Blue Oak Cafe - Oakland

The staff here are friendly, and it's a great place to grab a bite before visiting the nearby OMCA museum. As a longtime vegan, I appreciate the variety of plant-based options available, including a tempeh sandwich, a harvest vegetable salad, and coconut water, among others. The food is decent, but what really stands out is Kozyndon's stunning mural in the cafe, created in 2014 and titled "Ode to California." This surreal artwork pays homage to the beauty of California, showcasing its geography and wildlife in an idealized, utopian landscape where people coexist harmoniously with nature. Don't miss it!

This restaurant is a little gem tucked into the Oakland Museum. The dining room is clean, crisp and bright... nice seating and a really pleasant room. It is a counter order type place and the staff is energetic and friendly. There 's a variety of eats, from salads to sandwiches to soups. A nice variety of drinks. I waited on line and read the board of options and had my sights on the veg. chili. But the minute I got to order they removed the sign! Drat! So I decided to have the creamed corn soup instead. It was actually quite good and I did enjoy it. They give you a 'beeper ' to let you know when your order is ready to pick up. It 's a little cheesy for a nice place and feels like some chain restaurant letting you know when your table is ready. You buss your own plates and utensils, but they make it easy. It is a bit pricey but worth it. I 'll be back

Located within the Oakland Museum...I would give the food 3 stars with super friendly staff who are welcoming and quick..so 4 stars! Had the Mary's Chicken sandwich which was herb baked breast of chicken with pickled carrots similiar to a vietnamese sandwich accompanied with a refreshing, mixed green salad, tossed in a light vinaigrette filling, simple, and basic sandwich...not wowed but not bad. My friend ordered the chorizo sloppy joe and though he devoured it said it was good. Would return to try other things..pricing of $12 for a sandwich seems to be average in Oakland these days...with chips and a vanilla doodle about $16/person. Plenty of seating inside and outside...order at the counter, given a number and someone will bring it to you and bussing your own table.

A nice surprise! We drove to the Oakland Museum of California to see two fine art exhbitions and when we arrived looked for a place to enjoy a nice lunch in the warm summer air. To our surprise we found the Blue Oak Cafe. Yes, it is not as upscale as what we could have enjoyed at the De Young where we had just left, but then the Oakland Museum has its own charm of being a bit rough around the edges. That 's ok! We had Beef Sliders and Korean Tacos...and both came with a nice side salad and delivered to our table out on the patio by a friendly server. We totally enjoyed our light lunch at a fair price. I recommend the place to anyone looking for tasty food at a good value, a casual setting (thats seen its better days as is the case with the whole building) and close to some great exhibitions that provided food for thought as we walked through the galleries. Parking next to the museum is free if you go on the weekend and use the lot not far from Lake Merritt. There is also parking under the museum for a fee.

The restaurant at OMCA serves up restaurant quality food and a good one at that. Cafeteria style set up but the food is great. Even the PBJ had great presentation.