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Popoca, Oakland, CA

Popoca

4.8
4.8
32 Reviews
$30 and under
Latin American

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 11 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Innovative
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Lively
Popoca is a Salvadoran-inspired restaurant in the heart of Oakland. Popoca means “to emit smoke” in Nawat, the language of native people of El Salvador who stoked wood fires to prepare food over a comal for their families. Revered as more than just a means of cooking, smoke represents a prayer or offering to the spirits.

Popoca is a mix of heritage and play. Our food is driven by preserving past, creating something new and uniquely Oakland.

After years of pop-ups, Popoca has its own digs in the Old Oakland neighborhood, where the pupusas, chicken with fermented pineapple sauce, and other Cali-Salvadoran specialties are happily devoured.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Latin American
  • Hours of operation
    Tue–Thu 5:15 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:15 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (510) 457-1724
  • Website
    https://www.popocaoakland.com/
  • Dress code
    Business Casual

Experiences

  • Valentines Day

    $114.00 per person

    Feb 14, 2025 only
    Popoca Valentines Day CRAB dinner- 4 Course Prix Fixe Menu - $95 per person. Vegetarian option available upon request. Please note payment is due at the restaurant. A credit card is only required to secure your reservation.

Menu

At present, we do not have menu information for this restaurant. Please see their website or wait to visit the restaurant to learn more.

What 32 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • East Bay

    Innovative

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Popoca offers an exceptional dining experience with "delicious thoughtful food" and vibrant flavors. Guests rave about the "extraordinary cocoanut flan" and the "superb cocktails." The atmosphere is lively and inviting, with "friendly staff" who enhance the dining experience. The restaurant is a "complete gem" in Old Town Oakland.

32 Reviews

  1. Kim

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Loved the food and service and everything about this place!

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  2. Jose

    Pittsburgh

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This was an amazing dining experience! We highly recommend it.

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  3. Katherine

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Great restaurant - we highly recommend it. Our server provided great advice to our group regarding what to order in terms of taste and quantity. We enjoyed all the dishes! The food was well prepared and presented and very tasty. The restaurant also has a warm, welcoming atmosphere/decor. We'll definitely be back to Popoca and recommend it to our friends.

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  4. Kelly

    VIP

    San Francisco

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent server Delicious food Beautiful ambience Loved!

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  5. Rhona

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent, imaginative cuisine, well off the beaten path in terms of flavour combinations, both for the food and the cocktails. The restaurant has a warm ambiance and the waitstaff is very friendly and knowledgeable.

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  6. Nelson

    San Francisco

    29 reviews

    5.0

    29 reviews

    Dined on January 12, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    As a Salvadoran, I love this take on our cuisine! The pupusas are among the best I've ever had - the only ones better were at El Triangulo in Olocuilta, El Salvador. On the more modern side, the Pollo Campero is some of the best fried chicken I've ever had. It doesn't taste like the Pollo Campero in El Salvador, but you can see where the inspiration came from. Great drinks menu as well!

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  7. Emily

    VIP

    Minneapolis

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on January 10, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Ceviche was delicious, as was the guac a mol and the noodles and all the pupusas. Unique cocktails. Nice presentation of all. Comfortably cool ambiance. Server was attentive and friendly. Will return.

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  8. hamei

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on January 9, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    As always everything was delicious and flavorful. I’ve been a fan of Anthony’s cooking since the pop up days. All of his dishes are seasoned to perfection and flavors that all work together perfectly. Drinks were great as well! As always all the love !

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  9. Deb

    Palm Springs

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on January 9, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    A thoroughly lovely experience. Delicious thoughtful food presented by a friendly staff. Very fresh and clean with vibrant flavors. The cocoanut flan was extraordinary. A great experience. We will be back.

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  10. Beth

    San Francisco

    13 reviews

    5.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on January 8, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Dishes had layers of flavor and were varied. We had the tasting menu and it was delicious from first to last. Service was excellent. The place was hopping on a Tuesday night. I’m definitely going back!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Popoca is rated 4.8 stars by 32 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 11 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Popoca

906 Washington St, Oakland, CA 94607

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Oakland
  • Hours of operation
    Tue–Thu 5:15 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:15 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Latin American
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    None
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