I’ve probably passed this popular brunch spot in Oakland 3-4 times a week for the last five years and every time I think “I’ll eventually eat there”…well, it finally happened.

Kitchen Story originally had a location in the city but recently closed it while their Oakland spot is still going strong. During the week you can easily get a table but weekends are of course busy. One Sunday we finally decided to give it a try since it’s close to home and we’ve been talking about it for literal years. We put our name on the waitlist and since we weren’t that hungry yet it actually worked out. We wandered around the neighborhood for about an hour. Supposedly they take reservations now (they didn’t in the past) so I’d definitely recommend doing that if you really want to go.

Their menu has a plethora of brunch options, some with Asian inspired twists but we stuck with the more classic choices for our first visit.

Popcorn Chicken and Waffle Bits (7.5/10).

They also offer a full chicken and waffles dish but we opted for the appetizer version since the regular portion would’ve been too much food. The chicken was super crispy but I definitely wanted more waffle bits.

Florentine Eggs Benedict (6.5-7/10).

This was the weakest dish for a few reasons. While the poached eggs were perfectly cooked (nice and runny), the spinach was under seasoned and the sliced tomato underneath was out of season and had that mealy texture. The hollandaise could’ve been richer and I wasn’t a fan of the ciabatta base; it felt a bit clunky. The roasted potatoes on the side were fine but I would’ve preferred hash browns.

Lemon Ricotta Pancake with Fresh Fruit (8/10).

A very solid pancake with crispy edges and a fluffy interior, it’s hard not to like. That said, the lemon Ricotta flavor wasn’t as prominent as I would’ve liked.

Millionaire’s Bacon® (9/10).

One of their signature items on the menu is their millionaire’s bacon® where thick bacon is baked with brown sugar, cayenne, red and black pepper. It was so incredibly delicious.

Kitchen Story is definitely a brunch worthy spot but I can’t justify waiting over an hour unless you don’t mind walking around and aren’t starving. Either come during the week if you can or make a reservation. Service was friendly and prompt so overall I’d rate is a 7/10.