What can I say that 1200 reviewers haven't already said? Well, I'll just keep it short and sweet. I love the atmosphere, the staff are nice, and the cheeseless mac n cheese is amazing! I also love the green bean sandwich....and their Brussels sprouts are amazing, too. I just wish they were open more often. I can only catch them on Fridays when I am working in Oakland, which is not often.
Review Source:We made the big mistake of going here for our anniversary dinner. Bad move. Not the right place, not the right scene. Do not go here for food. Drinks and snacks with large group after work, maybe.....
It's a cavernous place with seating for 300, and when it gets packed, it's deafening. It has a DJ and many super-large groups. The menu is mostly small plates with some larger main courses. The place is run by the same folks who used to run Soizic in Oakland and before that Cafe Pastoral in Berkeley, so they really know how to cook well. Those places were pioneers of Cal-Asian fusion cuisine that we used to patronize repeatedly. Thus they should really be ashamed to be putting out the mediocre food that they're putting out.
Oh well, I guess the hipsters don't really care about food quality, do they, as long as they can be seen sipping oh-so-courant cocktails with deafening high decibel dj music pounding.
It's not that the food is terrible, it's just that I felt manipulated by the place. They know what they're doing -- packing in young 20-something hipsters and making money on the bar with so-so small plates food when they could really be putting out much better food that they actually do know how to cook. Too bad, the decline of what once was a really great cooking enterprise.
With almost 1,200 reviews, I can hardly call Mua a "find" in Oakland, but I'm so glad my friends introduced me to this place! Â We largely ended up here because they could accommodate our group of seven on short notice on a Saturday night, but how do they only average three and a half stars? Â Based on what we had, they're easily worth four!
While the layout of Mua is a little odd (the hostess stand is past the bar), I really like the energy and feel of the restaurant. Â "Urban trendy" is how my friend describes the look and the vibe is very lively. Â What I liked even better though is the menu - there were so many enticing dishes to order! Â I honestly couldn't decide on what to order until the server got to me.
-- CHICKEN LIVER PÂTÉ with Pickled Pears and Onions on a Crostini...$6
(<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mua-lounge-oakland-2?select=jKO2pwRB8tMVT37Sg8gZXA#Gom8AGc2vDfD5qvOrWyS2A">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>)
Loved this dish! Â The portion was generous and the pate was terrific. Â Very flavorful, just slightly fatty, and great texture. Â The pear and onions were perfect compliments. Â Definitely recommended and something I'd definitely get again!
-- THE HAMBURGER - Half Pound Naturally Raised Beef with Aioli, Tomato, Lettuce, Onions, Fries...$13
(<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mua-lounge-oakland-2?select=jKO2pwRB8tMVT37Sg8gZXA#3cVwiaUSDAtuL4GwoPi8Vg">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>)
While it was still a pretty decent burger, I feel like it could have been better. Â The patty was cooked as ordered, but it needed more seasoning/flavor. Â The slice of White Cheddar (+$1) and Bacon (+$2) I added helped, but it could have been juicier.
While there are plenty of dishes offered on the menu (both entrées and small dishes/apps), Mua also offers almost just as many types of cocktails and libations to be had.  So whether you're looking for a spot for dinner or just a place to get drinks and some snacks, Mua is an awesome spot.  I'd be more than willing to drive across the bay for them!
Mua - A fine time...
Great bar and bar scene.
Great staff and attentive owners.
Great specialty drinks + beer/wine and cider selection
Great small to big plate selection
LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAmmmmb was great
It was nice to go on a Sunday night and see a mellower side of Mua.
An anchor in the "reasons to go to Oakland from SF" list.
Tried this place on a friends recommendation, there was four of us... did not disappoint with the food...Tasty selections. I Had the fried chicken..,Yummy...  They lost one star for the wait to get our order. When asked about drinks by the waiter,  the first person has a question which was answered and their drink was brought to them.. Did the Server just forget about us, the three other people.. He just walked away.. Had to flag him back down to get our drink orders in and place an appetizer order too. Live DJ spinning great tunes from the eighties to present  day artists... We still had to flag our server down again to place more drink orders and then dinner.  Took a while but we made it with full tummies and big smiles when we left...
Review Source:Absolutely a great experience! The service tonight (we ate at the bar, starting with happy hour and eating dinner there too) was impeccable. Every staff person was doing a great job and made us feel like they appreciated their customers. All of the food was great, the drinks delicious too. Nice advice from staff, fun ambiance.
But to read some reviews here ... Oh, the whining! A big ding because you couldn't hear the TV? Go to a sports bar. Etc. Yelp is known for its whiners. Too bad. This place deserves more stars than it gets, given what people write!
Just had lunch here today with some coworkers (there were 11 of us in total who went). I had never been before - never even heard of it, but agree with previous posters - what a gem!!!
There is room in front to sit outside if you prefer, and plenty of seating inside both downstairs and upstairs. Very cool, trendy vibe, interesting architecture and artwork abound.
Selecting something "healthy" that fits in my diet plan (nothing fried, no aioli) on the menu was a bit of a challenge, particularly since they "politely decline" modifications...
I settled on the grilled romaine and chicken salad. Wow - it was DELICIOUS!!! The chicken was incredibly flavorful and it filled me up. All my coworkers loved their dishes as well, and apparently the calamari is quite yummy (I love calamari, but didn't want to partake of anything fried.)
I was scared to look at dessert, but after checking the nutritional facts on my myfitnesspal app on my Android, decided it was safe to have the Affegato - double shot of expresso over a scoop of vanilla gelato. VERY yummy!!! Great end to a wonderfully delectable meal.
A gem of a spot in downtown Oakland - we went at 12:30 PM and had no problem finding a street parking spot right across from the establishment.
I will most definitely be back!!!
This is one of my favorite restaurants in teh bay area. Â
Must have appetizers:
Brussels Sprouts
Mac and "cheese" (made with butternut squash)
I have yet to eat anything here that does not scream "lick the plate! Â why haven't you licked the plate yet?"
The cocktails are also nothing to scoff at. Â
Eat here and do not forget to lick the plate.
I love MUA! It's a hipsters paradise, where EVERYONE can feel cool for a day...No discrimination... No segregation :-)
I Ate: Grilled Caesar Salad- 5 stars... Tell them to not Car it tho... your greens still need a little crisp
Tomato soup with Grilled Cheese- 4 stars... the grilled cheese is awesome! The consistency of the soup was MEH.
GO THERE 2NIGHT
This restaurant has great ambiance with its loft-like environment. Â The food was good, but not very warm. Â I noticed a few other people also complained about their food being cold. Â It is a great spot to hang out after work or on a weekend night. Â I would go back because it was good service and good food. Â They just need to figure out a way to serve the food hot rather than at nearly room temperature. Â Definitely get the brussels sprouts. Â We also enjoyed the mac and cheese, the calamari, and the beet salad.
Review Source:I've been coming to Mua since it opened and I love it. It's a cool, open, warehousey vibe. Though it's gone through several incarnations I wasn't crazy about (from live art to a line-out-the-door club), ultimately it's a good, fun restaurant. The food is great, they have really great cocktails, and it's a nice place for a date, dinner with a few friends, or large groups.
Their fried chicken is to die for (dare I say better than Bakesale Betty's?! I do.) and I love love love their "cheeseless" Mac & Cheese (NOT vegan, and NOT healthy, but delicious!), and their amazing, buttery, browned Brussels spouts.
such a gem! I came her on a double date and had THE greatest time. The food was awesome. A bit pricey, in my post-college student loan paying opinion, but totally worth it! We ended up ordering a bunch of different appetizers off the menu and shared.. most memorable were the ribs and the brussel sprouts! YUM!
On top of the great food was the awesome DJ they had spinning classic hip hop and r&b. It was a super fun environment and i'd definitely go back! hopefully soon :)
Part 1:
I first discovered Mua on the teevee show "Check, Please!" a KQED. Public broadcast station serving the San Francisco Bay Area. As within each episode, it was one of three restaurants featured, each introduced as a favorite by each of the three guests, who comprise a wide demographic range, albeit, each seeming to earn - or their parents, in the case of students on a "budget", high- 2 or 3-figure salaries, as in each case of the restaurants featured, one need to be committed, it seems, to dropping at least $30 per person to enjoy the show, the food, the beverage options. Granted, San Francisco and the surrounding gentrified neighborhoods around The Bay, the real cost of exceptional, fresh ingredients, preparation and sanitary kitchens, serious impacts the reality of y/our way of life.
My wife, family and I rarely eat out; it is a real treat to step into one of these tapestries of culinary delight so many seem to take for granted as they encompass each succulent bite, on a daily  basis, for some, it is all three squares.
I am truly honored to have been served by the Mua staff last night...:
the representation by "Check, Please!" was quite true and Mua did not disappoint.
I was a bit surprised at how dark the restaurant was as the video representation, albeit filmed mostly during the day, if my memory serves me, considering the demographic ranged from those who would appreciate intimate dim, mood lighting, to families including younger children:
Mua serves the entire community, including the beer guzzler who wants to unwind after a week of work.
When we arrived, we were asked if we wanted to sit upstairs in a loft-like area: I wonder if it was more brightly lit?
I was a bit taken back by this offering, as we made it clear it was our first visit, experience: was there something more representative in the loft area? Did the staff discern that that area would serve US better?
We were seated at a small, two-person table, inserted within a row along a wall: our table was a bit tightly positioned next to a 4-person round; very close to another two-person. While the previous party-of-two sitting next to us was leaving, allowing for my friend and I to engage in our customary free-form discussions, the next couple who occupied the same table may have been put off at times by our candid remarks: they seemed to be engaged in a more romantic evening out and I did pity them at times, as I was no doubt distracting to them, indicated by glances over to us time to time...
There were many small, rounds, vacant, in the middle of the large, open restaurant plan, set up for parties of four, which would have been ideal and much more suitable in our case but we were not offered any of them.
I was not going to put the staff out, as no doubt, they had plans for the tables for four, and, out of respect and as a courtesy, I didn't want our first time to be at all confrontational.
Our support staff person was terrific; our wait-person exception, kind, thoughtful, making real suggestions, based on a comprehensive approach.
However, when our first two dishes, starters - more on them, soon - arrived, as we were sharing them, I mentioned to the server that we were sharing them, implying they should be positioned in the center of the table parallel so we could access each dish. His response was astonishing, but also very humorous:
"That's great" - with absolutely no sense of his role in making that arrangement happen, as if I was telling him about the recent wedding my wife and I had (imaginarily, purely as an example, here,) attended: "Would you like to see some images on my iPhone?" I did not (also, imaginarily,) actually offer them up to the server to view...
I didn't mind that the music was loud - I think my friend did, as he was really interested in one desert item after the main course, but suggested we bow out and find a quiet spot for conversation, elsewhere.
I liked the music selection, although, I was more focused on our conversation, so do expect me to tell you anything about the music. Considering they are spitting distance from Another Planet Entertainment's The Fox Theater, I would hope Mua has tapped into the well of amazing and diverse Modern music that venue does serve up to ITS audience...
Let me back up a bit: parking:
Following Apple's Siri to get from West Berkeley, near 4th Street, to Mua, I opted to take MLK Drive rather than get immersed in the traffic flow on a Friday night on 580.
That was a really great idea, dropping us about half a mile from Mua.
What is a bit odd is the placement of the building on the block: it appears as if one is encouraged to drive up, onto the sidewalk, between two, white, posts, to park among an assortment of, coincidentally, only, Audi, Mazda, other narrowly-pearched Auto brands...
As it turns out, Mua, a former Auto Repair site, sits next to a mini row of independent Auto dealers - or just one, with multiple brands. I thought I saw what appeared to be...
This place is so hip. I can't think of any other word to describe it. The atmosphere is super cool and the place itself is interesting. I would come here every friday for after-work cocktails. The only downside is that it gets pretty loud, but the drinks are so good, you start talking louder anyway.
The first time I went, my friends and I went crazy and ordered a bunch of stuff: chicken liver pate, calamari, beef bone marrow, crabcakes, ahi tuna, and the fried chicken. Everything aside from the fried chicken was small plates, and was just enough for everyone to get a good taste. In fact, we took the fried chicken home. Everything was good, but the beef bone marrow is worth mentioning because I've never had it before. It's like a meaty jelly that you spread on some bread.. and it was odd and I probably will not eat it again, but it was worth trying. The ginger julep and strawberry ginger lemonade were really good!
The second time I went, last friday, the bf and I got beef carpaccio to share and cocktails. I was reminded of the vietnamese rare beef salad, otherwise known as bo tai chanh, when I saw it, and instantly my mouth watered, thinking about the tangy juicy lime fish sauce raw beef salad. This raw beef however, was like the American or Spanish version of that because it had a massive bed of arugula with a snow blanket of manchego and some pine nuts. Don't get me wrong, it was still delicious, but the flavors were the complete opposite.
We had the Bismarck and Billy Jean, and both were really good and strong.
Mua Lounge is a huge place in the up and coming night scene around the Uptown area of Oaktown. I really liked the vibe here.
It is in a large funky repurposed industrial building. Approaching the main entrance which is on a side street, there is a patio area outside with tables and chairs to hang out. Walking inside, there is hallway with a little bar on the right that leads you into the main space where the Hostess table is located, usually with the owner, the elegant Korean Ms. Dang orchestrating seating with helpful assistants.
The place really opens up here, into a cavernous 2 story space with a 20 foot ceiling, with a large dining area downstairs interspersed with mixed media art pieces and installations and trophy animal heads on the walls, and another mezzanine area upstairs for another perspective and dining venue. All the while, the lively but chilled eclectic crowd that reflects the melting pot of the Bay Area, is busy imbibing, engorging, masticating, articulating, and just chillaxin to the vibe that is induced by some low beats grooving the heart beats, like this place is inside a large living creature of its own.
When I say cavernous, they can seat up to 300 people in this place fully loaded, and it is a bit like a funky Art and Oakland version of a large hotel or casino, multiple mini-venues all rolled up into one.
The food is pretty good here, not fantastic, but a quality that goes with the vibe of this relaxed place, reflective of the Oaktowners that enjoy this type of setting, and prefer it over the hype and striving that so many SFers struggle with to maintain their 300 sq ft multi-roommate space costing them most of their 6 figure tech job as they struggle 16 hours a day at #<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2FithinkiwillmakeitbigwhilelivingoffPBRsintheMission.com&s=5af78cb17dfefa647506c7fa280d3cf47250dad3296259f77366f4f0520af0f2" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://ithinkiwillmakeit…</a>.
Our service was really slow in the beginning, an obvious mis-understanding between staff on who had our table responsibility on a busy Friday night. This worked out because my lovely and dear friend and I were deep in conversation trying to solve perplexing relationship issues (not ours, hers). But before I got irritated, I went up to Ms. Dang and told her we were waiting for 15 minutes, and that got things all straight in a jiffy. Our server apologized and the sailing was over smooth waters afterwards.
See my pics for food, which I enjoyed.
Just a tip for you more reticent diners: instead of waiting and complaining in a review later, just take care of the situation and have a better time. You can always complain later, but why smolder in disgust when you could have a better experience now? Just saying.
And for you youngsters in SF who think the only place to be is in your $3,000/mpnth postage stamp dump in SF because you want the nightlife of SF, think again. You can get a 1,500 sq ft loft with parking in Oakland for that and have a lot more left over to enjoy many more of these places in Oaktown or SF, and that will buy you a lot more PBRs in the Mission. You know BART connects Oakland to the Mission, right?
I really liked this place at first pass, and I am going to bring some friends here on the next visit.
Expansive, boisterous and interesting. Â Terrific food and REALLY good drinks. Â The Bartender made a Churchill for me which nobody knows how to make and it was excellent. Â The lady and I had the fried tofu, mac n cheese, mung bean pancakes and short ribs. Â I also had a kale salad. Â Â Desert was bread pudding.
Noteworthy was the fried tofu and ribs. Â The bread pudding was also outstanding.
If you're an Oaklander and like me, have driven by this place a thousand times thinking it was a night club, it's more like a giant art / design / architectural inspired tapas and club place. Â It's worth it to go - it's a favorite of mine now!
Mua Lounge is semi-tucked away on Broadway, but the small patio area is buzzing on nice days. The inside of the restaurant is unexpectedly large, at two floors that span pretty far back. We were seated upstairs and quickly assessed the cocktail menu. I started with the strawberry ginger lemonade, which was so delicious it was hard to tell it was alcoholic at all. It's a little sweet though, so later in the meal I switched to the Joe Smash, which is Belvedere vodka (it's always nice when a place uses top shelf), Cointreau, mint, red grape and lemon. This was the favorite cocktail of the table, so I highly recommend it.
For the food, we took a look at the starter salads and they all sounded so tasty that we ordered 3 different ones. And they were all worth it. The pressed watermelon with feat, pine nuts, mint and olive oil was light and refreshing. I want to try and recreate this salad on a hot summer day. The kale salad (you know my obsession with kale) was mixed with pine nut, currant, kohlrabi, onion and manchego shredded cheese. It was pretty good as kale salads go, I always like when pine nut is added and currant was a new flavor. Lastly we tried the beet salad, with mache (sweet, nutty and leafy- the newest rage in the lettuce world), goat cheese and pecan. I'm all for mache becoming the hottest new leafy green (behind kale of course) and I liked the pecans pairing with the beats in place of walnuts. We ordered the brussel sprouts, which were sautéed in a brown butter sauce so they weren't greasy. The mac n' cheese is a must order. The catch is, there's no cheese in the dish! The pseudo-cheese is made with butternut squash and cream, yet tastes like a light and healthy version of mac n' cheese. If I was a better cook, I would try to recreate this as well. The grilled artichoke was fine but not the best I've add. The tarragon aioli is was topped with needed citrus zest or something a little more punchy. There also wasn't enough aioli on the dish and they were hard to cut up and share. The burrata cheese plate, with Portobello, red pepper, squash and balsamic was good, but you really can't mess up burrata. The fried calamari was a nice warm addition to the meal. The chili and shallot mixed in helped bring it a step above your standard restaurant calamari dish. Lastly, the lamb cheeks are a must order. They were daube braised (a French style way usually reserved for making stew with wine, vegetables, garlic, and herbes de Provence) and served with parsnip. The meat was so tender and flavorful. They came in a plate filled with the sauce, which I then wanted to dunk my brussel sprouts in, it was so good. These may be easy to miss when scanning the menu but I definitely recommend them!
Me and my girlfriends had dinner here on a Friday night and I must say, I really enjoyed the atmosphere, first and foremost. Â As we were walking towards the restaurant, it had a warehouse type of exterior and once we walked in, 80s music was playing, specifically freestyle and that kind of set the happy tone with me.
We were seated by the bar upstairs. Â The interior has a lofty feeling, very open with industrial decor. Â The lighting was dim and was perfect for either a date or a group of friends. Â
The first thing that really attracted me to the menu was the cheeseless mac n cheese made of butternut squash. Â I give this dish a 4.5. Â I love mac n cheese, but I especially love butternut squash. Â I felt the dish was lacking something. Â I like texture... Maybe bacon bits would have been nice on top. Â Overall, it was good and a healthy alternative.
Other dishes we tried were the calarmari, fried chicken, fries, crispy tofu, tomato bisque and grilled cheese, ahi tuna sashimi, pecan tart, affogato, and flourless chocolate cake. Â
This place is delicious and I would love to come here again.
I live in the Sacramento area and wanted to surprise my fiancé for his birthday on this Tuesday night, 8/27/13. He stays in Alameda during the week for work and we only see each other on the weekends... and I of course wouldn't allow myself to not see him on his birthday.
I stayed up the night before after a 12 hr shift trying to find a restaurant that opened past 9pm because I wasn't going to be off work until 7:30 pm IN SACRAMENTO.  I made reservations for 9pm on OpenTable and left special instructions informing them that I would be celebrating my fiancé's birthday and that I would call to inquire about a birthday cake/dessert.
I called the restaurant around 6pm the day of to do just that... what I stated in the special instructions: to inquire about a birthday dessert. A male worker picked up the phone and told me they would have a chocolate cake with a candle for me. He stated he would leave a note next to my reservation. He then told me that I would have to let my server know who's birthday it was going to be prior to bringing the the dessert.
Are you kidding me? Did you not learn about birthday cake surprise 101? I'm not even going to go on about how stupid that request was. Just bring me the dam thing and I'm sure someone at the table will point out who's birthday it is instead of me saying "HEYYYY!!! BIRTHDAY BOY RIGHT HERE!!! MAKE SURE YOU PLACE THE CAKE RIGHT THERE!!!" Way to ruin the essence of a surprise right?
Anyways, when we arrived, an asian lady escorted us to our table after confirming our reservation. I presumed she saw the note? Or not...
We had dinner with my brother and his fiancé and everything was fine until our server asked if we wanted a dessert menu... I thought okay... this is just standard protocol to offer dessert after a meal... I get it... but we kindly declined. He walked away for awhile and that whole time I thought he was busy whipping up the birthday dessert but instead he came back handing me the bill.
I was LIVID.
I did, however, still offered my server a small tip because he was very nice. It probably wasn't his fault or was it??? I did leave a note on the receipt to let him know that SOMEONE had forgotten my surprise birthday cake.
MUA, explain yourself (shakes fist)!!!!
In an effort to try all the Happy Hours, my friends and I decided to try the Mua Lounge. It was a Monday so there was all night Happy Hour, so we came later in the night.
But normally it's T . W . Th . 4:30 - 6:30, Friday 3:00 - 6:00, (1st Fridays 3:00 - 5:30), Saturday 4:30 - 6:00 and Sunday and Monday all hours are happy.
Although we only stayed for a couple drinks, here is the whole skinny on what they offer. You can thank me later ; ) <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.muaoakland.com%2Fhappy-hour-bar-menu&s=e4703fed07b2db18617c702677fb7e2776166d280836f7b65a7f4256bd22047d" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.muaoakland.co…</a> Â
Everyone loves Happy Hour.
I went here two months ago to take my cousin out for a birthday dinner. Â After learning about this place from an episode of "Check, Please!" I thought this would be a place my cousin and I would enjoy. Â When you walk in the first thing you see is not a stand for the hostess to see you; no... the first thing you see is a rather large full-service bar. Â I instantly knew this would be my kind of place. Â The hostess is actually at the end of the bar, and since I had a reservation we were immediately seated. Â We decided to get small plates and share, so we ordered the Brussels sprouts, kimchi mung bean pancakes, bone marrow, and lamb cheeks. Â Every small plate we ordered was excellent, except maybe the mung bean pancakes, which were just good.
The Brussels sprouts were the surprise hit. Â But I suspect that if you coat anything in that butter they use, it will taste good. Â The mung bean pancakes had a nice kick due to the kimchi, but I would have been happier with a crispier pancake. Â It was still tasty, though. Â The bone marrow was served with cornichon and toast that you can spread it on. Â My only complaint with the bone marrow was that one of them didn't have a deep enough hole, so instead of being filled with bone marrow it was mostly solid bone. Â And since there were only two bones, we had to really work our sharing skills. Â The lamb cheeks were delicious and fork tender. Â Think of braised short rib, only without the bone, and lamb instead of beef.
For dessert we shared the bread pudding and I had the adult float (vanilla gelato served in a glass of chocolate stout). Â The bread pudding was not overly sweet, which I liked. Â The float had an interesting flavor and I could have easily mistaken it for a non-alcoholic dessert. Â Service overall was attentive and helpful in making our dining decisions. Â The restaurant itself has an industrial warehouse vibe, with the bare interior and high ceilings. Â There is a loft area (which I believe has its own bar) that has a DJ who plays music during dinner. Â For the budget conscious, beware. Â If you're not careful, your party of two can easily exceed $100 after all is said and done, but I thought it was totally worth it.
Ambiance - EASY 5 stars
HOT Sexy Men at the bar - EASY 5 stars
Location - EASY 5 stars
High ceilings, loft area, dj (yes ambiance but should be pointed out) EASY 5 stars
Drinks - also EASY 5 stars
Now - I'm beyond a picky eater, the food easy 3 stars. So this brings it to 4 stars for me.
I've been here twice, both times on dates - both times I was wishing I was at the bar with those other guys! DAMN. (sorry if you're one of my dates and you're reading this)
I'm very disappointed with my food experience at Mua. This review is strictly for the food, because the environment and service was exceptional.
My group ordered the Softshell Crab Po' Boy Sandwich, the mac and cheese, the brussels sprouts, and the 24 hour 'stone farm' spare ribs. My biggest complaint about the food is that it was not served to us hot. Everything was room temperature at best, but my table didn't have the heart to send everything back. We did however, ask our server to take the ribs back and heat it up, which she did graciously and brought back a new batch. I don't eat meat, so I couldn't tell you how it tasted, but when my friends told me that their ribs weren't hot I touched it, and they weren't lying.
The Crab Po' Boy Sandwich... where to begin? The bread was super soggy, the crab was definitely good, but it was overshadowed by it not being hot! I wanted to like this sandwich. The fries it was served with weren't hot or crispy, it was cold! All in all, this dish made me sad.
I wasn't all bad, the mac and cheese were definitely worth it. Our waitress suggested pairing it with the brussel sprouts. We did so, and it was a hit (even though it wasn't hot).
I felt like maybe they were waiting until all our food was complete before bringing it to the table, but as a result we got cold and room temperature food. We also came at 6:00PM, right before it started to get busy. Maybe there was a shift change or something? Would I come back here? Honestly, probably not. It looks like a cool place, but the experience as a whole was very disappointing.
TL;DR: I don't think I was hip enough for this place. Over all the food quality was exceptionally decent. Not terrific, not terrible. Â Service we received was great. Â The space was ultra trendy and hip, but otherwise, I wasn't particularly impressed.
Came here after an A's game with my girlfriend, sister, and sister's boyfriend. Â We were seated pretty quickly in what I was informed was an old ford dealership, but looks of a warehouse/loft space converted into a trendy urban restaurant. Â Bar up front, tables in the back, the overall appearance was very modern chic. Wearing my sports jersey, I felt a little out of place amongst the tight jeans and ironic glasses.
Sit down, and order a variety of small plates: Lamb Cheek, Bone Marrow, Collar Greens, Garlic Prawns, Mini Grilled Cheese with tomato Bisque, and Berkshire Pork Lettuce Wraps. Â Everything was brought to us pretty promptly, and looked good (with the exception of one bit of bone from the bone marrow plate, which was quickly replaced). Â I could find small flaws in everything, though nothing exceptional (except the pork lettuce wraps, which i'm pretty sure the lettuce was completely unwashed as I was chewing through grit that I can only assume was dirt). Â Everything was a little light on seasoning in my book, but not horrifically so. Â It was, by and large, unremarkable. Not really good, but not really bad, just kinda middle of the road. Â Prices were pseudo reasonable, so can't complain too much there either.
The service, while not exactly warm, was extremely accommodating. Â Every requested granted, and they were very efficient and timely with everything. Â They did their jobs very well. Â This is probably the best thing I can say about the place.
I wouldn't avoid this place, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it either.
I was randomly reading through my old yelp reviews (slow news day, y'know), and can't for the life of me figure out why I gave this place only 3 stars back then.
I love Mua!
The food is always tasty, the space is always packed, the drinks are always good, and somehow the service is always good too. Â i consistently bring out of town visitors here as a special treat.
Come here! Â Do not let my confused 2009 self deter you!
I would consider this a little gem around the Oakland area. My friend and I came here after work to catch up and de-stress (although parking was very stressful).
Parking is horrible, especially after work hours - that's when it's happy hour as well.
Mua has a full bar indoors. Tables and seating extends outdoors - the outdoors give the place very great ventilation. Sitting outdoor vs. indoor def has its own vibe - alas, we sat outdoors to enjoy the sun for a bit.
We ordered a couple of dishes - the kale salad (surprisingly very good), ahi tuna (perfection) and some asparagus.
It's true - you can't really tell how vast and spacious Mua is - there's also a second floor with a DJ station. Great place to hang out with friends - it is very bistro-like yet urban and hip. Diverse crowds, great drink selections and most importantly, great food + happy hour!
The ambiance of this restaurant is very Soho manhattan with a Brooklyn twist. The restaurant itself is in an old warehouse with lots of open space and high ceilings. There's a live DJ upstairs in a loft area spinning beats and you can hear people chattering around you. All of this makes for a pretty good Saturday night dinner.
The only thing that keeps me from giving more stars is the food. I ordered the mussels and was sad to find out after tasting a couple of them that they weren't fresh. The sauce was tasty but I couldn't get over the fact that the mussels tasted almost one week old. I was pretty disappointed. I also tried the Mac n Cheese and was also not very impressed. It was just OK. Nothing to write home about.
I would go here again for their drinks and share appetizers with friends but I wouldn't recommend their entrees. This way you can enjoy the restaurant without burning your wallet.
Thursday after dinner with the girls - not as loud as the Saturday night crowd.
$10 cocktails and $8-14 small plates. I split the bone marrow, mac n cheese (no cheese), lamb cheeks, and ahi tuna with a friend and got full. Caveat though - I have a naturally small appetite. I liked the ahi tuna the least and the bone marrow or mac n cheese the most.
Classy spot for a dinner in Uptown Oakland. I come here for the ambiance because I know I can get good food for cheaper elsewhere in the area.
I love the bathrooms! Â
I heard a lot about the burgers so that's what I had. Â The burger was good but it really wasn't anything to write home about-the bartender suggested an aioli sauce for my fries but when I put it on my burger it was amazing! The bartenders were nice and helpful and the atmosphere is really cool.
Will I come back? Â Yep.
Came here for dinner with my friend from out of town and had a great dinner.
We ordered the following
Bone Marrow- Thumbs up, ask for more crostini
Shishito Peppers- Yummy
Kale Salad- yummy
Romaine Salad- Big and yummy
Garlic Prawns- just okay, no need to order this
Crab Cakes- yummy
Drinks- 6 drinks, all yummy!!
Will definitely come back and try other stuff
2 thumbs up!!!
Oh, Oakland! Played out Willamsburg, BK wants to be you so badly but it tries way too hard.
Yes, the review. I had a great experience at Mua! As I tourist, I'm happy I took some time to leave San Fran and see what Oakland had to offer. The music, atmosphere and artwork of the restaurant is fresh, chill, and enjoyable.
I chose the Grilled Salmon served on top of dirty rice and let me tell you, it was bangin'! I sampled some of my husband's Rib Eye because I'm greedy and I loved it too. No steak sauce was needed.
I'm a wine novice but I was impressed by the selection. Mua had a variety of micro brews as well.
Loved it!
I've never had a bad experience coming here - the food and cocktails are always fantastic, and the vibe is super chill and low key. I love the diverse crowd, great music, and creative design and feel to the place. The menu has a lot to choose from so it is fun to come back and try new things and re-order things you really liked before. I've also been here for quite a few work events and they've always been on point coordinating those.
The only drawback (no fault of the restaurant) is that it is a little scary trying to get to your car when it is super late - the area is a bit dicey some nights so take a buddy or call Uber!
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