alaMar Dominican Kitchen

Name: alaMar Dominican Kitchen
Address: 100 Grand Ave Suite 111, Oakland, CA, United States, 94612
Telephone: (510) 907-7555
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.4

4.4

121 Reviews

$31 to $50

Caribbean

Top Tags:

alaMar is a Contemporary Dominican Kitchen located in the hip Uptown Oakland area. Bravo TV's Top Chef Season 18 Contestant, Chef Nelson German, dives deep into his Dominican culture at alaMar by offering a regional menu of foods he grew up on that his mom, grandmother, and Aunt Maritza would cook and NYC-style Dominican street foods he enjoyed as a child. German brings a unique take to family recipes with his contemporary NYC twist on traditional dishes, including his popular braised oxtail dish. There is indoor seating and a dog-friendly patio with heaters for al fresco dining. The not-to-be-missed craft cocktail program reflects Caribbean influences such as the signature Mamajuana cocktail.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Sep 30, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 9 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Cuisines
Caribbean, Latin American, Comfort Food
Hours of operation
Wed–Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(510) 907-7555
Website
http://www.alamaroakland.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Owned/operated by
Asian and Pacific Islander, Black/African American, Latinx or Hispanic, Women
Executive chef
Nelson German
Catering
We would love to cater your next event! We have party trays of our most popular dishes for pickup or delivery. Please email alamaroak@gmail.com for more information.
Private party facilities
We would love to host your next event at alaMar! Please email alamaroak@gmail.com for more information.

Location
100 Grand Ave, Suite 111, Oakland, CA 94612
Neighborhood
Oakland
Cross street
Valdez St
Parking details
Three Parking lots a block away from alaMar
Public transit
BART-19th and Broadway<br><br />AC Transit-Bus Stop 12
Entertainment
150 inch projector screen which we occasionally show our Golden State Warriors!
Additional
Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Dog Friendly, Farm to Table, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

LatinX-Owned and -Operated Restaurants to Support in San Francisco

Summertime Dominican Salad$12.00
Heirloom tomatoes | beet | charred brentwood maiz | toasted hazelnut | avocado mousse | sofrito vinaigrette | micro arugula
Yuca Salad$10.00
Strawberry | peanut | culantro | pickled red onions | Wanda’s olive chow chow
Chili Glazed Sweet Plantains$9.00
chipotle | cilantro agrodolce | “mayo-ketchup”
Blistered Star Squash$12.00
Blistered Star Squash | Beech mushroom | chile roja | sofrito agrodolce | green garlic
Camarones Criolla$15.00
Gulf shrimp | holy trinity | achiote sazon | dried shrimp miso | sofrito garlic butter
Fritura de Chivo$14.00
Fried goat | citrus sazon | pickled red onion | salsa mojo | burnt lime
Dominican Slow Roasted Pork Ribs$13.00
pickled cabbage | avocado mousse | “mayo-ketchup” | guava salsa roja
Pollo Guisado Wings$12.00
Sour orange | roasted tomato | achiote | maggi | pickled red onion

Mains

Sancocho Vegetariano$19.00
sweet potato | Brentwood maiz | gold papas | sunburst squash | shared cultures tomato miso | fried okra
"El Malecon" style Half Chicken$28.00
Slow roasted Dominican free-range chicken | sofrito mojo | pickled red onion | caramelized ripe plantain *Feeds 2
Braised Oxtail "Encendido"$29.00
Our alaMar Classic from Day 1! stewed butter beans | chile africano | charred pearl onion
"Pernil" Dominican Roast Pork$21.00
Dominican style roast pork, pickled red onion, sofrito garlic butter, cilantro lime aioli

Sides

Dominican Mofongo$8.00
Green plantain | shared cultures garlic kombu miso | sofrito garlic butter
Yellow Caribbean Rice$4.00
Yellow Caribbean Rice cooked with turmeric, garlic, onion and oregano
Salchichon Longaniza$7.00
Sausage | Dominican spices | Mayo ketchup
"Habichuelas" Stewed Dominican Red Beans$5.00
Dominican style beans. Stewed for 3 hours with sofrito and afro Latin spices.
Pan Dominicano$6.00
Fresh grilled sourdough bread, garlic sofrito butter
Mesquite Spiral Fries$7.00
Curly fries garlic butter, Mesquite spice mix, bbq aioli
Maduros$6.00
Fried sweet Plantain
Moro$6.00
Dominican Red Beans and Rice

Desserts

Chocolate Banana Swirl Cake$10.00
Wild cherry couli with seasonal stone fruit
Raspberry Doughnut Cheesecake$10.00
Raspberry Doughnut Cheesecake, served with Raspberry Coulis
Tres Leches$10.00
Pudin de Pan$10.00
Habichuelas Con Dulce$9.00

What 121 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4

4.4 based on recent ratings

4.5Food
4.3Service
4.3Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

East Bay
Lively

121 Reviews

J
Jason
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on September 11, 2023
overall4food5service3ambience4
The food alone is worth the trip, though our tostones arrived cold, suggesting they are not cooked to order. That's a bad look. Service was OK. Staff should introduce themselves when they come to the table, and explain that food is brought out as it is finished rather than in groups (e.g., all appetizers and then all main courses).
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s
stuball
San Francisco
14 reviews
4.0
14 reviews
Dined on September 9, 2023
overall4food5service4ambience4
Great Dominican food which came quickly. Unfortunately out of some of the specials but overall a nice meal.
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M
Mitohondria
San Francisco
18 reviews
vip
3.0
18 reviews
Dined on September 3, 2023
overall3food3service5ambience4
It was fun, different and worth a try. Loved the twice fried plantains and the dip, but also got the chicken wings which had good flavor but were overcooked to me. I had the roast pork - again good flavor but overcooked. My husband really liked his oxtail stew. Side were rice and beans. Rice was bland and beans too saucy for me. It was fun once but I wouldn’t come back.
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R
Richm
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 27, 2023
overall5food4service4ambience5
It's a nice restaurant and the menu is simple, but the Caribbean dishes were unfamiliar to me and I had to do some guessing and ask questions. If you are going there, it might be a good idea to familiarize yourself with the dishes before you order. The food is good but a little bland and pricey. The service was great. I would still recommend going there just for the positive vibes, good food and fast service.
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c
cookingmdmom
San Francisco
39 reviews
3.0
39 reviews
Dined on August 24, 2023
overall3food3service2ambience3
The restaurant was packed as there was a fundraiser going on. They also had run out of many items on the menu by 730 when we arrived. We don’t eat meat, and it was slim pickings as far as what we could order. The main tomato salad was excellent however, the sancocho was bland , boring and all brown and color. We would’ve liked fish but we saw that they only had whole deep-fried fish and it was covered with the brown sauce as well. We had listed asparagus, which was quite tasty, and well prepared The cocktail I ordered was watery and uninteresting and the white wine was not cold enough. The decor is playful, but I recommend sitting in the lower tables since the seats have backs. The service was hectic because it was so packed and it was hard to get the attention of the servers. We might consider trying this again at a slower time.
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GA
GraceA
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on August 18, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
The maduros needed to be a little more ripe. Salad was outstanding. Tostones were good but portions were small. The main dish was good and portion of the meat dishes were huge.
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A
Andy
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 7, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience5
Food was excellent. We had the asparagus, ribs, pernin(pork) and red beans and rice. Wonderful tres leches cake for dessert. They forgot my red beans and rice and then forgot my americano both of which were corrected quickly but that was the only issue. Cost them a bit on the tip but very good food and atmosphere.
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MM
MMMMM
New York Area
17 reviews
4.0
17 reviews
Dined on August 7, 2023
overall4food4service3ambience3
Food was excellent. Service was lacking. Cute place. Noisy outside
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JM
JeffreyM
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
My partner and I had our monthly date night here for the first time and Loved everything about this establishment. We'll definitely be back!
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MB
MeganB
New York Area
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on August 6, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience5
Great first time! I’ve been wanting to try for a while. Things we loved - their cocktails, the frozen colada margarita was delicious! (but we requested they not use ice on our second round, weird to get a frozen drink that they also put ice in, makes it too watery if you don’t drink it super fast), the goat was amazing, the sauce was flavorful & the texture was great, the maduras were yummy, the shrimp was good, & oxtail entree was absolutely fabulous & the chicken entree was also good! Dishes that could be improved but weren’t bad or anything - chicken wings & the pernil pork entree, the sauces weren’t as good as the others & the pork wasn’t as flavorful & tender as the oxtail. They were ok but not outstanding like the other dishes which we loved. Service was great and everyone was very friendly! Great experience, will definitely be back & highly recommend!
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m
mathernjl
San Francisco
11 reviews
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on August 5, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Wonderful and super flavorful food. The drinks were excellent and so was the service.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
8 reviews
vip
4.0
8 reviews
Dined on August 3, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience4
Great service. V good food! I will come again thank you
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BJ
BernardJ
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on July 30, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great night with friends and great food. The atmosphere was great and the service was excellent.
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EK
EddieK
San Francisco
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on July 23, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience3
I wish the food would have come out hotter, temperature wise. Chicken was a little dry. The Dominican salad and oxtails were delicious! Will return to try the pernil and mofongo.
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m
msssg
San Francisco
8 reviews
4.0
8 reviews
Dined on July 13, 2023
overall4food4service3ambience3
I’ve been going to a alaMar for years now, and the food never disappoints. Last evening on July 12 me and a close gal pal of mine this was her first visit, we shared several dishes. It was a nice bonus to have the chef and owner Nelson German stop by and talk with us, which she and I regretted not taking a selfie with him before leaving.
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JS
JaisonS
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 10, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Chief Nelson is definitely at it again! The food was outstanding and the ambiance takes you to Washington Heights in NYC. I would encourage any family or friends to visit and enjoy options "family style". The absolute favorite was the goat... who knew you could fry it!!?
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SL
SonyaL
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on July 10, 2023
overall2food2service1ambience3
The service needs to be improved by being attentive throughout the entire experience not just when the patron sits down. The first impression was incredible but as the dining experience continued the bar team didn't command the space. For example, managing the empty glassware and empty plates. The barback, who was new, was lost and not helpful to support the bartender when he was tasked to make drinks. We had several drinks but the bartender didn't keep an eye on it to see if I needed more drinks. I LOVE TO DRINK A LOT..... More busy with tasking. Spent $241.00 in total and could not justify giving a 20% tip. The food was bland and though it is THE ONLY Dominican Restaurant in the Bay it did not stand out. More of the same with the original concept.
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M
Mari17
San Francisco
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on July 10, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing unique food and service!!! Love this place. Have been there twice in the past week and plan to come back many more times. I used to live in Washington heights and the chef has put a unique spin on traditional Dominican dishes in a way that’s irresistible. Amazing drinks as well. 10 out of 10 recommend !
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SP
StevenP
San Francisco
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on July 9, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience5
We were lukewarm on the previous Al Mar menu; we loved this new menu!!
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BT
BigTipper
San Francisco
12 reviews
vip
5.0
12 reviews
Dined on July 8, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The Dominican food what’s more than I could’ve expected! Having been to the Dominican Republic 3 times and falling in love with the Mofongo I HAD to try this dish at alaMar & it didn’t disappoint. To be honest, I’d go as far as saying it was better than what I tried on the island in past times. The Vegetarian Sancocho is a MUST HAVE! Flavor was on point, nothing too rich or bland. Their chef & kitchen know what they’re doing back there. The bar delivered on the drinks which were well priced and balanced. My oxtail dish was worth every cent. I’m looking forward to going back and seeing how the other dishes are. Serving sizes were proportional and not too small or too large which made it guilt free ordering extra mofongo! 😁😁😁 This place is a great compliment to their sister restaurant Sobre Mesa. A more casual style but great for a date or get together with friends. They played a great selection of music from Salsa to reggaeton and Dembow!! You Must try this place out!
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RS
RalphS
San Francisco
61 reviews
vip
5.0
61 reviews
Dined on July 3, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The 2 entrees we planned to order were not available tonight. We were disappointed at first but decided to order several small plates and sides instead. I think this may have been a happy accident as we enjoyed every bite! The craft cocktails were delicious too. A very casual neighborhood vibe with lively music added to our enjoyment.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on July 2, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Phenomenal. Blown away by every single dish and amazing service. Will be back and will bring everyone with me!
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CL
CLCB
San Francisco
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on September 7, 2016
overall3food2service3ambience3
My salad was bland and the fruit on it was really cold, such that it made my teeth hurt. Too bad, because it sounded good on the menu.
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c
coffeebrk
San Francisco
8 reviews
vip
4.0
8 reviews
Dined on August 13, 2016
overall4food4service4ambience3
Great service, good food.
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h
hungry
San Francisco
10 reviews
5.0
10 reviews
Dined on August 12, 2016
overall5food5service5ambience4
Delicious, delicious, delicious. We got 2 branzinos, and plates were cleaned off. Husband asked the wait staff not to take empty bucket of shrimp because, hey, there's the sauce to be mopped up by bread still!!!
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d
dinae
San Francisco
16 reviews
3.0
16 reviews
Dined on June 1, 2016
overall3food3service4ambience3
I had the pleasure of dining at alaMar when it first opened so I was eager to share it with a new business colleague. Sadly, the thrill is gone. Mid week, mid day, the place was empty, which was unexpected. That didn't bode well for the food. Many of the dishes have changed so looking at reviews isn't helpful anymore. The staff is still friendly and tried to be accommodating as one request after another had to be denied. Their menu and staff are reduced for lunch so perhaps dinner is a different experience. Lastly the food was lacking. My bowl of seafood stew can out lukewarm, not hot..at all. The broth which had the consistency of a thick gravy was pretty tasteless. A miss. My mixed green salad was pretty good, not over dressed. Just a pile of greens with no toppings or additional flavors. I'm thinking Weds. Is for the B team? I hope the new scene a block away re-motivates them.
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SQ
SushiQueen
San Francisco
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on May 31, 2016
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great service, amazing oysters with cucumber mignonette, yummy wine and the Whole Chili Crab is my new favorite dish outta Oakland!!! I will definitely be back!
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e
eastbaydiner
San Francisco
4 reviews
2.0
4 reviews
Dined on May 29, 2016
overall2food3service1ambience1
we went when they had a limited menu. It was so noisy that we could barely talk. Service was just plain bad. Food was not special, especially for the prices. Would give it another chance because the regular menu sounds great and anyone can have a bad day. Really noisy, tho.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
2 reviews
vip
2.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 27, 2016
overall2food1service2ambience3
Grossssss! Don't do it. Went on a Sat night. El mistako. Oysters arrived at table on a bed of melted ice water: yuck! Coconut Shrimp app that is supposedly on some twisted pro's review as a bucket list item, which is beyond sad for them and for us. They were bland, fried balls of disappointment; made from the tears of decent chefs everywhere. Will never, ever return.
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JC
JohnC
San Francisco
19 reviews
2.0
19 reviews
Dined on May 15, 2016
overall2food4service4ambience1
Went there for an early dinner with my wife and left hungry and $60.00 lighter. They were playing loud obnoxious pop and R&B music. Although the food was good the menu is small and so are the plates. Not returning to ala Mar.
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H
Hugo
San Francisco
41 reviews
3.0
41 reviews
Dined on May 13, 2016
overall3food5service5ambience5
Food was astounding, drinks were astounding, and the service was friendly and efficient, so why only 3/5 overall? Because alaMar has a relatively short menu and, that evening, 4 dishes were out already, including their main catch of the day! So what we got was great, but it was not what we really wanted...
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 13, 2016
overall3food3service4ambience2
Had high hopes and found that the food was just ok. We came during happy hour so order several things from that menu almost all of which were deep fried. We shared a main and we were way to full on the heavy share plates to eat any of our dinner. Service was good. The best thing was the beef papusa. Everything else, including the 'must have' shrimp lolipop were really just average. No knock on the restaurant, but there was a group of about 6-8 women that were so unbelievably loud, I could hear my husband and it hurt my ears.
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C
Corsetiere
San Francisco
37 reviews
5.0
37 reviews
Dined on May 12, 2016
overall5food5service5ambience5
My second time at this restaurant, dinner this time, shared small plates - crusty potato truffled tornado, bone marrow, shrimp lollipops, and a grilled asparagus with pear and pork belly, washed down with cider and a shot of becherovka... Pure unaldurterated deliciousness with every bite. Will be back soon!!!
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k
kool8369
San Francisco
2 reviews
2.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 6, 2016
overall2food3service1ambience3
Friday night and probably gonna be busy?!? They had 86ed three menu items. Not just one, but three. Really? Of course two of the three items is what I was going to order. The hostest was very friendly and attentive. Our server not so much!!
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JS
JoanS
San Francisco
2 reviews
1.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 6, 2016
overall1food1service1ambience1
We made our reservation 5 days in advance. When we arrived, we were told they were overbooked and couldn't seat us. It's a very small restaurant and was packed. We were left to look for another place to eat (without a reservation on a Friday night). Dined at Ozumo's - excellent food and service!
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RH
RonH
San Francisco
4 reviews
vip
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on April 30, 2016
overall5food5service5ambience5
2year anniversary celebration was great.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 30, 2016
overall5food5service3ambience5
I have always loved this restaurant. The owners are so personable and approachable. The food is fantastic. I've never had anything that was not delicious. My only complaint this time was our waitress was a little slow and got our orders mixed up. Great spot!
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BE
2BugEastBay
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on April 30, 2016
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food and quality service. We had a great night. We enjoy the lunch and dinner at Alamar!
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EB
EBFoodie
San Francisco
41 reviews
vip
4.0
41 reviews
Dined on April 27, 2016
overall4food5service4ambience3
Excellent food despite the minimal selection. Each dish was truly wonderful. Gotta have an adventurous nature to try some of the dishes and they did not disappoint. Overall great place to eat, but be prepared for the noise level. We were there before the Warriors game and it was even noisy without the game. We enjoyed the experience, nonetheless.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 27, 2016
overall5food5service5ambience5
The oxtails, the peel and eat shrimp, the green apple flan.... So much food at a great price point (family style large portions), wonderful service, big screen to watch the Warriors... What more could you ask for?
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FAQs

You can order delivery directly from alaMar Dominican Kitchen using the Order Online button. alaMar Dominican Kitchen also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (510) 907-7555.

alaMar Dominican Kitchen is rated 4.4 stars by 121 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Sep 30, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 9 times today

Order delivery or takeout

100 Grand Ave, Suite 111, Oakland, CA 94612

Additional information

Cross street
Valdez St
Neighborhood
Oakland
Hours of operation
Wed–Sun 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
Cuisines
Caribbean, Latin American, Comfort Food
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Three Parking lots a block away from alaMar
Public transit
BART-19th and BroadwayAC Transit-Bus Stop 12
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Owned/operated by
Asian and Pacific Islander, Black/African American, Latinx or Hispanic, Women
Executive chef
Nelson German
Entertainment
150 inch projector screen which we occasionally show our Golden State Warriors!
Additional
Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Dog Friendly, Farm to Table, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.alamaroakland.com/
Phone number
(510) 907-7555
Catering
We would love to cater your next event! We have party trays of our most popular dishes for pickup or delivery. Please email alamaroak@gmail.com for more information.
Private party facilities
We would love to host your next event at alaMar! Please email alamaroak@gmail.com for more information.

Featured in

LatinX-Owned and -Operated Restaurants to Support in San Francisco

alaMar Dominican Kitchen

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

LatinX-Owned and -Operated Restaurants to Support in San Francisco

Starters

Summertime Dominican Salad$12.00

Yuca Salad$10.00

Chili Glazed Sweet Plantains$9.00

Blistered Star Squash$12.00

Camarones Criolla$15.00

Fritura de Chivo$14.00

Dominican Slow Roasted Pork Ribs$13.00

Pollo Guisado Wings$12.00

Mains

Sancocho Vegetariano$19.00

"El Malecon" style Half Chicken$28.00

Braised Oxtail "Encendido"$29.00

"Pernil" Dominican Roast Pork$21.00

Sides

Dominican Mofongo$8.00

Yellow Caribbean Rice$4.00

Salchichon Longaniza$7.00

"Habichuelas" Stewed Dominican Red Beans$5.00

Pan Dominicano$6.00

Mesquite Spiral Fries$7.00

Maduros$6.00

Moro$6.00

Desserts

Chocolate Banana Swirl Cake$10.00

Raspberry Doughnut Cheesecake$10.00

Tres Leches$10.00

Pudin de Pan$10.00

Habichuelas Con Dulce$9.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

FAQs

Does alaMar Dominican Kitchen offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is alaMar Dominican Kitchen restaurant rated?

Is alaMar Dominican Kitchen currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Featured in

LatinX-Owned and -Operated Restaurants to Support in San Francisco