Commis (Oakland)complex tastesgive yourself 2 hours at least to enjoy the food. delicate, complex flavors and textures. surprisingly filling. great wines.6/15/2013 12:00:00 AMMichelin star well-deserved"Kaiseki"-like dishes with lyrical presentations. The tastes are enormous and intense and are disproportionate to the size of the morsels. Chef Syhabout very involved on a Thursday night even brought a dish to our table.6/13/2013 12:00:00 AMCommis is the bestThis is the best dining available in the East Bay. I really like their wine pairings because I have been able to try a lot of new, interesting whites that I would not have tried otherwise. We have been several times and love the fact that the menu always changes with the season, with the exception of the egg dish, which is outstanding.
The food is on the light side, so you don't feel bogged down even after the lengthy parade of courses is complete.6/9/2013 12:00:00 AMTerrificThe food at Commis is outstanding. The service is very good even though they come across as a little snooty. The restaurant itself seems to try to be a little "elitist." There is no sign on the building which screams "if you don't know where you are going then this isn't the place your looking for." They won't answer the phone after 4:00pm. So if you can't find the place or you're going to be late then there is no one to talk to. There is no ambience. It is like eating in the "emergency room." They're trying to tell you, "We only provide good food. That's why you come here."6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMSpecialCommis was delicious. Every plate was special, the service was telepathic, and the price was quite reasonable considering the level of the experience!6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMLovely eveningwas had at Commis. Loved the amuse bouche and especially the vegetarian dish of asparagus. My halibut wasn't my favorite, but it was my partner's. We both found the lamb to be a bit underdone and chewy. Overall, consistent quality and excellent service, but nothing really stood out.5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMHidden TreasureThe meal feels curated, but without a lot of fanfare or verbiage. I'd say no to the drinks that are offered pro forma and instead opt for wine pairing, unless you want to drink so much that you'll blot out the memory of an extraordinary repast. Small portions, just a bite or two of Hawaiian Jack fish or lamb or halibut are adorned with fresh herbs or petals, accompanied by a sauced vegetable, or a sculpture is built on a few spears of asparagus of lovely herbs and a light but delectable scent of something special. In the many coursess there is the ping of a grain of fleur de sel to anchor the other flavors. A sorbet of shaved basil ice with perhaps a hint of lime juice to cleanse the palate. Dessert so special, let it be it a surprise!5/29/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat place well worth it.Great place well worth it. Service is a bit stiff with smiles used sparingly. But both food and service were impeccable,5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was delicious withThe food was delicious with lovely presentation. For the high quality experience it is an excellent price value relationship compared with other tasting menu restaurants in the Bay Area. We will be back!5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMFriday Night at CommisA few observations that make this restaurant fully deserving of its superior rating: First, the entire restaurant from the arrangement of table settings to the plated food is a canvas of artwork to be appreciated by the eyes and nose as much by the mouth, designed with fastidious purpose. Second, there is a heavy use of unorthodox cooking techniques and presentation: ie a wealth of edible flowers that accompany the plates, reconstituted food like the bubblified oyster shells (yes you read that right), and poached egg suspended in liquid potato (meant to resemble egg white). And third, our table had an incredibly attentive, knowledgeable, and personable staff. All in all, I was hard pressed to give them anything lower than a 5 star rating.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMBirthday Party DelightMy girlfriend and I came here to celebrate my birthday. From entrance to exit, the service was professional and warm. It was great to sit at the chef's counter and get a sense of how the process works at commis. I was surprised and impressed by how precise their line was. Everything came out of small tupperware countainers save for the scallops, slow-poached egg, and the lamb. It certainly felt and looked very different from when I cook at home which I appreciate. The first few courses I while excellent didn't push your palette to places it hadn't been before. However, the tartare, scallop, slow-poached egg, mushroom confit, and lamb were both innovative and delicious. The pairing of the egg yolk and potato were particularly breathtaking!5/22/2013 12:00:00 AMEpicAn 8 course tasting menu and not a single thing to critique.5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMA gem of a Restaurant...This was my second time dining at Commis & it is still an outstanding restaurant. I ate here with friends in fall 2011 & had an amazing time. The experience was so good that it was the first place I thought of for Mother's day dinner. Considering that my dinners were a year apart, the kitchen and our server (which happened to be the same on both occasions) recognized that I had dined there before. That made me feel really at home. My mom doesn't often get to eat at fine dining establishments, but her words were "it was a great gastronomic expierience. I enjoyed the spring menu but I think I enjoyed the fall menu more. To be fair, I tend to enjoy fall flavors rather than spring. I love what they do at Commis & highly recommend it to anyone.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMremarkableIf I learn there is an El Bulli alum in the area, Im there!
Well deserved Michelin star indeed.
A very striking interior.
Cool effect is the well chosen collection of blues music quietly thrumming in the background. Kinda laid down some soul to an otherwise austere environment.
In general, I'll say the plating complexities and flavors in each dish were really amazing. Took me back to the qualities I found at the French Laundry and to some extent, Morimoto.
The wine list alone was an adventure in itself.
The service is extraordinary. The staff move about with an unusal, relaxed grace. The pricing is extrememely reasonable.
Tonite, seven course tasting $75, wine addition $45
A place for the experienced and curious diner.Bravo, says I.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMBay Area's French LaundryFrom the attentive staff and wonderful wine parings this little gem
is brilliant! Each course was a work of art plated on an ever so subtle
combination of stone and ceramic magic wow!! What this chef can do
with food is the top of the mark.
We left happily satiated and amazed at this wonderful gastronomical experience.
We will definitely be back .5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMA thoroughly enjoyable experience.A thoroughly enjoyable experience. Extremely creative food from amuse buche to cheese and dessert, it was soooooooooo good! The wine pairings were fresh, new and often, unexpected - but dazzling. Todd, "the wine guy" was knowledgeable and made a number of unexpected - reallly unusual - choices. (Like a pear cider with cheese) They all worked very well.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMEclectic in OaklandMinuscule portions as benefits such a cutting edge establishment, but in the end, just enough to find satiety. Each tiny taste was carefully, and thoughtfully crafted stimulate the senses and satisfy. High end hipsters abound. Awesome, especially for Oakland!4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMA Diamond nearly hidden in Oakland!Lucky enough to have eaten at many of the world's most honored dining spots..it was more than exciting to find this just a few minutes from our home in Oakland; Elegant, superb wine with each course, a knowledgeable and friendly staff...who could ask for more?4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMI thought the food was interestingI thought the food was interesting and delicious and the service impeccable. We enjoyed the wine flights tremendously. However the portions were incredibly small. The main course had one sliver of lamb! I would have rated this a 5 if the portions had been just a tiny bit bigger.4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMCame here to celebrate myCame here to celebrate my BF birthday with expectation for something memorable. Commis did not disappoint from the superb service to the amazing food and wine pairing (thank you Todd and other staff members!!). All the courses were fresh, unique and tasty and although each course in itself was modest, the entire meal was exceptionally satisfying. Can't wait to try again when the menu changes.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMCommis sets the standard forCommis sets the standard for innovative fine dining at a fraction of the cost for Chefs Counter dining-Chef James has omitted his name from the list of team members on the menu yet his presence has never been stronger-the many varied dishes flawlessly presented and married with the appropriate wine or beverage is simply overwhelming in fine taste and excitement-many return visits await the new diner here! Simply perfect.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMIt's delightful. We againIt's delightful. We again had an absolutely lovely time. The 'porridge' of greens and artichoke hearts with a seafood broth was wonderful, and the 'new egg' -- you'll understand when there -- is also fantastic.4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMThis is a fun spot for peopleThis is a fun spot for people who like unusual food. Lovely to look at courses with lots of preparation that is evident. Food was very tasty.4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMMichelin Star - Kumho PricesAt $75 for a meal, it may be hard for some to consider Commis "baragain" for a meal, yet nevertheless, that is what the restaurant provides. If you were to A. Get this meal somewhere else, or B. Try to do it yourself, you would be stuck in between the truly unaffordable and the seemingly impossible. Every time I go, I feel as if I've been transported to a food newtork cooking competition only to have the non-winning dishes screened out prior to reaching my table.4/11/2013 12:00:00 AMCommis has earned its MichelinCommis has earned its Michelin stars. My husband and I had 10 items plus an extra dessert item at the end for $75 each, as well as wine pairing for $45. For the quality of the food, the price was reasonable. We really enjoyed the dinner because there were some very interesting items like a slow poached farm egg with sweet and savory spices. Even an unusual dessert like parsnip mousse and parsley ice milk as dessert worked well, something I was skeptical about. Commis has gotten better every time we go. We understand why the portions are small with such a menu, but we have to say that we were a little bit hungry later into the evening after this meal. One should not have to be hungry after a 10 course meal.4/10/2013 12:00:00 AMSensationalThis is in the US the very best restaurant I have ever "eaten" in. The incredible variety of subtle tastes is unique.
Against this unique diamond, other similar restaurants in Napa Valley and San Francisco seem routine and conventional.
"Commis" is the most excting surprise for a long time.
Thank you very much for this exceptional experience.4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMExquisite seasonal menu, greatExquisite seasonal menu, great culinary craftsmanship, and wonderful service.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMSat at the chef's table andSat at the chef's table and had a great experience. The food was very innovative and modern. Loved the ambiance of the restaurant and the service was great. Only has tables for 2-4 people so not good for larger groups.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMIt has been a while sinceIt has been a while since my first visit to Commis, and it's great to see how much things have progressed. I thought it was fantastic before but this visit blew my mind! I was accompanied by a couple of difficult to please foodie friends and they were duly impressed as well. The one dish that I really wanted was the signature egg dish, it was different from the last time I had it, but equally impressive. We had the wine pairings with dinner and found the pours to be very generous.
All in all it was an awesome dinner and my entire group loved every moment. We left wanting more!3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMWhat a fabulous experienceWhat a fabulous experience we had at Commis! It is hard to imagine a better dining experience.3/20/2013 12:00:00 AMThere's just a little tooThere's just a little too much reverence for the food for my taste. My partner said the wait staff should be wearing robes! It's an extraordinary experience, but I prefer a little more zest.3/17/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food is beautiful. TheThe food is beautiful. The flavors are wonderful. The portions are really ridiculously small. We had a beef dish that had 1 small slice of beef. It was like eating a succession of amuse bouche. Probably wouldn't return because it was overall not very satisfying, though the service was excellent.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMIt's fab.It's fabulous. It's always fabulous. And the new egg is just as fabulous as the old egg. Maybe more fabulous.
Don't stay home.3/8/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of the Country's BestAs usual, just outstanding. Some of the best food in the country, period. The wine list has improved dramatically and has lots of great values to boot. One of the best restaurants in the country, no question. Think Manresa but a lot more reasonable and more neighborhood-y.3/7/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat service! The serversGreat service! The servers were attentive, knowledgeable and friendly. My favorite dish was the poaced farm egg. It was very tasty. All the dishes were really good and the presentation is impressive. I didn't care for the cara cara orange pudding. Keep the bread warm and toasty. Worth going back.3/3/2013 12:00:00 AMToo Many Courses, Amazing FoodAmazing food. The only complaint was that the courses didn't stop coming... I would have been happier with fewer courses, but every bite we took was amazing. The egg dish! Delicious! The service was very very wonderful too. They were attentive and informative.1/24/2013 12:00:00 AMHaving eaten at Commis aboutHaving eaten at Commis about 25 times, we know and love the place. Every time is special and the food is always inventive, fun, and delicious. This time -- our most recent visit -- was one of the best menus we have experienced, and the paired wines were also delightful.
Do yourself a favor. Go!1/20/2013 12:00:00 AMPortions could be a littlePortions could be a little bigger, not completely full in the end, but very nice flavors, very enjoyable.1/13/2013 12:00:00 AM