Mago

The people at Mägo just get it. One of the best meals I've ever had in Oakland. We'll be dreaming of the Pickled Mackerel Caesar Salad forever. Not only that, but every dish one upped the one that came before it. Many of the items cooked on this charcoal grill that you see them cooking in front of you. The entire staff, from chef to server were world class people. It was such an awesome experience. My partner has an allergy to Strawberry and not only did they accommodate for that in one of the desserts, but she argued that it was probably better tasting than the strawberry version. I tasted both, she was wrong, but pick your battles, right? I cannot wait to come back. Also -- the cocktail I got was so freaking good. All in all, the best time to go to this restaurant was yesterday, the second best time is today. If you can, go.

Beautiful presentations with a bountiful mix of beef, fish, octopus, and pork with two desserts to end the meal. The cocktails are masterfully made. One is refreshing with another that has a kick of spiciness. The ambiance is a bit casual with the open kitchen layout. You can see how your food is prep. The smokey smell from the bbq pit gives the food much more flavor. The service is prompt and always available. I would wholeheartedly recommend it for those special nights or if you want to dine by yourself.

It was my first time having a tasting menu, but mago did not disappoint. It is not your traditional Colombian dish, but the chefs take their dishes to another level. Everything on the tasting menu was different. The presentation was well executed and the flavors and ingredients were both fresh and flavorful. We also tried the nonalcoholic drinks and if those were excellent, im sure their cocktails are to die for. Overall, such a great experience.

Great atmosphere with a wide open kitchen and a cool, high-ceilinged space. Beverage pairing was excellent, especially the cocktails (wasn't as impressed by the wine pairings). Dishes were all good, but only some were "great", in my opinion. Lamb shank in particular was a bit too rich, with large globs of fat, and no side dishes to cut through it at all. Standouts were the arepas and the blood orange sorbet. Would go again, but I'm not expecting a Michelin star just yet.

I loved this entire experience. The food was delicious! Some of the vegetarian options were actually tastier than the meat options - this is when you know the chef is excellent. The service was also superb. We felt bad because we forgot that we needed to pay the tab online and we waited a while for the servers to bring the bill. We are sorry for making the staff wait as we were the last ones to leave that evening.