Commis

The good: An upscale unique dining experience in a comfortable environment. This was my first time at Commis. We had a table of 6 to celebrate our 31^st wedding anniversary.
What I enjoyed the most was the sommelier who was a very nice man from Ohio. He recommended a wonderful bottle of champagne, a white burgundy and a chardonnay that was utterly divine! He also explained how he sources his selections. He was great. In fact, all of the male staff was customer friendly and professional.
The food was very complex … good, I would say. This was the first time I had an 8 course meal. The portions were small and I was pleasantly surprised that I was fully satiated!
The not so good: The woman server. She was very cool… not rude but not friendly. Slightly persnickety. We asked her several times to repeat her food descriptions because we could not hear her. As the cuisine was very complex, a description that we could hear should be expected. I guess the male servers noticed and did their best to come to our table and take up her slack. If she is to be the main server, she will require more training.
One suggestion that I have is if you know someone is allergic to fish and that is the primary
ingredient, have another selection available. We notified the restaurant in advance that one person in our party was allergic to fish and was primarily carnivorous. Instead of giving him red meat or poultry, they gave him the same selection as ours minus the fish! Our guest is definitely not vegetarian and for the pri fixe price, I thought the chef could have been more accommodating.
The main course was squab and somewhat bland.
I’m not sure if I would go back.

Commis! u get to b my 100^th review baby! :)
I had bookmarked this fine dining restaurant after I heard that Commis had just received 2 Michelin stars. yep, 2 Michelin stars! what I didn’t know was that my man had made a reservation for my birthday at Commis over a month ago. so SO sweet! (he so gets me. :)) I found out in the morning n was anticipating our dining experience with the utmost enthusiasm.
our dining experience at Commis was EVERYTHING that I thought a Michelin starred restaurant should encompass. I’ve been to other fine dining restaurants with the same level of creativeness n masterful dishes, but the overall experience at Commis was simply top tier. I would even venture to say that this restaurant is THE BEST I have ever been to. (out of all the Michelin starred restaurants.)
every dish that came out looked amazing n also tasted amazing! compared to other fine dining restaurants where there was always a little something that I wasn’t completely satisfied with, I was completely content n happy with every aspect of the service. at first I really thought I was still going to b hungry at the end of our service, (each plate was bite-​size.) but it was 12 courses including the amuse bouche so I was definitely full.
our server was both attentive n professional. she knew not to hover around when we were chatting n eating. I read other reviews which complained of the «cold attitude n service» from the servers n employees. if u want to b chatted up n the ambiance to b like a Applebee’s or your neighborhood pizzeria, then don’t come here cuz u won’t b satisfied. their employees all did each of their jobs professionally.
we also loved that we got a copy of the night’s menu plus a card (just for me!) with all of the chef’s signatures. with each new dish came new flatware to use. as the night wore on, the chefs who worked on that particular dish brought them to our table themselves n explained the dish to us! that was very cool. I have never eaten at a restaurant that had the chefs do that for their customers. they r so deserving of the Michelin stars!
the restaurant is located in a small downtown area on Piedmont Ave. in Oakland. there’s a bunch of small cute shops n other eateries on this street. it seems like there’s only street parking so we parked on Monte Vista n walked a block to Commis.
the space itself is small; probably 4 small tables in the front n 2 more in the back, plus the seats at the bar area. the open kitchen area was minimal n clean. how the chefs moved around in that small kitchen n created all of the dishes I’ll never know! it’s no wonder they r booked months out. we saw a couple trying to walk in to get a table for dinner. they were immediately turned away. I wasn’t surprised.
out of all the amazing dishes that came out, I would have to say the slow poached egg yolk in the onion soup was my most favorite. I love eating eggs n that egg yolk came out with a texture that was PERFECT. even my man said they couldn’t have gotten it any better. it was really soft, but not runny. (that wouldn’t have stayed a sphere.) it was also the same soft texture the whole yolk, not only part of it. I have no idea how they did it. as long as I got to eat it, I’m good!

Came here for an early Valentine’s day celebration. They just got their 2^nd Michelin star, so I was excited to finally visit the only Michelin-​starred restaurant in East Bay (for now). We got the seatings at the chef’s counter (which you can request when you call to make the reservation. Chef’s counter pricing is the same). The prix fixe menu is (currently) $ 125, which I think actually makes it the cheapest 2-​star restaurant in the bay area (I think before it was Quince, but I know they’ve since raised their price). That’s an incredible price, especially given the quality. They don’t have an a la carte menu, and you’re served the prix fixe menu that the chef has prepared for the day. If I’m just rating the food, it would’ve been a solid 5 stars. While there are some courses that tasted like courses that I probably have had at every Michelin starred restaurant (you know how you always get a shellfish course with some vegetable and broth that tastes like oyster liquor with lemon? There were two dishes like that, and I swore I had those at like, every Michelin 2 – 3 star restaurants I’ve been to). However, there were a few of dishes that were above the cut: there was a fish dish that was perfectly seared, an awesome sous vide egg dish, and a dish with sunflower seed and artichoke heart (I’m just going off with my memory at this point). The only disappointment with the whole meal was actually the service. They were great at refilling water. However, my boyfriend and I both ordered nonalcoholic drinks only (he was recovering from an upset stomach and I’m the driver). After we both finished our drinks before even half way through our meal, they took our glasses away but never once asked us if we want any other drinks. I hope it wasn’t because we didn’t order any alcohol or wine pairing, but I end up having to flag someone down, and this was actually after several attempt to flag someone down but with no one paying attention to us. However, the overall experience was still wonderful, we had tons of fun watching the chefs working on the dishes.

BEWARE: Prices may change without notice. I made the reservation before the new year. The prices were 75 tasting, 45 pairing. Quite the kick in the stomach when we arrived and found out the prices raised to 125 tasting, 75 pairing. I feel since they increased the menu price after I made my reservation, they should’ve given me an option before I’d be indebted to the cancellation fee.
It was an amazing meal and experience. Service was top notch. Presentation and taste of each course was excellent. I loved things I normally hate. I’m truly impressed with the pairing. The sommeliers choices really took our tastebuds on an adventure. A meal we will never, ever forget.

Unbelievable HORRIBLE service!!! What a CHEAP and coooooooooooooooold restaurant!!!
We had a reservation at Friday night and paid $ 100 to hold the reservation.
We left MTV 3:30pm today, 2 hours before the dinner. However, the traffic was ridiculous bad!!! We started to call the restaurant and retried more than 10times!!! NO ONE answered the phone AT ALL! We also left voice mail, stil NO ONE called back AT ALL!!!
When we arrived, the waitress said they can not give us a seat because we are late for the reservation! Remember this guy, a waitress who wore grey-​brown suit, said he called us at 5:45pm and left voice message thus they won’t give us any seat tonight at all. Thank you AT&T and your all calling history, you proved there’s NO ONE called or left any voice mail AT ALL!!!
He ignored all of his lies and threw us out of the door. My husband still tried to be polite and reasonable to discuss any chance because half of the seats in room were EMPTY! His answer was NO.
When we asked about the $ 100 reservation fee refund, this guy said NO although we appeared. When we asked to see the owner or manager. This guy shouted to us and said «I’m the BOSS!». I felt so upset at this point and started to weep, so he shouted me again!!! When my husband tried to comfort me, this guy closed the door hard and shouted us a lot with «You call just call 911 to report me!» sentence! What’s wrong with you!!!
During the whole time, he was just rude rude rude!!! No apology at all!
Wooooot! We visited more than 20 Michelin star restaurants, OMG, never got such horrible one!!! Never met such rude, ridiculous things before even in a tiny tiny restaurant.
Newly promoted 2-​star Michelin restaurant? What a big JOKE!

It has become too stark, stiff and cold.
The food was delicious, but the ambiance was tense with little warmth from the hostess/​waitress. It’s not worth the money to me, to have so little conversation about the food or wine pairings.
It was much friendlier and exciting when it first opened.
Saison in San Francisco was much better, more ambiance, more care, more interestingness… albeit much more expensive.

This place is definitely one of the best restaurants in the Bay Area. Two Michelin stars, and well-​deserved. Everything dish here is beautiful, complex, and well-​balanced. My favorites included the scallop and clams, presented beautifully in a half-​shell with the freshest and most flavorful scallops, a mushroom broth soup that was unexpectedly delicious and warmed the soul, and a jerusalem artichoke dish with trout roe that was one of the most delicious things I’ve eaten in a while.
Wine pairings are also worth it here — the wines are paired very well with the dishes, and there are a lot of interesting varietals from many unfamiliar regions.
Service is fantastic, and they’ll give you a copy of the menu with signatures from the whole staff on it if it’s your birthday, which is a really nice touch!

Impeccable, creative and exquisite. Definitely comparable to other 2* Michelin including The Modern and Atera. Will come back anytime

Oh. My. God.
I’ve been to Chez Panisse. This was in another league.
Every little bite of our «eight course» meal was so interesting. It wasn’t just food, it was an artistic experience. The texture of the first little «snack» (one of a multitude of additional courses not counted in the quoted eight)), a sort of mini almond bread muffin, was incredible. There was the most perfectly salty sweet crisp top, so thin, so delectable. I mean, everything we ate from that moment on was like that. Just meticulously perfect. I closed my eyes for almost every bite I took, until towards the end of the meal when I was so full I wasn’t sure I could eat anymore. My senses came alive. I was food drunk. I was experiencing the feelings of being in love. I felt pleasure in parts of my body I didn’t know had feeling.
I kept thinking about the reviewer in Ratatouille who said, «And if I don’t love it I don’t swallow!»
I’m not too shy to admit that I swallowed.
To my eyes, the restaurant looked modern at first glance, but after settling in it seemed timeless. The tables were nice, thick wood, it felt homey. I’m a terminally self conscious person, and yet I felt really free and happy that night. I think that says something about the ambiance.
The people who work at Commis are kind hearted. We didn’t have a singular server (it seemed like everyone brought something to our table — including the chefs). I liked that we got a slight feel of everyone’s personality. I mean, this is fine dining. The staff was surely professional and reserved. But also gracefully engaging. I’ve been to restaurants where the staff seemed a bit uptight. This was not that.
I went there for my birthday and I got a signed card from the whole staff. I’m keeping it. Commis is a house of excellence, and not the kind of excellence money alone can buy. It’s the result of an amazing partnership, everyone working in harmony with each other to create the best possible experience. The person who seemed to be in charge, possibly named Karen, was the definition of class. Katherine Hepburn incarnate. She really tied together the whole experience for me.
If you are looking for somewhere to celebrate an important event, or to just enjoy the fruits of your labor, look no further. You will not be disappointed.* Particularly if you want to make your woman feel like a queen. My partner took me here and I swear to god I suddenly realized how much he loves me. We’ve been together going on five years, so that says something.
*(Jenny H notwithstanding. After reading her review and then going to Commis and then reading her review again, I am reminded of a quote: «The world is a mirror.» To me the service was gracious, caring and dignified. To her it was ‘cold. very cold’. I wonder what was different?)

When I saw that Commis had been given two Michelin stars just recently, I immediately went on to Open Table to snag a seat there before s (*^# gets crazy and it becomes impossible to get a reservation or the prices go up significantly. After making a reservation for an early dinner on a Sunday night, my husband and I headed across the bay to get ready to be blown away by James Syhabout’s beautiful looking food. Since Commis a) doesn’t have an Instagram and b) doesn’t post their menu online since it changes regularly, it was sort of weird but cool not knowing what you’re about to get yourself involved in. So, because the food changes all the time, it’s not worth getting into every single thing we had, even though I could probably spend a fair amount of time talking about the uniqueness and delicious bites we had throughout the course of our dinner. Highlights from the evening was definitely the Jerusalem artichokes with sunflower and warm sea lettuce butter, as well as the button mushroom tissane. Oddly enough one of the other more memorable items was the caramelized onion financier with bee pollen that was served at the very beginning — it might be one of my favorite bites I’ve had all year! The desserts were also good, my favorite being the «tastes of lemon» that included a dacquoise, mousse, and a sorbet. The Commis space is a minimalist’s dream that involves very little «frills» and has an assortment of hip-​hop/​trendy music being played in the background. If I’m able to come back, I definitely want to sit at the counter at their open kitchen area too. Service wise, our server was nice and offered some good opinions on our by the glass wine options. I always find servers in this type of restaurant to be awkward since they don’t usually know how much space to give you or conversation to make with you, but I found it to be a good balance at Commis. In any case, I’m glad we were able to have dinner here, it was definitely a bit of a random splurge for a Sunday dinner, but I think it’s absolutely worth it if you’re able to make it to Commis!

Came here with high hopes, but left feeling that the experience was incomplete. The total grade is by lowest numerator. The service was cold… Very cold.
Service: Not perfect ⁴⁄₅
After our bread course, the crumbs were left on our table for the subsequent two courses before it was swept away. How can you, as an esteemed restaurant, serve the next course when the crumbs of the last has not been cleared?
Wine: ⁴⁄₅
A beer with crushed iced carrots– While it’s nearly hailing outside in the middle of December? I have never felt so damn cold in my life. A questionable choice or two in the wine pairings, but the rest were understood. Our sommelier mumbled so quickly that I find myself asking him again and again what he had just said. Enunciation would have helped immensely.
Food: ³⁄₅ Uninspired
Great, there’s Jerusalem artichokes, there’s caviar, gold leaf and flower petals on my food, but where is the respect for the food? Why add any element which does not contribute to the taste of the course? Where is the creativity? The food appears so pretentious but does not stand on its own. The steak was more boring than anything I can create with a sous vide and a cast iron at home. The fish courses were bland and/​or covered in ice. I could not discern the «sweetness» of fresh fish. Something tells me I’d be happier ordering fresh surf clams at a cantonese restaurant or sashimi at Ebisu.
Accommodations: ⁵⁄₅
My partner has a seafood allergy and understand that most of the their menu is seafood based and thus makes it quite difficult for them to accommodate him. I can see the effort in some courses to completely serve him a new dish and I understand that it takes time to do so.
Conclusion: Why pay $ 300 for A-​OK? Save your money.

Delicious food, good service, and the wine pairings were excellent. We were both too full by the end… like painfully full.
The service was beyond professional. Waiters in suits and extremely courteous. And nice touch — You get a printed menu at the end in case you want to look up any of the wines or remember what was what.
Reservations were easy — we got one within a couple of days via OpenTable.
I only wish the experience was more personal — to learn more about the chefs and background, rather than only being served food. But this is coming from just binge watching Chef’s Table on Netflix. so I may be biased. I’d still recommend the place for artistic, good-​tasting food. For $ 200/​person I’d say this is a once-​a-​year thing, but overall, worth it for the extraordinary food and pairings.

Hmm. Maybe my palate just isn’t designed for fine dining. I’ve only been to one other Michelin star restaurant (Wakuriya), but my experience there left much more of an impression than my experience at Commis.
The night started off a little rocky. We didn’t get seated until 15 minutes after our reservation because the party before us really, really took their time wrapping up. We didn’t mind at all, but the waiter was great and apologetic and offered us some complimentary champagne.
The service throughout the entire night was impeccable (with the exception of one lady, who seemed to ignore all of our «thank yous» and was very curt with her explanations). You stand up to use the bathroom? A server will immediately be by to fold your napkin. They pulled out my seat for me, took my coat, and even helped me put it on before we left. :-) Unparalleled service. Our primary server was very knowledgeable about the food and the wines he poured (two in our party ordered the wine pairing — I couldn’t partake, as I was DD and allergic…). He was also very amiable and easy to talk to.
The interior was really nice. It’s tiny inside, but it’s comfortable. The plating was decent. There weren’t too many moments where I was «wow’ed» and blown away but the plating, but each dish was aesthetically pleasing to look at.
The only reason this isn’t getting a better rating from me is that the food didn’t leave enough of an impression for the price we were paying. The most memorable part of the night was the oyster. Other than that… there were very few dishes that blew me away. I was expecting to have many moments of savory goodness, but I can’t remember any. It might just be that I am very picky and I happened to dislike a number of things on the menu (e.g. celery, dates, mint, and cheese)… But I don’t know.
Again, it might just be me… I don’t know. The food just didn’t blow me away, and I left feeling slightly hungry still. The portions were fairly small, which is normal, but I still expected to feel full at the end.
However, the service was GREAT… We were celebrating birthdays and they had complimentary dessert at the end. The moscato was also delicious. The birthday cards and the menu that they give you at the end was a really nice touch as well. From beginning to end, it was the service and the small gestures/​details that made the experience worth it.

Pros: I took my wife to Commis to celebrate our 1^st year anniversary and I am SO GLAD I did! Not even exaggerating, this is the best dining experience I’ve ever had in my adult life. Commis is a 2-​star Michelin restaurant for a reason… it really is THAT good! I’ve never been served a 8 course meal (which doesn’t mean 8 dishes but some courses come with more than one dish), a humorous main server, servers who attend to your every need, a different set of silverware FOR EVERY COURSE, and delicious food. Did I say delicious food? WOW. It is an explosion of awesomeness in every bite (or drink). Remy from Pixar’s Ratatouille would be all over this restaurant. The combination of taste are so complex and delightful, with every course well thought of to complement the next course. Here is the exact courses we had from their fixed menu:
Course 1: Caramelized onion financier with bee pollen
Foie gras tarlet with dried pear and mullin spices
Crisp corn with black olive and fennel
Course 2: Oyster with young ginger and frozen pear cider
(champagne bernard remy, grand cru blanc de blancs, allemant, france nv pairing)
Course 3: Celery root with lovage, mustard, black pepper and white sturgeon caviar
(max ferd. richter, mulheimer sonnenlay riseling selection, mosel, germany 2002 pairing)
Course 4: Jerusalem artichoke with sunflower, trou roe and warm sea lettuce butter
(domaine pelle, menetou-​salon, ‘les blanchais’, loire valley, france 2013 pairing)
Course 5: Slow poached egg yolk with smoked dates, alliums and malt
(de iuliis, semillon, hunter valley, australia 2006)
Course 6: sea bream with pine musrooms, toasted rice in a roasted hen broth
(domaine aux moines, savenieres-​roche aux moines, loire valley, france 1999)
Course 7: Tisane of button mushrooms
Course 8: Grilled 60-​day aged beef ribeye, beef heart, brassicas and raw almond
(fioranello, tenuta di fiorano, rome, italy 2012
Course 9: Steckler ‘bright meadow’ cheddar on a butter cracker
Course 10: Aviation sorbet with menthol
Course 11: Yuzu granita with fresh and dried plums, white chocolate
(vietti, moscato d’asti, piedmont, italy 2014)
Course 12: coconut tart, hazelnut coffee cookie, calamansi pâté de fruit
And for our anniversary, they prepared a card signed by all the chefs and gave us some other delightful pastry.
Cons: With all the above awesomeness, you know you pay for it. Our bill for 2 people with two glasses of wine was about $ 300 before tip (so make sure whoever you take here is someone really special) ;)
Overall: For a special occasion, this place comes HIGHLY recommended and will change your perspective and experience on fine dining forever.

Extremely disappointing.
Our group was excited to have booked this right before they got their second Michelin star. By the day we arrived, they were celebratory on the two star victory. We were soooo excited.
Then came the night of the dinner. Service was snobbish and a tad rude, especially the concierge. Food was styled well but fell flat. At the end of the day, good is good.
Why serve clam soup that tastes bitter? Why serve desserts with the same ingredient composition twice? Why serve overly sweet chocolate caramel tarts? Why serve a sorbet that tastes like paracetamol? I wanted to love this place but just couldn’t.

Dinner at Commis is a whole scene, man.
We entered the very small space shortly after the restaurant opened at 5:30 (reservations are easier to come by when you’re eating on the same schedule as the elderly). The décor could best be described as «muted;» soft grey walls, soft grey seats, dimly-​lit, with heavy reliance on pinlights and candles. In a place that seats no more than 30 people, the understated-​but-​warm service can really shine.
But enough about ambiance. The food was literally amazing; I was amazed. We did the beverage pairing, which added $ 65 per person and was 100% worth it.
The meal started with a trio of amuse bouches: a caramelized onion financier with bee pollen; a foie gras tartlet with dried pear and mulling spices; and a crisp corn with black olive and fennel. The foie gras was presented as the perfect mousse, with a beautiful balance of favors. The corn chip was exactly right, crispy and packing some serious fennel flavor.
From there, we moved on to champagne (Bernard Remy, grand cru blanc de blancs) and a single oyster served with young ginger and frozen pear cider. I forgot to take a picture before eating this, so only have a shot of an empty shell. But what a briny ride. I don’t typically enjoy ginger — I find it overwhelming and near-​mentholated to eat — but this was different. Maybe it was the «young» aspect of the ginger that made the difference, but it was subtle and warm, a perfect counterpart to the ocean saltiness of one perfect oyster.
Next: Celery root with lovage, mustard, black pepper and a white sturgeon caviar (served with Max Ferd. Richter, Mulheimer Sonnenlay Reisling, 2002). This was one of the best things I ate, and certainly the most beautifully constructed dishes of the night. The mustard tasted the way mustard was intended to taste — we’ve been doing mustard wrong! This was definitely a synergy plate; everything just came together, and I wished for American-​sized portions on this dish.
Next, the Jerusalem artichoke with sunflower, trout roe and warm sea lettuce butter. This was served with a Domaine Pelle, Menetou-​Salon, ‘Les Blanchais,’ 2013 and was quite tasty. That said, it was the dish that stood out the least. It was good, I liked it, and then I was done.
The slow-​poached egg yolk with smoked dates, alliums and malt (served with a 2006 De Iuliis, Semillon) was the only thing I simply didn’t like. The sweetness of the onion (allium, sorry) overwhelmed the other flavors in the dish, although the yolk was cooked beautifully, and must have been well-​sourced; the color of the yolk looked like a sunset, not a color you see in the usual grocery store egg. My preference aside, Dinner Companion liked this dish most of all, so opinions are split — it’s a dish that inspires strong feelings, one way or the other.
The sea bream with pine mushrooms, toasted rice and roasted hen broth was fantastic. The fish was perfectly cooked; firm but yielding to a fork, and the salty, slightly fatty broth set off the mild flavor of the fish and the earthy, almost meaty texture of the mushrooms. The wine pairing was spectacular, a 1999 Domaine Aux Moines, Savenieres-​Roche Aux Moines from the Loire Valley that even I (who normally does not care for dry wines) knew was something special.
Next, the tisane of button mushrooms (i.e., mushroom tea). Comfort food; I liked the fact that the chef could’ve used something fancy/​exotic, but instead went with the most common of all your mushroom options and got some fantastic flavor out of it.
The final course before dessert was a slice of grilled 60-​day aged beef ribeye, beef heart, brassicas and raw almond. This was paired with the only red wine, a 2010 San Vincenti Chianti Classico. The ribeye put up no fight. The flavor was subtle, no heavy spices or salt; you just taste *beef*. The beef heart was delicious, with a firm, even a little chewy texture, but the flavor was exactly the way beef should taste.
The cheese course was a Steckler «bright meadow» cheddar on a butter cracker. This was presented in classic Cheez-​Whiz style, whipped and extruded into a cheerful scrawl atop a perfectly tasty cracker. Small, but nice.
Dessert was three courses.
First, Aviation sorbet with menthol. A beautiful dish, featuring a scoop of sorbet topped by a piece of menthol sugar-​glass, with two flower petals (pansies, maybe?) riding shotgun. Incredibly refreshing, and a perfect palate-​cleanser. Then, the Yuzu granita with white chocolate and fresh and dried plums was… fine. I loved the sweet 2014 Moscato d’Asti that accompanied these.
Last was the trio of mini-​desserts, echoing the trio of amuse-​bouches. This included a coconut tart, a hazelnut coffee cookie, and a calamansi pâté de fruit.
Thus concluded one of the great meals of my adult life. It’s difficult to find a more perfectly articulated menu, or more beautiful, delicious food. Commis is a sense-​memory in its own right, and worth every penny.

The bf took me here for our anniversary dinner, and it was a treat. From start to finish, I was impressed by the creativity of the dishes. Of course, I had my favorites of the night, including the onion financier, duck with pickled cherries and beetroot, and their anniversary cake, which was like a passionfruit crème puff. The bread was the best bread I’ve ever had (so basic but it took my breath away, it was so good). And then there were other dishes that were aesthetically pleasing, but the flavors don’t really stand out in my mind. Overall, it was a good meal and a nice fine dining experience. Service was fine, albeit a little unenthusiastic and sometimes aloof.
In terms of dress code, which I myself was unsure of while getting ready, I would say dressy
casual. I had planned on wearing a long black dress (ok maybe it looked more like a gown) and heels, but last minute opted for a nice blouse, black pants and booties. After the fact, I felt that outfit choice was more comfortable and fit in better with the restaurant atmosphere. I think it’s up to you, as I saw some guys in tshirts and some girls in dresses.

a week later… they got bumped to 2 stars …
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Commis is a 1* michelin establishment in Oakland, CA… who would imagine that there is a michelin-​starred restaurant in Oakland!
it is anunassuming and minimalist restaurant with a remarkable and creative cuisine
It used to be cheaper but now their only tasting menu is priced at 119 USD which is pretty good. No full bar so they don’t have any cocktail/​mocktail.
food
— caramelized onion financier and the egg yolkd custard were probably ones of my favorites
— the bread/​cultured butter was delish!
Overall, at $ 119 for dinner, I think it is still pretty good cost-​performance wise. The portion is indeed very small and I wish we got more «meaty» dishes or more «luxurious» ingredients (like abalone? real foie gras? lamb?) but the presentation was nice, the service was good and most of the dishes tasted great.

Oh my goodness gracious. Commis shed some new light on food for me. It’s been a while since I’ve been there so I can’t remember all of the dishes that I had however let’s just do a really quick breakdown!
Food: Everything was cooked to perfection whether it was the abalone or the sea bass. Everything was perfectly made and plated. The platings were beautiful and too pretty to eat! A work of art! The bread was amazing and the BUTTER lol. I wanted to just take a bite, but didn’t want my heart to stop beating. I wish the owner was there that day, as I did some research on him. keke. =] always stalk the people who create your food!!!
Service: Our server was actually kind of robotic, not a lot of personality =[ However, the Wine Guy was awesome. He recommended a great bottle to us and we really really loved it! Overall, the service was very «fine dining» but kinda boring. I like it when my servers pretend to be interested in me. keke.
Atmosphere: Very quiet. The place had a very «clean» and modern feeling to it. We sat near the window, so it was nice and bright since we had an early dinner.
Price: of course it’s not going to be cheap, but i thought it was worth it — food and experience wise.
Overall? I will definitely return! Thank you Commis for opening my eyes on beautiful deliciously orgasmic food!!!

Our 2^nd Michelin star restaurant! Commis is a lot smaller than I expected, and if you didn’t know it was a Michelin star restaurant, you’d think it was just a small casual dinner spot from the outside.
There are a handful of seated tables as well as bar seating where the chefs are cooking and preparing plates right in front of you! We had a great seat near the window corner so we were able to hear each other and take our Unilocal photos in peace, haha.
Service was great. They constantly took away plates the minute we finished, and always refreshed our utensils after every course. There were a total of 12 courses and the meal lasted about 2 hours.
My favorite stand-​out courses: caramalized onion financier with bee pollen, cured and cold smoked almaco jack with capers and cucumbers, porcini mushrooms with new potatoes, warm lobster soup with yellow peach ice cream, halibut confit with brown butter, grilled pork with salted corn pudding, frozen cantaloupe, and the whipped dulce de leche.
I paired my meal with a rose lemonade; this might be my new usual drink at Michelin restaurants now.
They even brought out a passionfruit crème puff with a candle for my boyfriend’s birthday, as well as a signed card from the owner of Commis! I thought this was really awesome. They also provide you with a copy of the menu, which is great for Unilocalers like us.
The bill total was reasonable considering it was a Michelin star meal. Every cent was completely worth it! I was able to try ingredients that I would’ve never tried before. If you ever get the chance to try a Michelin restaurant, Commis is a great place to start. It’s in a humble location, it’s casual but intimate, and a wonderful experience.

Commis à la perfection.