Calavera

This is a hot new spot but I was not impressed. The portions were small and pricey, the food was super salty and our table on the deck kept getting kicked and knocked by everyone — servers and customers alike — who passed by.

Calavera is a brillian addiiton to the Oakland dining scene. The fresh, vibrant Oaxacan cuisine a lovely new note to play against the panoply of fresh, authentic offerings that can now be found in my hometown. Let’s call it Variations on a Mexican Theme. Thoroughly enjoyed the guacamole & chapulines (tiny, smoky, peppery grasshoppers) that began our meal. Moved on to a sampler of two of their small plate tacos, the Tinga de Pollo Estilo Hidalgo and the Cochinita Pibil. Lovely organic chicken and a braised cochon that melted in the mouth. Both so succulent that the juice ran down my fingers and begged to be licked away. The ceviche was that perfect blend on the palate: toothsome fresh fish and acid, that is at the heart of a well-​balanced ceviche offering. We finished our meal by sharing the Puerco con Frijol, and absolutely devoured it. First with our eyes, and then with our mouths. Delightful.
These days one has to understand that Unilocal is the platform where wannabe «critics» all convene to recount their experience via any potential flaw they can find. It seems as though to enjoy any experience with abandon and recount that joy is an impossibility and, somehow, invalid. They count pieces of tuna, pull their food apart to judge the color of a leaf of salad, and measure flecks of seasoning against their own ideal of perfection. It’s disappointing and difficult for me to read. I’m Italian. I was raised to really enjoy a meal. Life is so short, and dining is an experience meant to be savored, each meal an opportunity to make a lasting memory. How can one possibly enjoy a meal if the entire experience is consumed by a «Where’s Waldo» approach to negativity?
But if you’re looking only to have a beautiful meal that will transport you to Oaxaca, and allow you to close your eyes and savor the moment, Calavera would be a great choice. Make a memory of your own, I know I will.

Wow seriously underwhelmed. Stopped by Saturday to grab a bite. Patio is empty-​sweet! Except they forgot me. Long wait for water another wait to order.
By the way the menu is new each day. Today there were 2 tacos, mushroom and pork. That’s it. I’m allergic to mushrooms, so no. My choice reduced by half. The menu really is hard to understand. Asking the server for a clue didn’t help. Disappointing.
The food was ok. The pork was tender but lacked flavor and was pretty greasy. The blue corn tortillas was wonderful though.
Not sure I’ll be back

After hearing so much about this place I finally got the chance to go. I am sad to report that it felt short of my expectations. Although the food was good it was way over priced. The décor however, is very well done and authentic to Oaxaca culture. I would only return for the drinks because they were the only outstanding part of my visit.
Cheers

Went here and did the restaurant week menu. The theme of the night was good but nothing outstanding. I was told about the amazing homemade tortillas and was excited. The restaurant week menu featured them in some way in almost every dish along with the same cabbage and green sauce.
Let me start from the beginning… The guacamole was amazing although some of the chips were limp and under cooked.
My salt air cocktail was good however the proportion of salt foam on top over powered everything. A little less foam would have gone a long way.
For our appetizers we had Pescadillas de atun and quesadilla de hongos. The Pescadillas were supposed to have tuna in them and after closer inspection I found only two small pieces in mine. The quesadilla was a great balance of cheese and mushrooms. The mushrooms were flavorful. Would order that again given the chance and if it was a bit bigger.
The Puerco con frijol was the star of our meal. It was balanced and vibrant in flavor. Our server told us how many hours they spend making the mole for the pollo con mole poblano. I found it to be lacking the complexity of other moles.
The Oaxacan chocolate cookies were chewy and the subtle heat was a welcome addition. The arroz con leche was something I could have passed on. The strawberry clashed with the rice pudding.
Overall it was hit and miss.

Caught the last day of Oakland Restaurant week and so glad we picked Calavera. Calavera is a hot new spot in the Hive complex with tons of hype so I had to see what it was all about.
Sticking to theme, the place is adorned with, you guessed it, calaveras (skulls). From the subtle wallpaper design to host stand, it was everywhere you looked and very nicely done.
I got the 3 course menu + taco trio.
We started off with crispy chapulines and guacamole. A winning combination (and good source of protein, they say).
Next, the Pescadillas de Atun, a masa pocket (empanada) with tuna belly and salsa verde for dipping.
For the main course, the Pollo con Mole Poblano. Two tender pieces of chicken covered in rich mole and a side of arroz verde. Bittersweet with just the right amount of spice, and shockingly generous portions for a restaurant so hip.
The taco trio made its way to the table, and was split 3 ways. I claimed the Hongos Guisados — Oaxaca stewed wild mushrooms with cilantro.
For the dessert course, we split churros with chocolate and arroz con leche — rice pudding with goat’s milk, candied nuts, golden raisins, blood orange, and cardamom.
I can’t write a review and neglect to mention these cocktails. I had the Salt Air Margarita — Milagro blanco, Luxardo Triplum and lime topped with Oaxacan salt foam. First time I’ve had salt foam. Why is this not a margarita standard?
Such a great place and perfect for restaurant week, since you get all of the above (excluding chapulines and guac) for $ 30.

I made a reservation during Oakland Restaurant Week, because a few people told me this place was awesome. The décor is interesting and Oaxacan-​inspired, and our server was cool, fun, and patient.
I really wanted to be blown away by this place, but the food was just kind of… fine. We ordered off the pre fixe menu: machucos rellenos, pescadillas de atun, puerco con frijol, tamal de calabaza, Oaxacan chocolate cookies and arroz con leche, plus a halibut ceviche. It all tasted good and the presentation was beautiful, but it all just kind of tasted the same. It was Oaxacan food for upper middle class white people. Nothing was bad (except for the arroz con leche, it was cloyingly sweet), it just didn’t have any real edge. My friend ordered a beautiful gin and tonic, though — I’d come back for cocktails and ceviche.

Went here on a date night and ended up spending over $ 100 for two, but it really wasn’t worth it. They sat us outside, where we could hear a ton of noise from the courtyard. We walked through the inside and it was really loud as well.
Ultimately, the real issue was that the food wasn’t special. Portions were small, and both of the dishes we got were essentially piles of shredded meat that tasted the same. I’ve been to better taco trucks. We got little fried plantain fritters that were overdone and pretty bland.
Definitely won’t be heading back.

I’ll go back. waiter very knowledgeable about tequila and mezcal (we did a flight).
The mushroom tacos were yum. Try the Estilo Ron Cooper drink, lots of tastes.
Chips were light and tasty. Very cool sculptures.
I was hungry later on, it’s a bit pricey, so tried to be conservative.
We had good service but booked at 5:15, so beat the crowd.

Came here for a girls night, and I was so disappointed.
The atmosphere was nice and relaxing, but I was unimpressed with the food and slow service. The portions are TINY!!! I got the Octopus dish cooked in lime. I’ve had better. This was way too sour. My friends got very small tacos that were just ok, and their guacamole is nothing to get excited over. I can make better than theirs. I would never be able to bring my husband here. He would have to order 7 or so plates to get full. The food wasn’t anything special.
Maybe I wasn’t impressed because I wasn’t drinking, but I really didn’t care for this place. The prices were outrageous for the amount of food you get.

This place it’s amazing. Great customer service, food and drinks… I recommend this place to anyone

Restaurant was good overall. Everyone enjoyed the food. They thought it was delicious. However, the service was slow. It took what felt like 30 minutes to bring a beer to me. Also, food took a while too. Though like I said, my family enjoyed their food.
The restaurant is wheelchair accessible, for the most part. There’s a ramp, not too tight spaces, and in the restroom, the toilet paper is on a mobile holder that a person can easily move closer or farther away from the individual.
Overall, the restaurant was good. Food excellent. Service so so. Place noisy. I may go back, but my family members will.

Eh. The space is beautiful and the cocktail I had was delicious but way expensive. Besides that I was not really impressed.
For starters the host asked when we walked in «What can I do for you?» which I found off-​putting. Then, he told us it would be a 15 minute wait and told us to come back and check in with him at 7:45. I don’t get why in such a smallish restaurant why we would have to check back in with him. Can’t he come get us when our table is ready? We were within sight of him the whole time we were waiting.
Finally, the food. My husband and I each got a taco plate (his pork, mine mushrooms) and they were kinda meh. Mine was pretty dry so I asked for some tomatillo salsa to spice it up. They brought it and it helped, but not much. Without telling me they would charge me for it they added $ 1 to our bill. Not an outrageous charge of course, but at least let me know in advance.
Overall not a place I will frequent for dinner but may come back occasionally for a cocktail or two.

Delicious refined authenticity, outstanding thoughtful service in a gorgeous space.
I’ve noticed the sentiment in some reviews that the menu was pricy. When you consider the cost of using organic ingredients and responsibly raised meat, the prices are right where they should be.
Calavera is a perfect addition to the Oakland dining scene.

This is a solid place with a few significant drawbacks.
the good:
— atmosphere is really cool
— house margarita is AMAZING (possibly the best thing we had the whole night)
— the ceviche is yummy
— so are the plantain fritters
— we enjoyed the rice that we ordered for our son (more on that below)
— the cauliflower was also delicious
the not so good:
— THE PRICE — holy moly this place is expensive. we are not afraid to plunk some $$ down for good food, but 1 tamale for $ 14??? that’s just crazy talk
— the tamale in question (squash) was not great
— the pork tacos were ok
— this place is SO not kid friendly. i know it doesn’t purport to be, but anything we asked for (side of beans, side of rice) for our child was met with a «not sure we do that». If i came in with an allergy and asked the chef to modify, i’m sure they would do it. making a plain side of rice or beans for a child (seeing as we’re likely paying $ 10 for it) is just crappy.
overall, this place needs to get over itself a bit. if you’ve got extra $ to spend, you’ll likely have a good time. you could also spend ¼ of the $ at a taco truck and have at least as good a meal, if not better.

Delicious, gorgeous food in a warm, bright space. Service is attentive and kind without being too much.
We got the guacamole with a side of spicy crickets. The blue corn chips and bright green guacamole were wonderful. I heard the crickets were tasty and full of protein.
The plantains were sweet and crispy and sooo good! I could have eaten the whole plate myself but I had to share.
The pozole is served with colorful sides with lots of interesting textures: chicharrones, watermelon radish, lime, onion, cabbage. Mmm! :) warning this is spicy enough to make your nose run!
I loved the pork taco for its flavor and texture and for the pretty pink onion pickles.
The chilaquiles were also delicious (the cheese, chorizo, and blue corn chips) but a smidgen too spicy.
If we didn’t eat all this, I could have and would have eaten the whole plate of churros. The dipping sauces weren’t too sweet and were the perfect compliment to the churros.

Calavera is the place to go for tequila. They have an amazing selection, including mezcals. All of their cocktails are great. The Salt Air margarita has to be my favorite since it is so unique. The Guacamole Verde with the grasshoppers is a must. The Queso Flameado is a cheese lover’s dream. The ceviches are so delicious as well as the tacos.
They now serve brunch, which I tried for the first time today. The Chilaquiles Rojos was SO good. The housemade chorizo gave it a spicy kick. The Platano Frito is a sweet treat. I did try the Pina Colada Mimosa, which was just delicious.
Check out Calavera, if you haven’t already or just go again!

Fantastic open space. Lovely waiters. Aesthetic composition for food and drinks. Highly recommended for a business meal.
Must get:
– the yellowfin tuna ceviche is excellent. Not too much sourness to the lime juice. A bit of kick from chili pepper. Phenomenal dish.
Solid:
Tres tacos — chicken, pork and mushroom. Incredibly flavorful. Eat quickly before the sauce goes through the taco skin.
Avoid:
Roasted cauliflower — overcooked.
The drinks are quite pretty here. Gin and tonic had habiscus flower and cucumber and was probably the best one that I have tasted and still wasn’t a huge fan. The margarita in small cocktail glasses looked much better.

Un excelente para esta temporada con tradición mexicana sabores deliciosos, un lugar que recomiendo.

Yet another new and shiny place in Uptown, but one that is bringing some underrepresented Oaxacan fare to the area. Where else have you seen chapulines (grasshoppers) or birria de chivo (chile-​chocolate braised goat) on the menu? Calavera is stepping it up with unique dishes, and also doing it in a gorgeous space with double digit cocktails a la Nuevo Oakland.
A group for four of us came a few weeks after opening. There were still some to be expected service hiccups, namely wrong dishes being delivered, and poor pacing. We did receive service with a smile, and graciousness, and I imagine that they’ve now worked out some of those kinks. I loved my cocktail-​La Princesa, with mezcal, orange, fresno, laurel, passion fruit and ginger espuma. She was a real looker and lived up to her name. Highlights for me were the grilled octopus with melon, a few bites of the very tender goat, a slurp of my friend’s fideo and chorizo soup, and the gourmet churros for dessert. The taco sampler was a bit dull and did not tickle my taco spot like one from a local taqueria would.
Calavera is definitely a fun and loud place that for an evening made me feel hipper than I really am. Nice to enjoy a fine meal out that isn’t wood fired pizza or California cuisine, and happy to support a new Oakland business.

Wow, where I have I been? Obviously not at The Hive. Such a cool new spot in Uptown. Thanks Calavera for the introduction.
Pros:
*airy space with soaring ceilings and fun décor
*warm service, the host was away, but the bartender made sure we were greeted with an ‘hola!’ and some menus to peruse while waiting
*halibut ceviche, fresh and balanced flavors
*guacamole, perfect, love the thick blue corn chips, crazy crunchy
*chapulines, very interesting, total bucket list item, seasoned well, wish they looked more frightening, but currently they are of the smaller variety
Needs improvement:
*nopales, generous, lots of heat, salty
*kale caesar, loved the 63* egg, anchovies and bolillo croutons, overdressed
Cons:
*super uncomfortable chairs, like being on a flight, during take off and landing
*tacos, cold blah tortillas, the best one of the three was the masa crusted sweetbreads, pork was too watery/​salty, steak/​eggs bland, missing: something fresh, spicy and creamy
Looking forward to trying dinner and seeing the menu evolve.