good, though I asked for extra syrup because I prefer a strong flavor. They also do an Understory Collective Meal which is a cook's choice brunch sampler - I would recommend asking what's in it, as we ordered ube waffles and didn't realize it was already part of the sampler. The ube waffles we ordered separately came with calamansi syrup whereas the one in the sampler did not, but it makes all the difference. The syrup adds to the sweetness and mouthfeel of the waffles- otherwise they're on the drier side.

Came on a quiet weekend and stumbled upon this place after coming from a garden in Oakland. Understory looked good so we wanted to give this place a shot. When you walk in, masks are provided so you can wear one inside and you are greeted with some nice servers. Overall, food was alright, but it was good enough to make us feel satiated. We got the Longsilog (Vegan), Tocilog, and the Ube Waffles. To be fair, the ube waffles were kinda small for $14 imo. I did like the calamansi syrup they added so it gave it a nicer touch of sweetness. The tocilog was pretty good. The meat had a good texture and it just tasted like a classic tocilog dish, which is like a cured pork dish. I got the Longsilog (vegan), and surprisingly, it wasn't too bad. I added an egg, but they forgot it but it's fine. The longsilog looks like a falafel and the meat inside actually tasted pretty decent. I think the overall price of the dishes were a little too small for the price value, but in terms of the food, it was okay.

This review consists of multiple visits, where I got to try a bunch of their dishes. You can't order online, but you can call ahead to order for takeout. Fried oyster mushrooms: Definitely one of my favorite items here, they are crispy and crunchy and I really enjoy the texture of the breaded exterior. The tamarind BBQ sauce tastes pretty similar to ketchup. Kefta burger with fava bean patty and fries: It contained lebneh, arugula, pickles. I thought the patty was really good, it tasted more similar to meat than I expected. Harissa biscuit sandwich: It's a freshly baked buttermilk biscuit with garlic-herb lebne, arugula, cabbage slaw, and I opted for the vegetarian chicken. The biscuit is nicely toasted and I thought the vinaigrette/dressing on the salad was nice. Ube waffle with optional vegan chicken add-on (costs $8) and calamansi syrup: This was okay, the chicken definitely tastes like soy protein and the waffles were alright but it didn't really taste like ube. Unfortunately ube is a mild flavor so they probably would've needed to put a lot more for the flavor to come out. Tofu inasal (the standard is chicken but you can choose tofu): This is lechon style BBQ tofu, java rice, atchara, spiced vinegar (sinamak). Overall, it's quite acidic in taste especially from the vinegar. I liked the rice since it was more savory, and the grilled triangle-cut tofu. A good choice if you like food more on the sour side. Vegan ube horchata: It was surprisingly not sweet. It actually reminds me a bit of che thai (the Vietnamese dessert). Chocnut tart: This is a dark chocolate ganacheco trart with coconut-graham crust. You can taste the coconut a bit, but it's mostly the rich thick dark chocolate taste, a nice balance between bitter, savory, and filling. I really liked this personally. Grilled elote salad: This was nice because of the cheese and I liked the corn and more sour elements. A lot of avocado on top as well. Banh xeo, vegan pork and oyster mushrooms option: This was pretty good, I personally would've liked it to be saltier but the food was savory overall. As a vegetarian, I really appreciate that they offered a meatless version. I'm so sad that they are closing at end of June 2024, they are a worker-owned restaurant and have relationships with a lot of community organizations.

Stumbled upon this cool shop. We were intrigued by the mishmash of world cuisines labeled on Yelp. I liked the quirky design of the wallpaper. We were seated outside. We got the chef's choice which came with lemongrass pork, lechon, coleslaw, garlic rice, fried sunny side up egg, pickled veggies, tocino, and ube waffles. It was $40 and fed two people well. The server recommended we get pancit to get us more stuffed but this amount of food was good enough. Our favorite thing was the lemongrass pork. It tastes Vietnamese, like something my mom would make. The lechon was dry; I wish it had a sauce. The tocino and rice was solid. The ube waffles were dry and crunchy; not sure if it was supposed to be like this? We checked in for an agua fresca of the day; sadly, there was a hair in our drink. We also waited around 40 min for our food. We watched as several guests ate and left before we got the food. It came out just as we were about to inquire. All in all an interesting concept with cool Asian fusion choices.

My friends and I really liked the vibe here but we were underwhelmed by the food (the pancit malabon specifically). The party of 4 came here for a girls brunch on Saturday around noon and there was no wait. They have both indoor and outdoor seating, but we decided to sit indoors as the remaining outdoor tables were all in the sun. The inside of the restaurant is large and airy and looked beautiful with the colorful wallpaper and plants. They offer a variety of coffee and lattes as well as alcoholic beverages. The lattes and horchata come with beautiful latte art, which we appreciated. It's been a while since I've seen one so beautifully done! The menu is eclectic and offers dishes from different parts of the world. Rather than calling it a brunch menu, it's more like a multicultural lunch menu with a handful of brunch options. Three of us opted for the pancit malabon ($17), which is a Filipino rice noodle dish served with seafood annatto sauce, chicken chicharron, and a boiled egg. It was quite underwhelming, as the rice noodles are served with the sauce on top rather than everything being stir fried together like it should be. The noodles they used are also super thick and not the thin rice noodles usually used for pancit. It was okay and I still enjoyed it, but it wasn't what I was expecting. Portions for the pancit are also on the smaller side. Luckily I wasn't that hungry because I had some pastries earlier; otherwise it definitely wouldn't have been enough food. Luckily it wasn't too busy, and we were able to sit and chat until we were ready to leave around 2:30 pm. I appreciated that they let us stay there long after we finished eating!

Some of the slowest service I've ever experienced. I'm currently at the restaurant had to flat my waitress down after 20 min of sitting with no water to finally place my order. It's now been another 25 min and still haven't gotten my food or a refill on water. Table behind us has been dirty for about 30 min. Nearly an hour and we're starving about to just walk out. Never again other tables who gotten here after us have been served. Update finally got my food. 20 min since last post. Still not drinks only one item has come out the harrisa biscuit sandwich, and it's terrible flavorless and soggy. Also doesn't make sense that they put on their menu that they won't turn away people due to their financial situation. That's a nice gesture I guess but they don't accept cash anyone is a situation who can't afford the full cost of their meal most likely isn't going to have a credit card.

We came for brunch. Food was delicious and service was super friendly. Their Chilaquiles sauce was excellent and I wish their Harissa biscuit fried chicken sandwich was on their dinner menu. I'd order it for brunch and dinner!

Came to this place on a whimp to get dinner. We ordered 3 things: donut, oxtail and their burger. The donut was super unique and it came with 2 dipping options to give 3 distinctive flavors. The oxtail dish was my favorite, it came with very fusion peanut flavor and it went very well with the ingredients. The burger was kind of sad for me, I was not a fan of the burger/sauce mixture l, hence the 4 star I gave this place. In general, I would recommend trying this restaurant, the wait staff was attentive for the most part and food came pretty fast.

TLDR: friendly service staff, pretty surroundings, and yummy food! We did the community plate, gluten free. It was so nice to be able to enjoy everything on the plate. The standouts were the smoky harissa and the slightly spicy biscuit. The watermelon arugula salad was refreshing and light. The strawberry tepache was like a kombucha, a little tart and a little sweet. It is bustling so probably not a good spot for a first date. So pumped for the delightful gluten free surprise!

I've been wanting to try Understory for months with my friend because we know we both would find something we'd each like to eat. I love trying elevated Filipino food and she's vegan. Well, today is the day! This week's menu didn't have much Filipino food options. They had Palabok Negra which I really wanted to try but I couldn't because I'm allergic to shellfish. It certainly sounded delicious. That said, I very much appreciate that they list all allergens on the menu for each dish. The menu this week had more Laotian dishes, so I ordered the Mok Pa instead. Wow! That is one helluva a dish. The salmon was cooked perfectly with an herbaceous delicate aroma and flavor. The plating was so beautiful. It came with a tangy chili relish that balanced the whole meal. It was the perfect complement to the fish. My friend ordered the Vegan Papaya Burger. The patty is housemade fava bean. And let me tell you... I am not vegan but that patty was frickin good!!! It was flavorful and crispy. It was not trying to be meat. It was a hearty patty with delicious bean texture and fava bean flavor. I would order this myself because it's that good. And the best part of that burger was the caramelized papaya on top! The decor inside is inviting with its tropical decor. There is also outdoor seating. The service was good. The person at the counter was fun and friendly. They gave us their recommendations and was tickled with delight when we ordered items that were their favorite. Our food arrived fairly timely. Unfortunately my friend's burger was not vegan. She sliced her burger and noticed that the patty was meat! Luckily, she sliced it before taking a bite. We let the person at the counter know and they made her a corrected fava bean burger right away! They were apologetic and let me take home the meat burger for my son. I definitely want to come back to try more dishes, especially when they have more Filipino dishes on the menu. * Note: Free Aguas Fresca of the day with check-in

Ambiance & service GREAT - felt so welcoming I've been wanting to come here for a while & so happy we did! I'm an omnivore & my friend has food restrictions, but that was NOT an issue. I especially love the mission that is the foundation of Understory! Can't wait to return! Appetizers - Molete & Brussels sprouts were delicious & we killed them! Drinks - Jeepney & Smoke signals hit the spot Entrees- Kalderetang Kambing & Caribbean beef stew all tasted like HOME. Felt like I ate a home cooked meal! Thank you! We killed those too! Our waitress was so cute & accommodating since we weren't ready to order each time she checked on us...she said that's ok I know this table now :)

Wow. The flavors are out of this world. And the space is soo beautiful. Big bonus that it's worker-owned and community minded - no where else have I seen a menu with a sliding scale priced "community offering" menu item. We went for brunch & got to try so many gems via the collective meal for 2 spread. The tocino (filipino style cured meat) was easily the best we've ever had - marinated to hit that sweet and savory balance just right. Shout out to Chef Jenabi! That and everything else on the plate - the crisp lumpia, the lemongrass beef skewer - was super umami. With perfect complements of luscious biscuits, fried egg & rice, and fresh atchara. I could have eaten the full plate on my own. The understory crew has built something so special. Just wish I still lived in the bay and could eat here more often.

I've only been here once, but I loved the space right away! At first glance, the colorful interior and decor was so warm and inviting. This also mirrored warm service from the cashier and waiter who were so inviting and welcoming as well. :) My partner and I got the Sai Oua Rice Bowl and the Tocino rice plate (from the brunch menu). Both were SOO delicious! My favorite of the two was the Sai Oua rice bowl. The sausages had such a delicious flavor, and paired with the jalapeño relish + fried egg + cucumber salad + garlic rice .... I was in heaven. (I forreal fell in love with that relish, so yummy!) My partner liked the Tocino rice place more! He loved the sweet flavor of the meat, and the meal itself was nostalgic for us since it's essentially a popular Filipino breakfast with the garlic rice, fried egg, and atchara. So good! We also got two glasses of their ube horchata. It was our first time hearing of ube being mixed in horchata, and it was a pleasant drink! :) Overall, I would love to come back here and support this restaurant. The food was delicious, and the whole experience itself was so fun and nice! I would definitely recommend trying this place out if you're in the area. :)

My most favorite spot in Oakland to eat. The vibe is wonderful. It's welcoming and loving and that love goes onto all the food. The staff is awesome so sweet, helpful and beautiful inside and out. Come in in get a great meal and a great drink. There's indoor and outdoor eating. my favorite drink is the pear, hot toddy it's warm, soothing, and delicious. I could eat those waffles and vegan chicken every single day. And it doesn't matter. If you have dietary options this is a place for you whether you eat meat, your gluten-free, vegetarian or vegan. They have options for everyone. Even if you're short on cash, they have a community offering where you pay what you can afford. It's a worker own restaurant, and they have pop-ups on Saturday evenings for new and upcoming chefs. You can tell that the staff loves the place and loves what they do and that Love shows up in the service, the food and the atmosphere. if you haven't tried it, you definitely should you will not be disappointed. Understory

Love the ambiance! Jungle-y wallpaper with lots of plants and everyone who worked there was very nice and attentive. I really wanted to give it 5 stars but I unfortunately thought the pancit with stir fried rice noodles and veggies was not very flavorful. The pork belly was a bit drier than I had expected, and the noodles did not have enough flavor. BUT the harissa chicken biscuit was really good! Really CRUNCHY, flavorful fried chicken, and I liked the side salad's vinaigrette. Do a yelp check-in for a free Agua Fresca! The agua fresca also took me by surprise in that it didn't seem sweetened at all, but when I shifted my mindset to it being a healthy, sugarless drink, I could appreciate its refreshing taste more.

If you are in downtown Oakland, you need to stop here. Understory Oakland is a worker-led restaurant, bar, and commissary kitchen developed by 8th Street Collective and Oakland Bloom. It's a great place with a neat vibe. The menu is a fusion of multi-cultural flavors with flavors from Moroccan, Filipino, and Mexican cuisines.

"I wanted to like this place..." and I loved it. Food tasted homemade with an extra spoonful of love and care. Service is the warmest I've experienced in a while. Vibes are bright, hopeful, open and humanity centered. A restaurant that is as emotionally refreshing as it pays attention to the smaller details. Excited to come back for the winter menu!

Understory offers the a diverse, multicultural menu with items from Filipino, Mexican, Moroccan, and American cuisines (and more) all under one roof! This unique worker-owned restaurant constantly updates its offerings and is a super popular place for brunch. The item to order to get a good sampling of their flavors is the Understory Collective Meal, a cook's choice sampler plate for two. The items we got on our board included two small fish sandwiches with lebne and pickled onions; two fried eggs; boneless crispy fried chicken pieces (similar to karaage) tossed in a spicy sauce; fried chicken wings tossed in a green seasoning; a salad of tomatoes and greens; a sweet, crispy ube waffle topped with poached pears; and a spiced pear corn cake for dessert. Everything was tasty and great for sharing--the service seemed slow, inattentive, and still getting up to speed, but this was a unique small business worth supporting!

Great vegan options curated from Palestine, Philippines, Mexico, and Haiti based chefs with great signature cocktails, and the most joyful high energy servers and staff. There is nothing else like it in Bay Area.

I really wanted to like this place. Cool concept, nice ambiance, unique menu items, and delicious food. The vegetarian chicken sandwich was nithing short of amazingThe staff is friendly. However, the service execution left a lot to be desired. We read the reviews and noted that the only bad reviews stated that the service was slow. We prepared for that, so no problem. However, we started seeing people who came in after us getting their food about an hour after we ordered. Before I could bring it up, a server said there was a problem and our order didn't get put in. She retook our order and left off without much apparent concern for the situation. It took another 20 mins to get our food, but apparently the server never put in my partner's dish (this brunch was to celebrate her birthday). Again, we waited. They gave us a discount, but not nearly enough to make up for the issue. The operation of this place is quite disorganized. I wouldn't come back here unless I have no plans after and Im not particularly hungry... but in that case I wouldnt go to a resuraunt, so ‍

How many reviews of Understory begin "I really wanted to like this place"? Well, I really wanted to like this place. Its a co-op! How cool is that? And Old Oakland has so much potential. But I was here on a Sunday afternoon for brunch and my car was broken into. In broad daylight! I know its not the restaurants fault, but still, it colors the overall experience. The mall food court mishmash of cuisines was an interesting idea, plenty of vegetarian and vegan options, but the execution...eh. And the glacially slow service...equally eh. The brunch menu was not a typical brunch menu. We had an ube waffle and a fava bean burger, both a bit pricey for what you get. Disappointing,and then coming out to the pile of shattered glass that was once my rear window.... The whole day made me think "Oakland, you can do better"

We had a big group and tasted several dishes. Food was absolutely delicious with fresh ingredients all around. It was literally a party in my mouth with all the layering of flavors. Staff was friendly. I'm coming back with my family and my new spot to bring friends.

We initially arrived thinking we'd order for take-out, but by the time we ordered, we decided to eat outside on the patio since it wasn't too busy. The person who helped us was so sweet, helpful, and patient. We took a while to decide what we wanted and they offered some suggestions. We ordered empanadas, collaboration dips, Kseksu, the muscles and bread, ginger soda, and the Ohlone Blackberry soda. We waited inside for our drinks and then walked over to grab a table on the patio. The staff said we could take a couple tables given the amount of food we ordered. This was necessary--haha. The empanadas and the peanut sauce were my favorite. Flavorful and delicious. Everything else was good, but I don't know if I'd order them again. I wish the muscles had a little more acid and bread--there was a lot of muscles, tho! Of the dips, the guacamole was my favorite, my friend loved the ensaladang talong. Neither of us finished the taktouka. The Kseksu was was probably my least favorite dish because I thought it was under-seasoned. However, most likely because I'm used to eating too much salt :P I would definitely be back, but I'd probably want to try some of the other menu items. There is so much on the menu!

Okay, best non-American, ethnic breakfast/brunch I've had in a while. Honestly, I didn't think it was possible to bring in some of my favorite flavors on a communal breakfast plate until it happened at Understory. Imma go again very soon.

I was very eager to try Understory after learning about its story, a worker-led restaurant run by a POC collective, which allows them to offer a diverse menu of Filipino, Moroccan, vegan Mexican, Lao, and Burmese flavors. Unfortunately, I may have just been unlucky but I had a slightly disappointing experience during my visit. After you order at the front counter, you find an open table yourself and grab your own water, utensils, etc, so there are no designated waiter per table. After waiting for over 40 minutes, we figured our order was probably forgotten so we finally asked a worker about it. Our food was brought out after another 10 minutes, and to our disappointment, it was only slightly warm, which probably took away from the taste of it too. We ordered the grits with lamb and breakfast tacos. Both had rich flavors and tasted good enough for us to not feel upset over waiting over 40 minutes for it, but unfortunately didn't amaze us to the point of wanting to come back soon. Overall, I'd still recommend this place to friends who haven't tried but I don't see myself coming back regularly.

Omg. We stumbled upon this restaurant for an impromptu date night... and we were pleasantly surprised. The food was excellent! The service was amazing and friendly. Everything we tried was DELICIOUS! We went Thursday night and will be returning tonight for dinner! :) Can't wait!

Women and worker owned and led, beautiful ambiance, and you immediately feel like you're walking into your favorite wine aunt's house for dinner. The people I spoke with were incredibly receptive, offered top tier service, and a very loving demeanor when talking to me. Thank you so much! This is one of my staples here in Oakland now for vegan-friendly meals!

Elevating Oakland looks, feels, and tastes like this, full stop. One look at their insta and you'll know what I mean. The food is the star: a medley of global flavors - subtle, balanced, and not heavy (like most brunches)! Drinks evocative of early summer on a tropical island. Hands down the best brunch we've had in Oakland. We walked in honoring masking policies before speaking with the delightful cashier! Settling in, we sat outside on a wonderful day with our pup. Can't go wrong with the Chef's choice brunch sampler for two! The spread had the umami garlic rice and a perfectly jammy fried egg centered between beef bites reminiscent of Cơm tấm, a salad reminiscent of burmese tea leaf salad, and tender eggplant/bokchoy in a finger-licking sesame sauce. Munching away, we took our side of fries and put it on the sampler because the sesame sauce was so damn good! The fries were bomb with the sweet wings in the sampler. Cheerful exchanges from non-hurried, charming staff, put this over the top. Community is alive and thriving here. There's no better place to soak in vibes on a Sunday morning, supporting up and coming chefs. We'll be back for the ube waffles Understory and its staff made for a beautiful day.

Everything about this place is unbelievable. The vibes are absolutely immaculate as soon as you walk in. The plants, the music, the atmosphere, such a warm and welcoming experience. My wife said the Amethyst Haze is the best cocktail she's ever had, and I'm extremely inclined to agree with her. It was so balanced, and refreshing - incredible props to the bartender/creator! The food was absolutely next level! I had the Fava bean burger which was better than most burgers I've had in my life and I'm not vegan. My wife (who is vegan) got the Tetela which was absolutely sensational. The Taza De Platano Macho was also insanely delicious! I have no idea how they make the vegan shrimp but the texture was almost identical to the real thing. Cannot recommend this place enough and will ABSOLUTELY be back next time we're in Oakland!

Quaint little place in downtown Oakland. Not to far away from the freeway exit and easy to find. Lots of metered street parking as well as parking lots in the vicinity. Understory has an outdoor seating area as well as some indoor. I came with 2 girlfriends on a Saturday for brunch. One of my friends is vegan so when we schedule to meet up I jump on here to see who has vegan options for her. She actually found this place and suggested it. I was pleased to see the filipino fusion on the menu and was quite intrigued. We met around lunchtime. We all knew what we wanted since we all looked at the menu beforehand. Only we were met with a special brunch menu that didn't have any of the items we were looking forward to try. Bummer! Neither of us saw a "brunch" menu anywhere. You walk into a light, open and airy estrablishment. Lots of potted plants and beautiful color pallete chosen. I especially love the crished velvet dining chairs. We ordered some alcoholic beverages. 1. Jeepney: I had to. It was SKRONG. Upon my first sip I knew I needed to pace myself. It had a hint of calamansi so that was nice. 2. Paloma: gave exactly what was expected. 3. Negroni: suprisngly delicious it was ordered twice. Now for the food: 1 Fries as an appetizer. 2. Fried Chicken Harissa Biscuit: Biscuit wasn't heavy. That chicken cutlet was seasoned well and the slaw was a great binder. 3. Torta Milanesa de nopal: a torta made with cactus. The cactus was seasoned and breaded and deep fried as if it were a chicken cutlet. The bread was fresh and the veggies crisp and fresh. What a great sandwich. 4. My vegan friend ordered the Arroz Caldo and although it was delicious it just wasnt hittin any sweet spots so she asked if she could have the Torta Milanesa de Nopal instead and they obliged. 5. Then we shared the ube leche flan that was delicious and a great ending to our visit. Next visit will be at dinner time because I need to try those oyster mushrooms appetizer and oxtail kare kare. Menu seems to change often so if you see something you like you better plan a visit sooner rather than later!

Great food with interesting choices, including good veg/vegan options. Service was great also. Very friendly, warm vibe. Nice overall ambiance. Nourishing for the food and the soul!

Brunch was poppin! Harissa Chicken Sandwich, Vegan Chilaquiles with Oyster Mushroom and a side of fries has such interesting flavor combinations. My 8 year old approved of it! We also ordered cold brew and ginger beer which was a great compliment to our food.

I learned about Understory through the AAPI Artist Market at E14 Gallery. Understory is a worker-led collective (empowering immigrant and refugee chefs and POC worker owners) with a rotating menu every three weeks, so I'm thrilled I had the chance to check it out. The service was warm and friendly. They currently have a couple tables outside for outdoor dining. The menu this week featured vegan and gluten free Mexian-inspired dishes emphasizing pre-colonial ingredients. I ordered the Taquitos, Dreamy Greens, and Pozole Para Todxs after asking what would travel well since I was taking it back to Livermore. The entrees were $12 except the Pozole Para Todxs which was on a sliding scale of $0-100. All of the dishes complemented each other really well and had such complex flavors. I really appreciate the heart, humanity, and values of Understory and will have to return to try out their next menu.

So delicious! Such great service. Chill atmosphere. Servers are chefs and chefs are servers and they all really love their jobs and make you feel at home. I wish I could eat here every day. The food is INCREDIBLY good and caters to vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and carnivores alike!

Absolutely loved this spot! I came here on a work trip and was really excited about the amount of vegan options that I could have. The menu is also very seasonal and fresh.

Understory is a worker-led collective in an incubator kitchen operated by Bloom. "Understory is all about building community & supporting BIPOC artists.." this weekend will be their grand opening. offerings: Moroccan, Vegan Mexican & Filipino eats. the will be a rotating menu. lst menu offered will be Filipino eats with a few specials by other Chefs. in house menu is more expansive than online pre-order menu. eats: Kare Kare Empanada (4) -"stuffed with peanut braised beef stew served with bagoong (shrimp paste) aioli} -small flaky empanada packed with lots of flavor. -Lahpet Thoke (Tea Leaf Salad) 10 "cabbage slices, femented tea leaf, tomato bits, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, peanuts" -a minature version of the Burmese classic that's packed with intense flavor. takeouts: -portions may seem small. it's temporarily fulfilling. flavored packed. -standing board is located at corner. Understory is in the middle of the block near a parking lot (that's full). -no inside dining yet. 2 outside tables for dining.

Found out about this on whim after tons of searches for brunch in the East Bay and honestly this place deserves WAAAAY more love!!! Such a refreshing take on brunch which is normally limited to French toast, omelets, etc. The inside was super cozy, loved the wall paper and the decor and food came out within like 20mins so pretty quick too! Place does fill up quick (we got there right at open) so be prepared to wait. All the servers and bar staff were super helpful and kind! Absolutely will be back!

Opening week and I think today was the first day of service. Love the ethos of this restaurant, bar and commissary kitchen. Developing bipoc leaders in the industry and providing opportunities for the marginalized in the community. They are highlighting Filipino, Moroccan and Mexican cuisines. Currently the menu is Filipino focused. Enjoyed: -flaky Kare Kare empanada with a what tasted like a creamy porcini sauce -pancit, vegan but I added the super crisp lechon - so porky and crispy, I am used to glass noodles, these were like chow mein. Loved the tofu and wood ear additions - can tell the quality of ingredient -bbq need skewers - flavorful and tender, rice a bit gummy/dry, nice slaw -Inasal cauli - excellent vegan choice, rice needs same improvement -vegan cheesecake - fantastic, not dense if that's what you're looking for, cashews and coco and a healthy sprinkling of dehydrated raspberries, perfect tartness - super satisfying Order through their site for easy-distanced pick up. Generous portions, unique twists on different cuisines, fresh ingredients, lovingly cooked and a positive impact on the community is a thumbs up in my book.

I really am a food lover, but there is a point when you get very hungry and the wait long was so bad. My friends recommended this place to me but I guess we have different opinions. I won't come back here in the future.

So so so good! Went here on a whim for brunch and was nicely surprised! Best mimosa I've had in a while, and both my partner and I had an an amazing meal. Bravo!!!

One of the few truly worker owned restaurants in the Bay Area. Each chef contributes dishes from their culture to make their constantly evolving menu a unique treat to experience. Today I tried the quarter chicken with preserved lemon and the Understory salad to go paired with Jasmine rice lager on tap from match point brewing. Their interior design and layout makes the space feel modern and familiar, comfortable and intimate.

Found this restaurant through a hashtag on Instagram & so glad we went for it! This place was delicious. Currently doing no dine in but they have outdoor seating! It was a bit awkward when we walked in, we were the only customers and there was another table of people there. There wasn't anyone to greet us but just my partner and I looking around. We got to the bar & one of the co-owners came up to greet us. They were so sweet! They made us feel rly comfortable in the space! We got the Kare Kare empanada & kaledaretang kabing! Would come by again! It was a little awkward when we walked in, there was a group in the

Understory is a special place for Old Oakland, for our community, and for me. I truly believe they're leading the way in how restaurants should operate: worker-led, providing opportunities to uplift immigrant, refugee, and BIPOC chefs, and being a safe space for QTPOC with the events they host from time to time. Their food is also outrageously delicious to boot!? I've shyly taken out orders here since one of their first Burmese and HK chef pop ups. I've ended up falling in love with their catfish chowder, then their fried mussels with fries, then their vegan tacos with black beans, sweet potatoes and pomegranate seeds, then their vegan chocolate concha... And now, most recently, their sweet-savory flaky bastilla pastry with tumeric spiced cauliflower, chickpeas and almonds -- all coupled with a rich and creamy champurrado (cacao mixed with masa flour, cinnamon, and a dash of chile for a thick, creamy and warm winter drink). I also love how this place offers a lot of creative and tasty plant-based items. Not a lot of places in Old Oakland do that (unless you're interested in Sweetgreen...boring!) Understory is showing how Mexican and Filipinx food CAN be plant-based and CAN be just as tasty, if not better than meat. I also love their events and the pop ups that highlight other chefs who are Black, Southeast Asian, Moroccan, and how they highlight local drag queens, local BIPOC and QTPOC artists, and much more. Food is central to a community. And Understory makes itself a place to gather for good food and good company. (Safely! From a 6-foot distance! At least for now!) Wishing them all the success they deserve.

The first time I had pancit was at the team potlucks at my first job. There was a Filipina auntie who made pancit every time, and without fail, it would be gone within 5 minutes. Yes, it was that good. This pancit is that auntie's pancit but bumped up to 11. It's vegan (holy poop!!), but I added lechon - because how can you say no to lechon? Absolutely delicious. I barely held it together long enough to snap the pic. Terrific food, and I get to support immigrant chefs? Yes please!

Understory is easily my favorite new restaurant in Oakland. Since they opened, I've made it a point to have it regularly so I can always try something new since they have a rotating menu. I love that they are intentional about their use of seasonal ingredients and also pay homage to multiple kinds of cuisines without the pretentiousness of most "fusion" foods you come across these days. This current menu is probably my favorite one so far, everything I tried today was hellaaaaaa good. I'm not a vegan but their vegan aguachile was SO good I wish I ordered multiple servings!! Empanadas were flaky and warm even tho we got it to go and ate at home. Also their drink menu has never disappointed --horchata with flan at the bottom and cantaloupe lemongrass agua fresca..... Jesus Christ I wouldn't hesitate to fist fight my partner for the last sip of either drink tbh Also I'm not a salad person but my favorite salads ever have been at understory, so don't sleep on their seasonal salads !! Tip for parking on busy nights: 7th street almost always has parking! xoxo, Gossip gurl