Oko at Tribune

4.5 (174)

$31 to $50

Californian

401 13th St, Oakland, CA 94612-2601

About this restaurant

Innovative
Romantic
Good for special occasions

The iconic Oakland Tribune welcomes "Oko"! A modern take on Pan-African cuisine , designed and curated by Chef Michael Woods. Chef Michael Woods has been featured in a host of articles surrounding his success in the culinary industry but is most known for appearing on The Food Network's first Black History Episode of "Chopped".
We invite guests to come visit us in the most historic building in Oakland to try one of our signature dishes like Chef Mike's Gumbo or any of the small plates that people are growing to love, like the new Caribbean jerk chicken tostadas. Whatever you're in for, we have something special on the menu for you, paired with a great staff and fun atmosphere ; make your reservations or just drop in at Oko at Tribune!

Stay tuned for our supper club experiences and monthly events you won't want to miss!

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Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Californian, African, French
Hours of Operation
Tue–Thu 12:00 pm–8:00 pm Fri 12:00 pm–9:00 pm Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Website
http://thebussdownoak.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress Code
Smart Casual
Executive Chef
Michael Woods
Private party facilities
Contact us at oko@tribuneoakland.com

Location
401 13th St, Oakland, CA 94612-2601
Area
Oakland
Cross Street
Franklin CLOSEST PARKING: Atlas 13th & Franklin St. 24/7
Parking Details
Nearest Parking Lots with Hours and Rates. $7 hour/$25 daily max/$50 overnight Atlas open 7a-7p every day. Guests can enter before 7 pm; can exit with ticket anytime. Credit card only. No cash. Hours to expand as COVID passes. Intention to be a 24/7 lot. Mo is supervisor of parking. 510-289-4144
Public transport
12th St. & Franklin (AC Transit); Broadway & 13th St. (12th St. BART & AC Transit); 14th St. & Franklin (AC Transit)
Additional
Patio/Outdoor Dining

Shrimp Ceviche NegroUS$16.00
Shrimp Ceviche, Jerk, Asparagus, Jalapeno, Mango
Oko Orisha SaladUS$15.00
Red Leaf Lettuce, Bell pepper, Red onion, Kumquat, Cucumber, King Seed Mix, Oko Orisha Dressing
Sukuma WikiUS$16.00
Kale & Collard Greens, Creamy Caper Vinaigrette, Fresh Parmesan, Quinoa, Benne seed
Kuku Mchele
Chicken and Wild Rice Soup, Braising Greens, Kabichi Saladi, Nasturtium
- CUS$14.00
- BUS$18.00
Potato SoupUS$13.00
Purple Potato, Sunchoke Chips, Herb Oil, Cashew Cream
Smoked Hot House TomatoUS$15.00
Smoked & stewed Tomato, Corn, Bell Pepper, Black Eyed Peas, Battered Corn Kernels

Shared Items

Jollof Na NdziziUS$13.00
Fried Sweet Plantain Cups filled with Jollof Rice, Kilele Cha Msimu, Spicy Jerk Marinade
Oko Tostada
Maharagwe, (Black Bean), Lime Cilantro Aioli, Kabichi Salad
- Shredded ChickenUS$16.00
- Shrimp & SteakUS$18.00
Mazao Ya BrusseliUS$15.00
Lollipop Kale, Sombo, Sumac, Chili, Tufaha (apple), Mgando, (yogurt), Sweet Potato
Oxtail TacosUS$24.00
Hand-Pressed Blue Masa Tortilla, Lime Cilantro Aioli, Kabichi Saladi, Maharagwe, (Black Bean), Cotija
AndouilleUS$16.00
House Made Andouille sausage, Pretzel Knot, Pimento Beer Cheese, Plantain Mustard, Spring Onion, House Pickles
Hoppin' JohnUS$14.00
Sea Island Red Peas, White Rice, Nasturtium, Benne seed
Clams Na KomeUS$37.00
Manilla Clams, PEI mussels, gulf prawns, Sombo Curry, Lemon Grass, marple potatoes, Arugula, Pernod, Sourdough toast

Sandwiches

Lunch is Served until 3pm daily. Suggested Add-Ons - Bacon: $4, Avocado: $3, Hot House Tomato: $2

Oko BurgerUS$18.00
Demote Farms beef, Little Gems, Red Onion schmear, hot house tomato
"Bip City" Chicken SandwichUS$18.00
Frank's hot, Buttermilk brined fried chicken, b&b pickles, house ranch
Fried Shrimp Po BoyUS$22.00
Beer-battered shrimp, shredded lettuce, smoked Hot House tomatoes, cajun remoulade
Ya Jibini "Grilled Cheese"US$12.00
Smoked Goat and sharp cheddar cheese on sourdough bread
CubanoUS$18.00
Citrus Braised Pork, Aged Swiss, Plantain Mustard, House Pickles

Desserts

$10

Chocolate Mousse
Biscotti, Espresso Crema
Vanilla Bundt Cake
Preserved Lemon Icing
Panna Cotta
Strawberry 3 ways, Mint
Candied Yam
Meringue, Brown Sugar & Cinnamon

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Oko at Tribune.

4.5

(174)

4.4Food
4.5Service
4.3Ambience
4.1Value

Noise • Moderate

174 Reviews

R
Robert
San Francisco Bay Area2 reviews
5.0
Dined on 24 May 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing service and great food. Overall a great meal.
Is this helpful?
J
Jenny
San Diego1 review
2.0
Dined on 16 May 2023
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
Eclectic menu but uneven quality. Nearly empty for lunch but service was still slow. Still working out the kinks maybe?
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M
Mary
San Francisco Bay Area1 review
2.0
Dined on 14 May 2023
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 3
Organization was very poor. Waitress was not very attentive. I had message them previously and asked if they have set menu for Sunday. And they said no. But when we arrived we were given only brunch menu.
Is this helpful?
d
deborad
San Francisco Bay Area2 reviews
2.0
Dined on 14 May 2023
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 3
Horrible service. waited over 30 min for waitress to arrive ,food took another 30 min to arrive . had to ask for the rest of my meal after they brought out two eggs, had to ask for utensils. People next to us left in disgust after waiting over an hour for their food.
Is this helpful?
FB
FullBellyFrank
San Francisco Bay Area1 review
1.0
Dined on 14 May 2023
1. Overall 1
2. Food 2
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 3
I took my wife and son here, for Mother's Day, and made reservations ahead of time. It was a disaster!! We got there at 10:40 a.m., with 11 a.m. reservations. They had the place locked up, and wouldn't let us in to have a drink at the bar. No water was offered either as we waited outside on some benches, that were surrounded by garbage and debris that no one wanted to clean up. When I went to the door to see if we even had the right place (it was deserted), the young lady reluctantly came over and told me we had to wait outside. She was unfriendly and unwelcoming. Unfortunately for us, this same person is the one who was assigned to wait on our table!! She sat us down, then disappeared for 20 minutes. Then, she brought lukewarm water to us, and disappeared for another 20 minutes. She continued to be unfriendly and unhelpful. A FULL HOUR after we sat down, our food had still not arrived, while other patrons who had come in at the same time as us, had ordered their food, eaten it, and were preparing to leave afterwards!! The one thing we got, was an Arnold Palmer that tasted terrible, full of that cheap and fake lemon spray you've heard about, but never want to taste. Other things that happened were equally bad. We got tired of this treatment and were very hungry, so we left the restaurant without eating, and walked to Chinatown for a great meal. (I don't know if our order ever even made it to the kitchen or not. Probably a 50/50 chance.) We want to support black-owned businesses, such as this, but we won't go back to Oko. (The gentleman at the front desk was cool, though.)
Is this helpful?
RH
RissaHawkeye
San Francisco Bay Area2 reviews
5.0
Dined on 14 May 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
You guys, what an experience we got to have here. I highly recommend it. The service was outstanding and the recommendations where absolutely delicious. Thank you for adding to our City Night experience. Loved it.
Is this helpful?
LG
LoverofGoodFood Gold
San Francisco Bay Area13 reviews
5.0
Dined on 7 May 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Warm hospitality and beautiful and delicious food and cocktails in the Tribune building. Everyone who works there is excited about sharing the food with you. The had a game on with the sound turned way up, so that was a negative for us, but the food and service made up for it. Try the jollof rice in fried plaintain cups and the housemade andouille sausage. Actually, try everything.
Is this helpful?
ST
SassTraveller Gold
San Francisco Bay Area35 reviews
5.0
Dined on 25 April 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Love this place. Very nice people. Good food. Good bar. Easy to get into for small or large groups.
Is this helpful?
KK
KritiKare Gold
Sacramento / Sacramento Valley214 reviews
5.0
Dined on 13 April 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
New neighborhood gem! Don't just come here for Happy Hour- check out their fab menu at lunch! The server/mixologist/host tag team were spot on perfect to our group- friendly, informational, encourgaging, and totally commanded their menu. They were the perfect mix of helpful and present, but also tending to other duties and outta site. But for some reason, they were always right there when we needed something- How did they know? Perhaps Oko should be called "Sixth Sense"!?
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco Bay Area1 review
5.0
Dined on 9 April 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great spot to get amazing drinks and good food. Will definitely be returning.
Is this helpful?

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Californian, African, French
Hours of Operation
Tue–Thu 12:00 pm–8:00 pm Fri 12:00 pm–9:00 pm Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Website
http://thebussdownoak.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress Code
Smart Casual
Executive Chef
Michael Woods
Private party facilities
Contact us at oko@tribuneoakland.com

Location
401 13th St, Oakland, CA 94612-2601
Area
Oakland
Cross Street
Franklin CLOSEST PARKING: Atlas 13th & Franklin St. 24/7
Parking Details
Nearest Parking Lots with Hours and Rates. $7 hour/$25 daily max/$50 overnight Atlas open 7a-7p every day. Guests can enter before 7 pm; can exit with ticket anytime. Credit card only. No cash. Hours to expand as COVID passes. Intention to be a 24/7 lot. Mo is supervisor of parking. 510-289-4144
Public transport
12th St. & Franklin (AC Transit); Broadway & 13th St. (12th St. BART & AC Transit); 14th St. & Franklin (AC Transit)
Additional
Patio/Outdoor Dining

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.

Oko at Tribune

About this restaurant

Permanently Closed

There’s more to explore

Dining areas

Additional information

Menu

Starters

Shrimp Ceviche NegroUS$16.00

Oko Orisha SaladUS$15.00

Sukuma WikiUS$16.00

Kuku Mchele

Potato SoupUS$13.00

Smoked Hot House TomatoUS$15.00

Shared Items

Jollof Na NdziziUS$13.00

Oko Tostada

Mazao Ya BrusseliUS$15.00

Oxtail TacosUS$24.00

AndouilleUS$16.00

Hoppin' JohnUS$14.00

Clams Na KomeUS$37.00

Sandwiches

Oko BurgerUS$18.00

"Bip City" Chicken SandwichUS$18.00

Fried Shrimp Po BoyUS$22.00

Ya Jibini "Grilled Cheese"US$12.00

CubanoUS$18.00

Desserts

Chocolate Mousse

Vanilla Bundt Cake

Panna Cotta

Candied Yam

Reviews

Dining areas

Additional information

Permanently Closed